Lulu likes the Cherry tree. I worry that the dogs will eat the cherries and choke on the pits, but they don’t. She likes to sniff the cherry tree and also sniffs the grape leaves a lot. Not sure what she is smelling but whatever it is, she really likes it. The little cherry tree is home to most of our bird houses. It is the only tree in the yard with branches low enough for us to hang the little houses on. Cherry tree gives us some really tart little berries, but they get sweeter the longer they last on the tree. That is a problem however, since once they get ripe, in fly all the birds in the neighborhood, and “Puff,” the cherries are gone. We are so lucky because we have cherries (for a moment) and raspberries (for about 2 weeks) and grapes (all summer but they are really sour). 
The raspberries are so wonderful and every morning when I take the dogs out back I pick a handful of berries and slowly taste the sweetness of each one, since they are a rare gift and they only last a short time.
We also got our first tomato the other day. That was such a nice surprise. That was the ‘early girl’ which ripens sooner than the others. The dogs don’t seem to care much about the vegetables, which is funny because they really like to play with the compost. Veggies must only be fun when they are mushy and rotten. The box turtles like to hide under the tomato bushes and always seem to help themselves to the bottom crop. One plant for us and one for the animals, I always say.
Thank you ‘Cosmic Whatever,’ for giving me the fruits on the vine and Louise the Cherry Tree to sniff.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, animals, Cherry Tree, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday
While I was gone, V bought the dogs a giant green Carrot toy. They just love it. We are always looking for fun toys that last more than one day and are hard for two dogs to rip apart in a matter of seconds. I think it is so cute when they both hold on to the same toy and run along side each other. This has become the toy of the moment for sure. It is here in my office now and Sofie is sleeping on it. Earlier today Louise kept bringing it to me and squeeking it: Pull it Mommy, Pull it! New toys are always a novelty. I never know which toys are going to really make the dogs happy, but when I find one, maybe I should run out and get another one immediately because of the inevitable end – stuffing everywhere. I wonder where V bought it?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Post Script: Just found fluff all over the floor of the living room – you know what that means – now it is a flat carrot.
Tags: Animal, animals, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, Toy
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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 ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Dog People, DogDaz, Dogs, Pet, pets, postaday, walking
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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 ❤
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, Animal welfare, animals, Bosphorus, Cat, cats, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, feral cats, Istanbul, Pet, pets, postaday, shelter dog, street dogs, Turkey
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 ❤
Tags: dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Mommy, Pet, postaday
My toy! It’s in the rain!
It was raining. Not something that happened very often this winter in the Mid-Atlantic.
Lulu our toys are getting wet!
Sofie was very distressed that her toys were getting wet.
Lu get Mommy & tell her we need our toys!
Lulu did not really want to go out in the wet stuff but Sofie just had to get the toys.
I don’t like being wet Mommy, let me back in!!!!
Ok, so I let them out to go get the toys, but Sofie was not very happy about that idea either. Louise is no fool, she ran out and ran right back in (my princess). She was not going to play with Sofie in the rain. Lulu likes it in the house with all the warm and dry toys. So Sofie Bear decided that maybe getting wet was not as much fun as it looked and begged to come back in for the dry toys. You have to love the way dogs are so in the moment. So the lesson they taught me today – it may be fun to dance in the ran, so try it, maybe you will like it, maybe you will want to come inside where it is dry.
Just another DogDaz morning at our house ❤ 
Tags: Animal, dog, DogDaz, Pet, pets, postaday
Sofie: Do you see her, Louise? (sigh)
Is she out there? (whine)
Why hasn’t she been home to play with us in days? (sigh, sigh)
I miss Mommy! (whimper)
Where’s Mommy! (whine)
I think I have forgotten what she smells like. Will she every come home? Does she love us anymore? Has she found a new zoo in Turkey and she is giving them all our treats? (whimper, sigh, whine….)
Louise: Oh Sofie, don’t be so dramatic.
She smells like Mommy… and she will always at least love me. (heheheheh – big sister humor).
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: dog, DogDaz, Pet, postaday
This beautiful “Very Inspring Blogger” Award was given to us by our new blogfriends at I Adopted A Dog – Now What? Taylor is a 1 year-old black Scottish terrier/dachshund mix with the cutest little black eyes and nose. She came to heal her new Mommy, Jessica, after the sudden death of their previous little dog, Hopper. It looks like Jessica is doing a great job from the pictures and stories she tells. Don’t worry Jessica, just listen to Taylor and she will tell you what to do.
And thank you to 
Dear Kitty. Some Blog. for sharing “The Versatile Blogger Award.” Though this is a reprise of a previously won award, like chocolate, one can never have to much! Thank you so much for thinking of us Dear Kitty. Here are ten random facts about us:
- Mommy is typing this from Istanbul, Turkey
- Mommy should be sleeping because it is the middle of the night there and she has to teach in the morning
- Mommy has had to much Turkish coffee.
- Mommy travels a lot but does not get to spend much time enjoying the wonderful sites of the cities she goes to, but she always tries to take one day.
- Mommy says there are a lot of dogs and cats on the street of Istanbul. They seem well feed even though they seem loose.
- Mommy loves meeting people from all over the world and working internationally, even when it means she has to leave us for many days.
- We do not like when Mommy is away but we get lots of treats and to go to Doggie Daycare a lot.
- Mommy is thankful and a little surprised with all the people that are reading DogDaz. She said it is because we are so very cute and photogenic.
- We are not surprised because she tries to be the best zoo keeper blogger she can be. We love our human and she loves us. We know she misses us. A lot.
- Mommy hates writing in third person, but sometimes it just works. LOL
Because we are dogs and Mommy is away, she told us to thank you, but paying forward will have to wait until she is back in the USA.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, awards, Blog, dog, DogDaz, Pet, postaday
Lulu likes the Cherry tree. I worry that the dogs will eat the cherries and choke on the pits, but they don’t. She likes to sniff the cherry tree and also sniffs the grape leaves a lot. Not sure what she is smelling but whatever it is, she really likes it. The little cherry tree is home to most of our bird houses. It is the only tree in the yard with branches low enough for us to hang the little houses on. Cherry tree gives us some really tart little berries, but they get sweeter the longer they last on the tree. That is a problem however, since once they get ripe, in fly all the birds in the neighborhood, and “Puff,” the cherries are gone. We are so lucky because we have cherries (for a moment) and raspberries (for about 2 weeks) and grapes (all summer but they are really sour). 
The raspberries are so wonderful and every morning when I take the dogs out back I pick a handful of berries and slowly taste the sweetness of each one, since they are a rare gift and they only last a short time.
