Summer time is here and it's time to spend some quality time outdoors with your furry family members!!!  The temperature is rising; if you're feeling the heat, remember your dog can feel it too!!  While having fun, please take these precautions for your pets.  Here are some tips to keep them cool this summer:

1. Hydrate                                                                                                                                                      Keep plenty of cool water available at all times!  Keep an extra water bowl outside and change the water frequently!  Also, don't forget to bring water with you when taking your dog out for a walk.  Did you know they have collapsable water bowls for your dogs???  They're handy to take with you when you go for a walk, so you can share your water from your water bottle with your furry family member!!!
2. Provide Ample Shade                                                                                                                              When your pets are outside, make sure to find areas which would shield them from direct sunlight.  Having a dog house in your backyard for them to get out of the sun is a great idea! Keep in mind that they need these shady spots for all times of the day.  Don't have any trees???  Plant a flowering weeping cherry or other type of cherry tree, they are fast growing and will provide shade in no time at all!!! 
3. Walk With Caution                                                                                                                             Remember that while your feet are protected by your shoes or sandals, your' dogs' paws aren't.  Consider this when scheduling your walking time!!  Avoid the hottest parts of the day by going early in the morning or after the sun has set!
4. NEVER, EVER Leave Your Dogs In A Parked Car                                                                                              Not even for a second!  Don't leave your pet alone in the car even if the windows are open.  The temperature inside the car rises rapidly.  This can be DEADLY especially on hot days!
5. Don't Give Your Dog A Haircut                                                                                                                 Believe it or not!  You might think getting your dog a haircut will cool him or her off this summer, but it won't!  A dog's coat helps regulate his body temperature.  Brushing your dog's hair and not letting it get matted can provide better temperature circulation!
6. Use A Dog's Life Vest In Any Body Of Water                                                                                               Having your dog wear a brightly colored life vest in any body of water is highly recommended.  This can help your dog be easily seen & could save his or her life!  Also, please be careful when letting your dog run along rocky beaches and shores for they can cut their paw pads open! 
7. Keep Your Dogs Bug-Free                                                                                                                Fleas & Ticks are more prevalent during the summer months.  You can use tick collars which help prevent these parasites from attaching to your dogs and ruining their summer.  (and possibly giving them lyme disease!)  In addition, you can use tick and flea medications.  In addition to that, heart worm preventative is a must this summer, as mosquitoes transmit heart worms to your dog through a bite, and eventually can cause your dogs death!

It's been awhile since my last post.  I'm still learning how to blog, please bear with me!  Today was spent with family (both two-legged & four-legged)!  Playing Ball with the dogs, planting flowers, and waiting patiently for the bar-be-cue master to make everything "just right"!!  Our entire "crew" enjoyed the festivities and just appreciated being all together!  
Of course we began the day with hanging our Flag outside the door, and our little one decorating the front yard with little flags!!  It was a beautiful day!  According to the weather man we are headed for several days of rain and bad weather, so today was delightful and savored!  

Well it's Groundhog Day & the groundhog has predicted 6 more weeks of winter!  The groundhog might've been tipped off by Mother Nature with her ice storm today & freezing temperatures!  Although my family has about had it with the snow already & were looking forward of the possibility of an early spring, the dogs seem fine with the groundhogs prediction!  They seem to really enjoy all this powdery white stuff!  Whether jumping in it, tunneling under it, or eating it...they are making the most of it while it is here!  On the other hand, I'm dreading the possible loss of my bushes, and trying to help my children through their cabin fever!  I love snow, however there is such a thing as too much snow... And I really think I've had my fill!  I'm going to leave you with a picture of my boys, the smile on their faces' say it all!!  They are celebrating the groundhogs prediction today!  :) 

With the holidays approaching, I'm searching for recipes to make better tasting bones and treats for my four legged family members! My old recipe is  getting old, and I would like to make bones of different favors for them!  I recently came across someone who said they hang their homemade bones on a natural tree as edible ornaments on Christmas morning!  That's a swell idea!!  Sooo I'm going to searching for recipes and I hope as we get closer to the holidays I can share some sucessful, doggie approved recipes with you and pictures!  If you have any, please share with me! I will post them here!  Let's make our four legged kids merrier this holiday season!  

        I'm an old-fashioned girl at heart, I miss the old ways of doing things, for me life was simpler back then!  However, with five children, four whom are teenagers I find myself trying to learn how to navigate all their social networking sites.  I'm just now trying to learn how to twitter, Facebook, and I still need to try Instagram.  My middle daughter was watching a tv show the other day, it was called a dog with a blog (i think).  I found myself watching and then it came to me... Why not start a blog?  So like my website, this blog is my first attempt, and I beg you to be patient, I'm still learning how all of this works.  So if my blog isn't a traditional blog, forgive me, I'm learning!  So I'm leaping in, like my Molly in the picture on the top of this blog entry! 
         So..... What will my blog be about you ask?  This blog I hope will be a place where I can capture & provide glimpses into our lives with our "Big Dogs"!!  A place where I can share recipes for dog biscuits & treats, where I can share their outings, and post pictures of their "funny faces"!!!  I hope this blog will be a place where I might inspire others to get a big dog of their own to cuddle and love!  I hope, eventually this blog will take on a life if it's own, but for now, I'm learning, so please bear with me!  Im going to bid you farewell for now and sign off with my dogs signature, until my next entry....