Source: gfn
Sometimes things in life can be very scary. Whether you are a dog or a cat or a human, sometimes you just come upon a place you don’t want to venture into, or hear a sound that makes you jump, or you just feel that something weird is in the air and it makes your hair stand up. I try to respect the ‘scaries.’ Now I know that my animals have a different sense of the scaries than I do. I am afraid of ballons, they do not seem to mind them. They are afraid of the vaccuum, me, no so much. I do find it interesting what makes the ruff on the backs of their necks stand up. I am not sure if that is a response to fear or for protection (or maybe both). I know sometimes the cats will run into a room, jump in the air, and high tail it out of there like something was on fire. Not always sure what spooks these guys, Sofie seems to spook really easy lately. The slightest noise gets her barking her head off. But, I really hate when the animals get the ‘hebbie-gebbies.’ When they get anxious, for what seems like no reason, barking at something I can no see, or Lulu moves away and cowers, then I start to get concern, and wonder what my human sense is missing that their animal sense is zeroing in on. This is making me think about the things that they are afraid of and the why. Louise, is fearful of new people and new animals. Tail will go down, hackles will go up. She will bark and show fearful behaviors so I do my best to be between her and her fear factor until she can get calm. I think it takes a long time to manage fears internally, so I do my best to stay with her through it and make sure she knows she is safe with me. I never force her into situations if she does not want to try it (except the Vet). Sometimes, she is just afraid of something she sees in the shadows (that I just don’t see) and she will jump in the air or bolt (pulling the lease out of my hand kind of bolting) and I do not know why. Sofie loathes white trash bags and will squirm out of the kitchen when I am putting a new one in the garbage can. In general, I have not found Sofie to be afraid of much else except the vacuum monster (or me leaving, but is that fear?). Me, one of my largest fears is the yard gate being open without me knowing and something happening to these 2 silly mutts in the street. The cats are afraid of getting eaten by the dogs (which is unfounded in the house but still a good natural response). Fear is a very health response and keeps us safe if managed. I try really hard to personally embrace my fears and listen to the animals about theirs. Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: animal awareness, Animal welfare, Cat, cats, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, fear, pets, postaday
Thank you to Milka [the Great{est} Dane] for honoring us with a wonderful HUG award. This is such a nice gift from a new friend. Do not tell Lulu and Sofie, but my daughter has always wanted a harlequin Dane and she thinks you are just the cutest.
As her human describes her, Milka is 100 lbs (and growing) of slobber, with 2 different color eyes and guffy ears. She is our new Portuguese best friend and we are so glad we can follow her antics on the internet. 
So to continue the chain, we would like to pass a Hug Award on to a very deserving blog friend, Barb at: Passionate About Pets & People
Barb is one of those truly international people that has lived in many parts of the globe and has a deep passion for the furry, feathered, and human. She lives in Queensland, Australia. Her blog features her current dog Poppy, her hubby, and past pets and passions. She always has something nice to say and I learn something everytime I visit her blog. So, Barb, this HUGs for you.
Tags: animal awareness, animals, awards, DogDaz, Dogs, pets, postaday
I know this picture would lead you to believe that my 2 angel dogs sleep nicely on their bed in my office while I work during the day. I wish I could say they actually sleep for any length of time during the day, but really, they don’t. What could you expect, Lulu is 2 and Sofie is only 1. Two high energy dogs and I want them to act like old softies. Sofie likes to go in and out of my office, back and forth to the living room, emptying the toy box in there and filling the one in here, then she wonders downstairs and goes into my bedroom to brings me my fuzzy slippers, one at a time. Louise usually disappears into the den next door for a nap on the couch at some point during the day, but mostly she is in the office with me. Since I start my days around 6 AM, the dogs are early risers (they do not know what weekend means). I usually feed all the animals by 6:30. Then I give the dogs their Omega 3 smelly fishy stuff in peanut butter balls and follow it with a nice marrow bone filled with something hard to get (which keeps them busy until about 8). By then they want to go outside for about 15 minutes or so to run around. When they come back in it is nap time YAH!. I work from home so I am on the phone and computer almost constantly. Thank goodness for portable headsets, which allow me to run up and down the stairs letting them in and out even when I am in meetings. I always plan one hour sometime between 9 and 12 in my day to take us on our 1 mile walk. If I can do it to about 10:30 then when we get back they are tired and I can eat lunch at my desk somewhat undisturbed. They chill pretty well until about 2:30 PM when they are ready to play again, but I am not, so out they go into the yard for awhile with toys and balls (and yes, I know that is when the holes get dug because they are unattended and want Mommy’s attention). Back and forth, up and down, in and out, until before dinner when I romp around the yard with them to get them ready for supper. Animal dinner is usually around 5:30 or 6 PM, Then we play inside and outside and inside and outside until after human dinner when all animals need to settle down and usually do. The dogs fall asleep in the evening around 8 PM and I take them out for the last time around 9:30 PM before putting them in their kennels. With so many cats running around, it is just safer and quieter at night for everyone to have controlled safe space. I actually do not close Louise’s kennel all the way, but she only came out once at 4AM to tell me something, otherwise she stays in until I lift the sheet that covers them in the morning (usually around 5:45 or 6 AM), when I start all over again. I would gladly let sleeping dogs lie (what does that mean anyway?), if they ever slept. Just another DogDaz morning at our house <3.
Tags: animal awareness, animals, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, funny dogs, pets, postaday
Sofie with toys
Toys. Dogs love toys. My dogs have so many toys that I have given them a toy box. I read that you are suppose to rotate toys, that way there are always some new toys for them to play with. I find that each dog has different favorites but they both always want the same toy at the same time. It is silly to buy two of the same thing, since they only want to play with one at a time. We have a lot of shredded soft toys. In our house a ‘Bobo’ stuffed dog toy usually lasts about 2 minutes before it is decapitated. It is funny but you will find many a disembodied cloth toy around our house (except Beaver, who is sacred and is not allowed to be shared). I am always looking for that ultimate dog toy. The toy that will keep them busy for a long time (like a rawhide) but does not disappear in one sitting (like a rawhide).
Lulu lying on her toys
We have tons of Kongs with varies size openings which I stuff with peanut butter or cookies or (don’t yell at me) low fat whipped cream. Those treats last about 10 or 15 minutes if I am lucky. Also, my wonderdog Sofie, is very adept at pulling the stitching out of toys. She has figured out the secret to even make indestructible toys fall apart. Nothing holds up well when the center stitching is removed.
Bobo's head hanging by my desk
A lot of people have told me that they buy their dogs toys at places like the Dollar store, but I worry about what is actually in the cloth or the ball, and I do not find them to hold up very well to a 2 dog team. I thought that the ‘fire hose’ material toys were going to last, until Sofie removed the stitches. And then there are the balls. We have tennis balls everywhere. My dogs can eat cheap balls apart in a matter of minutes, but good, old fashion, yellow tennis balls, now those hold up really well. They can not even skin them unless they were left outside in the rain and snow for a month or so. Ahhhh, dog toys. What is your dog’s favorite? Which one do you find lasts forever (and is played with a lot)? Just another DogDaz morning at our house ❤
Tags: animal awareness, animals, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, pets, postaday, toys
Amazing!
I am loving this underwater dog series from photographer Seth Casteel. The way that he captures dogs from under the water makes them seem so other worldly. What an incredible concept. See more from Seth here: http://www.littlefriendsphoto.com/
If you like Seth Casteel’s underwater dog photography, please show some love and follow his official Facebook page “Little Friends Photo” here: https://www.facebook.com/LittleFriendsPhoto
Lulu and Sofie thought the pictures were a little scary at first, but I told them they looked sort of like that underwater too. They don’t believe me.
Just another dogdaz morning ❤
Tags: animal awareness, Animal welfare, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, Photographer, Seth Casteel, Underwater
DogDaz Zoo 