Dogs, Dolphins and Love

What could be better?  Not much for me!  This video is best watched over at You Tube rather than the small screen here.

Forget that the language isn't English and that the video runs 11 minutes - just enjoy the story and the photography.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Oh - I needed a couple of tissues while watching...just a warning!

Nothing better than a baby laughing and playing with a dog!

Cleanliness is....

...next to Dogliness!!

Kylie at the groomer and happy to be just about finished!

Trust + Friendship = Fun!

Happy Monday!

Pastry Chef apprentice

 

 

 

My cousin sent me these pictures in an email - they are just too cute not to blog!!

Mind games for dogs

Kylie with her new pumpkin bandana

Mind Games for Dogs to Play With Humans

After your humans give you a bath, don't let them towel you dry! Instead, run to their bed, jump up and dry yourself on the sheets. This is especially good if it's right before your human's bedtime.

Act like a convicted criminal. When your humans come home, put your ears back, with tail between your legs and chin down, and act as if you have done something really bad. Then, watch as the humans frantically search the house for the damage they think you have caused. Note: This works best when you have done absolutely nothing wrong.

Let the humans teach you a brand new trick. Learn it perfectly. When the humans try to demonstrate it to someone else, stare blankly back at the humans. Pretend you have no idea what they're talking about.

Help your humans learn patience. When you go outside to 'pee', sniff around the entire yard as your humans wait. Act as if the spot you choose to pee will ultimately decide the fate of the earth.

Draw attention to the human. When out for a walk always pick the busiest, most visible spot to go 'poo.' Take your time and make sure everyone watches. This works particularly well if your humans have forgotten to bring a plastic bag.

When out for a walk, alternate between choking and coughing every time a strange human walks by.

Make your own rules. Don't always bring back the stick when playing fetch with the humans. Make them go and chase it once in a while.

Hide from your humans. When your humans come home, don't greet them at the door. Instead, hide from them, and make them think something terrible has happened to you. (Don't reappear until one of your humans is panic-stricken and close to tears).

When your human calls you to come back in, always take your time. Walk as slowly as possible back to the door.

Wake up twenty minutes before the alarm clock is set to go off and make the humans take you out for your morning pee. As soon as you get back inside, fall asleep. (Humans can rarely fall back asleep after going outside; this will drive them nuts!)

~Author Unknown~

Reason #777 why I love dogs

From the article - full story here.

A giant farm dog and a tiny piglet cuddle up as if they were family after the baby runt was dismissed by its own mother.

Surrogate mum Katjinga, an eight-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback, took on motherly duties for grunter Paulinchen - a tiny pot-bellied pig - and seems to be taking the adoption in her stride.

Lonely Paulinchen was luckily discovered moments from death and placed in the care of the dog who gladly accepted it as one of her own. Thankfully for the two-week old mini porker, Katjinga fell in love with her at first sight and saved her bacon.

Thanks for posting this on FB, Mrs. B!

Greeting a friend

~Kylie greets Faye~

Exuberant young dog:
wants in, wants out,
wants everything.

~Michael Garofalo~

Barbarism - alive in China

Kylie playing with her boingo ball, Spring of 2008.

I received this email today. I cannot even imagine this sort of perversion. Imagine Kylie in a position like those defenseless dogs in China.

My apologies - I wanted to stay away from political posts in this blog, but this sort of thing makes me sick - the government in China doing this makes Michael Vick look like a saint. If you can sign the petition, it might help stop this kind of canine holocaust.

Thanks.

IFAW website is here - the page displayed is for the US and the story is on the front page.

Help Us Stop the Qinhuangdao Dog Slaughter Before it Starts

Dear Delphyne:

I've just received an urgent report that another city in China is planning a mass cull to slaughter any unregistered dogs, strays, and even registered family dogs that are over 14 inches (35cm) tall.

Dog owners in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, are even being told to kill their own dogs, or else their dogs will be beaten to death by the police and the owners will be charged a fine. Can you imagine being forced to kill your own dog to save it from a more brutal slaughter?

Unless we can stop this now, the Dog Death squads could be roaming the streets tomorrow – beating, stoning, and killing dogs – some right in front of their owners.

You might remember the attached e-mail I sent you recently about a similar cull. We found out too late for many of those dogs, but this time we have a chance to stop it before it starts.

I need you to do two things right now:
1. Send an e-mail to the Chinese Ambassador in your country. So you can act quickly, I've written an e-mail for you - click here to review and send it.

2. Make a donation to help IFAW end dog culls in China and to protect animals around the world from similar cruelty.

It’s crucial that you act quickly –according to the government notice, the police will begin combing the streets tomorrow to kill dogs. Please send your message now, and then forward this e-mail to as many of your friends as possible urging them to help us stop this slaughter.

In addition to working to stop this cull, IFAW is helping draft China's first national animal welfare legislation that will prohibit culls like this. And we're developing a rabies vaccination and sterilization program that we can offer to rural communities to humanely prevent rabies and control dog populations.

We’ve stopped culls like this in other Chinese cities, and we can stop this one too! Please send your message of protest today.

And then please make a donation to help us continue our efforts to help save animals around the world from cruelty and exploitation.

Please act now to save these dogs - make it the very next thing you do.

Thank you,

Fred

Canine epilepsy

Kylie, 1 week after arriving in NJ from Louisiana

I don't like this disease. I don't think any dog likes it, either. It is sneaky. The seizures arrive unannounced, much like an earthquake. And like earthquakes, there are severe tremors and shaking.

Kylie had one yesterday afternoon. And under the worst case scenario for me. I was working on the computer and she came over, nudging me. I thought she had to go pee, so I got up to take her outside. Now, I keep a baby gate upstairs and downstairs because I've had this fear of her having a seizure while on the stairs. And, I am usually quite vigilant in making sure that the gate is in use.

But, yesterday I forgot.

And unfortunately, Kylie had already headed downstairs. I heard a couple of thuds and then a crash. She had had a seizure and had fallen down the stairs. I saw her thrashing about at the foot of the stairs. I felt sick to my stomach.

I ran down the stairs and straightened her out - she tends to contract during a seizure. I was frantic - I didn't know if she broke any bones or ruptured any organs. The seizure was short, as usual. It took her a couple of minutes to stand up, stagger around and pace off the effects of the seizure. While watching her, I called the vet. I could hear my voice shaking. Then, I called one of my sisters and asked her to drive me to the vet if I needed to go. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate on driving and Kylie at the same time.

The vet wasn't in the office, but the receptionist said he would call me and just to watch Kylie until he did. By the time he called, Kylie was back to normal. She wasn't limping and didn't flinch when I felt around her abdomen, ribs and spine. She was alert, interested in playing with her Squeaker and finally, I indulged her in her favorite pastime: I threw in a load of laundry. She seemed back to normal.

Kylie and I went on a long walk this morning. I haven't noticed anything physically amiss with her - let's hope it stays that way.

Dogs never cease to amaze me - they truly live in the moment, another trait they can teach us humans. I read this article this morning and thought you dog lovers might like it, too.

Kylie this afternoon, lounging on the bed while I update this post!

Amazing Grace

Meet Kylie's "cousin" Grace, a retriever mix who is about the same age as Kylie. She's also another Southern Belle, coming up from Mississippi when she was 8 weeks old and a fluff ball. We think she is mostly Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever, although with her current short summer "do," I can see a Chocolate Lab in the mix, too.

Grace spent much of her first year over here when my sister was working. She associates being here with being fed. Constantly. That dog loves to eat more than anything! Well, she also loves to chase cats, rabbits, deer and the lights from a flashlight or other shiny reflection. She's quite a character and is dearly loved by Kylie and me.

Millie, not so much.

Millie had her close encounter with Grace when Grace had her cornered under the dining room table. Neither one is too bothered by each other now, but back then - Millie went immediately into her cage whenever Grace showed up.

Image made by Grace's mom - click to enlarge it.