Oh My Dog!

obsessed with dogs

Grateful

I prefer Thanksgiving to Christmas.

At least, I prefer the spirit of Thanksgiving, of expressing thanks and gratitude and joy, to the consumer-driven craze Christmas has become. Don’t get me wrong: I love presents, giving and receiving, and I love decorations and pretty lights. I love holiday food and cookies galore. I can’t wait to see Violet’s visit with Santa this year. And, I LOVE hosting my annual holiday gift guide and being able to give away tons of presents to the dogs, cats, and pet people who make this space a community.

I love lots of Christmas things, but Thanksgiving holds a special place in my heart.

Grateful for my babies

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Anonymous

I’m so deeply grateful for what I have. I’m grateful for the life I’ve built. So, for this week of thanks, before the Black Friday madness begins (coincidentally, of course, when my gift guide launches… which makes me feel a bit hypocritical… but I’d rather frame it as my annual way of giving back to this space…) I wanted to share a handful of things for which I’m immensely grateful. Starting with:

You. 

I’m so grateful you’re here. I’m so grateful you’re willing to share your time and your pets with us in this space. It’s incredibly easy to feel lonely in this world, and this space gives those of us who are obsessed with pets a place to hang, share stories and tips, and appreciate the incredible bond we have with our animals. I realize that a blog often feels one sided, which is why I recently launched a Facebook discussion group to make this more conversational. But, I’m just so grateful that this is a positive space filled with a shared love of animals. So, thank you for being here, and thank you for being you.

Cooper.

OMG, you guys. This dog. He rocks an Elf Elmo costume (stay tuned for the gift guide because I can’t even with this one), takes a million kisses and stickers from Violet, puts up with the cats thwacking him (though he pummels them right back), deals with being the official product tester for this site with aplomb, runs miles and miles and miles or just snoozes, hangs out with me all day, snuggles like a champ… I mean, he’s just the greatest. No, he’s not perfect. And that’s OK. He’s really flipping fantastic just as he is. I’m so, so grateful for him every single day.

Violet’s Birth Mama.

Violet turned our hearts and our lives inside out in the most amazing, breathtaking, astonish way possible. She brings magic wherever she goes. She’s strong-willed and opinionated and bossy, which can be… challenging…, but she’s also a kind friend and an animal lover and an absolute clown. She brings us joy in magnitudes of an epic scale. Without her birth mama and her compassionate choice to place Violet for adoption, we wouldn’t have this fierce love for which I’m thankful every second of every day… even the seconds when Violet is hucking her burrito across the room because she’s overly tired and wanted the purple spoon, not the green spoon. All of it. Violet’s birth mom is one of the most special and important people in our lives, and we’re forever grateful to her and for her.

John and Violet.

No words. Just a deep, bottomless well of love and gratitude.

The Kittehs.

My cats are hilarious. I think all cats probably are in their own ways. Newt and Ripley are a comedy duo who deserve their own late-night talk show. Neither cat joined our family in a planned, purposeful sort of way. And yet, they’ve both brought exactly what we were missing: Newt, an unending supply of sarcasm (voiced by us, obvi) and the occasional heart-melting snuggle; Ripley, an acrobatic circus of play that’s keeping Newt young, plus a nonstop purring-and-rubbing lovefest that could win over even the most strident non-cat-person. You’re the perfect cats for Cooper and the perfect cats for Violet. I’ll be even MORE grateful if you leave the Christmas tree alone this year… worth a shot…

There’s so, so much else: access to healthy food, a reliable car, wonderful friends IRL and online who lift me up, an incredible preschool where Violet thrives, organic wine, our public library, parents willing to jump in and help whenever we need it, long walks in the woods, Tagalongs, this list could go on.

All this to say: Thank you. I’m grateful for so much in my life, and a big part of that is right here.

What are you grateful for? If you’re in the US, I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

Hiking With Dogs: Winter Safety Tips

We love to get outside all year round, and we live in Indiana–it gets cold! and dark! and snowy!

In fact, the day I’m writing this, we experienced an ice storm overnight that closed schools, and now it’s snowing on top of the ice. This weather makes me want to bundle up, throw Coop’s coat and boots on, and hit the trails!

Why?

Because they will be quiet! We’ll have the place to ourselves! Everything is so pretty coated in a dusting of ice and snow!

Of course, when you’re hiking in the winter, you need to take some extra steps and precautions that you wouldn’t in, say, spring. I compiled our top tips, the things we do each time, but please know that this is situation- and weather-dependent. Use caution. Be safe. Always default to common sense. This list isn’t exhaustive–just the bare-bones basics–so I’d love to hear what you’d add to it in the comments!

Hiking With Dogs: 5 Winter Safety Tips

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5 Winter Safety Tips for Hiking With Dogs

Dress for the weather.

Obviously, right? You pile on your boots, wool socks, coat, hat, gloves, the works! You might even own a suite of technical fabrics designed with the cold in mind. But what about your dog?

Winter weather is vicious on your dog’s paws, especially if you traverse rugged terrain that’s wet or frozen. While not all dogs will tolerate boots, most can learn to wear them with practice (and treats and praise). Cooper wears these all winter long. Yes, they’re pricey, but they’ve last years and hundreds of miles, and his paws are protected from the elements. Same goes for a jacket or sweater: You know your dog and your dog’s comfort level. Cooper always wears a jacket. He runs cold, and we’ve learned over the years he hikes better and has more stamina if he’s bundled up. Our late shepherd, Lucas, would tolerate one if we insisted but never needed one. Know your dog, and know the conditions you’re going to be hiking in–but always err on the side of caution.

BTW, don’t forget you also need sunscreen in the winter!! When you’re dressing, screen up any exposed skin. The winter sun can be harsh, especially at higher elevations!

Drink plenty of water.

It’s easy to remember to hydrate in the summer. You’re hot and sweating buckets. In the winter, sweat often makes you feel colder, and the air seems drier, so it’s easier to forget to hydrate. However, it’s vital for you and your pup. Always pack plenty of water for both of you. If your dog carries a pack, he can stow his own on one side and yours on the other. This is the pack Cooper wears. It comfortable fits a water bottle on either side, and we have a collapsible water dish (not this but super similar) for him.

Be reflective!

Mornings are dark. Afternoons are dark. These short winter days, combined with often-overcast, gray skies and precipitation make visibility tough. Both you and your dog should wear reflective or neon gear no matter what time of day you head out. Low visibility can cause trouble, particularly if you live somewhere where people hunt in the winter. Even if you aren’t in a hunting area, though, bright colors and reflective wear are simple safety steps that don’t take any extra effort but can prevent big problems. Bonus: Stash a flashlight or headlamp in your pack as an extra safety measure.

Keep your pup on leash.

Of course, if you’re in a leash-required park, you’re a responsible dog owner so obviously your dog is leashed. (Right?!) However, even if you’re in an area where off-leash is OK, winter isn’t a safe time for your dog to dash off. Why? Well, one really big reason is frozen water might appear solid to your dog but crack as soon as he gets out on the ice. So dangerous. Another reason is that sound travels differently in the winter, especially in snow-covered terrain, and you and your pup can get separated much more easily. Finally, if your dog tends to sniff out animals, lots are in hibernation or dormancy and don’t appreciate being disturbed. It could even kill them. Keep your pup on leash all winter long!

Hike a trail you know.

This is a recommendation someone made to me at a trade show when we were talking winter hiking gear, and it made so much sense: If you’ve never hiked an area before, winter isn’t the time to try it out. Snow covers the trail. Many, even in maintained parks, aren’t broken during the winter months. Markers might be obscured or down. It’s harder to find your way in the depths of winter. Now, if you’re considering a park that’s well-managed year-round, go for it. Or, at least, ask the park rangers if it’s a good time to try a trail. But, err on the side of safety and stick with trails, parks, and climbs you’re familiar with during the winter months.

Other than that, have fun! Hiking with your dog in the winter can be fun and rewarding. Everything is quiet. The terrain looks totally fresh and clean blanketed in snow. You can usually push a little longer and farther than if you’re in the beating-down sun. If you have a reactive or fearful pup like Cooper, you almost always have the trails to yourself, which is so awesome!

Get outside! Have fun! Be safe!

Hikers: What would you add to this list? Do you get out in the winter? Or do you like to hibernate, too? Does your dog perform well in the cold? Or is your pup a nap-fireside dog?

Reflections on dog blogs, evil trolls, and #WorldKindnessDay

Have you guys seen that meme that says: “You can’t make everyone happy. You’re not tacos.”

I love it.

It makes me laugh, partly because I love tacos, and party because I’m not tacos.

Reflections on dog blogs, evil trolls, and #WorldKindnessDay

I know I can’t make everyone happy. I don’t even try. (That, from a recovering people-pleaser is a big statement, y’all.) And sometimes I make mistakes and sometimes I share stuff that’s important to me but doesn’t resonate for you and sometimes I don’t write anything about a topic that IS important to you and you maybe feel overlooked.

Again. Not tacos.

Recently, someone landed on one of my old blog posts through a Google search.

The post was about a tragedy: a little girl was killed by a dog, and later the neighbors said, “You know, we always suspected him of dog fighting.” It’s horrific. If those neighbors had reported their suspicions, perhaps that little girl would still be alive today.

The gentleman who landed on that post was, I guess, searching for info on how to report suspected dog fighting. (Which, bro, call the cops–dog fighting is illegal, after all–or animal control or your local shelter or the FBI or an anonymous tip line at HSUS, ASPCA, etc. etc. etc.) The post wasn’t about that, though, because… I mean… duh, kind of. You know?

Anyway, I am sorry that someone was perhaps truly, honestly trying to figure out what to do and landed on my post and found that it wasn’t helpful. That’s a bummer. I hope he figured out how to report suspected dog fighting. I really, really do.

However.

His comment said two things. First, which I’m paraphrasing: This is clickbait because you give no information. You just tell a stupid story.

(Which, to be fair, is what I do here… I tell stories… That’s, like, my job. In case anyone else was confused.)

Then, the comment ended with, and this isn’t a paraphrase, this is a quote:

Kill yourself.

Now, I have a fairly healthy sense of self. I have a general sense of my strengths and a glaring awareness of my weaknesses (I’m a writer who can’t spell. There. I said it.). I’m generally pretty good about taking care of my mental health, not counting stress. I read and listen and watch all sorts of personal and professional development. I get decent sleep. I exercise a bit. I eat well 82 percent of the time. All those things, plus my brain’s chemical makeup, etc. etc. etc. have put me in position where, thankfully, my mental health is fairly solid.

Not everyone’s is. And tossing around “kill yourself” over dumb stuff like being disappointed in a blog post?

Part of me wants to rage at that guy.

Part of me feels immensely sorry for someone whose life is so small that being cruel makes them feel big.

I keep reading online people decrying a lack of civility. It’s not that. It’s not that at all. Because you can be civil and still be an asshole.

What we need isn’t civility.

What we need is compassion.

We are facing a crisis of compassion. So many people seem only to care for themselves and those who are just like them, and somehow being cruel or putting down anyone who’s “other” justifies their existence, their rightness.

I don’t have to be wrong for you to be right.

You don’t have to agree with me or like my work to be kind.

Online forums enable and engender this behavior because you’re not looking at–you’re not seeing–another human. It’s a screen. A cursor. Some keys on a keyboard. Imagine this guy standing in an elevator with me and being disappointed in our conversation and ending it with, “Kill yourself.”

Luckily for all of us here, we have dogs. Dogs bring us love, joy, happiness, and live-in-the-moment inspo. We need that. We all need that–and more of it. I have to imagine if that commenter had a puppy who greeted him happily at the door each day, who licked his face when he felt down, who he could take for a walk when he felt angry, well, he might tell fewer people to kill themselves! Yes, that’s a bit tongue-in-cheek but not much. People who have dogs are happier people, and happy people just don’t tell others to kill themselves.

Today is World Kindness Day. We should all be kind every day, of course, but to honor this day, I want to end this post with a call-to-action:

Do something extra today. Do a random act of kindness. Make an anonymous donation. Brush out a shelter dog. Buy a stranger a cup of coffee. Leave a quarter in the cart at Aldi. Donate old coats to your local homeless shelter. Visit adoptable cats at your local pet store. Even giving strangers authentic, meaningful compliments feels like a random act of kindness. Wait until you see the cashier’s smile when you tell her how much you like her earrings or whatever it is. Give your dog a second walk. Play with your cat’s pouncer toy for an extra couple minutes.

Everything in life takes energy; spend yours doing something kind. 

P.S. Join us on Facebook where we’ve established a positive-vibes-only, no-negativity space for people who love pets! It’s the perfect excuse to share alllllll those pics of your pups (or cats, gerbils, birds, etc.) languishing in your camera roll!

You never know where your dogs will take you! Here’s my latest journey…

In 2009, I worked in a job I disliked. I lived in a town where I knew very few people. John toiled away morning, noon, and night in his lab, working on his PhD. I felt directionless and lonely.

The year before, I completed my MA in narrative nonfiction, and while the job I had was writing, it was draining, unfulfilling work in an industry I cared nothing about. I knew I needed to do something else, but I had no idea what. At that time, I poured my heart and soul into my dogs, Emmett and Lucas. I started therapy dog training with Emmett and made wonderful friends there. I started reactive dog training with Lucas and learned so much about him–and me.

I walked them every day and got to know the neighborhood. It was during one of those walks that it hit me: I needed to start a blog about them.

It felt like the perfect solution to give me a creative outlet, to allow me to write about the thing I was most passionate about–my dogs–and to provide me with something to work on that let me stretch my writing muscles in a way that my day job didn’t.

Of course, back in 2009, blogging wasn’t anything like it is today. No one had quite yet figured out that you could build a business around a blog, and the cottage industry of “how to build a blog” was still in its infancy.

Strangely, though, something happened: I received an email from an editor at a magazine. It said, essentially, “I was googling for people who write about dogs in your city, and I found your blog.” The editor wanted a piece written about a specific story in my town and found my blog, reached out, and I landed the gig. My first pet assignment! Then I went to BlogPaws and met two other editors who hired me for pet-related writing gigs, and it went on from there.

Now, almost 10 years later, I’m a full-time pet writer who runs this blog and thezerowastepet.com as supplements to my writing business.

And, I’m honored and humbled–and, frankly, a little shocked–to share that I’m now the incoming Vice President of the Dog Writers Association of America. (You can read the official announcement here!)

DWAA has been around since 1935–a venerable organization dedicated to writers and editors who cover dogs. I’ve been a member for years and even spoke at the conference a couple years ago (the pic below!), but this is such a tremendous honor and opportunity.

DWAA 2017

Why am I sharing this news here? I know you’re all dog lovers–obsessed, like I am–but very few of you are dog bloggers. I think there’s a much bigger, much more important lesson here that I wanted to hit on:

Dogs give us something that no other relationship can. I’m sure you’ve met those people who are squarely in the “it’s just a dog” camp, and I imagine you, like I do, feel terribly sorry for those people not being open to that incredible human-animal bond. No, not everyone, even the most fervent dog lover, builds a career around a love of dogs. But everyone who loves dogs lives a fuller, happier life because of dogs.

They bring us more than companionship. They’re full of joy and light and life. Dogs live in the moment, the ultimate Zen masters. They forgive easily. They don’t dwell on or worry about the past or the future.

Dogs teach us how to be better people–if we’re open to the lessons.

Connecting this incredible, kind, vibrant, caring, compassionate community of animal lovers through this blog is something I’m proud of. Some of the most important people in my life I met through this space. I know all your dogs, and I celebrate their wins and mourn your losses as if we were next door neighbors.

Writing about dogs allows me to help dogs live better lives by providing information, education, and–yes–entertainment to their people. And I’m gobsmacked to be among the leadership of an organization that increases journalistic excellence among dog writers.

If you are a dog writer or blogger, I encourage you to check out DWAA! Join the membership, attend the annual banquet, jump into the discussion on social. My role officially starts February 2019, but if you’re interested or have questions, let me know how I can serve you now.

In the meantime, be open to the lessons. You never know where your dogs will take you… 10 years ago, I certainly couldn’t imagine Emmett and Lucas leading me here! 

Emergency Preparedness for Pets (with a free printable preparedness workbook!)

Does your smoke detector have fresh batteries?

Do you have a carbon monoxide detector? Are those batteries fresh?

What about your fire extinguisher? Is it charged and not expired? Did you know they expire??

And where do you plan to go if your area is hit with a natural disaster?

Emergency Preparedness for Pets | with free workbook download

OhMyDogBlog.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. 

It’s a mess out there!

Y’all, the spate of national catastrophes–from the west coast on fire to catastrophic hurricanes and flooding to savage tornadoes–one might assume that the earth is trying to knock us all off. That may be true, and this post isn’t about that, but all these disasters got me thinking: Am I prepared for an emergency?

You see all the heart-wrenching pictures and videos coming out of the south: animals trapped, terrified, abandoned and now homeless. While nothing could make me leave my pets, I have been thinking about how we can be better prepared for all kinds of emergencies from the micro like a house fire to the macro like a tornado.

Note 1: I plan to follow this post up with a pet first aid post. John and I took the Red Cross pet first aid course a while ago, and it’s time we brush up on those skills and repack our first aid kit. I’ll share that just as soon as I get it together!

Note 2: I can really only speak to dogs and cats, but I’d LOVE to get input from those of you with other animals like birds, lizards, hamsters, etc. I’d love to learn how you can add to this list for those other pets, beyond just grabbing their cage? Although maybe that’s it? If you have experience here, please share in the comments so we can all learn more!

When we lived in Louisiana, I prepared for a hurricane. Here in Indiana, I need to prepare for a tornado. In fact, I’m remiss… we’ve been in this house three years and have a big, humongous problem if we were to have a tornado: The basement isn’t cat-proofed. Which brings me to my first emergency preparedness tip:

Create an emergency preparedness plan for your pets

Are you ready for a natural disaster?

Generally speaking, based on your geography you probably know the kinds of natural disasters you might face in addition to “common” emergencies like house fires. So, plan to those. If you’re in the Midwest and need a tornado plan, figure out where you’ll go and scope the space. Our basement has a ton of hazards for the cats, so I need to tackle things like closing up the crawl space. If you’re on the shore, what’s your hurricane-evacuation route and where are there pet-friendly shelters or hotels along the way?

What’s your escape plan in case of a fire?

Can you reliably call your pets to come and get them leashed or crated to make a quick escape? Again, this is a place we’re lacking with the cats. And, honestly, this is what sparked this whole post. I watched people on the news mourn their cats because they couldn’t find them when they needed to escape. It’s so utterly heartbreaking, and it made me realize I have the same problem! So, in addition to tornado prep, I’m also adding a layer of disaster/emergency/fire preparedness for the cats. I haven’t figured it all the way out yet, but I’m going to train them to get in their crates on cue. I think it will entail the clicker and lots of fresh sushi… but I’m determined. (My friend Erik crate trained his cat, so I know it can be done!!!)

Build an emergency preparedness kit for your pets

In a life-threatening emergency, do you have the items you need to keep you and your pets safe? Imagine if you only had a couple minutes to flee, like in a fire. Do you know what you need to grab and where it’s stored?

This is (yet another) place we’re unprepared. In Louisiana, we had our hurricane stuff organized and ready to go. Here, I’m breaking this into two phases: First, putting a tornado kit in the basement. This will include flashlights, candles, water, a small first-aid kit (like band-aids and stuff… nothing too extensive), and pet stuff. The pet stuff will include leashes for all three, additional water, Coop’s pop-up emergency crate, and canned food. A lot of resources suggest emergency kits contain three days’ worth of food and water for people and pets. You have to decide for yourself whether or not that’s necessary when stocking your kit, but I’m aiming for a day-ish.

Also, going back to my intro: Make sure you have a fire extinguisher at home! Make sure it’s not expired. Change your batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors; our fire station recommends changing all those batteries the same day you change your clocks each year. That way, it’s just part of your routine!

For the second piece, this is specific to an evacuation, like if we had to leave immediately. What all would I need to take for us and for the pets? An emergency preparedness kit for your pet needs to include at the minimum (btw, if you don’t want to write all this down, I have a free printable at the bottom of the post):

  • a jump drive with all their vet records and, just in case the absolute worst happens, a lost pet flier that’s ready to go
  • a few days’ worth of canned food and water
  • first-aid supplies (you can buy pre-made kits like this or this… I’m actually debating buying that second one vs. assembling our own… tbd)
  • an extra leash and collar with tags that are correct (and while you’re at it, check the tags they’re wearing now to confirm the info is recent)
  • bathroom gear like a disposable litter tray and litter or potty pads and pickup bags
  • bowls (we really like these because they take up no space and weigh very little)
  • a blanket
  • ideal: a toy or some treats

A lot of evacuation sites like shelters require pets to be kenneled, so a pop-up crate is great, too. We have one similar to this for Cooper, and as part of your emergency preparedness–like we’re doing with the cats–train your pet to the crate first so it’s not another terrifying part of an evacuation.

Organize your emergency preparedness pet stuff

OK, last but definitely not least, you gotta organize all these pieces. It will do you no good to buy all the first aid kit stuff and canned food if you can’t find it when you need to evacuate!

My suggestion: Create two sets of your stuff, one for hunkering down at home and one for evacuating. Put everything you need in one bag for each, then store it somewhere that makes sense. For us, our tornado stuff would go in the basement, and our evacuation stuff would go in the garage. Make sure everyone in your family knows where both bags are stored because, don’t forget, you might not be home at the time of an emergency! Everyone needs to be equally prepped!

If you’ve decided you need to train something–kenneling your dog in a pop-up crate, for instance, or getting your cats to go into their on cue–slot that time into your calendar so that it actually happens. Too often, emergency preparedness is put off… until an emergency, when it’s too late to be thorough.

If you’d like some guidance through the planning process, I created a free download that contains an Emergency Preparedness Kit for Pets Checklist along with a worksheet to map out your family’s preparedness plan. You can snag that for free here.

OK, now it’s your turn!

Are you and your pets prepared from an emergency? Do you have an evacuation plan or a preparedness kit ready to go? What’s your next step in being ready for an emergency? Please share in the comments!

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