As you celebrate America’s independence today, be sure to give some thought to the fact that your dog may not be up for the same sort of celebration as you are.
Category Archives: Human or Doggy Nature
Dogs raise $45K by surfing!
If you ever watch NBC’s Nightly News, you know that Brian Williams features a segment on “Making a Difference” each night, showing what everyday people are doing to help those less fortunate. Usually, it’s people who work at a soup kitchen, or people who have founded a charity or something pretty conventional. However, the other night, he ran a feature on rescue dogs who showed their stuff at a surfing competition to raise funds for the charity Modest Needs.
The dogs are just too cute on their little surfboards – hard to describe – you have to watch it yourself!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Just A Dog
Not sure where this came from, so if you can identify the author, please let me know. Thanks to friend-of-the-blogger, Wendy, for sending this to me.
From time to time, people tell me “Lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or “That’s a lot o money for just a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, time spent, or costs involved for “Just a dog.”
Some of my proudest moments have come about with “Just a dog.” Many hours have passed with my only company being “Just a dog,” and not once have I felt slighted. Some of my saddest moments were brought about by “Just a dog.” In those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “Just a dog” provided comfort and purpose to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it’s “Just a dog,” you will probably understand phrases like “Just a friend,” “Just a sunrise,” or “Just a promise.” “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of “Just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks, and look longingly to the future.
For me and folks like me, it’s not “Just a dog.” It’s an embodiment of all the hopes an dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. “Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday people can understand it’s not “Just a dog.” It’s the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “Just a woman.”
OK, now be honest – how many of you have a tear in your eyes after reading this?
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Meet Micah, the Therapy Dog
Tonight, we went to the local hospital to visit friends who were in a very bad motorcycle accident last weekend. As we were walking into the hospital lobby, just ahead of us was a huge, beautiful Husky, and I knew he must be a therapy dog because he had his “working clothes” on.
We stopped in the lobby to briefly talk to Micah and his partner, Cindy Carr, learning that Micah suffers from Cushings Syndrome, a disease of the adrenal glands that makes Micah have trouble controlling his weight, which is why he is so much bigger than most Huskies.
After we chatted for a bit, we went into the gift shop for some flowers, and when we came out, Cindy asked if we were going to see someone who liked dogs. Little did she know that our friend Pam runs a wildlife rescue, works with the local pound AND lives with five dogs. She was absolutely thrilled to see Micah!
If your dog is well-behaved, you might consider training him as a therapy dog. Contact your local hospital for details. Here in Canton, one hospital uses an organization called “Happy Tails”, while the other relies on dogs with Delta Society Certifications.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Saturday Survey: Dog Contests
After posting this week about the poodle grooming finalists, it got me to thinking about the different types of contests available for dogs. I’m not talking about conformance shows, obedience trials, or other sporting events, but about the type of thing you might see at a family picnic or county fair. Have you been involved in any of these types of contests with your dog?
Meet Chesley Sullen-barker
I took my kids out for ice cream after their baseball game tonight, and we ran into the nicest dog at the ice cream shop. His human said he had lost his front leg in a car accident and then went to the Humane Society, where they met. The man was looking for a hero’s name for the dog, and had just about settled on Chesley Sullenberger III (after the pilot who successfully ditched his plane in the Hudson), when his daughter suggested a slight change: Chesley Sullen-barker!
What a great dog!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Saturday Survey: Aggressive Dogs
With Michael Vick being released from prison this week, it made me think about aggressive dogs. So, I’ve designed a VERY short survey to see how you would rate your dogs as far as aggression.
Click here to take the survey.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
How fat is your dog?
An interesting story from the BBC. Seems this man allowed his border collie to gain too much weight, and he was actually convicted of cruelty!
Tuesday’s Top Ten: Dog Sports
We carry a few articles in our doggies den about various sports you can enjoy with your dog, or at least enjoy watching him enjoy them. Here’s my list of the best damn sports period.
Helmsley Trust to Benefit Animal Causes??
When Leona Helmsley died several years ago, she left a trust fund of more money that any of us will likely see in a lifetime, with the specification that the money be used for dog-related causes. Apparently, no one considered her wishes all that important. The foundation recently awarded $136 million. Guess how much went to dog causes? A paltry $1 million – less than 1% of the total.