A Few Dog Tips

There's a reason people always joke that dogs are like training wheels for having a kid. We are dog people, so regardless of whether we had kids or not, I know we still would have gotten a dog. But trying to figure out the difference between all the car seats and bouncy chairs available for kids has reminded me how many different dog items there are as well. 

When we first got our pup Ollie, I did a ton of research to make sure we picked a good food, and found some toys that wouldn't be destroyed in a week. I thought I'd share a little bit of what we found in case any of you are dog owners too. 

FOOD:
Canidae - So it turns out dog food is often made with some disgusting stuff. Most of the big (cheap) brands have tons of filler and nasty stuff in them. Feeding your pet that stuff ends up causing a lot of problems. So you can either pay a little more for the food now or a lot more for vet bills down the road. 

We tried a few different brands of food when we first got Ollie and it took a while to find one that his stomach liked. Canidae was perfect. We use the lamb and rice type and now that he is fully grown he gets one cup of food in the morning and one cup at night. He's 75 pounds and our vet consistently tells us that he's one of the healthiest dogs he sees. He is still very active, but Canidae isn't full of filler items like corn (which dogs don't process for nutrients), so 2 cups a day keeps him full. One big bag last us for a full month. Also, you can call them directly and they will send you great coupons! They seriously have the best customer service. 

Treats - Dog treats can be gross. We found some that we love and Ollie loves and they smell like granola bars! We use Nutro Natural Choice crunchy treats and Ollie's favorites are apple, blueberry, and carrot.

Sloppy drinker - I hated the fact that Ollie spilled water everywhere when he drank. So I ended up finding the perfect solution at L.L. Bean. It's a food/water dish mat that soaks up water and quickly dries. It has the consistency of a welcome mat and after 4 years of use it still looks great.  

Collapsible Dog Bowl - We use stainless steel bowls for Ollie to eat and drink out of, but we have a couple collapsible bowls for travel. I keep one in our dog park bag. They fold flat and that way we can give him water while we're out on a walk or a road trip. 

(Ollie waiting in front of the dish washer while I wash his kong. 

He's like a kid waiting for his blankie while it's in the dryer.)

Toys: 
Ollie is a big dog and stuffed or cheap toys don't last long. I wish I'd realized that earlier. I was a bit shocked by how expensive some dog toys can be, so I'd buy one cheap one after another and watch them get destroyed. Eventually I figure out that the expensive toys cost more because they last forever. Here's a few that we love...

Chuckit Balls - We use these to play fetch with. At the bark park we use tennis balls because that way it doesn't matter if another dog runs off with one. (The launcher works with tennis balls too!) At home or a friend's house we use ChuckIt. Make sure you get the big size if you have a big dog. You don't want them to choke on it. We also use the glow-in-the-dark one at night. 

Kong - We tried a few different Kong sizes and eventually got the Kong Extreme Toy in extra large and I swear it really will last forever. Ollie is happy just chewing on it in the back yard while I read. 

West Paw - They declare that their toys are indestructible. We bought the Hurley Dog Bone (large) and Ollie destroyed it in about 10 minutes. But we contacted them and they sent us a replacement toy at no charge! For the second toy we picked the Jive ball (large) and it's perfect! We've had it for a few years now and Ollie loves it.

**I'm not getting a cent for promoting any of these items. They are just the things that have worked for us. 

*Photos by me.

Wordless Wednesday: Ollie Pup

Ollie pup and Junior 

More Wordless Wednesday here.
Photo by moi.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
by David Wroblewski
★★★★☆

 

I’m having a hard time explaining how I feel about this one. It’s been a long time since a book so completely enraptured me and then utterly broke my heart. For starters, it is so beautifully written and it’s a tribute to the writer’s skill (I still can’t believe this is the author’s first novel), that I became so attached to the characters, especially the dogs. I’ve always been an animal lover and I have a really hard time with anything bad happening to animals in books, (Where the Red Fern Grows, The Yearling.) I’m particularly sensitive to cruelty to dogs and horses for some reason and so there were a few parts that were hard for me to read. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a book about cruelty towards animals, but the dogs are main characters in the book and there are some tough scenes. I’ve never read a book that expressed the psychology of a dog in such a vivid way.

 

Edgar is born mute to devoted parents who own a unique dog breeding and training company in Wisconsin. From the earliest chapters, where we meet Edgar’s parents Trudy and Gar, the story hooked me completely. It’s a slow moving novel, one that you sink into and hardly notice when 100 pages have past. The story is a loose retelling of Hamlet. The local vet, Doctor Papineau is Polonius, his son is the county sheriff and fills the role of Laertes. Edgar’s loyal dog, Almondine, is a twist on Ophelia. Now keep in mind that it’s not an exact retelling and so not all of the characters share the fates of their Hamlet counterparts, but knowing the general story in advance certainly cloaks the entire novel in a layer of portentousness.

 

The moments where the story was the most closely aligned with Shakespeare’s original tale were actually the sections that I thought didn’t work as well as the rest of the book. Maybe because it took the mystery out of it or maybe because it’s such a strong story in its own right, that adding a supernatural element and relying heavily on the revenge tale took away from the powerful characters Wroblewski created in the Sawtelle family.

It’s strange, the book could absolutely have 200 pages cut from its bulk to move the story along at a faster clip, but at the same time, the quiet moments where very little happened were some of my favorites. When Edgar is with his dogs, training or spending time with them, that’s when I felt the most connected to him as a character. When the plot was rolling forward with its tone of impending doom, headed inevitably towards the Hamlet conclusion, those were my least favorite parts. They felt a bit more forced, like they were violating the actions we had grown to expect from certain characters.

 

BOTTOM LINE: I couldn’t put it down, even when I was worried about a character or heartbroken over a scene, I still didn’t want to let it go. I almost felt tense while reading certain sections, but then I would relax into the comfortable comradery Edgar had with the dogs. It’s one of the most unique reading experiences I’ve had in a long time and I know I’ll be thinking about Edgar, Almondine, Tinder, Essay and Baboo for a long time. The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars is because I can’t imagine putting myself through reading it again.

 

“From the look on his face I could see he was one of the lucky ones; one of those people who liked doing what they’re good at. That’s rare.”

 

Crash Course just did a post on Hamlet. If you aren’t already subscribed to their literature posts, you should be!

Where in the World Are You Reading: Reading Companion

This month's Where in the World Are You Reading, hosted by Kailana, Lisa, and Trish is "Reading Companions."  I have one obvious reading companion, my big dog Oliver. Ollie will be two years old in December, but it's hard to remember what reading was like before we got him.

 

Whether he's curled up on my lap (which he is way too big to do, but still attempts) or playing fetch while I read with him outside, my big 75 lb baby keeps me company when I read. Ollie is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and has a ton of energy, so I enjoy the moments when he's tired and ready to curl up for a nap.

 

I especially appreciate him in the winter when it's freezing cold. He's the equivalent of a giant space heater! I've had cats in the past and love curling up with them as well, but they never keep you quite as warm.

Photos by moi.

On Dogs, Cesar and Reading About New Subjects

Until four months ago I’d never seen an episode of the Dog Whisperer. I’d heard of him and to be honest, he seemed a bit silly. Then we got a puppy and I became a convert. I’m not saying his methods are flawless, but some of them are pretty amazing. So I decided to check out his books as well.

That’s what happens when you’re a reader and you start something new in your life, you read books about it. Whether it’s buying a house, knitting or childbirth, we readers tend to want more information about the subject and we inevitably turn to books. So here are reviews of two of his books.

Cesar’s Way:
The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
by Cesar Milan
★★★★

In his first book, Cesar shares stories about his childhood in Mexico and his first experiences in America. The book is packed with tips, but it’s also part memoir, which made it easy to dive into. It also helped explain the reason why he trains dogs the way he does. Learning the thought process behind his methods was perhaps the most valuable thing in the book.

Cesar had no money when he came to America and he couldn’t speak a word of English. He worked at a dog grooming salon, and then cleaning limos long before he was the “dog whisperer.” One of his very first clients was Jada Pinkett Smith and she helped him grow his business and learn English. Once he established his dog psychology center he was truly able pursue his dream of helping rehabilitate dogs and train people in how to correctly care for their own dogs.

A few things that really helped me:

1) Nose, eyes, ears – If you want your dog to obey you, appeal to their senses in this order. Don’t yell commands at them, use bully sticks and other treats to show them where you want them to go, etc.

2) Calm and assertive behavior – Your attitude affects your dog. It you’re acting crazy, so will they. If they don’t respect your authority, they won’t obey you.

3) You dog is not a human. Simple, right? But it’s not, because we treat our dogs like our babies sometimes. Just remembering that my dog is in fact a dog, makes it much easier to train him and teach him what he is and isn’t allowed to do. He will not get his feelings hurt if you don’t allow him to do something.

4) It you’re trying to overcome a phobia or obsession in your dog, tire them out before attempting anything. When they’re worn out they’re more likely to be relaxed and accept changes.

5) The answer to almost any problem: Walks! If you’re going to try something new/if they’re being destructive/if you’re moving or traveling or going to a dog park, no matter what the problem is, the first answer is always to take them on a long walk.

How to Raise the Perfect Dog:
Through Puppyhood and Beyond
by Cesar Milan
★★★☆

Dogs begin learning about your authority from the first moment that they meet you. In this book, Cesar walks people through the process of preparing for your puppy, picking out a dog, introducing your new puppy to your home and setting boundaries.

Cesar recommends picking a dog with the lower energy level than you have, so you’ll always be able to give your dog enough time and attention. You also need to make sure your home and life is ready for a dog before you commit to raising one.

I would highly recommend reading the books BEFORE you get a dog. There are so many important tips that I would have liked to know before we brought out dog home. It turns out we did most things right, but there are some things we would have done differently. The books are incredibly helpful no matter what stage you are in with your dog (especially Cesar’s Way), but would be most beneficial for soon-to-be owners.