What Breed Dog Should You Get?

 Getting Your First Family Dog: A Guide

Your first family dog is a big deal. Dogs are perfect for kids of all ages and can help them learn responsibility, social cues, and provide emotional support. The right dog will feel like another member of the family — something irreplaceable and perfect. The wrong dog can add frustration and anxiety into your home, which is why it is very important you prepare before you get your first dog. We're sharing tips to help you find the right dog breed for your family. So, what dog should you get? Read on to find out what breed makes the best pet for your family!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience.

1. Research the Breeds 

Choosing the right breed is the same as choosing the right dog. Breeds have their own characteristics and general personalities. Though each dog is certainly unique and full of personality, you will want to start off with the right breed profile. Namely, how much care and attention the breed needs. If you live in a wide-open space and are a very active family, you will want a bigger dog with lots of energy. That same dog in an apartment might become bored and frustrated. 

You need to find the right breed for your family's lifestyle. Consider your living space, how long and how far you can go on walks with the dog, and even how much care the dog needs. Some dogs need to be mentally challenged with puzzles or hunting. Other dogs are happy to lay around on the couch for most of the day. 

Service Dogs

2. Find a Reputable Breeder 

While there are puppy mills and puppy smuggling operations, buying from either is supporting cruelty to dogs (in this case the parents.) Be sure to research ahead of time and make sure you find a reputable breeder. Not only does this rule out abuse, it also increases the likelihood of healthier puppy litters. 

Dealing with the loss of a Pet

3. Sign Up for Puppy Training 

As this is your first job you will want to sign up for puppy training. Even long-time dog owners sign up for puppy training because it gives them a refresher and a crash course to get their puppy’s training up to speed. 

Pet Name as Password Quote

4. Split Up Responsibilities 

You don’t want your puppy to end up being only your dog amongst your family. To enjoy the full range of benefits, you'll want your kids to also take care of your dog. Split up responsibilities so that everyone has something to do. Your dog will love everyone in the family, your kids will have emotional support and a playmate, and everyone can improve their sense of responsibility. 

Gift Ideas for Pets

5. Know How to Handle Difficulties 

Dogs come with difficulties. Some are anxious, some get sick in the car, some are destructive, and others are a bit aggressive with their affection. You need to be prepared for these personality quirks and know how to handle them. Anxiety and even nausea can often be improved with something as simple as a CBD treat from ceebeedoo.com, while other issues will need careful training. You'll need to be prepared and be ready to try out a variety of different tactics to help improve your dog’s behavior. 

Cool Gift Ideas for Pet Parents

6. Build a Healthy Routine 

Dogs love routine, so be sure to build one for them. This means eating breakfast at the same time, going for a walk, and so on. Dogs can be very patient while they wait for the next scheduled item on the list, and in doing so, you can keep a calm, clean home with your happy family. 

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When you have to find a new home for your beloved Pet

Dealing with Death of a Pet

10 Things to Do After You Lose Your Dog

As soon as you bring your dog home, it becomes part of the family. All the shared moments, including the annoying ones - like chewing on your favorite pair of shoes - make your beloved pet more than just a dog. Our pets are full fledged members of our families. So, losing a pet is not easy for most pet owners. After being with your pet for so long, dealing with the death of a pet is difficult. Here are 10 things to do after you lose your dog or other beloved pet.

This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon.

Pet Hacks: Dealing with Death of a Pet.

10 Tips on Dealing with Pet Death

Given that dogs are among the most loving and affectionate animals, their death can take a toll on their owners. When it comes to dealing with the loss of a dog, it's certainly no easier than the loss of a close relative. If you're just going through such a situation, here are 10 things you can do to cope with the loss of your favorite pet:

1. Hold a ceremony

Rituals help a lot with grieving the loss of a loved one and the loss of a pet is no different. Holding a ceremony allows you to celebrate the time you had with your beloved pet dog. It also creates an opportunity for other people who loved the dog to be part of his final journey. Besides, organizing the whole ritual will give you a sense of control over what is happening, and a certain peace of mind that you have accorded your dog utmost respect. It can keep your mind busy in the toughest days, right after the death of your pet.

2. Write down your feelings

Writing can be very therapeutic when dealing with death. Most times, it helps people to express the emotions that are too hard to verbalize. You can even turn your writing into a letter to your dog in heaven. This will allow you to invite better thoughts in your mind and help you to move forward in the grieving process.

3. Allow yourself to be sad

Hiding your sadness won't do you any good. Feel sad, and cry if you must. Know that the deepest pain won't last forever.

4. Reach out to others who have lost pets

You never have to do any of it alone. Other people have lost dogs before too, and they can help you cope. They'll understand and won't give you a hard time by saying, "it's just a dog." Pet people get it.

5. Get a new dog

The absence of a dog can leave you feeling lonely. Getting a new dog may not replace the old one. However, it's one way to to deal with the loneliness of the loss of a pet. As you consider the top 5 smartest dogs in the world which one should I buy for family, look for a dog that needs as much love as you do. It helps to get a rescue dog. This way, both of you can find love, companionship, and comfort together.

However, do take your time. Don't rush into getting a new pet, lest it feels like a replacement of your old one. If you aren't ready for a new dog, give it time dealing with the loss of a pet is like any other grieving process, it takes time.

6. Take your time to grieve

Like with any other loss, grieving the death of a pet is part of the process. You can't overlook the absence of a longtime companion dog. Instead of putting yourself through the pressure of forgetting it happened, take time to grieve. Don't expect all the ache to go away in just a few days. Give yourself time to go through the rough patch of losing your pet.

7. Recreate a memory

It helps to invite good thoughts your way. Recreating a memory you shared with your pet can help bring some laughter back into your life. It's also a nice way to get over the pain of not having your dog with you anymore. Go to the bark park and visit with other dogs. Saying hello to your pet's old friends may bring a tear to your eye, but it can also make you happy. Dog parks are fun for everyone!

8. Create a legacy

Your pet has impacted more than one life. Create a legacy for his life. Gather up pictures of your pet to form a photo album or even create a special scrapbook dedicated to your pet. This will help you preserve the memories of your dog and give you something to reminisce through with family members and friends.

9. Talk to a professional

There is no shame in seeking help. Asking a professional to help you cope with the loss of your pet can be the best and quickest way to your emotional healing.

10. Volunteer at an animal shelter

If getting another dog isn't an option for you, volunteering at an animal shelter is a good way to continue expressing your love for dogs.

Dealing with the loss of a pet is a journey that all pet owners must take. The more you face it upfront, the easier it becomes. For more posts about Pets follow our Pet Board, Amanda's Animal Party, on Pinterest.

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3 Things You Need To Know About Service Dogs for Kids

Service Dogs for Kids

While a service dog requires a bit of upkeep, it can also help kids with disabilities to manage their health, development, and happiness. If you believe that your child could benefit from a service animal, do your research.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

You’ll want to answer the following questions: 

• What conditions merit the use of a service dog? 
• How do you care for these pets? 
• What is training like? How do they help? 

We’ve compiled the top 3 things you’ll want to know about owning a guide or hearing dog for your child. Use our list to help you decide whether obtaining a service dog is right for your family. 

There Isn’t Just One Type of Service Animal

Contrary to what you might see on TV or in movies, there are dozens of different types of training a pet can go through to become ready for service. These can help guide, care for, and watch over kids with different kinds of disabilities.

Types of trained pets include:

• Hearing
• Walker or Balance
• Social pets
• Guide pets
• Seizure Alert
• Dogs for Psychiatric Disabilities

These animals help kids with different types of difficulties in day to day life that can be fulfilled by the pet. 

For example, seizure alert dogs are trained to alert people when a seizure is about to occur. Social dogs, on the other hand, are great at helping kids with developmental disabilities interact and engage with other people. 

Trained pets help people of all ages, independence levels, and backgrounds. You can find more information about training and assistance for service dog owners on the SDRA website.

Service Animals Don’t Need a Certificate to Work

A common misconception when contemplating a guide or a seizure alert animal is that it may be difficult to get around with it. The opposite is true. There are policies in place to protect your rights so that you aren’t given a hard time with the pet in public.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that service animals are allowed to work with or without certification. This means that businesses and organizations are not allowed to prevent you from traveling with your pet. Many businesses have made it a policy to not ask whether a dog is medically necessary or not.

Working Dogs Are Still Dogs

While you may be getting a service dog to simplify your life and aid your child, the dog is not only a helper. The animal is trained and registered officially to provide assistance for owners, but it is still a dog. It requires all of its needs met as well. Just like any normal dog, it needs exercise, food, water, and plenty of love.

Taking care of a dog can be fun, but it is also expensive. Be sure that you are ready to take on the financial and time investment that a dog requires. You need to afford veterinary appointments and food, have the time to give the dog baths, and take it for walks. Be sure that you are ready before taking on this responsibility.

The Bottom Line

A service dog can do great things for your child’s health and development. It can help them to navigate the world around them more freely. It can help with their confidence and happiness. It can even preempt and assist with health issues like seizures. 

Be sure that you think about what it means to own a guide animal before you make the purchase. Use these tips to help you figure out whether you would like to bring a service dog into your child’s life.

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Food Kids will eat: Watch me pull a Chicken Sandwich out of a hat Recipe?

Looking for food your kids will eat? 

Jake graduates from chicken nuggets to chicken sandwiches in this easy chicken recipe. The secret: Hot Dog Buns.

Chicken nugget chicken sandwiches for kids with hot dog buns.

 A big, Tyson, chicken patty is too big. I saw frozen, mini-sandwiches at Target @ 6 for $2.99, not a bad price, I guess. I am so frugal. It seems like a waste. My $3 could be better spent elsewhere. Have you tried Chick-Fil-A's mini-breakfast sandwiches? These are so awesome :-) Election day, they were handing them out at my polling place, "Yum!" Strictly by accident, I stumbled across this idea.

Happy Accidents are the best!

Jake begged me to make a chicken sandwich for him. We had nuggets, but he refused to eat them! 


He wants a chicken sandwich with pickles and ketchup only.

(He has taken to calling me 'waiter'.)

Jake and I struggle with 'Vegetarianism'. He needs to eat more protein so I am always thinking of a new way to get protein for both of us... Peanut Butter, Cottage Cheese...)

Somebody sent me a message because a light bulb turned on in my head. I took his plate, laid out a hot dog bun, and cut the halves apart. Then I took 3 chicken nuggets and spaced them out evenly on the bottom half of the hot dog bun, added a pickle on each nugget, then a squirt of ketchup. Next, I put the top on the sandwich and cut it neatly into 3 sections- or "mini-chicken sandwiches".

The Amazing Mumford would present this with an-

"A-la Mini-Chicken Sandwiches!"

"Jake its chicken nuggets or nothing. We only have hot dog buns, no hot dogs, and nuggets!" "Waiter, I want a chicken sandwich with no mayo, just pickles, no cheese, and ketchup!" "Arrgh!  We don't..."

Mini Chicken Sandwich from Chicken Nuggets.

Poof!

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Chicago Style Hot Dog Pizza Bites

What do you get when combine a Hot dog and Chicago Style Pizza? Yummy pizza bites, of course!

Angie's Recipes 

Hot Dog Printable from churchhousecollection.com

Chicago Style Hot Dog Bites

I made this as a light dinner one night and we were all pleasantly surprised. My kids, of course, loved it because it was made with hot dogs. My husband and I looked at the recipe and weren't so sure. This would be great as a snack or an appetizer for a kids party or any kids gathering, plus the kids could have fun helping put it all together.

Click image for more food clip-art from churchhousecollection.com

Ingredients:

2 pkg (12 oz) flaky buttermilk biscuits (Don't Use Grands style biscuits, they are to doughy. I learned this the hard way)

2 tsp poppy seeds (I just omitted them altogether)

3 hot dogs

2 small whole dill pickles or 1/2 cup coarsely chopped(I used dill relish)

1 small onion

2 plum tomatoes or 1 roma

4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1/4 Cup yellow mustard

Preheat oven to 400.  Pull apart biscuit layers horizontally in half to form 40 biscuits. Arrange biscuits over Large Round Stone or any round pizza pan or you can also use the large bar pan, overlapping as necessary. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and bake 13-15 min or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, cut hot dogs in half lengthwise then crosswise into 1/4 in thick half moons. Place hot dogs into small micro-cooker or any microwave safe bowl, microwave covered on high for 30-45 seconds or until hot.  Coarsely chop pickles and onions using food chopper.  Blot excess moisture from pickles using paper towels.  Seed and dice tomatoes.  Combine pickles, onions and tomatoes in a bowl; mix well and set aside.  

Removing baking stone from oven to cooling rack, top biscuits with hot dogs and cheese. Bake 3-4 min or until cheese is melted.  Remove from oven; top with vegetable mixture and drizzle with mustard.

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Best Pet Beds for Medium and Large Dogs

Comfy Pet Bed for Dogs

If you are looking for a great dog bed, the Runyon Deluxe Pet Bed from Brentwood Home is one of the best pet beds for medium and large dogs. It is roomy enough for two medium sized dogs or lots of little ones. We were given this super durable, comfy pet bed for review. Guess what? We've got one for you too. Scroll to the bottom of this post for details. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Best Pet Beds for Medium and Large Dogs.

Home School How to play games and get your Kids Moving (Activity games for Kids)

You played these games in PE class, now teach your kids how to play games in Home School. 

Here are rules for 6 activity games for kids that don't take up too much space. Preschoolers love them, so do older elementary students. For a real hoot, play them at a Teen Birthday Party! We've added a little twist to some of these kid's activities so don't let the names send you away. Enjoy!

Kids PE Activities: Simon says, "Bark like a dog!" 
Change an old game up by digging in a costume trunk.

Musical Chairs
To play you will need chairs (or carpet squares); one fewer than the total number of players, music you can stop and go easily (for a twist designate someone to sing). Start with the chairs in a circle. When the music starts, the players will walk in a circle around the chairs. After a few seconds, the person who is controlling the music shuts it off, and all of the players scramble to sit. The player left standing is out of the game. The remaining players stand up again, one more chair is removed, and the music starts again. Repeat until there is one player left in the game. If you have a large number of children, as they get out move them to an inner circle, and let them play inside around a single chair to heighten the action moving in the opposite direction of the outer circle.


Duck Duck Goose
Who doesn't love a game of duck, duck, goose? We change it up for the seasons and play Ghost Ghost Goblin or Bunny Bunny Chick (Must hop around the circle) Have the participants sit down in a circle facing each other. One person is "it" and walks around the outside of the circle gently tapping each player on the head and saying either “duck" or “goose." When a person is tapped on the head and called “goose,” they  stand up and chases the person who is “it” around the outside of the circle, trying to tag “it” before the player can sit down in the spot where the "goose" was sitting. If the "goose" is able to tag "it," then the "goose" can return back to his seat.  "It" repeats the same procedure again. If "it" is sits before being tagged by the "goose," then the "goose" becomes "it" and the game starts again. 

Balloon Volleyball
Blow up one balloon, and locate a divider to serve as a net. A doorway, some kitchen chairs, a jump rope on the floor, or a fence make great 'do not cross lines'. Players hit the balloon back and forth across the “net” until someone misses. When one misses the balloon, the other scores one point. The first team to reach 10 points wins.

Simon Says
Mark a line on the ground (jump ropes work great or sidewalk chalk) and another line about 10' in front of the first. "Simon" stands on one line; and the players line up on the other line. "Simon" calls out directions to the players telling them actions or movements to make to move forward. For example, if "Simon" calls out "Simon says bark like a dog," then all of the players who bark like a dog get to move forward one step. If "Simon" does not start with "Simon says," then the players should not move. If a player does move, he has to return to the starting line and begin again. The first player to cross over the line where "Simon" is standing is the winner. For a fun twist, have a costume trunk nearby so the players can get in character. For example, for hop like a bunny everyone must grab bunny ears.

Red Light, Green Light 
Mark a line on the ground and another line 15-20' in front of the first. The person who is the "traffic light" stands on one line, and the players line up on the other line. The "traffic light" faces the players when it is a red light. When the "traffic light" turns his back to the players it is a green light, and the players can move towards the finish line. As soon as the "traffic light" turns back to face the players the light is red, and all of the players must freeze. During this time, no players are allowed to move. If a player does move on a red light; he has to go back to the starting line and begin again. The first player to cross over the line where the "traffic light" is standing is the winner. For a twist, add a yellow light where players must move slowly (they could even be required to crawl) or a blue light where players must walk backward. We always just shout out the light color.

Cherry Pickers
This stretching exercise requires the players to stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at sides. Then, the player will bend forward at the waist, reaching down and touching fingertips to the ground in front of his feet. He will then move his fingertips back so they are between his legs, and then back farther so they are through his legs. This movement should resemble picking cherries. The players stands back up, claps hands, and repeats the movements again. Pair two children back to back, and have them try to touch each other's fingertips.

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Games for Parties

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Cool Creative Lunch Box Ideas for Tweens & Teens

These Lunch Box Ideas for Tweens are Fun and Creative

Do you miss sending cute notes or packing fun school lunches for your toddler? Now that your toddler has blossomed into a tween, you don' t have to stop the fun. Sure, they embarrass easy. Sure, they don't think you are cool, but that doesn't mean you can't pack a cool school lunch! Get creative with these lunch box ideas for tweens. Enjoy!

You are never too old for Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers, especially now that they have added lots of new flavors. Think Pizza and Parmesan, Pretzels and Cheddar, and so much more. The packages are bold and cool enough for tweens to share with their friends. So, whatever you pack in the school lunch, be sure to add your tween's favorite flavor of Goldfish Crackers.

Jake is checking for his favorite flavor combinations to add to his lunch.

So, yeah, you probably aren't going to pack them swimming in a cup of blue pudding or draw a game of Fish Tac Toe on their lunch bag, but you can get creative with the contents of their lunch box.

Foodgawker.com shares this fun, stoplight sandwich. It isn't too flashy, but your tween will smile when they see it! Better yet, serve it up to a teen about to get their driver's permit.

Spotlight Sandwich from FoodGawker.com is fun for celebrating a Learner's Permit.

These monster sandwiches are fun for a Halloween lunch idea.

Find these Monster Sandwiches at Behance.net.

These Mini Corn Dog Muffins from IowaGirlEats.com will please picky eaters. Pop in some Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers and their favorite fruit or veggie, and you are cool again! :)

Mini Corn Dog Muffins are perfect for a creative lunch for tweens.

Whatever you pack in your tween or teen lunch box, don't forget the Wet Ones. Did you know Wet Ones makes individually wrapped single wipes that are perfect for school lunch boxes? We found them at Walmart in the Personal Care aisle. They clean sticky hands better than hand sanitizers and kill 99.9% of nasty germs. You know, the germs that all of the kids like to share all over the school!

Add Wet Ones Singles to your tweens lunch box.

Our go to lunch sandwich is cream cheese on white bread. We add some fruit and a crunchy munchie, like Goldfish Crackers. If you follow the blog, you know that we homeschool, but that doesn't mean we don't pack lunches! We like to homeschool on the road whenever possible. Wednesdays are park days, Tuesdays are museum or library days, and Thursdays are 4-H days. Rather than stopping for fast food all the time, we try to pack a fun lunch.

What do you pack in your tween's lunch? Do they still do chicken nuggets and peanut butter and jelly?

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wet Ones® + Pepperidge Farm® . The opinions and text are all mine.