TRENDHIM FATHERS DAY GIFT IDEAS

My go to source for wardrobe accessories is trendhim.com. This online shop has fashionable items that will keep you in style with prices that will make you smile. So, if you are looking for Fathers Day gift ideas why don't you check out where guys like me go to shop for themselves.

We all know underwear and ties are the standard fare when it comes to giving dad a gift. Trendhim.com has you covered with a variety of colorful ties to choose from and their black signature boxers provide a 3-pack of underwear that is comfortable to wear and priced at what you'll often spend at other stores for one pair. Other men's lifestyle accessories available are belts, pocket squares and shaving gear.

If you want to go above and beyond to delight dad with a gift he is sure to be geeked about check out the selection of sunglasses and watches available from trendhim.com. I'm always excited to get some new shades or a watch that are both useful and add some eye candy to my appearance. I particularly like the Waykins black and yellow retro polarized sunglasses with wood temples and the Scout series of Fawler watches that both are really sharp!

Take care of the special dads in your life with a special present from trendhim.com for Fathers Day!

Boxer Puppy Update

We picked out a Boxer puppy from a litter a few weeks ago for a family pet.  It was recommended that the dog stay with her mother until it is eight weeks old so we haven't brought it home yet.  The people who own the puppy's mom and dad live near the Lake Michigan shoreline on the other side of the state from us, but despite the distance we've gone out a few times to visit this future addition to our family.

A Boxer was the breed we decided to get because they are known to be protective of children as well as very playful.  They also are short-haired dogs that don't require much grooming which also was a nice selling point for me in picking out a Boxer. It is supposed to be the "kids' dog" ... though we'll see how much I end up cleaning up after her once we actually bring it home.

There are two boys and two girls in the litter. We choose one of the girls because the males can grow to be 80 to 100+ pounds while the females tend to be around 40 to 50 pounds.  This way the dog is intimidating enough to serve as a watch dog but yet small enough for my wife and kids to handle and be comfortable around.  Of the two girls to choose from, we decided to go with the one that had the most white coloring mixed in with her fawn fur.

Though she's currently living a 3 three hour drive away from us, we've gone out a few times to visit her.  We wanted to make sure the puppy was familiarized with us before just pulling her away from the surrounding she has been accustomed to since being born.  In fact, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) recommends making an effort to socialize puppies with people as much as possible within the first three months of their lives. 

This is a time when sociability outweighs fear, and dogs' brains are most inclined to be comfortable with adjusting to new people and places.  Getting a puppy comfortable with the family they are living with during this early stage of life can have long-term benefits when it comes to shaping the dogs temperament.

Some tips on socializing puppies from the AVSAB include:

• Engage your puppy's senses through exposure to different sights, sounds, and smells as part of its day-to-day life;
• Gently handle and pet the animal so that it learns to accept the touching of all its body parts;
• Expose the dog to as many people, animals, places and situations as possible;
• Encourage your pet to explore and investigate the environment around it;
• and allow it to experience a variety of toys, surfaces and other stimuli.

The kids have been having a lot of fun playing with the puppy ... and the puppy seems to be enjoying getting to know them.  I'm glad we've made the extra effort to introduce her to our family's scents, sounds, and personalities instead of just suddenly bringing her home one day.  It looks like she is going to fit in just fine with our family.

We'll be bringing the Boxer puppy home in two more weeks when she turns 2 months old.  Stay tuned for more updates as we add this new addition to A Geek Daddy's family.

A New Addition To The Family

It was an exciting weekend as we added a new addition to the family.  We bought a 2-week old Boxer puppy.  It will still be awhile until we bring her home though.  The puppy will be staying with her mom until she is 8 weeks old before coming to live with us as part of our family.

There are a few reasons we chose a Boxer for our family's first dog.  First they have a reputation for being very loyal and loving as well as great with kids.  They're also short-haired dogs that don't require a lot of grooming making them ideal as a house pet.  The dogs are also very playful, patient and protective in nature.

While not overly aggressive as a breed, Boxers are very protective of their homes and the families they live with making them great watch dogs.  Male boxers can grow on average to be 65 to 85 pounds so we picked out a girl who should probably end up being somewhere between 40 and 50 pounds.  Small enough to be manageable by my kids but yet big enough to be intimidating to a home intruder.

Here are some facts about Boxers from the American Kennel Club:

• Boxers are descendants of the Bullenbeisser, massive big-game hunters bred by German nobles during medieval times to run down and catch bear, bison and boars on vast estates.
• Changes in the times and needs of these dogs led to the Bullenbeisser being bred down to what is now known as the modern-day Boxer in the 1800s.
• Since a Boxer named Bang Away won the Westminster Dog Show in the 1950's, Boxers have continually reigned as one of America's top ten dog breeds.
• They are highly intelligent and excellent problem solvers.
• Boxers excel in a wide range of canine sports including obedience, agility, and herding.  They also perform brilliantly as service, assistance and therapy dogs.
• A boxer tends to be a very clean dog and its short, shiny coat needs very little grooming

Our new Boxer puppy is supposed to be for the kids but my wife has warned them there is a good chance it will become daddy's dog.  That probably is a good possibility!