Wonder Dog

Just read the most amazing article.  It is long but so, so very good.  Deep down it is why each of us feel the love and the bond we share with our dogs.

Take a few minutes and let Chancer touch your hearts as he did ours:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/magazine/wonder-dog.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all .

Happy Thursday, friends!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like -

Rose Bud's first Christmas.

CHRISTMAS!!


As we've said before, mom goes hog wild at Christmas time.  She believes that we should celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in our hearts every day - not just one day a year.  So for the entire season, we have one thing going after another.  Gifts aren't nearly as important as opportunities to make memories - and all of our favorite Christmas memories include our favorite Christmas traditions.

We've already shared that after our meal Thursday, we will head out to cut down a tree, and look at light displays.  Then Friday we'll decorate the entire house.

Each year each of the humans get a new ornament to add to the Christmas tree.  All of the dogs have one on the tree too - although we are somewhat jipped cause we don't get new ornaments each year.  With this being mine and Kudzu's first Christmas, mom has been on the lookout for the pawfect ornament for us.  She has yet to find mine but is sure she will.  She found one that looked enough like Kudzu that it would work (even though he is more red than brown).  However, we were all a little taken back yesterday when she popped the ornaments front leg off.  It was horrifying for sure.  She said she wanted it to accurately represent him - which we appreciate - but the way she went about it was so disturbing!!

It all sounds so fun and I just can't wait!

Here are some more pictures of Rose Bud's first Christmas:

Rose Bud carolling with our family.  Cosmo went too.  The black and brown dog is one we fostered that year.

Rose Bud couldn't wait to dig into her stocking - and now that I know such a thing exists - NEITHER CAN I!!!

We've already been watching Christmas movies by the boat load.  Saturday we watched A Christmas Wedding Tail on Hallmark.  Last night there was another one we missed but recorded, A Dog Named Christmas.  Tonight Santa Buddies and Santa Paws come on ABC Family!!  Those are our two favorites!!  (If you haven't seen Santa Paws, don't miss it!  It is the best  Christmas movie since It's a Wonderful Life!

We hope you are all getting into the spirit of the season too.

Walk Your Human Week & Featured Blogger!

Did  you guys know that October 1st -7th is National Walk Your Dog Week?  (Or in our case, walk your human week.)  Boy, is it a great week for it too.  Now that the daily temperatures are out of the 90's, Mom actually enjoys being outside with us. 

Today we kicked off "walk your human week" with a romp through our very own neighborhood. 

We are also very excited to be this week's featured blogger over at Pet Blogs United.  Swing by and say "hi" if you get a chance.  Thanks, PBU!!  We WUF your site!!!


Y'all come back tomorrow for Boon's Sunday Sermon! 

Dog Days of Summer Doggie Day Camp for Kids 2010

Brookhaven Animal Rescue League proudly hosted its first annual summer day camp for kids in July. With 35-40 children in attendance daily, the kids were taught many ways to be a dog's best friend.


On Monday, Lt. Clint Earls and his canine partner, Felix, provided the kids with information on how to be safe around strange dogs. They also did a demonstration highlighting some of Felix's special obedience commands. On Tuesday, Mrs. Beth Adcock talked to the children about the importance of having a plan ready that includes your pets in the case of a disaster and being prepared to evacuate with your pet should the need arise. Wednesday, Mrs. Janice Wallace, groomer and owner of The Dog House, brought the adorable Miss. Cocoa and taught the kids the importance of proper grooming. Cocoa was a big hit with her pink and green bows and perfectly polished toe nails. Later that day we were delighted to have Dr. Bob Watson talk to the children about spaying and neutering pets to help control the problem of over-population in our community. Thursday was a real treat with Marsha Jones and Jo Beth Britt and their athletic Shelties - Spring, Rocket, Phantom, Tad, Chris, and Rowdy - performing an agility demonstration for our campers. The children were fascinated by the fast paced obstacle course and many seemed interested in learning agility with their own dogs. Friday finished up the week with a Parade of Pooches where the children's parents were allowed to bring the camper's personal pets from home to participate. Children without a pet of their own were provided with a dog from BARL for the event.

Shelter manager and dog trainer, Jayne Wells, was on hand daily to teach the kids different training techniques. The kids were encouraged to go home each day and practice what they had learned with their own pets.

BARL is blessed with the best volunteers around. So many wonderful folks poured their hearts and souls into making each element of camp exciting for the children. We had a great group of camp counselors that interacted so well with the kids and supervisors who carefully watched over the details of the day helping out wherever they were needed. Each day a different volunteer provided refreshments. In addition there were several people who worked behind the scenes transporting dogs, donating ice, providing craft supplies, and so much more. Without these special people giving so much of themselves, this camp would not have happened.


The camp provided a fun forum to enhance the children's understanding about caring for an animal. It also provided wonderful socialization for the BARL dogs that served each day to help in training exercises.

BARL consider's this first camp to have been a huge success and already has plans underway for continuing this tradition for years to come.

I was honored to serve as camp director for the week and can't wait until next year!