“And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave.” – Joseph Rodman Drake
Thank you for your service – your friends at the DogDaz Zoo
Louise, aka Lulu Bell, aka BooBoo head, is one of the sweetest dogs once she knows you. From the day this shy, fearful, mange-covered, pup with a collar embedded in her neck, came to the Zoo, she has taught us much about patience and quiet strength.
Sofie: Just because you think you have the right to go upstairs, Nine, does not mean that I will let you pass!
Nine: You think you can stop me big drooling goofball? I am Nine. I will be so cute that Mom will pick me up and whisk me right over your panting head.
I loved to sit on my father’s shoulders. He would walk down the street with me way up top and we would play a game he called ‘high bridge, low bridge.’ He would stoop down when a low branch came so that I cleared the danger.
Someone asked me one thing that I learned from my Dad and I said ‘kindness.’ I was blessed to have this man in my life. He is gone for many years now but I see him every day when I look in the mirror since I look like him.
“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
There are lots of boxes and bows and things to play with.
All our people, large and small, are zooming this year.
We love Christmas morning. It is a special day. And we will let nothing stop it from being that way. We will still watch our loved ones open their stockings and wow at their gifts, even though it’s through a camera (so, we might send a gif).
Christmas day at the DogDaz Zoo humbles us every year, as we celebrate how lucky we are to be a family, to be together, to be warm, to be fed, and most of all, to be loved.
May the light of the season guide you and bring you peace.
Your friends at the DogDaz Zoo
(Clockwise from the top right)
Sofie Bear, Louise, Charles (the Mugwump), Nine, Mini Cooper, Stella, and Noel (the Christmas Cat)
It is a fun holiday full of food and smells and family.
I am busy making vegan pumpkin pie and marinating the tofurky* and roasting all those wonderful winter root veggies.
Thanksgiving is a time when I look back at the people and things in my life and take stock of that for which I am most thankful.
I am thankful for 11 years of blogging this month, which has allowed me to meet YOU, my readers. I have met your families and your pets. You’ve shown me your life through pictures. You’ve read me your poems, and most of all, you have allowed me to experience your life through your blogs.
Thank you from the bottom of my DogDaz heart. – Lorian
The trio sleeping off a good holiday meal.
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TIPS FOR FEEDING PETS AT THE HOLIDAYS
Many pets can get a little too much food today, as do the people. So, as you are getting ready to sit down to the dinner table, here are some tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.
Talkin’ Turkey
If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it’s boneless and well-cooked. Don’t offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria.
Sage Advice Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste delish, but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils.
No Bread Dough Don’t spoil your pet’s holiday by giving him raw bread dough. According to ASPCA experts, when raw bread dough is ingested, an animal’s body heat causes the dough to rise in his stomach. As it expands, the pet may experience vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could become a life-threatening emergency, requiring surgery.
Don’t Let Them Eat Cake If you’re baking up Thanksgiving cakes, be sure your pets keep their noses out of the batter, especially if it includes raw eggs—they could contain salmonella bacteria that may lead to food poisoning.
Too Much of a Good Thing A few small boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn’t pose a problem. However, don’t allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with a case of stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. In fact, it’s best to keep pets on their regular diets during the holidays.
A Feast Fit for a Kong While the humans are chowing down, give your cat and dog their own little feast. Offer them Nylabones or made-for-pet chew bones. Or stuff their usual dinner—perhaps with a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try sweet potato or green beans) and dribbles of gravy—inside a Kong toy. They’ll be happily occupied for a while, working hard to extract their dinner from the toy.
“And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave.” – Joseph Rodman Drake
DogDaz Zoo 