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Dogs

Are You An Ultimate Shopper?

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Shopper

 

Is Amazon Prime Day like Black Friday to you?  You know how it is on Black Friday.  Many savvy shoppers – especially those who LOVE shopping – are armed with their lists, cell phones charged up, laptop ready in case of a cell phone failure, favorite beverage in hand and an alarm clock. Is this you?  You may want to plan on going to bed early the night before just to be at your very shopping-best. 

And no one had better get in your way. NO INTERRUPTIONS! The Ultimate Shopper is in her groove. Yes, shopping for some is like an Olympic sport.  First out of the chute wins!

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This blog contains Amazon affiliate links – lots of them! ♥ 

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When I think about it, I am kind of envious of all the excitement you will have. I am serious. Some gals, especially, tackle Prime Day as a challenge to be conquered!  I will be looking for great deals Tuesday and Wednesday  July 16 & 17, too, but I’ll bet you will be the winner!

SHOPPING TIP:     Know the calendar.  For gift buying, write birthdays and family events on a special calendar for this shopping purpose.   Reminder:  I don’t want you to get nervous or anything but Back to School is pretty much moments away and there are about 145-ish days till Thanksgiving’s  Black Friday on November 22nd!  So there is  a lot going on.  

STRATEGY: If the amount of shopping you have to do is overwhelming, only buy what you really are excited about this time and hold onto what can wait for November 22nd 145-ish days from now. It is important to get our heads around what may pay off …think of the reasons to buy before Prime Day begins.  I always look at what I am going to have to buy anyhow and try to do it on Prime Day.

Reasons to buy!

  • Anniversaries
  • Automotive Needs
  • Back to School
  • Beauty
  • Birthdays
  • Books
  • College Essentials
  • Health Essentials 
  • Holiday Giving
  • Home Décor refreshing
  • I Love You Gifts ♥
  • Kitchen
  • Lawn & Garden Supplies
  • Life’s Essentials (i.e. STUFF FOR YOU!) 
  • Office Supplies, Calendars, Planners
  • Party planning (stock up!!! )
  • Pet food and supplies
  • Showers – baby
  • Showers – wedding
  • Sporting Goods
  • Teacher Gifts
  • Toys
  • Weddings

 

CLICK HERE FOR AMAZON SEARCH! ☑️ Super Quick Access!

 

“SECRET” SHOPPING TIP:  Amazon is running some really GREAT SALES even now!  Often you will find highly customer-recommended items for 25 – 40% off!  

 

Teachers, Buy Yourself a Gift!  

Women's teacher t shirt

Cute Teacher Pencil Coquette Bow Back To School Teacher Life T-Shirt

I bought this cute t-shirt for myself and it comes today.  Can’t wait!!! 

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Skechers hands free summit dazzling haze sneakers best sellers

Skechers Women’s Hands Free Summits Dazzling Haze

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2 German shepherd dogs

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Is Pet Hair around the house driving you crazy???

 

I’ve been there.  Read about the BEST pet hair vacuum I’ve ever had or just go over and get one right now!  Hint:  it’s a Shark Navigator!

 

 

Shark vacuum cleaner
I would like to personally apologize to CAT OWNERS everywhere.   I have always had dogs for pets.  My quest for a great PET HAIR vacuum burst forth from sheer frustration from the abundance of white dog fur from my Yellow Labs Blondie, Lexi, Troy and Sadie.   I could have BUILT A NEW DOG out of all that shed fur. 

 

Little did I know that the CAT PARENTS OF THE WORLD also have a big pet-hair challenge on their hands.   I assure you that the  Shark navigator upright vacuums will also be YOUR dream come true!

beautiful cat

Best Cat Hair Vacuum Ever!

 

Ultimate Shopper

 

Enjoy!

signature of author

Stanley tumblers

Filed Under: deals, Lifestyle, tips Tagged With: Amazon Prime, Black Friday, cats, deals, Dogs, pet hair, save money, shopping, vacuum cleaners

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop

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Beach theme

Summer is here!!! And, Happy 4th of July to our friends in the USA. Do you have big plans this week?  Maybe an outdoor barbecue? How about a trip to the beach?  Is there a community parade?   Many of our happiest 4ths in the Pies family have been spent at the baseball field!  Well, whatever your plans, enjoy them. Enjoy your friends. Enjoy your family. Enjoy freedom!

 

And, enjoy this party!  First we will admire some features from last week and then we will move on to this week’s new party!

 

This blog contains Amazon affiliate links ♥

Featured Posts

Elegant Independence Table Setting from Thrifting Wonderland

 

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stuffed peppers

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers from The Kitchen is My Playground

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homemade fish sticks

Gluten Free EASY Homemade Fish Sticks from Mommy Hates Cooking

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pool noodle ideas

30 Clever Ideas for Pool Noodles from My Life Abundant

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salad

Red, White and Blue Pavlova Recipe from Anne’s Entitled Life

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Editor’s Pick

loaded potato salad recipe

Loaded Potato Salad from Cincy Shopper

 

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bamboo salad bowl

 

LEXA 12″ Handmade White Bamboo Wooden Salad Bowl – 130Oz Lightweight Large Wooden Bowls for Food – Bamboo Wooden Fruit Bowl for Kitchen Counter, Wood Bowls for food – Wooden Serving Bowl for Snacks

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Let’s say “Thanks” to our wonderful co-hosts!

cohosts of the party

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

  • Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.
  • Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties, please.
  • Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.
  • If you are NEW, let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥  Help us find your posts – tell us what number they are.
  • Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive.
  • Please SHARE our party and invite others to join. ♥

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MEET THE HOSTS

  1. Bev – ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  2. Penny – PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
  3. Sinea – DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
  4. Tammy – MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
  5. Tara – STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST
  6. Denise – THIS IS MY EVERYBODY | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

GREATEST PET HAIR VACUUM!     Shark NV752 Rotator Powered Lift-Away True-Pet Upright Vacuum with HEPA Filter, Large Dust Cup Capacity, LED Headlights, Upholstery Tool, Perfect Pet Power Brush & Crevice Tool

2 German shepherd dogs

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Link Parties Tagged With: 4th of July, blog hops, crafts, Dogs, Family fun, pet hair vacuum, recipes

Washing The Dog

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Washing the dog #pets

Do you wash your dogs? And, how is that going for you? Little dogs can be plopped into the kitchen sink and shampooed there. Easy, peasy. Big dogs are a whole different story.

I have big dogs. It would seem that the simple, logical thing to do is to bathe my dogs often. But, washing gentle giants like Saint Bernards, German Shepherds or a Newfoundlands, how do you do that?

Sadie, my big beautiful 100 pound yellow lab, won’t get in the bathtub. Same with Bailey, our 55 pound cattle dog – boxer mix.  If I could get Bailey in the tub, she would undoubtedly jump out seconds later. So, how do you wash a filthy, uncooperative pet?

Do you wash your dog often? Here are some tips and ideas about getting that fur baby shampooed. #dogs #doglover #tips #dogsoftwitter Share on X

This blog has affiliate links♥


Wash Big Dogs Outdoors

Well, my solution has been to fill up 2 or 3 pails with clean lukewarm water and a pitcher with soapy water and wash them out on the driveway.  I hook them up, one at a time, on a long leash connected to our maple tree.  Next, I soap them up [I use baby shampoo] and rinse them off by pouring each pail of clean water over them. Off course, I towel them dry and they are more than happy to help me with the drying process by shaking the excess all over the place!

Wet dog shaking it off #dogs

My dream is to have a walk-in shower in my garage that is designed specifically for washing my dogs. They would love it and so would I. It would be so easy. Great fantasy but that is not likely to happen.

Another fabulous solution would be to hire the local pet grooming van to come by to shampoo my dogs once a week. Oh, how I would love that!!!

So, last week I was browsing online and found this dog cleaning wand that can be hooked up to a faucet or a hose. It looks so easy to use and I think the dogs will love it. Take a look at the video below and see what I mean. I haven’t tried it yet but I definitely want to.

What kind of dogs do you have? What technique do you use to wash them?

Enjoy!

author SInea



Filed Under: dogs, Lifestyle Tagged With: cleaning, cleaning tips, Dogs

The Best Vacuum For Pet Hair I Have Ever Used

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Those who have followed this blog for any time know the struggle I have had getting pet hair off my carpeting, floors and furniture. It has been a hot topic for me.

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This blog contains Amazon affiliate links. ❤️ This is NOT a sponsored post.  It is simply my unsolicited story. 

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I love my dogs and I love their fur–when it stays on them.  I do NOT love dog fur when it is on everything else.  So, I have been on a quest for ☑️ THE BEST PET HAIR VACUUM  for a long time – and I finally found it! This is the wonderful one that I own in 2025 and have used, now, for years. Still operates like its NEW! 
2025 UPDATE:   THIS ONE has LED lights added so you can really see everything that needs to be picked up! Interested in the one with a SELF CLEANING BRUSH ROLL?      Click here!

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.2025 BEST Pet Hair Vacuum I have ever used

Before I found this amazing vacuum, I did get a couple of tools that truly helped minimize the problem. I bought a Furminator -which is great for grooming your dog and de-shedding some of its excess fur. I also discovered Arm & Hammer’s Pet Fresh powder for carpets.  This product does a really good job lifting the pet fur from the carpet as you vacuum it. The powder deodorizes the carpet, too.  Bailey, my most recent dog,  is a bit sensitive to products – her eyes react – so I have discontinued using it for her sake.  Lexi and Sadie were always A-OK

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For the longest time, though,  I did NOT have a great vacuum cleaner to use.  In fact, the various vacuums I had tried were mediocre, at best. Though they were top filling and “HEPA filtered,” they lost their suction power early in the game.  Lint and fur were left behind no matter how many times I passed that vacuum over the same area.   Have you ever had that problem? It is so frustrating.

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Before I Found the BEST Vacuum, Wait Till You Hear What Happened to the One I THOUGHT I Liked!

Next, in my journey to finding this TRULY best vacuum cleaner, I did find one that I really liked.   When the first one became hopelessly clogged with dirt and debris, I bought another of the same kind because, when it worked, it worked well.

That second one actually CAUGHT ON FIRE! I am not kidding. Blue smoke started coming out and it was seconds from flames, I am sure of it.  I unplugged that baby really fast and never tried to use it again. In fact, before discarding it I cut the cord to render it inoperable.  I didn’t want someone taking this dangerous vacuum cleaner out of the garbage,  thinking they’d found a treasure.  Having learned my lesson, I never bought another one of that unnamed brand of vacuums again.

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The Best Vacuum For Pet Hair

So, that is when I started to ask around. I was hearing very good reports about the Shark Navigator Liftaway Vacuum  from some of my friends. They told me that they were thrilled with the results.  I became very hopeful. This one is the basic model, which I still use.   

Then I discovered that my own sister-in-law had one! She hadn’t even used it yet. She was going out of town and wouldn’t be using it for a while so I asked the unthinkable–could I borrow her brand new Shark vacuum for a day?  She said “yes.” I love my sister-in-law!!! 

I didn’t even have the directions but it was so easy to assemble that I figured it out on my own.  I first tried it on my NAVY BLUE carpeting. Well, at least my carpet should have been navy blue. It was covered in white fur from my beautiful yellow lab, Sadie the “fur-making-machine,”  so you wouldn’t know what color it really was.  Labs shed like crazy!  At the time, my floor was covered and EMBEDDED with lots of white dog fur! 

So, I vacuumed it. Within moments, the carpet was totally clean.  It was the completely restored to that gorgeous navy blue color I loved. Wow! I was excited!

self cleaning brush roll Shark pet hair vacuum

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Now, this part really sold me:  emptying the canister!   

My happiest discovery was the PLEASURE  of emptying the canister, which was now filled with dirt, lint and fur. (Got to really test it so I vacuumed till it was super full!)  With the flip of two latches and press of a button, the canister released from the housing, and popped open as I held it over a trash can.  “WHOOSH” — all the debris swept out into the trash.  NO DIRT GOT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CANISTER. No cloud of dust in the air. Just clean, clean, clean! And the canister opens from top and bottom so nothing gets left inside. It all goes!

yellow lab puppy

Yellow labs make LOTS of fur!

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The Shark Upright Navigator Lift-Away Vacuum is:

  • Lightweight
  • Easy to maneuver
  • Simple to use
  • Thorough in cleaning
  • Never loses suction
  • Internally sealed–no dirt escapes it
  • Stores easily
  • Empties brilliantly! What a great design!
  • Various styles available. All are very reasonably priced in a range from about $149.00 to $340 retail.

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  • 2025 Update=>  This one has LED Lights, HEPA filter and easy to maneuver! 

 

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Do you love your vacuum cleaner?  What kind do you have?  Share your experiences with us in the comments!

 

The very BEST vacuum cleaner I have ever used for pet hair! #cleaningtips #vacuum #dogs #cats And wait till you empty it! A dream come true. Share on X

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Shark NV752 Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum with HEPA Filter, Large Dust Cup Capacity, LED Headlights, Upholstery Tool, Perfect Pet Power Brush & Crevice Tool, Bordeaux

.Shark vacuum cleaner

 

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How to clean up pet hair EASY #tips

Enjoy!

Stratos style Shark

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Filed Under: cleaning, dogs, Lifestyle, tips, Top Favorites Tagged With: cats, cleaning tips, Dogs, Labrador Retriever, pet fur, pet hair, vacuum cleaner, yellow labs

What Does Your Dog Do When You Are Not Home?

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When you are away all day, what does your dog do? Play? Bark at every sound?

Find out what your pet is doing while you are away #ad

I have suspected that mine sleep most of the time when I am gone. They also sit on the stairs in our hallway where they can see the driveway through the window, waiting for someone to come home! Thankfully, it has been quite some time since everyone has been gone long hours at the same time but I sure do remember what it felt like knowing that the dog was alone for 8+ hours a day. I hated it.

Many years ago I actually PRAYED that the Lord would send some kind of entertainment for our yellow lab, Blondie. I was desperate! When we got home from work there were paw marks down the dining room wall. My only guess was that there had been a spider on the wall just high enough to get her attention but out of her reach! LOL A one time blessing but I was looking for a daily solution.

 

This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

If you are in a hurry, just click here to find the BEST pet monitoring cameras under $99.00! 

When Your Dog Has To Be At Home Alone

When we finally got a second dog it lifted the guilt quite a bit but not everyone can, or wants to, have two dogs. So, what can you do to make their days go better?

  1. Leave the television or radio on for some familiar noise. It isn’t real company but the background sound may be comforting.
  2. Leave fresh water and food.
  3. Leave a light on, in case you don’t make it back home until after the sun goes down.
  4. Leave SAFE toys.  That is a tough one since one dog’s “safe” toy can be the next one’s trouble. You know your dog so choose those toys wisely.
  5. Keep dangerous items out of reach. We have a basket of medicines on the table when we are home but it goes inside a safe cupboard each time we leave the house. Our 1 year old puppy is a paper-eater, too, so I have to do a search for napkins, newspapers and such to get them out of the way way before we go out the door.
  6. Find reliable help. You can have a friend come by to let the dog out to go potty. If they love walking, perhaps they would be willing to walk the dog for you. There are professional dog walkers for hire, as well. If you are not going to be able to walk your dog after work, have someone do it for you.
  7. Buy a pet cam. Our son has a video system that he uses to check in on his dogs while he is at work. It gives him comfort to know that all is well. On one occasion, he called us for help as he discovered that the electric had gone off in the house. We went right over for him to check on the house and his pets.
  8. If your dog must be crated for several hours, get him a very big cage. My yellow lab, Sadie, sleeps at night in a crate that is sized for Great Danes (they call the size “ginormous” LOL) She has had some problems with  joint pain and we want her to be very comfortable. With this super-sized crate, she can stand up and move around. Sadie is such a good girl that we wouldn’t crate her at all but at night we do it for our own safety. We don’t want to trip over her if she moves around the house. The puppy? Her crate is also big (it is the 42″ model) We just love spoiling our girls!

Now, this is really fun. There is a new interactive pet cam. It is the Petcube Pet Camera that Flings Treats! Pet parents can see and hear their pets and even talk to them. When your dog responds with panting or a bark,  you will hear it and see it. You can have a regular doggie-conversation!* And, get this, you can even toss him a treat! No joke. That’s what this big boy [below] is waiting for in this picture.  My dogs would be doing exactly what he is doing …. listening and waiting for that treat! (Do cats do that? I have never owned a cat so I don’t know.)

Video cam with audio allows you to talk to your pet, hear him and even flip him a treat #ad

So, how do you handle things when you have to leave your pet for a long day? Do you have someone help you?

What are your pets doing while you are away? #dogs #cats #video #home Share on X

What does your dog do when you go to work? #ad

Enjoy!

 

 

Filed Under: dogs, Family, tips Tagged With: cats, Dogs, puppies, safety

5 Super Simple Ways For Pet Owners To Get Organized

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We love our fur babies, don’t we! Yes, we love them, we cuddle them, we play with them and we buy them toys. Heck, I just bought my puppy a sweater! Never thought I’d see the day that I would buy clothes for my dog but she looks so cute in it.

This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

 

5 simple ways to organize your pet's stuff

With all the joy our beloved pets bring to our lives they also bring more paraphernalia to stash and lots more cleaning to do. But we don’t mind. It’s part of being a pet parent.

Just as with our own stuff, there comes a time where we need to find a place for all the gear. Organizing your pet’s things can be fun – really! Here are five simple ways to keep your puppy’s [or kitty’s] belongings organized and easy to find:

Hooks – use decorative hooks for hanging leashes, collars and dog apparel. Aren’t these little doggie behinds adorable? For those who like a subtler look, a nice pet command station may be up your alley.Hooks to organize dog stuff


Baskets – wicker baskets – and fabric ones, too – are lovely to look at and so convenient for stashing pet toys. They are perfect for Fido’s or Fluffy’s vitamins and medications, too.Storage baskets are perfect for your pet's stuff


Cleanup Pail – place a large pail just outside the door to the house or in  your mudroom that will hold their shampoo, pet cleanup bags, brush ( I love the furminator!)  and towel for those muddy paws!


5 simple ways to get your dog's and cat's stuff organized! #pets #dogs #cats #organizing #tips Share on X

Doggie Travel Bag – keep a “doggie on the go” bag packed for your pooch. Whenever you want to hop in the car and take your dog with you, it will be packed and ready!

Pack a bag for your dog - perfect for families on the go! #travel


Treat Jar– make it easy for you – and not so easy for your fur babies – to get to their treats by putting them in a decorative container right on the kitchen counter. I really like this one!

Jar for dog treats #organizing


Got any great tips on how you organize for your furry friends?

This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

Enjoy!

 

 


Filed Under: dogs, organizing, tips, Toys Tagged With: cats, Dogs, organizing, pet care, pets, puppies, tips

Welcome Our New Puppy

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Being a work-at-home mom has its advantages. You can do things that you could never do if you had a 9-5 job outside the home. You can take time off for school field trips whenever you want to, for instance. How about this ⇒ you can work in your pj’s! You also can take breaks to clean out a closet, load the dishwasher, do the laundry or walk the dog. None of those things can ever happen in a traditional work setting. And – ta da – you can also get a new PUPPY! 

This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

Adorable puppy mixed breed:  Australian Cattle Dog, Boxer, Bulldog
Today that is just what we did. We got a puppy! Say “hello” to our new bundle of joy ⇒”Bailey!” She is an 8 week old mix:  40% Australian Cattledog, 20% Boxer and 20% Bulldog.  Isn’t she pretty? Her story is kind of interesting.

My niece was pregnant with her 5th child.  She was finding raising a young dog – “OB” for Obi Wan Kanobi of Star Wars fame – and four young children a bit overwhelming. So she and her husband decided to adopt a second dog to keep OB company. Seemed like a great solution.
Well, the little Australian Cattledog they adopted, Leia (yes Princess Leia!) was pregnant with pups, unbeknownst to them. It wasn’t till they could see the puppies moving in her tummy that they figured it out.  Surprise!
Dog pregnancies are just 8-9 weeks long and only a few short weeks later 8 bouncing baby boy and baby girl PUPPIES were born! 10 dogs and four kids in the house. My resilient niece and nephew had a lot on their hands.
Our new puppy is so cute! #AustralianCattleDog #Boxer #Bulldog #mixedbreed #dogs
Now this is the part that I found fascinating. Apparently dogs can be impregnated by more than one male. Leia started out in a dog pound where they did not separate the dogs so, you guessed it, more than one doggy daddy!
It appears that there were 2 dads. My niece had the puppies’ DNA tested, as the prospective families wanted to know their new pet’s heritage. Three of the dogs are a mix of herding dogs and German Shepherd. You can see it. They are almost 5 pounds heavier and very fluffy.

The other 5 puppies, of which Bailey is one, are Australian Cattledog, Boxer and Bulldog.  When I was a little girl I had three boxer dogs so hearing that made me very happy!  And, though she doesn’t have any Labrador Retriever in her, her mannerisms and face do remind me of our beloved labs. Can it get any better than that?
Puppy in her new dog crate
You will think I am crazy but I swear that she asked to go out to go potty today. New home, only 8 weeks old and learning the ropes already?  Probably not but it sure seemed like it.
This work-at-home mom just got a new PUPPY! Fun back-story to this little fur baby #doglover #puppies Share on X

Thank goodness for dog crates. We have one near my in-home office (in the kitchen) and another upstairs in the bedroom where Sadie’s crate resides.

Sadie, our lovely green-eyed Yellow Lab,  only sleeps in her dog crate at night, which really is for our sake. She’d love to sleep in our bed with us – all 100 pounds of loveliness. She takes up so much space it gets hard to roll over and, if she slept on the floor I am concerned she’d change her location in the middle of the night and one of us could trip over her. Not a good idea. Good thing she loves her crate. I just bought her a super-sized one that is made for a Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog or Great Dane. She has lots more room to move around.


Tired Australian Cattle Dog puppy mixed breed taking a nap.
Though we have been in and out the door ALL day long, little Bailey is now curled up next to me on the couch while I write this post. Another perk of being a work-at-home-mom!
 
Are you a work-at-home mom? Are you a dog mom? Loving it? 
Tell us a little about your life!

Enjoy!

Best selling dog supplies for happy dogs #pets #dogs #ad
Note: this author is an Amazon affiliate. That means that if you purchase something from Amazon through an ad or a link on Ducks ‘n a Row, at NO extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission. Thanks so much for shopping Amazon through me! … Sinea

Filed Under: dogs, Lifestyle, tips Tagged With: Australian Cattle Dog, Dogs, family, lifestyle, puppies

Make An Adorable “Welcome Doggie” Busy Bag For A New Puppy

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Love puppies? Think about when you first brought your little fur baby home. She was cuddly, licky, snuggly, squirmy and truly a baby.
pets, pet care, dog care, puppy care, pet owner

If you haven’t had a young pup in a while, memories may have faded into everything fun. We all loved it, didn’t we? But with her youth comes messes. She poops – she pees – she may even have an upset tummy once in a while and your new little love, who doesn’t know anything,  lets it all happen on your beautiful clean rug.

This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

My little gal, Sadie [100lbs of yellow lab loveliness] was just the size of a big tea cup when we met her 4 years ago. Of all the silly things, this picture of her doing her business is the first one I took! Believe me, the lawn is not the only place where that happened – not by a longshot.
She is what inspired me to make this new-dog busy bag for my brother’s family. They are getting a new puppy and plan on naming him “Boomer” Cute! As we all know, when puppies don’t have enough to do, they find things to do. Sadie did! I remember the day she first discovered mud. She enjoyed every gooshy minute of it. As you can see by the picture below, she got on the carpet before I could catch her. Aren’t those muddy paws adorable? Of course, the carpet needed some TLC after I captured it on film.
puppy care, carpet cleaning, dog busy bag
Then there was the day she brought a TREE into the house (OK… part of a tree.) She needed to chew and took it upon herself to solve the problem – thankfully it was a tree and NOT the furniture!  With that experience in mind, I decided to make a busy bag for the new arrival including the most important part: STAINMASTER® Carpet Pet Stain Remover.
STAINMASTER® Carpet Pet Stain Remover is the best way to be prepared for the inevitable messes pets will make. Whether it is the occasional piddle or poop on the rug or muddy paws, Stainmaster cleans it up great. Not only does it do an excellent cleaning job, leaving an invisible protective shield protecting your carpet from resoiling, but it deodorizes beautifully, too.
Check it out after you use it. There will not be a trace of sticky residue where you applied it. None! I only wish I had had it when Sadie was little. I use it all the time now and, guess what? It also works great on other everyday kinds of stains like coffee, grape juice, jelly, ketchup, chocolate syrup, motor oil (YES!) and soil.
#NewPetNoStains
You can find Stainmaster products at your local Target. That is where I bought my first bottle! 
So, while I was there, I got the brilliant idea to buy one of the red Target recyclable bags to use for my new pet busy bag! Made it so easy:) Next, I went to the pet supplies section of Target and bought some dog toys including teethers and chew toys plus a few plush toys, as well. Along with the stain remover, this will make a great starter gift for their new arrival.
dogs, DIY, crafts, gift idea
How ever did Sadie figure out those were DOG toys, anyway? I thought  had been discreet. Oh well, I may have to give them to her and go buy some more for Boomer. LOL.
dogs, cats, pets, pet owners, puppies, kittens
yellow lab, labrador retrievers, puppies, pets, crafts

How To Make A New Doggie Busy Bag

Contents of a New Dog Busy Bag
Plush dog toys
Tough rubber ball or bones
Doggie chew teethers
Rope toy
Stainmaster Carpet Pet Stain Remover

Supplies
Red Target Store Reusable Bag
Tacky glue
Variety of colors of felt squares
Template (2 copies)
Self adhesive felt alphabet letters
Large googly eyes (2)
Directions
Lay the felt letters on the bag for placement.
One by one, remove the backing and adhere the letters to the bag.
My letters were big so I only had room for “DOG.”puppy busy bag tutorial, how to make a dog busy bag
Print out a clipart picture of a dog*
*Do an internet search to find the dog you want to use! 
Make 2 copies so that you can keep one as a reference.
Cut apart the other copy for your pattern and lay the pieces out.
free dog clipart
One at a time, hold them on a piece felt with one hand and cut around the shape.
Lay each piece down flat somewhere, after it is cut, to keep track of where every piece goes.
Starting at the bottom of the dog –  in this instance, the neck and collar – dab glue onto each part and place it on the bag.
Press gently.
Complete the process of creating the dog’s face.
Glue two big googly eyes on.

pets, dogs, puppies, DIY projects, gift ideas, busy bags, puppy

Let it sit for a few hours to be sure that the glue holds.
*You may want to check to be sure that the glue did not go through to the inside. I did not find that to be the case with mine but if it had happened, I would have put something inside to let the air flow while it dried.

Fill you bag with doggie goodies and a bottle of Stainmaster Carpet Pet Stain Remover.
Now you are ready to go!

Do you know someone who has a new puppy? It’s the perfect time to introduce them to Stainmaster Carpet Pet Stain Cleaner – they will be so grateful!

How to make an adorable doggie busy bag to take your fur baby's toys and things with you. #crafts #doglovers Share on X

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Filed Under: crafts, dogs, tips Tagged With: cats, cleaning tips, Dogs, lifestyle, puppies, sewing

5 Ways My Dog Sadie Will Have An Awesome Summer!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias Inc., and its advertiser. All of the opinions are mine alone. #PawsToSavor #CollectiveBias

Pro Plan dog food, dogs, puppies, yellow labs, labrador retriever
 

 

Summertime fun is not just for people. If you are a dog owner, you know that we often plan our summers much like we do for our kids. Our precious pups need variety in their lives, too. Well, I have a whole lot of ideas this summer for Sadie. Quickly, they include: swimming, play dates, field trips, ice cream outings and toys!

Plan the best summer ever for your dog!

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1. Swimming: labs love the water. They were made for it. I wish I had a lake for Sadie to swim in but her little wading pool will have to do. Her favorite floating toy is an empty plastic soda bottle 🙂 She chases that thing around and around like it’s a boat! Sometimes I shampoo her while she’s “swimming,” too. It is the perfect opportunity.

dog playdate
 
2a. Play Dates – indoors on rainy days. Look at this! Don’t you wish you could grab a broom and clean it up? What a mess! Sadie, Murphy and Troy tore apart a stuffed dog toy and had an absolute blast doing it! I knew that would happen the moment I gave it to them! LOL


puppies
 

2b. Play Dates – outdoors on dry days. Sadie has LOTS of friends! These two beauties are Indie and Bear, Sadie’s cousins. The friends on the other side of the fence are Coal and Odie.

PetSmart, Purina Pro Plan Savor Dry Dog Food
 
3. Go On Field Trips – this week we took Sadie to PetSmart to buy her Purina® Pro Plan® Savor® Shredded Blend large breed adult dry dog food. Her cousin Jake loves it so we decided to give it a try. Sadie can hardly wait to get to PetSmart. As we pull closer to the store, she gets more and more excited. As a puppy, she took the beginner’s doggie obedience class and graduated with honors! She also went to dog camp once a week while I taught preschool. Oh how she loved it and she remembers. So, when we go shopping, first thing we have to do is to stop at the dog camp window to say hello to her friends!
4. Going For An Outing- on the weekends we often go for a long drive in the country and Sadie gets to see all the sights!

doggie play dates
5. Play With Toys – Sadie has lots of toys to play with. This ball is a favorite with her and her friends.


As I said, often our field trips include a visit to PetSmart! Sadie loves that place! She has many fond memories of dog camp with her friends so we always have to go visit them before any shopping can be done!

arriving at PetSmart to shop with my yellow lab
Sadie loves doggie day camp
After a quick visit at the dog camp window, we hunted down the dog food aisles. We were looking for the Purina® Pro Plan® Savor® Shredded Blend large breed adult dry dog food. It was easy to find and, at my store, there were lots of bags in two places: on the main Purina aisle and displayed on the end of the center aisle, as well. We found it all right away.  Sadie and I looked at the flavors and selected the chicken and rice!
yellow labrador retriever, PetSmart
Since Sadie is changing dog foods, I am introducing this new Purina® Pro Plan® Savor® Shredded Blend large breed adult dry dog food gradually. First day I gave her a half and half mix and it agreed with her very well. In a few days, I will increase it to 3/4 new and 1/4 old. Within a week we will be totally switched to the new. And, guess how my “little” yellow lab (OK my 100 lb yellow lab) eats it. She eats the Purina Pro Plan FIRST! She loves the taste.

Want to know what I love about it? She gets variety with the crunchy kibble pieces along with the softer tender shredded pieces. It must taste really good. She gobbles it down! Sometimes she picks the crunchy pieces to eat first. Other times, she eats it all at once.

I trust Purina to take great care in preparing a product that is 100% healthy with balanced nutrition targeted for her needs as a large breed adult dog. It is important to me to know that she is getting the best nutrition possible. Did I tell you that Pro Plan has optimal levels of protein (from REAL poultry, meat or fish) and fat? That helps dogs maintain an ideal body condition. Makes me glad:)

dogs, pets, shopping, dog food
We had such a great shopping trip to PetSmart. Can hardly wait for the next time! And watch her eat …
dog eating
Sadie loves her new dog food!
Does your dog eat standing up? This silly girl eats lying down. Go figure!
Hey, here is something special for you: SPEND $15 on any Purina Pro Plan product anytime from 5/31-7/5. SAVE $15 on your next purchase of 10.5 lbs or larger Purina® Pro Plan® Dry Cat or Dog Food or Litter by July 31st.
 
Follow them on Facebook: Purina Pro Plan

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: dogs, Lifestyle Tagged With: Dogs, Family fun, pets, summer

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