PHOTO OP: Camo Cat
Via gardeninparadise.
6.26.12 The Walking Bond
Walks are a really important thing at our house. Not only because they provide much needed exercise for me and the dogs, but because of the solace and peace they provide us. My daily dog walks give me an opportunity to focus just on them, as well as be alone with my thoughts. I work a very hectic schedule, so my time with the dogs is sacred. I work 10 to 12 hours or more almost every week day and many weekends. This does not leave a lot of time for me to be with the animals or my other humans. I make sure to carve the 1 mile dog walk every morning out of my schedule. This is how we all stay in balance. When I don’t do that the dogs and I both go crazy. Rain or shine. Many days Mojo and his humans joins us for our walk, those days are a little more social than reflective, but that is nice too. The walking bond is very special between me and the girls. Louise is the kind of dog that really needs her walk daily. She likes to run around in the yard, but she looks forward to the walk with me and saves her ‘personal business’ for that endeavor. When I am not around, it is really hard for her. Sofie just comes along for the ride. She enjoys the sniffing and exploring, but I am not sure she would miss it that much if she did not have it for a while. Taking time to reflect, smell the flowers, and commune with my animals, keeps me whole. Do you have a special routine with your fuzzy?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
6.25.12 The Street Animals of Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey is a beautiful city. The city is actually where the European and Asia continents meet and is divided by the Bosphorus Strait. A fishing town, you would expect to see cats. But there were feral cats everywhere. In all the outside spaces and many of the indoor also. The street dogs, though I did not get to take many pictures because mostly I was being whizzed by in the Taxis that go way to fast, seemed to be of Shepard, working dog, type bodies, with brown and black short fur. “One estimate is that in Istanbul, a city of 11.3 million people, there are at least 150,000 free-roaming dogs. Rabies is endemic in Turkish dogs and every year there are a small number of people who die from the bites of rabid dogs. The Turkish federal government passed a law a few years ago requiring cities to control the roaming dogs. But as in America, few cities have all the resources they need to effectively control the loose animals.”(Managing-street-dogs-cats-turkey)
I was really glad to see stray dogs with ear tags. It made me realize that the city may have a “trap and release” program to spay/neuter/vaccinate strays. I checked and it does and I think that is a great step in the right direction, especially after reading about some of the shelter tragedies in Turkey. Unlike Americans, the Turkish people appear to tolerant the free-roaming animals. I assume that has a cultural basis due to religious heritage and current beliefs. Until this trip, and I travel a lot, I never really thought about another countries challenges with animal control, this is a huge problem worldwide. In Istanbul there appeared to be a calm coexistence (I did not see even one cat/dog fight). Lessons from the street animals of Istanbul.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
6.24.12 Reunion
It is funny when you are a traveler. I am always the one leaving my other humans and my animals behind. I get to see different sites, sounds, and smells, while they stay in their same world day to day, with mostly one thing different: I am not there. I think it is harder for those that are left behind. Thier world continues but there is a hole in the routine once filled by the missing person. People understand travelers, though they may be physically lonely and miss you, they know in their heads that you will be returning. They can talk with you on the phone, text in words, or even Skype with you over internet video. But, to the animals, the hole is just there. They know that another being, in this case me. the feeder and the giver of walks and hugs, is not immediately present. They do not understand that I went on a business trip to Turkey (13 hours away in a metal container with wings). They do not know that I thought about them everyday because, unlike my humans, I can not tell them virtually that I love them. Animals can only receive what is present, immediate, and there. You can not hug your dog with virtual arms.
Another interesting thing is how each animal responds to my returns. Louise goes crazy with jumping and nuzzling (she tries to get inside my flesh she wants to be so close to me). Muffin ignores me for about 24 hours and then, when he is ready, acknowledges my lowly existence. Sofie whines to be in my presence and won’t let me out of her sight for a really long time (and this return showed a new behavior, she actually nibbled on my arms to make sure I was really there, like she preens the cats). I even woke up this morning with Noel, the alpha cat, who rarely will grace my bedroom with her presence, staring at me (probably wondering why I have not been in my office upstairs all week, where she primarily lives, and not happy that she had to come and find me).
The animals (and humans) appear to be relaxed this morning and smiling a lot. For all of us things are back in balance.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
6.23.12 Hurry Home Already, I Need A Walk!
Louise here. Mommy left me in charge of the blog but she didn’t leave me very good instructions, so I really don’t know how to fill up the days with out her direction. In dog daz it feels like she has been gone for a million years, I really need her to come home NOW! The other humans in the house take me to daycare when Mommy is not home or put me in the yard to play with Sofie, but no one walks me. I like to walk. Only Mommy takes me for a walk. Hurry home already Mommy because I need a walk!
I admit that I am not the best walker. I like to pull and show Mommy all the really good spots to sniff which are usually, for some strange reason, further than my leash allows Sofie doesn’t have to wear a leash. She has this box thing on her neck and she wonders around behind Mommy. Me, I like to be out front (unless of course something scary comes my way and then I hide behind Mommy and yell at it as loud as I can). Well, I overheard the other humans saying that Mommy should be home soon. Please hurry!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
