Monday, June 30, 2014

Oh The Horror... and Embarrassment!

Monday already?  I don't know about you, but I've been lobbying for 3-day weekends as the norm for quite awhile now.  An extra day between Saturday and Sunday would be ideal... just saying.

It's getting warm hot as heck in our neck of the woods and we're expecting a mini heat wave this week.  I have one word: ugh   

I took advantage of the hot temps and gave everyone a bath on the deck yesterday.  It's always such a task to lift all four into the bath tub, and Zeus is so unsteady on his feet these days that I know it would be too much on him.  So, despite how stinky the Lapdogs have been, I opted to wait for a warm day so we could go through the horror have fun outside.

Teutul was the first victim reluctant bather. 

Just gave all 4 dogs a bath outside... Which means I got one too! Tut wouldn't even look at me until I gave him a treat. #notsohappydog #bathtime #instadog #dogstagram #houndmix #rescued #coonhoundmix #nosmilehere #deck #summer

Since Sophie kept trying to escape into the house while I was washing her hound brother, she earned the second spot.

Just gave all 4 dogs a bath outside... Which means I got one too! Sophie's turn #notsohappydog #bathtime #rescued #houndmix #instadog #dogstagram #ilovemydogs #toocute

My Happy Old Man, Zeus was third in the bath line.

Just gave all 4 dogs a bath outside... Which means I got one too! Zeus might be the only #happydog #ilovemydogs #dogstagram #instadog #bigdog #ilovemyseniordog #ilovebigmutts #seniordog #smiling #bathtime #smile #summer #deck

Lola rounded out the pack, and not only got a nice shampoo, but an extra conditioner to help with her dry skin.

Just gave all 4 dogs a bath outside... Which means I got one too!  Here's Lola... Sparkly clean! #dogstagram #instadog #ilovemydogs #bathtime #notsohappydog #dobermanmix #dobiemix #rescued #mutt #ilovemyseniordog #ilovebigmutts #seniordog

As soon as the hose started, Tut kept trying to push the bench I was using to block the door, and even tried to teach Sophie how to help him do so.  (Sure, I could have just closed  the door, but what challenge lies in that?)  Little stinkers... but thankfully, they don't stink anymore! 

IMG_20140629_141131_651-1

As I finished bathing each dog, I stuck them on the other side of the deck and shut the gate. When I showed Zeus to the "drying room," Tut was so miffed that he wouldn't even look at me!  He laid down facing the house (which means his rear end was facing Mama) and wouldn't even turn his head.  Was my baby peed-off or just embarrassed?  I'm not sure, but after everyone was smelling fresh, I decided they had earned the right to enjoy some gooey, stinky bones that I'd be saving for outside-only treats.  If you follow us on Instagram, there's a video clip.

IMG_20140629_141159_541IMG_20140629_141154_513

I wish I had gotten some more photos, but bath day was a one-woman show. 

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Black & White Sunday: Boom-Boom-Boom

Happy Sunday-Fun-Day!  Is it really the end of June?  Where oh where has the first half of 2014 gone?!  

We're sure everyone is excited about the long weekend coming up and being able to spread out all the 4th of July festivities over multiple days.  However, for those of us living in a state where fireworks are legal, it means we'll be dealing with those loud booms for multiple days.  The Lapdogs certainly don't love them, and despite our "Live Free or Die" state, I really don't think consumers need to have the size and power of fireworks in their backyards as we allow (never mind the lack of knowledge on how to use them and the great number of those who are intoxicated while trying to use them).  We were driving home on the 4th last year and passed a house that was shooting off the big ones right at the edge of the road.  One misfired and shot into the road, missing my door by about 2 feet.  I'm not a party pooper by any means, but seriously?  I hate to think of what would have happened if it hit us.

Oh, and we've already got the obnoxious neighbor who's been shooting fireworks off randomly for the past week.  This is Lola's "Seriously?!?!" face.  Yes, she gets it from me. 

2014-06-22_11-36-49

Please keep your dogs safe and as calm as possible this week... and feel free to use our "Seriously?!?!" face as much as needed!

Friday, June 27, 2014

FO Friday - Modeled By a Happy Old Man

TGIF!  Is everyone else as ready for the weekend as I am?  What are my fellow crafters working on?

Even though I've been knitting away on 101 projects lately, I haven't actually gotten much off the needles (damn my startitis).  Which also means I haven't done a Fiber Arts Friday post in awhile.  But, hey, look at this...

I love my model! #airysummerinfinityscarf is finally off the needles! #Cascade #UltraPima #infinityscarf #dogstagram #handknit #happydog #love #smile

Why yes, that is a finished object, and yes, that is my rock star model Zeus (isn't he just the most handsome boy you've seen in an infinity scarf?)!  

I finally bound off my Airy Summer Infinity Scarf and I absolutely love it!  

2014-06-22_05-48-52 2014-06-22_05-47-21

Pattern - It's a freebie on Ravelry (click through my project link to find it).  I honestly don't remember how I came across it, but find it hard to believe there are so little projects in Ravelry.  This is a fun, easy pattern, and not only does it make a great summery scarf as the name would imply, it's great for gift knitting as well.

2014-06-22_05-58-04

Yarn - Cascade Ultra Pima Paints in Desert Sage.  Originally I was leaning toward one of the blue colorways, but stepped away from my usual comfort zone a bit and am so glad I did.  The colors are a little neutral and somewhat perfect!  The pattern calls for 1.5 skeins, however I would estimate it was more like 1.25 skeins.  I'm thinking about picking up another skein to make a second one for a gift.

2014-06-22_05-49-57

Needles - Knitter's Pride Dreamz interchangeable circulars (which, btw, I was never interested in interchangeable needles until I started working at my LYS... now I'm hooked) in sizes 8 and 15, as the pattern calls for.  I love the effect you get from switching to the larger needle for a couple of rows.  It just adds that extra little something-something to the pattern.

As I said, this was a fun knit and I will make it again.  I enjoyed working with the Cascade Ultra Pima cotton as well.  It's not harsh on your hands at all, and knits up like a dream (especially on those smooth Dreamz needle tips).  My "Happy Old Man" approves... 

2014-06-22_06-08-21

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Wordless Wednesday: Happiness Is

Happy Wednesday!  Just a few things that make me happy...

Tut says Good Morning IG! #dogstagram #rescued #coonhoundmix #houndmix #ilovemydogs #seniordog #ilovemyseniordog #happydog #adoptdontshop

Happy #wwkip day! I'm #knitting at the #racetrack as usual... #wwkipday #whereiknit #Painted #scarf #handknit #maine #uslegends #raceday

Lola says Good Morning IG #instadog #dogstagram #dobermanmix #seniordog #love #rescued #adoptdontshop

Got my June #yarnbox on the way to the #racetrack Got the Clouds colors, which wasn't my first choice, but I think it'll be a pretty shawl. #ArtYarns #yarn #stashenhancement #NHMS #getyourkniton

Sophie would like to remind everyone to stay hydrated...it's hot out there today! #rescued #houndmix #dogstagram #drinkup #waterbowl #ilovemydogs

Love!!! #bostonbruins #bruins #GoBs #dogstagram #MyDogIsABruinsFan #bestcarmagnetever #MadeInUSA #bostonstrong

2014-06-01_01-21-57

Today is my last day at the #yarnshop until Sept...come #IvyBrambles #sockyarn is well stocked! #knitting #yarn #stashenhancement #getyourkniton #socks

Happiness... Love my kids! #dogstagram #instadog #seniordog #ilovemydogs #ilovebigmutts #ilovemyseniordog #rescued

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Lapdogs Love Casey Jones

Happy Tasty Tuesday!  The Lapdogs wanted to bark all about one of their most favorite treats today, Casey Jones Bones.

The #8 #uslegends team will be sampling #CaseyJonesBones Wheat Free #peanutbutter #banana #dogtreats at #NHMS tomorrow! Bring the #dogs by!

Long time readers probably recall us talking about Casey Jones Bones over the years.  Our first introduction was when we reviewed them four years ago, and the tasty bones quickly became one of the Lapdogs' most favorite!

Untitled

Made in Southern New Hampshire (so close, that I swear we can smell 'em baking), Casey Jones Bones are all natural, with no preservatives or additives.  The come in both regular and wheat-free versions, making them a good option for just about every dog we know.  As a consumer, I not only love that they are local to me, I also love that they use other locally sourced ingredients.  The apples are from an orchard I frequent, and the maple syrup is made not too far from us as well.  A small company supporting other small companies is always a win-win in my book!

The Lapdogs all drool for Casey Jones Bones, but one of them may have actually become quite spoiled.... ah-hum.  Miss Sophie has actually turned her nose to other brands as of recent!  I guess that proves Casey Jones Bones really are a staple in our house, huh?

Last year, the great folks behind Casey Jones Bones signed on to sponsor the Lapdogs' Daddy's race car - and we couldn't be more proud to promote such a wonderful company and amazing product!  It's been an amazing partnership.  Not only do they make sure we are always well stocked with free samples for all of our events, they also promote our races on their Facebook page (give 'em a like... and tell Casey we sent you)!  

The @caseyjonesbones #8 at #nhms today #racecar #raceday #uslegends #racing 

Come by the #8 #NELCAR pit at @beechridge today and get some free @caseyjonesbones #dogtreats samples! #raceday #racing #maine #MadeinNH

We were already known as huge dog lovers at the track (after all, we often had foster dogs with us), but now we've become known as "the dog treat people" and often have a line in our pit.  One of my favorite moments was last year at an autograph night when a lady said she'd love to take a sample for her dog, however he was allergic to wheat.  I said "NO problem.. let me find you a few of the wheat-free samples to try."  She couldn't believe we actually had wheat-free samples and happily took them home.  A month later, at another meet & greet event, she came up to me and told me how much her dog loved the treats and how happy she was to find Casey Jones Bones!  

Untitled

We're often caught "cheating" on the Lapdogs at the race track, but I don't think they mind... after all, their home is more than well stocked with boxes of Casey Jones Bones! 

CJBfan_6813b Belle_6813

Tucker and Briggs waiting for their @caseyjonesbones Stop by the #8 #NELCAR pit and get your free samples! #NHMS #uslegends #dogstagram #dogtreats

Belle sitting pretty for her #CaseyJonesBones pumpkin treat! One of our former #foster #dogs at the #racetrack today! #dogtreats #adoptdontshop

For those of you looking for a wonderful, Made in the USA, all natural treat, I hope you'll check out Casey Jones Bones!  If you're not in the New England or New York area (where distribution is expanding this summer), you can order direct or contact me.  We now have full size boxes available for sale at all of our races  as well - which has proved to be quite convenient for our fellow race teams and fans who can't get enough of Casey Jones Bones!

Oh, and did I mention Casey Jones is quite a handsome fella too?

The one and only @caseyjonesbones (along with his awesome humans) just dropped off lots of #dogtreat samples... That means its #raceseason Stop by the #8 #NELCAR pit at #LeeSpeedway this weekend! #dogstagram #instadog

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Black & White Sunday: Make A Wish

Happy first Sunday of summer!  What's everyone up to today?  The hounds are kickin' back... and I think Teutul is wishing for a long weekend!

2014-06-18_10-10-59

2014-06-18_10-09-48

Friday, June 20, 2014

GIVEAWAY WINNER! Bartley's

1175198_123552181164405_1250024468_nLots of woofs (that's thank you in human speak) to everyone who entered to win the Bartley's gift certificate!

The winner has been chosen by random number generator.  Congrats to a new reader, Mallory H!  We can't wait to hear what you use your gift certificate for!

As for everyone else, we hope you'll check out Bartley's for your Made in the USA toys and treat needs!  We absolutely love their mission.
  
Stay tuned for several more great reviews coming soon, including a pair of great dinner time items from Loving Pets, stainless steel bowls with character and functional food mats, as well as some new Merrick dental treats.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Real Weight Loss Results: Chuy's Journey #HillsPets

Food_is_love_1Since March, we have been sharing information about weight loss for dogs and how Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution can help.  This food is designed to activate your dog's metabolism to regulate appetite and burn fat.  But, the question I'm sure many of you have been asking, does it really work?

Thanks to Chuy and his Mom Aimee from Irresistible Pets, I'm pleased to show you real results - in the real world!  They have also been a part of this campaign for the past four months.

20140416_132733_thumb

Chuy, an absolutely adorable chihuahua, if I do say so myself, is 4 years young.  He loves the outdoors - whether running or playing fetch in his yard, going for walks, or being a beach bum.  In fact, his Mom says the beach is his favorite place.

Initial Visit 11.8lb

Aimee first came to the realization that her baby boy was overweight back in December.  At the vet for a check-up, little Chuy weighed in at 12.6 pounds.  To the Mom of 4 large breed dogs, this sounds incredibly small, but the fact is Chuy should tip the scale between 9 - 10 pounds.  And while a few pounds doesn't sound like a lot, when you're dealing with toy breeds, every ounce matters.

While Chuy has a lot of energy and loves to be outside, walks sometimes do get skipped.  The weather gets too cold or too hot, the humans get too busy, things happen... it's a fact of life that all doggy parents face.  Aimee says that even at a higher weight, little Chuy was always ready to get out and explore.  However, she realized that losing a few pounds would not only enhance Chuy's quality of life now, it would also play a part in his longevity as well.  

Chuy began his weight loss journey with Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution earlier this year.  This was the first food they tried specifically for weight loss, and the switch was a breeze!  In fact, Chuy's Mom reports, "Chuy actually loves his new food and eats every single kibble in one sitting.  Previously, he would pick at his old food and never seemed interested in it."

Started More Walks
Additionally, Chuy and his Mom started going for more walks... which the little boy really loves!  Although he has some unrelated back issues that cause him to take a break every now and then, they enjoy walking as much as possible.

Chuy began his journey at 12.6 pounds and is now down to about 10 pounds -- which means he's lost over 10% of his body weight!  Aimee said, "We can definitely notice a change in his figure and energy levels.  The area around his neck has slimmed down tremendously as you can see in the picture below, and he's getting his waistline back!"

20140531_174044_thumb

Here's a before and during photo comparison.  Doesn't Chuy look fabulous?  I'd say the beach bum is definitely getting his beach body back!

Chuy-Chihuahuas-Weight-Loss-Journey-Before-and-During-Pics_thumb

I am so happy to have been a part of this campaign with Hill's Pets and Blog Paws for the past four months.  Not only have I learned a lot myself, I love being able to share important information about overweight dogs with all of you.  If our posts have shed light for even just one dog out there, my work is done!  

Have you been following along with all of my posts during this campaign?  I'd love to hear your real life stories and hope that you will share them below in the comments.  Hill's would also love to hear your stories over on their Facebook page.  Like any great weight loss solution - human or canine - seeing is believing, so please share!  Even if your dog (or cat!) is just beginning his/her weight loss journey, share it with us.

*A special thank you to Aimee for all of the images of Chuy during his weight loss journey.

This post is sponsored by Hill’s and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Food, but Lapdog Creations only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Wordless Wednesday: Just Smile!

Happy Hump Day / Wordless Wednesday / Almost-Officially-Summer Day!  Tut is reminding everyone to "just smile" today...

Happy, smiling, upside down lap dog...aka Tut #dogstagram #instadog #coonhoundmix #smile #happydog #smiling

Cirque du Soleil #Amaluna #CirqueDuSoleil #boston #datenight #cirque 

Warm enough to lounge on the porch, and his humans are home all day... Yup, Zeus is one happy camper! #dogstagram #instadog #seniordog #happydog #BestDogEver

My current view. First night of #ThursdayThunder and it's COLD! #uslegends #racing #8 #HooliganMotorsports #raceday

Who doesn't love #icecream ? Sophie loves her #FrostyPaws #instadog #happydog #houndmix #rescued #adoptdontshop #dogstagram

Just a little lazy Sunday #knitting ... #knitstagram #LouisaHarding #jasmine #yarn Tut #stitchmarker #dogstagram #babyknits #getyourkniton #handmade #handknit birthday gift #instaknit

My baby girl its not feeling well again. Breaks my heart when they're sick.  Off to see the doc later today... #dobermanmix #seniordog #ilovemydogs #ilovemyseniordog

Just cast on #Painted from #LoopyEwe #springgiftables with the gorgeous #TheYarnsOfRichardDevrieze #yarn in Agawa Canyon #knitstagram #knitting #scarf
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...