It’s becoming a yearly tradition now to take “Birthday Themed” photos of me during the week of my Birthday. And while I can hardly wait to show you how my photo shoot turned out this year, I figure if I have to wait a few more days to open my presents – then you should have to wait to see my photos!
Torturous I know, but it will all be worth it when you can see me in my spiffy party hat made by my pal Baxter’s mom.
The good news is – only 2 more days until I’m 4! 
Birthdays call for celebration, and what better way to celebrate than a spiffy new bandana to let everyone know it’s your Birthday!
And because I want everyone to celebrate with me, here’s a tutorial I created to help you make your own pet a celebratory bandana.
DIY Pet Birthday Bandana
Materials:
(or acrylic paint mixed with Textile Medium
)*some links contain affiliate links
Step 1: Using a ruler and cutting utensil, cut a bandana sized piece of fabric out of your material. We used a bandana I already had as a template, but you can also measure your pet’s neck and add about 4″ to be able to tie it. You might also opt to sew the edges of your bandana to prevent fraying before moving on to step 2.
Step 2: You will need your HOORAY! stamp for this part (my mom carved mine, find out how to carve a stamp here or find out how to purchase one here). Use your sponge brush to apply screen printing ink or acrylic paint mixed with Textile Medium
Step 3: Stamp your fabric in several places, re-applying paint after each one. Then allow to dry.
Adding another color can add to the overall effect.
And when you are all finished you will have a spiffy new bandana that’s perfect for celebrating my Birthday with me.
Happy Birthday to me! Only 3 more days until I’m officially 4 and get to open all my presents!
My HOORAY! stamp was inspired by a post on Squirrelly Minds.
My 4th Birthday is coming up this Friday (October 5th), and I’ve decided to make it a week long celebration just like last year! I hope you will hang around for all the fun, we’ll have giveaways, DIY projects, free downloads and so much more!
We’re going to kick things off with a good old fashioned wish list! So without further adieu, here’s all the items I’ve been lusting after lately.
1. Turquoise & Blue Stripe Collar from Mattie & Margot
2. Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Eggplant toy from Wag.com
3. Chunky Yellow Cable Sweater from Olive
4. Pet Fairy Noshers (for filling my kongs) from Olive
5. PetPDC ComfortFlex Sport Harness
Here’s to hoping I get everything on my Birthday Wish List!
Saying goodbye is never easy, and today I am saying goodbye to a very special lady, my great-grandma.
Over the years Trooper and I have enjoyed making visits to the nursing home where she lived. I would show her the new tricks I learned and take walks up and down the hallways. She inspired me to become a therapy dog, and although our favorite familiar face won’t be there any longer, we hope to continue to visit our friends there.
We miss you Grandmaruth and we’ll be thinking of you every time we play a round of Kings in the Corner. xoxo
It’s no secret that I’m all about playing it safe, which is why when I travel in the car I ride in a booster seat and seatbelt. So when I came across the K9 CarFence at a recent event, it had me thinking, maybe there’s an even safer way to travel in the car?
The K9 Carfence is a unique in-car safety fence created specifically for puppies and small dogs. It protects your vulnerable pets from sudden car stops and stops them from climbing into your lap. Their site claims that sudden stops and accidents can put stress on the chest of a dog wearing a harness and seat belt.
Check it out for yourself:
You can fetch your own K9 CarFence HERE for $99.
When your legs just aren’t long enough you’re allowed to use the coffee table to play tug of war with your best friend. It’s in the official rules.
Lately I’ve been reminiscing about all the years I’ve spent playing with my best friend Trooper – mostly because next week is my Birthday, my 4th Birthday!
Since we met (when I was all of 8 weeks old), not much has changed. And yes, I won our wrestling matches back then too.
But despite the fact that I can easily out wrestle my poor buddy, we share a very special bond.
Even if he did steal my party hat and try eat me last year on my Birthday!
Stay tuned, because next week is BIRTHDAY WEEK! Eeeek! I’m so excited, we’re going to have so much fun!
I decided it was high time I started a new feature on the blog, and what better thing to write about than trick training! I thought by sharing with you how I have learned some of my amazing tricks over the years (and attempting to master new ones too) it would inspire me to keep up with my training as well. Most all of my tricks are taught and mastered with the help of clicker training, so before beginning you might want to read up on how to introduce your dog to a clicker
Teach your Dog to High-Five
A small twist on the standard one paw high-five, my method is doubly awesome with a two-pawed high-five. (mostly because us dachshunds have stubby little legs and it’s way easier to high-five with two paws).
What you need: A handful of small training treats, clicker (affiliate links)
Step one: Place a treat in the palm of your hand and close it into a fist. Let you dog sniff your hand with the treat in it so he will know that it’s there.
Step two: Put your closed fist with the treat in it directly in front of your dog but slightly above their head and high enough that they cannot reach it with all 4 paws on the ground.
Step three: Your dog will likely begin to sniff at the treat, but pay close attention to their paws, and as soon as they lift both paws or one off the ground be ready to click and reward once they touch a paw to your hand (do not give them the treat in your hand, but a different one). Continue clicking and rewarding for a paw(s) touching your fist until it is consistent.
Step four: Once your dog is consistently touching a paw(s) to your fist, then remove the treat inside your hand and begin placing an open palm directly in front of your dog above their head. Click and reward for your dog touching a paw(s) to your hand.
Step five: When your dog is consistently touching a paw(s) to your open hand you may add a verbal cue to it, such as High-Five. Say “High-Five” then place your open palm in front of your dog to touch – then click and reward.
If your dog has mastered this trick with one paw (sometimes easier for larger dogs) but you would like them to high-five with two, give your verbal cue, put your open palm out and do not reward the dog for touching it with one paw, simply wait until they offer another behavior (placing two paws) then click and reward. If your dog needs a little help you can place one paw on your palm then pick up and place their second paw on your hand. Immediately reward with a jackpot of treats (one treat after another in a rapid succession). The more excited and animated you are when your dog gets it right, the faster they will learn!
Disclaimer: The Let’s Get Tricky blog feature is designed to provide general information, instruction, and techniques that may not be suitable for everyone. Please note that we are not liable for any of your activities while attempting to teach your dog the techniques listed on this blog. Please train responsibly.
It’s that time of year again where I get to break out my fall and winter wardrobe – as it’s been getting a bit cooler now.
I tend to wear my jackets a lot more when I’m on the farm – gotta keep warm and toasty when hunting for groundhogs.
And as a bonus, I look extra stunning in yellow.
The horses are sooooo jealous.
Don’t freak out, we’re not talking REAL Taxidermy here (which is sort of creepy if you ask me). You may recall that I’m a HUGE art lover (I work in a frame shop, paint pictures, and hang out with some famous painting ponies), so when I discovered White Faux Taxidermy on Etsy I was in love!
Not only do they create super cute replicas of animals, but just this week they came out with a line of charming dog bust statues. Sadly they do not carry a dachshund bust yet (although the hound dog looks awfully similar), but I’m still completely smitten.
Each faux animal is cast out of a polyresin material, thus making the sculpture fairly light in weight, great for hanging or displaying. You can even have your sculptures custom painted in any color imaginable. I’ll take one of each please!
You can fetch your own animal statue from White Faux Taxidermy HERE!
The construction on Trooper’s new house at the farm has really been moving along pretty quickly. Every time I come there is something new to look at.
I was admiring the handiwork from afar, when I decided, what the hey – lets go check it out!
Up close Trooper’s new house looked solid enough.
But with these big empty rooms, there is really only one way to know for sure if it’s going to hold up to the rigors of me and Trooper’s wrestle parties.
Time to fly!
Lucky for Trooper I’m such a good friend that I tested out and approved his new home for endless bounding. It gets my stamp of approval for wrestle parties too…..although we may want to add some carpeting.
I can’t wait until Trooper’s new house is ready! I’ve already staked out a few looking windows that have a straight line shot to viewing my groundhog holes – I have my paws crossed the construction workers don’t forget to add a doggie door. I hope Trooper lets me sleepover all the time!