Dog Park Adventure: Dog Day Afternoon

We finally had a beautiful spring day on Saturday! So of course we loaded up the car and headed to the dog park for the afternoon. I love taking Axle and Clover to the park, but its even better when the weather is nice. We usually stay longer when its warmer, and today was no exception. We are at the park for almost four hours today. it was quite the afternoon.

 Simba has nothing on this Corgi.

 Its always a little embarrassing when you show up at the dog park and someone is wearing the same outfit as you.

 We met a very handsome German Shepard today.

 What a smile!

 There is nothing better than a good game of fetch on a such a lovely day!

 The dog park makes for thirsty work.

 Have I ever mentioned that Clover has an ear sniffing obsession?

 I'm not really sure what's up with Clover's face here...

 I think I'm seeing double. Ghost (right) may have found his long lost twin.

 The Corgi trio showed up today!

 Clover took a break to snack on some mulch...

 Avery the Vizsla scouts out his surroundings.

 Harley the Tri Colored Pit Bull makes a fluffy new friend.

 A Bulldog at sunset.

 Clover compares notes with her new Husky friend.

 Watching for squirrels.

 This adorable Bulldog put her ball down just long enough to get a mouth full over water.

 Axle likes to pretend he is king of the dog park.

 We also met up with our good buddy T! We always lover running into him at the dog park!

It was a beautiful day, and I hope that we are finally out of winter. I am so ready for some warmer weather. Since the time change is this weekend we will soon be able to reinstate our late afternoon Wednesday trips to the smaller dog park that is closer to the house. But we will still be at the big park every weekend.

After almost four hours at the park, both Axle and Clover were completely wiped out. They both crashed out in the car almost as soon as we left the park. We always know it was a good day at the park when both the dogs fall asleep before we make it home.  

What have all of you been up to? Do you have any big plans now that the weather is warming up? And remember, if you see your dog please leave us a note in the comments below so we can put their name with their picture!

Pet of the Week: Myles

Happy Sunday dear readers! This weeks Pet of the Week is Myles! He is an adult Australian Cattle Dog and so sweet! Myles has wonderful leash manners, and will stay right by your side on walks. He is a smaller Cattle Dog, only about 30 Lbs. But he has a very big personality! This handsome boy loves being outside and would be great for an active family or single person.

Myles is a great little guy, looking for a new family to call his own. If you think Myles would be a good fit for your family please contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center or check out their Pet Finder page to see all their other adoptable dogs and cats!

At The Dog Park is on B Is For Becky!!!

Please check out At The Dog Park's Furry Fridays post over on B is For Becky!

We want to say a HUGE thank you to Becky and Steph for inviting us to be a part of Furry Fridays! You guys are awesome!

Dog Park Adventure: Spring is on the way!

We finally had a break from the rain and were able to make it out to the park for a few hours. Its just now starting to get warmer here, but its still a little chilly. I am beyond ready for spring to get here, and I know the dogs are too. We try to still take them to the park in the winter, but we don't go nearly as much as we do in the warmer months.

 Everyone had a fun time congregating around the wheelbarrow.

 This adorable boy wasn't shy about posing for the camera.

 We met a gorgeous Doberman today.

 Sammy the Boston Terrier mix was not afraid to keep up with the big dogs!

 Hi Sammy!

 This doggie was happy to be at the park on such a beautiful day!

 WOAH! A little to close there buddy! Haha!

 I love this one of Axle and Clover.

 Let's play!

 This cute doggie carried around his ball the entire time! I don't think I saw him put it down once!

 Sammy was so cute! And had a very impressive T-Rex impression.

 Sammy playing tug with another dog twice her size! She we fearless!

 We also met a beautiful Airedale Terrier! He was so handsome!

 We also met a very lovely Shih Tzu names Isabelle. At only 8 Lbs, her mom decided that she might just be a little to small to come inside the big dog park, so they were content watching from outside the fence. But we had a nice chat, and Clover was very taken by Isabelle's stylish hair bow.

I may be a bit bias, but Clover is so pretty! She gets compliments on her looks, especially her eyes, all the time. And it makes me so happy that her personality is just as adorable!

 Sammy and her Boxer friend playing Frisbee!

 I always seem to get a few pictures of Axle bouncing down the paved walkway.

 Clover did end up need a little time out after not sharing a stick very nicely with Sammy the Boston Terrier mix. But after a few minutes of calming down they kissed noses and were friends again. Haha! Does any once else give their dogs time outs? Or is this just me?

 This funny doggie had treed a squirrel and was bound a determined to climb the tree after it. But as hard as he tried he just could not make it up the trunk. Maybe next time buddy.

We had a really fun time at the park today. We always know that when Clover starts frothing, its pretty much time to call it a day. But we will be back soon. And once the weather starts to warm up we will be able to make it out more often. I can't wait for spring!!

What has everyone else been up to? Are you getting any warm weather yet? Send some our way! And don't forget, if you see your dog please let us know in the comments below so we can put their name with their picture!!

Pet Of The Week: Mason

I had another fun shift at the Animal Shelter on Sunday. A few of my favorites were adopted (Yay!), and there are a few more new faces. Its bitter sweet volunteering. I love working with all the dogs, and I know that they are grateful for all the people that come in everyday to walk and play with them. But it also breaks my heart to see their sad faces when its time to go back in their cages at the end of their walk. 

And every dog is in there for a different reason. Weather is be that they were picked up as a stray, their owners moved into an apartment that didn't allow dogs, or my all time favorite excuse, "We just got new carpet." (you would not believe how many times I have heard this one...)

But anyways... onto to point of this post! Meet Mason, the 2 year old Shepard/Husky mix! This super sweet boy is amazingly affectionate and has wonderful leash manners. He is a little timid at first but it only takes a few minutes before he jumps in your lap and showers you with kisses!

I absolutely love this little guy. At only about 35 Lbs he is great for someone who wants a little chill buddy to hang out with. If you think that Mason would be a good fit for your family you can contact the Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center or check out their Pet Finder page to see their other adoptable animals!

Tips for being a GREEN pet owner

Photo from last spring because its snowing here and all the grass is dead...

In honor of the upcoming St. Patrick's holiday I thought I would do a post about being a Green pet owner! There are many steps that people can take to make sure that they are taking good care of their pets, as well as the Earth. We live in a society that creates a lot of waste. Its pretty much unavoidable, but there are a lot of steps that you can take to reduce the waste that you and your pet make.
 
1. Adopt, Don't Shop! I don't remember where I read this, but I once read an article that refereed to shelter or rescue dogs as 'recycled'. I love this idea. Dogs that have been owned before and then, for whatever reason, end up in a shelter or a rescue can be considered recycled. Adopting a dog from shelter is a great way to be a 'Green' pet owner because you are giving a dog that was previously 'thrown away' a new purpose. Thus you really are recycling.

2. Spay and Neuter ALL your pets. By spaying and neutering your animals you are doing so much good for issues like over population. Some people think that if they just spay/neuter one of their pets that it will be okay. But what if your one unaltered pet gets lost or escapes? It could either come back home pregnant (if its a female) or it could have impregnated countless other un-spayed dogs (if its a male) while he was out.

I know many men who say that they 'don't have the heart' to neuter their male dogs. And I guess I can understand this to a point... but its still no excuse for not spaying/neutering your animals. By neutering your male dogs you are actually reducing a lot of health risks, such as testicular cancer, and reducing aggression brought on by hormones. Thousands and thousands of animals are put to sleep every year because there are simply are not enough homes for all of them. By making sure that your pets do not not reproduce, you are saving lives.

3. Use pet supplies that are recyclable or made from recycled materials. There are many recyclable pet supplies out there. From potty bags to even toys. There are many different choices when buying pet supplies, choosing to buy only recycled or recyclable supplies is a great way to be a Green pet owner.

4. Choose quality over quantity. When you pick out toys for your dog, make sure that they will last. The higher quality toys may be more expensive initially. But if you have to keep buying that same $5 toy over and over again because your dog keeps tearing it up 20 minutes after you give it to them it will add up very quickly. Buying toys that last a long time is also better because you are producing less waste by not having to throw away ripped up toys so often.

5. Clean up after your pet. Buy making sure you properly dispose of your dog's waste you are reducing the amount of contaminates that ends up in our water sources. When it rains, whatever is on the ground has the potential to run into nearby ponds, streams, rivers, etc. By cleaning up after your dog, you can help reduce the amount of water pollution.

6. Buy in bulk. By buying dog food or treats in bulk you can reduce the amount of packaging waste. A 50lb bag of dog food has less packaging material than five 10lb bags. Its also more cost effective. Most manufactures will reduce the price per ounce as the amount you are buying increases. Also make sure you are recycling the packaging after you are done with it.

7. Buy local. Buying locally produced brands or from 'Mom and Pop' stores you are supporting your own community. You are also cutting down on the amount of resources needed to get the products you are buying to you. Products procured from large factories result in a lot of waste and pollution. Both from being made and from being shipped to chain stores across the country. 

I hope that you find these tips helpful! And if you have any more tips you can share with us about being a Green pet owner, please leave them in the comments below!

Top Secret!

Hello dear readers! I know I've been pretty silent for a few weeks. But I've been working on a very exciting, but super secret project. I am beyond stoked about this, and I promise I will share more about this adventure very soon! But I just wanted to pop in and let you know that I'm still alive! 

Weather permitting, I will have a new Dog Park Adventure post up this weekend. But this new project has been taking up a lot of time!! All of you are beyond awesome for following this little blog of mine, and leaving all your sweet comments. I read all of them and reply to as many as I can. It means so much to me that other people enjoy my posts and Dog Park Pictures. Thank you all so much for being part of this adventure, its about to get a lot more interesting!!!

-Madison <3