Weekly Featuers: Love Letters From a Dogwalker

RuffCity's Heather walked Havi yesterday, with a new friend Joey.  Havi hasn't needed a walk for the past 5 weeks, and was VERY excited to see Heather. Our most popular feature...

So happy to see the baby girl! 

I'm glad she wasn't too pooped from her adventure yesterday and was ready for an adventure of our own today. We picked up Mr. Joey and after an interesting and overly excited elevator ride with your neighbor I finally got them in the groove had a smooth walk to the park to meet Kellie, Jax and Sophie.

She pooped on the way there :)

Everyone was playing totally fine. She got into an intense chasing match with Joey but then they got into a little tiff with each other. We separated them and got them chilled out and they continued playing for awhile before it happened again :( But then we found a great game for them- the ball! Havi just ran with him while he fetched it and brought it back. Today wasn't terrible by any means but I'll avoid walking them together again so she can have successful adventures! 

On the way home she tried to jump on two different runners which caught me by total surprise- is this new?? The second one that passed I had her under control but she still attempted to go for her!

We dropped Joey off and then back home I gave her her milkbone. I didn't see any spring water so I put a little tap in her bowl because it was really low. Hope that's ok!

And I heard her barking while I was waiting for the elevator which I've never heard before :(

Today wasn't the greatest we've had but she still had a blast and I'm so happy to have her back!

Have a great week!




We really want to work with Havi on her tendency to run WITH runners.  This was distracting on her Pack Walk Sunday as well as the only time we ever lost her...when she broke her leash in order to chase a runner.  Ideas?!  (Keep in mind, Havi is not that into food, even high value!)

Sunday Pack Walk & Contest!

Yesterday we had our first NYC pack walk!  Five pitties and five humans braved Central Park for our first walk.  We learned a lot of things we did "wrong" but we know one thing went right: Havi was totally confident in her pack.  I know sometimes it seems Havi is the perfect pup (which she is), but she has major leash aggression issues.  Well, the second Havi started walking with her pack, she was golden.  She didn't act out or even bother to play with any of the other pitties.  She knew she had a job to do, and that was to walk with her pack.  She seemed most comfortable at the back of the pack, with adoptable Pinky from That Touch of Pit.

We were stopped about four times for people to ask if the pups were pit bulls, if they could pet them, and to ask what were doing!  Aside from Havi barking at a few runners and a few pups, they were focused, proud ambassadogs!

Check out these awesome photos, courtesy of Jen from That Touch of Pit.

Gerti from Prettie Little Pittie

Havi

Pinky from That Touch of Pit

Remi

Lucy, That Touch of Pit and pack leader!

We learned we did a few things wrong on our first walk, and got some great advice from Chicago Sociabulls, Hikeabull, and KC Walking Club to do it "better."

So without further adieu,  our rules:

The route will be set in advance so everyone knows where we're going and we can prepare for the terrain (and possible distractions, ie. singers, roller bladers, etc.)  It will be drawn out the route on a Google map, and emailed it to all participants in 24 hours before the walk.  It will include rest stops so that all involved (humans and dogs) can re-hydrate, re-focus, etc.

We will include people without dogs (so please bring a partner, or friend). If an incident occurs, they will be the ones who can swoop in a stop it. Other people holding dogs can't solve a situation involving dogs.

Everyone should bring their dog's most high value treats.

No retractable leashes

 No face to face greetings

Give each dog at least 1 yard of space

Next Week's Walk

      We are going to start a MeetUp Group to RSVP through, email address, as well as a Facebook page shortly. However, this week's walk will take place on Saturday, February 4 at 10:00AM.  If you would like to participate, please email us at TwoGradStudentsandaPittie@gmail.com.  Please include your human name, dog name, dog breed guesstimate, contact information, and issues your pup is working on.  Also, you may email us just to be included on our mailing list!

     Contest Time!

     We need a name and we need YOU to help!  Please leave your best idea for a name for our group in the comments.  Havi will vote!  What do you win?!  The pride and glory of having named the NYC chapter of the pack walk groups! 

Your Questions, Answered!

Yesterday, we asked you guys to ask us any questions you may have about us.  The CowSpotDogs asked for more photos of Havi!

So here is a typical day in the life of a Havi...

Once the Grad Students get out of bed, Havi takes over the cozy bed.

Sometimes she won't even get out of bed and we have to make her into it...

Sometimes she tries to help make the bed

Other times she makes more of a mess

Then she moves over to the couch while Law Student does her homework and checks her mail

This is her face after I said the word "walk"

She looks interested!

Demonstrating her sit in front of the elevator!

Down the long service entrance!

Her spot!

Havi's all settled in with some awesome treats!

The Grad Students came home and she stopped to say hello to her  doorman!

Then her fan club joined her in the lobby for late-night belly rubs

Havi loves cuddle time on the couch!

What an exhausting day, and she didn't even get to play with her BFF Jax today!

We're accepting more questions through the end of the week!  Leave your question in the comments!

Q & A Train!

Better late then never, thought we would share some amazing holiday cards we got this holiday season!

Parker & Skye from Of Pitbulls & Patience

Adoptable Baxter from Peace, Love, & Fostering

The CowSpotDogs!

And awesome treats, pad, and a magnet from our dogwalkers, RuffCity Dogwalking!

Jumping on the Q&A bandwagon!  Have a question to ask of us, go ahead and leave it in the comments!  


Come back tomorrow so we can show you how we had fun over the break with our pittie in New York City!

And The Award Goes To...

Perfectly fitting that it is awards season, we would like to thank Life With Sophie for the Liebster Award and Pauley James Foster Baby & Our Waldo Bungie for the Kreativ Blogger Award!  Havi, ever the humble one, is very thankful!

10 Fun Things About Us

1. Law Student spends her nights looking for the perfect job in the public interest sector of law.
2. Law Student's favorite color is grey.  Just is.
3. Havi sometimes cannot contain her excitement when she plays with her BFF Jax, she responds by throwing up!
4. Havi is totally food-motivated, and uses it to her advantage!
5. Dental Student has completely outfitted the apartment with XBox, Sega Genesis, and the first generation Nintendo.
6. Dental Student is Havi's favorite.
7. We cook almost every night, Dental Student cooks, Law Student sets up and cleans, and Havi supervises.
8. We sometimes schedule "play doh days" which are days when we do something just the three of us and we can make the day into anything we want - like play doh!
9. Dental Student once wrote a song for Law Student on his guitar.
10. Dental Student met Law Student at a bar on Valentine's Day...cheesy, we know!


Now to pass it on to some blogs that we just happily found, in no particular order!


That Touch of Pit - A fellow NYC blogger with adorable fosters.  If you like TWO bloggers who volunteer at a great shelter, foster, and love pitties - look no further!


Peace, Love, & Fostering - They are fostering the COMEBACK KID, need I say more?!

In Black & White - Bilbo and their fosters in Chicago are great entertainment!


Two Kitties One Pittie - As the title says!  Zoe rocks!


Prettie Little Pittie - Another great NYC pittie blog!  G is too cute...you will agree!


Do you have any great blogs to share with us?!  Come back tomorrow when we review the presents we got this break as well as greetings from some great fosters!

inu baka blog: four = complete

beautiful post!

My life with flyball dogs : Some flood pictures

These photos are beautiful!

Craft Time!

Over break, I always clean out and organize every corner of the apartment.  I especially love updating my scrapbooks and craft box.  I was about to throw out the box the clementines comes in, when I realized I could do something crafty with the box.

Any ideas, what should I do with this box?!


Also, we're thinking of starting a Walking Club with Prettie Little Pittie, any interested NY pup owners out there?!  Please email/comment!


Lastly, we want to do a post to help out some NYC start-ups.  So if you know a great Etsy storefront or friend who just started a small business, please email/comment!

Animal Haven

Remember back in December when the Pittie Posse did a Secret Santa gift exchange?!  We were lucky because That Touch of Pit picked us!  The writers of the blog also work at an amazing shelter in New York City, Animal Haven.  

Part of our present was a donation to Animal Haven, which resulted in a pup named after Law Student.  Doesn't she look just like another pup we know?!

Alexa

Please pass along this post, 7 adorable 8 week pit mixes looking for a home!  We are dying from the cuteness!

Wordless Wednesday

Havi let me know she believes there is a lack of photos of her on the blog.  I surprised her by waking her up with some flashes...

This is Havi in her glory, when DS and LS get out of bed!

Typical city pup photo

That would be the Havi stinkeye

Does your pup wake up after you and cuddle into the bed also?!

Monthly Feature: Big Dog, Small Budget

*We are back from break and back on track!  We hope to do some blog overhauls this week, but without further adieu...


We started this Monthly Feature to explain how we live with a big dog on a small budget.  Many people wrote they don't or can't even imagine how much they spend per month.  The simple fact is that we live loan to loan so we have to really contemplate the value of each $ spent.  Additionally, we thought that by sharing the various sites and coupons we use, we may give others good ideas.  Alternatively, if we're spending too much money - we were hoping you would share some good ideas!

So here is our December round-up!  

2 Dog Walking Sessions with RuffCity DogWalkers - $50.00

8 gallons of spring water Gristedes Brand for Havi - $8.00

Evo Red Meat Formula from PetSupply.com - $65.57

Havi's Annual Check Up at Murray Hill Pet Hospital - $249.00 

(More on the check up tomorrow)
Lamp timers from Amazon Prime - $10.70

December Total: $383.27

June: $149.31

July: $111.99

August: $193.22

September: $186.83

October: $205.63

November: $249.79

December: $383.27

YTD: $1,480.04

**Please note that some numbers have changed.  We started giving Havi spring water to help with her stomach issues, which it has helped!  I forgot to include this since September, and have adjusted accordingly.  

We will update on the cost of Havi's check up and why it is that price tomorrow!

Any tips on ways to save?!