Incredible Event Wednesday Night!

My dear friend Bess and I the day before Easter. She is currently going through chemotherapy, and is one of the most inspirational and energetic women I know.

On Wednesday, she will be modeling in the
Nicole Miller Design for a Cure Fashion Show at
K Street Lounge in Washington, DC from 6:30pm - 9:30pm.
Please come out and show your support!


You are cordially invited to an evening of couture and compassion. Come join us for the exclusive premiere of Nicole Miller's fashion line in DC. All ticket proceeds will go toward the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. D*C*: Design for a Cure boasts a collaboration through the Nicole Miller Fashion House and Glenda Fu's Woman of the Year Campaign to bring you an innovative catwalk experience melded with inspiring stories of blood can...cer survivors. You are not just supporting the cause, you are supporting hope.

***For tickets:***

http://designforacure.eventbrite.com/

- $50 for General Admission
- $75 for Open Bar Cocktail Hour and Hors D'Oeuvres
- $100 for VIP: Premiere Seating, Private VIP Cocktail Hour with Open Bar and Hors D'Oeuvres, Specialty Nicole Miller Giftbag

**All ticket proceeds will go toward the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society***

Some of you may have heard me speak of my dear friend Bess at some point in time, or perhaps you have even met her. Bess was my roommate in college, and our lives continuously cross paths. She was one of the first people to meet my sweet Milly when I adopted her, and weeks after getting Hush, Bess was welcomed to the pack when the little 12 week old puppy peed on her. Poor Bess was in church clothes at the time, but being the kind of girl she is, she just laughed it off, and said I was buying her coffee that afternoon.

We have that type of friendship where you can go forever without speaking, and then call the other one up and say, "I need somewhere to stay, can I crash on your sofa for a month?" We've been there for each other through so much over the years... she slept in my living room for a month in exchange for walking Milly, and she welcomed Milly and I into her apartment when my ex-boyfriend and I broke up.

Of course, college tends to have some crazy drama associated with it, so about a year ago when Bess moved to DC I was thrilled! Finally, we could have an adult relationship, and spend quality time together on a regular basis. And we did, church every Sunday, movies, dinners, wine, happy hours, cultural events, car shows, you name it... we did it! Well, you could imagine my shock in March when I got a phone call from Bess explaining she has Stage 4 Acute Lymphatic Leukemia. She explained she was going to fight it, she would get better, and all would be grande.

Fast forward, and she's doing great with chemotherapy! She is literally kicking cancer in the ass! I don't usually swear, but in this case, I have no shame. That is exactly what she is doing! She is an inspiration to me, beautiful on the inside and out. Kind, funny, and energetic. She has the most incredible outlook on life.

Bess has always been absolutely obsessed with fashion, so when I sent her the info for the Nicole Miller Design for a Cure Fashion Show at K Street Lounge, and my phone immediatley rang I was not surprised in the least. She wanted to know right then and there if I would commit to going with her, and the next thing I knew, I had a call that she had contacted the host committee, and would now be modeling in the show! So, tomorrow night, I will happily be perched as close to the stage as possible, supporting her in her first ever modeling debut at the Nicole Miller Design For A Cure fashion show! I am so proud of her. I encourage you all to buy tickets and attend! This will be a great event. If you're interested in getting tickets, comment and I will post a coupon code.

Until Death Do Us Bark!

Invitations and Save the Dates are an excellent way to incorporate your love of animals into your wedding. Whether you want a silhouette of the entire wedding party, canines included, or an artful montage of your life and your pets - there are classy and unique ways to make it work.

I love the idea of the silhouette here. You could take this a step further and have place card holders include silhouettes of all of your pets! I like when people carry a theme throughout the wedding, so this could easily be done on numerous levels.


There are all sorts of great things on Etsy, like this floral Golden Retriever made by Pop Dog Press. To carry the theme of the silhouette you could include something like this at the wedding. This would look very cute on place card holders, and you could name the tables after childhood pets of you and your spouse. I was at a wedding where many of the tables were named after horses the bride owned growing up, and it really gave the wedding a very special touch!


A more detailed wedding invitation including dogs is this one. There are elements to this I really enjoy, and elements I am not as much of a fan of. I do love the details though, the glitter I could do with out. The facial details on the dogs are simply amazing, however! This would be great for a small garden wedding or a wedding at your house! If I used this, I would pair it with place card holders cut out in the shapes of leaves, or use large purple flowers in my center pieces.

Let's Eat Cake!

I have seen so many different wedding cakes. From extremely formal, to a fake cake (one slice was real, and there was sheet cake in the back that was served – this saved the couple a small fortune, and no one knew the “wedding cake” was faux), cupcakes, ice cream sundaes, and every traditional tiered cake you can think of in between.

Cakes are a great way to include your love of animals in your wedding. I love the wire crafted cake toppers found on Etsy, and they can be personalized with your dog’s breed, and all sorts of activities. While I’ve never attended a wedding that used the dog cake topper, I have attended a wedding with a wire cake topper signifying a different activity the couple enjoyed.

Has the bride been a bridezilla leading up to the ceremony? While it might lead to a cake in the face, the groom can show how he has felt about wedding planning by surprising her and guests with this cake topper! I’m sure many men feel more like the dog on a short leash, than the groom in the middle of wedding planning!

Cake topper possibilities are endless! There are those with sculpted dogs, like these.

Or, if you compete with your dog, why not use one of your silver bowls or trophies as the wedding cake topper? You could fill it with flowers. I have seen this with antique silver bowls. Many trophies I have been awarded through showing horses are Mint Julep cups, and wouldn't one displayed on top of the cake look very nice? I know many dog shows also award Mint Julep cups as trophies!

A grooms cake would be another great way to display a love for dogs. Of course, if you want to get graphic you could have a dog shaped red-velvet cake, much like the armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias!

Wedding Bells

Love is in the air right now! With the Royal Wedding having just taken place, girls (and even some guys) are chatting about what they want, what’s in, what works, and what really doesn’t. It’s wedding season! I'm 26, and will admit a large portion of my savings and nearly all of my vacation time goes to weddings and events related to weddings, I've become a bridesmaid guru! I must admit, I was really hoping to see the Queen with her corgis at some wedding related event, obviously not the wedding or reception, but perhaps even a stroll with the happy couple and her pack of corgis would've just made my heart melt!

Source: Google Images

This scene from “You’ve Got Mail” is one of the sweetest dog romance scenes (Embedding is disabled on it, so use the link). Of course, being a romantic comedy, would this ever really happen? No. Brinkley would probably be stopped, and Tom Hanks reprimanded or ticketed, for disobeying leash laws.

Source: AllMoviePhoto.com

And of course, who doesn’t immediately think of Meet the Parents and Jinxy the cat when it comes to pets and weddings? But, the odds of me marrying Prince Harry are pretty slim, too, so here’s to our romantic dreams.

Image source: Google Images

I’ve been asked a lot about including your favorite pets in your wedding. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it goes terribly wrong. Ultimately, whenever you add a new element to your wedding that is one more thing to plan and coordinate, so keep that in mind!

Phoenix Bride and Groom did a blog post in January on pets and weddings, and anyone considering it should read this post. In the post, the author speaks with Heidi Ganahl, CEO and Founder of Camp Bow Wow and Home Buddies by Camp Bow Wow. Animal expert Heidi had this to say about the pros and cons of including your canine in your wedding:

The image of Fido walking down the aisle as a ring bearer is a memorable occasion for pet lovers. Before proceeding, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of having your pet at your wedding. Unfortunately, very few religious and indoor venues will allow dogs on location other than service animals. If you are open to an outdoor wedding, including your pet is more realistic.

Additionally, it is important to consider your pet’s personality. If you have a free-spirited animal, he may not abide to walk down the aisle on his own. Also, be cautious of guests with pet allergies; warn them in advance that your dog will be attending.

However, the benefits are endless. Since proud pet owners consider their dog as part of the family, Fido’s attendance will add a special touch to your day.

With lots of training, socialization, practice, coordination and planning, and rehearsals a pet can be a part of your wedding. Carrie Underwood used her dog as her ring bearer! Some tips to make it run smoothly: make sure there is a safe quiet place for your pet to go should he or she get stage fright. As we know from holidays, people food is not usually good for dogs to eat, so make sure there is some dog-friendly cuisine at the wedding, and plenty of water. Also, instruct guests not to feed Fido if he will be off-leash at the reception. As for allergies, a well groomed dog groomed dog is rarely a problem for allergy sufferers. With most breeds (there are exceptions) it is completely safe, and actually healthy for the coat, to be bathed and blown dry 1-2 times a week – if you bathe this frequently, make sure to use a high quality dog shampoo. This, paired with daily brushing will drastically cut back on allergens.

Image source: Google Images

But, if you don’t feel up to the planning and coordinating including pets in a wedding takes here are some great ideas. Include your beloved pets in your bridal portraits or engagement photos. You can display these at the ceremony. Is your dog a major part of your relationship? Why not showcase this with a customized cake topper? Your save the dates or invitations could even include your love of animals. If you have a send-off brunch the morning after the wedding, and it is at someone’s house, this would be a great time to bring the dogs! Look for more ways of incorporating your dog into your big day in my upcoming posts!

A Fun Activity To Do With Your Dog

The weather seems to have gone directly from burning-up, nearly 100 degrees to cold and rainy fall days virtually over night. In a week the temperature has dropped nearly 50 degrees, which has me wondering if another snowpocalypse is just around the corner.

The shift drop in temperature is making my wardrobe selections difficult, but it is making it nice to spend time outside with Milly. I'm perfectly comfortable during the day (when it isn't wet and rainy) in jeans and a fleece, and the chilly air seems to have give Milly a rush of youthfulness that makes it very enjoyable to spend time with her outside on various adventures.

Last year, Milly and Tina and I all went on an apple picking adventure at an Orchard off I-66 in Northern Virginia. If you haven't checked out Love, Tina Marie, I highly recommend you go over to her blog for the latest crafts, recipes and life adventures. In my research, I have found apple orchards to be extremely dog friendly, and Milly loved her time picking apples with us last year.

Apples are great. I love to munch on them, and the act of picking them is quite fun. There is something neat about going back to your roots, in an extremely controlled setting, and paying someone to let you pick your own fruit. It gives you a sense of being somewhat self sufficient, without the added cost and headache of maintaining an apple orchard, which in the DC area probably requires a very large bank account, which I do not have. It's very easy to pick entirely too many apples while at an orchard, but if you ask me, there's no such thing. You can come home and throw them all in a pot and make apple sauce. Don't think you can eat all that apple sauce, toss the apple sauce in the crock pot and with a few simple additions you have apple butter by the time you get home from work!

Enough about the human side of apple picking, what makes it great to do with a dog? Well, first, you will run into other apple pickers, and running into strangers is great socialization for your pooch. Apple orchards are in rural fields, and dogs enjoy getting out of the city just as much as you do. Apples are a healthy treat for your dog, and aid in digestion, just don't over do it. Milly loves to snack on apples, she prefers them sliced, but she has been known to eat the apple whole. I do not allow her to have more than one apple per sitting, though. Apple orchards also have a variety of apples, so you can pick one, take a bite, if you don't like it, maybe your dog will! I know Milly and I have slightly different preferences in apples, and it's fun to each take a bite of an apple and compare notes, or in her case, tail wags. I recommend you bite the apple before your dog, unless you're into dog slobber, in which case, have at it. I am not, however.

So before winter sets in, look up your closest Orchard and go out for some fun picking. Call ahead to make sure they allow dogs, but many do. I only found 2 out of 20+ in my area that did not allow dogs. You also will probably want to pack a water dish and a jug of water, as being outside on a sunny day, even when the temperature is below 60 will make your dog parched, especially if they snack on apples like Milly does! This weather is truly perfect for excursions with your favorite canine companion!

Obedience Class Updates

Milly has always been absolutely perfectly behaved, mind you, not perfectly trained, but perfectly behaved. Since the day I adopted her, she will quietly sit under a table or desk while I work. She has always been a gentle doll with children and other dogs. She is house trained, she knows not to get on furniture, she is relaxed, and happy. Basically, she’s amazing.

With such a well behaved dog, it was very easy for me to overlook her obedience training. She knew the basics: sit, down, and stay (usually). Though, her recall leaves much to be desired. I decided to enroll in a basic obedience class a few weeks ago.

I researched all of the classes in the area, and settled on the Mt. Vernon Dog Training Club for many reasons. First, they are the cheapest class in the area. The course is eight weeks long, and each class is an hour, at just $10 a class you can’t beat the price. Second, the classes are taught by volunteers, all of whom are passionate about obedience, and compete in AKC obedience competitions. Third, the classes use a combination of praise and light corrections in their training, which I like.

Many classes these days are purely positive training, which can be good, but I believe it is important for dog owners and dogs to know how to safely use a training collar (commonly called a choke chain). Corrections can be very useful, and Milly seems to respond very well to gentle corrections when combined with tons of praise.

On the first day of class, I was a bit cocky. I knew Milly already knew sit, down, stay, and thought we would be the best in the group. Really, to me, I viewed the classes as a way to gain socialization, and practice what we already knew with some distractions. Boy was I wrong! While Milly does know the basics, I taught them to her facing her. Therefore, she does not sit beside me, in the heal position. The first class was devoted to sit and heal. Since then, we have mastered sit, heal, about turn, come front (the foundation to training a recall), sit stay, and are working on down stay. We are working on sit stay while someone comes up and pats her on the head, too.

She’s gotten really good at healing and walking on a loose leash. She is so much better with distractions, and is grasping the idea of sitting beside me (in the heal position) whenever I stop, and before we cross the street. Hopefully by the end of the class we’ll pass our Canine Good Citizen with flying colors, and then I’d like to move on to the next level of classes, which is the first step towards basic obedience competitions.

If you are in the Northern Virginia area, and looking to train your dog, I cannot recommend this training club enough. Not only are they half the price of the rest of the training classes, but they also truly know obedience and are passionate about dogs. Whenever I have a problem or question that comes up between classes I email my trainer, and she is more than happy to respond with tips right away.

If you don’t live in the Northern Virginia area, I recommend looking on the AKC website for their obedience club affiliates. Working with a dog training club tends to provide top notch training, and is also a fraction of the cost of most “obedience schools”. It really is the most economical way to have a well trained pet, and if you catch the obedience class bug after your first series of classes, you can usually become a club member for even better discounts on your training. Most training clubs do not pay their trainers, and the cost of the classes only goes to pay for the training facility, so costs are able to stay very low.

Jack Russell Terrier Races

Jack Russell Terriers racing at the Colonial Cup

As many of you know, I grew up riding and showing horses up and down the East Coast. Of all the breeds of dogs, the two most popular in the horse crowd seem to be the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Jack Russell Terrier, and I have spent countless hours with hundreds of these dogs at the barn, horse shows, or horse races (my parents bred race horses, and my hometown of Camden, SC is known for its history rich in both show and race horses).

One of my favorite events at many horse races is not the horse racing itself (well, I do love that!), but instead the Jack Russell Terrier races, held between horse races at some events. These races are fun, fast, and competitive as Jack Russells fly at warp speeds down the track towards the finish line! While I have never owned a Jack Russell that participated in racing, many of my friends enter their Jack Russell's each year at the Colonial Cup Steeplechase in Camden, SC.

My dear friend Ashley of Palmetto Horse & Hound poses with her race winning JRT before a race at the Colonial Cup

My friends and I take time out from watching horse and terrier races to pose for a picture in some fabulous hats! Hats are a must at horse races!
(From left to right: Lonny, Ashley, Miss Muddy Paws, Mary Katherine, Mark)

Racing is the only terrier trial event I have ever witnessed in person, and it is extremely exciting from a spectator standpoint. Just like with Thoroughbred horses, there are two types of races for Jack Russells: flat and steeplechase (also known as hurdles). The Jack Russell Terrier Club of America (JRTCA) sanctions numerous trials throughout the year all around the country, and horse races also hold their own events in the same format and style as the JRTCA races.

The format of the race is very interesting. The track is a minimum of 150 feet long, usually 200+ feet (the length recommended by the JRTCA), and is a straight track with a starting box at one end (the dogs are separated into their own ‘gates’ much like horse races) and a stack of straw bales at the opposite end with a hole in the middle (directly behind the hole is the finish line) of the bales. A lure, typically an enticingly scented piece of fur, is attached to a piece of string and pulled along by a Lure machine that the dogs chase to the finish line. Some races require muzzles for the safety of both the dogs and the human catchers at the end of the course, but other races have optional muzzles for non-aggressive dogs. Before the race begins the dogs are allowed to see and smell the Lure while in their starting box, this excites the dogs and motivates them to chase the lure down the course. The race begins when the starting box opens and the terriers’ race down the course (it’s incredibly exciting to watch them jump in the steeplechase races). The first dog to cross the finish line (the finish line is immediately behind the hay bales and is the entrance to the catch pen) is declared the winner. To make it even more exciting, the first dog to cross the finish line is not always the first to enter the hole in the hay bales! Each race may be a series of heats, semis, and finals. A championship race is often held in each division and is a competition between the winners of the flat and hurdle races. To qualify for the championship those dogs must have run in both the flat and steeplechase races.

If you’ve never seen a Jack Russell Terrier race first hand I encourage you to attend one! They are a blast to watch, and it is incredible to watch these feisty small dogs do what they were bred for! A real sense of a prey drive really comes out when you witness these races, and they give dog owners a better understanding and appreciation for the history of the breed.

Big Changes at The Wet Nose, and Upcoming Events Nationwide

I wanted to let all of you know there are going to be some big and exciting changes taking place at The Wet Nose in the near future! I am not able to divulge what exactly will happen, but I can say these new changes will bring a lot more for you, the reader! To give you a sneak peak of what you will find in the coming months in addition to the blog – dog recipes for home made treats and food, more giveaways, a very easy to navigate site and so much more! I probably have already told too much, but I am very excited, and just had to tell my special readers! I’m very bad at keeping surprises!

I also wanted to share some fun dog events happening this summer across the country so you can mark your calendars:

“Wine and Pooches” hosted by Barrel Oak Winery of Delaplane, VA
Sunday, July 12th from 3pm - 7pm.

This event is a fundraiser for Homeward Trails Animal Rescue and K-9 Lifesavers. Enjoy life music, amazing food (think: catered BBQ), wine tasting, beautiful views, games and crafts for kids, raffles, a silent auction, and the company of some amazing dogs! Yep, your pooch is welcome too! In fact, there will even be competitions and games for the dogs! You can buy your tickets in advance on the Homeward Trails Animal Rescue Website.

“Because Your Dog Is Worth It Too” Day hosted by L’Oreal at their headquarters in Cranburg, NJ. Saturday, August 15th from 9am – 4pm.

This is supposed to be a really fun! Lots of doggie activities, vendors and really great human "doggie bags" full of L'Oreal products! All that and for a great cause too (Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure)! To learn more visit L’Oreal’s micro-site: Your Dog Is Worth It Too.

“Dog Days of Summer,” San Antonio Botanical Gardens, San Angelo, TX. August 1st – August 2nd. 9am – 5pm. Free Admission. Benefiting: A donation per dog is requested and will be given to local animal groups.

On these special days, guests can bring their four-legged friends to the Garden! Special pet-related activities are planned.

“Dog Walk and Yappy Hour,” Santa Cruz, CA. March 29, 2009 – January 31, 2010 (Every Sunday). 10:30am – 1pm. Free Admission!

Join them every Sunday for a walk with your pooch somewhere in Santa Cruz County - each week a different fabulous locale. Our walks are adventures - some beach walks, some forest walks - and each one is at a different level of difficulty. We walk for about an hour and a half and then have Yappy Hour at a dog-friendly restaurant. The walks are free, but you are responsible for your own Yappy Hour bill. For more information, please call 831.427.0350 or email whitneywilde@sbcglobal.net.

Did I not list any events in your area? Take a look at Bring Fido to see what dog-related activities you can attend locally!

Do not forget there is still time to enter the BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!!! The drawing will take place on July 15th using a random number generator!! Good Luck!! :)

FUN FRIDAY!!!

It's FUN FRIDAY!!!! And I've been very busy the past few weeks and have been lacking on sharing fun dog related stories and videos with all of my readers. Today I will try to make up for lost time and share a few really great ones!

Terrier vs. Balloons
Note: I wouldn't advise trying this at home, because the balloons could very easily obstruct a dog's windpipe and pose a choking hazard.



Dog jumping on trampoline
Note: While this is fun to watch and the dog looks happy and healthy (always a good thing) I would consult a veterinarian before teaching a dog any tricks that could pose a risk to their joints.



Jerry can play fetch by himself! I wish I had this machine for Milly!

Skidboot! This late dog really was brilliant!




This photo is my friend Julie and her amazing dog Pepper. Pepper knows a whole slew of tricks - playing dead, jumping in your arms, crawling, barking on command, etc. Pepper also proves to be a true pony wrangler, as seen in this photo taken at the famous Woodlands Pony Farm, of Pepper leading a pony around the farm. I look forward to highlighting Pepper in the future, as this is one Happy Tail (or in Pepper's case Happy noTail) from a pound in Ohio to an amazing life in the paradise that is Maryland with Julie.

HAVE A WONDERFUL, SAFE AND FUN FRIDAY!!! For those of you in the Washington, DC area I encourage you to get out and enjoy the 1st Annual Washington, DC Week for the Animals (May 30 - June 7, 2009). The schedule is posted on dcanimals.org.

Does your dog have a neat story? Have you done something special, unique or amazing with animals? Please tell Miss Muddy Paws about it, and you or your dog could be featured on The Wet Nose.