How To Keep Your Dog Fit In The Winter

We've noticed Juno getting a little round in the midsection lately. Chalk it up to freezing temperatures and consequently way less exercise than she's used to getting, and you get a rolly dog. Not to mention that she's a Lab, so has zero filter when it comes to what goes in her mouth and has never had a tendency to be a picky eater.

She's like the Lab version of this guy:

(via)

So, mission fitness begins.

A couple of things we do when the temperatures dip during the winter are:

Bones - Juno can chew happily on a bone or deer antler for hours - the mental exertion keeps her from going batty when we're stuck inside because of the weather.

Indoor games - "Find it" (hiding either one of us, toys, or bits of kibble - no need for extra treats - we just use half of her breakfast or dinner) or "Fetch" (good ol' ball or disc tossing in the house - all of her toys are soft, rubbery, and quiet, so we don't worry about breaking anything - and we've mastered the aim over the years).

When we do go out during the winter, we go out for shorter, more manageable walks - several times a day. Nobody wants to get stuck blocks away from home with a dog who's lifting up their paws because their foot pads are literally freezing to the ground! Going for walks in the daytime is also helpful - the sun is shining, so it feels warmer - and mentally it's more enjoyable too. There are more dogs, more people - and, in general, more bustle to keep a dog's brain going enough to tire her out. And the wind just seems to pick up more when it gets dark - or maybe it feels that way.

This was during the day.

These are some tips we use when the mercury takes a nosedive. What do you do to keep the pounds off your dog during the winter?

A Lot Has Happened In The Past 12 Months

If any one company has their finger on what's happened in the past 12 months, what was popular, what people were interested in, it's Google. Every year around this time they release their "Zeitgeist Year In Review" video.

Here is a look back at 2012:

Celebrate safely tonight friends!

(image via)

One Magic Christmas

I so love this movie. Starring a 4-year-old Sarah Polley in her first movie. It's just so good. And sweet. And nostalgic. And it reminds me of being a kid in the '80s. We had these snowsuits and everybody had a hat with a pom pom on it (they always gave them away at gas stations or Canadian Tire each winter).

Moms wore big boots and puffy ankle-length parkas.

And cars were almost always brown (or beige) and linear and wagon-y. 

Plus, it was filmed in Canada, and not far from where we grew up, so it really looks like home. The city/town in this movie reminds me of exactly how I remember cities and towns as a kid.

Oh, and there's a wonderful Christmas message to the movie, which makes it pretty great too.

Have you seen it? Do you love it too?

If you haven't, check it out. You won't be disappointed.

(images from here and here)

Still A Favourite

Waiting for Santa

                                                           (image from here)

Parking for Reindeer

                                            (image from here)

Let Your Heart Be Light

(image from here)

Why Giving a Dog as a Christmas Present is a Bad Idea

Dogs are not a gift.

Dogs are a responsibility.

Dogs require commitment, consistent training, a heck of a lot of love and attention, a sense of routine and predictability when it comes to behavioural expectations and consequences, and their own line in the household schedule and grocery list. We do a monthly budget report and Juno has her own line in there as well.

Dogs are costly. They can get sick or injured and medications or surgeries are very expensive.

Dogs need healthy food.

Dogs need plenty of regular exercise.

As puppies, dogs need constant supervision and good training. We felt like we brought home an instant 2-year-old with Juno - she was into everything the night we brought her home. We literally followed her around to start teaching her what was ok for her to play with and what wasn't. The learning curve was a straight line - UP!

We learned on-the-job. When she wasn't crying or whining those first nights, she was making a mess...of the bathroom kind. And there was no diaper, so we became intimately acquainted with fluids and solids wicked fast. We stood out in 3am rainstorms under umbrellas in our pyjamas to teach her to go to the bathroom.

It wasn't a cake walk. It wasn't romantic. It was dirty and it was difficult.

Four and a half years later, it still isn't a cake walk. Juno gets taken into account when we do anything from making weekend plans to travelling to planning for a day outside to planning for a day inside to having furniture delivered or something installed or repaired. Word of advice: try to take care of the dog's feeding and exercise needs and then do what you've got planned. We've learned (especially with a bigger, more active dog) that it's easier to have a calm, needs-met dog underfoot than an overexcited, raring-to-go one while you're trying to get stuff done or have extra people in the house. A tired dog is a happy dog which makes for happy, productive owners and more time for relaxing as a family together later.

So, while a dog is not a good present to give to someone as a surprise when they're not prepared or involved in the decision, Christmas can be a wonderful time of year to add a dog to your family when everyone in your house is on board with the decision and plans to fully commit to raising a healthy, happy dog for, potentially, the next 8-15 years. And everyone may be at home a bit more than usual over the holidays, which can be really helpful too.

Many Muzzles Make Light Work

Dogs decorating the Christmas tree!

But, caution: These dogs are professionals! Don't try this at home.

Christmas In The Doghouse

But, plot twist: this puppy has been nice all year!

Watch the video.

When, What To My Wondering Eyes Should Appear...

...but a house decorated for Christmas!

We added a little extra festivity upstairs this year - with a skinny tree!

Decorating with 'White Christmas' on in the background - the perfect soundtrack for digging through the boxes!

Our tree all done!

How are you guys doing with your holiday preparations? We still need to shop for and wrap presents. 19 days to go!

Guys, It's Coming.

Warning: Highly contagious.

(image from here)

Boo! Happy Halloween!

We're not real big on Halloween around here, but we will be handing out candy and enjoying the parade of cute and scary costumes that comes to our door!

So, this isn't Juno in a costume:

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and this isn't Juno in a costume with her identical friends:

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But, cute.

Hope you all have a fun and safe Happy Halloween!

The Home Fires

We are fortunate to have a lab puppy that actually curls up in front of a warming fire - in true storybook fashion.

She seems to find the balance between heat from the fire and the cooling effect of the tile in front of the fireplace quite appealing and comforting.

Call us old-fashioned, but wood-burning fireplaces are a feature we've always enjoyed in a home. Evidently, so does Juno.

And with the cooling temperatures lately, we think she's getting ready for another season of dozing by the fireplace. We've already had one fire so far this season, but Juno appears keen for another one soon.

Snuggling a log might be a bit of a signal, wouldn't you say?

We'll be keeping the home fires burning this season. How about you?

Thankful

It was Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and we spent it giving thanks for what we have and how fortunate we have been over the years.

Trail walking

We hosted this year and are thankful for out-of-town family who made the trip up. There was good conversation and delicious food, a playful baby, happy dogs, walks in the park, drinks on the deck, and late-night catch-ups around the table.

After a tough year, we all have our health and happiness, and, for that, we are all thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian readers and a good fall morning to everyone else!

Park colours

                

October Love

Just some seasonal loving.

Why October is gorgeous.

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25 Ways Autumn Is Awesome

                               

1. Jeans
2. Socks
3. Colourful leaves
4. Warm drinks
5. Hikes in the woods
6. Pie
7. Baked apples
8. Cinnamon
9. Jar candles
10. Scarves
11. Sweaters
12. Stars
13. Walks
14. Pumpkins
15. Berries and acorns
16. Breezes
17. Throw blankets
18. Chimney smoke
19. Thanksgiving
20. Halloween
21. Firewood
22. Potted mums
23. Books
24. Movie nights
25. Rubber boots

What's on your list? I'm pretty sure that if we ever move somewhere without fall/autumn, I'd be slow to adjust! There's really nothing like it. Happy first weekend of fall!

Image via

Happy New Year!

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"Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: I'm with you kid, let's go." - Maya Angelou

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve

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"Let it be said I've played the friend, have lived and loved and laboured here, and made of it a happy year." - Edgar Guest

To the new year, 2012 - a gift we haven't opened yet.

To new beginnings...hope you all enjoy tonight!

We'll be celebrating with close friends, food, bubbles, a game or two, and happy dogs!  

Indoor Challenge

There's a winter storm warning in effect for our parts!

We've salted the driveway, stocked up on groceries and firewood, and have the bird feeders filled and ready for some avian entertainment while we're tucked inside until the snow stops.

Indoor challenge - book strategy time! This week's challenge - weigh the merits of filling our book with illustrations or photos. Approaching, negotiating with, (and paying for) an illustrator, or editing through the thousands of photos we already have of Juno for the pages of our book.

We've seen both. Both can work. Time for some serious consideration and discussion.

Anyone with any experience finding illustrators, publishers, app developers? We'd love to hear from you.

Hooray for 'snow days'. Oh, and Juno LOVES the snow.