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Posted on December 31, 2009
As this is the last post of the year I wanted to thank everyone who keeps reading this blog and encourages me with lovely comments! I am very much looking forward to what 2010 will bring for Mutt Shots. More funny dogs, more great contests, more adoptions and most of all SUN!!!
And here are some of the things you can look forward to:
1. In January & February I will start off the year with a contest to support some of our local pet charities in which you can win some fun Mutt Shots prizes.
2. Over the year I will release select full size images for you to use as desktop background on your computer, to enjoy all the puppy faces on your desk all day long.
3. The Pott. County Humane Society and I are cooking up an awesome fine art doggy calendar for 2011.
4. More new pet products and doggy wisdom every week.
5. And so much more that I have not even thought of, yet.
And if you have not, yet, had a photo session for your dog or would like to book a new one I have a New Years Special for you: Everyone who is my facebook fan and books their session for next year before the end of this week will receive a special 31% discount on your session fee! Contact me if you need more information!
And now we are going to go crazy with the fireworks in Germany and I wish everyone of you a great new years eve and a YAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
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Posted on December 29, 2009
Ever thought about your doggies carbon paw print? There is a myriad of information out there on how to raise a “green” dog and being the european recycling person I am, I just love that! In the past I have mentioned a few products, like the west paw design toys or the molly mutt bed, that help you be more eco friendly. Now here is an invention that’s helping tremendously.
Ever think of where all your poop bags go?
For a while I was pretty excited to finally have another use for all those plastic bags from the grocery store that they give if (if you want them or not!). But I wasn’t too excited for long when I realized that once I picked up my doggies’ poop they just go to the landfill as well! So here is the solution: One of my favorite websites, Planet Dog, sells biodegradable poop bags. They are made from corn and biodegrade within only 45 days! Granted, spending 6 bucks at least once a months (for 40 bags) is probably more than you did so far, but isn’t it seriously worth it? Just get a whole supply and give some to your friends at the dog park, too!
Now, I’m not sure people will like you leaving those used bags on the side of the ride. Because they don’t know how nifty those really are! So next week I’ll show you a product that will let you carry your poop bag home in style! 
*EDIT: I just found biodegradable bags at portapoo.com! Get your Port-A-Poo and bags all in the same place!*
*EDIT2: And (thanks to Elvia who found this!) there is an even cheaper place to buy biodegradable bags from BioBags.*
Posted on December 25, 2009
* SORRY, this is last Tuesdays post. My wordpress did not publish the scheduled posts while I am out of the country unable to check *
By the time you read this I will most likely just be getting to Berlin, Germany. But I don’t want to leave you hanging over the holidays, so I wrote this in advance. That’s how nice I am
Do you have lots of holiday smell all over your house, yet? Eggnog, cookies, pine tree, maybe some goose or ham cooking, already? Well, but how about your pup, is he all fresh smelling and ready for your christmas guests? If not, I would go out into the cold one last time and head to Claire & Harley’s for this super cool idea: The Dog Smog Remedy by happytails.
You spray it in your dogs water or let them lick it of your hands and it gets rid of stink on both ends Peppermint and fennel are supposed to take care of the doggy breath, whily digestive enzymes tackle the rest. What a cool idea! And the rest of their canine spa products is awesome, too. At least all of the dog mommies are surely going to have fun perusing the happytails website!
I hope everyone is having a yappy christmas! (that smells like christmas only!)
Posted on December 25, 2009
* I’m still in Germany, so this doggy wisdom post might have to last you for this and next friday. Get the book and you won’t need a post from me next week *
What was your reason for getting a dog?
Deep down I think I always wanted that loyal companion who sticks by my side everywhere I go. The one who listens to all my commands and looks cute when he sleeps.
Now Mac looks plenty cute when he sleeps. Listening to every command? Well, I’m not sure if there is such a dog. Although I was really lucky with him (had no clue what I was getting the when I found him at a pound in Texas) and I must have done some things right, because he listens quite well for his age, we still have a long way ahead of us.
We take obedience and agility classes, I read books on dog training and watched all the dog whisperer shows you can find on TV nowadays and then learned that the dog whisperer is not the way to go. But nothing has caught my eye like this book, when I saw a review flipping through a magazine at the vet.
Trainers of all sorts of schools can help you train your dog to sit, stay and come. In Victoria Schade’s eyes, however, 
there is not one but two factors responsible for a truly loyal dog. Obedience training is one. But how many dog owners have problems despite of that class they took back when they brought their puppy home? The second factor is a strong bond. That invisible string keeping you and your dog together, the bond that becomes very well visible when your dog reacts to your recall instead of running of with all the other dogs in the dog park.
I very much enjoyed her not so common ways of dealing with problems and the games she suggests. And although she covers some basic obedience subjects I was not bored in the least, every chapter seemed to contain something that I found inspiring, worth trying or simply something I have not heard, yet. I say it is very worth a read, no matter what stage you are at with your dog!
What are your favorite dog books, dvd’s or tv shows? Who inspires you to never give up on training your best friend?
Posted on December 19, 2009
I have a confession to make:
I fell in love with Max. And that is a confession that my husband would like in writing. And here it is. But I better not tell him about this post
My husband has been wanting an english bulldog forever! He begged and pleaded, made puppy eyes and sent me cute picture of bulldog puppies. All I did was show him how unnaturally they are bred and tell him these creatures would not be alive without breeders.
Well, what can I say, I looked at Max and it made me (almost) forget all my prejudice. What a face! Max is 8 months old. I first met him when he was a baby, needless to say, he was even cuter. That happy face makes me melt and I set up a play date for him and my dogs tomorrow just to play with him again!
Anyway, so here are a few pictures of our session, yesterday!
On Monday I’ll be leaving for Germany. I’ll try to keep up the blogging, I also have at least one doggy shoot planned while I’m there, so stay tuned. But please don’t be sad if the regularity of my posts is going to lack a little. I promise to be back full force in the next year!
Happy Holidays everyone!
Posted on December 18, 2009
My (not so young) pup likes to chew up stuff while I’m gone. I can try to not let anything laying around, he will still find something to chew on, even if it is his own bed. Now, I’m no dog trainer, but after researching separation anxiety and talking to people who have dogs with separation anxiety I’m pretty certain that is not the case. So my solution for now is to restrain the dogs to one room (without much to chew on except their toys) for when I’m gone.
But, this whole thing has led me to a question. I’m from Germany and know that very few dogs are ever kennel trained over there. Being as “PETA” as we are you even hear lots of people condemning your for “imprisoning” your dog. Now I don’t necessarily agree with that, I hear lots of dog trainers with plausible reasons, but being from a country where kenneling is not the norm I am a little more sensitive to these kind of issues. I also cringe when I see one-horse-trailers on american roads, which are extremely narrow compared to their european equivalent.
So all personal opinions aside, I am just curious how many of you have their dogs kennel trained? Feel free to also leave your personal opinions in the comment box below. My mind is wide open to what you have to say!
Posted on December 16, 2009
Still no christmas gift for the pet lover on your list? Mutt Shots giftcards are here! Great for any occasion and available for sessions as well as prints. Know someone who did or will do a photo session with me? Give them the gift of lovely prints or a beautiful canvas! Contact me for more information.
Posted on December 15, 2009
Just last week I had to dispose of a dog bed because it was torn to shreds by my two furry shredding machines. The zipper sucked, they had a hole chewed into it asap and I had tons of stuffing flying all over the house which now goes to the landfill. If I only would have held onto it a little longer! Until I heard about this:
Christi, one of my clients and blog readers, suggested Molly Mutt Beds to me. It’s a duvet in various rad designs. Why only a duvet? Well, speaking of old dog bed stuffing, that wouldn’t have gone to the landfill if I would have had a duvet. Other than that you can fill it with anything you like: blankets, clothes, another dog bed… anything soft your pooch likes to snuggle on. And when it’s dirty, just throw it in the washer and stuff it again. And did I mention rad designs? I think my favorite is the blue one on the pictures here, but I really can’t decide, they are all cool. So go to their website and find your own favorite!
Here is what Christi has to say about it from first hand experience:
“We love our Molly Mutt beds! We have two stuff sacks and two duvet covers. They are really sturdy, and both of the sacks are filled with old pillows, old clothes, and have saved us numerous trips to Goodwill/Salvation Army (where we would be embarrassed to drop off our ratty clothes anyway!). Both Max and Trixie love their Molly Mutt beds, and Molly has been just a joy!”
Thanks Christi! You’ll receive $20 off your next print order!
Posted on December 13, 2009
I had lots of fun yesterday with Lotus & Kennon and their mom. We met in the snow to make it our main prop for their christmas session. And despite of the dull weather that made me fear everything is melting away now, the doggies had a blast and were quite worn out, as I hear. After the sneakpeek on facebook, here are a few more of my favorites from that fun session.
Posted on December 11, 2009
These last couple of snowy days have made me think. What do you do with your dog, when you don’t have the possibility to take a walk because it is too cold, already dark or your dog has an injury? I try not to miss those daily walks, but sometimes it’s simply not possible to do, like yesterday when the snow was so much fun, but I really did not want to risk the frostbite on puppy paws. So I figured it is time to give some fun indoor games a try. The thing I love about those the most is that they get the dogs about as exhausted as our usual physical activity does. And that always sounds good to me! So I thought I’d give “Find it!” a try.
So where do I start? The way I had heard about it is that you show your dog a toy, “hide” it in an obvious place, say “find it” (or whatever else you like) and then praise your pup when he goes to get it. Well, our foster Bella was interested in it for a couple of time until she got bored and Mac simply did not care. So I kind of gave up and didn’t think about it again until I saw Max and Trixie, the two hunting dogs “find” their treats all over the place during our session last week. So I asked their mom how she taught it and “DUH!”, why didn’t I think if that?! TREATS!
She started out throwing them on the floor with the command “find it”. Than started throwing them a little further, hiding them around the corner, and so on… so simple! And yes, my dogs were all ears as soon as I got out the salmon ZUKE’S. Thank to healthy 2-calorie-treats I could keep that game up for a while… and they could have kept it up for much longer. Long after I ran out of treats they were still sniffing every corner of the house. Oh what fun! I can’t wait to expand on it next time. Try it on the next snow day! Thanks to Christi for the great idea!
What are your favorite games to keep your dog(s) entertained (indoors and out)? Let me know, and if yours is chosen to be posted here some friday, you might just have a nice little surprise coming your way