Fall weather has come to the Mid-Atlantic. I want to show you my three rusty cats in the garden that hold up the raspberry canes and the late roses. They are very quiet cats and do their job very well.
Photo from Animal Picture Archives
I wish that I could show you the 2 humming birds that keep visiting the rusty cats the last few days. But, alas, I am not fast enough with the smartphone camera, so you will have to be happy with the flowers and a stock picture. These 2 green hummers keep flying together and sniffing the foliage and than twisting into the sky together: swirl, swirl, swirl, than off they go somewhere around the front of the house. I have tried several times to maintain a hummingbird feeder, but the ants take over, and it is just so much work to keep filling it daily with the sweet water, so I gave up. These beauties are a gift when they come to visit in the fall. And, some seem to come every year.
“Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Archilochus colubris, are probably the most common hummingbird in the world. They have the widest distribution of any hummingbird species, ranging from southern and central Canada in summer to as far south as northern Panama in winter. This is the only hummingbird species that breeds in the eastern U.S.” They tend to come visit us in the late summer and then move along.
I love when nature brings me gifts.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, Bird, birds, DogDaz, Flora and Fauna, Hummingbird, nature, postaday, Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Sometimes, when I am feeling lonely, I look up and the sky is a beautiful shade of blue and the clouds kind of hang there, just so fluffy and white, with that little grayish blue undertone that makes them look like ice cream in cones, and that is when the universe reminds me that I am not alone. It is hard for me to remember sometimes that I am always in relation to something, always connected. I am in relations to the earth, and other humans, and the animals, and to myself. I heard a news report yesterday about the zillions of little microscopic organisms that live on our bodies, so even when you think you are alone, you are not (now that is kind of creepy). I wonder sometimes if I surround myself with furry pets so that, when the other humans are not around, I still have some life form with me to connect to. I am one of those people that needs to physically connect to other living things or I feel off balance. (There is actual medical advice now that supports prescribing four hugs per day to a patient suffering from depression. eight hugs per day to achieve mental stability and twelve hugs per day for real psychological growth. If this is the case, touch has a greater significance than most of us would realize. (US National Library of Medicine))
I replenish my energy through the cuddling of a cat and the petting of a dog. (Now I do not want you to think I am weird, I do mostly replenish my energies through my interaction with humans (especially my significant humans) but that is for another blog (this one is about animals, remember).) Each of my animals has their own way of asking and receiving physical contact from the humans and from each other. Lulu does not like a lot of petting, except from me, and she can be very demanding several times a day wanting to be rubbed and hugged and scratched. Sofie will lie on Louise, and Lulu can tolerate it for a few minutes, but then she gets up and moves to another spot (because that is all the connection Lulu can take). Sofie on the other hand, craves tummy rubs and hugs and will make sure to ask for them morning and night, from anyone and everyone. She will not go to sleep however, until she has had a few minutes of Mommy cuddle time. She will whine in her crate if I try to put her to bed without that physical connection. Sofie and Nine, the cat, do a lovey dance (at least the ones that I observe) fur to fur, several times a week. Cats lie on laps, dogs lie on feet, dogs lie on dogs…. you get the picture. The power of touch, the power of interconnection between living bodies, it is critical to the well being here at the zoo.
How about in your house? How do you and your furry friend physically connect? How many hugs a day do you need?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, animals, Cat, connection, cute dogs, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Pet, pets, postaday, relationships, Touch
Sofie’s Rescue
Ride Home
March 2011
Sofie got jealous because yesterday I talked about how much I love Louise, and that I was planning a party for her 3rd birthday next month which is on Halloween (October 31).
“Hello new Mommy,
Can I come out of this cage now?”
OK Sofie, now Mommy will show off her little bitty baby, It was not that long ago that you actually came to live with us. March 2011. I did not have a car crate, so I brought you home in a large plastic tub (see picture). Since you are a rescue, and they thought you were going to be this big collie/shepard dog, they figured you were younger, based on your size (maybe 12 weeks). But now that I know you are more like a sheltie/corgie thing, you must have been older and I decided that your birthday would be around Thanksgiving; we will celebrate it on November 25. I will throw you a little party just like Lulu’s, but since all the kids will be home from college, you will have an extra special time. You know who (Peanut, the little human) will let you in her room and up on the bed, if you want to go, and also the bigger little human (K8) will be here to give you extra treats and let you out back a lot. You will have to wait your turn though, Sofie Bear. I know it is not easy because I was the youngest and had to wait a lot for the older ones who always seemed to get all the good things and all the attention. But your day will come. You are my ‘Little Bit,’ and Mommy adores your cute little whiney self. You are a sweet silly little girl with mischief on your mind. Your day will come, hang in there. But first you can help me plan Lulu Belle’s party.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogDaz, Pet, pets, postaday
Louise just rescued
April 2010
Louise
July 2012
Louise then and Louise now. It is amazing how much an animal can change when it is cared for and shown respect and kindness. Lulu was such a mess when we got her. Not only was she afraid of everyone and everything, but her skin was in such terrible shape and she had scars in many places; including where the flea collar was embedded in her neck. But you would never know that part of her life to look at her now. She is going to be 3 years old next month. I can hardly believe it. I am so in love with this silly, prancing, ball of anxiety. I guess we should have a dog party. Dog cookies for everyone! I will start planning. Look for your invitations early next month. Of course, I made her birthday Halloween, since I didn’t know the actual date. Isn’t that perfect? Just like Lulu Belle. 
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: adoption, Animal, animal awareness, Animal welfare, animals, cute dogs, dog, dog rescue, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday
Attention Dog Owners – Breeder’s Choice of Irwindale, CA has just announced a dog food recall. Please see the attached article for details. And be sure to share this alert with other dog owners. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/avoderm-dog-food-recall/
AvoDerm Dog Food Recall
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com
September 11, 2012 — Breeder’s Choice Pet Food of Irwindale, CA has announced a voluntary dog food recall involving one of its products due to possible contamination with Salmonella bacteria.
The event was reported by L. A. Biz in a news article dated September 11, 2012.
The recall includes AvoDerm Natural Lamb Meal and Brown Rice Adult Dog Formula in the 26 pound bag only manufactured with Best Before dates of August 28, 2013, August 29, 2013 and August 30, 2013.
The company claims it was able to contain the affected product at distribution centers. And it was not delivered to retail outlets.
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, animals, AvoDerm, dog, Dog food, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, Recall
In 1992, I was visiting New York City and took the Ferry in NY Harbor to Liberty Island. My ‘longest’ girlfriend (she said at our age I am not allowed to call her my ‘oldest’ girlfriend) and I, had a stranger take a casual picture (with a real camera no less) of the two of us. To the left of us, which is what I clipped here, were the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in the Financial District. Twenty years ago, it was just another part of the New York City skyline. Today, it is a symbol for the strength and resilience of the American people.
In America, we definitely have our own internal strife. We had the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1995, where 168 people were murdered. We have mass shootings for various strange reasons (last one was in a movie theater). But the worst on American soil in my lifetime was the “9/11” attacks. These were four coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda, an Islamist extremist group, that occurred on the morning of September 11, 2001 and killed 2,977 people.
Here in the United States, we don’t live in a state of war or even a state of preparedness; we are very lucky for that. I can not imagine living in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, or one of many African or Asian or Latin American nations, that are constantly under siege from each other, themselves, or even drug cartels. What I do know is that the 11th of September 2001 shook me to the core and that I will never be the same again.
Dog Duty in Iraq
Make sure to think about your own country and your own place in the world. If everyone works for a solution to hate, maybe we will have war no more.
I know that I am a dreamer. But remember the people and the dogs out there on the front lines everyday working to keep your borders safe from crazy people and your homeland secure.
If you are American than please join DogDaz in honoring our Military Working Dogs by writing your Congressperson and Representatives and ask them to AMEND HR 5314 to make it mandatory for all adopted OCONUS (overseas) Military Working Dogs (MWDs) to receive transport back to the U.S. via military air. Retired MWDs have no “return to home station” benefits even though for the time of their service we proclaim them as “military members.” As it stands now, retired OCONUS MWDs must be transported at adoptive owner’s expense as a “pet.” This policy is keeping people from giving these little heros lifetime homes. You can help MWD today!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: adoption, animal awareness, Dog People, dog rescue, DogDaz, Dogs, Dogs in warfare, Liberty Island, New York City, Pentagon, pets, postaday, September 11 attacks, United States, Washington DC, Working dog
Fall weather has come to the Mid-Atlantic. I want to show you my three rusty cats in the garden that hold up the raspberry canes and the late roses. They are very quiet cats and do their job very well.
DogDaz Zoo 