News and daily Dogs

Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Jeffie

So much sweetness.

All rolled up into one Golden Retriever / Border Collie dog.

Important Pet Food Recall Expanded - Please Read and Share

Photo courtesy Dinovite

My inbox is being flooded with messages from pet food companies about the recent pet food recalls.

This week, Diamond Foods, the manufacturer of several popular brands of food has issued a voluntary recall of several lines of product. The full details of the recall as well as ways to identify if you are in possession of recalled products are on the FDA website. You can click http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm303034.htm to see the full details.

The products involved are the following:

For full details please Click http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm303034.htm ucm303034.htm

If you are in possession of any recalled products, please discontinue feeding them to your pets, and you may contact each respective company to obtain a full refund/replacement.

Adopt a Pit Bull Dog in Missouri

Wilbur - an adoptable Pit Bull in KCMO

May 6 - 12 is Be Kind to Animals Week, sponsored by the American Humane Association. Celebrate by adopting a dog, foster homing a dog, or supporting a rescue organization.

Why not consider adopting a Pit Bull dog from the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue (MPR).

Wilbur, shown above and below, is a neutered male Pit Bull about one year old. Wilbur was pulled from a shelter in a municipality with a breed ban. According to MPR, Wilbur is a silly goofball, outgoing and always ready to have some fun. He'd make a wonderful running or jogging partner.

Though he didn't have much training when he arrived at MPR, he's very smart and a fast learner. Wilbur appears to be housebroken.

If you have room in your heart and home for an adorable little clown of a dog, consider Wilbur. For more information about Wilbur, contact the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue at MPR@mprgroup.net

The Missouri Pit Bull Rescue is an all volunteer non-profit group dedicated to rescuing any Pit Bull that needs help. They regularly pull Pit Bull dogs from "death row" and sometimes take dogs who are losing their homes due to breed bans. MPR does not have a shelter and use both boarding and foster care. They keep the dogs as long as it takes to find each one the perfect home. Learn more about the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue at www.mprgroup.net

Dog Song Saturday: Pit Bull Blues by John Shipe

Clarabelle - an adoptable dog in KCMO

It's Dog Song Saturday at Talking Dogs and we're doing something we've never done before: an encore presentation! Way back in October 2010, we featured Pit Bull Blues song and dog music video in honor of National Pit Bull Awareness Day.

We decided, in light of all the Pit Bull dog news of late - like the recent Maryland Court of Appeals ruling declaring all put bulls (and pit bull dog mixes) "inherently dangerous" by virtue of their looks alone and that crazy Baltimore columnist, Dan Rodrick's uninformed comments declaring pit bull dogs "four-legged time bombs" that should not be allowed in public - to take a few minutes to visually and audibly, remind folks what great dogs are called Pit Bulls.

Even if you've heard Pit Bull Blues by John Shipe before, take a moment and enjoy it again. Then pass it along as learning tool for those who are not informed. And while you're at it, take a look at this blog post from Oh, Corbin: You call me a Pit Bull like it's a bad thing. Then pass that along, too.

Grab a dog. A Pit Bull if you're lucky enough to have one, though any dog will do. Sit. Stay. Snuggle with that dog. Relax and enjoy Pit Bull Blues written and performed by John Shipe.

In need of even more Pit Bull dog musical treats? Then fetch our August 2011 Dog Song Saturday blog post: Pit Bull Rescue Woman - another original song by John Shipe that celebrates real life Pit Bull rescuers from around the world.

Inspired to add a Pit Bull dog to your family? Check out Clarabelle (above left). She's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier / Pit Bull Terrier mixed breed dog and available for adoption for the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue in Kansas City, MO.

Want to keep your toe tapping and a smile on your face? Fetch our collection of Dog Songs at Talking Dogs. Be sure to scroll down below today's dog song video and explore some awesome dog blogs because today is the Pet Blogger Hop.

Dog Book Review: Guardians of Being by Eckhart Tolle and Patrick McDonnell

A guest blog post by the Dog Daddy at For Love of a Dog - Guardians of Being: Spiritual Teachings from Our Dogs and Cats - Book Review

A number of years ago I learned about Eckhart Tolle and began following his writings. The first book I read was �The Power of Now�. This book changed the way I see myself and the world.

I have since read numerous books by Tolle and am amazed by his insight. So, I was thrilled when my dogs, with the help of my lovely wife, gave me �Guardians of Being� for my recent birthday.

The full name of the book is �Guardians of Being, Spiritual Teachings from Our Dogs and Cats� The words are by Eckhart Tolle, spiritual teacher, and the art is by Patrick McDonnell, creator of the comic strip MUTTS. These two are truly inspired and work wonderfully together.

In Tolle�s writings he often speaks about dogs and how they can teach us to be in the Now, so I was excited to read this book. I have already read it 3 times. It will definitely be one of those books I keep close and re-visit.

Anyone who has ever loved a dog or a cat will love this book and as you read you will find yourself saying YES! I know that! I knew that! I feel that!

Tolle teaches that all animals - dogs and cats specifically - as we live and love so closely with them, are in the original state of consciousness and are not encumbered by the human mind and ego which keeps us locked in the past or present and not in the now, where dogs and cats reside. So by observing our animals and being in the here and now with them we can learn to better experience the joy of life.

�It�s so wonderful to watch an animal because an animal has no opinion about itself. IT IS.� Tolle

�The vital function that pets fulfill in this world hasn�t been fully recognized. They keep millions of people sane.� Tolle

�I have lived with many Zen Masters, all of them cats.� Tolle

�Love is a deep empathy with the other�s Beingness. You recognize yourself, your essence, in the other. And so you can no longer inflict suffering on the other.� Tolle

The quotations above are just a sample of the great wisdom in this book and the great wisdom of our pets. The art by McDonnell which accompany Tolle's words, go along with these teachings to highlight the words and the wisdom. I would encourage all pet owners to read this book to remind you of the spiritual wisdom they possess and to assist them in doing their job of being Guardians of Being.

Spiritual teacher and author Eckhart Tolle was born in Germany and educated at the Universities of London and Cambridge. At the age of twenty-nine a profound inner transformation radically changed the course of his life. The next few years were devoted to understanding, integrating, and deepening that transformation, which marked the beginning of an intense inward journey. Later, he began to work in London with individuals and small groups as a counselor and spiritual teacher. Since 1995 he has lived in Vancouver, Canada.

Eckhart Tolle is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Power of Now (translated into 33 languages) and A New Earth, which are widely regarded as two of the most influential spiritual books of our time. In 2008, A New Earth became the first spiritual book to be selected for Oprah's Book Club as well as the subject of a ten-week online workshop co-taught by Eckhart and Oprah. Learn more at his web site www.eckharttolle.com

Patrick McDonnell is a New York Times best-selling author. He received the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year in 1999, and Mutts was named Strip of the Year in 1997. A dedicated animal advocate and Genesis Award recipient, McDonnell regularly lends his talents to animal protection groups and issues, including the Humane Society of the United States, where he serves on the national board of directors. McDonnell was also recently elected to the board of directors of the Charles M. Schulz Museum. He is a native of New Jersey. Learn more at his web site www.MuttsComics.com

Wordless Wednesday: Enjoying Spring

A little color at the bird feeder.

The hummingbirds have returned.

Lots of rain & rainbows. This is a double one right over the For Love of a Dog studio.

Jeffie loves spring!

Dog Daddy Birthday Gifts

The Dog Daddy at our house had a birthday recently and his favorite gifts were from the dogs! In fact, he liked a couple of them so much that I thought I'd share them with you.

This yellow Labrador Retriever / Golden Retriever dog soap was a bit hit, especially since it came from Jeffie and Rudy! This soap is beautiful and would make a fabulous gift for any retriever dog lover. A great hostess gift, too.

Handmade by Tricia Samundsen / Scentability, each soap is hand poured using a detergent free glycerin soap base. She offers her dog soap bars in black Lab, chocolate Lab and Golden Retriever. You pick the scent from a long list of available scents. The Dog Daddy's soap is Intuition for Men and smells great!

Golden Retriever handmade soap from Scentability

These soap bars are generous in size - almost 3" x 4" - and very reasonably priced at $5.75. We love supported small artisan businesses and are definitely partial to handmade goods. Fetch your own beautiful dog themed soap from Scentability at their Etsy Shop. Scentability also offers soap for dogs in lavender cedarwood scent and soaps in goat, lamb and pig themes!

Eckhart Tolle and Patrick McDonnel's book Guardians of Being was another favorite gift from the dogs.

With words by Tolle about the spiritual teachings from our dogs and cats, and illistrations by McDonnel, creator of MUTTS comic strip, how could this book not be a favorite?! Watch for a guest blog post book review soon from the Dog Daddy who has some pretty good dog shoppers!