More scrapbook pages

Scrapbooking was my late night, I-can't-sleep, stress relief for tax season. I hope you enjoy the pages of the kids as much as I do!

AUGGYDIGGITY DOG EXCLUSIVES

http://augdiggitydog.googlepages.com/

These polymer clay sculptures are absolutely adorable!! Check them out! I'm thinking the commissioned pieces will make great Christmas presents, but be sure to order yours early!

Healing Modalities

A teaser presentation on some different alternative therapies. Worth watching!

http://www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com/healingmodalities/

Pet First Aid: Choking

An explanatory video on choking in pets, along with how to perform the heimlich maneuver:

http://www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com/choking/

Natural Heartworm Prevention and Treatment

More and more people are becoming aware of the benefits of holistic care with their companion animals. One of the questions that often arises is how to prevent and/or treat heartworm outside of the commonly accepted heartworm prevention tablets. Here is one of the more comprehensive articles I've seen, written by Dr. Kim Bloomer, holistic vet.

http://www.thewholedog.org/heartworm.html

Hey, folks! I'll be catching up the blog next weekend, if not before, but to tide you over, here's a picture of Daisy in front of a bed of hyacinth at the local bulb festival this past weekend. It was a beautiful stroll through all the gorgeous flowers! Spring has definitely arrived.

Can NCD help with Ehrlichia?

Q. Is there a way that NCD can help a dog infected with Ehrlichia? I am wondering how it would help (if it can) clear the infection? As you may already know, studies are showing that there is a high link between ehrlichia infections and hemangiosarcoma and lymphoma, so it would be nice to know if the NCD can help clear the infection.

A. Good question! Here's some background. Erlichia is caused by transmition through a tick bite of a micro-organism called a rickettsia. This is between a bacterium and a virus in nature. So the disease is not unlike Lyme disease in some ways... transmitted by a tick bite. The organism causing Lyme disease is bacteria.

The NCD works to remove toxins... and does that very well. It also removes particles like viral pieces, seeming to inhibit the production of more viruses. In the case of Lyme disease, people are reporting good results using NCD.

Just based on that, I am wondering if there is indeed a connection between certain canine cancers and these micro-organisms. In my opinion (and this is only my opinion) if the conditions in the body are such that the person or animal is compromised in some way, its harder for the body to heal. That said, using NCD to remove toxins and then adding the Agarigold product makes sense to support the immune system. (Agarigold shows a support in enhancing the formation of natural killer cells, a big part of a strong immune system.)

So my question back to you (and researchers) is this... is there a connection between a body that is compromised by toxins and an increased rate of not only cancer but also infectious diseases. My answer would be yes. Then what can we do to promote a healthy body? Remove toxins and support the immune system.

Although Louis Pasteur discovered a connection between germs and disease (germ theory) we know that a healthy body is confronted daily by micro-organisms which could potentially cause disease. But they don't, do they? More often than not, we don't get sick. Something is working right and we need to support that.

Thanks for the thought provoking question and news. I hope my answer helped.

Rosemary
www.rosemaryssolutions.com

Rooster in da house!

Thanks to an FHA project, I now have chickens in my back yard. At least temporarily. But for a couple of weeks, they were in the basement crowing as I worked on the computer. So this generated some comments in one of my groups. This one was cute, so I asked if I could share!

Paraphrased from a forum on the internet and cross-posted with permission.

OK, so when I was a kid, my teacher had an incubator and we hatched some eggs into chicks and I volunteered to take them home. I ended up with two of them and they were my pets. I used to go on walks with them and turn over rotted logs and such so they could find juicy grubs.

Then I taught them some tricks so I could enter the hen into the science fair. I would have entered the rooster as well, but he had some sizable spurs on his legs and wasn't shy about using them.

Well, unfortunately, a dog killed my hen and the rooster used to crow for me outside my bedroom window. So I started sneaking him inside to sleep in my bedroom at night. My bedroom had sloped ceiling so I had really short closet door and I opened it and put newspaper under it and he used the top edge for a roost.

I used to sneak him back down first thing in the morning, and everything was going well till his inner alarm set him off crowing one morning at 3:00! I jumped up and grabbed him and held his beak shut and that's how I found out that a rooster can crow almost as loudly with his beak held shut!

And that's how I found out that my mother could yell louder than that bird could crow, LOL which was pretty darn loud in the house in the wee hours of the morning.
So that's one of my chicken stories...
Brenda

Ohio Bill Strips Away Dog Ownership Rights

Monday, December 17th 2007
7:28 PM Ohio Bill Strips Away Dog Ownership Rights


A bill before the Ohio legislature takes aim at the concept of dogs as private property, stripping away the right of private ownership of dogs. The legislation redefines owners of kennels as having “custody of or control” over dogs, but does not grant them the right of actual ownership. The bill is designed to regulate kennels having nine or more breeding dogs. It requires additional regulation of kennels that sell more than 25 dogs and puppies a year, which are called “intermediary” kennels.



House Bill 223 gives dogs the same legal status and rights as human children or wards of the state, and incorporates many of the basic principles advocated by extreme animal rights groups such as the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. HSUS and PETA believe that all animals should be granted rights equal to those guaranteed to humans, and the Ohio legislation reflects this position.



The American Sporting Dog Alliance (ASDA) has identified the Ohio legislation as one of its highest priorities for 2008, and is assembling a strong leadership team and legal representation to fight back against this blatant attempt to take away our right of dog ownership and infringe on the vital concept of private property.



“It’s not going to be an easy fight,” ASDA Director John Yates said. “The Ohio legislation (H.B. 223) already has the endorsement of 38 members of the 99-member Ohio General Assembly. That is close to 40-percent support, and the bill still is in committee.” The 38 Ohio legislators who endorse the bill will be listed at the bottom of this article.



“I ‘smell a rat’ with this legislation,” Yates said. “First of all, it was not introduced into the House Agriculture Committee, even though it would be administered and controlled by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Instead, the bill was introduced in the State Government and Elections Committee. This is a tactic use to minimize the influence of pro-farm legislators, who would recognize the fundamental danger to farmers when animals are granted equal rights with humans, and when the concept of private ownership of animals is destroyed.”



Yates said it also seems fishy that numerous sensationalistic and inflammatory news articles, television news stories and National Public Radio broadcasts have appeared in Ohio over the past month. National Public Radio is funded with tax dollars, and ASDA plans to demand equal airtime to counter these biased news stories.



Yates urges all Ohioans who have sporting dogs, own dogs of other breeds, who farm or who simply care about basic human rights to take an active role in this fight by joining ASDA and volunteering their time and talent to strike down this legislation and put real heat on the 38 legislators who support it. ASDA also has assembled a list of Ohio organizations that support this legislation, and businesses that support these groups, and will urge sporting dog owners to boycott them.



ASDA’s website can be accessed at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org. Frequent updates about the Ohio situation will appear on the organization’s journal blog, which can be accessed through this site.



A full political and legal analysis of this legislation will be published on the ASDA website this week, but here are some of the most significant aspects of H.B. 223:



· All litters of puppies born by regulated kennels must be registered with the state agency.



· Each kennel operator will be required to post surety bonds and carry insurance to pay for the cost of any enforcement action against him or her.



· The state will be given the power to confiscate dogs, both for alleged mistreatment and for technical violations of the kennel law.



· Although violation of any part of this law would be considered a First Class Misdemeanor, subject to the criminal code and possible prison sentences and stiff fines, accused kennel owners are granted only the right to an administrative appeal through the Department of Agriculture.



· It allows the Department of Agriculture to pass judgment on an applicant’s competence to operate a kennel, without defining what standards will be used to make this determination, and gives the power to deny licensure to anyone deemed lacking “the expertise or capacity” to meet the requirements of the law. Photos of an applicant’s kennel and various affidavits must be filed with each application.



· The bill requires initial and annual criminal and personal background checks of kennel operators, and of all of their employees and family members who have contact with dogs, and also requires fingerprinting of each person involved. Kennel owners thus will have to meet the same background requirements as people who work with children or adults in schools, institutions, group homes and social service agencies. A kennel license would be denied if the operator, a kennel employee or a family member have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to animal abuse or domestic violence allegations at any time in their lives.



· Grants complete power to the Department of Agriculture to create and enforce specific regulations about the care of dogs, kennel management, paperwork and facility design. The bill does not require either legislative oversight or public participation, and the specifics of the regulations are not contained in the text of the legislation. Specific information is being withheld from the legislature and citizens.



· Annual kennel license fees ranging from $150 to $750 are imposed by the bill. Intermediaries (anyone who sells more than 25 dogs or puppies a year) are required to pay an additional $500 license fee. In addition, any citizen can request an inspection of any intermediary facility at any time and for any reason, and the request will be mandatory.



· The bill also sets up contracts with animal shelters and rescue groups to house and care for any animals that are confiscated by the state.



· Creates a 10-member oversight commission consisting of two members of the general assembly and eight members “representing various entities with an interest in dog kennels.” There is no requirement for any of these representatives to be stakeholders in the issue, and the door is open for representation by animal rights groups. These eight seats will be held by political appointees who are not accountable to the Legislature or the voters.

Here is a list of the 38 co-sponsors of the bill: Ohio Reps. Hughes (the prime sponsor), R. Hagan, D. Stewart, Flowers, Skindell, Combs, B. Williams, Seitz, Okey, Fende, Setzer, Bacon, Beatty, Brady, Otterman, Peterson, Brown, Yuko, J. Stewart, Luckie, Wolpert, J. McGregor, Webster, Evans, Ujvagi, Blessing, J. Hagan, Distel, Heard, Dyer, Celeste, Foley, Chandler, Hottinger, Strahorn, Schneider, Bolon, and Miller.

Yates urges Ohioans and others to contact these legislators both in person and with strongly worded letters of protest aimed both at defeating this legislation, and having the co-sponsors formally withdraw their support from it.

ASDA also is working to save Ohio field trial grounds at the Kildeer Plains and Indian Creek Wildlife Management Areas, which are being closed to trialing this coming April by state and federal wildlife agencies.

Oprah’s Puppy Dies Of Parvovirus

Oprah’s Puppy Dies Of Parvovirus

Came From Extremist Chicago Animal Rights Shelter

by JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
asda@conline. net

This article is archived at: http://eaglerock814 .proboards107. com/index. cgi?action= display&board= general&thread= 29

CHICAGO (March 13, 2009) – Paula Fasseas might have some explaining to do.

Yesterday, Fasseas testified before Chicago City Council and claimed that veterinarians who oppose a spay/neuter mandate are greedy. She said the veterinarians care only about protecting their business interests. Both the city and state veterinary medical associations have opposed the mandate because it enables government to make medical decisions for a pet that should be made only by medical professionals.

Her testimony came only hours before tragedy struck the home of talk show superstar Oprah Winfrey, who adopted two puppies from the Pets Are Worth Saving (PAWS) animal shelter that is operated by Fasseas. An outspoken disciple of the radical Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Fasseas founded the PAWS program and remains chairman of its board.

Winfrey lost one of those puppies to dreaded parvovirus, which apparently was contacted while it was living at the PAWS shelter, the American Sporting Dog Alliance (ASDA) has learned. In addition, PAWS shelter staff took some of the puppy’s littermates to the Oprah Show, and a beloved puppy previously obtained by Winfrey was exposed to the deadly disease and now shows symptoms of it.

Winfrey reportedly is fighting now to save the second puppy’s life. Emergency clinic veterinarians, whom Fasseas accused of being greedy, have fought round the clock to help Winfrey to try to save the two puppies.

PAWS recently completed a luxurious $9 million shelter to house only 20-plus animals in separate rooms, tour guides report. Crystal chandeliers adorn the lobby, and fund-raisers are diamond-studded black-tie affairs. It’s a pretty cushy set-up, and the PAWS board has been very successful in attracting large donations from wealthy people and companies. PAWS is known for taking the most desirable and easily adoptable dogs from local animal shelters, and then putting them up for adoption. So-called donations to purchase a puppy from PAWS reportedly range upward from $200.

Unfortunately, the PAWS staff and Fasseas apparently haven’t learned the basics of disease management and prevention in an animal shelter with a constant turnover of dogs from many different sources, and the puppies and Winfrey have paid the price.

It also is ironic that Fasseas has been critical of private breeders, commercial kennels and pet stores for allegedly selling many puppies that are seriously ill. Fasseas echoes animal rights movement propaganda that people who raise dogs sacrifice their dogs’ health for money and profit.

It is tragically ironic that Winfrey also has adopted this HSUS stance, and a special report she aired last year on “puppy mills” pointed to the disease allegations and touted rescue programs as a preferred alternative.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance has documented the trail of the sick puppies to Winfrey’s doorstep. This is the way the story unfolded.

Angela M. Brown, a Chicago woman who is active in the rescue movement, obtained an American cocker spaniel bitch from a relative in South Carolina. The dog was in poor shape, and Brown soon realized that the dog was pregnant.

Weeks later, eleven puppies were born. Brown took great care of the bitch and her puppies, and appears to have done everything right. One of the puppies died at a vey young age, three were adopted to private parties, and seven were relinquished to the PAWS shelter “in mid February when they were 9 weeks old,” according to the rescuer’s website.

Winfrey obtained one of those puppies from the PAWS shelter. She named the precious female puppy “Sadie,” and introduced her on the Oprah Show. Sadie apparently did not have parvovirus, but Winfrey reported that she was up all night with the puppy the day after she obtained it from the PAWS shelter. She said the puppy had “a little virus.”

Winfrey fell in love with Sadie and asked to adopt a second puppy, which was a male named Ivan. Ivan and some of his littermates appeared on the Oprah Show on March 6.

But Ivan came down with a serious illness at some point after Winfrey took him home, and she rushed him to an emergency veterinary clinic. Ivan was diagnosed with parvovirus and died last night. The disease is most often fatal to young puppies, which are very susceptible if they are exposed to it. Parvovirus is highly contagious and is spread very easily.

Based on the dates when the puppies were relinquished to PAWS and the appearance of the remaining littermates on the Oprah Show, it would appear that the puppies were exposed to parvovirus at the PAWS shelter. They would have clearly been at the PAWS shelter during the incubation period for the deadly disease.

During this period, PAWS personnel brought some remaining littermates to the Oprah Show for exposure to a national audience. As it turned out, at least some of the remaining littermates were infected with parvovirus. The infected puppies also came into contact with other guests on the show, and possibly with show staff members and people in the audience.

Winfrey’s beloved Sadie also was exposed to the litter on the TV show, and reportedly came down with the disease. Sadie’s fate remains uncertain.

It is not known if any of the puppies were vaccinated against parvovirus at the PAWS shelter, or if they were isolated from the general population of dogs. These are standard disease prevention and management practices for young puppies with undeveloped immune systems.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance offers our prayers for the speedy and full recovery of Sadie, and also for the continuation of the fine work done by many Chicago rescue and sheltering programs, which are among the finest in the nation. Our hearts go out to Winfrey.

Here is an example of the animal rights movement propaganda that is published on the PAWS website: “Inhumane ‘backyard breeders’ have found a profit-center in exploiting pets that are often used in dogfighting, other illegal activities or simply given up when no longer wanted…Many backyard breeders keep pets in inhumane conditions and are not registered or inspected. This ordinance will require registration of breeders and a mechanism to monitor that breeders engage in safe and humane practices.”

We have found that people who live in glass houses should be careful about throwing stones.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents owners, breeders and professionals who work with breeds of dogs that are used for hunting. We also welcome people who work with other breeds, as legislative issues affect all of us. We are a grassroots movement working to protect the rights of dog owners, and to assure that the traditional relationships between dogs and humans maintains its rightful place in American society and life.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance also needs your help so that we can continue to work to protect the rights of dog owners. Your membership, participation and support are truly essential to the success of our mission. We are funded solely by your donations in order to maintain strict independence.

Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org Our email is asda@csonline.net .

PLEASE CROSS-POST AND FORWARD THIS REPORT TO YOUR FRIENDS

The American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org

Kangee @ 8 weeks old

WARNING - these pictures contain optimum cuteness. Beware!!

GSPs and other hunting dogs looking for homes

http://web.me.com/msalyers/GSP_Rescue/Home.html

Out of Missouri. A very sad story for the owner. Hopefully they'll be able to find good homes for all the animals!!

Samoyeds Looking for a Home

I haven't verified this information, but it came from a reliable source. Please crosspost as you see fit:

There are 7 pure-bred female Samoyeds who need a "forever home" because their owner/breeder, Cathy Pendleton, is losing her battle with breast cancer. She can no longer care for her dogs and has been moved to Hospice after being in the hospital for a week.

I'm giving this a wider distribution than usual, so some of you may receive it more than once. Even though you may not be on a "rescue" group email, I'm including you in the hopes that you can forward on to the widest distribution so that these girls all have a chance to find the perfect new home. The dogs are in the Atlanta , GA , area, but they will allow them to be adopted out of state.

All the owner/breeder wants is for all of these girls to get good homes. Currently, they are not wanting to place any of the dogs in foster care because they are trying to move the dogs only once. My understanding is that the older animals have been spayed. Because she is a breeder, the younger dogs are not spayed; however the new family would need to have the dog spayed if she is less than seven years (The dogs range in age from 1.5 years to more senior dogs.)

One look at their picture (below) shows how extraordinarily beautiful these dogs are. (I count 8 in the picture, but perhaps one has been placed already.) All are healthy and well cared for, up to date on shots, heartworm, flea treatment, etc. The new "forever" home will need to have a fenced yard with sufficient space for an active dog. The folks who are placing the Samoyeds for the owner may do a home visit either before, after, or both to ensure that the dog and their new family are a good fit.

If you think you might be interested after reading Velvet's email (below), her contact info is v.a.simmons@ att.net.

Thanks for giving this the widest distribution possible. Following is the email from the lady who is managing the adoption of these 7 lovely ladies.

MJ

Charity Scrapbook Package for Australian Brushfire

The wonderful talents of 34 creative designers have combined to create a mega kit of scrapbooking designs, the proceeds of which will be contributed to the victims of the Australian Brush Fires. Check it out:

http://digilovers-addiction.blogspot.com/2009/02/are-you-ready-for-big-surprise.html

Top Ten Reasons Why Your Pet May Be Itching

Top Ten Reasons Why Your Pet May Be Itching
by Cynthia Holley-Connolly - Staff Writer, Only Natural Pet Store

Itching is one of the most unpleasant sensations imaginable - and a cat's or dog's never-ending scratching, biting, and licking can seem nearly as aggravating. Watching your pet suffer with a chronic itch is an all-too-common experience facing pet parents these days. If your pet is constantly shaking their head, or scratching, rubbing, chewing or licking some area of skin, you can bet that there's likely some agonizing itching going on. Left untreated, areas of itchy skin become vulnerable to damage from your pet's scratching or licking, to hot spots (areas of oozing, dry or inflamed skin), and even to secondary infections from bacteria. What may be causing the itch, and what can you do about it?

We've compiled a list of the top ten itch-causing factors and some suggestions on what you can do to help your pet escape from that irritating itch. Before your pet is tearing up their skin, pulling out their fur, or forced to wear a cone-shaped (Elizabethan) collar, consider these common causes of itchiness in pets and work with your vet to get your pet some relief:

1. Poor Quality Diet - We're not talking about food allergies here (more on that shortly). A surprising factor underlying a vast number of allergic itch reactions is simply a poor quality diet that inadequately nourishes a cat or dog. As we always say, a good diet is the foundation of good health. Even the best medication won't eliminate allergic skin reactions when your pet's immune system is unable to function properly due to lack of nutrients. If you're still feeding a grocery store, veterinarian prescribed or commercial chain pet store food, we urge you to read our article, "What You Need to Know About Your Pet's Food," check the label on your companion's food package, and find a natural food for your cat or dog. A good daily multivitamin is a great way to enhance the nutrient levels your pet gets each day as well.

*****************

For the rest of the story, see their web site!

Rescue Remedy Pastilles now SAFE!!!

Happy to report that when I checked the ingredients for the pastilles today, that they no longer have xylitol as one of the ingredients. Bach responded to feedback and they have reformulated their products, once again preserving the integrity that makes them safe for ALL of their customers :)

Kangee @ 7 weeks old

This was created for another challege at www.godigitalscrapbooking.com. The challenge was journaling and I also did a scraplift (where you find a layout you like and use it as the basis of how you place your elements.

Kangee is now 6 weeks old and full of vinegar. He is biting everything in his path to try out his puppy teeth. I gave him a limb from a bush yesterday and he was in heaven! He almost discovered shoelaces yesterday, but the unsuspecting victim moved their foot in the nick of time while I distracted him to something else.

Here is a picture of his mom. Check out the distinguished pedigree!!

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/401089.html

Vet Bills

When it rains, it pours. It all started about 6 weeks ago with Rizzo the pug getting attacked in the back yard. She had some serious wounds on the underside of her chest and was found close to dead in the back yard one winter day when the temperatures were low. She was rushed to the vet and made an amazing recovery, but required sedation on two different days and multiple stitches. The at-home care was rigorous for a few weeks as necrotic tissue disappeared and her body began the rebuilding process. Her wounds required flushing several times per day, but she was a good sport.

And to top it all off, the security cameras weren't at the correct angle to pick up what happened and it was a mystery what happened to her, but unfortunately all indicators pointed to Yoshi, the older german shepherd female we opened our home to when she was retired from breeding at her former residence. Yoshi is an incredible dog, worth her weight in gold, and very non-confrontational, so why the attack? After 3 years of peaceful living?

A week later, we noticed two masses on Yoshi's abdomen that were very tender to the touch. They weren't there two weeks prior, so that would explain the attack if she had been under the weather while these were developing. A preliminary visit to the vet with x-rays to see if it was cancer and perhaps if it were widespread indicated that the removal of the masses might be sufficient. So she underwent a mass removal and spay. Her body looks horrible with all the stitches and a big drain tube coming out of her abdomen, but her eyes are bright. She seems happy and very thankful to be on the other side of that procedure.

In between this, we took in a german shepherd puppy who was rejected by his mother at birth. He had some huge obstacles to overcome, including battling a systemic staph infection, being bottle fed, and the loss of one of his feet. He was the runt and is still far too tiny for his age of 4 weeks, but he is strong and vibrant, with a great appetite and is developing on course other than size. He's been into the vet at least 6 times in all this, getting his paw re-wrapped with bandages and being on anti-biotics.

Back to Yoshi, on day 3 of her post-spay care, we went through the two-man procedure to administer her medications. When she doesn't want to open up her mouth, there aren't many who can make her and successfully get medicine down her. And she was too nauseous to fall for the ole "wrap it in hamburger" trick. So on that morning, two of us got the anti-biotics and the rimadyl in her, but then were distracted and walked away from the scene of the crime, for which we paid dearly later.

That same day, coming home for lunch, it was discovered that 5 pugs had opened up the rimadyl (left on the coffee table) and scarfed it down. The culprit gave himself up when he started puking all over the sofa. He was rushed to the vet for 2 days of IV's because rimadyl can cause liver damage.

So roughly $2000 later, I hope we're done going to the vet several times a week. I almost refused the rimadyl because I have some great natural pain relievers that don't have harmful side effects. Wish I would have followed my gut!!

I'm just glad that everyone is ok and on the mend. But man, I need a vacation...

Fabio's scrapbook page

The scrapbooking challenges at godigitalscrapbooking.com have been keeping me busy. It's so much fun to relax at the computer, putting pieces of beautiful artwork together in new and creative ways. The best part is that I can walk away from the project and there's not a whole table that has to be dedicated to scrapbooking stuff!!

Here's the latest with Fabio made up primarily with pieces from the Plumbago Kit and the February Collaboration Kit.

More Scrapbook pages

Can you tell I'm having fun with the new digital scrapbooking pages?

The elements, papers, etc. for these pages came from the designers at godigitalscrapbooking.com

New page for Gator

This was made for a challenge to learn how to blend a photo into the background. All paper and elements are from various artists online, none are original creations.

There is a lot of meaning to the word where this little guy is concerned. Maybe one day his whole story will be posted. He's a brave little soul, with lots of (hutzpah?).

More pictures of Buzka & Fabio's puppies

Buzka's mom sent me more pictures of the cutie patooties today. She said both the boys are chunks. Big balls of pure luvin. Check 'em out.

Digital Scrapbooking fun

More fun with scrapbooking. The layout with Kangee is a template and paper kit from No Reimer Reason at www.godigitalscrapbooking.com and was the product of a challenge to do a multiple photo layout.
Jolene's is also from a challenge on the same site from speedscrapping night, but using a paper pack from www.shabbyprincess.com called Promise.

Puppy Updates

This little guy has lots of obstacles to overcome, but he has a team of knowledgeable folks on his side.

Temporarily, until a permanent name is found, we've been calling him Kangee which means raven in one of the native american tongues. Here is a picture of Kangee's older sister from a different litter.

Little GSD puppy needs some extra TLC

Over the night of January 6th, Allie & Axel (belonging to friends) welcomed their litter into the world. Among them was a little baby that was smaller than the rest and wasn't getting the same attention as his siblings. When he was about 12 hours old, the breeder called to say that it wasn't going to make it, the mother wasn't caring for it. When I got there, the little guy was separated from the other puppies, cold and weak, and hadn't yet been stimulated to release his first elimination.

I scooped him up, put him in my shirt primarily for body temperature, but also so he could feel the love. Once he got his temperature up and some food in him, he started getting stronger and stronger. This little guy has a bright future ahead of him. Once he's doing well, he's going to a home that is custom-made for him. They've been waiting for a male german shepherd puppy and it will be a perfect fit.

Fabio & Buzka's pups

Buzka and Fabio had their puppies at the end of November. I got to visit with the of the pups a couple of weeks ago and they were absolutely precious. The parents are in the top picture, the little apricot male was sleeping in my lap, and the little fawn girl and fawn boy were with their mom in the final picture. The boys are sweet and lazy, perfect cuddlers. The little girl is sassy and bossy and already tells the boys what to do. They are absolutely beautiful!

Merry Christmas from the Dogs

Clydesdale Budweiser Commercials

They have some of the best commercials! Some will make you laugh, others made me cry. Someone sent me links to this collection of commercials and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Streaker


Foal


Snowball Fight


9/11 Respect


And the Clydesdale Donkey
I must be emotional today - even this one made me teary-eyed.

Cats keep lost boy warm

MISIONES, Argentina, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Argentine police say a destitute 1-year-old boy was kept alive by a colony of stray cats who shared food scraps and kept him warm in the city of Misiones.

The boy, who had been missing for several days, was found by Police Officer Lorean Lindgvist, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday

"The boy was lying at the bottom of a gutter. There were all these cats on top of him licking him because he was really dirty," Lindgvist said. "When I walked over they became really protective and spat at me. They were keeping the boy warm while he slept."

Lindgvist said she noticed scraps of food near the boy and surmised "the cats knew he was fragile and needed protecting," the Telegraph reported, noting doctors said the warmth of the cats saved the boy during freezing nights that could have killed him.

The boy's father, who is homeless, said his son vanished several days ago and that cats had always been protective of the boy, Lindgvist said.

Christmas Tree Woes

The three calamities I expected with the Christmas tree this year (animals eating tinsel, ornaments breaking, tree tipping) have amazingly not occured. But in an house with dogs, cats and toddlers, the poor Christmas tree is still suffering its fair share of mishaps this year.

This past summer was one of the worst we've had for fleas in Ohio, and during the worst of it, the pugs learned that if they get underneath the decorative bushes by the deck, that they can rub their backs on the lowest branches. Oh, heaven! So when we put up the tree, they naturally thought we had installed an indoor back-scratcher just for them. It stinks when the branches pop out of the little holders and fall out. Kind of defeats the purpose. And it's even worse when the german shepherd puppy grabs said branches and takes off around the house with them, dragging streams of icicles, tinsel and ornaments behind her.

Now that the weather has turned cold, the cats have been training me to let them in and out. They enjoyed the fall weather outside so much that they don't want to return to a totally indoor experience, so they go out for a bit while the dogs use the potty, then they come back in, too. They also decided that the upstairs was too crowded with the toddlers, so they're trying to create a comfortable spot downstairs where everyone can live in peace and harmony.

Winter, the more sociable of the two, decided that any laundry pile or the master bed was good with her, and that's where she can usually be found. Luna, being more reclusive in nature, has gone through a number of hiding spots, but just hasn't found her niche. Until the tree went up. Turns out that the bottom two rows give too much (they're sagging very nicely now), but the third row from the bottom is just right. Not too weak and the branches not too far apart. It evidently makes a perfect perch and sleeping spot for a reclusive cat. To her credit, she somehow manages not to disturb the ornaments in her mount/dismount.

With the cats formerly living upstairs or outside, the dogs haven't been around either of the cats in a significant way for quite a while. So to help establish her place in the house, one day Winter hid on a chair and as unsuspecting pugs went by her, she smacked them with her paw. Didn't hurt them, but the sheer surprise of the sneak attack served its purpose and now the dogs don't know what's around the next bend of their formerly perfectly safe house.

Luna is totally black, so when she hides in the tree, there are very few dogs who know she's there. Last night, the german shepherd puppy was sleeping on the living room floor (a miracle in itself, with all that puppy energy) and the tree wiggled. Her head snapped up and it wiggled again. A threatening low growl was emitted at the same time Petunia came around the corner to find herself a cozy place to lay. When the tree wiggled a third time and more vigorously, Petunia jerked around, ran out of the living room with the german shepherd on her heels. No one wants to live with a haunted Christmas tree, you know.

Message from the Horses

Communicating with animals, and especially with the consciousness of the groups of animals can provide very profound information. Some gifted communicators have written books with information such as this. Here is an interesting excerpt.

From the Horses:
"This time in the Earth’s history will involve enormous changes in the vibration, and consequent consciousness and evolution of life on the planet. Within the next decade animals will be considered in a new light, as spiritual equals with rights and freedoms, with important gifts to contribute to the survival of L.I.F.E. (Love In Finite Expression) forever. Man has been struggling through the dark ages of their existence in matter. Human Mass Mind Consciousness, shaped by universal consensus i.e. TV, Radio, Newspapers, has been mired with an ego driven need to fight for and accumulate material possessions. Those possessions have made it increasingly difficult to find time to commune and connect on a spiritual level with the rest of life. All of creation except the majority of mankind has been holding the vibration of love which flows freely from the All when consciousness is open. Have you noticed recently that horses are everywhere inspiring a new understanding of their gifts as wise teachers and healers. Natural Horsemanship, Equine Facilitated Therapy and Therapeutic Riding are just the very beginnings of the possibilities in Horse/Human communication. Open your minds and hearts to the messages we send you and consider us not as pawns to be exploited and tamed but as messengers from heaven, here to guide you in the experience of oneness here on earth."

Liz Mitten Ryan
http://www.onewiththeherd.com
http://www.lizmittenryan.com

Otters holding hands

Scrapbook Page - Ellie's first litter (Jan 07)

Scrapbook Page - Ellie Litter 2

Scrapbook Page - Ellie 1

Jasper & the Unbaked Yeast Rolls

We have a fox terrier by the name of Jasper. He came to us in the summer of 2001 from the fox terrier rescue program. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this type of adoption, imagine taking in a 10-year-old child you know nothing about and committing to doing your best to be a good parent.

Five weeks ago we began remodeling our house. Although the cost of the project was downright obnoxious, it was 20 years overdue AND it got me out of cooking Thanksgiving dinner for family, extended family, and a lot of friends that I like more than family most of the time.

I was assigned the task of preparing 124 of my famous yeast dinner rolls for the two Thanksgiving feasts we did attend.

I am still mad at the electrician for getting the new oven hooked up so quickly. It was the only appliance in the whole house that worked, thus the assignment.

I made the decision to cook the rolls on Wednesday evening and to reheat Thursday morning. Since the kitchen was freshly painted, you can imagine the odor. Not wanting the rolls to smell like Sherwin Williams latex paint #586, I put the rolls on baking sheets and set them in the living room to rise for five hours.

After three hours, Perry and I decided to go out to eat, returning about an hour later. An hour after that, the rolls were ready to go into the oven.

It was 8:30 p.m. When I went to the living room to retrieve the pans, much to my shock, one whole pan of 12 rolls was empty. I called out to Jasper, and my worst nightmare became a reality. He literally wobbled over to me. He looked like a combination of the Pillsbury dough boy and the Michelin Tire man wrapped up in fur. He groaned when he walked. Even his cheeks were bloated.

I ran to the phone and called our vet. After a few seconds of uproarious laughter, he told me the dog would probably be OK; however, I needed to give him Pepto Bismol every two hours for the rest of the night.

Who knows why I thought a dog would like Pepto Bismol any more than my kids did when they were sick. Suffice it to say that by the time we went to bed, the dog was black, white, and pink. He was so bloated we had to lift him onto the bed for the night.

Naively thinking the dog would be all better by morning was very stupid on my part.

We arose at 7:30 and as we always do first thing, we put the dog out to take care of his business. Well, the dog was as drunk as a sailor on his first leave. He was running into walls, falling flat on his rear. Most of the time when he was walking, his front half was going one direction and the other half was either dragging the grass or headed 90 degrees in another direction. When he ran down the small incline in our back yard, he couldn't stop himself and nearly ended up running into the fence.

His pupils were dilated and he was as dizzy as a loon. I endured another few seconds of laughter from the vet (second call within 12 hours) before he explained that the yeast had fermented in his belly and that he was indeed drunk.

He assured me that, not unlike most binges we humans go through, it would wear off after about four or five hours. He then told me to keep giving the dog Pepto Bismol.

Afraid to leave Jasper by himself in the house, Perry and I loaded him up and took him with us to my sister's house for the first Thanksgiving meal of the day.

My sister lives outside of Muskogee on a ranch (a 10- to 15-minute drive). Rolls firmly secured in the trunk (124 less 12) and drunk dog leaning from the back seat onto the console of the car between Perry and me, we took off.

Now I know you probably don't believe that dogs burp, but believe me when I say that after eating a tray of risen unbaked yeast rolls, DOGS WILL BURP. These burps were pure Old Charter. They would have matched or beat any smell in a drunk tank at the police station. But that's not the worst of it.

Now he was beginning to pass gas and it smelled like baked rolls. We endured this for the entire trip to Karen's. We were thankful she didn't live any farther away than she did.

Once Jasper was firmly placed in my sister's garage with the door locked, we finally sat down to enjoy our first Thanksgiving meal of the day. The dog was the topic of conversation all morning long and everyone made trips to the garage to witness my drunken dog, each returning with a tale of Jasper's latest endeavor to walk without running into something. Of course, as the old adage goes, "What goes in must come out," and Jasper was no exception.

Granted if it had been me that had eaten 12 risen, unbaked yeast rolls, you might as well have put a concrete block up my behind, but alas a dog's digestive system is quite different from yours or mine. I discovered this was a mixed blessing when we prepared to leave Karen's house.

Having discovered his "packages" on the garage floor, we loaded him up in the car so we could hose down the floor.

This was another naive decision on our part. The blast of water from the hose hit the poop on the floor, and the poop on the floor withstood the blast from the hose. It was like Portland cement beginning to set up and cure.

We finally tried to remove it with a shovel. I (obviously no one else was going to offer their services) had to get on my hands and knees with a coarse brush to get the remnants off of the floor. And as if this wasn't degrading enough, the dog in his drunken state had walked through the poop and left paw prints all over the garage floor that had to be brushed too.

Well, by this time the dog was sobering up nicely, so we took him home and dropped him off before we left for our second Thanksgiving dinner at Perry's sister's house.

I am happy to report that as of today (Monday) the dog is back to normal, both in size and temperament. He has had a bath and is no longer tricolor. None the worse for wear, I presume. I am also happy to report that just this evening I found two risen unbaked yeast rolls hidden inside my closet door.

It appears he must have come to his senses after eating ten of them but decided hiding two of them for later would not be a bad idea. Now, I'm doing research on the computer: "How to clean unbaked dough from the carpet."

~Author Unknown~

Advice from a professional baker:

While its a cute story I need to point out that it is not accurate as
far as the danger of un baked dough. As a professional baker for 18
years and a dog owner I can tell you that had that really happened, it is
likely the dog would have died.
I only point this out so if your animals happen to eat yeast dough it
is very serious and they need to get it out of their stomach quickly.
My friends pug nearly died of a this from a bit of dough less than
the size of a golf ball.

If your dog eats dough call your vet. I'm the wet blanket on a cute
story.

M

The Dragonfly Story

The Dragonfly Story

Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in awhile one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily it gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more.

"Look!" said one of the water bugs to another. "one of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you think she is going?" Up, up, up it slowly went....Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited but it didn't return...

"That's funny!" said one water bug to another. "Wasn't she happy here?" asked a second... "Where do you suppose she went?" wondered a third.

No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its friends together. "I have an idea". "The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why."

"We promise", they said solemnly.

One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up, he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broke through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above.

When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn't believe what he saw. A startling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings...The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly!!

Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that he chanced to look below to the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends, the water bugs! There they were scurrying around, just as he had been doing some time before.

The dragonfly remembered the promise: "the next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went and why." Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water...

"I can't return!" he said in dismay. "At least, I tried. But I can't keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I'll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they'll understand what has happened to me, and where I went."

And the dragonfly winged off happily into its wonderful new world of sun and air.......

Thank you God, for the story of the water bugs and the dragonflies.

Please remember________who left the pond we live in...and remember me...

STICKNEY, D. (1997). Water Bugs and Dragonflies. Explaining Death To Young Children. The Pilgrim Press.

I rescued a human today

I rescued a human today.


Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels.


I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.


As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.


She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.


Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.


I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved.

At least I could save one.

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month

Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Senior Dog

1. Older dogs are house trained. You won't have to go through the difficult stage(s) of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping/cleaning up after accidents.

2. Older dogs are not teething puppies, and won't chew your shoes and furniture.

3. Older dogs can focus well because they've mellowed. Therefore, they learn quickly.

4. Older dogs have learned what "no" means. If they hadn't learned it, they wouldn't have gotten to be "older" dogs.

5. Older dogs settle in easily, because they've learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.

6. Older dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home. They are grateful for the second chance they've been given.

7. What You See Is What You Get: Unlike puppies, older dogs have grown into their shape and personality. Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.

8. Older dogs are instant companions -- ready for hiking, car trips, and other things you like to do.

9. Older dogs leave you time for yourself, because they don't make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.

10. Older dogs let you get a good night's sleep because they're accustomed to human schedules and don't generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.

Please save a life and adopt a senior pet today. If you're ready to bring home a senior pet, please visit the below links.

Pet Finder

The Grey Muzzle Organization

The Senior Dog Project

Old Dog Haven

Searches can also be done for the breed rescue of your choice (such as the Ohio Pug Rescue) and, of course, your local humane society. Often older dogs never make it out because people want younger dogs who will be with their families for a while longer.

Also, please take time to make provisions for your animals if something were to happen to you so that they don't end up in a hopeless situation.

Veronica addresses a pet who has died

www.innerwhispers.net

Dear Veronica,


We adopted a precious pit bull puppy about thirteen years ago. He was a wonderful dog and everyone who knew him adored him. He recently died of what we think was just old age. He didn't like being alone, he was quite sociable. We are heart broken and want to know if he is with either mine or my husband's family on the other side and if he knew we were trying to help him by giving him medicine.


Also, he was quite large and striking, white with a brindle right eye and ear. Since his death, there has been a large white bird with dark markings that comes to our house and flies over, sits in the tree, sits on the fence and chirps, and I wonder if it could be a sign from him. We've never seen a bird like this before and we've always had a busy bird feeder. I did get a good photograph of him.
-Karen

Dear Karen,


The dog is neither with your husband's family nor your own (on the other side). He is free and taking shape close to your own family. Since he felt such closeness to both of you he decided to keep his energy close. The bird was an easy mark and coincided with the freedom he sought from a malfunctioning body that no longer served him. He remembered a moment of envy when he saw birds flying by and sought to have the experience for himself.

He seeks another body that will make its way to you. That is why he chose a bird, to be able to see all opportunity. He is your buddy and wishes to stay with you. Seek a moment where you will let a newer version of himself to you.
He awaits the opportunity. He is not finished being with you!


He will fly until the moment serves him. He knew quite well how much you loved him. You did not want him to go and he knew it. He will return to you. Be watchful.

-VERONICA

April's Editor's Note: Pets, particularly dogs and cats can "blend" with other pets to hang around or visit after they "die". They also reincarnate and return to the same family more often then most people might suppose. Some of April's clients have had remarkable experiences with this... as have we.

Rescue Remedy Pastilles now SAFE!!!

Upset that such a trusted company could produce something that could potentially cause harm in a dog, I wrote the company, as I'm sure many others did. I heard back that the product wasn't recommended for dogs and that they would forward the information on to marketing. Out of curiosity, in Feb of 2009, I became curious and looked up the ingredients for the pastilles. A huge thumbs up to Bach for reformulating their pastilles, making them safe for ALL their potential clients, and for restoring the integrity of their products. I'm so relieved and appreciative!!

Here was the original warning:

Bach, the manufacturer of rescue remedy, has released a candy that is sweetened with xylitol. For those who don't know, xylitol is toxic to dogs. The original liquid formula is fine for your furry friends, but please avoid the candy version. Xylitol is also commonly found in chewing gum, so please keep this safely out of your dog's reach, as well.

http://www.oes.org/page2/12235~No_xylitol_for_dogs.html
http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/42372/5700515133048530975.html

RIP Coconut Jar

This morning it became apparent that it was time to put our friend, the Coconut Oil Jar, to rest. This jar has been one of our best friends during it's time here with us.

Our relationship started with an innocent comment or a link somewhere to the benefits of coconut oil. What? An anti-biotic and anti-fungal all in one? I was sure we could use some of this for something or another. I bought a jar on faith that it would be used and find its purpose.

Well, it found many purposes. The first of note was Gator's tearstains. After learning that tearstains were a sign of candida, an internal bacterial imbalance, I began to do what I could to restore the proper bacterial balance and used the coconut oil externally on the tearstains. It worked like a champ! The first application would soften the brown areas and make them very easy to remove in subsequent applications.

From there, we moved to putting it on hotspots, or other dry, patchy areas of skin. Occassionally it would find its way to a dry nose or a scrape or two.

But no matter where the oil was used, the dogs' favorite use was as a treat. Whenever the Jar was pulled out, everyone would gather around for a fingernail full of the fluffy white stuff. It quickly became one of their alltime favorites.

It wasn't long before the Jar taught them other things. Like how to steal it, even though it was far too big for a pug to carry. Then they learned how to remove the srew-top lid which truly resolved the carrying issue now that they could simply grab the rim of the Jar.

After learning how to remove the lid, it wound up on my bed mysteriously missing coconut oil down to the depth of a pug tongue. With getting past that hurdle, it lasted for quite some time afterwards since I was the only one who could reach down deep enough to get out more oil. It didn't prevent them from carrying it around and stealing it from each other. Finding the coconut jar was a chore at times, but fortunately the majority of the time it would end up back on the bed before I needed it again.

The Jar was one of their best friends. They didn't get depressed or give up in frustration that they couldn't reach the oil. No, they carried it around with awe and respect. The possessor would laud it over the have-nots. It would inspire a rousing game of chase. And they would lovingly and gently chew all around the rim of the plastic jar to the point where it was hopeless to ever reconsider putting the lid back on.

Yes, it was a beloved member of the family. Recently, though, we have been scraping bottom. Just yesterday they all got treats of coconut oil as they sat around me with bright and excited eyes. I figured it would only last a couple more days, so imagine my surprise when I woke this morning to find the jar absolutely empty.

It seems in a farewell to our family, it gave them one last lesson on life. Use your paw to get to the bottom. One of my beautiful, intelligent companions has figured out how to use her paw to scrape the bottom of the coconut jar to retrieve the last tasty morsels.

Farewell, our friend. May you find yourself recycled into the plastic of your dreams.

Right Now - relaxing

Positive Pause has created a beautiful slide show that is very relaxing.

Right Now.

Upside down dogs!

Check it out the webpage.


And one of the cutest cuties ever - here's a pug!

5 Major Myths About Raw Food Diets - Only Natural Pet Store

This information was in the most recent Only Natural Pet Store newsletter.

Store Site

All About Raw Food

Why the Staff Feeds Raw

10% off Nature's Variety Raw Medallions until October 30, 2008!


Five Major Myths About Raw Food Diets

1. It's Too Expensive – We firmly believe that feeding cheap dog food is a case of being “penny-wise and pound foolish.” A steady diet of cheap commercial dog food is strongly linked to poor canine health, often resulting in costly and hard-to-treat health problems as dogs age. What is really the more cost-effective option? You can spend a bit more for a high quality diet now, or pay dearly later on in terms of vet bills and your dog’s potentially painful and debilitating health problems.

2. Raw Food Is Risky – Generally speaking, the risk of getting sick from eating raw meat doesn’t apply to dogs. As did their ancestors, our canine companions have a shorter GI tract, and produce powerful digestive juices to digest and assimilate raw food and handle any bacteria it may contain. The bacteria that may be present in all raw meats (intended for human or pet consumption) do not usually cause health problems for dogs. In fact, a raw food diet is known to improve the health of most companion animals.

3. It’s All or Nothing – Many people mistakenly believe that feeding raw is an all or nothing deal, but this is not true! If cost or convenience is a challenge, you can choose to feed raw half time, or even just a few times a week. Your dog can benefit greatly from the high-potency nourishment that raw food delivers. Raw food is the natural choice for dogs, and even occasional raw food for your dog can improve their health and longevity.

4. Dogs Don’t Really Like Raw – It’s true that dogs (like us humans) can be creatures of habit, and dogs that turn up their noses at raw food are most likely responding to its “differentness” rather than the nature of the food. Also, dogs that free feed (have 24 hour access to kibble), or those that routinely eat commercial foods laden with artificial taste- and aroma-enhancing ingredients may have lost their natural sense of appetite and instinctive desire for healthy food. Dogs, like people, can get addicted to "junk" food. Given healthier food, many dogs learn to appreciate the vitality a raw diet gives them.

5. It's Too Much of a Hassle – When compared to the convenience of tossing some dry food into a bowl for our dogs, feeding a raw food diet is admittedly a bit more work. But with the convenient portions available in frozen prepared raw food diets, a bit of preparation (i.e., taking the time to transfer food from freezer to fridge to thaw) doesn’t add much to the food prep time. Today’s raw food diets take no more effort than you take handling raw meat to prepare meals for your human family members, and honestly, isn’t your dog worth the extra effort?

Raw Transitioning & Trial Tips

If raw food seems like a good idea, but you worry that your dog won’t take to a raw food diet, read on! The benefits of a raw food diet can be astounding, and if you make the commitment and persevere, your dog can greatly benefit from your efforts. Here are some tips to get you started:

Take Your Time – Incorporating raw food into your dog's diet is a big step, and your dog’s digestive system and palate need time to adjust to the change. Plan to transition your pet over a 2-4 week timeframe, depending on how picky your dog is and the state of their health. Gradually increase the proportions of new to old food so your dog’s system has time to adjust.

Taste Test First – You don’t have to go all out and buy pre-packaged raw dog food from the get-go! Try giving your dog a small bit of raw meat when you are preparing meat for family meals - this can give you an idea of how receptive your dog may be to a raw food diet. Try different meats and see if your dog has a preference. Often a dog that dislikes raw beef will take to raw turkey or chicken.

Whet Your Pet’s Appetite – If your dog is used to free feeding (having dry food left out all day), start by cutting back to two or three meals per day. This is healthier for your dog’s digestive system, and will increase your dog’s appetite - and usually, their willingness to try whatever you put down at meal time. You can also try adding a tasty “topper” to encourage your dog to try something new.

Take Baby Steps – Especially for picky dogs, a change to raw food can be a huge adjustment. Start out slow, and try mixing a bit of raw meat into your dog’s usual canned food or kibble. Many dogs will accept raw food more easily if you warm it up, or even cook it lightly first by pan searing the outside to release the aroma. Over time, you can cook it less until your dog accepts it raw. Keep trying - the results are worth it!

Raw food can enhance your dog’s quality of life and overall health, and help them live a longer life. It’s easy to take our dogs for granted, and investing in a raw food diet is one of the best ways to give back to your dog for all of the love they give you every day.

Judge OKs $24M for cats, dogs sickened by pet food

For those whose pets were affected by the pet food recalls

http://www.komonews.com/news/national/30981739.html

Trying to get to sleep?

This is not my house, but might as well be. Yes, it takes them forever to get to bed at night because the bed is the softest and bestest place to wrestle, you know :) Add in Petunia burrowing under the covers and Rizzo destroying the paperback novel after the lights go out, and you pretty much know how it is going to bed around here, too! I love how they disappeared and she had to go get them out of trouble about halfway through.

Challenger the bald eagle

Training suggestions for an aggressive/barking dog

Cross posted (with permission) from a forum where someone was asking for help with their dog (modified to remove names):

---------------------

The most effective approach is a multi-faceted one.

One suggestion I have is to have a TTouch Practioner do a couple of sessions with you, your sons and the dog. The process works on the basis on the fear in gentle and soft techniques. The public library also has books and videos you can watch and the techniques are simple to learn. www.ttouch.com

Second, I would highly recommned "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons and it will show you how to step by step retrain your dog to first desensitize, then even appreciate your boys. The clicker acts on the amygdala in the brain to calm the dog.

Third, exercise for high drive dogs always helps. By exercise, I mean 40 min 2x a day that gets her heart rate up. Chasing a ball, swimming, steady roughhousing with other dogs, running beside a bicycle etc. This will provide an outlet for excess energy and the chemicals released by the brain has a calming effect.

Regardless of what techniques you choose, it will be a long haul and there are always setbacks. We have had ours (also a recue) a year tomorrow and unexpected fear issues still pop up every now and then. I have been working several times daily training and socializing her at any venue in town to make her a dog anyone would be proud to own. She has made huge strides in her comfort level with "in your face strangers" and dogs off leash but odd sounds in the forest still freak her out.

Good luck!

Donna & Jessie

PS. We have been working Jessie through Sue Aislby's free on-line training program and it's awesome! It provides a step by step process of how to train useful behaviors for a family dog. Once Jasmine is starting to be more comfortable with the boys, they can be a part of the training which will help with changing her view of them and bonding.

http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/%20Dog1/levels.html

From a fellow pug @ YouTube - Max the Pug Sings!