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Perfectly Perched Squirrel

One Summer day, I came home to find one of Kip's squirrels perfectly perched on the doorway of my apartment terrace.  I don't know how he managed to set down that squirrel on all fours with its bushy tail up in the air, but I took a picture of it before he decided to pick it up again.

The squirrel belongs to a toy set that Kip has really enjoyed over the past couple months.  You can find it on Amazon but I would suggest checking at your local petstores or Petsmart/Petco first.  I found this one for Kip at my local Petsmart for a marked down price.  Before you decide which is cheaper, take shipping costs into consideration too! 

For Kip, it was not hard for him to get the squirrels out of the tree trunk at all.  In his excitement he grabbed the tree and shook it really hard and a squirrel flung out from the force. 


Durability
Over the 2 or 3 months that Kip has had this toy, he has killed each squirrel's squeakers and ripped one side of the little branch stub (the toy does have stuffing inside).  Fortunately, the rest of the tree trunk hasn't lost it's shape.  I'm just not sure if it's a good idea to try to sew it back up by hand.  I don't want to have Kip rip open my seam and swallow any string by accident.  In any case, Kip still enjoys sticking his head inside the tree trunk to sniff out and treats and squirrels.  I would recommend letting your puppy/dog enjoy this toy under supervision.

Precautions


I would strongly recommend pulling out the whiskers and cutting off the fuzz on the squirrel's head.  I discovered that Kip had quickly started pulling them out.  Not willing to take any chances with my puppy swallowing fuzz or thread, I pulled them out myself before letting him play with them any further.

What To Look For In A Dog Daycare

Kip is still a feisty little puppy and I'm currently working full time. Because my work is an hour away from home and there's rush hour traffic in the morning, Kip is home alone for 11-12 hours a day. Not only does Kip become bored, he also seems to have some anxiety from being left alone for such long hours.  While I'm living on a tight budget, I've eliminated eating out from my budget completely and have been sending him to a dog daycare once a week on Wednesdays.

What to look for in a Dog Daycare

1. Do they keep dogs separated/caged or are they allowed to play with other dogs?

          

       You would be surprised to do a little research only to find that most dog daycares just keep the dogs separated in their own little compartment with only 15 minutes of playtime a day. For that price, a dog-walker would be a much better solution.

2. Are all dogs required to send in records of their up-to-date shots/rabies and flea treatment?

        Some dog daycares do not require flea shots. But even if your dog is getting flea treatment, if you forget and give your dog flea treatment a couple days late, your dog can get fleas.  So just to be a on the safe side, it would be a good idea to send your dog to a place that requires flea treatment.  After all, who wants to deal with the stress and cleaning from a flea infestation? 

3. Are food and treats provided or do I need to bring my own?

        While this might not matter if you have carefully selected the brand of food your dog is eating and don't want your dog eating low quality meals, it is important to keep in mind. You don't want your dog running around and playing all day on an empty stomach!  Also, some dogs may not eat while they're at the dog daycare (because they're too busy playing!) so you may need to feed your dog before you drop them off.

4. What are the hours for drop-off and pick-up?

            Most dog daycares will start to add a late-fee for picking up your dog past hours.  Some dog daycares will even charge you over-night fees past a certain threshold. Also, many dog daycares have pick-up times only until about 5pm.  If you get out of work at 6pm like me, this definitely does not work.  You want to give yourself some leeway so that if you happen to get stuck in traffic, you wont get charged a late fee.

              The daycare Kip attends installed a dog-cam so I can check what he is doing while I am at work. Here are some screenshots over the past three times he has been there. The one downside to the dog-cam is that it only refreshes every 3 seconds, so it can be a little choppy if your dog is running around.  Kip is so energetic it is hard to catch him on screen. Sometimes you can see a blur as he's running by!
  
          

Adorable Things My Puppy Does

This is Kip.  He is an Australian Terrier that loves to play.  I must admit, getting Kip was not the most rational decision I've made.  But before I get to the devil side of Kip, let me tell you about what he does to melt your heart.

Bed Time for Kim and Kip

             When it's time for bed and I'm laying under the covers, Kip will climb up on my bed and curl up next to me.  These days when the nights are getting cold and two blankets arn't enough to keep me warm, Kip is the perfect soft and fuzzy heat radiator.  All I have to do is put him on my spot, wait a couple minutes, edge him over a little, then rinse and repeat.  Voilà!  I have a warm bed and a warm teddy bear to sleep with.  

Welcome Home Kim!

              After four years of living in the dorms, getting an apartment can feel like heaven.  But it can also be pretty lonely when you've had a hard day at work and you come home to a dark, cold, empty apartment.  But now that I live with Kip, I always have someone greeting me with so much enthusiasm at the door.  Sometimes I think he misses me more than my own mom. When I used to get home in high-school, she would merely ask "you're home?" without even bothering to looking up. But when I come to Kip, he's jumping up and down for joy.