Moose's Paw Problem

The weather in Northwest Washington has just been so rainy that I have not been able to get out on a new hike with my dogs. But I promise that soon I will have a new post about a new hiking adventure in the next couple of weeks. But for now I will blog about my ongoing problem with Moose's paws.


We have been to the vet over and over about her paws. When she walks on pavement they start to bleed and then she has trouble walking. She can mostly only walk on trails, gravel, and grass. But I love walking/running near our house and the roads are all paved. I was told that her paws don't callous like they should. I have tried two different things so far and they have not worked.

First I tried boots and spent $60.00 dollars on them. They did not work, no matter how tight you got them around her leg she could get them off. The second thing I tried was a Salve that is used for your hands when gardening to keep in the moisture of your hands. One vet believed that could be the issue, I tried that yesterday and today Moose again is not walking on her paw and picking at it.

So my next option is a product used on horse's hoofs found at feed stores. I will be trying that on our next walk/run and see if that works. If not I will still be on my quest to find something for Moose's paws. Anything ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Kingdom Pets Original Chicken Jerky

My dogs LOVE chicken jerky! At many stores it is often very pricey for a small bag. I found Kingdom Pets Original Chicken Jerky at Costco, it comes in a 48 oz bag and is priced here in WA at $14.99. This is the best deal that I have found. I've researched the website and they post the lab results done on their jerky and other treats and it claims that it doesn't contain any fillers or byproducts and it is made of 100% real chicken breast fillet.

If you search the product for reviews on the web - I found mixed reviews, many people love it for their dog, other people reported that it made their dog sick. I have not had any issues with my dogs and we have been buying this treat for them for over a year now. I think it is important to understand that every dog is different - I know a dog that is allergic to anything chicken, so if it does make your dog sick that could be a reason. Another reason is that you may be feeding your dog too many of the treats, or they could have issues with other things that they are eating for example table scraps or their own food.

Kingdom Pets did post this on their website for an average of how many Jerky treats a day your pet should have based on weight:

5 to 10 pounds - 1 piece;
11 to 25 pounds - 2 pieces;
26 to 50 pounds - 3 pieces
Over 50 pounds - 4 pieces

Every dog will be different - but if your dog loves chicken jerky - Costco carries this brand and is such a good deal on the price and quantity. Try it out!

Here is a link to the website of Kingdom Pets, it has a lot of good information about their treats, the testing of products, and more.
http://thekingdompets.com/web/home.php

Wallace Falls

Wallace Falls is a beautiful and moderately difficult hike. But what is so great is that you can stop at three different lookout points depending on how far you want to go. It is 5.4 miles round trip to the upper falls. The only drawback is that it is usually pretty busy on nice days. You want to get there early to beat the crowd.

Location: Gold Bar, WA
Leashed: N/A
Poop Bags: No
Water: Fresh Water at the begining of the hike where there is a spot at the bottom of the falls, no water at the mid/top falls.

Once you get past the power-lines, the hike becomes really pretty with an old growth forest and spots to turn off by the water from the falls. Which my dogs loved playing in. Once you reach the lower falls the hike will start to climb.

At the middle falls look out point, there are some picnic tables and a really beautiful view. Many people turn around from here and it is a 4 mile round trip if you turn back. It is a great place to stop a take a rest and bring a snack or lunch.


If you continue on, your not too far from the top. There are a series of switchbacks climbing higher and higher. Once you reach the top you are roughly 1,200 feet above the trailhead. There is a beautiful view that is breathtaking.


Here we are at the very top. My dogs were ready to turn around and go back down to play in the water.

Cherry Falls

Cherry Falls is one of my favorite hikes, but it can be a little difficult to get to because there are no signs. It is about a 6.5 mile hike round trip.



Location: Duvall, WA
Leashed: N/A
Poop Bags: No dispensers of poop bags, bring your own
Water: There are some creeks with fresh water

The best part about this hike is the beautiful waterfall you get to. But it can be tricky to get there. When you reach your first "Y" on the trail, stay to the left, are your second "Y" on the trail stay to your right. Then you should be going downhill and when you come to the end take a left. From there you will go probably about a mile when there is a turn off on your right. Last time there was a marker. Follow that trail down to the waterfall. It is a great place for dogs to swim and have a nice lunch.



These trails are only maintained by people who hike them, and there can be animals out in the trails. I like to go with a group of people so that we make plenty of noise. To get to this trail, you take the Cherry Valley road from Duvall and you go until you reach the left hand turn for Lake Margaret. On the side there is a small area for cars to park and you enter the trail by the big blue gate.

My dogs love this hike. They love climbing on the logs and swimming at the waterfall when we reach it. I usually bring some balls and they just have lots of fun in the water.

Deception Pass

Enough about my dogs already! This is my first post about a good place for a hike with your dog(s).

Location: Deception Pass 41020 State Route 20 Oak Harbor, WA 98277
Leashed: Yes ($87.00 fine)
Poop Bags: No dispensers of poop bags, bring your own
Water: No fresh water, except from facets in the restroom. Bring water and a dish for your dog

Link to Park Website



Many people have heard about Deception Pass. It is very beautiful and there is lots to do in that area. This last weekend was the first time I went with my dogs. It was about an hour and half drive from Monroe. The hike that we did was the North Beach. The entrance is either right before or right after the bridge depending on what direction your coming from. They have bathrooms right at the parking entrance, and good signs for the trails.


When you walk down the hill towards the beach the first turn off goes to a beach that is secluded from the second one and it is shorter distance. We walked to the second beach entrance which was 0.7 miles from the entrance. When we got to the second beach we walked along the water, and it was the first time our dogs tasted salt water! We found a good place to sit and eat lunch and tied up our dogs. Then on the way back we went on the trail that ran behind the beach.Our dogs seemed to love the hike and were tuckered out by time we got back to the car.

About My Dogs

Moose

Moose is a female wired/smooth haired Jack Russell. She is sweet, loves to snuggle, and always there for me. She is defiantly MY dog. When we first brought Moose home it was a struggle if she was going to adapt. She ripped a hole in the side of the couch and would go in there and hide. Over the two past years she has really grown into her personality and it has been so fun to watch. She is absolutely CRAZY!! But we love her so much.



Woods

Woods is a male wired/smooth hair Fox Terrier. He is just such a happy dog and has sooo much energy. He is such my boyfriend's dog. He loves hanging outside with him and just following him around. But during the day he is right by my side whether I'm working, cleaning, or cooking. He has been a ball of energy since we got him 3 years ago. He LOVES playing ball to no end. It would not be the same without him!