Today was a Day

Today started well.  A power outage, a veterinarian appointment, and the Do No Harm online event. The day ended with cookies and a Mike's Hard Lemonade to calm down after a man attempted to lure my dogs off our property by whistling at them.

It infuriates me that people can feel so entitled.  I love dogs.  It would never occur to me to try and lure a dog so that I could pet them.  I shared my experience on social media, and it's shocking how many people have had similar experiences.

And it sucks that I had to go full-out CRAZY to get the man (and his wife) to go away.  He stood there watching us for 10 minutes.  Ewww.

The bright side of this experience is that my dogs didn't run out to the trail. Training works.

Apollo's Butt

Last week, I told you about Apollo's butt.  The area around his anus was darker, and his constant licking resulted in hair loss.  Yeast?  Nope.

Today, we went to the veterinarian, and Apollo was diagnosed with perianal fistulas.  This is a condition commonly seen in German Shepherds but has also been seen in Huskies and other pure and mixed breed dogs and has been tied to irritable bowel syndrome.

The condition sounds awful and nothing like what I'm seeing with Apollo.  We caught it early, and the DIY anti-itch spray (recipe below) is working.  And, as I shared last week, I also began adding colostrum to his meals.

Home Treatments:

I spray the area a couple of times daily with the following mixture:

• brewed green tea - 2 cups
• apple cider vinegar - 3-4 tbsp
• Lavender essential oil - 10-15 drops

When the area dries, I treat it with coconut oil or a healing CBD salve.

His veterinarian approved the anti-itch spray and advised me to continue treating the area twice daily for a couple more weeks. The area looks great after a week, so I hope that in two weeks, it'll be clear, and we'll see hair growing back.

Free Wellness Membership

With the rising cost of dog treats, I invested in a better dehydrator and began making my treats at home. But I still look forward to our Real Dog Box monthly package because of the variety and affordable price.

If you've considered trying Real Dog Box, this weekend is a great time to give them a shot.  New customers will receive one month of the RDB Wellness Membership FREE with their new subscription.  This membership includes:

• a monthly nutrition consultation
• access to the Feedreal Movement (to transition to fresh food)
• free shipping (up to three delivers/month)
• early notification and access to the Secret Shop
• promotional rewards like cash back on purchases to use on future boxes or in the Secret Shop

You'll also receive $10 in RDC (Real Dog Coins) to use in the Secret Shop.  I used my coins to stock up on their organ blends (I use them as a meal topper) and rabbit heads (gross, but I can't afford this protein otherwise).

Check Out Real Dog Box this weekend!

Your Natural Dog Discount Codes

Angela Ardolino of CBD Dog Health has a second site called Your Natural Dog, where she offers mushroom tinctures.  

Because I've had success with her CBD oil products, I decided to try the mushrooms, adding them to the rotation with tinctures from Animal Essentials and Adored Beast Apothecary.  

Here is a one-time use discount code:  

Code: WELCOME10

Expires: no expiration date; one-time use only; only for first-time purchases (although it worked on my second purchase)

Learn more about Your Natural Dog.

Recent Blog Posts...

I'm updating old blog posts with current information.  Check out KeepTheTailWagging.com to see more...

Podcasts...

Girls with Dogs - a podcast I started in 2021 with my dear friend and the blogger behind Groovy Goldendoodles.  We turned our weekly chats about dogs and live with dogs into a fun, laid back podcast that is great for dog lovers from all corners.

The Alternative Dog Moms - a podcast I started in 2022 with Erin Scott of the Believe in Dogs podcast.  Erin and I became quick friends as we discovered how many things we have in common, including organization tools, binge watching Netflix, and nerding out on all things dogs.  If you consider yourself a 2.0 Pet Parent, check us out.

Follow Our Journey!