Dog Song Saturday: A Dog Named Mo

Saturday means its time for a dog song at Talking Dogs.  Today's dog song video is A Dog Named Mo', an original song written and performed by David Kesler.  Kesler says he got Moses (Mo for short) in 2000 from the Berkeley Humane Society and he's a sweet, big, black dog.

This dog song is sweet, too, and accompanied by video footage of Moses.  Mo reminds me so much of our late, beloved, black boy, Tucker.  If you've ever loved a big black dog with a long nose, you're gonna love this.

You know the drill.  Grab a dog!  Any dog will do, but a big black dog would be extra good.  Sit.  Stay.  Relax and enjoy A Dog Named Mo.  If it puts you in the mood, fetch more dog song videos at Talking Dogs.  Be sure to scroll down below the video to check out some barking good dog blogs because today is a Pet Blogger Hop!

Dog Scouts of America

Photo: Dog Scouts of America

Badges, camp outs, cookie drives, troops.  Sounds like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, right?  Wrong!  It's the Dog Scouts of America!

Founded in 1995 by Lonnie Olson, the Dog Scouts of America (DSA) is a non-profit organization of people who are dedicated to enriching their own lives and the lives of others with dogs.  

The Dog Scout Owner's Motto:  Our dog's lives are much shorter than ours - let's help them enjoy their time with us as much as we can.


Any dog can become a Dog Scout.  The only requirement is that the dog and owner must be able to pass a test proving the owner is responsible and the dog is well mannered and not a danger toward humans and other dogs.  Members are encouraged to pursue badge activities either within a troop or on their own.  


Some Dog Scouts pursue backpacking and add miles toward their backpacking titles.  Many Dog Scouts become involved in civic activities like waking in charity walk-a-thons, creating fundraising events for charity, and do pet therapy visits.  And, yes, Dog Scouts go camping at their own Dog Scout camp.  

Photo: Dog Scouts of America

Dog Scout Badges can be earned in many different activities including: Trails, Water, Agility, Obedience, Nose Work, Pulling, Community, and more.


Dog Scouts of America have troops in 22 states.  Don't see a troop in your state?  Consider starting one.

Dog Scouts of America - good for dog owners and their dogs.  Fetch membership information now!

Wordless Wednesday: Puppy Rudy is Becoming a Dog

8 week old Rudy meets his new sister, Lucy

Rudy, 10 weeks old

Rudy 16 months old

The dog Rudy is becoming.

Will Cairn Terrier Be Kansas Official Dog?

Dorothy and Toto photo: ABC News...

Kansas Representative Ed Trimmer, a Democrat from Winfield, expects to be barked at soon.  According the The Wichita Eagle, he's introduced House Bill #251 which would designate the Cairn Terrier as the official dog breed of Kansas. 

With all the critical needs state governments face these days, why would he introduce this bill?  Because it's been requested by constituents.

Brenda Moore contacted him about the proposal.  She's the obedience chairwoman with the South Central Kansas Kennel Club and says:  "Cairn Terriers have a gusto for life.  They are very smart and very loyal."  And then there's the Wizard of Oz / Toto connection.

This isn't the first time someone has proposed the Cairn Terrier as the official Kansas dog breed.  In 2006, Annette McDonald led a petition drive to designate the Cairn Terrier as the state's official dog.  She got several thousand signatures, but no sponsor of a bill.

If approved, the Cairn Terrier will be in good company.  Other official state dogs include:

• Alaska - Alaskan Malamute
• Louisiana - Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
• Maryland - Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• Massachusetts - Boston Terrier
• New Hampshire - Chinook
• North Carolina - Plott Hound
• Pennsylvania - Great Dane
• South Carolian - Boykin Spaniel
• Virginia - American Foxhound

Learn more about the Cairn Terrier dog breed in this video clip from Dog Tales TV.

Happy New Year from Talking Dogs

Wishing you a barking good new year... 
filled with good health, good luck and love...
lots of love!

Merry Christmas from Talking Dogs at For Love of a Dog

Merry Christmas from the Talking Dogs

from left: Rudy, Lucy and Jeffie

Adopt a Dog from Stray Rescue of St Louis

Wabada  Photo:Stray Rescue 

At one time Randy Grim was a one man dog rescue operation with a mission of saving the homeless pets roaming the streets of St Louis, Missouri.  

After spending years prevailing upon his family and friends to place dogs he'd saved, in 1998 he founded Stray Rescue of St Louis.  Since then thousands of pets have been saved from abuse and starvation.  Since 1991, Grim has been credited with saving 5,000 feral dogs, all of which went onto to live in forever homes.  You can read more about Grim and the founding of Stray Rescue here.

Stray Rescue's sole purpose is to rescue stray animals in need of medical attention, restore them to health and place them in loving adoptive home.  Virtually all of the pets they save have been abused and neglected.  They've been dumped on highways or remote country roads.  They've been abandoned in public parks, empty houses and dark alleys.  They've also saved dogs left chained behind buildings after their owners had moved away.

Wabada is just one of the dogs available for adoption at Stray Rescue. On average, Stray Rescue has over 200 dogs and 100 cats on any given day that are looking for a forever home.  

Wabada is a female Pit Bull Terrier mixed breed dog who is about two years old.  She weighs 50 pounds and, as you can see, Wabada is a real beauty.  She originally arrived at Stray Rescue with an injured paw, but she's the picture of good health now.  

Right now she's in a foster home with other dogs, cats and a young girl.  She gets along with all of them and loves to run and play.  Wabada is house trained, as well as crate trained.  According to her foster mom, Wabada is a really good girl.  If you're interested in adopting Wabada, you can fill out a Stray Rescue dog adoption form here and her foster mom will be in touch asap.

Or.... check out this handsome boy who goes by the name of Hot Dog.

Hot Dog  Photo courtesy Stray Rescue

Hot Dog is an 8 month old male Pit bull Terrier mix who weighs about 40 pounds.  He loves to play, especially ball.  Hot Dog is housebroken, already neutered and has lots of training.  He sits even without a treat, lays down with a hand signal or the word, sits before his food dish is set down.  He loves going for car rides and would really like a ride to a forever home.  

For more information about Hot Dog, fetch his information page at Stray Rescue.  He's currently at the Stray Rescue Pine Street Shelter and sure would like a loving family for Christmas.

Dog Lover Christmas Cookie Cutters from Fancy Flours

Photo: Fancy Flours

I was surfing around on the web this weekend to do some Christmas shopping and stumbled on some incredible dog breed cookies.  They were a bit pricey for my budget, so I couldn't resist trying to find some cookie cutters to make my own.  

That's how I discovered Fancy Flours.  As I explored their web site I couldn't help but think my face probably looked a lot like Lucy's at her begging best.  I refuse to disclose whether or not I drooled.  However, I have to say the dog lover cookie cutters at Fancy Flours are barking good!

Do they have all dog breeds?  No.  However, what they do have are pretty dog-gone cool: Scottish Terrier, Poodle, Greyhound,  Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Bull Dog, Corgi, Chihuahua, Dachshund, St Bernard dogs.  Plus they have paw prints, fire hydrants and the old standby dog bone.  Checkout the Corgi cookie cutter, the Dachshund cookie cutter, and the Golden Retriever cookie cutter:

Photo:  Fancy Flours

Dachshund Dog Cookie Cutter:  Fancy Flours

Golden Retriever Dog Cookie Cutter:  Fancy Flours

Best of all for my gift shopping, they have a Cookie Cutter Dog Lovers Set of 17 cookie cutters that include:  Collie, Greyhound, Schnauzer, Irish Setter, Terrier, French Poodle, Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever.  The set also includes 3 sizes of dog bones, small puppy, heart, fire hydrant, dog house and paw print! These cookie cutters are made of annodized aluminum and two recipes are included.

Dog Breed Cookie Cutter Assortment:  Fancy Flours

 Cookies not your thing?  Okay, all you cupcake lovers... check out the Sugar Dog Assortment of molded sugar dog DecOns.

Sugar Dog DecOns:  Fancy Flours

 Hmmm... would it be terribly rude if we made dog treats with these cookie cutters?   Somehow I don't think Lucy, Jeffie or Rudy would object to snarfing down, say, a Chihuahua...   Bone appetit!

Wordless Wednesday: Lucy in Dreamland

Her eyes may be open, but she's deep in sleep.  

Dreaming of cheese?

Dog Lover Poem: When I Am Old

I've had a copy of this poem for more years than I care to count.  It's marked as written by "anonymous" and I regret that greatly because this woman (it has to be a woman) and I would be friends of the heart.

When I look in the mirror, I see that I am, indeed, growing old and I, too, acknowledge that this is the kind of woman I am and always have been:  a dog lover.

When I Am Old

I shall wear turquoise and soft gray sweatshirts

and a bandana over my silver hair

and I shall spend my Social Security checks on sweet wine and my dogs.....

and sit in my house on my well-worn chair

and listen to my dogs breathing.

I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night

and take my dogs for a run, if my old bones will allow...

and when people come to call, I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs...

and talk of them and about them...

The Ones so Beloved of the Past and the Ones so Beloved of Today...

I still will work hard cleaning up after them and mopping and feeding them

and whispering their names in a soft, loving way.

I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a jewel

and I will be an embarrassment to all...

and my family, who have not yet found the peace

in being free to have dogs as your Best Friends...

These friends, who always wait, at any hour, for your foot fall...

and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep,

to greet you as if you are a god.

with warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you will stay

and kiss their dear sweet heads...

and whisper to their very special company...

I look in the Mirror...

and see I am getting old...

this is the kind of woman I am...

and have always been.

Loving dogs is easy, they are a part of me, accept me for who I am.

My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives.

When I am old this will be important to me.

You will understand when you are old...

and if you have dogs to love, too.

Author Unknown

Wordless Wednesday: Catching a Sunbeam

After rousting outside with Rudy, Jeffie takes a break and catches his breath in a sunbeam.

We Won Chronicles of Cardigan Contest Part 1

Rudy is wearing his new Rubit! dog tag clip.

We were thrilled to win Part 1 of the Chronicles of Cardigan's Happiness Is... contest and giveaway!  

Big thanks (and woofs) to Dewi, Jon Farleigh, and Elizabeth at Chronicles of Cardigan!

The contest required the submission of a photo of a pet demonstrating "Happiness is..." and then an appropriate caption to that photo.  Our photo was drawn at random to win a Rubit! dog tag clip and a $20 Amazon gift card. 

We've already spent the gift card (more on that later) and a couple of days ago our Rubit! dog tag clip arrived in the mail.

Not only did the package contain our prize, but it came with personalized notes from infamous Corgis, Dewi and Jon Farleigh.  Note the "magic marker on nose print" sticky notes below.)

Dewi & Jon Farleigh sent our Chronicles of Cardigan prize with personalized notes.

Rubit! Dog Tag Clip in black

 Though all three of our dogs seemed to be way more interested in sniffing the wrappings, we were delighted with the dog tag clip.  Since it was a photo of Rudy that won it, he got the clip.  In fact, it's too bad Chronicles of Cardigan doesn't get some kind of kick-back, since we plan on purchasing a couple more Rubit! clips for Lucy and Jeffie.

Part 2 of the Chronicles of Cardigan Happiness Is... Contest is still going on.  Dewi, Jon Farleigh, and Elizabeth will award the winner a $25 donation to the rescue of the winner's choice! 

Of course, we're entered in Part 2 and we'd sure like to win.  Our choice of shelter/rescue organization is Stray Rescue of St Louis.  (We've barked about Randy Grim and Stray Rescue here.) In fact, we've promised (publicly on Facebook) that if we win, we'll personally match that $25 donation.  AND we'll make sure to donated to Stray Rescue of St Louis's Strack Fund because right now a donor is matching all those contributions!  

Convoluted as what I just wrote sounds... it means that if we win, Stray Rescue will receive $100 total.  So head over to Chronicles of Cardigan and vote for us!  We are photo #2.   Voting continues until 11:59 pm Eastern Time US on October 31.  The winner will be announced November 1.

Here's our very lucky photo and caption:

Happiness is... having a good stick and a best friend.