Dec21

Why Is My Dog Aggressive?

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Why Is My Dog Aggressive?

If you have ever seen yours or another dog show aggressive behavior, it might be a little scary to witness and can be even more challenging to manage. Of course, when you have a family and children, the presence of an aggressive animal can be a big risk. However, before you take your dog away and put them up for adoption, it is important to understand their behavior and see if there is any way to manage it.

The first thing you will want to know is the cause of your dog’s aggressive behavior. From the outside, people usually assume that it is the owner’s fault or the dog is simply out of control, but when you start to explore deeper, you will see that everything is not as black and white as it seems:

Hormones: Like all other animals, dogs have hormones which change at certain times of the year, or according to certain stimulus. For example, when it comes to female dogs, they come on heat a few times each year. This means that they are at optimum time for mating and to give birth to pups. The issue with a female being on heat is that male dogs will be able to smell the pheromones she gives off, and this can make your male dog more aggressive for a short period as his testosterone levels spike. This is, of course, not an issue if your dog has been neutered, but if it hasn’t this is something to look out for.

Illness: When your dog is ill, it can cause them to become aggressive. There are a few different illnesses which can cause your dog to display aggressive behavior. Even the most friendly dog in the world can become aggressive when they are unwell or are in severe pain. Conditions such as a brain tumor, joint pain, and thyroid disease can be common causes of aggression in your pet. If you have a dog that suddenly shows signs of aggression such as growling, biting, or snarling you will need to get them checked out as they could be ill.

Fear: You may have heard of the concept of fight or flight; this concept applies to every living thing and is an innate action. When presented with a situation which is scary, you can either run away or stay and fight that fear until you beat it. Some dogs will cower away from other dogs, buses, or scary objects, but some dogs will stay and fight. If your animal is faced with a situation where they feel either trapped or afraid, they will lash out in self defense. This becomes a big issue if they bite somebody, because you may end up with a dog bite lawyer on your case.

Possession Aggression: There are a few instances where your dog may become possessive over its food, toys, or something else. It is mostly down to a dog’s personality. Some dogs don’t care if you sit next to them as they eat, whereas others will snap at you because they think you are going to steal it. Knowing your dog and taking precautions to stay away from them when they have food is the only way to deal with it.

You may also have the occurrence of your animal suddenly displaying possessive behavior when they have never done before. In this case you will want to take them to the vets because it could be if your dog is a young female, that they are suffering a phantom pregnancy. The toys your dog is being possessive over are actually her babies in her mind, which is why she is aggressive. This is nothing to worry about and will pass within a few weeks, however it is worth keeping toys away from her in this time.

Establishing Dominance: If you have more than one dog, you might notice them fighting each other every now and again. If this occurs frequently and the fighting starts becoming more aggressive it is most likely because they are fighting for dominance. All members of the canine family have a strict hierarchy which they live their lives by. There will always be an alpha male and alpha female. You will be able to tell which is which by the behavior they display as they eat and walk about.

An alpha male will always take their time with their food, whereas the lower ranks will wolf it down (pardon the pun) as quickly as they can. This is because alpha dogs have priority over food, so if they finish and another pack member still has food left, they can take it. The lower ranks will eat quickly so that they do not lose out on their food. Your dog may also display this behavior to you if they feel that their dominance is being challenged. If your dog barks as you try to move them off of the furniture or take them outside, this is a sign that they are asserting their dominance to you.

What to do: When your dog is displaying aggressive behavior, you may need help identifying the cause and helping them calm down. To do this you can do the following:

Call in a Professional: Call the vet and book an appointment to see if they are ill. If not, then you will need to look at contacting a dog behaviorist. Don’t try to fix the situation on your own because you could make matters worse and end up hurt. A professional will be able to see what’s happening with your pet and advise you on the way you should behave towards them to calm them down. Their advice could range from additional training like obedience school to CBD drops for dogs to help soothe them. A trip to the vet is the best first step you can take if your dog is displaying aggression.

Avoid Situations That Aggravate Your Dog: If your dog hates buses or they don’t like other dogs, avoid these situations where they are put in front of them. If the behavior still continues you may need to use desensitization to teach the dog that these things are not scary and that other dogs are good to be around.

Be Patient & Positive: Don’t shout at your dog. It is the worst thing that you can do because they do not understand why you are shouting. In their mind, their aggression is for a reason, so they will not respond well to you punishing them for it. Instead, keep things positive, praise your dog for good behavior, and try to work through things in a positive way.

Featured Image By: Flickr

Dec21

Cool In Karl Lagerfeld

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Cool In Karl Lagerfeld

Howdy! Everyone who knows anything about fashion knows about Karl Lagerfeld, the amazing head of Chanel, Fendi, and his self titled brands. Karl is an icon, and part of what makes him so are his signature aviator sunglasses, which he wouldn’t be caught dead without. So what better way to give an ode to the man behind the shades, than with a sharp white button down literally covered in them? Take a look:

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I nabbed this ah-may-zing shirt at TJMaxx as they were putting it on the rack for thirty dollars and I am so in love. Not only does this shirt give an extra pop of stark white to my wardrobe, which I’ve been working on adding, but it makes me feel devastatingly chic to own this top that feels so completely Karl. Am I a person who is overly concerned about labels? Not really. But, my god, does it feel good to have something with Karl Lagerfeld’s name on the tag. And I can definitely swing thirty dollars instead of the ninety dollar price point that I found on his website.

I am SO looking forward to pairing this top with black skinny jeans, black ankle booties, and a moto jacket so that the bright white top can really shine against All Black Everything. And, of course, a red lip is a total necessity for this look. This button down is great for a cheeky look for work and is an instant hit for all things play. I am freaking obsessed. And, yes, aviator sunglasses are absolutely required.

I feel so helplessly Cool In Karl Lagerfeld and I am ready to take on the day without taking off my sunnies as an ode to the gorgeous fashion mastermind. Who is a designer that you go gaga for? How do you score designer duds for a deal? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec20

Looking After Ageing Parents: Day Care VS Companionship

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Looking After Ageing Parents: Day Care VS Companionship

If you’re in the position where you are having to face the daunting reality of looking after your ageing parents, it’s understandable that you might feel like you have the weight of the whole world on your shoulders; not only do you have to manage your own work/life balance, in addition to taking care of your family, you now face increasing pressure to take care of your parent or parents.

Indeed, taking care of elderly parents can be a real struggle; Not only must you find a solution that tends to their medical, physiological, and practical needs but also their social and emotional needs, as well. One would imagine, at this juncture, that all you want to do is take care of your loved ones in their old age, but there’s a limit to how you can protect them from the inevitable pitfalls of ageing. You’ve weighed up the pros and cons of trying to care for them yourself. You’ve been through a thousand Care.com reviews to check if they’d be a good fit for some in-home care. You’re trying to explore every single option you can find to make sure your parents have the support they need. But it can be a losing game. No matter how hard you try, you’re unlikely to be able to take care of the full gamut of your parents needs – but there is an area, that is often overlooked that you can play a vital role in.

This area is that of tending to their emotional and social needs. One of the core problems elderly people face is loneliness – this sense of loneliness can be much more debilitating than any of their physical ailments and it’s totally avoidable. Again, you’re unlikely to be in the position to be a full-time companion, and it’s important that you don’t give yourself a hard time for this… as there are ways of caring for their social needs without you needing to be at their beckon call. This article explores three options that you have available to lighten the load:

Paid Companionship:

It might feel like a strange notion to have to pay someone to offer companionship, but given the level of patience and the complexity of your own emotional experience in looking after an elderly patient; an external companion can provide great relief for both you and your parent. You should check out services like the senior companion program that use senior companions to provide genuine companionship from a place of authentic like-mindedness, people who are truly able to relate with their companion as a peer; rather than a disinterested person intending to make ‘easy’ income.

The important thing when searching for a companion, therefore, is a genuine connection that leads to natural rapport. There are plenty of elderly people that wouldn’t fancy the idea of having a companion, in this way, out of pride or perhaps fear that they don’t want the awkwardness of having to interact with someone they don’t really know or trust; therefore it’s of critical importance you find someone that can relate on their level – and the natural choice would be a similarly aged peer.

Daycare:

There are many daycare options available, where people get to interact with their peers, however something to be mindful of is that just because someone is elderly doesn’t mean that they want to be put on a coach and force fed bingo sessions. It’s important you find a daycare center that is aligned with your parent(s) interests and natural character.

Assisted Living:

Should your loved one need more care than regular pop ins from you or a daycare, you might want to consider assisted living. These spaces are often specific for people who need memory care or have difficulty completing daily household tasks safely. To ensure your parent is receiving the best quality senior care, schedule tours at several different locations. Pay close attention to how the staff behaves and if the residents seem happy and as healthy as they can be. Do be sure to try and visit as frequently as you can to verify that your parents’ needs are being tended to in a loving and timely manner.

In summary, you really want to find something suitable for your parents that naturally aligns with their character. Most people value developing a deep and meaningful friendship with a person rather than several superficial acquaintances; but both options lend themselves to this. The most important thing to remember is that it’s your parent who should be deciding how they spend their time and one of the greatest gifts you can offer is your patience, understanding, and flexibility in meeting their needs rather than your own.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec20

What To Do If You Are Not Happy With Your Clothing

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What To Do If You Are Not Happy With Your Clothing

Nobody is entirely happy with how they look all of the time, but if you are starting to find that you are unhappy with your look a lot of the time, you should start to think about what you can do about that. As it happens, it is likely that there are a number of things that you can try, and as long as you know where to begin on this front you should find that it is pretty easy to improve your look in no time at all. But first you need to pinpoint what you are really not happy about with your look – and this post should help you to be able to do that:

Start Small:

If you feel that you need to make a change with your look, it might be tempting to go for a big change first. But the truth is that starting small is generally more effective on the whole, and it’s worth doing that if you want to really see the changes you crave. But what kind of details should you pay attention to first? Mostly, you will want to use services like http://stitchit.co/ to ensure that your clothing is in good shape, as these details can affect your overall look considerably. You should also look to your accessories and whether you feel the need to change them in order to keep your outfit looking great. Nothing screams pick me up like a fantastic quality outfit!

Refresh Your Wardrobe:

If you have done these things, and you still feel that you need to make some bigger changes, then don’t be afraid to do so. The best way to do this is to take a look at what is in your wardrobe more generally, and look to what items you feel that you would like to change out for new alternatives. While this can be a nerve-wracking thing to do, it is also exciting – and if you do it right, it is often the best way to ensure that you are happy with your look again. Giving your wardrobe a decent refresh is always going to make a huge difference, so it’s well worth considering.

Improve Your Confidence:

Sometimes the problem is not so much with your fashion sense or choice of clothing as much as your own sense of confidence – or lack thereof. You need to feel confident in yourself in order to be genuinely happy with your look, and if you feel that you are not happy, it might be worth looking to this to see if it is something that you can try to improve. Building confidence is important for your life in general anyways, so there is definitely much to be gained from doing this ASAP. The more confident you are, the better you will look and the more you will personally enjoy your overall look, as well.

Everyone needs a wardrobe pick me up every now and again, and starting slowly but surely to rebuilding your closet confidence is the best place to start!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec20

Christmas Surprise Pt. 2

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Christmas Surprise Pt. 2

Hey! Someone who is very dear to me is my neighbor, Alice. After years of living next door to her, we have recently become close and I revel in our almost weekly coffee dates at her place. About a month ago, we ventured to the darling Two Cafe in Solon, Ohio for lunch and had a total blast. Not only is Two a cafe but it’s also a boutique with the most beautiful handcrafted items for sale.

Included in the boutique section of Two was a little red ice skate that we both agreed was made for me, as a former Lil Red skater girl. During our gift exchange, I learned that Alice made the almost forty minute drive back to Two to get me the skate decoration for Christmas. Take a look:

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Besides for absolutely LOVING this gift and how adorable it is, I love the thought behind it the most. Alice literally saved this in her archives as my Christmas gift and made a special trip to get it just for me. That’s better than any gift that I could ever receive. I value my neighborly friendship so much, and her care and beautiful thoughts behind this present are something that I will never forget!

What is one of the most thoughtful gifts that you have ever received? How do you put special thoughts into your gift buying? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec19

What Can You Do To Make Your Home Look New?

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What Can You Do To Make Your Home Look New?

We all have a habit of craving new things once something breaks or starts to feel old. If your phone stops working, then it might make sense to buy a new one rather than pay for a costly repair, but can the same be said for an old home? Unless your household’s foundations are entirely demolished and rebuilt, or rooms are entirely stripped out and reconfigured with the help of someone like RI Architecture, then there’s no need to start from scratch. Making your home look brand new is just about making a few small changes to spruce up the appearance. And, most importantly, you need to make sure you maintain your home so that its aesthetic remains “new” for years or decades to come. What can you do to make your home look new? Read on and you might get some inspiration:

Give your home a deep clean:

You might vacuum the floor on occasion and remember to scrub down the kitchen surfaces after cooking, but your home still doesn’t look clean. That’s because cleanliness requires thorough and regular work. And it’s about reducing messiness as much as it is a matter of maintaining spotless and hygienic surfaces. You need to give your home a deep clean in order to get it back to scratch. Start by getting rid of all of the possessions you’ve been hoarding but no longer want; strip your home down to the essential possessions and open up the potential space that you’ve been wasting. A contemporary and modern “minimalistic” home requires you to be strict enough to get rid of the things you no longer need.

In terms of cleanliness and hygiene, you need to keep on top of a regular routine in order to ensure that your house looks good on a permanent basis (Rather than the one day a week or a month that you vacuum!). For example, you might not think much of the odd crumb lying on the dining room floor, but this can attract insects and other pests. You might want to look into an exterminator service to help you get rid of pests if your house has attracted critters. But if you keep on top of cleaning your home, then you won’t have to worry about bugs popping up. Plus, the aesthetic of your house looks newer and fresher when it’s kept clean. That’s the goal, right?

Let there be light:

Nothing makes a home’s interior look fresh and new quite like brightening it up. And it’s very simple to invite light into your home with a few small changes. Repainting walls white is a good start. Not only will a fresh coat of paint make your home look new, but the color of white naturally reflects light so this will certainly brighten up rooms in your house. Obviously, if you’ve decluttered your home well, then the spaciousness of each room will help to let light flow more freely. Cleaner window panes can help; muggy windows will limit the amount of light pouring into your house. Even mirrors can help to make a room feel larger, brighter, and more open.

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Love that lamp!

Go for the timeless feel:

If you want your home to not only look new but look new permanently, then you need to opt for a timeless feel. The best way to do this is to avoid trends and find ways to improve your home’s aesthetic in a way that looks objectively good (Or as close to “objectively” good as humanly possible!). What can you do to make your home look new in this regard? Think of all of the outdated aspects of your home. Patterned wallpaper, for example, can look tacky and dated rather quickly; painting is a better option. And it’s the same story with carpeting. You should look into getting wooden flooring for that classic aesthetic and then add some rugs to retain that homely feeling.

With the holidays fast approaching, try freshening up your home before your guests arrive!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec19

Christmas Surprise

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Christmas Surprise

Helloooo!! Last week, my beloved, darling, beautiful best friend Kate from Ankhor You sent me over an early Christmas Surprise and I am so beside myself in all of the feels. Aside from bonding over being former skater girls, Kate and I both share a passionate love for Harry Potter. We’ve texted throughout entire HP movies on ABC and spent every evening of our Bloggers Conference tucking into a Harry Potter Weekend flick before bed. Needless to say, we’re obsessed.

Returning home from work to see any type of mail that isn’t bills is always a treat, but it was even more special coming home to something from Kate. I was expecting a holiday card and nothing more from my friend, but ended up with this beautiful Alex And Ani bracelet, instead. AND A CARD!!!!!

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This gorgeous Hogwarts crest Alex And Ani bracelet is so special to me, because it is something that I would never buy for myself. I have ogled over A&A jewelry for some time now, but I ball on a budget so it was always lusting over it from afar. Kate picked out the literal perfect Christmas gift to treat me with and I have worn it every day since it arrived in the mail.

With Kate in New York and me in Ohio, I don’t get to give Kate a huge hug every time we hang out on FaceTime or text, and this bracelet is like a hug from one of my dearest friends. I love it SO much and I can’t wait for my present to Kate to arrive in the Big Apple ASAP!!

How do you treat your friends to a Christmas Surprise? How do you stay close to far away friends? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec18

Home And Garden: Protect Your Property

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Home And Garden: Protect Your Property

If you need some help with protecting your home and garden this year, you might want to check out some of these clever gadgets, which can be the perfect remedy for your home security problems:

Ring Video Doorbell: The Ring Video Doorbell is no ordinary doorbell, it allows you to answer the door without opening it. There are motion sensors on the doorbell, and you can download an app on your phone so that when someone rings the bell, you will get a notification from the app and you can see who is at the door. It also allows you to talk through the doorbell to whoever it is. This is ideal for if you have a parcel coming and you don’t want it given to the neighbor or if you have a friend coming over but you are running a bit late.

Yale Smart Home Alarm: Arm and disarm your alarm from your smartphone. You can also add a power switch to all of your appliances as well as on your front door, so that if you leave the house and panic that you haven’t locked the door or turned off the oven, you can do it from your phone! This is a high end item, and you can review a ton of different security systems at Homesecuritysystem.co if you are unsure of which one to pick for your price range and needs.

Nest Cam Indoor: Place the nest cam in your home in a certain place and you will be able to see a 24/7 live stream of anything going on in that part of the house. If there is any odd activity or weird noises, your phone will notify you so that you can see what’s happening.

Dummy Camera: If you don’t feel like shelling out the dough to kit your home out with full CCTV, you can bluff by hanging up a fake camera outside of your home. It is far cheaper and any potential thieves won’t be able to tell the difference, meaning that you are much less likely to have your home intruded by anyone.

Fake TV Light: If you are ever out of the house but you would like to mimic occupancy to deter anyone from coming near the home, you can use this gadget to make it look like the TV is on. The TV light mimics the color changes of a TV, and you can pre-set the light to come on at certain times.

Cam Safe: If you’ve ever seen on Pinterest those secret compartments behind a light switch, then you may like this gadget. The idea is to take every day objects in the home and make them into secret compartments to store your valuables. It could be as random as a can of Coke or a packet of chips. It will allow you to keep your valuables in the home, in a place where no criminal is ever going to look for them. You can even keep it in the fridge if you want to make it even more convincing.

Stay safe and secure this holiday season with the above gadgets!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec18

Monday Update: Christmas Excitement Edition

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Monday Update: Christmas Excitement Edition

Hey everyone and happy Monday! As of today, there are only SEVEN DAYS left till Christmas! That’s one week and that’s one very happy Sarah!

SEVEN DAYS OMGGGGGGG!!!

It’s so crazy, because it feels like Thanksgiving just happened and now Christmas is a single digits amount away? Where in the world has the time gone?! That’s okay, though, because I don’t know about you guys – but I’m ready for a cozy morning with my family opening presents and cooking a great big dinner.

I’ve always loved Christmas. The food, the gifts, the family time. I am so lucky to say that all of my holiday memories have been fond and happy. And, despite a lot of setbacks this year, I know that the big day next week is going to be filled with tons of good cheer and fun.

As you guys know, I completed all of my shopping very early this year, because it was a possibility that a loved one was not going to be home in the holidays. So, I’ve been sitting with boxes full of prezzies in my room, ticking off the days till the 25th like a madwoman! I love buying and presenting my family and friends with presents and all I’ve wanted to do since mid-November is to shove gifts into everyone’s hands and make them open it! But, self control has gotten the best of me, and there will be presents (That have been waiting over a month to be opened!) under the tree for all!

Although the family Christmas tree has been up all year, the Christmas Excitement is so real! How do you celebrate during the holiday season? What is on your holiday wish list? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec17

Holiday Q & A

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Holiday Q & A

Hi everyone and happy holiday season! Today, I thought that it would be fun to do a little Holiday Q & A to get in the spirit of Christmas. Feel free to copy these questions onto your page and answer them to share in the festivities!

What is on your Christmas wish list? Shoes, shoes, shoes, Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, shoes, some facial scrubs, and a few more pairs of shoes.

What is winter weather like in your area? In Akron, Ohio it’s pretty snowy at the moment. But, earlier in the month we had obscenely warm weather for December.

Favorite holiday treat? Peppermint Mocha drinks from Starbucks! I always treat myself to one or two during the holiday season.

Are you easy or hard to shop for? I get told that I am both. For people that know me really well, I’m sure they would say that I’m easy to shop for. But acquaintances would probably say I’m more difficult, because of my distinctive style and personality.

Favorite holiday movie? I don’t really have one, actually. Although, my family normally watches Step Brothers during the holiday season at some point or another lolol.

Do you prefer a White Christmas? I don’t really care… hahaha I guess not though. I don’t like the snow all that much.

Favorite cold weather activity? Going ice skating at my favorite outdoor rink in Akron!

Favorite holiday memory? I love watching people open their presents from me – it never gets old!

So there you have it, my Holiday Q & A! How would you answer some of my questions? What are some of your own holiday themed Q & A’s? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah