New Dog Essentials & Our 'Pandemic Puppy' Story

Are you preparing to welcome a new dog into your home? Regardless of your new furry family member's age, there are a variety of items that you will need to make sure they feel at home, and make the transition easy on the both of you. Check out our New Dog Essentials below, plus our 'pandemic puppy' story.

The pandemic puppy. A phrase I have heard many times over the past 10ish months - in the media, in my neighbourhood and even associated with my own pup.

The current pandemic has prompted a booming demand for pets from Canadians feeling isolated after months of social distancing. Just take a walk around your neighbourhood and you will probably notice many new pups. 

But can you blame people?

There's no denying the power of puppy cuddles. Pandemic or no pandemic. Studies indicate that owning a companion animal, such as a dog or a cat, has benefits for good mental health. Interactions with animals may help with depression and anxiety, particularly under stress-prone conditions. And in a pandemic where the feeling of isolation, fatigue and overall mental health are at an all time low, we're all looking for something to help us take our minds off what is going on in the world around us. 

If you're interested in the stats - Canadians spent more than $5.7 billion on their pets in 2020, an increase of about $300 million compared to 2019 (source)! And that figure is projected to grow by more than $100 million in 2021. The same article says that more than a third of all Canadian households now have a dog, which is also up from last year.

Our Pandemic Puppy Story

We had been talking about welcoming a furry friend into our family for some time now. And what time is better than during the middle of a global pandemic?

In early 2020, we joined a local dog rescue foster list in hopes of providing a home to a dog in need. But, after just a few short weeks, we quickly realized that the majority of dogs looking for fosters and forever homes were not suitable for families with kids. Young kids at that. So very quickly, that conversation shifting to puppy talk. 

The next step was to research dog breeds online. Growing up with chihuahuas, I knew our new family member needed to be a bit bigger (to handle the chaos of our kids), but not too big because space is an issue. We both loved Australian Shepherds, but they were just a bit too big. Enter the Mini American Shepherd (or Mini Aussie), a 30-40lb. version of its bigger cousin. Turns out, they're a fairly new breed - a result of a breeding program that began in the 1960s to produce a scaled-down version of the Australian Shepherd. 

Finding a reputable breeder was very important to us, so that meant next turning to the list of Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) accountable breeders. If you're on the hunt for a new furry family member and are researching breeders, I recommend checking out the CKC Puppy List. The Puppy List is an easy-to-use searchable database that includes contact information for CKC Member Breeders. You can search by breed type (for example, sporting, hounds, working, terrier, toys, etc.) or by the specific breed. 

We found a breeder down in the Niagara-area and immediately started discussions. At this time, it was April 2020. All indications pointed towards bringing puppy home early fall. But just a few months later in June, we received the email we had been waiting for - "Are you still interested in a puppy? We have 3 available." For whatever reason, their list opened up and we were on the top. It was a quick YES, and 8 short weeks later brother Bear was the newest member of our clan. (Do you follow him on Instagram? If not, check out what he's been up to here.)

>> Check out our first photo as a 'family of 5' and the video of us surprising the girls. 

Once you decide to get a new dog, it's time to start preparing your home. And since some of us don't have the luxury of going shopping at the nearest pet store (thank you, pandemic), we turn to online shopping.

Prior to bringing Bear home, we bought the majority of items through Amazon. The quick and easy Prime next-day delivery ensured we had everything we needed prior to his arrival, and that we received any last minute needs or things we forgot very quickly. 

Are you preparing to welcome a new dog into your home? Regardless of your new furry family member's age, there are a variety of items that you will need to make sure they feel at home, and make the transition easy on the both of you. Check out our New Dog Essentials below. 

New Dog Essentials

1. Plush Calming and Self Warming Dog (or Cat) Bed  2. Orthopaedic Foam Dog Bed  3. Portable and Foldable Soft-Side Dog Crate  4. Water and Food Bowl with Silicone Mat  5. Collapsible Silicone Bowl  6. Food Container with Wheels  7. Crumps' Naturals Mini Trainers Freeze Dried Treats  8. Rope Tug  9. Squeaky Latex Dog Toys  10. Chuckit! Frisbee 

11. Leash Ground Stake  12. 20 Ft. Training Leash  13. Strong Nylon Dog Leash Rope (5 Ft.)  14. Reflective Collar  15. LED Collar Light  16. LED Safety Necklace  17. Eco-friendly Dog Poop Bags  18. Dog Poop Bag Dispenser  19. Deshedding Tool and Dog Grooming Brush  20. Nail Trimmer  21. Puppy Training Pads  22. Resolve Ultra Pet Stain and Odour Remover

Tell me - Do you have a dog, or other furry family member, at home? What are some of your top dog essentials?

*This article contains affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Purchasing through these links helps to support To & Fro so that we can continue to create the content you know and love. 

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Things That You Should Add To Your Amazon Cart

Online shopping is the greatest - with as little as three clicks you can browse for an item, add it to your cart, pay for it and have it delivered to your door the very next day. It’s just that simple.

And with no lines and no need to interact with a human, in the age of a global pandemic, online shopping has become that much more sweet. 

So, where do you turn when you need something at a low price and in a hurry?

Amazon, of course.

Oh the things you can find on Amazon. You come for one item, and an hour later end up with a shopping cart FULL of things you don’t need. Am I right? Or, am I right?!

While staying at home the past seven months, we’ve turned to Amazon to complete a lot of our home projects - painting, the girls’ room, backyard, etc. We’ve also found many items to stock out pantries, limiting the need for big grocery shops.

The e-commerce kingpin has a huge selection where you'll find household names, low prices, and with a Prime membership, next-day shipping that panders to our fast lifestyles.

 

Amazon Prime Day is one of the biggest online shopping events of the year, and you're not going to want to miss out. Usually taking place in July, this year the shopping event has been postponed until October 13 and 14. Be sure to mark your calendars!

Not a Prime member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial before committing to the monthly fee and still take advantage of these great promotions.  (Click on the banner below for more info.)

With Prime Day quickly approaching, today I’m sharing our random (and not so random) things we’ve found and/or purchased on Amazon. You’re welcome!

Favourite Finds on Amazon Prime

For the Home

From top left to right:

LED Ring Light  //  Oil Diffuser with LED 8-Colour Light  //  Vegetable Cutter Shape Set  //  Handheld Spiralizer  //  Weber iGRILL 2 

Command Self-Adhesive Wall Hooks  //  iPhone Charger - 90 Degree Angle Cable (5 Pack)  //  Waterproof Mattress Protector  //  Plastic Stemless Wine Glasses

Macrame Plant Hanger (2 Pack)  //  3-Piece Duvet Cover Set (White)  //  Handheld Whisk/Milk Frother  //  Table Hairpin Legs

Moen Adjustable Tension Shower Curtain Rod  //  Waffle Weave White Shower Curtain  //  Globe Electric Semi-Flushmount Ceiling Light  //  Satin Black Floating House Numbers (6”)  //  Plug-In Motion Sensor Night Light

4-Piece Bathroom Hardware Accessories (Black) //  LED Solar Powered Outdoor Lights (10 Pack)  //  Receptacle Outlet Wall Plate  //   Libman Scrub Kit (3 Pack)  //  Flat Black Cabinet Pull  //  Bissel Little Green Portable Carpet Cleaner

For Your Pets

From top left to right:

Plush Calming and Self Warming Dog (or Cat) Bed  //  Water and Food Bowl with Silicone Mat  //  Crumps' Naturals Mini Trainers Freeze Dried Treats 

Orthopaedic Foam Dog Bed  //  Collapsible Silicone Bowl

Rope Tug  //  Squeaky Latex Dog Toys  //  Food Container with Wheels  //  Portable and Foldable Soft-Side Dog Crate 

Chuckit! Frisbee  //  Leash Ground Stake  //  Strong Nylon Dog Leash Rope (5 Ft.)  //  Deshedding Tool and Dog Grooming Brush  //  Nail Trimmer 

20 Ft. Training Leash  //  LED Collar Light  //  Eco-friendly Dog Poop Bags  //  Dog Poop Bag Dispenser  //  Resolve Ultra Pet Stain and Odour Remover 

Coming soon!

For Kids

For Yourself

What are some of your favourite finds on Amazon? I'd love to hear!

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. To & Fro may make a small commission from items purchased through these links. Thank you for your continued support!

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Where to See the Salmon Run in the Greater Toronto Area

What would you say if I told you that salmon can be found in the biggest city in Canada, right here in Lake Ontario? And that each year in the fall, they migrate up rivers, streams and creeks within the Greater Toronto Area to spawn and lay eggs before winter?

Today we're sharing the who, what, where, when and why YOU should experience the salmon run in Toronto this fall. 

Living in Alaska for three years, seeing the salmon migrate to their spawning grounds each year was not something out of the ordinary. In fact, we kind of took it for granted.

But now, living in the big city like Toronto? It's a unique experience that some don't even know about.

Well, it's time you DO! And I'm here to share the who, what, where, when and why YOU should see the salmon run in Toronto this fall. 

More than a century ago, Atlantic salmon were commonly found in Lake Ontario and its rivers. With European settlement came an increase in negative impacts on aquatic habitat, such as deforestation, pollution and development. As a result, salmon populations drastically decreased, and by 1898, they were extirpated (locally extinct/disappeared) from Lake Ontario. 

Throughout the past century Chinook and Coho salmon (both Pacific species) have been introduced to Lake Ontario to enhance recreational fishing, and can now be seen in large numbers in the Greater Toronto Area's (GTA) rivers during fall migration. Recent years have also seen renewed and significant efforts to bring back the native Atlantic salmon to Lake Ontario.

So what's the deal with the yearly migration? Why do animals migrate? Some animals migrate, or travel distances, to find food or more favourable living or breeding conditions. Think birds flying south for the winter, for example. 

For salmon, migration is a big part of their life cycle. Locally, adult salmon spend their life in Lake Ontario. When they come "of age", they migrate (or "run") up streams connected to the lake to spawn. During a salmon run, females will dig broad, shallow nests (also called redds) into the gravel, choosing to lay their eggs in areas where there is fast-flowing, fairly deep waters. The females will then guard their redd for up to 4 weeks, before dying. An adult female can lay as many as 5,000 eggs during this time!  About 3 months after fertilization, the eggs hatch. After a few more months, the fry (aka baby salmon) begin to swim, and over the next 1 to 3 years they remain in the stream feeding on invertebrates, continuing to grow. About 3 years into their life cycle, they become smolts and are now ready to swim back down stream to Lake Ontario. Smolts will stay in the lake for another 1 to 3 years and grow into adults. Then, the life cycle starts all over again.

So now that you know the science behind their life cycle and why they migrate, where and when can you see this salmon run take place?

Salmon runs occur in all of Ontario's Great Lakes, and take place in early September to November when temperatures are between 3 degrees C and 10 degrees C. 

In the GTA, there are several places where you can observe salmon migrating up streams and rivers:

Humber River

Etiene Brule Park - 13 Crosby Avenue, York

Don River

Charles Sauriol Conservation Area - 1191 Lawrence Ave East, Toronto

Highland Creek

Morningside Park - 390 Morningside, Scarborough

Rouge River

Glen Rouge Campground - 7450 Kingston Road, Scarborough

Duffins Creek

Whitevale Park - 371 Whitevale Road, Pickering

Bowmanville Creek 

Bowmanville Creek Fish Ladder - 35 Roenigk Drive, Bowmanville

Credit River

Erindale Park - 1695 Dundas Street West, Mississauga

This past weekend, we ventured to Highland Creek in Morningside Park, Scarborough (390 Morningside Ave, Scarborough, ON) in search of the salmon run. Typically at this time of year, they are hosting their annual Salmon Festival. However, thanks to the pandemic, the festival has become a virtual celebration. Fortunately enough for us, you can still visit the park and see the salmon for yourself. 

From the main parking lot, we ventured west along Highland Creek.  Despite keeping a close eye on the creek, we weren't seeing much movement. Well, except that huge beaver that was sitting on the bank, cleaning itself. The fall colours were stunning, BUT it was a bit rainy, and the girls were starting to lose patience. After walking for about 15 minutes, we came to a bridge over the river. We looked down and there they were... one salmon here, one salmon there. Then we looked further up river, and you could see them jumping out of the water. We knew we had to get THERE. So we turned back and picked up a different trail, taking us right to an area that was being restored as salmon habitat. 

We had finally found the salmon we came in search of. Mom breathed a sigh of relief for not leading everyone astray, and the girls got to witness these massive fish doing their thing. 

Next time, we'll make sure to pack our rubber boots though. 

>> Check out our "Searching for Salmon in the GTA" reel on IG. 

I will agree, this salmon run was a little different than what we were used to in Alaska, BUT it was still pretty amazing to see Mother Nature at work. And in the middle of the biggest city of Canada, at that. 

Have you gone to see the salmon run in Toronto? Or anywhere else? Where and when did you go? I'd love to hear!

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