7 Cleaning Tips for Dog Owners

I feel as if life currently revolves around removing unwanted dog hair: from the floor, from my clothes, the bedding, it’s everywhere…

Lola-Roomba

The Hair.

Solutions for the floor? I have wood floors throughout the main of the house and carpet in the bedrooms. Dark wood floors that is. And mainly white dogs. Don’t ask me why I made that decision (the dark floors of course), but I have one answer: iRobot Roomba – it works fantastic for wood floors and dog hair. I’ll also note that I’m in love with the vacuum I use, Oreck’s Magnesium. Are you listening iRobot and Oreck?

Lint Rollers – I purchase these in bulk typically because no matter how much I run the iRobot and groom the dogs, they still shed.

lintroller

Wet, Muddy, and Dirty Paws

Rugs, and more rugs. But I also keep the Soggy Doggy shammy by my back door and Lola and Rio know the drill!

lola the pitty soggy doggy mat

Nose Prints on Glass

Window cleaner with vinegar or wet a Magic Eraser and dry.

Pet Accidents

Pee, poo, butt-dragging, vomiting…it happens. To this day I have a bottle of pet odor and stain remover spray in my cleaning closet. And it never fails, it gets used time and time again. And I thought I’d only have to keep this around during the potty training days – ha.

Pet bowls and feeding mat - 9 essential dog products

Dog Drool

Feeding mats and good ‘ole paper towels. Tip: check out TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, etc. for good deals on feeding mats (I think I picked ours up for less than $8).

Clean Dog, Clean Home

Well…for the most part. Regular baths and grooming can cut down on the shedding and dirt brought into your home, making less work for you in the end.

#bathtime

A photo posted by L O L A the P I T T Y (@lolathepitty) on

What tips do you have for keeping a clean home as a dog owner?

Dog-Friendly Northern Colorado Breweries

dog friendly breweries in northern colorado

It’s no lie if you live in Colorado and you’re not already…you’ll become a beer connoisseur (with over ~140 craft breweries). I used to be that young girl drinking foo-foo cocktails, but the older I get, I’ve wised up. Plus, beer and wine? So much better. Heck, they’re both borderline health foods if you ask me.

So, as I’ve been slowly drinking my way through every brewery within a 20 60 mile radius and throughout Northern Colorado, I’ve done the extra work and noted down ones that allow your dog to join, too. Of course, I may have missed a few along the way, so feel free to give me a shout-out if you know of others.

With that being said, here’s a list of my favorite breweries in NoCo that are dog-friendly. Some even allow your dog indoors – bonus points for y’all. Did I mention how much I love Colorado?

DOG-FRIENDLY BREWERIES IN NORTHERN COLORADO:

GREELEY

Brix Taphouse | dog-friendly patio

Broken Plow | dog friendly patio and taproom* (*on non-brewing days)

Crabtree | dog-friendly patio and taproom

WeldWerks |dog-friendly patio

 

WINDSOR

High Hops |dog-friendly patio

 

LOVELAND

Grimm Brothers | dog friendly patio and taproom

Verboten Brewing | dog-friendly patio

Loveland Aleworks | dog-friendly patio

Crow Hop | dog-friendly patio

 

FORT COLLINS

Horse & Dragon | dog-friendly patio and taproom

Funkwerks | dog-friendly patio and taproom

Odell Brewing COmpany | dog-friendly patio (dogs allowed to walk through taproom)

New Belgium | dog-friendly patio and taproom

Snowbank Brewing | dog-friendly patio and taproom

 

Cheers!

*Know of a brewery that is dog-friendly and not on this list? Shame. Please do share!

7 Essentials for Dog Walks

Let’s face it, anytime I leave the house with the dogs I have a checklist of things I have to bring with. You know…for an enjoyable, stress free walk. I used to run out of the house, two dogs in hand and be tangling leashes, juggling cell phones and keys and be screwed if I got thirsty. #firstworldproblems

1 – First up, comfy shoes – a definite must.

dog-walking-essentials-2

2 – A good leash

I’m always a sucker for a good leather leash – they last forever, look stylish, and are comfy on the hands. My other favorite leash? The waist-leash from Ruffwear.

3 – Shoulder Bag

You know for those poop bags, keys, cell phone, chapstick, etc. etc. We’re in absolute love with this over-the-shoulder bag from DOOG. It’s stylish, has an adjustable strap and the best part? It has a poop bag dispenser on the front. Hallelujah. Dog mom dreams do come true.

4 – Poop Bags. 

Stuff ’em in your DOOG walking bag dispenser. And bring extras. Because if your dog is named Lola she’ll always split up her potty trips into as many separate stops as possible.

5 – Water Bottle.

Usually mine ends up being poured into my walking mate’s mouths…

doog-walking-bag1

6 – Cell phone. No, not because I can’t go 30 minutes without taking a photo of my dogs, but you know…in case of emergency.

7 – Training treats. Last minute distractions, training practice, you name it…they always come in handy.

What is something you always bring on walks with your dogs? 

dog-walking-essentials

Molly Mutt Dog Bed Review (+ Giveaway)

We recently had the opportunity to try out a new dog bed, but not just any dog bed…one from Molly Mutt. Their beds are a little different in that the filling is decided by you! Have you ever left behind a blanket with your pup when you’ve went on vacation? Same idea…to provide your dog with the comfort of familiar scents! Love that concept…

Molly Mutts Dog Bed Giveaway and Review - Lolathepitty.com

With Molly Mutt beds you purchase a duvet cover +a stuff-sack (which you fill on your own) to create your dog bed.

It was good timing too as Rio has this bad habit of chewing on beds…and rugs….and blankets.

 

stuff-sniff-snooze-header-1

We received a large duvet and “stuff sack” and although it took a lot of stuff to fill it – we managed to succeed by stealing from our Goodwill pile.

Pros/What I love about the bed: 

  • Durable, thick fabric
  • Washable cover (and pre-shrunk)
  • Variety of colors, patterns, and sizes
  • Smells like you when you add your own ‘stuffing’!

Molly Mutts Dog Bed Giveaway and Review - Lolathepitty.com

Rio’s new favorite place to sleep. And (knock on wood) he has yet to attempt chewing it.

There were a couple things as an honest review I wanted to share. Definitely not quality issues, but more or less areas for improvement.

Cons/room for improvement:

  • Website is a little hard to navigate – no package option for 1 duvet and 1 stuff sack (nothing to do with the quality of the product) and no prompt to add the stuff-sack when you add a duvet to your cart (could be forgotten).
  • Took a lot of clothes to fill the medium/large bed! And as you can see, mine could probably use a little more stuffing.
  • Was a little lumpy, so I had to carefully arrange the clothes in the stuff-sack before pulling the duvet cover over.

Molly Mutts Dog Bed Giveaway and Review - Lolathepitty.com

Lola’s face in this photo…priceless. Let’s just say this bed is Lola AND Rio approved and now we’re checking out which fabric we want for our water-resistant dog bed for the patio.

Now onto the best part, the giveaway. Yes, one lucky reader gets to pick their own Molly Mutt dog bed!

Can’t wait? Visit MollyMutt.com to see their other products and learn more about this great company.

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Paw5 Rock N’ Bowl Review

PAW5 Rock N' Bowl Review - Lolathepitty.com

PAW5 Rock N' Bowl Review - Lolathepitty.com

What could be more fun than testing something out which involves eating? If you ask Lola…nothing. Eating is by far one of the top three things she lives for. Along with tennis balls, disc, and sleeping. Good combo if you ask me.

paw5-rock-n-bowl2

Well, recently we got the opportunity to try out PAW5’s new puzzle feeder, the Rock ‘N Bowl.

Isn’t the orange color super cute?

I mean…if dog bowls can be cute, this is it.
paw5-rock-n-bowl3

Lola: “What the heck, the food is coming out the bottom now”

Rio: “Lola…watch out, I’m all over this!”

Lola: “But you already finished YOUR food”

(I had to politely remove Rio from our little photo shoot, but no worries – he got to test out the bowl, too)

paw5-rock-n-bowl4

Om, nom, nom…

Meanwhile, I’m looking at all the slobber on my floor. Just another day in the Lola household.

“Dogs are incredibly intelligent and social creatures that need ways to think, work and be active. By adding environmental enrichment to mealtime, a routine part of every day, we believe we’ve made enriching dogs’ lives easier for busy pet parents,” says PAW5 Co-Founder, Dennis O’Donnell. “We designed the Rock ‘N Bowl to create enriching opportunities for dogs to problem solve and grow, but in a way that fits into families’ busy schedules. ”

paw5-rock-n-bowl6

Food, food, everywhere.

Okay, so any time I see a new dog bowl with the intent of providing an enriching meal-time, while slowing your dog down (we need all the help we can get), I’m instantly intrigued. And the Rock ‘N Bowl is a new bowl that we’ll add to our feeding time around here.

The design allows food to be poured directly into the top, as easy as a normal bowl, and then funnels it into a hidden compartment, requiring dogs to paw, nudge, and play their way through mealtime (that’s the challenging part!).

What I Love

  • The Rock ‘N Bowl is made in the USA
  • Compact – this bowl is no larger than your standard dog bowl
  • Was shipped in a cute little box with a great informational brochure and nice packaging (I’m a sucker for presentation!)
  • Uses BPA-free and phthalate-free plastic
  • Breaks down to three dishwasher-safe parts
  • Holds up to four cups of food
  • Comes in two great colors (which just so happen to be Denver Bronco colors: blue and orange – hopefully they don’t change them after this comment *wink, wink*)

Room for Improvement 

The only thing I noticed about this bowl, that could possibly be improved on, is the “escape” holes on the bottom which are slightly large (while Lola’s food is quite small) causing the kibble to fall out rather fast once Lola figured out she has to nudge/push the bowl to toss her food out.

The Rock ‘N Bowl retails for $29.95 and is available now for pre-orders through the PAW5 website

OR

Enter to WIN one right now as we’re giving away a Rock ‘N Bowl to one lucky reader.

Enter below and good luck!

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About PAW5
Born from an innate fascination with the way dogs think, PAW5 products combine mental stimulation and environmental enrichment to support the overall well being of dogs. By turning routine activities into rewarding challenges, PAW5 gives busy pet parents simple ways to engage their dogs, both mentally and physically, every day. PAW5® is committed to their Four From Five™ promise to enrich the lives of their pets, employees, communities and world by building thoughtful products in thought-filled ways. PAW5 is backed by research and grounded in sustainability, with a heart full of fun. Learn more at paw5.us!

 

This is a sponsored post in which I received compensation in exchange for reviewing the Paw5 dog bowl. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are honest and my own.

My Pittied Life: January 2016

lola the pitty dog blog

Well hello. It’s February. We’ve been quiet. What else can I say that is quite obvious?

As I’m sitting here typing and staring off into the living room and kitchen that I can finally call my own, one thing is certain: my dogs are my everything. 2015 was probably the most ‘exciting’ year in regards to big events in my life, but I wouldn’t take back anything.

lola the pitty2

Here’s what last year consisted of, in a nutshell:

1 – Moving back to my home-state of Colorado…best decision ever. I’m not about to slap a “Native” sticker on the back of my SUV or hit up the dispensary down the street but there is truly so much to love about this gorgeous state.

2 – Buying a house. Finally! Backyard – check. Wood floors – check. Savings account no longer in existence – check.

3 – While I’m fairly reserved about our personal lives, you may have noticed we’re now a family of three. Sometimes two people decide going their separate ways is the best for everyone. No worries though, Lola and Rio are on either side of me as I type, so be prepared to see their cute faces in upcoming blog posts.

lola-the-pitty2

Did I mention we were featured in Woman’s Day magazine?

Look at that cute face peaking out behind our Doggy Eggnog recipe!

womansday

By the way…do you follow us on Instagram (if you don’t, you should immediately!)?

lola the pitty dog blog

So while we build up our blog posts, make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter (sign up right down there ↓) to stay up to date on the latest giveaways, reviews, and Lola gossip. Thanks for your continued support and love throughout the years (holy cow, yes…this blog is now going on 3 years old).

Until next time…

XO,

Sarah, Lola & Rio

My Pittied Life – July 2015

I’m a few days late (as in it’s already August 6th!) in posting this for last month but it’s finally here.

Disc Fun
My Pittied Life | Lolathepitty.com

July was an event-packed month and while we didn’t take the dogs on any long hikes in the mountains, we did make a couple trips to Horsetooth Reservoir and catch up on our disc game quite a bit.

Rio finally learned how much fun it is to leap and catch the disc before it hits the ground, imagine that! Two little disc dogs plus one disc mom who can’t throw a disc very well – great combination.

Enoch

Enoch - adoptable dog on lolathepitty.com

Any friends remember Enoch? He was our last foster dog in Minnesota and was adopted by a lady in Michigan. While she loved him, Enoch suffers from separation anxiety and after living with her for a year through a long journey and many attempts, she made the decision that her home could not provide what he needed. She contacted me and I immediately began networking and trying to find him a new place to go. I’ll admit, I was not too hopeful…

I posted a photo of him on our Facebook page requesting that if anyone knew of a home or person that would be willing to work with his anxiety, to message us.  A few hours later, the notorious Facebook ‘ding’ went off on my phone and it was a gal from Minnesota who volunteers with many of the rescues up there. She said she may have someone in mind and asked if we could start a group chat to discuss details. Two hours later, it was decided that Enoch would be coming back to Minnesota under a couple conditions: we could find transportation for him and could raise the money for everything he’d need. It was a long stretch and a tall order but as I’m reminded time and time again, together we save.

In less than one week we raised over $600 for a Pro Select Empire Kennel, grain free food for a few months, a couple training books on separation anxiety, etc. His previous owner helped transport him a good amount of the way and a team of us coordinated a handful of volunteers to bring him the remainder of the way.

Enoch is now living in what I am very hopeful will be his ‘forever’ home. He is living with a family in northern Minnesota who works opposite shifts and has committed to his training and needs. Follow along with his adventures on his Facebook page here. 

We Love Trout

Those eyes are insane – you have to watch the slow-mo video on Instagram…

Smooth as buttah. #troutskin #crazyeyes

A video posted by L O L A the P I T T Y (@lolathepitty) on

Our dogs love trout skin and they’re packed with nutrients.

Speaking of treats, here’s a super simple Beef Crunch Frozen Dog Treat recipe we shared recently.

Dog Dogs of Summer

July in pictures…

_lola6

_lola1

_lola2

_lola5

 

Following us on Instagram? Guaranteed pitty smiles and shenanigans. >>> @lolathepitty

Until next month…

Beef Crunch Dog Treat Recipe

Homemade Beef Stock (Frozen) Dog Treats - lolathepitty.com

Frozen Beef Crunch Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

Let’s face it, it’s hot out and the last thing I (or most likely, you) want to do is hang out in the kitchen. I have been somewhat, for lack of a better word, lazy about cooking for myself let alone Lola and Rio. But this weekend was different. Okay, somewhat.

I whipped out some beef stock (could also use a beef bouillon cube), water, and crushed up treats to pull these together.

Meet the easiest dog treats you’ll ever make.

Frozen Beef Crunch Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

Though my taste-testers wouldn’t know the difference if I told them they took me hours to make. So…here’s the detailed directions:

5.0 from 1 reviews
Beef Stock Dog Bone Recipe
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Simple Frozen Beef Stock Dog Treats with Surprise Pieces of Treats in the Center!
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1 cup beef stock (or 1 Beef Bouillon Cube + 8 oz water, warm)
  • ¼ cup crushed dog treats
Instructions
  1. Dissolve beef bouillon cube in warm water.
  2. Pour into ice cube trays.
  3. Sprinkle with crushed dog treats.
  4. Freeze until solid and serve!

Frozen Beef Crunch Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

You could totally use a normal ice cube tray – but why, when Kong makes this super cute one?

Frozen Beef Crunch Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

Life is rough, isn’t it?

ENJOY!

How To Make a Wine Barrel Dog Bed

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

Wine barrel, whiskey barrel, you get my drift. They’re adorable. And the perfect size for any dog under 50 pounds-ish. You may have seen them on Pinterest or elsewhere, but once I saw these wine barrel dog beds I knew I had to have one.

That is until I saw the $150-300 price tag. That’s not going to happen. We’ve got a house to buy. New mission: find a wine or whiskey barrel and make my own dog bed.

The first struggle was finding a whiskey or wine barrel that wasn’t $100 itself. I eventually found a full size half-whiskey barrel at The Home Depot for $39 – not bad (although when I went back to buy another they were sold out).

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

To turn this into a dog bed was fairly simple. Here’s how:

Remove the top metal band (this one was held in by a few screws) and we had to use a wedge and hammer to push it down.

This barrel was fairly tall so we decided to take 3″ off the top so we used a marker to measure 3″ down around the diameter where we would make our cut.

From there we drew our line with a Sharpie marking where the opening cut would be made. To get a smooth curve we used a very thin, long piece of wood and bend it to form a “U” shape. My dad held it while I drew the mark on the barrel.

We then turned the barrel on its side and used an electric saw to cut our opening.

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

After the cuts were made it was smooth sailing! We grabbed a couple pieces of coarse sandpaper and smoothed the edges so that no pups were left with wood splinters.

Finally, we used a pair of garden shears to cut the metal band at an angle to follow the curve of the opening and secured it to the side of the barrel with two screws on each side.

Top it off with a $10 bed that you can find at TJ Maxx and you’re ready to go!

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

If you’re spoiled, you’ll even get your name burned in the wood…

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

Life is good!

DIY Wine Barrel Dog Bed | lolathepitty.com

Until your brother steals your bed.

 

My Pittied Life: June

My Pittied Life - Lolathepitty.com

Happy July, friends.

But first…oh my gosh, she seriously cracks me up. Look close – see those little teefers peeking out!?

My Pittied Life: June | lolathepitty.com

Well, what’s new in June?

Our Flyball career has came to an end.

It’s true. We tried (and tried, and tried) for two years but as of June, Lola will no longer compete in Flyball. I could go on about the issues we had and while we were making progress, it just didn’t work out with the team we were on and the situation we were in. While it’s a little sad, it’s the best thing for Lola (and myself). And while we all think Lola could have continued, everyone felt it was for the best she not.

With that being said, in everything we do with and for our dogs, I feel we should set them up for success. For example, if your dog isn’t great with all dogs, don’t take them to a dog park. Period. It’s about weighing your desire to do something with your dog’s individual needs. And I’ve learned that over the years of being a dog owner. I’ve by no means been perfect.


Doggy Delivery

Okay, not literally, but we finally set up auto-ship for Lola’s food because there’s only one store around here that carries it and sometimes they run out. And it was cheaper online and shows up on my doorstep. Win. Chewy.com rocks…

Lola-pitbull-chewy.com


Our New House…

Or lack thereof. We were supposed to be living in a house of our own by now but typical construction, we’ve been delayed. A couple times. Hopefully by the end of August, well, let’s just say September, we’ll have a yard for these two to run around in (a small one, but a yard nonetheless). I’m not sure what I’m more excited about, the house or not having to take the dogs out on the leash every time they have to pee.


Enjoying Summer – take a peek at what we’ve been up to…

This photo below was just taken today – we’ve been hitting the field and bringing out the disc more often to burn off some energy and enjoy the sunshine and Colorado summer (now…I’m the one that needs practice throwing that darn thing).

My Pittied Life: June | lolathepitty.com

This is Lola’s way of saying, “I’m done”. Too hot. She plops down at the first chance of shade and is a PIA to get going again. Princess status around here.

My Pittied Life: June | lolathepitty.com

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Lola the pitty Until next month! Thanks for reading.