Rebel Blog — hiking

Our pack of rebels love visiting her too, in part because she is perhaps the most gracious hostess they will ever meet. She simply stood by as our three pups rampaged her house, touched all her toys, and even slept in her bed. All she cared about was having three extra friends to play with, and that seemed to be good enough for her.

She showed us all her favorite hikes and the best snow covered view at sunset. She shared her favorite dog beach and taught Diesel and Dakoda how to play pinecone football.  And at the end of the day these four played musical bowls and even shared their dinner. Maybe it just tastes better if it’s from another dog’s bowl, who’s to judge?!

Either way, we love you Mary dog! Thank you for showing us Tahoe. We can’t wait to see you soon.

On an ordinary Tuesday we decided to head to the nearest mountain town for a day of snow play. Not one of the five dogs in tow had experienced snow before, so we bundled them all in rebel hoodies and let them go crazy. We're not sure if they had more fun running wild, or if we had more fun watching this snowy situation go down. 

The first couple of minutes consisted of a lot of slipping and sliding, but once they got the hang of it, it was optimum entertainment for the humans. Pork Chop, the English Bully of the crew, is perhaps the most hilarious to watch as he always appears to be in his own little glorious bulldog world. His favorite activity was making snow angels, and at one point he succeeded in "sledding" head first down the entire face of the mountain as we watched and cheered.

Diesel and Dakoda, our two black Dobermans, played high speed tag for most of the day. While Deogi, the Vizsla, spent her time mountain climbing and tracking scents. Stella, the red Doberman, was the ever perfect model and stood patiently in the sun as we snapped endless pictures of her beautiful dobe stature.

Rebel Hoodie is Rebel approved: After a day of rough play in the cold snow, these five agreed that the rebel hoodie is officially cleared for use in the snow and cold-weather approved. These cozy hoodies provide comfort and style while keeping each pup super warm. The wide array of sizes offered ensures each dog finds his perfect fit, and the construction allows for easy on-and-off. Because after all, the life of a dog is pretty busy, there's really little time for inconveniences like getting dressed.

Get your Rebel Hoodie, right here!

The weather is creeping into tick season, but don't freak out. Proper precaution such as monthly flea and tick medication, or tick spray before hiking, can help prevent these pesky little guys from bothering your dog. If you do find a tick on your dog with a little caution they are easily removed. Ticks live in wet, dark, brushy areas, which subsequently dogs love to run through.

We hike several times a week with our pack and we never let the threat of ticks keep us indoors, even when it’s raining. We’ve encountered and removed plenty of ticks, we just make sure to check and prevent often.

Prevention: If your dogs are on a monthly flea and tick control such as Revolution and Frontline this can help to prevent ticks. If your pet is not on a monthly preventative, there are tick sprays which you apply before hiking to help repel ticks.

Check: Be sure to do a thorough check of your dogs after hikes and outdoor playtime before getting back into the car or coming inside. Pet your dog from head to tail, paying close attention to crevices, the ears, under each leg, and between the paw pads. If you do find a tick remain calm and follow these simple steps.

How to remove a tick:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.

2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. You want to pull the entire tick out in one try. Don't twist or wiggle the tick; this can cause the mouthpart to break off and remain in the skin.

3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area with antiseptic and wash your hands well. We suggest killing the tick by placing it in a bowl of rubbing alcohol. Before disposing of the tick keep it for a couple days, in case your pet becomes sick you can bring the tick to your veterinarian.

Things not to try: Do not try to smother the tick with alcohol or burn it out with a lighter, you risk killing the tick, which will leave its head inside the skin. Because ticks carry lots of nasty diseases using your bare hands is not a good idea, wear latex or rubber gloves when removing the tick. Do not attempt to hold the tick at gun point, they don't tend to like that either. 

Having dogs is a good reminder to enjoy life more. They are consistently happy, never concerned, and always ready for an adventure. We love to take our rebel pack to uncharted territory, explore for hours, and simply escape from every day life. Watching them run free is such a peaceful feeling.