Pooches: Dyson vs Hoover

Though most of our house has hardwood floors, the dogs seem to think the best place to throw up, pee or poo is on the rug or on the carpeting in our bedroom. Safe to say that the rug and the carpets were pretty disgusting until we found the two best inventions for homes with dogs, the Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge and the Dyson DC15 Animal. It is truly amazing to see how much dog hair is on our rug and carpet and they look fairly clean after vacuuming with the Dyson. When we were looking for a steam vac, we read several reviews and finally bought the Hoover SteamVac with Clean Surge. After one use, the carpet and the rug look amazing. Though they will never look brand new, the Hoover took out almost all of the set in vomit, poo and pee stains in our rug and carpet. I highly recommend both the Hoover and the Dyson for homes with pets or even kids.

Pooches: Miss M and Mr B walk 4 Kilometers!

This past weekend, we participated in the PAWS Chicago's Eighth Annual Run for Their Lives 4K walk. Poor Ms. M and Mr. B had to walk 4K. They were pretty wiped out when we got home. At the event was a costume contest, an agility course and a whole bunch of booths with free treats and goodies. Though the weather was cloudy and a little chilly, it was still a great day with the pooches.

Pooches: Jookie Portraits

Miss M and Mr B had a chance to mug for the camera and have professional photos taken. Jookie Portrait Boutique specializes in children's photography, but also does work with pets. They were nice enough to offer a fundraiser for New Leash on Life, Miss M's rescue organization, with proceeds going to rescue homeless pups. The owner and photographer, Jill, was so nice and great with the pooches. We still have to order our pics and will post when we get them. In the meantime, you can view some of the proofs HERE.

Doggy Style: The Pirate Dogs

Miss M pretends to be hard-core. She thinks she's a rocker chic.

She wanted to get a collar to show how tough she is, but she didn't want people to think she was a boy.

That's how she ended up with her pink collar with pirate skulls.

When we adopted Mr. B, he decided to get a matching blue collar with skulls. It matches his grey coat quite nicely.

They get many compliments on their collars as we cruise the neighborhood.

Although we've had more then one child ask why they're dressed like pirates.

Doggy Style: Home Decor as Dogbeds

As we are decorating our place, we wanted to get some dogbeds that aren't complete eyesores. Instead of trying to find the best dog beds, we decided to go the other way and buy home decor they can use as beds.


1. Ikea RENS Sheepskin Rug
We have a couple of these in different areas. They add a nice texture to the room, and the pooches love sleeping on them. I've been able to just throw them in the wash if they get a bit too grey, or at just $20 each I keep a couple on hand as replacements.


2. West Elm Floor Cushions
I scanned West Elm for sales, and I was able to scoop up a nice patterned floor cushion and a couple of their Overlapping Squares floor cushions. These pillows add a nice decor, while Miss M absolutely loves to sit on them upright like a person. They are double-sided, so we will flip them over if they start looking too dingy. The covers are removable, so we can get them dry-cleaned as well.


3. Boots and Barkley Dogbeds from Target
We use these in the dogs' crates. It seems they only carry these in-store, however these are probably the most affordable, functional, and best-looking dog beds I've found. They're made out of a type of "memory foam" which molds to the dogs' bodies. When Miss M first got this bed, she wouldn't get out of it even when I asked her to go for a walk. They are a microsuede material, and they are a tan on one side and a beige on the other. The covers are machine washable, and super-easy to keep clean. I would have to say, I wouldn't recommend these for puppies as the cover zipper isn't very durable. Miss M used to have a chewing problem where she was able to chew off the zipper, and get to the insides, making her very own "snow day". I would also recommend buying the waterproof cover which they sell separately. In case the pooches have an accident, it won't soak into the memory foam. Our dogs have these beds in their crates, and we also have them in our bedroom where the pooches sleep at night.
-Miss A