Happy Father's Day

Coco's daddy is out of town, but we are wishing him a very happy Father's Day from afar.

#NationalBestFriendDay

Coco is celebrating National Best Friend Day with her BFF, Cousin Madam Star.

Did you celebrate with your best friend? 

Back From Vacation!

Mommy and daddy are back from vacation.  We went to Wisconson for a wedding--honestly, I don't know how you all up there do it. I was freezing the whole time!  The guy in Gap told me that they only have two seasons, winter and football.  I'm guessing football season is cold, too.  We also stopped in Nashville to visit Bill's daughter and had a great time.

Madam Star and her mommy came to stay with Coco and Pookums while we were gone.  The pups also got a couple of visits from Bruce at Groovy Dogs.  When we finally made it back to Florida (and thawed out), we had very happy pets.  We are so lucky to have such a good best friend--the best, and a trustworthy, caring trainer for walks.  I don't know what we'd do without them.  Well, yes I do.  We'd never go anywhere and have no fun at all.

Warm Florida walks with Madam's Mommy

We are so happy to be home in the warm, Florida sun!

Rating Earth Rated

We recently got to try some poop bags from Earth Rated, and let me tell you, I will never go back to plastic grocery bags again!

I could go on and on about why I like these bags, but I'll just hit the highlights: the lavender scent, size and easy of transport, and the impact on the environment.

Earth Rated bags smell so good!  They actually make our house smell better. We keep the bags next to the door, so that lavender scent is the first thing I smell when I come home.  One of the worse things about picking up poop is the smell, and while it is true that as pet parents we kind of get used to it, why not make it a little more pleasant? If you aren't into the scent (for whatever reason) they also come in unscented.

The best thing about the bags we tried is the size.  There are different sizes; our favorite was the handle bags. These are big enough for Coco sized poo, but small enough to carry easily. (The standard size was a little small for Coco sized poop.) No more toting around giant plastic bags for me.

They smell good, they are easy to carry and use, and they are good for the environment.  Earth Rated produces their product with the environment in mind, so waste bag roll cores and packaging are made from recycled content.  While the bags themselves are not "biodegradable," they do contain an additive to help break them down over time, unlike the bags I had been using.  In addition, they offer white bags which are 100% plastic free!

Overall, I'd rate Earth Rated 4.5 out of 5 paws, not 5 because the standard bags are just a tad too small. If you aren't picking up Coco sized poop, you'll be just fine!  Just the convenience of the  compact size alone is enough for me to make the switch, but after learning about the benefits to the environment, I'm sold!

Coco+Mommy+True Detective= Snuggle Extravaganz

I've been binge watching True Detective on HBO GO and can’t get enough.  While you’d think that an attention seeker like Coco would loathe such a scene, she doesn't seem to mind because she gets to snuggle up with me for hours on end. More than she loves attention, she loves a good snuggle, especially mommy’s.  Also, if she plays it just right, I’ll rub her belly when the plot twists--to get rid of my nervous energy.  I’m pretty sure watching TV while snuggling with Coco is one of my favorite things in the world.

Is your dog a snuggler?

Coco's Human Career

I was thinking the other day about what kind of career Coco would have if she were human--this after Bill politely reminded me that she is just a dog.  I ignored him.

I've put some thought into this.  She’s friendly (when she wants to be), outgoing, has tons of energy, wakes up super early, has an excellent memory, and has a good family to support her so she doesn't need to make a lot of money. After much deliberation, I've decided that Coco would make a good Barista.  

What human career would your dog have?

Training with Merrick Power Bites

We've been doing a lot of training recently.  Trying to get Coco to not eat people while we are walking is a hard task.  While the strategies Bruce from Groovy Dogs gave us have helped a lot, she still has some...trouble.

When we go for walks, we always have treats with us.  And sometimes, depending on the situation, we give her quite a few treats at once.  That's why we like treats like Power Bites from Merrick. These small treats are so easy to take with us on walks and Coco loves them so it is easy to get her attention with them, which is essential when training! The one downside is that they smell, which daddy doesn't like because it makes his precious little hands stink.  However, I'm pretty sure the odor is one of the selling points for Coco.

       

We can ALWAYS count on chewy.com for bringing us quality treats and shipping them to us before Coco eats everyone in the neighborhood! Thanks chewy.com!

Wordless Wednesday: Fetch!

Coco and daddy play fetch after work.

Baseball Season is Here!

Baseball season is the best time of year in our house.  Even Coco likes to snuggle up and watch the games.  Bill and I argue over which team Coco roots for.  Of course I'm a Yankees fan, and Bill is stinkin' Red Sox fan.  There is no doubt that Coco loves her Mommy's favorite team as much as she loves her Mommy. And we know how much Coco loves Mommy.

Are you all as excited as we are about baseball season?

How Do You Bond With Your Dog?

Recently I wrote a blog post about how to strengthen the bond with your dog.  I wrote about games you can play to become closer to your best friend, but there are many more ways to stay close.

When Coco was small, I made sure that she was physically close to me at times--cuddling on my chest and getting lost of belly rubs.  I really think to has lots to do with why she is such a mamma's girl.

How do you stay bonded with your dog?

Happy 5th Birthday to Coco--We Celebrate With Treats!

Yesterday was Coco's birthday.  First, we celebrated by doing one of her favorite things: going for a run.

I snapped this picture just before we took off. The weather has been so nice here, it would have been a shame not to take her for a birthday run.  When we got back I decided to make her and Cousin Madam Star (who has been staying with us this week) some birthday treats. I found the recipe on pinterest, and it is the easiest treat recipe ever.  It is so easy, it really isn't a recipe at all. Here's what you do:

Mix 2 jars of baby food with 2 cups of flour.  Then bake it in the oven for 25 minutes.  So easy! (We all remember how much I appreciate easy treat recipes.)

I tried to pick the healthy looking baby food and ended up with sweet potatoes and bananas.  The treats smelled really good while they were baking, and the girls loved them!  I will most certainly be making these again.

Overall, I think Coco had a good birthday.  A nice run in the sun, yummy treats shared with her favorite cousin.  Turning 5 wasn't so bad.

Wordless Wednesday

"Hey Mom, wanna bite?"

Coco Eats a Dino

February was Pet Dental Health Month, reminding pet owners of the significance of good oral health for your best friend.  However, just because February has ended, it doesn't mean that we should stop caring about our pet's teeth!  That's why I wanted to share with you a review of a dental chew toy today, in March.

As most of you know, Coco is a power chewer, but she's also pretty picky about toys.  She loves to chew on antlers. That's her chew of choice, so I was pretty skeptical when chewy.com sent her the Nylabone DuraChew to try out.  I wasn't at all convinced that she'd take to it.  But I thought it was it cutest, even if she didn't like it.

Luckily, once I got it out of the package, she was all over that dino!  She let those little nubs help clean her teeth without even noticing it.  It claims to freshens breath, but it does't smell fresh to me, so I don't know how it would.  Coco still chews on it, even after a month of play.  She hasn't chewed it to bits, which is testament to its durability.  It hasn't replaced her antlers as her favorite chew toy, but as long as she is playing with it sometimes and it is another tool in my bag of teeth cleaning tricks, I am a happy mama!

Too Rainy for Coco

Today has been such a rainy, cold, dreary day.  These are the days that this human and her Coco dislike the most.  Coco of course doesn't want to be bothering by going out potty.  I have to bribe her with sardines (a sure way to get her to do anything).  Luckily, Daddy has a fire going for us.  What's the weather like where you are?

My Alarm Clock

So this little brown dog has been waking me up between 3:30-4:30 every morning for various reasons.  Maybe there is a varmint outside that needs chasing.  Maybe there is some cat food morsel somewhere she can't reach without assistance.  Maybe her tummy is telling her that mommy should giver her a treat. Or maybe she really does have to go out potty.

Certainly I'm not the only one who experiences early morning wake-up calls--legitimate or not.  What do you all do when you hear that alarm?  Telling her to go back to sleep doesn't work.  Someone please help!