I’ve been in denial for a long time and it could prevent me from hiking with my dog. The first step is admitting you have a problem. I have plantar fasciitis. Two summers ago I made a terrible mistake. It was early in the hiking season and I was itching to get out. I finally had some time and motivation so I packed up everything, including my favorite hiking boots, and headed to a new-to-us … [Read more...]

I live in Seattle, a city that now officially has more dogs than children. When I first started hiking with Chester over 10 years ago, encountering other small dogs (typically classified as being under 25 lbs.) on the trail was VERY rare. I know that part of the reason Chester got so much attention when we were out hiking was because he's a "funny looking" Dachshund. However, for most people, … [Read more...]

Cleaning dog pee out of carpet is a thankless job and frustrating part of being a dog owner. Over the years, I’ve had to deal with dog pee from a dog learning potty training, a dog with separation anxiety, guest dogs we were sitting that were confused about where to go potty, and now a senior dog with incontinence issues. Although I’ve found many ways to deal with a dog that pees in the house, … [Read more...]

Fall is definitely in the air. I can just tell that things have changed. The evenings are crisp again; today was the first day since summer started that I had to turn up the heat in the house a little; and I had to wear socks in the house to keep my toes warm! *gasp* I love the sunshine. I used to really dislike fall because it was a sign that colder and wetter weather was coming to Seattle, … [Read more...]

Ok, I know that what I see on social media isn't always "reality" but some accounts are downright inspirational. There are some dogs, and people, that seem like they are always having a grand adventure. I daydream about going the places where their photos are taken and it motivates me to plan another adventure with Chester and Gretel. It seems like the lives of some pups I follow are non-stop … [Read more...]

I'm totally that "crazy lady" that wants to take my dogs with me everywhere. I love eating out at restaurants with them and take them on 99.9% of my vacations. There are a lot of places they can't go though. I either don't do those things or suck it up and go without them. A couple of months ago I heard about a dog-centric film festival - The Bow Wow Film Festival. Conceived in 2014, Bow Wow … [Read more...]

I have learned that some people don't see me as a typical dog owner. I've done some embarrassing things in the name of adventure and what I see to be responsible dog ownership. I've made some mistakes (most of them involving dog poop). I go above and beyond so that my small dogs can enjoy hiking trails just as much as the big dogs. I'm hyper-vigilant about their care and am pretty sure some would … [Read more...]

Welcome to Inspiration Monday! Inspiration Monday is a place where I share things that I find inspiring and hope that you will too. The inspiration may be a photo of one of our favorite hikes, a dog friendly town, park, or lodge we want to visit, an inspiring story, a small "goal" to work on for the week, or just a little reminder to be the best pet parents we can be. If you enjoy what I … [Read more...]

When we first adopted Gretel, she avoided all direct eye contact with us. She still does once in a while but she's been doing this thing with me - Gazing into my eyes for a long time. She'll be sitting on my lap and she will look up at me. I look at her and our eyes meet. She holds my gaze. Honestly, the depth and length of which we look at each other lovingly is probably borderline … [Read more...]

Gretel and I recently had the privilege of attending the Nestlé Purina Better with Pets Summit in New York City. We stayed an extra couple of days so we could experience a bit of the City. In Part I we left you in Times Square with the most epic picture ever of Gretel (the most epic non-hiking picture anyway). Did you miss part I of our NYC adventure? Click here to start from the … [Read more...]

It's been a week since Gretel and I got back from New York City. On one hand, it feels like yesterday. On the other, it feels like eons ago. The trip was an intense whirlwind for sure. As she frequently does, Gretel blew me away with how well she handled all that the big bad city threw at her. It's hard to believe that this little girl was on Prozac for her anxiety when we adopted her almost 5 … [Read more...]

This year I hosted the first Adventureweiner Club Halloweenie party. It was really fun. I am hoping to make it bigger and better next year. Enjoy a few photos from the event. A big thanks goes to Pooch Perks, Zuke's, and Vetriscience GlycoFlex for sponsoring our party by covering the cost of the space rental (Pooch Perks) and providing the tasty snacks and costume contest … [Read more...]

We used to think Zuke's was the shit. Zuke's Performance Nutrition made high-quality dog treats that Chester and Gretel LOVED. Then, in late 2013, Zuke's was acquired by Nestlé Purina PetCare. UPDATE: The acquisition by Nestle-Purina occurred in late 2013. In February 2018, it was announced that Zuke's will merge with another natural pet food company owned by Purina - Merrick Pet Care, an … [Read more...]

I'm rushing to get Gretel and I ready to leave on our 4-day backpacking trip. I'm not just getting ready for us but I am getting things ready for hubby to take care of Chester while we are gone. As always, I feel like there is too much to do and not enough time. One of the things I needed to do before I left was whip up a batch of Kong stuffing and fill them so hubby can quickly throw one in … [Read more...]

Finally! The 15 day forecast is showing me the weather through Monday, September 28th. Why is that important? Because I have been WAITING to see what the weather was going to be like over the weekend that Gretel and I will be going on our solo backpacking trip. I knew when we were going for sure but I didn't know where. That was weather dependent. Our trip will be four days and three nights. … [Read more...]

Yesterday I called attention to an article written by Jon Katz regarding is opinion about how we care for animals in society today. I got a flood of interesting comments on the blog post and on our Facebook page about it. It is clearly a hot topic. Honestly, I didn't make any statements myself. Instead I paraphrased what Katz said and asked what people thought. An overwhelming majority thought … [Read more...]

I occasionally get sneering looks from strangers while hiking on the trail with Chester and Gretel. Why? Because they see a small dog with short legs and think it's cruel for me to "force" them to hike. If Chester and Gretel hated hiking, I would not bring them with me. I find myself frequently assuring people that they totally love it. They are always eager to hit the trails and are, more … [Read more...]

The next few months are going to be big for "us". I admit that some of the excitement won't include Chester and Gretel, but it will be affecting them. In 12 days, I leave to spend 4 days in Las Vegas at Superzoo, one of the biggest pet-product retail shoes in the country. I went two years ago and it was pretty awesome. Those who attend Superzoo get the first peek at some of the newest products … [Read more...]

This Friday is Take Your Dog to Work Day. I think every day should be Take Your Dog to Work Day. That's partly why I quit my cushy government job to go back to school, start my own business, and work from home with Chester and Gretel snuggled in their beds beside me. Seriously, that is one of the big reasons that I took the leap. Many across the country aren't so lucky. They're stuck in … [Read more...]