A Dog Is For Life Not For Christmas

Here is another great article. Xmas time is a time when a lot of dogs are given as gifts, so... here you go.


A very good neighbor dropped in yesterday for a coffee. Or at least I thought that was it. In fact she was so upset that she was in tears before the coffee had even brewed. Thinking that her husband must have run off with the particularly buxom waitress at our local diner, he and his buddies endlessly discuss this lady's virtues, and I am always amazed at their tendency to confuse ambition with ability, but I digress. I gave her my full attention. I sat down and comforted her, expecting all to be revealed. The tears dried up instantly and I got a complete mouthful of the angriest language that I have ever heard this mild lady use. Fortunately it wasn't directed at me, but I am now very impressed by her, shall we say 'streetwise' vocabulary. What had made her so mad was a very sad case of the utmost cruelty to a dog. At this point I was firmly on the bandwagon too, and the air was blue around us.

This brings me round to something I have a real bee in my bonnet about. And that's the lack of thought that many people give to choosing a dog.

My neighbor works for the local RSPCA (Royal Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals in the UK). She works principally with the dogs that they rescue and take in. I probably shouldn't be, me being rather more senior in years than junior now, but I am always astonished at the reasons why people abandon their dogs or decide that they just can't keep them anymore. Now I'm not talking about the genuine reasons, such as an old person falling too ill to care for a pet. I mean the blatantly selfish reasons that some people find acceptable and which I, on my high horse, clearly DO NOT. My poor friend has to rehome as many of these poor friendless dogs as she can. I am very happy to say that Stalin's interrogation techniques couldn't be more impressive than hers when it comes to making sure that these unfortunates do not end up being discarded again. I am pleased to say that getting a dog away from her tender care is not for the faint hearted.

A dog can be a wonderful addition to your family, as long as everyone is prepared to put in the time and effort required. So many people think a puppy would make a wonderful present for their children, only to forget about them once the novelty has worn off. A very popular excuse for being unable to keep a dog is 'I didn't realize he was going to get that big' well Der. He was born with those big paws, and he is a GSD, didn't that give you a bit of a clue. Honestly, I know I don't have a lot of patience with some people but they really do take the biscuit when they have checked out the breed, seen how big they grow and it STILL comes as a surprise. Ok, I'm going to calm down now.

Before you make the leap and introduce a new pet to your family make sure you know what to expect and that you're prepared for all the consequences of bringing a new family member into your home. Let's look at some of the things you should consider before you take the step of picking your puppy or dog.

Who is going to be responsible. It's all well and good to tell your children that the new puppy is theirs to care for, but remember, the first time they have to choose between picking up after it and hangin' out with their friends you know there's going to be a problem. So if there is no one prepared to step in and look after the animal on a regular basis perhaps rethinking the gift would be a good idea.

Do you have room for it. The type of home you live in and what type of backyard you have, will be a major factor in both deciding on what type of dog you should get. Add to this whether or not you're prepared to exercise the dog, if you don't have the room to let it run free in the backyard. If you can't supply the room for a dog to run or are not willing to exercise them on a regular basis then a dog is not right for you.

Are you a neat freak. No matter how well prepared you are, or how well you train your dog is, there will be accidents. These can range from the normal potty training problems to digging up your prize garden, chewing your new shoes, or shedding their hair on your sofa. If you're not ready to put up with any of the above at some stage of the dog's life then perhaps a dog is not right for you.

Can you afford it. Caring for a dog means more than just paying for its meals. While dinner time scraps are a common food source, they need more than that. A well balanced diet is essential throughout their life, but particularly when they are young and still growing. Food is not the only cost though. There are also the worm tablets, vet bills, registration fees and other costs associated with caring for your pet. If you are struggling to pay your bills now you shouldn't add to those costs. All too often it's the animal that misses out on what it needs.

What about it's training. Funnily enough, dogs don't come 'pre trained' unless you are very lucky, that is. An untrained dog will be a nuisance, a hazard to himself and to humans and other dogs. If you haven't got the patience to train a dog then either get an older one who already has some manners, or don't get one at all. Not knowing how to train a dog will be no barrier to a keen dog lover because they will either take the dog to classes or learn how to train the dog themselves.

And finally, Time, do you have enough. Please don't get a dog if you don't plan to spend anytime with it. Ignoring it and leaving it alone for long periods of time will bring problems as it feels bored and is unable to develop a loving relationship with you. A dog is a sociable animal that needs company preferably human, and if you can't give a dog any time then please don't get one.

These are just a few things to bear in mind when you're thinking about getting a new dog, or any new pet, come to that. If you now understand some of what is expected when you get a new dog, and you decide you still do want a dog, then yes go ahead. Provided of course you can fulfill one other key requirement. Being prepared to offer lots of love, caring and patience. The undivided loyalty, love and affection you will get back from your dog are the greatest gifts you can ever have.

Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com

Debbie Boffa is a fully trained dog lover, and with a dog like Arnie, a stunningly beautiful Briard from a dog rescue, her training skills have really been put to the test. For her 'Top 10 Free Training Tips' that will create peace in your household, sign up at www.trainingdogsrus.com

keywords: dog beds, dog collars, dog toys

Grumpy Lucy

Here is a good picture of Lucy. She just got done sunning herself and we had her sit for the picture. I am as guilty as anyone in assigning human emotions to my dogs but in this case I think Lucy is a little grumpy.

8 Simple Visual Indicators Your Dog Is Fat

Here is a great article. We all put on a little weight on during the holidays and our pets are no exception. Many dog owners do not even realize their dogs are fat or a just a little chunky and continue to feed them way too much food. Here are 8 simple indicators that your dog needs to get a little more exercise or not eating so much.

Your dog is fat. OK, possibly not.But there's a very good chance he or she is, and you don't even know it.Statistics vary, but veterinarians report that as many as 25 - 44% of all dogs are overweight, and that obesity is the number-one canine health disorder. Obesity is defined as weighing over 15% more than the standard accepted weight for the dog's height.With nearly half of our dogs weighing in on the heavy side, it's no surprise, then, that obesity-related conditions are on the rise within the pet population. These conditions include diabetes mellitus and orthopedic, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, respiratory, immune and reproductive disorders. These can be devastating conditions for your dog to live with.Doctors ascribe the rise in obesity to a combination of the general lack of fussiness of dogs, their natural gorging behavior, and insufficient exercise.And since dogs don't do their own grocery shopping or prepare their own meals, we must add to this a prevailing ignorance among their owners in providing a nutritious, well-balanced, calorie-controlled diet.Do you know if your dog is fat or fit? Do you know her daily caloric requirements? Do you know what factors may mitigate those daily caloric requirements?Did you know regular dog food is packed with sugar and fat to make the toxic crap they put in it palatable?A healthy dog is ready to eat at any time. Some dogs quite literally can eat while flat on their side and more or less asleep. Therefore, it is pointless to use your dog's begging behavior as any indicator of how much to feed him.Knowing how many calories he needs and how that translates into food will help keep him trim and healthy. Energy needs for the dog change throughout his life, increasing the more active he becomes, and, as you might surmise, decreasing as the dog reaches his senior years.Your vet will help you determine if your dog's weight is on target, or if she is headed for fat city, and all diet-related considerations should definitely be discussed with your vet before introducing any major changes into your dog's nutritional sphere. But, before your next office visit, you can do an assessment to determine (albeit imprecisely) your dog's general body condition and weight.Can the ribs be easily felt with slight fat cover, or are they difficult to feel under moderate or thick fat cover?From the side view, do you see an abdominal tuck?Is there thickening at the tail base?From the overhead view, is there a well-proportioned waist?Or, from the overhead view, does she have a marked hourglass shape? (an indicator of being underweight)Or, from the overhead view, is the back slightly or markedly broadened at the waist? (indicators of being moderately to severely overweight)Is your dog slow to rise or move around?Is she reluctant to exercise, or does she tire easily with activity?Individual metabolism, exercise, age, environment and overall health will determine what your dog really needs to remain lean and healthy. Since your dog can only have so many calories every day, it is important to pack lots of nutrition, bulk and appeal into those calories.Our wildly popular Dog Food SECRETS™ information products can help you step-by-step overcome your nutritional naivete.Embracing this information doesn't mean you have to prepare every meal with a set of scales on the counter, no. Do it a few times and you can do it forever.After you determine your dog's caloric needs, the ideal solution to meet those needs is to prepare your dog's food at home, where you can have total control over the caloric and nutritional content.Our books can help you there, too -- as it includes a collection of easy, healthful, natural and delicious recipes created with your dog's palate and welfare in mind. In fact the Silver and Gold packages include over 200 easy-to-make healthy recipes.About The Author Andrew LewisDiscover everything you need to know about http://www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com/dog-food-secrets.php , the #1 element in dog health. Subscribe to http://www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com newsletter to learn more.keywords: dog beds, dog health, dog carriers, dog collars, dog toys

Therapy dog helps Iowa students learn

By MELISSA REGENITTER Muscatine Journal

LETTS, Iowa - Scooter is always excited to go to school. The 5-year-old waits by the window for his ride to show up and is eager to see all of his new friends at Louisa-Muscatine schools. "He's such a good dog," Valerie Vineyard-Gipple said of Scooter, her yellow Labrador, which recently became a certified therapy dog. Scooter was introduced as L-M's school dog about three weeks ago and he visits three or four days a week. Much of his time is spent in the classroom of Diane Vineyard, Valeries mother. Vineyard teaches students with learning and behavior challenges and Scooter is there to bring a smile to the students. "When someone is having a challenging day he picks them right out of the classroom," Vineyard said. "There was a student that didn't want to learn and he kept taking his nose and nudging his arm." Just having Scooter around comforts students and they respect him and are nice to him, she added. Scooter will be 6 on Christmas Day. He was chosen as a family pet as a puppy by Valerie and her husband, Seth, of Wapello. He is loving and docile, which inspired Valerie to train him for certification through Therapy Dogs International. Therapy Dogs International is a volunteer, nonprofit group with many handlers and testing facilities across the United States, Canada and some other countries. Through training, Valerie learned of the Tail Waggin Tutors reading program and took on the initiative to bring it to L-M. She volunteers by taking Scooter to L-M Elementary School twice a week, allowing students to read aloud to him in a one-on-one setting. The sessions are helpful to students who need encouragement or practice reading and as a reward for good behavior. "I thought being a therapy dog would be a good way for him to share his unconditional love," Valerie said. The love he gets back is evident in the halls of L-M schools. It seems that anyone who passes Scooter cant help but smile, call his name or reach down to pat his head. Studies have shown that therapy dogs promote healing, increase well being and improve the quality of life for those they serve, according to Therapy Dogs International. Aiden "A.J." Sears, 5, has a special bond with Scooter. When he saw the dog in the library Thursday he ran to Scooter, squealed his name, and gave him a big hug. Sears told the story of how he was upset one day, which sometimes happens in kindergarten, and Scooter was there at just the right time. "I was crying and I was walking down from the library. I was having a bad day," Sears said. "I pet him and it made me feel better." Another student who cant get enough of Scooter is second-grader Gabe Hayes. He reads aloud with the dog once a week. Gabe brings books about dogs and Scooter lies nearby providing company. "It's fun to read to him and he's really calm," Hayes said, adding that reading with Scooter has encouraged him to keep trying to become a better reader.

Kona is Not an Outside Dog

Kona is not an outside dog by any means. She goes outside only if everyone else goes outside or to take of business, but then she wants right back in the house. She is one spoiled little puppy.

Here is Kona Sneezing

Here is a picture of Kona. She was caught in mid sneeze. She is not, I repeat not an outdoor dog and could be one of the most loungy dogs I have ever met. I do not think that she likes the feel of grass under her feet.

Lucy Loves Her New Backyard

Lucy is a pretty loungy dog. she loves to go outside and take some time to sun herself. She likes to patrol the backyard looking for any new scents, etc... Where Kona will come right back in after doing what she needs to do outside Lucy more often than not just wanders off into a remote part of the backyard and camps out.

Here is a picture of Lucy in her new backyard.

http://www.ellaslead.com/

We are always on the search for new products for Lucy's Dog House or for Lucy and Kona. So we spend a bit of time checking out a lot of wholesale and retail sites. We can not bring everything that we find that we like. That said there are some sites that are really cool and we like to share them with the folks that follow our blog. One such site is http://www.ellaslead.com/. It seems like it is a small company making hand made leather dog collars. They look like they use some of the same conchos that are found on the custom leather dog collars that are in our store, but in a different way. Pretty cool. Check them out when you get a chance.

8 Simple Visual Indicators Your Dog Is Fat

Here is a great article as I sit here thinking about all of the food we have had over the past few days. I thought this might be a good article to share with everyone.

Your dog is fat. OK, possibly not.But there's a very good chance he or she is, and you don't even know it.Statistics vary, but veterinarians report that as many as 25 - 44% of all dogs are overweight, and that obesity is the number-one canine health disorder. Obesity is defined as weighing over 15% more than the standard accepted weight for the dog's height.

With nearly half of our dogs weighing in on the heavy side, it's no surprise, then, that obesity-related conditions are on the rise within the pet population. These conditions include diabetes mellitus and orthopedic, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, respiratory, immune and reproductive disorders. These can be devastating conditions for your dog to live with.Doctors ascribe the rise in obesity to a combination of the general lack of fussiness of dogs, their natural gorging behavior, and insufficient exercise.

And since dogs don't do their own grocery shopping or prepare their own meals, we must add to this a prevailing ignorance among their owners in providing a nutritious, well-balanced, calorie-controlled diet.Do you know if your dog is fat or fit? Do you know her daily caloric requirements? Do you know what factors may mitigate those daily caloric requirements?Did you know regular dog food is packed with sugar and fat to make the toxic crap they put in it palatable?A healthy dog is ready to eat at any time. Some dogs quite literally can eat while flat on their side and more or less asleep. Therefore, it is pointless to use your dog's begging behavior as any indicator of how much to feed him.

Knowing how many calories he needs and how that translates into food will help keep him trim and healthy. Energy needs for the dog change throughout his life, increasing the more active he becomes, and, as you might surmise, decreasing as the dog reaches his senior years.Your vet will help you determine if your dog's weight is on target, or if she is headed for fat city, and all diet-related considerations should definitely be discussed with your vet before introducing any major changes into your dog's nutritional sphere. But, before your next office visit, you can do an assessment to determine (albeit imprecisely) your dog's general body condition and weight.Can the ribs be easily felt with slight fat cover, or are they difficult to feel under moderate or thick fat cover?From the side view, do you see an abdominal tuck?Is there thickening at the tail base?From the overhead view, is there a well-proportioned waist?Or, from the overhead view, does she have a marked hourglass shape? (an indicator of being underweight)Or, from the overhead view, is the back slightly or markedly broadened at the waist? (indicators of being moderately to severely overweight)Is your dog slow to rise or move around?

Is she reluctant to exercise, or does she tire easily with activity?Individual metabolism, exercise, age, environment and overall health will determine what your dog really needs to remain lean and healthy. Since your dog can only have so many calories every day, it is important to pack lots of nutrition, bulk and appeal into those calories.Our wildly popular Dog Food SECRETS™ information products can help you step-by-step overcome your nutritional naivete.Embracing this information doesn't mean you have to prepare every meal with a set of scales on the counter, no. Do it a few times and you can do it forever.After you determine your dog's caloric needs, the ideal solution to meet those needs is to prepare your dog's food at home, where you can have total control over the caloric and nutritional content.Our books can help you there, too -- as it includes a collection of easy, healthful, natural and delicious recipes created with your dog's palate and welfare in mind. In fact the Silver and Gold packages include over 200 easy-to-make healthy recipes.

About The Author Andrew LewisDiscover everything you need to know about http://www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com/ #1 element in dog health. Subscribe to http://www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com newsletter to learn more.keywords:

dog beds, dog health, dog carriers, dog collars, dog toys

Linking to www.lucysdoghouse.net

Links into a website are like water to a plant. At www.lucysdoghouse.net we can always use more links into our website. If you have a website, forum or blog that you own we would greatly appreciate it if you link to us. If you do shoot me an email at admin@lucysdoghouse.net , let us know where the links are located and we will send you a coupon code that will give you 30% off everytime you shop at Lucy's Dog House.

All My Best,

Hans

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have a great day with family, turkey and football.

German Shepherd Origin and History

Here is a great article about another one of our favorite dog breeds, The German shepherd Dog.

The German Shepherd dog breed has its origin in the late 1800s when Max von Stephanitz from Germany began developing a breed that would later become the dog we know today as the German Shepherd.Von Stephanitz desired to produce a dog breed that could be utilized as an all-around working dog.
Developed from various farm and herding dogs of his time, von Stephanitz's original German Shepherd was derived from a herding dog he acquired in 1899, and he and his friend Artur Meyer formed the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde which was the first club in the German Shepherd dog breed history. This club and von Stephanitz kept tight control over the breed until his death in 1936.
He determined which dogs would be used to breed based on how well they did in various shows and trials that were the precursor to the Schutzhund tests still performed today. His main criteria for judging a dog's success were both its usefulness coupled with its intelligence. Von Stephanitz also promoted the utility of the breed to the German government for work in both the police and the military as well as other all-purpose uses as a working dog breed.German Shepherd Breed History
Following the creation of the German Shepherd breed by von Stephanitz in the early 1900s, the breed's popularity soon soared and became one of Germany's most popular dogs. Serving in both World War I and II, the German Shepherd was a favorite military dog, primarily in Germany, but American and British soldiers were also impressed by the breed and brought the dog home following both wars.
In fact, one of the most popular German Shepherds dogs was Rin Tin Tin, originally from France, and brought to America by an American GI following the first world war. Rin Tin Tin went on to make 26 movies until his death in 1932 and contributed to the breed's enormous popularity.
In addition to its use in the police and military arenas, German Shepherds have a history of usefulness in other areas, is known as a successful show dog and has been a popular family pet. German Shepherds were the first dogs used as seeing eye dogs in the late 1920s and Helen Keller, an avid dog lover, owned a couple of German Shepherds.
The first German Shepherd Club in America was formed in 1913 and the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908. Instantly recognizable, the German Shepherd continues to be a popular dog breed, and the German Shepherd is continually in the top five most popular registered breeds as determined by the AKC.
Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com
German Shepard Breedinformation, history, origins, pictures and demographics.

New Dog Collars at Lucy's Dog House

Hi Everyone,

We just added a bunch of new dog collars to our custom leather dog collars section, http://www.lucysdoghouse.net/cuhacrledogc.html They are all great hand made collars made from the finest Latigo Leather. Pictured here is the Alabama Dog Collar. Pretty awesome.

If you decide to buy do not forget to use the coupon code: friend, as it gives you 15% off your entire purchase. The best part is that the coupon code never expires so you can use it over and over again or pass on to your dog owner friends.

Lucy was a Bad Girl

Well Lucy is up to her old tricks. I swear as she gets older she gets funnier and craftier ad we have to struggle to stay one step ahead of her. Early this week she got a hold of some hamburger buns and ran off with them into the bedroom and proceeded to eat them all. We are not sure if Kona got into them as well but we strongly suspect since Lucy takes care of Kona like she is her daughter.

The funny part is that Lucy did not even look the least little but guilty when we found the empty bag. No more food on the counters, again.

Ok I am back

It has been a long time since we posted. Well it is definately time to get back to posting. Look forward to more stuff coming soon.

Kona and the Bull

Our neighborhood herd of cattle stopped by the other day. The dogs used to go a little nuts when they would come around. Not so much anymore though. Everyone, kind of takes it in stride. I think my neighbors think I am a little crazy as I hang over my fence and pet the cows. The bull came over this time and he stayed for a while while I fed him some of my overgrown grass. The second picture is Kona just kind of checking out the bull on the other side of the fence.

I mean seriously, I am originally from the middle of NYC, this kind of stuff just doesn't happen in the Big Apple.

I have never, ever seen someone work so hard at their job. Here goes Lucy, off again doing a little product testing. Any of these big, floppy toy sare an instant hit with her. She loves them and loves to play tug of war with them. I do not pull too hard, I do not want to hurt her. She, on the other hand does not have that same limitation.

Things I will never do again

Today, I added to my list of things I will never do again. Well, not on purpose. That is I will never try to play keep away with a Great Dane using a piece of chicken. Nuf Said. That was really, really dumb.

Iconic Dog - Original Pet Potraits

Hi everyone,

I was cruising around the web today and I found this really awesome website. It is called Iconic Dog and it is really neat. The owner/artist paints these really great pet potraits in oil. The colors are very vivid and the overall effect is something else.

Check it out when you get a chance.

By the way, I am not being paid or otherwise compensated in any way for making this post. It is just a cool website. I am also going to put a link to thesite at Lucy's Dog House in case you ever needed to find the link again.

If you notice below is a Add This widget. It lets you bookmark something with whatever book marking service you use. I found it a while ago and I think it is pretty cool.

The last picture was a picture of the hotel. This is apicture of the River Walk. It is pretty nice like I said.

San Antonio's River Walk

Well yesterday's fund raiser for ccdog.com did not work out so well due to the rain.

So we dropped Lucy and Kona off at a really great kennel for the night and went up to San Antonio. They were so jazzed about going back into the kennel when we dropped them off. Lucy was all excited. Her tail was wagging a mile a minute and Kona could barely contain herself.

We stayed at the Omni right on the River Walk and it was a really great experience. We were able to walk right onto the River Walk from our hotel.

If you have never been to San Antonio the River Walk is a must see thing. It is right by the Alamo and it has lots of great shops and places to eat. Go to Casa Rios, the food is great and inexpensive. Above is a picture of the River Walk.

Corpus Christi Dogs

Hi everyone,

Today we went to a fundraiser for Corpus Christi dogs. They are a group that is dedicated to getting a dog park started in Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is a city of over a quarter of a million people and it does not have a dog park. Kind of a bummer.

The city has allocated the land but the funding for the fencing, the water and lights have to come from private funding. The total cost is going to be about 75K.

The fundraiser hit a little snag today because of the rain. It usually never rains here in Corpus but today it did. Wierd.

At Lucy's Dog House we are big fans of a dog park in Corpus Christi so whenever you use the coupon code: ccdogs we will donate 10 percent of the purchase price to CCDogs. Stop by at www.lucysdoghouse.net see if there is anything that you or you dog would like and use the coupon code.

I Bite My Dog

Nah, just kidding. Actually I do bite my dog Kona when we are playing. She started it thouhg. Apparently it is what chocolate labs do. Check out the video.

All the best,

Hans

Lucy and Kona go to the Vet

Today Lucy and Kona had to go to the vet for their annual rabies shot. we went to the local PetsSmart which had a Banfield Animal Hospital in it. You would thought we were going to a dog park or something. By the way, Petsmart is pretty cool. They have been doing a good job in increasing the variety of dry foods that they offer. some of them are normally brands I would expect to find in a small, high end pet store. Kudos to Pet Smart.

Rarely have I seen my dogs so excited to go into a store. Today they were just a little bit nutty when they went into the store and were quite a handful. Normally they are pretty good dogs but today they had all sorts of things, and people and other dogs to look at and want to go sniff or whatever.

Overall it was a good visit and they got their shots and had their nail trimmed.

Great Dane with a Baby

Cruising around the internet today and found this video. Thought it was a good representation of Great Danes and their devotion to their families.

To the simpler things in life

A few days ago I read that one of the better thins about a recession is that many people return to the simpler things in life that make them happy. Here at Lucy's dog House we have been impacted just like everyone else. Instead of getting down about it again today, I looked at Lucy and asked her, "Do you want to go for a walk?". She replied like se usually does, she pretty much started jumping around like a big hairy porpoise, she was so excited. So we took a quick spin around the neighborhood and everything seemed better. For both of us. As I write this Lucy is happily snoring away and I am happily blogging.

I think the author of the article I read the other day was a genius. Here is to the simpler things in life.

New Stuff At Lucy's Dog House

Lucy wanted me to let all of you knwo that we added a bunch of new products at www.lucysdoghouse.net. Above is a picture of our new British themed collars. They are pretty awesome and are both affordable starting at $9.00 and cool all at the same time.

We have a bunch of new collars and you can check out our whole selection at new dog collars

Blogging

I do not know what it is, I need to put a sign up or something or tattoo it on the back of my hand. I tell myself everyday that I have to blog that day and then all of a sudden the day is over and I have not managed to blog for the day. Okay well, that stops today. Well at least for today. LOL. We shall see how it all turns out.

Wow, Lucy has had a pretty wonderful day. Like most Great Danes she is a huge lounge lizard. She especially likes to lay out back in the grass. She especially likes it when the sun is nice and warm and she can spend hours out there. Luckily the bug situation here in Texas is not too bad right now, so I just leave the screen door open and she just comes and goes as she pleases.

I swear she stays out there until she can stand it anymore, comes in for a while, gets a drink and goes right back out there. Talk about a sun worshipper.

Oh, by the way, before any of you send me an email to remind me that I need to put suntan lotion on her, got you covered.

Lucy - The Stinky Dog

I love Lucy like she is one of my children and sometimes she does stuff that I as a "parent" can only sit back and laugh about. Like last night, Lucy goes outside for her evening trip to the backyard and she decides that someone else's poop is the greatest thing in the world. So of course what does she do, she proceeds to role around in it, so the rest of her "pack" can smell it too. Well needless to say I was only so impressed, so Lucy got a bonus bath last night.

Which by the way, I am probably one of the luckiest dog owners in the world. When she knows she has done something like this, she knows exactly where she is headed. Like last night, all I had to do was tell her "bath" and she headed off to the bathroom where she gets her baths. I snaped my fingers and told her to get in and she got in. Lucky me, since Lucy is not a lot of fun to wrestle with when it is not play time. Lucy is weighing in a 130lbs these days, so if she is not inclined to do something, she can be pretty difficult to manhandle someplace.

Cutting Lucy's Toe Nails

Well, you would think that since I am work in the pet industry, i should be a pro at cutting my own dog's nails. It is not really all that hard, just got to get the nail in the clippers and cut with a deliberate motion. If you don't, it is kind of like taking off a band aid too slowly, you know what I mean.

Well, I messed it up. I went too far back on one of Lucy's nail and she bled all over the place. Luckily I had some styptic powder which was able to help stop the bleeding. She was such a trooper during the whole thing as I was trying to get the bleeding to stop.

That said, she did not let me cut the nails on her front feet.

Why I Love My Dogs

So being away from my dogs for eight months has taught me a lot of things. The most imporant is that they are a major part of my life. Well, of course, you say. I always knew it but it is one thing to know something and quite another to truly internalize it. I look forward to coming home every day because I know that I will be greated by non-stop tail wagging and it is just because I walked through the door. I mean come on what else is in life is that consistently happy and a source of joy?

Wow, it has been a long time

Sorry, that I have not been posting all that mcuh lately. I guess I could come up with all sorts of good and not so good excuses but nah, not going to do it.

Life gets busy but whatever.....

I did just get back from a long business trip overseas. It is good to be back with Lucy and Kona. They both looked like hairy dolphins they were jumping around so much. I had this big fear that they would forget who I was after not being around them for eight months.