Oklahoma Tornado Pet Adoption Event July 13

The Central Oklahoma Humane Society has announced a special adoption event for homeless animals displaced by the May tornadoes that devastated areas of central Oklahoma.  These are pets who are victims of the tornadoes who have not been claimed by their owners.

Hope After the Storm is a private - invitation only - adoption event to be held on Saturday, July 13.  They will be selecting 100 potential dog adopters and 50 potential cat adopters at random for the event through their online forms at okhumane.org/hopeafterthestorm.  Applications will be accepted until Friday, July 5 at noon.

When you follow that link (okhumane.org/hopeafterthestorm) you'll be taken to their website and two Rafflecopter forms:  Dog Ticket Entry and Cat Ticket Entry.  You'll need to complete the Rafflecopter if you hope to be selected as a potential adopter.

To be eligible, you must include your full name, phone number and email so they can contact you if your name is drawn, as well as give you further information about the event.

OK Humane says they have chosen this method to help keep the adoption process as smooth as possible, while putting the least amount of stress on the animals.

Step by step instruction for submitting your information:

1. Check your calendars and make sure you will be available to be in the Oklahoma City area on July 13.
2.  Enter your information in the applicable form here - we will be pulling separate names for dogs and cats, so make sure you fill out the correct form.
3. We will stop accepting entries at noon on Friday, July 5.
4. Invitation recipients will be chosen at random for the adoption event. OK Humane will contact these people directly using the information provided. Invite recipients will be notified on the afternoon of Friday, July 5.

  

Note:  All attendees will be required to check in at the adoption event.  Adoptions will be performed in the order of check in.  All adoption fees will be waived.

They are accepting only one entry per household. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at 405-286-1229 ext. 4 or info@okhumane.org. 

NOTE:  OK Humane Society has scheduled this event for July in order to give pet owners time to claim their family pets.   In addition, this event is by invitation only and limited in numbers to avoid the thousands of folks that have shown up at other disaster adoption events around the country.  Many traveled from far away only to find a congested venue and no pets left available for adoption.

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.

Wordless Wednesday: Who What Why?

Not so wordless Wednesday...

This is not the photo I'd planned to share today, but life happens, right?

You can probably correctly guess WHO this is.

WHAT is he doing?

WHY is he doing it?

Find out the real deal tomorrow!

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. 

Wiener Dog Song: Dog Song Saturday

It's Saturday!  Time for a dog song at Talking Dogs.  Kick off your weekend in a dog-gone good way with Wiener Dog Song.

Wiener Dog Song is an original dog song that celebrates the enigmatic, beloved dachshund.  This music video features video footage and adorable photos of doxie dogs in various poses.  Wiener Dog Song was written by and performed here by Yet Another String Band and is available on their Cd We Are Yet Another String Band.

Growing up, I had a wiener dog brother.  Hansel was a standard black and tan Doxie and my mother's first heart dog.  These particular Wiener Dog Song lyrics fit him to a tee:

Stubborn as a mule.  You may think you rule.

But this I know is true... your wiener dog owns you.

Grab a dog.  A wiener dog if you've got one!  Sit.  Stay.  Relax and sing along to Wiener Dog Song! Fetch more dog song music videos at Talking Dogs and be sure to scroll down to explore some barking good blogs in today's Pet Blogger Hop.

Follow-up Friday: Hummingbirds, Deer, Dogs in the Bed

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 Pup Fan from I Still Want More Puppies.

Those of you who follow For Love of a Dog on Facebook, already know about this.  So if it is repeat... move along.   I'm referring to my hummingbird incident.  I went out to the studio to get some packages ready for shipping and as I walked in the door, I saw something out of the corner of my eye.  I realized a hummingbird had come in with me.


Poor panicked hummer!  With 10 foot ceilings out there, I knew it would not be easy getting him/her out.  After an afternoon of periodically trying various ideas with the door wide open, the light bulb in my brain finally glowed.  Snatched one of our hummingbird feeders from the deck and hung in in the open door.  

"My" hummer was tired, slow, and totally freaked out.  Not sure he/she saw it until another hummingbird - who was outside - came to check it out.  Thankfully "my" hummingbird did, too, and escaped to freedom pronto!  Silly as it sounds, I was exhausted!  LOL

Our deer herd came to visit the other day.  We couldn't help but wonder if they were checking to see if we still had a good hiding place to stash their fawns.   Of course, we'd love to babysit their babies like we did last year.  Especially since we seem to have finally scared off the coyotes.




Dog Song Saturday:  It's All Right If My Dog Sleeps All Night With Me
 

No matter where you do it... sleeping is bliss.

Oh, how I wish I'd thought to do a survey with this post.  I loved all the comments.  Had a giggle at the thought of all five dogs in the bed with tubby3pug.  Jeffie was thrilled to hear that Gambler has his own pillow on the human bed.  Plus, he's hoping that Cadwaladr will be getting a pillow, too.  Our dogs think that 2brown dawgs really should get a larger bed!

Our pack rarely all sleep with us at the same time.  There are several dog beds in our bedroom (Dog Daddy says way too many) and they can choose where to sleep.  With a puppy, we keep the door closed.  Eventually, that will change and our pack can sleep wherever they want to in the house.

That said,  Emma is not alone.  The only other furniture our dogs are allowed on is the (big) doggie sofa in the family room.  Well, Rosie keeps jumping into "my" chair in there, but she doesn't stay for long.

And if anyone loves Dachshunds, don't miss our Dog Song Saturday tomorrow - Wiener Dog Song!

Pit Bull Dog Baby Girl Needs a Forever Home

Baby Girl is still homeless and the only real follow-up I have is to ask you to share her photo and/or adoption video via social media.

Well, and to suggest you consider joining the Tuesday's Tails blog hop hosted by Dogs N Pawz .

Monday Mischief:  First Doggie Pool

The doggie pool is a big hit with Rosie.  More often than not, we need a dog towel when she comes back inside the house.  Pretty sure a larger pool is in the Talking Dogs future.

Kirby asked if we tried a lake.  Jodi made a good point about how you just never know what a dog will do. Same point was made by Shiner who swims in the lake, but never tries to get in the kiddie swimming pool.

Neither Jeffie nor Rudy have been interested in our pond or creek, other than just to get their feet wet.  We're going to give Rudy another chance with this soon.   Though Rosie hasn't been offered that chance, yet, I suspect she'll like it.  We'll keep you posted.

Previous dogs of ours who liked the doggie pool also liked large bodies of water.  And those that thought the doggie pool was a giant water bowl?  They didn't want anything to do with swimming any where.  

The exception was my tripawd Benji.  Though he only cared to stand in the doggie pool (and didn't do that very often), he loved to swim.   He even had his own raft to lounge around on when he got tired. 

You Can Help Oklahoma! Blogger Disaster Response Network in Action

This is a bit contrary to my own blog post and maybe I shouldn't share this.  However, we chose to financially support the efforts of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society for the tornado relief efforts.  You can read more about those efforts on their blog.

Our little dog pack is looking for long weekend adventure!

 Happy Memorial Day!

Wordless Wednesday: I've got a smile for you!

Rosie is all smiles!

And, believe it or not, there's no dirt on this nose!  LOL

Tasty Tuesday: Mother's Day Cake

The dog daddy at our house likes to bake.  

I love this, however my thighs are not so thrilled.  

For Mother's Day, he and the critters presented me with a lovely bouquet of tulips, a fanastic dinner (bacon wrapped filet mignon, fancy baked potatoes, fresh asparagus, great wine and this cake.

When you read how involved the recipe is, you'll understand that my Mother's Day cake was made with lots of love.

Warning:  just looking at this cake will probably add calories! 

It is the best chocolate cake I've ever put in my mouth!  It really should be called "death by chocolate!"  Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, plus one yolk

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line the bottoms of two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter.  Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.  Stir the buttermilk, plumkin, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.  Beat the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time.  reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk mixtures in gthirds.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake until a tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean - about 35 minutes.  Cool layers completely before icing.

There are two steps to finish this masterpiece!
 
Step 1 - Frosting:
Beat 6 ounces softened cream chese using a mixer set on medium high speed until fluffy.  Add 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons cocoa, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined.  In a separate bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with 3/4 cups confectioners sugar and a scant 1/4 teaspoon food coloring (he used red for pink) on medium-high to soft peaks.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.  Spread 1 cup frosting between the two layers and use the reamining frosting to ice the top and sides of the cake.  chill 30 minutes and proceed to step 2.

Step 2 - Glaze:
Place 4 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, and 3 tabelspoons corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl.  Bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a boil, pour it over the chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes.  Gently stir, using a whisk, until smooth.  Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until the glaze thickens slightly.  Pour the glaze onto the4 center of the frosted cake and smooth out to the edges to allow the glaze to drip over the sides.

Enjoy!

Monday Mischief: First Doggie Pool

We just might finally have a water dog again!

We got our first doggie swimming pool many years ago on the farm.  Sherman and Spanky were thrilled.

The pool had colorful fishies printed all over the bottom and Spanky loved to stick his head under the water and chomp at them to try and "catch" them.   Sherman loved to just lay down, soak and cool off.

To our great disappointment, Tucker, Lucy and Jeffie regarded their doggie swimming pool as a giant water bowl.  No playing; no soaking.  Just a tongue lap now and then.  So much for the pool.  

Rudy got so excited about water - that's Rudy shown above when the creek overflowed into our yard - we thought we had a water dog.   We were thrilled and picked up a little kiddie pool at the big box store.  Our thought was that if he really liked it, we'd get him a bigger one.

Well, Rudy did like to walk around in the doggie pool water.  Sometimes he stomped a front foot down to splash.  Unfortunately for us, he mostly thought it was a really big water bowl.

Now we have Rosie, a very confident 6 month old puppy who's usually ready to try just about anything!

 

 What is this thing and why is it in my yard?

 

 They've put this thing on the deck now... where are Rudy and Jeffie?

 Hey guys, should I be afraid?

 

Rudy says there's nothing to worry about.

But now they've put my Jolly ball in there

and a tennis ball!

 

I've got to get my Jolly ball!

 

Forget the Jolly ball.  This is fun!

 

Oooh... you can drink it!  You can splash it!

You can stick your head in it!

 

Wow, my head is wet!

 I think I need a towel!

We now keep a "dog towel" by both the patio and back porch doors for our little swimmer.  I managed to capture some video and when I've got some time, I'll get that uploaded to our YouTube channel.  Rosie loves the water and I suspect there's a bigger doggie pool in her future!

Dog Song Saturday: It's All Right If My Dog Sleeps On the Bed All Night With Me

It's Saturday, so time for a dog song at Talking Dogs.  Today's song deals with that age old question:  should dogs be allowed to sleep on the bed.  I don't know about you, but at our house all three dogs are allowed to sleep with us on our bed.  Jeffie even has his own pillow!

Have a look at the music video It's All right If My Dog Sleeps On the Bed All Night With Me.  This is an original dog song from Skip Haynes and the Laurel Canyon Animal Co.  Then let us know what you think about this issue!

Fetch more dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  And be sure to check out the barking good blogs below because this is the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop.

Wordless Wednesday: Springtime Tag

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

Dog Song Saturday: Husky Song by Nancy Simmonds

It's Saturday, so time for a dog song at Talking Dogs!  

Today we have another original Nancy Simmonds musical treat.  Husky Song is accompanied by a video of... Husky dogs, of course!

Grab a dog.  Sit. Stay.  Relax and enjoy Husky Dog.  Fetch more dog song music videos at Talking Dogs and have a barking good weekend!

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!

Thank You Sampson and Delilah

Though I announced the finale of Jeffie's birthday party celebration, the party actually continued for a few days.  

The real highlight was the day Jeffie (aka The Mailman) went up to the road to the mailbox and found a package addressed to himself.  

He'd received a birthday surprise from Sampson and Delilah!  There was an adorable Pointer dog themed birthday card with this message:

 

   

Inside were amazing goodies!  

Jeffie spent a lot of time giving them a good sniff over!

 

 Rudy honed in immediately on the Omaha Steaks dog treats!

 Jeffie really liked the gecko dog toy.  

I think he was trying to sniff out if that was Delilah or Sampson's smell.

 Rosie's eyes were wide as saucers 

when she got her first taste of those steak treats!

In fact, all three dogs loved them.  

Once we opened that package, nobody cared about anything else.  

Jeffie, always a good brother, let Rosie check out the gecko.

She loved the double squeakers!

 

 Thank you so much, Sampson, Delilah, and Jodie at Heart Like a Dog for the barking good surprise!