The Last 10 Things I Purchased for my Dogs

Bella cuddling with granddaughter's doll

My best purchases usually come from recommendations from friends or from online forums. I belong to many schnauzer and dog groups on both Facebook and Google+. I also regularly visit a professional groomers forum. I love being able to research and purchase items from my home, then have it delivered to my door. It saves me from making purchases that I am not happy with.

I thought I would dedicate this blog to the items I have recently purchased for my dogs. If you are interested, you can check them out on Amazon and read their reviews as well. I always read through the positive, the negative and the most recent reviews. You can get a great feel for the product that way. 

*If you buy one of these items by clicking on the pictures below, I will receive a small commission (very small 😏) but it will not change the price for you. 

1. Dog Hair Dryer - I groom my own dogs and thought this high velocity dog dryer might be a little more efficient than my own hair dryer. It had over 600 reviews and four stars. I didn't want to spend much over $50 and this was a good buy.  

I have used this on two of my dogs and both were a little skeptical at the loud noise and the velocity of the air. However, I don't feel it was much, if any, louder than a regular hair dryer. Initially, I held the nozzle a foot away from them when drying until they got used to the feel of the pressure of the air. I am amazed at how fast they were dry with a nice, soft texture to their fur.

Go Pet Club Dog and Cat Pet Grooming Hair Dryer

2. Cordless Clippers - I have a pair of corded clippers and was looking for a pair that was not heavy and one that I didn't constantly have to deal with the cord getting in my way. It makes my dogs nervous when the cord lands on their back or head. The research I did on the professional groomer's forum lead me to this one. The pro's tend to buy clippers in the $400 to $500 range, however, this one got mentioned over and over as a lower cost option.

I have used these and am very happy with them. They are very lightweight in my hand and very quiet. It has a run time of about 90 minutes on one charge and stays cool the whole time. It is called a "5 in 1" because instead of having to change the blade for a different hair length, you can just dial it to the desired length.

I also bought the snap-on stainless steel combs which turned out to be a great investment because I can use these for my schnauzers' legs instead of having to scissor them, which takes me forever. Their legs looked very even and smooth using these combs.

Wahl Bravura Professional Cord/Cordless Pet Clipper Kit

Wahl Professional Animal 5 in1 Stainless Steel Comb Set 

3. Straight grooming scissors - I have several cheap pairs but wanted a good pair of scissors that weren't too long and had a ball tip for safety. This brand recommendation came from the professional groomers' forum. It really does make a big difference using a good pair of scissors.

Geib Gator Ball Tip Straight Shear, 7.5-Inch

4. Dog Cot - My trainer uses these to teach the command "Place". They are a great dog landing spot. I now have three: two small and one medium. I plan to take them with us when we travel this summer to the lake and on vacation. They are up off the ground, therefore not quite as accessible to the fleas and ticks, not to mention dirt and grass. The center of these are mesh and will help keep them cool. They also have a canopy you can buy to shade them from the sun. 

I have found all of my dogs napping here at one time or another. Sometimes two will jump on the medium sized one together.

This cot has almost 1000 reviews and is rated 4-1/2 stars. 

K&H Manufacturing 17 by 22" Original Pet Cot, Small, Chocolate/Mesh

(5) Earthbath All Natural Shampoo - I bought the Aloe & Oatmeal with the vanilla and almond scent. Mmmmm, heavenly smell and leaves their coat soft and silky. All ingredients are natural, biodegradable, and gentle. This product does not contain anything that would harm your pet or the environment: No DEA, parabens, phosphates, synthetic dyes, or perfumes. This shampoo has almost 2000 positive reviews on Amazon.

Earthbath All Natural Shampoo

(6) Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Liquid Tartar Remover - Schnauzers are notorious for having awful teeth and gums so I am trying to give my dogs every dental advantage. I brush their teeth, give them elk antlers and rope toys to gnaw on and add this tartar remover liquid to their water.

It has a nice wintergreen scent that helps with their breath and I have actually noticed less plaque forming on their teeth. I started with a tiny bit and worked up to the full dose so they didn't notice the taste change.

Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Liquid Tartar Remover

(7) Vetoquinol Ear Cleansing Solution - None of my dogs have ever had an ear infection. My groomer uses this on all the dogs that she grooms and suggested I use it when I groom them at home. It cleans, dries, acidifies, and deodorizes the ear canal.

You just squirt some in their ear after a bath, close the ear and gently rub. They will then shake their heads to clear out any excess.

Vetoquinol Ear Cleansing Solution

(8) Musher's Secret Pet Paw Protection Wax - I noticed my dogs paw pads getting really dry and rough this winter. I knew I couldn't put any lotion on them because they would simply lick it off. This stuff is amazing. You massage a little into their paw pads and it not only moisturizes them, it gives them protection from road salt, hot pavement or sand, and ice. It also does a great job giving them more traction if you have slippery floors.

One of my girls also has a consistently dry, rough nose and I use a little on her nose to soften it up.

Musher's Secret Pet Paw Protection Wax

(9) Personalized Dog Collar - I ordered this for my Daisy. I knew if she ever got lost, she wouldn't allow anyone to get close enough to read her tag. I have her name and my cell phone number printed on it. I ordered black with bright pink lettering and it's adorable. 

It is a great quality leather with a metal buckle and still looks new after months of wear. 

Personalized Dog Collar

(10) Leather Flower Dog Collar - This collar is just adorable. I ordered the soft pink with flowers and it looks great on my solid black, salt and pepper or the platinum girls. It is actually a faux leather so it is softer than new leather.

Flower Pet Dog Collars

Just hangin out...

Carly has strange phobias. Like walking past the open crate door???? (Note: She is wearing the cute flowered collar in this video.)

5 Things I Am Thankful For

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, many of us start to reflect on things that we are thankful for. This has been an awesome year for me. I not only have been able to retire, I am now able to spend so much quality time with my family and my schnauzers. When you work full time, it seems that all you have time to do is run from one chore to the next. Life has slowed down significantly and become much sweeter. I want to reflect a little bit on my five schnauzer sweethearts that I am thankful for every day:

Scooter - Our first schnauzer puppy and our tiniest of the group. He introduced us to the official "schnauzer hug". A true lap dog unless you happen to sneeze and then he runs away like someone is shooting at him. He no longer allows anyone to pick him up other than me or my husband. He's a little quirky because of his age but endearing just the same. His puppy kisses are a little tougher to take because of his old dog breath, but just as sweet.

Bella - The ultimate schnauzer "lady". She is so gentle, sweet and loving, I often think what a great mommy she would have been. She is a cuddle bug and is always ready to keep your lap or thigh warm while you relax on the couch. She is the official pack "licker". The other dogs have learned if you sit directly in front of her, she will give them a great back massage with her tongue. Bella is terrified of storms and loud noises and that includes dad yelling at the TV during ball games. She has really curbed his "enthusiasm" because he can't stand to see her upset.

Abby - We like to call Abby the "sh** stirrer" because she is always nipping and barking at the other dogs trying to lure them into a rough and tumble game. She loves to play and I honestly think she will never outgrow it. Being the tiniest of the girls, she loves nothing better than to curl up on your lap and accept all the petting and kissing you feel like giving. Abby takes a while to warm up to strangers, but when she finally does, you are her best friend for life and she will never leave you alone. She is the pack "face licker". She likes to make sure everyone's face is clean, even if they don't want her to and she will not take no for an answer.

Carly - Carly is our largest and most gentle of the pack. She is timid but loving. She is quirky in some situations like walking in certain areas of the house. She acts as though something may fall on her at any moment when walking down the hall. It has never happened, but you can't convince her differently. Carly sleeps under the covers next to your legs so you never have to worry about cold legs. She is quite the little leg warmer. My husband and I joke about her being not the brightest crayon in the box, but her gentle sweetness more than makes up for it.

Daisy - The baby of our group is definitely the firecracker. She is also the keeper of the doors. If the other dogs have the misfortune of coming in the door after her, she has to be sure they know she's the boss by growling and jumping on them. She has been and continues to be our biggest challenge because of her incessant barking and fear aggression with strangers and strange dogs. We won't give up on her though because when she is at home with just us or our grandkids, she is the most loving and sweet dog you could ever want. Her beautiful thick coat makes her the most cuddly and cushy teddy bear.

Some people may call me crazy because I spend so much time caring for, talking about and loving on my pups, but I know there is no other living thing on this earth that is more loyal, loving and accepting. I innately understand them and they understand me.

I have learned a dog can help you appreciate the simple things in life and remind you to be thankful for the important things in life - family, friends and love (and belly scratches).  Scooter, Bella, Abby, Carly, Daisy and I would like to wish you and your family a great Thanksgiving!

Daisy wanted her turkey early....

Walking a Schnauzer

I have come to the conclusion that Schnauzers are one of the hardest breeds to teach to walk on a loose leash. First and foremost, they are stubborn.  They want to do things their way and they like to be the boss. Secondly, they have such a strong prey drive that every scent becomes an obsession and they forget who's on the other end of the leash. Heaven forbid we come across a squirrel, rabbit or bird. They forget the world around them and zero in on that poor defenseless creature. 

I know you schnauzer owners are snickering because you have the same problem.  I'm sure there are a few exceptions to this rule, but out of my five, only one mastered the loose leash easily. Carly's laid back personality made her leash walking lessons really simple. 

I usually only walk one of my dogs at a time because they like to compete to see who can pull on the leash the hardest. They also enjoy a nice squabble if one is feeling dominant. I have never tried three or four......until....this morning. I must have been feeling very brave (or crazy).

I dug out my two double leashes, put harnesses on each one and attached my ultrasonic deterent to my pocket. These leashes I bought on Amazon are excellent for walking two dogs because they are made of strong rubber and your hand doesn't hurt and get leash marks from the pulling. It has tangle free hardware so if the dogs wind around each other, it turns and stays untangled. I also clipped my ultrasonic dog deterrent to my pocket to use if other dogs approach or if mine needed a quick reminder to pay attention. I use it sparingly, but it is a very effective attention-getter. Since it is silent to the human ear, I can get their attention without looking like a crazy dog lady trying to reason with her dogs to listen to her. One quick touch of the button and they are all looking at you and ready to listen.

This morning's walk wasn't too bad. After they got over the initial excitement, they did a pretty good job of walking together. I have to admit that it was unusually quiet in the neighborhood this morning and I didn't encounter any strangers or strange dogs. I'm sure that would have livened things up a bit. Bella did spot a squirrel but we moved quick enough that the other three didn't see it. 

I walked them about a mile and a half this morning so they are all tuckered out. Just the way I like them:

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Schnauzers & Roombas

I bought a Roomba a few years ago and used it for a while. I'm not really sure why it got stuck in a closet and forgotten about but something made me think about it the other day. I think that something was the pound of grass and dirt I was sweeping up every.single.day. Those silly schnauzers think it is so much fun to roll in freshly cut grass then run through the house chasing each other. I no sooner get the floor swept that I have to start all over.

After I did a thorough cleaning of the little robot and replaced his filter and brush, he had to charge for 12 hours because he had been sedentary for so long. I turned it on tonight and the dogs were hilarious. Carly and Daisy kept looking at it warily. Abby kept trying to bite it and Bella acted protective of it. It snuck up on poor old deaf Scooter and bumped him from behind.

They've already forgotten about it and it is still going as I write. I can't believe I haven't been using it all along. I'm sure I will still have to vacuum but maybe not quite as often. If you have pets, I would put this new version of the Roomba close to the top of my Christmas list. Amazon has many models, but this is the best seller.

Click here to shop my favorite products on Amazon.