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Question: How did “dog days of summer” get its name?
a. Named after the Greek God, Canidae, God of Sun and Light
b. Named after the astrological constellation Siruis, or “Dog Star”
c. Named after a symptom of heat stroke, which causes humans to pant, similar to that of a dog
We got a good chuckle as this funny excerpt circled around the office courtesy of camping-tips.com, however we feel it lacked the true spirit of camping with your canine. So, we’d like to share camping-tips.com’s funny piece, but we’ve also our own Ruff Wear touch. Enjoy!
Camp Terms Defined (via camping-tips.com):
Camp spot: the most likely place for wind velocities to exceed fifty miles per hour, five minutes after you have spent 2 hours setting up your camp.
Lantern: a device for singeing the eye brows and eye lashes off anyone closer that 5 feet when it is lit.
Tent: A portable outdoor home used to protect one from the elements unless it rains, snows, the wind blows, it’s cold or hot. It is usually setup with poles. It also has entertainment value doubling as a puzzle. Usually setup after dark using a flashlight with dead or nearly dead batteries.
Camp fire: A device used to heat bacon grease to a temperature hot enough such that it can be combined with cold water, producing entertainment for the kids and a team-building experience for adults as they try to maximize the entertainment. Lighting the campfire itself sometimes serves as good entertainment as well. Also serves as the camp recycle container and television set, and is very useful for choking the camp cook out of the kitchen. Occasionally, you’ll find the odd person actually using it’s heating abilities to get warm as if they were on a rotisserie.
Pre-dawn Alarm Clock: Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom. Did you hear that growling noise? Is something burning? Where’s Gabie?
Sleeping bag: An easy to setup camping bed that has the amazing ability to make warm things hot and cold things colder, especially feet. It doubles as a sponge for soaking up water from leaks in your tent.
Marshmallow: A soft pure white substance that has spontaneous combustion properties. It is also believed by some to have been one of the early prototypes of gorilla glue as it can fuse the fingers of children together.
Ruff Wear’s Definitions:
Camp spot: The exact spot the dog lays as you’re trying to set up.
Lantern: The device that is supposed to prevent you from tripping over the dog in the dark.
Tent: A portable outdoor home, of which the dog takes up the first 50 percent of the space, and tracks debris through the remaining 50 percent.
Camp fire: The device used to roast a perfect hot dog, which is inevitably snagged by dog as soon as it’s hot.
Pre-dawn Alarm Clock: “[Whine, howl, bark]”—in other words, “time to let the dog out to go to the bathroom.” Then the dog runs after a squirrel and a good 15 minutes is spent calling them back.
Sleeping bag: A.K.A. portable dog bed.
Marshmallow: Sticky-natured substance with properties especially attracted to dog hair.
Campfire and country music go together like, well, country and canines!
So next time your sitting ‘round the campfire with your favorite canine, why not serenade them with one of these dog-inspired classic country tunes.
Every Dog Has It’s Day – Toby Keith
Chorus:
See every dog has it’s day dog, when the big dog throws him a bone
One moment in the sunshine when your ducks line up in a row
Lucky dog gets a big ol’ bed, stray dog gets the porch
Every dog has it’s day dog, but today dog just ain’t yours
Howl at the Moon – Cheryl Wheeler
Lyrics:
If I were maybe a wolf or a dog
I wouldn’t have to speak
Wouldn’t have to talk
Just eat my dinner and go for a walk
And howl at the moon.
Here’s a fun way for dogs to enjoy the Fourth of July–a pet parade! Residents and visitors of Bend, Oregon (Ruff Wear’s headquarters) gather together for an annual pet parade – complete with costumes! Dogs of every shape and size strut their patriotic stuff through the downtown streets on the morning of the 4th. It’s a great way to start the day.
While parades and some other 4th of July traditions are fun for humans and dogs alike, dogs and fireworks are often at odds. Either dogs are chasing, barking, and biting at the pyrotechnics, or dogs are deliberately left indoors to keep their stress to a minimum. With senses ten times keener than humans, dogs are better suited for trail blazing through the twilight hours of the holiday than taking in a Fourth of July fireworks show. To make sure Fido doesn’t feel left out of the festivities, our town has a pet parade… but if your town doesn’t sponsor a pet-friendly event, here are some ways to incorporate your canine companion into your Independence Day celebration.
- Take your dog for a swim. Swimming is relaxing for many dogs and will happily tire them out, leaving them more relaxed when the fireworks start.
- Hike, camp, or backpack in a remote location. Taking your dog to a quiet, lightly traveled area will give you something fun to do together. To keep your adventure festive for the 4th, pack along some all-American hot dogs or s’mores.
- Snakes and party poppers. Who says fireworks need to pop, bang, and bust to be fun? There are a few fireworks like “snakes” and party poppers that are relatively safe, festive, and less noisy than other fireworks.
- Make your own fireworks show. Google “firework shows” on your computer, grab a beer, put some patriotic music on your i-Tunes player, and create your own show. Fido can join with a Happy Hour toast at his water bowl.
- Have a dog party. Invite your friends and their canines over for a firework-free party. Some ideas: toss a Hover Craft, BBQ canine and human treats, have dogs “bob” for hot dogs in a bucket or tub full of water, or camp out by a fire in the backyard.
Your turn! Bark at Us! What are you going to do with your dog on the 4th?
Love playing fetch with your dog but hate being left with soggy hand syndrome?
Rubber toys are great options for fetch because rubber–which is naturally bouncy, nearly indestructible–is also very easy to clean.
Just rinse rubber toys in the sink, or throw in the dishwasher, and they come out looking and smelling like new. No gummed up, slobber-ridden toy here!
Because rubber is naturally sustainable, and easy to manipulate into various shapes and sizes, the selections are endless.
Here’s a cheat sheet for selecting the best rubber toy based on your dog’s fetch behavior.
Valéas (customer-submitted photograph)
The river maybe your dog bath, but inevitably there will come a time when a river dip doesn’t cut through the stench—be it skunk, dirt, scat, or carcass…all those wonderful things dogs find themselves rolling in!
When bath time does approach, you may find it difficult to coax your dog into the shower (Labs and Goldens excluded). Here are few tips for a successful anti-stench dip:
1. Start by brushing your dog to remove loose and matted hair. This will also help remove crud, debris, tangles, and part of the tree your dog launched himself into full-speed. Brushing ahead of time will make for easier washing and post-bath brushing. Use a clipper or scissors to combat serious crud.
2. Get all machinery for combat ready beforehand. This means towels (lots of them), suds, brush, earplugs, and buckets. Because dogs have a different PH than humans, it is recommended to use actual dog shampoo for cleansing. Plus, they often contain ingredients that help combat fleas, ticks, and stink.
3. Shut the door. Seriously, don’t forget to shut the door.
