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hlboyz
QueenLaQuintli
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 11921
Location: Paradise
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 Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:39 am Post subject: Tips/Ideas and Duds |
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I was thinking about what Doglover said about how a couple of pieces of plywood and a BBQ barricade made life sooooo much easier and how some things you don't expect have turned out to be great tips/ideas and others with high expectation, so so... What have you found to be some of the biggest aides in caring for your pet? And a disappointment?
I will start with two...
1) Belly bands! (or disposables fashioned into them) How did we ever do without them - for emergencies, incontinence, marking, etc. I was familiar with the panties for the girls having grown up with female dogs - but I don't ever remember using them as diapers. I was first told about them from a lady with two 18 year old bichons who were a bit leakiy...
2) Baby gate! I had one that could be put up when needed but bought a permanent swing type last year so that Giz wouldn't go tumbling down the stairs. And oh it is just divine to be able to go to the front door without my entourage, or do the quarantine downstairs without pups trying to snoofer the door, or bringing up groceries, etc. At first it seemed like a royal pain but now I just LOVE it! |
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cadillackesha
Top Dog!!!!
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Posts: 6327
Location: Sunny South
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:53 am Post subject: |
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I love this thread! The first thing that comes to mind is benadryl. I don't know how I got along without it. The second is learning about nutrition. Such as ginger for motion sickness, pumpkin for intestinal issues, etc... Also couplers for walking multiple dogs. I love them.
And belly bands & baby gates are wonderful!  |
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Indiana's mom
Unicorn Maiden
Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 12608
Location: In a pond of Lotus Flowers
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:19 am Post subject: |
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My biggest one is the dog crate. I was so against it thinking it was mean and cruel but I absolutely love it and so do the girls. It keeps them safe and protected while I am away and I know they will be right where I left them when I get home. They don't mind traveling because they are used to the crate so it adds no stress to the situation at all to get them in the car or for Intercontinental flights. I no longer come home to torn up garbage or toilet paper or upset dogs.
We bought our first crate for Indiana since she outgrew her puppy play area and could jump out. But Davinia ran in the crate and made herself at home before we could even finsih getting it all set up. She didn't want to leavet eh crate while we went to go buy a second one for Indiana. That's how I knew it was a keeper. |
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crestedcrazy
The Noidinator
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 20740
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:43 am Post subject: |
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Dog Stroller!!! although technically mine isn't a dog one it's a human bike trailor/stroller
I love the stroller I can go to events downtown like the festivals ect and not worry about them getting stepped on or too tired to walk |
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Lady & The Tramp
Top Dog!!!!
Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 3806
Location: VANCOUVER, BC
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Doggy Backpack/Carrier. My dog would be stuck at home most days if we didn't have one as she has to be in it for us to ride transit buses. |
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Ionadiva
Top Dog!!!!
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 2667
Location: Birmingham, UK
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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The ones listed are also my top favs..... now what to add? 
Micro-chips! They give me more piece of mind than any dog tag which could get lost or removed, my pets are now permanently identified. |
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hlboyz
QueenLaQuintli
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 11921
Location: Paradise
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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i have to add one that I think Sheri/Crestcrazy offered some time ago... Microfiber towels to remove doggie smudges - eye and nose boogies - off of windows! They work great - that stuff is like glue sometimes. I just spray with some cheapo spray or homemade and wipe!
Before this great tip I had bought two packages of them on my way out of Walmart for kitchen towels and didn't realize what they are/are for and they sucked as towels (not that absorbent) but they excel for this chore - and I covet them now! |
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crestedcrazy
The Noidinator
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 20740
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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Yes those microfibre clothes are great and all I use now!
also I LOVE my steam mop, great on tile, wood, laminate ect and no chemicals at all for those feet lickers in the family
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5064496
Last edited by crestedcrazy on Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:42 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Laura
Dog is my co-pilot
Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Posts: 6047
Location: California
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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crestedcrazy
The Noidinator
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 20740
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I think this thread is such a great idea so many useful tidbits will be found in here that I am going to make it a sticky |
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Indiana's mom
Unicorn Maiden
Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 12608
Location: In a pond of Lotus Flowers
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Great tip Laura. I had one in NY. Wonder where it is? Hmm... going to have to think about that now.
I think the food tips on here are priceless! |
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sue
Best in Show
Joined: 04 Mar 2007
Posts: 1095
Location: dunmore pa
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Laura there isnt anything better than that Little Green Mahine I have to agree. Also. seat belt harness so Lily will stay put and not be jumping onto my lap while i am driving!! |
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Robin
Best in Show
Joined: 28 Jun 2006
Posts: 1455
Location: Somewhere over the Rainbow
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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pumpkin, crates and listerine/witch hazel mix. Even though my guys are puffs they had some little bumps (we think staph) under their fur and were itching to death with them. I spray them with the witch hazel/listerine mix every night and the bumps have almost disappeared and the scratching is almost done. Ionadiva I think of you every time I use "witch hazel" Your experience with the real Witxh Hazel still cracks me up!  |
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hlboyz
QueenLaQuintli
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 11921
Location: Paradise
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| Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 7:42 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for posting the steamer mop link! I love the shark steamer (canister type) but it is rather bulky and I have wanted one of those kind in the informercials at $80! just too much $- Will be looking next time I am at Wallyworld for sure.
This may seem like a wierd tip, but I have quite a selection of e-collars for various uses when necessary - allergies, speuters/surgeries, grooming/nail clipping... and I just saw these black soft foam cone type ones which I thought were very cool - save the paint and the legs Anyhow, was looking for the flat round type and found an inflatable kind which I thought might work much like one I fashioned out of a plush neck pillow in the past. It is water resistant which is very good as it is raining and being used in quarantine so it would need to be disinfected - plus this kid is the poopinator, enuff said about the need to be easily washed off. It's working great for this purpose (neuter and being crated), and he seems perfectly comfty with it on. BUT I found another use for it.... It makes him safe from going through the 4" bars like the gate and railings, gaps in fencing, etc. because it makes him too wide to go through. Now he is not interested in being more that a few feet from me at any time (typical crestie clingon) but it means he doesn't have to be leashed in the yard and I will feel more comfortable when he is on deck until he learns the layout and bulks up  Got a little kid? Might be the ticket. Has a velcro enclosure and easy on easy off.
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Whoa Nellie
Serendipity
Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 7596
Location: Revolving door, MS
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| Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:20 am Post subject: |
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Looks familiar, loved it too.
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hlboyz
QueenLaQuintli
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 11921
Location: Paradise
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| Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:56 am Post subject: |
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| Yup - you are so right - I love it, was going to post it on his thread and thought - this is a pretty good tip. I was thinking of the puppies who are around pools where they have the kid fencing where it might be useful but dunno how wide the xsmall is. This is a small and I see you have the medium. I was thinking with all the fretting and fence securing with my large escape artist, could have be easily remedied at least temporarily with a large size which would make squeezing under a lot harder! So easy to just put on and let them romp under supervision and take it off when they come in. Now that I have lugged huge logs and so on to put under the fence - natch! Well I guess the next time he finds a good spot, I will think of it while I hunt for it.... |
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Indiana's mom
Unicorn Maiden
Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 12608
Location: In a pond of Lotus Flowers
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| Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Hmmm you might have just given my girls free yard run. If they are wearing that they should not be able to squeeze through holes in the fence. Will look into it. I knwo they will hate it but if it means free run of the yard for Davinia I think she will be happy zooming along. |
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DogLover
Top Dog!!!!
Joined: 17 Sep 2006
Posts: 2232
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:49 am Post subject: |
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I love bellybands, and babygates, I've yet to physically attach our gate to our stairs, because I don't want to drill into the wood, but I think that doing it will be one of those big stress relievers for me, because, right now we have to hop over it so often that is is a major pain, I can't tell you how many times we've fallen trying to go over it. Once I am able to drill holes in the wood, it'll just swing out, and will be so much easier.
Oh, and I love doggystairs! Only 1 dog needs them, but it saves us from having him jump up and scratch us at the side of the bed, only to have us reach down to pick him up, and he runs away, then comes back and starts jumping! 
Crates are also a big help here. I wasn't a big fan until I found I just couldn't sleep with 5 dogs in the bed, and had to use them, now I love them. It also helped to stop Jaxin and Abby from devouring their food like maniacs since they eat in their crates now, and no one can steal their food.
Harnesses are great too. Especially for my big dog since it gives me much better control of him when he's pulling, and isn't as hard on my wrists.
Oh, here's something that was immensely helpful in the past...as my American Bulldog was being to get a little older, I wanted to get her a more comfortable bed, with a bit more support, that was low to the ground so she wouldn't be jumping off and on our bed. At the time, my dogs were also in the habit of peeing on their beds every once in a while , so I was going to through a lot of them.
So, as a solution, we bought Lucy a baby crib mattress. It was cheap (about $50) and was big enough for her to completely stretch out, and was supportive. It also had a plastic cover, rather than fabric, so I could wash it so easily. We just bought some crib sheets to put on it, and can easily throw them in the wash. We use it for Barclay now. We can slide it under the bed during the day, and pull it out at night, and have it beside the bed for him. It has worked out great, and lasted years longer than any other bed we've bought. |
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crestedcrazy
The Noidinator
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 20740
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| Indiana's mom wrote: |
| Hmmm you might have just given my girls free yard run. If they are wearing that they should not be able to squeeze through holes in the fence. Will look into it. I knwo they will hate it but if it means free run of the yard for Davinia I think she will be happy zooming along. |
what kind of fence do you have? if a chain link type you can zip strip the plastic fence/garden netting I have that along the bottom of my gate because Niya can fit through the bars. you can barely see it and if it's a wood fence you can use some heavy duty staples |
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Indiana's mom
Unicorn Maiden
Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 12608
Location: In a pond of Lotus Flowers
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| Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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| No its a very old wood fence. Was here when my parents bought the house 23 years ago. Rocks and bricks were used to patch holes so the Labs and then Rotties couldn't get through but my girls sure can if they want. Plus it would probably keep them out of the underbrush close to the fence where I can't see them. I really wanted to build them a play area out of chain link though and was going to use the ties to keep it stiff at the bottom. [/code] |
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