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Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Getting excited for Saint Bernard Nationals
Next week is a big week for Saint Bernard fanciers across the US. The Saint Bernard Club of America will be holding their annual National Specialty Show the week of September 11-18th in Findley, New York at the lovely Peek ‘n Peak resort. Many of the top American Saint Bernards will be there competing, their owners will be socializing and attending a multitude of personal seminars on showing, breeding and health concerns.
This will be my first year going to Nationals and I’m so excited to go! Although I won’t be there the entire week, I will be there for several days. I will be there in time to watch Sweeps. I can’t wait to meet up with some of my friends from Crufts (England, March 2011). I’m planning on attending some of the seminars, socialize, photograph and basically drool over the gorgeous dogs. I’m am also bringing my traveling buddy Rufus. Better dig out his doggles and traveling hat!
See you all in a few days!
Bagging it: The long, slow goodbye
This morning I woke up realizing that this blog and my 14-year-old Sheltie are in the same place: Dying gracefully, and not in any real hurry to go.
The story on our blog moving you know already. The story of Drew … here you go:
I had figured Andy for the last of a long line of Shelties. While I had shared my life with Shelties for many years and had run the local Sheltie rescue for a time, I had long since migrated towards the sporting breeds by the time Andy died. But then I met Drew.
He’d come back to my friend Tami, who bred him, after bouncing through a couple of homes for reasons no one could ever figure, since Drew was — and is — perfect in all ways. He’s friendly to all (not a given in this breed, which tends to distrust strangers), beautiful and well-mannered. I was visiting Tami when Drewbie danced over to me, put two perfect white paws on my knee and looked me right in the eyes.
“Who is this?” I said.
“Drew. I need to find a home for him,” said Tami.
“You just did,” I said.
***
Drew hasn’t set a paw wrong since. He has charmed every person who has ever met him, behaved beautifully in every situation and been a healthy, happy and well-loved member of the family here since the day he arrived. The worst health problem he has had until now is going deaf. That happened so gradually I can’t even tell you for sure when it happened. Drew is so bright and observant that although I guessed he was hard of hearing, I had no idea that he was completely deaf until he went to stay with my friend Susan Fox while I was on the national book tour. In his own home, Drewbie could “fake it.” In a new environment, however, his disability was more obvious. Not that it mattered to him and everyone who loves him … which is to say, everyone he meets.
About a month ago, Drew started getting picky about his eating, and his thirst increased. After a couple rounds of veterinary visits and diagnostic rule-outs, the only thing left was bad news: Kidney failure. Terminal.
The grim diagnosis came on the day when another 14-year-old Sheltie died, one I’d written about in relation to the idea of home hospice for pets to sustain a high quality life for those who can be treated but not cured. The day Savannah crossed the Rainbow Bridge, Drew took her place on the riverbank.
It’s a sweet time for us both, really.
I don’t know how long this site will be here, and I don’t know how long Drew will be here, either. For now, that’s just fine with me.
In the meantime, the Lorem ipsum is up on my new personal site, and blogging of a more personal and generalized nature will start there soon.
Top image: Drew from a few years ago. Bottom image: Drew this week, with the IV bag hanging from the chandelier behind him.
“A Bird of the Air” Jacket Contest: Meet the Finalists
The response was overwhelming, and with close to 400 entries we had a tough time deciding which photos were our absolute favorites. We looked long and hard at every single entry (we promise!) and have selected the 10 dogs below as our finalists. The team behind A Bird of the Air will peruse our picks and decide which of these finely dressed pooches will receive George’s jacket, a movie poster, and a talking parrot pen. We’ll announce the winner on this blog on Monday, Sept. 26.
And now, in no particular order, our finalists:
Loretta H. shares this photo of her pupster, Tony, looking dashing in a tux.
Barb F. says her 5-year-old English Bulldog, Gunny, loves getting dressed up.
Garry and Terry L. say Bonzer is always a hit at the local parades. Here he is, channeling a salmon.
Cyndi R. says her hound, Sweetie Pie, lives up to her name.
Suzette T.’s pups, Lester (King Tut) and Lobo (dressed as Pinkie), will wrestle for the jacket.
Kona may be a service dog, but that doesn’t mean she’s all work and no play. Her mom, Lisa C., says she loves dressing up for various pet and people charities.
Holly K. says her pup, Miley, has but one favorite outfit: mud!
Jeanette W. presents Monte, her 8-year-old Basset, dressed in his “Jake Blues” outfit. She says it’s one of his faves.
Bob D. sends us this photo of Corbin tucked away in a snood.
Last but hardly least, William E. shares this lovely photo of Forest the Lakeland Terrier in his Sunday finest.Who do you think should win?
Casting Begins for “Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2″
Posted on 02. Sep, 2009 by Keri in Uncategorized\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Popular Dog Blogs\Dog Bliss\)
Rich King Casting is looking for purebred, talented pups for “Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2.” They’re seeking dogs with the looks and the talent to make it in Hollywood:
“Here is your chance to show off (to the world) your best friend. The scene is the Beverly Hills dog show and your purebred could be part of the movie. No talent too big or too small!
If interested, please email your name, contact info, a video of your dog and its talent, a picture of you and your dog, breed, and any miscellaneous information to dogshowfilm@gmail.com.
Casting will start the week of September 21, 2009, so send in your submission as soon as possible.”
More information can be found on their website.
You know, Bliss is a purebred. And she’s quite charming. I’m really, really tempted… Hmm…
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Tags: animal actors, beverly hills chihuahua, casting, dog movie, FeaturedI’m Marching Off with Soldier Dogs for a Few Weeks
As many of you know, I have been very hard at work researching and writing my next book, Soldier Dogs, which goes deep into the fascinating world of military working dogs.
It has been a very exciting few months of immersing myself behind the scenes with these four-legged heroes and their devoted handlers and trainers. I’ve traveled to some incredible places during my research, and have seen some amazing things. I’ve been told dozens of riveting stories of military dogs during both wartime and peacetime. Some are gripping adventures, others are heartrending, and a few are even quite humorous.
The book looks at every facet of the lives of military working dogs, from breeding to training to deployment to what happens when they are no longer able to serve. Soldier Dogs even explores dogs’ senses — some of which may surprise you, and all of which are groomed by the Department of Defense to help save lives.
The focus always returns to the deep bond between most dogs and their handlers. We all know how well bonded we are with our own pets, but imagine being in a war zone and having your life and the lives of possibly dozens of others depending on your dog’s nose and your ability to read its signals. Add to this the fact that in war settings, dogs can be with their handlers almost 24/7, even sleeping in the same sleeping bag or cot, and the bonding is profound.
I’m getting a little sidetracked from my main reason for writing this post, because I am so intrigued by the subject (which is always handy when writing a book), and could talk about it for hours. But now the reason for this post:
I want to let you know that because my deadline is so fast upon me, I have to devote every possible moment to the book. You may have noticed I’ve already cut back on the number of blog posts I’m doing, but it’s getting to the point where I am going to need to march off with the Soldier Dogs for a few weeks with no other writing obligations. Dogster’s supergreat managing editor, Janine Kahn, is very supportive, and will be in charge of making the blog an awesome place to visit in my absence. (Thank you, thank you, Janine!)
Well, off to my “deployment” to my writing cottage in the backyard. I’ve got Jake at my side, so I am in good hands. (He could never have been a military working dog … or could he? Find out next spring when the book comes out! Jake isn’t telling a soul before then.)
I will miss the blog and all of you, but will see you again in late October/early November.
If you’re interested in pre-ordering Soldier Dogs so you can be the first on your block to have it, do so via this Amazon page.
Great green and organic tips for Fall lawn care!
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