Kurgo Lifevest for Dogs Review & Giveaway

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Ammo

Disclaimer: This product review & giveaway is sponsored by Kurgo and contains affiliate links.

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly keep my tail from wagging with the thought that Summer is just around the corner!

One of my favorite summer activities is to spend time at the Marsh Creek Lake with my family – swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking…..there are so many fun activities on the water to look forward to.

So when my friends at Kurgo sent me their Surf n Turf Life Vest for Dogs to test out I couldn’t wait to get my paws wet!

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

One of the perplexing problems with life vests for dachshunds is that it’s very hard to find ones the accommodate our deep chests. As you can see I’ve sort of maxed out the velco capacity in the front, but thankfully Kurgo’s vest comes with an extra long buckle so I don’t have to worry about it not staying on!

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

The Surf n Turf comes with lots of extra handles and hooks on the top so that you can easily grab a hold of your dog in an emergency or attach a leash to one of the hooks. As a bonus the back ring even doubles as a bottle opening, how cool is that!

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

The underneath buckles have plenty of length to fit dogs of all sizes and I liked how it didn’t have any extra bulk underneath which made it easier to swim in.

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I really liked how padded and secure the Surf n Turf was as opposed to the vest mom and dad had purchased me a few years ago.

But you can’t truly give a review of a life vest without first hitting the water…..

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

So a couple weekends ago I hit up the Brandywine River on one of our unseasonably warm days for April.

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I must admit that water was bit colder than I would of liked, because you may be surprised to know that I actually really enjoy swimming…..but especially when the water is really warm.

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

Even though it was chilly, I still braved the water because I’m an expert product tester and couldn’t give you guys my honest opinion if I didn’t take a dip in it myself!

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

The Surf n Turf held it’s own in the water and kept me happily floating ABOVE the water like it should. A little known fact about me is that as much as I enjoy swimming I won’t swim unless I’m wearing a life vest. One can never be too safe (no matter the size of the dog) and I feel much more at ease braving the waters with my vest on!

So if you’re looking for a life vest to keep your small, big or in-between sized dog safe around the water this summer I highly recommend the Kurgo Surf n Turf Life Vest.

You can even use code KURGO20WIN for 20% off your entire purchase at Kurgo!

And now for the best part…..

Kurgo Lifevest Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

ONE Lucky WINNER will win Kurgo Surf n Turf Life Vest for their dog

Here’s HOW TO WIN:

For this giveaway I will be using, Rafflecopter. Winners will be chosen at random and you will be contacted via e-mail to claim your prize. Don’t worry, we never share your information! All the winners will also be announced on this blog post once the giveaway ends on 4/29/14 12AM EST. Open to USA or CANADA residents only. Winners must claim their prizes within 48 hours of being notified or prize will be forfeited. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget, today is the last day to enter my Penn + Pooch Giveaway!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kurgo, but all opinions are my own.

Adventures in Disc Golf

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Ammo

Adventures in Disc Golf // Ammo the Dachshund

Last weekend I took a trip to the French Creek State Park – which would prove to be my first adventure on the Disc Golf Course.

A combination of frisbee and golf, the object is to get your frisbee into the provided targets at each hole.

Adventures in Disc Golf // Ammo the Dachshund

Of course I was a natural – as I am with most things! *wink*

Aside from the goal of throwing the frisbee around the course, there was quite a bit for me to investigate on this adventure.

Adventures in Disc Golf // Ammo the Dachshund

Being in the wilderness is one of my all time favorite things – but after a day of trekking around the course I was quite happy that this state park had a lake too.

Adventures in Disc Golf // Ammo the Dachshund

Nothing like a dip in the water to beat the heat!

If you’re looking for a dog friendly adventure check out the French Creek State Park. The trails are pet friendly as is the boat rental. Also lots of camping areas that allow pets.

August 2013 Monthly Recap

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Ammo

It’s time to take a look back over the past month at all the exciting things I’ve done! So just incase you missed it, here are some of my highlights from August!

Instinct Rawboost Treats // Product Review and Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I tested out some Instinct Rawboost Treats from Chewy.com and held a giveaway, which the winners are now posted!

Goshen Country Fair // Dog Friendly Event // Ammo the Dachshund

I took a trip to the Goshen Fair.

Sunday Breakfast // Ammo the Dachshund

I went to Sunday Breakfast with my family.

Product Review: Ruffwear Swamp Cooler // Ammo the Dachshund

I helped my pal Trooper test out Ruffwear’s Swamp Cooler (which is awesome by the way!).

Stonework // Ammo the Dachshund

I got nosey with the new stonework on the farm.

The Dog Pack // Ammo the Dachshund

I introduced my new dog pack pals.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

I took my pal Shilah the Husky out on the lake for the very first time.

What to pack when Camping with your Dog // Ammo the Dachshund

I shared the must have items I pack when going camping in the summer!

Dog Friendly Camping in Cape May // Ammo the Dachshund

I went camping with my friend Shilah in Cape May.

Dog Friendly Dining in Cape May // Ammo the Dachshund

I dined at some dog friendly restaurants during my trip to Cape May.

Higbee Beach - Dog Friendly Beaches in Cape May via Ammo the Dachshund

I had a blast on the dog friendly beach, Higbee Beach in Cape May NJ.

A Car Crashed into the Shop // Ammo the Dachshund

I shared pictures from when a car crashed through the shop where I work.

DIY Dachshund Cork Board via Ammo the Dachshund

I helped mom make a DIY Dachshund Cork Board.

Sleepypod Pendants Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I shared some of Sleepypod’s Pendants and offered everyone a chance to win their own set. You can still enter to win!!

Gosh what an exciting August I’ve had! Now we’re getting to one of my favorite times of the year – fall. I can’t wait to see what else I’ll be up to in the coming months!

Don’t forget, if you would like to find out more about my advertising rates and how to become a sponsor, click HERE.

On the Lake with Friends

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Ammo

Adventures on the lake are quickly becoming my favorite thing to do in the summer. And at the Marsh Creek Boat Rental, where dogs are always welcome, there is a whole slew of fun to be had out on the water!

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

I started out my adventure by renting a paddleboard with mom. There’s nothing quite like gliding through the water on one of those!

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

This time I brought along my pal Shilah, for her very first boat ride in a motorized rowboat rental.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

Dad also rented a kayak which I happily took a few laps around the lake in.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

Since this was Shilah’s first trip to the lake I decided to let her test out the paddle board, which is one of my favorite rental choices.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

Shilah had also never been swimming before, so I gave her a little coaching from the sidelines.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

Eventually though I hopped aboard to show her how to man her lake vessel with style. She’s only one, so she has lots of learning to do still!

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

Shilah almost got to assist in her first water rescue when Dad accidentally tipped his kayak, but luckily things didn’t get too crazy.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

Later I showed off my natural swimming skills, and it was enough to convince my pal to take her first dip too! You can see her showing off at the end of this video:

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

Being on the lake with my friends was so enjoyable I just didn’t want it to end!

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

So when we landed back on shore I decided to practice some of my swimming skills.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

I’ve gotten quite good at playing fetch in the water, mom even picked up this new floating buoy toy for me from West Elm (which mom bought before it sold out).

Sigh, I’m so sad that summer is coming to an end, but hopefully I’ll get to squeeze in a few more lake trips before it ends!

July 2013 Monthly Recap

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Ammo

It’s time to take a look back over the past month at all the exciting things I’ve done! So just incase you missed it, here are some of my highlights from July!

My Personal Puddle // Ammo the Dachshund

I took a dip in my own Personal Puddle!

Adventure Awaits // Ammo the Dachshund

I shared what I do when Adventure Awaits.

4th of July // Independence Day // Ammo the Dachshund

I celebrated the 4th of July.

Fourth of July with Ammo the Dachshund

I recapped all the adventures I had on the Fourth of July.

Day at the Pool // Ammo the Dachshund

I spent the day at the pool.

Easy Poop A Scoop Product Review and Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I reviewed and gave away an Easy-Scoop-A-Poop.

At the Rodeo // Team Penning // Ammo the Dachshund

I went to the rodeo to watch my ponies compete.

Product Review: True Chews Premium Jerky from Chewy.com // Ammo the Dachshund

I helped my pal Trooper test out some True Chews premium jerky.

Swim Lessons // Ammo the Dachshund

I took some swim lessons.

Voyagers K9 Apparel for Dogs // Product Review // Ammo the Dachshund

I tested out my new raincoat from Voyagers K9 and gave away a gift certificate to a lucky reader.

Rainy Days at the Lake // Marshcreek // Ammo the Dachshund

I spent a rainy day at the lake with my pal Shilah.

Prime Pet Supply Review & Giveaway // Ammo the Dachshund

I tested and gave away some great products at Prime Pet Supply.

2013 Chincoteague Pony Penning // Ammo the Dachshund

I welcomed my ponies home from the Chincoteague Pony Penning.

Adventures in Graphic Design // Ammo the Dachshund goes to Work

I got to spend the day at work with dad.

An Average Weekend // Ammo the Dachshund

I shared what an average weekend looks like for me.

Boy, I sure did a lot in July! I’m looking forward to many more adventures in August!

Rainy Days at the Lake

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Ammo

On those hot summer days one of my very favorite things to do is to visit the Marshcreek State Park – home to my favorite lake. But what about on those rainy summer days? Well, I still like to visit the lake!

Rainy Days at the Lake // Marshcreek // Ammo the Dachshund

The day started hot and sunny enough, so I packed up my life vest (and my pal Shilah the Husky) and headed out to the lake.

Rainy Days at the Lake // Marshcreek // Ammo the Dachshund

I was surprised to find that the water was warm, as in bathtub warm! So I had no hesitation in jumping right in!

Rainy Days at the Lake // Marshcreek // Ammo the Dachshund

Shilah had a bit more hesitation with the water, would you believe she’s never been to a lake before! Not to worry though, I was able to coax her right in.

Rainy Days at the Lake // Marshcreek // Ammo the Dachshund

Just as I was starting to get warmed up a huge storm came through and dampened my chance to hop on a boat rental!

Rainy Days at the Lake // Marshcreek // Ammo the Dachshund

But after waiting out the heaviest of rain, I wasn’t going to let it spoil my fun, and it was back in the water for Shilah and me!

Rainy Days at the Lake // Marshcreek // Ammo the Dachshund

I even took to some good old fashioned dog paddling, because I of course had to show off my mad swimming skills to my pal Shilah!

What do you do on rainy summer days?

Kayaking Adventure

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Ammo

Kayaking Adventure // Ammo the Dachshund // Marshcreek Lake

Over the weekend it got hot hot hot, and instead of just laying around the house panting I decided to go to the lake!

Kayaking Adventure // Ammo the Dachshund // Marshcreek Lake

I’m no stranger to the Marshcreek Lake, in fact I took my first paddleboarding adventure out there just last year.

Kayaking Adventure // Ammo the Dachshund // Marshcreek Lake

This time though I decided to take to the lake via kayak!

Kayaking Adventure // Ammo the Dachshund // Marshcreek Lake

The wind in my ears was just what I needed to cool off on a hot summer day.

What do you do to beat the heat in the summer?

Product Review: Outward Hound Life Vest for Dogs

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Ammo

You might remember that a couple of weeks ago mom purchased me a life vest from amazon just in time for my paddleboarding adventure.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

Seeing as how some of my fans may be in the market for a life vest as well I thought I’d give you all a little rundown of how I’m liking it so far.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

Product – Kyjen Outward Hound Life Jacket

Features:

Convenient top grab handle for easy resuce by hand or boat hook
Front float assists in keeping dog’s head above water

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

Pros:

Definitely helps keep me afloat much better
Handle makes it easy for mom or dad to rescue me out of the water
Front float helps keep my head above the water – which is a bonus because I hate getting water in my ears
It’s comfortable to wear
Bright color makes it easy to spot me floating in the water
Budget friendly price

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

Cons:

Sizes run smaller then the chart online – so a small is a bit too small for me and I probably should have ordered the medium. So when in doubt choose the next size up
Doesn’t have a d-ring attachment for a leash

kyjen pet life vest

Overall I’m very happy with my new vest, I definitely feel safer and enjoy swimming a lot more, I just wish I had gotten the medium so it fits me a little better.

You can fetch your own doggie life vest from amazon for about $20

I was not paid or perked to write this review, product was fully purchased (thanks mom) – links do connect to my affiliate amazon shop.

Don’t forget to vote for me in the Petties for the category of Best Blog Design. Your votes get me closer to winning $1,000 for one of my favorite pet charities!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Stand up Paddleboarding with your Dog

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Ammo

Last week I took a short stay-cation in my hometown of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. While I didn’t actually travel anywhere exotic or new I did get to have a whole bunch of brand-new adventures. I hope you’ll come along for the ride with me this week, as I have lots to share!

One of the first things I did on my vacation was to go stand up paddleboarding (also called SUP or stand up paddle surfing) at the Marsh Creek Boat Rental.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

Visiting the lake isn’t new to me, as I’ve been known to zip around on a motorized row boat with my mom and dad, but SUP was something I have never done before.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

I was so excited when I saw the paddleboard come out that I couldn’t wait to hit the water, especially on this super hot day.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

I did end up swimming A LOT while I was on the water, sometimes by accident because I was standing too close to the edge while some turbulent water knocked me in, and sometimes because I wanted to take a trip over to visit dad in his canoe.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

Luckily I do know how to swim, and my new life vest kept me even more afloat – and made it easy for mom and dad to scoop me back onto the board.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

I’m pretty sure I was the talk of the lake that day and I enjoyed waving at all the other people out enjoying the cool water.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

This may have been my first time paddleboarding, but it certainly won’t be my last! Especially if this heat wave in Pennsylvania keeps up!

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

Tips for Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog

Before visiting a lake rental spot make sure that they allow dogs on their rental boats and boards
Make sure your dog has a properly fitted life vest – keep a leash attached to it so you can quickly grab your dog should they go overboard accidentally
If you have never been on a paddleboard yourself, practice paddling on the lake without your dog first, it will be much harder to maneuver the board with a dog on it too
Allow your dog to get used to the board near the shore first with you standing in the water
Be prepared to get wet – very wet (but that is the point isn’t it?)
Don’t bring a dog paddleboarding that doesn’t know how to swim, it is pretty likely that at some point they will go overboard especially if it is windy out
If your dog has a strong herding instinct it is best to have only one “member of the pack” out on the lake at a time, otherwise your dog will be upset when his “pack” isn’t close together, causing him to jump overboard or panic
Have as much fun as possible!

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

And the icing on my cupcake…..according to Shape Magazine I burned 500 – 700 calories every hour I was out paddleboarding (although mom says she’s pretty sure they mean it’s her that’s burning those calories), but regardless it’s also apparently the new “celebrity trend” – with paddleboarders like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson testing them out too.

Stand Up Paddleboarding with your Dog - via Ammo the Dachshund

So considering I’m probably just as famous as those big celebs (right?) then it must be the super cool new thing to do! Not to mention I look awfully sexy doing it! *wink*

So what do you think? Is your next big adventure going to be paddleboarding with your dog? Or do you just enjoy living vicariously through me? Or better yet – have any suggestions of new adventures I should try?

Make sure you stop by the blog tomorrow to hear all about my adventures on my very first airplane ride!

Friday Fetch: Life Vests for Dogs

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Ammo

Now that the hot hot Summer has officially started I’ve been thinking about taking more trips to my local lake. Up until now I’ve never worn a doggie flotation device – not for lack of wanting to – but because I did not have direct access to a credit card (ahem…mom).

But have no fear! Mom ordered me my very own life vest just the other day, and while I wait for my new purchase to arrive in the mail I figured I’d share a round-up of some of the Pet Life Vests that are on the market currently.

kyjen pet life vest

I ended up ordering the Kyjen Outward Hound Life Jacket from Amazon because it included an extra flotation device on the front to keep tired puppy heads above the water. I’ll be sure to post a full review on the product once it arrives on my doorstep next week! (above link contains affiliate links to my Amazon shop)

Now here’s a round-up of a few more life vests for dogs that I thought looked just as swim worthy as the one that ended up in my cart.

ruffwear k-9 float coat