We are living in unprecedented times and I'm watching the news daily for an announcement from our Governor that we're under a mandatory shelter in place. I'm not going to panic and empty store shelves of supplies I don't need, but I do need to make sure that we have...
When I started feeding a raw food diet, there were two main models – BARF and Prey Model – and no one could agree on which was the best. You can Google the definitions of each model and find varying descriptions shared by raw feeders. Below is how I tell...
Longer days are here and warmer temps are right around the corner, which means three things for our family: Long daily dog walks.Bringing raw meaty bones back into the diet – the dogs eat them outside.Home projects galore. Every year my partner and I sit down...
Every year, I used to publish a blog post sharing the supplements I add to my dogs' meals, and then I realized this was a bad idea. My goal was to give people examples of what they can add to their dogs' diet, but what people were taking away from the post was: a list...
I wasn't prepared for becoming a pet parent in the social media era. Something as innocuous as choosing a harness can stir up so much drama and confusion that you'd think we were talking religion or politics. So color me surprised when I shared that I preferred...
The other day, I took the dogs for a walk after work. I was in a hurry because we were losing light fast, but they didn’t mind. Apollo would prefer to run and Zoey was just happy to be out and about. It was a short walk where I was juggling two dogs, keeping an eye...
Did you know that rawhide chews are mostly indigestible? Did you know that rawhide chews can be dangerous to our dogs? In this post, I share more than 20 alternatives for pet parents looking to satisfy their dog's chew drive safely. Benefits of Rawhide Chews Our dogs...
So, it's been nearly five months since we went from a four dog home to a five dog home and I haven't written about the experience of adding a dog to our pack. But before I share what I did, I thought it would be important to explain more about our dogs and the...
When my dog is in pain, I listen to our veterinarian, not strangers on Facebook! ~ Kimberly Gauthier, worried dog mom This is going to be somewhat of a rant post, but I'll throw in some useful information as well. This week Johan and I found ourselves at the emergency...
I swear, there is something about me that attracts men who think I'm a moron. My ex-husband had a nickname for me, Jack, short for Jackass. Can you see why he's my ex-husband? He thought I was such a moron that I often wondered why he was attracted to me in the first...
Are you looking for a stainless steel dog dish? Dog dishes are another thing pet parents are concerned about because the material can pose a safety hazard for dogs. Although they can be noisy, stainless steel dog dishes are affordable, dishwasher safe, durable, and...
After years of raising dogs, we're experiencing separation anxiety and PTSD for the first time. And, yeah, you read that right – we have a non-military dog with PTSD. After doing everything wrong, I spoke with our veterinarian who put us on the right path and it...
Rodrigo is now the proper weight of a Border Collie and it's freaking me out. So he's off to the vet for a check out to make sure all is well – his behavior is normal, his poop is normal, I'm still freaked out. And, in the meantime, I'm trying to put a little...
J doesn't know it, but we're in the market for a new vacuum cleaner. We currently have a Rainbow vacuum cleaner that we purchased secondhand on Craigslist nearly 10 years ago. It's great, fantastic actually, but it's a beast to lug around and I'm looking for something...
Christmas decorations go up in the stores right as the Halloween decorations are being put on clearance. Thanksgiving gets no love – maybe a couple of shelves in an aisle. The first person to put up Christmas lights joined in on the fun, lighting up their corner...
I'm a passionate writer in the Pacific Northwest who loves all things dogs. I share what I'm learning as I attempt to crack the code to longevity. Keep the Tail Wagging is a blog dedicated to the dog who inspired this journey: Rodrigo Gauthier - March 2010 - September 2023.
