Simple Homemade Dog Toy

When we got our new puppy last year, we were trying to keep costs down a little on toys. After all, dogs aren't really cheap, especially when you first get them. You have to pay for the dog itself, vet visits, a bed, crate, food, treats, toys, leash, collar, registration with the city, etc. Anyway, I found a picture of something similar online and decided to make it myself. We actually had a pair of jeans that belonged to my husband we were going to throw away. They had a hole in them so he no longer wore them.

Supplies:
old pair of jeans
scissors

Instructions: Okay, this is going to be rough, but I think you can handle it.
1. Cut up the jeans. I did nice long strips up the leg. There isn't really a wrong way to do this, but they need to be at least 8-10 inches long.
2. Tie a knot in the middle if your strip is shorter. Tie a knot at each end if your strip is longer.

It's really that easy. This toy is free. It's cheap. And if your dog is anything like mine, will still enjoy playing with it.

Recipe: Homemade Dog Treats

I made these for my pup and my sisters' dogs for Christmas and I gave some to our neighbors that have 3 dogs. I found some mini Christmas cookie cutters at Wal-Mart, but I know that you can find bones on Amazon and some craft stores. The dogs really seemed to enjoy these treats.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup old fashioned oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats and baking powder. Stir in the broth and peanut butter until the mixture forms a crumbly dough. Press the dough together to form a ball.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough for 30 seconds until smooth. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle, about ½-inch thick. Using a cookie-cutter, cut out and place on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake until light golden, about 20 minutes.

Have you ever made homemade dog treats? Do your dogs like them better than store bought?

5 Tips To Better Photograph Your Dog

My family adopted a sweet little pup a couple of months ago. Her name is Penny. She is so lovable, but she takes a little while to warm up to new people. Some dogs are like this. It makes it even harder to photograph them if you take them to a professional though because they have to spend so much time getting used to the photographer. I took pictures of my own dog. Since I'm her owner, I didn't have to go through that.

Here are 5 tips to help you take better pictures of your dog.

1. Let Your Dog Get Used To The Camera
If your dog has the chance to sniff the camera and here the shutter a couple time before you point it in their direction, they'll feel more comfortable when you start taking pictures of them.
2. Wear Your Dog Out Before You Start
Photographing dogs are like photographing children. They are active. They hardly ever sit still and it's not an easy job getting cute and beautiful photos from them. If they're worn out from playing before you start, you can get some nice relaxed shots. I don't suggest doing this when it's super hot outside or you'll get a lot of panting (giant tongue stuck out-which can sometimes be cute, but you don't want all your photos to look like this). Get some practice shots in while they're playing or running around. You know how I compared dogs to children? Well, just like children, sometimes dogs are even cuter when they're sleeping! If you get them tired enough, you might get some of these too.

3. Be Patient
Your dog is most likely not going to be 100% cooperative 100% of the time. Be patient. Wait it out. Chances are, if you wait for them to get their initial shyness or overwhelming urge to be crazy out, you'll get some amazing shots. Better yet, always keep your camera with you. That way, if you see the opportunity arise where your dog looks adorable or her surroundings really speak to who she is, you'll be ready.
4. Get Low
You don't want too many shots of your dog's head. If you get down to their level (unless you have a seriously massive dog) you'll get better profiles and straight on shots.

5. Use A Tripod If Your Dog Is Too Freaked By The Camera
Some dogs are not into seeing their owner disappear behind a camera. They see you hiding and think they're supposed to come find you. Sometimes, you can get some good shots still, but I suggest using a tripod. If you set up a tripod, use a remote shutter release, and stand just to the side of your camera, you can make funny faces and noises to get some cute looks from your pup.

Good luck with your dog's photography session. There are a lot of things to consider when taking pictures such as the lighting, aperture, ISO, background, etc. These are things to think about when photographing children, families, pets, couples, or anything really. These tips are to help you with your dog. We'll get into the tough stuff later.

Help me name my puppy!

My husband and I have made the choice to adopt a puppy. We're really excited about it and so is our 3-year-old son. We've picked out a dog and we're just in the middle of the adoption process. They're reviewing our application right now so there's no guarantee that we'll get this specific dog, but we WILL get a dog! Currently, we're looking at this dog:

She is a baby Boston Terrier. We've had a rough time coming up with names though. That's where all of you come in! Please help us come up with names! GIRL names! (I don't know about you, but it seems a lot easier to come up with boy names.) We've thought of Astrid or Lennon, but I'm not convinced that I could ever call my dog that. HELP!!!