Dog Avalanche Beacons

The last few weeks have been pretty scary for avid backcountry enthusiasts, especially in Colorado. Since December was riddled with sunny skies, warm temperatures and no snow, the big dumps of January have made avalanche conditions very, very sketchy. Natural and human-triggered slides have occurred on a daily basis since the first big storm two weeks ago.

Yet, regardless of the conditions, venturing into the backcountry should always necessitate wearing a beacon. You never know what could happen, so it's always good to be prepared. And if you go out with your four-legged friend, the same should apply. Good thing Pieps has them covered.

Fitting comfortably in a custom made dog collar, the Pieps TX600 receiver is a mini-beacon designed to help save a dog if buried, and also to not interfere with human avalanche search and rescue, since it omits a different frequency than that of a normal avalanche beacon. The only drawback is that solely Pieps beacons will pick up the frequency of the TX600. But, for those who have one, being able to rescue your pooch in an avalanche scenario is definitely worth the cost.

Either way, if you plan on venturing out into the backcountry with your dog, please be safe.

A Few New Year's Resolutions For Dog Owners

This year, instead of trying to keep that one New Year's resolution for as long as possible, why not focus on a few resolutions that apply not only to you, but also to your four-legged companion? Since most personal resolutions are abandoned after three or four weeks, having one that applies to both you and your dog could be a lot easier to maintain than some of the traditional, dietary ones.

Obviously, walking your dog at least once a day is one of the easiest ones to keep. Not only is the exercise great for your pooch (maintaining a dog's weight is key to a long life), but also it is great for the dog owner. Additionally, trying to get your dog out into an open-air environment once a week, such as the mountains, the beach or the plains, is a great resolution to strive for. Fresh air and open spaces makes almost everyone happy, including your dog!

High quality food for your dog is almost as important a resolution as daily exercise. A dog owner should be as cautious about their pooch's food as they are of their own. Research the ingredients and strive to purchase food that is organic, natural, or at least not heavily processed. It may cost a bit more than grocery store kibble, but allowing your dog to have a longer life justifies the cost.

Lastly, take the time to play with your dog, groom your dog and, of course, train your dog. Those three things may seem straightforward, but its easy to neglect your pooch after a long day of work. Dog's love attention in any form, and giving them what they want will create a stronger bond between you and your four-legged friend.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Well, winter has officially arrived with the passing of the solstice, and with all the snow, all of the lights and all of the cheer, holiday season is in full force. From all of us here at Peakwaggers, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah. We'll see you in the New Year!

A New Review, Just in Time for the Holidays!

With Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner, there is no better time than now for us to get a new, awesome review from our friends at Mountain Weekly News in Colorado. Trying the majority of our products, the reviewer's dog, Char (a 14-month-old Pointer), gave all of our jerky snacks and trail meals two big paws up.

The review even claims that we could easily change our label and market the jerky to humans (it is human grade and pretty darn tasty). Coincidentally, we actually sold a few packages of jerky to a couple ladies at the OR show last August who wanted some snacks for the long ride home from Utah. Go figure!

Thanks for the great review guys! We definitely appreciate!

Click here to read the review!

Skijoring with the Pooch

Besides snow, winter brings a bit of a hiccup to anyone's outdoor, dog-exercising agenda. While summer is packed with hiking and camping trips, cold temperatures and sparse daylight seem to put a damper on outside plans with the pooch. And while backcountry skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing are three great options to give those peakwaggers a little fresh air and exercise, those who live away from the mountains have to get a bit more creative. That's where skijoring comes into play.

Since a dog, as we all know, naturally pulls on its leash when going for a walk, skijoring essentially takes that concept and applies it to cross-country skiing. By tying a dog (or two) to a harness, you can get a little cross-country skiing in while giving your dogs a few hours of exercise. And although the sport traditionally utilizes a Nordic center or cross-country skiing course, any large park, high school track or football field can be used, provided that it's covered by a good layer of snow.

So, for dog owners looking to mix up the usual running or walking routine, check out skijoring. We've tried it, and it's tons of fun. Just make sure your dog runs in a straight line; it's pretty easy to topple over if your pooch suddenly takes off.

(Photo courtesy of ColoradoOuting.com)

Holiday Shopping for Pets

With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas fast approaching, holiday shopping season has officially arrived. Coinciding with that, of course, is Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two of the biggest shopping days of the year. And while most gifts will be purchased for family and friends, a majority of pet-owning Americans will spend an average of $46 on their four-legged companions, according to an Associated Press poll.

While pet present giving may seem a bit extreme, the recent poll demonstrates that the dog has evolved from being man's best friend to a key member of the household. In some cases, dogs will receive more than one present, making out better than some human members of the family. In fact, some pet owners will actually purchase gifts on behalf of their dogs! Besides, who wouldn't want a new Christmas sweater from Fido?

The poll reveals that food and treats will be what most consumers purchase for their pets. So, if you happen to be on the hunt for something for your four-legged companion, make sure to visit one of our online retail stores. Most of them have already begun their holiday discounts, and we guarantee your pooch will love our Peakwaggers jerky snacks and trail food.

Avalanche Rescue Dogs: True Peakwaggers

While we ran our "Is Your Dog a Peakwagger" contest, we received a photo from Damian Hancock, whose avalanche rescue dog, Jack, was taking a much needed rest after digging people out of the snow. Though the photo (a great one, seen above) was not selected as a winner, we feel that it, as well as avalanche dogs in general, deserved a little recognition.

As far as Peakwaggers go, avalanche rescue dogs lead the pack. They train hard, play hard and are essentially on call 24-7 (especially in avalanche prone areas during the winter.) If they are lucky, they, as well as their trained handlers, will never be called into the field to rescue a skier or snowboarder from a potential, life-threatening situation. And if they are really, really lucky, they are part of the Ruff Wear ambassador program, sporting super cool harnesses as members of the Aspen, Mammoth and Mt Bachelor rescue teams.

Either way, with winter starting and the snow beginning to pile up (at least here in Nederland, CO), we wanted to show our appreciation for all the rescue dogs and their handlers who help save lives. Hopefully, in the near future, we'll be able to provide them with our jerky snacks and trail food, helping to keep them energized while they rescue people in the backcountry.