A little Amazon shopping fun.....

Yes, we love our Amazon Prime and it's especially handy when we aren't super close to any major shopping areas. Thought I'd share a couple of things we've bought recently that we really like and find valuable (at least to us).

We have several odd sized, different material shopping bags but we tend to not take them into the stores with us. For the most part, they get used when we go to Sam's Club. Tired of wasting all the plastic, we looked for a set up bags that met several criteria. First, the material had to be sturdy and the quality first rate. Second, they should have flat bottoms. Third, they needed to be the same. Fourth, short handles. Fifth, not too big (or they'd be overloaded and I wouldn't be able to carry them). And sixth, a nicety but not a must, they should come in some sort of convenient carry case.

Not easy, is it...but I found a set that looked they hit all points and I ordered them. BagPodz! When they arrived, I was even more impressed with the quality and convenience. This set comes with either 5 or 10 bags. Since we tend to shop less frequently, I opted for the ten bag set (currently not available, keep checking) in the bright blue (they come in four colors). I had a chance to use them this week and LOVE THEM! Here is my shopping cart with 6-8 (can't remember exactly) and not all of them are filled full. (Note, they are about the size of a traditional plastic shopping bag but hold MUCH more weight.)

BagPodz @Amazon

Next up is something I never considered until hurting my knee this past week. Walking the dogs several times a day, initially I carried nothing with me. Most days I wear leggings and without pockets, hard to bring even a phone with two dogs. But after getting injured, I realized I needed to always have my phone with me. After several searches, I found the perfect wallet, Running Buddy.

Finally, remember the chewed up dog bed? Well, the price has gone up a lot on the same one, so I found another brand and ordered it. So far, so good! Good inside or outside a crate, I suspect the other crate will get a matching one soon and the old one will go in the back of the car. The only downside, no color choice. But hey, the #2doods don't complain!

Ciao for now!

Ramping Up (and down)

There are a lot of ramps/steps out there for pets. We had already tried to use stairs with Murphy and he was really reticent. When asked, the vet said a ramp would be a much better long term solution. We had specific needs, knowing that we would need this for the rest of his life.

Let the research begin...and this is what we decided on after reading many, many reviews and specs for the various options.

Solvit Smart Ramp

Shur-Foot tread material is the same material for indoor/outdoor pedestrian safety. Rigid-Rail frame provides support just like today’s tough fiberglass ladders. High profile rails in contrasting color keep unsteady pets securely on track. Non-slip feet at both ends keep ramp in place. Telescopes anywhere from 42” to 70”. Great for small breeds with delicate backs and joints, too. Smooth edges and rounded corners protect pets, people and car surfaces. Dual pinch-free grip areas for easy transport, whether collapsed or extended.

Unboxed the ramp for Murphy and let him walk on it last night. No problem, in fact, both dogs walked across it multiple times. This morning we put a wooden box under one end for a little lift. No problem. Then we made it a little higher. Still no problem.

Time for a trial run in the back of the car. With a little persuasion, he went up. Then he went down just fine. Repeated several times, each one easier than the last. Yay!

Will repeat tomorrow and on Monday we use it to head to doggy day care. Should make things much easier. Only down side is it's fairly heavy and there is no latch to keep it from telescoping out when you're carrying it.
Ciao for now!

#2Doods Visit the Vet

Cooper was due for his annual shots and Murphy was due for a one year checkup. We had both good news and not so good news.

First, Cooper. His ears are both clear! Yay!!! Hoping we can keep them healthy. His weight was good at 58.5# and he took all his shot updates like a Trooper. Okay, so there was a little stress pee at one point...LOL! He laid down and slept, one foot on Stu's leg while it was Murphy's turn.

Murphy keeps growing by leaps and bounds, topping out at 73#. Yikes! Remember, he's younger at 12 months than Cooper at 15 months. And they are both still growing! (Note to self, order next weight class flea/tick meds for Murphy next time).

In general he was healthy but we had concerns about his hips. Since he is 1/2 Rough Collie and 1/4 Golden Retriever - both known for hip dysplasia - we thought he should be examined (thus the one year checkup). He never jumps up or down anywhere/anytime, he is slow to get up from a sit and prefers to stand rather than sit, won't go into a down position on command (not even for his favorite treat on the floor, but will lay down if you force him) and we can feel his hip bones crunching &/or cracking if we press lightly on his hind quarters when asking for a sit.

The arrow points to the socket where the joint should sit. His joint is only 35% in, whereas 65% is point where they diagnose hip dysplasia.

So the bad news is he does have severe hip dysplasia. The good news is it isn't hurting him now, but he will most certainly develop arthritis over time. We are starting him on Synovi Soft Chews (double dose for 30 days) and hope it will delay the onset of the arthritis and bone deterioration.

Our vet offered us a referral to an orthopedic specialist but we passed on that for now. I doubt we would do a full hip replacement (x2) for many reasons. We will do all we can do keep him happy and playing (the playing and running are good for him).

He was pretty relaxed during all the discussions, too. LOL! (Yes, they both wear gentle leaders when on a leash and they still tug, too much. More training needed....)

We have been trying to get Murphy to use a two step stool to get in and out of the back of the Jeep but now we will be moving to an aluminum, portable, folding/telescoping ramp. He will always need this and since he is already well over 70#, lifting him in and out is hard on Stu and impossible for me.

Ciao for now!