Fuzzy Friend Friday ((Charlie))

Say HELLO to our Fuzzy Friend Friday pup...

This adorable pup belongs to my good friend, Jayne!

Name: Charlie

Age: 12 years old

Breed: West Highland White Terrier

Favorite Toy: His blue ball!

Favorite Treat: He loves, loves, LOVES carbs! So brown rice or a bite of a roll or bread is his absolute favorite thing. He inhales carbs. Takes after his momma :)

Tip: I recommend the Thundershirt for dogs who struggle with separation anxiety!! We tried medicine for Charlie when he was younger and I HATED having to give him drugs whenever I'd leave the house. I wish I had found the Thundershirt sooner because it works like a charm without him having to be on a doggie downer.

Charlie loves his brother Milo!

(Check the blog next week to see Milo's Fuzzy Friend Friday post)

Thank you Jayne for sharing Charlie with us! 

I completely agree with Jayne regarding the Thundershirt. My mom bought Molson a Thundershirt last Christmas and I can see a difference when I put the shirt on him. I think he likes the feeling of being tucked-in and secured, so he doesn't think about the storms or loud sounds too much when wearing it. 

Remember to email me your pup's information and maybe your dog will be highlighted on the next Fuzzy Friend Friday! Click the link here for Fuzzy Friend Friday details!

Bark About It

KD

Merry Christmas from the Howliday Inn

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOWLIDAYS

from the Difani Family

Josh, Kelsey, Molson, & Jackson

It is amazing how fast this year has flown by! Soooo many wonderful things have happened to Josh and I in 2013... I graduated with my Masters in Teaching in May, we got married in July, we moved to Tennessee in September, Josh got a promotion in September, I started substituting in November, and we were able to spend the holidays with both sides of our family!

We are so thankful for all the love and support from family and friends this year!

On another note, every time we come home to our little, hometown of Celina, Texas for the Holidays, it seems as if we are running a Doggie Inn. I would like to share all the animals who have been staying at the...

Texas Howliday Inn

Molson

He is visiting from Hendersonville, TN

Genesee

She lives at the Howliday Inn in Celina, TX

Murphy

She is currently living at the Howliday Inn

and will be moving to Houston, TX this summer

Jackson

He is visiting from Hendersonville, TN

 Millie

She is visiting from Houston, TX

Koda

She lives at the Howliday Inn in Celina, TX

Foster

He lives at the Howliday Inn in Celina, TX

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

"We love him, because he first loved us!"

Bark About It

KD

Fuzzy Friend Friday ((Gucci))

Say HELLO to our Fuzzy Friend Friday pup...

This adorable pup belongs to my mother-in-law, Paula!

Name: Gucci

Age: 12 years old

Breed: West Highland White Terrier

Favorite Toy: Any animal squeaky toy!

Favorite Treat: He loves the Kong toy with peanut butter.

Tip: Gucci loves to be clean and groomed and he definitely likes his routine.

Thank you Paula for sharing Gucci with us! 

Remember to email me your pup's information and maybe your dog will be highlighted on the next Fuzzy Friend Friday! Click the link here for Fuzzy Friend Friday details!

Bark About It

KD

DIY Dog Ornaments

The past 2 years we have spent Christmas apart with our families, so this will be our FIRST Christmas together EVER! We will be spending Christmas in Texas with my family and the pups will be traveling with us. 

We put up our tree right before the Thanskgiving break... I know... we are those people. Haha

We noticed that the pups didn't have an ornament of their own, so we had to make one.

The Putty Ornament

(link to instructions found here)

This first ornament was a bit hard to make. Squishing your dog's paw into the hard putty takes talent and patience, because it doesn't always turn out the way you want too. 

The Mason Jar Lid Ornament

(This one was my idea)

I had a blast making this ornament, but I definitely needed help from Josh.

1) Paint your dog's paw the color you want. We first painted it red and then decided later we wanted it black.

2) Press your dog's painted paw on the fabric of your choosing.

3) Place your fabric in the mason jar lid and then write your pup's name. (If you write the name before you put it in the lid, the name might not fit.)  

4) Draw a circle around the lid- 1/2 inch to 1 inch around and then cut along the line.

5) This is what it should look like after cutting.

6) Place the fabric back in the mason jar lid.

7) The extra fabric will/should bundle up in the back, so you won't be able to see it hanging out.

8) Drill a hole into your mason jar lid and make sure it is centered.

9) Hot glue down the extra fabric in the back and then put another layer of hot glue over the fabric and against the lid, to make sure the lid doesn't slide around. (I used fabric hot glue here)

10) Finish products- Hang with lace, string, yarn, etc.

I love how you can tell the difference in our pup's personalities through the ornament they made.

Molson's is very neat, while Jackon's is a bit messy! :)

I hope you enjoyed both ornament ideas!
I loved being able to come with the mason jar lid ornament idea.
Both ornaments were very fun to make but definitely took a lot of patience.

Bark About It
KD

Fuzzy Friend Friday ((Murphy))

Say HELLO to our Fuzzy Friend Friday pup...

This adorable pup belongs to my sister, Courtney!

Name: Murphy May 
(Named after an Irish beer because she was born on St. Patty's Day)

Age: 1 in a half years old

Breed: Red Tri Australian Shepherd

Favorite Toy: She LOVES frisbees!

Favorite Treat: I wouldn't say she has one favorite treat... she loves them all! However, she does seem to like fruit loops. Grandma gives her fruit loops in the morning with her dog food and she is always stealing fruit loops from the other dogs' bowls.

Tip: If you have an Aussie... PLAY WITH THEM! No matter what type of dog you have they need exercise. Run with them or play with them. I wanted an active dog and definitely got one. She loves catching the Frisbee, fetching balls, sticks, or the occasional random object, and she loves swimming. She can jump amazingly high and even do flips!

Thank you Courtney for sharing Murphy with us!

On another note, I am so EXCITED because my sister will be flying into Nashville on Sunday! She will be spending the week with us and then riding back with us when we drive to Texas for Christmas! I can't wait to see you!

Remember to email me your pup's information and maybe your dog will be highlighted on the next Fuzzy Friend Friday! Click the link here for Fuzzy Friend Friday details!

Bark About It

KD

DIY Mug Design

I have had many people ask me how to make this mug design...

(Photobomb = Molson)

1) Find sticker(s) that you would like to use. I had some very large stickers and wanted to give Josh an early Christmas present. He has been complaining that all of our mugs are too small, so I used a BIG "D" sticker for his BIG MUG!

2) Place the sticker(s) of your choosing on the mug. You can even use multiple stickers to do initials. 

3) Use a permanent marker to make dots around the sticker and inside the sticker. Once you are satisfied with your design take the sticker off. I added some dots after I took the sticker off too.

4) Put the mug in the oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes to set the permanent marker.

Warning: Do not burn yourself when you are putting the mug in the oven. This girl burned herself on the coils on the top of the oven. OUCH!

Recommendation: I was told to not put your mug in the dishwasher or it could ruin your design. ONLY hand wash!

Family Recommendation: This could be a really fun activity for the family to do! You could either keep the mugs you make or give them as gifts. Grandma and Grandpa always love handmade gifts!

Pup Recommendation: Need a gift idea for a pet lover in your family? I think this would be such a cute idea to use a dog sticker and then you could write some words around the dog design like "Woof", "Ruff", "Pup Love," or you could even write their dog's name.

If you end up making a mug of your own, please share it with me!

Enjoy!

Bark About It

KD

Mimi's Doggie Deals Monday

I have a friend who shared a doggie website with me yesterday & I wanted to share it with you!

The website is called...

Mimi Green!

It has the most adorable collars, leashes, dog crate covers, and tons of accessories for your dog!
You can even personalize items with your dog's name!

Every Monday they have "Mimi's Doggie Deals Mondays" where they have a discount on certain items in their shop.

Today they have 4 items that have up to a 50% discount. 

Click the picture to take you to the Deals of the Day!

Molson and Jackson might be getting some new doggie accessories for Christmas!
This website is GREAT for finding Christmas present ideas for your dog!

If you don't like today's deal, then sign up for emails and they will send you an email every Monday with the new deal!
Enjoy!

Bark About It
KD

Fuzzy Friend Friday ((Copper))

Say HELLO to our Fuzzy Friend Friday pup...

This adorable pup belongs to my friend, Lauren!

Name: Copper

Age: 2 years old

Breed: Part Hound/Part Awesome (Unknown)

Favorite Toy: Ropes! He chews them to pieces. Also, remote controls! (I have had to replace many of those the past 2 years) Basically anything he can chew!

Favorite Treat: Ice! He goes crazy every time I open the freezer to get ice for my drink and he loves to have a piece. He slides it around the kitchen floor for a bit before eating it!

Tip: Train EARLY and keep them around people! It's good for them to be able to have control especially if you take them to public places and have them around other people. Nothing is more embarrassing than having your dog run off and not listen to you in a huge crowd. Also, make sure they get use to different places, people, sites, and sounds. They are skittish and more defensive when they aren't use to new things.

Copper loves to run and play fetch! He LOVES being outside, hiking, and playing in the water! He could swim for days but HATES baths!

Copper loves to cuddle and he thinks he is a lap dog even though he weighs 80+ pounds.

Thank you Lauren for sharing Copper with us! I bet Copper would love Frozen Apple Bites as a treat since he loves ice!

Remember to email me your pup's information and maybe your dog will be highlighted on the next Fuzzy Friend Friday! Click the link here for Fuzzy Friend Friday details!

Bark About It

KD

Life Is Better With A Dog

Here is an update from the Difani Family...

Thanksgiving break went by way too fast.

We arrived back home in Tennessee on Sunday.

I feel like I haven't stopped since we arrived home...

Running errands, buying gifts, wrapping gifts, entertaining the dogs, cooking, cleaning, Christmas card making and the list goes on and on.

I do have some GREAT news... I will start my first substitute job as of tomorrow. I wish it was a long-term sub job, but haven't found one yet. :( I am pretty nervous since I do not know anyone and it is a 5th grade classroom. Keep me in your prayers tomorrow :)

Also, I am currently finishing up the process in order to transfer my Arkansas Teaching License to a Tennessee Teacher License- EXCITING!

On other note, Jackson, our lab, is back with us. He spent the last few weeks in Arkansas with Josh's parents. I must say that we definitely missed him while he was gone and it just wasn't the same without him. We are glad to have him back! Both pups have pretty much slept everyday all day since we got back from Arkansas. I guess puppy Elly wore them out! 

(Sorry Jackson... I couldn't find a black lab)

I believe Molson is happy to have his brother back too. Every night this week has been "play with every toy" night where Mo and Jack pick out which toy they will play with for the next few minutes... then they pick out another toy until there are no toys left in the basket. They are so goofy!

(This sort of looks like Molson... Haha)

I definitely love having the dogs around! I can be having such an awful day and the minute I walk through the door, my pups put a smile on my face and I forget all about the bad day.

LIFE IS BETTER WITH A DOG... PERIOD!

Check the blog on Friday for a NEW Fuzzy Friend Friday pup!

Also, during the next couple weeks look out for some great Holiday dog posts! 

FYI: Those cute "Life Is Better With A..." Prints can be found here!

Bark About It

KD

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving is only a few days away...

(I have way too much free time)

 & after the big feast we are left with tons and tons of leftovers.

What do we do with those leftovers?

Throw the leftovers away.

Eat turkey leftovers for days & days.

Send leftovers home with anyone who walks into the house.

Feed the leftovers to the dogs who are staring at you and giving you the puppy eyes.

Whatever you decide to do with your leftovers, just remember that your dog can't eat everything you can!

I found this very helpful chart which explains foods that are bad for dogs and what these types of food can cause...

From this chart, I see so many foods that we eat during Thanksgiving that our dogs should not eat:

Turkey Skin (Fatty Foods)

Cooked Turkey Bones

Onions

Alcohol

Mixed Nuts

Chocolate Desserts

I am definitely not perfect when it comes to feeding my dogs table scraps, but with the holidays coming up and guests coming over to the house, everyone should know what not to feed the dog!

Bark About IT

KD

Welcome Elly

Welcome the new member of the Difani Family...

Elly

My mother-in-law picked up this adorable, fluffy, white Labrador Retriever today!

This sweet little girl is 6 weeks old today!

She also goes by Ellie Belly!

I can't wait to meet her next week when we return to Arkansas for Thanksgiving! 

They already have a love connection!

I would have to say that...

Life is better with a puppy!

Bark About It

KD

Dog Christmas Stockings

I wanted to share another "pup find" that I found this weekend...

Josh and I spent the weekend "window" Christmas shopping to add items to our Christmas list! We also finished putting up all of our Christmas decor inside and outside of our apartment! Yep... We're the crazy Christmas neighbors who threw up Christmas all over their house! :)

After putting up all the Christmas decor we realized that we were missing something very special.... Christmas Stockings!!!

We ended up finding some adorable stockings for our dogs, but we are still on the search for the perfect pair of stockings for Josh and I!

We came across this hunting, camo dog stocking at Hobby Lobby!

This stocking was perfect for Jackson our Lab!
Jackson is our energetic, loves the outdoors, and loves to swim in the lake pup :)

Only $4.49 (All Christmas Decor is 50% off)

Then we found...

This furry "Woof" dog stocking with bells at Target!

This stocking was perfect for Molson our Aussie!
Molson is our pampered, high-maintenance pup :)

Brand: Boots & Barkley and for $9.99
They also had one for cats that said "Meow"

I would love to hear what type of stockings you have for your pets!

Please share in the comment section below!

Bark About It

KD

Fuzzy Friend Friday ((River))

Say HELLO to our Fuzzy Friend Friday pup...

This adorable pup belongs to my good friend, Jennifer!

Name: River

Age: She will be 5 years old on Nov. 27

Breed: Chocolate Lab

Favorite Toy: Any stuffed animal that squeaks so that she can shred it and pull out the squeaker.

Favorite Treat: All of the above :) She would be grateful for anything you give her.

Tip: Be firm and strict with them as a puppy because it will pay off when they are older. Teach them tricks and work with them everyday while training.
Also, I don't know the exact name for it because it was a gift, but the best product ever would be something similar to the Portable Pet Lunchbox. We have a container that zips shut and that has two bowls when you open it. Underneath the tray that is holding the bowls is where you store the food. This product is so convenient!

Thank you Jennifer for sharing River with us!

Remember to email me your pup's information and maybe your dog will be highlighted on the next Fuzzy Friend Friday! Click the link here for Fuzzy Friend Friday details!

Bark About It

KD

Pet Tees for the Pet Lover

I keep seeing these fun, comfy pet shirts
& I just had to share them with you...

The first shirt is brought to us by Bark & Co

"Everyone Needs A Belly Scratch"

Color: Heather Grey

Price: $16

Click here to order 

Photo taken by Bark & Co

The second shirt is brought to us by The Mustache: Goods & Wears

"Keep Fayetteville Furry"

Colors: Green and Blue

Price: $22

$5 of each shirt will go directly to the Fayetteville Animal Shelter (AWESOME)

Click here to order 

(They don't have the shirts online, so you have to call and order over the phone)

Photo taken by The Mustache: Goods & Wears

These would be a great gift for any pet lover like myself! (wink, wink)

I haven't ordered one yet! 

I'm definitely putting them on my Christmas List! 

Enjoy!

Bark About It

KD

Be Thankful for Beauty

Josh and I enjoyed the beautiful weather Saturday morning by walking the Hendersonville Greenways!
The Greenway trails run along side the lake and railroad tracks!
The Greenways are about 6 miles long and start at Drakes Creek near the lake and end near the Streets of Indian Lake shopping center!

Moving to a different state and not knowing anyone has been pretty hard on me. It has definitely taken me motivation and encouragement from my husband to get out and get to know our surroundings. I encourage those that have also made this same transition to get out and enjoy what God has created! Nothing eases the mind like getting out and enjoying the beauty all around us. I encourage you to look for beauty and take a moment to be thankful for it!

Enjoy the pictures below!

Our family (minus Jackson)

Jackson got to stay in Arkansas until we return for Thanksgiving!

 Molson enjoyed the walk too!

Bark About It
KD