Celebrating Pit Bull Awareness Month

 At Talking Dogs, we're celebrating national Pit Bull Awareness month!  

Not technically a dog breed, "Pit Bull" is used in connection with the American Pit Bull Terrier (ABPT), American Staffordshire Terrier (AMSTAFF) and the Staffordshire Terrier (STAFFIE), as well as mixed breed dogs.  

Thanks to media coverage, the Pit Bull is probably the most misunderstood dog in our country, perhaps in the world.

Contrary to popular belief, Pit Bulls do not have locking jaws.  They are not born to be mean.  Pit Bulls do not attack more than any other dog breed.  In fact, the American Pit Bull Terrier was the number one family dog in the United States during the first part of the 20th century. 

There are many organizations and rescues working tirelessly to promote the truth about Pit Bulls.  One of my favorites is Pit Bull Rescue Central.

Pit Bull Rescue Central (PBRC) is a virtual shelter and educational resource for owners, adopters, rescuers and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Pit Bull mixes.  PBRC used the internet to aid Pit Bulls in need through education and placement assistance.  PBRC is dedicated to improving the reputation of the breed by encouraging responsible placements into responsible homes.

The mission of Pit Bull Rescue Central is to:

• Help relieve suffering of and prevent cruelty to dogs identified as pit bulls and mixes.
•  Help reduce the number of homeless pit bulls and mixes.
• Facilitate the rescue and placement of homeless dogs identified primarily as pit bulls into responsible homes.
• Participate in fundraising in order to provide caretakers of pit bulls and mixes with the means to seek veterinary treatment, spay/neuter, provide food, shelter or other basic necessities; assist a dog from cruel or inhumane treatment.

When you're looking for any kind of  information about Pit Bulls, think of Pit Bull Rescue Central first.  You'll find a wealth of educational materials, links to Pit Bull rescues and adoptable dogs, and so much more.

Boxer Dog Jewelry Gifts

If you have a Boxer dog lover on your holiday shopping list, I hope you'll take a look at my handmade Boxer dog breed jewelry.  

Shown at left is a Boxer dog pendant to wear on your own silver necklace, ribben or cord.  The Boxer dog is cast of resin from an original carving mold, then hand painted.  Two dimensional and true to AKC dog breed standards.  In this pendant, the Boxer dangles from a sweet silver heart and simple sterling silver bail.

One of my personal favorites is the Boxer dog lover bracelet shown below.  White glass three dimensional dog bones are combined with cobalt blue Czech glass beads, plus an amazing puffy artisan lampwork bead in blues, khaki and white.  Charms include the Boxer dog and a sweet little three dimensional silver dog bone.

 Shown below is a fun dog lover necklace with a ginger colored bully dog.  The pendant is handcrafted of clay.  The necklace includes black three dimensional dog bone beads, plus black onyx and aventurine gemstone beads.

Almost all of my dog breed Christmas ornaments are already sold out for this year.  However, I do have one Boxer dog Christmas ornament on hand as I write this.  These are wonderful gifts and look great all year round, not just on a Christmas tree.  Generous in size (4 1/2" x 3"), they're two dimensional (flat on the back)

Shown above is just a small sample of my Boxer dog breed jewelry.  Please visit For Love of a Dog for more selection, as well as more photos and details about these items.  

Remember, my dog lover jewelry is one of a kind and handmade by me in my Missouri Ozarks studio.  Though you'll find variations on a theme, I do not duplicate my jewelry in mass quantities.  Shop For Love of a Dog now and use this discount code at checkout to receive 10% off your entire order plus free standard shipping:  FLDNEW

With Thanks to Mother Nature | Passion Flower

Passiflora incarnata

This summer I noticed an odd vine growing out near the barn.  Climbing one of the lean-to supports, it was lush in spite of the drought.  A few days later I noticed some incredible purple flowers.   Buzzing with bees and being sampled by hummingbirdgs.

 Thanks to some birds or wild animals helping Mother Nature, we had a Passion Vine!

Passion flowers or passion vines are part of the Passiflora genus of about 500 species of flowering plants.   Nine of these are native to the United States, including the Blue Passion Flower like ours.

According to Wikipedia, the "Passion" in "passion flower" refers to the passion of Jesus in Christian theology.  In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish Christian missionaries adopted the unique physical structures of this plant as symbols of the last days of Jesus and, especially, his crucifixion:

• The pointed tips of the leaves represent the Holy Lance
• the temdrils represent the whips used in the flagellation of Christ
• The ten petals and sepals represent the ten faithful apostles ((excluding St Peter the denier and Judas the betrayer
• The flower's radial filaments represent the crown of thorns
• The chalice shaped flower ovary represents the Holy Grail
• The three stigmas represent the three nails; the five flower anthers represent the five wounds.
• the blue and white colors flowers represent Heaven and Purity.

In Victorian times, Passion Flower was so popular that hybrids were created.  According to the University of Maryland, Passionflower was traditionally used in the Americas and later in Europe as a calming herb for anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and hysteria. It is still cultivated and sold as an herbal supplement for anxiety.

Each of the vines flower blossoms last only for one day.  And, of course, it seemed I would never be able to time it properly to get some photos!   Imagine my surprise when I discovered the relatively large fruit hanging on my Passion Flower vine!

Egg shaped and edible, according to the Garden Web the Passion Flower fruit is fairly tasteless with many small black seeds.

  

I suspect that the wild creatures that call our farm home do not agree.  Every time I checked for fruit that was ripe to pick... they were gone.  I'm just hoping that they've re-seeded some of this beautiful plant so that we can enjoy it next year!

New Dog Mom Jewelry Bracelets

I'm a dog mom.  Chances are, if you're reading Talking Dogs blog, you're a dog mom, too.  Here are just a few samples of my new Dog Mom bracelets.  Shown above is a Dog Mom bracelet with a sweet green dog bone proclaiming to the world: DOG MOM.  I used beautiful artisan lampwork beads with pink roses, chubby pink crystal rondelles, and mellow green serpentine jade gemstone beads for this bracelet.  A silver heart charm dangles from the silver dog collar and dog bone toggle clasp.

Light amethyst DOG MOM dog bone was fun to combine with pretty artisan lampwork beads and purple crystal rondelle beads with aurora borealis finish.  This bracelet has a smaller silver heart charm accented with an amethyst gemstone bead that dangles from the silver dog collar and dog bone toggle clasp.

Here's a blue dog bone DOG MOM bracelet with smoky quartz gemstone beads and sapphire blue crystal rondelle beads.

This turquoise dog bone DOG MOM bracelet photo gives you a better look at these dog color and dog bone toggle clasps.  This bracelet also includes some artisan lampwork beads in black, soft yellow with bumpy dots of turquoise.  They coordinate beautifully with the turquoise dog bone focal, turquoise chunky crystal rondelle and creamy yellow aragonite gemstone beads.

If you like unusual, one of a kind, handmade jewelry gifts, then fetch For Love of a Dog. I create each jewelry piece in my Missouri Ozarks in the company of my dogs, Jeffie and Rudy.  I offer dog breed jewelry and gifts in over 80 dog breeds, plus plenty of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and more for Dog Moms with mixed dog breed mutts.    Shop For Love of a Dog Jewelry and receive unique artisan jewelry and  fast free shipping. 

Still Missing an Old Friend Guest Post

Today we have another guest post by the Dog Daddy at our house.

Still missing an old friend.

We were living in Virginia and down to only one dog. Sue had a serious case of  �puppy fever� and we heard that a neighbor�s golden retriever had given birth to a new litter which the family needed to give away. We drove over to take a look and see if one of the pups �spoke� to us. 

We found 7 beautiful golden fur balls. We were having a hard time deciding until Sue picked up Lucy. Lucy started to cuddle up to Sue�s neck and moan and groan. Sue had found herself another �talking dog.�  

We learned that the daddy was a deep chested black lab from the neighborhood. Lucy grew to have her mother�s sweet disposition and golden color and her father�s coat of Lab hair and his short legs and deep chest.

Lucy�s first job was as our �shop dog.�  We owned an antique shop in a small courthouse town at that time and Sue was the shopkeeper. Sue took Lucy along to the shop every day where Lucy would sleep under the desk.  She greeted customers and won them over with her loving puppy skills. 

This was a great socialization experience for Lucy, but she never became that dog who loves everyone. Lucy was very discriminating. If you hung around long enough she may accept your presence but she only truly loved very few and one especially.

At times I even felt that she did not love me. She did, of course, but she always preferred to be with Sue.  Unless I was in the kitchen baking. Then she would stick around knowing that there were good things to come.

Lucy was also our best �road dog� ever. She was always ready to get into a vehicle and go. When she was only a few months old we traveled cross country to help Sue�s mother move. Sue flew ahead to start packing.  Lucy and I came in the pickup truck pulling a trailer. 

Lucy did not like not being able to see out so she would climb the seat until she was lying between the seat top and my neck. This is where she spent most of the trip. 

At home in Virgina, Sue made frequent trips into town to go to the bank, post office or other errands and Lucy was always with her. She had a special love for the bank because they gave dog treats to canine passengers.

Lucy and Tucker became fast friends and eventually became the original �Talking Dogs� for which this blog is named. They loved to run and play in the yard however Tucker was faster than Lucy with her short legs and she would eventually tire of being run over and rolled by him and would sit and snarl to let him know the game was over. They also loved rousting around our 3 story, colonial era home. 

We have an antique couch which was given to Sue by her mother. This became Lucy�s napping place as it was one of the few pieces of furniture we allowed dogs on. She loved to get away for a nap and curl up on it. Any time Lucy was not with Sue we knew where to find her.

When Sue began designing jewelry and selling it over the internet. Lucy began her next career as our �Design Diva� as Sue called her. From the shop to the studio to the computer work, Lucy was Sue�s constant companion. The bond between them was the strongest I have ever seen.

When we moved to Missouri we bought bare land and lived in a 26 foot RV trailer for over a year while we built our house. Two adults, two dogs and a cat in a trailer became more of a bonding experience for all of us. I was mostly at work or working on the house and Lucy stayed forever at Sue�s side. 

Lucy refused to use those little metal steps on the trailer and instead would bound in and out. This is when her hips started to go bad. We finally moved into our new house and finished Sue�s studio which is now in a separate building in the back yard. 

Lucy and Tucker were both beginning to really slow down by the time Jeffie came to live with us. The old couch became too much of her hips to take and eventually it became Jefffie�s napping place. Lucy accepted Jeffie but never became great buddies with him.

When Rudy came to live with us it was a different story. We were a little hesitant at first as to how she would react. Lucy accepted Rudy from the beginning and really enjoyed being around him, and he loved her too. I think she saw Rudy as the son she never had.

Until the end of her life Lucy never left Sue�s side. If it was a long day in the studio, a longer day on the computer, or in the bedroom at night - wherever Sue was, you would find Lucy.

Sue often talks about having a �heart dog� and how she wishes that everyone could find at least one in their lifetime. Sue found hers.

Even though Lucy is now resting in the back yard,  she is still - and forever will be - at Sue�s side.

Cat Jewelry Gifts for People

Though my business name says dog, I love cats, too.  That's why you'll find some fun cat themed jewelry at For Love of a Dog.  Shown above is a sweet cat lover charm necklace that includes a silver heart, artisan lampwork pawprint, and silver cat face charm.  A purrrfect gift for that feline loving friend.

 Even if your favorite kitty isn't black, this wild three dimensional lampwork cat charm necklace may win your heart.  Check out that meowing good silver cat head and fish toggle clasp.

Remember your beloved kitties with the cat themed Rainbow Bridge bracelet shown above.  A rainbow of chubby crystal rondelle beads are hand wire wrapped with gold jeweler's wire.  Adorable gold cat head and mouse toggle clasp will put a smile on your face.   The winged heart charm represents your angel.

This is just a small sample of the cat themed jewelry I create in my Missouri Ozarks studio.  All are made with love the old fashioned way - one by one.  If you appreciate unusual, one of a kind, cat jewelry, fetch For Love of a Dog.  Enjoy fast free standard shipping with your purchase.

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Whats in a Cat Name

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Last week I wrote about dog names and how my own dogs were named.  Skeeter informed me that it was only fair that I devote a blog post to cat names.  And Skeeter was right!

Growing up we didn't have a cat.  Just dogs.  However, since I left my family home, I've more than made up for that.   My first cat was a stray I adopted in college that I named Antigone after the daughter of Oedipus.

When I met Gary, he came with a cat.  Kitty Kid was a "tuxedo cat" and a dapper fellow.  When we moved to our first farm, we suddenly had many cats.  Most were feral and semi-feral "barn cats."   However, Patches was a sometimes-house cat that Gary rescued from his office's parking lot.  Gus, an orange tiger and Cisco, another "tuxedo cat" were adopted from an animal shelter.

However, it wasn't until Petey that I really lost my heart to a cat.  Petey was a stray that began hanging around my mother's house.  The day he actually sneaked into her house he may have known what would happen.  He never even yowled in the cat carrier as I drove him out to our farm and his new home .  I really should have found a nicer picture of him.  He was a beautiful cat.  Everyone who saw him wanted him.

Creamy white with pumpkin orange points on his ears, face, and front paws earned him the name Petey.  Named after the nursery rhyme because it looked like he's tumbled into a hollowed pumpkin, Petey was a treasure.  This blue eyed boy was Tucker's first friend and also enjoyed boxing with Lucy.  We have no real way of knowing his age, but he was definitely elderly when he passed away in his sleep... in his favorite living room chair.

 

Like the spy who came in from the cold, Skeeter was a stray we rescued.  She has mellowed over time, but actually prefers the dogs to we humans.  Especially Rudy.  Oh, she likes our company and a stroke or two, but like the mosquito song she was named for... she flits around us.

A feral cat that visited us infrequently brought us her kitten to raise one spring.  I don't know who was more shocked - the dogs or we humans - when we heard the soft meowing under the back porch.  Lo and behold it was a little kitten.  We named her Izzy, short for Isabel, just because we liked the name.  She and Jeffie had a special relationship.

 

At the moment we have one cat:  Skeeter.  However, we're visited by several feral cats.  As long as they don't fight with and beat up Skeeter, they're welcome to cat food and kibble.  We've given up catching them and just let them be. 

I find it interesting how people name their pets and hope you'll share your cat names.  Mine are far from as creative as the Most Unusual Cat Names listed above.  How about yours?