2017 Christmas Gifts For Dog Lovers

December 8, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Christmas Gifts for the Dog Lover in Your Life

Gifts For Dog Lovers — Serenkonata/Adobe Stock

Dog people are passionate about dogs; they love dogs more than fancy shoes, cars and bedazzled clothing. If you have someone who’s passionate about dogs, you’ll want to check out these wonderful Christmas gifts for dog lovers. Each present is sure to be loved and cherished by its recipient. As an extremely passionate dog lover myself, I still love each dog-themed gift I’ve received over the years because it’s so personal.

Jewelry

Understated, yet deeply personal, jewelry is perfect for dog lovers who aren’t afraid to show off their favorite dog breed. By far, Siberian Art offers breathtaking jewelry that feature most dog breeds. Siberian Art captures each breed beautifully, which means dog lovers will see their dog in each cherished piece.

Choose from detailed pendants, earrings, rings, tie tacks and prints in either silver or gold. Sterling silver options are priced right under $100, and they’re worth every single penny. Stay away from knockoffs since those will turn your dog lover’s neck bright green. 🙂

Dog Portrait

Everyone loves a beautiful piece of artwork, and it’s even better when a furry family member is included. With many personalized options available, such as Zazzle, you could place a dog lover’s favorite dog portrait on pillows, pictures, mugs and so forth.

If you want to take a dog portrait gift idea up a notch, have an artist create a custom portrait. Before cringing at the word “custom,” remember that portraits are created digitally now, which keep costs down.

When choosing an artist, look through their online portfolio first. Each artist has a certain style, and remember to always ask questions. Order sooner rather than later, as artists take at least 3 weeks to complete artwork even if it’s digital. Costs vary depending on artist and size of the portrait.

Dog-Themed Socks

Dog-themed socks are an inexpensive gift every dog lover will wear with pride. If your dog lover’s favorite breed is not available, choose a colorful paw-printed pair of socks instead. Dog-themed socks make great stocking stuffers too. Most socks cost between $10-$12, depending on the brand. Check out this great dog sock website.

Donation to Favorite Rescue Group

As always, donating to your dog lover’s favorite rescue organization is always a great gift. Print out your donation and place inside a beautiful envelope, then place under the Christmas tree. Your dog loving friend, their chosen rescue and a dog in need will thank you!

Have a fabulous holiday season!

Best Christmas Gifts For Dogs 2017

December 4, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Christmas Gifts Your Dog Will Love

Christmas Gifts For Dogs — otsphoto/Adobe Stock

It’s almost Christmas time, which means it’s time to choose a gift for your furry family member. With so many new dog products created each year, here are my favorite 2017 Christmas dog gifts. As a professional dog trainer, I’m extremely picky about dog products, so you can rest assured I’ve tested these Christmas gifts for dogs thoroughly with my own and my clients’ dogs.

A quick tip: It’s best to place your dog’s toy, treat and chew gifts on the fireplace mantel. This prevents your dog from unwrapping his gifts before Christmas. 🙂

Comfy New Harness

Everyone needs a new spiffy outfit to start off 2018. Choose a fashionable, yet comfortable, harness for your dog to wear while trotting around town. Comfortable dog harnesses should offer full range of motion for front leg movement, and they should never chafe your dog’s skin.

My favorite harness is RuffWear’s Front Range harness. It comes in beautiful colors for every dog. This harness is easy to put on and take off your dog as well as offers lots of padding and front and back leash clip options.

Snuffle Mat

Mental enrichment is so important for dogs; that’s why I like the snuffle mat. Dogs love to forage for food, and a snuffle mat fulfills your dog’s foraging behavior. Snuffle mats contain long fleece strands tied to a rubber mat. They look like super long shag carpeting.

Sprinkle your dog’s daily kibble meal or treats into the fleece strands, and your dog will forage for an hour. Snuffle mats can be purchased online or easily created at home. Check out this DIY snuffle mat video. Oh, these mats are super easy to clean too—just toss into the washer and air dry.

Get Fit Gifts

Most dogs are stuck in the house all day, so splurge on a fun activity for your dog.

FitPaws offers balance boards, inflatable peanuts and cavaletti sets to keep your dog’s mind and body fit. Purchase online or create a DIY version, and then practice in your living room.
If your dog needs to lose a bit of weight, sign him up for hydrotherapy, which incorporates swimming in a heated pool or underwater treadmill. Hydrotherapy is not only reserved for injured dogs. It’s great for dogs that need to lose some weight too. Contact a certified pet physical therapist in your area for details.
Enroll in a fun class! Nose work is so much fun for dogs, and it’s a super easy activity for pet owners too. You’ll be shocked how good your dog’s nose really is. 🙂

Good Tried-and-True Dog Favorites

Of course, there are several tried-and-true gifts every dog will love. You can’t go wrong with any of these inexpensive Christmas gifts for dogs. 🙂

Kong Squeaky Tennis Balls are always a favorite. Balls are offered in two different sizes and come in three per package.
Stinky treats, such as bully stick chews or fish skin treats, will make any dog lose his mind.
Kong toys and Wobblers are always a hit with dogs. Just stuff stinky and yummy dog treats inside them, and your dog will stay busy for awhile.

DIY Cavaletti Course For Dogs

November 3, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Building a Dog Cavaletti Course at Home

Build Dog Cavaletti — taniasv/Adobe Stock

Cavaletti is a fun exercise that teaches dogs to walk over poles at various heights or across different surfaces. Most pet owners have watched horses complete cavaletti courses with some obstacles featuring fallen logs or low jumps.

Cavaletti is an excellent way to improve your dog’s balance, help him rebuild muscle after surgery, lengthen his stride for the show ring and regain range of motion after an injury. Plus, cavaletti courses are a great form of exercise that also builds confidence in dogs.

With your veterinarian’s permission, have your dog practice cavaletti for 10 minutes a day. Below are tips for building a dog cavaletti course at home.

DIY Cavaletti Equipment Ideas

With a bit of imagination and a non-skid surface, you could create a DIY cavaletti set from things lying around your home.

Use broomsticks or mop handles as cavaletti poles, and place horizontally on the ground.
Place 2×4 boards about 2-3 feet apart with the flat part (widest part) on the ground.
For small dogs, place a ladder horizontally flat on the ground.
If you have a large dog, create a ladder out of 1-inch PVC pipes.
Use large fallen branches as poles. Place 2-3 feet apart in your backyard.
To increase the height, place broomstick ends inside holes of a laundry basket.

Purchasing Cavaletti Sets Online

If you’re not crafty, and would rather purchase a cavaletti set, there are several options online. By far, the most popular cavaletti set is made by FitPaws and costs $60. FitPaws offers a set of 3 poles and 6 cones with several height adjustment levels. There are other brands available, but they don’t offer the adjustability that FitPaws offers with their cavaletti set. Plus, FitPaws’ equipment is yellow, blue and green, which are colors easily seen by dogs. With moderate use, this cavaletti set will last years.

A Few Cavaletti Tips

Slow controlled movements are best. Set up your cavaletti set on a non-skid surface, such as grass, rug or rubber. If it’s too warm outside, practice indoors on a thick rug. Remember to lure your dog over each pole slowly. If your dog jumps or hops over any pole, you’re moving the lure too quickly. For dogs that leap in the air around treats, practice loose leash walking across the bars.

Show us pictures of your DIY cavaletti course! Post below. 🙂

WATCH: DIY Cavaletti Equipment Ideas For Dogs

How To Clean Food Stuffed Dog Toys

September 25, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Cleaning Kong Dog Toys

Every positive reinforcement dog trainer agrees on one thing: Dogs should have plenty of mental enrichment every day. Food stuffed dog toys, such as Kongs, are a quick and very effective way to keep your dog’s brain busy all day. But how do you remove all the sticky residue from the cracks and crevices of dog toys afterwards? Here are a few simple hacks for cleaning Kong dog toys.

Smart Kong Stuffing Tactics

For the most part, sticky and gooey foods make the best filling for rubber Kong toys. While the sticky texture of these foods help keep the filling inside the toy, it can leave a gross residue that’s impossible to remove. The toughest place to remove gummed up food is the very bottom or within crevices.

To prevent food from caking at the bottom, fill the bottom third of the Kong with kibble. Then, fill the remaining 2/3 of the toy with cream cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, squeeze cheese, banana, honey, bread or sweet potatoes. Freeze to ensure the food stuffed dog toy lasts longer.

Scrape With a Butter Knife or Bottle Brush

When dog saliva and peanut butter mesh together during an hour-long dog toy licking session, traces of food will inevitably get left behind. Use a butter knife to scrape out the larger chunks lodged inside and toss into your garbage disposal. Some pet owners use a bottle brush to scrub out the food stuck in cracks and crevices, but wire bristles just don’t reach all the way inside. Either way, it’s important to scrape out the large bits from the bottom to prevent mold from growing.

Soak in Warm Soapy Water

Once the larger chunks have been removed, it’s time to give the dog toy a long soak. In the past, I would put dishwasher safe toys on the top rack of our dishwasher, but then I would notice the color fading and cracks developing due to extreme heat.

Now, I fill our sink with hot water and liberally drizzle natural dishwashing liquid to form a hot soap soak. If you go this route, toss all of your rubber Kong toys into the water and let them soak for an hour. A long soak will help lift and remove the food stuck in crevices. Rinse each toy well after thorough soaking, air dry and stuff them with food for your dog again.

WATCH: How to Clean Kong Dog Toys

Portable Dog Carriers Keep Your Dog Safe And Your Shoulders Pain-Free

September 14, 2017 by Fanna Easter

Portable Dog Carriers

Sharing your home with small dogs offers many perks due to their pint size. Small dogs eat less, poop less and are completely portable, which saves money and your back! While it’s tempting to hold a small dog in your arms, it’s actually safer for small dogs to travel in portable dog carriers or crates. Additionally, if a small dog is fearful of encountering other dogs or visiting the vet’s office, a dog carrier will make your dog feel much safer.

Benefits of Using a Portable Dog Carrier

In a pinch, holding your dog works well, but it’s not the safest way to contain a small dog. Tiny dogs can jump down or accidentally fall, causing major injuries, such as broken bones. Also, when pet owners hold small dogs in their arms, these tiny dogs are exposed to other dogs, which can cause dog aggression.

A couple of months ago, a large man was holding a 10-lb dog in his arms while standing in the veterinary clinic waiting room. A large dog entered the clinic. The tiny dog freaked out and deeply scratched and bit the pet owner in the face and neck. This could’ve been prevented if the dog were in a pet carrier. Unfortunately, this happens often.

Portable Dog Carriers for Dogs 1-20 lbs

Options for portable dog carriers are endless for dogs under 20 lbs. Carrier style bags are extremely popular due to their convenience. They’re super easy to place and to carry a small dog next to your body. Plus, carrier style bags have zipper openings, adjustable carrying straps, vented fabric and plush lining. There are numerous options, colors and styles for you to choose from based on your individual style and your dog’s comfort needs.

SleepyPod Carriers are super stylish, offer different shapes, can be used as car crates and are one of the few dog carriers that have passed strict car crash safety standard testing.

Portable Dog Carriers for Dogs 21-30 lbs

Over the last few years, backpack style dog carriers have become the latest trend, especially for dogs over 20 lbs. Carrying a heavy carrier style bag with shoulder straps will damage a pet owner’s shoulders quickly. Manufacturers picked up on that and have created dog carrier backpacks that are extremely versatile.

Some backpack carriers feature wheels and handle attachments, similar to suitcases, for pet owners that have to carry their small dogs for a longer distance. My favorite dog carrier backpack for a Miniature Bull Terrier, that weights 28 pounds, is the Snoozer Backpack and Roller dog carrier. It’s not very stylish, but it’s a fanatic product to haul 25- to 30-lb dogs around while keeping your shoulders pain-free.

Dog Carrier Safety Tips

Small dogs should feel like their carrier is a comfortable and safe spot, especially during travel. When dogs are inside their carriers, they should be completely contained, meaning their heads should not poke out of any opening. If a dog’s head can peek out of an unzipped opening, that means your dog can jump out of the carrier. Also, it’s important to:

Hold your dog in her carrier close to your body to prevent other dogs from sniffing or someone bumping into the carrier.
For backpack or suitcase type carriers, place it against a wall to prevent it from tipping over.
If your small dog is fearful, toss a towel over visible areas to create a visual barrier. When dogs are unable to see other dogs or people, they feel much safer.
Give your small dog lots of yummy treats or food stuffed toys while she sits in her carrier.

With so many portable dog carrier options available, there’s no reason why small dogs should not ride in safety and comfort!