I wanted to pop in and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!
From my team to yours, have the merriest of Christmases!
……
…….
And in case you were wondering, yes, my team is getting just a wee bit bigger in early March!
P and I are very excited to meet our new little sister in about 2 months. I’ve got a lot of work to do between now and then to teach P how to be a big sibling, but I think she’ll be up to the challenge.
Merry Christmas friends! I hope Santa was good to you! xoxo,
Ok, so I know Halloween is over and it’s now November, but I just had to share one final “October” adventure that I just know you’ll love.
See just before Halloween my mom and dad found this new orchard near my house that is super dog friendly! Because surprisingly most orchards in my area don’t allow pets, which is very odd to me.
*side note – I always call ahead when planning an adventure to find out if I’m allowed to accompany my family. You’d be surprised how pet friendly some places can be if you just ask first!
So I was thrilled to find out that I was allowed to accompany my family into the fields to pick out our pumpkins this year.
Next year I’m totally going to pick apples with my sister too! I’m just waiting for her to get a little taller so I can get a boost up in that tree!
Picking out pumpkins for everyone in the family wasn’t enough, because when it’s Halloween you have to carve them!
But since my sister is too little, and I have paws, that left mom and dad to do the dirty work. Don’t worry, I barked directions at them the whole time.
A short while later we had 4 pumpkins ready and waiting to be lit for Halloween night!
Granted they may not have been quite as elaborate as years past, but when you’re trying to squeeze in some pumpkin carving while your sister naps it’s about as good as it gets.
Disclaimer: this post is brought to you by Chewy. All opinions are my own, and I only share products I think you and your dog will love.
Raise of paws, who likes having their nails trimmed? Raise of hands, who likes trimming their pet’s nails? Just as I thought, no one.
It’s a necessary evil though, because having long nails can cause your pet to walk irregularly which can lead to skeletal problems. And we all know that us dachshunds don’t need any more reasons to have back trouble!
Now if your dog has black nails like I do, I’m sure you spend your life in constant fear of cutting them too short and hitting the quick (a soft cuticle rich in blood vessels and nerves that grows in the center of your dog’s nail). If you nick that tiny little quick your dog will scream out in pain, and yes, there may be blood!
My mom used to trim my nails at home, but over the years I got progressively worse at having them trimmed – so she started to take me to the vet to have them done every few months. Then a few months ago she decided it was high time I got better at having my nails done, so she set out to condition me to actually enjoy having them done!
Interestingly, this new nail trimming method was not with the traditional nail clippers, but instead with a dremel!
Over the past 2 months my mom has been working with me to make me more comfortable with the use of the dremel on my nails. While I wouldn’t say I LOVE it, I tolerate it. It saves me from having to make more trips than necessary to the vet or groomer, saves my mom money, and keeps my nails at a healthy length. It’s a win – win!
So since I’m sure you’re all curious just how my mom trained me to be better about having my nails trimmed, here’s how she did it….
Starting with the nail file, mom used it EVERY SINGLE DAY for 3 weeks to get me used to having my feet and nails handled. She started by picking up a foot and gently sanding my nails for just a few seconds at a time.
Each time I didn’t resist she would use the clicker and then reward me with a small (but yummy treat).
The great thing about these chews is that not only do I love the taste, but they’re also helping to clean my teeth while rewarding me for having my nails done at the same time!
After several weeks of practice with the nail file, mom moved onto the dremel. This time she “sanded” my nails without even turning it on. Again, each time I didn’t resist on a nail she would click and reward me. At the end of the session I’d get my jackpot treat, a Natural Balance Dental Chew.
After another week or so it was time to turn on the dremel. Using a low speed to start she’d do just a few of my nails, making sure to reward me quickly for not resisting at all.
Now once you start using the dremel with it on it’s important to note that you can’t just quickly sand your dog’s nails down in one sitting to the desired length, even if they are ok with it. The quick inside grows with your dog’s nail. So my mom likes to only work on sanding my nails once a week to allow time for the quick of my nail to shorten after the last trimming. (see diagram above for more details)
How short should you keep your pet’s nails? According to the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation they should be short enough that they don’t touch the ground when your dog is standing on a flat surface, but long enough to aid the dog when climbing up a hill or digging.
Hear that mom? I need them for digging!
While I still have a ways to go to get mine back to the ideal length, I’m happy to say that after weeks of practice I’m now much more tolerant of having my nails done by dremel. While I very much wish I had gotten a video of the “before”, here’s how good I am at it now…
How is your dog about having their nails trimmed? Have you ever trimmed your pet’s nails with a dremel? Do tell!
Handy Tip: If your dog is resistant to even having their feet touched start without the nail fail and just reward them for letting you touch their feet without pulling away. Also, using a treat that your dog goes crazy over helps too, the better the treat, the more willing they will be to try.
Disclaimer: This post is meant to be informative, but please keep in mind, what works for me may not work for your own pet. Please consult an expert if you are unsure about how to train your pet. Use caution when using a dremel around your pet, and we are not responsible for any injuries that may occur.
Before we get to the recap of all the exciting adventures I’ve been on in October, I wanted to give a shoutout to my special sponsors! Thanks to them I’m able to bring you exciting posts, so make sure you give them some love and check out what great products they carry!
Barkbox is a monthly subscription service for your dog. Starting as low as $19 a month (shipping included) you can get a box of the finest treats and toys sent right to your front door every month! Choose from packages for small, medium, and large dogs and as a bonus 10% of their sales go to supporting rescue groups! You can check out just what goodies your dog could be getting every month by reading my reviews!
Ruffwear carries performance dog gear designed to enhance and inspire outdoor adventures for dogs and their human companions. Totally my kind of company that carries anything from dog hiking packs, harnesses, camping essentials and more! You can check out my review of their dog boots (that even work for dachshund’s too) as well as the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler to keep your pup cool in the summer! Also this week only I’m giving away a Ruffwear Front Range Harness!
If you would like to find out more about my advertising rates, click HERE. And thanks again to all of my wonderful sponsors, I couldn’t do it without you!
And now onto my October Adventures…
I kicked off October by celebrating my Birthday Week, specifically a year-in-review video with highlights from my 5th year!
Wow, October always seems to be quite a busy month for me! It’s also one of my favorite months considering I celebrate my Birthday, and Halloween is my favorite Holiday!! What sort of things did you do this October?
Every year when Autumn rolls around I take the obligatory trip to Highland Orchards, home of the cider donut, pumpkin picking, fresh apples, canned preserves and goats!
Like most of the children there I humored my parents with having my photo taken in the fall cutouts.
But we all know there is really only one reason to take a trip to Highland Orchards (besides a bite of cider doughnut)…
…the goats!! Now last year the goats gave me the stink eye, so I was careful to be a bit weary the second time around.
I have to admit those fellows are starting to grow on me, even with their sharp pointy horns.
Although I was still somewhat relieved that there was a fence between me and them, after all I was sorely outnumbered.
I plan to visit the Highland Orchard goats again, if only to get on their good side, because Mom says we may be getting goats on the farm in the near future. Yikes!