Happy Happy Happy
Loving and being loved is so incredibly important to my being. I figure it is probably important to every being – human and animal (probably plants too). The other evening I was feeling my usual Mommy guilt because I still can not walk the dogs, so I got down on the floor for a good session of tickle the dogs, and Louise, Sofie and I spent about 30 minutes in a message, scratching, cuddling, (biting each other), rolling session. It has been a long time since I have seen Louise grin in that special safe way that she does only for me. She has this little ecstasy grin. A grin that says “I am in a place that is so special, so safe, that I can relax (for a moment).” Getting a smile from Louise is extra special because she doesn’t do it often.
Sofie is my smiler. She smiles at everything. It doesn’t take much to make that girl happy. But Lulu, she is the challenge. She never lets her guard down and it is hard to know when she is happy. My dogs are a true mix of me. I smile all the time (like Sofie), but very few people know when I am really happy (like Louise). That is because, like Louise, I almost never relax or let my guard down.
Here is today’s lesson from my dogs (the animals teach me so much). My greatest happiness is in the moment. It is when I am doing things like showing love (like the cuddle fest we had). At times like that I am thinking of nothing but the cuddle or romp with the dogs. I am focused on the pure moment; relaxed and safe, If the dogs had the camera instead of me, I think you would have seen who was really smiling. My dogs make me feel safe, they relax me, they protect me, and most of all, they teach me what I need to do and how to do it. To find greater happiness and relaxation, I only need listen to the animals.
Thank you Lulu Belle and Sofie Bear.
This is part of the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop from PepiSmartDog.com
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, animals, Blog, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, happiness, love, Pet, pets, postaday, smiles, smiling, smiling dogs, Thankful Thursday Blog Hop
Another new toy from one of Mom’s recent ‘Guilt’ trips. Read Mom is Home = New Toy for more info.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Blog, blog hop, cute dogs, dog, dog toys, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
Blogging to me is what I imagine fishing may be to people who like to fish. It is calm and relaxing, and every once in a while, you hit upon a wonderful catch, a blog that just makes your day or you write one that you are especially proud of. I have been trying to read more blogs lately. There is so much to enjoy and learn out there in the cloud. My enjoyment comes in a leisurely stroll on my computer, from one blog to another to another. And reading, oh my, there is so much wonderful stuff to read!
The stress point for me seems to be keeping up with all the great stuff out there (there are so many fish in the sea to continue the metaphor)? This challenge appears to come from my old way of fishing. 
My half-century plus brain was trained to think in an analog fashion. I tend to go from one thing to the next in an orderly manner, read a whole article before I move on for example. Not that I don’t multitask, because I do, but my mind works more like a serial reel-2-reel tape recorder (some of you probably remember them). You had to move through a whole song before you could listen to the next song; you could fast forward, but you still had to wait because everything was recorded in a line. I am a rotary phone, a VHS tape (No, I am not an 8-track, I refuse!). Today everything is digitized and random access: you want it, you go there. No waiting. I am R2-D2 in the world of Androids. Do you still go channel by channel on the TV to see what is playing (which takes a long time with over 900 channel. And why is there never anything worth watching?)?
Strolling along peacefully in the random access world of information appears to work best when I know how to ask a fuzzy but simple question of a search engine. I need to be decisive. (My next Google Search: “What spot should I fish in to catch the most Wide Mouth Bass?”) For me knowing what blogs I want to read today, before going and exploring new ones would probably be the best fishing strategy (that still sounds pretty analog of me – doesn’t it?).
For those analog folks that don’t want to search, there is always the Fishing Channel (there is a channel for every possible thing you could imagine). A person could park their analog brain/body in one spot and just watch fish 24/7 until the answer they are looking for is shown to them on one of those silly shows – if they are still awake.
I love the digital age of information. I have always loved technology and adore everything social and digital.
How do you handle your digital fishing?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Analog, Digital, DogDaz, Fishing, neopet, postaday
literally my face right now
(Source: tooplebeian, via couldeverdreamof)
Tags: Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, Puppies
Sometimes you just catch them in the most watchful of gazes. We were at the school yard playing. Something most have been in the distance but I could not tell you what it was. Happy Sunday.
This is part of the Black and White Sunday Blog Hop. Thanks to My Life in Dog Years for hosting. Click here to get to know other wonderful animals and their parents and to see how you can take part in this fabulous blog hop!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Black and White Sunday, blog hop, Cat, cats, cats & dogs, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday
Tags: Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, dog rescue, DogDaz, Dogs, funny dogs, german shepard, Pet, pets, postaday, Puppies
Weeks seem to fly faster and faster. I can not believe that it is Friday already. Mom is making good progress with her exercises and her knee rehab. She rode a stationary bike for 10 minutes Wednesday (though she was not happy about it). And the Physical Therapist said that maybe she can walk on the Treadmill today for a while. She is not allowed to take us on the road yet for a walk because they are scared that she might fall, but she is getting close. We said that we would not wrap our leases around her or chase squirrels, but the Doctor said ‘no.’ We can’t wait. We miss our walkies. Here I am helping Mom with her exercises this week.
Lift, Mommy, Lift!
Follow Up Friday is part of the blog hop hosted by Heart Like A Dog. Check out the other blog hoppers:
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, blog hop, cute dogs, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, Follow Up Friday, Friday, knees, Pet, pets, postaday
Louise, Sofie, Noel, Nine, Stella and Mommy have a card for you!
We love all our blog friends and what to wish them a Happy Valentine’s Day! We are thankful for all our virtual friends and also for our physical friends and family that cuddle, snuggle, and feed us everyday. The DogDaz Zoo hopes that your day is sweet and your evening is joyful.
This is part of the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop from PepiSmartDog.com
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Blog, dog, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, Thankful Thursday Blog Hop, valentine's day
So what do you think Louise and Sofie are doing?
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Blog, blog hop, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, Snow, Wordless Wednesday
I know, I am not supposed to give the dogs new toys when I come home from trips, but I can not help myself. You see, it all started about 18 years ago, when Peanut was little. There were these inexpensive little bean bag animals that you could get for about $5 in a cart in the airport (I mostly traveled out of Washington National, in those days, now called Reagan National). I started buying a bunch at a time and keeping one in my suitcase for when I traveled (which was often), that way I always had a little something for the baby when I got home (I know that is a terrible habit to start for kids -“what did you bring me?”). Who knew that those little bean bags would end up being called “Beanie Babies” and become all the rage for little kids for a while. Anyway, I digress.
I think that is why I give the dogs a new toy when I come home from a trip. It’s called “Mommy Guilt.” But they don’t mind. They just like to play with something new. This trip, it was an orange Wubba-Wet in honor of the blizzard named Nemo (it is a good snow toy but luckily we only got rain).
Post Script: Here are some pictures of Mom trying to get home right before the blizzard on Friday. That is the plane being deiced. The snow was falling about 2″ an hour and had just started. We are glad she made it out of New York.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, Dog People, dog toys, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, wubba
Sofie is my smiler. She smiles at everything. It doesn’t take much to make that girl happy. But Lulu, she is the challenge. She never lets her guard down and it is hard to know when she is happy. My dogs are a true mix of me. I smile all the time (like Sofie), but very few people know when I am really happy (like Louise). That is because, like Louise, I almost never relax or let my guard down. 
DogDaz Zoo 