Friday, October 28, 2016

Dog Halloween Safety Tips and Fun

Pierre Westie is Olaf and Bentley Basset Hound is the devil for Halloween
  Halloween has gone to the dogs. Literally. Each year there are more costume contests, more dog-friendly events and an assortment of spooky dog treats that have the Bayou Boys drooling. While we love to let them dress up for the camera, we don’t take them out on Halloween. Our neighborhood streets are crammed with ghosts, ghouls, and superheroes in all shapes and sizes. Bentley and Pierre would lose their minds if they saw them. We haven’t participated in trick or treating for the past few years for personal reasons, but I am not exaggerating when I tell you that we have had hundreds of visitors to our door in the past. Several years ago there was a Domino’s Pizza truck selling pizza slices on the corner! That was when we knew that we had more than our fair share of trick or treaters.
   Our Golden Retriever used to love Halloween. Tucker would dress up and sit out front with us to hand out candy. The kids loved him and he loved the attention. That was then and this is now. Bentley and Pierre don’t like all of the excitement and are not sure of all the strangers on their street. We turn our lights on low and our television on high to drown out the foot traffic. They aren’t allowed in the office so they can’t look out the window and bark. It is a perfect night to enjoy a good movie and get some extra snuggles.
   I know many of you look forward to sharing a fun evening of trick or treating with your best friends. Here are some things to keep in mind.
The Bayou Boys dressed as beekeepers for Halloween
Safe Halloween Tips
Make sure your dog is comfortable in their costume. Never force them to dress-up if they don’t enjoy it.
Keep all candy, chocolates, gum, and raisins out of reach of your dogs and cats.
Safeguard the door so there are no great escapes when trick or treaters knock.
Make sure your pets are safe and sound inside your home. Remember not all monsters wear masks.
Do not allow candles anywhere near your pets.
Watch for electrical cords and decorations that pets could become entangled in causing injury.
Happy Jack O Lantern
The Morning After
   The problem with living a popular neighborhood at Halloween is that most of the people who visit are brought into the area. They don’t care if they drop wrappers, bottles, and other trash as they go from house to house. That makes walking the boys on November 1st like walking through a landmine. There is chocolate melting, empty wrappers, and pieces of those orange & black candies (because nobody eats that stuff!) on the street and in the yards. Bentley’s nose hits the ground and he is in search for the forbidden goodies. Pierre wants to sniff and pee on every single thing he finds. We have to watch each step they take until everyone picks up in front of their houses. #NotCool
Cartoon trick or treaters
   I realize I am preaching to the choir, but if you have little humans to take trick or treating, please remind them not to litter. It is not only bad for the environment but it can be very dangerous to our four-footed friends.
   In the spirit of the holiday, please enjoy our story The Night Before Halloween and this fun JibJab video featuring the characters from my book series, The Returns.

As we do every Friday, we are co-hosting the Pet Parade with these friends; Rascal and RoccoBasil the Bionic CatLove is being owned by a Husky.  Link up your favorite blog of the week and gain social media followers and shares!
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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Keeping Calm with PetSafe Toys

Barking from the Bayou, LLC received PetSafe Calming Toys in exchange for an honest review. We only share products that we enjoy and feel our readers will also. PetSafe is not responsible for the contents of the article.
   Does your dog hate fireworks or thunderstorms? If so, you have probably tried a variety of things to help alleviate their stress. My Basset Hound Bentley suffers from a fear of thunderstorms. He hears rumbling 30 minutes before the first clap of thunder reaches my ears. It doesn’t matter if the storm hits in the middle of the day or night when the sky starts talking, he wants his mom and dad to be with him. I can’t tell you how many nights we have sat up to reassure him that he will survive the racket.
   When we know a storm is coming, I add Relax to his meal and the difference is incredible. However, we still need to keep his mind occupied until the thunder stops. That is where our new PetSafe® Calming Toys come to the rescue. Toys that dispense treats and that require problem-solving help to distract Bentley and he loves them. Our Busy Buddy® Calming Toys came with two chamomile scented toys that he was instantly attracted to. The moment I opened the box, his nose went to work.
   Both the Barnacle and Squirrel Dude™ have chambers where you can add treats. The Treat Meter® prongs can be trimmed with scissors to allow the treats to come out easier and faster. Just remember that once you cut the prongs, you can’t put them back so make sure to only trim a tiny amount each time.
   Pierre has absolutely no fear of noises or things that go bump in the night. That being said, there are certain times when he needs a distraction. Mostly during “squirrel:thirty” each evening. His new Squirrel Dude with some high-value treats can keep us from letting him outdoors to chase real squirrels every five minutes!
   PetSafe Calming Toys work great to keep your dog’s attention and divert it from the things that are causing them anxiety. You can put some dog-friendly peanut butter in the chambers and stick them in the freezer for a bit. When you take them out, you can watch your best friend forget everything other than getting the peanut butter out of their toy. Don’t worry about these toys getting dirty because they are top-rack dishwasher safe.
   We have the medium size toys for dogs 20-50 pounds but they are also available for smaller 10-20 pound pups. You can fetch Calming Toys from PetSafe for under $20.
PetSafe Social Media


Friday, October 21, 2016

PetSafe's Collar Safety Awareness Week

Purple PetSafe KeepSafe Break-Away collar
Barking from the Bayou, LLC received a PetSafe KeepSafe Collar in exchange for an honest review We only share products and services that we use and believe will benefit our readers. PetSafe is not responsible for the contents of this article.
   Have you ever thought of the dangers your dog’s collar can pose for them? It is estimated that 19 million dogs wear a collar every day. Unfortunately, each year there are approximately 26,000 strangulations due to collars. That is why our friends at PetSafe® are sponsoring the 2nd annual Collar Safety Awareness Week. It is a great time to check around your home and yard for possible accidents waiting to happen. It’s also a great time to discover the KeepSafe® Break-Away Safety Collar.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Give Your Dog a Boost with Dr. Harvey's E-Mune Boost

Open canister of Dr. Harvey's E-mune Boost supplement


   Nobody wants their dog to get sick. We try our best to keep them healthy and happy with great food and regular vet visits. I believe that feeding Bentley and Pierre a diet of Dr. Harvey’s amazing line of food and supplements has helped them achieve their optimum health. Their veterinarian agrees and has urged me to continue with their current regiment.

Friday, October 14, 2016

How to Keep Your Basset Hound Healthy

   October is National Pet Wellness Month so we wanted to share some tips on keeping your Basset Hound or any breed healthy.
Bentley Basset Hound with his veterinarian
Find a veterinarian that you trust.
Selecting your puppy’s veterinarian is one of your most important responsibilities. Ask friends and family who they use, read reviews, and look for the AAHA logo. You have to trust your pet’s doctor and be able to talk to them openly about any concerns that you have.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Trust Your Pup's Sleep to Trusty Pup

Beautiful TrustyPup dog bed with convoluted foam
Barking from the Bayou, LLC received a Trusty Pup bed in exchange for an honest review. We only share products that we use and believe would be of benefit to our audience. Trusty Pup is not responsible for the contents of this article.
   A couple of months ago Pierre received a new bed. He loves it but Bentley wanted a new bed too. You all know how sibling rivalry goes among dogs so there was only one thing to do. Bentley got a new bed too. We were contacted about reviewing a TrustyPup® orthopedic pet bed and Bentley was thrilled when it arrived.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Add Some Whimzees to Your Halloween Fun

Whimzees #SpookyNatural Delicous Treats for Tricky Terrors
Barking from the Bayou, LLC received bags of Whimzees in exchange for an honest review. We only share information that we believe in and feel our readers will enjoy. Whimzees and Petco is not responsible for the content of this article.
   Halloween is one of our favorite times of the year. The boys enjoy dressing up but often complain that humans don’t give out delicious treats for tricky terrors or Terriers! Thanks to our friends at Whimzees and Petco, that won’t be a problem this year. From now until the end of the month Petco and Unleashed will have 14 of our favorite Whimzees featuring coupons for $5 off their Variety Value Pack! It'll be easy to treat your best friends to a great treat and unlike the stuff your little humans bring home, Whimzees are actually good for your pup’s teeth.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Hear Ye! Hear Doggy!

Hear Doggy! pink pig dog toy
Barking from the Bayou, LLC received a Hear Doggy pig in exchange for an honest review. We only share products/services that we enjoy and believe will be of interest to our readers. Hear Doggy! is not responsible for the contents of this article.
Bentley: Hear Doggy™!”
Pierre: “Are you talking to me?”
Bentley: “No, why would you think I’m talking to you?”
Pierre: “I distinctly heard you holler, ‘Here Doggy’ and I look around and there isn’t any other doggy around here but me so I’ll ask you again…are you talking to me?”
Bentley: “I did not say here doggy, I said Hear Doggy!”
Pierre: “Ummmm…Of course, how silly of me. Duh!”

Thursday, October 6, 2016

The Long Winding Road or How To Move Across the Country With Your Dog

*I am proud to share Barking from the Bayou’s first guest post. It was written by my son, Dustin Clinton and recounts his experience moving across the country. He was joined in the moving van by our BFTB Weather Lab Paisley while my husband drove their truck with our daughter-in-law and granddaughter. I hope that you enjoy his story.
A scenic view with a UHaul on the highway