For most people, you hear the words "Swimsuit Season" and start looking into gym memberships, spending more time exercising, and substituting a large salad for a big bowl of pasta. It seems everyone around me always loses weight during the summer, and sorry for calling friends out, but most of them gain a few pounds in the winter.
But then, there is me. I am the opposite. In the winter, I shed the pounds. Of course, you wouldn't know it, because I'm buried underneath oversized sweaters, big scarves, and cords that fit when I bought them in October, but by January are 1-2 sizes too big. I hear summer, and I think "Sangria while sitting in a rocking chair on a porch!" As soon as the weather starts to warm up and the flowers begin blooming I yearn for the smell of cheeseburgers cooking on the grill, and day dream of holding a ginormous Ben & Jerry's cone under the blazing sun, racing the rays to eat it before sticky droplets of Mint Chocolate Cookie dribble their way down my fingers, passed my wrist, and somehow land on my blouse. For me, summer is socializing time, floating in the pool, and indulging over lobster tails drenched in lemon butter.
But, this year is different. I have Hush as my motivation. She recently started swimming (and by that I mean going in the deep end and actually swimming), and she loves it. I've taken to walking her on long walks, we stop half way to lounge under the shade of a large tree and snuggle... usually sharing some granola while we do. So far, I seem to have not gained any weight, and if anything, may have lost a little. Ideally, I want to lose about 3 lbs and tone up a bit. Not too lofty goals, and things that should be easily attainable with my furry friend at my side.
As soon as she heard the pool was opening, I walked in my living room and found her like this. I didn't have the heart to tell her the pool does not allow dogs. She looks so good in a bikini that I think I need to work on my own body now!
I’ve often joked that my dogs live better than I do, and I now think this is actually true! Milly has a surprise in store for her this weekend – a trip to Kitty Hawk! I am green with envy that she’ll be spending the weekend on the beach, playing in the surf and sand, and having attention fawned on her, while I’ll be in sticky, hot, old DC.
As you know, I sometimes let my ex-boyfriend keep Milly for anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks at a time. Whenever he has her I use the time to focus on organizing my life, and training Hush. Two dogs can be a lot of work at times, especially while living in a small apartment, working full time, and trying to maintain a social life in a bustling city as a single 26-year old with a tendency of over-committing herself. Add into the mix that one of those dogs is in heat, and training to be a show dog, and sometimes it’s enough to make me want to rip my hair out. Of course, I adore my dogs, and I would not trade them for the world, but there are moments where it is stressful trying to manage everything.
Each year my friend Tina, you might remember her from some posts about apple picking, or know her from Love, Tina Marie, organizes a trip to the Outer Banks over Memorial Day Weekend. My ex and I have many of the same friends, and Tina is one of the many friends we share. The OBX trip is always planned many, many, many months in advance, and when the invitations went out I was not sure what sort of terms I would be on with my ex, he RSVP’d first, so I opted out. Next year, however, I plan on going on the trip! :)
When I got a gchat from the ex today asking if he could see Milly for an afternoon or a couple of days, I said sure. He asked when he could see her, and I told him I’d have to figure it out. Then, he asked if she could go to Kitty Hawk this weekend. Well, I couldn’t think of a single reason why I should say no. She’ll get exercise, she loves the beach, and everyone going on the trip loves her. Of course, I couldn’t make it that easy for my ex, so I promised he could take her with him under one condition… he return her with some wonderful portraits of her at the beach. The ex is a great photographer, and he was happy to oblige with my terms. So, tonight I’ll be packing Milly’s beach bag, and he’ll pick her up tomorrow night, then at noon on Friday they’ll hit the road.
Of course, I sure do wish I had some fun locale to escape to for the weekend. Oh the irony, my Golden Retriever lives and vacations better than I do.
I recently received a question from a reader about parched puppies. In the summer, with these terrible heatwaves, it's easy for dogs to get dehydrated, and it is important to keep fluids in them as much as possible. I am not a veterinarian, and this is not medical advise, but I did experience problems with Milly and drinking water, and this post is about things that I found helped.
If your dog does not drink much water, and you are concerned, the first thing you want to do is go to the vet to clear any potential health problems. If your vet deems your dog healthy, you might want to try some of these tips.
With Milly, I found that she was reluctant to drink water if I was not with her, and even when I was with her, she would only drink if I held the water bowl for her. I was concerned that she wasn't drinking enough, and began adding water to her food at each meal. She happily lapped up the water, and it had the added bonus of slowing down her eating, which is always a good thing. By adding water to her food, I was able to ensure she drank a certain amount each day.
However, I still had concerns that she did not drink regularly. I began adding some low sodium chicken broth to her water dish at non-meal times. I did a 2 to 1 ratio, two parts water, one part broth, but you can adjust this based on your particular dog. If your dog is not enticed to drink at all, you might try doing straight chicken broth. To make sure it is super healthy, you can even boil some chicken in water until the chicken is cooked, shred the chicken and serve this homemade "soup" cold, but not ice cold.
After a lot of thinking I started noticing a trend. I always kept Milly's food and water bowls up against a wall, and she would happily eat this way, but would never drink this way. Sometimes, after walks, if I presented Milly with a fresh bowl of water in the center of the room she'd happily drink it. With this in mind, I moved her bowls so they are no longer up against a wall, and would you know, she started drinking on her own!
I have noticed that when Milly is outside by herself she is much less likely to drink than when she is inside. I have played around with a lot of different bowls, and found that she prefers ceramic or metal bowls, and they must be in the shade. I also started giving her frozen Kongs that contained water. I simply plug the small hole with peanut butter or a mushed up "pill pocket" or other chewy treat, then I either fill it with low sodium chicken broth, or a combo of water and yogurt or water and canned pumpkin (just make sure it isn't pumpkin pie mix, because that has a lot of sugar in it), pour it in the Kong. To prevent spills, I place the Kong in a drinking glass in the freezer so it can stand upright. This is a great treat that also helps with hydration.
I've also discovered that Milly absolutely adores water melon. Last weekend, I was frying some bacon (for me), and made myself a bowl of seedless water melon. Milly smelled the bacon and walked up to me with those big ole' brown eyes. I don't allow Milly to have bacon, because it is too fattening, and instead gave her a piece of seedless watermelon. She went bonkers! This is now her favorite treat, and the only food that she begs for. A small amount of seedless watermelon is a nice snack that is primarily made of water, so it aids in hydration.
I hope this post helped people who have been worried about their pup not drinking enough water in this hot weather. Please remember, with these extreme temperatures it is very important to keep an eye on your dogs, and not have them outside for long periods of time where they may get overheated.
The past two days have been surprisingly chilly for the end of August, and I have been donning sweaters to work. I’m sure the weather will return to sweltering hot in a matter of days, but for now, it is enjoyable to know that fall, one of my favorite seasons, is just around the corner!
I want to buy a few new articles of clothing for myself to get the autumn season rolling, but a few of my friends who enjoy putting clothes on their pups are busy selecting their dog’s back-to-doggie-daycare wardrobes! I’m not a fan of pet clothes (for the most part), but to each his own, and if you enjoy dressing your pet, and more importantly your dog enjoys wearing the clothes, I’m not going to judge you or stop you. Unfortunately, I often see people in line to checkout at pet supply stores with armloads of dog sweaters and jackets to keep their pets warm in the fall and winter, and to me, these products seem to be designed for style and not functionality.
While I don’t put cable knit sweaters on my dogs, I do use dog blankets as needed. I absolutely adore dog blankets for keeping dogs warm in cold weather. Dog blankets are based on horse blankets and many companies that manufacture top of the line horse blankets simply miniaturize their horse designs to fit your pets. This ensures quality – these blankets are made to withstand the roughness of a horse, and stay on as a horse gallops across fields. The materials in dog blankets are very durable, and the blankets can simply be tossed in the wash if they get dirty. In my opinion, dog blankets are usually made of much higher quality materials than dog jackets or sweaters, and are made to withstand a dog really playing and moving in it. The prices vary, but they are designed to withstand a lifetime of use (chewers excluded), and tend to be the same price or less than a doggie jacket you’d find at a pet store. Adjustable straps with either Velcro or buckle surcingles provide your pet with the best fit, and are just one of the few advantages to using a blanket over a jacket in the winter.
It is important to note many breeds do not need extra warmth, and too many layers can lead to overheating. If you have a breed that is known for having a heavy winter coat and enjoying cold weather these products are probably not for you, but for those with short-haired dogs that are prone to shivering might like to look into a dog blanket as an alternative to the sweaters and jackets pet stores tend to push on you. Dog blankets are also great for older, less active dogs needing extra protection from the cold. Dover Saddleryoffers a large selection of dog blankets in a variety of prices.Horse Creations also has a big selection. SmartPak.com offers a great polar fleece option for less than $20 that my old Beagle wore.
If fall and winter seem like a lifetime away for my readers in hot locations, and you are still worried about options available for keeping your pet cool in the summer you might be interested in trying a cool coat. Canine Cool Coats are made from the same Oasis fabric used in equine fly sheets, and protect your dog from the sun! The mesh material offers durability while at the same time being soft, breathable, and coat friendly. The fabrics tend to be extremely reflective offering your dog UV-protection (blocking both UVA and UVB radiation) so it will help keep your dog cool even when the coat is dry. You can order cool coats at SmartPak.com.
For additional cooling, you can submerge a cool coat in cool/cold water prior to use. If the coat dries out you can simply mist it with a spray bottle of water. If needed, a fan blowing over the coat increases the cooling power of an Oasis Cool Coat dramatically. But, always keep an eye on your dog when doing this, as he could actually become too cool.
You’ll often see these on dogs at dog shows. They feature snap front closures and hook and loop belly bands for optimum fit and comfort. While there are many brands available, my favorite is the Oasis Canine Cool Coat as the fabric does not get too heavy, especially when wet, and allows for maximum breathability.
Want to add a personalized flair to your dog blankets or cool coat? You can have them monogrammed or embroidered on the hip with your initials, your pet’s name, or your kennel name!
I am pleased to announce The Wet Nose is having our second GIVEAWAY to reward all of you loyal readers, and encourage you all to continue to spread the word about your favorite dog blogs!
Because our last GIVEAWAY was an all-natural, organic bully stick that a wonderful yellow lab named Abby was able to enjoy I wanted to ensure dog owners also could get some fun from this GIVEAWAY!
Bring some bling into your life with this dog bone pendant encrusted with authentic Austrian crystals on a 19” adjustable chain with lobster clasp and small logo tag. It is absolutely adorable! Other uses for this would be to rig it into a tag to hang on your pups collar for nights when you want your dog to walk in style, or, what I think I would do with this if I had it would be to have a jeweler affix a small toggle so it could be attached to my charm bracelet or I would wear it to a dog fundraiser!
Let me know what your favorite summer activities with your dogs are, what you would do with this necklace, and how you plan on wearing it, and become a follower of The Wet Nose, and you will be entered to win. Remember, you get entered twice if you link to The Wet Nose on your blog.
Good luck! This necklace is beautiful!
The drawing will take place using a random number generator at 3:00pm on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. GOOD LUCK!!!
With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner many dog owners are spending more and more time outdoors with their pets. If you live in a relatively urban area, and enjoy taking your dog for a swim in rivers, creeks or bays it is probably a good idea to at the very least rinse your pet off with fresh, clean water post swim. For those Chesapeake Bay area readers, last summer I read in a local Annapolis publication dogs should always be rinsed or bathed after swimming in the bay.
A good rinsing is important, but sometimes you need to do a thorough bathing, and with so many wonderful and exciting outdoor pet-friendly activities I find myself having to up the bathing during the summer months.
When it comes to grooming products there are countless options, but I’ve been usingCowboy Magic for over a decade and LOVE their products. I began using their products only on horses, but must admit the Rosewater Shampoo and Rosewater Conditioners smell so good I’ve used them on my own hair a handful of times. About a year ago I learned these products are appropriate for use on dogs too, and promptly started using them on Milly. I love them, because not only do they smell heavenly, but they also leave the coat shiny and smooth. Did I mention these products won’t break the bank either? I’ve seen a bottle of the shampoo for as low as $5.50! The shampoo is so moisturizing that you can get by without using the conditioner, but I find the combination of shampoo followed by conditioner really leaves the coat much softer. The shampoo lathers very nicely and is a high quality shampoo, so remember to rinse your dog very thoroughly.
In the summer I like to towel Milly off and then sit with her in the sun for a little natural drying, I then finish up the drying with a blow dryer on the cool setting. If your dog is prone to hotspots make sure you thoroughly dry your dog after each bathing session, because wet hair can lead to hot spots.
Overall, I give Cowboy Magic 4-Paws and 5-Stars!!
Don’t forget there is still time to enter the Bully Stick GIVEAWAY!
