Dog Gear: Miss M and Mr B Test Ruffwear's Swamp Cooler Jacket (and a GIVEAWAY!)

Living in the city without a backyard, we're always consumed with the weather as we venture out on our many daily walks. While we seem to have the cold weather thing down, it has been the extra hot weather that has us cutting our summer walks short with the pups quarantined next to the fan.

Especially since our pups are getting older, we have been cutting back on some of our adventures during the warm weather, especially seeing how living in the concrete jungle can make everything that much hotter.

We have always been curious about Ruffwear's Swamp Cooler Cooling Vests and we were especially excited when Ruffwear offered to have the pups try them out.

While we got a lot of strange looks and questions about why our pooches were wearing "coats" on such a hot day, these  3-layer vests actually use evaporative cooling technology to mimic sweating and cool down your pooch. The vests are activated by soaking them in cold water and wringing them out. We found that it is really important to wring them out well, as our first attempt at putting on the vests before we left for our walk left us with puddles of water on our floor. The vests are lightweight for easy movement and they use adjustable buckles to more accurately fit your dog. Our pups are both wearing size Medium.

Wearing the vests the pups seemed to be panting less and we were able to be out longer. They also recovered more quickly after our walk. We also liked how the light-colored vest reflected heat instead of absorbing it. While Miss M's dark hair will cause her to be warmer, when we checked underneath her vest her back was definitely cooler. 

We also found it important to monitor the vest and make sure it stays wet to continue the evaporation process (otherwise it would be like wearing a coat on a warm day!). During one walk it did evaporate fairly quickly, in about 20-30 minutes, and we had to reactivate it by pouring water on the top with our water bottle. 

Even with the vests we made sure not to overdo it, but we found it really did make a difference with the heat, and it seems like it is especially good for dark-haired dogs prone to absorbing sunlight. 

We were beyond excited that Ruffwear has generously offered to give away one Swamp Cooler Cooling Vest. 

What would you be able to do with your pup this summer if you could keep them cool in a Ruffwear Swamp Cooler Cooling Vest?

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

There are 2 ways to enter, and we will randomly select 1 winner:

1) Let us know what you would do with your pup 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 they'd be able to do with this summer with a cooling vest. (Do you know how much we love seeing your dog photos?)

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 one winner 

-Please check the blog the following week to see if you are a winner. If winners do not contact us wtihin the stated amount of time, we will have the option to randomly choose a new winner.

-You have until Sunday (Aug 18) at Midnight (EST) to post your comment or photo

-Winners will be able to choose your size and color and have it shipped to you from Ruffwear

-Winners must live within the contiguous United States or Canada

We used a random number generator to chose the winner of our Ruffwear Swamp Cooler Giveaway:  

Congratulations to Kendra Perkins who said: Bruno would love this! He is a dark chocolate pittie mix who loves to run. However, with us living in Corpus Christi, Texas, it doesn't take long for him to get hot and panting like crazy. Plus the fact that he LOVES water.

Please email or message us on Facebook so we can get you your vest!

Also:

How to make your dog comfortable wearing coats and vests

Our Ruffwear winter coat review

What we will do with our vests.

Things to Do in Chicago with Dogs: Miss M and Mr B go to Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks 2013

We love how the city offers so many diverse family and dog-friendly activities where we can go to see outdoor movies like Madagascar 3, then take the pups to see a full Shakespeare production.

The other weekend Miss M and Mr B joined the masses to watch the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's traveling production of The Comedy of Errors as it hit our local park. 

Much like Shakespeare included both low and high-brow humor to appeal to a diverse audience, the play also happened to appeal to a Miss M and Mr B along with their doberman friend Vegas and pitbull friend Aggie among the audience.

I once read a book where it said the fun of watching a play was seeing how the audience reacted. Miss M was especially attentive watching all the action on the stage for most of the play. It was a bit more interactive than a typical movie including yelling, acrobatics and running through the audience.

Mr. B didn't even realize he was part of the play! Here is one of the Dromio actors hiding in the audience behind an unsuspecting Mr. B.

This version was especially entertaining using vaudeville-style acrobatics making it fun to watch even if you couldn't understand what they were saying.

They still have a couple of shows left, and our friend Aggie even has a cameo in the montage video here. 

Also:

Cultured Pups!

And more.

Outdoors

SociaBulls: The Social Side

While we talk a lot about how SociaBulls is a positive way to socialize our pups, but it is also a great way to socialize its people.

We all know a well-balanced dog is a happy dog, though so many of our new member applications also  include one of their motivations for joining is meeting other like-minded and non-judgmental people. 

We love that our group has such a great mix of people from so many varying backgrounds. 

We also like that the structure allows all types of members to have the social aspect of interacting with their pups. We know that sometimes it can be limiting if a dog is shy or fearful, but members have told us that they look forward to the walks as it's something they can do with their pup and other people.

We have also had some human- socials (though not nearly as frequently as Positive Pittie Pack!) and we're looking forward to another human social scheduled for the first week in September. It is a nice change to be able to talk without a poo-bag in hand.

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.

Also:

Who are we?

Support!

Sharing.

Pooches: Our Frontier House

Though I am not as active as A on the blog, I really enjoyed spending time away during our hiatus. We spend a lot of time trying to document every experience we have with our pooches, that sometimes it feels as if we are actually missing out on those experiences.
I believe this song lyric sums it up the best: "Didn't have a camera by my side this time hoping I would see the world with both my eyes."

I'm embarr....actually proud to say that the song lyrics are from John Mayer's song 3x5.
A likes to call me a 'bro' because I like John Mayer, and being worried about coming off as a 'bro' I spent quite some time searching online for another person that stated something similar that I could quote. I couldn't find anything.
Being attached to the Internet, we eventually get side-tracked and A ends up reading Reality Steve for The Bachelorette gossip, and I start looking up better IP cameras so we can remotely spy on the pooches (more on that on a later post).

So we spent the week trying to unplug, relax, and value the time we all spend together.
A always talks about one of her favorite shows, Frontier House from PBS, where families give up modern conveniences to live authentically as homesteaders. Doing this helps them realize how important family time is. We didn't dress in period clothes, build cabins or harvest crops, but I did paint our entire home and take care of our herb garden. 
We imagined that we would sit around the house with the pooches, reading a books and avoiding media.
Though one Miss M just couldn't stay off of the computer.

It was nice to be completely away from the computer, camera, etc. and really spend time laying with the pooches out in the great outdoors of our porch. 
A and I feel that life is too short with the pooches and we try to maximize our experiences by always doing something with them that we forget that it is just as important to do nothing and just live with them. 
It was really quite relaxing to do nothing and hang out with my best friend and experience life together...while A and Miss M sat inside and watched The Bachelorette finale on the computer.

Also:

Our little family.

A always finds this video bizarrely funny when Miss M is listening to the radio.

Dog Dates!

Check out our Facebook page for extra photos and storylines that don't always make the blog

DoggyStyle: On Straw Beach Mats and Dogs

A few years ago when I was visiting Thailand, I learned the secret of the straw beach mats: they are easy to carry, dry really quickly, and super cheap (mine cost less than $1!). I was beyond excited to take mine home at the end of my trip where it lived in my kitchen apartment as a type of indoor/outdoor rug.
Though my enthusiasm didn't stop there. Through a quick online search for 'straw beach mats' I found  I could buy a whole stock of them for about $4 a mat. And they work perfectly for our dog activities.
When we eat outside with the pups we will bring a mat so they are protected from the hot pavement, dusty sidewalks, and they have a defined place to lay so they won't walk around.

We brought one to the Pride Parade to 'reserve' a space for the dogs and make sure they didn't feel too crowded (you can see a better view in Mr B's video here) :

And for a time, we even had several lined up on our deck. We liked that these made it comfortable for us to walk outside barefoot: they kept the decking from getting too hot and our feet from getting dirty. They also dry really quickly after it rains, so it's still comfortable for the pups to go outside and lay without getting wet.

The foldable beachmats are not as durable, so we did upgrade a bit picked up the plastic version from World Market so it looks more like a rug. These versions last at least a year or two, and sometimes we like to layer them:

Miss M especially likes how she matches.

Also:
Our other choices for outdoors
 Cafe dining with dogs
Urban backyards

Things to do in Chicago with Dogs: Miss M and Mr B go to the Movies

Before we got rid of our television, I used to watch a lot of terrible reality television. 

Does anyone remember Average Joe? (Please tell me I wasn't the only one!). 

It was memorable for the fact she still picked the good-looking guy at the end, and this one quote.

When the contestants are told they are going camping, one guy refuses to go because he just can't understand the fun of packing all of your indoor stuff, marching outside, unpacking it, sitting on it, packing it up again, and marching it back inside.

Sure it defies logic, but why is it so much fun?

Each summer the city of Chicago gives us opportunities to march our inside stuff outside and all hang out together for free movies in the park. 

We bring the blankets and picnic dinners. Chicago brings the big movie screen. 

And Mr. B brings his stuffy. 

Isn't everything twice as fun when enjoyed outdoors?

Also:

What we use

When we really did pack up all of our indoor stuff to go outdoors

Deja Vu

Check our Facebook page for extra photos and info beyond the blog

How to Start a Dog-Walking Group in Your City: Guest Post from Twin Cities Pack Walk in Minnesota

Photo by LP Reyes

While we feel lucky to have such a great community through our Chicago SociaBulls group, we also love hearing about and learning from successful dog walking groups in other cities.

Twin Cities Pack Walk is another group we have been corresponding with online. They are amazingly well-organized and they even have their own walk photographer! I also love seeing their photos of all of the pups trudging through those Minnesota winters. Here is the story of the group including why and how they started, gaining membership, growing, and tips for starting a group in your own city.

Starting a Group

Photos by LP Reyes

As an owner of a shy and fearful pit bull I was looking for a safe space to continue to socialize my dog, Penelope. After spending many hours in formal training, I wanted to find a way to ensure that her social experiences with dogs and people would be positive and help to solidify the idea that the world was a safe and good place. I was also interested in creating a space for fellow dog advocates to connect and socialize about our passion for all things dog. I reached out to some friends and fellow breed advocates whom I knew through my volunteer work with local Rottweiler and pit bull rescue A Rotta Love Plus and the world of group dog walks was opened to me. I was amazed by the fantastic pack walking groups popping up all over the country, but mostly drawn to the work by Chicago SociaBulls. I loved that their pack walks not only served the purpose of socialization and training, but also that they allowed folks in the city an opportunity to interact with our beloved breeds in a positive way. I loved that people would walk by and go “Wow that is a great group of dogs…oh my goodness those great dogs are mostly PIT BULLS!” I discovered that I wasn’t alone in my excitement and quickly found some amazingly talented folks and we formed Twin Cities Pack Walk. We wanted to create a space where ALL dogs and ALL handlers would be successful. Together the TCPW organizing team came up with the mission statement: “Safe, structured, socialization for dogs and their humans.”

Growing a Group

                                                                                              Photos by LP Reyes
A huge reason our walks have been successful is due to the wisdom of those, such as Chicago Sociabulls, who came before us. We were so thankful to receive some guidance that would help us structure our walks in an effective way. Together we came up with some ground rules that we felt would create the space that we had envisioned. We created a Facebook page to help get the word out and invited our friends to join us. We created an excel database to track interest and communicated via email. Once we had our structure in place we were ready to embark on our first journey: which included a whopping 5 walkers. The weather was frigid and the wind was brutal but we were so excited to on our maiden voyage we just kind of drifted through the wind and the snow! We couldn’t wait to see where our little group went.

 Within a month we had tripled in size and were walking with about 20 dogs/handlers all documented through the lens of our fabulously talented pack photographer, Lp Reyes. Our little group was growing! In February, 2012 we were featured in a Twin Cities Dog Blog: Sidewalk Dog which lead to a big jump in membership. As our group began to grow in leaps and bounds we took a step back to reevaluate the best method by which to manage our larger numbers and incorporate new members. Our original method of tracking members and rsvp’s wasn’t sufficient so we decided to utilize meetup.com as a resource to track and confirm pack attendants. We looked around and found that we had some really solid dog/handler teams who had begun to walk with us each and every week. We formed a group of “regulars” who balanced our pack energy and allowed new dogs of varying temperaments to be successful. Our regulars (many of whom happen to include a pit bull type dog) embodied what we wanted our group to be and new members felt confident bringing their dogs to our walks as a result. We LOVE our regulars. Having a solid base allows us to accommodate 25 dog/handler teams and enables us to incorporate new walkers almost every week. Word of mouth continues to bring new members and all are welcome to join!

What we Learned When Starting a Group

                                                                                               Photos by LP Reyes

1. Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork. Find a few other like minded people to create a core group that works behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. It takes a small village to be able to successfully have walks every week and coordinate the people, dogs, locations, and photos!
2. Use the wisdom of those who came before you! Group dog walks are popping up all over the country and there are SO many phenomenal folks doing them. As a group who has been on the receiving end of advice, we are delighted when others contact us to find out how we structured our walks, managed our walks administratively, and garnered support from fellow dog lovers. We had two fantastic local rescue groups contact us so that they could set up walks to socialize their and dogs and prepare them for adoption events. We even had a group all the way from Fargo contact us about starting their own group. It has been an absolute joy watching those groups grow and blossom as well. As a national community we have so much knowledge to share! 
3. Figure out what your group goals are for the walks and stay true to them by creating rules and structure which accomplish those goals. Figure out what works for your walk. The rules of one group may not be the best for your group. Be flexible and adapt as needed but also trust your instincts and make choices that will ultimately help to accomplish your goals as a group. 
4. Spread the message of your dogs and your mission. We aren’t just about having fun (though we do plenty of that). Our group is amongst many who are creating a trend that encourages responsible dog ownership in communities throughout the nation. We think that’s pretty damn amazing. 
5. Take the time to lay a groundwork that is sustainable. It took many long hours to create the numerous databases and networks that make up TCPW but once that foundation is laid running the walks is so much more manageable. 
6. Scout and select locations that are going to meet the needs of your group. Use a set of criteria that you determine such as site lines, distance, ability to pass people, likelihood of encountering off-leash dogs, etc. Make sure to keep tabs on things such as special events, barriers due to weather, and other things that might make a seriously amazing location not so hospitable to a pack walk. 
7. Have fun and look fabulous when you are doing it!
   

Thanks so much Twin Cities Pack Walk for sharing your group!

You can learn more about their group on their facebook page by clicking here.

And their meet-up page by clicking here. 

Please let them know what you think, or feel free to ask them any questions in the comments section. 

                                                                                   Photos by LP Reyes

You can read more starting a dog-walking group from the Positive Pittie Pack Walk in New Jersey here,   Hikabulls in the Bay Area here and our thoughts on making a walking group work in a crowded city here.  You can also read all walking-group related posts through this link here. 
Stay tuned for more stories of groups who have started walking groups in their own cities.
If you have a dog-walking group, and you would be interested in sharing your story, please email us using the Contact Us icon on the side of the blog.

Pooches: How Mr B Never Leaves his Tepee

This is Mr. B.
Mr. B lives in a tepee.
A tepee without a door.
Each day when we leave Mr. B is sitting in his tepee.
Each day when we return Mr. B is back in his tepee.
He must have been there all day!

Sometimes, when I'm coming home, I can look up and see Mr. B like this:

I will point and wave at him.
He will look back at me. But when I come upstairs, he is back in his tepee. Like he never moved.

Poor Mr. B. He thinks that we don't know he doesn't stay in his tepee all day.

In case you missed it:
Why Mr. B lives in a tepee.
The story of Miss M and the incriminating pillow

Pooches: On Dogs and Babies

Awhile ago, we were having a conversation with some high school friends who were telling us it was an inevitable cycle that once people have kids, the pets who were once the center of their lives are ignored and regulated to the basement. A mini-argument ensued that this isn't always true, and there are always ways to prepare and make a smooth transition.
So, we started talking to some of our dog friends to see how they made it work.
Gorgeous brindle Lily is part of our Chicago SociaBulls group (and Miss M's fellow alumni!) who just welcomed her own adorable baby. We loved hearing their experiences, from 'Lily days', positive associations with the baby, keeping a routine and ways for Lily to be involved as she became a big sister:

When my huband and I first learned we were pregnant, we laughed, and then talked about how to tell our parents, our friends, or jobs…and our dog.

Lily (a mastiff/boxer mix) had been the center of our lives for the last 4 years. When we got married the first thing we did was seek out a rescue dog to adopt. Lily found us; we like to say, since her overall persona was WAY more than we thought we were looking for at the time. (AKA-lacked training, social skills, or restraint of ANY kind) We were that family who took our dog everywhere and couldn’t wait to get home from vacations because we missed her so much. And in return, Lily gave us unconditional love and freely shared her slobbery kisses with anyone who would give her the time of day.

Since it was us who decided to throw this monkey wrench into our relationship, we started researching heavily. Since my husband and I would scoff at those people who gave up their dog due to issues surrounding their new children, this became incredibly important to us.  How could we integrate our dog with a new baby? 

Disclaimer: We are not experts, merely researched and tried with positive results

During the pregnancy, we would purposely do the following things:
 
1) Have Lily meet other children and babies alike. We wanted to see her reaction to little squirmy ones up to four years old with no fear. We enlisted the help of family and friends and those bacon treats she loves so much. We enforced the word gentle with her actions and treats. We gave her ample time and taught the older children how to approach her slowly. We tested her as often as we could and gave loads of praise whenever possible.

2)We mentioned the baby’s name often when she was around, letting her get used to the sound of a new name in the house. We would say the baby’s name and then give her a treat if she wagged her tail or looked to be paying attention. We wanted her associating the baby’s name with positive things.

3) We kept her involved in changes. Like when we put together the crib and re-arranged a familiar room. 
4) Two weeks before our due date, we had a “Lily” day-where we took her to get a bath, and cruise a few of our favorite dog stores.

Right after our baby Amelia was born we followed these few guidelines:
1) My husband brought home some of the blankets she slept in so that Lily could get her scent beforehand. 

2) We also were lucky enough to have her stay with the owner of the Dog Daycare that she was most familiar with. (Tip: If you don’t have someone that they are comfy with to stay while you spend 2-5 days in the hospital, start taking her somewhere now!) Our daycare even offered to take her whenever my labor started…which happened to be at midnight. Lily got to go somewhere she already knew-even when the chaos of us leaving that night could have easily overtaken her. 

3) My husband picked up Lily a day early from daycare and spent some time with her as a break from the hospital. (I was in 5 days due to a C-section) Then she spent the last night with friends who had a pug that Lily loved. All familiar things, all fun to her.

 Living with Baby:

Then came the longer haul. After we were home and everyone started to get settled, we noticed that Lily was pouting. Big time. She was spending a lot of time curled up in a ball and giving heavy sighs as we walked around the house. Or for lack of a better scenario, she seemed totally depressed and displaced at times. So, we compensated.

1) We made sure to always pet her when we had a free hand. We had her come with us when we took our baby anywhere in the house. She came with us for diaper changes and wherever the baby slept (which is where mommy slept), Lily slept there too. (In most cases, it was in our bed while Amelia slept in the portable crib next to the bed)

2) We tried very hard to not disrupt Lily’s schedule. Although that was impossible when she thought those 3am feedings signaled the first walk of the day and breakfast. So, we would take her out and give her a treat after the baby went back to sleep. 

3) When she would come near Amelia, lots of praise. Even when she decided to start sharing her slobbery kisses with her little bitty head.

4) We always use caution-after all, Lily is an animal. Ear tugging may be in the future, so we watch their interactions very closely for now!

 Overall, these small things are what we did to make sure that both of our ‘kids’ feel comfortable and happy.  After all, we believe strongly in Amelia growing up loving animals like my husband and I did-so anything we can do to start that process from the beginning-we see as a win/win for both of their lives. 

We loved reading this and seeing all the research and effort made to make all the family members comfortable with the big change. How has everyone else's experiences with dogs and children worked?

PS. We loved reading this getting ready for baby series, plus another friend's experiences with two pitbulls and a new baby here. 
Plus, being a single dog parent.
Check our Facebook page for more photos and information beyond the blog.

Pooches: When I Thought Miss M was Ugly

When I first adopted Miss M I used to tell people she was a dog with a good personality.
Mostly because I never thought she was very cute.

Vintage Miss M looks like a Vampire!

Miss M was way too skinny with a huge lollypop head and pointy hips. She was missing hair and I thought her head looked like a muppet.

I tried really hard to find the perfect 'old lady name' that would suit her.

We spent a lot of time together in those first few months after I adopted her. Mostly walking.

Sometimes when we were walking, I would hear people yell out "What a beautiful dog!". 

I would always look around, wanting to check out this beautiful dog everyone was talking about, but all I would see was Miss M:

Maybe I didn't realize it at the time, but my gangly, underfed Miss M turned out to be a swan.

Or at least a dog with a big, fuzzy white hat.

 Were you drawn to your dog based on personality, or looks?

Also:
Though you wouldn't expect it, sometimes this happens.
But usually it's this. Or even this.
What I originally thought.