Friday, March 8, 2013

Follow-up Friday: Treats, Winners, Coyotes

I'm pleased to be joining Heart Like A Dog for the Follow-up Friday blog hop this week.

I love Jodi's idea and am pleased that I've finally gotten it together to join in! 

It's the blog hop that lets you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.  Hosted by Jodi at Heart Like A Dog, and co-hosted this week by Donna and the Dogs.

Today I have some follow-ups to more than just the past week of blog posts.

Good Dog Take Outs Treat Giveaway
We've heard from a couple of our winners who are enjoying their Good Dog Take Outs dog treats.  Tiffany reports that her dogs have sampled the Peanut Butter dog treats from Good Dog Take Outs.  Bella and Jenny love them!  Tiffany sent photos to prove it.
Kelly was hoping that her Peanut Butter and Egg and Cheesy dog treats would arrive in time for Artie's Gotcha Day Celebration and they did!  Here's Artie:
Be sure to visit Talking Dogs in April because we'll be celebrating Jeffie's birthday with giveaways!  In fact, Good Dog Take Outs new dog treat flavors will be among the prizes!


Dog Mom Jewelry Bracelet Give Away
Our celebration of my mom's birthday was a lot of fun!  Especially for the winner, Caren Gittleman, author of Cat Chat with Caren and Cody and Dakota's Den blogs!   My mom never met a celebration or giveaway she didn't love, and I know she's smiling that a dog and cat lover won that bracelet! Bark at me in the comments if you'd like me to have another For Love of a Dog jewelry giveaway and tell me what you'd most like to win!

Fostering Dogs: Kristi and Glenn Austin Q and A
Kristi reports that Jingle has settled into her new foster home in Washington, D. C. and is looking for that perfect home where she can spend the rest of her senior years.  Contact City Dogs Rescue for more information on "one of the sweetest hounds you'll ever meet."
Jingle is now waiting for adoption.
A Different Sort of Canine Wordless Wednesday
This probably merits a whole new blog post, but since I won't get around to that until next week, I'll give you an update.

Since I took those snowy coyote photos and wrote that post (okay, confession time:  I schedule posts ahead of time) we've had several more close encounters of the coyote kind.  However, these encounters were way too close for comfort and were with a lone coyote with a bit different coloring than the pair we've been watching.

This coyote shows absolutely zero fear or caution.  He just sits there, a few feet away.  Watching.

I think he's pegged Jeffie as all bark and no bite;  Rudy as a loud, inexperienced goof;  and Rosie as a delectable delight.   All true.

And me?  You know how all the literature tells you to make yourself as big as possible?  To yell and wave your arms? I was on the top of the back porch, yelling like a banshee, and definitely waving my arms.   No reaction.

Got the dogs in.  I came in.  The coyote, looking very obviously bored and feeling like the show was over, slowly meandered off to the north.

There's something very wrong here that this wild creature has absolutely no fear of any of us in any of these encounters.  I have a feeling we're approaching a "High Noon" moment.  Stay tuned...

Missouri: A Dangerous Place for Animals
Here's the deal:  I try not to think about the fact that I live in Missouri.  I've blogged about the shame I feel living in the Puppy Mill Capital.  Animal welfare is not the only issue that makes me feel that way about Missouri.

However, I do live here and so do millions of other animal lovers who have worked very hard to improve conditions and protect animals from cruelty.  If we all left, stopped spending our money here, never promoted the state... then where would animals in Missouri be?  Definitely in worse shape.

Is Missouri our home state?  No.  We moved here to provide hospice care for my mother and to fulfill her wish to die at home.   Will we be moving?  Probably.

My husband is fond of saying:  Bloom where you're planted.  He's also big on: Everybody's gotta be somewhere.  Right now we do live in Missouri and we do what we can for animals.
[rant over]

So...  that's how my week has shaped up so far!  

Join the Follow-up Friday blog hop and tell us all about your week!

7 comments:

  1. How scary about the coyote. I hope nothing comes of it. Maybe he just wants to join your pack. ;-)

    Nice to hear you are making the best of where you live. Nothing worse with not choosing where to live AND being unhappy about it.


    P.S. Nice to meet you! I found you through Jodi's blog hop. :-)

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  2. Sue, I've had a number of encounters with coyotes and one with a black bear - who reacted like the coyote you described. He just stared at me for a moment, during which my heart froze, then he continued on his way, lumbering right by me - although from over a hundred feet away. Could care less that I made myself big and loud, his whole attitude seemed to be, "Really? I'm supposed to be impressed?" Do you know a big, coyote intimidating dog you can borrow for a few days?

    When a coyote becomes too used to people they simply loose all fear - I once had a coyote try and grab my Mini-Schnauzer from off the end of a leash and he followed us out of the urban park we were in, despite my other dog charging him, and a man trying to chase him off with a stick.The coyote just circled around and kept coming back.

    On a lighter note, congrats to Caren on winning the amazing jewels and I would love a chance to win anything you've made :-)

    And, as someone who lives in Michigan, which used to have the distinction of housing 'the murder capital of the country' I hear you on sometimes cringing about the State you live in; you are decidedly blooming where you are and making the State a better doggie place. There are more amazing dog people than puppy-mills where you live who like you, put so much time and energy into cleaning up the messes made by a large handful of people. Keep doing what you do - it not only makes your corner of the world a better place but your sunbeams are reaching far beyond the boarders of the state!

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  3. Those pics are adorable.
    The coyote stuff is very scary.
    And the Missouri stuff is disheartening - but hopefully you are making it a better place by being there and speaking up! I like the "bloom where you're planted" sentiment. Hang in there!

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  4. Coyotes have survived because they adapt well. There is a chance they could come after a dog, especially a puppy. There was a small dog recently here that was eaten while hiking with it's mom. It wasn't on a leash. If it was me, I would scare them off. Could you fire a 22 in the general direction when they show up? Not to kill or hurt, just to scare. If you call animal or wildlife control, they will kill them all.

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  5. I am soooooooooooo excited and would like to THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN

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  6. Your coyote stories are frightening me a little. Is there anyone to whom you can report his presence? I don't know how I would handle such a thing, especially given that he is obviously accustomed to being around people. Very scary. I hope you all stay safe!

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  7. Hi Sue, thanks so much for joining us in the FUF blog hop! That is a great recap and you've had a bit of a week.

    I hear where you are coming from about not being happy with what is going on in your state, but staying there any way and trying to make a difference. I commend you for that. I really do. And I know you are doing what you can to to help animals.

    That coyote is a scary thing. Please, please be cautious and don't let the dogs out without someone being with them. (I know you know, but I just feel compelled to type it.)

    As for the jewelry, well you know I've long coveted a piece, I'm just trying to save up some money. :-) The problem for me is WHICH piece, they are all so gorgeous!!

    Thanks again for joining us, I hope you'll do it again and perhaps even consider co-hosting? ;-)

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