The Ruff Life

Canada has a total of 6 million dogs a pets, and the number is growing (Psychology Today, 2012).  Canadians love their dogs and the services and products available in the pet industry is proof we consider them as part of the family (at least I do!). A lot of us are willing to spend whatever for our beloved four legged friends, so why not indulge your dog with their own house as a sign of deep affection? 

Dog houses have been around for years and is nothing out of the ordinary. But what about an architecturally designed, custom built house that your dog could call its own? Whether your dog practically lives outside all the time, or just likes to occasionally have their freedom, dog houses are a great buy for pampering pet owners. 

(my dog Bella) 

This brick estate dog house was designed by Alan Mowrer, who is known for creating the most fashionable dog houses in the world. This upscale doggie abode is estimated at $25,000 and includes running watering, lighting, air conditioning, and heat. 

This custom-made dog house will have you guessing it's a real home at first glance. It includes real materials, a wooden deck, and a bone shaped pool.

This modern dog house is a spacious cubix home that can be built for any sized dog. It is available in three sizes: small, medium, and large and sells for $5,800-$6,300 depending on size.

This mini-mansion dog home owned by the one and only Paris Hilton is any pets dream house come true. It has two floors: the downstairs consists of the living room, while upstairs there is a bedroom and a closet to stash the many outfits of her pooch’s. This pet playhouse was designed to resemble Hilton’s own home and includes mini furniture designed by Philippe Starck, as well as heat, air conditioning, and even a black crystal chandelier. The price? Only $325,000. 

I think it's safe to say most of us dog owners will be sticking to the original 4x4 plywood dog houses!

Citations

Coren, S. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201209/how-many-dogs-are-there-in-the-world

The 10 Best Ways To Use Your Outdoor Fire Pit

The sight of a fire on a cool evening, or a summer night can bring people together so nicely. Sitting by an outdoor fire is a great way to relax with family and friends and can be a simple feature to add to any home. You can choose to build your own stone and concrete fire pit, either at ground level or elevated, or keep things simple and purchase a metal fire bowl. Today, i’m going to share the 10 best ways to use your outdoor fire pit. 

Before you set up an outdoor fire pit, make sure to observe some basic safety guidelines (City of Vancouver, 2012). 

• Check local rules for concerning fire pits
• Always site the pit well away from any structures
• Avoid windy conditions that can blow embers 
• Always have a bucket of water nearby before starting the fire

1. Make S’mores - nothing beats this simple snack. All you need is graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. Roast and enjoy!
2. Hot Dipped Bread - using a long fork, heat up slices of bread and dip them in a tasty assortment of spreads. I recommend jams, Nutella, or Cookie Butter.
3. Grilled Chorizo - a bit more upscale than your basic hot dog, slice a chorizo sausage and grill up! 
4. Hot Hot Cider - if you have a grill cover and an iron pot, you can use your fire pit to cook some nice cider. 
5. Pop some popcorn - again you can use a grill cover and an iron pot (coat base with cooking oil) and pour a couple cups of popcorn seeds, or you can still but those old fashioned popcorn poppers that work over the flame.
6. Grilled Banana (my personal favourite!) - Cut a slit in the peel, stuff with butter and sugar and then throw back on the grill until it’s bubbly. 
7. Fire up some potatoes - Slice up some potatoes add butter, salt and dried herbs. Wrap each potato in foil. Throw into the fire pit or on top if the grate. Turn occasionally and let cook for 15 minutes. 
8. Grilled Corn - Soak corn on the cob, husks on, in water and then throw onto the grill and cook.  Have a bowl with some salted, melted butter and dip cobs right in for a warm, tasty treat. 
9. Make a Pizza - Make your own wood fired pizza right in your backyard! Using a grill cover and a pizza pan will cook small pizzas just fine. Set out a variety of toppings out as well!
10. Sit around and enjoy! Cooking food is well, good, and tasty sometimes, but the best way to enjoy a fire pit is to just sit and relax. 

Citation

http://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/outdoor-fire-safety.aspx

Natural Outdoorsy Scents

Air fresheners, candles, perfume, soaps, and other artificial scents can be overbearing and filled with harmful ingredients. But there are times when your home or your car need a little freshen up. There is a simple, all natural, lovely solution to fix those fishy problems. Fill your home with subtle scents of spices and herbs. These inviting aroma’s go a long way to leave a good first impression of your home. I especially recommend using natural scents if your house is on the market. A family friend relator had once told me they advise their sellers to bake cookies or boil cinnamon in water right before a potential buy drops by to create a good first impression. 

There are many different natural scents one can achieve in their home. Today I will be going over how to use pine or cedar twigs/needles to create a natural room scent. These scents that are pleasing to one person may not be to someone else, so consider what perfume, soap, and candles scents you like and customize this technique to what your nose likes. 

Ingredients: 

• pine or cedar twigs 
• bay leaves 
• nutmeg 

Combine the ingredients into a small pot on the stove top (on a low heat setting) and cover with water. Keep uncovered to release the natural scent and create a pleasant scent throughout your house. Add more hot water as needed. As the water evaporates from the pan, top it off with additional hot water. It needs to be hot when it added so that it doesn’t cool down the temperature of the scented water.

higher heat = more fragrance 

These cooked scents can be reused 2-3 times. After they have been heated and simmered for awhile (the water will become cloudy and some of the ingredients will lose their colour). Store the natural scents (with the water) in jars and keep them refrigerated in between uses. 

Other scents you can make are citrus, herbs, extracts, and spices

DIY: Stacked Flower Pots

Stacked flower pots are a great way to create dimension to your home garden. Maximize limited spacing for growing plants and flowers while adding a whimsical feeling. In just a few steps, you can create a tipsy-turvy planter. 

Materials: 
- One 8" clay flower pot
- Three (or more of your choice**) 6" clay flower pots 
- One 62" rebar piece 
- A bag of dirt
- Potted flowers 

**I do not recommend alternating more than five pots as it will be hard to water and the tower could become unstable.** 

Step 1: Stake your piece of rebar at least 2' into the desired location. This is very important for stability as the pots being stacked on it will be heavy with soil, water, and plants. 

Step 2: Thread the 8" clay pot through the rebar until it reaches the ground. Fill the pot with soil, leaving and inch or two at the top.


Step 3: Slide a 6" clay pot over the rod until it reaches the soil of the 8" pot and tilt it on its side. Fill the pot with soil leaving at least two inches at the top. 

Step 4: Continue stacking the 6" pots on the rod alternating the way they lean until you run out of rod. 






Step 5: Plant flowers in each pot. You may need to add a little more soil around each plant as you plant them, but leave at least an inch at the top of each pot so that when you water, the water does not run out too fast.

To water, start at the top and water slowly. Continue until all pots have been watered. Wait several minutes and repeat the process. You may need to water the tower twice a day if you live in regions above 90 degrees.