PopSugar

Ask Casa: Decorating With a Puppy in Mind

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:34 -0700

Hi Casa,

We've just recently adopted an adorable puppy, and we're having a great time with her. The only problem is she's taken over the house! We had to move and hide anything she might eat or chew, so our living room and bookcases look empty.

Our kitchen is overwhelmed by her dog bed, and her doggy toys are scattered all over. Plus there's always that dog "smell." I know we need to just find the right system of organization and storage that will be safe for her and attractive to us, but I don't even know where to start! Any suggestions or tips?

Thanks!
Alex

To see my suggestions, read more.

Hi Alex,

As it happens, I'm pretty well-versed on this one, since my husband and I adopted a puppy back in June (that's him lounging on a friend's sofa a few months ago). It's been eight years since I dealt with a puppy, and I'd forgotten how much work it is! Here are the most helpful things that I've gleaned from my experience of living with, and decorating around, a puppy.

During the day, the puppy is crated, so I usually air out his dog bed on our deck, to keep it smelling fresh. This helps cut the doggy smell.
To organize his toys, I placed a blue tin bucket in one corner. It's actually a really cute container in itself. While Haiko, our puppy, will take his toys out (and won't return them, sigh), it's easier to just toss them all in this bucket once he's abandoned one. This keeps us from tripping over bones and balls, and also keeps the house tidier.
Try to teach your puppy to enjoy one place in common areas as her spot. You can do this by placing her bed in that area, and then rewarding her with praise and treats when she stays there. Eventually, she'll settle in that spot.
I sympathize with you and your empty bookshelves, but don't worry, your puppy will grow out of the chewing stage. I'd try replacing your books little by little. Make sure to sternly tell your pup "No!" if she tries to chew on them, and give her a Kong or bone when she approaches your books. Our puppy went through a long chewing phase, but with simple reprimands and redirecting, he's now left our books and records alone.
To cut down on the doggy smell further, air out your house by opening windows. You can also try a natural air freshener or Nature's Miracle to eliminate odors.
Since doggy smells tend to stick to upholstery, keeping your pets off of furniture will reduce doggy smells as well. If you can't bear to keep your pup off the sofa or bed, you can try laying down a fleece blanket where your puppy usually rests. Make sure to regularly wash the blanket to cut down on smells.
You might also want to look into investing in a dog bed that will fit into your decorating scheme easier. Check out these dog beds on PetSugar for more ideas.

Anyone else have a great puppy strategy? Tell Alex about it when you leave a comment.

Hope this helps!
Casa

Open House: What's Your Home's Pet Policy?

CasaSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:30:02 -0700

My husband and I share our house with two dogs, which means a lot more vacuuming and dusting than nonpet people experience in their homes. We try to keep things tidier by keeping the pups off of furniture. However, they have full run of the house, hang out in every room, and even keep us company while we're cooking in the kitchen.

Since they have good manners, I don't mind having them underfoot, but I know that some families keep their dogs relegated to certain areas of the house or even crate them for much of the time that they're home.

So tell me, do you have dogs, cats, or other indoor pets? Do you let them up on your sofa or bed? What's your house's pet policy?

Source: Flickr User Emery_Way

Yummy Links: From Club Sandwiches to Street Food

partysugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:50:00 -0700

There's nothing quite as delicious as the classic club sandwich.- Serious Eats
Stressed? Here are 10 nutrients that can help relieve the tension. - Chow
Paula Deen's beauty advice is featured in next month's Allure. - Eat Me Daily
What you need to remember when dining outdoors with your pet. - OpenTable
Learn how Corton's chef Paul Liebrandt makes rabbit and scallop duo. - The Feedbag
If you love street food, be sure to check out this extensive guide to the nation's best. - Gourmet

Source: Flickr User Geoff604

Is It Fair to Give Back a Family's Best Friends?

LilSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:00:29 -0700

It looks like Jon and Kate Plus 8 is minus two . . . dogs. Our girl Pet has pictures of Jon's last moments with the pups before they were shipped back to their breeder. The tensome adopted the German Shepherds, Shooka and Nala, as an early Christmas present for the kids late last year. But, in light of Jon and Kate's impending divorce, it's been reported that single parenthood and caring for a couple of dogs is too much for the Gosselins. While the twins and sextuplets are obviously affected by their mom and dad's very public breakup, is it fair to also send their pets away?

View 5 Photos ›

If you want to dish about all things Jon and Kate Plus 8, join the discussion in our LilSugar community!

Would You Keep a Giant Cockroach as a Pet?

PetSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:15:25 -0700

He's a contender. This giant burrowing cockroach made the news for (potentially) being the world's heaviest insect. Related to, but not the same as the roaches we see stateside, these creatures can range from 1 to 1.5 ounces
While it's not yet certain if Heathcliff measures up to the title, I'm torn between wanting to look away . . . and not being able to! As it turns out, in Australia, these popularish pets can cost up to 100 Australian dollars (about $85 in US) for two! They give birth to live young, care for babes in a burrow, and dine on easily attained fresh leaves - would you wish for one as a pampered pal, too?

Source: Cameron Richardson

Do You Let Your Pets on Your Sofa?

CasaSugar — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 05:30:18 -0700

Many of us allow our pets up on the sofa, but all that pet hair can add up to a lot of cleaning. Do you let your pets on your sofa, or do they stay on ground level?

Source: Photo by ansik

When Fido and Fred Share the Spotlight

babysugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:00:42 -0700

If I had a penny for every time my dad compared his Labrador to my children, I'd be a rich woman. To be fair, puppies and infants share many characteristics. They cry, pee and poop without a care and eat and whimper through the night. As children age, they continue to mimic their furry friends - crawling around and investigating, showing jealous tendencies, and following mama wherever she goes. Proud pet owners who liken their pups to humans can cite a new study when bragging on their furry family member. According to the research, dogs can understand the same pointing gestures as a 2-year-old child. The report says

Dogs possess a two-year-old child's capacity to understand human pointing gestures, with dogs requiring next to zero learning time to figure out the visual communication... The comparison with kids doesn't end there. Due to domestication, dogs appear to be predisposed to read other human visual signals, including head-turning and gazing.

My old man will be delighted to know his comparisons are legit, but his parallels will soon come to an end. The researcher said, "In human children between the age of two and three years, important changes take place that go beyond the capacities of dogs." Phew.

Come Party With Me: Annabelle's Birthday - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:15:55 -0700

Meet Annabelle Buffy Durbin, FabSugar's cutie-pie, social butterfly Frenchie. Always the adorable center of attention, Annabelle's fourth birthday is on July 14 and Fab's throwing her a paw-ty next weekend.

She asked me to help with the the planning, so all this week I'm sharing the details with you. Consider hosting a party for your pet! Before we can talk doggie cupcakes, Fab has to send the invite.

To learn how I turned this picture of Annabelle into an emailable invitation, read more.

I started by dropping and dragging the image into Photoshop. Then, I cropped the image, cutting out the excess top and bottom. I copied and pasted it into a new larger window. From there, I added this text:

Annabelle Is Turning 4!

To celebrate she wants to give you a kiss at her birthday pawty!

Sunday, July 25, 2009, 3:00 p.m.
The Durbin Domaine, Oaktown

Please RSVP to FabSugar. Doggie BFs welcome!

With the eyedropper tool, I was able to change the color of the text to match Annabelle's lei. After getting Fab's stamp of approval, I saved the image as a jpeg, attached in an email, and sent. Have you ever hosted a birthday party for a pet?

Oh Snap! The Heroes of Cuteness

TresSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Trakr, the hero dog that helped save lives after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, has been cloned! Meet Trustt, Solace, Prodigy, Valor, and Dejavu!

View 5 Photos ›

Open House: How Do You Deal With Pets in Your Garden?

CasaSugar — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:30:00 -0700

My mother-in-law has amazing flower and edible gardens at her cabin on Whidbey Island, off the coast of Washington. She also has a very exuberant ball-fetching standard poodle named Zoe. When I visited the cabin last weekend, I walked around her property, stunned by the bursts of color from her rhododendrons, peonies, roses, lilacs, honeysuckle, and numerous other flowering plants. And then there was Zoe, who diligently followed me and dropped her ball at my feet whenever I'd pause.
Even though Zoe is a big, active dog, her damage to my mother-in-law's fabulous garden seems minimal at worst. There are several gravel paths, upon which Zoe usually travels when outside. Two grassy patches seem to be her preferred outdoor lounging spots, and she's well-trained enough not to tramp around in the surrounding flowering gardens or strawberry patches.

Do you negotiate the issue of shared garden and pet space? How do you deal with pets in your flower garden? Do you train Fido to stay out? Do you use fencing or natural deterrents to keep your pets away from your favorite plants? Tell me all about it!