BarkWorld Expo

It is almost time for the BarkWorld Expo! For those of you who do not know what I am talking about, the BarkWorld Expo is a conference in Atlanta, GA for pet bloggers and users of social media. This year’s expo will be held October 25-27 and it promises to deliver an amazing schedule. There will be speakers from Twitter, ASPCA, and several other organizations. This is a great chance for bloggers and social media users to get together and share great ideas on how to develop their business and blogs. It is also a great place to network! Some of this year’s sponsors include Petco, Yahoo, and IAMS. Get more information about the conference here.

This is said to be an amazing conference. For those of you who are going, I hope you have a great time!

Unfortunately, I do not have plans on attending this year. If anyone out there wants to sponsor my trip, please contact me at southerndogsblog@gmail.com. Hey…a girl can dream, right?

To-Go Bowl

The big day is finally here and we are taking Maverick on his first long car trip. He is off to Tampa, FL to visit his Mimi and Pa. I am very excited about this trip because my dad (Pa) hasn’t seen Maverick since he was about 3 months old. Being the overzealous puppy mom that I am, I logged onto several websites including the SPCAs, and made sure I have packed everything that they told me to bring to ensure a smooth trip. I gotta tell you…the most important thing I saw that I didn’t remember was his medical records. The notebook containing his medical records, shot records, and insurance information (yes we have pet insurance) is now packed in his bag.

I have Maverick’s big bag packed with his food/water bowls, food, toys, and treats but I also have a car bag packed. This has travel version of all of this which will be very handy in the car. I was looking around on the internet this morning to make sure there wasn’t extra info out there that I was missing and I came across this bowl.

How stinking cool is this y’all? It is a bowl that fits in your cup holder. It comes with a splash guard and a lid. The bowl is detachable from the base so it can sit flat on the floor. Plus you can store dry food or treats in the base. This is a very versatile bowl. It can easily go from the car to hotel or park. Now I know why this bowl has won some awesome awards!!

Too bad I found this the morning we are traveling or else I would have bought one for Maverick!

The bowl is made by Furry Travelers and you can buy it here.



Maverick Graduates!

I just want to say CONGRATS to Maverick for graduating his Intermediate Training class at PetSmart!!

His last class was last night and he even won the “spin” contest. I am so proud of him. In the Puppy/Beginner Training class we went through earlier this year, he learned the basic commands like sit, stay, and lay down. This class was similar in that he was learning to do all of these things with distractions built in. Let me tell y’all…he was easily distracted! He is 8 months old today, so he still has some growing up to do but he is doing great with his training overall. Now I just need to step up the training at home so that he will be ready for the Advanced Training Class!



Maverick's Puppy Training class graduation in June.



Maverick's Intermediate Training class graduation in October.
 I love how he is too distracted on chewing the hat to actually wear it.



Easy Walk Harness

Does your dog have a fight with the leash when you take him for a walk? Maverick was the worst puppy when he was put on a leash when he was younger. He was always pulling against the leash and I thought he was going to choke himself. People will tell you “they will stop pulling before they choke”, but this still seems like a silly way of training your dog to be a good boy on their leash. Therefore, I am going to recommend an Easy Walk harness. Instead of clipping in the back like most harnesses, Easy Walk harnesses clip in the front. By clipping here, it is a great way to stop your dog from pulling against their leash. IF they do pull, then they are redirected either to their left or to their right depending on which side of their body the leash is on. They are available at PetSmart. Here is an example:

\



We keep a normal collar on Maverick since we only put him in the harness for walks. If you are in the market for a new collar and leash, I recommend one of these by Harry Barker. Each collar is made of 20 recycled plastic bottles.  I love that Harry Barker is doing some good for the environment and they are stylish too!



Monthly Subscription Boxes

I’m sad to hear that Postal Puppy is closing its doors after only a few months. Postal Puppy was a monthly subscription pet toy/treat delivery box similar to BarkBox that would send a box of toys, treats, samples, etc. I wish all the employees of Postal Puppy all the best in their new adventures.

Now I have written about BarkBox in the past because I just love the people there and the service that they provide. Oh, have I mentioned that their boxes are amazing?!? We have been a part of their service for several months and Maverick has loved everything in his boxes so far. But there are many other monthly subscription services that you can sign up for.

Toys4Tails

Toys4Tails lets you select toys and treats that your dog would like and then sends you a box each month. It costs $14.95 a month or $8.95 per month if you sign up for a whole year.

Best Friend Box

Best Friend Box is a little more expensive than the other monthly services, but it contains gourmet treats and luxury items (grooming, toys, gear, etc). Their subscription plan costs $45 a month.

Pawalla

Pawalla’s box is full of food, treats, supplements, toys and more. All items are chosen by their nutritionists. It costs $26 a month or $21 a month with an annual subscription.

Bugsy’s Box

Bugsy’s Box is full of treats, toys, grooming products, etc. It is $29 a month individually or $17 a month for a 6 month subscription. I am still waiting for an answer Bugsy’s Box because their website says it is $29 CAD, which is Canadian dollars and I’m not exactly sure how what their prices will be in US dollars. Hopefully, I can give you an update once I hear back from Bugsy’s Box.

I wish I could subscribe to ALL of these boxes; however, I can’t because it’s just too expensive to subscribe to all of them. But a girl can still dream…

If you are interested in a monthly subscription service for either your dog or yourself, I suggest you check out this blog. Like me, the author is addicted to subscription boxes and she reviews as many as possible. She breaks down the value of each item in her boxes and then compares the value of each box to how much she paid for the box. Best of all, she includes pictures of her boxes!

Tell me what monthly subscriptions you get each month…

Event Fun!

Whew, did we have one busy Saturday! As you know, my best friend Brandi came to town on Saturday and the three of us took Maverick to the Paws and Claws Expo at the Ladson Fairgrounds. What a fun time! Maverick racked up 2 Frisbees, 5 tennis balls and a whole pile of treats. It must be nice being so cute. We ran into people we knew, and lots of people we didn’t know, but my little social butterfly puppy had a great time with everyone.

Saturday night was the big doggie event in our neighborhood that I have been putting together over the last couple of months. We gathered tons of food for the Pet Helpers shelter and had a blast with the dogs and owners from the neighborhood that made it out to the event. We gave out tons of great prizes and of course the sample boxes, which we ended up calling Swag Bags. All of the dogs got to play together and we met some fun new dogs.

Thank you to everyone that made the events so much fun! Now it is time to rest up and recharge for the next event.

Paws and Claws 2012 Pet Expo

If you live in Charleston…

This weekend at the Ladson Exchange Park is the Paws and Claws Pet Expo. Doors are open from 11-4 with a $2 cash admission fee. Feel free to bring your furry friend with you (on a leash of course). There will be lots of demonstrations, vendors, food vendors, and contests. They are having contests for the best dressed and most talented pets. Here is the link to the Paws and Claws Pet Expo website where you will find full details.

MJ, Brandi (my best friend) and I will be bringing Maverick to check out all of the fun stuff going on that day at Exchange Park. We hope to see everyone there!

Sample Boxes

For those of you that have been following my blog – and I thank you! – you know that the Doggie Event that I have been planning in my neighborhood is happening this Saturday. Yikes!

Anyway, a very good friend of mine named Katie got married last November and I helped her with some wedding-related things like making wedding wands (for 9 straight hours), making bows (ugh, what a painful process that was), and stuffing candy apples into cellophane bags. With all of that friend credit in hand, I figured it was time to cash some of that help back in. Katie came over to Sunday morning to help me assemble the sample boxes for the event. Thank goodness she came over! We managed to pack up around 100 sample boxes for the doggie event!! Here are some pictures of our apartment with all the fun samples and giveaways.



All the fun stuff is in the dog sample boxes.



My hallway lined with boxes of samples and coupons.



The kitchen covered in the sample boxes for the assembly line.




Cute sticker I made for the top of each box.

Thanks for all your help Katie!!

September Dog of the Month Contest

Time for the "dog of the month" contest for September. Here is the info that needs to be emailed to me.

A little bit about your dog. Age, breed, personality quirks, etc.
A picture of your dog.
A few sentences about why your dog should be dog of the month.

Email me at southendogsblog@gmail.com by September 29th, 2012.

The winner will recieve a prize package from Southerndogs!

Maverick at the Beach!

We had an extremely busy Labor Day weekend. MJ’s family was in town and I love it when they come to town. They just love Maverick to death, so he is showered with love. We ended up taking Maverick to the beach for the first time and he had a ball. He was a little nervous of the waves at first, but then he figured out that he could jump over them. Such a smart puppy!

What I did not know (and I should have done the research) is that salt water can make dogs sick. I love Maverick, but he winds up inhaling a lot of water while he is swimming the ball back after it’s been thrown into the water for him to fetch. He got a little sick from the saltwater he drank, but it wasn’t too bad. I guess he is too used to going to the park where there is fresh water for him to swim in (and consequently drink).

If you live in Charleston and want to take your dog to the beach, I highly recommend Beachwalkers County Park on Kiawah Island. There is a whole section where your dog does not have to be on a leash so they can run and play with other dogs. It does cost $8 to park so be prepared.

Here are some pictures of Maverick’s first trip to the beach that I wanted to share with you!





The Shelter Pups

I know that I am supposed to be focusing on the dog event I am planning, but I came across this and I just had to share it with you. It is a custom-made replica of your dog by Shelter Pups! All you have to do is send them a picture of your dog (and $90) and they make a stuffed animal made from merino wool to look exactly like your pet. Even better is that some of the proceeds go to local shelters. I love when companies donate some of their proceeds to charities.

Wouldn’t this make a great present? Or maybe a great memento of a pet that has passed away? These adorable puppies are approximately 11” x 7” in size and are super soft. You can also purchase one of their ready-made dogs and they will donate to shelters for those purchases too! Check it out here.

Here are some pictures that were sent in and the puppies they made to look like them. Super cool Ya’ll!

Nootie

So the big dog event is just around the corner and I am still trying to finish the flyer for it. Crazy how one little flyer is giving me so much trouble. But if ya’ll ask my family, they will tell you this is “my niche”. I think that is their code for “let Lisa do it because we don’t want to”. They tell me that it is my “niche” and I go get it done. Ha ha.

While I am on the topic of the dog event I want to give a shout out to Nootie brand treats. Maverick got some in his BarkBox last month and LOVED them. Now ya’ll know by now that Maverick rarely meets a treat that he doesn’t like, but he especially loved these. He would have eaten the whole bag if I had let him (but of course I didn’t). We received the yumZies treats which are fabulous because they do not contain any grain in them. Nootie is also one of the fabulous companies donating to our dog event so I just wanted to say thank you.

Thank you Nootie for making a treat my dog loves and donating to our event!

Dog of the Month - August!

There is a dog that I have never met that holds a special place in my heart. She is a co-workers dog named Macey. Why does Macey hold such a special place in my heart? Glad you asked. Macey got in trouble last week and it is my fault. I made a batch of my homemade cookies and I took some to Macey. Her owner, Kelly, placed them on the kitchen counter out of Macey’s reach. Well as we all know a determined dog can get into anything. She managed to get the cookies off the counter and eat them all. Mail went flying off the counter in the process and Macey got into trouble. So she was on treat restriction. I am just glad she likes my cookies enough to get into trouble for them.

So I decided to give Macey a special title…Dog of the Month! I figure she earned the right. So I made up a little goodie bag of treats and toys to say thank you to Macey for going to so much trouble to get to my homemade cookies. Stay tuned for a contest for next month’s Dog of the Month!



Here is a little bit about Macey from her owner, Kelly.

Macey is a 1^st generation Labradoodle. I adopted her from a woman I met at the vet (Amanda). Amanda had gotten Macey thinking she was hypoallergenic.  Second generation labradoodles are guaranteed hypoallergenic where as the 1^st generation are 50/50 on if they will be or not.  Her 2 yr old daughter was allergic to dogs.  Her daughter had hives and was breaking out but Amanda didn’t want to take Macey back to the breeder – she thought the breeder was mean and the place was dirty. I told her if it didn’t work out I would take Macey so she didn’t have to return her to a ‘backyard breeder’.  I waited by the phone hoping she would call. I got a call 4 days later …Amanda was in tears. Bree (her daughter) was so broken out they couldn’t justify giving her shots and they decided they could not keep Macey.  I went and picked her up that night.  Amanda and I are still Facebook friends to this day!!  The picture of Macey with Elmo was the first day I brought Macey home.

Macey is 4 ½, she will be 5 in November.  Her favorite toy is a stuffed animal (rabbit) which she takes outside with her every time she can…the only thing she will drop that for is a tennis ball. And she will drop it in an instant. 

Her favorite hobby for the moment is sneaking out and staying out all night J

(Macey snuck out last night and was out until 4 am. Kelly spent all night looking for her and now Macey is on treat restriction again. Silly dog.)

Information for Petsitter

So MJ and I are heading out of town this weekend and Maverick is going to stay with some friends. Maverick loves this couple and they love him too but the question is always “what information do I give the petsitter?” Do I give them too much information that they don’t need or do I give them a little bit of information and hope for the best? Ugh so I did some research. I found this list on Petsit USA and it is great. You can easily turn this into a Word document and then update the information as your dog gets older and the information changes.

Prepare for your pet

• Ensure that there will be enough food, treats, kitty litter, etc. for the time you will be away.
• Let your pet sitter know where your dog's leash is kept.
• If you have a carrier for your pet, let your pet sitter know where it is kept.
• If your pet is on medication, notify your pet sitter ahead of time.
• Leave detailed instructions on its use, even if you tell your pet sitter verbally how it's administered.
• Put ID tags on each of your pets.
• Provide outdoor pets with plenty of water, shelter, and a secure enclosure.
• Leave toys for your pet to play with while you're away.
• Let your vet know in advance that you will be out of town and that a pet sitter will be caring for your pets. Many pet sitters will have you fill out a form detailing the type of care you'd like your pet to receive if you cannot be reached.
• Most pet sitters will require you to complete a veterinary release form. However, it's also a good idea to give your vet the name of the person who will be caring for your pets while you're away. This is especially important if your pet has a health condition that needs to be watched.

Prepare your home

• Inform your pet sitter of anything that may be out of the ordinary (sinks that don't drain properly, toilet that overflows, etc.).
• Show your pet sitter where the thermostat is and how to operate it. Be sure to leave it set at a comfortable temperature for your pets while you're gone.
• If anyone will be in your home during your absence, let your pet sitter know. Because of safety concerns, many pet sitters will not enter a house if they see someone there. Also, be aware that many pet sitting businesses will not accept jobs if they are requested to share pet care responsibilities with others, or if someone else will be in the home while they are caring for your pets.
• For dogs that stay outdoors, secure the yard and lock any gates.
• Potentially dangerous plants or decorations should be put somewhere that your pets won't be able to get to them. Keep this in mind especially during the holidays when Christmas trees and other decorations are on display.
• Place cleaning supplies where they will be easily accessible if needed.
• If you rent, give your landlord your pet sitter's name in case of emergency. Give your pet sitter the landlord's name as well.
• If your pet sitter's first visit will be after dark, be sure to leave an outside light on.

Contact information

• Prior to your departure, give your pet sitter information on how you can be contacted. If for some reason your pet sitter were unable to get into your home, leaving the information on your kitchen counter would be useless. Therefore, it is best to provide your pet sitter with this information before you leave.
• If you will not be able to be contacted while you're gone, be sure to provide the name and phone number of someone who will be able to make decisions on your behalf.

Thanks Petsit USA! I need to get this done ASAP! Oh and pack!

What information do you leave for your Petsitter?

Mindful Manners Dog Training

Let me just say before you read this post that MJ and I do not have any kids and Maverick is our first dog.

Now with that being said let me tell you guys about training your dog. YOU HAVE TO DO IT! You know when you are walking around the grocery store and you see those kids that are loud and misbehaving? Well, chances are that the parent(s) don’t discipline or teach their children how to behave in public. They have no consequences to face  if they misbehave. Oh I am sure they hear “you are going to be in big trouble,” but the parent never follows through.

The same goes for your dog. You have to teach them what you expect and then stick with it. Now I am not saying that there are not occasions for an exception here or there, but they should be far enough apart that your dog should recognize that they are just that…a treat. Trust me, I speak from experience. We had the hardest time with Maverick and sleeping through the night. He just wouldn’t do it. The best we could figure is that in the middle of the night when he woke up to go to the bathroom  he would be teething so bad that he needed to chew on something. So like a good boy he went for his toys. But then we were up in the middle of the night every night while he chewed. OMG ya’ll, it was exhausting. So we decided no more and started to crate train Maverick at night. Oh how our lives improved! He knows he has to sleep in there and he is fine with it, but we had to TRAIN him to get to this point. The same goes for sit, stay, quiet, or anything else you want your dog to do. But it drives me up the wall when I see dogs that do not do what their parents want because the parent hasn’t actually trained them to do it. I hear them say “oh I just can’t make him because he is sooooooooo cute!” UGH! Really? Right up the wall!

So please go to training classes with your dog and learn how to train them. Because let’s face it…training classes are more meant for you and not necessarily your dog. Your job is to learn how to train your dog so you can train them at home. I recommend Mindful Manners if you live in the Charleston, SC area. The owner is fabulous and she holds some classes over at the Pet Helpers shelter on James Island. She was also generous enough to donate a certificate to our community’s dog event!

John and Schoep

I read this article the other day that was really touching. It was about a man and his dog and the pain the dog was experiencing. The man, John Unger, found out that his dog, Schoep, had severe arthritis and may need to be put down. John had heard that water therapy helps people with this condition so he took Schoep to Lake Michigan and the two of them floated around to help relieve the pain of Schoeps arthritis. As the two of them are out floating in the lake, Schoep falls asleep on John.

Knowing that he may soon have to put Schoep down due to his condition John asked a photographer friend to come out and take pictures of them together just in case. The photographer took many shots of John and Schoep and posted the resulting pictures. They became an immediate sensation. The best part of the story is that so many donations have come in to John and Schoep that Schoep has been able to get the laser surgery necessary to help his arthritis. There have also been donations of medicine, treats, and other treatments to help Schoep along.

John and Schoep (Taken by Stonehouse Photography)

This story is a true testament to the power of having a pet. They really do get in your heart…even if the pet is not yours.

Read the article here.



Nylabone

You are going to have to work very hard to find a pet parent that hasn’t yet heard of Nylabone. From the moment we adopted Maverick, people were telling us to get a Nylabone so that he would not chew up our furniture because let face it…puppies love to chew on everything they can get their mouths on. Well, we bought him a “puppy bone” from Nylabone. It is designed for teething puppies and we would leave one in Maverick’s crate for him to chew on during the day while we were at work. But we found that he did the majority of his teething in the middle of the night so it came in very handy then too.



Puppy Chew Bone

As much as he loves his puppy bone, there is the “Nutri Dent Puppy” edible chew treat that he loves even more!! This treat is similar to a Pedigree Dentastick, but seems to last longer. I am not sure if that is due to the treat being intended for puppies or but I can I buy them from Petco in individual packages. Individual Packages!!!!! They are $1 each but totally worth keeping one on-hand in my purse or in his to-go bag. They are essential for occupying your dog for a few minutes so that you can focus on something else. I love smaller packaging of treats and bones that allow me to take them on-the-go. And of course, they are Maverick taste-test approved which is another huge plus!



Nutri Dent Edible Chew Bones



Nylabone also donated coupons for our doggie day event in September! Thanks Nylabone!

Check out all the products that Nylabone offers here.

Does your dog have a Nylabone product? If so, which one?

M & J Dog Essentials

So I told ya’ll in my last post about the dog event that I am planning and that we have so many wonderful companies that are donating to our event. The company I want to highlight today is M & J Dog Essentials. They make holistic dog grooming products. M & J Dog Essentials were gracious enough to send me 100 samples of their pre-bath treatment called Nutrient Fusion. This product is intended to help take care of your dog’s coat and is applied to a dry dog about 10 minutes before their bath. Bathing your dog can really dry out their coat and this helps to keep the coat properly hydrated and silky smooth. Below is a picture of the product and a description from the M & J website.



"This ultra-moisturizing, antioxidant-rich dog conditioner is extremely beneficial in restoring moisture and softness to dry dog skin and coats while helping to neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals and helping to eliminate dog dandruff. Nutrient Fusion is non-toxic and fast absorbing dog conditioner that can be left on your dog for as long as you would like before being rinsed off. "

Why your dog will love it:

• Mango and Cupuacu Butters help to replenish moisture to dry dog skin and coats
• Nettle Extract helps to relieves itchy dog skin and dandruff
• Conditions and protects dog skin while soothing aromatherapy and flower essences calm bath-time anxiety

I think this company has a great philosophy about dog care. Let’s show them our support!



Doggie Day '12

We live in this friendly, quiet neighborhood and I just love it. Most people are nice and stop to say hi – especially when you are walking a dog as cute as Maverick. We went to the 4^th of July BBQ event at our clubhouse and there was a drawing for some different gift cards. At the bottom of the entry form, it asked what kind of events would you like to see in our neighborhood. Naturally, I suggested dog-friendly events.

Then I got to thinking…why wait? I started work on planning a dog day at our dog park. Ya’ll, I have been overwhelmed by the response I have received from companies that wanted to donate food, treats, toys, and coupons. We are putting together bags full of product samples and coupons and we will have give-away drawings as well. Additionally, we are hosting a food drive for our local animal shelter!

Over the next couple of weeks, I will write a post about each company that has donated something to our dog event. These are all very generous companies and they deserve our support. I look forward to sharing the pictures from the big event on September 15^th!

America's VetDogs and Bil-Jac

For those of you that have ever trained a dog, you know that finding a treat to train with is very important. Maverick has yet to turn down a treat, but on our trainer’s recommendation we purchased Bil-Jac Training treats. Maverick loves them, so thanks Bil-Jac!

What I didn’t know until yesterday was that Bil-Jac makes a treat that specifically benefits the America’s VetDogs program. Feel free to click here and learn all about them. It is a wonderful program for our veterans and active military. I picked up a package yesterday and Maverick loves them (no surprise there). But even better than seeing Maverick scarf down those treats is knowing that we are helping our nation’s veterans and active military by purchasing them. So I think that if you are going to be buying treats, then it might as well benefit our nation’s heroes. Thank you Bil-Jac for teaming up with such a great program!!