tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11687493175195551472024-03-05T04:11:55.938-07:00Hot DiggityBeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-81804665256591170782011-06-08T19:43:00.012-06:002011-06-10T10:57:32.187-06:00Watching you shine bright, I'll wave goodbye tonight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmApbOWdiWOoKkvUy1FAMA7lPd6K1qSQDbKv-JRuk7oj6oGGMJ3rny9WH-Dn5bKD2kqbdKB20iXPSsKF-3Z6ZUdpGp5HDJaAVebwfgbbNzyjgCXFucQymafv5XEv2XQmSYR5ucWZPa6c/s1600/225471_152055361531445_151783591558622_298760_5176424_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmApbOWdiWOoKkvUy1FAMA7lPd6K1qSQDbKv-JRuk7oj6oGGMJ3rny9WH-Dn5bKD2kqbdKB20iXPSsKF-3Z6ZUdpGp5HDJaAVebwfgbbNzyjgCXFucQymafv5XEv2XQmSYR5ucWZPa6c/s320/225471_152055361531445_151783591558622_298760_5176424_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616039678768562946" /></a><br /><br />I know each and every animal cruelty story is equally as gut wrenching and unbelievable, but sometimes certain ones weigh heavier on your heart for unexplained reasons.<br /><br />I've been following the story of a dog called "Star". Star was found buried alive and had been shot in the head 40 times. I first learned of her about two weeks ago and even though she was not my dog, nor did I know her personally in any way, my heart felt like it broke in two after reading the following article.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1391408/Star-dog-buried-alive-face-shot-40-times-head.html"><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Is this the worst case of animal cruelty ever?</span></span></a><br /><br />I watched the video of Star at the bottom of that article and saw such defeat and brokenness in her gentle eyes. Still, her rescuers remained hopeful that she would survive and it wasn't long before she gained a huge following on her Facebook page, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/StarOurHope">Star: The dog who lived</a><br /><br />However, tonight I read an update that made my heart break all over again for this undeserving little soul.<br /><br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">It is with great sadness that we just discovered that beautiful Star has passed away. We had such hope after she had been found and seemed to be surviving. R.I.P. Beautiful Girl. Let us hope that she gets justice and they find who had abused her. If anyone is in Malta, please spread the word for Star.</span>"<br /><br />Star was appropriately named! If only she knew how much of a bright spot she was to thousands of people whose hearts were saddened, but at the same time, inspired by her; just like mine was. If only she knew how many people were rooting for her and happy that she was "shining" even after enduring such vicious and completely unjustified treatment.<br /><br />For everything that she suffered through, and for the millions of dogs that are abused in similar ways each year, Star simply has to be our dog of the month this June/July. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Well this is not your fault<br />And if you have to go<br />Well always know that you shine brighter than anyone does<br />-Paramore</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCg5GVcin4JYa4LMw72A4fXhKm6BEwiiF-LoviUqp8Nb1se8VzTKHuF6xsDkKa4hnz8dQ1ZmxPnZ4tpOtq2buv9UrKoH4_wwElWSDSmF9ZZbBSDKh550DfeehFsLb8-WJqAzNOfkbT-RA/s1600/254001_153567108046937_151783591558622_307852_225752_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCg5GVcin4JYa4LMw72A4fXhKm6BEwiiF-LoviUqp8Nb1se8VzTKHuF6xsDkKa4hnz8dQ1ZmxPnZ4tpOtq2buv9UrKoH4_wwElWSDSmF9ZZbBSDKh550DfeehFsLb8-WJqAzNOfkbT-RA/s320/254001_153567108046937_151783591558622_307852_225752_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616039854696520226" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(Hot Diggity does not take credit for any photos used in this post)</span>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-84217656272503373092011-05-22T11:33:00.001-06:002011-05-22T11:38:55.519-06:00Nameless has been named<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFg85z5oxqCoWMl7hpuhfJq5aSRqobmRSgIm0e0d7soCq6dD46KIuEljdyIo7dMIf8IiW2QGEdstSpXRGCUOEO-jRuX_P7QzeELGw0kY_u6Wqla7aosUGHLCqFRIdANJnduv0CsY_kbE4/s1600/222493_10150177171223028_779718027_6731593_7652369_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFg85z5oxqCoWMl7hpuhfJq5aSRqobmRSgIm0e0d7soCq6dD46KIuEljdyIo7dMIf8IiW2QGEdstSpXRGCUOEO-jRuX_P7QzeELGw0kY_u6Wqla7aosUGHLCqFRIdANJnduv0CsY_kbE4/s320/222493_10150177171223028_779718027_6731593_7652369_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609250277632461714" /></a><br /><br />Last month we featured a yet to be named Russell Terrier puppy as <a href="http://dee-oh-gee.blogspot.com/2011/04/puppy-of-month.html">April's Dog of the Month.</a> Well, her owner Elizabeth Bundy wrote to let us know that she now has a name...<span style="font-weight:bold;">"Willow"</span>! I just love the name and of course love any excuse to post pictures of puppies on the blog.<br /><br />Willow living (and clearly loving) life at her new home...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliaOb1lTrd39W5FnUznKAC93jCnpcpmNI9qBqd6_Rt9cEo-HezajXCdsAbkX6Yie2uvi3wadjDEc1T6YujexSTsFg9YtdXT3yw137dGVImbsWgGBfpS7af6Ge6BnrtbnVbh2p9puFJhM/s1600/230405_10150177164418028_779718027_6731548_7450451_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliaOb1lTrd39W5FnUznKAC93jCnpcpmNI9qBqd6_Rt9cEo-HezajXCdsAbkX6Yie2uvi3wadjDEc1T6YujexSTsFg9YtdXT3yw137dGVImbsWgGBfpS7af6Ge6BnrtbnVbh2p9puFJhM/s320/230405_10150177164418028_779718027_6731548_7450451_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609253860345568242" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MHNiimHdc2jLthGL6g_zaFej27u37TYpkKG4ijzEP-Tt-W1LcGpACJWq_otxLSaowAzv5zNlsgv4O5rNCHqS-QaGkLJ50l9ZXaFEwxmkpfdoCJRyK5VISZJKKv6WzScxhaYPtY5p6pk/s1600/227235_10150177166853028_779718027_6731566_2115429_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MHNiimHdc2jLthGL6g_zaFej27u37TYpkKG4ijzEP-Tt-W1LcGpACJWq_otxLSaowAzv5zNlsgv4O5rNCHqS-QaGkLJ50l9ZXaFEwxmkpfdoCJRyK5VISZJKKv6WzScxhaYPtY5p6pk/s320/227235_10150177166853028_779718027_6731566_2115429_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609251222576014482" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXNeCq7H7ZDvKPWJqf3aad-OvoclrHCYYo-uf_8sLSA9LC5PC7_MQkxWs9Lvivth7pgSRPcR8OlIO9jHm9LDj13ELMFLy0ldsIXhFFkydpJbyR5-DlszNvUoR1ljJmg7T-Ds8UrM4l2Q/s1600/228205_10150177166473028_779718027_6731559_1178766_n-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXNeCq7H7ZDvKPWJqf3aad-OvoclrHCYYo-uf_8sLSA9LC5PC7_MQkxWs9Lvivth7pgSRPcR8OlIO9jHm9LDj13ELMFLy0ldsIXhFFkydpJbyR5-DlszNvUoR1ljJmg7T-Ds8UrM4l2Q/s320/228205_10150177166473028_779718027_6731559_1178766_n-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609251378715126242" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR1DHvaZYrJ3miO64dnAq9jKHbumYC-nqDc6IUTyVA190UnwktO-iraGzrPbmpUxfxeHNv2LEmklkcqBb3QcatjgmaA6gh7aouU8DofxSmmO3V9dlAjehMCBqE3Ux0IcXnqNvStZ4ISQ/s1600/228575_10150177170923028_779718027_6731587_6424329_n-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLR1DHvaZYrJ3miO64dnAq9jKHbumYC-nqDc6IUTyVA190UnwktO-iraGzrPbmpUxfxeHNv2LEmklkcqBb3QcatjgmaA6gh7aouU8DofxSmmO3V9dlAjehMCBqE3Ux0IcXnqNvStZ4ISQ/s320/228575_10150177170923028_779718027_6731587_6424329_n-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609251432186399634" /></a><br /><br />Willow with her "big sister", Kuma (Jack Russell Terrier) and "cousin", Roxy (Pug)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkJGjBtsRnOtndetIApg6Hdr0rSlgAFd3Mgo5Z7_mu-JL5HBrgMn-fXyOqQXDa7TPLkxrjJk9pcsEbbY6n-K8DS6Guu0fBHvTgtpVwz4BTdLof0a43qOBdUVPmtanBcCj-d_3jY451r4/s1600/227821_10150186352828028_779718027_6807459_1141131_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkJGjBtsRnOtndetIApg6Hdr0rSlgAFd3Mgo5Z7_mu-JL5HBrgMn-fXyOqQXDa7TPLkxrjJk9pcsEbbY6n-K8DS6Guu0fBHvTgtpVwz4BTdLof0a43qOBdUVPmtanBcCj-d_3jY451r4/s320/227821_10150186352828028_779718027_6807459_1141131_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609251488604919010" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1Hnx27q7BHEhliNEsmJL_72elJxcEc8DL6IOJFOb5D1qRs0AV2SJkoV84N60Uq_AHm5w9TnCLop8mfRYgoi3lNCvhvT1lpLX_SY3ovb3rfaqtSY_Ws0RSjwWVFa2hS7OQulvwyL64sk/s1600/230655_10150177172518028_779718027_6731601_7524425_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1Hnx27q7BHEhliNEsmJL_72elJxcEc8DL6IOJFOb5D1qRs0AV2SJkoV84N60Uq_AHm5w9TnCLop8mfRYgoi3lNCvhvT1lpLX_SY3ovb3rfaqtSY_Ws0RSjwWVFa2hS7OQulvwyL64sk/s320/230655_10150177172518028_779718027_6731601_7524425_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609251543202987698" /></a><br /><br />Looks like she fits right in! Thanks to Elizabeth for the cute pictures of Willow! We LOVE them!Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-48116777991195701842011-05-08T16:11:00.004-06:002011-05-08T16:22:31.738-06:00Dog of the Month - Bella!Recently, my dog Gabe had a play date with my friend Connie's dog, Bella. It was my first time meeting Bella, but she was so easy to love, I could not resist featuring her on the blog! I was struck with how mild mannered she was, even for being an active breed, (a Labradoodle), and younger than Gabe is, too. I think Bella embodies all the best traits of the breeds she is mixed with, and I am glad we get to see her sweet face around here for a while!<br /><br />Thank you Connie for getting us some great pictures of Bella to share with readers. A little more about her:<br /><br />Photographer's Name: I took all of these pics<br /><br />Dog's Breed: Labradoodle<br /><br />Where did you get her? I got her from a local Nebraska breeder called "Diamond Country Dogs." <br /><br />What made you choose her? I wanted something that had a temperament similar to a golden retriever that didn't shed as much. Originally, I thought I wanted a goldendoodle and did my research on breeders. I decided on a breeder and tried to be as patient as possible to wait for the next available litter of goldendoodles, but a litter of labradoodles became available first and I fell in love. I asked for more pics of Bella and asked as many questions as possible-- I just knew she was the one! <br /><br />Describe her in three words. Most friendly puppy (ever). <br /><br />Anything else you'd like to add? Sometimes I call her "Bella Bear" because she always gets the comment that she resembles a stuffed animal. She's the friendliest, most easy-going dog I've ever had. She would prefer to have people pet her at the dog park than to actually play with the other dogs. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8TddHZ6FuyuYMxBk3ze0Sq_aOhp5mNlREjNbnQSziHjfTd8FVW60LcknGOCTBihIyPckkA3UeDhbMJES9yYTa6VNRDCwt1in0-293ScnyF9ALqllnJHUTFv9OVOKMG7apv7YzCEm1n0/s1600/DSC_0008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8TddHZ6FuyuYMxBk3ze0Sq_aOhp5mNlREjNbnQSziHjfTd8FVW60LcknGOCTBihIyPckkA3UeDhbMJES9yYTa6VNRDCwt1in0-293ScnyF9ALqllnJHUTFv9OVOKMG7apv7YzCEm1n0/s320/DSC_0008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604474133980459778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE4OVHWrlPdvLFhG0M6LdMiileMT56O7YvRVLsARsT7k-OwkbzwbGVYR757bFjFzcXk7858VgjhQYI2ksuHJ9M1VfF-ztyh-VcDOKdSCS0rS3_PvH_-SBW-LPHPEFar0xxc_es3gzma0/s1600/DSC_0002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE4OVHWrlPdvLFhG0M6LdMiileMT56O7YvRVLsARsT7k-OwkbzwbGVYR757bFjFzcXk7858VgjhQYI2ksuHJ9M1VfF-ztyh-VcDOKdSCS0rS3_PvH_-SBW-LPHPEFar0xxc_es3gzma0/s320/DSC_0002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604474128371297714" /></a>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-31744669372637911782011-04-04T15:08:00.006-06:002011-04-04T15:20:16.616-06:00Patrick's LawI saw this posted on another blog. My heart broke for Patrick and all the other dogs who have had to go through anything similar. It's a miracle he survived!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">This is Patrick, the sweet pitbull puppy from New Jersey. He beat the odds by surviving starvation and being thrown down a garbage chute in an apartment building, wrapped in a plastic bag.<br /></span></span><br /><br /><br />This is the chute where Patrick was originally found.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZoqiryLObtP5oCDANyNqE__nZgB1McvDZ0dgSIj2KU9CsJvZ_L_JH1CJu9Q9hJqWZfeYlxgKM0xrM-6nJTmFavtzeR-SqIH4jGlJOtwkEGfwNaPIUceF-YYzb6x5JetYt1lHO9FJrLU/s1600/tumblr_lj38ljHhsK1qd0l98.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZoqiryLObtP5oCDANyNqE__nZgB1McvDZ0dgSIj2KU9CsJvZ_L_JH1CJu9Q9hJqWZfeYlxgKM0xrM-6nJTmFavtzeR-SqIH4jGlJOtwkEGfwNaPIUceF-YYzb6x5JetYt1lHO9FJrLU/s320/tumblr_lj38ljHhsK1qd0l98.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591838562497863330" /></a><br /><br />This was Patrick when he was first rescued on March 16, 2011.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCqGDJMoy0s3Wn66-nOx-MkF0QB31M6tGz8LTyq08YeW2SrQgZYrNQucP6cInx2phNpweULVmNwx9W3ZWMJdERyqDzr-Co27OvyOP_L2oVsTquzwiMTfADc0FZs3baq79zKYHLoC_ilo/s1600/tumblr_lj38m9o9UR1qd0l98.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCqGDJMoy0s3Wn66-nOx-MkF0QB31M6tGz8LTyq08YeW2SrQgZYrNQucP6cInx2phNpweULVmNwx9W3ZWMJdERyqDzr-Co27OvyOP_L2oVsTquzwiMTfADc0FZs3baq79zKYHLoC_ilo/s320/tumblr_lj38m9o9UR1qd0l98.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591838630298133602" /></a><br /><br /><br />Patrick on one of his first few walks, since being able to stand.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOusySVaXYH10XUpnAVZcH-35UmfwQJJtwptDoM2Q3DLXl0XNDYI0oKlyuEIGbOBEKCpyaouPkK7fxno_3_5gsqaCISKohFsTY8M7XdlWvtd5F9G1UKT48_kVp4jYvrvRErkX7Pi9wR0/s1600/tumblr_lj38mvgqfD1qd0l98.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOusySVaXYH10XUpnAVZcH-35UmfwQJJtwptDoM2Q3DLXl0XNDYI0oKlyuEIGbOBEKCpyaouPkK7fxno_3_5gsqaCISKohFsTY8M7XdlWvtd5F9G1UKT48_kVp4jYvrvRErkX7Pi9wR0/s320/tumblr_lj38mvgqfD1qd0l98.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591838807748480514" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolEbU_pLdC16fRAovV2SRq-akD8yi73_wbLlQp17uiy_tUTBgs9Nv3Pnw94y-Gsork0HaT11Jt2Sa5OncBkLn-hpl5NvwO97EvaPfL9hGucHhThBJyCG-ZbMH5TCo6mhU3IgqCmTR6xQ/s1600/tumblr_lj38nmbkG51qd0l98.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolEbU_pLdC16fRAovV2SRq-akD8yi73_wbLlQp17uiy_tUTBgs9Nv3Pnw94y-Gsork0HaT11Jt2Sa5OncBkLn-hpl5NvwO97EvaPfL9hGucHhThBJyCG-ZbMH5TCo6mhU3IgqCmTR6xQ/s320/tumblr_lj38nmbkG51qd0l98.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591838877762717394" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/PatricksLawNow">Patrick's Law on Facebook</a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Our mission statement is to enact stronger animal abuse legislation at the Federal and State level. We will also work toward educating the public on animal abuse!"</span>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-28267812975190377672011-04-02T17:34:00.009-06:002011-04-04T15:59:53.638-06:00Puppy of the Month!We are a day late with April's dog of the month, but here she is! And she's so fresh that she doesn't even have a name yet. She is just six weeks old and is still at her breeder's house, waiting for the day when her new owners Bob and Elizabeth Bundy bring her home. Bob and Elizabeth already have a Jack Russell Terrier named "Kuma" and recently had to say goodbye to their beloved Lab/Dalmatian mix, "Eclipse". So this little gem will once again make them a two dog family. Congrats you guys, she is adorable!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Photographer's Name:</span> Janice Whitfield<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Puppy's Breed:</span> Russell Terrier (one of the foundation breeds of the Jack Russell Terrier)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Puppy's Breeder:</span> <a href="http://www.valley-view-farm.com/">Janice Whitfield, Valley View Farms</a><br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What made you choose her?</span> Approximately 2 years ago in looking on-line at Jack Russell Terrier puppies (because we love Kuma soooo much - and we are Jack Russell Terrier people) I found Valley View Farms website & began to research the breed. We were in Spokane about that time and my sister & I needed something to do with her granddaughter for the day so we made an appointment and took her to the farm. When I met her dogs I immediately fell in love with this breed. They are smaller then the Jacks, have as much energy but are calmer. This puppy was reserved by someone else who decided the timing wasn't right - so Janice called and asked if we wanted her - The timing was right for us so I said "of course" - So maybe she was chosen for us?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Anything else you'd like to add?</span> I am so excited and look forward to this new little puppy (yet to be named) and Kuma becoming fast friends<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9WCkHqBQDxQ1aNWZ8tZMSnBRapNN4FK1Vj5zorsou6nP7CHOP3nAUuC-K-n0hzDIwa0ws3AFqWBDqYC7eYGHE2JYOwPH3O6HQxN0j9cIll1bgyHfEkJD9iipCzLzmFxNQK9B14SQMkw/s1600/196630_10150144788573028_779718027_6468433_6587220_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9WCkHqBQDxQ1aNWZ8tZMSnBRapNN4FK1Vj5zorsou6nP7CHOP3nAUuC-K-n0hzDIwa0ws3AFqWBDqYC7eYGHE2JYOwPH3O6HQxN0j9cIll1bgyHfEkJD9iipCzLzmFxNQK9B14SQMkw/s320/196630_10150144788573028_779718027_6468433_6587220_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591136296515706946" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QgcjfrgvFfZScge8bmsOpE1WI18hsE6Jxzs2Cl0tpvxiLMHPEA4XV5TX7vvpz7rB5Rt0DRWTb4Q9IFJ8xDjKP38TX88woeYxW1zARX6JJwiBX051OD9TWLXZwUPNRG_9h6mNlKg4Rlw/s1600/195966_10150144788518028_779718027_6468432_116006_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QgcjfrgvFfZScge8bmsOpE1WI18hsE6Jxzs2Cl0tpvxiLMHPEA4XV5TX7vvpz7rB5Rt0DRWTb4Q9IFJ8xDjKP38TX88woeYxW1zARX6JJwiBX051OD9TWLXZwUPNRG_9h6mNlKg4Rlw/s320/195966_10150144788518028_779718027_6468432_116006_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591136363995649074" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnU1H_52AL9fIDG6PYJdGaqYXulzuzW-f6crFzpEKYE_l2SGpzX2lehkzDSiZ7HxMAiR7jcRIy9q8yutYP4Fap82Zx3rX1czZpd4GBJArVZhkR6H5jknRpK0i19ZhPCCD5nVn_oWjPsRI/s1600/200654_10150144788653028_779718027_6468434_4860470_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnU1H_52AL9fIDG6PYJdGaqYXulzuzW-f6crFzpEKYE_l2SGpzX2lehkzDSiZ7HxMAiR7jcRIy9q8yutYP4Fap82Zx3rX1czZpd4GBJArVZhkR6H5jknRpK0i19ZhPCCD5nVn_oWjPsRI/s320/200654_10150144788653028_779718027_6468434_4860470_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591136138997493282" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6lP6sbCRTld_rpiHJoXcFUNV-bJqrACr0DK_BV8Ckd8ARE8aajM9sBuSIGm9e4bOwChnA4ppVR_-drjLZyv1ZdYs-OtnQmOJz2Uh5LW8nYDmBiEVkjMPYCgDqHeT4hqJ_OeOuy08abI/s1600/205038_10150144788723028_779718027_6468435_2824884_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6lP6sbCRTld_rpiHJoXcFUNV-bJqrACr0DK_BV8Ckd8ARE8aajM9sBuSIGm9e4bOwChnA4ppVR_-drjLZyv1ZdYs-OtnQmOJz2Uh5LW8nYDmBiEVkjMPYCgDqHeT4hqJ_OeOuy08abI/s320/205038_10150144788723028_779718027_6468435_2824884_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591136207842927218" /></a><br /><br />Thanks to Elizabeth and Janice for letting us showcase her! She is irresistible!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Readers: feel free to post your name suggestions for Elizabeth :)</span>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-72114238248472379482011-03-23T20:07:00.003-06:002011-03-23T20:36:26.762-06:00The Job They DoPerhaps one of the greatest injustices in life is that our dogs live far fewer years than we do. Unconditional love, undying loyalty, and an unspoken bond all top the endless list of things that dogs offer to us as the broken people we are. Dogs become an integral part of the lives of families and individuals in one of the most fervently unique alliances to emerge on this Earth.<br /><br />This <a href="http://vimeo.com/8191217">profound documentary</a> captures the beauty of that bond, and reminds us of everything that dogs do to enhance our lives from day to day. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Not the least hard thing to bear when they go from us, these quiet friends, is that they carry away with them so many years of our own lives. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">-John Galsworthy </span>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-88610811723651896752011-03-20T22:44:00.011-06:002011-03-21T13:01:45.751-06:00Satellite Heart<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QsfqsPTvb0M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br />Dogs are born with the desire to revolve around us. More than any other animal, dogs naturally <span style="font-style:italic;">want</span> to please, protect, and be loved by humans. If you've ever walked into a room full of 8 week old puppies, you know what I mean. All of them (except maybe the shy one in the corner) will drop what they're doing and push and shove each other just for a chance to get close to you. As wonderful and interesting as other domesticated pets are, you probably aren't going to see this same ecstatic behavior with a group of baby horses, a litter of kittens or a bunch of baby birds.<br />Dogs want to belong to someone. They don't choose us; we choose them. We buy them and bring them home, and they adore us as if we were <span style="font-style:italic;">their</span> number one choice for an owner. They quickly learn to anticipate fun with us, and how to adapt to our moods. It's always fascinating to me when I go to dog parks and each and every off leash dog there knows who they came with. They keep tabs on their person. They listen for <span style="font-style:italic;">their</span> owner's voice. A dog's desire for us is uncomplicated and unconditional. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Dogs want us.</span> <br /><br />Last night I was reading an article in Cesar's Way magazine about rescue organizations and shelter dogs. If anyone knows about giving dogs second chances, it's Cesar (also known as <a href="http://www.cesarsway.com/">The Dog Whisperer</a>) and a few main points and quotes in his recent articles really stood out to me. So I wanted to share them with our blog readers.<br /><br />-<span style="font-weight:bold;">This year alone, 4 to 5 million abandoned dogs and cats will be put down in Shelters across America.</span><br /><br />- <span style="font-weight:bold;">After three decades of declining numbers, experts say that the totals have begun rising in the past two years, largely because of the economic crisis.</span><br /><br />- <span style="font-weight:bold;">People have been leaving their dogs behind in their foreclosed homes. Many dogs have been found weeks after their owners left, tied to trees, or locked in garage or houses, starving and traumatized. </span><br /><br />- <span style="font-weight:bold;">Some cities are doing a better job at taking care of their strays. Austin, TX for example saves up to 90% of its strays, whereas Dallas and San Antonio euthanize 70 to 80%.</span> <br /><br />- <span style="font-weight:bold;">The tight economy means fewer people are stepping up to adopt dogs.</span><br /><br />Even though a great deal of dogs could be saved if more people would consider rescue, I believe it's equally a shelter's responsibility to make it as hassle free as possible for people to adopt. While it's good to do their best to ensure a dog will find a <span style="font-style:italic;">forever</span> home, it's also important that potential adopters don't get turned away because they couldn't fill out a Q&A sheet <span style="font-style:italic;">exactly</span> right. Too often it seems as though shelters lose their common sense and develop a counter productive system and even a cynical attitude toward would-be adopters. Of course, not all are this way by any means. But still, it's something to think about and it's why I couldn't agree more with the following quote, taken directly from Cesar's Way magazine:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">"The municipalities that save the most dogs are the ones that allow the public to do the right thing", says Natahn Winograd. "They make adoption convenient, fun, exciting. The ones that fail have shelters that aren't clean, and customer service isn't great. They give people the third degree. Shelters have to understand that people looking to adopt have many other options"</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgke6R0U8unbsmFeoPq2ZtAoA85-qHZRbehyphenhyphenk2JmCpJehmsJEkw0V_23I2g4B_mo4gXjObToMGX4x7N60GxALREtpRYcPS2Vx9MJK-GjL7eoDdcTiI21usL7OJkQ9dgiYJQ-13ZygfUDF0/s1600/4273996157_49af5f6ef4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgke6R0U8unbsmFeoPq2ZtAoA85-qHZRbehyphenhyphenk2JmCpJehmsJEkw0V_23I2g4B_mo4gXjObToMGX4x7N60GxALREtpRYcPS2Vx9MJK-GjL7eoDdcTiI21usL7OJkQ9dgiYJQ-13ZygfUDF0/s320/4273996157_49af5f6ef4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586603311009849762" /></a><br /><br />Aside from the current economic state being a contributing factor to so many homeless dogs, I think another one is that sometimes people give up on their dogs a little too soon. Don't be afraid to ask for help. <span style="font-weight:bold;">More often than not, there is a solution out there.</span> If you're having trouble living with your dog, contact a trainer or experienced owner before you throw in the towel. Some things just take a little extra work and patience, but can pay off big time in the end. If you stick it out with your current dog, you may look back in a few years and wonder how you ever thought of giving him away. Taking responsibility for the pets already in our care can help greatly reduce the growing numbers of perfectly healthy ones being put down. <br /><br />Also, doing research before getting a dog can literally mean the difference between life or death for him. Your neighbor's perfectly trained German Shepherd probably has more to do with the owner and the owner/dog chemistry than it does the breed, for example. In other words, just because a dog of a particular breed you know is wonderful doesn't mean that it's the breed for you. It just means it was a good match.<br /><br />There are certainly circumstances where giving your dog away may be the best thing you can do for him and your family. And sometimes even after hard work people find that the dog they chose turned out to be a bad match. Even Cesar, who can fix almost any behavior problem and encourages people not to give up, will occasionally suggest that a particular dog be re-homed with a different type of person. <br /><br />We are definitely lucky that there are so many no-kill rescues out there today, so if you find that you absolutely can no longer keep your dog, take advantage of these organizations.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">"If you really feel you have to give up your dog because of foreclosure, don't wait until you're about to leave your home. Try to find a family to adopt him, or seek out a no-kill shelter. His chances of adoption will be much greater than if he's abandoned"</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On that note, here are four dogs that are currently waiting for a new person or family to belong to. Each one really stood out to me and pulled on my heart strings, so I wanted to help spread the word!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Molly and Stella</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMJLz8FOkFmvCgODrYcIKOFriH1_xuqlujeSzonMpIlSvVhqcd7KHOj4pXjFZ7Gum_xB0WYhtqQDeOnMBNA_ZWS1FaeRmjYDakJLTajc5QCXN2dGla1QTt9QvV3zDm_Bos24EOZLwixc/s1600/195992_10150126598108889_180021513888_6472241_5260412_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMJLz8FOkFmvCgODrYcIKOFriH1_xuqlujeSzonMpIlSvVhqcd7KHOj4pXjFZ7Gum_xB0WYhtqQDeOnMBNA_ZWS1FaeRmjYDakJLTajc5QCXN2dGla1QTt9QvV3zDm_Bos24EOZLwixc/s320/195992_10150126598108889_180021513888_6472241_5260412_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584040373493285154" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(This beautiful photo was taken by <a href="http://www.jaustinphotography.com/">Julie Austin Photography</a> Also, check out <a href="http://www.jaustinphotographyblog.com/">Julie's blog</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jaustinphotography">facebook</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/jaustinphoto">twitter</a> pages. She is wonderful!)</span><br /><br />I saw Molly and Stella while casually looking on Petfinder.com. I can't explain why I was particularly touched by them, but I was! Stella is a Rat Terrier/Beagle mix and Molly is a Rat Terrier. They are looking to be adopted together and the description of them melted my heart for some reason, in fact, I could easily get teary eyed just looking at their pictures and video (which I watched several times!) I can just tell they are very special, loving little things who deserve a great home. You can find them at <a href="http://motleyzoo.org/">Motley Zoo Animal Rescue</a> in Redmond, Wa. <br /><br /><br />Check out Stella and Molly's Petfinder pages for more information:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18528396">Stella</a><br /><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18528322">Molly</a> <br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tiger and Whitie</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGKGbTOv6wB_XEQ9xgqDDN5fuYDdoNStNPtKdMkVsDXgxmzqO8UmhhhgUjzGQTsB8L50uQkzTgguzKx9oBeEGsIII3W7o3g5Q1aHrk0DnrVhfJSUKYQWPI771a5Rj9r4YMXhiOxstYx8/s1600/WA109.18568885-3-x.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGKGbTOv6wB_XEQ9xgqDDN5fuYDdoNStNPtKdMkVsDXgxmzqO8UmhhhgUjzGQTsB8L50uQkzTgguzKx9oBeEGsIII3W7o3g5Q1aHrk0DnrVhfJSUKYQWPI771a5Rj9r4YMXhiOxstYx8/s320/WA109.18568885-3-x.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584806262427972530" /></a><br /><br />The other two are these guys, Whitie and Tiger; male Husky/Retriever mixes. I live a block away from <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/WA109.html">Homeward Pet Adoption Center</a> in Woodinville, and I see their volunteers walking adoptable dogs every day, rain or shine. For the past couple weeks I have noticed these two dogs were always being walked together, and they make such a striking pair. They look almost identical except for color and they are always walking so calmly side by side with whoever their volunteer walker is that day. I can't help but smile every time I see them. They have such a wise look to them, and it breaks my heart that they lost their home. Today I decided to look them up online and found out that like Stella and Molly, they are looking for a home together. They seem inseparable. I have a feeling they will make an excellent pair for the right family! <br /><br />Check out their Petfinder pages for more details!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18568885">Tiger</a> <br /><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/18569759">Whitie </a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2z022tZVKwChSaY4MvqEdrWiMAb6iC1Q4o2k6LEXF5lp6e-5_GBaj2vDo4nQzfMR_R7PMUAoHawGQe4OV1yD1Ez9ajj6UCG8cLPDXzKCED8JWmLhFN34IiL6P7v4ud-Ly8G618_9Hm4/s1600/WA109.18569759-1-x.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2z022tZVKwChSaY4MvqEdrWiMAb6iC1Q4o2k6LEXF5lp6e-5_GBaj2vDo4nQzfMR_R7PMUAoHawGQe4OV1yD1Ez9ajj6UCG8cLPDXzKCED8JWmLhFN34IiL6P7v4ud-Ly8G618_9Hm4/s320/WA109.18569759-1-x.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584809261057429298" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXEMuENvPdU2EKB1gFMMdMsBk7iSq18mzf9KA-d84xU1I6nz0gbVibr1CHgFaYiMJbSkh4rAeueCLdPIQ6INwVrTBE1D9CYENE1GmCgcf52OW_xjJA8ToEzYbItPvszM9_lDjXE__VsM/s1600/WA109.18568885-1-x.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXEMuENvPdU2EKB1gFMMdMsBk7iSq18mzf9KA-d84xU1I6nz0gbVibr1CHgFaYiMJbSkh4rAeueCLdPIQ6INwVrTBE1D9CYENE1GmCgcf52OW_xjJA8ToEzYbItPvszM9_lDjXE__VsM/s320/WA109.18568885-1-x.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584809366369478482" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />We would love to hear your rescue stories! Email them to TheHotDiggity@Hotmail.Com or post them here :)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">I'm a satellite heart<br />Lost in the dark.<br />But no matter what you do <br />I'll be true to you.<br />-Anya Marina</span></span>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-75083962474069605892011-03-01T11:36:00.006-07:002011-03-25T16:59:05.292-06:00Charlie Charlie CharlieWell, we've kinda been slacking on dog of the month lately, but hopefully the dog of March will help get us back on track...<br /><br />This is Charlie, owned by Dan and MaryJane Young! Well, actually his full name is "Charlie Peter-Ninkumpoop Young" and he is a 2 year old Boston Terrier who already has his fair share of internet popularity. His human dad is the lead singer of <a href="http://www.thisprovidence.com">This Providence</a> and he often tweets photos of Charlie to his nearly 12,000 followers. He's also popular on MaryJane's facebook, but it's clear that his parents are his biggest fans ;)<br /><br />I've known Dan and MaryJane for many years, and was pretty excited for them when they got their first dog together. I've been wanting to feature Charlie on the blog for quite some time and am happy that it worked out this month!<br /><br />It has been been exactly 1 year since we featured a Boston Terrier. Her name was <a href="http://dee-oh-gee.blogspot.com/2010/03/penny-lane-is-in-my-ears-and-in-my-eyes.html">Penny Lane</a>, owned by Sarah Orzechowski and her boyfriend Brendon Urie (lead singer of Panic at the Disco). I guess Boston Terriers are a popular choice for musicians and their gorgeous wives/girlfriends! Not that I can blame them; as fashionable, comical, and loyal as Boston Terriers are.<br /><br />Now, for a little interview with MJ about this special little guy...<br /> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Photographer's Name:</span> Dan Young<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where did you get Charlie?</span> From a breeder from St. Helens<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What made you choose him?</span> Dan wanted a pug; he loves the smooshed-face look, but I wasn't a fan of them, so we did some research using Animal Planet's Dogs 101 and thought a Boston was a good compromise. We looked online through breeders and saw Charlie. It was instant love!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How did you pick his name?</span> When we picked him up from the breeder (in the parking-lot of a JC Penny in Kelso; very classy), we hadn't chosen a name yet. When we were driving away, Dan asked "what are we going to name him?" I just said "Charlie?" I still don't know where it came from. Over time, we became fans of the TV show <span style="font-style:italic;">It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</span>, and decided to honor Charlie Day's character by making Charlie's middle-name the name of Charlie Day's horse, Peter-Ninkumpoop.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Describe Charlie in 3 words</span>: Charming, chill, sweet<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ok, this picture is unbelievable. Is he edible?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHK99QzVFmEQJhPG2yUFfnfmptLtA45h-E7S62k9EGzmMi2ICXMUfGqq0mG1JA-180QVrh3ZGmppDyntnleF4PtjO-7sS1OYB8NZ3QT4zeadqX1RhWt171_ycRPwd183WmvpCEC_imAqQ/s1600/1b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHK99QzVFmEQJhPG2yUFfnfmptLtA45h-E7S62k9EGzmMi2ICXMUfGqq0mG1JA-180QVrh3ZGmppDyntnleF4PtjO-7sS1OYB8NZ3QT4zeadqX1RhWt171_ycRPwd183WmvpCEC_imAqQ/s320/1b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578956187810054546" /></a><br /><br />I'm not entirely convinced that this isn't a beanie baby...and the cutest one I've ever seen for that matter<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-rNSVzUpQutHVxQh7WDUHKA1yEHefsfenHpzTwmnkMpxJ7iAYLXECIlsPaLXJYfTo2q51MGYs0Rkk-ZlWvVJ-CLyJVj4B9HuWuzjVQcB0cZy5iwiioIc1foM4mANNmy8CQaloRmDgRk/s1600/l_1ed3bfbcdb004d688051973a76e2052c.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-rNSVzUpQutHVxQh7WDUHKA1yEHefsfenHpzTwmnkMpxJ7iAYLXECIlsPaLXJYfTo2q51MGYs0Rkk-ZlWvVJ-CLyJVj4B9HuWuzjVQcB0cZy5iwiioIc1foM4mANNmy8CQaloRmDgRk/s320/l_1ed3bfbcdb004d688051973a76e2052c.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578956905229038402" /></a><br /><br />Such a dapper young dude!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nG6l4NAix1vDlpycTLawDeNr9SEXNyv-6wXjeIBEWtHEgLIJtelQ_Ll5Jz87jhgym0RRm0u4lGRtFoRoB3saUoJq56f4ReHkzZZ8R2z0YIeRGaQpmxJPUXMNIU1IKW2caHYhyEr4aoU/s1600/4432_89122287690_502777690_2340828_178641_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nG6l4NAix1vDlpycTLawDeNr9SEXNyv-6wXjeIBEWtHEgLIJtelQ_Ll5Jz87jhgym0RRm0u4lGRtFoRoB3saUoJq56f4ReHkzZZ8R2z0YIeRGaQpmxJPUXMNIU1IKW2caHYhyEr4aoU/s320/4432_89122287690_502777690_2340828_178641_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578957060600950194" /></a><br /><br /><br />Thanks so much to <span style="font-weight:bold;">Dan</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">MaryJane</span> for sharing Charlie with us! I've always loved this picture of him in the sun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_2zq_c-1d8NLHnw4PcCFi9QZ5Gp2KfKyBXkyWA4HLKJPFsxzSrZltmVA5ANNVc96blqR-RKQqeIRq11q7RJTf29f2oKKraD5xpD4QBvcfOc9Bdd3CVaop3XdoWG7hwmQO1czCzh9FhE/s1600/4432_89122277690_502777690_2340826_4002896_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_2zq_c-1d8NLHnw4PcCFi9QZ5Gp2KfKyBXkyWA4HLKJPFsxzSrZltmVA5ANNVc96blqR-RKQqeIRq11q7RJTf29f2oKKraD5xpD4QBvcfOc9Bdd3CVaop3XdoWG7hwmQO1czCzh9FhE/s320/4432_89122277690_502777690_2340826_4002896_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579168025304903906" /></a>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-13242093980941611162011-02-11T07:59:00.010-07:002011-02-11T08:46:09.592-07:00Dental HealthAnyone who has a dog or has even been around a dog can probably agree that dog breath is a force to be reckoned with. In extreme cases, a dog's bad breath can serve as a red flag for more serious issues - infection, pain, and even possible organ damage. The good news is that a dog's dental health can be greatly impacted with preventative care and maintenance! February is National Pet Dental Health month, so at the suggestion of a friend, Tory and I thought it would be a good idea to feature this topic. Your dog's teeth (and possibly your nostrils) just may thank us for it.<br /><br />Just like your own teeth, a dog's teeth are going to suffer decay without the regular removal of tartar build up. It is not necessarily natural for a dog to enjoy having someone poking around in his or her mouth. This is why it is extremely advantageous to teach your dog to have his or her mouth examined and worked with from day one. You may have to start simply by getting your dog used to having his or her mouth touched. Then, introduce the taste of the paste. Finally, introduce a soft bristled brush with the paste on it. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Just so we're all on the same page here</span> - <span style="font-style:italic;">you must buy special toothpaste for your pet.</span> Using regular human toothpaste is dangerous for your dog. One highly veterinarian-recommended brand of toothpaste for dogs is <a href="http://www.cetpet.com/">CET</a>. The pastes come in several appealing flavors that are safe for your dog to ingest. <br /><br />Brushing your dog's teeth is not the only way to enhance dental health, though. Providing toys and bones for your dog to chew on can also aid in the prevention of tartar build up. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORVuSF39gqzGzxt5hD0eTvAPNgbIUP85knHaHADRhbDUvm6bNII1_9jqC_wcuKPbLo6E0iCUr6IO3S9sYsdb-5Okfv6UHvFjXc3FldwqnziLb1rd0D4SXg3iQRBhU4g0oPzlk3Naq17Q/s1600/74072F2F.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORVuSF39gqzGzxt5hD0eTvAPNgbIUP85knHaHADRhbDUvm6bNII1_9jqC_wcuKPbLo6E0iCUr6IO3S9sYsdb-5Okfv6UHvFjXc3FldwqnziLb1rd0D4SXg3iQRBhU4g0oPzlk3Naq17Q/s320/74072F2F.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572453456935791522" /></a><br />Rag bones can serve as a sort of floss for your dog. (Just be sure to supervise while in use, as dogs can swallow string and this is often hazardous.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXwEHyq7CJgZV4PGhoPJv2gtr-MVUJptgnrEY5p21xyTAHyRn1EpUt9nOwEoJX_8fpjpZ9mhDGkRXPAIXVGMW-R2zEyej5rX_aazM-IiaiJENWHEG6IqKHABaGGIZpVHZ76WnvDBEiE4/s1600/beanie-ball-3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXwEHyq7CJgZV4PGhoPJv2gtr-MVUJptgnrEY5p21xyTAHyRn1EpUt9nOwEoJX_8fpjpZ9mhDGkRXPAIXVGMW-R2zEyej5rX_aazM-IiaiJENWHEG6IqKHABaGGIZpVHZ76WnvDBEiE4/s320/beanie-ball-3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572454710031656146" /></a><br />Toys with texture and ridges, such as this one, stimulate gums and help break down tartar on the teeth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkrW9zsYPQqERNu8WOXQDoGNGHY8zITTOTj-IRganWMYPCLfuw88TC_W-4yldlqoXS1qOsvc2IrqDp4a3QuTkLnhc9Ukf6-VsD5_o7BAjkS6qiQHLRm0D-IOlp7KZ4hQ4FynMYUZuE-w/s1600/meaty-bone-dog-treatchew-9-inch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkrW9zsYPQqERNu8WOXQDoGNGHY8zITTOTj-IRganWMYPCLfuw88TC_W-4yldlqoXS1qOsvc2IrqDp4a3QuTkLnhc9Ukf6-VsD5_o7BAjkS6qiQHLRm0D-IOlp7KZ4hQ4FynMYUZuE-w/s320/meaty-bone-dog-treatchew-9-inch.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572455387130629330" /></a><br />Real animal bones such as these femur bones provide hours of chewing time for dogs. (They do pose a risk for wear and tear on dog teeth, however; so use with discretion.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rSUPaxzK58SP3wlyXig87QO7aa0kVaQafgt2XuCdv9lQOE3hxCy02nE0GluOvJ0C5-C0sNvK_MXExMRhjneo2X2V1M2uzKKK-Eh0IR2W3iL-m7u9qorKd7pQ9PUq3Yvt2oVk1PF4ojA/s1600/aquadent_grp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rSUPaxzK58SP3wlyXig87QO7aa0kVaQafgt2XuCdv9lQOE3hxCy02nE0GluOvJ0C5-C0sNvK_MXExMRhjneo2X2V1M2uzKKK-Eh0IR2W3iL-m7u9qorKd7pQ9PUq3Yvt2oVk1PF4ojA/s320/aquadent_grp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572455836399573010" /></a><br />Using an additive to your pet's drinking water like this one can is an easy way to further promote oral health.<br /><br />Having a periodic dental done by your veterinarian for your dog is also a crucial part of preserving your dog's healthy teeth. This is done while your dog is under anesthesia, and while it can be pricey, I can personally attest to the value of having this done. Gabe is a three-year-old healthy dog, but when I had a dental done on him several months ago, they discovered he had not just one, but <span style="font-style:italic;">two</span> broken teeth! Thankfully, neither of the teeth were in need of a root canal because we caught it in time. They were able to seal each of them and prevent any worse pain in his mouth. I would much rather provide preventative care for my dog than needing a painful emergency procedure done later on down the road.<br /><br />Many veterinarians offer discounts on pet dentals during the month of February, so now is an ideal time to have your pet's mouth checked out! We highly encourage you to help preserve your dog's 'smile'. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiG6G4aDy1_XQUMyKKHzFpyEd6g-rkedG8kHwXmFlTUImg8_fsjMOQifEJuv9ST9DkV1mGC5XJihlJmeT0IOf-NRVhKdlSiXUzkxFjdyAVurohdP00XFb8U3uPP73LMfz7TOY8yzoU9Ek/s1600/smiling+dog+%25282%2529.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiG6G4aDy1_XQUMyKKHzFpyEd6g-rkedG8kHwXmFlTUImg8_fsjMOQifEJuv9ST9DkV1mGC5XJihlJmeT0IOf-NRVhKdlSiXUzkxFjdyAVurohdP00XFb8U3uPP73LMfz7TOY8yzoU9Ek/s320/smiling+dog+%25282%2529.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572458356717460498" /></a>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-76727297365205522032011-02-08T18:57:00.003-07:002011-02-08T19:10:20.258-07:00Gabe's First Trial! (and Error...?)This past weekend, Gabe and I competed for the first time in agility. It was a milestone for us because it's something I have wanted to work towards for several years now. However, due to moving around a lot, not having money to pay for classes, and my own lack of confidence, it took us longer than it should have to accomplish this.<br /><br />The trial we entered was a NADAC (North American Dog Agility Council) trial. They allow both mixed breeds and purebred dogs to compete (as does the American Kennel Club now), and we only entered two classes, since I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into exactly. I decided on two 'Touch-N-Go' events, which focused on contact obstacles. These courses mainly consisted of the A-frame, the Dogwalk, hoops, and tunnels. <br /><br />I didn't set unrealistically high goals for Gabe and myself; mainly, my objective was just to get through each course, and hoped that he would do more than just sniff the ground or run out of the ring completely. I had <span style="font-weight:bold;">no</span> idea what he would think of the trial environment (a horse barn - are you kidding me?), equipment different than what he was accustomed to using, and of course an audience. <br /><br />The things I learned that day were:<br />1. Everyone makes mistakes. Especially Novice handlers.<br />2. If I ever reach the higher competition level classes, I never want to become condescending or arrogant (like some of the elite handlers unfortunately were.)<br />3. Gabe really needs some sort of a warm up run, to get rid of the squirrely tendencies he has.<br />4. Laughing at Gabe and myself is helpful.<br /><br />I will post the footage from both of our runs. Please watch both, as he improved greatly from the first run to the second! (It is ok if you laugh while watching, too - he is slightly over-enthusiastic and had the time of his life. It is what I adore about him. :))<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c83N_3MlhAs">Run 1</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1U7kqcLrUk">Run 2</a><br /><br />More trials to come, hopefully!Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-61200887166150621552011-02-02T13:01:00.003-07:002011-02-11T10:22:11.955-07:00I love you more than I could ever promiseSaw this video today and felt it was definitely worth posting. Of course, anything with a Dachshund melts me. But that's beside the point. This is just sweet.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/09hLxQE5Zuo" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-39432470645463876772011-01-01T20:47:00.018-07:002011-01-03T11:05:59.377-07:00Friends<span style="font-weight:bold;">I took a few pictures of my dogs (Mud & Cinderella) playing in the snow the other day. Unfortunately, Mud ran outside before I could get his matching blue sweater on him. He was like a little boy overly excited about the snow with his mom calling after him "don't forget your jacket!"<br />But in the end I couldn't interrupt his fun to dress him up. So just imagine he is wearing a wintry outfit to match Cinderella's. (And at least he had his Harley Davidson collar on that he got for Christmas from my mom!)<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(click pix to enlarge)<br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzhrAkn6_SL7vQH49SOyWRrGrpIQ_GlCUnkkyiQ7YcS-jZ_E2FcM8iVCfW7Pc992iqVCwss_GQ2vN0QNZAHqe-BHM0n2rF2FVr8AuRxPR2Jxt_5a8VGB3hP7DZqGe7ZqxV41ixP0CgbU/s1600/IMG_0424-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzhrAkn6_SL7vQH49SOyWRrGrpIQ_GlCUnkkyiQ7YcS-jZ_E2FcM8iVCfW7Pc992iqVCwss_GQ2vN0QNZAHqe-BHM0n2rF2FVr8AuRxPR2Jxt_5a8VGB3hP7DZqGe7ZqxV41ixP0CgbU/s320/IMG_0424-1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557432137147897026" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhDDjFEEM2V5k9N11TIHhoFPULtlsnOJx7VmjlnB_yyyEMZAnLlYwvh8mDfR-hj_hbwe61fA-aD8uOF9aKsFs1o30WGN4n_6CSgYtnEBRKTvAugyM4heZ5fw9mies4k41INsJqnXaCIE/s1600/IMG_0420.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcY4TzDVlvz9uhcAsxwzR4m1_6eSs71Q3I2_WxCyoAZUYOSuz_3yBn9swvVcnyYUMfaz-gPK-p4i65-iJuZfIcUm03NBOo51h3kJID_4WqzR29Uw9rV87bXgGk8PDiPzHE4iXje79naFQ/s320/IMG_0408.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557431513587924978" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWQwUiBI3Wv_DDhpaDTPQs4JMqDoezPHXncEn23TM3fGstQ-4blTNOjaSDqLysMSA0Z4Bm5m3p8eyZJ8twCt12gvbiWwwa41HfkdYx4oTknND3q9oFzlb0TI9qCH8uPRkMRnRuw50mNg/s1600/IMG_0411.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWQwUiBI3Wv_DDhpaDTPQs4JMqDoezPHXncEn23TM3fGstQ-4blTNOjaSDqLysMSA0Z4Bm5m3p8eyZJ8twCt12gvbiWwwa41HfkdYx4oTknND3q9oFzlb0TI9qCH8uPRkMRnRuw50mNg/s320/IMG_0411.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557431610347189346" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMs-g3jRfWse5ry_sVxwxcDJSFryuxlKwbMIWUVb8tiP7mM_tVxI4UXIAVQFUpLhZQoFbmrVWaKPyJ9V8fCQLJi37LI24bGlyJBFgbejQHMiwdI9iyyCKwxWaZ5QYFfRAKCKuUGe7olU/s1600/IMG_0412-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMs-g3jRfWse5ry_sVxwxcDJSFryuxlKwbMIWUVb8tiP7mM_tVxI4UXIAVQFUpLhZQoFbmrVWaKPyJ9V8fCQLJi37LI24bGlyJBFgbejQHMiwdI9iyyCKwxWaZ5QYFfRAKCKuUGe7olU/s320/IMG_0412-1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557431756440259938" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7ZMJS8PXxu-HOIVDvcWvi27fnw6F2ywpcNNUFJfmM4_Y-ieY73IWTSD2hjNyaOZZYWL3CElXRN43i3Rr09MIgGa6TtYWRDwr-8WQlKscP0xbdhVDJP41cKcp4LqCv1YtWS3EbkBu8JQ/s1600/IMG_0413.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7ZMJS8PXxu-HOIVDvcWvi27fnw6F2ywpcNNUFJfmM4_Y-ieY73IWTSD2hjNyaOZZYWL3CElXRN43i3Rr09MIgGa6TtYWRDwr-8WQlKscP0xbdhVDJP41cKcp4LqCv1YtWS3EbkBu8JQ/s320/IMG_0413.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557431842619453138" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5tx0Qu3Z_ByN33HxqPZr3YR2PbyIBr2_Qm7rBg_s_w_cB35R7-bPyW08XtLT4TWg2ipUklP8oRJM0Ef79ubuwSaaEzWP_9BK4pW2KdAfcfzmdrY4O3Z84D6-qVcxey6VYakHp3fG4Xw/s1600/IMG_0417.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5tx0Qu3Z_ByN33HxqPZr3YR2PbyIBr2_Qm7rBg_s_w_cB35R7-bPyW08XtLT4TWg2ipUklP8oRJM0Ef79ubuwSaaEzWP_9BK4pW2KdAfcfzmdrY4O3Z84D6-qVcxey6VYakHp3fG4Xw/s320/IMG_0417.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557432052408460802" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-B8qf2t525LGP5Uly2CHnL_nCO0sUht_B9Vj5HphM0BvJGCdWMQtaGqVfQ5H-DorFwTerL-yJKODJBV1rbJcbTdqZ42dd7wAV53TjY212urwLKHKqWnB8ep6sPTnF_GhlzrCsUNWgbE/s1600/IMG_0425.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-B8qf2t525LGP5Uly2CHnL_nCO0sUht_B9Vj5HphM0BvJGCdWMQtaGqVfQ5H-DorFwTerL-yJKODJBV1rbJcbTdqZ42dd7wAV53TjY212urwLKHKqWnB8ep6sPTnF_GhlzrCsUNWgbE/s320/IMG_0425.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557432328740936226" /></a>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-1677123825167642102010-12-24T21:45:00.009-07:002010-12-24T22:14:54.673-07:00I'm going to be cliche and title this post "Santa Paws".<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd83EhpxdtOHNNXAANkzlbHRs6SUU-N8uDVODK5udRUmOObee5YqpfffGnu5TwXpyO4KAZOxO2sAGIzIBfqYbukqcNCuucwoJFpMc7wuhjhO_5cYoLPdL4oHigQEIwWWMLqT5r5ahLn5Y/s1600/156734_10100156630807508_10727591_54169110_2670163_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd83EhpxdtOHNNXAANkzlbHRs6SUU-N8uDVODK5udRUmOObee5YqpfffGnu5TwXpyO4KAZOxO2sAGIzIBfqYbukqcNCuucwoJFpMc7wuhjhO_5cYoLPdL4oHigQEIwWWMLqT5r5ahLn5Y/s320/156734_10100156630807508_10727591_54169110_2670163_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554477014018496178" /></a><br /><br />Just a quick post to say <span style="font-weight:bold;">Merry Christmas</span> from Hot Diggity, and also from Izzie, a 3.75 year old Cairn Terrier owned by Trevor Gibson! These pictures of Izzie, taken by Trevor, were too cute and festive not to share on the blog! <br /><br />A little more about Izzie...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where did you get her?</span> At a small breeder in Arlington, WA.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What made you choose her?</span> She was small and cute, with a lovable and bubbily personality.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How did you pick the name Izzie?</span> Not really sure. Her full name is Isabella, and we originally called her "Bella". After her full personality bloomed, we decided that "Izzie" was a more fitting name.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Describe Izzie in three words:</span> Peppy, confident, loving.<br /><br /><br />She sounds like everything a Cairn Terrier should be :)<br /><br /><br />Trevor is a professional photographer from Seattle, WA. Check out more of his work here at <a href="http://www.prosightmedia.com">www.prosightmedia.com</a> (Yes, he works with pets, and yes, you will find more adorable pictures of Izzie on his website!)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbghyrce1DmEGR6h6gcZd-9zQPtFwnSMJccYzNvOtvBO6lwly4vqx6Xxq8mh2GlXpf8EaWMdAYPNfzF4VxEgvMTIJZusUT3gyVqyls8b1mfPPsvvK9ZmEHLVh9qMHW5inNN0ZmlV3DF0/s1600/Izzie-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbghyrce1DmEGR6h6gcZd-9zQPtFwnSMJccYzNvOtvBO6lwly4vqx6Xxq8mh2GlXpf8EaWMdAYPNfzF4VxEgvMTIJZusUT3gyVqyls8b1mfPPsvvK9ZmEHLVh9qMHW5inNN0ZmlV3DF0/s320/Izzie-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554483929838589410" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(click to see larger!)<br /></span><br /><br />Thank you Trevor for letting us show off Izzie! (And your photography skills).Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-56013106709722094242010-12-16T23:43:00.005-07:002010-12-17T00:04:31.211-07:00Meet GallagherGreat Danes are eye-catching dogs. Their giant size alone makes them an impressive breed; even before getting to know their delightfully gentle spirit! So, when I saw this picture of a friend's Great Dane with the loveliest black spots and red bow decked out for Christmas, I knew it needed to be shared on the blog. Thank you to Kevin Claussen for sharing Gallagher with us, and to his sister-in-law Jada for taking the photo!<br /><br />Name: Gallagher<br />Breed: Great Dane<br />Age: 1 year 2 months<br />Where did you get him?: Got him from Moffit Colorado. Took about 10 months to find "the perfect Dane."<br />How did you pick him?: I picked him because of his unique markings of black and white and knew it was a decision I would not regret.<br />How did you name him?: Picked the name Gallagher because it fits perfectly for gentle giant.<br />Use three words to describe him: Unique, friendly and playfull.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAQUIixzt81PF2NsVUG7kRQEUGrjA8r7pHA-lHGnpksDuiO4BnF7qqztWL0LLNljZG3KKF4urT9JM5SngCCYP6aQLPdVcAJfKGjtwDk3VfWbIsWF9nB7aNuYKLAU86zEMQVvaD-rNi9U/s1600/162984_662834218172_42111674_37227837_6029635_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAQUIixzt81PF2NsVUG7kRQEUGrjA8r7pHA-lHGnpksDuiO4BnF7qqztWL0LLNljZG3KKF4urT9JM5SngCCYP6aQLPdVcAJfKGjtwDk3VfWbIsWF9nB7aNuYKLAU86zEMQVvaD-rNi9U/s320/162984_662834218172_42111674_37227837_6029635_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551543375086302370" /></a><br />Gallagher was an adorable puppy - so easy to see why he was picked by Kevin!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWM6-G7ql7MdKAtD-YWPzJ_iG5CkBbloR3KD97Acbgrn81OgnlrJLxxShLn19aYh1ImDTGgOUFTZBuEjGpJGmIe72zNc9oRW2gk1BwB5EAfdzLb7p79RYHPSEiJEfGaBcqP3svwKxk7A/s1600/148848_661147692982_42111674_37195365_2961896_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWM6-G7ql7MdKAtD-YWPzJ_iG5CkBbloR3KD97Acbgrn81OgnlrJLxxShLn19aYh1ImDTGgOUFTZBuEjGpJGmIe72zNc9oRW2gk1BwB5EAfdzLb7p79RYHPSEiJEfGaBcqP3svwKxk7A/s320/148848_661147692982_42111674_37195365_2961896_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551541806469795090" /></a><br /><br />Thanks again for sharing Gallagher with us - he is the perfect dog to feature this month!Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-84754466056116891212010-12-10T08:49:00.021-07:002010-12-10T10:15:24.912-07:00Dog Sports - AgilityMy favorite dog sport is, by far, the sport of agility. Created in the 1970s as a 'half-time' performance at the Crufts dog show, it has now rapidly gained popularity world-wide in just a few short decades. Although some athletic breeds (many herding breeds like Border Collies and Australian Shepherds) are most prone to excelling at agility because of their speed and intelligence, it is enjoyed by people and dogs of all shapes, ages, and sizes. And, as the owner of a mixed-breed dog, I have always appreciated agility because it presents many opportunities for dogs of all kinds, not just registered purebreds (depending on the trial and the organization.) And, Gabe LOVES agility!<br /><br />The main objectives of dog agility are speed (each team is timed) and accuracy on the obstacles, which are set up in various patterns to form a course. Faults in agility can include things like knocking bars off of jumps, missing contact zones (to be discussed below), missing an obstacle altogether, or running a course out of order. Dogs take both verbal cues and body cues from the handler (but no touching is allowed), so it is definitely a team effort between handler and dog. <br /><br />Courses are set up by a judge or teacher, so each handler has a chance to walk the course and memorize it before running it with the dog. Trials can take place indoors or outdoors. This is an example of a course map, each handler-dog team starting at 1 and following the numbers in order:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfnTYoFTfRioADOa1ZYORQMwUHN4BZ-UfwAnKsr02fQf0Qn4Y9sjPoT9XHRIELzgYJqZoUknqzkAKeKTQwTGfHEUHuJGEs1AymifFuRoVI5M7KHXq5l2Q0MaxxOqLwkcIFA4hSeWRUxg/s1600/AgilityCoursemapForPhotosInArticle.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfnTYoFTfRioADOa1ZYORQMwUHN4BZ-UfwAnKsr02fQf0Qn4Y9sjPoT9XHRIELzgYJqZoUknqzkAKeKTQwTGfHEUHuJGEs1AymifFuRoVI5M7KHXq5l2Q0MaxxOqLwkcIFA4hSeWRUxg/s320/AgilityCoursemapForPhotosInArticle.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549099593447147138" /></a><br /><br />Possible obstacles that can be seen on any agility course include the following:<br /><br />1. Jumps or hurdles (can be a panel jump, broad jump, bar jump, double or triple jump, or tire jump.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmAZrWmP9e4wESOTQIXAbobDBMNzy3LDsp4Lb0-U9rf2Qnok7mgQdmZSAxpJna9qLAXpS9WzFcMMneWZVs7khaCFpwRMT8tOdMTiAVd34twDBNWh4CCF8oLxPmNP5VbHQ9o57cv1-ruM/s1600/IMG_5917.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmAZrWmP9e4wESOTQIXAbobDBMNzy3LDsp4Lb0-U9rf2Qnok7mgQdmZSAxpJna9qLAXpS9WzFcMMneWZVs7khaCFpwRMT8tOdMTiAVd34twDBNWh4CCF8oLxPmNP5VbHQ9o57cv1-ruM/s320/IMG_5917.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549087980852372546" /></a><br />Gabe with a regular jump.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcJuBHUdhWWQvDTpuG4ZbB1-VHIyJPQYhuM7UW8EC-CURnYyzUPpTfrsZXgcRKUSInbe-osl0tajumP74R6DGYZDqiSrz60JEcgGcb3kvJ5-oElBBTYjokoXdB-WB4dBfLee4UbHnudo/s1600/IMG_5925.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcJuBHUdhWWQvDTpuG4ZbB1-VHIyJPQYhuM7UW8EC-CURnYyzUPpTfrsZXgcRKUSInbe-osl0tajumP74R6DGYZDqiSrz60JEcgGcb3kvJ5-oElBBTYjokoXdB-WB4dBfLee4UbHnudo/s320/IMG_5925.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549088300890272258" /></a><br />Gabe with the tire jump.<br /><br />2. Tunnels (regular, or chute)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLkKt0KbibsTMIUa64-lVKn5DgxpKCk5ZuKb-CscpIBO4QsDsZS8kXCfYwE47x18F-w1d6Xjf6T1QGPKUI35rAgxinPKKEeMOC3ghA-R5YKXQ5N-PBPmS83xA8JZPs1TrX90F7jCZ718/s1600/IMG_5926.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLkKt0KbibsTMIUa64-lVKn5DgxpKCk5ZuKb-CscpIBO4QsDsZS8kXCfYwE47x18F-w1d6Xjf6T1QGPKUI35rAgxinPKKEeMOC3ghA-R5YKXQ5N-PBPmS83xA8JZPs1TrX90F7jCZ718/s320/IMG_5926.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549088916162689378" /></a><br />Gabe running a regular tunnel.<br /><br />3. Pause table (dog must be in a 'down' position for five seconds)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFug3x3KRtuApCXgmZrCwSxfWmerHrPxIxpm7bGItn_Y8WrLT3uACVZUb9ha4QjVLxRfaQ4s4J3ggnpMU8-YL8V-KwIWo29aUT3Hl19fWU96e3LKU_GQj83Vkud5yPGdaMy7zsmHr2Pdc/s1600/IMG_5936.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFug3x3KRtuApCXgmZrCwSxfWmerHrPxIxpm7bGItn_Y8WrLT3uACVZUb9ha4QjVLxRfaQ4s4J3ggnpMU8-YL8V-KwIWo29aUT3Hl19fWU96e3LKU_GQj83Vkud5yPGdaMy7zsmHr2Pdc/s320/IMG_5936.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549089927761589058" /></a><br />Gabe on the table.<br /><br />4. Weave poles (five to twelve poles the dog must weave through, always entering with the first pole on the dog's left shoulder.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREFiFq2uhGLs6pcmRC4YngR6Gxm26sGX-uPtOyNxpF8rAJ3TExS9k8PyVV6CxwLkj0aEds-6mVsXuqik1gKgc5GphpPOzEfLYFhnKkt50bvaI5m_vc-tgoh4Vh5G3JZV329u-u-xSCRI/s1600/IMG_5938.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREFiFq2uhGLs6pcmRC4YngR6Gxm26sGX-uPtOyNxpF8rAJ3TExS9k8PyVV6CxwLkj0aEds-6mVsXuqik1gKgc5GphpPOzEfLYFhnKkt50bvaI5m_vc-tgoh4Vh5G3JZV329u-u-xSCRI/s320/IMG_5938.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549091224486305410" /></a><br />The poles, minus Gabe.<br /><br />5. A-Frame (a contact obstacle in which the dog must make contact with the brightly-painted areas while both ascending and descending.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNcTKNXLWhhp_hDrACnq6wOJYIAYEq-09cxD1pCrSk1UFX1-29XgRZG5xiPGvy980q4fBJomeAgp5Fs40ZvsUksmpdzMLv8WvJHUiwhHPB84o8crHH-h5cuVn_uXGDJcKjTei4V00KzE/s1600/IMG_5931.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNcTKNXLWhhp_hDrACnq6wOJYIAYEq-09cxD1pCrSk1UFX1-29XgRZG5xiPGvy980q4fBJomeAgp5Fs40ZvsUksmpdzMLv8WvJHUiwhHPB84o8crHH-h5cuVn_uXGDJcKjTei4V00KzE/s320/IMG_5931.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549093679345773106" /></a><br />Gabe on top of the A-Frame.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfRfLBod-qNDMIk4vdJESo2n0AyqcjpDYI3salkL-DFHIj5Xu8zNiNdICDNDwheUKblI9RzkhqRnRnnNBmFN9TsxpZmkPeRzL0Ne-jUxOT-lgcL5JBNhIWTiOe33OJqdz80rPuZ1Bvq0/s1600/IMG_5933.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfRfLBod-qNDMIk4vdJESo2n0AyqcjpDYI3salkL-DFHIj5Xu8zNiNdICDNDwheUKblI9RzkhqRnRnnNBmFN9TsxpZmkPeRzL0Ne-jUxOT-lgcL5JBNhIWTiOe33OJqdz80rPuZ1Bvq0/s320/IMG_5933.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549094288580611922" /></a><br />Approaching the contact zone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat_W2TVmQuNp0y1_IzNQ754m1Yx3ic3LrxQTdma_QIxg6lWSbxqEx91SruOfQj2ibsG-PsF33r2avSPSa72AaIUqePUftAkSxsmo4B9-0q5-X-tixpzs03cSfq-oBHpYd1-mA7yF9gxo/s1600/IMG_5922.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat_W2TVmQuNp0y1_IzNQ754m1Yx3ic3LrxQTdma_QIxg6lWSbxqEx91SruOfQj2ibsG-PsF33r2avSPSa72AaIUqePUftAkSxsmo4B9-0q5-X-tixpzs03cSfq-oBHpYd1-mA7yF9gxo/s320/IMG_5922.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549093969309369602" /></a><br />Coming down the A-Frame.<br /><br />6. The Dogwalk (another contact obstacle)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreYPPO4z5qWlHv-DOq-b76dYR4jxTX__lPFf8yjh-SPyb7ApsxlVTu6DJ20k4YDqQE-DT_qItzZ8x626A-TcmUtBObH7c2D2fcbWiBSXBmU7qFgJ1HPEg_OKIIRWAPvBIDV4-zV4avNM/s1600/IMG_5918.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreYPPO4z5qWlHv-DOq-b76dYR4jxTX__lPFf8yjh-SPyb7ApsxlVTu6DJ20k4YDqQE-DT_qItzZ8x626A-TcmUtBObH7c2D2fcbWiBSXBmU7qFgJ1HPEg_OKIIRWAPvBIDV4-zV4avNM/s320/IMG_5918.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549094751892321250" /></a><br />Making his way across the Dogwalk.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqupG7Co6wi2TKKFK9w_YWDJYyaHZPJ7UVa8kgV7IGdZ8h0VDikFnLP2XJwIvP4RWBOqagY-CzrlotfKRyL3Gz32GKWsmx1RjcpO9HyB_8UBD-btqi1yXFf9pmdIYIbhQwukEO0xrxJGM/s1600/IMG_5923.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqupG7Co6wi2TKKFK9w_YWDJYyaHZPJ7UVa8kgV7IGdZ8h0VDikFnLP2XJwIvP4RWBOqagY-CzrlotfKRyL3Gz32GKWsmx1RjcpO9HyB_8UBD-btqi1yXFf9pmdIYIbhQwukEO0xrxJGM/s320/IMG_5923.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549095024168491010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOezyKIOWUy8XY2KPz0mKXZKMAGWDOzlrl3DDAZcLIPxNGfEkuIjeiWGROTZCFqGrDYB5zGdLSFgIfLMzz_h7atZlTXhvLIlN6ZWw5rg7RYnvq6JsbKLtaAx08w_V8GuMGWdFINb0-Bkw/s1600/IMG_5924.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOezyKIOWUy8XY2KPz0mKXZKMAGWDOzlrl3DDAZcLIPxNGfEkuIjeiWGROTZCFqGrDYB5zGdLSFgIfLMzz_h7atZlTXhvLIlN6ZWw5rg7RYnvq6JsbKLtaAx08w_V8GuMGWdFINb0-Bkw/s320/IMG_5924.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549095565010715090" /></a><br />Approaching the contact zone.<br /><br />7. The Seesaw or Teeter-Totter (the most difficult of the contact obstacles)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZxEGZl85iIZsQQP-YsV1dZ6_edVtuHRIboFWIgLd9xQ2dHLHl7le9O2fMZa-kFk-UJ8D8DUQXItAwu3hLkIcII8UmG2pJcOVb1y07sXClKn23U55c_QTSoQ6anoVIDfttsrCmI0HRtg/s1600/IMG_5945.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZxEGZl85iIZsQQP-YsV1dZ6_edVtuHRIboFWIgLd9xQ2dHLHl7le9O2fMZa-kFk-UJ8D8DUQXItAwu3hLkIcII8UmG2pJcOVb1y07sXClKn23U55c_QTSoQ6anoVIDfttsrCmI0HRtg/s320/IMG_5945.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549096208654440002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4k0iAm-iapa2pUf4Q15-DrbeBGNcSbISxRczAlIfpwsVeyzeROj4x8R8FF1gQdN_vH8lKYE1GOWr2mu1X13i6wV64-IDJW2J48EvKj5-b5uvX-fZiM4iHAXQbFROPX9E57A2SRJl8QE/s1600/IMG_5948.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4k0iAm-iapa2pUf4Q15-DrbeBGNcSbISxRczAlIfpwsVeyzeROj4x8R8FF1gQdN_vH8lKYE1GOWr2mu1X13i6wV64-IDJW2J48EvKj5-b5uvX-fZiM4iHAXQbFROPX9E57A2SRJl8QE/s320/IMG_5948.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549096484296722626" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWkXPM54zm2y4TGsTm6UOSSmTga0UQbYdISRxLaTq94sSHopDjbiBbY9zT-dt95nSerAquW-YCKveBgZLhlB6NbXj2lk2cGXV3mjBPMBifDqQOS4AQU_Vt3PZA3Spzc9VZk1VryK8SUo/s1600/IMG_5949.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWkXPM54zm2y4TGsTm6UOSSmTga0UQbYdISRxLaTq94sSHopDjbiBbY9zT-dt95nSerAquW-YCKveBgZLhlB6NbXj2lk2cGXV3mjBPMBifDqQOS4AQU_Vt3PZA3Spzc9VZk1VryK8SUo/s320/IMG_5949.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549096757577901570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RwmqeS7cNqZ-j8lq-k7XHLx5YgWIoJAyqF8TphN0g2RAaLJcpPcOt4Ctw5826db8IOo9pqLPpINuK7cJQKY4YclGktjTfs6z3ftVeKEQMVDUVrTEo-JJdWiaOH2jKiqOd4XqLcGUk6E/s1600/IMG_5951.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RwmqeS7cNqZ-j8lq-k7XHLx5YgWIoJAyqF8TphN0g2RAaLJcpPcOt4Ctw5826db8IOo9pqLPpINuK7cJQKY4YclGktjTfs6z3ftVeKEQMVDUVrTEo-JJdWiaOH2jKiqOd4XqLcGUk6E/s320/IMG_5951.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549097034646278946" /></a><br />A slowed-down look at the Teeter and making the contact zone.<br /><br />Whether it be for fun, or for competition, dog agility can be a great way to build confidence in your dog and provide much-needed mental and physical stimulation! For more detailed information on how to get involved in this sport, check out:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nadac.com/">NADAC (North American Dog Agility Council)</a><br /><a href="http://www.akc.org/events/agility/">AKC (American Kennel Club)</a>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-81891834530244906572010-10-09T12:46:00.004-06:002010-10-11T11:57:13.567-06:00I wanna thank my mom and dad...Well, we don't know why or how, but apparently we won a "PetsDirect.co.uk blogger award". To be honest I didn't even know that kind of thing existed, but...I'll take it! I guess we will be receiving a personalized "award" graphic soon. Until then, here is what we got...
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<br /><link rel="stylesheet" href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/awards/award.css" type="text/css"><table id="petdiv"><tr><td><p>Award From <a href='http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/'>PetsDirect.co.uk</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk"><center><img alt="Puppy Supplies" src="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/awards/blogger/canineaward2010L.png"/></center></a></td></tr><tr><td><p><a href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/Dog-Collars/c6/index.html">DOG COLLAR</a> &<br><a href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/Dog-Collars-Designer-Dog-Collars/c6_9/index.html">DESIGNER DOG COLLARS</a><br> SUPPLIER UK</p></td></tr></table>
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<br /><link rel="stylesheet" href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/awards/award.css" type="text/css"><table id="table365"><tr><td><p><a href='http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/'>PetsDirect.co.uk</a> Ribbon Award</p></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk"><center><img alt="Puppy Toys" src="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/awards/blogger/petawardBlueL.png"/></center></a></td></tr><tr><td><p><a href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/Dog-Leads/c15/index.html">DOG LEADS</a> &<br><a href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/Dog-Collars-Designer-Dog-Collars/c6_9/index.html">STYLISH DOG COLLARS</a><br> SUPPLIER UK</p></td></tr></table>
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<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Awarded For..
<br />A Unique Blog From A Whole New And Interesting Perspective.
<br />A Useful And Unique Blogger Resource
<br />Great Literature And/Or Informational Quality
<br />Helping The Preservation And General Well Being Of A Specific Breed Type.
<br />Showing A True Love For A Specific Breed Or Pet Type.</span></span>
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">We are also now added on the <a href="http://www.petsdirect.co.uk/links.php?lPath=14&osCsid=99c951d541868190e2cc9cd8a27ebc1b">PetsDirect.co.uk links page!</a></span>
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<br />Thank you to John at PetsDirect, the nice guy who contacted us and "approved" our blog :) I am not really even sure what that means, but it sounds cool and we appreciate it!Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-75567386740023691522010-10-07T10:10:00.004-06:002010-10-07T10:17:48.893-06:00Uncommonly ColoredBentley, our current dog of the month, inspired me to do a post on some of the lesser known colors in various dog breeds. Of course, it's important to remember that just because a particular color is advertised as "rare" does not make it anymore valuable. Many backyard breeders use this tactic to gain interest in their puppies and raise the prices on them too. But truthfully, the term "rare color" starts and ends there. It simply states that a certain color is less common. And beware; some breeders will even use the word "rare" when it is really not rare at all. <br /><br />Some colors of dogs may be in higher demand than others. Take the English cream Dachshund for instance. Right now, English creams go for anywhere from $800 - $2000. The color English cream is unique to the longhair Dachshund. A true English cream can only be a longhair. But many Dachshund breeders will coin their dilute reds (lighter than normal red) as creams in hopes of getting more money from them, even if they are smooth or wirehair varieties. These people are either being deceptive or they are naive to the facts about their chosen breed, which is another reason why it's important to do your research before buying a dog. Many people get ripped off big time by the false marketing of an irresponsible breeder. <br />There may not be anything wrong with pricing a particular color higher if that's the going price. Still, be wary. The bottom line is, you are really only paying a higher price for looks. If you are comfortable paying more for a look you love, that is your preference. But don't buy a certain colored puppy just because you're talked into believing it's a gem. <br /><br />Color trends in dogs come and go. Another thing to keep in mind is an ethical breeder will not breed their dogs for profit. Their priorities should be health, temperament, conformation (the way the dog is built and moves), and then color.<br /><br />All that said, it is still interesting to me that some breeds will occasionally produce colors that you aren't used to seeing. So, here are a few of those!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Albino Doberman Pinscher<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtzta9gYTO8IZwh4Aqd39pPleSHDB123Q7JPE12UlPq8-GimEAQ15G4YcU-2U76CHsjpa2L599o3gU8zzf1BxU8powyyMdvRi6yAC5joyEesEBleG0lyX00oKBS7ZXyMBHwMQzjsF2PZb/s1600/white-doberman.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtzta9gYTO8IZwh4Aqd39pPleSHDB123Q7JPE12UlPq8-GimEAQ15G4YcU-2U76CHsjpa2L599o3gU8zzf1BxU8powyyMdvRi6yAC5joyEesEBleG0lyX00oKBS7ZXyMBHwMQzjsF2PZb/s320/white-doberman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523643297696928658" /></a><br /><br />The first recorded albino Doberman was born in 1976. All albino Dobermans registered since then are descendants from this single dog. As most people know, albino is not the same as white. Dobermans that are born albino lack any pigment, whereas white Boxers for instance usually have pigment on the face as well as spots somewhere on the body. The genes that control white and albino are separate. Albinism is always associated with eye problems and skin problems. Albino Dobermans are susceptible to sun burns and may be sensitive to bright light. There are many in depth articles to be read on the albino Doberman Pinscher, so if you are interested in acquiring one of your own, I suggest doing as much reading as possible!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silver Labrador Retriever<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9Oh-OQ2-T_Lroe2gGDS8OlO0gHioJHlMysnxY0QkMjo57a_1oihD_kfwq1lUUtoVg6z5erB2yM8XXU-oWdlV4Ya2brgPFW9JDGQZh9N1r7g2ChMHVasZdpTCFUsbX_6GpJ__m9FZYiNE/s1600/silverlab.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9Oh-OQ2-T_Lroe2gGDS8OlO0gHioJHlMysnxY0QkMjo57a_1oihD_kfwq1lUUtoVg6z5erB2yM8XXU-oWdlV4Ya2brgPFW9JDGQZh9N1r7g2ChMHVasZdpTCFUsbX_6GpJ__m9FZYiNE/s320/silverlab.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523644545491096370" /></a><br /><br />Some rare colors of breeds have a lot of controversy surrounding them, and silver Labs are one of them. Occasionally, a color will start popping up in excess when history shows no sign of that color being present. This gets people wondering if there is something fishy going on. Are they really purebreds? Some Lab fanciers believe that silver Labs are a product of introducing a Weimeraner (known for their light gray coats) to the gene pool. After extensive DNA testing performed by investigators from the AKC, they concluded that "there was no reason to doubt that the dogs were purebred Labrador Retrievers". Even so, this is still a highly debated topic among Lab people. There is no telling when or if anyone will come to a solid agreement, as there seems to be evidence supporting both sides. Regardless, silver labs, whether they are truly purebred or not, are gaining in popularity. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">White German Shepherd Dog or American White Shepherd<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySkr51lmXp-vV6jojewNQAUBrnQYzN9FW0sGeZXUyEZ2RAy7glcxRJnR35m8KkMTUrlxQeFjQ8Q0hPg9_-0ftEZ20zwfFoTNzcYuKeetk2XiT_Loi300gYZGCb1JWG3PSAiH2Rm6D1Q2k/s1600/whiteshep.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 187px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySkr51lmXp-vV6jojewNQAUBrnQYzN9FW0sGeZXUyEZ2RAy7glcxRJnR35m8KkMTUrlxQeFjQ8Q0hPg9_-0ftEZ20zwfFoTNzcYuKeetk2XiT_Loi300gYZGCb1JWG3PSAiH2Rm6D1Q2k/s320/whiteshep.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523648377607122594" /></a><br /><br />Most people know that German Shepherds come in white. But white is a disqualifying fault in the sport of AKC conformation. That is, they cannot be shown. This hasn't stopped fans of the color from breeding them however, and they are beginning to be known as a separate breed. The American White Shepherd is a purebred white German Shepherd, but by making them into a distinct breed, they could eventually be accepted into the AKC. Yes, politics definitely exist in the dog world as well! See the <a href="http://www.awsaclub.com/">American White Shepherd Association</a> website for more information. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">White Pug<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeMsyYrqeg3IqYWOG2PD40tC32KpOcOkoXQXYA8qRO864O6VR2N-vPo7T77dtg2WFCp9ugJW7qjMDDVRwln3sQu-YRXE4AtazmIGkzAqvXXWaM-6Klhb82hCwwfyrIb6_OdVEOhOIARBu/s1600/whitepug.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeMsyYrqeg3IqYWOG2PD40tC32KpOcOkoXQXYA8qRO864O6VR2N-vPo7T77dtg2WFCp9ugJW7qjMDDVRwln3sQu-YRXE4AtazmIGkzAqvXXWaM-6Klhb82hCwwfyrIb6_OdVEOhOIARBu/s320/whitepug.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523864173457248018" /></a><br /><br /><br />The existence of white pugs dates back to the 1800's. White pugs are not the same as albino pugs, which lack pigment. And a true white pug will only show fawn coloring where black is shown on fawn colored dogs. Also, the only two colors recognized by AKC are fawn and black. Any other color is a disqualification. Still, pugs are also seen in brindle, blue, silver fawn and silver gray. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Red & White Greater Swiss Mountain Dog<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgoubiz4Mf4NG-GsEMYLJB8l9u0fwGE1wp896e9Rbc0hFAsgpnxi6vZ5-aWTzzS7jnTSIi3MqbJBHnWd4gvNMmVJwnhpPKD8jKe3eMVoJq26bmBwAqmiUHMKRVR3sf04f0lHMMF_o5B5k/s1600/redswissies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgoubiz4Mf4NG-GsEMYLJB8l9u0fwGE1wp896e9Rbc0hFAsgpnxi6vZ5-aWTzzS7jnTSIi3MqbJBHnWd4gvNMmVJwnhpPKD8jKe3eMVoJq26bmBwAqmiUHMKRVR3sf04f0lHMMF_o5B5k/s320/redswissies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523649574672147362" /></a><br /><br />Greater Swiss Mountain dogs are only accepted in one color pattern, as demonstrated in the dog on the right. But occasionally, red & white puppies pop up in purebred litters. GSM's are not all that common to begin with, so the number of red & white Swissies is scarce, making them all the more unique.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blue Beagle<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgzr_Rs35YhH7qzg7zH1YTY6-u1rNyFAGBAIUqcvxaKmTpu6MEaPXXFQt1Py9J37sEAUVifd5t1ooCxFUbFFZyCA9FGwr01d1Lj1qtKFkX6pJh2tjUfFeqWoJ4ZYfF0L6BGjRuPhmSUv1/s1600/bluebeagle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgzr_Rs35YhH7qzg7zH1YTY6-u1rNyFAGBAIUqcvxaKmTpu6MEaPXXFQt1Py9J37sEAUVifd5t1ooCxFUbFFZyCA9FGwr01d1Lj1qtKFkX6pJh2tjUfFeqWoJ4ZYfF0L6BGjRuPhmSUv1/s320/bluebeagle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523652350658962466" /></a><br /><br />The color "blue" in the Beagle is nothing more than a recessive dilute gene, causing the normal black markings you see on a hound to come out looking paler. Although beautiful, unfortunately dilute coats are prone to skin problems such as alopecia, a skin disorder that causes bald patches, dry skin and thinning hair. If you buy a dilute color of any breed (isabella or blue are most common), it's important to know the health of the puppy's parents or of other dilute relatives.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Red Boston Terrier<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFB248S_ktkiDNWEH22Z6sMy3zy9cHRWkqux6ttC-OI2KZ-9ustx-BJ3CTocvIlWbp7_syte11k24mqMNjTKNQtPTEk4jVR99ztfnMVDuI1XIhb5B8VQBP5ScTscTzGHKYspNTjIvxXax/s1600/sealbt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFB248S_ktkiDNWEH22Z6sMy3zy9cHRWkqux6ttC-OI2KZ-9ustx-BJ3CTocvIlWbp7_syte11k24mqMNjTKNQtPTEk4jVR99ztfnMVDuI1XIhb5B8VQBP5ScTscTzGHKYspNTjIvxXax/s320/sealbt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523654179125919042" /></a><br /><br />Boston Terriers come in a color called "seal" which is defined as "black with some brown hairs visible in sunlight." To be a true seal, the dog must have black pigment on the eyes, lips, nose, paw pads, and ears. The dog shown above is a more clear chocolate/red color and also has blue eyes, which is a disqualification in the AKC's breed standard. Still, these incorrect colors can and do show up in purebred Boston Terrier litters...and are undeniably cute!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Black & White Bulldog<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSHXvVNa60XGzqmWF2vc65zLH6TT3P3dRdkJMDhBt7QRmguEvnt-yynLY-9bH6qX_vGd0kmq287cNI8bb3S8BajQFP8gdxlDhqPZbf60xIvIZKaL6AvdcbcxZTW8FUegH_Ppwe4VZzLWG/s1600/black+english+bulldog.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSHXvVNa60XGzqmWF2vc65zLH6TT3P3dRdkJMDhBt7QRmguEvnt-yynLY-9bH6qX_vGd0kmq287cNI8bb3S8BajQFP8gdxlDhqPZbf60xIvIZKaL6AvdcbcxZTW8FUegH_Ppwe4VZzLWG/s320/black+english+bulldog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523656423699488418" /></a><br /><br />The AKC recognizes many colors in the Bulldog, with a specific order to preference. Black isn't exactly on the list of preferred colors. The standard states: "Solid black is very undesirable, but not so objectionable if occurring to a moderate degree in piebald patches." Surprisingly, black & white was one of the original colors seen in Bulldogs. It wasn't until the AKC standard stated that the color was undesirable that they started to diminish in popularity. Some say black & white seems to be healthier than other more common colors of Bulldog as they have less skin and immune system disorders. Black & white bulldogs are no exception to what I said in the introduction of this post about rare colors sometimes being sought after. This color typically goes at a much higher price than their already expensive "normal" colored relatives. Right now, it is nearly impossible to buy a Bulldog puppy for less than $1,000, with some going as high as $3500! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Merle Chihuahua<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtNni21n2mn6RWJ0s4L8wIt6SEKKJ1b5C6dLKCj85jxT-h99L1kWiJUTwktJ4EKLp1YmdChmCTS03QadTZaDzgSURQKUTUz4A78H2Upear7Ae0tuSu3XPl_d48Pmx8nQDNYXgKVA4CwHr/s1600/merle+chi.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtNni21n2mn6RWJ0s4L8wIt6SEKKJ1b5C6dLKCj85jxT-h99L1kWiJUTwktJ4EKLp1YmdChmCTS03QadTZaDzgSURQKUTUz4A78H2Upear7Ae0tuSu3XPl_d48Pmx8nQDNYXgKVA4CwHr/s320/merle+chi.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523851807371325170" /></a><br /><br />Like the Silver Lab, the merle Chihuahua has stirred up quite the controversy within the breed. Not only did this pattern experience sort of a "boom" in popularity some 10 ten years ago, a good majority of merle Chi's are slightly larger and bigger boned than Chihuahuas are supposed to be. This has caused breeders of the more traditional coat colors question if they were recently mixed with Miniature Australian Shepherd or some other commonly merle breed to achieve this color. On the contrary, merle Chihuahua breeders argue that this color has been present in the genes for the last 50 years or so and even if another breed was introduced into the gene pool at one time, by now they are breeding true. Even more interesting, the AKC breed standard states that Chihuahuas can be "any color - solid, marked or splashed". So, merle Chi's <span style="font-style:italic;">can</span> be shown. The reason you don't see them in the show ring very often is mostly due to their poor conformation. However, the size of them is also improving. I've noticed they are getting smaller and more refined than they were 10 years ago. Even so, I don't see the general contention over this subject ending anytime soon!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blond Schipperke and Brown Schipperke<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuX36ke2egEcB3kS4_bVytP-dLBL97PAwr8tm6kVInM3IqZVR5ZGfmlT_lWnr8kUOhoYnTd_jl8h07mpwrNp4JoVCEOEXuDLyzIrb-KSlYvLJXqbYIjvrSNuMskEItedZAHcqEWXOpuQE/s1600/whiteschip.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuX36ke2egEcB3kS4_bVytP-dLBL97PAwr8tm6kVInM3IqZVR5ZGfmlT_lWnr8kUOhoYnTd_jl8h07mpwrNp4JoVCEOEXuDLyzIrb-KSlYvLJXqbYIjvrSNuMskEItedZAHcqEWXOpuQE/s320/whiteschip.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525076147037099170" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbDUywKpJhZLg98-zJsQ5mudcXukrVYc6uiIBW8KcQT5JUSwF-NdAyhNkAD5F7kzMH8HDBJRZG2ePWQS4PB4m4nKaN_3V4I-Z5aN57j7qPfqd_UP4LDrQOdk-X7Adb4pGMBFXVIIFX28/s1600/brownschip2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbDUywKpJhZLg98-zJsQ5mudcXukrVYc6uiIBW8KcQT5JUSwF-NdAyhNkAD5F7kzMH8HDBJRZG2ePWQS4PB4m4nKaN_3V4I-Z5aN57j7qPfqd_UP4LDrQOdk-X7Adb4pGMBFXVIIFX28/s320/brownschip2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525076265239632834" /></a><br /><br />In the US, the Schipperke is recognized best by its prick ears, docked tail and of course, its solid black coat. But the original Schipperke came in brown and blond (sometimes called cream or white). Still, today's standard only accepts black dogs. The American Kennel Club states "The outercoat must be black. Any color other than a natural black is a disqualification." In England however, they aren't quite as strict regarding color. The Kennel Club's (UK) standard says, "Usually black but other whole colours permissible".<br />The brown Schipperke pictured above also has a "natural" tail, meaning it was not docked. To be shown in the AKC, Schipperkes must be "tailless" but in the UK, tail docking and ear cropping are banned for cosmetic purposes and only allowed on some working dogs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Biewer Yorkie<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1VljTR88qvzNYBp7k56JsBHG89V8RrqVHCu1xoFGS3YG0rgy9hpLGEm0cCppf3Lr-ZPak9WMrB9Jxw6JVwa12CfURt88wm7OchDc9XjZ-nU5XQx7fZFiDFQoHFOA5DLBeOeCMicsDQaS/s1600/biewer.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 278px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1VljTR88qvzNYBp7k56JsBHG89V8RrqVHCu1xoFGS3YG0rgy9hpLGEm0cCppf3Lr-ZPak9WMrB9Jxw6JVwa12CfURt88wm7OchDc9XjZ-nU5XQx7fZFiDFQoHFOA5DLBeOeCMicsDQaS/s320/biewer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523867569375996386" /></a><br /><br />Everyone recognizes a Yorkie by it's long blue & tan hair, the ony color accepted by the AKC. Well, the "Biewer Yorkie" or "Biewer Terrier" is actually a separate breed from the Yorkshire Terrier. The white, black and tan color is said to be a piebald recessive gene that showed up in a litter of purebred Yorkies only 26 years ago. From there, a selective breeding program was started to create a new breed. Still, as far as I know, no new breeds have been introduced to the Biewer gene pool. So color is still what truly separates them from a purebred Yorkie. That being said, a test was done on over 30 different lineages and Biewer fanciers claim that "we have been able to show that the Biewer Terrier is a distinct breed of its own."<br />Some say that calling these little dogs "Biewer Yorkie" is incorrect, because it suggests they were bred back to a Yorkshire Terrier and breeders of this new breed only want them bred to other Biewers. (Wow, that's a lot of B's in one sentence!) Whatever the case, I have a feeling they will grow quickly in popularity. I am already seeing plenty of them advertised in the local newspaper!<br /><br /><br />Some people prefer the classic colors, others may enjoy looking at something a little more unique. Either way, a dog doesn't know or care about the color or pattern of his coat. He'll spend his entire life never recognizing himself in a mirror, and never knowing what he missed. Aren't we dog owners thankful for that, in a world where the superficial is often emphasized over character?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(Hot Diggity does not own the rights to any of the photos used in this post)</span>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-66511175761208301182010-10-02T23:32:00.012-06:002010-10-03T00:28:18.286-06:00Black dogs are sort of like black cats...October's dog of the month is "Bentley", owned by Thomas and Kayla Bloom! We picked Bentley because of his strikingly handsome looks (seriously one of the cutest dogs I've ever seen!) and of course, his color couldn't be more appropriate for the month of Halloween. <br />I imagine most people mistake Bentley for a black lab or lab mix, but he is actually a purebred German Shorthaired Pointer. Shorthairs are usually only seen in solid liver, or a combination of liver & white (ticked, patched or roan). Black shorthairs are disqualified from the AKC conformation ring, but can be registered and compete in other sports. Although rare in the US, in Germany black shorthairs are slowly growing in popularity. Up to 20% of GSP puppies born in Germany are black or black & white, compared to only 5% a decade ago. I wish they were more common around here. I absolutely love their floppy, shiny, happy look!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Photographer:</span> Thomas Bloom<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Breed:</span> German Shorthaired Pointer<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Age:</span> (pictured: 4 1/2 months) Currently 5 1/2 months<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where did you get Bentley?</span> A breeder in arlington whose name I can't remember.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What made you pick him?</span> We love the breed's energy and intelligence and the short hair was a plus as well. There were only two left in his litter (both black) but he seemed so eager to please and be with people. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How did you pick his name?</span> Actually Kayla suggested it as a possibility, because she knew a dog named Bentley before, and I was excited about having a dog named after an amazing car (even though technically he's not named after the car).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Describe Bentley in 3 words:</span> He is cuddly, loving, and energetic<br /><br />Bentley living life...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd86UbbAHn2Z78Wf5EYChjutE5E6WLYWiG1tkhpZ-PX87Svg3G9kNwwLPDrFU817AI-za2os4Qq-etz3yx86uqmmcHRKFwmDudbHJsY1CUW2uz7Ed11QeTDE-QelVLSap9g8ovuQY26U0/s1600/bentley1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd86UbbAHn2Z78Wf5EYChjutE5E6WLYWiG1tkhpZ-PX87Svg3G9kNwwLPDrFU817AI-za2os4Qq-etz3yx86uqmmcHRKFwmDudbHJsY1CUW2uz7Ed11QeTDE-QelVLSap9g8ovuQY26U0/s320/bentley1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523695866073657330" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qhDPv1G6cnLL3zFuH0KkwaxGRFDwNYv62ZzUpMDQ1gmG8YRVsFiJA4tw72yF5YpXu7b3UOLQ2X2kNeXyrAlDoGKh38SOStdFMqa5PdM_J70VWJA2Eb3ISOSgTMSPWlGs-qlfKwLEiTo/s1600/bentleysleep.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qhDPv1G6cnLL3zFuH0KkwaxGRFDwNYv62ZzUpMDQ1gmG8YRVsFiJA4tw72yF5YpXu7b3UOLQ2X2kNeXyrAlDoGKh38SOStdFMqa5PdM_J70VWJA2Eb3ISOSgTMSPWlGs-qlfKwLEiTo/s320/bentleysleep.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523695970915544914" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwEV02aFT2l5CxzhItNyyBuPiR6m1dHX3HO3VXkGbLXEF4Y-cfklu_-VX-Aavra-jxNNVSsttumlvHJH3tQ0hh6Zlm1iu3HClsmIri_Vnit8D3EiA7F3w8ZAiIbG8PhqVrz7hdARiWqs/s1600/bentleybbq.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwEV02aFT2l5CxzhItNyyBuPiR6m1dHX3HO3VXkGbLXEF4Y-cfklu_-VX-Aavra-jxNNVSsttumlvHJH3tQ0hh6Zlm1iu3HClsmIri_Vnit8D3EiA7F3w8ZAiIbG8PhqVrz7hdARiWqs/s320/bentleybbq.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523696050910110306" /></a><br /><br />Thank you Thomas and Kayla! I can honestly say I will be a bit sad when October is over and we have to switch dogs. I love looking at his smiling face!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PPyUsRRbHvX4I1fFEwudcLaj6QN8ujOToqAzmGWu3RyAmRsT6AKVqNR7HA6dWV5PZL4FGyREHJv85l22bRU5PTx07ikG3zpBnQTA7YX4pjucKBcgZbtex_72c7FXsr9UdpFwXIgC1fY/s1600/bentley.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 315px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PPyUsRRbHvX4I1fFEwudcLaj6QN8ujOToqAzmGWu3RyAmRsT6AKVqNR7HA6dWV5PZL4FGyREHJv85l22bRU5PTx07ikG3zpBnQTA7YX4pjucKBcgZbtex_72c7FXsr9UdpFwXIgC1fY/s320/bentley.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523702788840065266" /></a>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-53499377353171380362010-09-01T10:04:00.003-06:002010-09-01T21:05:41.336-06:00Beautiful MiracleWell, here she is, the winner of September's dog of the month contest! <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mira Bella</span> the Dachshund! Obviously I'm not the only one who was touched by this little dog's story. And I would never complain about getting to look at another Dachshund at the top of our blog for the next month...<br /><br />Here is an interview with Mira Bella's owner, Terri VonderHeide. Terri, be watching for your $25 gift card to PetSmart in the mail!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Photographer's Name</span>: Terri VonderHeide<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where did you get your dog</span>? Rescue, I flew to New Orleans to save her from being euthanized.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What made you choose her?</span> I could not let a dachshund die just because it was paralyzed. She deserved a chance at life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Describe her in 3 words</span>: miraculous, determined, amazing<br /><br />Terri wrote a little extra about her special dog:<br /><br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">I have to add that Mira is special needs, she was paralyzed when I rescued her, because she had suffered a traumatic injury to her spine which crushed it. Not only was she paralyzed, she is completely deaf and partially blind as is the case with the majority of double dapples. We have overcome her paralysis in spite of her veterinarian in Louisiana saying it would take a Miracle for her to walk again, and after examination by my vet being told that the damage was so extreme that most likely she would never walk again but to go ahead and try because you just never really know for certain. So we spent 8 hours a day 5 days a week on different physical therapy techniques, and now she walks and runs with all her dachshund brothers and sisters that live here. Because the damage was so extreme she is still incontinent and while I have learned her potty schedule well enough that during the day I let her go what we call ‘nakeybutt” she does have to wear diapers if she has to be crated for any length of time or not allowed access to outside for any length of time. She doesn’t like to wear her diapers so I put baby onesies over the top of them so she can’t tear them off. Since she has joined our family, Mira has been a constant inspiration and has been a wonderful spokesdog for rescue and for disabled dogs. Her example has saved 5 dogs in the past year from being put to sleep because of back issues. She has gone to two elementary schools as an advocate both for rescue and for acceptance of someone being different.<br /><br />I am also attaching one picture of Mira in her wheelchair that she got shortly after she got here with me. Now she no longer needs her wheels but she does still need her doggles sun glasses because part of the genetic issues of being a double dapple her pupils do not expand and contract in the varying light and bright light hurts her eyes.</span>"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmjQVOjVOu8Gd3_xJtIRqvfEdOXeJSIOeTOChcgki0LeRrySIxD7qcK26MhG0q6ofFF2bjeNURb9iU-fGMv1hFvg2zXy9XvcpFSSlIg_Cm-t5J1Ei8nUDpyNiOiRVn_Dehh0PAAhryaU/s1600/SANY0011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmjQVOjVOu8Gd3_xJtIRqvfEdOXeJSIOeTOChcgki0LeRrySIxD7qcK26MhG0q6ofFF2bjeNURb9iU-fGMv1hFvg2zXy9XvcpFSSlIg_Cm-t5J1Ei8nUDpyNiOiRVn_Dehh0PAAhryaU/s320/SANY0011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512146934259008338" /></a><br /><br />Thank you Terri! And thank you to everyone who entered and voted! <br />Once again, you can read all about Mira in her blog at www.mirasmiracle.blogspot.comToryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-31416728132939009952010-08-20T17:49:00.030-06:002010-08-22T10:59:25.894-06:00Pick your favorite!Just four dogs are in the running for September's dog of the month. But once again I am glad choosing the winner isn't up to me, because I think they are all deserving of the title and the prize! ($25 to PetSmart). <br /><br />Review each of them below, and make your vote! Voting closes on September 1st!<br /><br /><!-- addpoll.com full custom poll --> <form action="http://www.addpoll.com/vote" method="post" target="_top" style="margin:0;" name="addPollVote"><br /><div style="font-size: 11px; font-family: verdana, arial, tahoma; width: 100%;"><br /> <input type="hidden" name="questionId" value="54938" /><br /> <div style="background-color: rgb(102, 204, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; padding: 4px 2%; width: 96%; text-align: left;"> <label title="Who do you want to be September's dog of the month?">Who do you want to be September's dog of the month?</label><br /></div><br /> <div style="background-color: rgb(153, 255, 102); padding: 4px 2%; width: 96%; text-align: left;"><br /> <ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0; padding: 0;"><br /> <li style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br /> <input type="radio" name="answerId" value="259229" id="ans_259229" style="border:0;" /><br /> <label for="ans_259229" title="Olive">Olive</label></li><br /> <li style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br /> <input type="radio" name="answerId" value="259230" id="ans_259230" style="border:0;" /><br /> <label for="ans_259230" title="Lloyd">Lloyd</label></li><br /> <li style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br /> <input type="radio" name="answerId" value="259231" id="ans_259231" style="border:0;" /><br /> <label for="ans_259231" title="Mira Bella">Mira Bella</label></li><br /> <li style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br /> <input type="radio" name="answerId" value="259232" id="ans_259232" style="border:0;" /><br /> <label for="ans_259232" title="Tully">Tully</label></li><br /> </ul><br /></div><br /><div style="background-color: rgb(153, 255, 102); color: rgb(102, 0, 0); text-align: left; width: 96%; padding: 4px 2%;"><input type="submit" name="vote" value="vote now" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border: 0px none; background-color: rgb(0, 153, 51); color: rgb(255, 255, 255); width: 65px; height: 18px; padding-bottom: 3px; cursor: pointer;" /><br /><b><a href="http://www.addpoll.com/results?54938" style="font-size: 10px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">view results</a></b><br /><a href="http://www.addpoll.com" target="_blank">Free vote poll</a></div><br /></div><br /> </form><br /><!-- /addpoll.com full custom poll --><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Olive</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHHPhTADxSK7khgFvFHJFh7sK2mkAFxn3q4gARwUuVTZCH1kMI0SSYIkIeJ93Tf_e9WXiqzwosjcpbBkP-4IqRRdy8W1j1VUDGV5mLqN6SYEE8aM7lXGMdqLQZIW6t_W6lpXg9T-Lj64/s1600/34438_406294092693_660787693_5024737_3595777_n%5B1%5D.JPG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHHPhTADxSK7khgFvFHJFh7sK2mkAFxn3q4gARwUuVTZCH1kMI0SSYIkIeJ93Tf_e9WXiqzwosjcpbBkP-4IqRRdy8W1j1VUDGV5mLqN6SYEE8aM7lXGMdqLQZIW6t_W6lpXg9T-Lj64/s320/34438_406294092693_660787693_5024737_3595777_n%5B1%5D.JPG.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507926705411796082" /></a><br /><br />Olive is a 10 month old Cane Corso owned by Auston and Molly Sligh! The Cane Corso is still relatively unknown, being one of the three newest breeds to be recognized by the AKC. Being rare also makes them hard to find. Olive was shipped to Washington from a breeder in Kentucky! Auston and Molly write about what made them choose a Cane Corso: "We both wanted a big, girl dog. Auston wanted something that looked scary, and I wanted a dog that looked like a pitbull, but without the stigma. Cane Corsos were the middle ground. She is lazy, loyal and snuggly. I can’t think of having anything else now, she’s perfect for us." <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lloyd</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYImU4X0MI_6yqJJHWJ38TviRy9TQK9JuLLFV8PvQjwyOeokFI2TLl1hnm805pknsnH7mgL7yJIimiLbHUqBE_WqmXtY2-ZOvSj5ZeYBGz4iS3mFati62xPnUa4YLv3tkJKalioWg4onY/s1600/2010-06-29+17.22.16.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYImU4X0MI_6yqJJHWJ38TviRy9TQK9JuLLFV8PvQjwyOeokFI2TLl1hnm805pknsnH7mgL7yJIimiLbHUqBE_WqmXtY2-ZOvSj5ZeYBGz4iS3mFati62xPnUa4YLv3tkJKalioWg4onY/s320/2010-06-29+17.22.16.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507926772477180114" /></a><br /><br />Lloyd is a Vizsla/Lab mix puppy owned by Kyle Crommett! Kyle rescued Lloyd from PAWS and writes that as soon as he saw him, he knew there was no way he was leaving without him! It sounds like a perfect match. "LLoyd is such an awesome dog. He is ridiculously smart. He was basically housebroken the first night I brought him home at just under 9 weeks, and he has picked up basic commands (Sit, Stay, Down) after literally just a few minutes on each command. He is very loyal, and pretty much spends the whole day attached to my leg. He'll wake up from a dead sleep just to follow me into the kitchen and pass back out on the floor at my feet while I cook."<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mira Bella</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIkCvIBTjm2px4W1oDarVhlV3v2vJYle0A-4094BKfCgK3KXjozZsS3pymix4YxZ6AXf3-HnrQFKzMFYjQBXVNXQZ6ZgSsaZ9GfTPmQacWhYK6Wj70Xbf6_oc6jmjMuglw_MmLZoTpoQ/s1600/DSCN0226.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIkCvIBTjm2px4W1oDarVhlV3v2vJYle0A-4094BKfCgK3KXjozZsS3pymix4YxZ6AXf3-HnrQFKzMFYjQBXVNXQZ6ZgSsaZ9GfTPmQacWhYK6Wj70Xbf6_oc6jmjMuglw_MmLZoTpoQ/s320/DSCN0226.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507927065276992562" /></a><br /><br />Mira Bella is a 5 year old Miniature Dachshund owned by Terri VonderHeide! Mira Bella is completely deaf, partially blind and was even paralyzed when Terri flew to New Orleans to rescue her from a neglected situation. Her name is truly fitting, Terri writes: "Her name was Honey when I rescued her but she is such a Miracle dog in so many ways and she is so beautiful both physically and in her spirit that Miracle got shortened to Mira and Bella for beautiful because she is my Beautiful Miracle." <br /><br />I'm positive that if Mira Bella could talk, she would call Terri her miracle as well. Thanks to her determination and faith, Mira Bella is able to walk again despite the fact that vets told Terri there was no way she would. Mira Bella's example has saved 5 rescue dogs in the past year alone from being euthanized because of having back problems.<br /><br />You can read all about Mira Bella's inspiring story by visiting her blog: <br /><br />www.mirasmiracle.blogspot.com<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tully</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuE3xrN9fWM25PlxToAoJi4pcn_W8IUAA9l3g8EQhEtdOw1uKzNcLN2jmsVkl-5Onucq1qFAOniJpEBOQcOVB3mUv1JaCFzDI3baHoxzIYENsKsU3CjDQ6C5PyDxfbpbbwa7ga-z2lrI/s1600/IMG_9076.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuE3xrN9fWM25PlxToAoJi4pcn_W8IUAA9l3g8EQhEtdOw1uKzNcLN2jmsVkl-5Onucq1qFAOniJpEBOQcOVB3mUv1JaCFzDI3baHoxzIYENsKsU3CjDQ6C5PyDxfbpbbwa7ga-z2lrI/s320/IMG_9076.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507926956904773490" /></a><br /><br />Tully is a 3 year old Cairn Terrier owned by Jeff and Rachel Bundy! This was an impulse buy that really worked out. Rachel says "It was a compulsive purchase but I am so glad I got her. She is affectionate, devoted, and cute". She is also named after Julianne Moore's character in "The Forgotten", but she goes by a variety of awesome nicknames including Dinger, Trikemaster Tom, Smerf and Danger, pronounced Dang - Er.<br /><br /><br />The upside to having fewer contestants is it will make your decision easier. Then again...maybe not?Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-19643625871462592432010-08-10T20:53:00.029-06:002010-08-16T11:10:47.533-06:00You are the best thing that's ever been mineA few years ago I started collecting dog related quotes that I liked. Here are some of those quotes, along with some of my favorite dog photos I have saved overtime...(and do not own the rights to :)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">"Only my dogs will not betray me."<br />~Maria Callas</span><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI199MDZO62AkkM5wk8pGOEovAwv8izJOPPIxNLCW_erpBGBXbsjg-Q0Zea_qobNYQDnRD087cgTPdZnK8Fs62IHn35jF4TE3LerMy0RhnmYNrgjK0gFQ1AFRo96A1q3NPjZyCoEiSxpo/s1600/henri-homeless.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI199MDZO62AkkM5wk8pGOEovAwv8izJOPPIxNLCW_erpBGBXbsjg-Q0Zea_qobNYQDnRD087cgTPdZnK8Fs62IHn35jF4TE3LerMy0RhnmYNrgjK0gFQ1AFRo96A1q3NPjZyCoEiSxpo/s320/henri-homeless.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505339698319639506" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears."<br />~Elizabeth Barrett Browning, referring to her cocker spaniel, Flush</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpY7_mQOK1KxXuqn2HKMGFo-SheltNKvTU4vcqIYDnLsCaEfS7eULHtKVxxPC2Dfub5y-ZVLxLdWYXvWE0cPpF32b7mkrHMWEAEwSEqW8Oy76nDwVkzThGiuMsoMHcSyRqV3a0cZmorY/s1600/sweet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpY7_mQOK1KxXuqn2HKMGFo-SheltNKvTU4vcqIYDnLsCaEfS7eULHtKVxxPC2Dfub5y-ZVLxLdWYXvWE0cPpF32b7mkrHMWEAEwSEqW8Oy76nDwVkzThGiuMsoMHcSyRqV3a0cZmorY/s320/sweet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503983860319634402" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"… none are as fiercely loyal as dog people. <br />In return, no doubt, for the never-ending loyalty of dogs."<br />~Linda Shrieves<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPaTds1BrphgPH9K5NNKktYIeSAb8iMiDSRDV50rTsawdC5Ppp6TliB0M2wNQGWHVrbjnPuPbGcfb7Xu2sk-xcgoQ0d8q7tZkfXZAtD9NtIy8H_cd6IgaNv8-ev4sPQtrBk41AXVFHHg/s1600/puppy2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPaTds1BrphgPH9K5NNKktYIeSAb8iMiDSRDV50rTsawdC5Ppp6TliB0M2wNQGWHVrbjnPuPbGcfb7Xu2sk-xcgoQ0d8q7tZkfXZAtD9NtIy8H_cd6IgaNv8-ev4sPQtrBk41AXVFHHg/s320/puppy2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503985092396923842" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"If you get to thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around." <br />~Will Rogers</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKApbk8KkP9ZaV3gbILjblqdZvSmhtFxA-VxUdn8aiMlVnNurr6DJNTsa-2vehkALdY4I_QiK3TPyW3COXMWG6AlbBPTcp4vLdfVomDjwklhA9fKXiKVuBPCCKSni4sW9jCRFUwOrcgQA/s1600/2_doghandlersswales1968web.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 166px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKApbk8KkP9ZaV3gbILjblqdZvSmhtFxA-VxUdn8aiMlVnNurr6DJNTsa-2vehkALdY4I_QiK3TPyW3COXMWG6AlbBPTcp4vLdfVomDjwklhA9fKXiKVuBPCCKSni4sW9jCRFUwOrcgQA/s320/2_doghandlersswales1968web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503989507694358866" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace." <br />~Milan Kundera</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qo1zATGtmYqE0FABIeA_EHvp7okcbxIThiBnVo4iIsiI9ltdivj7kmrZXq94meRkILWd94jXVdMbuejE7OPQSSN8MNwsMYoV6FJdGsM3rRzEUToi4q6BMHbONw06Ca1lJydQ0MYOx14/s1600/Web20Bill2020dog20220web.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 203px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qo1zATGtmYqE0FABIeA_EHvp7okcbxIThiBnVo4iIsiI9ltdivj7kmrZXq94meRkILWd94jXVdMbuejE7OPQSSN8MNwsMYoV6FJdGsM3rRzEUToi4q6BMHbONw06Ca1lJydQ0MYOx14/s320/Web20Bill2020dog20220web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503989917239400626" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment"<br />~George Eliot</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFOy868bDqaBnWF9ID7AmBIKYDLltsAfdb9dxbE4gl4ruqIDVEJDQ9g5B4a52KzJ-2OzFfzPOcv65IqRIuVoVXmp7qw2-9G-Qf62ubZ4qxoKWLBxO_f5xzekR6nGaqnQcU3KPRCvfFPs/s1600/Dad+and+Karl+Norfolk+Constabulary+HQ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 237px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFOy868bDqaBnWF9ID7AmBIKYDLltsAfdb9dxbE4gl4ruqIDVEJDQ9g5B4a52KzJ-2OzFfzPOcv65IqRIuVoVXmp7qw2-9G-Qf62ubZ4qxoKWLBxO_f5xzekR6nGaqnQcU3KPRCvfFPs/s320/Dad+and+Karl+Norfolk+Constabulary+HQ.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504298179182230514" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"We never really own a dog as much as he owns us."<br />~Gene Hill</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8TaudGrTxwQWQlh24HIL5eerVhWTurQ3i6y4JJaP-k2UsMULVYmxHT985E6CDNYPlTHzh2dL03MI1GCPkhC0tMvNxWlnGzRe577GeYrgGPjEnwHFXJ2BylauWABfurUyDhz9uw4rdjY/s1600/susan__dog-727960.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8TaudGrTxwQWQlh24HIL5eerVhWTurQ3i6y4JJaP-k2UsMULVYmxHT985E6CDNYPlTHzh2dL03MI1GCPkhC0tMvNxWlnGzRe577GeYrgGPjEnwHFXJ2BylauWABfurUyDhz9uw4rdjY/s320/susan__dog-727960.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504298536560071362" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to."<br />~Joe Gores</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Sm2TRBXJkMDUor65WhSLxMEYcHrBwWW-3zJVTfAGd6nPcMmTJoDK-7S5shjD251ovLqASxjeuHaCmpLIpsTxbXdNuwHEliHNtM35ILZca3KW-iY8rt3DqNtpgaXZbwQe935CvyyS9dE/s1600/4boy-dog.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Sm2TRBXJkMDUor65WhSLxMEYcHrBwWW-3zJVTfAGd6nPcMmTJoDK-7S5shjD251ovLqASxjeuHaCmpLIpsTxbXdNuwHEliHNtM35ILZca3KW-iY8rt3DqNtpgaXZbwQe935CvyyS9dE/s320/4boy-dog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504298738567619186" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."<br />~Anatole France</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGPo1kSaatKCS_5jzP0WHz8PsVy8c_JC9P5VBmWBTj6pq07f0IGQAp6a_v21AQsqD5OyHGCjAnvJbIiR4VbGjCRSBtdebLYb80qRj-iE03KUugTkLYiy6bDcxP7Vx0AQegplKBUlqPD0/s1600/whippet_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGPo1kSaatKCS_5jzP0WHz8PsVy8c_JC9P5VBmWBTj6pq07f0IGQAp6a_v21AQsqD5OyHGCjAnvJbIiR4VbGjCRSBtdebLYb80qRj-iE03KUugTkLYiy6bDcxP7Vx0AQegplKBUlqPD0/s320/whippet_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504299058067518594" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"A person who has never owned a dog has missed a wonderful part of life"<br />~Bob Barker</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoyNKUJ8G1ZJrCJus99zu0-BrST_JTHnIdWJ0asa3L2KtuHDeLrM-ab3Hah4m-iai65V9y2DDgCSpLgQ4uICdtCHAlqUOqfblVdnhpXPh_HTjoOryEmTsKwXNeAKhr2u1AQM76RsTAxE/s1600/eckert_with_dog_c1920s-1930s_102664.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoyNKUJ8G1ZJrCJus99zu0-BrST_JTHnIdWJ0asa3L2KtuHDeLrM-ab3Hah4m-iai65V9y2DDgCSpLgQ4uICdtCHAlqUOqfblVdnhpXPh_HTjoOryEmTsKwXNeAKhr2u1AQM76RsTAxE/s320/eckert_with_dog_c1920s-1930s_102664.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504339951349662754" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Old men miss many dogs."<br />~Steve Allen</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1263NKauH574Kbq8eslVcxv-lA5fmXOTw2SO_vuoyF5bDqOoZLC3hEVbmd4XAnup4l6yDmh4xJWI8jYBACPwfE4IHKUGu0L5CMj6FAeF0m4H8bfRCeHlVKidyKpVfngTw2NiCS-iPC4/s1600/golden1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1263NKauH574Kbq8eslVcxv-lA5fmXOTw2SO_vuoyF5bDqOoZLC3hEVbmd4XAnup4l6yDmh4xJWI8jYBACPwfE4IHKUGu0L5CMj6FAeF0m4H8bfRCeHlVKidyKpVfngTw2NiCS-iPC4/s320/golden1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505335260613902770" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." <br />~Agnes Sligh Turnbull</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY20nl3oL40GWw7507kWzjnjS4aCo65L_dEW7u3T1VDg51DMpFDMNEpfBa3WKL3vhMh_i3FIgM7SFDaArkV9_jrsdwuMcz4LrFhj9YTRgspd6qCA4FMuJ72j9PGdv37FDkWDBZMZqnn1w/s1600/1431565791073357311S425x425Q85.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY20nl3oL40GWw7507kWzjnjS4aCo65L_dEW7u3T1VDg51DMpFDMNEpfBa3WKL3vhMh_i3FIgM7SFDaArkV9_jrsdwuMcz4LrFhj9YTRgspd6qCA4FMuJ72j9PGdv37FDkWDBZMZqnn1w/s320/1431565791073357311S425x425Q85.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505335492430410850" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">For the soul of every living thing is in the hand of God. <br />Job 12:10</span>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-86248859935601913172010-08-07T17:19:00.008-06:002010-10-13T19:49:14.930-06:00Edging. To Put Dog Owners on Edge.Remember when I mentioned how my dog Gabe is prone to accidents? Maybe I should've knocked on wood, because he got into some MORE trouble just a few months ago. (And if you do not recall, maybe <a href="http://dee-oh-gee.blogspot.com/2010/07/and-he-kisses-his-mom-with-that-mouth.html">this</a> will refresh your memory.)<br /><br />Here's what went down most recently. <br /><br />I got to the end of another work week, woke up later than normal, and let Gabe outside before I did anything else. I left the back door open so he could come back inside when he was done. After being outside for literally 1-2 minutes, he did come back into the kitchen momentarily. Then, he wandered back outside on the deck. Shortly after, I noticed a spot of what appeared to be blood on the floor. I followed Gabe out to the deck and then saw that there were LOTS of spots of blood all over the place, and Gabe was vigorously licking one of his paws. <br /><br />Some choice language flooded into my mind, and I stooped down to see what was causing the mess. His entire front left paw was pooling with blood between the pads. I could not stomach the thought of investigating it too closely (that is why I am a dog trainer, not a doctor), so we immediately went to the vet to have it assessed. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSI2asJU2Tc6wWQzNXy2BwRVIGw3X-KL4tKPXPxX1mtub1TPTdnlG5qAKlPqSKQB937hY1WhBYTLImThJO4Kjhi_SzaRlfrIQ50lXDO61BhIP_u9lYo5VToRouCavdBrbPNI0LcSh-np8/s1600/575979438_2045163270_0.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSI2asJU2Tc6wWQzNXy2BwRVIGw3X-KL4tKPXPxX1mtub1TPTdnlG5qAKlPqSKQB937hY1WhBYTLImThJO4Kjhi_SzaRlfrIQ50lXDO61BhIP_u9lYo5VToRouCavdBrbPNI0LcSh-np8/s320/575979438_2045163270_0.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527705330600426306" /></a><br /><br />I had NO idea what could have caused such a gruesome gash in such a small amount of time, but upon arrival to the vet clinic, three different people asked us: 'Do you have any metal edging in your yard?' And come to find out, we do. <br /><br />Tangent: <span style="font-style:italic;">At this time, I should probably mention that I didn't even know what edging WAS before this happened. When I heard what it is called, I pictured it to be somewhere on the fence. You know, on the <span style="font-weight:bold;">edge</span> of the yard. In all actuality, edging is the material that borders flower beds, gardens, etc. to prevent different landscaping materials from mixing. Just in case you live under a rock like I do and don't realize what edging is, this is what it looks like:<br /><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFooFoDJ6sbJZx30Sxl9CdX2_ckis-d8G-eFU6yBoFfOD3X9205lyemA7B6d1usZsSp2O2_cuwuag1oTbbV7Xk8lNWhwsOmqgjWHJxSXvILOCekgAGvouD0_WZqd_b98hUntebw8bf-U/s1600/EECutDiag5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFooFoDJ6sbJZx30Sxl9CdX2_ckis-d8G-eFU6yBoFfOD3X9205lyemA7B6d1usZsSp2O2_cuwuag1oTbbV7Xk8lNWhwsOmqgjWHJxSXvILOCekgAGvouD0_WZqd_b98hUntebw8bf-U/s320/EECutDiag5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527703403854001746" /></a><br /><br />End tangent.<br /><br />A few stitches later and armed with a batch of antibiotics and Rimadyl, Gabe was returned to me. He was lucky to not have cut any tendons in his foot. Come to find out, he was also lucky that the cut was between the pads of his foot, and not on the pad (because the pads are made up of dead skin, which is harder to grow back, go figure.) Nonetheless, Gabe had a long couple of weeks ahead of him. No walks. No unsupervised trips to the backyard. No being rowdy, or getting his foot wet. He also occasionally had to wear the dreaded CONE OF SHAME so he wouldn't eat his bandage off. (But we will spare him from being further embarassed on the internet by keeping the real pictures to ourselves.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJJreEA2U7WklnU6gqjBlXaDtS8uxB41IRBlkq565hj4EjEwXEHcr73soTLwEMcSv3SMX_58Kb-SWh40lABXszjH_XKzju_soKRCbstXOpA0y9Cwi51psfz9gORkyMy8i4DOLQcz2kl8/s1600/cone+of+shame.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJJreEA2U7WklnU6gqjBlXaDtS8uxB41IRBlkq565hj4EjEwXEHcr73soTLwEMcSv3SMX_58Kb-SWh40lABXszjH_XKzju_soKRCbstXOpA0y9Cwi51psfz9gORkyMy8i4DOLQcz2kl8/s320/cone+of+shame.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527706911617296274" /></a><br /><br />After weeks of watching Gabe like a hawk, bagging his foot every time we'd go outside in wet grass, un-bagging it every time we came in the house, excluding him from all outdoor adventures, making sure he got his pills twice a day, and watching him pitifully hobble, I was ready to tear the edging out of the yard with my bare hands. One small piece of metal had a huge impact on my lifestyle, peace of mind, and bank account. <br /><br />Dad went to Home Depot to buy some type of guard for the top of the edging. As it turns out, they don't even sell metal edging any more, because of how common it is for people and animals to be cut by it! It was good news in one sense, but bad because he couldn't get any sort of protective covering for our edging any more. He ended up using duct tape to cover all jagged corners. (We also got the suggestion to cut a garden hose in half and use that to cover all of the edging.)<br /><br />So, if you have metal edging in your yard, and your pets or kids ever play out there, I would highly recommend replacing it, or at least covering it. It might seem tedious or pointless, but it will spare you money and heartache in the long run.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03624011564814042688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-11270681612137979362010-08-01T10:37:00.006-06:002010-08-01T16:24:45.506-06:00Shiloh - Winner for August's Dog of the Month!The votes are in! Congrats to <span style="font-weight:bold;">Shiloh</span> for winning Hot Diggity's first ever photo contest! Shiloh is crowned August's dog of the month and will be receiving a $25 gift card to PetSmart in the mail!<br /><br />Shiloh is owned by Sarah Sandberg (also the photographer of this winning photo). Here is a little interview with her about this sweet little guy:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Dog's Breed</span>: Double Dapple Dachshund ( tsk tsk I know ) <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Dog's Age:</span> Approx 5 yrs<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where did you get your dog?</span> Shiloh's story is slightly long and posted on <a href="http://3dachsies.blogspot.com/2010/06/3-becomes-suddenly-4.html">my blog</a> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What made you choose your dog?</span> I believe he was chosen for me at a time in my life when my heart cat Tigger of 15+ years was passing on. He came to heal my soul. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How did you pick your dog's name?</span> Shiloh means God's gift and he is certainly a gift to us. ( also explained within the blog posting ) <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Describe your dog in 3 words:</span> Intelligent, Love & Perfection<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgEWP2mbd24qGgoHseR2-QMjz9hCISagq93pYdnQ0JUmIEoP9-GT1YjFZhfpOEhi7gDewK55yHDe74IvGJI0IuuK2fsEyxkWvEhAk9JHLymH6HIznlRix96Bn2HEMmtGaKEI97KlGMB0/s1600/Shiloh.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgEWP2mbd24qGgoHseR2-QMjz9hCISagq93pYdnQ0JUmIEoP9-GT1YjFZhfpOEhi7gDewK55yHDe74IvGJI0IuuK2fsEyxkWvEhAk9JHLymH6HIznlRix96Bn2HEMmtGaKEI97KlGMB0/s320/Shiloh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500481619840829154" /></a><br /><br />Thank you to everyone who voted! You can start sending in your entries for September's contest.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">To Enter:<br /></span><br />Email us up to 5 photos of your dog along with the following info:<br /><br />Owner's Name:<br />Photographer's Name:<br />Dog's Name:<br />Dog's Breed:<br />Dog's Age:<br />Where did you get your dog?<br />What made you choose your dog?<br />How did you pick your dog's name?<br />Describe your dog in 3 words:<br /><br />Email All Entries to: TheHotDiggity@hotmail.com<br /><br />There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. We just want a little info to include in the post that features your dog if he/she wins :)<br /><br />Rules/Tips:<br /><br />- Send all entries in by August 21st<br />- People are awesome. People in your dog picture entries are not quite as awesome. No people please!<br />- Pictures with more than one dog in them are fine. Just make sure to answer the questions for each dog (if they are all yours)<br />- The higher quality photo, the better! (Pixely or blurry shots won't look too cute supersized.)Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-43220690801245385512010-07-20T19:51:00.043-06:002010-07-29T09:46:59.940-06:00I'll Follow You Until You Love Me....Thank you so much to everyone who entered our first photo contest! We were so excited each time we would see another entry and loved reading about each dog. To those who sent more than one picture per dog, let it be known that we had a tough time narrowing it down to just one! <br /><br />Man, I have to say, I wasn't expecting it, but each one of these dogs melts my heart. I am just glad that Becca and I don't have to choose the winner ourselves. It would be way too hard for me, I would probably end up choosing them all which would result in an extremely cluttered blog header. But that won't happen because choosing the winner will be up to you guys!<br /><br />After you've reviewed each contestant, you can vote for your favorite by name at the top of the blog.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">-</span> If you don't already have a google account, it will prompt you to create one<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">-</span> Next, you will have to follow our blog in order to vote in the poll. Don't worry, you can always unfollow it after you vote!</span><br /><br />Voting will be open until July 31st, so rally up your friends to vote for your dog, or your favorite. <br /><br />So, here they are...the 12 candidates for August's dog of the month. (As always, click pictures to view them up close.)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Yogi<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEedhCzUn_Y4Q4EQAdvMynK-aqjp_YoFfnB57sb97pprETxebItBGAFEPyjMLrEltfYjKxbOdSavqbtKJC8OOsHlBwp6EqPMP36QG4DIng0XSgNnsV_T2gbQ2CHCJimnW9S8FSQpCoRho/s1600/Yogi.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEedhCzUn_Y4Q4EQAdvMynK-aqjp_YoFfnB57sb97pprETxebItBGAFEPyjMLrEltfYjKxbOdSavqbtKJC8OOsHlBwp6EqPMP36QG4DIng0XSgNnsV_T2gbQ2CHCJimnW9S8FSQpCoRho/s320/Yogi.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496184883592412450" /></a><br /><br />Yogi is a 3 year old Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix owned by Patia Eaton! Not many dogs can say they were named by someone other than their owner. <br />Patia writes: "<span style="font-style:italic;">I didn't name him. My boss did because everyone was sick of me calling him "Puppy.</span>" <br /><br />When asked to describe Yogi in 3 words, Patia said: " <span style="font-style:italic;">Best. Dog. Ever.</span> ;)"<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Beesly<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT55FWlbE-uvQwkUe6fMms_XmZg2fvJ2YEELHVrBcWbZerWGPqbYUEcVgD6-pwR-slU8LInqDUzWiAsBmBM24VdEmM7zjg1yxoVkKgl2Ck3S2pix8nR9obEBHeIHWjc6Vl1ZushBk2js/s1600/Beesley.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT55FWlbE-uvQwkUe6fMms_XmZg2fvJ2YEELHVrBcWbZerWGPqbYUEcVgD6-pwR-slU8LInqDUzWiAsBmBM24VdEmM7zjg1yxoVkKgl2Ck3S2pix8nR9obEBHeIHWjc6Vl1ZushBk2js/s320/Beesley.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496174942410279218" /></a><br /><br />Beesly (pictured at 3 months) is a Beagle owned by Christina and Kevin Klas!<br />Christina and Kevin were warned not to get a beagle for various reasons, but they had always wanted one and decided to get one anyway. I have a feeling they don't regret it! <br /><br />Christina writes that "<span style="font-style:italic;">She's named after Pam Beesly from 'The Office' tv show</span>"<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Macy Mae<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu7CodHM2-OKb9Szk4DTbDktTMS3_VeBjTl-NGr2T1L6Zeyu5O8aSs6HO51xaX-zAWNylDUEVaXZ_TGEtpANLYw1KBke7led_PpO0BYAV-RG6GIFpaIcAcGpebxAnsULTvrisbDjrj2o/s1600/MaciMae.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu7CodHM2-OKb9Szk4DTbDktTMS3_VeBjTl-NGr2T1L6Zeyu5O8aSs6HO51xaX-zAWNylDUEVaXZ_TGEtpANLYw1KBke7led_PpO0BYAV-RG6GIFpaIcAcGpebxAnsULTvrisbDjrj2o/s320/MaciMae.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496239810552547970" /></a><br /><br />Macy Mae is a 1-1/2 year old Miniature Dachshund owned by Jami Manning! Jami found her dream dog in Macy Mae; "<span style="font-style:italic;">Wanted a female LH doxie horridly bad so my husband surprised me when we went down to TX to see his family last Feb and I picked her out for my birthday."</span> Personally I can't think of a better birthday present than a Dachshund puppy. But hey, I'm a little biased.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lucy<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdd2Se7kPeqb1loZAFbrpSIOJUtBPS84_k4lc8-yyNmyUEmC7phz4XTzgKotc9ipzVW620Kucrn5tUl5EtRVvyG-5JPFUOzyouV2ly9qIlBr5rmuxJIKx8U5U51CFNwg_mEibL2tEhl9E/s1600/Lucy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdd2Se7kPeqb1loZAFbrpSIOJUtBPS84_k4lc8-yyNmyUEmC7phz4XTzgKotc9ipzVW620Kucrn5tUl5EtRVvyG-5JPFUOzyouV2ly9qIlBr5rmuxJIKx8U5U51CFNwg_mEibL2tEhl9E/s320/Lucy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496185890550868162" /></a><br /><br />Lucy is a 2 year old Shetland Sheepdog owned by Becky and Lewis Jones! Becky says that Lucy acts as her alarm clock, waking her up everyday during the summer at 6am to go on their morning walk. <br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">She is by far the best workout partner I could ask for! She has become my shadow, never leaving my side. Someone said a quote once, "My little dog...a heartbeat at my feet." That is truly Lucy. Always faithful, loving, and a wonderful friend.</span>"<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Shiloh<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v-spR_QMIfCCYRDWfjLYGb-moq7SeK8f8i8hkSOnvzy_FJQgpBFdU4X0-VvrNDIDozjx4YvzA87x8kYz0dPImghcfeZZL9KrjYlo-FU8p-xpoVuzmQKB9nx_xxVbFxlxBd06gSszjxA/s1600/Shiloh.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v-spR_QMIfCCYRDWfjLYGb-moq7SeK8f8i8hkSOnvzy_FJQgpBFdU4X0-VvrNDIDozjx4YvzA87x8kYz0dPImghcfeZZL9KrjYlo-FU8p-xpoVuzmQKB9nx_xxVbFxlxBd06gSszjxA/s320/Shiloh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496176229653803938" /></a><br /><br />Shiloh is a double dapple Dachshund owned by Sarah Sandberg! Shiloh is blind, as double dapples often are, and Sarah included this sweet message about him in her entry: <br /><br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">I'd like to give a quick explanation of why I chose my blind boy over my 3 perfectly healthy and to many people much more photogenic. I wanted to share with people that special needs animals ( of any kind ) can be "perfect" too. Although Shiloh can not see he is an amazing boy who came into my life rather suddenly and has quickly taken my heart over in a matter of just a few weeks. I went into the rescue of him with thoughts of fear, "what ifs" and how can I care for him as I knew nothing of blind dogs. HE is teaching me that there is nothing to fear, there are very few "what ifs" and I think if anything he's caring for me right now.</span>"<br /><br />To find out more about Shiloh's story, visit Sarah's blog by clicking <a href="http://3dachsies.blogspot.com/2010/06/3-becomes-suddenly-4.html">Here</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chachi<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9azPMAr8qKoFinM4_9OoCdTTRXXgvv0Rb7NHiQVSCRZIyEszYIPxdJ2MzkTu5QQxRQoL5Q5rAfojAiUH6qTRHn9_AxPeGjjnPjAfdAk8sGMmOZB6A4oiG_lYhxDzBQrIlTXCY68kbwg/s1600/chachi+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9azPMAr8qKoFinM4_9OoCdTTRXXgvv0Rb7NHiQVSCRZIyEszYIPxdJ2MzkTu5QQxRQoL5Q5rAfojAiUH6qTRHn9_AxPeGjjnPjAfdAk8sGMmOZB6A4oiG_lYhxDzBQrIlTXCY68kbwg/s320/chachi+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496177729692182130" /></a><br /><br />Chachi is a 4 month old Chihuahua owned by Natalie Arias! Natalie describes Chachi as being "<span style="font-style:italic;">Shy, loving and playful</span>"<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chester<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVcEaZfksfxMIq-pR6UpnIY9Ut-3qPpgY-7u9NPpevnXzCNdRaaBQ5lsyJX_yjFOyKlpZRf4t2lURP5mxBYmd3Blw_TKTH_kD-xBlrvq9o26kuU9NwLgqJAJUjfKzL1nMdgV1NPi1yqY/s1600/Chester.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVcEaZfksfxMIq-pR6UpnIY9Ut-3qPpgY-7u9NPpevnXzCNdRaaBQ5lsyJX_yjFOyKlpZRf4t2lURP5mxBYmd3Blw_TKTH_kD-xBlrvq9o26kuU9NwLgqJAJUjfKzL1nMdgV1NPi1yqY/s320/Chester.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496179491296929970" /></a><br /><br />Chester was a 5 month old Chihuahua owned by Natalie Arias. Natalie rescued this little guy, who sadly passed away on June 4th after battling parvo.<br /><br />Natalie writes "<span style="font-style:italic;">Found him at one in the morning in my neighborhood, he was just seven weeks, put my car on park in the middle of the street and went after him and took him home. He was amazing, young, energetic"</span> <br /><br />Even though his time here was cut short, I think Chester was lucky to have found Natalie.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chochi<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthppvJ-9KvWg3aJXhIj5dHuVeBT4jJgmQQqDkG_1EgqWIqr1xfzX_ZddKeiM8CR_KZvH9mI11kCYbnac7xqkee4L9NzU8GH7N2fBgzGRwPEO9DdrEnC5bnp9IvlppaFd5h8_RidFddrc/s1600/chochi+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthppvJ-9KvWg3aJXhIj5dHuVeBT4jJgmQQqDkG_1EgqWIqr1xfzX_ZddKeiM8CR_KZvH9mI11kCYbnac7xqkee4L9NzU8GH7N2fBgzGRwPEO9DdrEnC5bnp9IvlppaFd5h8_RidFddrc/s320/chochi+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496182666837927730" /></a><br /><br />Chochi is a 9 year old Chihuahua also owned by Natalie Arias! His picture seems to be an accurate representation of his character ;) Natalie describes him as: "<span style="font-style:italic;">aggressive, angry, loving</span>"<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chula<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYNnlk9Me-hoNq3_q87KEBGl1bpU0giO2viU48qdBo6UV0n3EXJRsDsEhYn5rXjmEkKSXrK10NREAaodET2lI0btsznVGXjir76X97PQvfTf947_fq5TvMEgDt1k4G-2xksGbfqTMZU4/s1600/Chula.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYNnlk9Me-hoNq3_q87KEBGl1bpU0giO2viU48qdBo6UV0n3EXJRsDsEhYn5rXjmEkKSXrK10NREAaodET2lI0btsznVGXjir76X97PQvfTf947_fq5TvMEgDt1k4G-2xksGbfqTMZU4/s320/Chula.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496183348169973522" /></a><br /><br />Chula is Natalie Arias's 4th Chihuahua, a two year old who was rescued from Rancho Cucamonga Animal Shelter. Natalie writes: "<span style="font-style:italic;">I really wanted to adopt this time from a shelter being that I had a horrible experience with a back yard breeder. I saw this cute white chihuahua and I fell in love right then and there. We had a little difficulties looking for a name to suit her, and my mom said "Es muy Chula" which in Spanish translates to "Shes so Cute." From then on, we called her Chula, which means Cute or Cutie in Spanish.</span>"<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chitluk<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RCvosSdKxJBJgzqyhc8FMTvvRpWEdeGIWlVzwaWSw_f5XnrCg-xJFbfXhWjbyjo5ifYkPVbp3DOnqnpu6e35koANl0T7nYtgWeXVzkF5RWhM-WKN6PIokCNaRtzBZPyjl2C6KguNPGc/s1600/Chitluk.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6RCvosSdKxJBJgzqyhc8FMTvvRpWEdeGIWlVzwaWSw_f5XnrCg-xJFbfXhWjbyjo5ifYkPVbp3DOnqnpu6e35koANl0T7nYtgWeXVzkF5RWhM-WKN6PIokCNaRtzBZPyjl2C6KguNPGc/s320/Chitluk.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496178381905007794" /></a><br /><br />Chitluk is a husky/malamute mix owned by Kelsey Lamar! He will be 3 this August and was rescued by Kelsey when he was still small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. Literally.<br /><br />Kelsey writes "<span style="font-style:italic;">I got my dog while living in an Eskimo village in Alaska. He was born in a dirty old train car and I picked him out the day after he was born. Due to the horrible living conditions, he came to live with me when he was just 2 weeks old</span>"<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Killian<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr7EP6TTDllYCTi1nognWaJAmzZJkyoNSUkuG8sTK5B554wDMCN-31ZSMsnqycUgdLOb2u-B26giOnDrGm9yIiUqyslbbYZkPUWukwH7XB6_BYK5odfbRopRwj2hiN1zOcRVhZSo5uoc/s1600/Killian.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr7EP6TTDllYCTi1nognWaJAmzZJkyoNSUkuG8sTK5B554wDMCN-31ZSMsnqycUgdLOb2u-B26giOnDrGm9yIiUqyslbbYZkPUWukwH7XB6_BYK5odfbRopRwj2hiN1zOcRVhZSo5uoc/s320/Killian.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496180648898051778" /></a></span><br /><br />Killian is a 7 year old Longhaired Dachshund owned by Michelle Duckworth! Michelle spared Killian from a potentially bad situation. "<span style="font-style:italic;">I always wanted a chocolate dachshund and this Amish Backyared Breeder was about to purchase him and I quickly bought Killian out from under him. I didn't want to see this dachshund being used as a breeder only living in a kennel....it's been a love affair ever since!</span>" <br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Penny Lane<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_ZoZM8Q1DUHDR38gP1CN34-GV_WMm5ciZ0cpj80YKxkRfXJHXKoDSMJUxN2GuM7nBHlzfz3D5F7Usloz4dhDiTnsOpmP_cvaS5v8zgGbDJAKfLkY-R68iuQl3_Wmn8G_LMtTxekVrTk/s1600/PennyLane.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_ZoZM8Q1DUHDR38gP1CN34-GV_WMm5ciZ0cpj80YKxkRfXJHXKoDSMJUxN2GuM7nBHlzfz3D5F7Usloz4dhDiTnsOpmP_cvaS5v8zgGbDJAKfLkY-R68iuQl3_Wmn8G_LMtTxekVrTk/s320/PennyLane.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496181556918052258" /></a><br /><br />Penny Lane is a 7 month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owned by TJ and Shannon Bolan! They write that Penny is "<span style="font-style:italic;">Friendly, Silly and Loving</span>". <br />Penny Lane's name was chosen long before she was: "<span style="font-style:italic;">My husband and I love The Beatles and have always loved the song Penny Lane. We decided years ago that we would name our first dog that name (well assuming she looked like a Penny Lane!)</span>" Which, I definitely think she does!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ok, now go vote!</span>Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1168749317519555147.post-30380417810033726172010-07-05T12:51:00.014-06:002010-07-23T12:23:17.961-06:00There's a first for everything...We've been featuring a new dog of the month on Hot Diggity since we started in February, all chosen by us. But this time we decided why not have our first ever photo contest for the dog of August?<br /><br />Depending on how many entries we receive, we will either have an open vote contest or we will pick the winner ourselves. More entries = open vote. Less = we pick. So feel more than free to <span style="font-weight:bold;">tell your friends</span> and get them to send in their pictures!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">If your dog wins</span>, he/she will receive a surprise prize in the mail, and of course major bragging rights for being featured at the top of Hot Diggity for 31 days. Heh.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">TO ENTER:</span><br /><br />Email us up to 5 photos of your dog along with the following info:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Owner's Name:<br />Photographer's Name:<br />Dog's Name:<br />Dog's Breed:<br />Dog's Age:<br />Where did you get your dog?<br />What made you choose your dog?<br />How did you pick your dog's name?<br />Describe your dog in 3 words:</span><br /><br />Email All Entries to: <a href="TheHotDiggity@hotmail.com">TheHotDiggity@hotmail.com</a><br /><br />There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. We just want a little info to include in the post that features your dog if he/she wins :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Rules/Tips:</span><br /><br />- Send all entries in by July 21st<br />- People are awesome. People in your dog picture entries are not quite as awesome. No people please!<br />- Pictures with more than one dog in them are fine. Just make sure to answer the questions for each dog (if they are all yours)<br />- The higher quality photo, the better! (Pixely or blurry shots won't look too cute supersized!)<br /><br />If you have any other questions, just ask!Toryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07907995723124492946noreply@blogger.com2