Jul 12, 2016
Although I’ve been a dog owner my whole life, it’s never occurred to me that my dogs needed protection from the sun. If it’s never occurred to you either – dogs get skin cancer too. I recently learned this first-hand, and now I want other dog owners to be aware.
My Vizsla Lucy loves to sunbathe, and a few weeks ago I noticed some odd spots on her abdomen. At first they looked like tiny bruises, but over time transformed to look more like moles (but bloody in color). My vet recommended that we remove them, so we scheduled surgery and had the spots sent off for testing. When they called with the lab results, I was told that Lucy’s tumors tested positive for skin hemangiosarcoma. I was glad to know that removing the spots was action enough to remove the cancerous cells, but now I have to protect her from the sun to prevent more spots… and now my little redhead is wearing doggy sunscreen (welcome to the club, Lucy). Yes, you read that correctly, Dog Sunscreen is a thing.
If your dog “sunbathes” belly-up like my Lucy, you might consider getting some, as the tummy is particularly sensitive to excessive UV light. The skin that’s most important to protect is anything light-colored – like a nose, ears, or the soft underbelly/inner thigh area.
Please note: If you’re going to protect your dog with sunscreen, it’s important to know that you CANNOT use sunscreen made for humans. Most of them contain zinc oxide, which is toxic to dogs.
Barque is proud to now stock the only FDA compliant dog sunscreen formula. It’s easy to apply, non-greasy and dries quickly, so even if your pet licks the applied area, it won’t harm them. This sunscreen is also water and sweat resistant, which makes it great for beach or lake dogs. Maufacturer’s instructions recommend that you apply the sunscreen every 2-4 hours if the pet is outside or is in the water for more than 80 minutes. This sunblock is ideal for Boxers, Bull Dogs, Pit Bull Terriers, Bichons, Poodles, Schnauzers, Dobermans, Retrievers and any pups who like to sun belly-up. Get yours today in-store or on our website.
{You can see this product featured on the TODAY show here.}
May 2, 2016
Over the past three years, we’ve had the pleasure of working this pretty special girl right here —> Shannon. She’s always got a smile on her face and our customers love her as much as we do!
She’s a great student, a hard worker, a thoughtful friend, and now – a beautiful Bride-to-Be. Our team has watched Shannon’s relationship with Austin blossom from the beginning, and even though we’re sad to see her move on (we don’t want her to leave!!!!)… we ARE excited for this next chapter in her life! So naturally, the Barque team wanted to send her off in style with a Bridal Shower. I mean, parties are what we DO – of course we wanted to throw one for one for her!
The fantastic hand-lettering details were created by another talented Barque team member – Kelsey. {find her on Instagram @kelseylainee}. Don’t you love this chalk sign? She also did all the mini signs for our snacks.
The gorgeous strawberries were handmade by our resident Party Queen, Suzanne. She’s pretty much a pro when it comes to party mechanics and details. She was also kind enough to host the shower in her home – and it served as the perfect backdrop!
We purchased the bride’s favorite thumbprint cookies from Simply Decadent Bakery, and the Keesha made the Artichoke Lemon Pesto Dip (we carry it in the store and it’s a crowd favorite at parties).
For the floral arrangements, we decided on a combination of simple white flowers and vegetable garden accents. I had seen one similar to this from Southern Living awhile back, so I was anxious to try it for myself. I made a few modifications to their tutorial here, but I love how it turned out!
The larger arrangement also had hints from the garden with various pops of color from carrots, brussels sprouts, orange beets, artichokes, kale, collard greens and radishes.
Shannon’s guests showered her with so many great things!
Do you recognize any of these pretty ladies from the shop? 🙂
None of us wanted to play cliche “Bridal Shower Games”, so instead we opted for something PAPER related (shocking) – Milestone Mail for the happy couple! Guests were asked to choose a milestone event, write it on the front of the envelope, then write them a blessing or word of encouragement to read when that milestone occurs. It should be a fun way for her to remember these guests and how much they care for her – even years down the road!
The hostesses of the shower gifted Shannon a big basket of kitchen goodies – and we made each item special with words of well wishes.
We ended the shower with a sweet photo of our “Barque twins” – aren’t they the cutest? {By the way, Emory and Kelsey did some serious wrestling to get those balloons to cooperate – it was a windy day!}
Shannon, we are proud that you’ve spent the last three years working for us and we wish you nothing but happiness in this new chapter of your life!
Love, the Barque Team
[ If you’re planning a Shower soon, you might want to download our Shower Planning Sheet – this idea came from a customer who has throwing showers down pat! Thank you for the great idea Tomi!]
Jan 9, 2016
To get your pup red carpet ready, you will need:
– a white button-up shirt (I got mine in the Men’s section at Goodwill for $3 – just make sure the neck opening is clsoe to your dog’s neck size)
– scissors
– stapler
– black permanent marker
– bow tie with elastic (from a party store for just a few bucks)
Use the scissors to cut the collar and cuffs off the sleeves.
Then use the cuff to test the size of your dog’s “wrist”(make sure it’s still large enough to slide over their paw), folding it over and then removing it from your dog. Staple the cuffs in place, being sure to staple from the INSIDE so the sharp part of the staple will point away from your dog.
Take a permanent marker and color in the buttons.
Wrap the bow tie around the neck of the collar with the elastic on the inner crease, so the collar flap folds over it. Gently place the collar on your dog’s neck. DO NOT button the collar – you want it to fit loosely around their neck (and the elastic should hold it in place anyway).
Linus didn’t mind trying his on one bit. Ha!
Once you’re ready, slide the cuffs over the front paws. Then take a picture (or 83, if you so choose) of your dapper pup.
Apr 29, 2014
With grauation just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about great gifts for grads! Customers always make it sound like “graduation gift hunting” is a daunting task, so we’ve created a handy little Graduation Gift Guide to help you (through a series of questions and answers)… and the best part? We can hook you up with any of these options (quickly and easily)! Just call the store 806-785-1195 or stop by and speak with a sales associate for more information and pricing.
If you’d like to download a copy for yourself, you can get it HERE.
To see this image better, simply click on it.
