I love, love, love and appreciate all of our fans on social media. Facebook is where we found all of our passionate Dachshund friends. Instagram is where I've found a community of people who like to hike, camp, and adventure with their dogs. I also love Instagram there are so many great photographers posting pictures there and it's pushed me to be a better one myself. Check out my tips … [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. UPDATED: NOVEMBER 24, … [Read more...]

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...]

Trying to get the dog pee smell out of your carpet is a frustrating task that comes with 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 senior dog … [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 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...]

Gretel and I recently had the privilege of attending the Nestlé Purina Better with Pets Summit in New York City. This Summit is where they bring together some of the greatest minds to discuss how pets make our lives better and how we can improve the lives of our pets. I was a bit nervous about visiting a big, busy city I'd never been to with a small dog. We were going to have to walk many … [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. His is not a blog I am familiar with but it appears that this man lives on some kind of farm. Last week, his dog ate a small onion from the garden and he wrote about it. The author said, "I could not count the number of warnings, alarms, grisly tales and … [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...]

It's trips like this where you learn the best lessons. The first backpacking trip of the year never goes smoothly. It doesn't matter how many lists of equipment you made, or how much you try and remember what happened last year, some of the important memories fade and things get forgotten. Our first backpacking trip of the season with the dogs was last weekend. We hiked past one of our … [Read more...]

It's been award-winning year for us (if you count by calendar year anyway). In September of 2014, this blog was nominated for Best Active Living Blog in the Petties. It's a voter-based award and you all blew me away by voting me to the top even though I never really asked (that meant SO much by the way!). Last month I found out that I was chosen from 1,000 nominations to be the finalist in … [Read more...]

Mother's Day is fast approaching. Here are some last-minute gift ideas for the dog-loving Mom, or Dog Mom, in your life. 1) Dachshund Tote Bag - This cute little doxie is full of love. This heavy-weight canvas bag measures 15" x 18" x 6" and is machine washable. It's perfect for groceries or a jaunt to the pet store. $17.99 from CafePress. 2) Dachshund T-Shirt - This fun, 100% cotton jersey … [Read more...]

I remember seeing Cheryl Strayed speak about the release of her book Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail at the Seattle REI a couple of years ago. Cheryl and her book are in the limelight again due to the release of the move Wild, based on her book. Cheryl found herself alone on the Pacific Crest Trail - inexperienced and desperate to reclaim her life after the loss of her Mom … [Read more...]