Frou Frou Fido

Easily create a dog safe garden

Kate — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:12:07 +0000

Before buying our first house, I always promised my darling Clementine that I would make a garden especially for her some day. That day has come and I have a very special spot in my garden just for my little lady C-tine. While planning my garden, I had to take several factors into consideration to ensure that the garden could be safely enjoyed by everyone including Clementine and any other doggie visitors! I’d like to share a helpful and comprehensive guide so that you, too can create a perfect garden that your human and dog family can safely enjoy!

Clementine loves to frolic in her pet safe garden.

Here are some plants to be avoid in a dog safe garden:

Castor bean
Oleander
Morning Glory
Japanese Yew
Jerusalem Cherry
Foxglove
Nightshade
Lily of the Valley
Precatory Beans
Trumpet vine

Dog safe plants that are ideal to ensure a pet safe garden. I tried to select low maintenance plants that are easy to grow:

Zinnia
Snapdragons
Cosmos (very easy to grow as well!)
Calendula
Petunia
Bee Balm (easy to grow and the bees will happily pollinate)
Phlox
Coneflowers
Carrots- a perfect treat for you and your dog!

Some other considerations:

Use raised beds that keep any harmful plants out of your dog’s reach. This will also enhance the quality of soil for your plants.
Nix chemicals and opt for natural solutions such as water and vinegar for weeds- it really works!
Those little paws can trip over sharp lawn tools as well.
Completely avoid cocoa mulch. It has cocoa in the name; you do the math! Use a mulch made from local trees, often available free of charge at your local municipality.

Frou Frou Fido featured in local publication

Kate — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:38:10 +0000

Clementine and I make Shaker Heights, OH our snuggly home. Now we love our home town even more since being featured in their latest edition of “Shaker Life”! We are thrilled to share it with you here.

This is our very first feature in a publication and we hope the first of many. Thank you to all our darling customers who helped us get this far!

Frou Frou Fido article in Shaker Life

Bye for now!

Proper Pet Etiquette

Kate — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:31:45 +0000

Prima Donna Pooch

In addition to always looking pretty and posh, a frou frou dog should always mind their manners. Clementine and I thought it was particularly important to write about dog etiquette since our handmade dog sling carriers are mostly used out in public (who wouldn’t want to show them off?!).

You’ll see in one of my listings, Royal n’ Spoiled, that I mention using the slings to sneak your dog into a hotel. While I promote this as being a superb use for the sling carrier, common sense should always be used. After you’ve checked in, go out to your car to gather your luggage and discreetly pop your pooch in your Frou Frou Fido pet carrier! As long as they are relaxed and quiet, they won’t bother anyone and will be so happy to tag along. I urge you to hold off on any random doggie dips in the pool.

Using the dog sling carrier while running errands is another great benefit. You work all week and leave your pup alone, they shouldn’t have to be left solo any more! However, when going into grocery stores or other food establishments, it’s always better to be safe than sorry- be sure to inquire first. Here in Ohio places are really strict about letting Clementine accompany us for dinner; one time they wouldn’t even let her sit outside with us! While in other areas of the country, stores can be super pet-friendly. It’s a dog crap shoot!

So, lesson learned, a frou frou dog must have the whole package- divine style and courtesy! Anyone have any great stories about their pup’s adventures? Let’s hear em!

Bye for now!

Health Benefits of a Dog Companion

Kate — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:37:23 +0000

Sometimes I think my business gets a bad wrap from all those small dog hatas. But in addition to being super fab n groovy, I’m gonna tell everyone why having your dog close by in a carrier is not only good for your image, but for your health!

Dogs are great at lowering blood pressure. With a few wags of the tail, they can do wonders and work more effectively than any medicine. This fact is pretty amazing. Just consider some things for a moment and it’s really easy to understand. Let’s say you’ve had a rough day at the office (who knew buying your boss a weight watchers gift certificate for Christmas was such a lousy idea?) and been ostracized by all other employees in fear that you might buy them a membership as well. You come in the door at home after work and like clock work, your precious pup is there to greet you wanting nothing but love and attention and returning the same.

Dogs help expedite recovery times. You finally decided to get that pesky 11th digit removed and you’re eager to show off your new streamlined look. Well, having a dog by your side is therapeutic and will ultimately speed up your recovery.

Things aren’t looking so good for all you dog hatas. Moving on to my personal favorite! People who have dogs tend to have an overall positive outlook on life. This is what it’s all about isn’t it? What we believe and think leads to how we act, what goals we reach and ultimately, what becomes of our lives. Technically speaking, dog lovers have higher levels of dopamine and serotonin leading to happier, calmer people. Ahhh .

Just think of all these benefits when you carry your dog around in a customized carrier from Frou Frou Fido! You will be one happenin’, relaxed, and healthy mama! What is not to love?!

Bye for now!

Keep your pup healthy with some of these do-it-yourself dog recipes!

Kate — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:13:29 +0000

Ok humans, listen up! Here are some tips to keep your dog frou frou from the inside out. Healthier dogs lead happier, longer lives and I’m sure that’s what we all want. When a lot of people think about healthy, organic dog diets, they tend to also think expensive. Not so fast! There are plenty of scrumptious food options that won’t break your budget. Here we go!

how to make dried sweet potato dog treats: easy, easy, easy! Just wash off a few sweet potatoes (preferably organic), slice em to your desired sized, pop em in your oven at 320 for about 3 hours. Voula! A marvelously delicious and nutritious treat for your dog that will keep for a number of weeks (if they make it that long ).
how to make dried apple dog yum yums: the name really says it all! Just like the sweet potatoes, wash off your apples, slice em how you like and then pop em in the oven for 320 for about 3.5 hours (apples have a ton of water, so they may take a little longer than the potatoes).
how to make dog ice cream: this is where it really gets good! This stuff can be pretty expensive at the store and contain unnecessary ingredients. So lemme teach you how it’s done:

cut up a few bananas into slices
measure about a half a cup of peanut butter (more if you’ve got a piglet pup)
measure about a cup of plain, unsweetened yogurt
combine these three delicious ingredients in a bowl along with a dash of honey (the food, not your dog)
once well combined, pour the mixture into an ice cube tray (you can get really creative here, like using this heart shaped tray)
pop it in the fridge, go do some shopping in my shop, come back a few hours later to some fab homemade doggie treats
those are some firm, healthy buns!

Let’s recap. Healthy dog diets can be:

cheap
easy to make yourself
paw lickin’ good

So include treating your pup to some fine treats as well this holiday season (and all year round for crying out loud) with these easy peasy how-to recipes! Bye for now!

Black Friday Super Über Duper Sale on all Handmade Dog Front Sling Carriers

Kate — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:06:47 +0000

Phew, Thanksgiving is already tomorrow! Amid all your cooking and prepping for the big day, I hope everyone is finding time to spend with their friends and family. Clementine and I sure have been having a good time together so far:

Cheers to the Black Friday sale at Frou Frou Fido!

But let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Indeed. This Black Friday I am having a huuuuuge sale in my Etsy shop. I will be offering 30% off all carriers PLUS a handy dandy pocket on the inside of the carrier. The pocket is great for holding all your necessary chotchkies. So, just head on over to my shop and use coupon code “wowimthrifty” on Black Friday to score yourself a gorgeous new customized dog sling carrier for a super price. Now, back to partying it up with Clementine!

Bye for now!

How to Organize Your Dog’s wardrobe- a Tutorial to Make Your own Stylish Doggie Armoire

Kate — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:59:47 +0000

Ok all you other frou frou pups out there, listen up! Over the years, Clementine has acquired a fairly substantial wardrobe (which makes her mom very proud !). Problem is, her clothing is scattered in various places all around the house making it very difficult to be both styling AND organized. Sound familiar? I thought so.

Lately I have been on an organizing binge and decided to make an adorable little customized clothing bin for all of Clementine’s clothing. This will make it so much easier to find whatever we need for her when we’re ready to head out the door. So follow along and see what I came up with to store all of C-tine’s dog clothes (I apologize in advance for not having pics to accompany every step, this is my first tutorial so please bear with me )! Here are some pics followed by all the steps you need to know to make your own.:

My handmade dog clothing storage bin/armoire. Sealed with a bow!

The inside of Clementine's new clothing bin. Pretty sweet, huh?

Bird's eye view of Clementine's doggie swag neat as can be.

Clementine-approved!

STEP 1

Head out to your local thrift store to find a fairly large basket. I was able to find a quaint little picnic basket which is nice since I can close it up.

STEP 2

Decide what fabric you would like to line the basket with. It’s up to you if you want to use only one print or mix a few together. I like to mix prints and used a gingham print as well as a paisley print. When mixing prints, it’s always a good idea to pick one fairly bold and complex print and use other simpler, less complex prints to complement it. Hope you are getting excited!

STEP 3

Trace each side of your basket onto the fabric, making certain to leave an extra inch or so for seam allowance. For example of you have a 4-sided basket, you will end up with 4 pattern pieces that will be sewn together at the sides. Now go ahead and trace the bottom of the basket onto the fabric, also adding about an inch for the seam allowance. Don’t worry about being exact, even if you have pieces larger than the actual dimensions of your basket, it will be helpful to have some give in the lining since you’ll be removing & adding your dog’s clothes regularly.

STEP 4

Sew the sides of the fabric together at the sides. Sew the bottom of the carrier onto all four sides. The top will be left raw (not too worry! it will be hot glued onto the basket).

STEP 5

Place the beauteous fabric lining inside your basket and get your hot glue gun ready! As I mentioned before, the top edges of the lining are still raw. Using your glue gun, turn under the extra inch you left in step 3 and hot glue it to the inside edge of the basket. Lookin’ good! As I mentioned in step 3, your fabric might be slightly wider than the actual width of the basket. That’s perfectly ok, just gradually ease the extra length in as you hot glue the fabric onto the basket.

STEP 6

Now you have a blank canvas for adding any additional embellishments your heart desires. I added a big ol’ bow on the front and will eventually end up putting a painted wooden “C” initial under it. I also got a cute crystal decal that I ironed onto the inside of the lid- the silver lining if you will!

STEP 7

Pack in your dog’s swag and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Bye for now!

Clementine and Kate explore Cleveland!

Kate — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:53:37 +0000

Clementine and I live in a quaint little house on the east side of Cleveland. We are so very lucky to have such a great city at our disposal! Puppypalooza-a day where pups are welcome at an Indian’s games, our awesome Metroparks system, East 4th street-the place for doggies to be and be seen!, Wade Oval and so many other venues are why we love our city <3. Wherever you live, there are many treasures just waiting to be discovered. I strongly urge you to take a day to go find them! With your dog carrier sling, you’ll be able to bring along your dog and have an even grander time!

Yesterday Clementine and I decided to take our city by storm and do a little adventuring! Here are some shots of our excursion:

Boy oh boy what a hike to the top of the Garfield monument! Clementine was content hanging out/backseat driving in her sling carrier.

Clementine can't even see over our counter top most days but yesterday she got to see this gorgeous vista of Cleveland's skyline!

Phew! It was windy at the top of the James A. Garfield monument but Clementine was cozy and warm in the Not Too Shabby Chic small dog sling.

Cleveland, Ohio home of Frou Frou Fido and so many other wonderful things!

Admiring Wade Park. Clementine poo poos goose poo poo. Sling carrier=problem solved! I popped her in the Dash of Darling dog carrier and chauffeured her dainty self around.

Taking in the beauty of Wade Park in downtown Cleveland.

This is one of our new favorite places!

Chillaxin' on the steps of The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Clementine and I enjoy the view while she stays nearby at all times in the Dash of Darling small dog sling.

It was time to call it a day! After this we headed to Little Italy to nosh on some pizza and gelato

Bye for now!

So long Halloween, hello Frou Frou Fido YouTube channel!

Kate — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:38:53 +0000

Clementine and me rocking out on Halloween

I’m not sure about you, but Halloween sure snuck up on me this year; for cryin’ out loud it’s already snowing in New England! I’ve been so busy working at photo shoots and creating nifty new marketing materials for Frou Frou Fido. But don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not lamenting that time has flown by lately. Designing, creating, and marketing with my true love Clementine by my side has been a dream. I am looking forward to sharing a behind the scenes view of Frou Frou Fido through a YouTube channel (in the works!!) and can’t wait to exchange more puppy stories with you!

Bye for now!

Traveling with your dog and Frou Frou Fido

Kate — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:53:32 +0000

I’ve been organizing a much needed vacation lately and I am naturally planning on bringing along Clementine! Dog-friendly travel options are actually much more abundant than you might think. For starters, I researched particular locations that are especially accommodating to globe trotting pups. I settled on Carmel, CA-one happening hound hot spot! A small artist town with a laid back environment, dogs are welcome at many restaurants and hotels. Clementine is just delighted about her itinerary! And honestly, I couldn’t be happier either. A vacation without Clementine is just not a vacation at all! There is just always something missing.

Carmel, California aka Doggie Heaven

Here are some other dog friendly destinations to check out. So you’ve decided where you are headed for some R&R with your BFF pooch. Not just any dog gets to travel with their parents so make sure they are traveling in style with some Frou Frou Fido fashions. The sling carriers are a perfect choice for bringing them along during your day adventures (hiking, exploring, visiting museums, you name it!) as well as your off-the-hook night life. My handmade dog sling carriers are totally functional and fashionable, so your dog will be known coast-to-coast as a diva. Let’s face it, even in the coolest of dog lovin’ hoods, they are always the haters. Not to worry! You can easily hide your dog in a Frou Frou Fido sling carrier-everyone will assume you’ve got a human baby in tow. Fooled them!

Let’s not forget the journey to your sensational sojourn. The small dog sling carriers are great for bringing your dog to the airport and keeping them nearby in the terminal. If you’ve decided to bring them along in the cabin (which is permissible by the TSA as long as they can fit below the seat in front of you and are in an approved carrier) they can also fly in fashion in a Frou Frou Fido dog carrier. Although not stocked in my shop, I make custom carriers that adhere to all TSA standards and would love to make one just for you! Just shoot me an email at kate@froufroufido.com.

Here is one of my favorite pics of Clementine getting ready to leave Logan Airport on vacation :

Clementine waiting to fly the sky in her Frou Frou Fido travel dog carrier

Bye for now!