these are my confessions.

My sister sent me a link to this yesterday - the signs that you treat your dog better than you treat yourself. If you haven't seen it yet, you MUST check it out because the pictures are awesome. Here's what I have to say about the whole thing:

1. You shiver half the night because you let them steal all the blankets. Truth. I also sleep curled up in a ball because she tends to sprawl out in the middle of the bed.
2. They have their own personal tablet to watch animal shows on. Um, no, that would be weird. She uses the TV in our bedroom so she can get comfy and relax. Also, Animal Planet has some shows that are not age-appropriate for Claire, so she tends to watch The Food Network.
3. More people show up to their birthday party than to yours.  Again, truth. People and dogs. The neighborhood pups aren't willing to come to mine...
4. You take your job super seriously but you never get mad when they slack off at theirs. Yes. I mean, how can you get mad at that sweet little face?!
5. You sing them lullabies to help them get to sleep... every night. Well, I sing along with the Spotify playlist that I made for her. She finds The Civil Wars very soothing.
6. You pay top dollar for their groomer but you haven't been to a hairdresser in ten years. She has short fur so she doesn't need a trim, but she does get "manicures" - and I haven't been to get my nails done in a really long time... Pretend you aren't looking the next time you see me.
7. You took the time to teach them to surf, but you can barely swim. Not true; I'm a Cape Cod girl, so I love the water! Though I did take up running because it's Claire's favorite thing to do.
8. You take the day off work to make sure they don’t overheat on the hottest day of the year. I have done this in the past. Thankfully I won't have to do this at the job I have now because I can work from home and personally make sure that Claire is comfortable with the temperature set on the AC control.
9. You spend your life savings on emergency surgery for them and would definitely do it again. A few things about this: (a) I'm a social worker, therefore I don't make enough to have savings, and (b) I'd cash out the ol' 401K if I needed to. But praise God that she hasn't needed emergency surgery because my heart would break for her!
10. Your significant other is convinced you love them more. I don't  have a significant other. Probably because everyone knows that nobody puts Baby in the corner. No second place for my girl!
11. You take them to the dog park everyday after work instead of going out and having fun with human people. I did this every day for the first three years of her life - and I met some of my good friends because of it (humans, not dogs). Now she tends to have more low-key afternoons since she's a mature 4-year-old.
12. You sleep on the floor with them when they're not feeling well. I have done this on the few occasions that Claire was too sick to come to bed. When she had pancreatitis, she couldn't get off the couch one night, so she slept there and I slept on the floor next to her.
13. You spend more money on toys for them than your parents spent on you as a child. Hahaha! When we were home on Cape Cod, even my mother commented on the endless supply of toys!
14. You spent more time stressing out about their doggy wedding to the neighbor’s dog than your own. Not applicable, people! Besides, the neighbor's dog hates Claire. And Claire's many boyfriends would be jealous...
    
    

cape life.

Here we are, a full month after our last post. Where does the time go?! Claire and I took a little road trip from Nashville to Cape Cod last weekend and we'll be here for the next month. Whenever I'm here, I feel like I can just exhale. I can't think of any other way to put it, so... that's that.

Can I just say that it is a VERY long drive from Tennessee to Massachusetts? It was quite eventful, too, as the air conditioner in my car broke halfway through the extremely large state of Virginia. If it hadn't been a sunny 90*F day, I would have tried to ride it out until we got here, but because it was just so hot, I had to stop and get it repaired. Thankfully it was an easy fix and we were able to get back on the road after three hours or so -- and I have to give Firestone a huge shout-out (the one in Nowheresville, VA) for being so awesome and letting Claire hang out in the lobby. They even gave her treats and water while we waited. Talk about service!

We finally made it to Harrisburg PA where we stayed in a hotel for the night. Claire got her own queen-sized bed, which she was quite excited about, as you can see by the blur of her wagging tail in this picture:

 

We made it to the Cape the next day without any hiccups, and I cannot emphasize enough how glad we both were to get out of the car. I actually have no recollection of what we did that night because my mind was blank from driving for so long. The one thing that I did not anticipate was how rough the drive would be on my body. My fibromyalgia flared up like mad and after a full week, I'm finally feeling better. Note to self for the next time: break up the drive into three days, not two.

 

The next morning, Claire and I woke up early and took a long walk on the beach. It was her first time there, and y'all, I can't wait to post the video of her reaction. But that will have to wait until I get back to Nashville, so hang tight in the meantime. At first she was afraid of the waves, but by the end of our walk, she was running straight into them. She tried to drink the water like she does when I take her to the river in Nashville, but the salt from the ocean made her sneeze. Puppy sneezes are the cutest! But she didn't try to drink it again, which was a safe bet. And hey, this is a picture that I took of the sunrise that morning. Can you tell that it was the perfect day?

 

 

 

 

Later that day, one of my besties came to visit and it was AMAZING to see her. It had been a year since we'd seen each other, and I fully intend for us to visit a lot over the next month!! We went out to lunch to catch up and then spent the afternoon hanging out on the beach. Claire was so tired after her morning romp in the waves, so I didn't feel bad leaving her for a few hours. She needed the rest!

 

 

I know some of y'all are connected with us on our Facebook page, but for those of you who aren't, you need to know that part of my mother's preparation for our arrival included putting sheets all over the furniture to "protect" them from Claire's fur. Clearly, we never had dogs growing up. Anyway, Claire's new favorite lookout is the window behind the sheeted couch, which gives her a good view of one side of our neighborhood (and, more importantly, of the squirrels and rabbits), so she's been spending a lot of time here. Again, please note the happy tail.

 

 

Interestingly enough, my mom forgot to cover one chair in the house, which has become a great place for naps. Claire is smart enough to curl up here when my mom isn't home. I don't have the heart to tell her to get off, especially when she's as cute as she is. Who wants to disturb a comfortable dog, anyway? Not me. That's just mean!

 

 

 

Of course, I still have to work during the week (though I'm so thankful that I can work remotely!), but Claire and I have settled into a routine that seems to be working well. My "office" is in a room that I only go into while I'm working - I thought that would help Claire understand that I can't play when we're there. We get up in the morning and go for a long walk, eat breakfast, and do a little training, and then I get the work day started. Claire hangs out with me and naps until lunch, alternating between the floor, the couch, and this cozy little pallet that I've set up for her next to my desk.

 

 

 

I've got an hour break for lunch, so after grabbing some food, Claire and I spend some time playing frisbee, going running, and doing more training. After she's gotten out some energy, she's ready to lounge around while I finish up the second half of the work day. At night, we've been heading to the beach after most of the tourists have left, and we'll go for another long walk/run so I can unwind and Claire can get back outside for a bit. Then it's time for dinner and playtime (she likes to play tug with her stuffed animals, and four of them have already succombed to her destruction), and then we hang out with my mom and her boyfriend before calling it a night.

 

 

The other night we went for a walk at the Harbor instead of at the beach - mainly because I was feeling nostalgic for a place where my friends and I hung out a lot when we were in high school. There were a couple other dogs around and Claire did really well by not reacting to them. I was so proud of her! Anyway, while we were walking on the docks, Claire saw ducks for the first time EVER and was absolutely fascinated by them. She didn't cry or whine or bark, she just sat there transfixed. Birds in the water? Who would've thought!

 

So, now you know what we've been up to and where we've been lately! I'll be posting again next weekend, for sure. And of course I'll share more pictures too. Hope you all are well and have been enjoying your summer!

 

claire's christmas list (2012 edition).

I know. I lose major points for posting our annual Wish List so close to the gosh darn holidays. But there might be some last minute shoppers out there. Maybe... In any case, here are the items that are on Claire's wish list this year!

I love finding a reason to get Claire a new collar or leash, especially because there are such fun ones out there! Like these, from Silly Buddy:

My little one always tears up stuffed toys (except for elephants - she loves her ellies), but I don't think that's a reason to stop buying them for her! That's why I have to include this awesome toy from PLAY:

I need some fun posters for my cubicle at work, so I thought this poster is appropriate, even though Claire's only 50% lab... Most of these features are certainly appropriate for her, anyway!

Simply Fido caught my eye when they shared pictures of this adorable moose. I mean, are you kidding me?! Who DOESN'T want one of these?! And they're stuffed with crinkled paper, which I'm sure is easier to clean up than stuffing. It has to be!

If you've been following this blog for awhile, you are very well aware that I'm obsessed with The Black Dog, which is a store in my hometown. It's only natural that I browsed their website to find things to add to Claire's Christmas list. I found this placemat, which will be perfect for her!

Some of Claire's favorite treats are from The Black Dog, too - and it's great because they're free of the millions of things that she's allergic to! They're available in bacon, cheddar cheese, and peanut butter flavors!

Hopefully this list will be helpful for you late shoppers out there. If you've already shopped for your favorite dog, then I'd highly suggest considering buying some of these items for a New Year's Day present. Or maybe even Valentine's Day. Or heck, buy it just because!

  

sleepovers and snuggles.

Well, Claire didn't end up coming with me to the Friendsgiving celebration this weekend. She played pretty hard at the park earlier that day and was fast asleep when it was time to leave. But I will tell you that I had a great time with great friends and great homecooked food!

Don't go feeling all sorry for Claire, though. She may have missed the Friendsgiving fun, but she made up for it yesterday and today. My friend Carrie went out of town for work, so what better time to have a sleepover with Carrie's dog, Tucker! They played constantly - from the second we picked him up to the time he returned home. I practically had to pull them apart to get them to do anything else: eat, sleep, and go for walks. And the only casualty of the past two days was Seahorse (view the remnants below); the reason Claire's other toys survived is because I put them away pretty soon after that.

Surprisingly, Claire and I slept better with Tucker around. Granted, the two of them took up the whole bed, so we know why SHE was comfortable. Even with my 1" of free mattress space, I was pretty cozy. Maybe it had something to do with all of the puppy warmth in my bed? What was interesting to me is that Tucker can get right up in Claire's face and she doesn't mind. Usually she is big on personal space, but only a select few of her friends can cross this line - including Tucker. They were cuddling together all night with Tuck's head resting on her neck. Sweetest thing ever!

Check out a few Instagram pics from Claire and Tucker's time together:

you'll thank me for telling you about this stuff.

I was doing a little browsing last night before bed, and I have to say that I found some pretty share-worthy things - just in time for today's post! I've also read a ton of great books lately that I wanted to let you all know about, too! Grab a pen and paper, and get ready for information-overload...

• Life+Dog posted this article about how to recognize anxiety in dogs and how to help them.
• Tails Inc. featured a video that our dear friends Lauren and Dexter made - and Paige made an appearance too!
• Tatiana Garrett wrote a fantastic article for Tails Inc. entitled "Animal Lovers Must Love People Too", which I completely resonated with, as both a social worker and animal lover.
• Ashley and Winnie from Hot Diggity [one of our favorite pet boutiques back home on Cape Cod - you know, aside from The Black Dog] have started a new weekly blog featuring cool new products at their store that you should definitely check out. And yes, shipping is available!
• HuffPo recently posted an article about why dogs sleep curled up, and they linked to VetStreet's article about why dogs sleep belly up. Both are questions that I've wondered myself...
• Thanks to our friends at Dog Milk, I came across this dog tag, which is perfectly fitting for Claire. It's been added to our wish list, of course, since Christmas is just a few months away!
• I found two new sites that I quickly became obsessed with: Hugs and Inubar, which are definitely worth checking out for an assortment of toys and other designer products for your pet.

Lastly, some books that you absolutely must pick up, simply because they are amazing:

Wallace by Jim Gorant

Unsaid by Neil Abramson

The Dog Who Danced by Susan Wilson

A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin

A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron [the sequel to A Dog's Purpose]

    

dog days of summer.

It's been a little quiet here on the home front over the past few weeks, mainly because Claire and I have been soaking up the last little bits of summer. We've been going on lots of walks and hikes, and of course we've been frequenting the dog park as much as possible before the days get shorter.

So, for your Instagram recap, here's what we've got:

• Claire and Tucker playing frisbee/tug
• Sitting on Katie's lap while getting some love from Patrick
• Doing her best impression of a person - it's good, isn't it?!
• Playdate with the ever-so-handsome Chase
• Smiling all pretty
• Hanging out with Sooki -aka- taking all of Sooki's bones/toys for herself
• Staying cool with Courtney in the office at Bark-O-Lounge [picture courtesy of Miss Courtney]
• Muddy dog park feet
• Relaxing in the shade under a bench at the park
• Sleeping soundly

We hope you all have been enjoying the end of summer too! I love the warm weather, but I'm actually quite ready for the fall season this year. There have just been too many 100* days for us here in Nashville!

   

true confessions of a dog owner.

It's time for some true confessions! Are you ready for this? I put together a list of twelve truths pertaining to being a dog owner. Know that I mean no offense, so I apologize in advance if anything written is taken the wrong way. But I figured it would be fun to let you all know some of my honest-to-goodness thoughts and maybe even share some of my own bad habits! Leave a comment below with some of your confessions - I love getting the scoop!

1. I am of the persuasion that raising a dog is just as hard as raising a child.

2. Every Sunday, when I go grocery shopping, I make sure to bring back a special little treat or toy for Claire.

3. It's very likely that I spend more money on Christmas presents for Claire than I do on all of my friends combined.

4. No matter how adorable I think your dog is, I'll always think that mine is cuter.

5. I think you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their dog. I tend to write people off if I see them treating their dog poorly.

6. It's really hard for me to like you if you don't like my dog. And please know that "like" does not mean "tolerate."

7. I have more of a problem with separation anxiety than Claire does. She usually does just fine when she's at Bark-O-Lounge while I'm on vacation. I, however, call/text a few times per day to make sure that she's all right...

8. I have been late to work a time or two solely because I've stayed in bed cuddling with Claire for too long.

9. Sometimes when we're at the park, I yell "SQUIRREL!!" really loudly because I think it's hilarious how Claire's ears immediately perk up and she looks all around to find it.

10. There have been many times where I have slept on the very edge of the bed as to not disturb the angelic sleep of Princess Claire.

11. Claire's vice is digging, and I even encourage it sometimes because I feel like it helps file those nails ;)

12. If I believed in past lives, I would definitely think that I was a dog.
  

the best thing since sliced bread. (for real).

Guys. GUYS. We received the most awesome thing in the mail. Well, Claire did, but it was actually addressed to me, so I feel like I am allowed to get excited too.


Please let us introduce you to BarkBox. Here's how it works: you subscribe to this service and you get a package delivered to your house each month that is full of hand-picked treats, toys, and products galore! Basically, it's like BirchBox for dogs - but it's even better, since 10% of each subscription is donated to shelters and rescue groups.

The goods in this month's BarkBox included...

• All natural Jumpin' Ginger Snap treats from Bing's Barkin' Bakery - Claire is obsessed with these babies. I don't know if ginger is as soothing to dogs' stomachs as it is for people [note to self: ask Anna], but that would be an added bonus with all of Claire's tummy issues lately! Either way, she can't get enough!
• Nature's Miracle bath wipes - They are supposed to freshen your dog's coat between baths, and I can tell you that they actually do! I would like to say that Claire smells like roses all the time, but that would be a lie. I have been wiping her down with these when we get home from the park, and they even remove dander. Lovely!
• Himalayan Dog Chew - Marketed as high quality and long-lasting. Don't you love when what ads claim are true actually turn out to be true? These "bones" are made from yak and cow's milk. Again, with Claire's tummy issues, I didn't want her to have the whole thing at once until I knew how she would tolerate it. I originally attacked it with a saw to try and break it into small pieces [I'm exaggerating. I mean, why would I own a saw?! I really just tried using a really sharp knife] until I read the package which said to microwave it for 30 seconds to soften it. It was much easier to cut into then. [Imagine that]. Claire's stomach handled it well and once she had a taste, she kept licking my hands until I gave her more.
• The Holobal - So far I've only stuffed this ball with treats, but I'm going to put a tennis ball inside next time to see if it will enhance Claire's fetching abilities. She's very particular about what tennis balls she will retrieve, so I'm interested to see if this will help! The only negative thing about this toy when it comes to Claire is that I have to watch her when she has it, or else she will use it as a chew toy. Given that it's 100% rubber, it won't have a long life in our household if that happens...

Want a BarkBox for your dog? A one month subscription is $25, a three month subscription is $21 per month, and a six month subscription is $17 per month. The gifts in the boxes are tailored to your dog's size, too!


BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER!!!! Depending on the number of comments on this post that show interest, BarkBox said that they would donate a subscription for a giveaway hosted by none other than... us! AHH. You know you want the opportunity to win one for you or a friend, so puh-lease leave a comment below!
   

willow vs leaves.

I don't often post videos of dogs other than Claire (well, it is her blog, after all!) but from time to time I come across a video that is really touching or really hilarious that I consider it worthy of a feature ;) Today someone sent me one to file in the "hilarious" category, as I was laughing so hard watching it that it made my stomach hurt. Meet Willow, who will stop at nothing to find her ball - and for the record, the girl cracking up in the background only adds to the humor!

     

claire's christmas list (2011 edition).

It is so cold in my house right now that it is painful for me to type this, as my hands have to peek out of the blanket pile that is on top of me. Oh, and Claire is wrapped up like a burrito in her blankets, too. I'd take a picture, but that would require more of me to get unblankified so that I could get my camera. Not happening, though I love you all dearly.

But... the cold weather has me thinking about Christmas, and now that it's November, Christmas is right around the corner! Crazy, right?! Where does the time even go?! I'm super excited for the holidays this year because it is the first time that Claire is coming home with me! That's right: we're roadtripping a short twenty hours up to Massachusetts - it's going to be quite an adventure!

Because Claire is going to be with me and the rest of my family around the holidays, I have already started preparing for an extra special Christmas. Normally I wait until the day after Thanksgiving to write out Claire's wish list for Santa, but I needed to channel my excitement into something productive. So here you have it - Claire's Christmas List, 2011 Edition:

Otis and Claude's Bumble Ball

This toy is awesome - it's battery-operated, and it jumps, shakes, wiggles, and rolls.

AKA: Endless hours of entertainment for Claire!

Nina Ottosson's Tornado

This baby was on our Christmas list last year, too!

All of Nina Ottosson's dog toys are interactive

and make dogs think while using positive reinforcement.

It's well worth the price!

Good Dog Flannel Quilt

I did mention earlier in this post that Claire and I are freezing, right?

What a better way to warm us up than with this awesome dog-friendly quilt?!

It's made from organic materials and is easily washable. Lovely!

Biters

Claire loves tearing apart soft/squishy toys - except for her Blue Elephant,

who seems to have been spared such a fate and remains her favorite.

But Biters toys are meant to be ripped to shreds.

They tear apart in big pieces for easy clean-up,

and there's even a treat hidden inside for dogs to find!

Ruff Wear Portage Float Coat

Claire loves to swim but gets tired pretty easily,

which worries me when she's in deeper water.

I'm hoping Santa brings this so that Claire can stay safe while swimming,

and also so that my anxiety is alleviated while she's doing so!

Fetch/Woof Rubber Balls

My girl loves pink!

Let's be honest: it looks great with her black and white fur.

She'd like the "FETCH" ones, please!

  What is on your dog's Christmas list this year?

    

blue elephant.

A few weeks ago, I got to spend the afternoon with my friend Emily. I had a great time catching up with her and hearing about the goings-on in her life. She didn't get to meet Claire that day, but she was so sweet to bring along a little something for me to give to Claire so she knew we missed her while we went out to lunch! This "little something" has become Claire's new favorite toy. Please meet: Blue Elephant.

(Side note: I have decided to stop taking pictures on my phone after seeing the way these came out. It's quick and easy, but the DSLR takes much better pictures. Camera snob? Maybe. Okay, yes.)

Claire brings Blue Elephant everywhere with her. She comes home from school and immediately pounces on her, then snuggles up on the couch with her. I turned over in bed last night and rolled right over her; at some point while I was sleeping, she went and got her from the living room and decided to invite her into bed with us.

So Emily, thank you for Blue Elephant! She is the first stuffed animal that Claire hasn't immediately ripped up. She's attached - I think Blue Elephant is here to stay!

claire's christmas list (2010 edition).

As far as I'm concerned, the day after Thanksgiving is not just Black Friday... it is also the beginning of the Christmas season! That being said, I've started thinking about Claire's Christmas wish list! There's a lot of new stuff out there for pups, and we've got our eyes on a few things!

The Nina Ottosson Tornado

The Nina games are a little pricey, but they are durable

and they make your dog think while using positive reinforcement!

Adjustable Dog Feeder

Whoever said that good posture didn't matter for dogs?!

If you have a medium-sized or large-sized dog,

you would be surprised at how much strain is put on your dog's neck during mealtimes.

Bagel Bed

This looks comfortable enough for me to curl up in!

Simply Fido Bone (Plush)

Made from all-natural materials!

Reflective Leg Bands

A new style? These make me laugh, but what a good idea!

Safety first during those nightly walks!

So, I'm curious: what is on the Christmas wish list for you and your dog?

today's trial run.

Well, Claire and I have been living in our new house for almost two weeks. She has adjusted pretty well to this new living arrangement, which is great, especially since it's the first time I've moved since she has come into my life.  However, in the past two weeks, Claire has managed to break out of her crate three and a half times. This is new for Claire. Normally she stays in the crate on the two or three days during a work week that she is not at Bark-O-Lounge (*) and when I get home, we go straight to the park for a few hours to run around. Claire has never had a problem being in the crate, though I'm sure it gets awfully boring for her. I try to make sure that she has one of her Nina Ottosson toys in there with her, but as great as they are, they do not ensure eight solid hours of entertainment. At first, I was bewildered by Claire's behavior... but then my roommate Lissa and I realized that we apparently have some guests in the house: mice. (UGH!!) Claire has probably been seeing them run by her crate, which prompts her to use all of her strength to squeeze all 50 lbs through the incredibly small space between the door and the frame of the crate. Either that, or she does some kind of magic trick following in Houdini's footsteps. In Claire's defense, all of the times Lissa and I have found her, she has been curled up on the couch or wagging her tail frantically as we come in the door. She has not yet (knock on wood) destroyed anything once she has gotten out of her crate. My fear is that Claire is going to hurt herself by pulling this stunt, and that I will be at work when this injury happens.


Given Claire's new skills at breaking free, Lissa and I - after much deliberation - decided to let Claire try and make it a whole day without being in the crate at all. The last time I tried this was when she was 9 months old and she chewed up my blinds, my couch, and two library books (one was entitled - and I kid you not - "The Well Adjusted Dog." The library manager laughed when I told her, though I was mortified.) I was experiencing so much anxiety about this that I didn't sleep much last night, and I prayed all throughout today. All I could imagine was walking in the door to see the house torn to shreds. However... I am happy to say that Claire did wonderfully during her trial run! My house is still in tact, our furniture is exactly the way we left it, and most importantly, Claire is in one piece as well! I was ecstatic! She's going to day care tomorrow and Wednesday, so let's pray that Trial Run #2 is great on Thursday, too!





(*) Note: Stacey, Sheila, and Rob are the BEST and there isn't anyone else I would trust to take care of my baby for 8-10 hours a day! Please check out their website, and then bring your dog there for day care - you will be extremely happy and so will your dog!)