Amazing Grace

Yesterday, I heard a wonderful story about a local rottweiler who knows the names of all his toys, who will put his collar and leash away in a basket and upon request, he will stop eating mid-gulp to retrieve a toy.

Well... my amazing black lab, Layla Grace, woke me at 5:30am this morning to tell me that the sun was up.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!  Support the troops and their wonderful families. 

Are our dogs an early warning system?

Today, all three dogs helped me load the dishwasher.  Ella, Layla and Reggie seemed especially annoying after a long day.  They took turns bumping into me, grabbing the dish towel and generally getting under foot.

While ordering them outside, I turned to see soapy water from the washing machine spilling onto my hardwood floors.  Crap.  The dogs happily ran with me and helped cleaned up the mess by standing on the soaked towels, getting into a tug of war with the pile of dry beach towels and then curling up next to me when everything was cleaned up.

I guess, like many other days, the canine early warning system was telling me to chill out and pay attention, they are just trying help.  Ok, I will try harder.

Say No More

This fantastic sign is from the wonderful store, Kiss My Mutt. Take a minute and look at their great pet products.

It is always the teenager making my afternoon latte who tells me that I am wearing my sweater inside-out.

Over-committed and just this side of a fashion icon, I have trouble saying no to people.  I say yes when I should be shouting "are you kidding?".   Looking for a solution, I read first paragraph of any "How to say no" article that I could find while at the hairdresser or in the checkout line at the grocery store.

Nothing. I was on my own.

I decided to commit to calmly and quietly doing something for myself every day for the month of February.  Some days, I sit in the sun and enjoy a latte and a cookie for 15 minutes while other days I go "big" with a manicure.  This noble experiment has pushed me to ask for help for those who love me and .....wait for it....... occasionally say no.  It is February 24 and my sweater is currently right side out and my nails are red. So far, so good...

If you can't be with the one you love honey-- Love the one you're with

www.guzer.com

I spent last weekend flying to Washington DC to check in with our Sweet Dog Son.  Despite the many communication technologies available to me, there is no substitute for seeing my son Jimmy, waiting at the airport wearing in his suit and tie.  His joy did seemed short lived when I got out at the wrong subway stop and lost my ticket.  I always carry his birth certificate with me so he can not deny that I am his mother.

After a too short visit, I sat in the darken plane, feeling sad about leaving.  I was quickly reminded, via text message, that the West coast part of my family was waiting to see me and celebrate Valentine's Day.  Except for a card for Sweet Leo, I have to admit that I was behind in the preparations for the day.  Therefore, I am declaring the month of February:

"Love the one you're with" Month

In celebration I am sharing a few Etsy Finds that you can give your loving Sweet Dog(s) this month and all year long.

 A fantastic Red Baron Hat from Beantown Handmade.

Doxie Sweet Cherry Dot Decorative Rectangular Dachshund Pillow from the mother and daughter team at Persnickety Pelican.

The amazing Sweetheart Dog Sweater from the Kitty Bitty.

Beautiful Copper Pet ID tag from Dawg Town.

Hemp Flora Print leash from Aroo Studios

 

I love these note cards from Studio Flower Power.  They are made with real flowers!

A Silly Marty safety sticker to protection your pets during a fire or emergency.

Ilickyou makes this very cute "Lover" Dog hat for your sweet dog valentine.

A custom valentine's day card (others cards available)  showing off your Sweet Dog from Pet Printables.

Geralyn's wonderful leather Love Dog Collar.

Best wishes to you and your sweet dogs,

Happy Valentine's Day to all the Sweet Dogs

What did you say!

Cartoon by Gary Larson

Thanks to all our readers who entered our "How many words does your dog know" contest.  Your warm responses kept a smile on my face all week.  It seems that we all love our dogs whether they understand us or not.

Shannon and her two dogs Prowler and Daisy (above) were randomly selected to receive a box of our Petite Pups. They seem to be waiting in the yard for the mail carrier. After reading all the wonderful comments, I put together a nonscientific survey of the words and habits of your dogs understand (or do not understand).

SIT

As a homage to all the dog trainers, 87% of the Sweet Dog owners mentioned that their dog knows how to SIT.  The exceptions were Fia, an eight week old German Shepherd puppy (who probably still smells like milk and likes to be held) and Carly's six month old Shepard/Pit Bull puppy who only understand NO and OUT.  Carly, I feel your pain.

SELECTIVE HEARING

Apparently, several of our Sweet Dogs are afflicted with the same disease, selective hearing.  Kellie's Kitchen wrote:
                 "We have two dogs, one is a husky mix who looks like a dingo. She probably understands words like sit, puppy park, down, come, stay, drop, etc. but has very selective hearing so the only one I can be 100% sure about is puppy park".

Kellie, I hear you.  Last week, our black lab, Layla, was due for a visit to the vet.  During the exam, I asked the vet if Layla's ear infection was interfering with her ability to hear...I think the vet is still laughing.

BATH, BEACH AND 50 OTHER WORDS

A few of our sweet dogs hide when they hear the word BATH, one hunts BIRDS off of the Christmas tree while another knows the word SUPERMAN.  I especially relate to the family who has to spell the word BEACH to get out of the house.  What can I say, we have to love these dogs.

How many words does your dog know?

Last week, the Wall Street journal ran the Saturday essay,  Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior, by Amy Chua. Like many people, I was surprised and somewhat shocked by this excerpt from Chua's book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. I immediately utilized one of the 50 new ways of communication and tracked down, my Sweet Dog son, Jim, to discuss the article and the value of my parenting style and the reasons I consider myself a good mother.   Jimmy was sweet. He quietly listened to me and at the end of my position statement, Jim asked "who is this"?

Ha!

Today, a colleague and fellow dog lover, sent me a link to the New York times article, Sit. Stay. Parse. Good Girl! about a Chaser, a border collie knows 1,022 words.  After reading the article and the noticing the half eaten jar of peanut butter in the jaws of our yellow lab, Reggie, I had to again ask myself,  am I a good (dog) mother?  My dog doesn't even understand the word "NO"!

Hoping that I am in the same boat as my readers, I would love to know how many and which words your Sweet Dog understands. Leave your dog's name, breed and the words he understands in the comment section. I will randomly select one dog on February 1, 2011 and send your pup a box of our organic Petite Pups.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED.  THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON.

My best to all the dog mothers and fathers, 

Good for the Soul

Stella's Day from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Free Sweet Dog Organic Treats

FREE SWEET DOG ORGANIC TREATS!

In a 2 minute video, tell us why you and your sweet dog would like a box of Sweet Dog Organics dog treats.
 We will send you a box of our Petite Pups, our best-selling dog treat.




We will post your video on our blog and upcoming Sweet Dog TV.

Email the Video to: Debbie

Channeling His Inner Hound

This great video was published on the New York Times online.  

Reporter Robbie Brown takes his basset hound to "doggie camp": a weekend course for purebred dogs to reconnect with their hunting skills.

Enjoy,

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the women who mother their Sweet dogs, kids, partners and friends.  Embrace Sunday for yourself and do something special.  Have a great day.

April Showers Bring Sweet Dog Flowers

I love the month of May.  May starts and ends with a holiday and reminds me that summer is just around the corner. The roses are blooming in the yard and I usually manage to get a quick sniff in before they are destroyed by one or more curious dogs.  May Day (May 1)  is celebrated at our dog house with a warm dog bath using lavender soap and a long walk with dog collars decorated with flowers. 

I try to save a flower for my late afternoon May Day refreshment.  It reminds me that the lingering smell of wet dog in the house and the remnants of half-eaten flowers sprinkled around the yard define a "good life".

To help you and your sweet dog start celebrate this month of flowers and fun, I have posted a few floral goodies for you and your Sweet Dog.

Hatz4Brats have a whole new twist in a floral motif. Each one, an individual work of art is made to order. Pink fleece petals frame your dog's face on a green background. Delicate ties under the chin keep this hat on. Most of my Hatz4Brats' customers say that this is the only headgear their pet keeps on.

 Every puppy deserves a stylish collar, and it doesn't get much better than this lovely yellow seersucker collar from Pecan Pie Puppies. The big, pink peony is wonderful. It's all your puppy needs to get through the dog days of summer!

Puppy Pie offers this adorable black and white stripe dog sweater with pink underside in their Etsy store.  I love the appliqued daisy with button centerpiece. Sturdy, durable, yet sweet and feminine.

What can I say, ...I love these notecards. "Dogs Like Bling Too!" are handmade by Studio Flower Power.  Made with real flowers, you can make your own statement with several different designs of these beautiful cards.

 This cool collar from 3 pooches has a flower pattern outlined in black against a background of pink stripes.  The collar is adjustable, triple stitching at the stress points and a Welded, nickel-plated D ring for leash and tag attachment.  Love it!

Native Sprout Soap make a great product for your best friend. This shampoo bar lathers like crazy and smells great. Your dog's sensitive skin will benefit from the olive oil, which forms a breathable film that prevents loss of internal moisture.  What a good dog!

 Everyone is going crazy for these colorful dachshunds with the cute little tails from Black Bird Fashion.  These plush toys are safe for all ages, as well as being safe for dogs. Constructed from cotton fabrics that are backed by an iron on stabilizer for durability. They are stuffed with polyester fiberfill. The eyes and nose are wool felt circles that are adhered with a non-toxic glue.

The Cool Puppy features the Candy Swirl Dog Collar features Pink and Blue swirls  with a White and Pink lovely flower. Each collar and Leash Set is handmade with leather and a soft suede backing for your dog's comfort.

Pull Dog has captured spring with this lovely hand-knitted, wool sweater.  It is irresistible!  Check out their Etsy store.

Beantown Handmade crochets this wonderful flower collar art.  They easily slide on over the end of your pet's existing collar. The large citron and cream bloom is framed by a bright green leaf. The flower center is a lovely button with real dried flowers set inside.  They work great for big dogs too!  My labs look fantastic in them.

Just in time for Spring! This cute round floral pet bed by Greenpoints has a solid brown border. It is perfect for cats and small dogs.  Convo Greenpoints and they will customize the size!

The Spoiled Companion offers a extremely gentle, great smelling soap with a wonderful lather.  Finely ground Lavender flowers help scrub away stubborn dirt, and is naturally anti-bacterial. Ground Horsetail and Tansy flowers add anti-fungal properties and help to repel bugs. Essential oils of Citronella, Cedarwood, and Lemongrass all contain elements that are effective flea, tick and mosquito repellents.

These dog bows from Snap In Bows are one of my favorite products.  These unique snap in dog bows designed by a groomer. Use as an alternative to rubber band bows, or if you are looking for a bow that stays put much better than a clip or barrette!. Just put a wisp of fur ( about ¼” recommended) into the elastic and snap shut.

Have a great weekend.

Please note that the author did not receive products or compensation for the posting of the products listed in the blog entry.  
We are just trying to do the right thing for all the Sweet Dogs.  

PINK DINGO

Recently, I was introduced to Pink Dingo , a micro-giving organization with a new approach to giving to those in need.  Pink Dingo provides several ways for a donor to make small donations (as little as $.99) to more than 1.8 million US nonprofit organizations.  Their list of causes includes most officially recognized 501(c) organizations.  This includes many of the animal rescues and other charitable organizations that are dependent on donations to care for sick and abandoned animals.

I encourage you to check it out.  Starting at the Pink Dingo, "about us" page , I starated the process by clicking on the "causes" tab and searching for "lab rescues".  The search yielded 9 pages of results starting with Heart of Texas Lab Rescue, Inc. currently profiled on this site.  Pink Dingo then leads you through the simple process of donating as little as $0.99 to your favorite cause.   Pink Dingo then sends a check (minus 6.5% fee to cover collection costs) to the nonprofit of your choice.

I skipped the cookie with my afternoon coffee today and donated the $2.00 to a worthy cause to help Sweet dogs and cats in need.   The good feeling that comes with doing the right thing lasted longer than the sugar rush.  Mmmm.

Best to all of our readers and your Sweet Dogs.

Pinkdingo Beta from Pinkdingo on Vimeo.

Leaving on a jet plane....

I am visiting the Sweet Dog son, his girl and their dog this weekend in Washington D.C.

Wishing you and your Sweet Dogs a great weekend.

Happy Earth Day!

Can you hear me now?

The dogs do not understand what I am "up to" when I lay down on the couch to chase a headache away or "have the nerve" to sleep past "doggie" breakfast time. The dogs have trained me not to leave possible targets (hairbrush, clothes, shoes) on the floor and available for use during the "get up" dance.  Sadly, I am up to the tune of the crunching of the water bottle (with or without water).  Although noise is annoying, the danger comes when Reggie (our yellow lab)  deconstructs the bottle into the popular "let's run to the emergency vet--again" dog mints.  Happily, I recently discovered the Bottom Buddy Dog Toy which may make everyone happy.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=20241&rel=1

These 20" long plush toys fit over a 20 oz water bottle and turn a noisy water bottle into a chew toy that may allow you to grab a few more minutes of "me" time without having to lock yourself in the bathroom.  The plush cover protects the dog's mouth against injury from the broken plastic and keeps the water bottle in place with self-fastening closures.  This summer, freeze water in the bottle and insert into the Bottle Buddy to keep your Sweet Dog cool.

Best to all of you and your Sweet Dogs.

Please note that the author did not receive products or compensation for posting the products listed in this blog entry.