Well, this is awkward....a new post!

Sorry, it's been awhile since the last post. Over a year. It's just crazy how you take a break for a little bit. Then, it just gets harder to start up again. First, there is the "Life is busy." That is then followed by, "I don't know what to write/talk about." Finally, it gets to a point where you've been gone so long, it would just be awkward starting again. Well, I'm going to be awkward. That's the plan anyway.

So, for the first DIY after a long break...

DIY Dog Gate!!!

This ordeal all started 4th of July weekend. Our normally house-trained furkid decided outside wasn't safe and went on a potty strike. He is terrified of any noise that comes from above. Usually, we are able to prepare him for storms with enough notice and can manage the rest of his triggers. However, our wonderful neighbors decided that the week prior to the 4th and the week following were acceptable times to randomly celebrate.

So, we'd take him out throughout the day for potty breaks and try to get him to go out in the evenings, but once it starts getting dusky...NO WAY! He'd just hide by the door and shake. Eventually, we only offered to take him out, but didn't push the issue. The stress he went though wasn't worth it.

This is also the weekend he had an upset stomach. Great times.

So, we had a potty strike coupled with tummy troubles. We went to bed and left him out as usual and woke up to a mess all over the dining room. The dining room has a door that leads outside, so I guess he figured it was close enough.

He's pretty much back to normal, but he got into the habit that if we weren't available to let him out (and he won't wake us) that the door by the dining room makes an acceptable substitute. The easiest way to correct this is to not make that room an option.

We had our dining room chairs, pieces of leftover bead board/plywood, and a large box of beer blocking his access, but I was fed up of walking by that ugliness.

I toyed with the idea of purchasing a section of outdoor picket fencing and having actual gates inside. The problem with that is they are heavy and well, I didn't want to go to the store.

The "gates" I ended up making are actually made from leftover faux wood blinds from when I upgraded our basement window coverings. I just separated each slat from the strings of the blinds, laid them out to the correct measurement (for our doorways it was 32"). Then, to hold them all together I first used spray adhesive to attach the cross-slats. The spray adhesive wasn't quite strong enough so I went back over with a hot glue gun.

Three cross-slats on each side (front and back) with the vertical slats sandwiched between.

To attach to the wall, I hung it in the doorway with command hooks (4 for each gate). It is easily moved and when not in use is thin enough to be slid behind the couch.

This gate probably won't work for a really determined dog, but Quest has a great understanding of boundaries. Once he see's a barrier (unless it's super short), he generally won't cross it.

This project was made from supplies I already had around the house, so was FREE! It sure beats the "ugly" baby gates that are usually around $70 each.

Respect My Agility!

Sorry, I haven't posted in awhile. We've been pretty busy trying to kill off the jungle in our backyard. At some point, whoever owned the house before us thought English Ivy would make an awesome ground cover. It did look nice, but it took over the whole yard!

Now, we're trying to tame the green beast to make room for my own agility course! In the mean time, I put up some temporary fencing in the middle (already Ivy-free section) of our yard so Quest and I can get some practice in.

It was a pretty simple project. We opted for some garden netting and some garden posts. One of the great things about it being temporary? I can roll it up and set it up anywhere. We can take it to family gatherings, camping, the park, etc. Any place where we want to train off leash with the security of being "fenced."

Another reason I decided to go ahead and put up the temporary fencing was so we could begin working on the exercises outlined in Control Unleashed. If you haven't read it, it is awesome! It's a quick and easy read and goes through how to teach your dog confidence (and the handler confidence) through positive reinforcement training.

Next, I'm planning to add a teeter and possibly a pause table to our mini-course.

And what am I? Chopped Liver?

After a successful day at the Farmer's Market, Quest and I came home with some nice raw bones for him and a package of liver. I have never touched the stuff and thanks to an influential episode of Nickelodeon's Doug. However, I bit the bullet because it seemed like a cost effective way to get some healthy, clean, high-value treats for when we start our agility class next week.

I was able to buy all of this organic/grass-fed beef liver for only $4, which is what the same booth was charging for their 1 oz bags of already dehydrated liver treats.

 

The first step is to cut the liver slices to the appropriate size. They will shrink, but not too much. Depending on your meat, you may want to flatten it to save on drying time.

 

Next, you want to arrange them on a cookie sheet. I lined mine with parchment paper to save on mess. I had enough liver for two cookie sheets.

Now, I don't have a fancy dehydrator so I made my treats using just a regular oven. The oven was set at 175 degrees. When all was said and done, this batch of treats probably spent about 5 hours in the oven. They probably would have been fine at 2 1/2-3 hours, but I wanted a little bit more of a jerky texture.

When they come out of the oven, flip them over to allow some of the moisture that accumulated to dry. You could even pop them upside-down back into the oven to finish them off.

 

Quest Approves:



Sun, Surf, and Sand!

We got back from our family Beach Camping trip last night. We had a great time! Quest enjoyed his first beach trip. He loved playing in the sand and tidepools. He wasn't crazy for the waves, but enjoyed chasing the foam.

 

 

 

 

 

DIY Dog Stuff is Hitting the Beach!

Next weekend, we'll be headed to the beach. In my research of trying to make our beach camping trip go as smoothly as possible, I came up with a few things to ensure your pooch enjoys paradise.

 

 

• Fresh Water. No one likes a mouthful of salty ocean water. Make sure both you and your pup stay hydrated by bringing fresh water.

          *Please Note: Too much salt water can cause vomiting and diarrhea.*

• You know that feeling of dread when you left your flip flops by your towel and you have a couple hundred feet of scorching sand to get across? Your dog feels the burn the same way. Try to limit his walking on the dry sand during the hottest part of the day. Remember to lay out a towel as well.

• Find out if the beach you’re doing to allows off-leash dogs. If so, be prepared for “visitors.” If the beach is off-leash approved and you want to partake, make sure your dog has a reliable recall. If dogs are required to be on leash, follow the rules (required length included).

• Pick up after your dog. The mom down the beach doesn’t want her little Johnny building a poo castle! Plus, it’s just gross. If by chance your dog has been sneaking sips of the salt water, you may want to bring a shovel. Just because he got the runs, doesn’t mean you get to leave it.

• We already mentioned clean water to drink, but make sure you are able to rinse off your dog. The salt water is rough on their hair (and our hair too!), plus it can cause some skin irritation. Rinse their hair, collars, leads, etc.

• Fetch in the ocean? If your dog loves fetch, try bringing a floating toy with you. Just make sure it isn’t one you mind losing! Fetch is a whole different game when waves are involved.

• Sun and Sand? How about some SHADE! If possible try to find a shady spot. If there aren’t any, make your own. You can use an umbrella or one of the shade tents. We’ll be bringing Quest’s pop-up crate. It has large mesh “windows” for ventilation and is easy to pack. I mentioned getting Quest his own little shade tent, but the husband quickly vetoed that plan.

• Also, along with the Sun comes Sunburn. If you have a light colored dog, a dog with a pink nose or upright ears, or even a hairless. Please look into dog-safe sunscreen. Remember, Zinc is toxic to dogs! Those of the hairless variety may also want to look into a t-shirt.

Quest has only been in rivers and lakes...this will be interesting!

• This will be Quest’s first time in the ocean (he’s spent time at the lake before), so he’ll be wearing his harness and remain on a long-line in case we have to fish him out of the big drink. As for our dogs with short legs, snort muzzles, or those that just can’t swim very well, there are many options out there for doggy lifejackets. Not every dog swims like a fish!

Once we get back, I'll put up some pictures of Quest kickin' it on the beach.

In the meantime, what are your tips for a fun (and safe) beach getaway with the pups?

 

 

A little less crafting...

Well, there hasn't been a new post for the past couple weeks. I haven't been doing any real "doggy" crafts lately. Though, I have been sewing up a couple dresses for myself.

Instead, this will be a "Kudos" to Kyjen and Outward Hound. They have the most awesome customer service staff and are an excellent company to work with.

A little less than a year ago, I bought Quest a backpack for him to wear while we go camping and hiking. We loved not having to carry everything and he loved having a job to focus on while hiking.


Baby Quest on his first camping trip

We all had a great time! We climbed some rocks and made it to the top of the mountain. Quest was only about 8 months old at the time, so he was pretty tired once we reached the top.

Back to why Kyjen and Outward Hound are so awesome. We went on another camping trip, day hikes, and maybe the farmer's market a couple times, when the seams on his awesome pack began to unravel. This didn't seem normal after less than a year of moderate use, so I contacted the company directly and gave them the information. Even though our backpack was well past the 30 day guarantee, they agreed that the pack shouldn't be unraveling. They sent us a free replacement backpack, with free shipping, and it arrived in about a week. We have our next camping trip scheduled for next weekend, so we couldn't be happier. Thanks Kyjen and Outward Hound!

Quest taking the new backpack on a test run

Just a little flirting...

There's really no harm in flirting. In fact, in my opinion it is one of the best things you can do for your relationship....with your dog.

I'm not talking about whispering sweet nothings in his ear or batting your eyelashes. I'm talking about making your own flirt pole! There are times when all you want to do is relax with a book and a glass of wine and all Sparky wants to do is play, play, play. You look longingly at the sofa and fuzzy blanket, but you know as soon as you get comfortable, you will be stared at from across the room by big puppy eyes pleading with you to show them affection and maybe spend a few minutes wrestling on the floor.

Do you have a dog where even if you spend two hours walking, they still come home and run laps around the couch? Thirty minutes with a flirt pole has been compared by some to that two hour walk.

By now you are probably wondering what a flirt pole is, besides apparently a magic wand. A flirt pole is basically a giant cat toy for dogs. It's a simple pole and toy connected by a thin rope. You can make one yourself, which is what we did at DIY Dog Stuff, or you can purchase one. Our original was made from a spare curtain rod, rope, and a stuffing-free dog toy. Recently, we upgraded to a lunge whip for horses with a stuffing-free toy at the end.

 

Many dogs love to leap into the air to catch their "prey." Quest would rather it drag around the ground really fast and he'll try to scoop it up. Once it's caught, he'll shake it until you can almost hear his eyeball rattle in his head.

 

By the way, if you ever want to get pictures of your furkids playing with their flirt poles, it might be best to have a second person around to use the camera. Fast dogs + flirt poles + cameras in one hand = blurry pictures.