Espresso Stencil

Photo: CosmicEmotions on Etsy

Isn’t this the cutest thing ever?  Imagine waking up to this delightful cup ‘o jo.  We leave you with this happy image before heading into the weekend.  We hope you have a great one!

Top 10 Ways You Know You Are a Pet Parent | #8

Photo: Erin

After a long Memorial Day weekend hiatus (plus a few extra days), here is this week’s hint that you may be a pet parent.

#8:  More than 50% of the photos on your phone are of your dog or other people’s dogs.

Product | Doggles

Given all the rain that we’ve seen in NYC in the past two days, it seems untimely to talk about anything related to the sun or summer.  So let’s rewind and pretend for just a minute that the weather is back to being in the 70’s and sunny…like this weekend.

Now, I’m not entirely sure why a dog would need sunglasses, but I came across these on Daily Kibble the other day and thought they were too hot to pass up.  Here are my favs, paired with a designer set to match.  Check out more here.

Top left:  Doggles Optix Copper Dog Goggles.  $19.99.

Top right:  Tom Ford Ace Plastic Shield Aviators, Havana.  $420.

Bottom left:  Doggles ILS Chrome Dog Goggles.  $25.

Bottom right:  Carolina Herrera Two-Tone Sunglasses, Cream.  $325.

What do you think of doggles?  Cool, or ridiculous?

What to Expect When You Expect to Fly (With Your Dog or Other Small Animal)

Photo: Amber

I’m so excited today for three reasons.  First, it’s Friday, which is reason enough!  Second, we have our first guest contributor.  And third, it’s almost Memorial Day, and that means only one thing:  it’s time for summer travel.

We just booked our flight for a wedding in California, and I am contemplating taking Bailey with us on the plane.  Bailey has never been airborne, which is why I asked Amber, a good friend of mine who has appeared on uptownpuppy a few times, to share her expertise on flying with a small pet.  No one is as experienced as Amber who flies at least every other week (so it seems) and almost all the time, Mindy is flying with her.  Take it away, Amber! …

Top 10 Ways You Know You Are a Pet Parent | #9

Photo: Erin

Here’s today tip on how you know you’re a pet parent.

#9:  The frequency, size, and texture of your dog’s poop is a regular topic of discussion between you and your spouse.

Product | Dogsbar

Which one doesn’t belong?

Top 10 Ways You Know You Are a Pet Parent | #10

There are pet owners, then there are pet owners, aka pet parents.  We’re starting a new series called “Top 10 Ways You Know You Are a Pet Parent” to help you decipher which camp you fall into.  Here’s the first tip.

#10:  You talk about your dog the entire time you’re away on vacation.

Photos: Erin

Learning to Read Dog Food Labels

Image: NYTimes.com

I read this article in the NYTimes last week about the growing number of overweight pets and the correlation to human obesity in the US.  About half of all dogs and cats are overweight or obese!  If your dog doesn’t have a hip (a concave curve right above the buttocks), it is overweight.

The article caused quite a stir among pet owners about the rights and wrongs of feeding, and while I won’t judge one way or another, I figured it would be helpful to demystify some of the confusion around dog nutrition from the perspective of reading food labels.  Note:  this is all from secondary research, so consult your vet if you have any questions.

When deciding on your dog’s food, look at both the front and back labels for key information regulated by the AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials).  I used three brands of foods I currently feed or have fed Bailey to see the differences between the dog foods and how they are labeled.

Product | Yummy Bowl by Sleepypod

Image: Milk Dog

We’re going away for a short trip to Philly for an old college friend’s wedding this weekend, and we decided to bring Bailey with us.  We usually don’t bring her along, but because S and I have been working late nights and will be gone on vacation in a couple of weeks, we wanted to treat her with a little getaway.

I’ve been thinking about getting a travel bowl for Bailey because it’s such a pain wrapping up her ceramic bowls and carrying them around to and fro.  After some research, I decided to get the Yummy Bowl by Sleepypod.  Not only is it super functional, I love the cheerful design. Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works.

Oops. Poops.

Here’s another adorable letterpress card that speaks to the heart of every dog owner that has had to housebreak a puppy.  Bailey used to duck her head out of guilt and shame, and crawl towards me if there was poop on the floor when I got home.  I’m glad those days are over!

Image: Fugufugupress on Etsy