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Congratulations RONAN!

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Well, it’s official – Ronan is an American Kennel Club Breed Champion!!!

He completed the requirements (15 points and 2 majors) on 12/18/2016, and the AKC certificate just arrived in the mail.  The shows were a lot of fun and flew by rather quickly, as we just started showing him in August.  Ronan really seems to enjoy the dog show world and did rather well.  He finished with 3 majors, and the last one was 4 points!

A very special “THANK YOU” goes out to Mike and Sue Reed, who handled Ronan to this great honor.  Not only are they excellent handlers, but I am happy to call them my friends:).  We had so much fun together at the shows (even the days we had to get up before 4am)!

I am so excited and still celebrating!  Thanks to all who were rooting for us and thanks to the judges who think my boy is as special as I do!

Stacie & CH Ariel Linwald Royal Seal of Approval “Ronan”

 

 

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It’s Snowing!!!

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Ronan Snow Raccoon

Ronan unrecognizable

Well, we’ve now had the first official snowfall with a little accumulation.  The dogs (well, most of them, anyway) are just delighted.  They love to frolic, chase snowballs and enjoy the brisk temperatures.  Here are  few things to keep in mind to ensure the safety of your dogs:

  • Give your dog frequent breaks to dry off and warm up LONG BEFORE they appear to be chilled.

    snowy Ronan was playing

    Snow Dog!

  • Be careful exercising your dogs in this chilly weather, especially older dogs whose lungs may have more difficulty with the shock of the cold air.  Even if your dog likes the crisp air, YOU need to determine when they’ve had enough.
  • Constantly check in between the pads on the bottom of your dog’s feet.  Snowballs can form (ouch!) leading to pain and difficulty walking, even sometimes to the point of laying down.
  • If your dog is prone to lots of hair on the bottom of his feet it may be wise to have someone trim or shave it out.  Not only does this help prevent the snowballs (mentioned above), but also helps them to maintain traction on slippery surfaces.
  • Check all areas of the feet for cuts from the ice.
  • Don’t let your dogs ingest too much snow!  This can lead to a trip to the vet’s office for a variety of reasons.
  • Wash off your dog’s feet after walking on sidewalks or on the street.  Various melting chemicals can be dangerous to your dogs.  Often the chemicals irritate the feet which can cause them to lick and INGEST the toxins.  Simply washing them in a clean bucket of water with a quick dry off should do the trick!

Hope this helps!  We wish you both a wonderful and SAFE rest-of-the winter!

Stacie & Ronan

 

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Did you Include your Pups at the Holidays???

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Hope you enjoyed yours!

 

Happy HAPPY New Year!

All the Best in 2017 –

Stacie & Ronan

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Out with the Old…

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I’m not big on New Years’ resolutions, but I understand the point.  At the end of the year most of us take a little time to reflect on how we’ve lived our lives, decisions we’ve made, and how we could’ve done things better.  We also think about goals for the upcoming year.  Do we include our dogs in these goals?  We should!

You don’t have to make a big deal about it, just think about how you can make better use of each free moment and give some of that time to your dog!  One minute is plenty of time to practice a recall, sit stay, down stay, introduce a new trick, or just pet your dog.

Most of you added a dog to your lives because you had some extra love to give and were willing to take on the responsibility.  Some of you inherited a dog due to other circumstances.  Either way, the novelty of having a new dog likely wears off, and you have to make choices to continually meet your dogs’ needs.

Your dog loves you unconditionally.  Never forget that.  Love him back by devoting a little time to him each day.  You will both benefit and be better for it!

The new year is almost here!  Enjoy it!

Stacie & Ronan

 

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Merry Christmas to All!

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Ronan and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!  And a Happy New Year, of course!  Lots going on this time of year but take some time to enjoy and be safe!

XO,Holiday dogs!

Stacie & Ronan

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Reduce the Stress…

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ÿÿ

Crazy time of year, ‘eh???   We feel it and so do our pets.  Of  course they don’t have to buy gifts, go to parties, host family, and feel the financial drain that we do, but they feed off of us and it can make them TENSE!

dog games

Do what you can to reduce their stress:

Golden Retriever Performing Agility Jump

  • play hide and seek
  • use a treat ball
  • pet calmly and slowly
  • groom them (if they enjoy it)
  • review commands or tricks
  • play doggie puzzles
  • take them for a long walk
  • play fetch
  • teach them a new trick
  • love, love, LOVE them!

 

Do what you can to reduce their stress this holiday season.  Helping them helps YOU!  Gotta run – I need to play fetch with Ronan!

XO,

Stacie & Ronan

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Why a Puppy under the Christmas Tree is a BAD Idea!

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lab (brown) puppy under treeYour kids have been begging for a dog, and they are at the perfect ages.  Plus, they have been so good this year and they have promised to help with all of the responsibilities that come with having a dog.  You start to think that maybe this is the perfect Christmas gift right?  WRONG!

Adding a dog to the family may be a great thing for all of you – I highly recommend it.  JUST DON’T DO IT ON CHRISTMAS MORNING!

The timing and introduction should be as much about the new dog as it is about your family.  Think about it.  What happens on Christmas day?lab puppy with bow

There is excitement.  HUGE excitement if you have young kids.  Screaming kids rushing toward a new dog is not good for any dog, whether it is a puppy or adult.

There are distractions.  Kids are running from gift to gift and the new furry family member often gets lost in the shuffle.

There are loud and stressful family celebrations.  If the party is at your house, your new dog could be overwhelmed by the chaos.  If you are, traveling, will you leave the dog home or take him with you where he will be shuffled from person to person?   None of these scenarios are good for any new dog – it’s just too much!

Two adorable Shih Tzu puppies are looking out of a box wrapped as a Christmas present with gold paper and a red bow and ribbon.

You want your dog’s first moments with you to be calm and peaceful.  You want to show some leadership.  You want to have a game plan set up way in advance.  You want to do things right! Remember, the first 24 hours is so incredibly important for your dog’s first impression of his new family and environment, and there are no do-overs with first impressions!  This could be a 15+ year investment.  Do what’s best!

If you still feel that you want a dog to be a Christmas surprise, get a big empty box and wrap it with a big gorgeous bow.  In this box you should put a picture of your beautiful new dog, a list of basic guidelines, and a date (a few days out) when you will be getting your new fur baby.  This gives you all time to adjust, plan, go over rules and possibly meet with a trainer before the big day.

Please plan responsibly.  This is a living being.  This is a huge commitment.  You must do everything in your power to make sure things go well from the very beginning!  If you were getting a new car, wouldn’t you put a little thought and research into it?  (And most people don’t keep their cars for 15 years -just sayin’…!)

Your dog deserves the best!

Stacie & Ronan

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The Tongue has it!

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You can always tell when Ronan is tired.  His mouth gets a little lazy, and he often doesn’t totally close it – leaving his tongue sticking out.  It really makes me laugh.  Here is how he looked last night…

ronan-front-tongue

 

ronan-side-tongue

 

 

ronan-slobbery-close-up

Adorable or what?

Enjoy your dogs everyday!  They are a very special loan from God and are here for a limited time!

XO,

Stacie & Ronan

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Happy Thanksgiving To ALL!

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Roni close up 4

It’s a busy week for everyone.  Ronan and I want to wish you a very happy and safe Thanksgiving! Don’t let your dogs eat too much junk (or fall into a food coma)!  We don’t want to hear of any cases of pancreatitis!!

Gobble gobble.

 

Stacie & Ronan

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How Low Can He Go?

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r-closeup-cigar-11-16 Dogs love to chew.  It’s good for them as it relieves stress and boredom, keeps them from chewing your stuff, and helps to keep their teeth clean and healthy.  Caution: make sure your dog’s chews are SAFE.  Be careful that your dog can not break off large pieces that can be harmful.

r-closeup-cigar-2Until you know and understand your dog’s chewing style you should monitor him each time you give him a new bone or chew toy.  There are all types of chewing products on the market.  Examine each one.  When you think a chew bone might be getting to small THROW IT OUT!r-med  Do not take any risks.

Especially be aware of bully sticks.  Pet stores love to sell them, dogs love to chew them (although, do they really help keep the teeth clean?), and owners love them because they keep their pups busy!  But they can be hazardous if they get too small & the dog swallows them.

Ronan is lucky enough to receive hand-me-downs from his BFF, Tessa, because if a bully stick is less than 6 inches there is a risk that she will swallow it whole! Thankfully, her owner is well aware, and watches her closely!

Don’t take risks: when in doubt throw it out!

Stacie & Ronan