When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Ammo

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Carlson Pet Products. All opinions are my own and I only share products I think you and your pets will love.

This is the view from the family farmhouse. What you can’t see though, is me, past the garden, past the pasture, past the horses, and in the neighbor’s vineyard…I’m there.

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

See me now?

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

While it may look like I’m not doing anything too important, I’m actually doing a very important job….hunting groundhogs. See I can find a hole where no one else can, and I have no problem staking out a spot and sitting there for hours on end just waiting to catch myself a big juicy groundhog. Never mind that I’ve never actually caught one (but I have come close), but just you wait one of these days I WILL catch one!

Rescue on the Farm

While for the most part my family indulges me and lets me have free run of the farm to hunt the groundhogs as I wish, sometimes they need a break from chasing after me.

When I’m on the hunt I won’t come back for anything, not for dinner, not for water, not even to rest. That’s how dedicated I am to this life mission of mine.

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

This is also why I always wear a GPS tracker (so mom can find me quicker), and ultimately it usually leads to me being contained at some point in the day. If not only so mom can make sure I’m taking a rest and getting plenty of water.

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

Recently they installed this outdoor pet gate from Carlson Pet Products on the back deck so that when I was “rescued” from my holes I could still hang out and enjoy the fresh air without having to be locked inside the house. Our outdoor gate is made with an all-steel construction, and can withstand the elements year round!

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

While my good pal Trooper doesn’t seem to have the same hunting desire I do, he still tends to keep me company when I’m on lockdown…..that’s what good friends do!

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

Our new outdoor gate makes it easy for the humans to come and go, but Trooper and I are stuck on the inside for the long haul. At least we have a view!

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

Now if Trooper could just figure out how to open the tiny pet door for me I’d surely be able to dash away towards my holes again.

When Outdoor Adventures Need to Be Contained

Too bad for him he’s much too big to fit through the opening anyway. Better luck next time pal!

Be sure to check out all the awesome gates and more at Carlson Pet Products. They have something for every one of your pet containment needs.

Ammo’s Lake School

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Ammo

Ammo's Lake School

It’s come to my attention that I may need to open my own Lake School. Until recently I didn’t realize how many dog’s I’ve mentored on their very first lake outing.

On the Lake with Friends // Ammo the Dachshund

First there was Shilah, who I introduced to the water and her first paddleboarding experience.

Lake Dogs // Summer // Ammo the Dachshund

Then there was Maya, who had her first dip and also took to the paddle board under my supervision.

Ammo's Lake School

And then there was Hank! The latest ~~victim~~ trainee in Ammo’s Lake School.

Ammo's Lake School

Being that Hank is a Miniature GoldenDoodle (Golden Retriever/Poodle Mix), it didn’t take much convincing for me to get him into the water.

Ammo's Lake School

Just in case though I coached from the sidelines, ready to swim Hank to safety if need be.

Ammo's Lake School

Thankfully he was a natural!

Ammo's Lake School

Although when he emerged it became apparent that there really wasn’t much dog hiding under all that fur!

Ammo's Lake School

So I did what any good dog would do, I let him borrow one of my life vests*! No drowning dogs on my watch!

*affiliate link

Ammo's Lake School

Swimming was one thing, but the true test of a lake dog is the boating. So we took to the docks for a boat adventure. Hank passed test number one with flying colors, making friends with the boat shop crew.

Ammo's Lake School

I led the expedition (as always) and things were going swimmingly for my pal Hank.

Ammo's Lake School

And after a dip overboard to cool off….

Ammo's Lake School

….Hank was officially a Lake Dog just like me!

Since Hank made my job super easy and passed my rigorous training with ease, it made it possible for me to divert my attention to ~~victim~~ trainee #2 of the day…

Ammo's Lake School

*affiliate link

….Baby P!

After we mastered wearing the uncomfortable but necessary life vest* (thanks to some helpful cheerios that mom packed), I am happy to report that Baby P also mastered my Lake School and survived her very first boating adventure. (with very minimal crying I might add). Although she still has a ways to go in the doggie paddle department, but we’ll get there!

So what do you think, should I open up my own Lake School? Likely we’d need sailor hats (and a captain hat for me) with really cool logos. Good thing I know a great graphic designer! 🙂

Containing All Your Friends

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Ammo

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Carlson Pet Products. All opinions are my own, and I only share products I think you and your pets will love!

A few weeks ago my friends from the south, Scout and Sharkie, came for a visit. Trooper and I always love when we can get the whole gang together.

The thing about my friends from the south though is that they’re really good at being “beach dogs”, but they don’t know a lot about being “farm dogs”.

While there are lots of rules about being on a farm that I won’t get into now, the most important one is to never ever ever get close to a horses’ hooves. Those things can break little puppy toes, and kick you in an instant – something Trooper and I are well aware of and make sure to always be on our most cautious behavior when mingling around the ponies.

Now my friends Scout and Sharkie, well, they never really learned this rule. So after chasing a few horses, and a couple of close calls it was deemed that they were not to be trusted around the ponies. (better safe than sorry!)

Thankfully my friends at Carlson Pet Products had just the thing to give everyone on the farm peace of mind with their indoor pet containment gates.

Their Design Paw Auto Close Pet Gate kept everyone from sneaking down the basement steps in search of any doors to the outside world that may have been left open.

Mom’s favorite part was the auto-close feature, so when her hands were full she could just push the gate shut and no dogs could squeeze through.

Sharkie and I had our own favorite part…

…the small pet door so that we could have our own secret “little dog” adventures without those big dogs tagging along!

While it’s true that my pals from the south weren’t very “pony savvy”, there was also another new thing with a whole set of rules (that I also won’t get into), that my friends weren’t accustomed to.

While the humans all seemed to think the Carlson Free Standing Pet Gate was keeping all the dogs from jumping on, licking, or playing too roughly with Baby P….us dogs know that it was really keeping Baby P from pulling fur, pinching, and jumping on unsuspecting dogs!

Regardless of the reason, this gate floated all around the farmhouse while my friends were in town since it was so easily portable because it required no holes in the wall or pressure points and could easily expand from 40″ – 70″!

My visit with my friends from the South was far too short, and I was sad to see them go. But I was also very thankful that they made it to the end of their stay with no wounds, missing fur, or broken bones from the very dangerous ponies and babies on the farm – all thanks to Carlson Pet Products!

I sent Scout home with a list of rules to work on for the next time she visits. #1 being – do not ever ever try to sniff a ponies’ rump! And #2 being – pony poop is a delicacy that can be found in the manure pile, not in a stall where a pony is still standing!

We have a lot to work on before the next visit!

What sort of things would you like to keep your pet contained from?

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When Jealousy Strikes

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Ammo

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Carlson Pet Products. All opinions are my own and I only share products I think you and your pets will love.

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

When I suddenly found myself this summer the big brother to a tiny little human, I never imagined all the cool stuff that would come with her. Like this play yard for instance. I mean just look how cool it is with all the dangling dog toys and colorful shapes.

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

It was so cool in fact that my mom kept finding me inside it, mostly when my sister wasn’t occupying it, but occasionally I just couldn’t resist jumping in to play with her too.

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

Mom said as cute as it was that I wanted to share in my sisters playtime that it wasn’t really a good idea. Because even though I try my hardest to be gentle, I do have pointy nails, and a tail, and sometimes I don’t always look before I leap. (guilty as charged)

While this is all very true I admit, how was it fair that I didn’t get to play in her little pen with all the fun toys?

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

I guess I shouldn’t have worried too much, because did you know there is such a thing as a Portable Pet Pen?

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet PenCarlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

That’s right, inside this bag is my very own personal play pen!

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet PenCarlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

It popped open in seconds (you can check out a video of it in action), and I knew my sister was going to be so jealous when she saw what I got, but sorry sister, this pen is only for me!

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet PenCarlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

It even had a built in doggie door just for little dogs my size!

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet PenCarlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

Mom filled my pen with some of my favorite toys at the shop so when she can’t keep an eye on me I could safely play inside my pen.

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet PenCarlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

Now my sister and I both have our own special containment areas to keep us safe. Mom doesn’t have to worry about me jumping on the baby accidentally when she’s busy working, and I don’t have to worry about my little sister trying to steal all my toys! Because lets face it, I’m way more spoiled than her in the toy department.

Carlson Pet Products Portable Pet PenCarlson Pet Products Portable Pet Pen

The best part though is we can still see each other through the breathable and see-through mesh walls, so I can still fulfill my big brother duties by keeping an eye on little sis.

You can snag one of these awesome Portable Pet Pens from Carlson Pet Products for 10% off and FREE SHIPPING with code PETPEN10

Mom says these pens would also be great for puppies, taking pets on vacation, and even dogs that show and compete as they can be used outdoors as well!

What sort of naughty things do you need to keep your dog from getting into?

Swimming in the Laurels

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Ammo

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

When my sister was about 3 weeks old my cousins came to visit from the south. That little white dog is my cousin Sharkie, and the bigger dog on the right is my newly rescued cousin, Scout. And of course you know me and Trooper!

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

Since it’s rude not to take your guests on fun adventures when they visit you, of course I had to take them to the river for some swimming fun!

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

And don’t worry, my sister came along for the fun too. Although she was much too young to join in the water activities.

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

Trooper and Scout became fast friends and took to the water in no time. Especially Scout who I think may be part fish.

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

Now I tend to be a little more reserved with my swimming, and I usually don’t like to swim unless I have my life vest* on. But unfortunately this was a spur of the moment trip and I forgot to pack it! (Same with the other dogs who have life vests too).

While mom always keeps a watchful eye on me when I’m around the water, she had to watch my sister too.

*affiliate link

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

So my pal Trooper stepped up to keep a watchful eye on me when I finally decided it was so hot that I had to test out the water.

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

What a great pal, making sure I got to shore safely each time.

Hiking in the Laurels with Friends

Next time I’ll be sure to pack my life vest, but it’s good to know I’ve got friends that will help me out!

Does your dog like to swim?

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Ammo

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

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

As a dog, I’ve always taken home security very seriously. Parked on my perch, I spend my day defending my fortress from anything out of the ordinary. It’s an exhausting job, but apparently I’m the only one willing to do it!

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

Until I was introduced to Kidde RemoteLync that is! The RemoteLync Monitor and the RemoteLync Camera pictured above are my new friends in making sure my home is safe and secure.

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

The RemoteLync Monitor is a smart home device that will listen for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home and send an alert to your smart phone if a problem arises. (even I can’t do that!)

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

The RemoteLync Camera is a battery operated, cordless camera that alerts you via smartphone when motion is detected in your home.

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

Together with the free Kidde RemoteLync App, there really isn’t much left for me to do except…

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

…be a dog again! (AKA park myself on the couch and watch cartoons!)

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

See with the touch of a button mom and dad can arm and disarm my house via their phones so that the RemoteLync can start listening for any smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors that go off, and watch for any intruders that might enter my home. You can even set it to arm & disarm automatically when you come and go from your home via GPS.

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

Mom loves that she can even arm it when I’m left home alone, and feels safer knowing should there ever be a fire she’d be notified right away so I’m not in danger. The camera can even be set to ignore pet movements, so she’s only told if something out of the ordinary happens at home. (I guess I won’t be having any secret parties anytime soon).

Checkout these videos from Kidde on how the RemoteLync System works:

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

Even at work I sleep a lot sounder knowing Kidde has my back and is keeping my home secure while I’m not there. Time to #LetYourDogBeADog again with Kidde!

Fetch your own RemoteLync System from Kidde!

Kidde wants you to share a photo of what your dog would do with its spare time and include the hashtag: #LetYourDogBeADog for a CHANCE TO WIN a RemoteLync Monitor and RemoteLync Camera and $200 toward a licensed doggy day care or doggy spa. Additionally, Kidde will donate $500 to the winner’s choice of these nonprofit organizations: National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, which trains rescued dogs and partners them with firefighters to help in search missions, or The Emma Zen Foundation, which raises funds for pet oxygen masks and donates them to fire departments and other first responders. Five runner-up winners will each receive one RemoteLync Monitor and Camera.

To enter the contest, use the hashtag #LetYourDogBeADog on Twitter, Instagram or Vine and follow the instructions sent in an auto-reply or visit www.letyourdogbeadog.com and fill out the online form. The contest runs through March 9, 2016.

Not only that, but you have an additional chance to win with our giveaway…

Home Security to Let Your Dog Be A Dog + A Giveaway with Kidde

ONE WINNER WILL A KIDDE REMOTELYNC MONITOR & CAMERA!

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 readers only (Alaska, Hawaii & Puerto Rico too!). 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!

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Ammo

Disclosure: This post and giveaway is brought to you by Vimtag and does contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own, and I only share products I think you and your dog will love!

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

Now if you thought my every move was documented on this blog, I’m about to take it to a whole new level thanks to my new friends over at Vimtag!

Vimtag is the creator of a Wireless Video Monitoring System that you can use to spy on your dog!

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

My new little companion here can connect to your ethernet or wifi network and records HD video of anything you would like.

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

And I bet you can guess what my mom decided to record with my Vimtag….me! I am the star of this show after all.

So after a simple 4 step setup (mom didn’t even finish reading all the directions before she had it up and running), my Vimtag was ready to record some video.

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

From the Vimtag online portal mom can monitor what I’m doing in the other room, as well as have access to a whole slew of other features!

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

But the absolute best part (for your mom and dad at least) is that the Vimtag goes mobile with the FREE Vimtag App! From here your video monitoring is totally on the go, with access to a live view of your pet whenever you’re away from them.

From the app you can even tilt and pan the camera, listen in to exactly what you pet is doing, record picture snap shots and video (for viewing later) and even TALK TO YOUR PET!

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

You can also set up motion alerts for the camera, so if your pet enters the room (or maybe jumps on the bed if they aren’t supposed to) you can get a notification on your phone. With the addition of a mini sd card you can even set it up to auto-record when the camera detects movement. I guess my days of being sneaky while mom and dad are gone are over!

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

So a few weeks ago mom and dad set up the Vimtag camera in the bedroom (where I tend to nap a lot) on a night they were headed out of the house without me.

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

Then my parents headed off to a local football game (can you believe they didn’t take me!), but checked on me several times throughout the night with the Vimtag mobile app. Even though it had gotten dark at home, the camera has night vision so they were still able to see what I was up to crystal clear.

Here’s a fun little playback of some of the video mom and dad saved from that evening…

Being that this is the first time ever mom and dad got to see what I did when they were away from home they noticed that I was on high alert to every little sound. So next time they said they’ll leave a TV on for me so some of the outside noise is drowned out. And when I heard them talk to me through the camera for the first time, boy did I cry! I may be a tough dog, but I always miss my mom and dad when they’re away. (P.S. don’t worry, they were only 5 minutes from home when they decided to test out the voice feature)

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

My mom and dad thought the Vimtag Wireless Video Monitoring Camera was a great way to give them peace of mind while they were away from me, and with a cost of $99, it’s a great price for adding several to your home – to capture anything you can imagine! (Hopefully they didn’t catch me trying to sneak onto the dining table the other night!) They even work for a whole slew of other things like Nanny Cam, Business Monitoring, Security, Vacation Home Monitoring, and Senior Monitoring.

You can snag your own Vimtag Wireless Video Monitoring Camera from Amazon! They’d make an awesome Christms gift too!

And now for the best part…

A Wireless Camera to Monitor your Pet + A Giveaway

TWO WINNERS WILL A VIMTAG WIRELESS SECURITY CAMERA!

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 readers 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

The coolest part is this giveaway will be running for a month! So you’ve got plenty of time to spread the word to all your friends so they can have a chance to win too!
Never want to miss any of the adventures (or giveaways) on my blog? Make sure you sign-up for e-mail updates!

Dachshund Attempts to Fly Plane

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Ammo

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

It’s been a few years since I’ve set paw on the airport runway, but just after Christmas I decided it was high time I took to the sky once again.

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

Last time I took to the air (my very first time in fact), I was just a passenger, but this time I figured – why not just fly the plane myself?

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

After all, if anything were to go wrong – all I had to do was stick my head out the window, since I have my own awesome ear-flapping propellers!

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

After running through my safety checklist I was ready to load up my passengers and take to the air!

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

And incase you are wondering, I’m very thorough when it comes to safety.

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

I even radioed in to the control tower to make sure my plane was stocked with extra cookies – in the event that we had to make an emergency landing on a desert island somewhere. One can never be too prepared.

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

But, just as I radioed control – they reminded me that I did not in fact have my pilots license and piloting the plane wouldn’t be a great idea. Dang.

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

To be fair, they did have a point. So I popped into the backseat with mom and readied myself for takeoff.

I have to admit, it’s much more fun to be a passenger then having the responsibility of piloting the plane myself. And I’m sure everyone else was relieved to have an experienced pilot taking us for a ride.

Dachshund Flys Plane - And doesn't crash! // Ammo the Dachshund

Raise of paws, who thinks I should take my pilot’s license next year? *wink*

How do you think your dog would react during a plane ride? Would they sit back and relax, or try to hang their head out the window? Do tell!

Friday Fetch: Iota GPS Pet Tracker

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Ammo

My mom has been on the lookout for a GPS tracker for me for a long time. I’ve yet to make the plunge into having my every move tracked 24/7 (aside from mom and dad keeping a hawks eye watch on me at all times), mostly because mom claims she hasn’t found the perfect one for me yet.

Then I stumbled across the Iota on Kickstarter, which is the smallest, longest-lasting GPS tracker in the world with a lure of a new nationwide network with no monthly fees (unlike most of it’s counterparts). With only 5 days left to help push the Iota into production on Kickstarter I think I might be ready to take the plunge into having my every move monitored (if only to help my mom and dad sleep sounder)!

Check out the video to find out more about the Iota.

There are only 5 days left to get your hands on a pre-ordered Iota on Kickstarter.

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored by Iota, nor do I own any of their products. Just simply wanted to share my latest find!

A Car Travel Bed to Keep your Dog Safe

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Ammo

Disclaimer: This product review is NOT SPONSORED by anyone, but does contain affiliate links.

Since I was just a wee pup I have been traveling in the car in style in my booster seat(which also included a seatbelt).

ammo car seat

dachshund carseat

I’ve spent many a car trip in my booster seat over the years.

Ammo the Dachshund // Road Trip to Asheville, North Carolina

In fact I enjoy looking out the window from my seat so much that over the years I had flattened down the edge of it. Comfortable, yes, but safe? Mom begged to differ on that.