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Paw Print

    The Paw Pack, Kitsune

    Kitsune’s Pizza Plunder!

    October 28, 2022

    I originally posted this silly Kitsune pizza plunder story on August 17th, 2018!  Some of my readers may have noticed that, lately, my “new” posts have actually been a mixture of newly written posts, and older posts that have (in some cases) been edited and reposted.  When I updated the blog layout I ended up, temporarily, taking a lot of our older posts down.  Quite a few of them didn’t want to play nice with the new blog layout.  I’ve been, slowly, going back through old posts to update how they display and, sometimes, adding any relevant information that’s come to light since the posts were originally published.

    This post in particular is just a silly story about the exploits of my papillon, Kitsune.  I thought about deleting it since it’s not an educational-type post.  But rereading it made me laugh, so I decided to keep it.  I like being able to look back and read about crazy things my dogs did.  Hopefully, some of you find this story amusing too.

    Post Contents:

    • 1 Without Further Ado, The Story of the Time My 20 Lb. Dog, Kitsune, Ate 6 Giant Slices of Pizza!
    • 2 My dogs eat really healthy foods most of the time, so I figure a little treat every now and then is okay.
    • 3 So on one fateful day…
    • 4 Only it wasn’t just one piece of pizza that he had eaten.
    • 5 My dog stole and ate almost an entire pizza!
    • 6 Since that fateful day…

    Without Further Ado, The Story of the Time My 20 Lb. Dog, Kitsune, Ate 6 Giant Slices of Pizza!

    From 2018… My fiancé and I have both been picking up lots of extra hours at work.  My partner sometimes doesn’t get home until quite late.  It’s also continued to be very hot and humid here.  It’s been 90*f+ outside, which doesn’t bode well for our 3rd story, unairconditioned kitchen.  We try to eat healthy most of the time, but late hours combined with a super hot kitchen doesn’t at all inspire me to cook.  This summer we’ve been getting takeout more than we probably should, especially pizza!

    Hey, you can’t really blame us.  We live in an area known for having really good pizza, after all.  Us humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy it either.  Both Kitsune and Fenrir love pizza nights too.  I know, it’s really not the best food for them.  But it’s not like I’m feeding them pizza every night.

    My dogs eat really healthy foods most of the time, so I figure a little treat every now and then is okay.

    I usually give them a small piece each.  Mostly crust, with just enough cheese to get them really excited.  Last month, though, Kitsune decided to help himself to a little bit more.

    My beloved Kit will be 10 years old this December.  Most people, our vet included, consider dogs his age to be seniors.  Don’t try telling Kit that, though.  At almost 10 he’s still more active than your average dog.  He’s able to tire out his 3 year old brother, Fenrir, and pretty much all of his dog friends.  He still (literally) jumps for joy at dinner time, brings my partner a toy to play with every evening, and loves to go hiking.

    For the most part, though, as Kit’s aged he’s turned into quite the gentleman when it comes to respecting house rules.  He knows that a few things around the house, such as my house plants, are off limits.  Unlike Fen, he understands that dogs don’t belong on the kitchen chairs or table, no matter what tasty goodies might be left there.

    So on one fateful day…

    I had to take Fenrir out for a solo training walk.  I didn’t think too much about leaving a box of leftover pizza on the kitchen table.  After all Fen, my little trouble maker, was coming outside with me.  I had nothing to worry about right?

    There are some things, apparently, that are just too tempting.  Even for a sweet little gentleman such as my Kitsune.

    I got home with Fen and pretty much instantly knew something was up.  Whenever I take Fen out without Kit, Kit is always at the door to greet us when we get back home.  But on this day, Kit was nowhere in sight.  I got worried for a second, until, that is, I heard sloppy eating sounds coming from the kitchen.  Oh no!  I went into the kitchen to find Kitsune, happy as can be, polishing off a piece of pizza.

    Kitsune pizza

    Only it wasn’t just one piece of pizza that he had eaten.

    The pizza box that had been on the table before I left, was now open on the floor next to a very content papillon.

    It was six.  My 20 lb dog, somehow, ate 6 large slices of pizza!

    I can’t even eat 6 slices of pizza in one sitting.  Where did he put it all!?  I thought for sure I’d be dealing with a very sick, or in the very least a very very full dog that day.  But silly Kitsune not only didn’t act sick at all, he got quite salty with me when I didn’t feed him breakfast that morning.

    Kitsune pizza

    My fiancé and I always joke that Kitsune has a bottomless belly.  After what has become known in our house as the “pizza incident”, I’m quite convinced that this is actually true.

    (FYI the pictures in this post are recreations of the “pizza incident”.  When it actually happened I didn’t think to take pictures.  The boxes in the pictures are empty, much to Kit’s chagrin.)

    My dog stole and ate almost an entire pizza!

    Here I am, fancying myself a bit of a role model when it comes to responsible pet ownership.  However, a little bit of time has past now since the ‘pizza incident’, and it has quickly become a running joke in our house.  I know it wasn’t a good thing to let happen, but it’s very easy to laugh about it now, since Kit, luckily, didn’t suffer any ill effects.

    Kitsune pizzaI’ll for sure be more careful about leaving Kit alone with food out, no mater how well behaved he tries to convince me he is.  It’s almost as if Kit was planning this caper, behaving himself and biding his time for years, until the food we left out was just too good to pass up!  Although, again, I’m not proud of what happened, it’s for sure going to be one of those funny memories of Kitsune that, I’m sure, will make me laugh for years to come.

    And I’ll never understand how such a small little pup fit 6 large pieces of pizza into his skinny little belly!


    Since that fateful day…

    4 plus years later, and my partner and I do still laugh about the “pizza incident” every now and then!

    Kitsune never did suffer any ill effects from eating an insane amount of pizza.  These days, though, we are a lot more careful about what the dogs eat.  No more pizzas, or any other foods for that matter, are left where the dogs can get it.  Luckily our countertops are a lot higher these days, much to Kit’s and Fen’s chagrin.

    Of course I’d never want either of my dogs to get sick!  I’d never recommend allowing your dog to eat almost a whole pizza.  But it’s funny how stories like these really stand the test of time.  Comment below!  Do you have any funny stories of a time when one of your pets did something really mischievous?  Maybe something that made you worried when it happened, but that you laugh about now?

    Kitsune pizza

    Papillons, Pet Products

    Gift Ideas for Papillon Lovers

    October 27, 2022

    I’m just going to come out and say it…the holiday season is quickly approaching.  Crazy, I know.  I haven’t even fully come to terms with the fact that the summer is officially over, and here I am writing about the winter holidays.  It’s true though!  If you’re anything like me, you’ll be budgeting to afford the holidays this year.  Starting your holiday shopping early can be a good way to get a little bit ahead of the game.  Or hey, if you’re reading this at another time of the year, luckily the gift ideas on this list will work for any occasion!  So what gifts do you get for that crazy papillon lover in your life who already has it all?  This post contains gift ideas for papillon lovers!

    While not the rarest dog breed in the world, I’ve always had trouble finding nice papillon-themed items in regular stores.  Enter the awesomeness that is Etsy!  I don’t even want to admit how much time I spent looking at adorable papillon items on Etsy for this post.  These were some of my favorites.  I’m sure the papillon lover in your life will love these papillon themed gifts too!

    Post Contents:

    • 1 Papillon Jewelry
    • 2 Papillon Stickers
    • 3 Papillon Clothing
    • 4 Papillon Bags
    • 5 Papillon Art Work
    • 6 Papillon Home Goods & Random Items

    Papillon Jewelry

    Papillon-themed jewelry is an adorable way to show off your love for this amazing dog breed!  These were some of my favorite papillon-themed jewelry items that I found on Etsy…

    • This sterling silver papillon necklace with a heart will leave no doubts about how much you, or your loved one, adores this amazing dog breed.
    • How adorable is this more cartoonish papillon pendant?
    • I love how this papillon pendant portrays movement.  It’s fitting, considering how hyper and always on the go papillons are!
    • This pendant is the most expensive one on my list, but how cute is it?  You can customize what type of metal you want it made out of, with the sterling silver option being most budget friendly.

    Papillon Stickers

    I really like stickers.  Is that weird?  Maybe it is, but still!  Papillon-themed stickers could make a great, lower-cost gift for a papillon lover.

    • A decal is the same thing as a sticker, no?  I love this nature themed papillon decal.  And you can customize it’s size and color.
    • This one is a super adorable papillon sticker set.
    • This Chibi papillon sticker comes in a variety of different colors, so you can pick the one that looks most like your dog!
    • I feel like the artist who created this sticker really knows papillons.  The happy, smiling face on their papillon sticker reminds me so much of my Kitsune.

    papillon gift

    Papillon Clothing

    There are SO many cute papillon themed clothing items on Etsy!  These were some of my favorites.

    • Who doesn’t love a beanie?  I really love the cute, simple papillon design on this one.
    • I’m starting to sense a theme here…papillons and hearts.  This t-shirt is super cute.
    • And another theme I enjoy!  Papillons and nature.
    • Hoodies are the best.  And what’s better than a plain hoodie?  A papillon hoodie, of course!
    • Or why not wear your love for papillons on your feet?  Doesn’t everyone love getting silly socks as gifts?

    Papillon Bags

    I don’t typically carry a purse, but I might be convinced too if it had papillons on it!

    • This bag is cute and sophisticated at the same time.  This seller has other items with the same print as well.
    • How adorable is this little papillon bag?  It would be a perfect treat bag to take on adventures.

    Papillon Art Work

    Papillon themed art work is a great gift for the papillon lover in your life.  While some prefer to have art done from images of their own dog, these art pieces are cute and more budget friendly!

    • This is a lovely art print that comes in two different sizes.  I love how the papillons elegant ear fringe appears to be blowing in a gentle wind.
    • I like this artist’s cartoony art style.  They sell other papillon prints in a similar style, too.
    • This print is of a butterfly dog with a butterfly!  How could you go wrong?
    • I really like this art print.  It’s simple yet detailed all at the same time.
    • The colorful style on these signs are interesting and fun!
    • I had to include this art print too, because it reminds me so much of an old photo I have of my Kitsune!

    papillon gift

    Papillon Home Goods & Random Items

    This section includes home goods and papillon themed gift ideas that didn’t fit into the other sections!

    • I know most people don’t need more mugs, but this one is cute, colorful, and has a papillon on it!
    • I totally have to get a metal house sign like this someday, after we finally get our own house.
    • I don’t know why, but I’ve always wanted a dog themed welcome sign for outside our door.  It’s really hard to find papillon themed ones!  Believe me, I’ve looked.
    • Papillon shaped cookie cutters is such a cute idea!  I found this one, and this one.  How cute would it be to make homemade dog cookies with these?
    • This papillon wind spinner is super cute and would be great for a papillon lover who loves to garden too.
    • Or how about something for the papillon lover who likes to read?  These eco friendly bookmarks are adorable and super budget friendly!
    • This 4X6 papillon themed photo frame would be a great gift for owners who like to display photos of their dogs.
    • If the papillon lover in your life wears glasses, this papillon glasses stand is so cute!
    • Last, but not least, this crochet papillon is so adorable and not too expensive!  It’s really hard to find papillon plushies.  The same seller also offers custom crochet dogs too!

    What did I miss?  Have you found any cool, unique papillon themed items for sale?  Share them below!  If anyone purchases any of the items I shared you’ll have to let me know how the recipient (or you!) liked them.  I have to admit, I’ve been trying to save money and not spend much on myself lately.  But after the winter holidays I might just have to scoop up a few of these papillon themed items for myself!

    papillon gift

    All About Dogs

    Why I Don’t Use My Phone While I Walk My Dogs

    October 25, 2022

    Thanks to my two dogs, Kitsune the papillon and Fenrir the Alaskan Klee Kai, I spend quite a bit of time walking!  We walk at least 5 times a day!  Twice a day each with Kit and Fen independently, and once a day with both of them together.  With all that time spent walking, you’d think I’d be able to multitask.  Maybe get some necessary phone calls out of the way?  Alas, that isn’t the case.  Quite a while ago now I decided to make it a rule not to use my phone while I’m walking my dogs unless I need it in an emergency.

    phone walking dogsThis post originally appeared on this site on August 8th, 2016.  It has been updated and reposted to better fit our newer post layout!

    I normally have my cell phone on me while I walk my dogs, but I make a point not to use it.  The only exception I allow myself, other than in the case of an emergency, is using the camera on my phone.  Hey, nobody is perfect.  My dogs are really cute, sometimes I just can’t resist taking photos of them!

    I don’t have anything against people who use their phones while walking their dogs, but there are a few reasons why it doesn’t work for me.

    Post Contents:

    • 1 The world is full of distractions!
    • 2 Speaking of vigilance…
    • 3 I train my dogs while we walk.
    • 4 I just want to spend quality time with my dogs.
    • 5 Those are my main reasons for forcing myself to put my phone away when I’m walking with my dogs.
    The world is full of distractions!
    • We used to live in the city.  No matter what time we walked, the city is full of distractions.  We’ve since moved into a much more rural area, but that doesn’t mean I get to let my guard down.  Remaining vigilant is still important, I’m just looking out for different things now.  Instead of watching for traffic or lose pets, now I’m keeping my eyes out for skunks and bears!
    Speaking of vigilance…
    • Kit is notorious for trying to eat things he finds on the ground.  Both my dogs know the ‘drop it’ command, but Kit is a bit (okay, very) obsessed with food.  His definition of what, exactly, counts as food can be a bit lax.  I was super thankful that I was paying close attention to him the other week when he tried to eat a mushroom he came across in our yard!
    I train my dogs while we walk.
    • Walking is fun, but our multiple daily walks are an excellent opportunity to brush up on training too.  Training means treats and, in Fen’s case, toys.  I’m apparently not an amazing multitasker.  Holding the leash in one hand frees up my other to grab a treat/toy out of my treat bag as needed, but I think I’d need to grow an extra hand to be on my phone at the same time.
    I just want to spend quality time with my dogs.
    • I love my dogs.  Admittedly I’m actually pretty obsessed with them (can anyone tell?).  With Kitsune turning 14 soon, plus dealing with his recent health issues, I’ve been more aware than ever that my dogs won’t be around forever.  In 10 years time I’m pretty sure I’ll still be able to mess around on a phone.  But I, sadly, most likely won’t be able to spend quality time with Kit.  Our daily walks are something my dogs really enjoy.  Rather than being distracted by my phone, I like to share in that enjoyment.  I’ve found that when I put my phone away, walks become more relaxing for me.  They are an opportunity to get away from the screens and to just enjoy spending time with my dogs.

    phone walking dogs

    Those are my main reasons for forcing myself to put my phone away when I’m walking with my dogs.

    Again, I have nothing against anyone who feels differently.  I’m personally not great at focusing on multiple things at once, the area where we walk a lot of the time requires me to remain vigilant in order to keep my dogs safe and work on their training, and I get a lot of enjoyment out of spending distraction free time with my pups.  Other people might live in an area with less distractions, be better at multitasking, or enjoy that extra bit of entertainment to encourage them to walk more.

    At the end of the day the most important thing is that dogs are getting walked!  Walking your dogs, even if you have a yard for them to play in, can be beneficial in so many ways.  Not the least of which being that, for many dogs, walking with the people they love is the highlight of their day.

    Comment below!  Do you like to use your phone while you walk your dog(s) or do you try to keep it in your pocket like I do?

    phone walking dogs

    Pet Tips

    Our Training Mantra

    October 23, 2022

    Training your dog is a lifelong endeavor.  My two dogs, Kitsune the papillon and Fenrir the Alaskan Klee Kai, are 13 and 7 respectively.  Not spring chickens anymore, as much as I hate to admit it.  Despite that, I try to work on training with them at least a few times a week.  It can sometimes be hard to find the time, admittedly.  Life gets hectic sometimes.  But we make it a bit easier on ourselves because my dog training mantra, the one thing I always try to keep in mind while working with my dogs, is…

    Post Contents:

    • 1 To Always Have Fun!
    • 2 A facet of animal behavior that’s always especially fascinated me is how animals learn through play.
    • 3 All they know is that they are having fun!
    • 4 So my training mantra is to always have fun!

    To Always Have Fun!

    dog training mantra

    Anyone who’s ever dealt with a fearful dog, or a dog with any type of behavioral issues, will probably agree that training can, at times, get stressful.  It’s one thing when you’re faced with training your dog how to sit or give you his paw.  It’s quite another when you’re trying to teach them that the neighbors aren’t scary monsters who want to murder them and their whole family.

    And to be fair, even training simple things can get frustrating sometimes.

    But stress and frustration isn’t something I want to bring to the table when it comes to my dogs.  I didn’t get dogs because I wanted another source of frustration in my life.  And my dogs don’t benefit from stress any more than a human would.

    A facet of animal behavior that’s always especially fascinated me is how animals learn through play.

    Anyone who’s watched a nature documentary or two has probably heard of this before.  Young wolves, for example, wrestle and play with their siblings.  This helps them to develop the muscles and skills that they’ll someday use to hunt.  In the same way that a human child isn’t aware that his scribbling is helping him to develop important skills like eye hand coordination, a wolf cub doesn’t know that his playful bout with his siblings is helping him to develop skills that could someday be the difference between life or death.

    All they know is that they are having fun!

    When I walk my dog Fen, I don’t leave the house without a toy in my pocket.  Fen has never been an especially food motivated dog.  But he loves playing and he loves toys.  It’s hard to stay terrified of the neighbors when every time you see them “mom” pulls your favorite toy out of her pocket!

    Fun can be a great motivator for dogs.  Having fun with your pets is an amazing way to build a relationship based on positivity.  At the end of the day, I don’t want my dogs to behave themselves because they fear me.  I want them to behave themselves because behaving themselves and doing what I ask of them is awesome and fun!  I want them to trust me.  I want them to see the world as a happy, fun place, not one they have to be stressed about or fear.

    So my training mantra is to always have fun!

    Failure is ok.  We don’t have to always be perfect.  We don’t have to live life or train on an arbitrary timeline.  If a training session is feeling overly frustrating or stressful for either me or my dogs, then that’s my cue to reevaluate what I’m doing.  Maybe I need to change things up a bit, find a new way to teach that same skill.  Or maybe we just need to take a break for the day, relax, and revisit whatever it was we were working on with fresh minds the next day.  At the end of a training session, success to me isn’t how many times my dogs did what I asked of them perfectly.  A successful training session is one where we tried our best, enjoyed each others company, remained as stress and frustration free as possible, and just had fun!

    Comment below!  I’d love to hear what your dog training mantra(s) are, if you have any!

    dog training mantra

    DIY

    Triple Threat Halloween Dog Treat Recipe

    October 22, 2022

    Halloween is right around the corner!  The Paw Pack doesn’t historically do too much to celebrate Halloween.  It’s a fun holiday, but we live in a very rural area and don’t get any trick-or-treaters to our house.  This year we put up a few Halloween decorations and have been watching some scary movies, but that’ll probably be the extent of our celebrations.  I doubt I’ll bother dressing the dogs up this year.  But, in the spirit of not being a complete Halloween humbug, I do normally spend some time making my two dogs Halloween themed dog treats!

    This isn’t my first Halloween-inspired dog treat recipe, you can find another one here: Homemade Halloween Treats for Your Dog.

    Post Contents:

    • 1 But why have one Halloween themed dog treat recipe when you could have two!?
    • 2 Anyways, without further ado, I introduce to you, dear dog owners, the Halloween Triple Threat – Banana, honey, and peanut butter dog treats…
    • 3 Ingredients:
    • 4 Instructions:
    • 5 Oh and, you know, maybe make sure you lay them out to cool somewhere your dog can’t reach.  Learn from my mistakes!

    But why have one Halloween themed dog treat recipe when you could have two!?

    This recipe was inspired by candy corn, that Halloween treats that everyone loves to hate.  However, the treats I made didn’t end up looking as much like candy corn as I had initially planned.  Oh, and my dogs really like the treats, unlike most people and candy corn!

    Halloween Dog TreatsPerhaps they like them a little too much.  After baking them I put the treats out to cool on a paper towel on our kitchen counter.  I left the kitchen to get a bit of work done before taking pictures for this post, then I heard a weird sound coming from the kitchen.  I went in to check what was going on to discover that Fen, much to Kit’s delight, had pulled the paper towel, and all the treats with it, off the counter and onto the floor.  Sigh.  I should know better by now than to leave food out on the counter unsupervised.  Fen may be tiny, but his food theft game is on point.

    This recipe was originally created/posted in October of 2017.  

    Anyways, without further ado, I introduce to you, dear dog owners, the Halloween Triple Threat – Banana, honey, and peanut butter dog treats…

    Halloween Dog Treats

    Ingredients:
    • 2 1/2 cups flour (plus extra)
    • 1 cup water
    • Half of a banana (yes, bananas are dog safe!)
    • 2 teaspoons of honey (honey is dog safe too)
    • 2 heaping teaspoons of dog safe peanut butter (and so is peanut butter!)
    • Food coloring (optional)
    Instructions:
    1. This is easy!  Just mix your 2 1/2 cups flour and 1cup of warm water together in a large bowl.  The resulting blob should be a bit dry and flaky.  That’s ok, we’ll fix that soon!
    2. Separate your blob into three equal, smaller blobs.
    3. Take your first blob and add 1/2 of a peeled banana, plus food coloring if desired.  Mix, mix, mix!  Here is where you might require extra flour.  Add as necessary.  You want your blob to be dry enough that you can roll it out on your table without it sticking.
    4. Set aside your banana blob and take a second, unflavored blob.  To this one add 2 teaspoons (more or less as desired) of honey and a different color food coloring (if desired) and mix it all together.  Again, you may need to add a bit of additional flour here to get your blob to the right consistency.
    5. Last blob!  To this one add 2 heaping teaspoons (more or less as desired) of dog safe peanut butter.  Again with the extra flour, you know the drill by now.
    6. This part is fun.  On a clean table roll out each of your three different flavored blobs.  Try to roll them out to roughly the same size – the longer/thinner your blob rolls the smaller your final treats will be.
    7. Once you have all three blobs rolled out (I guess they aren’t really blobs anymore?)  You’re going to line them up then twist them together.  Get creative if you want.
    8. Use a knife (carefully) to cut your dough snake into small, bite sized treats.  Place your treats onto a lightly floured baking sheet.
    9. Bake your treats at 350*F for 20 minutes.  Keep an eye on them, you may need to bake them for more or less time depending on how small you made your treats or how crunchy/soft you want to make them.
    10. This is the best step!  Let your treats cool then it’s taste test time!  Uh…I advise you leave this step to the dogs, although I guess you could taste them too if you’d like.
    Oh and, you know, maybe make sure you lay them out to cool somewhere your dog can’t reach.  Learn from my mistakes!

    Halloween Dogs

    Both my puppers really like these treats.  If you make these, I’d love to hear about how they came out and what your dog(s) think!  Comment below!  Kit, Fen, and I hope that everyone has a safe, fun, and tasty Halloween!

    Halloween Dog Treats

    Pet Tips, Dog Health

    Exercising Your Dog Indoors

    October 21, 2022

    The weather where we live is steadily getting colder.  I still have no idea where the summer went.  But we’ve been waking up to frosts for the last couple of mornings.  Before we know it I’m sure we’ll be dealing with snow.  It’s also starting to get darker earlier, which makes it harder for me to take my dogs out for walks/exercise after I finish working in the evenings.  Plenty of exercise is key to keeping most dogs happy, healthy, and out of trouble! Keeping your dog’s mind and body active has countless benefits. But we can’t control the weather.  It can sometimes be difficult to follow a regular exercise routine when the weather prohibits us from spending time outdoors with our pets.  Especially on cold, snowy, dark winter evenings, I find myself thankful that it’s relatively easy to exercise my small dogs indoors.

    exercise dogs indoorsWhether it be excessive heat, cold, snow, or rain, there are times when it’s not really very practical, or comfortable, to exercise our dogs outdoors. But just because Fido has to go a day without his regular nice long walk, doesn’t mean you should forgo exercise completely!  A well-exercised dog is easier to train, calmer around the house, and less likely to get bored and go looking for ways to get into trouble.  Both my dogs, despite being years past their puppy days, are troublemakers.  Keeping them both mentally and physically stimulated goes a long way toward keeping the peace around our house.

    Here are some recommendations for ways to keep your pup’s mind and body active indoors, for those times when mother nature keeps you from enjoying the great outdoors.

    • Play ball! If you have an area in your home where it’s safe to do so, you can toss a ball for your dog indoors. Rolling a ball down a long hallway for a while can be a good alternative when you can’t play ball outside. If you don’t want to use a regular ball, you can try playing fetch with a soft plush toy instead.
    • Create a treat scavenger hunt for your best friend. When your dog isn’t looking, hide some small pieces of his or her favorite treats around the house. Your dog will have a great time trying to find all of your hiding spots. This is great mental stimulation as well.
    • Work on creating some indoor games you can play with your dog. Some dogs like playing hide and seek, or teach your dog to search for an object after you hide it.
    • Use toys. Some dogs love playing with toys. Toys with squeakers or puzzle-type toys can keep some dogs entertained for hours! Experiment a bit to find out what types of toys your dog enjoys.  My Alaskan klee kai, Fenrir, loves plush toys and balls.  My papillon, Kitsune, prefers puzzle toys and things like snuffle mats.  He lives for food, so any toys that also involve treats really piques his interest.
    • Invite over a friend! If you have any friends who also have dogs that yours get along with, invite them over for an indoor play date.  If your friends don’t have dogs, visits from human friends can be fun for dogs too.
    • See if your town has a local agility, training center, or doggy daycare where your dog can play safely indoors. Also, some pet stores allow you to bring well-behaved dogs inside. Exploring the store would be a fun change of pace for most dogs.
    • Work on training! Training is great for mental stimulation, but some tricks can also help to strengthen and develop your dog’s muscles. Plus, you’ll have the added benefit of having a well-trained dog!

    What other ideas can you think of?  Do you have any additional tips for ways owners can exercise their dogs indoors?  Keeping your dog mentally and physically stimulated indoors can take some creativity.  But it’s a great way to have fun and bond with your best friend!

    exercise dogs indoors

    The Paw Pack, Kitsune

    Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery Diary – Week 4

    October 19, 2022

    Last week was…a week.  This month I’ve been trying to get new posts up every other day, but I, unfortunately, had to take a break last week.  Besides dealing with Kitsune‘s continued recovery from IVDD, my other dog, Fenrir, got sick last week too!  I’ll probably post more about this another time, but Fen developed pancreatitis that started on Sunday, October 9th.  I won’t go into too much detail now, since this post isn’t really about Fen, but suffice it to say that we spent a lot of time at the vet last week, and a lot of time worrying about Fenrir.  When it rains, or so they say.  Fenrir is doing much better now, though!

    Then, besides all that, I had to deal with a lot of work-related stress last week as well.  Stress was just the theme of the week I suppose, which meant I really wasn’t feeling up to writing.

    Saturday, October 8th – Friday, October 14th

    IVDD recoveryBut, thankfully (touches wood), Kit has been feeling up to healing!  He’s been doing really well.  If you didn’t know any better, you’d have no idea what rough shape he was in when our adventures in IVDD started just a short month ago.  I’m including some pictures of him out in the yard, during a bathroom break, in this post.  I figured people might be a bit bored of seeing pictures of him lying in a dog bed week after week.

    We’ve been keeping our outdoor forays to quick bathroom breaks only, which Kit hasn’t been too happy about.  He really wants to play and explore in the yard.  I feel horrible making him come back inside when he doesn’t want to.  But making sure that his disc fully heals really is the most important thing right now.

    We’re still in the process of weaning Kit off of Prednisone.  He’s down to taking half a pill every other day now.  We’re supposed to keep him on that schedule for two full weeks before we can, finally, stop the Prednisone completely.  It’s going to be a relief to finally have Kit off all his prescription IVDD meds.  Between him and now Fen my kitchen counter is starting to look like a dog pharmacy!

    I feel like these updates are going to be really boring from here on out, if they weren’t already boring.  Despite still needing more time to fully heal, Kit is pretty much back to his normal self.  It’s been so hard to stop him from running around or trying to jump onto furniture.  Last weekend, I finally felt brave enough to tackle clipping his nails and do a sanitary trim.  So Kit got a very much-needed mani-pedi.  I don’t think I’m going to feel comfortable cutting his fur again before the really cold weather gets here.  For the past few years I’ve been letting Kit’s fur grow out in the winter, but I usually give him one last trim around October – November.  It will be interesting to see how much fluffier he gets with the extra grow out time this year.

    Follow Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery, Week By Week…

    • Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery – Week 1
    • Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery – Week 2
    • Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery – Week 3

    I guess that’s it for this update.  It’s honestly a good thing that I don’t have more to report, because Kit is doing really well!  I’ll continue to update, though.  I know some people have been finding my blog through our IVDD updates lately, so I figured I might as well follow through and keep updating throughout the recovery period.

    Thanks for reading!  I hope everyone is doing well and having an awesome week.  Thanks to everyone who’s sent well wishes for Kit – They seem to be working!

    IVDD recovery

    Pet Tips, Dog Health, Pet Products

    Tips for Selecting Dog Treats

    October 17, 2022

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    It’s spooky time!  With Halloween at the end of the month, and then the approaching winter holidays, many pet owners will be stocking up on treats for their pets.  Treats can make great holiday gifts for almost any type of pet, and can be a great way to reward your best friend without spending too much money.  I know my dogs will be getting some treats for the holidays.  They certainly don’t need any more toys (but, let’s be honest, will get some anyways)!  But not all treats are created equal.  Selecting the right treats for your dog is important. Pick out treats that your pets enjoy, but also ones that are healthy and safe.

    Post Contents:

    • 1 Not all pet treats on the market today are good for our pets.
    • 2 Things to Avoid When Selecting Commercial Dog Treats
    • 3 If your pet has any allergies, make sure to learn what they are allergic too and pick out treats that don’t contain those ingredients.
    • 4 Look for foods that contain healthy, digestible ingredients.
    • 5 Pay Attention to Calories.
    • 6 Homemade Treats are a Great Option.

    Not all pet treats on the market today are good for our pets.

    • Check out this article to learn why I don’t recommend pet treats from China.

    Selecting Dog TreatsUnfortunately, a lot of the companies manufacturing products for animals are mostly concerned with making a profit. Some pet products are not just unhealthy but can be dangerous. Some treats have ingredients that aren’t appropriate for the type of animal they are marketed for.  Don’t fall into the trap of picking out treats based on their looks.  You really have to take a close look at that ingredient list!

    Things to Avoid When Selecting Commercial Dog Treats

    When you’re searching for the perfect treat for your furry friend, reading the ingredient list is important.  Ingredients I usually try to avoid include…

    • Artificial Colors:  These will often be listed on the ingredient list as things like red 40, yellow 10, etc.  These are unnecessary additives since our dogs really don’t care what color their treats are.
    • Artificial Flavors:  It’s best to select treats that are flavored naturally, with healthy ingredients such as meats, fruits, and vegetables.
    • Excessive Fillers: Fillers are added to dog treats and food to add bulk, and usually don’t provide much, if any nutritionally value.  Look out for excessive amounts of ingredients such as corn, rice bran, wheat, soy, etc.
    • Artificial Preservatives: Avoid preservatives such as potassium sorbate, sodium nitrate, calcium propionate, BHA/BHT, TBQH, and ethoxyquin.  Natural options for preservatives include rosemary oil, vitamin E, and vitamin C.  Treats that don’t include preservatives at all, and are instead dried, are good too!

    If your pet has any allergies, make sure to learn what they are allergic too and pick out treats that don’t contain those ingredients.

    Food allergies can be tough.  Make sure to check the ingredients list when selecting treats for your dog, especially if they have any food allergies.  Really pay attention to those labels!  Sometimes, allergens are not listed near the top of the ingredient list.  They may be one of a long list of ingredients, making them easy to miss.

    Look for foods that contain healthy, digestible ingredients.

    Less can be more! The healthiest treats will be the ones that aren’t loaded with chemical preservatives and artificial flavors. Look for foods with natural ingredients. Simple, natural treats taste just as good, if not better, to your pet and are healthier for them too!

    Pay Attention to Calories.

    Whether training or just treating, if you are feeding your pet a lot of treat foods during the day, make sure to account for that when you feed them their normal meals. Cutting back on their regular meals can help compensate for the amount of calories your pet gets from treats. This way you can treat your pet without having to worry about them gaining weight.

    Homemade Treats are a Great Option.

    If you have the time and the inclination, making your dog homemade treats is an awesome way to feel good about treating your pet!  With homemade treats, you’ll always know exactly what your dog is eating.

    What do you think?  What are some things you look for when selecting commercial treats for your dogs?  Is there a type of treat that your furry friend particularly likes?

    Selecting Dog Treats

    The Paw Pack, Kitsune

    Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery Diary – Week 3

    October 9, 2022

    At the risk of being repetitive to some, on September 17th my beloved senior papillon, Kitsune, was diagnosed with cervical IVDD.  Thankfully, because his case was considered mild, we’ve been able to pursue conservative treatment.  That has basically involved a number of medications, as well as strict rest.  We currently just completed week 3 of Kitsune’s required (at least) 8 weeks of rest/limited activity.  I’ve been keeping a diary of sorts to outline Kit’s IVDD recovery week to week.  If you want to go back and read more about what we experienced during the first two weeks, you can do so here…

    • Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery Dairy – Week 1
    • Kitsune’s IVDD Recovery Diary – Week 2

    The first week especially, I posted day-to-day updates.  Now that we’re further along, barring anything unusual (which, knock on wood, won’t happen), I’m planning on making these weekly updates a bit briefer.  We’re not so much seeing changes on a daily bases anymore.  The name of the game now is basically just trying to keep Kit calm so that his disc can have the time that it needs to fully heal.

    Saturday, October 1st – Friday, October 7th

    IVDD RecoveryKit is really feeling A LOT better!  Keeping him calm and making him relax has gotten harder and harder as the weeks go by.  We’ve kind of settled into a schedule that has Kit crated about half of the time, and out relaxing (no running, jumping, and no stairs) for the rest of the day.  Thankfully our vet gave us the ok to ease up on the crate rest, as long as Kit’s not going crazy and is still relaxing outside of his crate.

    I think the biggest change this week is that we’ve started to wean Kit off his medications.  Last weekend, on October 1st and 2nd, we weaned him down from taking Gabapentin every 8 hours to every 12 hours.  When that went well, we tried stopping Gabapentin completely on Monday the 3rd.  Gabapentin is for pain.  We had every intention of putting him back on it if he showed any signs of pain.  Thankfully he didn’t!  On Wednesday, the 5th we also started the process of tapering him off of his Prednisone.  Now instead of getting it twice a day, he only gets it once a day.  After a week, we’ll switch to every other day before stopping steroids completely.

    I was glad, if not a bit nervous, to start getting Kit off his medications.  I was so nervous that once he was off meds he’d start showing signs of pain again.  Thankfully, so far, that hasn’t been the case.  The meds Kit’s been on are pretty strong, and they can come with a host of side effects that I have been keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll continue to avoid.  Steroids and prescription pain meds can be hard on dog’s organs.  I’m glad it seems like we’ll be able to completely have Kit off his IVDD meds soon.

    That’s All She Wrote!

    I guess I don’t really have anything else to write for this week’s update.  All in all, Kit is doing really well.  He’s quite eager to get back to normal, and doesn’t seem to quite understand why he can’t jump up onto the furniture or run around after his brother.  I’m SO glad that he’s doing so well.  Unfortunately, although I’m sure as far as Kit’s concerned he thinks he’s better, it does take quite awhile for disc injuries to fully heal.  Because dealing with another IVDD flare anytime soon is the last thing I want to do, the resting continues!

    I’ll continue to update.  These updates are probably quite boring for most people, but hopefully if you stumble upon them because you’re dealing with IVDD too you’ll find them helpful.  IVDD is a really tough disease to deal with, but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence!  The road to IVDD recovery is long, and stressful, but hopefully Kitsune and I can help show other IVDD dog owners that there is hope!

    IVDD recovery

    Dog Health, Pet Tips

    Beware of Pet Treats from China

    October 7, 2022

    This post was originally released on July 30th, 2012.  It’s been edited/updated for re-release.  All these years later, do dog treats from China still pose a risk for our pets?

    dog treats ChinaI’m pretty picky when it comes to treating my dogs.  For many years now I’ve been hearing about the potential dangers of pet products imported from China.  According to the FDA, between December of 2015 and August of 2018 there have been over 5,000 claims of “illnesses associated with consumption of chicken, duck, or sweet potato jerky treats, many of which involve products imported from China, which produces much of the jerky pet treats on the market. The reports involve more than 6,200 dogs, 26 cats, three people, and include more than 1,140 canine deaths.”

    Post Contents:

    • 1 A majority of the reports of illness involved chicken-based treats that were sourced from China.
    • 2 Back in 2013, some jerky-type dog treats were removed from the US market.  They were found to contain low levels of antibiotics.
    • 3 Symptoms to Watch Out For
    • 4 Prevention is the Best Cure

    A majority of the reports of illness involved chicken-based treats that were sourced from China.

    Symptoms after eating such treats have ranged from GI upset to kidney disease.  Dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds seem to be impacted similarly.  Testing to determine why, exactly, treats are causing illness have thus far been mostly inconclusive.  A single root cause for all the reported associated illnesses has not been determined.

    Back in 2013, some jerky-type dog treats were removed from the US market.  They were found to contain low levels of antibiotics.

    The FDA noted that there was a decrease in the number of illness reports associated with Chinese dog treats after those products were pulled.  While this may sound like a step in the right direction, I think it’s important to remember that Chinese manufacturers of pet products are just not held to the same standards as manufacturers in other countries.  For pet owners in the US, I recommend looking for treats that are sourced and manufactured within the US or Canada.  You can also make your dog homemade treats!

    Symptoms to Watch Out For

    If you do decide to feed commercial jerky treats, especially those imported from China, signs of illness to watch out for include decreased activity, decreased appetite, GI issues including vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, and/or urination.  Rarer symptoms thought to be associated with Chinese dog treats include tremors/convulsions, hives, and skin irritation.  If you feel your pet has been impacted by jerky pet treats, you can visit this page on the FDA website to learn how to report your case.

    Prevention is the Best Cure

    dog treats China

    My dogs love these Newman’s Own treats! They are made in Canada and available in our local grocery store.

    More and more brands of high-quality, safely made, treats are becoming available.  I personally feel that the safest course of action is to avoid treats and toys imported from China altogether.  Unfortunately, China doesn’t seem to have the best safety record, especially when it comes to pet supplies.  Treats and toys are supposed to be something we can feel good about giving our pets.  I can’t even imagine how upsetting it would be for one of my dogs to get sick, or even die, from something that was supposed to bring them joy.

    I’d love to hear from some of my readers.  What safe brands of treats or toys do you like to buy for your pets?  What are some steps you take to ensure products you use for your pets are as safe as possible?

    dog treats China

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Sorry for the lack of new Fen pics lately... My old phone broke and it took me awhile to replace it. 
Fen is his happy, sassy, playful self and is doing well. 💙
Fen makes me laugh so much! Today is my partner's Fen makes me laugh so much! Today is my partner's birthday. ❤️ I almost always wake up earlier than him, so this morning I was planning on getting up to decorate for his birthday. I wanted to surprise him with decorations and his presents set out when he got up.

Well...Fenrir ruined it all, because as soon as he saw the wrapped presents for my partner, he got SO excited! And if you have ever had the pleasure of meeting an Alaskan Klee Kai you will know, when they get excited, they just have to make sure everyone knows about it!

Long story slightly shorter, Fen woke my partner up early, on his birthday, all because Fen REALLY wanted to open presents that weren't even for him! I didn't get to decorate, but lesson learned - don't put gifts where Fen can see them because he will get really, really excited about it.

And just so you all don't feel too bad for him...I ended up wrapping one of Fen's Christmas presents and giving it to him to open early! 🤣
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