On hot days there really isn’t anything else better than hitting the pool to keep cool.
Lucky for me my sister loves pool days too, so I’ve got a best friend to keep me company while we float around.
And with one mention of watermelon by mom…..our hot summer day is complete!
What do you do to beat the heat?
P.S. In case you are wondering, my spiffy life vest is made by Ruffwear and available on Amazon.*affiliate link
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.
First there was Shilah, who I introduced to the water and her first paddleboarding experience.
Then there was Maya, who had her first dip and also took to the paddle board under my supervision.
And then there was Hank! The latest victim trainee in 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.
Just in case though I coached from the sidelines, ready to swim Hank to safety if need be.
Thankfully he was a natural!
Although when he emerged it became apparent that there really wasn’t much dog hiding under all that fur!
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
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.
I led the expedition (as always) and things were going swimmingly for my pal Hank.
And after a dip overboard to cool off….
….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…
*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! 🙂
Disclaimer: This post and giveaway is brought to you by GoPure. All opinions are my own, and I only share products I think you and your pets will love.
Water – it’s absolutely necessary for all of us to survive, but have you thought about how safe and clean your own pet’s water is?
My mom has always provided me with fresh water, and even when the public water at work seemed a little cloudy my mom didn’t hesitate to lug in a jug of clean water from home just so I could have the best!
But lugging in a jug of water weekly is a hassle, so I was so excited to tell my mom about a new way to keep my water purified so we could ditch the jug!
Meet the GoPure Water Purifier for pets!
GoPure Pod keeps your dog or cat healthy by providing them plenty of fresh, clean water. Your tap water may contain lead, fluoride or other chemicals proven to be dangerous for pets. GoPure Pet will remove these impurities and other contaminants.
And the truth is, most pet’s water bowls aren’t cleaned often enough, creating the perfect environment for bacteria growth. But now there is a simple way to ensure your pet’s drinking water is safe.
The GoPure Pod couldn’t be simpler to use (I mean I could totally do it if I had opposable thumbs!), and it can be used with any water bowl for up to 6 months with no need to change a filter.
With high-strength suction cups it attaches to the bottom of your pet’s bowl (and trust me, your dog or cat definitely won’t be able to get this thing off themselves).
Then simply fill with water and the pod begins it’s work.
Water continuously flows through openings in the exterior shell (the blue part) and is then purified through the GoPure Pod that is safely attached to the base of your dog’s bowl.
For the past few weeks now I’ve been drinking the tap water at work with the GoPure Pod. Mom has noticed that water looks much clearer than it ever has, and I’m relieved to know that the water I’m consuming is safe.
Did you know pet dishes are one of the main spots for germs to grow in the home? Pets have bacterial microbes in their mouths that be can be transferred to their water bowls, which in turn provides an environment for bacteria to grow.
Um yea, that’s pretty gross. Well now I can happily say….not in my water bowl…thanks to GoPure Pod!
You can help ensure your pet’s water is safe and clean by visiting GoPure Pod.
And now for the best part….
TWO WINNERS WILL WIN A GOPURE POD FOR PETS!
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).
Never want to miss any of the adventures (or giveaways) on my blog? Make sure you sign-up for e-mail updates!
There is one special adventure that always makes my heart skip a beat. It’s one of my favorite places ever, and when my family got to stay right on the BEACH during our Thanksgiving vacation I was so very excited!
But whats even more fantastic than a trip to the beach is sharing the adventure with my squad!
My cousins Sharkie & Scout (in the front) live in South Carolina, so they are total beach dog pros, and Trooper and I were super excited to spend a few days romping on the beach with them.
Things got a little wild, but that’s what beach days are all about!!
Scout and Sharkie know just how to get things fierce on the beach. But little did they know, so do Trooper and I….
That’s right, we may not live at the beach, but Trooper and I can certainly keep up with the rest of our squad!
After a day running on the beach, there is nothing more left to do but to take a dip in the ocean to cool off.
Being my feisty self, I couldn’t let my youngest cousin Scout show me up with her swimming skills. Even wiener dogs can swim too!
Nevermind, scratch that, way TOO COLD for this weiner dog! You’re on your own Scout!
All in all it was a fantastic few days with the ocean at my back. I already miss my favorite dog squad!
Can’t wait until we get to do it again!
Does your dog love to frolic on the beach like I do?
April seems like it just flew by! I was excited for the warm spring weather to start hitting my area even more, but with it came some rain too! I can’t wait to share what I’ve been up to this past month.
First though, let me give a shoutout to my special sponsors & affiliates! 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!
My friends at Pet Qwerks are the makers of the brand new Flavorit Bone! Coming up in May I’ll have a full review on this product, but it’s essentially a really innovative flavored nylon chew bone that has special holes designed to hold your dog’s favorite soft treat as well. So if you’ve got a dog that likes to chew, you’re going to LOVE this new bone! This bone will be great at keeping your dog’s boredom at bay! You can even save 20% OFF with code FLAVORIT20
The Honest Kitchen is a dehydrated pet food company that I stand behind. It became part of my rotational diet in 2015 and I continue to love their food. Makers of healthy, wholesome, proper foods for dogs and cats, I believe their food is as healthy as you can get! Read my past reviews on The Honest Kitchen products. Follow this link for a FREE SAMPLE BUNDLE for $1 in shipping (discount automatically applied at checkout).
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!
Use code AMMO for 10% off your Barkbox Subscription.
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 reviews of some of their great gearincluding my favorite harness & life vest!
Free Shipping on all orders over $75 at Ruffwear!
Best Bully Sticks
is the place to go when you need something to keep your pet occupied! Bully Sticks are healthier than rawhides and safe for your pet too. Best Bully Sticks also offers the best prices on the web, and sell a product you can feel good about letting your pet snack on. Check out my review of Best Bully Sticks.
Use code AMMOBBS to save 12% off your Best Bully Stick Order.
And now it’s time for my April adventures…
I made Trooper take a bath (because it was a bit too chilly for me!).
I shared what it looks like to be a spoiled dog.
Trooper and I joined the Night’s Watch.
I tested out an adjustable leash from my friends at Ruffwear.
I got my nap on once again in my “Oh the Places you Sleep” Series.
Trooper and I made it known that we wanted to eat!
I practiced my good dog skills at the hardware store.
I played some basketball and ate some snoballs!
My natural instinct led me to a hole.
I ate my fill of Bully Sticks.
I introduced my new Ice Queen friends on the farm.
I got some water for my beach.
And that leads me to May! With the unofficial start of summer (Memorial Day Weekend) almost here, I just know May is going to be the best month yet!
What sort of adventures did you have with your dog this past month?
Back in November I went on a fun road trip adventure with my family and best pal Trooper to South Carolina. While true, it’s been nearly 2 months since then, I still have one last adventure to share with everyone, and it’s a fun one!
Despite the fact that it wasn’t exactly SUPER warm down south my Uncle Taylor always likes to get us dogs excited about having a splash in the ocean when we hit the beach.
Since I’m never one to miss an adventure I didn’t hesitate one bit to jump into the cold water and have a little fun.
Uncle Taylor taught me everything there is to know about skim boarding.
And I made sure him and Trooper didn’t drown in the process!
Do you think your dog would be as excited about skim boarding as Trooper and I are?
A couple weeks ago some of my out-of-town family came to visit. I had a blast going on adventures with them, and you may recall I even performed a daring water rescue of my Uncle Taylor.
See my uncle, he’s a bit of a daredevil. (or clumsy on the water, depending on how you look at it).
When I’m not busy saving him from drowning, I’m just as much a daredevil as he is!
See, I know how to have a good time on the lake…..and keep up with the best of them! (P.S. did you see my super model strut across the paddle board?)
Is your dog a daredevil too?
Yesterday I shared some of the adventures my pal Shilah and I had during our annual camping trip (once the rain cleared), and today I’ve got even more to share!
One of the great things about camping is getting to explore the great outdoors! While I had many fun things planned for my weekend outside, the rain kept me from most of them, but the good news is I still got to visit the Beltzville State Park with Shilah.
The fun thing about Beltzville is that they have a lake! I was super excited to visit the lake because they also have a pet friendly boat rental (similar to the local lake I visit in the summer), and I was secretly hoping it had some speed boats because Beltzville has a 45mph speed limit (my local lake is much lower).
Sadly because of the overcast day the boat rental was closed for the day when I arrived! But I wasn’t going to let that ruin my fun.
Especially since there were so many things in the lake that needed saving! If you didn’t already know, when I’m around water I become Mr. Lifeguard, trying to save any and everything from drowning.
I tried saving people.
I tried saving lost shoes.
(this particular rescue attempt was a success).
And I even tried saving my pal Shilah!
Although truth be told, nothing I tried to save actually needed saving. But life guard skills need to be kept in tip top shape, so it’s always best to practice as much as possible. (although paws crossed no one ever ACTUALLY needs my life saving skills, because I’m not sure I could really pull anyone in from the water, but that won’t stop me from trying!)
Visiting the Beltzville Lake was the perfect end to our camping adventure, and I can’t wait to go back again when the boat rental is open!
Don’t forget, this week I’m giving away an awesome life vest from my pals at Ruffwear (as seen on me in this post). It comes in a variety of sizes to fit any dog, and is the perfect accessory for water adventures. Don’t forget to enter!
Wondering where to get any of my great camping gear? Be sure to check out my gear page!
P.S. Special thanks to Shilah’s mom from Mrs. Dailey’s Classroom for sharing some of her camping photos with me (the ones not watermarked with my website)!
Disclaimer: This post and giveaway is brought to you by Ruffwear. All opinions are my own and I only share products I think my readers will love!
Every summer I enjoy hitting the lake, sometimes kayaking, most of the time Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), and always practicing water safety by wearing a floatation device. While I’ve owned several life vests over the years, I’ve finally found one that fits me PERFECTLY, the Ruffwear K-9 Float Coat.
Being a Dachshund means that sometimes I have trouble finding harnesses, coats and even life vests that can accommodate my unique body type. Thankfully the Ruffwear Lifevest is adjustable in all the right places making it the best fitting one I’ve ever worn.
This floatation device has a sleek design making it slimmer fitting than any of the other vests I’ve tried, but don’t worry it’s still full of plenty of “float”!
This life jacket is not only a great design for Dachshunds, but it is also designed for dogs of all shapes and sizes. It even includes thoughtful details like a strong handle, optimally positioned to lift dogs out of the water, and reflective trim for enhanced visibility in or out of the water.
I enjoyed how the front of the vest was adjustable, but once set is easy to slip over your pup’s head, and the belly straps are also fully adjustable.
The design of this vest allowed me to have great free-flowing movement of my front legs, which is fantastic for swimming (and for all those occasions when you accidentally fall in!).
A fun little fact about me, while swimming might not be my #1 favorite thing to do, I do on occasion like to swim voluntarily, but I’ll only do so if I’m wearing a life jacket and the water is bath water warm!
I’m a big fan of the Ruffwear K-9 Float Coat, and I can’t recommend it enough for all those water loving dogs out there! It’s now my go-to summer accessory that I never leave home without.
You can fetch your own life jacket from Ruffwear for $79.95. (and incase you’re wondering, I wear a size XS and I’m 20lbs).
And now for the best part…
ONE WINNER WILL WIN A RUFFWEAR K-9 FLOAT COAT!
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). Good luck!
Read our full list of Terms & Conditions for this giveaway.
I have a secret to tell you about my parents. Something that not everyone knows……they have GREEN THUMBS!
And apparently not the good kind of green thumbs…because they’re experts at growing weeds! Yes, it’s true. My landscaping at home was looking a little sad. But don’t worry, this year I whipped my parents into shape and helped them add a little curb appeal to our home.
It was no easy task though, and took a lot of effort on my part – including trips to Lowes.
Many, many trips to Lowes!
And trips to Terrain for inspiration.
Trips to the garden center for plants.
And then the hard work really began. In case you’re wondering, yes I did actually work…
But after all that hard work, my yard was looking a bit more presentable.
So presentable in fact that I’m sure all the neighbor dogs are just lined up waiting to “mark it”.
I’ve got my eye on you neighbor dogs! I’ve got my E..Y..E.. on you.
Does your dog help with the gardening too?