PetSugar

Crafty Community Member Turns Her Dogs Into Pumpkins!

PetSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

I wasn't the only one awed by those dog breed pumpkin patterns - Community Member Yogaforlife made two for herself! Checking out the magazine's choices for inspiration, she created stencils for her Australian Cattle Dog/Smooth Collie mixes, Maia (on the left) and Benny (on the right). Certainly gives me hope that I can carve out some time to create a North-inspired gourd myself!

See something cool around town? Send it to our Spotted! group. Plan on dressing up a pet (or done so in the past)? Add it to the Dress Up Extravaganza. Simply have cute animals? There's always Pet of the Day for that ~~problem~~ blessing, too!

Get Crafty: Downloadable Dog Breed Pumpkin Stencils!

PetSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:00:07 -0700

Do you think Jack O'Lanterns go together with Halloween like dogs and costumes? Well, for those crafty carvers that want to carry their canine love to the gourds, consider putting a pup's face up front.

Better Homes and Gardens offers downloadable dog breed stencils like this precious pug, pumpkins not included. Just print and enlarge before grabbing tools and tape and starting the scrape - they've got many breeds to pick but perhaps you can combine some stencils or use furry features as an inspiration point to create your own orange doggie faces!

Oh, Go Put a Sock in It

PetSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:20:50 -0700

Just like that old saying goes, you should "put a sock in it" . . . but I'm not talking about your mouth. Seems those stockings can find another stuffing place - pet toys.

Community member drea nicole offered up this crafty solution for lil ol' socks:

I make toys from left over fabric and stuff it with clean, old socks. Now I don't have to worry about Viva destroying an expensive toy or swallowing stuffing. My stitches tend to last longer, too.

Even if you're not into creating your own toys, sock pieces would make a handy replacement to ripped-out stuffing. Still squishy but not leaving icky white bits all over your home, considering nestling a squeaker inside this footwear before performing that stuffy surgery next time. If you'd love to sing your praises for another pet project, join the Street Team and share your idea with us!

Freeze Up an Easy Treat For Rabbits!

PetSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:00:36 -0700

Dogs aren't the only ones who enjoy some frozen goodness of the fruit or the peanut butter varieties. In honor of today's wriggly nosed ruler, I created a specially sweet treat for those silent creatures. They're yummy for bunnies' tummies but don't treat rabbits to too many - nobody likes a tubby bunny!

Dare I call it bunny-liciousness?! Yup, I sure do so read more.

Frozen Bunny Deliciousness
PetSugar Original

Simple snack to treat my floppy eared pals and you can eat the leftovers!

Ingredients

Banana
Apple
Peanut Butter
Almonds

Directions

Mash 1/2 banana (and discard the peel).
Peel and dice up 1/4 apple (and discard the skin and seeds).
Combine banana and apple and stir in enough peanut butter to make a solid, yet sticky mass. (I used about 2 T.)
Roll into balls, place on aluminum foil, and top with one almond each.
Freeze and treat your funny bunny to no more than a couple of these treats per week!

Print recipe with images | without images

Tea Time: Three Trick Treatments With Chamomile

PetSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:00:16 -0700

Tea for two, doggie and you! That's right, the same soothing chamomile tea you drink can be used with your pooch. Here are three dosing suggestions for a variety of ailments:

Sip. Coming from a pet-safe plant, tea of chamomile uses the natural healing and disinfecting effects to settle tummies upset from colic, gas, or anxiety. Make sure the drink is cooled and add to a pup's water dish.
Spray. If your pooch has itchy red skin, you can use the steeped tea to cool it - simply chill the tea and then spray lightly onto the bow-owwie - the tea can help kill the bacteria or other skin irritation and make it all better.

Soak. When the infection needs a stronger dose, use the already steeped, still warm tea bag as a compress on the affected body part.

Pinkies out and bottoms up!

Save Money by Replacing Dingy Crate Pads With This Instead

PetSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:00:11 -0700

If your pet's crate pad or carrier lining is too dingy to make do, there's a super easy way to fix it . . . that doesn't include tons of money or heavy-duty detergent. Instead of seeking a replacement at the pet store, hit up your local fabric store instead and ask for "sheepskin." The synthetic material's fairly easy to come by (even online) - purchase it by the yard, trim to fit, and store the excess for next time. Snuggle time . . . saved.

Buzz Off! Five DIY Fixes to Fend Off Fleas

PetSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:00:26 -0700

Interested in testing out some herbal remedies for common problems like fleas? Um, bug off. Kidding. I've rounded up five fixes that you can test out on your furry friends at home. From pills to sprays, get ready to get creative and start this slideshow.

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Ikea Plus Custom Design Equals This Cat Tower

PetSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:00:43 -0700

If you've decked out your home with hip and minimal furnishings take note: You don't have to pay a million bucks for modern cat furniture too. Los Angeles-based designer Peter Sehorsch recently took the kitty design world by storm when he turned a simple IKEA Stolmen system into a spectacular cat tower, and now he's selling the custom units for all the copycats who love his work. The Hollywood Franklin Cat Tower - named after his cat, Frank, naturally - combines an IKEA post and mounting fixtures with homemade platforms. You have to purchase the IKEA parts (the pole and clamp cost about $113) yourself then order a platform kit from Sehorsch, which comes with two or three risers and bolts and nuts.

Make a No-Bake Pupcake For a Special Birthday Treat!

PetSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:00:58 -0700

Some special Sugar pup is celebrating his seventh birthday on Saturday - North! I bend the rules for my pup (and myself) and allow an extra "sweet" treat to honor the day. Inspired by Francesca and Sharkey's cupcake creation, I made up my own "pupcake" with seven layers . . . one for each year! Curious what's inside, and if North loved it? Follow along and see!

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Use This Kitchen Item For a Waterless, Sudsless Doggie Bath

PetSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:00:27 -0700

Lemme guess the worst part of pet bath time at your house: that water shook all over you, a telltale wet dog smell, or perhaps holding your pet still enough to rinse out the shampoo? Seems many of my trickiest times come from water anyway. While there's perfume and waterless spray shampoo in a pinch, there's another household product found in your kitchen: cornstarch!

I remembered this useful item when checking out last Saturday's Groomer Has It, where they had to clean dogs with no water, soap, tub, or dryer, and worked with this. If you want to save money with a DIY, get my steps to get started when you read more.

Grab a large towel, or several towels, depending on the size of your dog. Lay them out to form your workspace and an easier area to clean up.
Sprinkle a small amount of cornstarch all over your pooch and rub it in like a massage. A little goes a long way - not even two tablespoons on all of North - and continue until you've covered his whole body.
Using a comb, comb out the cornstarch and follow with a good brushing, if desired.
Wipe off your pooch and he's as good as clean . . . for now anyway.

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