3 Things to Think About When Getting A Dog for Kids

Here's a really simple way... to tell if the type of dog
you're considering as a pet is right for your young
children.

- Is the dog you're thinking about a calm dog?

This is key when getting a dog for young children. You need
to get a dog that does not get too hyper or excited around
kids. Choose a dog that is not bothered by a lot of noise
and activity.

My parents chose a Basset Hound to become a member of our
family when I was only six months old. Her name was Pudge
and she was the perfect pet for a young child because she
was not easily ruffled (or moved).

- Is the dog you're thinking about good-natured?

Do some research about the different breeds of dog and
consider getting a dog that is known to get along well with
other people and pets. Is it known to be mild-mannered and
gentle with kids?

For example, the some of the most popular dog breed for
families with children is the Labrador Retriever and the
Golden Retriever because they are playful, yet
mild-mannered. They also enjoy being with people and get
along well with other pets.

- Is the dog you're thinking about a smaller breed of dog?

When you have very young children in the house (under the
age of three) you don't want to have them plowed under by a
larger type of dog. Stick with the smaller breeds and your
children will feel more comfortable around your dog (and you
will too!).

Yes, in our family, this is definitely a big thing to
consider because son was knocked down and pinned to the
ground by a 'friendly' dog - a big, overly enthusiastic dog
when we were visiting some friends. I was considering
getting a Lab for our family, but now my sights are set on
something a bit smaller!

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If you have younger children in your family and you are
thinking about getting a dog. Be sure to consider getting a
smaller, calm, good-natured dog - one that your family will
love!

Dogs are wonderful pets for children - they can teach your
children so much and give them years of unconditional love.

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Now that you're thinking about dogs - what's the best way to
prepare your house for a puppy? Find out here!
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WHY Pet Food Companies, why?

Speaking for myself, I spend a stupid amount of money on my pets. I'm not even over the top, I think. My dog doesn't wear clothes. He wears his nails out walking and doesn't need many clips. I only take him for professional bathes every couple of month. Usually its in the tub or in the driveway. I had my turtle, Clyde, in some body's old pool for 5 years now. I can be a sucker though. I will by Clyde any new aquatic turtle food that comes out. His very existence guilt's me and I love to see him smile. He never likes anything new though. Admiral the Foxhound only gets a holistic dog food. There are only two flavors and two brands he can have. I know I am mild compared to other people, so that means that people in general, are willing to spend a lot.
That being said, why do the pet food company have to mess with the ingredients so badly? I will go to the store and get the boys some fresh fish or red meat. It is my belief that the reason we don't just feed scraps is because these "companies" are supposed to be helping us deliver the best nutrients and vitamins to our beloved pets. I thought they had "specially formulated diets" designed with the animals best interest at heart. Why don't they just make good quality product and charge us the deserved cost? Why do they have to pump the stuff full of fillers and dyes and meats that aren't in the description? There is supposed to be some level of convenience in these products that make them beneficial to us. Is disheartening to see all these "natural" and "health" brands go down too. Even when your paying for quality and even when promises have been made there is no guarantee that you getting a decent product.

Dinners Ready. The Pet Food Recall Issue.

Ever Since we brought Admiral home we don't need need a clock in the kitchen anymore- at least not to know its 6:00p.m. He has an uncanny ability to know when it is dinner time. He likes to eat promptly at 6. At 5:55 he begins pacing and trying to convince someone to go into the kitchen, by 6:10 he is beside himself. He does that thing where he almost grabs your arm with his mouth and almost drags you to his bowl. By 6:15 he is usually ready to move. This is the witching hour, if Admiral is going to speak, it is now. For a Foxhound he is usually very quiet; when he make the transformation into Kitchen Hound he is not. If we remain on schedule and do what he wants we can go weeks without a peep. However come 6:30 without dinner and he will begin to bay. From somewhere deep inside his barrel chest he release the dinner call. He howls until he gets fed. Needless to say having a firetruck in your living room will get you off the couch and into the kitchen.
We were not too effected by the pet food recall. Admiral is an allergy case and so for that reason his diet is pretty simple. He doesn't tolerate chicken, lamb or venison too well. I only feed him organic brands that promise "human grade ingredients." Our favorite brand is "Wellness by Old Mother Hubbard." He can only eat the fish and potato recipes (Blue Cans). "Eagle " makes a good Tuna & Salmon too. I occasionally sneak him some Beef and Buffalo from "Eagle" and "Merrick." Not too much Beef or he gets a little moody, I notice.
None of the brands I mentioned import ingredients or use fillers. They have all been completely unaffected by the recall. That makes me feel good. I knew there was a reason I overpaid for dog food.
I considered making his food at one point and even bought a really good book about it: Real Dogs Don't Eat Kibble! It is about the Natural Raw Diet for dogs and why it should be fed for optimal health. There are some great tips and information in here. In the end I decided to go with the organic pet foods and see what happened. I cook for my husband every night which Admiral oversees anyway. I just couldn't get going on the whole commitment it would take.
Admiral was pretty beat up when we got him so in the past two years we've watched as he "got younger" His last owner feed him Alpo (yuck, gross) and had no concept of his allergies. I watched him detox and than watched him thrive and I give "Wellness" much of the credit.

Theres a Hound Dog in my Bed

My dog's name is Admiral. A year ago he was a lucky, thankful rescue who was glad to stay a place to stay. Now he is the jerk who spends his day in my bed. Admiral is a foxhound. He looks like a 90lb beagle. From the minute we brought him home he showed a fondness for a good place to sleep. He started out on a folded up comforter that was upgraded to 8 inch thick padding. He earned a upstairs bed quickly because he likes to come up with us a night. We take care of this dog!
Around two months ago he started a movement- a revolution if you will. You see Admiral wants to sleep in our bed. For all you dog lovers...No, he may not sleep with me. My boyfriend and I are big people we just get by in our queen. Admiral does not share well or smell good. I swear his accommodations are luxurious.
He used two methods in his plan. The first half was sneaky and subversive and obvious- He simply gets in the bed when we're gone and gets off when he hears the cars. This one was hard to prove but it didn't matter anyway. Eventually he took his cause to the people. In the middle of the night he struck. This big goof jumped right up in the bed and defiantly stands there daring anyone to argue. He was ready to fight on this. Hunkering down in the center of the bed, wrestling away from us. I am not the type who does well with this stuff after 11:00pm. It makes me cry and yell and feel like "why me?"
I did not give in. Oh no, I did not give Admiral my bed and no I didn't give him the guest bed- the one I know he also used when we forgot to close the door. Instead I got him his own bed. A real bed. In my defense it was cheap and on EBay. I got him a toddlers bed. It is mahogany stained with a head rail and foot rail and has a decent mattress. My Mom cried when she saw it; she's now that much further from grandchildren. At first it was real cute, Admiral acted shy, like he was confused by the thought of a dog on furniture. As he settled in I could a certain smugness as he thought to himself that he had won. I felt a little beaten, I admit it. His bed is nice and it is sad that I don't have kids yet. My mom told everyone and people called to ask if I "had really bought the dog a bed."
But old revolutionaries never quite lose their will to fight.
In the last few days Admiral has taken up the cause again. At 1:00 Saturday morning he struck again! Full of piss and vinegar he jumped on to the bed and tried to make his demands. Of course I yelled and wrestled him down in my underwear. But why why why?

My Pet Aqautic Turtle: Clyde the Red-Eared Slider

Did you know red-eared slider turtles can live up to 40 years? Did you know that before you adopted one as a pet? I didn't. By the time I found that out I was already fully committed to Clyde and his care. I will have to admit that it might have given me pause before I brought him home in his ten gallon tank. That was before his twenty gallon tank and before his Rubbermaid container, way before he moved into the child's swimming pool that is in my extra bedroom. It was before I learned the reality of carrying buckets of water through my house twice a month for water changes. It was also before I realized how tragic it was that such a beautiful creature should be confined to a swimming pool for forty years.I guess it’s true that no one would ever start up a relationship with anyone if they new all the possible pitfalls up front. Likewise in a good relationship it’s usually worth the work.I dream of giving Clyde all that he deserves. I can't decide if it’s a huge commercial type display case where he would be shown in all his glory, or a pond that closely replicates his natural environment. I dream of a plumbed system where buckets are a distant memory. Either way I have fund (like a college account) for his future.