Big Dog/Small Dog

We haven't done a "Fur Friends Friday" post in a long long while but this one was just too adorable to pass up.

Bear the Big met Bear the Small at our local dog park and it was love at first sight.  The remaining pictures where (sadly) too blurry to save, but there was a great deal of tail chasing, romping and fun.

Oh, the wonder of dog park romance
=P


Keep your tails wagging,
Bear's P4ws

=P

"Tabhair póg dom, táim Éireannach!"
(Bear says: "Kiss me, I'm Irish!") 

 Happy St. Patrick's Day Blogger! 



And remember, Beer -- while tasty for humans and pet-parents alike -- is not for pooches and tail-waggers!


Keep your tails wagging, 
Bear's P4ws

There's no Day Like a Snow Day!!

Bear's idea of the BEST DAY EVER!!!

Does anyone else out in blog-land have any hilarious Puppy vs. Snow stories to share?
Bark back at us and let us know!!

Keep your tails wagging
Bear's P4ws
 

Winter-Ready!

Bear (the ever-indulgent and ever-patient) has a new modeling gig!!

Swing by and visit us as HOOKED to see what else he's trying on!
=P


Keep your tails wagging!
Bear's P4ws 



Happy Howl-o-Ween!!

Bear and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers, tail-waggers and fellow dog lovers a Happy Howl-o-ween!

Stay safe and happy!!
...and don't forget to keep some treats handy for our four-legged trick-or-treaters!


Keep your tails wagging
Bear's P4ws





Bear and his Bunny

There's nothing quite like the relationship between a pooch and his stuffie....

Happy snuggles my friends
=)


Keep your tails wagging,
Bear's P4ws



The Simple Pleasure....

....of finding a ball at the park....

...and claiming it as yours forever and ever and ever....

(or until mum decides that it's time to go home...and the ball can't come)
=P

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Keep your tails wagging, 

Bear's P4ws

Happy Birthday Bear!

Maybe it's a little silly, but when he was first dropped in our laps we never thought Bear would make it to his first birthday, let alone his fourth.

Why I love my mutt 

Happy Birthday to my cuddle-bunny, my snuffleupagus and my ever-loyal friend;
May this year bring us many more romps, hugs and snuffle-kisses.
<3



Keep your tails wagging
Bear's P4ws

The Continued Search for Bear's Birthday Cake - Part 2

The hunt continues....

With one more week left until Bear's 4th birthday, and the relative success of the wonderfully simple no-bake kibble/peanut butter cake option, I've decided to try my hand at a cake that is slightly (but not really) more complex and actually requires some baking.

The Peanut Butter Carrot Doggy Cake

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1 cup shredded carrots
1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8" round cake pan or an 8x4-inch loaf pan.

2. Whisk together the flour and baking soda. Add the rest of the ingredients and, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

3. (Optional) Spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the top of the cooled cake - like icing
=)

This one smelled absolutely wonderful as it sat in the oven and Bear approved of it rather whole-heatedly....and now for the ultimate decsion.....which cake will I make on the 31st!!?
I'm still rather torn - both cakes turned out well and neither was particularly difficult to make...and the pooch-friendly icing from recipie one could easily be transferred to decorate this cake as well.

So many choices, so little time!

Bark back at us and let us know which cake YOU think Bear should get for his birthday!

Keep your tails wagging,
Bear's P4ws

Pooches on Parade....

Dear readers and tail waggers,

Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about you!  And no, this blog has not been abandoned - Bear and I simply went away on a short vacation.

We're back now, and to celebrate I give you this:

Look! It's a poochy play-time parade!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Keep your tails wagging,

Bear's P4ws 

Just Chillin'

Bear and his ever-fluffy bum....

....hanging out in the shade (with his water-bottle chew-toy) - watching the world go by...

Happy Wordless Wednesday

=)

Keep your tails wagging,

Bear's P4ws

Dog Parks and Summer Heat Waves

Taking your dog to a dog park is a great way to exercise and socialize your canine companion. Dog parks offer fresh air, open space, and freedom—a chance for your dog to be a dog.  That being said, not all dogs adore the dog park – some, like Bear, are seasonal rompers while others can usually go all day any day. 

I recently got into a discussion with a fellow pet-parent at the park who commented about how absent I had been lately.  My answer to her was rather simplistic – it’s simply too hot and humid for Bear to get any real enjoyment out of a run at the park.  She seemed a little sceptical of this, but it’s the dog-darned truth.

Dogs cannot sweat to cool down like people can. They can sweat a little through their paw pads, but the main way dogs cool down is by panting. Given cool shade and water to drink, will dogs "know" when to stop and take a rest while at the beach or dog park?

The quick answer to this question is "no" -- many dogs will not stop on their own when actively playing or fetching, until they have to. On a hot day, the time between having fun and heatstroke can be very short. The time is even shorter in high humidity.

Our local dog park does not provide a source of clean, drinkable water and while all the pet-parents in our community happily lug 2 and 4 litre jugs of water in for everyone to share, it is often not enough for the larger dogs.  You also need to take into consideration the thickness of your dog’s coat.  Bear has a double coat of hair and that fuzzy down-like insulation that keeps him warm in the winter.  In the summer, the thinner, shinier hair in his coat helps keep some of the heat off his back, but that insulating coat of fluff can be almost suffocating. 

That isn’t to say that we never go to the park in the summer.  We do. 

We just wait for the days that are a little cooler, the days with a breeze that helps carry away some of the heat and humidity. 

The import thing is that you know your dog.  Bear loves to play and romp and run like mad in the winter, but in the summer he’ll only muster up the energy to run and romp well after the sun has gone down, or if we visit the beach. 

Just remember, no matter how your pooch plays in the summer, keep a close eye on him.  Don’t let him overexert himself and make sure to keep him well hydrated. 

Keep your tails wagging

Bear’s P4ws

ummm....Excuse me....Bear would like to make an Announcement...

Bear (and his nose) would like to officially announce that we've reached our 100th post!! 

Thank you to all of the readers, bloggers, tail-waggers and comment-leavers that help keep this blog going. 

Keep your tails wagging!
Bear's P4ws
=)

Patience...

...is not the ability to wait...

...but the  ability to keep a good attitude while waiting

=)

Keep you tails wagging, 

Bear's P4ws





My Daisy-Chain Prince

The pleasure of making a daisy chain

...is always worth the trouble of getting up and picking daisies

=)

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Park Benches are Awesome.....

for chilling and relaxing.....

....or to keep a lookout while mom  ties her shoes...

=P

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Bear vs. Erwin > the new Arch Nemesis

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Paws and Pooches of the internet,

and all of our loyal Bear’s P4ws readers,

Meet Erwin. 

MY trees! MINE!

Erwin is a lovely and adorable Ontario Red Squirrel who lives in the trees beside our home.  He is happiest when gathering nuts and branches and enjoys warm sunny days and adores feeling the wind rush through his fur when jumping from branch to branch.

Erwin and Bear have never really met.  For the most part, Bear is happy to mind his own business when walking under trees, but lately we’ve hit a bit of a.....stalemate. 

You see, Erwin does not like Bear.  In fact, he spends most of our walks following us through the tree line and will, whenever it suites his fancy, throw twigs down at us as we walk.

Wha?

Bear is, of course, deeply offended by this and would very much like the opportunity to speak with Erwin, nose-to-nose...alas, that will probably never happen, as Erwin does most of his chattering from as high as he can get. 

Poor Bear

=(

(Although our morning walks are much more interesting now.  I don’t even need to use the magic “W” word anymore.  All I have to say to get Bear’s excitement going is “Let’s go see Erwin” and the tail starts to wag furiously.  It’s adorable!)

Keep your tails wagging

Bear’s P4ws

Dog Park Bliss...

Staying hydrated is super important....

...Bear keeps his water bowl on a bench to avoid getting dust in it from all the romping puppies

=)

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

When Road Trip Season Starts...

Road-trip season is fast approaching – and whether you’re planning a day trip or a week-long journey of fun and exploration, there is one member of your family (aside from yourself, that is) that you will need to take care in packing for. 

Packing for you pooch can be a little overwhelming, especially if this is your first fur-family outing.  Bear has his very own puppy suitcase (although he still doesn't enjoy seeing things being packed away and WILL try to unpack as I pack) and a checklist to go with it.

Here are some of the things that I make sure to include on Bear’s suitcase checklist – it guarantees hassle-free packing and reduces the risk of forgetting something important at home.

MUST HAVE ITEMS:

Up-to-date documentation of all inoculations

International permits (if traveling across borders)

The phone number and emergency numbers of your veterinarian and local animal hospital (you should also have the number for an emergency clinic in the area you will be – just in case)

Collapsible travelling cage (unless going by plane – then you’ll need an approved shipping crate)

Towels

Food (enough to last 3 or 4 days more than your planned trip)

Treats (biscuits, etc)

Bowls for food and water

Flat-buckled collar and I.D. tag with your pooch’s name,  your address and phone number on it (you may want to consider tattooing or micro-chipping)

Leak-proof bottles of cold water with ice cubes in them

Poop bags (or a steady supply of plastic bags)

Leash or lead (I always take an extra leash with me – again, just in case)

A chew toy (or 2....or 3...)

NICE TO HAVE:

Brush and regular grooming supplies

Dry shampoo

Sweater or rain coat in case of a change in the weather

Your pet’s favourite toys or playthings

Camera

Harness or pooch-friendly seat belt attachment (when traveling by car)

Window grills (when traveling by car).

Keep your tails wagging

(and enjoy your trip!)

Bear’s P4ws

A Rainy Day...

Some pooches love the rain....

...others just yawn and sleep through it

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws