Pet Care

“I feel sorry for people that don’t have dogs…”

“I hear they have to pick up the food they drop on the floor!”

Club Fetch owner Blaire & 4-legged owner Jackson with Nate & Basil
Club Fetch owner Blaire & 4-legged owner Jackson with Nate & Basil

Happy Throwback Thursday internet friends! These amazingly adorable photos are from a June 2014 event where Club Fetch “took over” The Unknown Brewing Co.

Dogs + Beer = Happy Humans
Dogs + Beer = Happy Humans
Jackson holding his own leash! "I've got this dad!"
Jackson holding his own leash! “I’ve got this dad!”
Club Fetch take over!
Club Fetch take over!

If you are in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and are in need an upscale doggie day club or over night boarding make sure to check out Club FetchBlaire, Julia, Jackson, and the whole staff are truly amazing and we are so happy to able to call them our friends.

Check our Basil’s review of Club Fetch here,to see just how much we love them! You can also find all their information by clicking the Club Fetch banner our right side bar, at http://www.clubfetch.com, or by giving them a call at 980-237-7778, tell them Basil’s Travels sent you! (This is NOT a sponsored post! They are just a small business that became our friends and we really truly believe in them!)

The weekend giveaway is still going. No one has guessed where we are headed this weekend. If you want to leave a guess in the comments below and you guess correctly by 4pm Friday (Pacific time), you will win a special prize for you and your dog!

Here are the clues so far…
1) We have to take a ferry to get there.
2) Its in the USA but you can see another country from its shores.

Hurry leave us those clues!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

Just Keep Swimming… Just Keep Swimming….

Basil, Luna, my sister-in-law Sara, and I headed to the dog park yesterday for some play time and a swim in the lake. Luna (Sara’s black lab mix) is a grade A water dog. The moment she spotted the beach she was off!

Basil isn’t that much of a swimmer. He just likes to dip his paws in the water and play with other dogs on the beach. Recently we got him a life jacket. The thought was that maybe if he felt a little more comfortable in the water he would want to swim with us. Well, it worked! It only took a few times in the water and Basil became swimmer dog.

Check out the this video of Basil first official swim with his life jacket on.

If your dog needs a life jacket this summer we recommend the Aussie Life Jacket. I got it at TJ Maxx for a steal at only $16.99. Brightly colored, handy top handles, and floats like a champ. (Not a sponsored post. Just really happy with the product!)

I can’t wait to hit up the water again and see Basil do some more swimming. So proud of him!

Does your dog love to swim? Let me know!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

Best Buds Forever! 

 Sometimes you just need a snuggle from a good friend. Happy Wednesday internet friends! Go find yourself a good friend to snuggle and remember, 2 days until the weekend!

Travel well, nap well, let’s be well!
-Abbey & Basil

Have you ever tried your dogs treats?

Yeah, me neither! Although this is something I’ve thought about, mostly because some (and the key word here is SOME) of Basil’s food and treats smell delicious! Well, our internet friend  Jenna Marbles bit the dog treat “bullet” for us and taste tested a bunch of human grade dog treats! Check out the video below and be warned, its seriously funny!

Also, If you have a sensitive stomach or are easily offended by adult language maybe this video is not for you!

Thanks Jenna for doing this. Now I don’t have to!

Make sure to head over to Youtube.com/jennamarbles and subscribe to Jenna’s channel to see more craziness from her, Marbles, Kermit, and Peach!

What are some of your favorite dog or cat centric Youtube channels? Let me know!

Hope your have a great Thursday! Until next time! Xoxo

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

We love FreshPet! 

Hello Monday people! How was your weekend? Around here we are having a “heat wave” or it’s just the Deep South and this is what June is. Who knows! With temps at almost 100 degrees and high humidity it’s really hard to get out and leave the comfort of your air conditioned home.

We’ve been hanging around the house getting ready for our cross country move and enjoying each other’s company. And let me tell you, being stuck in the house is so much easier when it’s not smelling like puppy toots! I owe this clean air to FreshPet

FreshPet Baked Kibble FreshPet Baked KibbleBasil, Willow, and Sebastian have been on FreshPet Select for about 3 months now. You may have seen it in the fridge in the pet section of your local Target or grocery store. Recently the fresh pet food experts released a new baked kibble recipe.

Basil had the pleasure of trying this recipe this last week and he loves it!

This first thing I noticed when receiving the bag is how it looks almost identical to the fresh from the fridge variety. You can really see the dehydrated carrots, oats, and other superfood right in the kibble. This was very encouraging knowing we hadn’t even opened the bag yet.

Once the fresh seal was opened Basil was hooked. He doesn’t know what makes good dog food, but I do.

Photo courtesy of FreshPet Facebook
Photo courtesy of FreshPet Facebook

FreshPet is a made in the U.S.A, natural, no artificial preservatives added dog food. This kibble is made with 100% fresh chicken, whole grains, and essential vitamins. Chicken is the main ingredient listed and I can actually read (and understand) the remaining ingredients. This makes a good dog food!

FreshPet Baked also comes in turkey and grain free chicken.

Also, you know how I mentioned our toot free air. Well, FreshPet is the first pet food Basil has tried that stops all that stinky tooting! This super common Boston terrier problem which is caused by sucking in an excuse of air while eating or by digestive issues has become a thing of the past. Although Basil is very excited by his new food he seems to enjoy it at a reasonable rate and its easy on his sensitive tummy. Basil loves FreshPet Baked Kibble!

We highly recommend this new baked kibble recipe for all dogs. You can find it exclusively at Target stores.

Make sure to also check out all the other FreshPet products like their straight from the fridge food for dogs and cats and treats.

Let me know if you have tried FreshPet and if your dog loves it just as much as Basil!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

 

Wordless Wednesday – Making New Friends!

Since last years Blogpaws conference Basil has been in love with ferrets! I don’t know if it is the smell or their look but he goes crazy when ferrets are around. Every time we go to the pet store he will pull me straight to the ferret cage and cry until you pick him up so he can see his new friends!
Dog meets ferrets! I’ve had a few people tell me I should get one and although Basil would be overjoyed I can’t say the same thing for our cats, Willow & Sebastian.

Happy Wordless or Wordy Wednesday!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & BasilBP_Wordless_wed_Hop_Logo_2014 (more…)

DIY No Sew Bow Ties for Pets!

Happy Monday friends! For years Basil, being the 1st class hipster that he is, has been wearing bow ties. And for almost that same amount of time I have been purchasing him those bow ties. Okay so the cost isn’t that much each time, 1 bow tie retails for about $10-$20 but in the long run, that cost really adds up! So after buying Basil’s 20th bow tie (I know, I’m crazy!!) I figured I could make these, so I did!

Below you will find my simple DIY No Sew bow tie tutorial. Hopefully it works for you and your dog can look like a gentleman without breaking the bank! DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 1Step 1: There is a few things you’ll need!

• Large flat work area
• Hot glue gun
• Double sided Velcro
• Sharp scissors for cutting fabric
• Fabric
• Optional: elastic

The great thing about this project is most people have a lot of these craft supplies already in the their home. If you need anything on this list all of it can be found at your local craft store. I highly recommend using double-sided Velcro and it can be a little tricky to find. I ordered mine online(http://www.etsy.com) at a great deal. I also use a standard hot glue gun on the high setting. For my fabric, I found an amazing deal in the remnant fabric bin at Hobby Lobby. It was 1/8th a yard and only .59 cents! Also, I couldn’t pass up the Elvis in the 50’s pattern!
DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial

Step 2: Cut out a square!

The size I picked was about 6 inches by 6 inches. This bow tie is going to be a little large for a medium size (20 lb.) dog but that how I like it. If you want a smaller tie make the square smaller. DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 3

Step 3: Flip square over and glue edges down!

It doesn’t have to be perfect! I glued the “hot dog” sides first and then the “hamburger” sides. You really just want to make clean edges for the front of the bow tie. DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 4

Step 4: Cut a small rectangular piece for the center of the tie!

I cut a 2×6 inch piece of fabric. Make sure the length is 3 times the size of the width. I flipped the fabric over and glued the edges down like I did with the first piece of fabric. DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 5
Step 5: Pinch to make your bow tie shape!

Pinch the large square that you created, from the back, to make the bow tie shape that looks best to you. When I did this it made Elvis’s face a little weird.DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 6

Step 6: Tie the long rectangular piece around the pinched square. Knot in the back!
Make sure the fabric is laying flat on the front. Knot fabric in the back and glue flaps down. This is also a great time to glue down what doesn’t look right!

DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 7 DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 7

Step 7: Measure & Attach Velcro!

I grabbed one of Basil’s everyday dog collars and placed the double sided Velcro on top to see how much I needed. For a 1 inch collar I recommend at least 2 inches of Velcro.

I cut the Velcro and glued the strip on to the center, back of the bow tie. Make sure to place the glue on the soft side of the Velcro! This way the Velcro teeth can grab onto the collar as well as the other side of the strip. If you prefer to use elastic you can glue a loop of elastic band in the same spot.DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Step 8

Step 8: Attach to collar and look awesome!

Wrap the Velcro around the collar in your preferred area. Think about how the collar is going to hang and sit once on your pet.

DIY No Sew Bow Tie Tutorial Look how cute he is! This bow tie is cute, easy, and lightweight. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Show me your pictures of your creations!

Tomorrow is Travel Tuesday and the featured city is San Antonio, Texas! So make sure to check back then!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

 

 

Basil Presents Dog Friendly Destinations – Asheville, NC!

Travel Poster Dog Friendly AshevilleAsheville, NC is one of our favorite places to go and visit. There are so many great places to check out and this is only a fraction of them. Have you been to this amazing city? Where to do you like to take your four legged friend? Let me know! Also, tell me what city we should do for next weeks Travel Tuesday!

Travel well, live well, nap well!
-Abbey & Basil

First Class, Boston Terrier Style!

This last weekend we checked out a pet store in York, SC called Dogma & Fetch. It was kick ass! Two stories of everything dog related. From dog collars to dog decor, they had everything… Literally everything! Little rooms of different treats, beds, clothes, and dog hygiene supples as far as the eye could see.

Basil couldn’t get enough of the place. The forks working there were so nice and didn’t mind my dogs overly enthusiastic hello. We picked up a few things including an awesome bone-rug combo toy, (Basil’s new favorite) a cold weather sweater that we are going to save for next winter, and this classy first class Boston terrier luggage tag.

I firmly believe that this is the cutest luggage tag I’ve ever seen. This will be on my luggage on all our upcoming trips and can’t wait to show it off at Blogpaws.

We will for sure be back to Dogma & Fetch next time we are around York, SC. Check out their site here!

Our Philly trip is coming up! We can’t wait! Wishing & hoping for nice weather!

Hope you are having an awesome Wednesday. Just remember, its almost Friday! Xoxo

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

Upcoming Events — Spring!!

Events with Basil

Hello friends! Here are a few events Basil will be attending and a few events that we won’t be able to make, but are still a rocking good time. We would love to see you and your pups there!

South End Craft Beer Crawl 
March 14th 11am – 9pm Free
Starting at Unknown Brewing Company
Come hop on the free trolley and explore 8 craft breweries and shops around southend Charlotte. We went last year and had a blast! Meet a lot of awesome people and chill dogs.
Don’t forget to wear your green! St. Paddy’s day is on Tuesday!

Bark for Life Gastonia
March 21st 9am – 12pm $20
Sims Park/ Gastonia Grizzles Ballpark
A 1 mile doggy walk as well as games, food, and prizes!
Register at here!

South End Hops Festival
May 16th 1pm – 6pm $35/$50 VIP
Craft beer, live music, food trucks, and corn hole… do I need to say more?!
Super fun!

Charlotte Pet Expo
May 30th 10am – 6pm Free
Metrolina Tradeshow Expo
Come check out local pet vendors, get free swag, meet new dog/people friends!

These are only a few great events that are happening this spring in Charlotte. If you know of any other please let me know in the comments and I’ll add them to this list.

To find dog friendly events in your area back sure to check out bringfido.com

What are you doing for St. Paddy’s day? Show me your pets in their Saint Patrick’s day green!

Travel well, nap well, live well!
-Abbey & Basil

 

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