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Skechers Bobs for Dogs Partners with Best Friends Animal Society

4/24/2018

BOBS from Skechers teams up with Best Friends to support dogs and cats in need.

In a huge step forward in the effort to Save Them All, Best Friends is teaming up with BOBS from Skechers. For every purchase of BOBS shoes, Skechers will make a donation to support Best Friends programs — programs to keep more pets out of shelters and increase the number of dogs and cats placed in new homes. Not only have they created this program, Skechers has committed $3 million to Best Friends and the animals.

As part of the partnership, #BOBS from #Skechers has even created a new #Best Friends line of pet-themed footwear including their signature logo. So, in addition to the lifesaving funding from shoe sales, their no-kill message will be shared with more people than ever before.

BOBS from Skechers will also serve as the presenting sponsor of Best Friends’ major national events such as #Strut Your Mutt and super adoptions, and participate in additional year-round initiatives.

The BOBS of Skechers’ Best Friends footwear line is currently available at Skechers retail stores and online at Skechers.com. You can also check out #Amazon for styles, prices, and selection. Thank you BOBS from Skechers for all of your efforts and being the voice these animals so deserve and need.

xoxo,
Bobbi Jo

https://www.skechers.com/en-us/bobs-for-dogs

https://amzn.to/2Jq8jQN

www.amazon.com/BOBS-for-Dogs-from-Skechers/dp/B01E4Z324C

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All Kinds of Doggie Love

4/15/2018

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If your an animal lover like me, you know that they have so much love to give but I've talked to people who want only a full blood and would never step foot in a shelter. Their argument is that these animals are "no good" which makes me crazy to hear that. Honestly, I have never minded one way or the other. My family and I have had animals all our lives from horses, cows, and ducks to stray dogs and cats. We've taken animals in that were dropped off or showed up looking for food and shelter. We've found and brought home animals that were left behind at shelters, left abused and abandoned, and we've purchased registered full bloods. We didn't set out on a mission to find a certain type of breed or animal or had special requests on where they came from. We just knew that we would give our fur baby a wonderful life and do everything we could for them.

Thomas and I want to share our fur babies from both shelters and breeders and they were and are all amazing animals. If you've heard of the slogan "Adopt; Don't Shop", you might agree but keep in mind that every animal needs a loving home and they all can be taught to learn and love. Taking on a pet, no matter the size, breed, or age is a big decision and a lot of work but incredibly rewarding at the same time.

"Bear"

Bear was adopted at roughly 2 months old from a high kill shelter in West Virginia. I had no idea what I was getting myself into as it was just me at the time taking on this responsibility but I knew he was coming home with me that day. This is him at his first birthday. I got him a new collar, leash and toys and had a birthday party for him with doggie cake and ice cream. He was the last of 5 puppies to be adopted, alone in his cage staring up at me with matted hair, clumps of dirt stuck to his belly, and shaking. He was very skinny and very sad. I brought him home, gave him a bath, fed him and put him to bed. They say shelter pets are more grateful to their adopter but I'm not sure who was more grateful, me or him. He was the most kind, smart, loving companion and best watch dog I have ever had. He passed away at 14 years old almost 2 years ago and I still miss him to this day. The shelter told me he was a Lab mix but I didn't care. As he got older, I saw different breeds in him which made him even more special. Rest in peace my sweet Bear Bear.

"Bella"

Bella was found at a very young age on the side of the road by a couple who took her to a shelter in Pennsylvania. I was volunteering at this shelter on the weekends but for some reason (I can't remember) had a week day off and decided to drop off some blankets for the shelters cats. That's when I saw this little puppy hiding under a desk trying to get away from the other dogs in the office. She had been at the shelter only 15 minutes before I arrived and without hesitation, I made her mine. Her name was going to be "Jada" but "Bella" means "beautiful" in Italian and that is what she was...beautiful. Bear was 4 years old at the time and I felt he needed a friend since he seemed lonely (or maybe it was my imagination lol). They became fast buddies and were inseparable until the day Bear died. Bella was a Rottweiler/Pit Bull mix, ornery as could be, smart as a whip (just like Bear) and loved her big brother to death. Bella followed Bear to heaven a year ago (April 6) and now they are running and playing together. Rest in peace my sweet Bella. We still miss you every day.

"Lady"

This is our sweet little Lady, a Brittany, who came from a breeder in Pennsylvania. Lady, Bear, and Bella bonded immediately. She loved her brother and sister and especially loved to lay in her bed all circled up with her toys watching them play. She was sweet, kind, and just precious. We called her "Lady Bug" and her little tail (her little nub) would wag so fast that we would laugh. She was our champion who won several awards and ribbons. We were two very proud dog parents and everyone complimented her on her markings and temperament. Lady left us February of last year and we miss her terribly. We take comfort in knowing she is with Bear and Bella again. Rest in peace, our sweet Lady.

"Jake and Maggie"

Jake and Maggie are 9 month old Labrador Retrievers with big personalities and they even have their own blog! :-). They are brother and sister and came from a breeder in Pennsylvania. We contacted our vet who recommended we get these sweet puppies and are so glad we did. It is extremely important to us to do everything we can for them. We've invested in professional training and will continue this training in order to get both pups certified as therapy dogs. Jake is a "cuddle bug" while Maggie is the "mad licker". She gives kisses at rapid speeds. More to follow on this brother and sister duo and their training to!

I hope you enjoyed this post. It brought back many happy memories for me. Whether your pet is a shelter pet or not, just love them and they will love you back. It's all they ask for. Well...that and healthy, delicious treats :-)

xoxo,
Bobbi Jo

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Home remedies for dogs dry itchy skin

4/8/2018

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I'm a big believer in not only paying attention to how your pet is acting but how he or she is looking. Pets show signs through their eyes, body language, skin, and coat. I'm also a big believer in an animal showing emotions. If you know your fur baby, you know when they are not feeling their best. Our Bear, a German Shepherd/Labrador mix, suffered from dry skin and allergies shortly before he passed (almost two years ago). I took him to the vet who recommended Cortizone 10 and Benadryl along with an antibiotic for a skin infection once. I also scoured the web searching for home remedies to help ease his discomfort. Here are few to help if your pet is having skin problems.

"This is our Bear Bear shortly before he passed. He was 14 years old". "I found him at a high kill shelter in a small cage by himself. He was one of 5 puppies brought in and the last to go. This skinny, dirty puppy was meant for me to find and take home that day. He was pure sweetness and my protector till the day he died".

1. Bathing to little or to often. Dry skin can be caused due to bathing your dog too often as it causes the natural oils in your dog’s coat to be washed off. If you don’t bath your dog too often, that could also cause dead skin buildup resulting in itching. (I talked to my groomer last week when I picked up Jake and Maggie from their grooming appointment and she told me that they should be getting bathed about every 4 to 5 weeks).

2. Regular brushing. Brush regularly to loosen dead skin cells from accumulating in their coats.

3. Lack of fatty acids in their diet. Dogs need to have enough fatty acids in their diet to ensure their is enough moisture in their skin and coat. Include fish oil in their diet to make sure they have the required doses of Omega 3. (I would check with the vet to get the proper weight of your dog to know the correct dosage of Omega 3 to give)

4. Climate changes. This affects not only your skin but your dogs skin as well. If you live in a dry area, your pet's skin may be dry because of the climate, or if your pet spends most of its time in an air conditioned room, that may be another cause of dry itchy skin.

"Jake and Maggie showing off their shiny coats"! "Jake and Maggie also showing off in training"! "That's it...they were to tired for anything else". LOL!

Home Remedies to help with dry itchy skin...

1. Vitamin E massage or Vitamin E pill: A massage is a great way to relax your pet as well as help with dry skin or if your fur baby can absorb the Vitamin E pill well, you can try that. (This is something I would ask my vet first because I have never tried it)

2. Yogurt: Feeding your puppy a little yogurt will help improve her immunity and keep yeast infections away. It is also found that adding yogurt to doggy diet will help to avoid diarrhea as well. (All of my dogs have loved yogurt and just a little on a teaspoon each day helps. Jake and Maggie scrunched their noses up at first but now they love it. Bear, Bella, and Lady took to their yogurt lolly pop right away!)

3. Epsom salt soaks: Epsom salt soak helps to relieve soreness. Constant itching will leave your dog’s skin sore and swollen. Epsom salt will help reduce the soreness and swelling and help in healing. (We bought a doggie bath tub for Bear and he would stand in the water enjoying the warmth of the bath water and salts).

4. Oatmeal: Add ground oatmeal to your dog’s bath or apply it along with his shampoo and it will provide him with instant relief. (I've heard both good and bad about using Oatmeal so I would recommend talking to your vet).

5. Chamomile tea: Spraying chamomile tea solution on the affected area is said to reduce itching in dogs. This is because of the natural disinfectant effect of chamomile. Chamomile helps to kill the bacterial infections, if any.

6. Eucalyptus oil: You can try adding eucalyptus oil in the bath water for your dog and use it as a final rinse. The disinfectant quality of eucalyptus will curb infections and keep away fleas, if any.

7. Baking soda: Try applying a thick paste of baking soda on the affected areas and it will help to bring down itching in your pet. (Another use for baking soda is to apply the paste to a minor cut that your pet may have. Maggie recently stepped on a broken beer bottle during a walk and got a small cut on her toe. I applied baking soda paste to it and took her to the vet the next day. By the time I got to the vet, the cut had healed and she was fine).

8. Lemon infused water: Lemon infused water can be used as a toner for your dog in order to help with infections. You can apply the lemon tonic on your dog’s body and allow it to dry. This will help to get rid of fleas and help heal cuts. (I have never tried this so again, I would talk to my vet first).

9. Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar, mixed in equal part with water, can be sprayed on your dog and it will help to alleviate itching and dryness. (I have also used this to clean out Maggie's ears when they look reddish and when the pups ears smell a little. It takes away both the redness and the smell in minutes).

10. Daily grooming: If your dog has a thick coat, brushing his coat daily will help to remove any foreign particles and flaky skin from his coat. The brushing will also stimulate the natural oils which in turn will keep your dog’s skin moisturized and soft.

11. Natural or herbal shampoos: Your pet might have dry skin also because of regular use of harsh chemical shampoos. If this is the case, one of the best things you can do for your dog is to switch to a herbal shampoo. You can also consider adding a few drops of soothing natural oils to the shampoo so that it helps with moisturizing his or her skin.

12. Dry shampoo: If your dog refuses to get a bath, one of the best options would be to use a dry shampoo on him. You can use oatmeal, bran or corn meal or a mix of all three to make natural dry shampoo for your dog. (I probably wouldn't do this considering I don't use dry shampoos on myself and probably wouldn't use it on my dogs. Just a preference thing).

Just as there are home remedies for us humans, there are for our pets as well. These ingredients can be found at any grocery store, pet store, or on-line and are a cost effective way to keep your pet happy. It's always good to make a phone call to your vet before applying a remedy if you are not sure how to use it. Take the time. Your pet will love you for it!

xoxo,
Bobbi Jo

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Jake, Maggie, and our new Nikon D5600 Camera

4/2/2018

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We've been talking about getting a new camera for like...FOREVER! Well, we finally made our big purchase and bought a Nikon D5600 DSLR from Best Buy and this wonderful camera bag from Amazon. Jake and Maggie turned 9 months old this month and buying this camera to take better pics and videos of them will be so much fun. If your like me, you don't have much of a clue how to use a camera! There is literally YouTube training videos on this thing. So, I'm relying on my dear sweet husband to learn everything about it and to teach me. As soon as I learn this piece of machinery, you will be seeing much better pics and more videos! Maybe I'll get crazy and post a YouTube video of myself cooking in the kitchen!!! I have my other blog called Fashions and Passions and am thinking of posting some family recipes for you to enjoy! I love Pioneer Woman and JoAnna Gaines and might even post some of their recipes to! I'm also planning on posting more of the pups in their training class. They are learning fast and loving their trainer Shelly!

I wanted to share some pics of the pups over the last 9 months. Enjoy! This was the very first toy that we ever bought for the pups. We bought "Chuckit!" at Cabella's and said this will be something that they love. Mr. Chuckit lasted about a month before his little blue and white hair was frayed down to his big eyes and then Jake ripped off his eye balls. lol. I found them laying under the kitchen table.

"Jake and Maggie the night we brought them home".

"Jake learning the "come" command". Isn't he cute!

"Always together, Always curious". "Watching Shuble's Lawncare mow our lawn".

"Getting so big! 9 months old now!" Taken at the house in MO with the new camera!

The last 9 months have been so rewarding having Jake and Maggie around. From play fighting to stealing my slippers every chance they get, they keep us on our toes. They are constantly giving us puppy kisses and are developing quite the personalities. I love it! We will be sure to capture it all on our Nikon D5600 camera to share with you. This weekend (weather permitting) we might be going to Purina Farms with these two to walk around and see the sights.

xoxo,
Bobbi Jo

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Skechers Bobs for Dogs Partners with Best Friends Animal Society

All Kinds of Doggie Love

Home remedies for dogs dry itchy skin

Jake, Maggie, and our new Nikon D5600 Camera

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Skechers Bobs for Dogs Partners with Best Friends Animal Society

All Kinds of Doggie Love

Home remedies for dogs dry itchy skin

Jake, Maggie, and our new Nikon D5600 Camera

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Categories

Location

​Doses of Cuteness

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