Happy Dog, Happy Life

When it comes to our dog, we are those people. You know, the married couple without kids who treats their pet like an actual human being? Those people who take their dog to doggie day care and look forward to the "pawgress report"....But let it be known, we have no shame. 

My husband and I don't always agree but we have bonded over our love of animals and dogs specifically since day one. After we brought Fitz home, I will admit, the first few weeks of puppy life were challenging and I may have uttered the phrase, "take him back!" more than once. I may have even compared our new life to Lisa's life with children...sorry for the comparison, Moms, but in my mind, it was another life I was responsible for and that was new to me. 

Flash forward a year later and this adorable lab/pit mix is our pride and joy...our family and the one makes us the three best friends anyone could have. 

He has a wonderful temperament and will kiss you until you can't breathe. We can leave him alone all day and he will never destroy anything in the house..mostly because that would get in the way of him snoring on our Tempurpedic bed. Hey honey, remember when he was never going to sleep with us? Oh and he will sleep until 9:00am, never waking us up early to go outside...not going to be the same way with kids, my friends ;) 

He truly feels like our four-legged son so it's important to us to keep him healthy and happy. We regularly bring him home new treats and these grain-free Greenies have become our go-to in the health department. Like I mentioned earlier, kissing attacks are frequent and sometimes his breath is LESS than unpleasant so we started giving him these chews to help clean his teeth which we're all thankful for! Not to mention, they are great for join support which is something we have to be weary of with labs.

Eyes are wide and ears are perked...there must be a treat in somebody's future ;) 

What are your go-to dog treats? Anyone else feel like they have 4-legged children? 

Puppy Love: Top 5 Tips!

If you follow us on Instagram, it's impossible not to know that my husband and I recently adopted a rescue puppy (11 weeks old and he is already the most photographed dog ever). Fitzgerald (Fitz, for short) is a boxer lab mix that we rescued from Wagging Hearts, a 100% foster-based animal rescue and adoption organization serving Chicago and Wisconsin. 

From the second he got in the car to come home with us, we loved him more than words could say. He is a wonderful addition to our lives and we have learned so much in a few short weeks. 

Here is our puppy top 5:

1. BABIES: Puppies are pretty much just furry versions of babies: They eat, poop, play and sleep (A LOT. See #4) Not to mention selective hearing and trying to put everything they shouldn't in their mouths. I realize some parents are probably laughing at me for comparing the two, but my husband and I are now responsible for another life so I think it's fair to say that it's good practice for the next step...

2. TIMING: We got him at the end of May and for the first 3 or 4 days we had him, we spent all day outside since it was so nice out. We praised him constantly when he went to the bathroom so he picked up on the rules pretty quickly and he's only had 3 accidents in the house, all of which were in the first week...Either he’s a genus pup or he realized that summertime in the backyard is where all the magic happens ;)

We also hung a string of bells on the door that leads to the deck and started touching his paw to them every time we took him out – a few days later, he was doing it himself, letting us know when it’s time. Looks like Pavlov knew what he was talking about!

3. SOCIAL: Socialize him with people and other dogs from the get go. It is important for dogs to interact with people and pooches outside of your home so they welcome your house guests with open arms in the future. We started with a few outdoor family parties and our town’s summer festival and I must say, he was in heaven with all the sights and sounds (but mostly his first taste of ribs…spoiled already).

4. SLEEP: Puppies need sleep, almost as much as they long for tug of war…the two go hand in hand, really. We have come to realize how important it is to exercise him multiple times a day because he is much happier when he gets exercise (but aren’t we all?) As they say, a tired dog is a happy dog and I love taking walks in our neighborhood, so this has become a routine all 3 of us benefit from. 

Fitz can fall asleep just about anywhere…much like his Dad ;)

In loving arms

On the car ride home

At Grandma's

On Dad's shoes

And the best one of all, with a best friend

5. LOVE: Your dog is a very important member of your family but unlike other humans who have family and friend circles of their own, you are his everything and he counts on you every minute (just read the dog's POV and try not to cry!)

 My best advice? Give him unlimited kisses and snuggles, even if you said you would never let him on the couch ;)

Do you have a furry friend at home? 

What is your best dog tip?