Sunday Smiles

"Kirby, have you said your prayers?"  "Mama, I don't know how!"  I suddenly realized I have been a neglectful petparent.  Kirby does not know how to pray.  So deciding this was something he really needs to learn I searched YouTube to find a few videos with clear instructions on how to train a dog to "Say Your Prayers".

This is a good video showing Venus, a large dog, learning how to pray using a bed and Lola, a small dog, learning how to pray using a chair.  This is the easiest since the dog only has to lay his head down.

Next, I found a video that's a little harder showing Timmy, a large dog, using the trainer's arm and tucking his head down to pray.  In this video the trainer is using clicker training which is what I use with Kirby.  I really find he catches on much quicker.

And finally, for those who either don't have time for training tricks, or may have a stubborn dog, here's a really cute video of adorkable Oscar patiently listening as his owner says grace.  Talk about a focused, well-behaved dog!

Kirby loves learning new tricks because we keep the sessions short and fun.  When training a dog, it's so important to set him up for success.  Usually Kirby catches on quickly.  If I find he is having difficulty with a new one, then I throw in some he knows and then go back to the new one.  This way he feels successful rather than frustrated.  If he is tired, or simply not in the mood, then I wait for a better time. 

So go ahead, teach your dog to say his or her prayers.  Easter is just around the corner.

Dog Needs Foster Home!

I love my little Kirby so I do my best to keep him safe and healthy and happy.   Truth is I love all dogs and it literally breaks my heart to know there are so many homeless, frightened dogs who are suffering, or worse, may not live to see tomorrow.  But I'm only one person so what can I do?  Well, I decided I can foster one dog in need at a time.  I can give that one dog a chance at a new life with a forever family while opening a spot at the shelter for another dog.  So, in a sense I'm giving two dogs a chance.

Dogs are abandoned every day.  Sometimes there's a good reason, often times there's not.  I read of one woman who dropped off a dog at a shelter because it's hair color clashed with her living room drapes!  With shelters filled to the max foster homes are becoming a much needed resource.  A foster is a temporary placement for dogs in a rescue or shelter and is responsible for basic house training, socialization, health care, and temperament assessment of a placed dog.

Fostering experiences can vary greatly.  An older dog may be with you until the end but a puppy may only be in your home for a few weeks.  These programs will place a dog based on need, temperament, and your abilities.  They take great care not to place a dog with you that you are not ready or able to handle.   If you do find yourself fostering a dog you can’t handle you should immediately notify the organization that placed the dog with you so they can help you overcome the situation with additional training or another placement.

Fosters take vacations or have events that take them out of town for a few days and always need someone to take the animals for that brief time.  This means you could make it a part time job fitting in with your schedule by fostering for those short periods.  In some cases the foster family discovers they want to keep the dog they are fostering which means you could meet that dog you've been looking for.  Yes, fostering does take some effort but it really is a win-win situation for both human and dog.

Last year I signed up with Homeward Bound, a local foster program.  These dogs (and cats) are fostered until they are transported to the northeastern states where they stay at no-kill shelters where they are adopted by their forever families.  Kirby and I have had two fosters so far - Miss Cordelia, a sweet five month pit mix who stayed with us for a three day weekend and Mia Bella, a beautiful black lab/shepherd mix who stayed with us for two months.  This afternoon we are meeting our third foster, Lil Bit, a 3 year old male chihuahua mix who will stay with us until April 2^nd.

It’s so hard to say goodbye when they head north but as the tears fall I remind myself that we are saving a deserving life that might not otherwise have a chance. If you are like me and know you can't afford any more pets, then please consider becoming a foster.  I promise it will change your life.

Meanwhile we’re participating in today’s Saturday Pet Blogger Hop.  Please join us and visit a few of the blogs listed, make some new friends, and think about becoming a foster.  Happy Hopping!

Cartoon Humor

Agility Training - Week 2

This was week 2 of Kirby's agility training.  It was hot but the dogs all worked hard.  The handlers too!  Kirby did even better on the dreaded tunnels.  Maybe not so dreaded anymore since we really had no trouble getting him to run through them.  

Here I come!

Peek-a-boo! I see you!

This is Kim's dog Flick who demonstrated each obstacle for us.  Isn't she a beauty!  I was flattered when she came over and started nudging for some of Kirby's Liver Lover's Training Treats.  I had to give Kim some to use the rest of the day!

See the obstacle on the left - that's the jumps that wore Kirby out today.  Most of the other dogs just stepped over.  Poor Kirbs really had to jump!!

A little playtime thrown in.  Yes, the wild looking dog is Kirbs!  I am still learning to use my new camera so bear with me as I figure it out.  One day I'll be a pro at this!

 

And then there was Heaven, a beautiful 2 year old Havanese!  She and Kirby met and any thought of work was over! 

 

Love at first sight?  He was playing hard to get!

She was persistent and won him over!

They just wanted to play!  Where was that energy a few minutes ago?

She was chasing him which is a game Kirby loves.  Come back here!

It was a good day.  We learned a bit more and even have homework to do this week.  Kirby has to learn his "eights" which involves jumping over the horizontal pole to the right, go around that vertical pole and jump over the horizontal pole to the left, go around that vertical pole and jump over that horizontal pole to the right.  Again and again.

Doug is making the jumps and weave poles for him to practice on.  When my children were young my backyard contained their play equipment - swingset, sandbox, etc.  Now my backyard will contain Kirby's play equipment - kiddie pool, jumps, weave poles, see saw, etc.  I am so excited!  Not bragging, well actually I am, but this dogger is so dang smart.  We practice his rally commands and tricks all the time and now this.  Have I mentioned he can now back up on command? 

I have to comment that this type of training is different from what we are used to doing.  There are no words or cues attached to the behavior so far.  The dog is simply figuring out what we want him to do.  I was doubtful at first but Kirby is getting it.  Do dogs really have ESP?  Kirby, what am I thinking right now?  Good boy!

Kirby's Catty Furiends

Kaitlyn is 5 years old.  She and Kirby will play together but on her terms.  When they are in the back yard she teases him by getting just close enough for him to reach her and then she runs beyond his reach.  They play some inside until Kirby gets too rough.  Then she has the advantage of jumping up where he can't reach her.  I've watched him chase her around the house, him on the floor, her jumping across furniture.  She has her own bed in the laundry room but every now and then she will come sleep with me with Kirby's approval.  Once she settles on the bed, he'll sniff her, then settle down himself. 

When she was roughly 5 - 6 weeks old someone found her on Christmas Day.  Her whiskers were melted, she had a huge wound on her side, and she was skin and bones.  I took her home to mend with every intention of finding her a home.  Apparently she already knew she was home!  This girl is very affectionate and cuddly.

Chelsea is roughly 11 years old.  She had a litter when she was very young and we ended up keeping two of the kittens, Baby and Braxton.  We call her the mama cat because she was such a good, attentive mama.  Baby died at 3 years old from illness and Braxton disappeared at close to two years of age. I think Chelsea truly mourned them.  She accepts Kaitlyn lives here but that's as far as any relationship between them goes. She can be very loving when she wants but is immensely independent for the most part.  She does seem to be rather grouchy on more occasions than not.  She does show her love by regularly leaving us food on the doormat - mostly mice, rabbits, and birds. 

Kirby thinks she is quite mean and gives her plenty of room and respect.  Even though she has made him cry on several occasions he has been known to be rather protective of her.  Guess it's a family kind of thing, after all, she is one of his pack.  The only time Kirby ever stands his ground with her is at bedtime.  For some reason he decided that she is not allowed to sleep in my bedroom.  If she is in there when we are getting ready for bed, he will bark at her persistently until she leaves the room.

Wordless Wednesday

A Dog Day With Nature

Sunday was such a beautiful day we couldn't resist a visit to Choctaw Lake especially since it's only ten minutes from home.  We parked at the boating ramp area and walked the nature trail leading around the lake.  Kirby loved every second, probably because he was able to run off leash.  And run he did!  He stayed ahead of us but would then stop and turn to watch us waiting for us to catch up.  Once we were close enough he would run ahead.  At one point something must have frightened him because he ran back to us and decided to walk in between us.  A short time later he was off again his eyes alert and his nose to the ground.

The lake is really beautiful especially since they have done a lot of upgrading.  The trails are layered with gravel and there are lovely bridges spanning over different parts of the waterways.  There's even a bench set up here and there.  Part way down is a large dock going out onto the lake.

 

God's spring greenery is just beginning to peek out here and there amid the monotone browns of winter.  The sun literally sparkled on the blue water.  It was very peaceful with birds chattering now and again.  We actually saw an entire family of deer running across the road as we were driving into the lake area.   Kirby's little nose was in overdrive with all the new wonderous smells.  I don't know what scents he was picking up but he certainly seemed to be following the trails of something.
    

His coat colors blended in as if he were wearing camoflauge.  I did seem to snap a lot of pictures from his rear since he was in motion the entire time.  At one point I knew he was thirsty so I told him to get some water.  Going near the edge I expected him to get his feet muddy, what I didn't expect was for him to just walk right into the water up to his neck.  What was I thinking when I know how much he loves the water!  I had to tell the silly dogger to come back!  Thank goodness Doug had a towel in the truck.

When it was time to leave we had to tell him several times to get in the truck.  He knows the command "come" so he wouldn't run from us but he sure did try to evade actually getting into the truck.  It was a glorious afternoon at the lake and I know Kirby will be ready to go again once he has rested up.  When we got home he had a bath and almost immediately settled down for a nap.  I'm quite sure he was dreaming of his adventure at Choctaw Lake.

President's "Dog" Day

Harry Truman once said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."  I say, "If you want a friend for life, get a dog."  So in honor of President's Day I thought I would check out some of the First Dogs in American history. 

Did you know 26 of our 42 Presidents owned dogs while living in the White House. Our interest in the Presidents dogs is not surprising since 1 in every 3 Americans own dogs and are often interested in the pets belonging to the first family.  So in case you're interested...

1789 - 1797 George Washington
Our first President George Washington owned 10 Hounds named Mopsey, Taster, Cloe, Tipler, Forester, Captain, Lady Rover, Vulcan, Sweetlips and Searcher

1801 - 1809 Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson owned a sheep dog and is the President who first instituted the dog license. He actually hung a dog for attacking his sheep.

1817 - 1825 James Monroe
James Monroe had his beloved Spaniel

1861 - 1865 Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln owned at least 2 dogs named Fido and Jip. Fido, suffered a violent death much like his master. He was knifed to death in the street by a drunken man who became angry when the dog jumped on him with muddy paws.

1869 - 1877 Ulysses S Grant
Ulysses S. Grant brought a Newfoundland dog called Faithful into the White House. Faithful belonged to Jesse Grant, who was the son of President Grant.

1877 - 1881 Rutherford Hayes
Rutherford Hayes owned an English Mastiff named Duke, two German Shepherd dogs who he called Hector and Nellie and a Greyhound named Grim.

1885 - 1889 Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland was said to have owned a Poodle.

1889 - 1893 Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison owned a dog of an unknown breed named Dash

1901 - 1909 Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt owned a Pitbull Terrier named Pete, a Chesapeake Retriever named Sailor Boy, a Terrier named Jack, a mongrel named Skip and a Spaniel named Manchu. Teddy Roosevelt’s bull terrier, Pete, almost caused an international scandal when he tore off the French ambassador’s trousers during a White House get together.

1921 - 1923 Warren Harding
Warren Harding owned an Airedale named Laddie Boy and a Bulldog named Oh Boy. Laddie Boy enjoyed his own chair to sit on at presidential cabinet meetings.

1923 - 1929 Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge owned at least 12 dogs:
Terrier named Peter Pan, Airedale named Laddie Buck/Paul Pry, 2 White Collies named Oshkosh/Rob Roy and Prudence Primm, Shetland Sheepdog named Calamity Jane, 2 Chows named Tiny Tim and Blackberry, Brown Collie named Ruby Rough, Yellow Collie named Bessie, Bulldog named Boston Beans, Police Dog named King Kole, and Bird Dog named Palo Alto.

1929 - 1933 Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover owned at least 9 dogs
2 Police Dogs named King Tut and Pat, 2 Fox Terriers named Big Ben and Sonnie, Scotch Collie named Glen, Eskimo Dog named Yukon, Wolfhound named Patrick, Setter named Eaglehurst Gillette, Elkhound named Weejie.

1933 - 1945 Franklin D Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt owned at least 7 dogs:
German Shepherd named Major, 2 Scotch Terriers named Meggie and Fala, Llewellyn Setter named Winks, English Sheepdog named Tiny, Great Dane named President, Mastiff named Blaze, Fala was given to the President by his cousin, Margaret Suckley. Fala was the star of an MGM Hollywood movie about the typical day of a dog in the White House. Fala also became an honorary private in the army. He received this honor by contributing one dollar to the war effort setting a trend for the rest of the US to follow. Fala is also depicted in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. Meggie, the other Terrier, was infamous for biting a senator! Manchu was owned by Alice Roosevelt and was a small black Pekingese which she received as a gift from the last Empress of China.

1945 - 1953 Harry S Truman
Harry S. Truman owned a mixed breed or mutt named Feller and an Irish Setter named Mike. President Harry S. Truman is attributed with the following  two quotes:
   "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."
   "Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads."

1953 - 1961 Dwight D Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower owned a Weimaraner he called Heidi.

1961 - 1963 John F Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy owned the following dogs: Welsh Terrier named Charlie and Pushinka, German Shepherd  named Clipper, Irish Cocker Spaniel named Shannon, Irish Wolfhound named Wolf, Terrier named White Tips, Blackie and Streaker.  John F. Kennedy was the first president to request that his dogs come out to meet the presidential helicopter when the president arrived at the White House.  Soviet Premier Kruschev gave him a dog named Pushinka who was the offspring of the Russian space dog Strelka. Pushinka had 4 puppies of her own who JFK called “pupniks”! Pushinka often made the President laugh by climbing up a ladder to Caroline's tree house. The Prime Minister of Ireland gave JFK the Irish cocker spaniel, Shannon.

1963 - 1969 Lyndon B Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson owned 7 dogs: Mongrel named Yuki, 5 Beagles named Beagle, Little Beagle, Him and Her and J. Edgar, White Collie named Blanco.  As president he received as a gift the white collie, Blanco. It was said he always shook hands with his dog whenever he left or returned to the White House.  His favorite dog, the beagle called Him, was sadly run over and killed on the White House grounds. Edgar Hoover soon gave him a dog to replace Him which he named J. Edgar. His mongrel dog, Yuki, was famous for disgracing everyone present in the oval office including the Shah of Iran. His next escapade occurred when he bit a White House police officer in the groin. Despite these indiscretions Yuki was honored by his picture appearing on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

1969 - 1974 Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon owned 4 dogs: Spaniel named Checkers, Irish Setter named King Timahoe, Terrier named Pasha, Poodle named Vicky,  When he entered the White House a member of his staff gave him the Irish setter as a present, he chose the name King Timahoe, which he named for the little village in Ireland where his mother’s ancestors came from. Richard Nixon.

1974 - 1977 Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford owned a Golden Retriever named Liberty who gave birth to nine puppies at the White House.

1977 - 1981 Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter gave a dog as a gift to his daughter Amy. The dog was a mutt who was named Grits.

1981 - 1989 Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan owned two dogs, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Rex and a Bouvier des Flandres named Lucky. The President was photographed being dragged across the White House lawn by Lucky in the presence of Margaret Thatcher. A very undignified image for the President of the USA. Lucky was sent to live in California leaving Rex by himself, the little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel at the White House.

1989 - 1993 George H W Bush
George H W Bush owned a Springer Spaniel named Millie and her puppy named Ranger. "Millie", the Springer Spaniel, was the subject of a book which has sold more copies than the autobiography of George Bush himself.

1993 - 2001  President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton owned a chocolate Labrador named Buddy,  The TV cameras once caught him relieving himself on the carpet! Buddy was barely in the White House a month before Newsweek proclaimed, “At last, a friend who can’t testify against him.”

2001 - 2008 President George W BushPresident George W Bush's dogs include a Scottish terrier named Barney and an English Springer spaniel called Spot. Spot was named after Scott Fletcher, a former Texas Rangers baseball player. President Bush's dog Spot has the distinction of being the only dog to live in the White House during two administrations. Spot was born to Millie, George H.W. Bush's dog, when George H.W. Bush was President. Spot was given to his son George W. Bush who returned the Terrier to the White House for his term in office.  Miss Beazley, a Scottish Terrier, arrived at the White House on January 6, 2005 as a birthday present from the President to Mrs. Bush.

2009 - present President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama received Bo as a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy after making a public promise to his daughters that if he became president they would get a dog.

So there you have it.  A dog is truly a part of the American culture.  Just ask the President. Oh, and thank the Dogs for this holiday too!  Woof!

Sunday Smiles

This is a totally human post!  No Dogs Allowed! (Sorry Kirbs but it's for your own good)

This past week I needed a new recipe to try for a work get together.  I knew I wanted something breakfasty and with cream cheese.  Anything is good with cream cheese!  Searching Foodnetwork.com I discovered this one which is so gooey yummy that I had to share it.  I can say it was a huge hit since everyone wanted a copy of the recipe which I had the foresight to bring.   Sugar, brown sugar, butter, cream cheese, mmmm.  Final Warning: this is not for skinny girls!

Gorilla Bread 

by Paula Deen              

Ingredients

    * 1/2 cup granulated sugar

    * 3 teaspoons cinnamon

    * 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

    * 1 cup packed brown sugar

    * 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

    * 2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)

    * 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts. Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

Cook Time: 30 minutes         Level of Difficulty: Easy          Calories: Off the chart

Click here for more information and to print the recipe!

For proper presentation use a pretty plate or cake pedestal.  Since I was carrying it to work I just placed it in a large plastic bowl with snap-on lid for easy transport.  This is a picture of the one I made, afraid I didn't think to take a picture until some of it had already been eaten.

This would be great for that Sunday Brunch or special breakfast before church.  If you have leftovers, just place some on a plate, cover with a paper towel and microwave for 10 - 15 seconds.  Bon Appetit!

Saturday Pet Blog Hop

This is a three day weekend we intend to enjoy!  Hopefully the weather will be in our favor.  It is starting out warm with temperatures expected to hit the mid 70's.  It's also partly cloudy now but we aren't anticipating any rain until Monday.  A good weekend to head to the dog park to play with some furiends or maybe a hiking trip at the lake to check out the nature.  Just sniffin out some fun in the sun!

We have been very busy these past few Saturdays but I think we need to make time to join the Saturday Pet Blog Hop.  It's always interesting and fun to see what other pet bloggers are blogging about.  Some posts are fun and silly making for a good laugh while others are on a more serious note making us ponder the given information.  Either way it's an enjoyable way to meet other bloggers with interests close to our heart.  So join us!

• Link up your pet blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below. You only need to add your link once to be seen on all the Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop Linky Tools for that week. Note that if your blog is not pet related your link will be removed.
• Grab the “Saturday Pet Blogger Blog Hop” button on the right hand side of this site and include it in your Saturday Blog hop post so that your readers will know what is going on. *Note - posting is optional. Feel free to just link and follow.
• Follow your co-hosts listed in the first 3 slots of the Linky Tool.
• Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
• Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from the blog hop.
• Follow back when you get a new follower through the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop.
• Make friends and grow. ♥

Let's go...

Kirby Got Mail

Kirby entered a giveaway a few weeks ago sponsored by According to Gus for a chance to win some freeze dried treats from PureBites.  The lucky boy won!  So on Tuesday a large brown envelope was delivered to our mailbox addressed to Kirby Martin.  His very first mail!  These are the pictures I took of Kirby opening his mail to find some yummy treats. 

Oh boy oh boy, this is addressed to me...

Ok, I admit I was probably more excited than him about the envvelope being addressed to him.  He just wanted whatever was inside.

Ok, take my picture but hurry so we can open it...



My nose knows somethin...

Oh yea, my nose knows food!

Sniff, smelly means it's got to be good...

Gotta get me get a taste...

Yuuummm this is sooo good...

Kirby very much enjoyed the first bag containing the Ocean Whitefish treats!  I am very selective about what I allow him to eat so checking their website I'm very happy to report that these all natural treats are made with ONLY one healthy, human grade ingredient, nothing else.  Only 7 calories each to keep him fit!

I didn't know exactly what freeze dried meant so reading the website I discovered it is a delicate process that preserves the structural and nutritional integrity of fresh whole food. Only water is removed, preserving all the characteristics and natural nutrition of fresh real food.

Another picture?  Ok, cheese...

Did you notice the picture on the table of the dog to the far right in the picture?  That's adorkable Gus!

But it's mine! 

I let him have a few more treats but then, when I wasn't looking, he snatched the whole opened bag off the table and ran with it.  He didn't want me to take it back even though he had already managed to devour half the bag.

He has already eaten through the bag of Chicken Breast treats but still has the bags of Cheddar Cheese and Beef Liver to enjoy.  Thank you Gus and Lori!  Kirby would say WOOF but his mouth is a little too full right now!

Wordless Wednesday