There’s a Reason for Hair

Being a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, I see a lot of monstrous hair cuts afflicted on my brothers and sister. My own mama tends to leave me a little shaggy, which I’m ok with, but man alive does she get chewed out sometimes. “How can he see?” “Isn’t he hot.” “He’s too hairy.”

Here are two things you should know before ever trying to “educate” a Wheaten about their hair.

1. I can see you. Wheatens (and many other breeds) have a fall- that’s bangs to those less familiar- to help protect our eyes. Think of it like eyelashes and sunglasses helping keep dirt and UV light out of your eyes. We just need more of it because of the work we were bred to do.
2. I’m Irish, I’ve got fair skin. Please don’t shave me. Ever. For starters, a Wheaten’s coat is supposed to be hand clipped, so step away from the buzzer. Secondly, our hair helps regulate our body temperature. Believe it or not, it’s going to help keep us comfortable to have our hair- even in the summer. Dogs sweat through the pads of their feet and by panting. Trim our feet, keep the hair in between our pads trimmed and de-tangled, but don’t shave me down.

On that same note, living in Arizona, I see a heck of a lot of dogs in every shape, size and breed who have been shaved down in the summer. I wonder if these owners apply sunscreen to their pooches every day. You’ve taken away their natural defense against the sun. As I said in my own case, hair and fur help regulate our temperature. The only reason an owner has their German Shepherd shaved is because they don’t want to deal with the shedding, let’s be honest. In the hotter months, you have to brush your dog more often to clean up the shed. My mama used to have German Shepherds who actually didn’t mind being vacuumed with the hose attachment. It took a little extra time, but they were never shaved down.

And yes, I understand there are breeds such a poodles who can be clippered down, but their owners do this all the time, not just in the summer. I also understand there are instances when a coat becomes so matted that it must be shaved off and just started over, but these are really exceptions to the general rule. Don’t shave your dogs.

Oh and those of you who do have Wheatens (and realistically most other breeds) and who do decide to shave your pup down, don’t be surprised when the coat comes in harsher in the fall.

Link

Obviously, it is pretty easy to go to the store and pick up some treats for your pups (and trust me we’ll eat them), but just like humans love a little homemade goodness, so do we. There are tons of resources online and even printed cookbooks for dogs and most of these treats are very simple.

Today’s treat comes again from the Bubba Rose Biscuit Company in New Jersey. Mom got their Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook (buy it yourself here!) and decided to give it a whirl. A side note about the book, if you are interested in cooking more for your dogs, this book has so many tips and reminders about what dogs can and can’t eat.

Here’s what Mom made:

Honey Mutts

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 egg
• 1 cup unsalted peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients together and mix thoroughly (you really need to use your hands to mix it all). Roll into small balls, about 1” in diameter, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press each one down with your hand to flatten. The cookies can be close together on the sheet because they don’t spread.

(Note: Mom actually skipped the flatten part above and left them like little balls so we could catch them and play a little with them. So fun!)

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or Ziplock bag in the refrigerator.

Eating My Curds and Whey

Mom made friends with a dairy farmer recently. She does that sometimes, just talks to random people and next thing you know they give her something. Well this dairy farmer runs a local ice cream shop and between the ice cream, the butter, the cheese and the yogurt, he ends up with a lot of whey (the left overs after milk has curdled). He also has a dog named Toby, so when Mom told him my name was Toby, he was excited for her to try the whey.

For the next week, I’m eating my evening kibble mixed with 1/4 cup whey. So far, I love it, haven’t left a scrap of food in the bowl in two days. Please note, this is not a whey supplement or powder. This is the real deal, from real cows. I also know a lot of you might say “lactose and dogs is bad!” but really it’s not the end of the world if I have a little gas. So far, all moooovements (get the cow humor?) have been fine. Trust me, Mom checks these things. As always, you need to know your pet. Yes, they could develop an allergic reaction. Always give a small sample first to be sure, don’t just jump full on into a new dietary routine (this goes even for changing dry food). Also, this is not intended to be medical advice. If you have a dog that can’t put on weight, take it to your vet first.

If you are wondering why whey, well the farmer was explaining that all of his animals love it and it is full of a lot of healthy stuff. For a dog that gets regular exercise, the whey will help keep weight stable and build healthy muscle. It is also good for our skin and coats. Whey also helps build bone. Considering that Wheatens are technically farm dogs, Mom considered this worth a try.

Shami loves it too, by the way.

It’s Arizona, It’s Hot

Ice is the best thing ever. No joke. We go on a walk, ice can come with us. We get home, we get a bowl of ice. It. Is. Awesome.

So imagine my excitement when Mom gave me these!

Mom found this Freezy Pups Kit in a local pet supply store and thought it would be a fun thing to try. The starter kit comes with the mold and four flavors (White Cheddar Cheese, Juicy Apple, Sweet Potato ‘n Maple, and Chicken Soup) of their recipe mixes, just add hot water. The products are organic with no preservatives and no artificial ingredients.

Mom made the Chicken Soup packet for us. We could have a chicken soup cool down after a walk, or sometimes Mom just tossed one onto our dry food at dinner. I thought Original Ice Cubes were great, but Flavored Ice Cubes are so exciting. And not to mention the bone shape is just adorable.

Of course, you can buy the mixes and use a normal ice cube tray, or you can even make your own versions at home by using organic, low sodium broths in an ice cube tray.  But go ahead, jazz up your pup’s ice!

Happy Fourth of July!

 

It’s the Fourth of July! It means I get to wear a red, white and blue bandanna, we play in the pool and Mom and Dad go to watch fireworks later. We also got hot dogs!

Just a few tips for the day to help keep your pets as safe and happy as we are!

• 1. It’s July; it’s hot. Keep that in mind for your four legged family members. We don’t always want to be outside just because our parents are, sometimes we need a rest.
• 2. Water, water and more water. We can’t pop open a cold one. Make sure we have lots of to drink and maybe some to play in.
• 3. Those loud bangs. Some dogs do not do well with fireworks, even little ones you might be setting off at your BBQ. Please consider your pet’s temperament and pay attention. If we start getting upset, bring us inside away from the firecrackers. And always watch that your dog doesn’t get too close to hot embers.
• 4. The big fireworks show. Really, just leave us home. Bringing your dog to a crowded park and then having fireworks go off can be not-so-fun. Let us stay home, turn on a radio so we can’t hear the fireworks if they are close by and everything will turn out fine.