I know you have all been anxiously awaiting the results of the GIVEAWAY! Well, your wait is over, because we have a WINNER!!! Normally, I cut up little pieces of paper with numbers on them, and draw them out of a hat, because I'm a bit old school at times, but I've decided to embrace technology and use a random number generator for this giveaway.
Drum roll, pleaseee....
Courtesy of Random.org our winner is comment #17 "Central Bark Designs" over at "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of BACON!" will receive a leash rack, a copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain, and a large bag of Dogma fresh baked treats! Please leave a comment with your e-mail address and I'll get in touch with you to arrange shipping! CONGRATS!!!
But, we aren't done yet! As a surprise, there will be two honorable mentions who also receive some Dogma treats...
comment #18 and comment #21 will be getting smaller bags of Dogma treats. JackDaddy and Whitney and the Preppy Puppy please comment with your email addresses!
It is hard to believe that it was over a year ago that I sat at my desk reading blogs. I had discovered a few friends with fabulous fashion blogs, and I was quickly addicted to the wonderful world of blogging! I followed a couple of blogs for two months, and contemplated starting my own... but, I wanted to have a focus for my blog... and quickly decided on dogs! So, on February 3, 2009, I dove head first into the blogosphere, and The Wet Nose was born.
For over a year, I've dreamed of reaching 100+ followers, and now that time has come! I currently have 112 followers, and I am ecstatic! To thank you, my wonderful readers, for sticking by my side, I want us all to celebrate with a fabulous GIVEAWAY!!! Let the games begin! I've thought long and hard about the perfect giveaway, and after re-reading some posts, and your comments, consulting with friends, and knowing we all love dogs, I decided a copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain, Gourmet dog treats from Dogma Dog Bakery, and a beautiful leash rack would all suit the occasion perfectly!
I love this leash rack, and as you know, The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of my favorite books!
Here's a close up look at the leash rack! Isn't it precious, and practical, too?!?!
Dogma makes all of their treats in-house, and Milly loves them! The winner of this giveaway will get a variety of fresh treats like Carob Brownies (safe for dogs), Carrot Muffins, and Peanut Butter bars. Unlike most dog bakeries, Dogma's treats are almost all soft and chewy just like a homemade cookie or muffin should be!
Milly is very excited to package up the giveaway with me, and she's hoping you'll enjoy The Art of Racing in the Rain as much as she enjoyed getting photographed with it!
Here are the rules: To enter you MUST leave a comment on THIS post. You MUST be a follower! The giveaway begins NOW and will end 10pm EST on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010. In order to be eligible to win, your comment MUST include a suggestion for a future post - is there something you are dying to read about on The Wet Nose? Do you have a good idea for a topic you'd like covered? If you blog or tweet about this giveaway you can receive a second entry. Be sure to leave a SEPARATE comment stating you did this (with a link to your blog or Twitter feed). This giveaway contains fresh baked goods, and therefore, is only open to residents of the United States of America.
Thank you for following my blog! My readers mean so much to me!
Tomorrow I will be posting my 100+ FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY, and I wanted to give you a sneak peak! Make sure to check out the blog tomorrow to enter the contest!!!
I decided Milly would make a great Vanna White, and thought she'd be happy to help out with displaying what's up for grabs for one lucky winner. What do you think of her poses? She refused to take her plush squeaky elephant out of her mouth; she carries toys around all day long like the bird dog she is.
Here, she is proudly displaying a copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain, a preview of the items being given away tomorrow!
I have been dying to share the news, but am trying not to spoil the surprise! I am so bad at keeping secrets when presents are involved, and I simply cannot take this anymore! When I was at 73 followers I learned there will be a giveaway when I reach 100 followers. That felt like a lot of followers to gain, and so I never really thought about the upcoming giveaway, but today I noticed I now have 78 followers.
I'd like to thank the newcomers for finding my blog, and becoming a follower, because you are helping me get closer to being able to reveal this amazing giveaway - all I know at this point is the value will between $40 - 120!!! I'd also like to thank all of my followers. When I started this blog I never imagined so many people would read it! I am truly honored to know that 78 people follow me as I attempt to learn, try, and absorb everything dog!
So whether you are an old or new follower, I want to encourage you to tell a friend about The Wet Nose, as an incredible giveaway is in store when we reach 100 followers!
Now, go give your dog a belly rub, and hopefully you'll be able to spend some time at a dog park or yappy weekend come Saturday! :)
I finally found the time to sit down and fill you all in as to who won my most recent giveaway!! I do apologize for the day delay. I have been so excited about this giveaway, because there is a surprise – there are FOUR winners! I used a random number generator to select the winners. As you all know, this giveaway allowed the winner to pick between the pink pupcakes and the blue pupcakes – therefore, our two first place winners will get to pick the color they desire, and the second, third, and fourth place winners will get the colors not chosen. I have a few sponsors lined up for giveaways, but first I need to reach 75 followers. If you have any dog owning pals please tell them about The Wet Nose so we can have many more giveaways! :)
So without further ado the Claudia’s Canine Cuisine Cookies – special PUPCAKES go to...
comment 3, HLEure!
Please send your mailing information and your color selection my way and I will get your prize in the mail! You can simply comment with your e-mail address and I will e-mail you for a mailing address. I hope Mabry enjoys her PUPCAKES!
And our second place winner is…
comment 15, Donna! Please send your mailing information and your color selection my way and I will get your prize in the mail! You can simply comment with your e-mail address and I will e-mail you for a mailing address!
And our third place winner is…
comment 14, Lauren! Please send your mailing information my way and I will get your prize in the mail! You can simply comment with your e-mail address and I will e-mail you for a mailing address!
And our fourth place winner is…
comment 21, The Little Jewelry Box! Please send your mailing information my way and I will get your prize in the mail! You can simply comment with your e-mail address and I will e-mail you for a mailing address!
I recently bought the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair, and was a bit skeptical at first, but after their massive ad campaign I really wanted to review it for the blog. If you have dogs (or cats), then you understand the headache of dog hair being everywhere! I hate sitting on the sofa in nice black pants, and standing up to find Milly hair all over my pants, and I am embarrassed when people come over and sit down for fear they will leave wearing Milly! I have been able to really reduce the amount of dog hair in the house by using the Furminator, but I still can’t seem to get it all, or should I say couldn’t before the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair! I am thrilled with this product! It really was intelligently designed (with only one flaw that I can see, I’ll discuss this below), and it actually works!
I bought mine at Giant for under $6 and it was worth every penny! I've seen them for sale for anywhere from $4 - $12, and you can buy a pack of three on Amazon for $21.
I’m not an engineer or product designer, but what I can gather is the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair appears to work like two lint brushes (only they are in roller form). You simply sweep the product back and forth across a fabric surface and one roller picks up hair, as the other roller cleans the first and deposits the hair in a filter at the top of the contraption. I tried the fabric sweeper on my comforter, the living room chairs, and my sofa and found it really works much better than a lint roller, and even better than a vacuum (most vacuums are not designed to pick up pet hair). I like that it fits nicely in my hand, but I do think it is designed for slightly larger hands (I have very small hands and have to wear child size gloves). I was amazed at how much hair this product picked up (it got pet hair where I didn’t even think pet hair was!), and it really requires minimal elbow grease.
The only real flaw I found with this product is it is not at all environmentally friendly. It is disposable, not reusable. In a time when people are strapped for cash and more and more people attempt to lead green lifestyles, I find this to be a major flaw. However, I have read some reviews online where people simply cut a hole with a box cutter into the top of the hair collecting chamber, and scoop out the hair when it is full, and reuse the fabric sweeper. You could easily keep some duct tape or masking tape over the hole you’ve cut out to keep the hair from falling out. Once mine is full I plan on trying this, and will let you know how it works.
I have a Golden Retriever, and when they shed their hair it tends to ball up into fluffy loose big puffs of hair on the furniture, the floor, pretty much everywhere. With this in mind, I feel a long haired dog like Milly produces more hair than the average short haired dog would. I have used my Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair about 10 times, and the hair collection chamber is about ¾ of the way full. So you will get about a month of use out of it (or more), even if you do decide to simply toss it in the trash when it is full.
Apart from not being reusable (once full) I really love this product! It works great, and it is fast and simple to use. A bonus is it came with two coupons for $1 off future purchases. Without sounding too extreme, I really feel my life has improved since buying this product. I don’t have to worry about getting covered in dog hair when I sit on the sofa, and it is so fast and easy to use that I can run over the fabric surfaces in our house every few days, and pet hair is kept to a minimum. Do check it out and let me know what you think of the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair.
Do not forget there is still time to enter the second PUPCAKE GIVEAWAY!!! The drawing will take place on July 24th using a random number generator!! Good Luck!! :)
I just stumbled across this article, and wanted to share it with all of you as the details unfold surrounding the infant dragged from his crib by the family's dog. This is such a sad story.
It turns out little A.J. was three weeks premature, and had only arrived at home on Sunday. Dakota, the dog in question is now being referred to as a wolf/collie mix, and the family is no longer considering Dakota a part of their family (I can't say I blame them, though it is simply a sad situation on every level). They are hoping Dakota will be adopted by another family, but if not she will have to be put to sleep. If she goes to the rainbow bridge I will be praying for her.
The article gives some great tips on how to introduce your dogs to an infant before ever bringing home the baby - you can get the dog familiar with baby smells by allowing him/her to sniff baby oil, baby powder, diapers, etc. I know my brother and his wife allowed their one-year-old Polish Lowland Sheepdog (PONS) to sniff around the nursery quite a bit for weeks, if not months, leading up to the birth of my niece. They have had no problems what-so-ever with Minka (their PONS) adjusting to a new baby in the house.
Do not forget there is still time to enter the second PUPCAKE GIVEAWAY!!! The drawing will take place on July 24th using a random number generator!! Good Luck!! :)
With so many risks associated with feeding a commercial pet food diet, and recalls hitting every part of the animal nutrition industry – from canned food to kibble to treats – it’s comforting to know there are some natural ways to reward your pet. The raw food movement has really infiltrated the pet market, and I have considered on numerous occasions switching Milly to a raw diet, but ultimately I have decided not to change her diet, because I have finally found a food that works for her itchy skin. I do however feed raw marrow bones, and want to tell you a bit more about these. They are a wonderful treat, and you will be amazed at how white your dog’s teeth will become after eating them. They really are great for promoting healthy teeth and gums.
For most dog owners they’ve heard their entire lives never to feed a dog bones, as they not only pose a choking hazard, but can also break and splinter and cause severe damage to a dog’s esophagus and entire digestive tract. Well, this old idea is true to an extent – never feed a dog COOKED BONES. Raw bones are an exception to the rule, and a wonderful, natural chew treat to give your dogs.
I have spent the past year reading up on the wonderful qualities of treating with raw marrow bones. I searched high and low, but could not find a butcher in my area, and instead decided to try Nature’s Variety raw bones – they come in a variety of sizes, and you can chose from many different animals. I’m sure they are a bit more expensive than just going to your butcher, but they are only a couple of dollars a bone, and I thought they were worthwhile. I bought lamb, bison and beef marrow bones and serve them frozen one at a time – each bone will last months, I’m told.
Milly has so far only tried the bison marrow bone, but she LOVES it. She happily chomps away for a solid hour when I give it to her, and when she’s done, I simply rinse the bone and pop it back in the freezer in a baggie for next time. I highly recommend trying raw bones with your dogs, but if you do decide to try this make sure the bone is large enough that your dog cannot swallow it (this could be a choking hazard). You want to stay away from raw soup bones (often found in the frozen section at the grocery store), because these tend to be cut small, and can easily cause your dog to choke. Also, for the most part stay away from joints like elbows and knees (these also can easily break). I always supervise Milly when I give her a raw bone to be on the safe side. I also recommend giving the bone outside, on your porch, in your garage, on-top of newspaper, etc. so you do not get raw marrow all over your house.
You can see in this photo the bones come shrink wrapped, which in my opinion reduces the gross factor of buying raw bones, and storing them in your freezer beside the Ben & Jerry's!
The easiest way to find these bones would be to look for a retailer on Nature’s Variety’s website, and then call the retailers to see if they sell the raw, frozen bones.
Do not forget there is still time to enter the second PUPCAKE GIVEAWAY!!! The drawing will take place on July 24th using a random number generator!! Good Luck!! :)
A 4-year-old mixed breed called a Native American Indian Dog is under quarantine by animal control authorities in central Kentucky. The breed is said to have wolves in its direct ancestry. A newborn baby boy was hospitalized in critical condition after being taken from his crib and carried outside his home by the family pet, authorities said Tuesday.
A family in Kentucky is dealing with a tragedy as their newborn baby lies in the hospital in critical care, and their pet dog is in the possession of animal control. The family’s dog, a Native American Indian Dog, a breed with wolves in their direct ancestry, stole the baby from its crib, and took the baby into the family’s heavily wooded backyard. The father of the baby was frantically calling 911 when he spotted the dog with his bleeding infant child in its mouth (news reports conflict - some say father spotted dog with infant, others say father went outside to look for dog and infant).
The infant, Alexander James Smith, was only four days old at the time of the attack, and was immediately rushed to the emergency room at University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, KY. The family had been preparing for a baby shower, when the mother placed baby Alexander James in the crib for a nap, and returned a few minutes later to find the baby and the family dog both missing, and the door ajar. The baby was listed in critical condition today, with two collapsed lungs, a skull fracture, broken ribs and various cuts and bruises, an AP article by Jeffrey McMurray explains.
Doctors are now optimistic the infant will survive, although the day of the attack they (along with a pastor) braced the family for the worst, after having to use resuscitation paddles to get a heartbeat back on the infant.
Like many dogs with wolves in their ancestry, Dakota, the family dog in question, was known for taking items and hiding them in the woods behind the house. He had a history of taking everything from the families dishes to wallets and hiding them in the woods. Michael Smith, the father of the infant, immediately headed outside to look for the dog and baby, but it took about 10 minutes of searching the heavily wooded 2 acre backyard before he found Dakota, with the infant in his mouth.
According to McMurray’s article, no charges have been filed, but the case remains under investigation.
Michael Smith says the dog was not trying to viciously attack the newborn baby, but instead was treating it as a bitch would treat her litter of puppies. He explained, "It wasn't a vicious dog attack," Smith said. "She had A.J. for 10 minutes on her own, and if you look at A.J.'s belly, there's about 100 little marks. All the dog had to do was one bite and A.J. wouldn't be here."
Dakota is a 4-year old dog, and one of three dogs the family has had since puppies. Michael Smith says Dakota and the other dogs have never shown any sign of aggression, even when playing with Smith’s two other children from a previous marriage. The fate of Dakota, who remains in custody of local animal control, will most likely be euthanasia.
I expect to see this story remain in headlines, as little A.J. hopefully makes a strong recovery. Many states already have in place laws restricting the owning of wolves and wolf hybrids, though it can be difficult to determine whether or not a dog has wolves in its ancestry. Almost all dogs are believed to be descendants of wolves (the Chihuahua is thought to possibly be an exception to this rule), and in recent years DNA profiles of wolves have determined they are strikingly similar genetically speaking to dogs. This has come up in court cases where ownership of wolves and wolf hybrids is restricted and the dog’s ancestry is called into question. After the brutal pet Chimpanzee attack, a pet boa constrictor that killed a child, and now a dog with wolves as ancestors kidnapping and critically injuring a newborn all making headlines, I expect to see debate in the media about the ownership of wild animals and exotic pets.
I have always believed that all dogs bite – they might not bite humans, but they bite their food everyday, and they are certainly capable of biting humans. I view even my sweet Milly with this same belief, and always keep in mind a saying my mom told me growing up, “Animals will make a liar of you.” When someone asks to pet Milly, I always explain she has no history of aggression, and will most likely lick the person, but she is an animal with large teeth, and has the potential to bite. The idea that animals have the potential to be unpredictable is an important one to always keep in the back of your mind. If you make everyday, simple precautions based on the potential unpredictability of animals, you will find many potential risks will automatically be eliminated by these precautions.
In this instance, and until more facts are revealed, it seems this was simply a tragic accident, that no one could have predicted, and I pray for all those involved.
Do not forget there is still time to enter the second PUPCAKE GIVEAWAY!!! The drawing will take place on July 24th using a random number generator!! Good Luck!! :)
Today is my dad's and my uncle's birthdays, yesterday would have been my grandmother's birthday if she were still alive today, in two days my Great Auntie Anna will celebrate her birthday in Scotland, and as you know 10 days ago was my birthday - July is just filled with birthdays in my family! On a side note, you probably think my dad and uncle are twins, but they aren't - my uncle is 7 years older than my dad, but they happen to share the same birthday!
Due to the high response of the last giveaway, and in honor of this special day The Wet Nose is giving away beautiful, tasty, all-natural Claudia's Canine Cuisine Cookies - special PUPCAKES!!! If you entered the last giveaway YOU ARE STILL ELIGIBLE for this giveaway, so enter away! :)
The drawing will take place on July 24th, and you will be able to choose from the pink pupcakes or the blue pupcakes! There will be TWO WINNERS (first winner gets first color choice)!! These are so cute, and would be perfect for your own puppy pawty! It doesn't matter if there is no special occasion for your pup to celebrate with these, because I have a feeling your dog is so special that everyday is worth celebrating! Go ahead and tell Miss Muddy Paws one special tidbit, tale, story or characteristic that makes your dog deserve these adorable and tasty pupcakes!!
A little product description: Spoil your lil’ pup with colorful, beautifully decorated sweet treats on their birthday (or any other day)! Birthday/Special Day PupCups are the perfect surprise for that wagging tailed special guy or gal in your life. Also great for doggie birthday parties!! 8 PupCups in each box. Made in the U.S.A. You must be a follower to be eligible for this giveaway! Simply follow the above steps to be entered once. Please tell all your pals about The Wet Nose and you will be entered twice to win!
I just sat down to fill you all in as to who won my most recent giveaway!! I have been so excited about this giveaway, because there is a surprise – there are TWO winners! And ANOTHER GIVEAWAY will go up today! I always get very excited about GIVEAWAYS because I have no control over who the random number generator will pick, and I love surprises! As you all know, this giveaway allowed the winner to pick between the pink pupcakes and the blue pupcakes – therefore, our first place winner will get to pick the color he/she desires, and the second place winner will get the color not chosen.
So without further ado the Claudia’s Canine Cuisine Cookies – special PUPCAKES go to...
comment 8, Miss Sweet Tea!
Please send your mailing information and your color selection my way and I will get your prize in the mail! You can simply comment with your e-mail address and I will e-mail you for a mailing address. I hope YoYo enjoys his PUPCAKES! How special that he is celebrating his birthday this month too!
And our second place winner is…
comment 11, Gwen! Please send your mailing information and I will get your prize in the mail! You can simply comment with your e-mail address and I will e-mail you for a mailing address. I hope Heisman enjoys her PUPCAKES! She will be able to celebrate the progress she has made since her knee replacement surgeries, and now that she can go on walks again no need to worry about the extra calories in treats!
How cool is this? This man has some amazing training skills to be able to get all of these dogs to do so many stunts! My favorite part of the video is the dogs really look like they are having FUN!!!
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!! :)
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!! :)
Today is Miss Muddy Paws' birthday and in honor of this special day The Wet Nose is giving away beautiful, tasty, all-natural Canine Cuisine Cookies - special PUPCAKES!!!
The drawing will take place on July 15th, and you will be able to choose from the pink pupcakes or blue pupcakes! These are so cute, and would be perfect for your own puppy pawty! Does your four-legged best friend have a birthday coming up? Is it time to celebrate your dog's own "Gotcha Day"? Or, do you just want to spoil your Schnauzer (or anyother breed or blend of pooch)? If so, go ahead and tell Miss Muddy Paws what your favorite summer activity to do with your dog is, and one special tidbit, tale, story or characteristic that makes your dog deserve these addorable and tasty pupcakes! A little product description: Spoil your lil’ pup with colorful, beautifully decorated sweet treats on their birthday (or anyother day)! Birthday/Special Day PupCups are the perfect surprise for that wagging tailed special guy or gal in your life. Also great for doggie birthday parties!! 8 PupCups in each box. Made in the U.S.A. You must be a follower to be elligible for this giveaway! Simply follow the above steps to be entered once. Please tell all your pals about The Wet Nose and you will be entered twice to win!
As you know last week I went on a fun natural-treat shopping spree at a wonderful store called A.K.A. Spot. I wanted to get Milly something to serve the purpose of a rawhide type chew – something to clean her teeth, and keep her occupied for at least 30 minutes. I found the perfect treat… Texas Toothpicks, made by Merrick. I could not be happier with them! Milly absolutely loves this one of a kind treat. The toothpicks are about 6-8” in length, and maybe ½” in diameter at the largest point – they have a puffy texture that makes them appropriate for dogs of all ages, and is not too hard on their gums. It takes Milly about 30 minutes to finish one Texas Toothpick making them the perfect treat to leave her with when I head to work on weekday mornings, and she seems to really enjoy the crunchy, chewy sensation and unique texture of the toothpicks. The all-natural treats made from beef tails, and smoked in the heart of Texas, are a healthy alternative to the rawhide bones you will find at the grocery. Because dogs are naturally carnivores feeding all-meat treats like these natural Texas Toothpicks is sure to be a very enjoyable snack for the dog, and is very natural for their digestive tracts. Unfortunately, all-natural treats do tend to come with higher price tags, and Texas Toothpicks are no exception to the rule. I paid almost $17.00 for my 6.5oz bag, but the bag does have at least 20 Texas Toothpicks in it – making them less than $1 a treat.
I apologize for not updating the blog more regularly – I have been extremely busy these last few weeks. I thought I would fill you in with what has been happening in my life lately.
This past weekend (Thursday through Tuesday) I dog sat for my friends Dave and Rachel… they have a lovely chocolate lab mix named Hershey. Hershey is about 10 months old, and while what she is mixed with is unknown, she looks like a miniature Chocolate Lab (think full lab look in Springer Spaniel size). It was a delight having her in the house, but having an active young dog did keep me on my toes most of the long weekend she was with me.
On Friday, I was able to leave work early, and a friend and I took Milly and Hershey on a wonderful hike. If you live in the Washington, DC metro area and have never been to the Potomac Overlook Trail I highly recommend it! It is in the woods and the trail winds back and forth across a creek leading all the way down to the Potomac River. It is not at all a crowded trail, and though there is a sign at the entrance stating dogs must remain on a leash and under control at all times there seems to be an unwritten rule amongst dog owners that well behaved dogs are welcome off leash. In my almost two or three years of enjoying this trail I have seen more dogs off leash than I have on leashes.
Hershey came to my house with a set of instructions, one of which was she absolutely loves water and swimming. At one point on the hike there is a large tidal pool (maybe 20 feet in diameter at its largest spot) and probably 5-6 feet deep at least. Here I let Hershey and Milly off of their leashes, and allowed Hershey to swim for a good 45 minutes. She loved it. Milly also enjoyed the hike, but Milly is not a fan of swimming. Instead, my darling Golden Retriever simply waded in the water up to her belly, and flirted with some environmental scientists who walked by. In case you were wondering, Milly is an excellent flirt, and in this case her flirtations certainly paid off as the researchers stopped and rubbed her belly for quite some time. Milly also was able to enjoy off leash time during the hike, and bounded through the woods shaking her head and wagging her tail. It was wonderful to see her darting around, leaping off of ledges and over logs with a look of total bliss on her face! Though Milly is 9 or 10 years old she was acting like a young puppy, and I do think having Hershey around for the weekend really helped Milly reconnect with her own youthful side.
On another note, you might remember me blogging about having found the right breeder for my next puppy, and my excitement as I anticipated this breeding to take place. Well, that was many months ago, and since then the breeding has occurred (it took), and the puppies were whelped about a week ago – seven healthy pups – 2 males and 5 females. A few weeks before the April breeding took place, I realized I really am not at the place in my life to fly all the way across the country (the breeder is in San Diego) to pick up a puppy, and with this horrible economy I simply did not feel this was the right time to invest in a puppy. I’m not going to lie, asking the breeder to remove my name from the waiting list was devastating, and I shed many tears. I had such high hopes for this litter, and for getting a puppy from it, but I have since realized that there is a puppy out there for me, and when the time is right I will get my next Golden Retriever. It still pains me to see the photos of this litter, and know one of those puppies was supposed to be mine. I have saved up enough money to purchase a puppy on the East Coast, and hopefully one of these days this will happen. Right now, I need to focus on my career, Milly, and possibly moving to a new rental property (with a larger yard!), though.
Don’t forget to enter the Austrian Crystal Dog Bone Pendant GIVEAWAY!!!
One thing most of my readers probably don’t know about me is I am absolutely terrified of fires. This is strange; because I love to burn candles, incense, make fires in the fire place, camp fires, etc. But the route of my fear goes back to a sunny Sunday morning when I was in the first grade, and my parents received a phone call that our horse barn had burned to the ground, and my beloved black lab mix, Rex, had been killed in the blaze. The fire had started when sparks from a car with the engine on blew about 20 feet into the barn, and a small fire started. Immediately the fire department was called, but by the time they arrived the fire was substantially larger, and unfortunately the fire fighters decided to run their hoses two miles to a river to put out the blaze, rather than running them 200 feet to our full swimming pool. By the time they were fighting the fire with water the entire 200 year old barn was engulfed in flames.
At the time of the fire my family had just moved to South Carolina, but our farm in New Jersey had not yet sold, and we were waiting to move the rest of our animals down after we had built a secure fence and settled into our new home. The remaining farm animals (barn cats, chickens, peacocks, pigs and dogs) were under the care of our barn manager, and we were arranging transportation for the animals. Our farm in New Jersey was the classic case of urban sprawl, once farmland, all the area surrounding our property was now subdivisions, and our property was the only remaining farm on the road. The farm was intriguing to neighbors, and we were always more than happy to show neighborhood children our chickens, or invite people over to see a newborn foal, but there was a set of mischievous teenagers who enjoyed cutting holes in our fencing, allowing our dogs to escape. The solution to the problem was to keep the dogs locked in horse stalls when they were not supervised, and the firefighters somehow saw all of the other dogs, but missed Rex.
The reason I’m telling you this is fires can start suddenly, and often times with little reason. I never would have imagined an engine would spark, and our barn would burn to the ground, but it did.
I recently read an AP article about a family who left their dog in their yard at their home in WashingtonState one sunny day. The dog owners made sure to leave a glass water bowl out for the dog, but the combination of the sun and the glass bowl created a magnifying glass effect and focused sunlight directly onto the wood deck of the home. The deck caught fire, and soon the blaze had spread and charred the entire back of the home. Luckily, the homeowner’s neighbors saw the smoke and flames, and were able to call for help in the homeowner’s absence. The family dog was saved, but the homes damage was estimated at $215,000.
When owning pets it is important to take precautions to ensure their happiness and safety, but also our own. Be careful with glass water bowls, be careful if you set fans out for your dogs, and in the event of an emergency have both human and pet emergency kits packed and ready to go.
If you own pets I recommend obtaining a window decal that says “In the event of an emergence save our pets.” The ASPCA is giving away these window decals as part of their FREE Pet Safety Pack that alert rescue crews that pets are inside your home. In the event of an emergency this sticker conveys valuable information to emergency personnel. In this economy you can’t beat the FREE price, so go ahead and get one by visiting ASPCA.org!
I can’t help but wonder if we had had one of these stickers, and the firefighters had known how many dogs we owned; perhaps Rex would still be here today.
I just put all of the entries into a hat, and with the supervision and assistance of a co-worker we drew the winner of the Bully Stick Giveaway.
Miss Muddy Paws would like to congratulate Katherinefor winning the first ever giveaway at The Wet Nose. Katherine is the winner of a 12” all-natural, chemical free, free range, organic bully stick, and we’re sure Abby, Katherine’s lab will love her bully stick!
Katherine writes, “Abby would love a bully stick because a lab never turns down anything edible,” that sounds like so many dogs I know! In the spring and summer Abby’s favorite activities include going to the dog park, hikes through the woods, and swimming, Katherine tells us.
To everyone who entered the giveaway, thank you, because without you this would not have been possible. Please continue to check back as we are currently planning some exciting new giveaways, and there will be more chances to win! I wish that everyone could have won a bully stick, because it was such a pleasure to hear about all of the fun and exciting activities you enjoy with your dogs during the spring and summer!
Katherine, please comment with your email address so we can arrange shipping for Abby’s new all-natural, chemical free, free range, organic bully stick!
As the trees fill with blossoms, and the sun begins to shine more regularly, I know that all of those April showers have paid off, and my May flowers are just around the corner. With spring, and the onset of summer, I yearn to be outside more and more.
There is a little dive bar in Arlington, VA called “Jays” where my roommates and I love to go during the summer. As all dive bars do, Jays has plenty of character, and it is simply a pleasure to sit outside on a warm afternoon or early evening, and drink some beer while chatting with my friends. While I do enjoy these moments with pals, I cannot help but feel a bit guilty that I am not spending time during the brilliant weather with Milly.
Well, I no longer have to feel guilty, as “Yappy Hours” are popping up all over the place, Jays included. Yappy Hour is a fun social event for our canine companions and their human parents. Yappy Hour is the perfect opportunity for humans to mix and mingle while their dog socializes with their buddies. In fact, some Yappy Hours are even creating a doggie play area for extra play time!
If you aren’t a beer drinker, don’t worry! Many vineyards have caught on to the fun and exciting trend of Yappy Hour, and who wouldn’t want to sip some pinot on a porch, while their pup sits happily at their feet? While Milly has never attended a vineyard sanctioned Yappy Hour, she has gone on numerous wine tasting adventures. I always call ahead to make sure each vineyard is dog friendly (some will require your dog to remain outside while you taste indoors), and pack plenty of water and treats for Milly. It is so much fun to leave the hustle and bustle of urban living behind and head to the countryside (in our case, Middleburg, VA and surrounding areas) and dart through the rows of grapes.
I encourage all of my readers to check in your local area for upcoming Yappy Hours. They are so much fun! If you don’t have a dog, don’t worry – just tag along with a dog owning pal, or “borrow” a dog from a multiple dog owning friend. It’s probably best to leave the treats at home to prevent dog jealousy, and call ahead to see if your Yappy Hour provides water bowls, if not, you’ll want to bring your own. As always, please drink responsibly, and make sure you have a designated driver.
Don’t forget there is still time to enter the Bully Stick GIVEAWAY!
