10 Tips & Tricks to Taking Care of Your Dog in Adulthood

If you’re anything like me, you couldn’t wait to grow up and turn into an adult so that you could get a dog. After my boyfriend bought his house, he started looking and after about a year he found Nyla on Facebook about to be euthanized and saved her little heart.

Now, we have a dog and a whole lot of responsibility. That is why I made a list of things to do and tips to help you care for your dog. These are little things that we’ve found useful and want to share the wisdom.

Here are 10 Tips & Tricks to Take Care of Your Dog in Adulthood!

10 Tips & Tricks to Take Care of Your Dog from abbey geib on Vimeo.

1. Give your dog walks at least twice a day. This will help them exercise and be less rambunctious indoors. Walking your dog is crucial to their well-being. A dog’s instinct tells them to roam and sniff their territory. They can’t do that inside or even in a fenced in back yard. Dogs also get bored very easily. Your dog is probably napping while you’re at work and so they’ll want to play and be stimulated when you get home. A walk is a perfect solution for exercise, stimulation, and to keep dogs from chewing your belongings.

2. Using a soccer ball to play outside gives us a lot to do. It’s easy to kick away and lots of fun to run around and chase for us both! We have found that our dog and our friend’s dogs love to chase around a soccer ball. It’s big enough that they can’t keep it in their mouth and chew it up, so it lasts a long time.

3. Hiding small treats around the house is an excellent way to keep your dogs mind busy and sniffer on point. Hide them in places in or out of site. She loves to play this game and sniff around for her treats! This is for brain stimulation. Playing games like this with your dog or when you’re not home will help keep them busy instead of bored.

4. Mind games like this Kong or flipping tiles are fun for your dog. And solving puzzles are great for your dog’s brain development. These games are also good for stimulating the brain muscles, especially in a new puppy or an older dog. It was fun watching Nyla learn how to get her treats from the toys and easy for us to give her a little time to herself.

5. If your dog has dandruff and dry skin, feed them a tablet or two of brewers yeast. It’s a little dry but she still likes it. Brewers Yeast can help in many different ways. It helps the immune system and prevents fleas and ticks.

6. If your dog has stinky breath, like Nyla sometimes does, you can chop up parsley and put it in with dinner. So fresh, so clean! Dog’s breath can sometimes be rank. Parsley really helps because it’s a natural breath freshener. Dogs don’t necessarily like the taste though, so you have to really mix it in with their food.

7. In the winter, it’s important to keep your dogs pads clean and moisturized. Investing in snow boots is not only hilarious but also a good way to protect your pup’s feet from harsh snow chemicals on the ground. Dog’s pads tend to crack in the winter cold which can make them tender and sore. If you don’t want to buy the booties, rubbing Vaseline on the pads before you go outside is another option.

8. Investing in a coat, especially for a shorthair dog like Nyla, is also wise for those chilly months. Nyla gets so cold during walks that she shivers. Buying the coat really helped put her and us at ease. It’s also easier to walk her when she wants to go outside and isn’t stubborn enough to just run back upstairs and into a warm bed.

9. Making a dog bed is easy. Just cut and tie together two fabrics and stuff it with old sheets, blankets or t-shirts. This will also help new dogs associate with you quicker because your scent will be in the place they sleep. I used a thin soft fabric for the bed. It took about 1 hour to make in all.

10. My last tip is to give your dog all of the love and support they need!

Thanks for reading!

If you have any other tips or comments, please leave them below! I would love to hear some more about your furry companions.

 

Wedding Weekend: Road Trip Essentials

We’re going on an adventure! Our wonderful friends Kevin and Emily are getting married this weekend (3/19/16) in Columbia, South Carolina. I get so excited for trips that I usually research so much (on Pinterest) as soon as I can for packing lists, travel essentials – the whole lot!

However, this time I was less prepared. (We leave tomorrow!) That is why I am putting together this packing guide for a wedding weekend away.

Now we just have to take Nyla girl to Misty Glen Kennel and we’ll be all set!

Here we go!

Clothing

• Button Up Denim Shirt
• Ohio University Pull Over
• Two tank tops: One white, one black
• Two dresses – One for the rehearsal dinner (Target) and one for the wedding (TJ Maxx)
• Three pairs of athletic shorts – for my morning runs I will attempt to do every day (ha!).
• A pair of leggings, jeans and shorts
• Three basic tees – from Target and Old Navy
• Sweater from Target (I also have another one not shown from Marshalls)
• Comfy long sleeve Patagonia shirt

More clothing

• Three t-shirts
  • First one is a baseball tee printed from college for our ultimate team
  • Second one is a gift from an ultimate team for being the most spirited opponent
  • The third is a Calvin Klein comfy tee from TJ Maxx
• Two bras – one strapless and another that matches my dress
• Two sports bras (for that run ;D)
• Six pairs of socks (I couldn’t find my ankle socks so I put together what I had)
• And last but not least, comfy sweat pants for the road!

Toiletries

• Hair things!
  • Dry shampoo
  • Garnier Fructise – Moroccan Oil
  • Purology – Shampoo and Conditioner (It’s peppermint and makes my head tingle!)
  • Brush
• Secret Deodorant – I don’t recommend this type of deodorant. It’s running out really fast.
• Clean and Clear moisturizer
• Eye Stuff!
  • Contact case and lenses
  • Glasses and case
  • Bio True solution
  • Extra contacts (Needed!)
• Teeth!
  • Crest 3D White travel paste
  • Brush in travel case
  • Floss
• Neutrogena makeup wipes (My savior!)
• Makeup!
  • Elf blush and bronzer (Used for contour)
  • Bare Minerals Luminizer Duo
  • Becca Moonstone skin perfecter
  • Rimmel London foundation
  • Maybelline Lash Sensational
  •  E.L.F. eye liner and shadow pencil
  • Blonde brow pencil
  • Lash curler
  • Givenchy La Rouge lipstick (medium red)

Travel bag/Shoes

• Running shoes (Again, ha!)
• Hat – mens department Target
• 1 liter Water bottle – TJ Maxx
• Sunnies
• Travel bag – Etsy
• Walking shoes – Vans
• Frisbee – Cleveland Disc Association (Summer League)
• Cross-body purse – GAP
• Sandals – Target

Jewelry

• Baubles Kate Spade bag – Found this at Marshalls!
• Anne Klein watch
• Bracelets and Necklace
• Juicy Fragrance
• Jimmy Choo Fragrance – TJ Maxx
• Earrings – Target, Francesca’s and Baublebar.com

Extras!

• I got these new sandals at Marshalls and I’m kind of obsessed!
• I also bought some new heels to go with my dress since Nyla chewed my last ones!
• I am including a bandana for this trip because it has many uses.
• The clutch will be used for the wedding to hold my belongings. I don’t really have one like this and I don’t really love it but it was really cheap and on clearance at Marshalls.

Well, that’s all for now! I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions or anything to add to my road trip list, let me know in the comment section! Love, Abbey

 

 

Diversify Your Portfolio: Invest in Your Early 20s

For every 5 years a person does not invest in their retirement, they will save 1/3 less money.

Many adults in their early 20s do not realize how investing early can help you retire with a good chunk of money in your pocket. Below is an infographic on a couple of ways to invest now to yield later.

If you have any questions, please email or comment below. I don’t have a lot of knowledge and I don’t pretend that I do. However, I did just start an E*TRADE account and opened my first Roth IRA. I feel all grown up and it’s so much fun to watch that baby grow!

Comment below if you like my infographic or have anything to add.

The Over 23 Guide to Drinking and Hangovers

“Nobody likes you when you’re 23.” Just ask my sister. She’s turning 23 in 9 days (I have a countdown) on March 5. Or I guess you could ask Blink-182 who actually wrote that lyric. Either way, your friends and family may still like you, but one thing that refuses to agree when you’re 23 (or older) is alcohol. That’s right people! This is your one-stop-shop guide to drinking and curing a hangover when you’re just not “feeling 22” anymore.

SO WHAT IS A HANGOVER & WHY DOES IT SEEM TO GET WORSE WITH AGE?

The funny thing is, doctors haven’t pinpointed hangovers as one solitary thing. It is just a mixture of symptoms including, headaches, thirst (alcohol is a diuretic), nausea from stomach lining inflammation and so on.

Moving on to why hangovers get worse with age has a few hypotheses. The first popular opinion from neurobiologist George Koob, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is that, “As you get older, the enzymes you use to metabolize alcohol don’t work as well.”

Another reason is, as we get older, we might start putting on some love pounds which makes our body-water ratio lower and ups our Blood Alcohol Level (BAC) significantly higher with the same amount of alcohol than in our leaner early 20s.

The last and most fruitful hypothesis to the drastic change in hangover aptitude is the fact that we’re becoming mature human beings. We slow our roll on the shot guns and beer bongs, we have water with our vodka, and drink water again before bed.

Even after a night of rumpus, we wake up in the morning and try to have a productive day instead of sleeping in until 2 pm to cure the hangover. Our hangovers are so insufferable because we try to be productive instead of riding it out on the couch.

SO, WHAT’S THIS CURE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER?

First of all, I love this article from Health.com with the first thing about hangover cures being, “Don’t get your hopes up.” Oh honey, our hopes were long gone after college. They’re probably in Franklin Halls toilets by now.

I really don’t have any significant evidence to share with you besides drinking lots and lots of this miracle drink called water. If you really want the end-all, be-all cure to hangovers, act like you’re 21 again and sleep to your hearts desire OR pop a few more Advil than normal and go on adulting like a badass.

I would love to hear about your own wacky and/or incredibly smart hangover cures! Some of my friends swear by pickles and Gatorade. I always go with water, Advil, and a bloody Mary.

I hope you liked my post this week. If you like my blog post a comment!

 

Dating In Your Early 20s

Ahh… Dating. It might come natural to some and less natural to others (like me!). But either way, it’s a lot harder now that you’re out of school and in your early 20s. There aren’t boys and girls traipsing around you 24/7 like in college. You actually have to go searching for these so-called, “single people” in the online world of Tinder and Match.com and the off-line world of REAL LIFE!

If you want to check out online dating, read this article at Love and Respect Now.

Everyone, quick! Look out your window. Not your browser window… you know, the one with the paned glass. That window. There’s a whole world out there outside of OK Cupid and Farmers Only where you can find the man or woman who meets or exceeds your goals. “Meets or exceeds your goals,” may sound less cliche than normal, but in reality you’re not likely to meet the man or woman of your dreams. Fortunately, with my unqualified advice, you can get pretty close to that dream babe. I know I did!

My first summer out of college was a lot of fun. I joined a community of great and funny people and had a ball all summer long. My advice to you – find a group of friends that you don’t feel awkward with and will introduce you to people who you could see yourself dating. You might even end up dating one of the people in your group.

Pro-tip: Dating someone in my group of friends wasn’t such a bad thing, but I definitely don’t talk or hang out with this person as much as I used to. This happens a lot with heterosexual people, but I hear that it’s less of an issue in the gay community. I’m not sure if that last statement has any truth to it, but either way, you’ve been warned!

For men and women alike, I suggest dating a lot of different people. This will help you not only get used to the dating scene in your city but you’ll also find out what you like and don’t like in a person you would like to date long-term.

If you find that the single life suits you better, like I said before, “Do you.” Just remember, if you want to start dating, you have to get yourself out there. Research things to do in your city, join a community or group and learn to be outgoing (drinking can help, but be cautious). These are only some of the things you can do to meet new people and start dating.

Now for asking someone on a date. The scariest part of the whole shebang! Honestly, all I can say is that if you feel like you’re grooving with someone on another level than friendship, you should take the plunge. What’s the worst that could happen? You’re not going to die if they say, “No.” Ask them!

If it’s a first date, just going out for drinks is a great choice and one that can be super casual and non-committal. It’s an easy-going date and one where you’ll both get to talk a lot and get to know each other. After that, you can talk about a second date to a cool new restaurant around town or if either of you just aren’t feeling it, you can leave it at that.

And that, my friends, is some advice on how to date in your 20s.

Comment below if you have any questions. I have loads of advice I could share, I just don’t know what you want! Tell me what you want! Or tell me a story of your dating adventures. I would love to hear your triumphs and sorrows. Leave it below!

 

“We Have To Let You Go,” Six Fiery Words No Young Adult Wants to Hear

[Photo credit: Lendingmemo]

Being in your early 20s feels like being on top of the world. You’re young, energetic and looking to explore life. You think you’re first job is going great and then you learn about a little thing called, “Layoffs.” Your boss takes you to another room to tell you the expected truth, the job you had is gone and the world starts to crumble. Unemployment creeps into your vocabulary. You call your partner and even your parents to tell them the news through muddled sobs.

There are really only two roads you can take when something like this happens – feel sorry for yourself, or lift your chin up and take this as a learning opportunity.

I can give you this advice because I have been let go of a job in just this fashion. I was let go of my first job – a job I loved and saw myself growing into. But this was just not the happily ever after for me. I chose to feel sorry for myself for about 10 minutes and then I pondered the opportunities that were just given me and acted.

This leads me to my next advice. Find something to do with your extra time!

A List of Things to Do When You’re Unemployed

1. Travel Solo

Traveling can be a harrowing experience but one you will remember for the rest of your life. Whether you are wanderlust and go to exotic places or just travel across the country to visit a friend, traveling is a great way to think internally and, in the most cliché words, “find yourself.”

2. Become Civically Engaged

While interning at Engage! Cleveland, I have learned that the best way to network and find something you’re good at is to become civically engaged. This could mean joining a young professionals board, volunteering at a Food Bank near you, or going to networking events in your city.

3. Learn a New Skill

I have learned a lot from my partner and some of those things involved making beef jerky and building my own picnic table using a kreg jig. This is a great way to keep your mind sharp and feel productive at the same time.

4. Treat Yourself

This is a time where a lot of us would look at our budgets, crawl into a hole, and never go out again until finding a way of income. But sometimes, giving yourself a little TLC isn’t the worst thing you can do in this situation. Buy some new clothes for when you land an interview for that job you really want or throw down for some new headshots and an updated portfolio website. Do something to make you feel better and that will help you in your growth process.

5. Go Back to School

Once I finished wallowing in my self-pity after losing my job, I looked online for a new career. After not finding anything I could really see myself doing, I knew the right choice was to go back to school and learn another marketable skill. There are so many excellent graduate schools in the country or you could get another bachelor’s degree. Either way, choose wisely. Many graduate schools will give you free tuition and a stipend for becoming a graduate assistant to help out the professors.

6. Network

There are so many ways to network in every city you live; you just need to find your niche. In Cleveland alone there are over 80 young professionals groups that host events throughout the city. Research the groups in your area and go out to a networking event. They are usually much more than speed networking and actually a ton of fun.

7. Shamelessly Promote Yourself

I’m taking this right out of my favorite YouTuber, Tyler Oakley’s book. If you want to get that job, you will probably need to reevaluate your brand. Think about how you would like to focus your Tweets, Facebook posts, and LinkedIn profile towards getting a job in your desired field. If you do something spectacular on this borrowed time, be sure to flaunt it and shamelessly promote yourself.

8. Find a Career

This is the not so easy part, but I know that you will find the right place for yourself in society if you use at least some of the above advice to your benefit.

Notice that I put this list in order from most fun to least. This should almost look like a path to follow with some avenues you can skip and some that you just shouldn’t look over. For myself, I learned to use power tools, I treated myself to interview clothing, I travelled to Nashville to visit a friend, and I ended up going back to school.

From there I gained an internship where I get to network every day, I shamelessly promote myself and gain followers from all over the globe and I’m currently looking for a career with two interviews already lined up.

There is a light at the end of this jobless tunnel – you just have to keep rolling, tumbling, falling, picking yourself up and walking forward.

If you have any comments or opinions, please share below! I would love to hear about any stories you have of quitting or losing your first job in early adulthood. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook as well. I’ll be posting all of my content on social media.