Dogs I’ve Loved | Saying Goodbye to the PNW

As our time is wrapping up in Oregon, I am a little bit heartbroken. I have said goodbye to most of my clients, but I still have a few more appointments this week before we head out.

:gulp:

I’m mostly excited about the adventures that lie ahead, but I sure will miss these sweet faces. Like…a lot.

My two lemons. They were a handful, but totally worth it. I mean..look at those wrinkles!

The sweet, shy girl took awhile to warm up to me but we became the best of friends. Her brother is also a big softie. 😉

The most fun duo! I couldn’t ask for a better pair of pups. Ugh…these two were some of my favorites ever.

Oh, Cora. Rufus reluctantly let you into his life…and you were such a champ for putting up with his grumpy ‘tude!  Even though we all know he kind of liked you. Kind of.

Ru’s favorite gal, Abby. This one is going to be the hardest of all. I can’t wait to cuddle this goof a few more times this week. My heart is gonna feel this one.

 

I like to think of this time as a “See You Later” moment. It’s been a whole lot of fun! We will return, you beautiful coast. Oh yes we will. 

Wordless Wednesday | Dog Walker Edition Pt. 5

 

That head tilt though!

Ru’s favorite lady.

A walk in the park…

Derp.

“Quit wasting my time with these photos, lady. I’ve got a neighborhood to patrol!”

 

THE END.

The Dog Goes | How to Travel with a Fearful Dog

For anyone out there that knows about the anxiety that comes with loving a reactive or fearful dog, know that you are absolutely not alone. And your dog doesn’t have to be either…

I know that the easy solution can be to just leave your dog at home, but that may not be what’s best for you or your dog.

Rufus has some special needs when it comes to making him happy. While he is weary and often indifferent towards new people, he absolutely loves being with me and he loves exploring new places. Heavy foot traffic and city buzz doesn’t seem to affect him in the slightest. But a stranger bending down to give him attention? Well, that’s just not his cup of tea.

Taking him to new hiking spots is one thing. There is usually little to no human interaction and wide open spaces are a breeze. But sometimes we travel for longer periods, which means staying in hotels and exploring new cities and local parks full of people. Here’s what I’ve learned in the past several years about keeping Rufus comfortable:

1. Keep him close. When navigating a new city, I keep Rufus close to my side. While I have a tendency to allow him to lead (without pulling) during our neighborhood walks at home, this just isn’t acceptable in new places. He seems to find comfort in letting me lead and I find comfort in knowing a person will have to approach me first before they reach for my dog.
2. Keep him busy. If for whatever reason we need to stop somewhere and rest or eat, I make sure to keep Ru busy so that he’s not overwhelmed with obsessing over the people around him. I bring treats, keep him in long “sits” and “stays”, and interact with him constantly. It may make things a little less low-key for me but as long as he’s at ease, it’s worth it.
3. Praise, Praise, Praise. No calm or obedient moment goes unnoticed! When he’s calm, I praise him. When he’s enjoying himself, I praise him. When he’s just being a normal dog and not focusing on a group of people approaching, I praise him. And when he meets someone successfully, I have a freaking celebration! I may sound like a lunatic, but who cares? I am not above making baby noises in public if it means my dog gets that being a happy, balanced dude is the best thing in the world. No shame here, people.

 

Of course there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach to handling a pup with behavioral issues, but this keeps us happy. Just by being cautious and alert, I have made sure Rufus has as many experiences as possible. He absolutely loves going to as many places as possible with me and these little tips make that possible. Of course he’s improved so much since we adopted him, but the truth is that he will always be a little “quirky” when it comes to socializing. And as long as everyone is safe and educated, I’ve learned that I can work with whatever quirky curveballs he decides to throw at me. And it turns out this guy really loves to keep me on my toes…

Reunited with one of his favorites after four years! 

An ode To The Pacific Northwest | WW

In May, it will be four years since we packed up everything we owned and moved across the country to beautiful Oregon.

And despite being homesick on occasion, this view never gets old.

Of course there are a ton of grey days, which often lead to a whole lotta rain..

…which Rufus could do without. And frankly, it wears on me as well.

But overall, nothing beats the mountaintop view, cotton candy skies, and being surrounded by evergreen. It’s kind of amazing.

And no matter how much longer or shorter our time here may be, I’m grateful I got to call this place “home” and eat alllllllllllll of the vegan food I could stand! It’s been real, Oregon.

(Not so) Wordless Wednesday | Adoptable Maleah

How cute is this girl?

Seriously.

Like. OMG!

To learn more about this beautiful little soul, go here. And adopt her. Or if you can’t adopt her, spread the message! This girl deserves to be cuddled and loved and spoiled for the rest of her life.

It looks like she’s already got “princess mode” down pat.

Wordless Wednesday| Hillside

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.”
― Milan Kundera

Wordless Wednesday | Soggy Pooch

He looks miserable, but he was actually running around like a maniac seconds before I snapped this photo. Total faker. 

Black & White Sunday: Power Nap

Rufus knows how to do Sundays right. My little sloth.

Wordless Wednesday: That Supermodel Pucker

Apparently Rufus decided he needed to update his look for fall….

…and this was before his mouth REALLY blew up like a balloon. Oh, nosey hound – lesson learned?

Dog Gear Love: Puddle Jumper Pups

I heart Etsy. To the untrained shopper, it can seem super overwhelming and full of too many people making too many thing.

But I promise you, there are so many wonderful creators out there making high-quality products for you and your pooch.

Puddle Jumper Pups is my new favorite thing. Their collars are super affordable, high quality, and the pattern options are crazy cute.

I recently picked up two new collars for Ru and I’m in love with both of them.

“The Maxwell” & “The Noah”

The Maxwell is a white collar with black, old school drawings of mustaches, top hats, bowler hats, etc. With a name like Rufus, it was only a matter of time before I covered him in old man-esque designs! Unfortunately, PJP seems to be sold out of this design – sorry! Though if you like this one, The Marty is incredibly similar.

 

The Noah design was a bit out of our (my) comfort zone. For whatever reason, I’m always drawn to patterns when it comes to dog collars: plaid, argyle, paisley, etc. But! I feel like this cutesy whale design is a nice change of pace and kind of makes Rufus look a little more puppy-ish, which is never a bad thing. Also, I loved the turquoise color too much to pass it up!

The drool adds a great puppyish touch, don’t you agree??

 

So yeah, I just wanted to share a new find with my fellow dog lovers. If you are looking to feed your collar addition, check out Puddle Jumper Pups on Etsy. The creator is fast to get back to you and inquiries and new designs are always popping up!

P.S. I’m not getting paid for this, I just really, really, really love any excuse to buy my dog new stuff. I’m sure many of you can relate, right??