Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Ammo

Over the weekend I took my annual trip to the Fairhill International Event in Maryland. “Eventing” is the ultimate test of a horse and rider and has been referred to as the Triathlon of equestrian sport. Through tests in dressage, cross country, and show jumping the horse and rider work together to show that they can compete in the most demanding and highest levels of equestrian sports.

At Fairhill the highest level to watch is the CCI 3*. Horses and riders who do well in the 3* event may qualify to compete internationally or at the Olympics or World Championships. Pretty cool huh?

Well as much as I was excited to watch some of the top riders and horses in the world compete in the 3*, I was even more excited to see some of my old friends!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

My very special friends from the World Famous Chincoteague Pony Drill Team were visiting from Chincoteague to perform with their special ponies!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Before I even made it out to watch the cross county course, I parked myself in the stands to cheer on my friends. Did you know that some the ponies are even descendants of Misty…and that pony second from the right…we’ll she’s my pal Blitz’s full sister, “Surf n’Turf”.

I had a blast watching their amazing choreographed drill.

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Then it was time to head over to the Cross Country Jump Course where the 3* riders were competing. Can you believe that I’ve never actually watched a horse do Cross Country before? Usually when I visit the Fairhill event I go on the Stadium Jumping day, which means all the jumps that the horses go over are contained inside an arena.

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Well on the Cross Country course the horses and riders race through miles of terrain over HUGE elaborate jumps like this one. Can you believe they jump stuff like this? Which by the way, this one was pretty tame compared to some of the other jumps.

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

As you can imagine the horses that compete in these events are in peak physical condition. I was in awe of their athletic ability.

I really enjoyed Cross Country Day and I loved being able to hike around the course watching my favorite riders race over jumps!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

At the Fairhill Event there is lots to see and do (and shop for), including many food choices too….yum!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

I actually drew quite a spectacle at the event with my fancy coats, and my warm snood (it was a pretty chilly day). Not only did many people stop to take my picture, but even these Alpacas couldn’t quite figure out why I had so many layers on.

Well if I had fur like them maybe I wouldn’t have to wear all these layers!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Before heading home I made sure to squeeze in as much fun as I could. I played in the straw…

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

…I rode a pony (sort of)…

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

…I rolled in the Fairhill grass (which by the way this Maryland grass isn’t much different from my Pennsylvania grass….just saying’)….

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

….and I even dug a hole (shhh! don’t tell anyone!).

And don’t worry, I made sure not to dig it right smack in the middle of the Cross Country Course. (I’m not that evil).

Until next year Fairhill!

Get Dirty Barn Dogs Clean with the #WoofPouf + A Giveaway

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Ammo

This post is sponsored by Absorbine and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Woof Pouf but AmmotheDachshund.com only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Absorbine is not responsible for the content of this article.

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

Trooper and I pride ourselves in being super awesome barn dogs. We take our jobs very seriously, and immerse ourselves in everything on the farm.

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

Our favorite thing to “immerse” ourselves in on the farm……pony poop! We’re so fortunate that our farm has an abundance of it too. Did you know it’s a real delicacy in dog culture?

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

After a day of “farm life” Trooper and I can get pretty stinky (just how we like it). Our mom’s haven’t come to appreciate the highly cultivated “barn dog scent” yet, so alas a roll in the manure pile inevitably leads to bath time.

Thanks to our new friends at Absorbine® we now have a product that makes the whole bath experience quicker so Trooper and I can get back to our farm duties faster!

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

The Absorbine Woof Pouf™ is a handy bath scrubbing pouf for dogs with the soap beads built right into it! No more bulky bottles of shampoo! Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

The Woof Pouf comes in two different types, UltraShield® Green Woof Pouf™ with soap beads made from natural herbal extracts that are known to effectively repel fleas and ticks, and the ShowSheen® Woof Pouf™ with Ordenone® soap beads that help eliminate even the toughest odors, including skunk smell.

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

Trooper and I decided to test out the ShowSheen Woof Pouf this time around. Some key features:

No-mess, one-handed remedy to eliminate tough odors like wet dog smell and skunk odor (or in our case stinky barn dog smell)
Soap beads inside the pouf—just add water
Rich lather lasts up to 15 washes
Conditioners leave coat soft and shiny
Great “on-the-go” shampoo when traveling; no more need for slippery shampoo bottles!
Sulfate and paraben free

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

Now all we had to do was wait for Boomerang to get out of the wash stall…..he always hogs all the warm water!

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

Mom loved how it made it easy to wash two dogs at once in the barn wash stall (since there wasn’t anywhere convenient to tie us up to) and all she needed was a hose and the Woof Pouf.

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

Trooper and I loved it because it sped up bath time!

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

After our baths we smelled fantastic, even Trooper’s longer hair that traps stinky odors daily smelled great for days after his bath.

Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

Now we’re both ready to find out next dirty adventure on the farm!

You can fetch the UltraShield Woof Pouf or the ShowSheen Woof Pouf from Absorbine! I know my mom will be purchasing them for us farm dogs again for sure!

And now for the best part… Easily Clean Dirty Barn Dogs with the #WoofPouf from Absorbing + A Giveaway #sp

ENTER TO WIN A WOOF POUF FROM ABSORBINE!

Absorbine is giving away 10 Prize packs with the winner’s choice of ShowSheen Woof Pouf or the UltraShield Woof Pouf. The packages will include the Woof Pouf of choice plus other products from that line. (Open to US only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Never want to miss any of the adventures (or giveaways) on my blog? Make sure you sign-up for e-mail updates! Does your dog like to get as dirty as Trooper and I do? Can you just smell our stink through the computer?

Farm Dog Duties

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Ammo

Farm life isn’t always fun and games, sometimes there are important chores to be done.

Labor Day Weekend Fun with Ammo the Dachshund

When a big delivery of hay from our farmer friends showed up at the barn, I knew Trooper and I would have a busy afternoon helping to unload it.

Labor Day Weekend Fun with Ammo the Dachshund

So it was up to the hay loft to prepare for some heavy lifting!

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

The farmer’s kids tagged along on the adventure, and Trooper and I thought they smelled like dirt, candy, and a hint of worms. You know, all the stuff little boys normally smell like.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

With the hay elevator hooked up, it was time to get stacking.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

Only Trooper and I realized that stacking hay was better left to the humans, you know, because of the paws and all.

Labor Day Weekend Fun with Ammo the Dachshund

That’s ok though, because Trooper and I found other ways to be useful and we promptly broke out into a wrestling match to entertain the farmer’s boys.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

After the hay was stacked in place in the loft Trooper and I set out to inspect every last bale. We’re very paw-ticular about what our special ponies are eating. So we go in search of anything that shouldn’t be in there, sometimes we even find smooshed snakes or other rodents!

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

This time everything checked out a-okay though, aside from us picking up a few cobwebs along the way.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

That’s ok though, the cobwebs are part of our patented “farm dog” smell. The verdict is still out on which scent is better…..little boy, or farm dog. (but it’s pretty safe to say that anything stinky is the BEST SCENT EVER).

Does your dog like to help with dirty tasks too?

Luxury Pet Treats for Everyone + A Giveaway

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Ammo

Disclaimer: This post and giveaway is brought to you by Leela Ryan. All opinions are my own, and I only share products I think you and your dog will love.

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

Recently my new pal Leela Ryan (the cute pup behind the brand) sent me some of her luxury pet treats to try. These organic biscuits are made with all-natural fruits and vegetables and they’re packaged in style so that they look cute on the counter, or in my case the barn!

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

These yummy treats come in three flavors, Banana Pudding, Tartes Aux Pommes (apple pie), and Wild Berry Scones.

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

As Trooper and I took in a big breath of that delicious aroma, we had a thought. The Tartes Aux Pommes (apple pie) treats from Leela Ryan contained the exact same ingredients that our pony friends love too: Organic Oats, Organic Apples, and Cinnamon.

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

Our ponies loved them! And mom loved that she could carry around one set of treats for all of us.

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

These organic, all-natural, 100% made in the USA treats are something all us critters on the farm can look forward to snacking on now.

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

While the Leela Ryan brand is built around luxury, decadence, and beautiful organic treats, I hate to say it……but us boys aren’t exactly “luxurious” when we eat cookies.

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

Leela Ryan is probably covering her eyes in embarrassment looking at these photos of Trooper and I snacking on her yummy cookies. Especially since I have drool on my nose. Sorry Leela Ryan, boys don’t know how to eat treats any other way!

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

Yup, there she is with her dis-approving look. I knew it.

You can fetch your dog some of the luxury organic pet treats from Leela Ryan (and see if you pup can eat them any daintier) from their online shop.

And now for the best part…

Leela Ryan Luxury Dog Treats Review & Giveaway

ONE WINNER WILL WIN 3 PACKAGES OF TREATS FROM LEELA RYAN!

Here’s HOW TO WIN:

No purchase necessary. To enter use the Rafflecopter widget below. You will be contacted via e-mail to claim your prize. All the winners will also be announced on this blog post once the giveaway ends. Open to USA residents only. Winners must claim their prizes within 48 hours of being notified or prize will be forfeited. By entering you are agreeing to the terms & conditions set forth in the Rafflecopter widget (see below).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Never want to miss any of the adventures (or giveaways) on my blog? Make sure you sign-up for e-mail updates!

Earth Rated Poop Bags Review & Giveaway

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Ammo

Disclaimer: This review & giveaway is brought to you by Earth Rated. All opinions are my own, but I only share products I think you will love!

Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags // Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Everyone poops. (including me) And thanks to my new friends over at Earth Rated my mom and dad now have an arsenal of poop bags to make clean-up a breeze.

Earth Rated bags are bigger, thicker, and totally leak-proof!

Earth Rated Scented Dog Poop Bags // Review and Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Earth Rated’s green colored bags contain an EPI additive, which helps them break down better than traditional plastic bags and are rated Biodegradable in Canada. (fyi these bags are not considered biodegradable in the U.S. due to new labeling regulations, read more to find out why). And the extra cool part is that these particular ones are lavender scented too!

Earth Rated Scented Dog Poop Bags // Review and Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

The scent in the Earth Rated Bags is made from various types of plants, including spice plants, flowers and fruits and comply with standards set forth by the International Fragrance Association. Mom claims they smell much much better than the poo they will be holding, but being that I’m a dog, I may beg to differ on that one. Agree to disagree.

Travel Poop Bags for Dogs from Earth Rated // Ammo the Dachshund

I also received a cute Earth Rated Dispenser, which has a handy loop for attaching to any type of leash, for on the go poop pickup!

Travel Poop Bags for Dogs from Earth Rated // Ammo the Dachshund

There is a clip on the back that could be used to attach to a pocket in a pinch, but is actually designed to hold used bags.

Now before you read any further, if you might be eating breakfast, lunch or dinner (or any meal for that matter) then you may want to skip ahead to the end (where I have a fun giveaway), because how could I confidently recommend the Earth Rated Bags without testing them out myself….

Horse helps test Earth Rated Bags // Ammo the Dachshund

To help me with the testing I enlisted the help of my pony pals!

Earth Rated Poop Bags // Ammo the Dachshund

Because both Trooper and I agree, pony poop smells a whole lot better than dog poop! (Plus mom thought pony poop might be a little less cringe worthy in photographs….but I guess it depends on who you’re asking!).

Picking up Poop with Earth Rated // Ammo the Dachshund

Now Trooper and I would probably prefer to do pony poop pick-up on our own (if you catch my drift), but for the sake of this review we allowed mom to test out the Earth Rated Bags. She found the bags to be much easier to open than some of the more traditional black bags you see on the market and could tell they were much thicker than the bags we had been using.

Picking up Poop with Earth Rated // Ammo the Dachshund

While I think in the future mom and I will probably be using a wheelbarrow and pitchfork to do most of the pony poop pickup, it’s nice to know I now have some bags that are strong enough for even the biggest messes!

You can grab your own arsenal of doggie doo bags from Earth Rated by checking out which of your local stores they are stocked in and they’re also available on amazon!

And now for the best part….

Enter to Win Earth Rated Bags & Dispenser at AmmoTheDachshund.com

ONE WINNER WILL WIN AN EARTH RATED DISPENSER + REFILL ROLLS
(in scented or unscented) + some swag!

Here’s HOW TO WIN:

No purchase necessary. To enter use the Rafflecopter widget below. You will be contacted via e-mail to claim your prize. All the winners will also be announced on this blog post once the giveaway ends. Open to USA and CANADA residents only. Winners must claim their prizes within 48 hours of being notified or prize will be forfeited. By entering you are agreeing to the terms & conditions set forth in the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pet Friendly Road Trip Adventures: The National Mall, D.C.

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Ammo

Road trips are something I have been doing since I was just a wee pup, and I’m lucky enough that when my family sets out on an adventure they’re always looking for pet friendly locations so that I can tag along too!

Last week I set out on a week long trek to reach my final destination, the annual BlogPaws Pet Blogging Conference. I have tons to share about my week on the road, but I figured I start with my first stop, The National Mall!

Pet Friendly Travel - The National Mall, Washington D.C. with Ammo the Dachshund

If you’re not familiar with the National Mall, it is a great symbol of the United States. The National Mall is over 1,000 acres of park space in our capital city, Washington, D.C. Inside the National Mall are many memorial parks with iconic monuments and memorials.

Pet Friendly Washington D.C. and the Lincoln Memorial with Ammo the Dachshund

I was lucky enough to visit the National Mall on Memorial Day so there was lots going on to see! The National Mall is pet friendly for all leashed pets and the only areas pets aren’t allowed are on the walkways at the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials and inside the Washington Monument. As a general rule dogs aren’t allowed inside any buildings and covered areas.

National Monument // Pet Friendly Travel with Ammo the Dachshund

My first stop was the Washington Monument! It was built to honor George Washington, (the U.S.’s first president) and towers 555 feet over Washington, D.C.

Washington Monument in Pet Friendly D.C. with Ammo the Dachshund

It was a fairly warm day, but with a cool breeze blowing through the capitol I was loving every minute of it! What a special place to be on a day to remember those who lost their lives fighting for my country.

Pet Friendly Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with Ammo the Dachshund

Eventually I made my way over to the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. I spotted a family of ducklings enjoying the cool water and couldn’t wait to take a dip with them! Sadly mom said she didn’t think the park staff would be too happy if I went for a swim, so alas I didn’t even get to dip a toe in.

Pet Friendly Lincoln Memorial with Ammo the Dachshund

The Lincoln Memorial itself was bustling with visitors and surprisingly I didn’t see many other dogs.

Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. // Ammo the Dachshund

Family Photos at the Lincoln Memorial with Ammo the Dachshund

Eventually I made my way to the top of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and while I wasn’t allowed to go inside the monument, I did grab a selfie with my mom and dad on the steps. Apparently we’re all behind the times too, because I didn’t have a selfie stick like the many other visitors that were at the National Mall. I guess I better step my selfie game up!

Police Horse on the National Mall with Ammo the Dachshund

While I didn’t see many dogs during my National Mall excursion, I did spot several mounted police officers. Even though I was only a day into my road trip, it made me miss my ponies even more!

Pet Friendly Vietnam Memorial with Ammo the Dachshund

I also made my way over to the Vietnam Memorial. The area was packed with visitors on Memorial Day and I hung back (pets aren’t allowed on the pathway at the Vietnam Memorial) while Dad went up to check it out. A little side fact, did you know my PopPop actually fought in Vietnam?

Pet Friendly White House, Washington D.C. // Ammo the Dachshund

My last stop before I waved goodbye to the National Mall was of course the White House! I had high hopes I’d spot the Obama Family pets, Sunny & Bo, running on the lawn, but they must have been taking their mid-afternoon nap. Although I did spot a box of bees on the back lawn, who knew the president had honeybee pets?

Pet Friendly Lincoln Memorial with Ammo the Dachshund

I had a blast checking out the National Mall on Memorial Day, and I even got to watch a little bit of the parade and met so many dachshund loving people on my adventure.

Next on my road trip, I was headed to Shenandoah National Park! So stay tuned tomorrow for even more fun, and find out what happened when I came face to face with a BEAR!

What did you do with your pups on Memorial Day?

Save the Date: Ammo to Attend Ryerss Family Fun Day!

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Ammo

For those of you that are local (or nearby) to Pottstown, Pennsylvania then you might want to mark your calendars!

Adventures at Ludwigs // Ammo the Dachshund

Minnow the Painting Pony and I will be attending the Ryerss Family Fun Day on Saturday, June 13th from 12 – 4pm. (rain date is June 14th)

Adventures at Ludwigs // Ammo the Dachshund

Minnow will be painting and I’ll be performing some of my death-defying tricks! We’ll even be selling Minnow’s paintings and donating a portion to our friends at Ryerss to help feed and care for the retired horses on the farm.

Spring Doxie Fest 2013 // Ammo the Dachshund performs

And don’t worry, even if you aren’t local I’ll be sure to share all the details on my blog afterwards!

SAVE THE DATE:

when: Saturday, June 13th (rain date June 14th)
what: Ryerss Family Fun Day
where: Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines – Pottstown, Pennsylvania

P.S. if you want to find out more about past performances I’ve done, be sure to check out my archives!

Winter on the Farm

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Ammo