WW-Smiling from all Angles

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What DOESN'T your dog get into?

Is there anything your dogs DON'T get into that surprises you?  Are there those one or two things that for some reason they have never touched?  Something that is easy access, would be a great chew toy or something to eat and you can't understand why they haven't gotten into it.

The perfect dog safe!

Being the kitchen dogs, Chance and Blaze are my counter surfers who get into to anything and everything, yet for some reason have never touched the sugar bowl.  Mark is just baffled by this.  Of all the weird things they have grabbed and eaten off the counter and table he just can't figure this on out.  The dogs haven't even moved it around or knocked it on the floor.  So I guess if I want to hide anything from the dogs, the sugar bowl is the place to do it.  :)

The jungle room!

The second thing that surprises me is that they don't get into, bother, or eat any of my plants.  Not even when they were puppies.  Most of my plants are tall or off the floor but still they are all over the house and except for this incident with Blaze when she first came back to us after leaving the litter, I've never had any of the dogs mess with the plants in any way.  Maybe they are nature lovers too.  BOL!

So with all of the things your dogs get into, destroy, chew up, and eat what are those few things they don't touch and baffles you?

Brut's twin-Printcopia review

11 x 14 canvas of Brut

Printcopia is a company that turns your photo into canvas.  

When I was contacted by Printcopia they offered a 11 x 14 promo canvas picture and I offered them a review in return.

The original picture of Brut that my husband had his heart set on, we were unable to use due to poor resolution in the picture.  Then the promotional code wouldn't work for my free canvas and I was getting discouraged.  But Sumuk Raja, a representative for Printcopia helped me with every step of the way.  Hubby and I finally settled on another picture and we sent it to Sumuk who took care of the rest.

The canvas is really beautiful.  The colors are rich, the details are sharp and clear with a soft look on the canvas.  It looks like a perfect "painting" of our special boy and we couldn't be more pleased.

As far as price: an 11 x 14 goes for $59.08........and honestly I don't have any paintings or framed pictures for a comparable price, but I believe the quality is worth the price.

We'd like to get close ups of all our dogs on canvas.  

My canvas arrived quickly.  My scheduled order date was July 26, I received it on July 18.

We give Printcopia 24 Paws UP for their helpful customer service and a beautiful canvas of our boy Brut.

*Disclaimer*-I received one free photo canvas for my review. All my opinions are my own.

Brut savior

I'd been angry on and off for a couple of days.  Irritable, depressed, and moody.  It wasn't one thing, it was a little bit of everything.  It seemed like every word that came out of my mouth would start a fight between hubby and me that I couldn't seem to control.

We were sitting out with the Back Dog, our time to relax and catch up when one word lead to another.  And BAM another fight arose.  In the midst of our words flying back and forth, Brut came to where I sat and stared at me with those deep caramel eyes with understanding and a plea.  He came close to let me pet him, never taking his eyes off of me, slowing soothing my ruffled fur.  He stayed there for a while, letting me stroke his thick mane as the reality of my actions sunk in.  Don't act like me, he seemed to whisper.  It hurts too much.

I finally backed down from the fight and hubby and I were able to talk.  I thanked Brut several times.

Later in the evening during my 'me time,' Brut and I looked long and deep in each others eyes with an understanding of knowing when to rescue each other.  I think he enjoyed being on the other end of the stick and being the savior this time. :)

Aren't dogs just the BEST?

 

May Your Day Be Filled with Monday Mischief!

 Now that's my kind of day!!

Backwards Brut

Being an amateur with an aggressive dog I have had to work backwards from an attack to understand the signs and body language that lead to Brut strike.

First it started with stopping or breaking up a fight.

Then stopping when he was in attack stance.

Then stopping him when his head was low and ear were back.

Then stopping him when he snarled.

Now we're at the point of stopping him when he even thinks about going after another dog.  And yesterday was a great example.

I was bringing the treat bag out to play in the pool with the four Back dogs.  I was barely out of the door with Brut right in front of me and Zappa to my left.  Having the treat bag is an adrenaline rush for Brut, who originally thought he was going for a walk, which made it a double whammy for Brut.  I was prepared for it and as soon as Brut turned his head (still even at this point) towards Zappa I gave a quick, "uh-eh."  Brut turned to me, turned back to Zappa, I said it again, and this time he gave me eye contact and any thoughts blew over.

It was really quite awesome!  I actually couldn't believe Brut responded so quickly.  Usually I am too late and his head will be low and next thing I know he's in the attack zone.  Or I would call his name in a sharp voice and that would lead to an attack as well.  Instead I was very cool and calm and very unafraid.  I have made many, many mistakes being in fear.  We have both come so very far in a relatively short time for doing it by ourselves.

And the reward?

None of the dogs would come by the pool with Brut even though he was lying down and listening.  They probably sensed what he was going to do long before I caught on.  So Brut had the pool all to himself and got to bob for treats.  And you know what?  That was OK by me, because he deserved it!

Chipmunk Chase!

A daredevil chipmunk has just enter the Back Dogs territory.  Brut, Fiona and Zappa team up to see who will be the first to catch it... 

If they can!

Or you can watch on YouTube.

You're OK, I'm OK

You're OK Mom. I love you.

Have you ever looked to your dog to see if YOU were alright?  When it feels like things are out of control or I'm worried or anxious, sometimes all I need to do is look the dogs and know everything will be OK, including me.

Black/White Sunday-Flashback of a Snow Beauty

My day as a dog

My mind was on the brink from the moment I woke up.  As I shuffled around the house with my morning juice, my mind was racing with my "to do's" for the day and I'd barely opened my eyes.  I squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to turn off the "switch" that would shut down my brain with no success.  I can't take anymore, I thought.  Four weeks of problems with our only vehicle and the last one was a doozy.  My husband accidentally set the truck engine on fire while spilling transmission fluid on the manifold.  $30 a day in gas, just to get to work and back while waiting a week to get the truck into a trustworthy garage.  Things were already tight and this put a huge crimp in the paycheck.  Not to mention the toxic exhaust fumes that were radiating up from the partially open floor board, (oh, did I mention this truck is an almost a rusted out antique?)

In order to keep my sanity about truck/money situation,  I'd been pushing myself around the house to take care of things that I'd let go.  I pushed and pushed until I awoke this morning and found I could push no more and I stared at a brick wall that wasn't going to let me go any further.  I felt totally immobilized.  Hopeless.  Helpless.

Somehow I made my way into the kitchen and to my salvation dogs, the Front dog's bed, Chance and Blaze on my heels.  As I laid down in exhaustion, Chance plopped right next to me so I could hold him.  Our usual pattern with Blaze taking her place at my legs.  Surrounded by their protective love I took a dog nap that started the course of my day.  My day as a dog.

When they napped in the sun, I did too.  When it was time to eat, we ate together.  When they cuddled

together, I cuddled with them.  When it was walk time, walked.  And when I wanted to read for a while, I read out loud to them.  Something I learned from a program at the local library that is called "Paws for Reading."  Children read to a dog that is brought in, where they learn to read and build their confidence reading out loud.  I had an entire audience right in my own home.  Although Chance must not have cared for the book too much as he left when I started reading.  The book was about three sisters. " Too much girl talk!" He grumbled and left Blaze and I to indulge ourselves.

There's something to be said about being a dog for day.  It was just what I needed to calm my weary mind and slow down the negativity that I'd felt bombarded by.  It made it so easy to forget all the things I couldn't do and share in something I could.  We all dream of being a dog for a day...why not just do it?        

Chewy.com-Orijen review-they should have fired us by now

An Understanding Company-Chewy.com

If there is a great company to do a review for, it has to be Chewy.com.  This is our second time working with them and they have been quite gracious with us.  The first time was when our two puppies from our litter died and we were in such grief that we put off doing the review for a couple of months and Chewy.com understood.

This time I prepared early, had my husband shoot our little review video only to find out a couple of days later that he never hit the record button.  Which he swears he did.  So me of course knowing that I would never do something like that, set up the recorder without him, did my review with the dogs only to find out I went through all the whole shoot to do the same thing.  No video.

So the Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb that we are find ourselves once again a month behind from when I wanted to share this review.  And rather than go one more round with the camcorder and stupidity, I figure I'd better quit while I'm ahead.  BOL!

The Product- Orijen Freeze Dried Dog Treats

O.M.D!! I thought Blaze was going to tear the bag out of my hands!  And you know it's ravishing if Brut starts snarling and fending the other dogs away!

They had several delicious treats to choose from, like Bison, Duck (which we clearly stayed away lest one of the dogs get any ideas with Luigi.  BOL!)  And plenty more.  You can check all of them out HERE.

We decided to try something new for us, Tundra Dog.  Vension, elk, quail and trout all in one treat!

And this was what made Brut growl and drool:  all natural meats and that is it!

One thing I loved about the treats is that were soft enough to break into two, but didn't crumble like most freeze-dried treats we have tried.  By the look and feel of them you couldn't tell they were a freeze dried treat.  The treats were soft, not hard and dried out.  

I loved the ingredients.  (very easy to read) and of course because of the real meat in them, the dogs went crazy for them.  I ended up having to separate them because it triggered off their food protective instinct.

Yes, this stuff even smelled good to me.

The 24 Paws give Orijen Freezed Dried Treats 24 Paws Up!!

Thank you to Chewy.com for giving us this opportunity to try Orijen Freeze Dried Treats and in return I gave this review with my honest thoughts and opinion about the treat.

Black and White Sundays

Flashback Friday- Three week old puppies

I was taking a bit of jaunt down memory lane to get my puppy fix and wonder how many of you out there might need one yourself?  

Here are the Power of Ten at three weeks old with Mommy Silver.

Have a Happy Weekend!!

We heard Thunder

So we decided to take a walk.  Chance, Blaze and I, the three of us together.  I packed up some water, some treats and our little trio headed out.  Since we are still new to all three of us walking together we had to take some "chill out" time along the way sitting under the shady trees.  It was great to walk with the pair.  It was just a great day to be out and about.  It doesn't get any better than that.

Fiona has been bummed out that nobody wants to play chase with her, so I took her for a special walk down a road we haven't been on in probably a year.  Her tail was up and I don't know if her toes even touched the ground she was so happy.  She kept me moving.  :)  And even though we were gone for almost an hour, she wasn't ready for it to end, but I know she had a great nap afterwards.

Zappa was bouncing off the walls, he knows after Fiona goes for a walk it is his turn.  His enthusiasm was so cute and contagious, I just wish my body felt the same way.  :)  I took him as well around a block that I can't remember the last time him and I have followed, though I had to cut a few corners as keeping up with Fiona had wore my legs out.  Thank goodness Zappa never knew, or I'd never hear the end of it.  bol!

Brut and I took a morning nap together after tossing and turning most of the night.  He was my comforter and rock after learning the news of from the Chronicles of Woos of Thunder's passing.  His special walk will come today as will Silver's in honor of Thunder.

Our hearts go out to the Momster and the crew of the OP Pack.  We are so saddened by how sudden Thunder's passing came.  We are dedicated each of our walks to this awesome boy.  May Thunder run free forever.     

 

Woo Woo Welcome Again!

My husband Mark will be taking the reins of today's post. A bit of Monday Memories and current events. He's a talker that boy and there's no stopping him when he's talking about the dogs. BOL! This is our very first post three years ago yesterday. We wanted to share it with those you may not have seen it. Here we are still talking about the same things 3 years later.

June 10, 2010

Woo Woo Welcome

My wife, asked me how I wanted to start out the first post of our dog blog. She was at a loss for ideas. (Not surprisingly because she has done all the blog work so far.)

All I know is what I witnessed when Brut and Silver had their first and last litter of puppies on Jan. 2, 2008 was nothing short of (lost for words) Never in my life have I ever experienced or witnessed, read or seen in any movie what began at 2:50 am when Zappa was born and continued through until Fiona was the last one out. When Fiona was stuck and I pulled her out, I was overjoyed that she was OK.

It is a high that I still have to this day. An amazing miracle of God. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about that night. It changed me in a way that I’ll never look at life the same. I thought I knew what unconditional love was before, but what I have witnessed since that night has made me a different person. It changed my whole outlook on humans, animals, simply everything. When we got Blaze and Chance back, it made me realize how short and precious life really is.

I hope this blog will be able to show and tell even half of what my wife and I want to express to people that think dogs are just dogs. Believe me my friends, dogs are much more. If you pay attention to the dogs around you, they can teach you more than you ever thought possible about yourself, the people around you and what life is really about.-Daddy

Our goal is not so much to share how much we love our dogs, but how much their love means to us. In a world that is full of cruelty, sorrow and pain, there is nothing better than having 24 Paws of Love. -Mommy

Please check out each dog’s story, (link name under picture) and share in the unconditional love they each bring.

And here's Mark (Daddy):

It was three years and one day ago that we started blogging for the world to see our life with our 2 packs of Love.  The 24 Paws of Love.  From which there is no doubt were sent from heaven above.  Even though we try to explain in words the true meaning of our life with our family words can not describe the true feelings of what our 2 packs mean to us.  There are not enough hours in the day to spend and explain what and how the love of our dogs have done for us.