https://close2homedogboarding.com/

Close 2 Home Dog Boarding and Other Pet Services, Freeville, NY (2024)

08/21/2021

Business and social media paws, I mean pause 🐾

The plan was to keep posting a little more throughout August, but then man did the month get busy! 🏠🎉

As many of you already know, I’m not currently able to take in any pups as we are transitioning to our new house.

While we work on getting settled (and I start another year of teaching middle school), we’ll be pausing from posting much on here as well.

But we promise that as soon as we can, we’ll be back in business.

I can’t wait to see all our old friends and make new ones!🐕‍🦺🦮🐩

08/09/2021

Have you ever had experience with kennel cough? 🐶🤒🐾

Here is a (very) quick guide to kennel cough, which is unfortunately making its way around local places because the vaccine cannot prevent all types of the illness and it is highly contagious 😞

Maintaining the necessary vaccines for your and your dog’s lifestyle can help! But just a friendly reminder that I am not a veterinarian and you should always consult your’s before making any medical decisions for your pet.

08/04/2021

is a follow up to Monday’s post about dog ID tags.
In my opinion, the pros of dog ID tags (and wearing collars) outweigh the cons, but if you are struggling with any of the issues that can come with ID tags, I have easy tips to help!

08/02/2021

Does your dog carry their ID with them? 🦮
Nala carries her town registration tag and microchip info tag, but I’ve never actually made her one with her name 🤷🏻‍♀️ (and now I want to)

And in case you were curious, here’s…
What you should include on your dog’s ID tag:
-Pet’s Name
-Your phone number
-Your city
-Medical Needs
-Microchip Information
-Personal message such as “Please call my mom” or “I’m friendly”
-Reward info

Most likely you won’t be able to fit everything on an ID or even need to.

Check out my ideal dog ID tags for Nala and Grace that include what information is relevant for each!

08/01/2021

Yesterday was National Mutt Day 💜 and today is National Friendship Day AND Universal Birthday for Rescue Pets 🎉 💝

So, here is a post where we can celebrate all of these with Miss Abby Sue! My mutt, my friend, my rescue 🐶

🐾 It is estimated that over 50% of dogs owned in the United States are mixed breed dogs also known as mutts.

Here are Abby Sue’s Wisdom Panel results:
50% Basset Hound
25% Siberian Husky
12.5% Alaskan Malamute
12.5% Boxer

The basset and husky were no real surprise. Short legs and nose of a hound and eyes and coat of a husky. The first time Abby went to the groomer, she told me, “I kept brushing and the hair just kept coming!”

07/29/2021

to when it was National Freezer Pop Day (July 8th) and I made these blueberry 🫐 and yogurt pup-sicles 🐾

I used roughly ½ cup frozen blueberries, 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt, and 1 tbsp of water.

Allow 2-4 hours to freeze 🥶before serving.

I also couldn’t help myself and ordered some cute molds from Amazon 🐾 🦴

07/27/2021

looks a little different this week 🤓

Have you ever checked out any of the free webinars by ? 💻

I’ve tuned in to 3️⃣so far about different elements graphic design (and got three free months of Canva Pro by attending the first webinar 👍🏻)

So many great ideas and tips to help with my social media designs (because if you know me, you know this is a area!)

07/23/2021

Happy 🤩

⏰ for a

🤔Have you heard of calming signals?

They are what they sound like…signals your dog gives that indicate they are trying to calm themselves down 🤪
Which is helpful information when you are using your dog’s body language to help indicate their mood/behavior/etc.

Here’s an example of Nala and her calming signal of shaking herself out. This was after she had gotten herself out of being wrapped up in the curtain. She didn’t freak out too much and then she did this to calm herself down.

07/22/2021

Umm, so yesterday was National Hot Dog Day and I completely forgot to post about it 😜

🌭Are you a fan of hot dogs? I mostly only associate them with dog training 🐾(& a symbol of summer, of course) since I’m not personally much of a fan🌭

As you may be able to imagine (with all the various meats packed inside), hot dogs can be considered to be “high-value” treats for some pups, which is useful when training a new and/or difficult cue.

You should choose hot dogs that have less preservatives and more natural ingredients, and make sure the hot dogs do not contain any ingredients, like onions, that dogs cannot have.

But, don’t go crazy and overindulge. Since hot dogs do have a lot of salt, and aren’t the healthiest for dogs (same as humans), they should always be given in moderation. It is also best to cut them into small pieces to prevent choking, and always serve them plain.

07/19/2021

Maintaining a fun cool place for your pup to be while outside during the summer months is important for backyard enjoyment🌤🌳🪵

Enjoying a kiddie pool 💦and some homemade freezer pops 🍧are some of Nala’s favorite ways to keep cool during the summer.

We also make sure there is water🧊 in the backyard as well as a nice shaded spot for cooling down ⛱This is especially helpful for dogs who don’t enjoy the water.

Other ways that you could transform your yard to a doggy paradise would be to add an elevated dog bed and cooling mats, along with other cooling accessories like a vest or bandana.

I also can’t wait to get a sprinkler to see whether or not Grace and Nala would be interested in it!🐾

07/15/2021

🔥 🔥🔥
Here we are again and today’s “national day of” is a little more serious with National Pet Fire Safety.

Check out some tips to help protect your pets in the case of a fire emergency 🚨

Do:
-Have a plan of who is responsible for who
-Have fire alert clings or stickers to alert firefighters to your pets (I literally just purchased these for the new house 🚨)

Don’t:
-Have open flames like candles
-Use glass bowls on hot wooden decks (instead replace with plastic or metal as they won’t cause a potential fire like the heated glass could)

07/14/2021

Nala and I had a few firsts today on our lunch break walk🤩

First time a FedEx delivery person went out of his way to give Nala a treat 🦴 AND Nala accepted 😮 AND let him pet her without running away!
💜🤍
Then all she wanted to do was get her b***y home to snack on it 🤤😍😊

So, now that we are about to move back to the country, she’s remembering how to exist in a neighborhood 😆😅

07/12/2021

In keeping with the trend of celebrating “national day of’s”, today is National Different Colored Eyes Day.

Did you know there is a specific term for this? 👀

Heterochromia is when a pup has two different colored eyes due to the distribution of melanin. While it can occur in humans, it is much more likely in dogs, cats, and horses.
🐾
And some breeds of dogs are more likely to have one blue eye like my girl, Abby Sue. She was 25% Siberian husky and 12.5% Alaskan malamute, which helps to explain why she was more genetically prone to have one blue eye (which also helps to explain why most people fell in love with her at first sight). 💜🤍

07/11/2021

Today is National All American Pet Photo Day where the goal is to share your fave pet picture 😍

Choosing just one pic was the toughest 📷

Enjoy Miss Abby Sue relaxing with her blanket (that has since been gifted to Goof) 💜🐾

07/07/2021

brought to you by this goofy face 😍

07/03/2021

Happy 4th of July Weekend🎇

Do your pups get anxious with fireworks?

Grace and Nala were not fans of the fireworks close by last night, but luckily we have some strategies that help them calm down a little 🐶

Check out the tips and see if any can help your dog get through the celebratory weekend! ❤️🤍💙

06/29/2021

Is it 🥵 where you are?

This heat wave has been quite the introduction to summer vacation 😅

Just a friendly reminder as we experience these hottt days🌡☀️

06/27/2021

Do your pups wake up with a little more energy than you have (especially before your ☕️)?

Try serving part of breakfast with various toys 🤤

Here the pups are staring me down waiting for the kongs and puzzle ball 🦴

Now, they’ll entertain themselves a little while having some breakfast, rather than jumping right into the full body wrestling at 6 AM 🤪🤫

06/23/2021

Did you know that it’s (or that this day even existed 😂)?!

I figured it be a great time to share some heads up about keeping your pup hydrated this summer 💦 since…

Dehydration is a serious summer concern for dogs.
🐾
Some signs are:
pale gums + a bright 👅
disorientation,
skin around the neck doesn’t snap back when pinched,
and vomiting 🤮

The easiest way to keep your pup hydrated is with easy access to clean water during all their activities.

We love this collapsible bowl for easy travel with us wherever we go. I even brought ours when Grace had to travel 45 minutes to my externship so that way she could have a nice drink after an exciting car ride and before an even more exciting training session 💜

06/20/2021

Sundays are for 🤍

Nala is pretty good at being able to relax on the weekends. I find it a little harder to just lounge around unless there’s a pup in my lap 😍

Do you like to relax on Sundays or are you still checking things off those to-do lists? 🧺🧹🪣

06/18/2021

We’re running to the weekend like Charlie, Archie, and Rusty here 😃 😎

06/13/2021

💤😴💤

06/11/2021

Today is
(that’s a long one ☝️)

Here are the ones who make life beautiful for me these days (even tho this pic is a to a couple summers ago) ⛺️🐾💜

06/09/2021

Just my sleepy Nala girl after a trip to the groomer’s this morning 🥰

➕before and after 📸

06/08/2021

It’s 🥰🤩🥳

Introducing these two was easy as they quickly became best friends.

Positive and relaxed introductions are so important, and one way to do that is to have dogs meet in a neutral place.

06/05/2021

So many great to celebrate lately.

Today is 🌄🥾

Hitting the trails is a great way to be social while making sure to follow trail rules like leashing and picking up after your dog 🦮

Nala always loves hitting the trails!

06/04/2021

Did you say cheese?! 🤤🧀

Since today is National Cheese Day, we figured we’d mention that cheese is a great option as a “high-value ” treat when you are trying to work with your pup on a new and/or difficult cue.

06/03/2021

🏃🏻‍♀️

Here’s a throwback from 2017 when I went running with Miss Kona Bear. We aimed for about a mile when we went running together. 🐕‍🦺🏃🏻‍♀️
When training your dog for loose-leash walking, the cue of “with me” can also come in handy if you want to train your dog to run with you.
Whatever the speed, your dog will know “with me” means to match your pace.

06/01/2021

Yesterday was National Smile Day 😃(but more importantly Memorial Day), and I couldn’t miss posting this smiley mug even if it’s a day late.

Abby Sue was usually pretty smiley when there was a walk involved. This basset husky mix loved using her nose skills around town!

05/31/2021

🇺🇸Home of the free because of the brave ❤️🤍💙

On this Memorial Day, we thank our service men and women for their ultimate sacrifice for our country and freedom.

And since we ❤️ dogs here, let us tell you about Sallie who is memorialized in Gettysburg, PA.

❤️Sallie was a brindle terrier (similar to a Staffordshire terrier) who became the canine mascot for the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry.
🤍She served with the soldiers through most of the Civil War until she was killed in action in February of 1865.
💙Veterans of the 11th included Sallie in their monument when it was constructed in 1890 😍

05/27/2021

all the way to July 2019 when Henry was cuddling up in a bed that I had bought for Nala but she’s never cared for 🙄

05/25/2021

Mom/Dad guilt when you can’t take your dog for a long walk? 🦮

Well, did you know that sometimes a shorter walk where you practice cues can actually tire your dog out more, especially mentally?

Grace approves 🖤🐕‍🦺

05/22/2021

Saturdays are for 🐕‍🦺🦮

Here is a video of Nala and Henry playing recently.

Nala is very picky about who she’ll hang with, so this is kind of a big deal when she gets feisty while staying appropriate.

Does your pup have some good friends they like to hang out with?

05/20/2021

happy 😍🤩

This is definitely a pic if you couldn’t tell by the high quality 🖼

Picture is from right after I rescued Miss Abby Sue in 2009. She made me a dog mom to which I am so grateful!

05/18/2021

We missed but we keep seeing 🐝 everywhere on our walks so figured we should share 😎

Maintaining a first aid kit can be useful especially if you have multiple pets.

Benadryl is a recommended addition for allergies, and is also used for travel anxiety and motion sickness. 🤢
Always consult a vet before administering especially as they can help you know the appropriate dosage. 💊

I needed to do this when Nala decided to eat a wasp...hello, allergic reaction in the form of a very swollen mouth!

Also, for the cue “leave it” can be wonderful in situations where your pups may be getting too curious 😬

05/16/2021

Is Nala a mood? 💤

Sooo sleepy! And adorable 🥰

05/15/2021

happy ☺️

Did you know that dogs age differently depending on the breed/size?

Grace 🐕‍🦺recently turned 6 in human years making her about 45 in dog years.
Nala 🐶just turned 10 in humans years, but is only around 56 in dog years since she’s a small breed.

05/12/2021

Can anyone else relate? 😬🙋🏻‍♀️

and

05/11/2021

Did you know that today is National Eat What you Want Day? 🍽🥣

🤤Do it! BUT, first look over this list of foods that may be dangerous for your pup.

05/08/2021

happy 💜
Abby Sue made me a and paved the way for all the other pups in my life 🤩
Between having the same middle name as my mom, and looking like she was definitely a similar mix as Angus Beef (Basset/husky), it was love at first sight ☺️

Happy celebrating those dog moms in your life!