Helping you live a happy, healthy lifestyle with your dog.
Love, Patience and Your Dog's Holistic Health There is a popular phrase that I see frequently on merchandise and on social media. It reads, "If love would have saved you, you would have lived forever" and is used to commemorate our love for our dogs. It speaks to me because I feel that way about… Continue reading Love and Your Dog’s Holistic Health
After what seems like a particularly harsh winter in the Chicagoland area, people are starting to come out of hibernation. Because I have a firm rule that my dogs are never to be outside without human supervision, I am outside with Jackson and Tinkerbell all year. Between November and March, though, I normally am the… Continue reading Walking Your Dog After Hibernating All Winter
When I picked up little eight-week-old Jackson to bring him home, one of the things to which I agreed was that I would take him to obedience school. I happily agreed, partially because even though I had lived with dogs my entire life I had not had a puppy in fifteen years, and partially because… Continue reading Dog Trainers Make Me Happy!
We go through a lot of dog treats in our house. A lot. I may be well educated on how to create a happy, healthy lifestyle for your dog, but I've never said I wasn't a pushover. I mean, it's not like my dogs aren't well behaved and trained, so it's ok if they get a treat… Continue reading Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Treats
Growing up where I did, we never cared about having a perfect lawn. In fact, most of our property was heavily wooded and forest-like, which was the whole reason my parents purchased it in the first place. Once a week Dad would mow while I used the hand trimmers around the rock gardens, and that… Continue reading Organic Lawn Care Options: DIY or Hiring a Service
In my most recent post, The White Flags of Springtime, I wrote about lawn care chemicals, dogs, the studies that several universities have done linking lawn care chemicals like 2,4-D to dogs, and some measures that I take on a daily basis to try to minimize Jackson and Tinkerbell's exposure to these chemicals. I also promised… Continue reading 7 Sharable Links About Lawn Care Herbicides and Dogs
The white flags are back, a sign of spring here in suburbia. I saw them yesterday as I walked with Jackson and Tinkerbell through our neighborhood, and I felt the annual flood of stress, frustration and disappointment that I feel every spring when so many homeowners in our neighborhood hire traditional lawn care companies to… Continue reading The White Flags of Springtime: Being a Dog Owner in a World of Chemically Treated Lawns
Jax and Tink Approved: PupJoy Subscription Box by Lynn Stacy-Smith Subscription boxes have been around for several years and I have tried many of them for different things like snacks and beauty products. As someone who loves trying out new products and getting a little surprise in the mail each month, I adore the subscription… Continue reading Jax and Tink Approved: PupJoy Subscription Box
How Much To Feed Your Dog by Lynn Stacy-Smith The other day I came across a conversation in a Labrador Retriever focused Facebook group in which a dog owner was asking fellow dog owners how much they fed their dogs. Their puppy was still growing and they were not sure if he was gaining too… Continue reading How Much To Feed Your Dog
6 Fun Things to Do Indoors With Your Dog by Lynn Stacy-Smith As we wrap up a series on summer safety tips for your dog, including Stop Leaving Dogs in Cars! Period!, Preventing Burnt Paws on Hot Surfaces, Know Your Dogs Limits, and Keeping Dogs Cool Without Air Conditioning, I have created a free Infographic for you to download… Continue reading 6 Fun Things to Do Indoors With Your Dog
Dog Owners Beware: Always Watch out for Products with Xylitol by Lynn Stacy-Smith I had a terrifying moment yesterday. We returned from the Run Fur Shelter 5K/10K races that I wrote about in yesterday's blog, I had let the dogs out of their kennels, taken them outside for potty breaks, and then brought them inside.… Continue reading Dog Owners Beware: Always Watch out for Products with Xylitol
Having Fun With Your Dog: It's Kinda the Whole Point! by Lynn Stacy-Smith When I was a little girl I was so shy that to even say hello to my kindergarten playmate out in public was sheer torture. Flash forward forty or so years and I have been told I have a "strong personality" that overwhelms… Continue reading Having Fun With Your Dog: It’s Kinda the Whole Point!
The Importance of Giving Puppies and Dogs a Holistic Lifestyle by Lynn Stacy-Smith Having three dogs in a row diagnosed with serious or terminal illnesses will forever change how you care for your dogs. In fact Babe's kidney disease, Dutch's hemangiosarcoma, and Maggie's lymphoma were the catalyst for the creation of Love, Laugh, Woof and ignited my passion… Continue reading The Importance of Giving Puppies and Dogs a Holistic Lifestyle
Lawn Care Chemicals Linked to Cancer in Dogs by Lynn Stacy-Smith Losing a dog is one of the most heart wrenching parts of being a dog lover. Watching them slowly succumb to cancer before their time makes it even worse. Experiencing it twice with two separate dogs within a few years will forever change your approach… Continue reading Lawn Care Chemicals Linked to Cancer in Dogs
Keeping Your Dog Safe From Lawn & Garden Hazards by Lynn Stacy-Smith The first day of spring is such a happy day, full of the promise of better weather, green leaves and grass, and flowers. As the temperatures rise, our neighbors start to come out of hibernation and the snow shovels and containers of ice… Continue reading Keeping Your Dog Safe From Lawn & Garden Hazards
Why Your Dog is So Full of Energy and How to Put it to Use (Part 2) by Lynn Stacy-Smith In Part 1 of the topic Why Your Dog is So Full of Energy and How to Put it to Use we talked about why dogs are so full of energy, and how it is a mixture… Continue reading Why Your Dog is So Full of Energy and How to Put it to Use (Part 2)
Why Your Dog is So Full of Energy & How To Put It To Use (Part 1) by Lynn Stacy-Smith The other day I was talking to someone whose friends recently adopted a shelter dog, a two-year old mixed breed who won them over with his loving personality, snuggle pup tendencies, and adorable mixed breed… Continue reading Why Your Dog is So Full of Energy & How To Put It To Use (Part 1)
Fruits and Veggies for Dogs: Jackson & Tinkerbell's Top 7 Produce Picks By Lynn Stacy-Smith Yesterday was National Biscuit Day and I shared my favorite and trusted brands of dog treats, so today is a perfect time to share some of Jackson and Tinkerbell's favorite fruits and veggies for dogs. My teenagers joke that our dogs… Continue reading Fruits and Veggies for Dogs: Jackson & Tinkerbell’s Top 7 Produce Picks
National Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day: Jax and Tink's Five Favorite Brands By Lynn Stacy-Smith Today is National Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day! If it seems like I've had a lot of "national (fill in the blank) day" posts, you are correct. February is chock full of them. Some are for extremely important educational topics and some,… Continue reading National Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day: Jax and Tink’s Five Favorite Brands
Walking the Dog Day By Lynn Stacy-Smith Today is Walking the Dog Day in the United States. It is also National Margarita Day. If you participate in both, please walk your dog first and then have your margaritas. Your dog might think it's the best walk ever to not have to go in a straight… Continue reading Walking the Dog Day