4 Things to Make Summer Walks with your Dog Cool and Easy

I have a lot of friends who are getting new puppies and adopting dogs... They ask me Rob, what do we need to walk the dog... While not being a dog whisperer or anything, I give them the following advice:

1. A good leash- While I appreciate Dollar Tree for inexpensive items for the dogs, Their leashes are at best temporary as well as their collars. I personally use a Fozzy Dog leash, as it is sturdy and has a convenient pouch built in to carry poop bags, treats. There are other brands out there just as good, FozzyDog is my preference. And the have a great double leash That allows two dogs to walk comfortably, as well as mini leashes for the little guys. A bit expensive, but well worth it as it  seems to last forever. But look for a leash that is sturdy, has good snaps and not too long, so you can control your dog- 48" seems to be about the right length. And please stay away from thoseretractable leashes, especially if your dog is apt to bolt suddenly.

2- A good Collar or Harness- This does not need to be expensive. Just look for collars that , if they are adorned, like with jewels or studs, don't have protrusions on the inside of the collar, (it can rub and irritate the pooch) I usually buy mine at the Burien Farmers Market, there is a lady that sells collars there. But most pet stores should have them in stock, and should be able to help you with sizing.

3. Stainless steel water bottle Face it. not every destination is going to have water for your pooch. I find that having a Stainless Steel water bottle is a good answer. There are a lot of plastic water bottles for dogs, and I like a lot of them, but find the leak or get destroyed.

4. Collapsible Dog Bowl- A great thing to put your water for Fido in! Cheap, easy to fit into a pant pocket or on a leash sometimes I take two- one for water, one for food

TOP 10 REASONS TO SCOOP THE POOP!

Romeo turns 9!!!

Romeo enjoying Morril Off Leash Dog Park in Kent, Wa

Forgot too mention that my big old fluffy dod Romeo turned 9 on the 24th. He had a good day at Morill Meadows Off leash Dog Park in Kent, WA, the weekend before his birthday. Interesting dog park, about the same size as Lakeview, where our off leash park in Burien is supposed to go, with some good, inexpensive amenities that also are recycled.

Nice reuse for old tires

Super simple jumping gates made from Galvanized Elbows and 18" nipples

An example of a climbing apparatus for agility

And another!

 Romeo had a great day, the boys got to see a great park and we had some lunch, courtesy of a local eatery! I enjoy days like this one!

Moshier Holiday Pottery Sale

Here is the Booty I got at the annual MOSHIER HOLIDAY POTTERY SALE here in Burien. Mosher is the Parks name where the Moshier Arts Center is located and where talented folks who work in clay go to do their spinning wheel/kiln work. Many great deals at this holiday sale. And always a free piece. I always consider this the pre-cursor to the annual Empty Bowls event held in Burien by these same great artisans. The big difference is I can get a hold of original serving pieces and dog bowls, not just bowls!

My annual new bowls for bowsers' gift- personalized with their nick names- Slurp and Burp!

PIRATE PUP RALLY

One of our B-Town DOG members is a finalist in the Beneful Dream Dog Park 2013 contest. This is so important to the Dogs of the South End. So please attend if you can, dress like a pirate (not required but encouraged) and get ready to yell your lungs out for Kellie and Bailey!!!

AND PLEASE REMEMBER "VOTE DAILY FOR KELLIE AND BAILEY"

Model Dogs

Romeo and Buddy are fashion hounds!!! This show is a local Newsmagazine, Evening Magazine. My friends Joel and Angie own Secondhand Hound. Very cool store- a thrift shop for dogs! See if you can spot my two troublemakers! I need to add Joel and Agie were Buddy's fosters, so for him the trip to Ruston is like going home!

A DREAM DOG PARK FOR BURIEN???

B-Town DOG Founder Kellie and her dog Bailey are finalist in the Beneful Dream Dog Park contest!!! What does this mean? Well if  they win, a 500,000 dream dog park makeover!!! How do they win? Easy. We need folks to go the contest site and vote daily for Kellie and Bailey. Maybe Romeo and Buddy will get to play in the dog park of their dreams as well! If the video doesn't load there is a copy at the end of this post.

Romeo and Buddie's pal Brutus plays a scary pirate!

Eat your heart out Johnny Depp!

All the pirates!!!

And the Video:

Burien Boos!

Well, Romeo and Buddy had a great day to party down in Burien, on Sat. October 26th. THe day started off with a B-town Dog "Park-N-Bark" at the Town Square park,

where they met up with their Canine friends and owners for a walk along 152nd, the main street in Burien, and later they got to lead the Dog Costume Parade the Discover Burien puts on each year in their "Boo In Burien" celebration. The weather held out, and they boys had a great time watching the annual Weiner Dog races and eating the dog treats given out by local businesses.

ROCKET DOGS!

Everyone knows that this country is guarded by an elite force of dogs. Dogs who wear rocket jet packs and fly. If you didn't know that well now you do!
I was first inspired by Natalie at Doodle craft to make Romeo and Buddy's "Rocket Dogs" halloween costumes, after seeing what she came up with for her young son to wear and play with. Thought it could be made into a costume for my dogs!
First I spray painted two water bottles:

And then added felt Flames:

Then I took two of the dogs old coats and made a t-shirt transfers for them

Then I simply attaced the water bottles with some Tywraps and ty-wrap self adhesive holders that where attached to the Rockets so I could re-use the dog's coats.
The end result:

2 HOWLOWEEN COSTUME FOR MY PUPS! A few decals from nasa and such on the jet pack rockets and it will be finished!

Even more DIY Dog Costumes

Here we go with more DIY Dog costumes!


Meg Allen Cole from Craftzine shows hoe to make a bacon costume perfect for your pooch!

From Small Home Big Start, a taco costume will have them say Yo quero Taco Bell

And this idea for an E.T. costume couldn't be easier... SImply wrap a blanket around your alien dog and put him in a bike basket

And finally, who doesn't love Underdog? THe greatest K9 superhero ever (sorry Krypto) the outfit is so easy.. a T-shirt with a big felt "U" on the front

IDEAS FOR DOG "HOWL"-OWEEN COSTUMES

That time of year when I try to come up with ideas for costumes for the boys- found some great inspiration too.
Ghost Dog

This would work if I could keep the sheet on the dogs. Pretty simple though. three holes, two for they eyes, on for the snout.

HEADLESS HORSEMAN:

Pretty simple- all you need is a harness, some felt and a Ken or barbie doll minus the head. Also you could do a cowboy or just about anything that rides a horse!

GANGSTA THUG DOG

Another easy costume- if you have a hoodie that fits your dog. A little swag around the neck fo' shizzle

FRUIT OF THE LOOM DOG:

Here's a costume for wine-y dogs. Turn them into the pre-pressed product with either green or purple balloons taped together and pinned by their stems to a cloth coat. Cut large grape leaves out of green felt and attach them to the dog collar.

Romeo was a cat one year- Buddy has never gone howl-oweening before. I think I have it narrowed down. But I think these are great costumes one and all!

Burien's Sidewalk Pimps

 Romeo and Buddy are lying on the sidewalk acting like they own it because The Bike Rack we sponsored through WABI is finally installed. They remind me of the "Shed Pimps" from the Food Network show "The Shed".

                   

Happy BIrthday Buddy Bucko!!!

The fun thing about adopting a dog, if you don't know his/her birthday, you get to choose!!! I pick this day as his birthday as it was the day he became my little buddy.
The first year started out a bit tough, as he didn't like wearing coats, eating at our mealtime. And he wasn't a fan of walking at night after I got home from work.

Buddy after his spinal surgery

Add that he needed emergency surgery a month after adopting him I never thought he or I would survive the year! But time went on and now he wears a jacket without so much as a whine, he has accepted our letenight meal time, and he is first out the door at late night walk time. And more important, he has become my daily laugh machine, my little buddy who likes a scratch behind the ear and a good belly rub in the morning. He is a great fit with Romeo.

Romeo and Buddy showing off new hair cuts last Christmas

Anyway Happy Birthday Buddy Bucko!!! Hope there are many more to come!!!!

B-Town Dog Silent Auction

You may have noticed I have been absent for the past week or so... Why? I am getting ready for my little dog Owners Group, B-Town DOG's first money making event - the B-town DOG Silent Auction. B-Town DOG is a group of dog owners and dog lovers whom are tasked with raising funds for our city's first ever off-leash dog park. And of course I, with my colleagues Kellie and Lauren, am in the middle of things. We are holding an silent auction at the local favorite coffee spot, Burien Press, one week from today, August 1st, 6-9 pm. (The Auction itself will run from 7- 8:30 pm). We have many great items donated by both Businesses and individuals, seen here. Everything from Belly Dance peformance to handmade quilts to A truck wheel hibachi! So if you are around the Burien area, stop by and bid... Do it for the dogs!

LAKEVIEW PARK - "The Center of the Known Dog World"

Well part of the better part of a years work is done... and now more work! The Burien City Council gave a group I belong to, B-Town Dog and the Burien Parks Deptartment the green light for our very own Off Leash Dog Park!!! It will be located at the LakeView Park in Burien

 It has been a long year of wishing, hoping and praying. We have held Monthly Park N Barks to get folks interested, shmoozed local politicals, and worked hard behind the scenes. Now our mission becomes one of "Fund Raising"... and we are starting that off by holding a "Silent Auction" at Burien Press on August 1st.

So hopefully if you are in the Burien Area that night, you can come on down an bid on some great items- we will have Wheel on Fire Hibachis, Hand sewn quilts, dog items, all sorts of stuff up for bid!

PARK N BARK- BEETCHES!!!!

Ok gang. You know that group I belong to... the one whose main wish is to get a dog park in Burien? Well tomorrow, in front of a Place for Pets in Burien, we will be helping them celebrate 8 years in business. And at 11A.M. across the street  we will hold our second Park N Bark, a monthly meet up of people and their pooches. If the weather is nice, we will have a coffee on Burien Press' Back Porch with our dogs. So if you are around south Seattle, be there or be square.

ADOPTING SHELTER DOGS "WORKS FOR ME"

I have two dogs whom I adopted from less than Ideal situations. First, Romeo, a “Cocka-Poo” (Cocker Spaniel/Poodle). He is my calming influence. A good natured happy guy with good manners. Always ready for a game of “ball” or “stick”, plays well with others, as long as they don’t do much “Biting” (he hates that). I adopted Romeo when a gal at work, who owns a boarding kennel, put an ad in our Intra Net classifieds. It appeared Romeo was boarded at the kennel, and the owner, skipped out on paying and skipped out on Romeo. Well first look at Romeo and I was in love. I recognized his calmness, and his love of riding in the truck almost immediately (His favorite place to sit in the Truck is right on the back of the seat- I am thinking so he can look out both front and rear windows. Anyway He is a good dog, one of the best I have ever had!

   

 Buddy, my little “Cocka-Tsu” (Cocker Spaniel/Shi Tsu) on the other hand, well if Romeo is my calming influence, Buddy is my “Let’s go out and ride that damn roller coaster” influence. He is my little comedian. And a great source of entertainment. And when I say “adopted from less than Ideal situations, he wasn’t abused or anything. He was a foster dog at A.A.R.F. and waited a long time for a forever home. People that would try him out, I’m afraid were not patient, expecting a perfectly mannered canine. And get sent back. And while his “foster parents” are all great people, that has got to mess up a dog’s confidence.  Buddy likes to bark and play. And if he is hurting will bite (nip) when you touch him. I can’t blame him for that – I am the same way. So I let him bark when he is hungry until it is dinner time. And it is fine. So with Buddy you have to practice patience.

  

 My adopted pets work for me. Maybe it’s because they have such opposite personalities. Maybe it’s because I think of them as children. All I know is adopted dogs that others have work for them. Sometimes you just have to wait it out!

C.S.I. Case of Buddy Bucko Conclusion

Grissom Here-
Well the DNA results are back. Turn's out Buddy is guilty of being a little "shit". Buddy's DNA make on one side is all Cocker Spaniel. On the other side Is primarily Shih Tsu and mixed breed. According to Wisdom Panel, who performed the DNA tests, the mixed breeds that contributed to Buddy's DNA make up are 9.88% Saluki, 3.35% Finnish Spitz, 3.14% Akita, 1.48% Pekingese, and 1.34% American Eskimo. So it looks like little Buddy has a lot more cousins than orignally was thought. Should make more interesting visits to the Dog Parks

Romeo's 8!!!

8 years old- man time flies! Yesterday was Romeo's birthday... of course he treated himself to a new stick at the dog park. (he still loves Boom Booms, but Buddy chews their little heads off). Then it was home to indulge in:

DOGGY CUP CAKES!

1 lb. of Hamburger
1 lb. of Ground Turkey
2 cups of Brown Rice
1 cup of peas
1 cup of diced cooked carrots ( if using frozen diced carrots, don't cook them)
3 eggs

Pre-Heat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into muffin tins (or form into a loaf if making a doggy meat loaf.) Bake 20-25 minutes. Top with mashed potatoes if desired- Serve to pooch.