Saturday, June 30, 2012

Dog Song Saturday: My Flea Has Dogs

It's Saturday, so time to kick off your weekend with a dog song video at Talking Dogs.  Today's feature is a cute one and seems pretty timely considering the season.  

My Flea Has Dogs is a Joe Raposo Songwriting Contest award winner.  Joe wrote the Muppet and Sesame Street theme song and the classic Being Green and C is for Cookie.  This terrific 1920's style black and white video  interpretation of the imbalanced and crazy life of a flea with it's own dog circus was created by Mukpuddy.  Want more?  Check out Caspar Babypants for more fun sing along songs.

Grab a dog.  Sit. Stay.  Relax and enjoy My Flea Has Dogs.  You can fetch more dog song videos at Talking Dogs and be sure to scroll down below todays dog song to explore some barking good blogs in the Pet Blogger Hop.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Not So Wordless Wednesday

Jeffie is exhausted.  And so am I.  Rudy?  Rudy is snoozing in our bed.

Why are we so beat?  It's not the heat, though with this heatwave, that would be a good guess.

It's not from playing too hard, because we've not been playing much at all.

It's not from blogging because we haven't been doing much of that either.

It's stress.

You see, the Dog Daddy at our house had a heart attack last week.  Surgery went well and he keeps insisting he feels fine.  However, things are not back to normal.  

The truth is, there needs to be a new normal at our house.  One that doesn't include so much stress. And does include a whole lot more relaxation and fun.


Yes, Rudy, that means more Jolly ball!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Product Review: Sweet Little Butterpup Dog Treats

  When the good folks at Lincoln Bark offered us some dog treats to taste test and review, we were happy to oblige.  

We were allowed to choose our samples from their three lines of all natural, healthy treats:
  1. Sweet Little Butterpups - their original peanut butter based hard treats powered by the superfood, Chia seeds.
  2. Treat Smart - a soft nutraceutical treat that is great for the skin and coat, and also powered by Chia seeds.
  3. Doggie and kitty Sprinkles - a protein supplement and flavor enhancer that is springkled on food to entice finicky eaters to enjoy every bit.
We chose Sweet Little Butterpup dog treats in Lincoln Bark's oatmeal peanut butter recipe.  8 ounce packages are $9.99 on the Lincoln Bark web site.  Super fast shipping brought not only our sample package in just a couple of days, but also little 2-treat sample packs of Sweet Little Butterpup's in chicken liver flavor, salmon flavor, and pumpkin flavor. 
Jeffie's cautious first taste.
You might as well know up front that these dog treats are now among Jeffie and Rudy's favorite snacks!  In fact, the boys were so enthusiastic about this taste testing session that it was hard to snap some photos that were not blurry.  Neither could hold a "sit" for long after they'd had their first taste.
Rudy could not help wiggling with anticipation after the first bite.


I understand why.  These dog treats smell delicious!  Seriously. Delicious.

Jeffie is longing for his next turn in this yummy testing.
Made in the USA, these dog treats contain gluten free rice flour and potato flour, soy free peanut butter, rolled oats, honey, canola oil, Chia seed and water.  They do NOT contain preservatives, additives, artificial colors or flavors.
  • Crude Protein - minimum 17%
  • Crude Fat - minimum 15%
  • Crude Fiber - maximum 1%
  • Moisture- maximum 9% 
We'd heard of Chia Seed and this motivated us to learn more.  Often called a superfood, Chia Seed promotes health with more antioxidants that blueberries and eight times more Omega-3 Fatty Acids than wild salmon.  

Chia Seed benefits:
  • Promotes cardiovascular health
  • Assists joint function and mobility
  • Improves digestion and natural detoxification
  • Supports healthy weight loss
  • Antioxidants in Chia seeds and oil help prevent cancer
  • Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) reduces fatal cardiac episodes
Sophie - the dog that inspired Lincoln Bark
Lincoln Bark evolved after the owners dog was diagnosed with Addison's disease when she was two years old.  Needing to boost her food intake, they began researching canine nutrition and baking their own dog treats.  Today, Sweet Little Butterpup dog treats still are baked by hand in small batches with 100% natural, human grade ingredients.


We highly recommend Lincoln Bark's Sweet Little Butterpup dog treats.
  • Made in the USA
  • Wheat, soy and corn free
  • No preservatives
  • 100% human grade ingredients
  • Attractive appearance - like minature crunchy muffins
  • Reasonably priced
  • Attractive packaging
  • Fast shipping
  • 100% money-back guarantee
  • A portion of Lincoln Bark's profits donated to animal welfare organizations
  • The dogs LOVE them! 
.   
It's so hard to take turns!
Learn more about Lincoln Bark and order their products at their web site www.lincolnbark.com and follow Lincoln Bark on Facebook.  Your dogs will thank you!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Adopt a Dog: Say Yes to The Ears

This beautiful girl has a set of ears hard to resist!  Canada is a female mixed breed dog about 1 1/2 years old.  She's about 40 pounds - a great size!  Right now she's at Stray Rescue of St Louis foster home where they snapped this photo of Canada playing with her Kong.

We agree with Stray Rescue, Canada has a face that just makes you smile.  She's eager to please, loves everyone, and is very free with kisses.  A good car rider and an avid hiker, Canada is ready for a new leash on life in a forever home.

Find out more about Canada, this adorable Pit Bull Terrier mix dog, at Stray Rescue    314-771-6121

Live near St Louis?  Plan to find your perfect new companion at the Stray Rescue Summer of Love Adoptathon on Saturday, June 30!

The 2012 Summer of Love Adoptathon includes:
  • Adoption fee reduced to $50 (includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, and microchip)
  • Chip-a-thon - Microchip your pet for only $5
  • Adopt for a chance to win a rescue ride along with Stray Rescue founder, Randy Grim
  • Randy Grimm book signing from 1-2 pm with Quentin the Miracle Dog
  • Raffles with great prizes, including a custom built Triumph motorcycle
  • 10% off all Stray Rescue merchandise
  • Beer tasting with local micro brews
  • Food, drinks, music, and vendors
  • Pet cooling stations
All well-behaved pet are welcome!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Dog Song Saturday: Heartbeat

Okay, I have to admit that today's Talking Dogs dog song is not really about dogs.  However, I'm pretty sure you'll understand why it's today's featured music video.  Heartbeat was written and is performed here by Ben Goddard and The Heartbeats.  This official music video of Heartbeat depicts two beautiful rescued mastiff dogs in a dog-gone charming video story. 

Grab a dog.  Sit.  Stay.  Relax and get ready to smile while you listen to Heartbeat.  Then fetch more dog song videos at Talking Dogs and have a barking good weekend!  Oh, and don't forget to check out some great dog  blogs in the Pet Blogger Hop!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Adopt a Rottweiler Dog!

Just look at this beautiful girl!  Tanya is a black and brown Rottweiler mix.  She's about a year old and is already spayed.  Right now she's call the Humane Society of Missouri St Louis City animal shelter home, but what she really needs is a loving family of her own.

Tanya walks nicely on a leash and loves people.  Still full of that wonderful puppy energy, this dog would make someone a wonderful companion.

If you've got room in your heart and home, please contact the Humane Society of Missouri at 314-951-1562 and ask them about Tanya, animal ID@ A529039

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Dog Song Saturday: Love Me Love My Dog

It's Saturday, so time for another dog song video from Talking Dogs.  Today we have a wonderful song suggested by a Talking Dogs Reader:  Love Me Love My Dog by Peter Shelley.  A UK recording artist, Shelley had a hit on his hands in 1975 when he released this loving ode to his dog - the dog that he can't leave "because he promised."


Check out the lyrics:


Freedom is a dusty road heading to a highway
Californian skyways will lead us where we wanna stay

Suddenly a summer breeze breaks a misty mornin'
There's a new day dawning we'd better be on our way.

So love me love my dog
We've lived the road too long to break up
Love me live my life and travel through this land
I can't leave a friend I promised that before we started
So love me love my dog
If you can't understand then we'll heap up land.

When I leave this town today Lord you know I'll miss you
Baby I won't kiss you. you'll only make me wanna stay

Though it's hard to say goodbye can't you see it's over
Guess I'm just a loner heading on his way.

I tell you now
Love me love my dog . . . . .
So love me love my dog
If you can't understand
Then I guess we'll have to move on out up land.

C'mon boy!

Love Me Love My Dog accompanies a dog video of a beautiful Border Collie dog.

You know the drill!  Grab a dog - the one you promised not to leave. Sit.  Stay.  Relax and enjoy Love Me Love My Dog.  You can fetch more dog song videos at Talking Dogs.  And be sure to fetch some barking good dog blogs because today is the Pet Bloggers Hop!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Babysitting Bambi

 Late one afternoon we noticed a doe sniffing and lingering close to the creek that borders our backyard.  Very odd behavior.  She was watchful and it seemed as though she was looking for something.  Off she bounded after about 10-15 minutes.

Next day she was back.  She took a good look in every direction then sank down in the high grass.

 I think she felt me watching.  Didn't seem to bother her.

 That's when we became pretty sure she'd given birth, left her baby hidden there and was coming back to check her fawn and feed it.  Usually fawns are left for about a week until they are strong enough to walk with and keep up with their mothers.

Day after day she returned.  Sometimes we saw her in the morning;  sometimes in the late afternoon or early evening.

Was she one of the deer herd that comes to our place to graze and play?  We suspect so.  We know she certainly felt pretty safe.  If she was one of that herd, she knew our horses would do not more than lift their heads to watch and that our dogs would not bother her either due to the yard fence.

As you can imagine, we were itching to see the fawn.  Finally, after 6 days, she returned to move her baby.
 See the fawn?

Here it is!

They didn't go far.  Just up the hill to a swag of even higher grass.  It took the doe just a minute or two to settle in the fawn, then off mama went.  Since then we've seen the doe return twice.  That spot is harder to see.  By now she's probably taken the fawn and moved on.

There's something magical about a wild animal trusting us so much.  Even after she knew we'd spotted her, she didn't run away immediately or move her fawn. Fawns and their mothers generally stay together for about a year, so we're hoping to see this pair again. 

Ah, the joys of country life!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Monday, June 11, 2012

Sunshine Monday!

We're thrilled to share this news:  Dogs N Pawz has generously passed the Sunshine Award on to Talking Dogs blog.  We certainly appreciate this award!

Here are the rules:
  • Answer the questions that come with it
  • Pass it along to 10 people and let them know they have received it

Here are the questions and our answers:

Favorite number:  7
Favorite Non-alcoholic drink:  water
Facebook or Twitter:  Not keen on either one, but I do both.
My Passion:  dogs, especially mutts and rescue dogs
Favorite Pattern:  Karma
Favorite Day of the Week:  every day/ any day
Favorite Flower:  daylily 

It is so hard to pick just 10 from the many fantastic blogs I follow!  However, I'm sharing the Sunshine Award to the following bloggers who never fail to bring sunshine to me: 


 Again, thanks so much to Dogs N Pawz!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

White German Shepherd Dog Needs a Home

If you're thinking about adding a new dog to your family, consider DD Baby.  she's a cream German Shepherd Dog mix who's about 7 months old.  What a sweetie!

Right now she's calling the Humane Society of Missouri St Louis city animal shelter home, but she needs a special someone to enjoy what's left of her puppy time and give her a loving forever home.  DD Baby is good at kisses, seems housebroken, and is very smart girls.  Take a look at the dog video below.

If you've got room in your heart and your home, call the 314-951-1562 and ask for more info about DD Baby.  She's animal ID# A529194

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Dog Song Saturday: Me and You and a Dog Named Boo

It's Saturday, so time for a dog song video at Talking Dogs!  Today we feature Me and You and A Dog Named Boo.  This was LOBO's first big hit.  It went to #% on the Billboard Charts in 1971.  Written by Kent Lavoie, it's story about a Georgia fellow and his dog.  

Grab a dog.  Sit. Stay.  The lyrics are in the video, so sing along to Me and You and A Dog Named BooFetch more dog song videos at Talking Dogs and have a great weekend!  To kick it off right, be sure to scroll down below today's dog song video and check out some barking good dog blogs because today is the Pet Blogger Hop!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Wise Up Workbooks Winners!

Congratulations to the winners in our Wise Up Workbooks giveaway:
  • Janet Gilbert
  • Diane Clancy
  • Bianca Andrea
You've each won your choice of  Wise Up Workbooks written by Morgan T. Orr and Penelope Orr Spry:
No matter what happens, Janet, Diane and Bianca will be ready with their pet's medical history, medical records, care instructions and more.

Congratulations!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Pitty Post Day: Pitbull Dog Love!

When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents.  While I was there, I had a nanny.  

That nanny was glued to me like white on rice and was my boon companion.  When she took me on as her project, she was already middle aged and well on her way to her golden years.

Patient, kind, and gentle, she was one of my first best friends.  To this day I can remember snuggling with her.

My nanny’s name was Dinkle and she was a Pit Bull dog.


Dinkle and Sue
When Corbin posed the question,  Why do you love Pitties? My immediate thought was of Dinkle.  After all, she was my first introduction to this great dog breed. 

My second thought was of my dog, Bennie.

Bennie at 2 years old
Bennie was not a pit bull.  At least not that I know of.  To all appearances, Bennie was dobie / shepherd mix.

What does Bennie have to do with pit bull dogs?  Two things:  fear and breed discrimination.

Ben was big.  Some folks took one glance, sized him up as a Dobie, and were afraid.  Given that Ben loved people more than any dog I’ve ever met and was a gentle soul, that first impression had nothing to do with Ben. 

People, and their pre-conceived notions about various dog breeds, have done much to harm the innocent victims of their prejudice:  the dogs.  


These days it is Pit Bull dogs who bear the brunt of such prejudice.  Pitties are the most euthanized and abused type of dog in our country today.  Negative pit bull stories are sensationalized.  Myths are spread as facts. 


The truth is that Pit Bull dogs are loyal, loving companions who may be therapy dogs, service dogs, search and rescue dogs, and, like all other dogs, deserve a good life and forever homes.


So, Corbin, thanks for hosting this Blogville Pitty Post Day.  Corbin!  Keep woofing about Pit Bulls!

In honor of your birthday, we ask that everybody take a look at Shangri-La.
Shangri-La, an Adoptable Pit Bull Mix Dog at Stray Rescue of St Louis
Shangri-La is two years old and waiting for her forever home at Stray Rescue of St Louis.  She's a beautiful girl who loves fetch, tug-of-war and frisbee.  Shangri-La is also quite a snuggler and a very good listener.
Shangri-La
If you'd like a new jogging or hiking partner, or some company on that couch, contact Stray Rescue and get to know Shangri-La.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Close Encounter of the Bear Kind

Bear in Laclede County, MO  Photo: Danny Smith
The dog daddy made a quick run to town a couple of days ago and came home with a whopper of a story.  He saw a bear up close and personal.  Seriously.

About a mile and half from our home there's a huge dip, then rise in the road.  From a distance, Gary was what he thought was an extremely large and hairy dog.  He slowed down, as good dog lovers do.  As he approached the "dog" he couldn't believe his eyes.  The "dog" was a bear.  About 12 foot from the car.

The bear jumped off the road and into some weeds.  Needless to say, Gary didn't attempt to rescue this "dog."  Instead he came home and called the local sheriff's office.  His was the second report of the bear and according to Missouri Conservation Department officials, the bear was probably disoriented and trying to find it's way home.

Since then, the bear has been sited in the nearest town.  So far no one has harmed it and it has harmed no one either.

It's been identified as a black bear, though it's actually more brown in color, and is probably a cub.  We can't help but wonder if some local yah-hoo had a pet bear cub that got lose.  (People do that sort of thing here)

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Dog Song Saturday: Gonna Buy Me a Dog

It's Dog Song Saturday at Talking Dogs!  This one is for all you Baby Boomers who remember The Monkees.  Yes, today's dog song is Gonna Buy Me a Dog by The Monkees and accompanied by video footage of the television episode in which the song debuted.

You know the drill.  Grab a dog.  Sit.  Stay.  Relax and enjoy Gonna Buy Me a Dog sung by The Monkees.  Fetch more dog song videos at Talking Dogs to get your weekend off to a barking good start.  Then be sure to scroll down below today's dog song video to explore some great blogs because to day is a Pet Blogger Hop.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Comic Relief: Cooking with a Golden Retriever

Andy, the rat dog, is still here because my mom is still here recovering from her hospitalization.  Various physical therapists and nurses are in and out of my house at random hours.  The whole place looks like a cyclone hit.  The dogs are edgy.  We're edgy.

As you can imagine, the stress level at our house is high.  We're all looking forward to our lives returning to normal.  So, as I was looking for a dog song to feature tomorrow, I found myself wandering and watching funny dog videos.  Found some good ones, but this one really cracked me up!

Need a smile today?  Check out Baking with Ginger, the Golden Retriever.