Blog – Paw Print

Pet Products

Ruff Land Kennels Dog Crate Review

August 4, 2022

I feel like, when it comes to certain dog products, I’m always on the lookout for the “perfect” dog item. One such dog product has been dog crates. Both of my dogs, Kitsune the papillon and Fenrir the Alaskan klee kai, are crate trained. I know not everyone supports using crates for dogs. Suffice it to say, I am pro crate as long as they are used responsibly. But that’s a post for another day.

Post Contents:

1 Our crates of the past…
2 When looking for indoor crates there were a couple of, mostly superficial, things I was searching for.
3 So what kennel try next?
4 I decided to try Ruff Land Kennels for my boys.
5 Why it took us so long to review our crates…
6 What I like about our Ruff Land Kennels…
7 What I don’t like about Ruff Land Kennels…
8 So are Ruff Land Kennels the “perfect” dog crate?

Our crates of the past…

My Kitsune is 13+ now. Over the years, we’ve tied quite a few different crates. Wire crates are probably the most popular for in home use, but we had an incident with Fen in one when he was a puppy that turned me off from wanting to continue using them. We have a soft sided crate that works pretty well. Both the dogs really seem to like it, and often nap in it (with the door left open) during the day. But it’s not the most secure. I worry that if one of the boys ever scratched at the fabric of the soft sided crate, they’d be able to tear it and escape, potentially hurting themselves in the process.

Back when we got our car, we bought the boys Gunner Kennels for traveling. Gunner Kennels are one of the very few dog carriers to actually be crash tested! With their double rotomolded walls and locking doors, these crates are super secure. They are also bulky, heavy, and, judging by the fact that Fen refuses to sleep in his in the summer, hot. I still highly recommend, and continue to use, Gunner Kennels for travel (in an air conditioned vehicle). But I decided that they probably weren’t the most ideal type of kennel for crating indoors.

When looking for indoor crates there were a couple of, mostly superficial, things I was searching for.

First and foremost, I wanted crates that were sturdy and secure. I wanted crates that came in larger sizes, because, despite having small dogs, I prefer their indoor crates to be roomy. I didn’t want to go with wire crates, but I needed something with good ventilation that wouldn’t be uncomfortable for Fen in hot weather. On the more superficial side, I would have loved to find crates that came in a verity of colors, with removable doors, that were rectangular with flat tops so that they would look nice sitting next to each other.

So what kennel try next?

I began to hear a lot of buzz about Ruff Land (formally Ruff Tuff) Kennels. There were/are a couple of things I liked about them. First, while still not cheap, they are a bit more budget friendly compared to other high end kennels. They come in a verity of sizes, from small to extra large. Their doors can be opened from either the left or the right, and can also be removed completely. I really wanted a crate with that feature, so that I can leave the doors off most of the time and allow the dogs to go in and out of their crates as they please, without having swinging doors getting in their way.

Ruff Lands are made from a single layer of plastic, which seems to make them a bit cooler than the double walled Gunners. For the most part Ruff Lands come in three basic color options, but once in awhile the company offers limited releases of specialty colors. The tops of these kennels are relatively flat, and they’re stackable which I think is a cool feature, even if I don’t plan on stacking mine. The sides are at a bit of an angle, so they’re not perfect rectangles, which I don’t love, but from what I read on their site this design gives the crates more impact absorbing flexibility, which, in theory, would help keep your dog safer in a car accident.

I decided to try Ruff Land Kennels for my boys.

I ordered Kit a large sized kennel with two doors, one on the front and one on the right side. Fen’s has doors on the front and left side. The ability to add extra doors where you want them is another cool feature. I was originally going to go with just the standard door placement, but decided to add an extra door on the side in case I ever decide I want to orient the crates another way.

It took 10 days for my crates to ship after I placed my order. That was for a standard white colored crate with an extra door. From what I’ve heard, shipping times can depend a bit on what you order, with specialty colors and additional customization taking longer. Our crate arrived in good condition, and I’m happy with the size. My dogs for sure would have fit in a smaller size, but since these will be their indoor crates rather than being used for travel, I wanted to give them more space.

Why it took us so long to review our crates…

I originally purchased our Ruff Land Kennels back in June of 2020! So why am I just getting to a review now? Firstly, it took me quite awhile to actually try out the crates because I wanted to customize them first. The spoiled Paw Pack pups can’t be spending time in such basic kennels, after all! I spray painted Kitsune’s crate red, and Fen’s blue. You can read more about the process here.

Of course, go figure, around the 4th of July this year Ruff Land Kennels released special edition “patriotic” colored crates in, you guessed in, red and blue. Almost the same exact shades of red and blue as I painted our crates! If only I had known, I would have saved myself the work and just waited to buy the special edition kennels. Oh well.

The crate pictures in this post are from before I painted them. One thing to also note is that our crates are the old edition crates. Ruff Land Kennels recently released their “Gen II” design which, although similar, apparently feature a few changes.

Soon after I painted our Ruff Lands Kennels, we ended up moving. I ended up posting about painting our crates, but never the actual review of the crates – until now!

What I like about our Ruff Land Kennels…

Competitive pricing: Ruff Land Kennels, while not cheap, are often considered to be a budget option as far as high quality dog crates go.
Door options: I love that, when ordering, you can customize where you want doors on your Ruff Land crate. The doors open in both directions, and can also be completely removed.
Light weight: Despite the fact that I ordered large crates for my small dogs, the crates are not super heavy. I can lift and move them short distances myself. When I want to move them further, I enlist my partners help, but more because the crates are large/bulky than because of their weight.
Air flow: My double coated, heat hating Fenrir seems perfectly content to sleep in his Ruff Land Kennel even on the warmest of nights. It doesn’t seem to retain too much heat and, especially if you get one with multiple doors, seems to have good air flow.

What I don’t like about Ruff Land Kennels…

The doors: I have a love hate relationship with the doors on these crates. I love the features I mentioned above, but wish they were more secure. Kitsune has escaped from his crate a few times, seemingly by popping the door off.
Failed crash testing: These crates failed crash testing. The tie down brackets and the door failed during the test. People always like to point out that you can purchase a door latch accessory, that makes the doors more secure, separately. But you have to drill into the crates to install the door latch, which voids your warranty. I also just feel like when you’re spending this much on a crate, the least the company should be able to do is ensure they are safe for travel without having to purchase and install separate accessories.
The new design: I’m not sure whether I would have bought a Ruff Lands Kennel if they had rolled out their new, Gen II design before I ordered. I like the flatter top, and the inside floor of the older design more than the new one.
Colors are limited: With how popular the specialty colors are, it’s frustrating that each color is only out for a limited time. They do often bring back colors yearly. But a dog crate isn’t something you want to wait a long time to buy if you need one. I’ve heard quite a few accounts of the specialty colors taking a really long time to ship as well, when you can actually get one in the first place.

So are Ruff Land Kennels the “perfect” dog crate?

No. Not for my pack at least.

But they are pretty close as far as house crates go! Our Ruff Lands Kennels will continue to be used as indoor crates only. I have no desire to modify the doors on ours to make them safe for travel.

I love our painted Ruff Land crates and my boys really like them too. Most of the time, since my partner and I work from home, I just remove the front doors of Kit and Fen’s crates and let them come and go as they please. Fen especially loves sleeping in his. I like that even the larger sized Ruff Lands Kennels are on the lighter side, and get good enough air flow that my dogs are comfortable using them in the heat of the summer.

However, if for some reason I ever needed, or decided, to replace or Ruff Lands crates, I think my quest for the perfect crate would continue. But, just because they aren’t my “perfect” crate doesn’t mean they won’t be yours! Everyone looks for different things when it comes to pet products. What do you think? Have you ever tried a Ruff Land Kennel for your dog? What is your current favorite brand of dog crate?

Papillons

Do Papillons Make Good Apartment Pets?

August 3, 2022

I wrote the other day about the perks of raising dogs in the city. Although we don’t live in the city anymore, for the first 11 years of my papillon’s life we lived in a third floor walk up apartment. It was my partner and my first place together. One of the reasons we picked that apartment was because it was pet friendly, and I really, really wanted a dog. I fell in love with papillons when I first discovered them, in a dog breed book, when I was around 8 years old. So, needless to say, when it came time to select the breed I wanted my first dog to be, there was no contest – a papillon!

Any breed of dog can make a good apartment pet. I’ve found it’s not so much the breed of the dog that matters. The behavior and personality of the individual dog and, more importantly, an owner’s commitment level towards ensuring that their dog is set up to succeed are much more important.

Post Contents:

1 What to look for when searching for an apartment dog
2 It all comes down to how committed you are to your apartment dog!
3 So, can papillons make good apartment dogs?
4 The biggest challenges of keeping a papillon in an apartment
5 My experience keeping a papillon in an apartment

What to look for when searching for an apartment dog

Living in the city as long as I did, I came across all kinds of dogs living successfully in apartments. Everything from tiny little chihuahuas, to one person I knew who kept two huge great Danes in an apartment! Some basic factors to consider before bringing a dog to live in your apartment with you include…

Activity level. While being high energy doesn’t preclude a dog from making a good apartment pet, caring for them properly in a small space can be more difficult.
How social a dog is. Living in an apartment usually means living in very close proximity to other people and, sometimes, other pets too. Dealing with a dog who is fearful, reactive, or just otherwise doesn’t like being around strangers can be really stressful in an apartment setting.
How loud a dog is. This is probably one of the first things people think about when trying to select an apartment pet. Neighbors and landlords don’t appreciate excessive noise. A dog who likes to bark at his own shadow, with an owner who doesn’t want to take the time to train them out of this, probably wouldn’t make the best apartment dog.
Behavioral issues. A dog with unresolved separation anxiety, for example, could be difficult to manage in an apartment.

A lot of people would add size to this list, but I’ve found that there are lots of large, lazy breeds that do really well in small spaces. Alternatively, a highly active small breed dog could feel cramped in an apartment without enough mental/physical stimulation.

It all comes down to how committed you are to your apartment dog!

A lot of these factors can be negated by a committed dog owner! Most dogs, especially puppies, aren’t born perfect apartment pets. They need caring owners to teach them how to appropriately behave.

I lived for years in a city apartment with two high energy dogs. I selected high energy breeds to fit in with my active, outdoorsy lifestyle. Although we didn’t have a yard we could use in our apartment, we spent a lot of time walking, hiking, at the beach, etc. I walked with my dogs multiple times a day, and provided them with lots of mental stimulation and activities to keep them occupied too.

Part of finding the perfect apartment pet for you, is just finding the “perfect” dog to match your lifestyle! If you’re active and like spending time outdoors like me, and enjoy playing with your dog and providing them with lots of activities, than even a high energy breed can be happy in an apartment. If, however, you work full time and like to come home and relax indoors, than a high energy breed probably isn’t for you. Think about how much time you want to invest in training your dog, too. While any dog can develop behavioral issues such as excessive barking or separation anxiety, some breeds are more prone to them.

So, can papillons make good apartment dogs?

Yes! Papillons, when trained and cared for properly, can make amazing apartment pets. Papillons are, generally, high energy, intelligent, happy go lucky little dogs. Keep in mind that they will require more mental and physical stimulation verses some other dog breeds. Papillons are social butterflies who normally thrive in busy apartment buildings. They are so smart that any behavioral issues you run into will usually be able to be resolved through training.

The biggest challenges of keeping a papillon in an apartment

Like I mentioned in my list of papillon pros and cons, this tends to be a barky breed. But that’s countered by the fact that papillons are considered to be the 8th smartest dog breed. With time and persistence, it is possible to train papillons not to bark in inappropriate situations.

However, being so smart isn’t all good when it comes to apartment life. It means that papillons are crazy good at figuring out new and exciting ways of getting themselves into trouble. They are also a high energy breed. If they aren’t provided with enough mental and physical stimulation, they will turn the art of destroying your stuff into a fun new game! You’ve been warned.

Papillons are quite social and love being with their people. This can make them great apartment pets, because they’ll generally love socializing with neighbors, but it can also make them prone to separation anxiety. Again their intelligence level and training will come in handy here.

Lastly, papillons are NOT a breed for the lazy. They are beautiful, and small, but they aren’t referred to as the “border collies of the small dog world” for nothing! These little dogs have lots of energy, and need to be provided with appropriate outlets for that energy if you want to live happily in an apartment with one.

My experience keeping a papillon in an apartment

Kitsune was an amazing apartment dog! I walked, trained, and did activities with him a lot (and still do!), so he’s not usually overly hyper when we’re inside. I’ve always kept him well groomed, so excess shedding and odor have never been an issue either. When we lived in the city, Kit loved to say hello to the other tenants in our building, and neighbors we met out in the street.

Although I said that I believe that (almost) any dog can make a good apartment dog with the right level of commitment from their owner, I love that papillons are small. It meant that we had plenty of space, even in our small city apartment, to play with Kit indoors on rainy days. Papillons can make amazing apartment pets for the right people. While they will not be the perfect breed for everyone, I couldn’t have asked for a better first dog than Kitsune!

Comment below! What do you look for in an apartment pet? Have you ever lived in an apartment with a papillon?

Pet Tips

Perks of Raising Dogs in the City

August 2, 2022

Kitsune, and to some extent Fenrir too, grew up as city dogs. Kitsune joined our pack in March of 2009. From then until late 2019, we lived in a third floor walk up apartment just outside of NYC. Fenrir joined us in September of 2015. Although he didn’t live in the city as long as Kitsune did, his formative first years of life were spent there. I didn’t like living in the city, and neither did Fenrir! I very much prefer our new, quiet country life. But I have to concede that there were some benefits to raising dogs in the city.

Friends: There’s no lack of people, or dogs, in the city. It can be awesome if you have a particularly social dog, like my Kitsune. Even if you need to be selective about what types of people/dogs your dog spends time with, there’s so many people around that you’re likely to find at least a few compatible friends. This is one thing that I, surprisingly, miss now that we moved away from the city. Kitsune, the social butterfly that he is, was so well known by everyone who lived around our old apartment. He had dog friends who he loved to visit and play with. A few people in local shops kept a stash of treats on the ready for Kit’s visits. Where we live now, we almost never run into other people or dogs during our daily walks.

Staying Active: People who live in apartments, without access to a fenced in yard, sometimes catch flak in the dog world. But when we lived in our apartment, even going out for a simple bathroom break would entail gearing up, trekking through our building, then walking around outside. On a normal day I was walking around 5 times a day, sometimes more with my dogs. Yes, having a yard is easier. It also makes it much more tempting to just let your dog go out in the yard for a bathroom break, verses actually walking them.
Fun Things to Do: In the city, there’s always something going on! Many events are dog friendly. Kitsune used to love attending local events, such as festivals. The city we lived in had a few restaurants and stores that allowed dogs inside too. It was easier to find dog themed events without having to travel very far. We used to have a park within walking distance from our house. My dogs both loved walking to the park. They liked to play in the fields, or walk on the boardwalk to the beach.
Convenience: Living in the city, I never had to worry much about where to buy Kit’s specificity food, or finding a vet that was open. Pretty much everything you could ever need is close by. There were 3 separate pet stores in my city, even more if you travel a bit outside of the city. Kit and Fen’s vet was close enough that we could walk there in about 10 minutes. Their vet was also staffed 24/7. I never had to stress about where I would take them during an off hours emergency. Now, their vet is around a 20 minute drive away. They aren’t open evenings or weekends, and the emergency vet is even further away. We don’t have a single pet store in our new town either.
Lots and lots of Training Opportunities: I often wonder what Fen would have been like if we didn’t live in the city while he was a puppy. Fenrir has always been a dog that gets stressed easily. In the city, I pretty much had no choice but to expose him to lots of other people and animals. I worked hard on training him so that the hustle and bustle of the city was something he could cope with. I think, perhaps, if I had raised Fen in a less populated area it would have been much easier for me to just ignore some of his fear issues. In some ways that may have made my life easier. But I think it’s been for the best that I was able to expose my dogs to lots of different people, animals, places, things, etc. I think they’re better dogs for it, and I a better trainer.

If you’re also a city dweller with pets, what other pros can you think of? If you live in a more rural area, what challenges and perks has living in that type of environment presented you with?

Fenrir

Fen’s Pineapple Apple Cake! Dog Cake Recipe

August 1, 2022

Post Contents:

1 Today, August 1st, 2022, is my Alaskan klee kai Fenrir‘s 7th birthday!
2 What’s better for our Fen pineapple apple Fen on his 7th birthday than a pineapple apple cake!?
3 Fen Pineapple Apple Cake – Dog Cake Recipe
4 Ingredients:
5 You will also need…
6 Instructions:
7 Let cool and enjoy!
8 Happy 7th Birthday, Fenrir!

Today, August 1st, 2022, is my Alaskan klee kai Fenrir‘s 7th birthday!

I decided to make this weekend a long one and take today off. No, I didn’t tell my boss it was so I could celebrate my dog’s birthday. But our dog birthday cake recipe wasn’t going to write itself, and I promised the birthday pup a nice hike and extra snuggle time!

Last week I was trying to come up with a new recipe to make, and share, for Fen’s birthday. I wanted to make a healthier dog birthday cake and was thinking about using applesauce in the mix. I sometimes replace oil in (human) baked good recipes with applesauce, so that’s where my original idea came from. We also happened to have a pineapple that was ready to cut sitting on our counter.

I was running a few recipe ideas by my partner. When he mentioned adding pineapple to my apple cake we both started laughing. Do you guys remember that silly “Pen Pineapple Apple Pen” song that went viral a couple of years ago now? Well “pen” sounds so similar to “Fen”, that Fenrir got stuck with the wacky nickname “Fen pineapple apple Fen!”.

What’s better for our Fen pineapple apple Fen on his 7th birthday than a pineapple apple cake!?

I’ve written about apples being dog friendly before. I haven’t written a post about pineapples (yet), but it is also dog safe. Pineapples are a whopping 82% water, so they can help keep your pup hydrated. They also contains antioxidants, vitamins C and B6, and minerals that can help maintain a healthy skin and coat, among other things. Fresh pineapple is high in natural sugars, so it should really be offered to dogs in moderation. But in our case, when it’s being used in a doggy cake, we’re going to use those natural sugars to our advantage!

I also added a little bit of cinnamon to help flavor Fen’s cake. Cinnamon is nontoxic to dogs, and is thought to also have some health benefits. Cinnamon is an anti-inflammatory, is antioxidant-rich, and can help regulate blood sugar and blood pressure.

But everyone knows that birthdays aren’t really about being healthy! Bring on the cake!

Fen Pineapple Apple Cake – Dog Cake Recipe

I used this recipe to make 12 pineapple apple dog cupcakes.

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour
2 eggs
1 cup of applesauce (dog safe! I used homemade. Check the ingredients list if you’re using store bought applesauce.)
1/2 cup pureed pineapple
(Optional) A small amount of cinnamon and
(Optional) Larger slices of pineapple to decorate the top of the cupcakes

You will also need…

A blender
A mixing bowl
A mixing spoon, or a whisk
A cupcake pan
Cupcake pan liners

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350*F.
I started by using my blender to make 1 cup of applesauce, and a half a cup of pineapple puree. For the ‘applesauce’ I just blended two apples with water until I had an applesauce consistency. I did the same with the pineapple. If your purees are a little bit chunky that should be ok. If you’re using store bought applesauce, make sure to double check the ingredient list to make sure it doesn’t contain any unwanted ingredients. The more natural/simple the applesauce, the better.
Mix your applesauce and pineapple purees together with 2 cups of flour, and 2 eggs. The resulting dough will be on the thicker side, so it may take a bit of extra elbow grease to thoroughly mix. If you’re really having a hard time mixing, you can add a bit of water. I didn’t have to do this, but my applesauce was on the watery side.
Put your paper cupcake liners into your cupcake pan, and fill each liner up to around 3/4 of the way full. When I made this recipe, it was enough dough to make 12 capcakes.
(Optional) Since this is an unfrosted cake, you can get creative and decorate the tops a bit. I decorated each of my cupcakes with pieces of pineapple and a small sprinkle of cinnamon.
Bake your dog cupcakes in a 350*F oven for 30 minutes. These are a pretty soft treat. When they’re done baking, the tops of the cupcakes should feel spongy and dry. The inside will be more moist, thanks to the fruit.
Let your cupcakes cool before offering one to your pup! Because these treats do not contain any preservatives, store any extras in the refrigerator.

Let cool and enjoy!

My birthday pup Mr.Fenrir can be a really picky eater. He’s an Alaskan klee kai, after all, a breed that’s pretty notorious for being food snobs. I have to admit, I was worried I’d do all this work to come up with a dog birthday cake recipe just for Fen and he’d turn his nose up to it. I was a bit hopeful, though, because Fenrir does like apples.

Thankfully, to my pleasant surprise, Fenrir seems to really like his apple pineapple cupcakes! My other dog, Kitsune, really likes them too. That’s not saying much, though, because Kit will eat almost anything!

Well that’s it for today. The birthday pup and I have a lot of snuggling to do! I’ll try to get Fenrir’s yearly birthday video up on our YouTube channel later this week, as is tradition. If anyone tries out our recipe you’ll have to comment and let us know how it goes!

Happy 7th Birthday, Fenrir!

Pet Tips, Dog Health

Keeping Your Pet Cool – Summer Safety Tips

July 28, 2022

Pet summer safety tips! When we moved a few years ago, we headed north. The weather where we live now is generally cooler than where we were before (and a LOT less humid too). Despite the cooler weather, we’ve suffered through a handful of heat waves. Last week we had two days that got up to around 95*F. Our local newscaster kept describing the weather as feeling like wearing a “wet sweater”, aka it was humid and hot – my least favorite weather.

Kit and Fen are not fans of the heat either! It’s important to remember that the hot temperatures can affect our pets just as much, if not more, as it does us. But how hot is too hot? The answer, of course, depends on what type of pet is in question, as well as your individual pet’s heat tolerance.

It’s important to learn what temperature range is optimal for each of your pets. Research temperature ideals for your type of pet, but also pay attention to your pet’s individual needs. Learn to recognize signs of discomfort due to increased body temperature, such as excessive panting and drooling in dogs. Make sure your pets have access to cool, shady areas and fresh water at all times.

Some heat related issues in pets include sunburn (yes, animals can get sunburns), hyperthermia, dehydration, and heat stroke. The symptoms of heat related illness will vary depending on what species your pet is. Prevention is always the best option when it comes to heat related illnesses. The following pet safety tips will help you to keep your furry friends more comfortable this summer…

If your pet requires or enjoys exercise, try to limit excessive activity to the cooler times of the day – usually early in the morning and later in the evening.
Limit sun exposure, especially for pets with little or no fur, to protect them from the sun’s rays.
Make sure your pet always has access to fresh, cool water.
Never leave your pet in a car, or other wise confined to small areas, where they can quickly overheat.
Be mindful of your pets’ paws in the hot weather. Pavement and other outdoor surfaces can get very hot in the summer sun, putting sensitive paws at risk of being burned.
Know your pets’ limitations. Certain breeds/species come with more summer time risks than others. Hairless breeds are much more susceptible to sunburn, and heavily furred northern breeds, like my Fenrir, may not tolerate high temperatures as well as other breeds. Cat and dog breeds with flat faces are more prone to suffering from heat related illnesses as well.

Fingers and paws crossed that the rest of the summer goes by without too many days of extreme temperatures. I feel like Fen has been blowing his coat for weeks now. I’m not quite sure how such a little dog looses that much hair and doesn’t just poof away to nothing. Thankfully it stays pretty comfortable and cool inside our house, but the hot weather has been putting a damper on the frequency of our outdoor adventures. Kit, Fen, and I are all eager to get back to our daily hiking!

Is there anything special you do for your pet to help keep him/her cool during hot weather?

Pet Products

Does the Best Friends by Sheri Dog Bed Live up to the Hype? Dog Bed Review

July 26, 2022

If you’ve been at all involved in the dog world the last couple of years, especially on social media, you’ve probably come across the Best Friends by Sheri dog bed. It’s being promoted as a calming, or antianxiety dog bed. The Best Friends dog bed seems to be especially popular among small dog owners. However, it’s sold up to size 2XL, which is supposed to be suitable for dogs weighing up to 210 lbs. If you’re anything like me, coming across a pet product with as much hype as this dog bed has generated will pique your interest. Will your dog like it? Does it actually live up to the hype?

Post Contents:

1 Luckily, I was recently on the market for a new dog bed.
2 The 411 on the Best Friends by Sheri dog bed
3 For my own two dogs, I decided to purchase the medium sized (30″ X 30″) bed, in the color “shag frost”.
4 Our Thoughts
5 Does the Best Friends by Sheri pet bed really help anxiety?
6 One complaint about this bed is that I wasn’t overly impressed with the filling.
7 In summary…
8 A re-review in the future?

Luckily, I was recently on the market for a new dog bed.

Now that the weather has warmed up, my senior dog, Kitsune, hasn’t been wanting to sleep in bed with me as often as he does when the temperatures are cooler. I would often wake up in the middle of the night to find him sleeping on the bedroom floor. It always makes me feel bad! I started to notice that after spending a night sleeping on the floor, he would seem a bit stiff. Hey, he’s 13 after all, and I can’t imagine a hard bedroom floor is the best option for senior dog joints.

After coming across the Best Friends by Sheri dog bed over and over again on my various social media feeds, I decided that my dogs and I would try it out for ourselves! It wasn’t as expensive as a lot of the other high quality dog beds I was looking at. I figured that, worst case, if it didn’t work out for my dogs, we could pass it on to a pooch waiting for a new home at our local shelter.

The 411 on the Best Friends by Sheri dog bed

The Best Friends by Sheri dog bed currently comes in fourteen different colors, and five sizes. In most places I found it for sale there was an option to purchase the bed alone, or the bed with a blanket. The Best Friends pet bed is a donut style dog bed that claims to promote better sleep, a sense of security, and pain relief for sore joints and muscles. The bed, and blanket if you decide to purchase that too, is made from a soft, faux shag fur. It’s supposed to be water and dirt resistant, as well as easy to clean.

For my own two dogs, I decided to purchase the medium sized (30″ X 30″) bed, in the color “shag frost”.

Both of my dogs are under 25lbs, so in theory the small size would have worked for them. I decide to go with medium instead because I wanted to give Kitsune more space to stretch out if he wanted too. That way he wouldn’t have to curl up in a ball to fit inside the bed, because that would kind of defeat the purpose of buying him a dog bed that he’d want to sleep in during the summer heat. I also liked that the cover on the medium bed (and all the sizes larger than medium) is removable. The small size bed does not have a removable cover. Instead, the small bed can be washed as-is inside a standard washing machine.

Our Thoughts

Our Best Friends by Sheri pet bed was delivered mid-May. It was shipped compressed inside plastic packaging. The bed was easy to fluff up following the instructions that came with it. My puppers were instantly interested when it got here! I think Fenrir, my Alaskan klee kai, was the first to try it out. It didn’t take Kitsune long to take a turn either!

Probably the first thing I noticed was how soft the faux fur cover is! The color we selected was true to the picture, and the size was what I was expecting. I really appreciate that the bed is made from pet safe materials, with no flame retardants, formaldehyde, chemicals, or harsh dyes. A few weeks after we got it, I decided to try washing the bed cover. I washed it in my washing machine on cold, then dried it in the drier on low heat. It washed and dried well.

Luckily my dogs don’t have issues with having accidents in the house. So I can’t personally speak to the bed being water resistant. Looking at it, I have a feeling it might not be as liquid resistant as it claims to be. I’m glad my dogs won’t be putting that feature to the test. My dogs are also, thankfully, not destructive. I do question how well this bed would hold up against a destructive dog.

Does the Best Friends by Sheri pet bed really help anxiety?

According to the Amazon listing, the Best Friends by Sheri pet bed helps to calm pets by being “reminiscent of a mother’s fur coat”. The sides of the bed are designed to “allow your pet to burrow”. This is supposed to promote a “full, restful sleep for improved behavior and better health”.

I’m not sure how I feel about this claim. If you’re looking at this bed because you have a dog with stress or anxiety issues, I’d very highly doubt that something as simple as a dog bed, no matter how comfortable, is going to noticeably alter their behavior.

One complaint about this bed is that I wasn’t overly impressed with the filling.

It’s supposed to be filled with “uniquely designed Airloft fibers” that “keep their loft for up to 3Xs longer than standard pet beds”. But I feel like the bottom section of our new dog bed got flat pretty quickly. I worry that it isn’t supportive enough, especially for a senior dog with more sensitive joints.

I’ve been thinking about buying some memory foam and cutting it to fit inside the bottom of the Best Friends bed. Because the outer cover is awesome, but the filling could really use an upgrade. I’m also not convinced that this was the best dog bed to try if I really wanted something my dogs would sleep in in the summer. They don’t seem to use the bed as often as I thought they would. I’m pretty sure it’s because the faux fur, while amazingly soft, might make them too hot.

In summary…

The Best Friends by Sheri pet bed has a really nice faux fur cover. It’s stylish, soft, and easy to clean, but might not be the best option if it’s hot where you live. While I don’t doubt that lots of dogs love this bed, I’m skeptical that it can really help to change anxiety induced behaviors. The filler in the bed didn’t live up to my high expectations. But, luckily, the way the bed cover is designed would make it very easy to add additional filler to make the bed more supportive. I paid just under $50 for our medium sized bed. In my opinion, the bed is worth this price.

A re-review in the future?

Since we received out bed in the summer, I’m curious to see if my boys perhaps start using it more once the weather starts to cool down again. I’ll have to update this post come fall/winter. Both Kit and Fen have used the bed so far, more so Kit. But they haven’t been using it as much as I thought they would. Kit will sleep in the bed some nights. Often times still seems to still prefer the bare floor, or a blanket on the floor.

At least the color I picked matches our bedroom décor so nicely! It doesn’t look bad or out of place, even sans dogs.

Comment below! Have you heard of the Best Friends by Sheri pet bed? Have you tried it with your own pets? If so, how do they like it?

DIY

Preserving Puppy Teeth

July 22, 2022

My post about preserving puppy teeth originally went up in May of 2016! This is an updated version, be sure to read to the end to see how my puppies’ teeth have held up after all these years!

In the scheme of things, your dog’s puppyhood is fleeting. Teething is a rite of passage all puppies must go through. I fully admit to being a bit sentimental when it comes to my dogs, and preserving puppy teeth that I found from each of them. I only found one of Kit’s puppy teeth when he was teething – a canine tooth. Most puppy teeth end up either being swallowed by your dog, or lost in your dog’s environment. I was lucky to be able to save four of Fen’s teeth, two molars, an incisor, and a canine tooth, all of which Fen trotted over and spit out at my feet.

Post Contents:

1 But what do you do with puppy teeth once you find them?
2 The little bottle pictured on the top/middle holds Kit’s puppy tooth.
3 If you are interested in preserving your puppy’s teeth the same way, here’s what you will need:
4 Once you have all your supplies the rest is easy!
5 An update – 6 years later!
6 The teeth inside seem to be holding up well!

But what do you do with puppy teeth once you find them?

Most people probably just throw puppy teeth out, or tuck them away somewhere safe, in a jewelry or memory box perhaps, as an oddity to look at every now and then. I have a shadow box where I display paw and nose molds that I took from Kit. Somehow, I wanted to include his puppy teeth, but in a way that would also keep the teeth from getting lost since they are so small.

I preserved my dogs’ puppy teeth by displaying them inside a glass bottle, commonly sold for crafting or jewelry making. The mineral oil I used inside the bottle helps to magnify the teeth. I also included some decorative extras, such as my dogs’ names written on grains of rice and glitter.

The little bottle pictured on the top/middle holds Kit’s puppy tooth.

I also included some little red beads and his name written on a piece of rice. Before sealing the bottle, I filled it with mineral oil. The clear oil helps to magnify the stuff inside the bottle, and it protects the fragile tooth from hitting the side of the bottle too hard if the display is jarred.

I liked what I did with Kit’s tooth so much that I decided to do the same with Fen’s.

If you are interested in preserving your puppy’s teeth the same way, here’s what you will need:

Super Glue: Used to seal your bottle. This isn’t necessary, but I use it for added security. I like this brand, but any type of glue should work.
Mineral Oil: Any brand is fine, as long as it’s clear. I just bought this at our local pharmacy. You only need a small amount.
Glass Bottle: What bottle you use is up to you. I prefer small bottles since the puppy teeth I’m putting inside are small. They’d look lost inside a big bottle! You should be able to buy tiny glass bottles at your local craft store. They are usually sold for creating crafts/jewelry. I got mine off Amazon. Online they are often sold in bulk, but even so usually aren’t very expensive.
Additional Items: You don’t need to add anything extra, but I like too. I added Fen’s name written on a piece of rice, and some tiny decorative glitter pieces.
Puppy Teeth: Don’t forget these!

Once you have all your supplies the rest is easy!

Make sure your teeth are clean and dry, then put them and any addition items you want inside the bottle. Next add the mineral oil. Don’t worry if you get oil on the outside of the bottle. It can be hard to pour stuff into those tiny bottles, plus you can just clean it up when you’re done. If you’d like, put a small amount of super glue around the outside of your bottle’s cork, then cork up your bottle.

An update – 6 years later!

It’s been 6 years now since I originally posted this project. I figured an update was long overdue!

The other day I was cleaning through some of Kit and Fen’s stuff and came across their puppy shadow boxes stashed away in the back of a drawer. Unfortunately I just don’t have the space in our current rental house to display them. I’ve been meaning to update this post for quite awhile now, and figured some people might be interested to see how my preserving puppy teeth project has held up after all these years!

Not too long after I made this post, I discovered that the glass bottle holding Fenrir‘s puppy teeth was leaking mineral oil. I had to open it up, add more oil, and reseal the cork. I tried resealing it with a modeling clay, which is why you might notice some green spots on cork. That didn’t work out, however, so I just went back to using the good ol’ fashion super glue. I didn’t have any more issues with leaking after sealing the vial the second time.

The teeth inside seem to be holding up well!

The last two pictures in this post are recent, so after Fen’s puppy teeth have been in the mineral oil for 6ish years. I also have one of Fenrir’s puppy canine teeth that I just taped inside his shadow box. Less work, and that tooth has held up just fine too. It doesn’t look as cute as the teeth in the little bottle, though!

I’ve gotten comments on this post over the years about how weird I am for preserving puppy teeth. Weird, sure, but my puppies shadow boxes are something I’ll cherish and keep forever. I love puppies so so much, and keeping silly mementos like this from my dogs’ puppyhoods brings back so many happy memories. It seems like just yesterday they were sinking those sharp little puppy teeth into my feet, and now my first ‘puppy’ is almost 14!

If anyone tries this for themselves I’d love to hear/see how it went! Comment below, or head on over to our Facebook page and share a picture of your puppy tooth creation!

Pet Tips, Dog Health

Hot Pavement Can Burn Pets’ Paws

July 21, 2022

We love paws here at Paw Print! That should be pretty obvious, considering the name of my blog! Since we moved out of the city, I love walking around outside barefoot. It’s given me first hand experience to just how hot some surfaces can get outside in the summer sun. Pavement and other large, dark surfaces seem to be the worst offenders. It’s one thing for me, a person, to walk on hot surfaces in the summer. If the temperature is too uncomfortable I can easily move to a cooler location. But what about our pets?

Did you know that walking on hot pavement, as well as other hot surfaces, can actually burn pets’ paws?

Animals can be stoic when it comes to showing pain, and they can’t talk to tell us that their feet hurt during hot weather walks. It’s up to us to keep them safe!

Signs of burned paw pads include paw pads that look darker than usual, redness, limping, unwillingness to continue walking, blisters, missing sections or loose flaps on the paw pad, ulcerated patches, and excessive licking or chewing of the foot.

If your dog experiences any of these symptoms, the first step should be cooling his/her paws down. Get your pet away from hot surfaces (grass is usually much cooler than pavement) and, if possible, gently rinse his/her paws with cool water.

Burns are very painful, so the best course of action if you think your pet may have burned paws, is a trip to the veterinarian.

Depending on how severe the burns are, your vet may prescribe antibiotics, salves, and/or pain medication.

The best option, however, is to prevent burns in the first place!

Try to avoid surfaces that commonly get excessively hot in the summer, such as metal, sand, and asphalt. When possible, walk your dog early in the morning or at night after the sun goes down – times when the outdoor temperatures are cooler. If you’re not sure whether or not the pavement is too hot for your pet, try testing the temperate with a bare foot or your hand. If the pavement is too hot for you to comfortably stand on barefoot, or you cannot comfortably keep your hand pressed against it for at least 10 seconds, than chances are it’s too hot for your pet as well.

Practice good paw maintenance. It’s easier to spot any potential problems on a paw that is clean and well kept. If, for some reason, you have to take your dog out during the hottest parts of the day, consider using doggy shoes or boots to protect your dog’s feet. You may get some strange looks from the neighbors, but at least your pup won’t have to deal with painful paws!

Be sure to also check out some of our other summer pet safety tips, such as what to do if your dog is bitten by a snake!

Pet Tips, Dog Health

Dogs Can Die In Hot Cars

July 14, 2022

Dog hot car safety… this is a topic that comes up every summer! I understand the appeal of taking your dogs with you to as many places as possible! I’ve always loved taking my dogs places with me. I do it so often, that it sometimes feels weird to walk around without any leashes in my hand. For a long time my little pack went without a car. A few years ago, while prepping to move out of the city, we purchased our first car. It took quite awhile for Kit and Fen to get used to it. For the most part, they really enjoy car rides now. However it’s important, when the weather is warm, that you remember to never leave your dog (or any other pet) out in your car, even if it’s “just for a minute”.

Post Contents:

1 Even on a relatively cool day, temperatures inside a car can rise enough to cause heat stress, stroke, and sometimes death.
2 Did you know that in some US states it’s even illegal to leave your pet unattended in a vehicle?
3 What should you do if you come across an animal in distress inside a hot car?
4 These days, newer car models are being designed with features to potentially keep pets safer.

Even on a relatively cool day, temperatures inside a car can rise enough to cause heat stress, stroke, and sometimes death.

There have been numerous studies that show just how quickly, even on a cooler day, temperatures inside a car can rise. Even when the weather outside is a comfortable 75*F, temperatures inside parked cars can rise to 100*F and above in a matter of just around 10 minutes. Leaving a window cracked does not do enough to keep your pet(s) safe. The study I linked to above concluded that keeping a window cracked has very little impact on the internal temperature of a parked car.

Did you know that in some US states it’s even illegal to leave your pet unattended in a vehicle?

Some places also have laws allowing citizens, law enforcement agents, or both to lawfully rescue a distressed animal, even if it means damaging a car.

But I’m preaching to the choir here, right? I’m pretty sure most people who would spend their free time reading a pet blog wouldn’t be the type of people who would leave their pet alone in their car! Perhaps more pertinent information would be…

What should you do if you come across an animal in distress inside a hot car?

Know the laws in your state, ideally ahead of time. As I stated above, some states allow citizens to break into cars to rescue animals. It’s important to note, however, that in other states you can be held liable if you damage someone’s car. Some state laws only allow forceful entry to save an animal if all other options have been exhausted.
Write down any important information such as the car’s make, model, and license plate number, the condition of the animal inside, and the current weather.
If the car is parked outside of a business, ask an employee to attempt to page the owner.
If an owner cannot be quickly located, contact your local police precinct. If you don’t know your local laws pertaining to animals trapped inside hot cars, ask the dispatcher for advice. In most cases, they’ll probably have you wait near the car until an officer arrives to help.

These days, newer car models are being designed with features to potentially keep pets safer.

Tesla, for example, recently introduced “Dog Mode”, a feature. It keeps climate control on for pets, and displays a message on the car’s touchscreen. The message notifies good samaritans that the car is temperature controlled. There are also a number of products popping up on the market, things like small, portable air conditioners, and battery powered fans, that could potentially help keep pets cooler in cars.

Personally I wouldn’t feel 100% comfortable trusting my dog’s lives to technologies such as these. When we travel with Kit and Fen we make sure they’re never left alone. Usually this means taking bathroom breaks (etc.) in shifts. Or in some instances, just opting to leave them safe at home.

We always love to hear from our readers, comment below! What are some things you do to make car travel safer for your pet(s)? Have you ever encountered a situation when you had to help an animal trapped inside a hot car?

Dog Health

Is It Safe To Feed Dogs Ice Cubes?

July 7, 2022

Ever since we moved out of the city, we’ve gone without air conditioning. It’s not nearly as hot where we live now as it was where we were before. But every now and then, in the summer, we’ll have a few excessively hot days. Some of our favorite ways to keep cool, sans AC, include wading around in our local brook, relaxing in front of fans, and exploring the nice shady woods around our house.

The dogs especially enjoy eating doggy ice cream. I will sometimes freeze bone broth and ice cube trays for them. I will also put ice cubes in Kit and Fen‘s water bowls, and sometimes give them ice cubes to play with. Is it safe to give dogs ice cubes? After reading some conflicting information, I decided to dive in and do my own research.

Post Contents:

1 There has been a story circulating the internet, apparently since around 2007, that warns owners against giving dogs ice cubes or ice water.
2 However, I was unable to find any reliable source that could explain the link between cold water, stomach spasms, and bloat.
3 In fact, many veterinarians and pet experts recommend ice be given to teething puppies.
4 The only widely documented risk of eating ice, that I could find, was that, because it’s so hard, it can cause fractured teeth.
5 I came across a few sources that also suggested ice can present a choking hazard, although I couldn’t find any actual cases of this happening.
6 I know this is only anecdotal…

There has been a story circulating the internet, apparently since around 2007, that warns owners against giving dogs ice cubes or ice water.

All these years later I couldn’t find a link to the original article anymore, but the short version is that supposedly eating ice or drinking very cold water can cause a dog’s stomach to spasm, which can lead to bloat. Bloat is most common in large dogs, although not unheard of in small breeds, and it can be deadly.

However, I was unable to find any reliable source that could explain the link between cold water, stomach spasms, and bloat.

Dr. Patty Khuly, in a now removed petmd article, wrote that “Frigid water gastric “cramping” is a falsehood akin to those that inform you that your hair will grow back coarser if you shave it (myth), or that you shouldn’t go swimming for 30 minutes after eating lest you drown in a fit of cramps (myth).” Although I looked at many articles about bloat and its causes, I didn’t find a single source that specifically listed eating ice or drinking cold water as a risk factor for bloat. The ASPCA states that “the exact cause [of bloat] is currently unknown. Certain risk factors include: rapid eating, eating one large meal daily, dry food-only diet, overeating, overdrinking [water of any temperature], heavy exercise after eating, fearful temperament, stress, trauma and abnormal gastric motility or hormone secretion.”

In fact, many veterinarians and pet experts recommend ice be given to teething puppies.

One of our old vets recommended offering ice chips as a way to help keep sick dogs hydrated. I also came across many sources that recommended ice be used in pet bowls to keep their water cool in the summer.

The only widely documented risk of eating ice, that I could find, was that, because it’s so hard, it can cause fractured teeth.

You can offer your dog crushed ice instead of ice cubes, if this is something you’re worried about. In addition, frozen treats such as doggy ice cream, yogurt, bone broth, etc., are usually quite a bit softer than plain ice.

I came across a few sources that also suggested ice can present a choking hazard, although I couldn’t find any actual cases of this happening.

My guess would be that, even if a dog were to swallow a large pieces of ice, it would quickly melt enough to not present as much of a choking risk. If you have a dog that’s prone to gulping food, be especially careful not to offer large food items. This is another instance where a softer frozen treat, or shaved ice, might prove safer than offering large ice chunks.

I know this is only anecdotal…

I’ve been giving my Kitsune ice cubes every now and then for 13+ years, and Fenrir for 6+, and we’ve never had any issues doing so. Like most things, I think it’s important to offer frozen treats, ice included, in moderation. Ice cubes should be made from fresh, clean water. Know your dog. Fenrir, for example, usually likes playing with ice more than eating it. Even when he does eat it, he licks at it rather than biting/chewing on it. I doubt I’d ever have to worry about him hurting his teeth or choking on ice. However, if his ice eating style was different I’d think twice about offering it to him, and would probably opt for offering shaved ice and soft frozen treats only.

If anyone comes across any information on this topic that I may have missed, feel free to comment and let me know! For now I’ve decided that I’m going to chill when it comes to offering my dogs ice. I will continue to offer the occasional frozen treat to help keep my dogs cool.

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