Archives for May 2016

The SpringLeashToGo: A Woofus Product Review

May 30, 2016 by janet

Bicycling is a very big part of our lives. I’ve always loved to ride and my husband Rob is more bicycle than man. He started riding a two wheeler later than most, about age ten, yet from that moment on he was hooked. He rode and raced BMX for years. He was a highly skilled bicycle courier by trade in his twenties. Now he is an avid mountain biker and dirt jumper. Our first trip in the K9 Camper was to a mountain bike park for opening day. He humors me by riding paved trails with me, which is much more my style, yet I am also always happy to hop on a bike and go.

Since dogs are also a very big part of our lives, it has become time for the two passions to become one! I asked for the Spring Leash to Go for my birthday. I had no idea what I was getting into but hoped for the best. What we discovered is a product that is well made and which the dogs took to quite naturally.

The Spring Leash hooks to the bicycle seat post via a heavy duty, stainless steel mounting bar and spring; the included leash itself actually hooks to the end of this spring and thence to the dog’s harness. The mounting bar removes easily when not in use via quick lock buttons. This also allows the bar to attach to another bike if you purchase an extra set of mounting hardware.

Our three pups range in their adaptability to new things. Fiona was a natural and took off running; I had to slow her down to make sure I could maintain control. Secret was nervous but willing. Lobo was willing but easily confused. With a little time and practice, each dog will gradually become more and more comfortable with this new and exciting activity.

I thought I would get a good workout too, but having huskies who love to pull, I did not pedal much at all. It is a great way to exercise them at what they love best – pulling and running. They all were smiling and panting happily as it gives them a tremendous amount of freedom, yet in a controlled manner which keeps them safe. I felt totally secure that the dogs would not get loose. We are also going to teach them left and right commands like true mushers, so we can navigate more freely and easily.

It does take time to get used to it. Occasionally the dogs would try to switch sides behind me and that wreaked havoc. The spring and leash are not long enough to allow it but it does stop you from going forward. Fiona got excited by a neighborhood beagle puppy who was out in his yard and I had to practice her “leave it” command very sternly to make it past this “obstacle”. Lobo stopped to raise his leg at a fire hydrant which was on the other side of the bike and we had to stop. None of this is a fault of the product, but of my control of the pups.

For riding at night, the company sells their “Halo Lights” which are USB rechargeable, light up collars. You can purchase them separately or as a package with a Spring Leash.

I am very excited for this new way to spend time with the pups. They enjoy letting loose and really running. I love seeing the pure joy on their faces!

Where to buy: You can fine more information and order online at http://www.springleashtogo.com

Price: Solo packs start at $49.99. You can also run two dogs, one on either side of your bike (this sounds awesome but I am not ready for this yet!). The two dog or “chariot pack” is $79.99.

At Woofus, we love to see dogs on the go! The SpringLeashtoGo is a fantastic way to spend time with your pup and give him or her some much needed exercise. As an added benefit, you can both spend more time in the great outdoors!

Off to New Hampshire with the Pack

May 29, 2016 by janet

Coleman - Travel Trailer As we left on our first journey with our camping trailer, we were a bit nervous. There were so many things to worry about, including the height of our trailer, which was a bit above the norm, topping 11 feet 2 inches with the air conditioner on top. Rob is six foot three inches tall, so the height of this trailer was a selling point for us. It felt spacious and airy inside, although it was small as trailers go.

When you travel, notice that certain overpasses have the height printed on them, and the height can vary from left, to middle, to right of the arch. We now watched out for these with rabid attention, our hearts in our throats, that a bridge might rip off the air conditioner or worse yet, the whole top of our travel home. We had once seen a Ryder rental box truck which had unsuccessfully tried to navigate under a train bridge not far from our home – the top peeled off that truck like a sardine can lid. That would not happen to us! Of course we had done our research on our route, but it is still unnerving to contemplate what could happen if we were not vigilant or strayed onto a side road.

We began to drive towards the Garden State Parkway, our conduit to get just about anywhere. As we drove, we realized that the “tow/haul” function on our Jeep was not engaged. The darn thing would not turn on! Thinking it might be as simple as a fuse, we stopped at an auto parts store and Rob changed the fuse to a new one. Still no go. We decided to drive on anyway, but as we navigated some big hills we had misgivings while we listened to what we imagined was our SUV struggling to pull the trailer.

We called our Jeep dealership. They recommended we bring the car in but at this point we were about 45 minutes into our journey. They suggested another dealership in Paramus, NJ. We stopped by and the parking lot was so tiny that it actually had valet parking. Rob struggled to find a spot to park the Jeep and trailer, while the valet parking guy waved him this way and that. Rob ran inside to ask for assistance, but no one could look at the car without an appointment. The general consensus was that the jeep would be fine without the tow function considering the weight we were hauling. Rob navigated out of the parking lot like a pro, backing up the car and trailer around a tight corner to exit onto the busy route in Paramus where this dealership was located.

We were at last on our way, two hours behind schedule, but feeling more comfortable about our transportation. The pack was well behaved. They are great travelers. Secret was a bit hyped up to start with but she is that way even on a short drive. She settled down after the first hour….

We arrived in New Hampshire around 6:30 PM, well after the pack’s usual dinner time. They were remarkably patient. We even took a wrong turn and navigated down a dirt, dead end road before we arrived at our campground. It’s not easy to make a wrong turn, with a travel trailer in tow, and turn around on a dirt road! Luckily our doggy daddy Rob is a great driver. Once we arrived at the Meredith Woods Campground and parked and set up the trailer, the three dogs and I trooped inside around 7:30. I placed their food in the new bento bowls and they chowed down happily. It was a chilly evening in the forties, and I turned on the heat to warm the place up.

We’d passed a diner on the road to the campground and thought we’d try it out. It was too late to find a supermarket and cook in my little kitchen. We packed the pups back into the car and drove down the road to the diner. With my gluten allergy I am used to very limited options. When I walked in and asked if they had gluten free meals, I was shocked that they had an actual gluten free menu! I ordered a hamburger with bacon on a gluten free bun, with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. I was in heaven!! This town of Meredith is awesome! They also had great soda choices, with real sugar.

After a trying and longer than expected journey on the road, we ate our delicious dinner (I know it doesn’t sound like much – but to be able to order a good hamburger on a gluten free bun is actually a rare treat; restaurants in general have a lot to learn. It would be so simple to keep some gluten free buns in the freezer. Charge extra – I don’t care! I just want to eat with everybody else). We watched a little tv, walked the pups around the campground, and settled down for a much-needed sleep.

The next morning on Saturday we headed out early to the Highland Mountain Bike Park. We passed much beautiful, forested countryside and “moose crossing” signs along the way, but no moose sightings yet. If Fiona goes crazy for donkeys, I can’t imagine her reaction to a moose! It was a brisk sunny day, perfect for opening day of the park. We found a nice spot on the porch of the shop to set up camp for a while. The pack and I relaxed while Rob rode his mountain bike. The pups made lots of new friends and I got in some much welcome reading time.

Secret sleeps in traditional husky style

We arrived back at the camper around dinner time and it had started to rain. No cooking outside for me. So I decided to cook up some hamburgers on the tiny stove in the trailer. This was great in theory, but I soon filled up the place with smoke and set off the smoke alarm! I was trying out a new cast iron grill pan and it was not yet seasoned. The dogs weren’t that phased by the smoke and alarm, and we pulled out the battery to stop the alarm and opened a few windows. We ate undercooked burgers with a chill breeze blowing through our little travel home. All five of us collapsed onto the small bed and slept deeply.

All three dogs crowded on the camper bed with us

The next morning held more rain. It looked like our hiking plans would have to wait until the next trip to New Hampshire. Unless we wanted to stay in the trailer all day or get completely soaked, we needed an alternative plan. We found an indoor bike and skate park in Rye near the shore and decided to head that way. I’d never been to Rye so why not? Luckily the park allowed the dogs inside so we took our place in the balcony and watched the action down below. It is a beautiful place to ride, with many interesting features to navigate.

After riding we found a wonderful local Mexican restaurant called Tacqueria. Very gluten-free friendly and amazing food. We drove happily back to our camp site, the K9 Camper awaiting us with a warm welcome on this rainy, chilly day. We weren’t surprised at the weather. This is New England, after all. We had been here tent camping last year in August, traditionally a very warm month at home in New Jersey. It dropped to the forties at night and we were shivering in our tent, huddled up with the dogs!! We would have fun no matter the weather.

Our first trip posed its challenges, both mechanical and meteorological. We also discovered that New Hampshire is top in the nation for cases of Lymes disease and deer ticks. We found at least a dozen ticks on each dog, luckily none embedded. Next trip we’ll try a natural tick repellent spray in addition to the traditional topical vet-prescribed tick preventatives. Despite the challenges, we learned that this pack loves to travel together and that our new travel camper was a great success for the family.

Does Classical Music Really Soothe the Savage Breast in Your Dog? Our Lobo Put the Theory to the Test

May 8, 2016 by janet

Dog Playing The Piano. Classical music has always been a part of my life. My father listened all day long on the radio, played Beethoven sonatas on the piano from memory, and brought the family to Carnegie Hall for concerts as much as we kids would tolerate it. As an adult, I am now an avid listener. Would playing classical music in the house help our foster boy Lobo to relax?

When we first met Lobo, we were told he had anxiety and would benefit from doggie daycare while we were at work. We were told he was very destructive, an escape artist, didn’t get along with all dogs, had bitten one or two people, and might be anxious or fearful if left at home without people. His past record had proven this to be true; in a stabile home environment, with two loving sister dogs, and two doting pet parents, we felt that this could change. If we were to adopt Lobo, he needed to get along with Fiona and Secret. We needed to feel confident that he would not hurt them or the house and that he wasn’t fearful for himself while we were not at home. We were a bit taken aback at the laundry list of challenges, but we felt we saw the inner dog.

Imagine three pups left alone in a completely silent house. For eight hours. A little noise might be most welcome! Quiet strains of violins and cellos fill the air. Classical music can of course be very soothing. I recall as a kid I would sometimes become so relaxed that I would nod off during a performance. I was deathly afraid of falling asleep and tumbling over the balcony rail onto the people below in the orchestra seats… That of course never happened! However, what I came to understand is that a well-played symphony or sonata can induce a deep, almost meditative state which is very calming and restorative. I now look forward to concerts as time for reflection as well as appreciation of fine music – and I do still nod off sometimes!

Knowing Lobo suffered from anxiety, we thought classical music might hold the key to helping him relax in his new environment. If music soothes the savage breast, would it prevent our Lobo from having a freak out when we were not home? For a resource, I turned to what I’d known from childhood: WQXR, the classical music radio station of New York. My father built a crystal set to listen to this station when he was a kid – it’s been around for over 70 years. Lobo, Fiona and Secret could chill all day listening to Beethoven, Brahms and Bach and skilled announcers with soothing voices. I crossed my fingers and hoped Beethoven and his brethren would work their magic on our big fella Lobo.

The first week we experimented with four hours of day care for Lobo and four hours home alone with Fiona and Secret and classical music radio. I arrived home full of trepidation and found… nothing wrong. All three dogs happy to see me, but no bleeding, limping, piles of poop or puddles of pee, no couches torn asunder or molding chewed to shreds. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

What we discovered under Lobo’s big dog exterior, is a sweet boy who can play a little rough and likes to bark loudly at times, but whose heart is pure gold. He is obedient, coming inside whenever we call, and loves to stay near his humans in the house, even when the other dogs are outside. He is very troubled whenever I sneeze – he rushes to me, looks at me with a clearly worried expression, and wags his tail nervously, even jumps in my lap sometimes. I have to sneeze now with caution! This dog was so worthy of love and attention – what dog is not? – and his loving nature spoke to us louder than words. We worried about the effect of adding him to the pack; would our two girls be happy with this new addition?

The second week we went full force with our hopeful experiment. We left the dogs alone together all day, 8 1/2 hours, while we were at work. I prayed that it would be okay. That no dog would come to harm. And that Lobo was not anxious or afraid. And that our living room and kitchen furniture would be intact. When I arrived home, a bit early because I was nervous, all three dogs were thankfully fine. What did this mean? It meant that we could officially adopt Lobo, who is now a happy member of the pack.

Looking back a year later, I see a pack of three dogs who love each other and get along very well. Like all siblings they have their differences, but at the end of the night they always cuddle up together very sweetly. We have begun traveling with them and they have adopted the camping trailer easily as a second home away from home. They are a united force, adaptable and happy in their shared bond of family.

Is it the classical music they listen to all day which has led to harmony in the pack? I am sure it is a contributing factor. Once a routine is established, dogs fit into it quite comfortably. The classical music playing in the house has become part of the familiar routine for Lobo and the girls, along with giving them cookies before we leave the house, and letting them out into the yard as soon as we get home. Thank you, Beethoven, for bringing the inner dog out to shine in our sweet Lobo! I can safely safe the girls are happy that Lobo is part of the pack.

Archives for May 2016

Related articles

Our Woofuses

Archives