Summer Gear Geek-Out Part Two

Here is Vida, leading the way on our walk. I have to laugh at the idea that someone is looking at this and thinking that this demonstrates her dominance over me! That is not true. What it does demonstrate is that she is much more interested than I am in what is ahead.

I'm using a 10 foot lead made by Mendota that allows her more room to wander, as Turid Rugaas, the amazing Norwegian dog trainer recommends in her DVD on loose leash walking. 

I've usually used very light-weight 6 foot leads, and have tried to use retractables and lightlines before, but now that I have this Mendota lead I have figured out what makes this one work so well.

Summer Gear Geek-Out, Part One

I've been trying to figure out the best dog bed setup for our cabin in New Hampshire for a few years now. Everything bedding-like has to be stored in trunks over the winter so that mice don't use it as supply for their own bedding. This means that Vida doesn't get the usual cushy donut bed while she's here. Most of you would think that in the summer it wouldn't be a big deal, but our place is in the woods, near a mountain, and it can get chilly at night, especially when the wind kicks up. Even if we're not sleeping on the porch as we do most of the time, my shorthaired Cali dog needs something of her own to cuddle in. She has actually wound up shivering under the covers of my bed in the past, and neither of us really likes that...

Travel Kits

I really try to keep up with my dog's healthcare when we travel. Long distance drives are stressful, and stress effects the immune system, the digestive system, the nervous system… well, everything (for humans too). On this particular trip I'm also in New Hampshire for several weeks, so I need to think about what I might need while I'm there too. Having done this particular trip with her for a couple of years, I've gotten better at "kitting up" her stuff (well, our stuff, we share a lot of it).

I often get those sideways looks about my stock of "just in case" supplies, but keeping things can be useful if done with consideration. A few things you'll see in these photos: insulated bags from Wild Kitty Raw Food, small measuring spoons from Pet Superfood, an empty spice jar, and a small divided box for holding one ounce bottles. 

Ready for the Woods

It's a big change for us, to go from a Southern California coastal town to a cabin in the woods of New Hampshire. The drive alone is nothing if not a series of changes. For Vida I take some special care to provide for this change in habitat.