7 WAYS THE CARONAVIRUS CHANGED LIFE FOR MY DOGS

The Caronavirus Pandemic has changed the world, creating a New Normal in  how people are navigating their daily lives right now.  Mandatory social distancing, excessive handwashing and use of hand sanitizer, and an obsession with purchasing large quantities of toilet paper! But what about the impact COVID19 has had on our pets?  Life has changed for them too!  

The Caronavirus Pandemic has changed life for my dogs too

Although the risk of dogs being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 appears to be extremely low,  animals can be infected with the virus that causes COVID19 ( SARS-CoV-2).  The CDC recommends that people treat pets as you would other family members to protect them against the virus.  Util we know more about how the virus could impact pets, I've made some changes to our dogs' daily routines.

Here are 7 Changes I Felt Compelled to Make in my dogs' lives due to the Caronavirus:

TIPS TO PREVENT DOG BITES IN KIDS

Spring is in the air! That means spending more time outside, for both dogs and kids.  It's a great time to reinforce child safety around dogs. Kids and dogs can be great friends. However, children should be taught how to safely approach a dog and how to interact safely with dogs. Follow these tips to help prevent dog bites in kids.

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Teach Kids how to properly approach and interact with dogs

According to a study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approximately 4.7 million dog bites occur each year in the U.S. and nearly 1 in 5 dog bite victims need medical attention.  

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Children are the most common victims of dog bites, with over half of dog bite victims being 14 years old or younger.  Aside from causing painful injury and being traumatic, dog bites can spread germs and cause infections, such as rabies and Tetanus. 

These statistics demonstrate the importance of teaching your child how to recognize stress in dogs and how to safely interact with a dog.  Know the signs yourself as well and always supervise interactions between your kids and dogs.

Huskies Really Are Snowdogs

On Long Island, New York, we had a fairly mild Winter in terms of snow.  Lots of colder weather and rain but very little of the white stuff.  My dog Icy was not pleased.  Being a Siberian Husky, she lives for cold weather and SNOW, which is why Huskies are often called "Snowdogs"!

Fortunately, Mother Nature obliged and finally delivered over 5 inches of snow for Icy's Snowdog pleasure.  Here are some fun photos of her and Cooper, Icy's Golden Retriever love interest, enjoying a romp in the snow.

This photo is my favorite.  Icy is so excited to play in the snow, she looks like a wolf rather than a dog, don't you think?

Siberian Huskies tend to be a lot more energetic than most dogs.  When you see them playing it sometimes looks like they're playing rough.   Icy doesn't have an aggressive bone in her body, but when she plays she is pretty rough and tumble.  Both dogs are 9 years old now, and Cooper  has slowed down considerably.  Not Icy though, she's as energetic and rambunctious as when she was a puppy!

Here's Icy saying "C'mon Coop, let's get wild in the snow like we used to"!  And Cooper is looking at her like "Haven't you had enough yet, you crazy Husky?"

In the end both Cooper and Icy finally relax after a fun romp in the snow they've waited so long for!

How about you, have your pets played in the snow this season?  Tell us about it in the comments - we Love when you Woof back at us!


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My very favorite photos, including this one, are the ones taken in Sedona, Arizona when we lived in Phoenix.  The dog friendly hiking in Sedona is incredible!

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PET DENTAL HEALTH MADE EASY

Lack of oral care in dogs can lead to dental disease, which in turn can lead to more serious health issues.  Good oral health for dogs (cats too!) goes beyond just whiter teeth and fresh breath, it's important to your dog's overall health as well. 

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 80% of dogs have some form of periodontal disease by the age of 3!  That number for cats is not much better, at 70%. 

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Good oral hygiene in dogs can help prevent dental disease.

Poor Dental Health Can Negatively Effect A Pet's Overall Health

Periodontal Disease can lead to even more serious health problems.   Toxins from periodontal disease get absorbed into the dog's blood stream and can cause infections in the body.  This can potentially damage kidney, liver, heart, and brain tissue.

This post is sponsored by Zymox. I am being compensated to help share information about Oratene® Brushless Pet Oral Care products. We only share information we feel is helpful and relevant to our readers.

Pets taking medications are especially prone to dental health issues.  

Many pets taking medication can experience a change in the quality of saliva.  Although pets may still have saliva and drool, this condition is called "Dry Mouth".  Pets with chronic Dry Mouth develop severe halitosis (bad breath), and accumulate plaque which can lead to tartar and tooth decay. 

Oratene's line of Brushless Pet Oral Health Products kill harmful bacteria and germs, and remove plaque biofilm in your dog's mouth.  

Tartar can throw off the balance of normal, healthy microbial flora in a dog's mouth. Oratene Brushless Oral Care products break down plaque and biofilm, and specifically target the harmful bacteria and microorganisms in the mouth. They help maintain a healthy oral ecology, and freshen your dog's breath.

Oratene products are especially beneficial for senior pets, pets with special health conditions like Diabetes, and pets who are taking medications for behavior, pain, allergies, heart problems, thyroid dysfunction, or urinary incontinence.  

One of the products in their line of pet dental care products is the Oratene Brushless Oral Care Water Additive.  It's a flavorless concentrate you add to your pet's water each day that provides a safe, healthy way to conveniently keep teeth clean without brushing!

Just add two pumps of Water Additive to 4 cups of water daily.

Dogs' teeth need attention in order to  prevent plaque from hardening and turning into tartar on the teeth.  Although brushing your dog's teeth every day is ideal to ensure good oral hygiene and ward off dental disease, not everyone can commit to that.  And many pets, if they're like my dogs Icy and Phoebe, will not tolerate a toothbrush in their mouth!  Believe me I've tried but it's just not feasible for us.  I use Oratene Brushless Oral Care Water Additive in their water and Oratene Brushless Oral Care Toothpaste Gel to keep my dogs' teeth clean and healthy.  Yes, I said BRUSHLESS!  These videos show you how easy it is to use both the water additive and the toothpaste gel.

Although my dogs don't take medication and don't have "Dry Mouth", they are both 9 years old and have shown signs of deteriorating dental health.  I've been using Oratene water additive and Oratene brushless toothpaste for a year or so and it's been really helpful.  Trying to brush Icy and Phoebe's teeth was just not working, but these products are effective, easy and convenient to use, and my dogs don't mind them at all, which is half the battle! 


Note: According to Oratene, the Water Additive can be used with a pet water fountain however "the filter MUST be taken out or it will remove the active compounds and it will plug up the filter."

HOW DO ORATENE BRUSHLESS ORAL CARE PRODUCTS FOR PETS WORK?

> Oratene brushless pet oral care products contain two patented, natural enzyme systems, the LP3 Enzyme System and the MD2 Enzyme System(Mutanase + Dextranase).  

> These enzymes inhibit harmful odor-causing bacteria and remove plaque biofilm.  The LP3 Enzyme System destroys bacteria and fungal microorganisms while restoring the oral balance in a pet's mouth.  The MD2 Enzyme System makes plaque water soluble and unable to bind to the teeth.

> Oratene oral care products do NOT contain CHLORHEXIDINE, XYLITOL, ALCOHOL, OR CHLORINE COMPOUNDS, so it's safe for dogs and cats to use daily!

*** Never use Human toothpaste on your dog or cat, it contains ingredients that are toxic to pets! ***

Symptoms to watch out for that could indicate poor dental hygiene in dogs:

⇨ Broken or loose teeth
⇨ Teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar
⇨ Abnormal chewing
⇨ Excessive drooling
⇨ Dropping their food, appearing hungry but will not eat
⇨ Pain or bleeding from the mouth
⇨ Swelling around the mouth

Oratene Oral Care Water Additive and brushless toothpaste for dogs & cats!

Contest open to US and Canada residents

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH! 

We should always keep our pets dental health top of mind but National Pet Dental Health Month, Sponsored by the AVMA, helps raise awareness of the significance of oral healthcare for pets.

VISIT ZYMOX ON SOCIAL MEDIA & LEARN MORE ABOUT PET DENTAL CARE AND ORATENE PRODUCTS!

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You may also want to try Zymox Itch Relief Shampoo & Conditioning Rinse to calm and sooth itchy skin. 

It's always a great time to adopt a pet; ASPCA's #FindYourFido

In November, the ASPCA partnered with the networking app Bumble, and The Dodo to help the millions of shelter dogs that need loving homes, through their #FindYourFido initiative.

My good friend Dorothy Wills-Raftery of the FIVE SIBES blog helped raise awareness of this initiative.  As part of her efforts to help spread the word, Dorothy held a giveaway on her site and we won an ASPCA #FindYourFido gift pack!

Here's a peek at the fun stuff we won in the prize pack. 

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The ASPCA's #FindYourFido prize pack we won from the Five Sibes crew!

Yikes! Phoebe really needs a haircut doesn't she?! We love the ASPCA Find Your Fido canvas tote bag and small zippered bag, frisbee, rope toy, and water bottle. Something tells me Icy will be the one to really enjoy that rope toy!

Icy had a blast playing with the ASPCA rope toy we won in the #FindYourFido prize pack!

Thank you to the FIVE SIBES for this great giveaway! And thanks to the ASPCA for everything you do to help shelter animals in need and to fight animal cruelty in all it's horrible forms.  Where would we be without organizations like the ASPCA? 

I was lucky to find a mom who adores and spoils me.  But more dogs like me are still waiting for their forever homes in animal shelters across the country

If you want to add a pet to your family, I hope you will Consider Adoption first

As many of you know, we lost my beloved cousin Carolyn last year and our family has been grieving.  In tribute to her life as a compassionate social worker and an animal welfare advocate, I made a memorial tribute donation to the ASPCA in her name.  Personally, I think donations to causes that someone you love believes in is a wonderful alternative to flowers or gifts, for any occasion or event.

Always loved, Always remembered.  Go with God, my dear Cousin

Other Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them posts you might enjoy:

** There are rescue organizations for nearly every breed of dog out there.

** Kids want a Guinea Pig? Please consider a Guinea Pig rescue like Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue.  There are also animal rescues for other small animals like rabbits, hamsters, mice, gerbils, and others.  Just do an online search for one closest to you!

DOG FRIENDLY GETAWAY IN HISTORIC RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

When the holidays roll around we know it's going to be a busy, stressful time so we try to plan an early pet friendly holiday getaway with the dogs.  We usually go the first few days of December, when holiday decorations are up but before the holiday crowds are in full swing.  For a few years now, our dog friendly holiday vacation has been a few days in the quaint upstate New York town of Rhinebeck.

QUAINT AND HISTORIC, RHINEBECK, NEW YORK IS A PEACEFUL GETAWAY

Rhinebeck has always been a wonderful place for us to get away and unplug, not too far from Manhattan or Long Island.  Our favorite place to stay is the Beekman Arms Inn.  The Beekman Arms, established in 1766, is dubbed the "Oldest Inn in America" and has quite an interesting history.   The hotel consists of several buildings, the most popular being the main Beekman Arms Inn and the Delamater House Inn.  We enjoy staying at both of these beautiful, charming properties.  We've stayed there many times but neither of these properties are a pet friendly hotel so we've had to leave the dogs at home.  😞

Beautiful waterfall, pratically frozen, on one of our walks through the quaint town of Rhinebeck

We love to vacation with our dogs, they are our family, so it was disappointing that we could never take them with us.  I understand why pets are not permitted in the main Beekman Arms Inn or the Delamater House because they are historic inns with upscale furnishings and antiques.  I really can't blame them for not wanting dogs or cats in those unique and special hotel rooms.

DOG FRIENDLY HOTEL IN RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

However, the Beekman Arms does have one building that allows pets, it's called the Guest House, and is described as a "motel style" hotel on property.  We were never able to find photos of this building or the pet friendly rooms online in the past, they just didn't have them which made us suspicious that they might be hideous. Recently though, we found a photo of a dog friendly room at the Guest House on the web site and it didn't look bad at all!  We decided to take a chance and book a dog friendly room in the Beekman Arm's pet friendly Guest House property.  We were pleasantly surprised.  It was a far cry from the beautifully appointed rooms of the main Beekman Inn and the Delamater House, but we really enjoyed staying there.  It was wonderful having our dogs with us in one of our favorite quaint upstate towns!

The pet friendly Guest House building at the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, New York.  There's actually a cute courtyard area behind this fence, I'm sorry I didn't get a photo of it.

The Guest House at the Beekman Arms doesn't look like much from the outside.  It's definitely more "motel style", but it was clean and comfortable.  We were just so delighted to be able to finally bring our dogs with us to Rhinebeck!  There don't seem to be any other dog friendly lodgings in the town of Rhinebeck.  Here's a photo collage of our dogs Icy and Phoebe in our Guest House room.

Our pet friendly room in the Guest House property of the Beekman Arms Inn, Rhinebeck NY

GREAT WALKABILITY AND DOG FRIENDLY!

Having our dogs with us on our Rhinebeck getaway was great.  We loved being able to walk through this beautiful little town with Icy and Phoebe.  The sidewalks weren't too crowded and there were several places for both the dogs and us to enjoy together.

There's a lovely little park with a lake at one edge of town, which Icy and Phoebe loved exploring.  The lake runs off into a creek with a waterfall that was partially frozen. It was so pretty!

Just steps from our hotel room we discovered another great dog friendly park with a gravel walking path and a large grassy field.  Each morning and evening we went for nice long walks with the dogs here.  It must be gorgeous when it snows.  Unfortunately it's not an off leash area but we enjoyed it so much.

A wonderful dog friendly park where we took lots of long walks with the dogs

ENJOYING THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT IN RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

The town of Rhinebeck and the Beekman Arms hotel were beautifully decorated for the holidays. This wonderful antique sleigh stood right outside the Beekman Arms Inn so we took advantage of a photo op for Phoebe.  Too bad there wasn't any snow, maybe we could have gone for a sleigh ride!

What, we're not going for a sleigh ride?! 

At night the streets were all lit up with beautiful Christmas lights.  It was so nice to stroll through the town in the evening enjoying all the lights.

Rhinebeck all lit up for the holidays

I love Broadway shows in New York City, but I really enjoy dinner theater too. Great food and a show at the same time - I love it! A wonderful theater company performed A Christmas Carol in dinner theater style and sang Christmas carols right in the Beekman Arms hotel.  We loved it!  The actors and singers were all so talented.  The little boy who played Tiny Tim was such a talent, I won't be at all surprised if I see that kid on broadway one day soon.

The talented theater company performed A Christmas Carol at the Beekman Arms hotel

I hope you enjoyed this post. We love sharing our dog friendly adventures and all the great pet friendly hotels and other places we've taken Icy and Phoebe to.  If you're interested in other dog friendly vacations and pet travel tips, check out more of our Dog Friendly Travel posts.

What dog friendly place can you suggest visiting?  Leave us a comment and share! We love hearing from you. 🐾💖

NO ONE SHOULD LOSE A PRECIOUS PET BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PAY THE VET

It's a pet parent's worst nightmare.  Your dog or cat gets hit by a car, attacked by another animal, or is diagnosed with a life threatening illness. You suddenly realize you can't afford to pay the high cost of Veterinary care that could save your beloved pet's life.  What happens if you can't afford critical vet care, do you have any options?  

🐩 No one should have to say goodbye to a pet they love and cherish because they can't afford critical Veterinary care.

A few years back while volunteering for the Phoenix county animal shelter, a woman brought in a beautiful German Shepherd.  He was clearly an older dog. I always have a soft spot for senior pets so I went over to greet them. The woman was sobbing because she had to surrender her precious dog to the shelter.  

I can't imagine being faced with saying goodbye to one of my pets because I couldn't afford veterinary care.  What could be more heartbreaking?

I said "Don't worry, we'll take great care of him and find him a loving home".  The woman just shook her head.  She didn't speak, she just gave our Intake staff member the dog and quickly left, still sobbing. The dog had a cancerous tumor and she was dropping him off to be euthanized.  She couldn't afford treatment and there wasn't an available rescue to help pay for it.  She couldn't even afford to have him euthanized at a Veterinarian's office.

I was so shocked.  I couldn't believe she had to leave him there to die.  I could see it tore her apart to leave her dog like that, I felt horrible, especially for the dog. I knew that being unable to pay for expensive Veterinary care is often one of the reasons people surrender pets to a shelter.  I didn't judge. I wasn't walking in her shoes so I couldn't know the circumstances she was in that led her to believe she had no other choice.

I cried all the way home that day.  I still think about that sweet dog and wonder why nothing could be done for him.

In the animal health world, the gut-wrenching choice to say goodbye to a pet primarily because pet owners can't afford Veterinary care is known as "Economic Euthanasia".  

Because no pet parent should have to say goodbye to a pet they love and cherish when they can't afford life saving Veterinary care

This post is sponsored by Waggle® . I am being compensated to share information about  Waggle, a crowdfunding organization that helps families who can't afford Veterinary care for their pets. As always, Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them only shares information we feel is relevant and helpful to our readers.

🐕 "Each year, an estimated 500,000 pet guardians in the U.S. face a harrowing moment: The realization that the potentially life-saving treatment their pet needs is beyond their reach." -Waggle

Waggle is a crowd funding platform that provides a much needed service for people who are at risk of not being able to afford critical medical care for their beloved pet. Waggle partners directly with Veterinary providers, nonprofits and pet parents to help provide options and second chances for cherished pets.

🐶Waggle's mission is to  "Provide a last-chance safety net for pets in medical crisis by creating a network-based solution to end economic euthanasia of pets" 🐱

We've all seen requests in email or on social media from various crowdfunding sites, some non-profit and some for-profit. A dog or cat has a serious injury or illness and the pet owner can't afford Veterinary care, so they reach out to the public for monetary donations.

In cases where we know the pet or their owner we want to answer the call for help and donate.  However, sometimes the  pet and owner are total strangers.  I don't know about you, but when I don't know the pet or their family, I'm suspicious.  Sadly, the internet is fraught with deception, and online requests for monetary or other donations are no exception. How do we know the need is real and that the person making the donation request isn't a spammer? The truth is, we don't.

Waggle is the only pet-dedicated crowdfunding platform that partners directly with leading veterinary providers, non-profits and pet parents.  This process verifies the recipient and ensures the need for help to pay for critical vet care is real. 

The partnership between Waggle and it's Veterinary partners ensures that funds go directly to the pet's medical care.  This gives me confidence!

Waggle has many pet success stories, one of which is Cece a six year old Portuguese Water Dog from Connecticut. Cece had been playing in the yard with a neighbor's dog when she suddenly collapsed.  She couldn't stand or put weight on her back leg.  When her family took her to the veterinarian, they discovered Cece needed surgery to remove a damaged ligament in her knee.  A "false" ligament then had to be inserted to stabilize her joint. Afterwards she would need weeks of rehabilitation and therapy. Waggle helped raise $2,000 to help get Cece the critical veterinary care that would help her walk normally again.

Adorable Cece, cuddling with the human sister who loves her to pieces!

Cece's owners Tom and Margaret had this to say in appreciation of the help they received from generous donors, Waggle, and their expert veterinary partners:

"Tom and I want to thank everyone for their donations and get well wishes for our Cece. She is home from The Saybrook Veterinary Hospital and is doing well. We would especially like to thank Dr. Suzanne Magruder of the Saybrook Veterinary Hospital for telling us about Dr. White who performed Cece`s knee surgery. Dr. Magruder also initiated us to get financial help through Waggle Org. We also want to thank the whole staff of the Saybrook Veterinary Hospital. Their kindness and help was greatly appreciated."  --Tom & Margaret Mazzella

You can read more about Cece's  heartwarming story here.

A heart wrenching story was Kenji, a 2 year old Welsh Pembroke Corgi who needed $1,200 to treat severe wounds following a viscous attack by another dog.

Kenji is a sweet, gentle dog who touches the heart of everyone he meets.  A neighbor's dog escaped out the front door of his house and attacked Kenji, unprovoked.  The dog's owner tried to get him off Kenji but to no avail. It took several minutes for the dog to let go of poor Kenji.  Following the attack Kenji's wounds were severe and he was rushed to the animal hospital for immediate treatment.

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Sweet Kenji, viciously attacked by a neighbor's dog.

Kenji needed surgery to clean and drain his wounds.  Although he was sent home with drains inserted in the affected areas, after a few days his condition worsened and he had to return to the hospital.  This poor sweet boy needed more surgery!  Kenji will need numerous follow-up visits and constant attention for quite some time as he fights to fully recover.

Read more about Kenji's frightening ordeal here.

I can't even imagine how frightened Kenji's mom must have been seeing her furbaby viciously attacked like that and fearing for his life.  What a nightmare.  I'm so glad Waggle was able to help Kenji's family fund the critical veterinary care he needed.

LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS OF HOW WAGGLE WORKS AND WHAT MAKES WAGGLE  DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CROWDFUNDING SITES

Visit Waggle on Social Media and follow along with more of Waggle's success stories to see how they are changing lives for pets and their owners.

TWITTER           INSTAGRAM           FACEBOOK

Providing critical funding for pet parents at risk of losing their beloved pet, simply because they can't afford critical Veterinary care.

Do you ever worry about not being able to afford critical Veterinary care?  Please leave us a comment and share your thoughts!

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ADDING PUMPKIN TO YOUR DOG'S DIET

I've been adding healthy pumpkin to my dogs' diets for years. Not only do my dogs love the taste of pumpkin, but pumpkin is super healthy for dogs! The health benefits of adding pumpkin to your dog's diet is well worth the tiny bit of extra effort at mealtime.

As soon as pumpkins become available in my area, I buy a few both for Halloween decorations and to cook for my dogs so I can add some fresh, healthy pumpkin to their diet.  I boil chunks of pumpkin and add some of the pure, fresh pumpkin to my dogs food each day.  I like to use it in making pumpkin flavored dog treats as well. There are a million different ways you can make homemade dog treats that include pumpkin.  Add a touch of cinnamon to your pumpkin dog treats for the full effect of Fall flavor!

🎃 Don’t use a carved pumpkin that’s been sitting outside for weeks to feed to your pet.  A carved Halloween pumpkin may have picked up bacteria and fungi while sitting outside with it’s inside exposed to the elements. 🎃

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My dog with a Pumpkin decoration. Health Benefits of Adding Pumpkin To a Dog's Diet 

MY DOG"S HAUNTED HALLOWEEN

Up until 2019, we lived in Huntington New York, a Long Island town that was settled back in the 1600's.  Despite massive development over the years, there are lots of old historic places in and around Huntington township.  

Along with historic places that were settled centuries ago, comes a plethora of tales about hauntings by those who committed dastardly deeds, or those against whom the deeds were committed long ago.  Huntington is no exception, it certainly has it's share of spooky stories and haunted places.  Grab a hot beverage and pull the covers up tight as I tell you about three such places right here in our hometown.

Fun Fact: Each year on Halloween, Huntington unofficially changes it's name to "Hauntington" !  The idea came from the mind of a 7 year old girl.  She loves the spirit of Halloween in Huntington so much, she asked town officials to change the town's name to Hauntington.  So on October 31st - Ipitty Bippity Bop! - Huntington transforms into Hauntington.   Now that's the spirit of Halloween!

The historic cemetery in Huntington NY, Old Burying Hill Cemetery, is at the Eastern edge of town.  The earliest grave marker is from 1712.

THE HAUNTED CHATEAU AT COINDRE HALL

Coindre Hall is a massive estate built in a French medieval castle style by George McKeeson, a wealthy pharmaceutical entrepreneur in 1912.  George and his wife Pearl shared many happy years on their lavish estate. During WWI they raised their Niece at Coindre Hall after her parents died during the sinking of the Titanic. 

Like so many of the super wealthy of that era, the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent massive tax hikes for the wealthy, meant the McKeeson's could no longer afford to keep up the estate. The county eventually took ownership of it and it is now a public space that is often rented out for events such as weddings. 

The Chateau at Coindre Hall, Huntington NY

We often take Icy to Coindre Hall because the back part of the estate, an expansive steep hill that leads all the way down to Huntington Bay, is dog friendly.   We've enjoyed many hours with Icy playing on the lawn and in the bay at Coindre Hall, never realizing that spectral sightings were common there!  

I only recently found out that there is an underground tunnel that leads all the way from the Chateau down to the bay, where the McKeeson's boat house once stood.    Mr. McKeeson didn't want to walk outside in the cold to get to his boat so he had a tunnel constructed.  During Prohibition, the tunnel served as a way to smuggle alcohol from boats up to the house.  I had no idea Icy was romping along grass that covered a hidden tunnel!

Icy, standing on a large tree stump to get a better look at the side of the chateau

For years, the staff and guests have reported seeing ghostly apparitions in the 40 room 30,000 square foot Chateau, and on the grounds of the estate.  These spectral visitors have been spotted mostly during evening events and are usually dressed in 1930's era clothing.  One ghost is reported to look and dress like a gangster or bootlegger from the 1930's. Other spirits look like party guests from the period. Not surprising, as George and Pearl were known for the lavish parties they threw!

Rear view of the chateau at Coindre Hall, Huntington NY

Fun Fact: John and I had looked at having our wedding at Coindre Hall but decided against it due to cost and logistics of the venue.  Too bad, we might have had some pretty interesting, albeit uninvited, guests at our wedding!

THE 1750 DAVID CONKLIN FARMHOUSE MUSEUM

The Conklin House is a historic home built in 1750 by Thomas Conklin.  This gable-roofed house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.  The Conklin family lived in the house for over 150 years.  It contains historical artifacts and is decorated in historical fashion.  It is owned by the Huntington Historical Society and is open for tours a couple of days per week (call for days/times). It's also available for small events in the barn on the property.

The historic David Conklin House, Huntington NY is supposedly haunted

In 1777 David Conklin was captured by the British and held prisoner.   He was accused of assisting the rebels during the Revolutionary War.

The David Conklin House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985

It's been said that ancestors of the Conklin family have haunted the home for years. Volunteers in the historic house have reported feeling someone or something touching or standing behind them when in fact no one was there.  

Beautiful detail on the back windows of the Conklin House

Some have reported strange noises and footsteps for which they can find no explanation.  One of the previous owners claimed that she continually had the feeling she was being watched and followed.

Fun Fact: I once worked with a guy who is actually related to the Conklin family!  He lived in another state but knew all about the historical Conklin house here in Huntington.

FIORELLO DOLCE PATISSERIE

Right in Huntington village there's a wonderful patisserie and bakery that is believed to be haunted.  It is situated on what was the site of row housing for the poor and is said to be haunted by the spirits of some of those individuals.  One such spectral visitor is a teenager named Eddie that supposedly met a harrowing demise during a drug deal during his lifetime. Staff at the bakery have also reported oven doors opening by themselves and an iPad that turns itself on and starts playing music!

Everything is so tempting at Fiorello bakery in Huntington, NY

I've never seen or felt any weird presence in the bakery.  Icy and Phoebe didn't seem to sense anything weird either, but I did find lots of delicious goodies to feed my sugar addiction.  Maybe the spirits come back just to get a whiff of their delicious cookies and pastries baking in the oven, I know I would!

...The Woods are lovely, dark and deep 

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

- excerpted from the poem "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening", by Robert Frost

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, GOUL-FRIENDS!!

If you enjoyed this post, you'll love reading about our trip to Salem Massachusetts: A Spooky Dog Friendly Halloween, and our trip with the dogs to Spirited Colonial Williamsburg: A Perfectly Spooky Halloween!   

Have you visited any haunted sites in your town?  Do tell by leaving us a comment!  We eat up comments like Candy Corn!

FLASHBACK! to my favorite costume of Icy's, the Headless Horseman!