Campfire with Marshmallows dog toy | thepupdiary.com

29 May

Every once in a while we get a really cute doggy toy that mom lets us look at, but certainly not play with and destroy. (We are doggy toy chewers and shredders and can chew through a plush toy in a matter of minutes!) Mom says our new Martha Stewart Pets Campfire with Marshmallows dog toy is a keeper. PetSmart gave it to mom at the recent Blog Paws conference and it is just too cute to destroy.

The toy comes with two small removable marshmallow squeaky toys hidden inside the campfire. The campfire has crinkle fabric inside and the logs underneath are polyester fiber fill. I love to put my snout inside the campfire and pull out the marshmallows!

Where to purchase: PetSmart stores or online at PetSmart.com
Cost: $ 16.99
Bottom line: Extremely cute toy, but we can shred this in a matter of minutes (and mom says it is just too cute to destroy!)

Campfire w/Marshmallows dog toy

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10 reasons to adopt a dog at Maddie’s Pet Adoption Days | thepupdiary.com

28 May

We were both adopted from local shelters (Ginger as an adult pup and Cubby as a puppy). Our mom always said she didn’t have time for a pup and didn’t have the space, but now she can’t imagine her life without us! Boy are we lucky pups she found us and took us in! If you have considered adopting, fostering, or volunteering, come out to meet all of the little New Yorkers who are looking for homes at the upcoming Maddie’s Pet Adoption Days this weekend on June 1 and 2. Below are 10 reasons to check it out:

1. The 2-day event features thousands of dogs and cats available for adoption for FREE! Yes, FREE! (Each shelter and rescue will have their own adoption policies and procedures.)

2. Over 50 shelters and rescue groups from the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals will participate so you will see a great variety of breeds, sizes, ages, mixes. (We prefer the scruffy look!)

3. Maddie’s Fund will pay the organizations an adoption fee from $500 to $2,000 per animal adopted. That means more money in the pockets of our local groups! Maddie’s Fund has set aside $4 million to help host these adoption events across the nation!

4. The adoption events on June 1 and 2 take place all around the city including two large outdoor events in Manhattan. Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm at Petco at 92nd and Broadway. Sunday from 12 to 5 pm at Petco Union Square. Heading to the beach this weekend? There will also be adoption events in the Hamptons, Jersey, and more!

5. FREE product samples will be available at the two large outdoor events.

6. You can save a life!

7. You can host cool events honoring your adopted pup — like the recent Rescue the Runway event at the New York Fire Museum.

8. Summer is the pawfect time to adopt a pup! Especially if you will have to potty train the pooch. If you have tried to potty train a puppy in winter snow storms, you will know what we mean!

9. It can change your life. You will have a new instant best friend, travel buddy, volunteer side kick, wing man, or whatever you are looking for in a dog. Your social circles will grow and you will have a fun new reason to get out of bed every morning. Not to mention all of the doggy kisses you will receive!

10. Did we tell you the adoptions are FREE!

What are you waiting for?!

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10 Memorial Day weekend activities for New York dogs | thepupdiary.com

24 May

While many dogs are hitting the road this very busy Memorial Day travel weekend, we are having a staycation in New York City to explore, relax, and have some fun! Here are 10 dog activities and events we may try to check out in the next few days:

Hester Street Fair: The Hester Street Fair at the corner of Hester and Essex is open Saturdays through October 26 from 10 am to 6 pm. This is the pawfect spot for an outdoor brunch with yummy food and cool vendors.

South Street Seaport: We luv the Seaport area! The Salty Paw’s new summer location on Pier 17 is pawsome! And we are excited to check out the Seaport’s new SEE/CHANGE program with pop-up shops and restaurants. A SmorgasBar opens at the Seaport today!

Visiting Brooklyn

Visiting Brooklyn

Smorgasburg (DUMBO): We hop the East River Ferry (dogs in bags are welcome) and head to DUMBO for beautiful views, good food, and open spaces! The Sunday Smorgasburg in the Tobacco Warehouse allows pups. It gets very crowded so come early!

Celebrity Catwalk Pawty: Celebrity Catwalk is hosting a party on Saturday evening, May 25 from 5 to 7 pm at their Pre Paws In The City Yappy Hour at Unleashed by Petco 157 Chambers Street (Between West Broadway & Greenwich)

Pup crawl: We start at the dog-friendly 105th Street Hudson Beach Cafe. Then head down to the Boat Basin Cafe at 79th Street followed by Pier I cafe. If we still feel like walking, we hit PD O’Hurley’s at Pier 84 and a final stop at The Frying Pan! A beautiful walk along the river!

Volunteer: We are spending part of the weekend doing home visits for Yorkie 911 Rescue. We compiled a list with some volunteer options for NY dogs.

Central Park time: Nuff said! We love to explore the park in the early morning and dusk. Too bad they aren’t having a Bagel Bark this weekend!

Clean: UGH! But we still have spring cleaning to do! Go through your old towels and linens and donate them to Rock and Rawhide or the Oklahoma tornado effort. Rock and Rawhide will collect linens at the Maddie’s Pet Adoption Days event on June 1 and 2.

Shop: So it looks like rain for at least part of the weekend . . . We will do some online shopping at Res-Q-Threads – we luv their new Yorkie shirt! We’ll also stroll through The Shops at Columbus Circle on our way to the park!

Day Trip: Hop a Metro North train and head outside the city for an afternoon. (It is even fun to just explore Grand Central Terminal without taking the train anywhere!) Where to go? Croton Point Park, Yonkers waterfront, Tarrytown . . . Here are a few options from a CBS news report.

And don’t forget to relax! We love to hang out at Madison Square Park’s Shake Shack with a Pooch-ini and a good book. There is some good doggy watching there!

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Tips and treatments from the Lyme-Aid benefit party | thepupdiary.com

23 May

Our vet told us there are ticks living in New York City. Yikes! In fact, Lyme disease has been found in all 48 contiguous states according to the “Lyme Disease and Your Dog” brochure we read recently. We are trying to avoid the pesky bugs, but we also need to be prepared in case one tries to lunch on our blood. We thought the Lyme-Aid benefit event, celebrating Lyme disease awareness month, was the pawfect place to learn more about ticks, Lyme disease prevention, and treatment. The event, held at Toyota of Manhattan in Hell’s Kitchen, featured vendors, doggy and human treats (luv the Yappy Treats Cart doggy frozen yogurt!), entertainment, goody bags, and more.

Lyme-Aid tick testing kit

Lyme-Aid tick testing kit

What is Lyme disease? We checked Lymedisease.org to get information on the disease. Lyme disease is an infection caused by a spirochete that humans can get from the bite of an infected deer tick.

Do all ticks carry Lyme disease? The short answer is no. Lymedisease.org has a chart with creepy tick photos and descriptions. The Deer Tick transmits Lyme disease, but not every Deer Tick carries the disease. The CDC website has additional tick pictures and Lyme disease transmission information. The bacteria inside of the tick causes Lyme disease – the tick is just the transmitter.

What do we do if we see a tick on our skin? The key is to remove the tick and then have the tick tested for Lyme disease. Tick-SR is a non-toxic option using a treated wipe. You hold the wipe over the tick until it detaches. PetCareRx recommends the use of tweezers or a tick removal device and a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. The Tick Key bills itself as “the easiest-to-use tick removal device on earth”. You slide the tick into the key slot and pull the tick from the skin. Once you have removed the tick, use a new Lyme-Aid diagnostic tick testing kit to send the tick to the lab to be tested. The kit identifies the DNA of the pathogen in the tick. According to the rep at the event, the kit will be available at local drug stores soon and should be added to pet first aid kits.

How can we prevent ticks? The number one tip is to manually check your dog for ticks all the time. PetMD has an article on 10 ways to stop ticks from biting your dog. We use a spot-on treatment, Frontline Plus. We were introduced to Beat It all-natural insect repellent at the event. We will definitely give it a try! We received an Insect Shield scarf in our swag bag. The line of apparel has a built-in insect repellent that lasts through 70 launderings. This would have come in handy on Hilton Head Island with all of the bugs! There is also a Lyme disease vaccine for dogs.

A big thanks to Long Island Pet Professionals, Whitegate PR, and Nikki Knows Pets for organizing this fun and informational event. We loved seeing our friends from A Fair Shake for Youth and definitely enjoyed all of the doggy snacks from Dr. Harvey’s and Stella and Chewy’s. We won a cool CritterZone air naturalizer in the raffle!

Lyme-Aid benefit for Lyme disease awareness month

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Dog-friendly weekend getaway to Washington, D.C. | thepupdiary.com

22 May

We love to travel and explore! Whether we have a week, a weekend, or even just a day, there are plenty of dog-friendly places to visit!

At a distance of about 4 hours by car, Washington, D.C. is the perfect location for a weekend getaway from New York City. Here is how we do it!

At the dog-friendly FDR Memorial in DC

At the dog-friendly FDR Memorial in DC

Getting there: We always rent a car since there are 2 of us and we have a lot of stuff! Too bad Amtrak does not allow pups because that would definitely be our preferred way to travel! The car ride down to D.C. takes about 4 hours from Midtown Manhattan. Beware of the tolls! The round-trip fee is over $50 and an easy pass is pretty much a necessity to avoid the toll lines. We use our Kurgo booster seat to keep secure in the car.

Where to stay: There are dozens of pet-friendly hotels in the Washington, D.C. area. Most recently we stayed in the Tysons Sheraton in Virginia. We were hooked with the free parking, easy commute into the city and low hotel room rate! We tend to stay in Starwood properties when we travel on the east coast so we can get travel points and rewards. Trip Advisor has a great list of dog-friendly hotels. We also love Bringfido.com for travel and hotel information.

The Washington Monument is in the background

The Washington Monument is in the background

What to do: We like a combination of social events, outdoor activities, and city viewing and touring. When we travel to Washington, D.C. we always check Novadog Magazine event listing to see what dog events are taking place in the area. Washington has a big doggy social scene with black-tie events, baseball games, outdoor festivals, and more! The National Mall is dog friendly and is a great place for an (on leash) stroll to see the sites and monuments. The Eastern Market outdoor farmers market (Saturdays and Sundays) is a fun place to stop for snacks. Also check out some of the local pet boutiques. We love Howl to the Chief near the Eastern Market. Some of the Virginia wineries are dog friendly. We visited Barrel Oak Winery about 45 minutes from the city and loved it! Leashed pups are welcome at Arlington National Cemetery. Capital River Cruises welcome pups. And Potomac Riverboat Company in Alexandria hosts Canine Cruises. Annapolis, Maryland is a beautiful place to visit if you have more time.

Resources: A recent article in The Washington Times has some great tips. BringFido.com lists restaurants and other sites to visit in the area. Dogfriendly.com has a Washington, D.C. city guide for pups.

Washington DC weekend dog-friendly getaway

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