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.
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.
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!
We had lots of entries for my Dream Big contest, in which one lucky reader will win one of my brand-new prints from the Flying Hero Etsy Shop.
I had so much fun reading everyone’s big dreams, which included starting rescue groups, writing books, traveling to Africa, and even finishing college. But sadly there can be only one winner, and today’s winner is comment #25 Krista, who’s dream is to visit the Cook Islands.
Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway, and since I hate to see anyone go home empty handed, you can use the coupon code FREESHIP in my etsy shop, Flying Hero, to receive free shipping anywhere in the US on any order! Yay for free!
I hope you have a wonderful Friday, and don’t forget to keep dreaming big!
As dogs we wear our names, phone numbers, and addresses around our necks for the world to see. And while this may not bode well for any dogs out there wishing to blend in as members of the secret service and whatnot – I consider my own id tags a badge of honor.
Wearing an ID tag around my neck means that there is someone that loves me and cares whether I return home safely or not – not that I make it a point to go galavanting around the neighborhood in hot pursuit of bunnies or anything. Nah, I’ve certainly never done that before. *wink*
So since wearing my name and number around my neck on a daily basis is a necessity – who says they can’t be stylish at the same time? Recently I picked up a few new ID tags to add to my collection, because you never know which one will go better with your outfit on any given day.
This silver fox I picked up from the ID Store and it dawns the logo of my recent certification of Canine Good Citizen. Ideal for those days when I’m feeling extra citizenly.
Next up is a tag that seems to have been made especially for me (in fact it was) from Cropscotch. You may remember I shared them a few weeks ago during my Friday Fetch Blog Feature. This unique wooden tag reminds me of how super I really am – and it goes great with my bulging muscles, don’t you think?
And my final accessory for the day is an adorable horseshoe tag (from the mascot collection) sent to me from my pals at Blanket Id. This tag is extra special because it contains a website link on the back that tells you everything you need to know about me should I get lost and makes it extra easy to find my human.
Lately I’ve taken to wearing two tags at once – mostly pairing my Blanket Id with one of the others – because really, one can never have too many accessories. You also might notice that each of my id tags has their own Rubit Clip, which is a secure clip that easily lets you move id tags from collar to collar – because one can also never have too many collars! But we’ll have to save my collar collection for another post.
Along with wearing proper id I am also microchipped. And while I’m still not certain if said microchip isn’t just there to transmit secret data to the government for some big conspiracy – Mom assures me she had it implanted for my safety only. The verdict is still out on that one.
Make sure you stop by my shop today and check out my brand-new birthday greeting card, “Super Stud“. I’m sure you have a lucky lady in your life that would love to get one of these beauties in the mail.
Some of you may have noticed already, but I’ve been keeping a little secret for the past couple of months, I’ve decided to open up my very own Etsy Shop, Flying Hero!
Aptly named after me, your friendly neighborhood flying hero, my etsy shop will be selling cute photographic prints, cards and even calendars (coming soon) with my mug on them!
My mom and I have been creating, making, and selling greeting cards in our retail shop for years now – but we decided it was high time we make them available to everyone.
So if you are looking for a way to bring laughter, smiles, and little dose of cuteness to those that you love, make sure you check out Flying Hero. In the coming months we hope to have more items available for purchase.
And not to worry, I’ll still be working my painting magic with the amazing Painting Ponies. So if you are interested in original artwork by yours truly, be sure to stop by the Painting Pony Etsy Shop.
Now because it’s Friday, and because I’m super excited to share with you the launch of my new shop, I wanted to give you an even bigger reason to smile today. I’ve decided to give away one of my brand-new DREAM BIG prints to one lucky reader.
**This Giveaway is no longer accepting entries**
Here’s how to win…
PRIZE: One Dream Big Print from Flying Hero
TO ENTER: Comment on this post (you must comment on the BLOG – not on our facebook page) with the words “DREAM BIG” and….
BONUS QUESTION: Tell me one of your biggest dreams. Maybe you want to travel the World, or go skydiving, or perhaps you want to conquer your fear of heights. No dream is too small!
GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Friday, September 7, 2012 at 9:00am EST
NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
PRIZE SHIPS: Anywhere in the World! Yeah!
RULES: one entry per e-mail address. Winner will be selected using random.org (meaning the winner is drawn at random) – and will be announced shortly afterward. Good Luck!
P.S. Make sure you head over to Under the Blanket and check out their write-up on my new Etsy Shop! They are oh so sweet that I can’t help but blush!
After spotting a DIY Pet Pillow on one of my favorite blogs, Yellow Brick Home, a few months ago – I figured there had to be a pet pillow out there for the non-diyers out there. Well as luck would have it, I stumbled across a custom silkscreened pet pillow from Broderpress on Etsy.
DIY Pet Pillow via Yellow Brick Home
You get to submit a photo of your pet, which then gets turned into a custom pillow. Can’t you just picture my sofa filled with a ba-zillion stuffed pillows of the cutest little doxie ever….me!
You can fetch your own custom pet pillow from broderpress for $60
As you may already know, I’m on an imagination adventure while my pal Minnow the Painting Pony is performing at Pony Penning all week with my mom. Yesterday I went to outer space and today I’m on a journey Under the Sea!
I made sure to pack my flippers, and it’s a good thing I’m an excellent swimmer because I’m deep deep under the sea.
I haven’t seen any sharks yet, but if you spot any I hope you’ll warn me!
Just to be safe I rolled in the stinkiest thing I could find before going Under the Sea – so that I’ll be extra un-enticing to any sharks that come along. I hope.
So I’m totally swooning over the selection of wooden pet id tags I found at the Etsy shop, Cropscotch.
Crafted out of the highest grade woods and hardwoods on the market, our custom Pet ID tags and necklaces are laser cut, hand sanded, engraved and finished with a clear, non-toxic matte coat to ensure maximum strength, protection and weather resistance.
Cropscotch even carries a line of jewelry for your human friends to! They mention that they can create custom id tags/jewelry to fit your own personal style. I’m thinking dachshunds in super hero capes, what about you?
The Pow! tag has my name written all over it!
You can fetch your own wooden pet id tag from Cropscotch for about $14