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. 

Recommended:

More Tips on Dogs from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Books on Dog Breeds

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

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.

Recommended:

Job Ideas for People with Autism

Articles about Special Needs

How To Take Care Of Your Entire Family This Winter

Flu and Cold Season is on the Way

The beginning of the school year, can signal the beginning of colds and flu in your home. When the weather becomes cooler and the days grow shorter, health may become a significant concern. Coughs, colds, and even the flu, as well as more severe diseases, can suddenly become considerably more common. It's essential to understand some of the ways you can help your whole family stay healthy during winter so you can enjoy the time you spend together while everyone is safe and sound. The following tip will help you take care of your family during winter months of cold and flu season.

Tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season

Eat Healthily 

Our bodies are amazing machines that convert what we put into them in the form of food and drink into energy and hormones that do everything for us. We are happier and healthier when we eat the proper meals. A bad diet means our immune systems don't work as well as they should, and sometimes shut down altogether, so eating correctly to get enough vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies strong and ready to fight off the numerous illnesses that attack us, particularly during the winter months, is crucial. Try this recipe for baked salmon.

Adopt Healthy Lifestyle as a Family

Fruits and vegetables are the simplest methods to get these nutrients, so getting your five a day is critical. If it's a challenge to include more fruits and vegetables into your diet, try preparing a nutritious morning smoothie for everyone.  Here's a fun way to get kids to eat potassium rich bananas.

Keep Clean 

The simple act of washing your hands can help to keep everyone in the home healthy, and not just the individual who did the hand-washing. The initial point of contact between you and a virus or illness is usually your hands. Giving a loved one a hug, shaking hands, holding hands, and so on can spread diseases from one person to the next. By ensuring that everyone washes their hands frequently (particularly after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, and wiping your or a child's nose), you can minimize the chance of unpleasant diseases spreading. If washing your hands causes dry skin (as it may during the winter months), then invest in some excellent hand lotion as well to keep the momentum going. 

This "how to wash your hands" interactive printable lesson is great for the classroom or homeschool, it explains the importance of hand washing in detail and makes it fun.

Check The Animals 

If you have pets, you might discover that they are prone to sickness during the winter months as well. They, too, have immune systems, and although they don't function exactly like ours, that doesn't mean they can't become sick. It is important to take your pet to a great vet, such as exceptionalpets.com, if you suspect they are ill. In this way, you can keep your pet healthy, and everyone else in the family since some animal illnesses can spread to humans.  Our pets can even catch Covid19, so if you're sick, watch them for symptoms. Our bird, a Cockatiel, was very sick when we had Covid, luckily he recovered with some TLC.

Exercise

Getting adequate exercise is another brilliant way to strengthen the immune system. This could be as easy as taking your dog for a walk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Park a bit further away from the supermarket's entrance, so you'll have to walk a little longer. Spend some time cleaning up the leaves in the garden. It doesn't have to be an exercise class or an hour at the gym, and the more people that participate, the better.  We've got some fun PE Activities to get you moving,check them out!

Disney’s Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever! – Sunday Nov 4, 2012

Looking for Fun things to do with the kids?

Printable Pumpkin Carving Templates
Full Color Printable Game and Activity

What mom doesn't have the theme song form Phineas and Ferb stuck in her head? I think it was my daughter's first words! One day, she was toddling across the floor and the next, she was shouting, "Mom, Phineas and Ferb are making a title sequence!" Do what now? Well ever since then, I hum about 104 days of summer vacation.

Did you hear the news? "Mom! Phineas and Ferb are going on a live tour!” Join the Danville Tri-State Area Gang for a high-energy ride through their wildest invention yet in Disney’s Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!  The beloved characters from Disney Channel's animated series embark on a bold escape from the television screen to a live action adventure – right in your hometown! This exciting live stage production performs at BANKERS LIFE FIELDHOUSE in INDIANAPOLIS, NOVEMBER 4, 2012. 

Are you kidding me? I get to hear the song live? I'm on it!


Did you know Phineas and Ferb was created by Emmy Award-winning Dan Povenmire ("Family Guy") and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh ("The Simpsons" and "Rocko's Modern Life"), this stand-out comedy series follows Phineas Flynn and his stepbrother, Ferb Fletcher, as they set out to optimize every day of their 104-day summer vacation, dreaming the impossible dream -- and then doing it, including building a rollercoaster or a beach in their own backyard.  

Unbeknownst to them, their pet platypus Perry has a double life as suave secret Agent P, deftly battling the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz to save the world.  Meanwhile, older sister Candace is aghast at her brothers' antics and makes it her life's work to tattle on them to Mom and Dad, though somehow she can never seem to catch them red-handed.

Agent P we love you! Perry the Platypus pajamas, t-shirts, toys and the like fill our house. Perry, you are a hero around here. So much so, we've researched putting a pet platypus in our pond. When our cat comes up missing, well the little one knows we don't need to worry- he's off on spy duty.

Guess what! I have the honor of giving you the secret spy code to discount tickets for the Indy show:

 ~Kid’s 2-12 years old only $10 with the CODE: CHILD for 4pm & 7pm performances.      Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Hurry, the secret offer ends Nov 3, 2012.

Bankers Life Fieldhouse (125 South Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN  46204)

Sunday, November 4 – 1:00pm; 4:00pm; 7:00pm

Ticket Prices:  $75.00 / $60.00 / $37.00/ $25.00/$20.00/$15.00
To order tickets by phone:  317-917-2727
Online: www.ticketmaster.com

Disney’s Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever! 

Go to www.PhineasAndFerbLive.com, or visit us on Facebook and YouTube for more information.

Feld Entertainment has graciously given me tickets to attend the event and share with my readers.

*We never share email or personal information. Third parties may through content and advertising collect information directly from visitors and place or recognize cookie's on visitor's browsers. We are given tickets to attend these events and share our experiences with our readers.

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15 Obscure, Unusual, Unique Holidays January Calendar

January Calendar of Special Days and Holidays

We're always looking for obscure holidays to plan our blog ideas. Here is a list of January holidays to theme your classroom boards or craft activities. Scroll down for a free printable January calendar of holidays for the classroom. Enjoy!

Pin it! Preschool Scavenger Hunt is full of great theme ideas for special holidays and seasonal activities for preschoolers. Hop over, and check it out. Our Pinterest profile also has ideas for classroom bulletin boards and elementary room doors plus great ideas for homeschooling. No matter the special day, I hope you'll look around my site for more ideas for kids' activities.

January Holidays and Special Days Calendar 
to plan activities to do with kids.

• January 1 - while this day is known to everyone around the world as New Year's Day, it is also the birthday of America's beloved Betsy Ross maker of our U.S. flag. (1752) Click for Free American Flag Coloring Page Printables.
• January 7 - Harlem Globetrotters started as the Savoy Big Five. (1926)
• January 8 - National Clean Off Your Desk Day. Maybe if you tell the kids that, they will find it motivating?
• January 9 - National Apricot Day. So find some dried apricots or dry your own and make an apricot doll. Wait. They do that with dried apples. Well, do it anyway - invent that!
• January 10 - Volunteer Firefighter's Day, now that's a good day. It honors some brave folks. How about a little fireman appreciation. Do some crafting with Dalmatians or maybe make some hats or play fireman with an old cut up hose.
• January 11 - Got Milk? Well, you better get some because today is Milk Day. If you want a really obscure special occasion it is also my parent's anniversary!
• January 13 - The Frisbee was invented in Connecticut, because what would we do without the Frisbee really? I mean it was the original boredom buster, right. Dogs love it. I had a boyfriend once who loved it. And then, he got a dog so...
• January 14 - Speaking of dogs, the 15th is Dress up your Pet Day. You could dress your pet up as a Volunteer Firefighter or a Dalmatian; that'd be a hoot.
• January 14 - Speaking of hoots or birds anyway, It is Bald Eagle Day. Do not dress up your bald eagle today. I repeat, do not dress up your bald eagle today. Have you seen their talons. Yep, this is a bad idea.
• January 15 - National Hat Day. Hello, I've got some hat crafts. I can help you with that day! Peruse these walls or these frames, you will find many more hats for holidays.
• January 17 - Ben Franklin's Birthday. How about a fun science project for preschoolers to celebrate.
• January 19 - It is Archery day. No, kids it didn't start with the Hunger Games, it has been around a long, long, time. Why not paint a bull's eye in color wheel colors so you can learn two things at once. You know, kill two birds with one stone. Ahem. One arrow, I mean.
• January 20 - Penguin Awareness Day, although Penguins are birds please don't go throwing rocks or shooting arrows at them. You could color a coloring page for the letter P though.
• January 24 - Global Belly Laugh Day. Celebrate the gift of laughter! 1:24 p.m. (your time) Smile! Throw your hands in the air and LOL for real!
• January 28 - Daisy Day. I have a Daisy Hat Craft, so you can choose do you use it for Hat Day or Daisy Day? Maybe plant a flower seed instead.
• January 29 - National Puzzle Day. Put together a puzzle, glue it onto cardboard, and frame it. That sounds fun. Not. I dislike puzzles. #dislikepuzzles Have the kids draw a picture, glue it to a cereal box panel, let it dry, and let them cut it up. That sounds better; yeah go do that. Give them a baggie so they can take it home and show their Mom. I sure hope she doesn't feel the same way about puzzles that I do.  ;)

Click here to download: Free Printable January Calendar of Holidays.

Add some cool kids' books about snow to your winter activities curriculum. Well, that's all I've got. Want some February Special Days ideas? Oh. Try this page for companion coloring pages and free printables - that will help for now.  See you back in month!

Recommended Reading:

February Calendar of Special Days and Holidays

Children's Book-a-Day Almanac*

January's Sparrow by Patricia Polacco*

Buy a Puzzle for National Puzzle Day:
Melissa and Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards Puzzle*






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Kentucky Down Under Reviews: Petting Zoo

Things to do in Kentucky: Kentucky Down Under Petting Zoo

Are you planning a trip to southern Indiana or northern Kentucky? You can visit the best petting zoo ever, just a few miles outside of Louisville, Kentucky! Have you read the reviews? Kentucky Down Under is an Australian themed zoo where you're allowed to pet the animals. Not only that, you can walk right into their areas and feed them too!

 This post contains affiliate links.

Kentucky Down Under Reviews: Petting Zoo.

On our trip to Kentucky and Tennessee, we mapped out a route that allowed us to see as many animals of all kinds as possible. We saw Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We saw Parrots, Cockatoos, and exotic birds in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. And, we saw the outback in all its glory at Kentucky Down Under just outside of Louisville, Kentucky.

Kentucky Down Under is a different kind of zoo. It's a cross between a farm and a petting zoo. Just like other zoos, there are daily animal shows. However, you don't have to wait for a show to get up close and personal with native Australian animals.

Things to do in Kentucky: Kentucky Down Under Petting Zoo.

The kids had a wonderful time feeding Emus. You can even pet Emus, Kangaroos, and giant Tortoises as they lounge around in their "natural" habitat soaking up the sun.

Feed Emus in Kentucky.

Emu eggs, just lying in the middle of the pasture.

Kentucky Down Under has its own cave. No need to spend extra money to see a cave that your children might not enjoy. The first time seeing a cave can be frightening for the kids, no matter their ages. The cave here was discovered in the early 1800's. It is a small cave (in and out quickly) with all the bells and whistles. Meet at the gift shop for the tour.

Mammoth Onyx Cave, Kentucky Down Under.

Caves in Kentucky.

Kookaburra sits on an old gum tree. Yep, he does. You can hear the Kookaburras talking to each other as you walk through the park. We even saw a Peacock on a roof of one of the bird houses.

Animals of all kinds, sheep herding shows, snake shows, you name it! Kentucky Down Under is not a drive by. You can't see anything from the interstate or even the parking lot. Take the plunge, it is well worth it. Keep in mind, you will walk up some steep trails. Don't like to hike? Rent a golf cart for the day. They have plenty of golf cart rentals available for guests. Click here to see pricing info for Kentucky Down Under.

Beautiful Kentucky Down Under Views.

Just a few miles away is the little town of Horse Cave, Kentucky. We visited this little cave and museum years ago. Horse Cave seems run down these days, but don't let that deter you. Eat at Turtlelini's Pizza and Pasta (they have a buffet.) Zipline and explore the unusual cave, and stay in the little family owned Horse Cave Motel. It's not a perfect hotel, but it is clean, the rooms are big, and the family that owns it is very nice. You'll be safe and close to three nearby caves. Happy Spelunking!!

Recommended: 

Cave Study Homeschool Curriculum

Caves and Caverns by Gail Gibbons

Book about Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

Personalized Gifts for Kids and Pets: Hoodies!

Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NYFifth.com for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

The holidays are upon us. It is time to purchase holiday gifts for everyone your list- including your pets and grandpets! We found a great website with amazing prices on personalized gifts that include shirts, hoodies, caps, and more. The best part is they also do personalized pet clothes! We're sharing our favorite picks for kids and pets. Enjoy!

At NYFifth Apparel, each item can be customized to include a name, logo, monogram, or a small personal message, so think of something fun that your pet or child would like to shout out to the world.

If you are looking for personalized dog clothes, you'll want to check out this adorable dog frill tee It is perfect for a puppy princess. It comes in fuchsia too!