Moisturizing Oatmeal Lavender Dog Shampoo

Taters Time To Shine: Moisturizing Oatmeal Lavender Shampoo

1 Cup Ground Oats
3/4 Cups Baking Soda
1-2 Cups of Hot Water
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
6 Drops of Food Grade Lavender Oil

1. Mix Baking Soda and Ground Oats together in a Medium Sized Bowl. If you don't have ground oats you can put the oats in a food processor.

2. Put the hot water in and stir

3. Next put the coconut oil in the microwave for 20 seconds or until it is fully melted. Quickly put the melted oil in the ground oat, baking soda and water mixture and stir.

4. Put the lavender oil in, stir and it's ready to use!!

5. Separation is natural so just remember to stir or shake (if you jar it) before using.

The Fake Service Dog

Taters Time to Shine: The Fake Service Dog

This is 9 year old Wyatt with his Service Dog Princess.
 Princess is trained through the organization 1Boy4Change.

Service Dogs are highly trained dogs that are used to assist someone with a disability, whether it be physical or mental. Service Dogs are trained to perform tasks that their handler may not be able to do on their own or may have trouble doing such as picking items up off the ground, walking, opening doors, functioning in public, etc. The most commonly known Service Dog is the Guide Dog that helps people that are blind but there are so many other types of Service Dogs. There are Service Dogs that help people who are deaf or going deaf, Service Dogs that help people with PTSD, Anxiety, Autism, the list goes on! 

While there are these amazing and highly trained Service Dogs walking around with their handlers in public, there are also some not so amazing and highly trained "Service Dogs" doing the same thing. You will usually see a dog wearing a vest with some patches that may say "Service Dog" or "In Training" and maybe a card on their vest. Even though it is not mandatory, most Service Dogs [in Training] wear that. Just because they wear that does not mean they are an actual Service Dog [in training].

It's becoming easier and easier to make your dog a "Service Dog".. a fake Service Dog. You can buy the vest, the card, the patches, everything you need online. There are tons of websites that sell Service Dog equipment. There are also fake "organizations" online that have you pay $60 or something and your dog magically becomes a Service Dog! 

6 year old Abcde with her Service Dog, Pup-Cake

You might see a Service Dog [in training] out in public and think "Oh, that's a Service Dog" but is it? Is it really a Service Dog? Look at him/her, does he/she seam to be "in tuned" with the owner? Is it acting appropriately and not taking things off shelves or getting peoples attention? Is he/she barking at someone or something? Is he/ she jumping on people or on the counters? If you answered "yes" to these questions, that dog is most likely NOT a Service Dog. Sorry to burst your bubble but it's the truth!

If your dog is not trained to act appropriately in public like Service Dogs, it is a safety risk to the people around you. What would happen if your so called "Service Dog" were to bite someone? What would happen then? What would YOU do? That "Service Dog" of yours would probably be put down and give Service Dogs a bad rap all because you had to bring your dog with you everywhere. 

If you need a Service Dog I have provided links below that will bring you to where you can find trainers in your area and organizations that provide Service Dogs. Next time you see a Service Dog acting up in public, out of control and/or if you feel your or someone else's safety is at risk please tell an employee. If their is any questioning going on about laws and rights I have also provided a link below to where all laws and rights are! 


Business Rights (copied directly off the ADA.gov website: 

• A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or (2) the dog is not housebroken. When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service animal be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.

Service Dog Information and References:

To view all Service Dog Laws/ Rights go to: http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

In need of a trainer to train your dog to become a Service Dog? Go here to find a list of trainers in your area: http://www.petpartners.org/servicedogtrainerdirectory

Looking for an already trained Service Dog? Go here to find a list of reputable Service Dog Organizations: http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/members/programs-search/

Follow Wyatt and Princesses journey by "liking" their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/wyattandprincess

Follow Abcde and Pup-Cakes adventures by "liking" their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PupcakePitBullServiceDog

"My Dog Doesn't Need to be on a Leash"

"My Dog Doesn't Need to be on a Leash"

Has anyone else heard that before? I have!

I will often see someone walking their Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever off leash or just letting them run around the yard with no fence or tether.

No discrimination here but those are the only breeds of dogs I have seen in this situation.
Just last summer I was walking Tater (my now 16 month old rescued Pit Bull) around the block. As we turn the corner I see a mother and son in their yard with their 3 Goldens (1 Senior 2 Adults) and a friend with her son standing and talking in their yard with their probably 2-3 year old Yellow Lab.

We came up to the house and the Labrador goes BANANAS! I mean lunging, jumping, barking at my Pit Bull that walks by like nothings going on. Then the 3 Goldens charge into the street to go up to Tater. Please note that we are walking on the opposite side of the street. One Golden knocks her child down and the owner has time to grab his collar while the other two are sprinting to us and almost got hit by a car that's coming. No one was hurt but it was just a crazy situation... that the owner could have prevented by being responsible. The thing is, is that these dogs are REALLY well trained, I have seen them training but ANYTHING could happen.. anything and no, she did not learn from her mistakes.. they were out in the front yard the next day.

When you don't have your dog on a leash while walking you aren't in control, AT ALL. My friend was walking her 2 pitties (Rocky & Manders) and a dog came up and attacked them both.. I believe that it was a stray dog too. A guy came out and continued to hit Rocky & Manders on the head with a baby gate which gave them some pretty bad injuries, thankfully they are going to be okay. Rocky and Manders were on leash so at least their Mom had SOME control.. but she was not in control of the other dog which was of course not her fault.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am also going to cover this video/ story that has gone viral..
"Cop Shoots Man's Service Dog During His Sons 9 Year Old Birthday Party."
Video/ Story here: --> http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/11/horrifying-video-cop-shoots-mans-service-dog-during-his-9-year-old-sons-birthday-party/

I am not on the owners "side" or cops "side" but did anyone else see that the dogs ran into the middle of the street a couple of times? Am I the only one that had their heart drop into their stomach when they ran into the street?

I just do not understand WHY people leave their dogs out in the yard unattended and "free".. ESPECIALLY A SERVICE DOG that your life could DEPEND on!!! In Taters SD application for the SD Org. makes us sign where it says "Do you understand you can NEVER leave him/her unattended outside?".

I know for a FACT that if the owner would have either crated his dogs during the birthday party, put them in a room, or actually have been a RESPONSIBLE owner and not let them run free.. this would have NEVER happened. There are LAWS about this people! There are LAWS for a reason! They are there to keep YOU, YOUR DOG, AND EVERYONE ELSE ***SAFE***!!!!

I do not think shooting the dog was the way to go but truthfully I would have had NO clue what to do in that situation.. I would have probably shot the ground to startle the dogs but I would not have shot the dog. I think cops should be equipped with dog repellent.. it is a safer and better alternative than shooting a dog.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Worried about running into a stray dog?

Here are a few tips:
        Dog Repellent sold on Amazon.com for $10.50. Purchase here: http://www.amazon.com/Petsafe-Sprayshield-Animal-Deterrent-Spray/dp/B0009YSB9O/ref=sr_1_2?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1393472091&sr=1-2&keywords=dog+repellent

Here is one attachable to your keychain:
http://www.amazon.com/SprayShield-Animal-Deterrent-Spray-Belt/dp/B0002XKIV6/ref=pd_bxgy_petsupplies_img_z

    Pet Parade- a little hand held remote that puts off a piercing ultrasonic tone dogs HATE and humans can't hear! Sold on Amazon.com for $6.57. Purchase here: http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Parade-Dog-Repeller-Training/dp/B000E8O4UA/ref=sr_1_1?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1393472091&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+repellent




Please comment below how you feel about this topic!

Do Dogs Really Feel Guilty?

Do Dogs Really Feel Guilty? 

A article was recently published about dogs not feeling guilty or shameful of their actions despite how they look. 

You can read the article here: Behaviorists: Dogs feel no shame despite the look

I have to disagree. 

Especially with this, which I copied and pasted from the article:
""Just get over it and remind yourself not to put temptation in the way next time," said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine and executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists."

Oh my word! Do you realize what my house would look like if I "hid" all of Tater's temptations?? EVERYTHING including furniture would have to be in storage! Tater used to chew on the bed legs, want to dig the cushions on the couch, dig the hardwood floor up, eat photo albums, eat rugs... eat and destroy EVERYTHING! If I took away temptations he would either have to be in a crate his WHOLE life or we would have to live in like a concrete cell.

I do think dogs feel guilt/ shame to a point but it is more submission than actual guilt/shame. When I corrected Tater for chewing on books I would say a firm "NO" and he would put his ears back, hang his head, and walk away with his tail hanging. Not tucked.. just not wagging. 

I believe a good dog, is a trained dog. If you continue to take away and hide their temptations they will never learn. All you are doing is making the problem disappear which doesn't solve anything. The best way to teach your dog to not do something or do, do something is to TRAIN them. Establish a good, healthy relationship with them where they respect you and teach them commands and to listen to you. That will give you a well rounded dog and a loyal companion! 

So to wrap everything up, the answer is "yes". I do think dogs feel guilt! 

Hope you enjoyed this blog post! Any ideas you have for our next post feel free to share them below! 

Interview with Reser, the Puppy Prodigy

This is a short and sweet interview with the absolutely ADORABLE Reser!! 

Enjoy! 

Q (Reser): Hi Reser! What do you think of your big brother Parker?
He is awesome! I want to be just like Parker when I grow up!



Q (Reser): What are some of your plans for the future? I'm gonna help Parker with his cancer stuff. He says I can come with him on some of his cancer walks, too. I want to be a therapy dog one day but I've got a lot of training to do before I can do that. Q (Reser): What are some of your favorite activities? Play Ball? Bug your big brother, etc? I love to grab washcloths out of the laundry room and carry them around the house. I also like to eat! I'm not much into playing ball. Unless if Parker is playing, I guess, and then it's fun to grab the ball before he gets it and have him chase me around. Q (Reser): What is your favorite type of toy to play with? I LOVE empty water bottles!!!!! Q (Parker and Reser): Anything else you think we should know? Did I mention I like to eat?

What did I learn from this interview?
Well I am not totally sure about this but I think Reser may like to eat? Maybe?
haha!
Thank you for reading!

You can follow Reser and ParkerPups adventures at https://www.facebook.com/ParkerPup !

Interview with Therapy Dog, Model, Actor, AKC Agility Dog and Cancer Awareness Dog, Parker!

Well that title was a mouthful!!! 
Do these to pups sound familiar? Well I am sure you know them from their FAMOUS Facebook page "ParkerPup"! 

We will also be supporting ParkerPup ALL through the Hero Dog awards!!! 

Interview with ParkerPup! 

Q (Parker): How old were you when your mom brought you home to live with her? I was 11 weeks old when I came to live with my family.



Q (Parker): At what age did you start training? I started training the day I came home. It's all I have ever known. Q (Parker): Why do you think people should train there dog? It's good for us dogs to have a job and to be both mentally and physically active. It keeps our brains going, and helps the human-animal bond. We're more reliable when we're trained, and able to figure things out quicker if we have been exercising our brains. Many benefits! Plus who doesn't like a trained dog? Q (Parker): What type of training did you get trained using? Positive Reinforcement? Correction Based Training? and Why? I am trained using positive reinforcement and clicker training. Just like children, dogs respond favorably to praise. It's no fun learning when you are constantly being corrected and told you are wrong, right? Think back to school. It's kind of the same thing! Q (Parker): What made your mom recognize that you would be a good actor/ model and Therapy Dog? Regarding becoming an actor/model -- it was never something we actively went looking for. My family did a lot of training when I was small and got involved in a lot of things in the dog community. We met lots of people and one friend introduced us to an animal talent agent. She met me and liked me and my resume right away and I had my first job within 2 weeks. My family knew from the very first few weeks that I would make a good therapy dog. I was a very mellow puppy, calm, and eager to please. They knew I had the potential to become a therapy dog if it was something I liked (that's the other thing - whatever "job" i would eventually have, they wanted to make sure it was something I really enjoyed doing). Q (Parker): What are some of your favorite things to do in your spare time? I love to play ball! I will retrieve them for you, and if you're too busy to throw my ball for me, I will hide them under the chair and try to get them out. It's a game I made up myself. I love to learn and train. I love to do agility. I also like to eat, and play with Reser. Q (Parker): I know you bring a lot of awareness to Cancer, what can the public do to help bring awareness to it as well? Well, first it's important to realize that you are never the exception. My family never thought we would be closely affected by it, but my dad got an aggressive cancer and survived. They have also lost 3 dogs to cancer, one of which was my best friend, Daisy. Knowing the statistics is important. Then using that information to get people interested will help. Then hopefully people will understand the importance of self-checks, regular doctor examinations, checking your dog regularly for lumps/bumps/abnormalities, and getting involved in your community to raise funds for groundbreaking research. We won't ever find answers if we don't invest. Q (Parker): Did you have any funny habits as a pup or still now? My dog, Tater, will bring people a boot or pillow when he is excited to see them. I do like to greet people with a tennis ball when I have one available. Sometimes I grin a lopsided Elvis smile if I see someone I know and am super-duper excited to see (but I never do this with my own family so they have had a hard time capturing it and pairing it with a command).

Be sure to watch for ParkerPup's little brothers interview next week!!

Become a fan of ParkerPup --->https://www.facebook.com/ParkerPup

Interview with Missy S. -A Mom that Wouldn't Give Up On Finding Her Daughter's Happiness (Pup-Cake the Service Dog)

Don't you just love those heart-warming stories and photos of kids and their Bully [Breed]? Well this interview takes it to a whole other level! 

Admit it.. this is the most adorable picture ever!

Meet Abcde and Pup-cake, they are not only the best of friends but Pup-cake is the door way to Abcde's independence, happiness and pride. Who is this Pup-Cake you ask? 

<---THIS is Pup-Cake! Pup-Cake is Abcde's Staffordshire Bull Terrier Service Dog! She has good taste in dogs! 

Lets get on with this interview already! It may be on the long side but is SURE worth it to read! 

Interview with Missy S. -A Mom that Wouldn't Give Up on Finding Her Daughter's Happiness 

Q: How old was Abcde when you decided she needed a Service Dog?

"It was not a sudden moment where the Service Dog decision came to thought. We were well aware early on that Abcde was going to not only be a challenge to us, but to herself as well. I started my research early in regards to EVERY POSSIBLE form of assistance for my daughter. I felt the best thing that I could do for my daughter was to be armed with as much knowledge as possible. I suppose that was my way of coping with our reality."

Q: What made you decide to train a SD for Abcde? "When I noticed that my daughter was a danger to herself due to her various issues I knew something had to be done. I realized early on that I simply was not going to be able to meet all of her needs. She refused human assistance and contact and was slowly becoming unreachable altogether. From early on animals had always been drawn to her and vice versa, so I decided to use that for her benefit." Q: What are some of the things Pup-Cake helps Abcde with during the day? Pups work is varied and vast. She ensures Abcdes safety by: -interrupting self injurious behaviors -blocking her from entering dangerous situations -guide work -Re-directive work -Sensory -Alerts to Stemming behavior -Counterbalance work  Q: What made you choose a Staffordshire Bull Terrier? Have you had this breed in the past?

"Service dog interview : the series
The L.R.'s Thought this husky would work! However they
say that this furry came in... Walked over to Abcde...
Took one look and sniff...then proceeded to stand
at the door and howl until someone came and
put it back in its cage! So rude!"
-Pup-Cake the Service Dog

I always laugh when I am asked this question. My husband and I did not choose a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The reality is; Pup-Cake and Abcde chose each other. As a family we had taken Abcde to “interview” upwards of 100 potential Service Dogs. While the animal’s were drawn to Abcde, she made NO connection with any of them. Because of this we were beginning to consider that this may not be the right path for her. That is when Julie Marie Miller [founder of Bull Nannies] reached out to us through Face Book. As a family friend who understood our frustration she suggested the American Bull Terrier as a solution. We were skeptical however desperate to be able to connect with our daughter. Two meet and greets with an American Bull Terrier had come and gone…..nothing. We decided that we would give it one more shot, we scheduled a meet and greet and that is when it happened. The deal was made, pup would cry when not in the arms of my daughter and vice versa. It was THIS day that we saw her first genuine smile. An emotion she never seemed to be worthy of until that moment. Q: Does Pup-Cake go to school with Abcde? On days that she struggles, yes she does. However there are days where she does not. These are the days that she is encourage to attain Human interaction and intervention to remedy her problems. Q: Since Abcde has had a SD, what are some of the changes you have seen in her? To answer this briefly is impossible. However to do so I will simply say that Abcde has 

sense of independence, pride and freedom. All things we were told she would never have.

Q: Does your friends and family support Abcde having Pup-cake? Our close friends are beyond supportive of the journey Abcde and Pup-cake are traveling. Q: How long did Pup-cakes training take? Pup-cakes foundation training for service took about two years. While she could have been placed into service sooner, I decided to wait. It was VITAL that she has a VAST array of commands and was able to focus and maintain her desire to work and perform her tasks. Abcdes safety and mental health would depend on it so I left nothing to chance.

Q: What was the most challenging part of training Pup-Cake?

I would have to say that the biggest challenge we had when training pup cake was the fact that she LOVES people. While she would be eager to listen she would be even MORE eager to greet each and every person that passed by.

Q: Do you get a lot of people coming up to Pup-Cake and trying to pet her in stores? We receive our fair share I must say. Q: Is there anything else you would like us to know? I am too tired to think of anything!

Picture time!

"When we go out and I am placed in a down stay my girl takes that opportunity to decompress while resting with me. While I do get anxious when I can't see her this works for us perfectly. As soon as she moves I know and am ready in an instant to alert my leash racks and guide my girl to where she needs to be!"
-Pup-Cake

"My girl tells the best jokes!"
-Pup-Cake

"The things I do for my girl....
My girl has autism and various other issues (many I have not mentioned) however when she put this stupid bow on my head she provided me with an opportunity. The opportunity to help her not be a little girl with autism, but to simply be ...a little girl."

Want to see more of Pup-Cake and Abcde? Well, of course you do.. why wouldn't you want to?
"Like" them on Facebook!
---> https://www.facebook.com/PupcakePitBullServiceDog

Bear Update

I can't believe I forgot to write about Bear!!

For those of you who don't know Bear, he was our first foster!! We were like brothers. He is now happily living with his forever family!
Woohoo Bear!!

Bear and I

Bear and *MY* girl... she was his girl too... well, she still is

but I called dibs on her first... 

Bear... oh dear Bear.. 

THIS lip.. ONLY THIS lip would get stuck!!

My brother Bear... he was always a sucker for my girl...

he could NOT say no to her.. he loved her with all his heart even though she took 1 ka-billion (is that a word? I doubt it.. Oh well it is NOW!!) photos of him. I am sure

he still does! 

NEW BLOG IDEAS!

Hey it's me again!
Who's me, you ask? TATER TOT! Duhhh!!

Well anyways, here are some new blog ideas I have/ we will be starting...
Interviews of inspirational pets/ businesses related to pets..
Training tips
DIY dog and cat toys

Do any of those ideas sound interesting to you?
What would you like to see on my blog?!?