bostonzest

Tag: Sunday dog

  • We Finally Met the Famous Westie Puppy Skye!

    The past month, everyone has had the same question when they see us out walking, "Have you met Skye, yet?" There is nothing like a new puppy to generate excitement among the neighborhood dog walkers.

    IMG_9198

    Then one day, we spotted this adorable Westie puppy and asked, "Is that Skye?"

    Skye and her person must have been on the other end of the questioning because when we introduced our girl, "We know all about Poppy." was the reply.

    IMG_9188

    Skye spent a few minutes asking Poppy some questions and trying to get our little Duchess to play. As usual, her highness declined but did allow a round of sniffs.

    IMG_9215

    Skye was in one of those adorable, one-ear-up-one-ear-down phases. But she was talkative and a little cuddle bug. After Penny was given permission, this little sweetie was picked up for a good snuggle. Then Poppy took notice! (Hey, no stealing my people!)

    She was named for the Isle of Skye off the coast of Scotland and we look forward to learning more about her as this little neighbor grows up under the watchful eyes of her fan club.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401b8d19031b4970c-800wi

    Here is our Poppy at Skye's age with her favorite Kong toys!

    We ran into Skye again and her person said that Ms. Skye is now a fan of goat cheese in a Kong Extreme! Poppy recommended this for times when a dog girl has to stay home alone and might get bored enough to HOWL! We wrote about that toy in this post:

    Special Toys for Special Purposes

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

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  • Do a Kindness and Share Your Dog with Lonely Tourists …

    And with others who are missing their dogs.

    IMG_9850

    Our Poppy has a serious bench habit and she considers the Collins Memorial on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall as one big bench. Perfect for posing and sitting with her belly on the cool stone on a hot day.

    Sitting in the city parks, we meet a lot of visitors to Boston because they are drawn to Poppy. Two women were walking down the Mall last summer and one of them looked at Poppy and said, “I miss my dog!”

     IMG_9950

    We invited her over for some surrogate puppy therapy and enjoyed learning a bit about her and how she was spending her time in Boston. Seeing the city through the eyes of visitors can make you appreciate what we have here.

     IMG_7849

    Noah is another neighborhood dog who is always ready to accept a few pats from a friend or a stranger. His smile and bright eyes could uplift anyone's day.

    Sharing your dog with those who miss theirs, because they are separated for a short time or because they've lost their companion animal, is a kindness. Open your mind to the concept, tune in your awareness to those around you, and you will be rewarded with smiles, good karma, and a dog who is well socialized and happy with an extra dose of love and attention.

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Getting Us Outside: Another Way Dogs Are Good for Us
    Collateral Damage as the Snow Melts

  • Do a Kindness and Share Your Dog with Lonely Tourists …

    And with others who are missing their dogs.

    IMG_9850

    Our Poppy has a serious bench habit and she considers the Collins Memorial on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall as one big bench. Perfect for posing and sitting with her belly on the cool stone on a hot day.

    Sitting in the city parks, we meet a lot of visitors to Boston because they are drawn to Poppy. Two women were walking down the Mall last summer and one of them looked at Poppy and said, “I miss my dog!”

     IMG_9950

    We invited her over for some surrogate puppy therapy and enjoyed learning a bit about her and how she was spending her time in Boston. Seeing the city through the eyes of visitors can make you appreciate what we have here.

     IMG_7849

    Noah is another neighborhood dog who is always ready to accept a few pats from a friend or a stranger. His smile and bright eyes could uplift anyone's day.

    Sharing your dog with those who miss theirs, because they are separated for a short time or because they've lost their companion animal, is a kindness. Open your mind to the concept, tune in your awareness to those around you, and you will be rewarded with smiles, good karma, and a dog who is well socialized and happy with an extra dose of love and attention.

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Getting Us Outside: Another Way Dogs Are Good for Us
    Collateral Damage as the Snow Melts

  • Tips to Protect Your Dog on Hot Days

    We've had a few hot days and seen lots of people taking great care of their dogs. As we chat with friends, all of us share tips on how we're rearranging our routines to make things safer for our canine companions. Here are a few of those ideas.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401b8d1564fe6970c-800wi

    Arrange your walk schedule so that longer treks are in the cooler parts of the day. Slow down and let your dog take more breaks and maybe even a short snooze, if that's what works for him or her. Offer drinks of water often.

    If you use dog walkers, ask them to adjust how long your dog is out in the heat.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401bb08865235970d-800wi

    This is especially important if your dog is in fragile health, elderly, or one of the flat-faced breeds that are susceptible to brachycephalic syndrome, a condition that makes breathing more difficult.

    Carry water for your dog. Most pet supply shops sell water bottles with attached caps or covers that serve as a dog cup. There are collapsible water dishes that you can fill from a water fountain or your own bottle of water.

    Check the Heat of the Pavement  

    Check-hot-pavement

    Press your hand on the blacktop for 10 seconds as a way to determine if it will be uncomfortable or dangerous for your dog.

    On hot days, let your dog walk on grass or dirt as much as possible to give those paws a break.

    If you are visiting an even hotter climate than ours this summer, consider putting boots on your dog, if that’s the only way to protect bare paws from the hot pavement.

    IMG_8564  

    We've also discovered that the white lines painted as crosswalks are much cooler than the blacktop, so we direct Poppy's paws along that path as we cross streets.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401bb08f8b759970d-800wi

    At the beach, sand can be as hot as pavement, check it with your own bare feet. Walking along the wave line or in shallow water can give your dog a break from the hot sand.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340192ac13fb32970d-800wi
    It should go without saying that you should never leave your dog in a car in hot weather. The American Veterinary Medical Association warns, “The temperature inside your vehicle can rise almost 20º F in just 10 minutes.” They also say, “We've heard the excuses: ‘Oh, it will just be a few minutes while I go into the store,’ or ‘But I cracked the windows …’ These excuses don't amount to much if your pet becomes seriously ill or dies from being left in a vehicle.”

    Here's a post we did on that topic complete with a video by a veterinarian who stayed in a hot car to show what happens.

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino (edited for BostonZest from one of our City Paw newspaper columns)
    Photos: ©2014-2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    A Sunday Beach Dog Playing on the Tidal Flats
    Give Your Sunday Dog a Drink on a Hot Summer Walk – BostonZest

  • Tips to Protect Your Dog on Hot Days

    We've had a few hot days and seen lots of people taking great care of their dogs. As we chat with friends, all of us share tips on how we're rearranging our routines to make things safer for our canine companions. Here are a few of those ideas.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401b8d1564fe6970c-800wi

    Arrange your walk schedule so that longer treks are in the cooler parts of the day. Slow down and let your dog take more breaks and maybe even a short snooze, if that's what works for him or her. Offer drinks of water often.

    If you use dog walkers, ask them to adjust how long your dog is out in the heat.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401bb08865235970d-800wi

    This is especially important if your dog is in fragile health, elderly, or one of the flat-faced breeds that are susceptible to brachycephalic syndrome, a condition that makes breathing more difficult.

    Carry water for your dog. Most pet supply shops sell water bottles with attached caps or covers that serve as a dog cup. There are collapsible water dishes that you can fill from a water fountain or your own bottle of water.

    Check the Heat of the Pavement  

    Check-hot-pavement

    Press your hand on the blacktop for 10 seconds as a way to determine if it will be uncomfortable or dangerous for your dog.

    On hot days, let your dog walk on grass or dirt as much as possible to give those paws a break.

    If you are visiting an even hotter climate than ours this summer, consider putting boots on your dog, if that’s the only way to protect bare paws from the hot pavement.

    IMG_8564  

    We've also discovered that the white lines painted as crosswalks are much cooler than the blacktop, so we direct Poppy's paws along that path as we cross streets.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401bb08f8b759970d-800wi

    At the beach, sand can be as hot as pavement, check it with your own bare feet. Walking along the wave line or in shallow water can give your dog a break from the hot sand.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340192ac13fb32970d-800wi
    It should go without saying that you should never leave your dog in a car in hot weather. The American Veterinary Medical Association warns, “The temperature inside your vehicle can rise almost 20º F in just 10 minutes.” They also say, “We've heard the excuses: ‘Oh, it will just be a few minutes while I go into the store,’ or ‘But I cracked the windows …’ These excuses don't amount to much if your pet becomes seriously ill or dies from being left in a vehicle.”

    Here's a post we did on that topic complete with a video by a veterinarian who stayed in a hot car to show what happens.

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino (edited for BostonZest from one of our City Paw newspaper columns)
    Photos: ©2014-2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    A Sunday Beach Dog Playing on the Tidal Flats
    Give Your Sunday Dog a Drink on a Hot Summer Walk – BostonZest

  • Danger of Xylitol for Dogs Update: More Products That Contain It

    This article from the Pet Poison Helpline with even more information on products containing the chemical Xylitol, that can be deadly to our precious dogs, came across my desk this week.

    Screen Shot 2016-07-11 at Monday, July 11, 20161.20.23 PM

    Last summer I wrote one of my City Paws newspaper columns on this topic and republished it here on BostonZest. Here's a link to that article.

    Dogs in Danger from the Xylitol Around Your Home

    The update from Pet Poison Helpline includes a long list of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and foods that contain this toxin for dogs. Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, DABT, DABVT, Associate Director of Veterinary Services, Pet Poison Helpline, wrote the article. She has also stressed how low the toxic levels can be and what you should do if your dogs might have ingested any of these products.

     6a00e54fc42bb8883401a3fd433b24970b-500wi

    Review these items in both articles and if you have any of them, be sure to put them in dog safe containers and out of reach. You might want to make your own or buy poison stickers to attach to any item that could be harmful. 

    One action we have taken is extra care when disposing of sugarless chewing gum. It is only put in trash receptacles that our Poppy has absolutely no way of exploring. And our gum is placed in screw-top glass jars just to be extra sure it doesn't attract her attention. 

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Dogs in Danger from the Xylitol Around Your Home
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  • Danger of Xylitol for Dogs Update: More Products That Contain It

    This article from the Pet Poison Helpline with even more information on products containing the chemical Xylitol, that can be deadly to our precious dogs, came across my desk this week.

    Screen Shot 2016-07-11 at Monday, July 11, 20161.20.23 PM

    Last summer I wrote one of my City Paws newspaper columns on this topic and republished it here on BostonZest. Here's a link to that article.

    Dogs in Danger from the Xylitol Around Your Home

    The update from Pet Poison Helpline includes a long list of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and foods that contain this toxin for dogs. Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, DABT, DABVT, Associate Director of Veterinary Services, Pet Poison Helpline, wrote the article. She has also stressed how low the toxic levels can be and what you should do if your dogs might have ingested any of these products.

     6a00e54fc42bb8883401a3fd433b24970b-500wi

    Review these items in both articles and if you have any of them, be sure to put them in dog safe containers and out of reach. You might want to make your own or buy poison stickers to attach to any item that could be harmful. 

    One action we have taken is extra care when disposing of sugarless chewing gum. It is only put in trash receptacles that our Poppy has absolutely no way of exploring. And our gum is placed in screw-top glass jars just to be extra sure it doesn't attract her attention. 

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Dogs in Danger from the Xylitol Around Your Home
    What's on Your Spring Dog Adventure List?
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  • How to Check Your Dog’s Vital Signs: Great Instructions via Go Pet Friendly

    Go Pet Friendly is a wonderful resource for those of us who like to travel with our pets. But whether traveling or not, I always gain valuable information from this great site.

    Update: 01/28/17 – With Canine influenza moving slowly towards the Boston area, this seemed like a good time to feature this post on how to check your dog's vital signs.

    Here's a related post we wrote about canine flu and the vaccinations for it.

    Go pet friendly

    I found myself making a note to reread a post, "How To Check Your Dog’s Pulse, Respiration, and Temperature," that appeared on the site's "Take Paws" blog this past spring, because I wanted to reinforce what I had learned.

    GarciaDog0412

    While we rely on professionals to diagnose serious illnesses, we all should know how to do a basic assessment of a dog's vital signs. This post does a great job of telling you how to do just that.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834016768d67ef9970b-800wi

    You might be able to spare your pup the trauma of a scary visit to the vet if you assure yourself that all his vital signs are normal and that he's just tired from something like an extra long dose of exercise and not sick.  

    As you can see, some puppies (like our Poppy when she was only a few months old) are not at all upset by vet visits. She has been known to kiss the vet tech and fall asleep on the exam table! But most dogs would rather have you, the human they trust the most, doing things to them than some stranger.

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Once Upon a Time Dogs Sold Soap
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  • How to Check Your Dog’s Vital Signs: Great Instructions via Go Pet Friendly

    Go Pet Friendly is a wonderful resource for those of us who like to travel with our pets. But whether traveling or not, I always gain valuable information from this great site.

    Update: 01/28/17 – With Canine influenza moving slowly towards the Boston area, this seemed like a good time to feature this post on how to check your dog's vital signs.

    Here's a related post we wrote about canine flu and the vaccinations for it.

    Go pet friendly

    I found myself making a note to reread a post, "How To Check Your Dog’s Pulse, Respiration, and Temperature," that appeared on the site's "Take Paws" blog this past spring, because I wanted to reinforce what I had learned.

    GarciaDog0412

    While we rely on professionals to diagnose serious illnesses, we all should know how to do a basic assessment of a dog's vital signs. This post does a great job of telling you how to do just that.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834016768d67ef9970b-800wi

    You might be able to spare your pup the trauma of a scary visit to the vet if you assure yourself that all his vital signs are normal and that he's just tired from something like an extra long dose of exercise and not sick.  

    As you can see, some puppies (like our Poppy when she was only a few months old) are not at all upset by vet visits. She has been known to kiss the vet tech and fall asleep on the exam table! But most dogs would rather have you, the human they trust the most, doing things to them than some stranger.

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

    Related articles
    Once Upon a Time Dogs Sold Soap
    A Sunday Beach Dog Playing on the Tidal Flats

  • Duchess Poppy Speaks Up About July 4th Fireworks Noise

    Hello there Boston Dogs, Duchess Poppy here!

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    I can tell you from experience that Boston's July 4th Celebration is going to be noisy. And I do not like noise! I like things cool, calm, and quiet. 

    Did you know that there are silent fireworks? Penny found this article about a town that made things better for us noise averse critters by choosing those.

    Update: Here's another article from the Boston Globe.

    But here there will be lots of flashing lights in the sky and big booms going off along the river. I'm planning on staying home, but even if I hide in the bathroom, I know it will make my building shake.

    I found a bunch of tips Over on PetFinder about preparing for big parties like this. 

    Screen shot 2013-06-28 at 10.07.38 AM

    Tap your paw or click on the poster for easier reading.

    And, just in case you were wondering, dogs and cats are not allowed at the Boston Pops Concert on the Esplanade. Only official, working, or service animals may attend. (But I don't know why any of us would want to go to this noisy, crowded place. Besides, we would only distract the police dogs who have important work that day.) 

    Have a safe and Happy July 4th! 

    Duchess Poppy Whitehead

    P.S. Here's a link to all our Sunday Dogs. I'm in charge of recruiting the talent for these features, so let me know if you want to star some week.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Duchess Poppy Whitehead (Edited by Ed)
    Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino   

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