The Tick King Dog

If you read Talking Dogs yesterday you saw this photo.  Many probably recognized Jeffie. 

A couple of mornings ago, I was out in my studio taking photographs of new jewelry for For Love of a Dog and Bittersweet Ridge.  The south side of my studio is all floor to ceiling windows overlooking our garden, creek and a series of springfed ponds.

My map drawing skills leave a lot to be desired, but this may help:

Something caught my eye and I was startled to see little Miss Rosie between the south garden perimeter fence and the big pond.  She was looking straight at me and I know that she knew she shouldn't be out there.  By the time I made is outside, she was back in the backyard.

I looked for Rudy, who has, in fact, been known to jump the yard fence.  Rudy was up on the deck.  What a good boy!    

How did this happen?  Some idiot left the gates open.  Both the gate from our backyard into the garden AND the gate from the garden over by the greenhouse which leads to pretty much our whole acreage.

So, anyway, I call (and call) for Jeffie...  no Jeffie in sight.

Whoops!  Could that be Jeffie?

 Oh, yeah.  That's Jeffie alright!

Sitting in the most marshy area of the creek, in the middle of cattails.

I forgot to add it to my little map, but there is a gate from the backyard to the creek, which is where I headed.  I'm standing on the edge of the march, calling and coaxing Jeffie.  He would not budge.

I holler for the idiot and he goes into action.  Around the garden he goes, crosses the pond via the bermed road, and advances on Jeffie from the other side of the creek.

He reports that Jeffie is not stuck or hung up in any way.  Jeffie appears to be afraid to venture into the creek, so won't cross it and come back to me and the yard.

Of course, when Jeffie realizes the Dog Daddy is over there on his side, he's happy to oblige all the coaxing and join the Dog Daddy for a walk back home.

Unfortunately, it wasn't until Jeffie had been back in the house for a little while that we noticed the little spots that pretty much covered him.  TICKS!  Lots and lots of the little devils.  We've never picked so many ticks or so fast.  We stopped counting in the 50's.

Thanks to the topical treatment our dogs are sporting this year, the ticks on Jeffie were on the move... to his face, lower legs and feet.

Our blogger friends at My Brown Newfies had just posted a great article about ticks this year.  The tick forecast is:  gonna be a bad one.  We'd already noticed way more ticks than usual, hence the topical treatment this year.  Boy, little did we know!

Still picking a stray tick here or there.  Have run the vac (too much) to catch any that abandoned the good ship Jeffie.  Suspect I'll be creepy crawly for a long time to come.  Needless to say, Jeffie has been banned from sleeping with us.  AND we learned that not only does he not like the doggie swimming pool, our Tick King, Jeffie, is not about to put his feet in a creek! 

The Talking Dogs Tick King, Jeffie

I hate ticks.  They're right up there with ants, but at least I can thank the ants for helping my peonies open!  Even though we live in the country, we've never had a problem and didn't even use any topical applications last year.  As I write this, the Dog Daddy is out picking up chemicals to spray on the backyard and garden fence lines.  Hate to do it, but gotta draw a line.  Literally.

Book Review: It's Just A Dog by Russ Ryan

Take a deep breath.  Relax.  You read that title and began to clench your teeth, right?  Well, this book isn't at all what you think.

When my beloved Lucy passed away last year, I felt as though my heart had been ripped out.  I was sure that my life would never be the same.  After all, not only was Lucy my heart dog and constant companion,  she inspired my business, For Love of a Dog.  

Lucy is the dog in my business logo.  Without Lucy, I may never have created any dog jewelry.  When Lucy died, a bit of the fire that fanned my jewelry muses died, as well.  Life really was not the same in any way.

Some people just didn't get it.  "It's just a dog," they said (or thought to themselves - though it showed on their faces.)

Russ Ryan gets it.  Oh, dog!  He really gets it.

It's Just a Dog is dedicated to Petey Ryan and Charlie Dickens.  You guessed it: dogs.  Petey, a Jack Russell terrier, was over 14 years old when he passed away in 2010.  Charlie, a Terrier / Retriever mix and "rebound dog," died suddenly after eating a poisonous mushroom right before publication of this book.

Russ notes:

"Being a dog widower has taught me that it doesn't matter if you have a dog ten years or ten months - the pain and hurt is still the same. Fortunately, the good part is that the love never dies!"

Russ Ryan and Charlie Dickens

Your teeth just unclenched, didn't they?  And now you're reaching for a tissue or two, right?

Now you're ready to read about a great new dog lover book:  It's Just A Dog.  It's a hilarious tale with lots of heart and I thoroughly enjoyed it.   

Note: one very lucky reader will receive a free paperback copy of this book!  [See the Rafflecopter below.]

Here's a summary from the publisher:

What if your dog died and then came back as a ghost... that could talk?  Would you welcome him back with open arms or run away scared to death?

This is the premise of It's Just A Dog, a new novel about love, loss, and one man's dog who rises up yapping from the grave.

Charlie Keefe is not just your typical dog lover - he's a world famous dog painter, a.k.a. "The Picasso of Pooch Portraits".  Unfortunately, Charlies' beloved muse, Pete, his lovable Jack Russell terrier, has just died.  And he's totally devastated by the loss of his furry best friend.

So, after months of grieving over his dearly departed soulmate, Charlie reluctantly agrees to foster a new puppy - a cute Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Brownie from the local animal shelter.  Soon after, Charlie is surprised to find himself falling head over heels with this new puppy girl, his "Rebound Dog' as he calls her - as well as being romantically attracted to Janelle Jordan, the head hound at the dog rescue.

But then complications arise when the ghost of his old dog, Pete, mysteriously reappears one night and comes back to haunt him and the new puppy - setting off a bizarre chain of events that throw Charlie's life, career, and entire belief system into chaos!

It's Just A Dog is a story about loss, love and new beginnings, told in a humorous, informal style.  I immediately felt as though I was reading about a friend.  I'm very cautious about dog books.  I'm always afraid something terrible will happen to the dog.  Indeed, this story really begins with the death of Charlies' beloved dog, Pete.  However, I was hooked when Charlie explained:

Losing Pete felt like losing a child - although that's not really fair since I've never even had a kid, let alone lost one.  In any event, all I can do is share with you the depth of my own personal painful experience, so please bear with me.  Besides, loss is a contest that nobody wants to win.

However, lest you think this book is a serious downer, hilarity does ensue!  As Charlie deals - or rather doesn't deal well - with his grief, he travels the bittersweet road of loving another dog, has numerous encounters with the ghost of his dead dog, and becomes (more than just friends) with one of the local crazy dog ladies.  All along the way, the author skillfully harmonizes humor with pathos.

Check out the It's Just A Dog book trailer:


The day this book arrived, I began reading and simply devoured it.  If you're looking for a great dog story is full of fun doggie hijinks and written by an authentic dog lover, then pick up a copy of It's Just A Dog by Russ Ryan.  You'll be glad you did!

Plus, here's another barking good reason to buy this book:  50% of the sales of It's Just A Dog during the 3-month summer launch (through September 2, 2013) will be donated to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue.

It's Just a Dog is available for purchase on Amazon $2.99 Kindle, $9.99 paperback and on Amazon UK.

Russ Ryan, in addition to being a dog lover and self-described dog widower, has written and developed screenplays with Hollywood producers of American Pie, Final Destination, and Fireflies in the Garden.  He was also a writer on National Lampoon's Repli-kate.  He is also the creator of Meansheets, a vintage movie poster blog that focuses on the greatest artists and illustrators from the 1940's to the 1980's.   It's Just A Dog is his first novel. 

Enter to win your very own paperback copy of It's Just A Dog!  

Several options are available in the giveaway Rafflecopter below.  

One (1) lucky winner! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* I received a proof copy of It's Just A Dog from the author in exchange for my honest review and no other compensation.

We're participating in the Monday Mischief Pet Blog Hop today because with a title like this book has, there's bound to be some mischief.  Thank you to Monday Mischief Pet Blog Hop sponsors: Snoopys DogBlog, My Brown Newfies, and Alfies Blog.  We're also participating in the Freebie Friday hop, sponsored by The Dog Tipper, All Things Dog Blog, and Doggies and Stuff. 

New Dog Mom Jewelry at For Love of a Dog

The traditional Mother's Day holiday may be over, but we celebrate moms every day at For Love of a Dog.  Especially Dog Moms!

In fact, we have a few new pieces of Dog Mom jewelry to bark about today.

First up are a couple of Foster Dog Mom pieces.  The beautiful turquoise Foster Dog Mom bracelet shown above is perfect for that dedicated heroine you know and love.

The Foster Dog Mom charm necklace below celebrates with paw print, dog bone and heart lampwork beads, plus a hand stamped paw print, too.

Also new at For Love of a Dog are these beautiful vintage style Dog Mom bracelets.  Featuring artisan lampwork beads and vintage brass floral clasps, these are one of a kind and really lovely.

Shown below is a sweet violet floral Dog Mom bracelet that includes a hand carved mother of pearl flower blossom.

 Pink roses are the theme in the Dog Mom bracelet shown below.

And, finally, another pretty purple Dog Mom bracelet with some raised flower lampwork beads.

Feminine charm, vintage style, unique handmade dog lover jewelry that is fun, yet sophisticated.  You'll find more one of a kind dog mom jewelry pieces at For Love of a Dog.

Fetch For Love of a Dog for dog breed jewelry and so much more.  Barking good gifts await you.  Free standard shipping, too!
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Before I Was a Dog Mom - Happy Mother's Day

Before I Was a Dog Mom
(author unknown)

I made and ate hot meals unmolested.
I had unstained, unfired clothes.
I had quiet conversations on the phone,
even if the doorbell rang.

Before I was a Dog Mom:?
I slept as late as I wanted?
And never worried about how late I got to bed
?or if I could get into my bed.

Before I was a Dog Mom:?
I cleaned my house every day.?
I never tripped over toys, stuffies, chewies?
Or invited the neighbor's dog over to play.

Before I was a Dog Mom:?
I didn't worry if my plants, cleansers,
plastic bags,? toilet paper, soap or deodorant
were poisonous or dangerous.

Before I was a Dog Mom:?
I never had been peed on?
Pooped on?
Drooled on?
Chewed on?
Or pinched by puppy teeth.

Before I was a Dog Mom:?
I had complete control of?
My thoughts,?My body and mind.
?I slept all night without sharing
the covers ?or pillow.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
?I never looked into big, soulful eyes and cried.?
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces?
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
?I never knew something so furry and four-legged
?could affect my heart so deeply.

Before I was a Dog Mom:?
I had never held a sleeping puppy
just because I?couldn't put it down.?
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night?
every 10 minutes to make sure all was well.?
I didn't know how warm it feels inside
to feed ?a hungry puppy.
?I didn't know that something so small
could make ?me feel so important.

Before I was a Dog Mom:?
I had never known the warmth,?
the joy,?the love,?the heartache,?
the wonderment ?or the satisfaction
of being

?A Dog Mom. 

 

Happy Mother's Day 

from all of us at

Talking Dogs and For Love of a Dog

Follow-up Friday: Rosie's Spay, Dog Treats, Giveaways

I'm glad to be joining Heart Like a Dog in the Follow-up Friday blog hop again this week.  This is the blog hop that lets you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.  Hosted by FUF creator, Jodi at Heart Like a Dog and co-hosted this week by Misty at Misty Shores Chesapeakes. 



This week has flown by.  I'm weather obsessed (always) and, perhaps, never more so than this spring.  Our weather has been seriously crazy for this area of the country.  Pity the folks who already had their tomato plants set out in their gardens when it sleeted and snowed for 2 days straight.  In May!   While I shook my head and grumbled about the damage to blooming flora, the dogs just were wishing the white stuff would accumulate enough to make snow angels.

Rosie had a trip to the vet to remove her stitches from her spay surgery.  She did terrific throughout the experience.  No cone for her.  It was her nursemaid, Jeffie, we had to watch in terms of licking.

I've been thinking lately that I should be buying lottery tickets because I've been so lucky!  First we won a box of The Honest Kitchen Smooches dog treats from Roxy and Torrey at Roxy the Traveling Dog.

We heard from Kate at SlimDoggy that we were one of the FitDog Friday giveaway winners of a coveted SlimDoggy scoop!  I should note, that given how Rosie loves to eat, I suspect that soon we'll need to be joining the FitDog Friday blog hop!

And we won 2 adorable Cesar Millan dog toys from Bren Lee and Titan at Pibbles and Me!

Image stolen from Pibbles & Me

Jeffie, Rudy and Rosie entered that giveaway thinking that if they were  lucky enough to win, they'd share with the homeless dogs at their favorite shelter.  Bren and Titan have graciously sent our prizes to Stray Rescue for us.


Good Dog Take Outs - New Flavors Review and Giveaway
We've heard from several of the winners of our Good Dog Take Outs giveaway and these yummy, all natural dog treats got paws up! 

Yesterday Sharon sent these cute photos of Schooner and Skipper.  She says they loved their Carob Cherry and Chili cheese Crinkle treats.  In fact, Sharon writes:  Schooner is still barking, wanting more as I am writing this email.

All About Jeffie Quiz
Ann at Pawsitively Pets was the winner of a pair of my hand crafted dog lover earrings in the random drawing for this contest.  She'd already emailed me to let me know she received them and really likes them.  Then yesterday she made my day with this glowing For Love of a Dog review with some wonderful photos! Wow!  Thank you, Ann. And I think you rock those earrings!


This weekend, among other things, I'll be writing a review of a new dog book, It's Just A Dog by Russ Ryan, finishing a custom jewelry order for another book author, Jaimi Wolotsky - this one a book about rescue dogs.  And, hopefully, the sun will come out and there will be some Jolly ball.  Lots of Jolly ball!

Dog Mom Jewelry Gifts for Mother's Day

Mother's Day is fast approaching and we've got some good gift suggestions for any woman who is a dog mom.  

You might want to explore our dog breed jewelry and choose something that looks just like her purebred dog.  Or you could select something from our mutts / mixed breed dog lover jewelry. Our dog rescue jewelry would make a thoughtful gift, too.

However, we'd like to suggest you consider something that truly spells out dog mom, like this one of a kind Dog Mom necklace.  

This handmade jewelry creation combines artisan lampwork beads in shades of purple, violet and turquoise with turquoise and purple magnesite gemstones beads.  A few sparkling turquoise crystal rondelles add just the right amount of sparkle.

If you're dog mom prefers bracelets, check out this beauty!  Rich turquoise sparkling crystals, elegant artisan lampwork beads, and old ivory color aragonite gemstone beads are hand wire wrapped with gold jeweler's sire to surround the hand crafted porcelain dog bone focal.  The clasp is a charming dog collar and bone toggle.  This Dog Mom bracelet is sure to please.

Of course, another option might be this Woof Dog Bone Necklace.  Gorgeous shades of caramel and tan, this one of a kind necklace combines artisan lampwork beads and jasper gemstones.  A beautiful way to say "I'm a dog lover" in neutral, go with everything, colors.

Fetch more unique gift ideas for Mother's Day for your special dog mom at For Love of a Dog Jewelry & Gifts.  You'll enjoy our fast, free standard shipping!  Our dog theme jewelry is handmade the old fashioned way in our Missouri Ozarks studio.  Shop now for best selection and enjoy a 10% savings on your order with this discount code:  FLDNEW.

Jeffie's Birthday Party: The Grand Finale

Hang on, Jeffie.  Your birthday party is not over quite yet!

What a party!

We've had treats, played some party games, told some Jeffie stories and more. 

I don't know about you, but we've had a whole lot of fun!  

For a review and to see the absolutely wonderful party dog photos, fetch Jeffie's Birthday Party page.

And if you thought the fun was over... there's still some fun to be had!

Jeffie received a very special birthday gift from none other than Oz The Terrier!

Yup!  That's right!  Jeffie inspired a limerick 

from the great and powerful poet, Oz!

Happy Birthday to Jeffie the Retriever mix!

He turned seven this month, not six.

Though he hates change of any kind,

being one year older he doesn't mind

as he knows an old dog can still learn new tricks.

--Oz the Terrier

Now, what you've all been waiting for.  Drumroll, please.

And the winners are...

Theresa S was chosen by Rafflecopter as the winner of the Dog Mom Bracelet Giveaway from For Love of a Dog.  Congratulations, Theresa!  Please send your wrist measurement and shipping address to sue (at) forloveofadog (dot) com.  If I don't hear from Theresa, within 48 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Ann at Pawsitively Pets is the winner of the random.org drawing in the All About Jeffie Quiz participants and will be receiving these dog lover earrings from For Love of a Dog.  Congratulations, Ann!  Please send your shipping address to me at the email address above.

It's a good thing for Ann that the winner did not have to score the highest in correct answers to the quiz!  However, Chris at Saved By Dogs beat everyone else by a mile!  She missed only one question, so Jeffie insists that she'll be receiving a pair of earrings, too.

I wish Jeffie could afford to give a prize to every single participant in the Jeffie's Birthday Party Pet Photo Contest.  (He says he's saving all his pennies to buy more KONG Premium Jerky and Good Dog Take Outs dog treats.)

All the party photos are fabulous, but Jodi at Heart Like a Dog was the lucky winner of the Amazon.com $25 gift card in the random.org drawing. Congratulations, Jodi!  Each party photo was assigned a number according to when I received it.  Here's Jodi's lucky photo number 25 of Sampson:

UPDATE:  WE HAVE A NEW WINNER IN THE PHOTO CONTEST!  Jodi messaged me first thing this morning to say:  "... while I'm truly grateful and thankful, I really feel since I won the monkey earrings, that the gift card should go to someone else.  I would just like to pay it forward, you know. :-) "  What a kind and gracious winner!

So, as I told Jodi, luckily I saved the Random.org results and the next number on the list belongs to Christine K.

CONGRATULATIONS TO CHRISTINE K and here's her winning photo of Granite:

Who was it that said:  All good things must come to an end?  They were right about this party.  Thanks to everyone who participated in any way.  It just wouldn't have been a party without you!

All About Jeffie Quiz Contest - Win Earrings!

What fun is a birthday party without party games?  

Gotta have a game, right?

With a prize, of course!

During our month long celebration of Jeffie's 7th birthday, we've told you about Jeffie.

And we've shown you some photos of our beautiful boy.

Now its time to see what you remember!  

Take a moment to complete the All About Jeffie Quiz and you'll be entered to win a pair of For Love of a Dog hand crafted dog lover earrings.

 

Its easy and fun!

Take the All About Jeffie Quiz here.

[ http://4loveofadog.polldaddy.com/s/jeffie-trivia ]

One winner will be selected at random via Random.org.  

Winner must have a US or Canada shipping address.  

(Sorry, blame the USPS for hiking fees for International packages.)

Winner will be announced here on our Talking Dogs blog on Tuesday, April 30.

Here's what the winner will receive:

Perfect for any dog lady!  Chubby turquoise gemstone hearts freely dangle from three dimensional light tan glass dog bones.  

Silver accents, including leverback earring findings.   If the winner prefers clip on or french hooks, I'll make the change before shipping.

Rosie wants to know:
What are you waiting for?  Take the quiz and enter!

Dog Mom Bracelet from For Love of a Dog Jewelry: Enter Now!

Jeffie's gala 7th birthday party is in full swing and we have another giveaway contest for you!

This one is special because we're not just celebrating Jeffie's birthday.  We're also getting reading to celebrate Mother's Day!

If you're reading this blog, chances are... you're a dog mom, right?

And you like to tell the world about your special fur-baby, right?

Have we got a barking good giveaway for you!

Enter to win this one of a kind Dog Mom bracelet from For Love of a Dog Jewelry!

This handmade Dog Mom bracelet features a handmade porcelain ceramic dog bone in deep sky blue that proclaims:  DOG MOM.  Its surrounded by big clear sparkling crystal rondelle beads and sky blue Czech glass beads.  All hand wire wrapped with silver jeweler's wire.  

A charming silver dog collar and dog bone toggle clasp adds just the right touch.  The winner will need to let me know their exact wrist size so this bracelet can be custom sized to fit.

Follow the instructions with the Rafflecopter below to enter.  (Sorry, this giveaway is open only to those with a US or Canada shipping address.)

While you're in the contest mood, be sure to enter Jeffie's Birthday Party Pet Photo Contest!  You could win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com

Disclosure:  This For Love of a Dog Jewelry bracelet was created by me for Jeffie's birthday party giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow-up Friday: Monkey Winner, KONG Dog Treats, Photo Contest and More

I'm delighted to be co-hosting the Follow-up Friday blog hop with Heart Like a Dog this week!  Created by Jodi at Heart Like a Dog, this is the blog hop that lets you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.

At Talking Dogs, we've been partying all week.  All the month of April, we're celebrating Jeffie's 7th birthday.  Because of all the "party favors" we're giving away, we have winner's to congratulate and we're also participating in Fido'[s Freebie Friday blog hop which is co-hosted by Dog Tipper, All Things Dog Blog and Doggies and Stuff.

First, we want to congratulate Nellie who won the special Dog Blogger Necklace from For Love of a Dog in the giveaway at Dakota's Den!  Not a winner, but you'd like a necklace like this?  Fetch one at For Love of a Dog! 
They're on sale now!

If you'd like to enter to win a cat blogger version of this necklace, fetch Cat Chat with Caren and Cody.  Hurry!  The giveaway ends soon!  Or you can purchase one at For Love of a Dog.

Next we need to woof about receiving the Versatile Blogger Award from The Daily Dog Blog.  Thank you, Julie!  We'll talk more about this later this month, but we just had to woof a bit today.

2 Black Dogs Too Long at the Shelter:  Adoptable Dogs
Many thanks to those of you who shared this post via social media.  Both dogs are still without homes.  The fact that one has been there for over 5 years simply breaks my heart.  Please continue to share. 

Mischief Monday:  Too Much Party Punch?
In addition to having a laugh at Rudy's expense, we announced the winner of our Monkey Giveaway!  Congratulations to Jodi! We hope she enjoys her monkey earrings from For Love of a Dog and that Sampson and Delilah enjoy their Skinneeez Big Bite dog toy.

KONG Premium Jerky Dog Treats:  Product Review and Giveaway
If you haven't entered this giveaway yet, Jeffie, Rudy and Rosie think you should.  They LOVE these new, made in the US, KONG jerky treats for dogs.

The "photo shoots" for this giveaway and the one we'll be doing this next Tuesday (new flavors of Good Dog Take Outs) were pretty funny.  After a round or two of taste testing, none of the dogs minded wearing party hats at all.  As they jockeyed for position, a few hats got knocked akimbo and Rosie lost hers a time or two.  I'll share some of the "out takes" on a future blog post.

Jeffie's Birthday Party Pet Photo Contest
Just want to clarify - you do not have to make sure your pet is wearing a party hat in the photo(s) you submit.  And Photoshopped photos are fine with us.  

Join the fun! We've already received some fantastic party photos!  We'll be sharing more each week, plus you'll soon find a Jeffie Birthday Party page here on our Talking Dogs blog.  One (1) winner will be chosen at random (random.org) to win a $25 Amazon.com gift card.

So far, we've got some real party animals joining us!

 Gracie and Cider came to the party from Kelly's Pet Salon in Michigan!

 Gambler is ready to par-tay!   He lives with JoAnn at Sand Spring Chesapeakes in Wisconsin.

 Artie dressed as a Ninja for a Pet Days party at the Harley Dealer and thought why not use this dog-gone good costume again!

 

 Coco is ready to celebrate!  Coco Chanel Bella is a 7 year old American Cocker Spaniel who lives with Christine.  Jeffie and Rudy are smitten!

Snoopy thought if he got enough birthday balloons, 

he could hitch a ride to Jeffie's party! 

Nibblet (above) and Shiner (below) 
of Pawsitively Pets are pretty in party pink!

What are you waiting for?  
You can see what fun we're having.  Join us!