Maybe the Dingo Ate Your Baby

I have owned dogs all my life, but I had never heard of Dingo Bones until we got Lily. Lily's first experience with a Dingo Bone was stealing our neighbors' dogs' mini Dingos out of their yard when they would leave them there, half eaten. She loved Dingo Bones so much that we eventually bought her some of her own and soon realized that they were a great way to keep her occupied for (fingers crossed) maybe half-an-hour. The only downfall to Lily's new interest in Dingo Bones was the cost. For a dog her size, she usually needs a medium-sized bone, and those cost almost $4 each if you buy them at pet stores. However, we had to satisfy Lily's expensive taste, so I searched online for a way to hopefully buy Dingo Bones in bulk and reduce the cost. I ended up finding the Dingo Bone website, www.dingobrand.com. There I was introduced to the wide world of all the products Dingo makes. The best discovery I made on Dingo's website was, however, that they sell their bones at a great discount if you buy a certain number. I think the medium bones were down to $1.96 if you bought around 50. Sure, 50 bones sounds like a lot, but it's not like they go bad, and the way Lily was eating them, it was worth it. Here's a picture of Lily with her first bulk order of Dingos.



Boy, was she a happy lady that day! After she ate her way through the first bulk order, I found a few great deals in the "specials" section of the website -- specifically one for beef-basted Wag 'N Wraps. They come two to a pack and were only 99 cents per pack. How can you beat that??

When the Wag 'N Wraps arrived, Lily devoured them just like she did the regular Dingo Bones, but there was only one problem -- the dye that they used to make the bones look more "beefy" rubbed off really easily. So, everywhere that Lily decided to eat one of the Wag 'N Wraps, a large red splotch was left behind. The carpet in my bedroom looks like an ax murderer came, went, and forgot to clean up the evidence. I had spent a lot of money on the bones and Lily did like eating them, even if they turned her paws pink, so I didn't want to just get rid of them. I started trying to rinse the bones off before I gave them to her to get rid of some of the coloring, and it helped a little, but there are still Wag 'N Wrap splotches all over the house. I have yet to find out if the red stains on the carpet will come out with a steam cleaner, so that will be the last of the 99-cent beef-flavored Wag 'N Wraps I'll be purchasing for some time.

Our latest purchase was the pork-flavored Wag 'N Wraps. These are a lighter, more natural brown color, so I thought they'd be safe. Lily has eaten two of them so far, and I can't see any brown splotches co-mingling with the red ones.

If your dog has a love of Dingos like Lily does, definitely check out the Dingo Brand website for great discounts. And if you would like to turn your beige carpet a lovely shade of pink, just buy some beef Wag 'N Wraps and let your dog go to town!

Dingo Bone Pros: Keeps your dog busy, and they love the flavor. Free shipping on orders over $25 on the website, great bulk discounts when you order on the website.

Dingo Bone Cons: High price when you buy individually from a pet store, can stain fabrics

Where a Dog Can Be a Dog!

In February of this past year, Guy and I had a dilemma. We were going to be having our bathroom remodeled, and it would take four or five days to complete. So, not only would we have to rely on what Guy calls "whore baths" to get clean, but we had to worry about what to do with Lily while the contractors were here. At this point, she still stayed in her crate all day while we were at work, and we knew it would drive her batty to be in there with all the noise and ruckus of three men tearing apart the room directly next to her. But we also knew we couldn't just allow her to stay out of her crate while they were here since she'd surely get in their way and most likely destroy something in the house at the same time. That's when we found Camp Bow Wow.

I had looked at doggy day camps prior to our remodeling extravaganza, but I never followed through because we were tight on cash and none of them were very close to our house. After contacting a few of the daycares in the area and discussing our situation, we decided to go with Camp Bow Wow Pittsburgh South on Killarney Drive in Castle Shannon. They responded the quickest to our inquiries and seemed the most understanding of our situation. In order to qualify your dog for camp, CBW requires what they call an "interview." It's really just a free day of day care where they observe your dog to see how she behaves at camp. I felt like I was taking my baby to her first day of school when I dropped her off. We were confident she would do well, but also nervous that she would be confused or miss us. Boy, we we wrong! Lily was in doggy heaven! She is a very active dog who loves to play, and since we live in a townhouse with no fenced backyard, she rarely has the chance to run off-leash. She met lots of new friends and ran to her little heart's content. Camp allows you to leave your dog there for as long as you'd like on their first visit, but it must be at least three hours for them to get a good analysis of your dog's behavior. We were back in the front door almost exactly three hours after we had dropped Lily off because we couldn't bear to be without her. We hadn't tasted freedom in over six months, so being without a dog to be responsible for was a new feeling (but one we'd soon re-learn to enjoy). Lily came home that day complete with a photo of her on her first day, a cute report card telling us how she had done while we were gone, and a glazed-over look in her eyes that told us she would sleep sound that night.

And that's how our relationship with Camp Bow Wow Pittsburgh South began. After the icky old tub had been replaced with a deep-soak one and the vinyl tile had been replaced with genuine ceramic, we continued to take Lily to camp usually about one day per week. It's a great opportunity for her to release some of her energy and run free, like a dog should.

To sum up our Camp Bow Wow experience, here are some pros and cons:

Pros: Caring staff that treats your dog like their own, long hours (they open at 6:30 and close at 7:00, plus they're open on holidays), well-supervised play (there are counselors in the back with the dogs to ensure play doesn't get too rough), webcams so you can watch what your pup is doing all day

Cons: Price -- though $24 for a full day doesn't break down to much per hour, it can really add up if you plan on taking your dog there often. They do offer discount packages if you buy daycare days in bulk, however.
Risk of injury/sickness -- any time lots of dogs are running and playing together, there's a chance of them getting hurt or passing around a sickness. Lily has gotten mildly injured a few times she's been there, but the staff has always called us promptly and taken good care of her until we arrived.

*One side note -- Camp Bow Wow is a franchise, so although there are multiple locations in the Pittsburgh area, each is owned and operated by private owners and therefore may provide a different daycare experience. I would highly recommend the Pittsburgh South location, as Guy and I and everyone else we know that takes their dog there has been very pleased with their services.

To see if Camp Bow Wow is right for you and your dog, check out their website at www.campbowwow.com/us/pa/pittsburgh2.

Greatest American (Circus) Dog

I've been watching "Greatest American Dog" since it first debuted on CBS, but when they started switching the airtime around, I did lose track of a few episodes. Luckily, they post each week's episode on their website, so I was able to catch up on what I missed (except for the episode where Tillman got kicked off). I have to say, even though the challenges they cook up on this show seem to have almost nothing to do with whether or not someone has the "greatest American dog," I really enjoy watching. They did an excellent job of finding typical reality-show personalities -- the endearing old man, the young hunk, the neurotic girl, the overconfident guy, and everyone in between (I'll let you decide who's who). It has been entertaining to watch, and I hope that we'll see another new-and-improved installment of "Greatest American Dog" when the spring season rolls around.

Tonight's episode was a little circus-esque, what with the elephant walk and the stunt course, and probably intentionally so. It began with a glimpse into Travis mimicking Bill's training techniques with Star to help teach Presley new tricks. Apparently Travis has been acting as a sponge for the entire duration of the show since he was a relatively new dog owner/trainer when the words "dog bone suite" first entered his vocabulary. The producers really hit us over the head with the Travis-as-imitator theme this week, showing multiple instances where he copied the other trainers' techniques, but all I could really notice during these scenes was how many times Bill said he likes to "hep" other people. I wonder if he really is such a sweet man or if his accent just makes him seem that way.

For this week's dog bone challenge, the dogs had to sit and stay in circle outline drawn on the ground while an elephant -- yes, a real, live elephant -- walked towards them. The dog that did not move out of the circle when the elephant came within a few feet and picked up a banana (why not peanuts?) would win the Dog Bone Suite and a leg up in the Best in Show challenge. JD seemed confident, as usual, that Galaxy would win because she has been around bulls before (or maybe just bullsh*tters), but it was Andrew, the littlest dog of them all, that prevailed. Travis and Presley forced a tiebreaker, but we all knew Laurie would win by the way she went on and on about how a little dog has never won the dog bone challenge.

Next up was the usual suite visit with photos of Andrew and his ribbons and an encouraging letter from Laurie's husband. I liked Teresa's comment, "he is handsome," like she hadn't believed it until she saw it with her own eyes. In addition to the perks of luxurious living quarters, Laurie also received the advantage of having a stunt trainer to work with her and Andrew in the Best in Show challenge. Upon seeing the actual stunt course, which was about 20 times larger than what they had practiced on, I don't really see how Laurie had much of a leg up, but, hey, what do I know?

JD and Galaxy were the first pair to conquer the course, and they did so with little to no trouble. At the rate they're going, I really don't see how they can lose the competition unless we have more subjective challenges that highlight JD's grating personality, like the painting challenge did. Teresa and Leroy were next, and they also had little to no trouble, even though there was false drama interrupted by a commercial break when Leroy almost didn't take the zipline. He did bark along the way, but so what? He completed the challenge and listened to his owner, and that was what was important, whether the barking drives Diva Wendy crazy or not. Bill and Star were next, and Bill started off on a bad foot by having Star go up the less steep of the two inclines. You can't really blame him, though, after he was scolded last week for pushing Star too hard. His other failure, though, was that Star would not make the leap of faith. Two strikes against Bill. Then Travis and Presley took the course by storm, with Presley rumbling through it with almost no regard to what he was actually doing. The judges did criticize Travis from their balcony in the sky for getting Presley too excited, but at least he did what he needed to do. Lastly, Laurie and Andrew made a run for it. Andrew made an impressive climb up the incline, but the leg up that Laurie had received for winning the dog bone challenge did no good. Andrew would not jump from the platform...and can you blame him? It's like the equivalent of us jumping off the top of a 20-story building with no clue that we're really only going to glide gently to the ground.

So, when it was time for the judges' final decision, Bill, Travis, and Laurie were in the bottom three. It came down to Laurie and Bill, and it was obvious that Bill would be going home. Even though Andrew hadn't made the jump, the judges had praised him for doing what most little dogs would not do. As Bill and his "orange dawg" took their final lap, I said goodbye to my favorite pair of the competition, and I think Victoria Stilwell did, too. I'll miss seeing Bill and Star each week, and I'm sad that they will no longer have a chance to win the money to help his wife with her diabetes, but I'm sure they have good things coming their way after all of this exposure.

Next week, it's another loyalty-related challenge that looks like an amped-up version of the gourmet dinner the dogs had to ignore back in one of the show's first episodes, and the competition's shoo-in winner may have to make early exit due to an injury.

Everything I Need to Know about Marriage, I Learned from my Dog

When Guy and I brought a dog into our lives, we knew she would bring joy, frustration, and lots of laughter. What we didn't know is that she would actually teach us things about our marriage and the ways we relate to each other. Aside from serving as excellent birth control, getting a dog has been a great teaching tool. For instance, I am always telling Guy how I would like him to show his affection more. Yes, he says he loves me, but why can't he show it? A hug or kiss when I walk through the door, or even a smile that shows me he's happy to see me would be much appreciated. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I voiced my opinion, it never seemed to sink in...until I related it to the way Lily greets Guy each time he arrives home. When she hears the garage door open, Lily bolts down the stairs and paces back and forth, wagging her tail until Daddy comes up the steps and she can smother him in kisses. There is no doubt in his mind that Lily loves him and is happy that he's home. When I paralleled this situation to my need for physical affection from him, I think Guy finally got it. Though he doesn't have a tail to wag, he's been doing much better at expressing his love the way I'd like him to.

On my side of the teaching opportunities, I was humbled by a witty remark Guy made over dinner the other night. Since I typically spend the afternoons home with the dog, she tends to hover around me and whine and bark until I give her what she needs. In fact, she is prancing around me with a needy air as I type this post. I expressed to Guy that I wish Lily could find ways to entertain herself that didn't involve me. He simply said, "I know how that feels." I had to laugh because it is so true. I've given Guy a lot of slack in the past because I'm always bored and looking for his companionship to keep me occupied. I've taken offense when he would rather do his own thing than sit around and do nothing with me. But now I realize, from the way I feel about Lily, that it's not that he doesn't love me. I love that dog as much as my own family members. But sometimes you just don't want to spend your time finding ways to entertain someone else. I get it now.

So, as I sit here and Lily pulls paper out of my garbage can and proceeds to shred it to pieces, I am thankful for her in ways she can never understand. She is more than a pet to me. She is my friend, and I can only hope she continues to teach me new perspectives on life.

Photos

Just some visual aids to help you get to know me.
This is a picture of my husband, Guy, and I at the Disney Photo Lab in Epcot last year. Yes, we look young, but we're really not.

Here is the most recent picture I have of Lily. She is enjoying a nice summer day in our backyard. I'm sure there will be many more pictures of her to come.


This is Chewy, the only surviving one of my childhood dogs. He went his whole life without an official dog bed, and when he got one for Christmas last year, he wasn't quite sure how to work it.

Welcome!

Welcome to The Dog Blog! I have wanted to start a themed blog for some time, but I only just now came up with the idea to do one on all things Dog. My hope is to blog about dog-related news, events and activities for dogs and dog-lovers in the Pittsburgh area, review dog products, and share personal stories and photos. To get started, here's a little bit of information about me and the dog in my life, Lily.

About Me:
-I have another blog at caityt.blogspot.com that I try to update a few times each month.
-I am a jack of all trades and a master of none. I currently have two part-time jobs, and I'm always looking for freelance work. Some of the things I do to make money are: write, edit/proofread, event promotions, marketing assistance, and selling things on craigslist.
-I am happily married and have been so for three years, even though I'm only 25.
-I look like I'm 18, even though I'm 25.
-I love dogs! I always grew up having at least one dog, and my husband and I became the proud owners of our first dog together about a year ago.
-I also love cats, but the man is allergic, so I have to love them from afar.

About Lily:
-Lily is a 1 1/2-year-old Vizsla mix (we think) with TONS of energy and a great personality.
-We only think she's a Vizsla mix because we adopted her from Animal Friends when she was four months old. She had been brought there as a stray, so there's no way to know her real heritage or where she came from.
-We have heard that she looks like a Vizsla, a Pitbull, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, and many more varieties of dog. I personally think she's kind of an Everydog -- she looks a little bit like all of them.
-Lily has many nicknames, most of which have good reasons behind them, including Lily Landshark, Lily Lawnmower, Squiggle-Wiggle, and more.
-Lily's worst habit is picking up trash and other miscellaneous items off the street when we go for walks. Some of the things she has picked up are:
-Paper towels
-A roadkill-flattened turtle
-The jawbone of a deceased animal, complete with teeth
-Two rabies vaccine cubes (I assume they were meant for raccoons.)
-Empty cigarette packages
...and more.
We've always got to watch her because she scoops up pretty much anything she comes across, and then we've got to pry it from her mouth.

I hope you've enjoyed my brief introduction and that you will visit this blog again.
I'll end with a Danish proverb that I have absolutely no idea what it means:
"The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage."

Until next time...