The Hydrant

11/12/2023

Print of the day!

13/11/2023

11/11/2023

🍰 AVAILABLE + READY TO GO! ⚡
I will be taking custom orders shortly, but these little gems are ready to go.

01/01/2023

Thank you 2022. ❤️

01/01/2023

31/12/2022

Isla ❤️ Sleepy time.

31/12/2022

Thank you lil’ Hendrix for Darla’s new PJ that actually fit!
Sleepover twin pix to come ..

31/12/2022

Prob very cozy … 😆

30/12/2022

💕

27/12/2022

Yes thank you very much.

23/12/2022

❄️

17/12/2022

When you have a dog and people are coming over for the holidays, there are a few things we can do to make sure our dogs are relaxed and comfortable:

1️ Stuff your dog's meals into food puzzles and food toys a day before. Pop them into the freezer so that it's harder for your dog to work through. Make sure their meals are smaller and spread out over the day to keep them busy.

2️ Give your dog the attention they need to be relaxed before your visitors arrive. Take them out for a good walk, to a dog park if that is what you do, or go for a short hike. It doesn’t have to be intensive but do something so that they get their beans out. Outsource this if your plate is already full!

3️ Remember that dogs need a quiet place to take a break. They do not need 6 hours of stimulation when visitors get there. So let them say hi and hang out for a bit and then pop them in a space where they're comfortable with white noise so they can relax and have a good snooze. Short and sweet is key.

4️ When you have visitors, have a baby gate or an exercise pen at the front door so they can’t dart out the door. It will save you so much stress while visitors come in and get settled. You can also keep your dog behind a gate, in a crate, in another room, or on leash, and release them when the visitors are in and settled.

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🐾

17/12/2022

THUNDER??! 😯

06/12/2022

The growl is a gift.

Never punish it or try to 'stop' it. Simply listen. Heed the warning and accept this as communication.

When we punish the growl, the dog stops growling and instead will jump from subtle signs of discomfort straight to a bite.
We do not want a silent biter!

Growls are another component of canine communication and are perfectly normal! How else were you expecting them to communicate? Words? 😉

Dogs will growl for a few reasons; play, fear/threat-response, uncertainty, discomfort/pain.

Over time you will learn what each one sounds like, I'm sure, but for now, we must combine the growl with the rest of the body language and that is the easiest way to decipher its meaning.

If a dog is growling with a lowered body and tense ears pulled back, they are feeling fearful and warning that if the threat doesn't go away, they may have no choice but to escalate to a bite. In this moment, it's best to remove the threat and give the dog space.

If a dog is growling with a stiff body and side eye while hovering over an item, they are feeling threatened or worried that their valuable resource (food, toy, "found" object, etc) may be stolen. Do not try to teach your dog a lesson here by removing the resource - instead, speak calmly to reassure your dog and move away, showing them that you are not a thief.

If a dog is growling with a lowered body but is still moving toward the "threat" with curiosity, they are feeling uncertain or apprehensive. Their curiosity is still strong but they're simply a little spooked. Getting closer is not always best as dogs in this state may be easily spooked into fight/flight mode.

If a dog is growling in play, I don't see a problem as long as their body is loose, wiggly, silly, and they have soft eyes. If the game is not as loose and silly and the dog is jazzed up (like when playing tug or fetch, you may not see as much wiggliness or soft eyes - more so excited eyes, and that's okay too. I tend to watch that it doesn't escalate too much, so play for a minute, take a break, play again, take a break. Even a 15 second break is a good reset!

If a dog is growling while being handled, they may not be enjoying the experience at all and are warning you that this is not their jam. "If you keep doing that, I will have no choice but to bite you. Please stop." Stop the handling and work with them to make it a better experience. Find another way to move them rather than forcing them - a food lure or tossing a treat or toy is fine in the interim! If the dog is in pain, this is a conversation for the Veterinarian for sure!

Always assess the rest of the components while the growl is occurring, or if you feel unsafe, give the dog space.

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04/12/2022

Circa 2016

01/12/2022

✨Finally up and ready to go!✨
NEW reversible pet bandanas
So many fun combos - you pick from the fabrics avail!

28/11/2022

Christmas 🎄

26/11/2022

Trying to make the bed 🙈🙊

25/11/2022

🦌

25/11/2022

Black Friday madness at …. Petsmart 😂