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Tag Archives: Dogs

9.21.12 A-a-a-achooooo!

21 Sep

Fall is here.  The air is crisp and the days are getting shorter.  The dogs love the breezes and coldness of the days.  They like to sit out on the deck in the afternoon and just lie in the late day sun.  That is the good part of the season.  The bad part is that Sofie is suffering terribly (as am I) from fall allergies.  I have never seen her have so much trouble before (well she is only going to be 2).  She coughs and wheezes, like she is trying to hack up a hairball.  The other night she woke in her kennel and cried and cried to go out, and then threw up for a long time, ate more grass, threw up some more.   She does not want to get sick in her kennel (which is really nice of her).  I went out in the field with her but she could not calm down.  I was so sad for her.  Finally, I got her to come in (good because it was 2AM and raining) and we went back to bed.  I have her on 50 mg of Benadryl and that really seems to help.  (I am taking Sudafed because Benadryl makes me fall asleep).  Louise’s eyes run and are gooey, but nothing like Sofie’s problem.  Poor baby! 

I hate when my furries are sick.  It is really hard to know the best thing to do for them.  Sometimes it even takes me a day to realize what is going on with them.  At times like this, with allergies, all you can do is deal with the symptoms.  In many cases, animal or human, time is the best healer, but if there are things that can help make us more comfortable while we are waiting for things to pass in time (like pollen), than I am all for those too.  The Allergist says to not open the windows or go outside, but that is kind of silly in my book.  I am not going to run the air conditioner when it is cool outside just to clear the air of pollen which is going to come in any way.  I guess if it was killing us, I would do it, but since the antihistamines seem to work, than I don’t have to.  So now Sofie and Louise and I are going for a walk in the dangerous air, but if we don’t then we don’t get exercise, and then we get stiff, and then we will not feel well…..  Sorry, I am rambling, I guess I get blue when my furries get green.

Do your furries have allergies? How do you deal with them?  Do you have any alternative approaches to allergy therapy?

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
16 Comments

Posted by on September 21, 2012 in Dogs

 

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9.20.12 My name is “Milky-Toe”

20 Sep

Louise’s back toes are all white on the left and mostly white on the right.  She has what we call here at the zoo: “Milky Toes.”  I am not exactly sure where the name came from, I only know that K8 has a stuffed dog toy ever since she was a little girl that she named “Milky-Toe.”  No one knows, or remembers, why.  We thought about naming Louise that when we first adopted her, but the name ‘Louise’ just seemed to fit her so well, so we kept it.  (Note: They also wanted to name her ‘Harlo,’ which would really not have fit now that I know her.)

Names are funny things.  I used to name Peanut’s stuffed animals (of which she had a zillion) either after the person or state that they came from.  She has a rabbit named Carolina, a lamb named Larry…  you get the idea.  It not only made it easier to name things but it also helped my old brain remember, who or where.  But ‘Milky-Toe?’  Well, it kind of makes sense if you think that Lulu’s back paws were dunked in a vat of milk or white paint, but, I just didn’t want to run around the dog park calling for ‘Milky-Toe.’

Names are really powerful things.  “A common concept in history is that knowing the name of something or someone gives one power over that thing or person. This concept occurs in many different forms, in numerous cultures—in ancient and primitive tribes, as well as in Islamic, Jewish, Egyptian, Vedic, Hindu, and Christian tradition,” – Loren Graham, MIT and Harvard University.  The act of naming, a religious ritual for many, is important on many levels.  Think about what it means when you know someone’s, or something’s name.  In the human world, knowing someone’s name gives you the ability to contact them, to interact personally.  You can’t find someone’s phone number if you don’t know their name and you definitely can’t Google them (that was a blog joke – LOL).

But is it the same with a dog?  If you know a dog’s name, will it respond differently if it does not know you?  Is it more likely to come to you if you call it.  Does “Here, Lulu” from a stranger work any better than “Here, doggie?”  In humans you have to fear this knowledge (especially people calling your children by name who they do not know), but I am not so sure in animals.

I used to just accept the name of an animal when I adopted it, not realizing that it was probably given to it just yesterday by the rescuer, or when it was picked up from the street or at the shelter.  They know the sound of their name, but of course not what their name means in human language.  All they understand is ‘Oh, they are referring to me.  That is my sound (Luluuuuu).’  That is why you can name a Bull Mastiff ‘Tinker Bell’ or a Yorkie ‘Killer,’ what you name him or her is not really important.  The fact that you can call the animal by name, now that is everything.  That is the power of connection, of knowing, of intimate knowledge.  Since I turned this whole name thing around and am looking at it from the animals point of view, I realize that the names I pick for them are more important for me than for them:  I guess I could have called her ‘Milky-Toe’ after all.

How do you decide what to name your pets?

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
18 Comments

Posted by on September 20, 2012 in Dogs

 

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Wednesday’s Kidmation Adoption

19 Sep

thedailywhat:

Are You My Mother?

It doesn’t get any more adorable than when a dalmatian adopts a rare spotted lamb that looks just like her.

 
1 Comment

Posted by on September 19, 2012 in Animals, Dogs

 

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9.19.12 Batter Up!

19 Sep

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New people moved in next door (well actually behind us). They have 3 boys of varying ages.  So yesterday, I noted that the dogs had a new white ball.  Hummm, I don’t remember buying them a white ball.  They were running all over the place, chasing and stealing it from each other.  So I had to investigate. Lulu brought me the ball and dropped it on my foot.  Ouch! I declare, that thing is heavy.  It was a real, honest to goodness, hard ball, the kind that baseball players use.  I assume that it must have come over the fence from the new kids.  I was going to return it but the dogs are having such a great time with it that I do not think the new people will want a ball with tons of teeth marks.  I am so blessed that people are providing the dogs free play toys.  I hope this is not un-new-neighborly of me.  Baseball season is over anyway, isn’t it?

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
10 Comments

Posted by on September 19, 2012 in Dogs

 

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Tuesday’s Assist

18 Sep

funnywildlife: Awww, walking the blind dog!!

funnywildlife: Awww, walking the blind dog!!

 
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Posted by on September 18, 2012 in Dogs

 

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9.17.12 The Down Stay

17 Sep

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Louise:  “Mommy, are you really going to make us lie here until you take all the garbage, recycle, and yard waste cans in from the curb?”

Sofie: “I can not believe that she is making us ‘stay’ when she gets to run all over the place and drag heavy looking things around!”

Louise: “Sometimes Sofie, life is just not fair.  How would Mommy like it if we made her stay in one place while we ran up and down the driveway?” 

Sofie:  “You are so right Lulu, but if we get up she will be mad at us.  I don’t like when Mommy is mad at me, she makes this really loud noise.”

Louise: “Ok, well I guess laying her in the cool grass under the shade of the tree isn’t the worst thing that could happen.  She did just take us for a long walk and down to the river for a while.  Maybe we should listen to her?”

Sofie: “I will. But only this once and you better give me your cookie after dinner.”

Louise: “Here she comes, make like you didn’t mind waiting.”

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤

 
14 Comments

Posted by on September 17, 2012 in Dogs

 

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9.12.12 I Love Lulu

12 Sep

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 ❤

 
24 Comments

Posted by on September 12, 2012 in Dogs

 

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AvoDerm Dog Food Recall

12 Sep

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.

 
3 Comments

Posted by on September 12, 2012 in Dogs

 

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9.11.12 Remember, Honor, & Do Something About It

11 Sep

1992 from Liberty Island

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 ❤

 
19 Comments

Posted by on September 11, 2012 in Dogs

 

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Sunday’s Laugh

09 Sep

kateordie:

kateordie

Funny, but sad. – DogDaz

 
5 Comments

Posted by on September 9, 2012 in Dogs

 

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