Bolt!

Guy and I saw Bolt in Disney Digital 3-D yesterday evening in the theater. Though we were disappointed that the 3-D tickets cost extra (and we were given no prior warning of this fact), I absolutely loved the movie and think it was worth the 9 bucks apiece that we paid to see it.

Bolt has all the elements of a classic Disney animated movie -- humor for both adults and children, a few "surprise" twists, and, well, great animation. If you don't know the story, Bolt is about a dog that stars in a tv show, but he doesn't know that he is on TV, so he thinks all of his powers are the real thing. It's very similar to the "Buzz Lightyear thinking he was a real astronaut rather than a toy" situation in Toy Story. Bolt escapes from the TV set because he thinks his person, as he says in the movie, is in danger. He travels across the country and meets a few regional-dialect-speaking pigeons, a hamster who worships the ground he walks on, and a rough-on-the-exterior-but-warm-hearted kitty cat along the way. The reason I think I liked Bolt more than I like typical Disney movies is because of the way they so accurately portrayed the mannerisms of a dog through a cartoon voiced by John Travolta. One of my favorite scenes in the movie was when Mittens (the cat) was teaching Bolt how to behave like a real pet instead of a superhero. There's a shot of her showing him the toilet and he just says, "Out of that???"

Bolt is short -- an hour and 36 minutes -- so if you have the time, I would definitely recommend seeing it in the theaters, especially if you're a dog person and you enjoy other Disney movies. I don't know if it will be nominated for any Oscars this year, but Bolt certainly provides a lot of laughs and that warm fuzzy feeling we all love.

Lola's Murder-Suicide Attempt

I got home from a long day of errand-running today, and when I came upstairs, I saw Lola happily tossing a small black object to herself. I went over to investigate, since Lily and Lola were playing with a penny earlier in the day and I didn't want Lola to eat any other toxic items in the same 24 hours, and I found out she was chewing on the remote starter for my car. Sure enough, I went down into the garage to find my car running.

I think Lola is having a hard time around the holidays and was trying to put an end to her misery. Thank goodness I caught her before she could do herself or us any harm!

Review of "Marley & Me" -- Guest Blog

I have a friend named Jerod who, if you happen to read the comments section of this blog, you'll know is quite a wiseacre. He recently finished reading Marley & Me in anticipation of the movie coming out on Christmas day, so I asked him to do a review for a guest blog entry. What follows are his words, not mine, but I think you will enjoy hearing what he has to say about the book.

Preface: My awesome, hot, good looking, funny, handsome friend Jerod finished reading the book “Marley and Me” and would like to share his thoughts on the book. He is the only one who reads this site and the only one who comments on my ramblings. He’s totally awesome. And hot.

***Did I mention Jerod is also a bit egotistical? ;) Moving on... ***

“Marley and Me” was the perfect mix of smiles, sighs, and sniffles. As a dog owner, I found myself intrigued by the bad-dog-story of Marley as depicted in the movie trailers showing on TV. I told Laura, my fiancé, that I was going to buy the book and read it. She surprised me by telling me her mother already had the book and enjoyed it. So, I received the book and dived right into it.

The first few chapters included a lot of the laughs that are shown in the movie trailer. I also found myself comparing my life and situation with that of the author and his wife when they were deciding on bringing a puppy into the house. It’s amazing how one little puppy will grow, test, and strengthen a family. As the book continued on, the focus was less on raising Marley and all of the memories a puppy will give a family. Instead, the author directs the reader to life lessons raising the family and how a dog becomes part of the family, not the focus.

As usual, all good things must come to an end. The book includes the full life of Marley up to and including his death. The author explains the grieving process of a pet and I found myself comparing the book with situations in my own life. It definitely got very dusty in the room as I read the chapters related to the end of Marley’s life.

“Marley and Me” is a great book to read if you are thinking of getting a puppy and / or starting a family. It’s easy reading and a short 280+ pages. I don’t want to give a lot away, but the lessons learned by the author are clear and shared by anyone in his same situation. Give a dog your heart, and they’ll give you theirs.

Picky Pottier

Lily, unlike Lola who treats the whole world as her toilet, is a very discriminating pottier. Of course we had our housebreaking issues with her when she was a puppy, but she has not had an accident in the house for months...until yesterday. The thing about Lily is she is very picky about where she goes #2. When the weather is bad, she hates even walking on the wet grass in the backyard, let alone going to the bathroom there. What I can't understand, though, is that even when she clearly has the urge to go, she holds back...for no other reason that I can tell aside from the wet ground. She whines and whines, and we take her outside over and over again, but she simply won't go. It's really frustrating for us, and probably for her, too. Since the past few days have been very precipitous, our backyard is now a swamp, and Lily has not been a happy camper. Yesterday she was doing her normal routine all day, and even though I took her down the street and got her to go a little bit, it apparently wasn't enough because we found a large amount of excrement, shall I say, on the floor in the entry. It obviously wasn't Lola's, but it was surprising because Lily hasn't gone in the house in such a long time. She must have really been desperate. I feel bad for her, but I wish I could figure out a way to get her to go when it's wet outside. Any suggestions from you faithful reader(s) out there?

Non-Marley Dog Movies

Marley & Me is coming out on Christmas Day, as I'm sure you know from the trailers crowding the airwaves, but there are two other dog-related movies that I would like to see. The first is Beverly Hills Chihuahua. I'm probably going to have to wait for this one to come out on DVD, but ever since Guy and I saw the preview for it when we saw Wall-E, I thought it looked really cute. Plus, what a hilarious theme song! I did download the theme song from iTunes the other day, and Guy, Lily, Lola and I had a grand old time dancing to it.

The other dog movie I'd like to see is Bolt. I think it's coming out in 3D this Friday, but I'd rather just see the normal version. I've heard it isn't that great, but I would like to try it for myself if I can.

Has anyone see either of these two movies and have the desire to give a review on them? Any other dog movies out there that I've forgotten about? After all, now that the cold weather is setting in, I know I'll be staying inside and watching a lot of flicks.

Have one puppy, you've had 'em all

Now that Lola is approaching the age that Lily was when we adopted her, I'm beginning to realize that there are so many similarities in her behaviors to the funny things Lily did when she was "young." For instance, Lola has recently discovered tiny foam balls that are actually meant for cats, but we used to give them to Lily to play with because she absolutely loved them. She would throw them to herself and chase them for hours -- okay, minutes. It was hilarious. Lola is now doing the exact same thing. Sure, she doesn't throw her head back and send the ball flying backwards like Lily did, but she sure enjoys her foam-ball playtime. That's just one of the similarities between the two goons, but it's somewhat sad and also enlightening to realize that puppy Lily may not have been as unique and special as I thought she was.

I also feel somewhat guilty because Lily is no longer the center of our universe. Lola naturally steals the limelight because she does stupid puppy things. Lily is still goofy, but Lola is more noticeably so. I still try to give Lily all of the attention she deserves, but I hope she doesn't feel left out.

I told my mom about these feelings, and she said, "That's what it was like for your brother when you came along." Everyone used to come up to the stroller and say, "oooh, what a beautiful baby" while my brother just stood there. My mom would say, "Yes, and this is her brother Christopher." She then ended the story by saying, "And that's why he hated you for 18 years." When I said, "Mom!!" she only replied, "Okay, 21 years."

So, that explains my self-esteem issues and while Lily will probably grow up to be a bitter old hag.

Brrrrr!

Now that the temperature is dropping below freezing on a regular basis, pet owners with no yards for their dogs to frolic in (me) are forced to suffer through long walks in the cold to get their pups some exercise. Even so, I feel like I'm cheating the dogs out of the longer walks they'd normally get in warmer weather. Lola is too young to go to Camp Bow Wow, and I can only afford for Lily to go every once in a while, so I decided to investigate what other indoor activities there might be for dogs in the Pittsburgh area.

The first one I found is K9 Kingdom. They have an indoor dog park that requires no reservations, just prove of vaccinations. They are open M-F from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 10-3. Though that doesn't allow for a ton of playtime, it's still better than nothing. Even better, than have free Wi-Fi for doggy parents, and it only costs $6 per dog! K9 Kingdom is located in Wexford, so if you live in the South Hills, it's a long haul, but it may be worth it if you've got hyper pups.

Another more local option is Doglogic, located on Saw Mill Run Boulevard. They too have an indoor dog park available for $6 and proof of vaccination. Their hours are more open than K9 Kingdom's, but there's no free Wi-Fi and you must stay with your dog at all times.

Lastly, if the roads are too icy for you to make it to an indoor dog park, or you just don't have the time, try a little game we learned in Lily's first (and last) obedience class -- puppy ping-pong! It's a simple game, but if your dog plays along, it's great exercise. You need two people and at least one dog to play. Stand a good distance apart from the other human playing the game, and start your dog at one end. Tell them to sit and stay. The person on the other end calls the dog and has them sit when they get there. Then the other person calls the dog back. It's basically just a back-and-forth between you and your dog. You can make it even more tiring by having the dog go up and down stairs or all around the house to find you, and it's also a good way to practice your dog's recall.

Hopefully at least one of these ideas will help you to stay warm while still getting your dog the exercise he deserves!

Turkey for Your Little Turkeys

On this day of Thanksgiving, I'm sure we'll all be stuffing ourselves full of wonderful turkey and side dishes, but what about our pets? I've heard conflicting stories about whether or not it's okay to feed turkey to dogs, and, to tell you the truth, after researching the subject on the Internet, I'm still not totally sure one way or the other. On one hand, I've seen and fed my dogs brand-name foods with turkey as the main ingredient. Surely Mighty Dogs wouldn't be full of canned poison. But then again, I've heard many people say that you shouldn't give your dog turkey. So, what to believe? The only interesting tidbit of possibly reliable information that I came across was to not feed your dog the fatty portions of the turkey because it may cause pancreatitis. So, it's definitely possible that dog-food companies select the safest and best parts of the turkey to use in their foods, and that we shouldn't consider feeding a dog table scraps the same as feeding them regular dog food. That being said, it's probably best to talk to your vet about whether or not your dog should have turkey as a part of his diet. And if the answer is yes, here's a link to a recipe for turkey dog treats!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Sh*t List

Maybe I'm overcompensating for lack of posting, but I thought I would tell you about the woes of housetraining Lola. It could be that she's stubborn. It could be that we're inattentive parents. Maybe it's a combination of both. Whatever the case, this 3-month old puppy just does not want to wait till she gets outside to go potty. When we physically take her outside, she goes just fine, and we always make sure to praise her, but when she's inside, she doesn't get that she should go to the door because it's not okay to just go wherever she happens to be standing at the time. We do keep her in a crate while we're out and while she's sleeping, and I don't think she's had an accident in there for a while, so I'm pretty sure she can hold it...it's just a matter of whether or not she wants to.

Here is an abbreviated list of the places in our house where Lola has peed and/or pooped:
-Under our bed
-On our bed
-In Lily's crate
-On every inch of carpeted surface we have
-On the hardwood floor in the living room
-On the couch

and everywhere in between.

When we got Lily, as you know, she was four months old, and she took a few months to get used to going outside, so I'm hoping Lola will just grow out of it, but does anyone have any tips on how to get her to actually go to the door when she has to go?

Thanks, as always!

Fairview Park - Land of the Free

I was recently introduced to the wonder that is Fairview Park in South Fayette. We took Lily and my neighbor's goldendoodle, Winnie, on a field trip to the park one day, and they had a grand old time. If you haven't visited Fairview, I would highly recommend it, especially if you crave some off-leash time for your dog. The park is located right off of Boyce Road in South Fayette, and it basically consists of acres of fields with paths carved out through them. And this isn't some underground dog park where you have to fear being caught letting your puppy run free. In fact, the whole fielded area is know as the "free range zone" (or maybe it's free run?), and you'll most likely run into other owners and their dogs enjoying the park just the way you are. Guy and I took Lily and Lola back twice before the weather outside turned frightful, and it was well worth the 20-minute drive. Lily absolutely loves exploring on her own, and it gives us a chance to practice her recalls. It also gives Lola a chance to socialize with other dogs we meet along the way, and she can follow after her big sister.

If the weather clears up sometime in the near future, or even if it doesn't -- if you're brave enough to face the cold -- definitely take your dog(s) to Fairview Park. It's fun and, best of all, free!

Calling All Saps

I've been slacking lately. I know it. You know it. Jerod knows it. Let's build a bridge and get over it. Frankly, it's MUCH harder than I thought it would be to have two dogs. Lola is quite the yapper, and since we live in a townhouse, I can't let her get too out of hand or we'll have at least three angry neighbors.

Anyway, the purpose of this particular post is to bring your attention to a new movie being released in December that is based on the book "Marley and Me." The movie by the same name stars Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. I haven't read the book because I can't handle the sad ending, but I might be talked into seeing the movie. I just don't know if I can stand Owen Wilson's odd voice narrating the entire thing. And there's still that whole sad-ending thing. I'm hoping that since the trailer is playing the movie off as a happy-go-lucky dog flick, they'll just summarize the end of Marley's life with a nice little paragraph at the end...nothing too drawn out.

If you haven't see a trailer yet, here you go...
Trailer

Doggy Hero

Saw this article on Yahoo! and thought it was a cute story.

SYDNEY (Reuters) – A dog was hailed as a hero on Sunday after it risked its life to save a litter of newborn kittens from a house fire, rescuers said.

In a case which gives the lie to the saying about 'fighting like cats and dogs', the terrier cross named Leo had to be revived with oxygen and heart massage after his ordeal. Fire broke out overnight at the house in Australia's southern city of Melbourne, where he was guarding the kittens.

Fire fighters who revived Leo said he refused to leave the building and was found by them alongside the litter of kittens, despite thick smoke.

"Leo wouldn't leave the kittens and it nearly cost him his life," fire service Commander Ken Brown told reporters.

The four kittens also survived the fire and Sunday Leo, who fire fighters nicknamed 'Smoky', was again back at the house.

Photos

Here is a link to some recent photos of our gremlin and our landshark. The costumed pictures are from Angel Ridge's Barktoberfest this afternoon. Lily never made it out of the car with her costume on, but Lola happily wore hers all day long.

Pics

Antics

I am ashamed to say that I actually purchased a doggy diaper today. I was desperate. I can't stand the fact that Lola has an insatiable thirst, but she drinks so much that she then pees every 2 minutes, most often wherever she happens to be standing at the moment the urge arises. So, I did it -- I bought a frilly little diaper for her, complete with "sanitary pad" inserts. After struggling to get it on her, things seemed to be going just fine...until I heard a string of indistinct exclamations coming from Guy's loft. Lola was up there barking, which he presumed was because Lily was on his couch and Lola couldn't get up. Obviously, he presumed wrong. Lola actually had to poop, and she decided to relieve herself while wearing her diaper. You'd think this would be a good thing, but these diapers aren't like baby diapers. They're only shaped to protect from accidental urine release, not bowel movements. So, poop got in the diaper and started coming out of the diaper onto Guy's floor. He grabbed Lola and took her down the stairs into the bathroom, where he removed the diaper to be washed at a later time. Lola scampered away into my room where she...took a leak on the carpet. Surprise, surprise. I know that those two actions logically follow one another, but Guy was too busy worrying about the first one and I was too busy blogging to be paying attention, so now we're stuck with a poopy diaper and a pee-stained floor. Ahh, the life.

Two Dogs, One Bone

Owning two dogs is much harder than I thought it would be. It could be because one of them is an 8-pound puppy who can't even get herself down the steps on her own, let alone control her bladder, but that's beside the point. One of the difficulties of having two dogs is what seems to be a case of good-old sibling rivalry. For instance, one of the first nights we had Lola, we brought home a small Nylabone for her to chew on. As soon as Lily saw what her sister had, she decided she had to have it. After the two goons spent the entire night fighting/wrestling over the bone, I had Guy pick a larger one up on his way home from work the next day. That night, we presented Lily with her new bone, but when she saw that Lola was chewing on hers, she decided that Lola's was better for some reason (probably she's just greedy). She proceeded to steal Lola's from her and horde both of the bones. Since then, no matter what we give them, even if both things are exactly identical, Lily wants what Lola has and vice versa. I guess this is giving us practice for when we have human children, so at least it's good for something.

Serious Situation

I received an e-mail from a concerned animal-lover about the following situation. Please let me know if you have any advice or opinions on how this should be handled.

This person, who I'll call Rachel, lives in the city of Pittsburgh. Her neighbors have two dogs, a bulldog and a pit bull. Recently, the pit bull escaped from their backyard, and since then, they've been keeping her in a small caged area in the rear of the property. Rachel has never seen anyone go there to feed, water, or pay attention to the dog. When she goes on the back porch of her house that overlooks the puppy's yard, the puppy starts wagging her tail and whining for attention. She can't prove that they aren't feeding her or giving her water, but she looks all the time and the bowls are always empty. Should she or someone else report this? Who would you even report it to? Also, Rachel is somewhat afraid that if she reports the problem, the neighbors will know who it was, and let's just say that the neighbors don't have kosher occupations. They're somewhat intimidating and not people you'd want to have on your bad side.

So...what should she do?

The New Addition

Lily has a sister! I worked all weekend for Rachael Ray's new dog food, Nutrish, at the Pittsburgh Pet Expo, and I knew I couldn't leave there without bringing home a new dog. There were so many adorable dogs for adoption there, but I ended up getting a 7-week-old puppy who now goes by the name of Lola. She is black with some brindle markings on her face and paws, and all I know about her is that her mother was a wire-haired terrier of some sort. So far, she and Lily are getting along swimmingly. The only bad thing is all the high-pitched yelping going on. But hopefully that will die down as she gets older (fingers crossed). Here are some pictures of our new family member.

No More Frito Feet!

Have you ever noticed the distinct comparison between the smell of your dog's feet and the smell of a fresh bag of Fritos corn chips? It may sound crazy, but I've had other people tell me their dog's paws have the same scent. Not only does Lily occasionally have stinky feet, but the rest of her gets an unpleasant smell, as well. From her days spent at Camp Bow Wow and the times she rolls in "perfume" on our walks, she definitely needs a good bath every once in a while. I read somewhere that you shouldn't bathe your dog more than once a month, but I don't know if that's true or not.

Anyway, giving Lily a bath is often an ordeal. We have sometimes opted for the grooming services offered at CBW, and, though she always comes home smelling like tropical fruit, when you add that to the cost of camp, it can get too pricy. That's where Woody's Dog Wash comes into play. We had Lily at an event in South Park over the weekend, so we decided to test-drive the services at Woody's for the first time. The employees there were very helpful and explained how to use the tub, which was actually quite a neat system, to us first-timers. Lily climbed into the tub pretty easily, and Guy and I donned our aprons (provided by Woody's) to prepare for the inevitable splashing that would occur. The tub has a sort of collar that you put around your dog's neck so that they don't move around too much and you are able to take them off their leash. Then, you can choose from three or four different shampoos and conditioners to use during the bath. We used an oatmeal shampoo that smelled excellent. The shampoo comes right through the hose you use for water, so you don't even have to get your hands dirty. Not only that, but after the bath, the dryer hose is right there, too, so your dog stays right in the tub to get dry. Lily was deathly afraid of the air coming from the dryer, but we managed to get her dry enough by using chamois towels and a low setting. Woody's also provided brushes and cotton balls to clean Lily's ears with, which was a nice touch.

The whole bath took no longer than 10 minutes or so, and for about $15, it was well worth it! Lily came home smelling like a human rather than a dog, and we didn't have to clean up the mess. If your dog needs a bath or you're looking for interesting pet products, definitely pay Woody's a visit.

There's a Hole in the Market, Dear Liza, Dear Liza

With October 31st fast approaching, I've been observing the large amount of pet-related Halloween items that are popping up on store shelves. I guess All Hallows Eve isn't just for people anymore. Aside from the stuffed toys and ghoul-and-goblin-themed treats, the things I enjoy looking at the most are pet costumes. Sure, stores offer pet "clothes" year-round, but Halloween may be the one time it's a little more acceptable to dress your dog in a tutu. However, the one thing that really disappoints me about the abundance of dog costumes is the severe lack of large sizes in the costumes. Lily deserves to be able to dress up like a pirate just as much as a dachshund does! When I was at Target a week or two ago, they had all kinds of great pet costumes (and at reasonable prices!) but the only ones I could find that were big enough for Lily were a purple monkey and a rooster. I didn't think either of those would fit her personality. I would have much rather purchased the inmate costume or the hot dog. There were plenty of the cooler costumes in sizes small through medium, but once you hit the large range, the choices dwindled. I know small dogs may be more accustomed to being treated like toy dolls, but for a special occasion, it'd be nice if costume manufacturers would include dogs of all sizes. It reminds me of how it was hard for plus-sized women to find trendy clothes before Lane Bryant came along. Where is the Lane Bryant of canine fashion, I ask? Since we can't find something store-bought that is appropriate for Lily this year, I guess I'll have to settle for putting some devil horns on her and calling her Lilcifer. At least it's accurate.

Garage Sale Finds

I decided to go garage-saleing (yes, it's a verb) yesterday, and I took Lily along for the ride. Of course, I went out in search of books, but I wasn't having much luck finding any. I ended up coming home with an old washboard that I bought for $1, a picture frame for Guy, a Shout About Movies DVD, and four new toys for Lily! I figured I had to reward her in some manner for waiting politely while I searched through other people's trash to find my treasures. I didn't actually buy her toys that were meant for dogs, however. At my first stop, I found a very plump stuffed animal that looked perfect for Lily to sink her teeth into. When I asked the woman what it was, she told me her daughter had brought it back from Japan. I didn't mention that I'd be giving it to my dog, but I figure it couldn't be that valuable, sentimentally or otherwise, if she sold it to me for $2. My next stop was a house with a lot of little girls. They had a good stock of stuffed animals, and I found one without any plastic eyeballs or other hazardous small parts. It was a neon-colored monkey, and I got it for $2, yet again. $2 seems to be the going rate for garage-sale stuffed toys. Anyway, when I brought that one into the car for Lily she attacked it right away, so I knew it was going to be a hit. The girls had two other animals similar in texture to the monkey, so after I made my other rounds, I hit up their sale again and bought an elephant and a dog for $2 apiece yet again. One of the ladies there asked me, "Is that for a little girl or a little boy?" I said, "Well...a little girl...that's a dog." Luckily, they laughed, and the girls who were selling their old toys didn't seem too horrified that they'd be subjected to the whims of a canine. I probably couldn't even get one stuffed animal as big as the ones I bought yesterday for the price of what I paid for all of them together, and although Lily has already ripped a hole in each one of her new toys, I think it was worth $8. So, even though I didn't get what I set out to find, I think I can call my garage-sale day a success.

The Dog Whisperer/Miracleworker?

I came home from a long day of work/baby-shower shopping/Quiznos purchasing to find Guy watching an episode of Bones. I decided to join in while I ate my most delicious Prime Rib and Peppercorn sub. It turned out that tonight's show would be my second television dog encounter of the day (read my previous post to find out more about the first encounter). I came in halfway through, but the premise of the episode as I saw it was that a man was murdered by a dog and Bones and co. were on the case. They eventually narrowed things down to a man with a dogfighting arena in his barn. That's when Cesar Milan appeared on the scene. No explanation or "we called in the experts" comment to tell us why he was there -- just Cesar in all his glory, calming vicious dogs with a "shh" and a flick of his hand. To me, the whole scene was a tad ridiculous. The detectives walked into the barn in question with the Dog Whisperer in tow and were greeted by about a dozen barking, snarling puppies. All Cesar had to do was shush them and, voila! Silence! Then, he gave them the typical "down" hand motion, and one by one, the dogs obeyed. I don't care how good this guy is...I just don't think that would ever happen! I wonder how many people will watch the show and go, "Wow! Cesar Milan is a genius! I need him to train my dog!"

Despite Cesar's shameless self-promotion, I did think there was one other interesting aspect of the dog-centric episode. Although most of the dogs shown in the dogfighting scenes were pit bulls, the dog that turned out to be the killer looked to be a German Shephard mix. I had to wonder if someone involved with the show told them to be sensitive about adding to pit bulls' already bad rap. That, along with later scenes of the killer shephard laying with his head in Bones' lap and the forced comments that the dog only killed because his master commanded him to felt a bit too sugar-coated to me. Kudos to Bones for attempting to do something different, but I think they went about it in the wrong way.

Oh, the Irony

As I sat down for my afternoon meal today, I had a choice between watching yet another rerun of a Project Runway I had already seen and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, so I chose the latter. A woman from Alabama was working her way up the questions, and she was about to go for $25,000. After a dramatic commercial break, the show resumed and Meredith Vierra decided it was time for some small talk. She asked the woman about her love of animals to which the woman responded that she raises money for dogs that were displaced because of Hurricane Katrina. Then, back to business. The $25,000 question was something along the lines of "Which breed of dog won the Westminster Dog Show in 2008 for the first time in history?" The choices were pug, beagle, Scottish terrier, and bulldog. I immediately was 99% sure it was the beagle because of all the hubbub after the Dog Show this year, and I was 99% sure the contestant would get it correct because of her love of dogs. She started off guessing it was the beagle, but she decided to use a lifeline to be sure. She spoke with some guy over Skype, and he told her only that he knew it wasn't the Scottish terrier. Not very reassuring. She decided to use yet another lifeline and phone a friend. She read the question to the friend, read him all the answer choices, and...silence. She kept telling him how many seconds were left, and I was beginning to think the call had cut out until he finally spoke up and managed to spit out, "Can you repeat the--" before getting cut off by the time clock. So, our dog-loving contestant was left with nothing. She didn't feel confident enough to take a guess, so she walked with $16,000.

As you probably already know, the answer (final) was, in fact, beagle. The only thing I doubted when I read the question was that they were tricking me by naming another dog show that the beagle hadn't won. I almost had to feel bad for the woman because it kind of made her look foolish after she talked up her love of the canine species, but then again, she has $16,000 more in her pocket than I do, so I can't feel that bad.

Cat Post on a Dog Blog?

This will probably be the only cat-related post I write, but I felt like I had to say something about the kitty I found today. I work at the Carnegie Library in Homestead, and when I got there, I was warned to look out for the cat that kept sneaking into the library. Sure enough, a few minutes later I caught a glimpse of a little beige kitty climbing onto a shelf. One fo the patrons picked him up and put him outside, but I felt bad just continuing the cycle of kicking him out and having him come back in. It's like that old song "The Cat Came Back." Anyway, I eventually went outside and found the cat again. We kept him in the library bathroom while we figured out what to do with him. We found out that it's nearly impossible to get him into a shelter. Animal Friends has a long application/admission process. The Animal Rescue League will keep him for three days and then possibly euthanize him because he had no i.d. tags when we found him (though he was wearing a collar). We might try the WPA Humane Society because I think they said they would take him and only euthanize him if he has feline leukimia or FIV.

Just to ensure we weren't stealing someone's cat from the neighborhood, we took the little man to the vet down the street and had him checked for a microchip (and fleas). Neither were found, so we made some "Found" signs, and I brought him home for the night. Guy is allergic, so he has to stay in our storage area downstairs, but I'd like to think we made it comfortable down there for him. If we don't get any responses from the sign tomorrow, we'll try to take him to a shelter.

But...if anyone would like a loving cat, let me know. He would be a good pet. He doesn't seem to like Lily very much, but if you have other cats or no pets at all, he could be a good fit for you. He's not neutered, but that can be fixed. Ha. Get it? Fixed? Okay, I'm done.

The Verdict

Well, we are not going to be the proud parents of a Jack Russell puppy named Lola anytime soon. Guy and I were strongly considering taking one of my aunt's puppies -- the one formerly known as Coconut -- but after lots of thought and deliberation, we decided against it. There were many reasons for taking the puppy, like the fact that it would be a good playmate for Lily but not too huge for our lack of backyard, it was very cute, and we know its parents and where it spent the first two months of its life. However, after "renting" Lola/Coconut for a little while last night, Guy and I came to terms with the reality that bringing a dog that is 1/20 of the size of our current, extremely rambunctious, dog into the house could be dangerous for all parties involved. Frankly, Lily has bones bigger than Coconut, and it just made us nervous that she would drop one on her head, trample her, or cause other unpredictable freak accidents. Lily would never hurt a little puppy -- all she did was whine when Coco didn't want to play with her -- but she isn't the most coordinated dog and we didn't feel comfortable that we'd be able to prevent her from maiming the little pup in some permanent way. So, we told Aunt Sandy that Coconut would have to be put back on the market. Our search for a playmate for Lily isn't over, however. If Coconut happens to stay at Aunt Sandy's for a little longer and grow, maybe we could still take her, or maybe we will just find the perfect shelter dog. Only time will tell.

Coming Attractions

There's always something dog-related going on in the 'Burgh, so here is a list of some upcoming events that you may be interested in attending:

9/16: Pittsburgh Pirates Pup Night -- last of the season -- 7:05 p.m.
*Bring your dog to PNC Park to watch the Pirates play the Dodgers. Tickets are $20 and portions benefit the Humane Society and Animal Friends.
Info

9/20: Luau for the Animals - Animal Rescue League of Pittsburgh - 6:00 p.m.
*This luau is kicking of the first annual Pennsylvania Week for the Animals
For more information, call 412-635-9439

9/22: Dog Behavior Q&A - Animal Rescue League of Pittsburgh - 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
*Learn from a behavior specialist why your dog behaves the way it does. Humans only.
Info

10/5: Camp Bow Wow 1-year Anniversary Party - 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.
*A party to celebrate Camp Bow Wow Pittsburgh South's one-year anniversary. You must be a registered member to attend. RSVP required.

10/11 & 10/12: Pet Expo at the David Lawrence Convention Center
*Pet vendors, demonstrations, ugliest dog contest, and more
Info

10/25: Angel Ridge Animal Rescue's Barktoberfest - South Park Community House - 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.
*Games, raffles, food booths, demonstrations, adoptable animals, and more
Info

Help!

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, right? Well, I have a problem. My dog refuses to come to me when I call her. Guy and I live in a townhouse, so we don't really have much of a backyard, and what we do have is definitely not fenced in. Lily has become friends with our neighbor's Goldendoodle, Winnie, and we occasionally let them run off-leash in our yards to let them burn off some energy. They get along swimmingly, and at first, they were very well-behaved, staying relatively close to the houses. Well, as time has gone on, Lily and Winnie have become more and more adventurous and less and less obedient. They now enjoy chasing each other up the hill that lines our backyards and eventually flattens out into a grassy area frequented by deer. While Winnie usually listens to her Mom and comes back, Lily just keeps on frolicking on the plateau until I climb up there and grab her. Today she was especially bad, as she ventured into the woods and into some of our distant neighbors' backyards before I was able to get her. It really bothers me that she totally ignores me when I call her. I yell and yell, and she usually glances at me and then keeps going in the direction she wants to go. I don't want to have to stop letting her run with Winnie because she really enjoys it and it's a good way for her to release pent-up energy, but I also don't want her to run away and never come back or get hit by a car. I've tried rewarding her with treats when she does come, and I never act mad at her when I finally get her, because that's what I've read, but does anyone have any other suggestions for fixing this problem? It seems like it's going to be tougher since she's older and already used to having things her way. I love my dog, but if there's one thing I know, it's that she's an independent woman (translate: stubborn).

How Do Dogs Perceive Time?

I saw this article through a link on Yahoo! and thought it was interesting enough to link to here! Take a look if you have any interest in understanding dogs' concept of time.

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/dogs-perceive-time.htm

A Few Good Dogs

My aunt's Jack Russell just had puppies a few months ago, and they will be ready for adoption on September 22nd. There are two females and one male. Their tails have been docked and their dewclaws have been removed. They have had their first round of shots. Here are a few pictures.





If you would like more information or are interested in meeting them, leave a comment and I will get in touch with you.

Makeshift Entertainment

When Guy and I adopted Lily from Animal Friends, one of the questions they asked us was how much we thought it would cost to care for a dog each year. We had no idea, so we said something in the range of $500. The Adoption Counselor was thrilled to inform us that we were delusional and that it costs usually almost double that amount. Despite the advice of a knowledgeable employee of an animal-rescue organization, I didn't quite believe the statistics she gave us until we took our first trip to Petco. I've already written a post on the expenses of brand-name bones, but this time it's the dog toys that were giving me sticker shock. It turns out that buying dog toys is an art. It takes a combination of the ability to predict what type of toy your dog will play with (In Lily's case, NOT the $15 Buster Cube we got her for Christmas that is still sitting in her toy bin, untouched), the penny-pinching skills to weigh the cost of the toy versus its durability (as much as I'd like to buy Lily a giant stuffed walrus, the fact that it will last 5 minutes before it is merely an empty walrus shell deters me from doing so), and the keen eye to spot a good deal (your dog will never know that she's playing with an "unseasonal" Frankenstein toy bought on clearance around Thanksgiving). However, even if you have mastered the art of buying dog toys, there's still the issue of money not growing on trees. Even the most sensible buyer could go broke after a few trips to the pet store. That's why we have had to get creative around the Tarbert household and provide makeshift toys for Lily to play with. For example:

The "page torn out of a magazine" toy or, if I'm feeling generous, the "whole magazine" toy
Durability -- Very low
Cost -- Very low
Time of enjoyment -- at least 30 seconds

The "sock/bandana/anything pulled out of my nightstand drawer" toy
Durability -- Medium
Cost -- Low
Time of enjoyment -- anywhere from a few minutes to a few days

The "repurposed sporting goods" toy*
Durability -- High
Cost -- Low
Time of enjoyment -- weeks

So what if my dog goes to camp and tells all the other dogs that she has to play with old soccer balls and Mommy's panty hose while they chew on shiny new Kong Wubbas? It will help her appreciate the value of a dollar when she grows up. And there's nothing like having a dog that comes when called AND can balance your checkbook.

If you have any ideas for homemade toys, please share. I haven't quite tackled homemade treats yet, but that's next on the list.

*We acquired a large number of old soccer balls from the Brookline Soccer Association. They have lots more that they're willing to give away, so if you'd like any, let me know and I'll give you the contact information.

Sick as a Dog

I've come down with some kind of virus this past week, and I've been feeling pretty ill ever since Monday night/Tuesday morning. In honor of my sickness, I decided to do some research into the meaning of the phrase "sick as a dog." There doesn't seem to be a consensus on the phrase's origin or how it came about, but here are some of the suggestions I found as to its meaning:

-"Could it be that the dog is the only animal that we have the "opportunity" to see vomiting?"

-"It is probably no more than an attempt to give force to a strongly worded statement of physical unhappiness. It was attached to a dog, I would guess, because dogs often seem to have been linked to things considered unpleasant or undesirable; down the years they have had an incredibly bad press, linguistically speaking (think of dog tired, dog in the manger, dog’s breakfast, go to the dogs, dog Latin — big dictionaries have long entries about all the ways that dog has been used in a negative sense)"

-"Because dogs eat just about anything they find, they often get sick. So it's fitting to describe someone who is not feeling well as being "sick as a dog.""

Now I will resign myself to my sickbed and leave you to ponder the situation.

Everybody Poops...But Not Everybody Eats It

You know from my first post that Lily likes to pick up and sometimes eat a lot of random things. One thing I didn't mention, however, was Lily's love of poop. When you live in the wilderness-infused suburb that is Bethel Park, a lot of fauna frequents your 10x10 plot of land, including deer, bunnies, and raccoons to name a few. Lily loves to view the animals from behind our screen door (because we won't let her go any closer for fear of her chasing a deer and never returning or murdering a small, innocent bunny), but she loves it even more when the animals leave so that she can have a nice little snack. We try to prevent Lily from eating the various droppings that are left in our backyard or that she encounters on walks, but sometimes we just can't get there fast enough. I was afraid that this little habit of hers could infect her with parasites or transmit diseases, so I Googled the subject and found what I think is a good article. I've linked to the article below, but I'll also sum up the highlights for those of you that would like to stick to light reading for the day.

-Though some people think dogs eat feces because of malnutrition, there are many reasons why they may do it. It could be a hereditary behavior, something due to anxiety, or it may simply be that they like the taste.
-If your dog eats its own feces or the feces of of a household pet, there are products you can add to the animals' food whose poop is being eaten so that it will taste bad after it is digested.
-Dogs who eat herbivores' droppings do not have much of a risk of acquiring parasites since herbivores' parasites do not transfer to carnivores. However, dogs who eat other dogs' or cats' feces can be infected with parasites and should have regular fecal examinations.

Here's the article: Coprophagy: Preventing Stool Eating in Dogs and Puppies

I didn't verify all of the claims the article makes, so if you know anything else on the topic, feel free to share. Otherwise, I hope this article helps if you've got a poop-loving puppy like I do!

Lucky Paws Resort

This past Sunday, Guy, Lily, and I made our second visit to Lucky Paws Resort's dog park. We visited for the first time in the beginning of August with our friend Jerod and his Weimaraner, Sally, and we all decided that we should go again since the dogs had such a great time the first time around.

Lucky Paws is located in Cranberry/Freedom, PA, so it is about a 45-minute drive for us. The reason we like it so much is because not only do they have a large, fenced-in area for the dogs to run in, but they have a doggy pool, complete with water features and sloped entry so the dogs can just charge right into the water. Admission is $10, and dogs must have proof of rabies, distemper, and bordatella vaccines. I don't mind paying a fee to go there because the doggy guests are much more well-screened than, say, the ones that visit the South Park dog park.

Lily, Sally, and all the dogs at the park seemed to be having a great time on Sunday afternoon. The pool did look a little dirty this time around, but it was probably just from dogs with dirty paws running in and out. It's actually filled with saltwater rather than chlorine so that it will stay clean but not irritate the dogs if they drink a little bit or get it in their eyes. Lucky Paws also provides buckets and coolers of fresh water for dogs to drink when they get thirsty. Overall, it's a really neat place that's worth the long drive.

Here is a video of Lily enjoying her playtime both in and out of the pool.

Monster Under the Bed

When we first got Lily, she was tiny enough to scramble into our bedroom and squeeze under the bed. Here is a funny video of our monster under the bed.

Two Dog or Not Two Dog ?

Guy and I have owned Lily for one year and two months. At the time we got her, I had been browsing petfinder.com and every local animal shelter's website for some time, looking for my perfect companion. I didn't have many specific requirements for what I wanted in a dog, but I knew I wanted to adopt one from a shelter rather than a breeder (I have never had purebred dogs and don't really see a reason to start when there are so many dogs in need of good homes already). I also knew that I wanted one then and right then -- no more dillydallying. Our new home had been petless long enough. After I had finally talked Guy into bringing a dog into our home (he loves dogs, too, but was reluctant to take on the responsibility of caring for one), we went to the township's community day in hope of finding a rescue organization with adoptable dogs. To our disappointment, there was only one organization there that day, and the only dog they brought with them was an older beagle in need of special care. Though he was cute, I knew he wasn't for us. So, I dragged Guy to Animal Friends, determined to come home with a dog. Maybe that wasn't the best attitude to have going into it, but we ended up finding Lily, and I don't regret adopting her for a second (even when she chews up yet another one of my socks).

Now that we've had Lily for a good amount of time and she has grown accustomed to our way of life, I've gotten bit by the "I want a dog" bug yet again. My constant browsing of shelter dogs on the Internet has resumed, and I finally convinced Guy to pay a visit to Animal Friends today to see their residents. My attitude is definitely a little more discerning and a little less desperate this time around, but I still have the same feeling every time I see a pair of puppy eyes looking out at me from behind wire bars. I wish I could save them all, but if I have the ability to save even just one more and bring love and a good home into its life, I feel like I need to do it.

Guy is a little more rational than me. He thinks with his head rather than his heart. He imagines doubling the walks, doubling the times we have to clean up poop in the backyard, and doubling the expenses. I can't blame him because getting another dog would be a huge responsibility, but it doesn't stop me from wanting one. When we visited Animal Friends today, I came back from the adoption area with five or six dogs in mind that I wanted to find out more about and introduce to Lily. Guy found one that he liked, and he didn't really even feel like staying for the meet-and-greet. I pushed through with the paperwork, though, determined to at least make the most of our trip and see if Lily would even get along with Amelia, Guy's choice. Unfortunately, Animal Friends was understaffed, overcrowded, or both, today, because we had to wait behind a few other people who wanted to visit with dogs, and after waiting for 20 minutes, we decided that we had to get going considering it could have taken at least another hour.

In the end, I didn't end up with another dog today, but maybe sometime soon I will. And if not sooner, then definitely later. I'm sure Guy will come around eventually, and we will be able to open our hearts and home to another canine companion.

Here are my thoughts on the pros and cons of getting another dog. What do you think?

Pros:
-Having two dogs means they can have a playmate for each other and spend time wearing each other out.
-We will be able to give another dog a forever home.
-We love dogs, and I'm sure another dog would bring double the joy to our lives with its unique personality.

Cons:
-Extra expense and double the responsibilities regarding cleanup and walking
-What if the two dogs don't get along?
-Will we really be able to love both dogs equally, even though Lily was our first and is very special to us?

Maybe the Dingo Ate Your Baby

I have owned dogs all my life, but I had never heard of Dingo Bones until we got Lily. Lily's first experience with a Dingo Bone was stealing our neighbors' dogs' mini Dingos out of their yard when they would leave them there, half eaten. She loved Dingo Bones so much that we eventually bought her some of her own and soon realized that they were a great way to keep her occupied for (fingers crossed) maybe half-an-hour. The only downfall to Lily's new interest in Dingo Bones was the cost. For a dog her size, she usually needs a medium-sized bone, and those cost almost $4 each if you buy them at pet stores. However, we had to satisfy Lily's expensive taste, so I searched online for a way to hopefully buy Dingo Bones in bulk and reduce the cost. I ended up finding the Dingo Bone website, www.dingobrand.com. There I was introduced to the wide world of all the products Dingo makes. The best discovery I made on Dingo's website was, however, that they sell their bones at a great discount if you buy a certain number. I think the medium bones were down to $1.96 if you bought around 50. Sure, 50 bones sounds like a lot, but it's not like they go bad, and the way Lily was eating them, it was worth it. Here's a picture of Lily with her first bulk order of Dingos.



Boy, was she a happy lady that day! After she ate her way through the first bulk order, I found a few great deals in the "specials" section of the website -- specifically one for beef-basted Wag 'N Wraps. They come two to a pack and were only 99 cents per pack. How can you beat that??

When the Wag 'N Wraps arrived, Lily devoured them just like she did the regular Dingo Bones, but there was only one problem -- the dye that they used to make the bones look more "beefy" rubbed off really easily. So, everywhere that Lily decided to eat one of the Wag 'N Wraps, a large red splotch was left behind. The carpet in my bedroom looks like an ax murderer came, went, and forgot to clean up the evidence. I had spent a lot of money on the bones and Lily did like eating them, even if they turned her paws pink, so I didn't want to just get rid of them. I started trying to rinse the bones off before I gave them to her to get rid of some of the coloring, and it helped a little, but there are still Wag 'N Wrap splotches all over the house. I have yet to find out if the red stains on the carpet will come out with a steam cleaner, so that will be the last of the 99-cent beef-flavored Wag 'N Wraps I'll be purchasing for some time.

Our latest purchase was the pork-flavored Wag 'N Wraps. These are a lighter, more natural brown color, so I thought they'd be safe. Lily has eaten two of them so far, and I can't see any brown splotches co-mingling with the red ones.

If your dog has a love of Dingos like Lily does, definitely check out the Dingo Brand website for great discounts. And if you would like to turn your beige carpet a lovely shade of pink, just buy some beef Wag 'N Wraps and let your dog go to town!

Dingo Bone Pros: Keeps your dog busy, and they love the flavor. Free shipping on orders over $25 on the website, great bulk discounts when you order on the website.

Dingo Bone Cons: High price when you buy individually from a pet store, can stain fabrics

Where a Dog Can Be a Dog!

In February of this past year, Guy and I had a dilemma. We were going to be having our bathroom remodeled, and it would take four or five days to complete. So, not only would we have to rely on what Guy calls "whore baths" to get clean, but we had to worry about what to do with Lily while the contractors were here. At this point, she still stayed in her crate all day while we were at work, and we knew it would drive her batty to be in there with all the noise and ruckus of three men tearing apart the room directly next to her. But we also knew we couldn't just allow her to stay out of her crate while they were here since she'd surely get in their way and most likely destroy something in the house at the same time. That's when we found Camp Bow Wow.

I had looked at doggy day camps prior to our remodeling extravaganza, but I never followed through because we were tight on cash and none of them were very close to our house. After contacting a few of the daycares in the area and discussing our situation, we decided to go with Camp Bow Wow Pittsburgh South on Killarney Drive in Castle Shannon. They responded the quickest to our inquiries and seemed the most understanding of our situation. In order to qualify your dog for camp, CBW requires what they call an "interview." It's really just a free day of day care where they observe your dog to see how she behaves at camp. I felt like I was taking my baby to her first day of school when I dropped her off. We were confident she would do well, but also nervous that she would be confused or miss us. Boy, we we wrong! Lily was in doggy heaven! She is a very active dog who loves to play, and since we live in a townhouse with no fenced backyard, she rarely has the chance to run off-leash. She met lots of new friends and ran to her little heart's content. Camp allows you to leave your dog there for as long as you'd like on their first visit, but it must be at least three hours for them to get a good analysis of your dog's behavior. We were back in the front door almost exactly three hours after we had dropped Lily off because we couldn't bear to be without her. We hadn't tasted freedom in over six months, so being without a dog to be responsible for was a new feeling (but one we'd soon re-learn to enjoy). Lily came home that day complete with a photo of her on her first day, a cute report card telling us how she had done while we were gone, and a glazed-over look in her eyes that told us she would sleep sound that night.

And that's how our relationship with Camp Bow Wow Pittsburgh South began. After the icky old tub had been replaced with a deep-soak one and the vinyl tile had been replaced with genuine ceramic, we continued to take Lily to camp usually about one day per week. It's a great opportunity for her to release some of her energy and run free, like a dog should.

To sum up our Camp Bow Wow experience, here are some pros and cons:

Pros: Caring staff that treats your dog like their own, long hours (they open at 6:30 and close at 7:00, plus they're open on holidays), well-supervised play (there are counselors in the back with the dogs to ensure play doesn't get too rough), webcams so you can watch what your pup is doing all day

Cons: Price -- though $24 for a full day doesn't break down to much per hour, it can really add up if you plan on taking your dog there often. They do offer discount packages if you buy daycare days in bulk, however.
Risk of injury/sickness -- any time lots of dogs are running and playing together, there's a chance of them getting hurt or passing around a sickness. Lily has gotten mildly injured a few times she's been there, but the staff has always called us promptly and taken good care of her until we arrived.

*One side note -- Camp Bow Wow is a franchise, so although there are multiple locations in the Pittsburgh area, each is owned and operated by private owners and therefore may provide a different daycare experience. I would highly recommend the Pittsburgh South location, as Guy and I and everyone else we know that takes their dog there has been very pleased with their services.

To see if Camp Bow Wow is right for you and your dog, check out their website at www.campbowwow.com/us/pa/pittsburgh2.

Greatest American (Circus) Dog

I've been watching "Greatest American Dog" since it first debuted on CBS, but when they started switching the airtime around, I did lose track of a few episodes. Luckily, they post each week's episode on their website, so I was able to catch up on what I missed (except for the episode where Tillman got kicked off). I have to say, even though the challenges they cook up on this show seem to have almost nothing to do with whether or not someone has the "greatest American dog," I really enjoy watching. They did an excellent job of finding typical reality-show personalities -- the endearing old man, the young hunk, the neurotic girl, the overconfident guy, and everyone in between (I'll let you decide who's who). It has been entertaining to watch, and I hope that we'll see another new-and-improved installment of "Greatest American Dog" when the spring season rolls around.

Tonight's episode was a little circus-esque, what with the elephant walk and the stunt course, and probably intentionally so. It began with a glimpse into Travis mimicking Bill's training techniques with Star to help teach Presley new tricks. Apparently Travis has been acting as a sponge for the entire duration of the show since he was a relatively new dog owner/trainer when the words "dog bone suite" first entered his vocabulary. The producers really hit us over the head with the Travis-as-imitator theme this week, showing multiple instances where he copied the other trainers' techniques, but all I could really notice during these scenes was how many times Bill said he likes to "hep" other people. I wonder if he really is such a sweet man or if his accent just makes him seem that way.

For this week's dog bone challenge, the dogs had to sit and stay in circle outline drawn on the ground while an elephant -- yes, a real, live elephant -- walked towards them. The dog that did not move out of the circle when the elephant came within a few feet and picked up a banana (why not peanuts?) would win the Dog Bone Suite and a leg up in the Best in Show challenge. JD seemed confident, as usual, that Galaxy would win because she has been around bulls before (or maybe just bullsh*tters), but it was Andrew, the littlest dog of them all, that prevailed. Travis and Presley forced a tiebreaker, but we all knew Laurie would win by the way she went on and on about how a little dog has never won the dog bone challenge.

Next up was the usual suite visit with photos of Andrew and his ribbons and an encouraging letter from Laurie's husband. I liked Teresa's comment, "he is handsome," like she hadn't believed it until she saw it with her own eyes. In addition to the perks of luxurious living quarters, Laurie also received the advantage of having a stunt trainer to work with her and Andrew in the Best in Show challenge. Upon seeing the actual stunt course, which was about 20 times larger than what they had practiced on, I don't really see how Laurie had much of a leg up, but, hey, what do I know?

JD and Galaxy were the first pair to conquer the course, and they did so with little to no trouble. At the rate they're going, I really don't see how they can lose the competition unless we have more subjective challenges that highlight JD's grating personality, like the painting challenge did. Teresa and Leroy were next, and they also had little to no trouble, even though there was false drama interrupted by a commercial break when Leroy almost didn't take the zipline. He did bark along the way, but so what? He completed the challenge and listened to his owner, and that was what was important, whether the barking drives Diva Wendy crazy or not. Bill and Star were next, and Bill started off on a bad foot by having Star go up the less steep of the two inclines. You can't really blame him, though, after he was scolded last week for pushing Star too hard. His other failure, though, was that Star would not make the leap of faith. Two strikes against Bill. Then Travis and Presley took the course by storm, with Presley rumbling through it with almost no regard to what he was actually doing. The judges did criticize Travis from their balcony in the sky for getting Presley too excited, but at least he did what he needed to do. Lastly, Laurie and Andrew made a run for it. Andrew made an impressive climb up the incline, but the leg up that Laurie had received for winning the dog bone challenge did no good. Andrew would not jump from the platform...and can you blame him? It's like the equivalent of us jumping off the top of a 20-story building with no clue that we're really only going to glide gently to the ground.

So, when it was time for the judges' final decision, Bill, Travis, and Laurie were in the bottom three. It came down to Laurie and Bill, and it was obvious that Bill would be going home. Even though Andrew hadn't made the jump, the judges had praised him for doing what most little dogs would not do. As Bill and his "orange dawg" took their final lap, I said goodbye to my favorite pair of the competition, and I think Victoria Stilwell did, too. I'll miss seeing Bill and Star each week, and I'm sad that they will no longer have a chance to win the money to help his wife with her diabetes, but I'm sure they have good things coming their way after all of this exposure.

Next week, it's another loyalty-related challenge that looks like an amped-up version of the gourmet dinner the dogs had to ignore back in one of the show's first episodes, and the competition's shoo-in winner may have to make early exit due to an injury.

Everything I Need to Know about Marriage, I Learned from my Dog

When Guy and I brought a dog into our lives, we knew she would bring joy, frustration, and lots of laughter. What we didn't know is that she would actually teach us things about our marriage and the ways we relate to each other. Aside from serving as excellent birth control, getting a dog has been a great teaching tool. For instance, I am always telling Guy how I would like him to show his affection more. Yes, he says he loves me, but why can't he show it? A hug or kiss when I walk through the door, or even a smile that shows me he's happy to see me would be much appreciated. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I voiced my opinion, it never seemed to sink in...until I related it to the way Lily greets Guy each time he arrives home. When she hears the garage door open, Lily bolts down the stairs and paces back and forth, wagging her tail until Daddy comes up the steps and she can smother him in kisses. There is no doubt in his mind that Lily loves him and is happy that he's home. When I paralleled this situation to my need for physical affection from him, I think Guy finally got it. Though he doesn't have a tail to wag, he's been doing much better at expressing his love the way I'd like him to.

On my side of the teaching opportunities, I was humbled by a witty remark Guy made over dinner the other night. Since I typically spend the afternoons home with the dog, she tends to hover around me and whine and bark until I give her what she needs. In fact, she is prancing around me with a needy air as I type this post. I expressed to Guy that I wish Lily could find ways to entertain herself that didn't involve me. He simply said, "I know how that feels." I had to laugh because it is so true. I've given Guy a lot of slack in the past because I'm always bored and looking for his companionship to keep me occupied. I've taken offense when he would rather do his own thing than sit around and do nothing with me. But now I realize, from the way I feel about Lily, that it's not that he doesn't love me. I love that dog as much as my own family members. But sometimes you just don't want to spend your time finding ways to entertain someone else. I get it now.

So, as I sit here and Lily pulls paper out of my garbage can and proceeds to shred it to pieces, I am thankful for her in ways she can never understand. She is more than a pet to me. She is my friend, and I can only hope she continues to teach me new perspectives on life.

Photos

Just some visual aids to help you get to know me.
This is a picture of my husband, Guy, and I at the Disney Photo Lab in Epcot last year. Yes, we look young, but we're really not.

Here is the most recent picture I have of Lily. She is enjoying a nice summer day in our backyard. I'm sure there will be many more pictures of her to come.


This is Chewy, the only surviving one of my childhood dogs. He went his whole life without an official dog bed, and when he got one for Christmas last year, he wasn't quite sure how to work it.

Welcome!

Welcome to The Dog Blog! I have wanted to start a themed blog for some time, but I only just now came up with the idea to do one on all things Dog. My hope is to blog about dog-related news, events and activities for dogs and dog-lovers in the Pittsburgh area, review dog products, and share personal stories and photos. To get started, here's a little bit of information about me and the dog in my life, Lily.

About Me:
-I have another blog at caityt.blogspot.com that I try to update a few times each month.
-I am a jack of all trades and a master of none. I currently have two part-time jobs, and I'm always looking for freelance work. Some of the things I do to make money are: write, edit/proofread, event promotions, marketing assistance, and selling things on craigslist.
-I am happily married and have been so for three years, even though I'm only 25.
-I look like I'm 18, even though I'm 25.
-I love dogs! I always grew up having at least one dog, and my husband and I became the proud owners of our first dog together about a year ago.
-I also love cats, but the man is allergic, so I have to love them from afar.

About Lily:
-Lily is a 1 1/2-year-old Vizsla mix (we think) with TONS of energy and a great personality.
-We only think she's a Vizsla mix because we adopted her from Animal Friends when she was four months old. She had been brought there as a stray, so there's no way to know her real heritage or where she came from.
-We have heard that she looks like a Vizsla, a Pitbull, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, and many more varieties of dog. I personally think she's kind of an Everydog -- she looks a little bit like all of them.
-Lily has many nicknames, most of which have good reasons behind them, including Lily Landshark, Lily Lawnmower, Squiggle-Wiggle, and more.
-Lily's worst habit is picking up trash and other miscellaneous items off the street when we go for walks. Some of the things she has picked up are:
-Paper towels
-A roadkill-flattened turtle
-The jawbone of a deceased animal, complete with teeth
-Two rabies vaccine cubes (I assume they were meant for raccoons.)
-Empty cigarette packages
...and more.
We've always got to watch her because she scoops up pretty much anything she comes across, and then we've got to pry it from her mouth.

I hope you've enjoyed my brief introduction and that you will visit this blog again.
I'll end with a Danish proverb that I have absolutely no idea what it means:
"The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage."

Until next time...