This week was full…really full. And not only was it full, but we had several ups and downs throughout the week.

Right after I published last week’s post, Wellie decided to have the stand off of all stand offs. I had spoken about how we bought the water guns and that they were working in helping us correct her behaviour, well what we didn’t realize was that it extended to water in general. She decided that water falling from the sky was also bad and she didn’t want anything to do with doing her business outside. Ugh.

That evening we knew she had to go to the bathroom and was just waiting to do it inside so we had a stand off…a 45 minute stand off in the pouring rain. It was warm out, so nobody got cold, but we definitely got wet! We wanted to end the experience on a a positive note so we made sure to wait until she went pee and then we were more excited than we’ve ever been. She still doesn’t love the rain, but she’ll go outside and do her business in it now…most of the time.

This week was Wellie’s first long car ride. A friend of mine from high school got married this weekend in Toronto and we brought the furry family along to my parent’s house for the occasion. I was so proud of her – she did fabulously. All three dogs travel in their crates when we travel and Paddington and Corduroy have always been amazing travellers. We were both so happy to discover that Wellie is as well! We gave her a bully stick to chew on and either she chewed on that or had a nap. She didn’t make a peep the whole time and waited patiently to have a pee stop midway through. We were both really proud of her. She was equally as good on the drive back yesterday as well.

When we arrived at my parent’s house, we were greeted by an ever growing Sonnet, who is 11 weeks old now and completely and utterly fearless. She was so excited to see Paddington, Corduroy and Wellington and she basically bugged them the entire time we were there. Wellie was pretty good about it and played with her the most out of the three dogs.

Continue reading →

EDITOR’S NOTE: We had the opportunity to review the Sleepypod Air. Since my sister, Jane, recently welcomed home a darling little puppy named Sonnet, I asked her to test out and review the Sleepypod Air.

Crates are so important for our dogs so that they have their own space where they feel safe, no matter where you are. I am so impressed with the quality of construction of these Sleepypod Air crates and really like all of the features they have. But I’ll let Jane do the talking… ~Liz

Sonnet and I are both really happy with our new Sleepypod Air! It is a sturdy pet crate designed with extreme attention to detail. It works to keep your pet comfortable while making things easy for the owner.

Sonnet took to the crate right away. The inside of the Sleepypod Air has a plush bottom (which can be removed for washing) and a cozy den-like atmosphere. When I opened it up on our first morning together, I expected Sonnet to dart right out – instead, she blinked at me with sleepy eyes and remained curled up in her crate.

Some of my favourite features of the Sleepypod Air are those designed to make travel easy. There are buckles that hook around car seat-belts to keep your pet secure on the road, and a zippered section on the back that allows the case to slip over the handle of a piece of wheeled luggage. It has a handle across the top and a removable shoulder strap to make it easy to carry. If you don’t have room to travel with the crate expanded, it folds flat in a few easy steps. Its name stems from its design, which fits airline requirements for traveling with your pet.

A neat extra feature available are the DryFur Pads. You simply remove the plush bottom of the Sleepypod Air and press the DryFur in place. Should your pet have an accident while in the crate, say on long air or car trips, the pad will pull the wetness away from your dog so that they don’t have to sit in their own mess. I am happy to have these pads because I frequently go on long car trips. Sonnet is still young and her bladder may not wait for rest-stops. It is reassuring to know that if she has an accident, she won’t be uncomfortable.

It would be nice if there was a section at the top that could be left open in order to pick up and put down Sonnet for late night bathroom breaks, but that is my only suggestion. Overall I am very happy with the SleepyPod Air. It is extremely well made, great for Sonnet, and it has a lovely design.

I look forward to many more sleepy nights and safe travels.

You can purchase the Sleepypod Air online, or in Ottawa at Global Pet Foods in Kanata and Hintonburg.

Check out the photo shoot we did with Sonnet and the Sleepypod Air.
Images by elizabeth&jane photography.

Guest Post by Dr. Jessica Bradford. Dr. Bradford is a small animal veterinarian with 20 years experience in private practice, and a contributing writer for wooddogcrate.com. She shares her life with four dogs, so she can see first hand the many benefits of crate training.

If you are going to expect your dog to spend any length of time in their crate and be happy to do so, you have to make it a safe and pleasant place for them.

Firstly, give your dog something comfortable to lie on. This will be much nicer than a cold plastic or metal floor. If they are a senior citizen and are a bit stiff and sore, they will particularly appreciate a soft bed.

Having said that, some dogs like to chew their blankets and if this applies to your dog, it will be safer to give the soft bedding a miss. The floor won’t be as comfortable, but they won’t get an upset stomach from swallowed fabric.

Toys are always good to put in your dog’s crate so they have something to play with. These toys must be kept very special, so keep them out of your dog’s reach, and only let him play with them while he is inside the crate.

It’s a great idea to put some chew toys in the crate with your dog. Make sure these toys are durable, and aren’t easily destroyed by a sharp set of teeth. A Kong filled with yummy treats will keep your dog occupied for hours. Soft toys and teddy bears are cute, but not at all appropriate to leave in a crate with your dog if they like to chew things.

Every dog crate should contain a water bowl, and it should be checked regularly to make sure there is still water in it. It’s a good idea to buy a bowl that is easy to attach to the side of the crate, so it doesn’t get knocked over.

Continue reading →

With spring in the air, a lot of people are considering moving to a new home. Be sure to think of your pet along this process to make sure they don’t get lost in the shuffle.

At moving time, give the dog a chance to relieve bowels and bladder in a safe area on leash. Then put the dog in the crate in a quiet place with a nice treat while people are bustling around moving the household goods. Use the crate and the leash to keep your dog safe from becoming lost along the way.

When you arrive at your destination, open the carrier as soon as you are in a safe place and examine your dog. Spend some time playing with your dog and reassure him that everything is okay and this is now his new home. Provide a treat or a new toy so that your dog will associate the new place with fun

Set up your dog’s belongings so that he will immediately recognize the familiar items. With familiar furniture including his bed, crate, toys and food and water bowls. Your dog should be able to settle quickly into his new home. Allow your dog to explore his new home and familiarize himself with the new sights and smells.

Make sure that all doors, windows, and fences are secured so your dog will not accidentally wander away. Give the dog plenty of opportunity to do this, but supervise so the dog won’t get into trouble in the process. For times you are not able to supervise the dog, it’s usually best to give the dog the freedom of the new place in stages, starting with just one or a few rooms, and adding more as the dog becomes settled.

Remove the old ID tag from your dog’s collar and make sure the new ID is secured on his collar. Try to maintain your pet’s normal routine as you unpack. Try not to disturb the location you have chosen for your dog. Having a secure place to go to is important for your dog in an unfamiliar place.

Taking your dog out for a walk around the new neighborhood will also acquaint him to his new surroundings. Have patience and allow him to explore everything around his new home.

You may want to introduce your dog to your new neighbours. Your neighbour’s familiarity with your pet may help in the recovery of your dog if he ever gets lost. Make sure to keep your dog on a leash when meeting new people.

Settling In

Housetraining is somewhat specific to a location. Therefore be sure to include a refresher course in the new home. A dog exploring unsupervised among your things in a new place is highly likely to have a housetraining accident. Your best chance of limiting this to no more than one accident is the same supervision you used to housetrain the dog in the first place.

Avoid leaving the dog alone in a new yard until you’ve had a chance to observe the dog’s behaviour there, and thoroughly inspect the fences and possible hazards. Toxic plants, rat poison left behind by a previous resident, neighbouring dogs and rowdy children will all need to be considered.

Have a happy and safe moving day!

by Diane Sarasin for Ottawa East Bark Busters

I often daydream about what I would do if I ever came into a lot of money; what charities I would support, how I would pay off my mortgage and take my family on a nice vacation. I realize it’s kind of silly, especially since we rarely buy lottery tickets, but it’s something I think about (probably more than I should!)

Since getting the dogs, I have also started daydreaming about what I would buy for them if I had the means to spoil them even more rotten than they are now. By no means is our world devoid of ways to pamper, indulge and cater to our dogs.

Here is a list of things I dream about spoiling my dogs with.

Sleepypod

I fell in love with the Sleepypod as soon as I saw it last year. It’s stylish and sleek and goes anywhere. It converts from a travel crate into a bed and it can also be used as a car-seat. I really want one but can’t justify the price tag, especially since I would need two and I ALREADY have crates that double as car-seats for them. Also, shipping to Canada is hefty. So it’s definitely on my “if I won the lottery list”!

Continue reading →

In the same way that you would prepare for the arrival of a baby, you must prepare for the arrival of a new dog or puppy into your home. Puppies, like babies, are small and can get into everything, so one of the first things you must be sure of is that there is nothing around the height of your new companion that they may chew on and harm (either themselves, the item or both). This means tying up computer cables and possibly even moving books off the bottom shelves of book cases. We learned our lesson with this when Paddington was about four months old and chewed her way out of a baby gate and chewed up a bunch of my recipes!

You will also need to make sure you have plenty of puppy friendly chew toys such as Kongs or Nylabones. Paddington loved both her Kong and her bone…although the bone didn’t survive past her teething stage! It’s important to have these chewable toys so that the puppy learns that it’s fun to chew on them, and not your belongings.

Continue reading →