DoggyStyle: Picnic Blankets with Dogs

Miss M loves our blankets so much she even uses them indoors

It seems the goal of nearly even Chicagoan in the summer is to spend as much time outdoors as possible so things like this won't seem quite as bad. We spend our summer in a flurry of spontaneous picnics, neighborhood festivals, outdoor movies, and alfresco dining, all with the pups at our side. While we've learned to pack a 'city essentials' bag we've also learned the art of bringing just the right type of picnic blanket.

Impromptu Picnics and Outdoor Dining

Between all of the food trucks and our penchant for dog-walking dessert tours and taco crawls, it has become too easy for us to have spontaneous picnics mid-walk or just drop into an alfresco cafe. I always keep a light-weight sarong in my bag which is small enough to fit into our everyday dog walking bag while being easy enough to pull out for impromptu dining in the park and curbside sitting during street fests. For mid-length sitting in the park where we won't be out so long, sometimes we just grab a mid-weight sarape that is still lightweight, but a bit more comfortable to sit on.

Movies in the Park and Family Outings

For our planned picnics in the park that last a long time, we started using a large plush comforter that can fit all of us. We got ours on sale at Target. Miss M tends to get impatient sitting in parks, but we've found being able to lay on a comforter (maybe because it reminds her of the privilege of being able to lay on a bed?) is enough to keep even her satisfied. These are definitely more cumbersome to carry, so we usually plan to use these if driving, though we have also been able to use a vacuum-seal packing bag to stuff it into E's backpack for a 2+ mile walk home.

Wet Grass

After seeing how a lined picnic blanket is just that much more expensive, we started carrying a shower curtain liner to put under our blanket to keep us all dry.

What other preparations do you make when planning outings with your pups?

Also:
They also come in handy for things like this
Or this.
Don't forget you still have time to win a "Date with Your Dog"

Win a Date with Your Dog: Long Walks, Pop-up Picnics, and Doggy Ice-Cream GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Maybe it's from watching too many episodes of The Bachelor, but one of my favorite summer activities has been to explore a new-to-us park complete with a surprise pop-up picnic for us all to enjoy at the end.

We've learned that one way to make these types of 'dates with our dogs' more impromptu is to have a pre-packed bag that we can just grab on our way out. 

So we were super-excited when FROSTY PAWs contacted us about a giveaway of an insulated Frosty Paws backpack packed with all the supplies you need to take a stroll and a picnic with your pup.

It includes:

-An insulated human backpack to keep you and your pups' food cool

-A stainless-steel dog water bottle

-A collapsable food/water bowl

-An insulated food container that can be frozen, and it stores two Frosty Paws ice-cream treats

-A bone-shaped dog waste bag holder

-A coupon for free Frosty Paws (Frosty Paws is available at most human grocery stores in the ice cream aisle)

We like that the bowl, water bottle and waste bag holder all come with clips so you still have room to pack your own human lunch and throw in a picnic blanket.

Frosty Paws has generously given us 4 supply-filled backpacks to give away. There are 2 ways to enter, and each person can enter 2 times.

We love exploring our city and having pop-up picnics.

What would you plan to do with your pup if you won a Frosty Paws backpack?

1) Let us know by commenting on our blog post here

2) You can also enter by posting a photo on our Facebook page of your pooch and letting us know what you would do together if you won a backpack. (And we always love seeing your dog photos!)

3) Winners will be chosen at random using a random number generator

Details:

-You have two chances to win by commenting once on the blog and posting a photo once on our Facebook page.

-We will use a random number generator to randomly choose two winners from blog comments and two winners from the Facebook page.

-You have until Sunday (July 14) at Midnight (EST) to post your comment or photo

-Check our Facebook page and blog the following week for the announcement of winners. If you are a winner, please contact us with your mailing information so we can ship the bag out to you.

-Winners must live within the contiguous United States 

Good Luck Everyone!

PS. We only offer giveaways for products we would actually buy and use ourselves and that we think would be valuable for dog owners

Also:

I think our pups are probably happy they can now be included in this

European-style explorations

The bags we pack

City Dog: How Dog-Walking is like Dating

Without a backyard, I used to lament needing to take our pooches on our daily walks. Eventually, I realized how this was important for us to have dedicated time spent together; I use this time to continue working on our training and communication.
And I think it's really because of these dedicated walks, my understanding of them and their understanding of me, that our pups are able to comfortably do things like this, this, and this.
I know it's hard to constantly be "on" with training, though one rule of thumb I use: if you wouldn't do it on a date, you probably shouldn't do it while walking on your dog.

If You're not talking and interacting, it's a boring date

You would never go on a date where you don't talk, bother to look at each other, or spend the entire time walking 3 feet behind your date. During our walks I make sure the pups are walking at my side and paying attention to me. We make it engaging by practicing tricks, using the city as an obstacle course, and working on check-ins that help them with distractions.

Give your full attention; walking and texting is rude

Much like you wouldn't answer a phone call or start texting in the middle of a date, it's also rude to do this when you're out walking your pup. I make sure the time I'm with them is their time, and this has helped me learn so much more about them helping with our communication and lessoning frustrations. I know certain areas where Mr. B will bolt because he expects to see a feral cat, I watch for growing mushrooms so Miss M won't try to eat one, and I've learned our pooches' bathroom habits that are really helpful to know when I need them to go quickly.

Don't Let your Date Check out Other Dates

Much like you would be upset if your date spent time head swiveling and trying to interact with other dates, we let our pups know this walking time isn't a time to go out and meet other dogs. This is our time to walk, and if our pups are able to meet a dog then they will expect to meet every dog we meet. Which is challenging when there are probably 30 dogs living on our block alone. We also know when dogs stare it can be considered uncomfortable and challenging to other dogs, so we keep our pups focused on us as a courtesy to all the other dogs out with their people.
These are some things we've observed.

Are there any other ways you think dog walking is like dating?

Also:
Check out our Facebook page for extra photos and storylines that don't always make the blog
How we really use it
This was the dog command that changed our lives
Our dogs like showing off like this

SociaBulls: On Leash Safety and Preventing Equipment Failure

Mr. B rides to SociaBulls in style

Though we are nearing the 2 year anniversary of our SociaBulls walking group, we are always a work in progress learning what works well and always working to improve comfort and safety for all of our pups.

As some members have been sharing their experiences of leash equipment failure on their personal walks, we decided to make some changes to the group to prevent the chance of equipment failure.

Replacing Equipment

Much like bicycle helmets can deteriorate and need to be replaced every few years to function, the same is true for the clips and buckles on collars and leashes. We know a lot of people who have had their leash clip come undone (it even happened to us a few times!) so we are now asking members to make sure they are using current equipment.

Double-Securing in Two Places

Between stories of latches falling off of leashes, prongs popping open, and dogs wiggling out of harnesses, we are asking members to begin double-securing their equipment in two places.

-We are all using carabiners as a way to double latch our leashes. You can see the example here.

-Prongs are backed up using a carabiner to attach it to the harness.

-Halters are double-clipped using this example here.

Recommending The Double Elbow-Hand Hold or Additional Waist Leashes

We've had at least two incidents when we were on our daily walk and a dog came running up to us because the owner had happened to drop the leash. We know how easily dogs can get excited and cause any of us to lose hold of their leash.

I like using the double elbow-hand hold we wrote about here. 

Plus we know a leash with a double loop on the end or even a knot tied towards the bottom can give extra grip.

We also know some members who have been successful double-leashing using a handheld leash in addition to a handsfree waist leash like this one. 

Using a 4-foot Leash

While dogs can get a bit further from us on our standard 6-foot leash, we like how the 4 foot leash gives us a greater awareness and a reminder to keep our dogs close to our side.

While nothing is foolproof, after hearing so many stories we wanted to make sure to create the safest environment we could for our group.

Has anyone else experienced equipment failure or had success with other techniques?

Join our Chicago SociaBulls  Facebook page for more photos and information about group walks. And check out the Hikabulls page where we first learned about the benefits of group walking.   
Please Note: As the weather has warmed up, bikers, runners, dogs, and kids have come out in full force in many of the areas that we walk. While we had previously been introducing new members a few at a time to each walk, we've decided that in order to continue to keep our group safe and make our walks a positive experience for everyone, we are putting new members "on hold" for the summer. You can still submit an application, and it will go on our wait list in the order it is received. Once things quiet down a bit more in the fall, we will resume introducing new members a few at a time to each walk, and will be contacting people on the wait list in a first-come, first-served manner.

Also:

Coding

Supplies

After-trainers!

Dog Gear: Mr B's View of the Pride Parade

While we are all attending the same events, we are always curious about how the pups' views differ from what we see. Since then, Mr. B has gotten into photography and he has started documenting how he views the world. 

Mr. B took his camera out to last weekend's Pride Parade where he captured the parade from his view. E also added images from his camera from the human view, and they collaborated to make this mash-up of the parade with the dogs complete with catchy soundtrack. 

Can you tell what parts Mr. B filmed and what parts E filmed?

My favorite parts are seeing the pooches get 'beaded' by people in the parade, seeing Miss M's train of thought as she actually watches the parade, close-up of a hairy chest and being used as a pillow and public.

And check out what the girl holding the banner at  3:37 does.

Watch the video here:

We also have a recap of the pups and their friends at this year's parade here.

Mr B wears his camera on a Go Pro chest mount (the chesty) strapped to his back. E also hacked a front mount to wear the camera on his chest. We wrote more about Mr. B's camera here. 

What was your favorite part of the video? 

Miss M thinks she didn't get enough footage

In case you missed it:

This happened. 

And the colder version.

If you ever doubted people love pitbulls and pitbulls love people

The pups' view of a Chicago vacation

Things to do in Chicago with Dogs: Chicago's Annual Gay Pride Parade 2013

It's always important for us to support ideas of equality, and our highlight of the summer is attending Chicago's Annual Gay Pride Parade. We love seeing so much of the community banding together, and this year was one of the largest; an estimated 1 million people took to the streets of Lakeview to celebrate.

 People celebrate from rooftops, balconies and the street complete with outrageous costumes, feathers and beads. The parade draws local celebrities like Bozo the Clown and Mayor Emanuel (who actually walked by and awkwardly forced us to shake his hand). Plus all the floats complete with dancers and thumping music. And of course, the dancing cowboys. That's where Mr. B gets his costume inspiration.

We were joined by our pitbull friends: Aggie and Phil (fellow NLOL alumni!). So many people loved seeing the four of them sitting so nicely in a row. Plus, a couple of human friends we ran into.
The pooches' favorite part was when people jumped out of the parade to come meet them.
How do you think the pooches scored all those beads? Their secret is revealed below:

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post where Mr. B shares the video he took from his camera.
Did anyone else go to Pride Events in Chicago or your city?

Also:
This also happened
Deja Vu.  And live!
Keeping it safe.

City Dog: How to Safely Take Your Dog to a Parade

One of the highlights of our summer, especially for Miss M, is attending Chicago's Annual Gay Pride Parade. It's incredible to see the entire community banding together to support ideas of equality and gay rights. And this is an especially big year!
Since our pups crave attention, the parade is a good way to go out and meet people. Because really,  who can resist a pitbull in a tutu or fedora?
At the same time, with the parade drawing nearly 1 million people, it could become overwhelming for some pups. There are a lot of crowds, loud noises, and drunk people wanting to grab Miss M's jowls.

We had written this post about training and exposure to make your pup comfortable attending their first parade.
Here are some things we've learned to plan ahead to keep our dogs safe and comfortable at a parade.

Scout the Parade Route:

We know that different areas of the parade might be more crowded and crazier than others. We learned to avoid the areas north of Belmont on the route which has the biggest crowds and a lot of drinking in the streets. We chose a more family-friendly area near Diversey and Clark. Here the crowds aren't as big and wild.
We are also able to anticipate the area that will be shaded for the majority of the parade. When we first arrive the area where we usually stand is sunny, which causes a lot of people to search elsewhere, though we know that it quickly becomes shady for the majority of the parade.

Mark our Territory:

It is important for us to make sure our dogs have a space to themselves if they become overwhelmed or it begins to get too crowded. We bring blankets which we spread out on the ground to 'mark our territory' so the dogs have a place to lay. While people are always trying to squeeze into little spaces along the parade route, they are hesitant to actually stand on people's blankets. Folding chairs would work well also.
We also choose spots that have outlets if the dogs need to step away or go on a potty break. The sidewalk can become very crowded, but the location we chose is near an alley where barely anyone walks.

Keeping our Dogs Comfortable:

Since it can get really hot, we make sure any costume they were is breathable. Mr. B usually wears a brimmed hat--which is a benefit since he has little fur on the bridge of his nose and it tends to get sunburned. We practice wearing our costumes at home so it isn't a new stressful thing they're dealing with in addition to the stress of the crowds and noise. And if they don't feel comfortable wearing the costume for the entire time, we will remove it.
We also make sure to bring plenty of water and we are always aware of the dogs' comfort.

If anyone is planning on attending, the pups will be watching just north of the Diversey and Clark intersection on the west side of the street. Come join us, or stop by and say hi!
Also...Miss M always has a dilemma because she is unsure of what to wear.
What does everyone think Miss M should wear: ballerina, fairy princess, angel, butterfly or queen?

Also:
The parade from Mr. B's view (watch the first one!)
How we find our costumes and make them stay on
This happens too.

DoggyStyle: Our Outdoor Theatre

When E, Miss M and I moved in together, we had to be really strategic about our furniture set up. See, it used to be just E, but then he earned a girl and her dog (and later another pup). We decided to keep 2 couches and get rid of our TV's. 

Which turned out ok because we still found a way to watch movies and our favorite TV shows:

Miss M is still able to watch The Bachelorette

We bought a projector which we are able to use on the wall above the couch. We like that it's compact and it takes up less room than a traditional television and entertainment center, and we are able to project movies and basic channels. Plus, this helps us monitor our television viewing and only watch things we really want to watch, so we have more time for things like this. 

Being extra large, the pups like watching the TV too:

Bears games can be tense for Mr. B

Though the best part is that the projector is portable, and we have made it a part of our outdoor room. Having survived winters like this, it's so important for us to spend as much time as possible outdoors, so we created our own outdoor movie theatre.

 We bought an extra-long curtain rod which balances on the planks of our deck ceiling. We picked up a pair of curtains from Ikea. We had to pin the middle, and we rest the gate against it at the bottom to keep it from blowing.
We use an extension cord and have the projector balanced on the back of the couch:

It's nice that we can take our television viewing outdoors, though we are always looking for good things to watch--without cable we are a bit behind.
What are some good television series we can catch up on, or some good movies we should rent?

Also:

How Miss M caused us to move in together

Deck Dogs!

Miss M watches TV and listens to the radio

Things to do in Chicago with Dogs: Pride Fest

We joke that the Pride Parade is the pooches' favorite event of the year. Since pets are not allowed to march in parades in Chicago, we have to participate on the sidelines.
This year they decided to stretch out the Pride festivities having the Pride Fest street festival last weekend and the big parade this coming weekend.
Then we discovered that Miss Foozie hosts a mini-Pup Parade during Pride Fest which occurred this past weekend, she also hosts the Pup Parade that the pooches participate in during Halloween.

This was a good chance for the pups to practice in some costumes before their big debut this weekend. Mr. B wore his favorite fedora and some beads as he documented the Pup Parade with his camera.

Miss M couldn't decide between dressing up as a fairy or a ballerina, but she remembered that she could  go as a ballerina for the Pup Parade and dress up as a fairy for the Pride Parade.   

Miss M was so excited that her current boyfriend, Vegas (unbeknownst to Vegas), was able to join her in the Miss M Pup Parade.

For her dog's hard work filming her parade, Miss M purchased ice cream for her and her dog.

Here is the video Mr. B took from his perspective:

In case you missed it:

Remember how excited Miss M was to march in this parade?

Preparations

Looking forward to this

City Dog: What to Know When Moving your Dog to the City

Before adopting our pups, I was always curious whether there was anything different about owning a dog in the city compared with where I grew up. We've been learning a lot as we go along, and trying to share what we know, and we just received this really interesting question:
What are some things a country or suburban dog can plan for when moving into the city?
Here are some things we've learned while having our dogs in the city.

Become a Walking Pro:

Living in the city can be challenging and our walks often feel like an obstacle course. From dodging food left on the ground--a disproportionate amount which seems to be chicken bones--, the sounds of the raging el train overhead, fireworks year-round, squirrels, rats, and feral cats, and crowded sidewalks filled with dogs and people.
Before moving to the city, we recommend beginning to take your dogs on regular daily walks around your neighborhood. This will give you a chance to begin working together in a comfortable and familiar environment, and you will also begin to understand your dog's triggers. Once you have identified your pup's distractions, you can also try changing up your walks so you can practice working in different settings. We've found it's helpful to treat every walk like a 'training walk' to make sure our dog is focused on us. We work on focus through regular check in's, and we wrote more about it here and here.

Start a Bathroom Routine:

With most of us living in multi-unit buildings, we actually need to prepare and take our dogs out for something as simple as a bathroom break. We developed a regular feeding routine, that has helped us with our bathroom routine. Our dogs eat twice a day: breakfast and dinner. We take them on their walks after they've eaten those meals (with a 20 minute digestion period). We don't leave water out, but they drink during their meals, and of course if it's hot outside they drink more and we take them outside directly afterwards. Besides the two food potty breaks we have a mid-day break and a before-bed break. We would recommend slowly transitioning your dog to a bathroom schedule before you move so it's more comfortable and less stressful later. We wrote more about the bathroom habits of city dogs, including what to do for late night emergencies, in our post here.

Finding Alternative Exercise:

Most city dogs don't have backyards, which can be a huge transition for dogs that are accustomed to having a lot of space and playing fetch. We have just become more strategic with the ways we tire out our dogs using a combination of physical and mental exercises.
We wrote about ways to get the most exercise on a shorter walk here.
And some mental stimulation to supplement or use during bad weather days in our post here. 
We also know a lot of city dogs that go to doggie daycare, go running with their people or hired dog runners, and walking groups. There are some dog parks in the city, though we don't like going to them for these reasons.

Be Considerate of Shared Wall Neighbors:

It could be confusing for dogs to move from a single-family home to a multi-unit building in the city. They might bark and react to the noises and sounds of other people constantly walking in the hallways. We are lucky our dogs have never been barkers, but we did have some visiting dogs that would bark at every strange sound they heard. I'm not sure if this is something they get used to, or if there can be some type of training (anyone?).

It's also important to be aware of any extra noises your dog could make and be respectful of the neighbors. It can be difficult to find dog-rentals in the city, so all of us dogowners should work to be respectful so people think well of owning dogs in apartments.
We wrote about some considerations when sharing walls with neighbors in our post here. 

Developing a Routine for the Humans:

I think the hardest transition might be getting the people accustomed to the routine. Every day we need to wake up a bit earlier to go on a morning walk, and we need to make sure we return in time to complete an evening walk. We also need to remain diligent about our training and be prepared to be outside in all types of weather.

Here are some ways we make our before-work walk quick and easy.
Here are some ways we prepare ourselves to walk in cold weather. And in the rain.

These are just our experiences, but I know there are a lot more things that we're missing.
What are some things you would recommend for country or suburban dogs moving to the city? 
Or any other questions about dogs in the city?

Also:
Renting with dogs
The most important training used for everyday city life
We don't mind not having a backyard because things like this and this make it all worth it.