Never Cry Over Spilled Coconut Oil

Ok, so we use Coconut Oil at our house for just about everything. On toast, in my hair, as a skin moisturizer and much more. The one thing we have been recently using it for is our dogs. 

We started giving coconut oil to our dogs for many reason. A few are for their skin and coat, balancing their metabolism and reducing their risk for cancer. 

To read a full list of benefits please click here to read an article written by The Dogington Post.  

The only problem I have is how tricky it is to administer. It is either a rock solid mass or a liquid mess! 

 

Then I had an idea! Remember all those summer time dog treat blogs we did? We froze EVERTYHING! Pumpkin, yogurt, watermelon and even watered down chicken broth. Well, same concept here. We are going to freeze our coconut oil into individual servings and make it easier to use for everything around the house. 

You are going to need a Wilton squeeze bottle and some ice cube trays to start. If you do not have a squeeze bottle then you can use a ketchup/mustard bottle. Next, melt your coconut oil so it is very runny. Pour your warm coconut oil into the squeeze bottle. 

 Side Note: it is a good idea to use water and a measuring spoon to see about how much liquid each cube will hold. Each of my shapes was about 1 tablespoon. This information will be handy when you are determining the serving size for your pet. 

Now that you know the serving size, dump out any extra water and begin filling your trays with the coconut oil. Be careful not to overfill your shapes. 

Once you have all your trays filed you can pop them in the freezer for faster firming times. Once all trays are frozen you can push them out and they are ready to go in a freezer style bag and back in the freezer. 

Recommended serving size for dogs is 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds. Start slowly and work up to the full dose for your pet. If you have smaller dogs and need to cut these down use a warm, sharp knife and it is super easy! 

Be careful not to handle these guys too much because the warmth of our hands make them melt a bit! 

Hope y'all enjoy the simple genius of my blog today! Have a great weekend everyone! 

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Who is really the boss here?

 I've been thinking…. 

My dogs listen pretty well. I get compliments on their good behavior and manners often but I still think we have a little more work to do. I sometimes wonder who they really think the boss is. I have been reading about the dynamics of the Pack and how to be a leader but sometimes it just sucks all the fun out of being a dog owner. Sure, your dog needs to achieve that "balance" but it is just flat out exhausting sometimes. Being a Texan, I know all too well how much manners matter, but is there more to being a leader than just making sure your dogs have good manners? Definitely! 

I could go on and on about what the trainers say and give advice, but my blog would be no different from the 1,000's of others out there. What I want to know is how many of us are doggy door mats? Do you have an ideal canine? Or do you have a Marley Junior on your hands?
What do you do to keep from being a door mat? Positive reinforcement? Long walks? Mental stimulation?

At our house we participate in D. All of the above. Long walks, interactive toys, and positive reinforcement training. I would say I am the boss about 95% of the time. The remaining 5% they are being bossed around by our Maine Coon mix or they seem to have developed selective hearing at the park. 

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Capture 28 moments in the Life of your Pet

Everyone knows February is the month of LOVE! What better way to show the love your have for your pet than to capture those special moments during their everyday life. 

Each day of February you have a challenge to post to Instagram. Snap, upload, crop, add a filter and share! Don't forger to add #SoutherWagPhotoChallenge. 

Be creative, think outside the box and have fun! I can not wait to see your photos!

Are you following us on Instagram?? 

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Identity Crisis for 4 please!

How many nicknames do you have for your pets? I think mine have an identity crisis! 

We have 2 dogs and 2 cats and each of them have about 10 different names I call them.  Bless their little hearts because they answer to each and every one of them! Their "real" names are Bailey, Tucker, Cheeto and Smalls. Some of their nicknames are Pumpkin, My Love, Cheeto-Burrito, Cry Baby, Bee, Tucker Bear,  on the rare occasion it's the four letter word that rhymes with Tucker(with an "er"attached at the end) because sometimes he is a VERY bad boy, Boo-Boo, Farah (because of her flippy hair) and BBP (Big Back Porch). 

As I am typing these I am realizing #1 that I felt the need to justify these nicknames and #2 how silly they are! 

Please reassure me I am not alone in this crazy pet lady habit! I love these guys to death so I am just hoping they think of these nicknames as terms of endearment! 

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New Years Resolutions (part.2)

In our last blog we talked about the growing pet obesity epidemic. In this blog we will discuss how can get our mutts moving and beat the bulge this year.

As I mentioned in part 1 of the blog,  you should make and appointment with your vet to discuss your pets current weight, goals for weight loss and ideal body weight for their breed. You can also discuss low calorie diets, or the recommended daily calorie intake your pet requires. 

Along with recommendations from your veterinarian here are some great ideas to help you and your pet get active this year and lose some of our extra fluff!

1. k9FITBONE

This is an awesome product! According to their website the K9FITBONE has "Integrated instability training to develop strength, endurance, proprioception, balance and flexibility." Dog Tread provides a variety of products that aid in your pets weight loss, balance, and stretching. One of the products on my wish list this year is k9FITBONE! 
Click here to shop Dog Treat products. 


2. Chuckit! 

We are true believers in all the Chuckit! products. We have gone through several of their toys because they were loved a little too much. Some of our favorites are their launchers and flyers. Chuckit! products are great because they have several water toys. Swimming is a lot easier on our joints and it works the same way for your dog. If your pup is already a little on the heavy side it may be ideal to start in the water. 
Click here to shop Chuckit! products.

3. Southern Wag

  

Both 2 and 4 legged fitness fiends enjoy getting new workout gear! Start this new year off right with a new leash and collar combo from Southern Wag Pet Accessories. If you are a fitness hound of a budget long walks or jogs are free and good for the both of you! Walk around town, hike up the mountains, explore a park! Just remember to bring your Southern Wag with you wherever you go. 
Click here to shop Southern Wag products.

4. SlimDoggy App

The SlimDoggy App is awesome! I have it downloaded already to being tracking our progress for the new year. A simple calories in vs. calories out is a great way to help you see what your dog's progress during its weight loss journey. Their database holds over 2,000 different treats and foods to help you customize your SlimDoggy App experience. There is also a wide range of activities for you to enter based on what you enjoy doing with your dog. 

Click here to get more information on the SlimDoggy App

5. Low Fat Treats

 Every dog has it's day and when your pal needs a treats Pure American Pet Supplies has you covered. They offer a variety of wholesome treats that are also law fat. Why do we love Life's Abundance? Well, first of all my dogs can not get enough of them! Most importantly we love them because they contain "no corn, no wheat or wheat gluten, no soy or soy gluten. No artificial colors and no artificial flavors." As an added bonus, Life's Abundance is free from any pet food recalls! We LOVE that! 

Click here to shop for Life's Abundance Treats

With these 5 tips I really hope this gives everyone the motivation to get out and get active with their pets in 2014. No matter what your budget or fitness level these are great ways get off the couch and stay motivated on your journey to a healthier family. 

New Years Resolutions (part 1)

Every year over 45% of Americans make New Years Resolutions and the second most popular resolution is to lose weight and be more active. Making a plan and sticking to it is very important since less than 8% of people who said they were going to lose weight and be more active actually followed through. 

What if I told you another fact? According to The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention,  a staggering 52.5% of US Dogs Overweight or Obese (approximately 36.7 million) and 58.3% of US Cats Overweight or Obese  (approximately 43.2 million). 

Oh no, that is a lot of round pets! It is also heart breaking that over weight pets live about 2 years less than lean pets within their ideal body weight. Pet Obesity can cause joint problems, type 2 diabetes, and many other dangerous health issues. Not only is this bad for your pet but it's bad for your wallet! 

One of my favorite quotes from them is "No animal goes to the refrigerator or the pantry and helps themselves. We enable our pets to get fat!" Pet obesity is treatable and preventable! There is nothing wrong with wanting to spoil our pets, I do it all the time, but there is a line between doing what is best for them and spoiling them rotten. We need to learn to find that balance so our pets are happy, healthy and still spoiled rotten! 

For the new year, lets do everyone a favor and get active. Before any workout routine is started, you should see your vet to discuss your pets current weight goals and ideal body weight for their breed. You can also discuss low calorie diets, or the recommended daily caloric intake your pet requires. 

In my upcoming blog I will be sharing with you some great ways to get your pet fit in 2014!

We will also discuss what pet fitness products are trending for the new year and how you and your pet can stick to your goals. 

Day 11 in the 12 Days of Christmas Event

So, everyone loves to take photos of their pets, especially ones around the holidays. Pictures in front of the tree, pictures with goofy hats and antlers, and many times they end up in the family photos. BUT.... out of all of those how many do you have with your pet actually looking at the camera? If you are like me its probably not many, so today I wanted to share with you some holiday pet photography tips.

 

I would like to introduce yall to a friend of mine, her name is Stephanie Millner and she is an awesome photographer! International award-winning and certified photographer Mrs. Millner has a way with pets! My dogs were immediately relaxed in her studio and ready to be put in the limelight!

Click here to see her work!

 

After we got a few sneak peeks of the session, we could not be more pleased with how they turned out. She did such an amazing job.

 Meet Tucker (left) and Bailey (right). I am sure yall have seen them on here before or on our Facebook page. My two pups are the best any dog Mom could ask for (I also have two amazing kitties, but as cat attitude's go I spared them the "humiliation" of wearing antlers this year).

 

I am truly thankful for Stephanie and her beautiful photos but, lets face it we all can't be as amazing as Stephanie Millner! Sometimes we have to take our own photos. It could be because we don't know a great photographer, or its not in the holiday budget to hire one this year. We get it, so that is why we have composed a list of some great photography tips that you can do at home to improve your pet photos.

 

Tip #1: Never put your pet in a dangerous or uncomfortable situation.

The shot is never worth harming your pet or making them feel uncomfortable. Pay attention to your pets body language. Make sure your pet is comfortable next to the Christmas tree or with antlers on. You may have to work your way up to them wearing a hat or sitting under the tree before the actual day of the photo shoot. If at anytime your dog or cat become visibly uncomfortable stop your session immediately.

 

Tip #2: Find out what motivates your pet.

Does your dog have a favorite toy? Does your cat perk up when you shake the treat bag? These are things you want to use to your advantage. Each time we do a photo shoot we have some type of motivation to get the animals attention. Is it a tennis ball? Is it a certain word like "Play?!" or "Treat?!" Use a high pitched voice, toys or treats to get their attention so they to look at you. This will help them give you that expression you love so much. Be quick though, you will only have a very small window to capture these expressions. The trick is to try and capture as much of their personality in the photo as you can.

 

Tip #3: Get down on their level.

Nobody wants to see nothing but the top of your dogs head or you looking down on your cat at each shot. Try and mix it up. Lay down on the floor, zoom in, and get up close. Try to make your photo interesting and personal. Do you love your cat's big ears? Photograph them. Is you dog a ham in a Santa hat? Focus on that, use what your pet gives you and try not to have too many expectations.

 

Tip #4: Patience really is a virtue!

When you are photographing pets they get wiggly, or distracted or sometimes have a diva moment and just walk off! Try a little pre-shoot exercise. Get out the cat toys, throw the ball or go for a walk. Your pet will most likely be a better subject if he/she is a little tired. Also, you may get the best shot when you least expect it so try and be patient, good things come to those who wait!

 Tip #5: Have a buddy!

This is probably one of the best tips I can give! Sometimes you need someone to help you out. Between fixing antlers, straightening hats, giving treats, squeaking the ball and trying to get the perfect shot it my be impossible to do it alone! Get a friend, kid or spouse to be your assistant during your photo sessions. Make sure it is someone who is comfortable with your pets and who understands what you are wanting out of your photo session. This will create less stress for you and your pet.

 

We hope yall enjoy our tips and I hope they help out this holiday season. We wish you Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Just because I am a proud mom, here is another of our Christmas photos from this year. Thank you again Stephanie Millner for doing such an amazing job!