Greedy Pup

This post was sponsored by Chewy.com. As always, all opinions are my own.

I've talked about the pros and cons of moving back home and another huge plus for moving back home was that Laney, the dog-child, gets a yard to play in. That, and the fact that I don't have to walk her in the morning, I just let her outside to do her thing without having to hover over her. Which is heavenly, by the way.

Currently, Josh and I split custody (which sounds more awful than it is--but I'm not sure how else to say it!) until we can move in together. Some days she's with me and others, she's at the Ryan farm.

When she's with me and my family, Laney has a VERY hard time sharing food. Josh and I have kind of maybe spoiled her just a little. She will eat all of her food, all of our other dog's food, the cat food, and then beg for human food.

The ONLY thing I've found that keeps her from doing this at meal time is feeding her canned dog food.  Because she's that much of a diva that dry food just doesn't do it for her. 

This month we she got to try the Whole Earth Farms Canned Dog Food in the Beef Stew flavor from Chewy.com . Laney went nuts for it. It must be the gravy! Sidenote: I will never get over the fact that canned dog food smells like some people food! Like it really smelled like beef stew.

I like it because I know it's good for her (grain free, no preservatives, and no corn, wheat, or soy) AND it keeps her on her side of the room (or at least focused on her own bowl)! I know she enjoyed it because she licked the bowl clean and her beard was sticky afterwards #dogchild

Have any tips for feeding multiple animals? Let me know in the comments!

Homemade Puppy Pops

This post was sponsored by Chewy.com. As always, all opinions are my own.

It's hotter than hot these days. I've been looking for ways to help Laney beat the heat (staying inside, getting in the pool, etc.) Making Puppy Pops is by far her favorite! (similar to Frosty Paws, but way less expensive)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 TBS Honey

1/2 Tbs. Peanut Butter

1 cup of Plain Yogurt

3-4 apple slices

Handful of Sojos Good Dog Apple Dumpling Treats

DIRECTIONS: All you have to do is put the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. I put the mixture in an ice cube tray, but if you have bigger dogs, you can use a muffin tin. Freeze until almost frozen. At this point, I put the actual Sojos treats into the mixture to serve as little popsicle sticks--Laney loved it!

My favorite thing about these Sojos Good Dog Apple Dumpling Treats is that they are made with all natural ingredients--ones that you can find in the kitchen. (I can't believe I'm admitting this, but my sister and I actually tried them--they tasted like less sweet Apple Jacks)

Also, these treats are pretty small so there are a ton of them in one box! I would recommend using them as training treats or using them to make a bigger batch of treats.

Dog Days of Summer

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  We (Laney and I) received the Kong toy to review as part of Chewy.com's blogger review program.  Since Laney has yet to learn how to write, I am reviewing on her behalf. As always, all opinions and pictures are my own! (oh and Laney's) See Laney's other posts here and here !


It's only the third day of summer officially, but it's been in the 100s here for a while. So what happens when your fur child wants to play, but is the color of asphalt and absorbs the sun's heat so quickly that you're afraid she'll burst into flames or pass out from heat stroke?

Take the fun indoors, duh. 

The dog-child is a huge fan of any toy she can shake and shred (especially when you've freshly vacuumed). Most of the time it looks like it snowed indoors because of this habit. In fact, I was going to name this post "When your dog is actually a Velociraptor" Just kidding. Maybe.

So, when Chewy approached me to review this Kong toy--I thought "perfect, Laney will love it." The round part squeaks and we'll be able to play tug of war (me from the comfort of the couch). 

 

Laney is 40 lbs (30 if we don't over-feed her over the weekend) of pure excitement when she realizes she's getting some sort of treat/new toy. This one was no exception. 

The problem? She would rather play with the human part of the toy (the handle) rather than the  indestructible squeaky part. She almost cut through the rope before I even got the chance to photograph it! (Velociraptor)

Even though we didn't use it as intended, she still had lots of fun shaking and chewing up this particular toy. And since she hasn't completely destroyed it yet, I would say it lives up to the Kong name brand. It'll be a toy we bring everywhere (Nana and Pop's house, vacations, etc.)
 

P.S. Is anyone else's dog secretly a Velociraptor when it comes to chewing up toys at an alarming rate? Or is it just mine?

Doggy on a Diet

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  We (Laney and I) received Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted Shredded Beef Stew  to review as part of Chewy.com's blogger review program.  Since Laney has yet to learn how to write, I am reviewing on her behalf. As always, all opinions and pictures are my own! (oh and Laney's) See Laney's other post here and here!

It's been really hard trying to feed to Laney healthy, all natural food. She'll literally eat anything--even the bad stuff (puffy cheetos, cat food, horse poop). After her vet appointment last month, we learned that she lost THREE POUNDS over the course of the year, but still has weight to lose. 

We currently feed her an all natural dry dog food that has no soy, corn, or wheat. I think THIS diet change contributed to her losing weight (regardless of the occasional puffy cheeto). Recently, though, we changed the flavor and I'm not quite sure she likes it--it smells like turtle food. 

Enter Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted Shredded Beef Stew Canned Dog Food from Chewy.com. It has no corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or colors. 

This canned food aligns with the current diet she is used to, but in a more decadent form. Hello, it has gravy--any dog's weakness. Before I even poured the food into her bowl, she could barely contain her excitement.

I was excited to see that there were whole vegetables in the food: complete with carrots, peas, and potatoes--real beef stew! 

Needless to say, she loves this stuff. The bowl was licked clean in a minute flat.  It's almost like it's a treat that she doesn't realize is her healthy dinner. 

I'll definitely be mixing this with her dry food--making the dry food and canned food stretch a little longer and so she'll like the "turtle food smelling" dry food better.

P.S. Chewy.com is less expensive than the average pet store (PetSmart) and offers most of the same brands you can find in stores. You can set your order up for autoship, saving 20% in the process AND Chewy.com always offers FREE SHIPPING on orders over $49.00! What's not to love?

Do you feed your fur child "healthy" food? 

Bathtime for Laney

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  We (Laney and I) received the flea and tick shampoo to review as part of Chewy.com's blogger review program.  Since Laney has yet to learn how to write, I am reviewing on her behalf. As always, all opinions and pictures are my own! (oh and Laney's) See Laney's other post here!

I'm happy to say that Laney has never had a flea problem. She does, however, have a problem with rolling in dead things/smelly things. And she hates baths.  

Usually, and I know this is terrible, I'll bathe her in whatever shampoo I have on hand--whether it's Herbal Essences or Pantene. And when I say "I'll bathe her" I really mean have my dad bathe her or pay one of my sister's to (or Josh's sister--she makes a killing). Like I said, this is terrible and not good for her as a dog obviously, so I was especially excited to receive this shampoo from Chewy.com.

P.S. She has a vet appointment today so I thought I'd make her extra pretty and smell good (shh don't tell her).

Laney is already on flea and heart-worm regimen, but since we live in the woods (aka middle of nowhere and Josh lives on a farm) it can't hurt to have the extra protection.  The shampoo itself smells surprisingly good even though it says "unscented". Think limeade. I was surprised it didn't smell more like medicine, but I was grateful that it didn't since I basically took a bath, as well.

As with any medicine you give your fur baby--read the label! You can only bathe your dog with this once every 7 days! It'll kill all fleas/ticks and repel ones from latching on. When using in conjunction with a monthly topical flea and heart-worm medicine, wait at least a week before bathing to ensure the medicine has had time to soak in.

After today, I'm hoping Laney continues to NEVER have a flea OR tick problem!

Because Laney Said So || Orijen Freeze Dried Treats

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  We (Laney and I) received the treats and toy to review as part of Chewy.com's blogger review program.  Since Laney has yet to learn how to write, I am reviewing on her behalf. As always,all opinions and pictures are my own! (oh and Laney's)

I'm on a diet so Laney's on a diet. Not really. But when Josh and I found out the food we had her on had been recalled due to DEATHS, we decided to think a little bit more about what we were feeding our little Bugga.

Enter, chewy.com. Not only do they have a large selection of treats, food, and toys (for great prices), most of the treat and food options have certain diets in mind. No grain, no soy, minimally processed, etc. Which is perfect for Laney--she can stand to lose a few per the vet last year. 

The treats we received were Orijen Freeze Dried Lamb. I'm not sure Laney's ever had anything "lamb" before, but she will eat most anything. Needless to say, she was super excited before she even knew what she was getting. If I say "TREAT" she instantly goes into a tizzy and can't contain her excitement. Being her photographer was NOT an easy task.

The treats have a weird smell to them in my opinion, but it's a dog treat and I'm not the one eating them. Besides, Laney LOVED them. I was happy that the size of the treats were small enough to be considered a treat and not an all day meal.

 We don't make it a habit to dole out treats too frequently--she's spoiled enough already (ok Josh doesn't--I tend to be heavy handed on the treat giving), but the size is perfect for training. Without a doubt, these treats get the approval stamp from this dog mom!



We also got this little guy in the mail with the treats. If there's anything Laney loves more than a good treat, it's a stuffed animal toy with a squeaker. The poor little guy never stood a chance. I am happy to report (as of Sunday evening), however, that the squeaker IS still inside regardless of how many limbs are missing. It should last her a few more days.

If you're in the market for new treats or toys for your fur-child, order from Chewy.com--not just because I said so, but because Laney says so too!

How To: Train your Dog to NOT sleep in your bed

From the very first moment we adopted Laney, she's been treated anything but a dog. She's our little spoiled princess dog child.

We tried to crate train her, but due to the fact that she lived with Josh in a fraternity house for the first year of her life, it lasted about a day before the maintenance men busted us. 

From that point, we knew she would never stay in the crate without yelping at the top of her lungs. So we left her out. She'd usually be lounging on the couch when we'd check on her between classes. We bought her a cute little Mattha Stuart bed and all was going great until 1. She chewed it up and 2. Josh dropped books on her while he was studying at his desk. ( we aren't terrible dog parents I promise. There's a learning curve with this kind of stuff right?)

We were doomed. Laney had us wrapped around her little paw and right where she wanted us. She then would sleep in the bed. My bed, his bed, under the covers, head on the pillow--like a human. Josh still feels terribly responsible to this day. But, now it's a real problem. Laney isn't a puppy anymore. She's 35 pounds and stretches all the way out, sheds like crazy, and kicks during the night. Of course, there are many other reasons why your dog-child shouldn't sleep with you (which I've already touched on).

Exhibit A: Laney, in my bed. Head on the pillow. Living the life.

Step1. Create boundaries. Will they be allowed on the couch, just not on the bed? Or no human lounging surfaces at all. We still let Laney on the couch, just not the bed. We aren't THAT cruel.

Step 2. Get them a bed of their own. Very important. I put Laney's bed right next to my bed so she feels like she's still sleeping with me, but in reality, she isn't. Make them comfy in their OWN bed. 

Step 3. Enforce. Enforce. Enforce. Consistency is key. When they try to get on the bed, firmly say NO. (no matter how cute those puppy dog eyes are).




Obviously we are still new at this and it's no surprise that Laney whined literally ALL night last night, but it must be done. (it's four years over due). Take it from me, it's better to train them young, then to try  four years later!

Have any tips for us? We'd love to hear them!

1, 2, 3, 4 Tell Me That You Love Me More

I've probably mentioned this before, but I like countdowns and I like lists. Put them together and I truly cannot contain my excitement. It's not weird--just go with it. So, here's a few things I'd like to get off of my chest.

------------------------

Five: x2=10 more weeks, if my math is right, until Christmas--only the best time of the year duh. I'm ready for it to FINALLY get cold around here and to watch all of the Christmas movies.

Four: years. Laney, the dog child, will be four years old in about four months. I cannot believe my little nugget is going to be older than me (in dog years). They grow up so fast. 

Three: more days until apartment shopping. Crossing my fingers for the PERFECT apartment with lots of natural light. 

Two: teeth I just had pulled. Update: my mouth doesn't hurt much anymore. Make way: perfect teeth coming through. OH and still waiting on my money from the toothfairy--who can I talk to about this?

One: trip left for the year...Pittsburgh. Hoping it snows again this year!

Do you have a running list of things you're looking forward to? 

Laney goes to the Mall

You know those days that seem like they are never ending? Yea, that was my day yesterday. It could have something to do with the fact that I drank my Red Bull too early, but for whatever reason, I hit that afternoon slump hard.

Until I got a call from Josh, that is. Isn't it great how one small thing can change your day for the better?

This one thing happened to be that JCP was doing puppy/dog portraits--ONE DAY ONLY! Omg pictures of Laney, say no more! Pray for me when I have kids y'all. 

So naturally, I start trying to coordinate our outfits. Josh was already at work, so it was really my outfit I needed to figure out if it would work or not. (Also, Laney has this problem where she blends into dark backgrounds--she almost fully black except for some white around her beard!)

After I got off work, it was off to scoop up the bug, and motor on over to the Westbank. 

Laney's first trip to the mall was so exciting! She rode the elevator up to the portrait studio and the escalator back down, snooped around the purses and candles, and greeted everyone she met with a bark. She even got to visit Josh's office. I'll have to admit that it felt really weird and kind of rebellious to walk into a store with a dog on a leash like you own the place--we got a bunch of stares.

And, she's a natural in front of the camera! Luckily I remembered to grab a few treats to bribe her during the photoshoot--otherwise, I'm not sure how much of a "natural" she would've been. 

We ordered a few prints and even got some free thanks to Josh's employee discount :) I can't wait until October 27th when they come in! For now, here's a sneak peek: #modelstatus

Dog Days

If you're like me, all forms of social media were blown up with pictures of dogs yesterday. It was #nationaldogday after all.

However, at least in my house, every day is dedicated to the dog...er uh Princess Laney.

She never sits still.

From the time she wakes up in the mornings--most of the time kicking me awake from a deep slumber or sitting on me or licking my eyeball until I pay her attention, to her nonchalant lazy couch days when I have to work, even when I come home from work and she's running circles around me--the whole day is about her.

Going on a long trip? What about Laney.

Going home to see my parents? Laney wants to see her Nana and Pops.

Laney gained one pound over a years time? Put her butt on a diet.

Aww this toy is cute. Think Laney would like it?

OMG did I leave my straightener on? What if I burn the house down with Laney inside? 

Ugh all they have is Fiesta Chicken (dog food) Laney likes Chicken and Rice.

Not to mention, I never have a moment to myself.
Bath time- Laney is right there "guarding" the door? (It's weird)
Trying to type a blog post- Laney is in my lap (sorry for the typos)
Bed time, TV time, trying to cook dinner- Laney is my shadow

So while some people celebrate "dog day" once a year, most dog owners know that's it's a 365, 24/7 type of party that you can't RSVP no to.

How To: Know Your Dog is Really Your Child

A lot of my friends got puppy fever this past year or years, myself included (the boyfriend and I woke up one day and felt like getting a puppy, so we did. Not the best planning) I think we both failed that accounting test!

I feel like I am a mother when talk about the first couple of months we had Laney--like a mother who couldn't handle it. I remember sobbing because she wouldn't listen, potty on the pee pad, or when she got sick. I hope this is no indication of what I'll be like as a mother to a human eventually. 

I don't have kids, but I can imagine it's something similar to having a puppychild.

Here are a few ways to know that your dog is really your child:

1. You've wiped your dog's butt. Let's face it. Being a dog mom is not glamourous. Sometimes they eat stuff they aren't supposed to (mainly hairballs) and it gets stuck. Chaos ensues and usually it's in front of people. Never ideal timing with the puppychild.

2. Cleaned up throw up--in record timing so they don't eat it. I know. Gross.

3. You have to socialize them and teach them to share. Still working on this.

4. When your dog doesn't like someone, you probably shouldn't like them. Trust your dog.

5. You are the only one who can punish, yell at, or spank your dog. How dare anyone else speak meanly of (or to) your puppychild. #rude #bye

6.  You have to train them to NOT sleep in the bed with you. When they are little it's usually fine, but as they get older, it's a no. They must sleep in their own bed. In fact, Laney is curled up in bed with me as I write this. Mommy fail.

7. You have pictures of them everywhere. Your phone, your walls, anywhere you can keep pictures.  You take pictures of them sleeping, eating, playing, really anything and everything--it can be ridiculous.

8. You dress them up. Ok, I'm not one of those dog owners with the prissy dogs that needs bows in their hair and sweaters at all times. But occasionally, I like to put a shirt on Laney or socks. She obviously loves it.

9. You buy them expensive toys, when they'd much rather just play with the packaging. Laney loves playing with empty water bottles/water jugs. Why we spend money on toys that she destroys in .5 seconds is beyond me.

10. Their grandparents are THE WORST at spoiling them. Anything you are trying to train them to do is ruined with one trip to your parent's house. Laney's Nana is the worst. Treats on treats on treats--even  though Laney is trying to watch her figure.

How do YOU know you're a "Dog Mom"?

No More Doggies Sleeping in the Bed

Laney is like my child. She is so spoiled and we even coined names for the grandparents for her. My mom constantly tries to get her to say "NANA" and "I LOVE YOU"--she's clearly like a little human to us.
But as much as I love my little human dog, her sleeping in the bed with me has got to stop.

...and without further ado....

Reasons you shouldn't let your dog (no matter how cute) sleep in the bed with you.

 Which I imagine is the same as why you shouldn't let your child sleep with you past age like idk two? 

All of this is from personal experience--don't judge.

1. Hair everywhere. You wake up and there's hair (not your own) in your mouth. It's on the sheets, it's on the pillows, it's freaking everywhere. It's gross and hard to clean. Every time you clean, it magically reappears. Laney has black hair and I have white sheets. Not a great mix. You can imagine my frustration. 

2. They sleep like they own the place. I imagine this is what sleeping like a child is like. Laney has four legs and knows how to use them. She spreads out so she takes up a majority of the bed. Scoot her over in the middle of the night and she gravitates slowly back. It really is a lost cause. Plus when she dreams, she kicks. 

3. Just in case they throw up or pee...in bed. Yea it's not pretty. Enough said.

4. You wake up when they wake up. Laney only really wakes up in the middle of the night when she's sick (see #3). But like a worried dog mom I have to get up in a half zombie like state and make sure she's OK. I now know how my mother felt all those years ago and I don't even have a human child yet. Joy. 

5. At the end of the day, they are the dog and you're the human. Boundaries have to be set even if they are your dog child. Laney has her own bed, but I think we may be 3 years too late in training her to sleep in it.

For now, I can only imagine what a good night's sleep is (ok I'm being dramatic). But if we can somehow get her trained to sleep in her own bed (without feeling like horrible parents), I imagine I will finally be able to have a REALLY GREAT night's sleep.

Take it from me and don't let your dog sleep in the bed with you!

Because I said so!

Snow Day

Snow report! 

We've seen some sighting of snow, mostly inside. Wait what? Snow inside?

 Exhibit A:

That's Laney for ya.

That's really all the snow I've seen. What a bummer. It's mostly just ice/sleet and it's not sticking outside  (much) so far. Nothing like the snow in Pittsburgh (guess I really am a "snow snob")

I'm crossing my fingers that the temperature will drop and the ice will start sticking. Crazy right? Sorry not sorry, I like love cold weather.

In other news, this "snow day" is going great. I've done a whole lot of nothing so far and I've loved every second. 

Please actually snow (because I said so)