Keep Your Dogs Water Cold @ 107F

This weekend was hectic as I spent it dog sitting, working, and helping others after the bad streak of storms that came trough on Sunday. I stayed busy with a lack of time for photos so I have grabbed a few from friends and the web but you will get the idea.





Keeping your dogs water Cold:
My parent have a yellow lab Buddy that stays outside in the backyard, coming in occasionally during bad weather to enjoy A/C during the heat. I was responsible for keeping his water drinkable as it was 107F this weekend. So rather than throwing ice in the water bowl only to watch it melt in less than a minute. I recycled an idea I learn while working landscaping in high school: The Frozen 2 liter bottle.

Find a two liter Bottle fill with water till the top of the label leaving room for expansion. Throw it in the freezer for a couple of hours.

The you have two options
1: Throw the bottle in the bowl and let it act as a ice block
2: Cut the bottle off and have a lick able ice block

-Either way your outside (Or Inside) dog can enjoy cold water for hours, leaving you with the feeling of being a responsible dog parent.

The fish even felt the weather:
In the dog days of summer you can go fishing, leaving you with a loss of water weight, mosquito bites, and sunburn. I spent the latter part of the days fishing only to find a few yellowbellys deep on a beadhead stonefly and a few bass on a deer hair frog moving it slowly with little pops. Even days when the fishing isn't so great it can always turn into a good time to work on you casting.

Sunday storms came fast, left fast and a mess behind.

Sunday afternoon the storm system from Virginia came into North Carolina with solid red showing on the radar. Still at my parents house where I am a volunteer firefighter the fire calls where numerous as trees where down and houses had been struck by lighting. I spent Sunday behind a chainsaw for a couple of hours. Only to spend Monday behind a chainsaw at a friends house in Greenville helping his family clean up as they lost a few trees. I was graciously paid with a great dinner and good conversation.

Overall it was a good weekend I kept buddy's water cold, caught a few fish, and helped some people in need as I hope one day when I need help someone will return the favor. 

J.Jones

Dogs Days: Collars

Does your dog suffer from annoying jiggle collar syndrome?

Yes Callie has been a victim of AJCS, spending her first years making jiggle noises with every step. Dangling collar tags also pose a risk for getting stuck in floor vents seen here by another victim.

So how do I get my dog free of AJCS?

Most common cure: purchase a new collar with integrated tag or a monogrammed collar. 

Integrated tags: 

Cabelas offers dog collars with integrated tags for around $15 

Do not be fooled by Petsmart tags that you can insert into a collar for two reasons. First they cost $11 bucks just for the tag and secondarily it's not a true rivet leaving it vulnerable to coming off. 

Monogrammed Tags:

Orvis offers one of the best monogrammed dog collars, I know what your thinking $20 for a dog collar seriously? Good news you can purchase them two for $30 when they are on sale (often) if not use the coupon previously talked about. Perhaps the greatest feature is that you don't have to worry about losing an identification tag, making you dogs chances of return greater. 

To talk about a collar seems elementary, but it might help return your pup one day. Investing in a premium dog collar is a good idea. It might cost twenty dollars to purchase one of the collars discussed, however if you purchase a collar and identification tag separate it can easily cost over that amount. 

Invest in your dogs safety by purchasing a collar with some form of identification. 

J.Jones 

National Puppy Day - Purchase or Rescue?

Today is National Puppy day, everyone loves cute puppies we go purchase one bring it home and accept that it is going to pee everywhere and chew up everything. I've been there we purchased a puppy who I wouldn't trade for the world, however the idea of adopting a dog never crossed my mind. Then sitting at hooters I received a phone call from my 15 minutes late I had to do my hair thought we where going somewhere nice not hooters girlfriend. She had found what appeared to be a lab mix by the dumpster ribs showing, collar ingrown, but a sweet dog.

Can we keep it? Was the next question, my thought two college students with two large dogs and an additional vet bill ugh NO. Well I was eventually convinced upon meeting Addie and through the process of adopting Addie she has taught me a lot about life including patience, forgiveness and perseverance. Dogs that have been neglected tend to be more clingy which Addie was however it makes her a good companion. Addie was about nine months when we got her but I still consider her still today a puppy. There are plenty of good dogs at the pound, humane society or other shelters that need a home and even an old dog can be a puppy.

So when you want a dog will you purchase puppy or rescue?

[In future post I will talk about how to get your new dog the things they need without going broke or sacrificing their well being.]

J.Jones