When Lauren’s away the DropCam catches Squish…Play?!

Ever since I discovered a live stream of puppies, I have been hooked on webcams. I now use them to check weather abroad, take a mental vacation by checking in on a beach on Maui, or take a virtual visit to the Rover office via the RoverCam when I am working from home.

What’s even better than puppies, Maui, or Rover? SQUISH CAM. Squish is one of the funniest dogs I have had the pleasure of meeting. Lauren (Squish’s mom) recently put up a DropCam in their living room and what she’s caught has been priceless. Although Squish sleeps most of the day with his big brother Brando, these fine moments are some of the highlights of his time away from mom.

The 3 A.M. poop: a nice gift to leave mom and dad to find right when they wake up.

The Frenchie pop-up:

The most ridiculous tongue jiggle you will ever see:

Watching Squish has made me consider getting a DropCam – you never know what you’ll witness!

Valentines Day Gifts For Your Dog

I’ve always loved Etsy, but lately… I’ve become obsessed. So obsessed that it took me over two months to pick something to purchase with my $25 gift certificate because it had to be the RIGHT thing.

Since I consider Gus my “fur child” I put together a list of my 5 most favorite Valentines day gifts from Etsy. All of these dog themed gifts also happen to be VERY reasonably priced. Happy browsing!

Pick #1: Adorable blue bow tie with tiny hearts ($7.50). I absolutely love this. It’s not red or pink, so it could be worn at any party or just because!

Pick #2: Love Bug Heart Hat ($10). Does this need an explanation of why it is so cute? Didn’t think so!

Pick #3: Twinkle Hearts Dog Collar ($16.00). You are sure to get compliments if your pup sports this. Etsy has some AMAZING dog collars, and I refuse to buy them anywhere else.

Pick #4: Pumpkin Heart Shaped Dog Cookies ($10). I’m not going to lie… these look like something I’d buy for myself! I’m a big fan of fancy cookies for special occasions for Gus. His birthday is coming up and fancy cookies are surely on the list!

Pick #5: Heart ID Tag ($7.50). This tag is simple, cute and customizable to your dog’s name and phone number. Almost the same price as those you can get at major pet retailers – but 10 times cuter!

Blue bow tie with hearts
Love Bug Heart Hat
Twinkle Hearts Dog Collar
Pumpkin Heart Shaped Dog Cookies
Heart ID Tag

My Pet Food Drive – A Big THANK YOU!

I’ve started an annual tradition of hosting a pet food and supplies drive to benefit The Doney Memorial Pet Clinic, and this year was even better than last year! I donated the items yesterday and the reaction of the recipients is what motivates me to do this every year. People are so appreciative for the donations – the claps and cheers give me chills.

Seattle DogSpot recently posted an article about my drive. In addition, Rover.com was also kind enough to do a blog post to spread the word about less fortunate residents in Seattle. These two wonderful Seattle based companies genuinely care about all things dog and what a privilege it is to work with (and for!) them.

Thank you to all who donated or gave words of support. This cause is near and dear to my heart and I couldn’t have done it without you.

Packed and ready to go!
Packed to the brim!
Dog food!
Cat and Dog Food
Mike unloading
Mike helping unload
Unloading
Thank you everyone!
Food drive donations
Recipients of the Doney Clinic
Part of the unpacked items
Big Basset waiting for some goodies

P.L.A.Y. Introduces New Bed

Gus’ BFF Squish works for P.L.A.Y. and they just released this awesome mustache bed. There is only a limited quantity so you better check them out! ALSO, if you purchase one, you can use the promo code HANDLEBAR to get a free small ECO Bone.

We recently purchased two beds from P.L.A.Y. and I can guarantee you they have been the best investments I have made for Gus’ beauty sleep.

Pupsicles

It’s been hot here in the Seattle area, and Kenzo, one of my Rover dogs, was struggling with the heat. With some leftover treats, a cupcake pan and/or small bowls and water, I made a nice cool treat for the pups to enjoy.

What you will need:

  • Water
  • Dog treats, the smaller the better
  • Cupcake pan, or small bowls
  • Freezer!

Step 1: Place the treats in the pan. I tried to break them up a little bit to make them evenly spread when frozen.

Step 2: Fill the pan with water to cover the treats. Some may poke out the top, that’s ok.

Step 3: Freeze. Put the pan in the freezer until fully frozen.

Step 4: Remove the tray from the freezer once frozen, let sit for about 30–60 seconds, pop the pupsicle out.

Step 5: ENJOY!! If you want to make a larger frozen treat, try using a cereal bowl or reusable lunch container.

Pupsicle step 1
Pupsicle step 2
Finished pupsicles 1
Finished pupsicles 2
Dog enjoying a pupsicle

How to Avoid an Ear Infection

Gus is prone to ear infections. They first started after our camping trip last Labor Day weekend when we were down on the beach in Oregon. We came back and his left ear had mucus and an odor which prompted me to take him to the vet. I like to keep Gus active, so we regularly attend BT meetups, and a lot of the meetups take place in sandy areas or large, loose dirt enclosed fields which make keeping his ears clean a challenge. Now, after we come back from Boston Terrier Meetups, I usually give Gus a bath to clean him up and look presentable again!

It is commonly known that you want to avoid getting water down your dog’s ears when giving them a bath. For a dog with such large ears that stand up straight, that is not an easy task. One day, a brilliant idea hit me and I’ve used this ever since: cotton balls! I wedge one cotton ball gently into each of Gus’ ears which prevents water from rolling into them. Once the bath is over, simply pull the cotton swab out and toss. Sometimes, if a little water makes the cotton swab damp, I use it to wipe any dirt out of his ears then follow up with his prescription ear cleaner. A simple trick which makes routine pet care that much easier.

Gus with cotton balls in his ears before a bath