Showing posts with label Doggystyle. Show all posts

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DoggyStyle: Saving Money with Human Gear for Dogs

I always love seeing that preparedness estimator saying that you should be prepared to spend $1,000 a year to own a pup. Though after some unexpected illnesses, food, and training classes, we found the cost can be much, much more, especially when you have a short-haired, cold-prone pup in the middle of Chiberia.
We are always looking for ways to save money, thought it seems like so many of the dog-specific items can cost more than our own clothes. Here are some ways we've learned to save money using human products for our pups.

If You Can't Find a Dog Sweater:

get an inexpensive human sweater and modify it for your pup.

Our Sociabulls friend Buddha got this argyle sweater from a thrift store for only $3. You can have the option of having more coverage in the arms, or removing all of the arms for the sweater-vest look. The only other modification would be to sew it so it fits closer to the body and leaving an area to pee. It's so inexpensive that it wouldn't matter if it gets torn when playing, and you probably wouldn't find another pup with the same sweater.

If You Need to Keep Your Pup's Neck Warm:

use a human scarf.
We have been using snoods to cover the space between our pups' coats, especially where the metal from their collars can get really cold, but human scarves would work just as well.
You could use a kids' scarf if you need something shorter, or an adult scarf that you would just wrap around a few more times.
Doesn't our friend Sprocket look so stylish?

If You're Looking for a Less Expensive Coat Option:

use a kid's puffy vest.
We had been looking for a dog coat with a hood and fuzzy collar for a long time, and when we saw this kids' vest on super-sale we thought we would test it out. It turns out, kids' size 10/12 fits our Mr. B perfectly. We made a slit in the armholes for extra movement. The biggest modification it needs is to hold up the stomach area so the pups don't pee on the gear. When we first tried it we pinned it up with a binder clip (making sure it didn't rub against his skin) and later we were able to sew that section up.

If you can't find a dog costume in your pups' sizes:

check the kids' section.
We know a lot of pups participate in Pride Parades or dress up for Halloween, though it can be difficult to find gear for larger dogs. Plus, it can get expensive to find things they will only wear once. We search the kids' section for the pups' hats and costumes. We wrote more about it, here.

Does anyone else have ways you save money using human-geared products for your pups?

Also:
Other ways we save money using human products for our pups.
Macguyver with dogs.
Walkable Halloween costumes.

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Detail: DoggyStyle: Saving Money with Human Gear for Dogs

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DoggyStyle: Mopping a Dog Home (The One That Finally Works!)

Despite what a lot of people think, my apartment was actually much dirtier when I didn't own dogs.
I've realized that part of it is having more self-awareness to prevent messes, then just finding cleaning products you actually enjoy using.
Our elusive product was finding a mop that was actually easy to use. We had high hopes for the Dyson Hard DC56, but it ended up being hard to use.
Though we think we found something that works:

Miss M is skeptical of mops

We decided to try the Twist and Shout mop which seems to have all of the solutions that people complain about in a mop. It has an extra-plush microfiber head which is easy to slide along the floor and it doesn't need a lot of arm strength. It is circular and it has a swivel head which makes it easy to fit into angles and crevices. With the microfiber head it can be used as a dry mop to dust the floor, but it really gets fancy when it's used as a wet mop. It has a lever and comes with a special bucket where the mop actually spins to wring all of the water out. With a couple of pushes it becomes super-dry, which is really important for hardwood floors.

They recommend watching the Youtube video to make sure you know how to spin it correctly--basically just make sure that it's upright and none of the strings are hanging out of the bucket--but it is really easy to use.

I like that you don't need to use special formula or wipes, and the mop head can be put in the laundry. If you need to buy replacement mop heads they are only about $5 each.

Out of all of the Swiffers, sponge mops, Martha Stewart mops, general cleaning mops, and the fancy Dyson, this has been the easiest, and most "fun" mop to use. Even though I wasn't singing and dancing like the commercial.

Miss M wrings out the mop

The only thing I didn't like was that you need to use the specific bucket it comes with and that bucket can be large and hard to store. Beyond that, I think our search is over and we have found the mop that makes mopping fun.

I've also been hearing a couple of different things about caring for hardwood floors.
I've heard that you should really just use a dry mop, and only use a very dry wet-mop with vinegar and water on rare occasions.
What is everyone else doing for your hardwood floors?

Also:
The well-scented dog home.
Being preventative.
How we make cleaning fun.
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Detail: DoggyStyle: Mopping a Dog Home (The One That Finally Works!)

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DoggyStyle: When Pups Move in

Most people don't know that when Miss M and I were bachelorettes together, she was actually the 'modern girl' who decided to move in with E long before I did. (We wrote a bit more about it in this post here.)
Spending years reading girly magazines, I know a lot of people find it stressful when they are combining households. Though Miss M actually turned out to be the low-maintenence girlfriend.

Personal Space

We know how hard it can be for dogs when their routine is disrupted, and we wanted Miss M to have as many familiar things as possible. The most important thing for us was to set up her crate which gave her a familiar personal space she could retreat to if she became overwhelmed.
It was later that we discovered this Molly Mutt Crate Cover to help it blend in.

Organizing Stuff

Food and treats seem to be the second biggest change that come with a dog. To keep it from becoming overwhelming, we get rid of the original packaging and store everything in food safe containers. We made this "treat bar" and when we fed Miss M dry food we used a dog food safe (they have canned food now).
In her pre-blog days Miss M only had one coat, one extra collar and a few toys. All of her possessions fit into a single storage bin.
When Mr. B moved in, and he was able to keep his toys intact for so long, we began using this personalized bin.

Bonus: Social Dog Beds

When it was just Miss M, we only had one bed for her and the occasional floor pillow. Though when Mr. B moved in we decided to get 'social dog beds' seeing that the pups liked spending time in the rooms where we hang out. Since they are getting older, we decided to get proper beds for them which are more gentle for their joints. We even made them these twin dog beds.
What are some things you set up when your pup moved in?

Also:
Mr B's personal space is a tepee
But is it really personal space?
Apartment dogs!

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DoggyStyle: Unrealized Outcomes of Pinterest Hacks (for Dogs!)

Along with so many others, lately we've been sucked into all the goodness that is Pinterest. With it's endless scrolls of photos, recipes, and home hacks we've been tempted to try some things on our own.

With some outcomes that we never expected.

Here are some of the dog-related things we tried:

Using Caulk on the Undersides of our Dog Rugs to keep them From Sliding

We love having these fluffy rugs scattered around our home as a place for our pups to lay that also looks nice. Though they would always slide around so much that we wanted something to secure them in place. Enter Pinterest where we found this idea to use caulk to slip-proof our rug.

At first it worked really well. And we were happy. But then we realized if the rugs did move, from a vacuum or sliding dog, then all the caulk would come undone and you would just have to re-do everything. And after they came undone the first time, we just never replaced it.

We had also read about some people who had issues with discoloring. When we first removed the caulk there was some initial discoloring, though it did disappear with washing and time.

Using Virgin Coconut Oil for Pups' Chapped Skin and Itchy Spots

Pinterest is filled with pins about the many uses of Virgin Coconut Oil. From being a hair conditioner to seasoning cast iron skillets to eating it as a supplement. We also found out it's safe for dogs.
It worked wonders on Miss M's chapped nose and soothing some itchy spots on Mr. B.
The only downside...it's too delicious.
Miss M spends the whole time licking the oil off of her nose...and off of Mr. B.

Fixing Scratches on Wood Furniture

I never thought this pin about fixing scratches on wood furniture would involve the dogs. Our coffee table is a bit scuffed, and I was excited to try this vinegar and olive oil mix. While it did make some of our scratches less noticeable--though not as amazing as the example in the pin--we did have a problem: Miss M thought this concoction was delicious. Every time I turned my back she was trying to sneak a lick of the table.

These are some of our behind-the-scenes outcomes. Any other stories from great Pinterest pins? Or fails?

Also:
How we learned to save money using human products for our pups
This one worked. And it keeps our home smelling nice!
Discussing Coconut Oil and dog allergies.

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Detail: DoggyStyle: Unrealized Outcomes of Pinterest Hacks (for Dogs!)

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DoggyStyle: Accommodating Dogs on Furniture

If we were a sitcom, all of our scenes and storylines would take place on this 'set'. Though when we go on 'summer hiatus', we move over here.
We aren't kidding when we say the winters are so horrible we need to soak up every minute of the summer. What was once a barren 10x10 deck when E lived here in his bachelor days, has now become an over-acheiving seasonal room multi-tasking as: herb garden, al fresco cafe, outdoor movie theatre, and urban lounge escape all in one. We have even perfected the ability to just roll out of bed to begin enjoying the outdoors.

Ever since this great debate, we have decided to give the pups outdoor furniture privileges. We took your advice and we decided to use a blanket--which has also doubled as a picnic blanket--as a quick cover to make sure the space is still comfortable for guests.

Which also inspired us to change up our outdoor room this year: adding some more vibrant flowers, making pillows out of extra serapes (thanks ebay!) and adding a layered rug. Which looks so much different than it did here.
Our pooches love being outside so much, it has been hard to convince them to come back in.

Also:
Some people think this is a terrible part of living in the city, but this is what it is really like.

Detail: DoggyStyle: Accommodating Dogs on Furniture

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Doggystyle: How do you Integrate your Pup's Stuff into your Home?

We just had a friend visit who mentioned how nice it was that even though we had our two pups, it wasn't like they really took over much space in our home. Which is kind of funny because looking back, when I first adopted Miss M her big crate was prominent in the middle of my living room and her toys were scattered in every room of the house. It was always a big deal to have visitors. I think we've come a long way, and here are some things we've learned since then:

Use Human Products:

We found that the biggest way to hide our dog things is to not buy specific dogs things but to buy human products that we use for the dogs. Instead of beds in our living room we have nice floor pillows where the pups lay, we use Serving bowls as dog bowls, and we make our dog treats look nicer with modern storage canisters. And it actually saves money.
We wrote more about it here.

Have a Designated Space for Everything:

Miss M wonders why she doesn't get a personalized toy bin

While each of our pups have their own raingear, coats, hoodies, and toys, we've learned to keep everything hidden away, but still easily accessible. We use stackable bins to store the pups' gear, but still keep everything within reach. Mr B has this personalized toy bin. And we keep all of our dog-walking gear organized in our front entry. We wrote about it here.

Integrate the Crates:

The crates have been the hardest thing to work with, but we know it's important to keep them because they provide the pups with a safe private space. Having a dog who is able to be crated also makes it easier if you need a friend to watch your pup while you're away. Since Mr. B has crate anxiety, we actually traded his crate out for a tepee. We wrote more about it here.
And while it took us awhile, we finally realized that Miss M's crate could like nicer for us, and be more fun and den-like for her, when we got a Molly Mutt crate cover. We wrote about it here.

These are things that work for us, what are some ways you integrate your pups' stuff into your home?

Also:
The well-scented dog home
Easy cleaning with pups
And we always have this secret cleaning weapon

Detail: Doggystyle: How do you Integrate your Pup's Stuff into your Home?

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DoggyStyle: Minimizing Toy Clutter

One of our ongoing struggles with the pups is living in a smaller space and managing our stuff, the dog stuff, and trying to make sure our home doesn't look too much like an aisle of Petsmart.
Even after spending time cleaning, the pups will keep taking their toys out and leave them laying around so things don't look so clean anymore.

After trying to fight it, I realized that maybe I could find some "pretty" toys that I actually wouldn't mind being left laying around.
Miss M is not very particular about the toys she plays with. She only likes toys to toss in the air and shove in Mr. B's face, so I knew she would cooperate. I picked up some thicker, nicer looking fabric from Ikea and I made her some toy bones.