Looking After Your Pets In the Winter

Contributed/Collaborated Post:

As the cold weather starts to arrive, it is important to pay attention to your pet's needs. Regardless of the type of pet that you have, colder weather can present new challenges that need you to prepare and take care of. By taking some time and precautions now, you can make sure that your pet stays safe, comfortable, and healthy throughout the winter months.

Photo by Elina Volkova: https://www.pexels.com/photo/border-collie-in-snow-18945063/

Let's explore some of the ways that you can do this below:

Keep Them Warm And Cozy 

One of the most important things that you can do for your pets in the colder weather is to make sure that they stay warm. Indoor pets should have a comfortable space that has plenty of blankets, and if your home tends to get cold think about placing their bedding in a dress free zone or even investing in a heated pet bed. For outdoor pets like horses, you need to make sure that they have access to shelter from the wind, rain, and snow. As well you should also be providing and well-insulated barn or a running shed that can give your horse protection from harsh weather conditions. If you plan on taking your pets outside, you need to keep an eye on the temperature and limit any exposure to cold weather. Dogs, especially smaller breeds or those that have short coats, may need to wear a jacket or a sweater for long walks, especially on very cold days. For horses, using winter blankets can help to keep their body warm, especially in freezing temperatures. 

Protect Their Paws And Hooves 

Cold weather can be a little bit tough on your pet's feet especially when it is icy and Snowy. If you walk your dog in the snow, make sure you clean the pores afterward and remove any salted chemicals that could irritate. You may even consider investing in dog booties for some additional protection. If you do go walking in the snow, make sure that you keep your eye out for snow Gathering on their foot, as this can be painful and uncomfortable for them. For horses, ice and Frozen Ground can lead to issues with their hooves, therefore, it is important for you to regularly inspect and clean them to prevent any ice build up or cracks. When you are looking after your horses during the winter, using the right equipment is important to prevent injury. For example, horse bell boots provide production for your horse Hooves and can help avoid injury from icy, hard ground. 

Keep Them Active 

Just because it is colder outside, it does not mean that your pet should miss out on their exercise. It is important for them to have regular physical activity for their physical and mental health. For dogs, this might mean shorter walks however you can increase the amount of time that you play indoors. Think about buying some interactive toys that can stimulate their mind and keep them moving even if it is too cold for them to be outdoors. 

Conclusion 

Taking care of your pets in the winter might require a little bit more care and attention; however, it is worth the effort to keep them happy and healthy. From providing them with warmth and shelter to protect in the pores and Hooves these small steps can make a big difference to making sure that they are comfortable during the colder months. 

How To Get Your Dog To Trust You

  Contributed/Collaborated Post:

Building trust with your dog is one of the most important parts of owning a dog in the first place - if your dog doesn’t trust you, how are you going to train them, take them for walks, trust them in your home, and so on? How are you going to enjoy them and give them a good life, in other words? 

Photo by Sean Brannon

The question is, of course, how can you earn a dog’s trust because although you might assume they’ll just give it to you, there is some work involved. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to get your dog to trust you so you can start the right way with yours. Read on to find out more. 

Be Consistent 

If there’s one thing you need to know about dogs it’s that they thrive on routine and predictability (just like humans!), so being consistent is a big part of earning their trust. That means feeding them, walking them, and playing with them at the same time (as close as possible anyway) every day - and they’ll learn that time as well, so if you’re not there with their food or leash, they’ll know it, and they might even start to trust you a little less. 

If you’re able to stick to your routine with your dog, they’ll know you’re reliable and that you’ll be there when they expect you to be, and that’s going to make a massive amount of difference to how much they want to be around you and how well they behave. 

Give Them Time And Space

If you’ve just got your new dog, it’s absolutely vital to give them time to adjust to their new home - it’s going to be strange for them to suddenly be somewhere new with new people, and you can’t just explain it to them, so they’ll need some time to get used to things before they can really feel settled and start working on trusting you. 

The key is not to expect too much to start with. Although some dogs, especially puppies, might warm up right away, some are going to take more time, and you’ll need to respect that and not force any interactions with them, or they’re not going to trust you. They need to learn their way around and understand that you’re not going to hurt them, and only then will they want you to come near. Work with the dog’s timeframe and trust will come; rush it, and you might not be trusted at all. 

Use Positive Reinforcement 

One of the best ways to build trust with your dog is through positive reinforcement, which basically means using praise, treats, and affection when they do something right - they’ll get a positive association with you and they’ll feel good about interacting with you because they know you’ll be kind to them. 

So, every time your dog does something you like (it could be anything, like staying calm, following a command, and so on), give them a nice reward. And always avoid punishment! Trust can easily be broken if your dog has negative associations with you instead of positive ones, and trying to get it back could be an impossible task. 

How To Keep Your Kids Entertained During Vacation

 Contributed/Collaborated Post:

When the kids are no longer in school, whether it be homeschooled or not, vacation can be a challenging and testing time for all parents.

What do you do with them on the days when you have nothing planned? How can you keep them entertained? The energy of a young child or even that of a teenager is much larger than what we adults have, so it’s important to find things to keep their minds and bodies active all day.

With that being said, here are some helpful tips to keep your kids entertained during vacation.

Image Source

Take them on a nature walk

A nature walk is a great way to keep your kids entertained and it’s something that can be highly educational for them too.

That’s why it’s a good opportunity to get them outside and into some fresh air, away from any electronics that they’d otherwise have their face in front of all day.

Consider the weather conditions and whether it’s dry or wet, and dress for the occasion. It’s often a great adventure whatever the weather and you might find more wildlife in some weather conditions than others.

Explore what’s around you, whether it’s as close as the backyard or a short car journey away. A nature walk is a great day out and you could make a day of it by prepping some food for a picnic or snack along the way.

Have a DIY craft day

A DIY craft day is a great way to get your children’s creativity flowing and creativity is something your kids will want to have as they get older and explore various routes for careers and just life in general.

Everyone should have a creative streak and that comes from doing creative things as a child. DIY is also helpful to have as a skill because it can evolve into something more prominent and helpful when you need to be handy around the home or in general life.

Have a DIY craft day and invest in an arts and crafts box so your kids can get out the paints and other craft stuff when you’re busy with other things. It’s a good activity that can keep them busy and not necessarily need your full attention all the time.

Learn some skills around the home

There are various skills around the home that they could watch and learn from you. For example, having them help with the food whether it’s baking or cooking, can be a great life lesson for a child. Not only is it helpful to have an additional helper in the kitchen but it’s likely to improve their relationship with food in general.

Make a list of skills that are helpful to have as an adult and try to introduce these in kid-friendly ways when they’re on their school vacation. It’s going to help them adapt as they grow and become - hopefully - well-rounded adults.

Go on vacation to somewhere new

Vacationing is a great way to help inspire your children and to also expose them to all different cultures and ways of living. The world is a diverse and interesting place, but in order to discover all of it, it’s good to go beyond your local area.

Consider what types of vacations you’d like to go on as a family and aim to do a vacation every year if possible. Not everyone has that luxury so you might need to save longer before you get the chance to do it.

Have a movie marathon

A movie marathon is a great way to enjoy some quality time with your kids - without needing to do much. It’s ideal for the days when it’s raining outside and you don’t fancy doing much in the way of activities for the kids.

It’s worth getting a VPN so you get access to all of the best films and television shows, for example, it can be handy when you’re looking at where to watch Harry Potter.

Get help with the chores

Finally, look to get some help with the chores. If your kids are bored and looking to do something with their free time, getting help with the chores is always something that can come in handy.

Keeping your children entertained during vacation time can be hard but it’s definitely something that can be achieved with the right amount of planning and preparation. These tips will surely get you started on keeping them entertained, no matter how long you have off with them.

HYATT CENTRIC FISHERMAN'S WHARF SAN FRANCISCO Review

It was my husband's birthday and he wanted to celebrate by going to Angler in San Francisco with his dear friend who shared the same birthday month.  Our friends went early to the Exploratorium and stayed over at the Marriott using his Amex Platinum to get the gold status there. We were debating on staying here versus the Hyatt San Francisco Regency. 

Eventually, we decided it would be best to hit our Hyatt Brand Explorer (stay with 5 brands to earn one free night). So far we have stayed at Hyatt Place, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt House, and JDV by Hyatt so we needed this one Hyatt Centric to get that free night. 

We actually earned Hyatt Globalist status as of April from doing a streak of stays (more on this on a later blog), so we were excited to use our first true Globalist perks. Luckily when we were Explorists, we did get some upgrades and perks along the way. 

My husband contacted them via the app and mentioned that it was his birthday a few days prior to check-in to request for a suite upgrade. Interestingly, they said none were available but my husband decided to call them out on it saying that there's availability on the website. They got caught and said one suddenly opened up. I didn't think that would actually work and thought it was a lost cause since they had already said no.  Good for him for pushing for it! 

Getting to San Francisco

Since we are local in San Jose/Silicon Valley, we actually drove to San Francisco after dropping the kids off for grandmother and their uncles for the weekend. We are super grateful to have had the opportunity to do so. Ruckus was a good guard dog and watched the house for us. 

Costs for Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf

We spent 1 night in April Friday- Saturday and the cost for a 1 king standard room was $224/night versus 12,000 Hyatt points. This ends up being 1.8 cpp (cent per point). 

Not bad redemption but my goal is to achieve more than 2.1 cpp. Where did I get this number? I just went by Cardpointer's redemption value assumption that 1 Chase UR point is equivalent to 2.1 cents.

We were upgraded to the Executive Suite on the 3rd floor.  The price for this room was $419 so with the new calculations, it ended up being 3.5 cpp. Now that is what I'm talking about!

**Of note, I do not include tax /additional fees for a quick and dirty calculation but you can definitely account for that if using points. I would definitely save on parking costs since it's only waived on Free Night Awards/Point use. 

We use Chase Ultimate Reward points to transfer to Hyatt points (1:1) ratio.  I find that this is the best use of my Chase points---to feed for hotels at the Hyatt group.

Disclaimer: Below are my referral links and I will receive a referral bonus if you sign up them. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve/Preferred: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19m/C4HW6F5WR5

Chase Business Inks: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19m/C4HW6F5WR5

Chase Freedom Cards: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19m/C4HW6F5WR5

Checking into Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf

We went to check-in at the hotel lobby. There was no line and the person at the desk acknowledged to us that he was the one that gave us the suite upgrade. He seemed excited about it so we thanked him for helping. One key thing we noticed is that when hotel resort fees are waived, it's hit or miss if the perks from those fees are applied or not. This is why we like to check-in in person so that we can clarify before we assume any extra benefits. 

The Destination fee is $25 (Waived for Globalist) and is suppose to include the following:

• Bike Rentals with self-guided tour and map of popular sights in SF (based on availability) 
• Premium hi-speed Wi-Fi for multiple devices
• Local and 1-800 phone calls
• Usage of Business Center (printing and copy resources)
• Sustainable Water Program- Each reservations will received two reusable water bottles to be used at our water dispensing locations on each floor
• Mail/package holding & delivery (in-house), up to 5 pounds
• Retail Discount/Loyalty card to retailers in Pier 39 (present card at time of purchase for discounts)
• Special SF keepsake magnet upon departure
• 20% discount on Big Bus sightseeing Deluxe bus tickets (purchase tickets through Front Desk - up to 4 per room) 
• $2.50 off Aquarium tickets (purchase tickets through front desk - up to 4 per room)
• $2 off Exploratorium tickets (purchase tickets through Front Desk - up to 4 per room)
• Rollaway Bed Rental (oversized king or double rooms/1 per stay) first come first serve basis, availability based on room type
• $10 discount on Spin Scooter (download SPIN app to receive discount)
• 10% Discount to Napa Valley Wine Tour Train
• Game Room- Table and Arcade games available
• Board games / dice / playing card games available at front desk
• $10 F&B welcome amenity credit
• Pool Toys/Floats

To be honest, we didn't care about any of the above except the $10 F&B Credit.
We asked about that when checking in and he seemed confused. Then he said actually, for my husband's birthday, he will get an extra $100 room credit. That's definitely more than what we were hoping for so you could imagine how excited we were.

Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf Hotel

Hotel Lobby

                                

                                        

Marketplace/Hotel Store

$10 F&B credit that we didn't end up getting.

Parking/Valet

Parking is valet only and is $65/night. Waived for Globalist status.  

EXECUTIVE SUITE

Here's what is posted on the site versus what I encountered:

632 SQ FTCity View

Live in the moment when you stay in this sleek suite featuring modern décor and a nautically inspired color palette. Enjoy upgraded amenities, a separate living room area with wet bar, a multifunctional workspace, and oversized windows with stunning city views. The expansive room also includes a modern bathroom with a luxurious walk-in rain shower.

IN-ROOM AMENITIES

• Hyatt Grand Bed
• 60” flat-screen HDTV
• 47” flat-screen HDTV
• Individual climate control
• Blackout shades
• Plush bathrobes upon request
• Drybar Buttercup hair dryer
• BeeKind bath amenities
• Keurig coffee maker
• Minifridge
• In-room safe
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Rollaway bed or crib upon request

The bed was not as comfortable since I woke up with a sore back but not sure if I was biased from reading the reviews on the forums ahead of time. 

Check out our "city view"! Construction was in-progress and we were not informed. There were workers working outside our windows when we arrived in the afternoon and they came back 8am the next morning. It would have been nice to get a heads up about this but I had an inkling it was still happening before arriving since I was on the Hyatt forums. 

Breakfast at the Wardroom 

Globalist - free buffet, omelets made to order

Perk $100 room credit and since we didn't make it back in time after dinner to burn them on drinks, we decided to use them on food. Ended up being $100.37 (we did good!) and the entire amount got wiped. 

We bought home 2 boxes of each. Took 2 for us and gave 2 for the kid's uncle for dropping them off to us just in time for a Sunday birthday party. 

Pool

Construction in place.

Fitness/Gym

What to do near Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf Hotel

You can hit up Fisherman's Wharf since the hotel is in the ideal location for it. Nearby there's Little Italy/North Beach, Coit Tower, Huntington Park, Dragon's Gate, Exploratorium, Embarcadero, and Union Square. We actually went window shopping on Geary and Union Street the day of arrival and that night, we wined and dined at Angler (see post later on this) and went to get a night cap over at Delah Arabian Cafe.