The Life of a Puppy Momma

Suvi the....fire walker?

2013-04-29T21:02:00.001-05:00

Ok, not really. There was no fire in the fire pit this evening, so it was ok that Suvi decided to play in it...

We put all the fallen sticks and branches from the backyard trees in there, and apparently the best ones for chewing were buried in the bottom. Suvi had no problem diving in {there's no doubt she takes after her parents} and getting dirty. Sort of. At least her front paws.

Ramsey's not quite sure what's going on...

MN Pit Bull Rescue Pittie Party 2013

2013-03-10T23:18:00.002-05:00

It's time again for the Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue Pittie Party! This is the big fundraiser of the year, where we help support the rescue, through donations, silent auction bids, and ticket sales to the party itself!

This year, Chad and I are donating this dog bed, made by our friend Allison at Fab Rehab Creations:

It also comes with a top, which is great if you want to use it as an end table next to a couch, etc. It would probably fit a dog up to about 30 lbs, but be most comfortable for one 20 lbs and under. It's such a sweet little piece!

So, we're attending the Pittie Party, and likely coming home with lots of fun stuff from the silent auction. There'll also be food, drinks, and lots of fun dog people. We'd love to meet some of you, and of course, we're still looking for silent auction items. ANYTHING is fair game. Sports tickets, handmade items, art, dog-related or not, you name it!

Please feel free to contact us, or MN Pit Bull (info@mnpitbull.com) if you are interested in donating! You can purchase tickets here, if you'd love to attend: http://www.mnpitbull.com/Pittie_Party.html

Thanks for your support!

Thursday, Suvi Sleeping

2013-02-02T02:38:00.001-06:00

New Year’s Resolution Ideas for Dog Owners

2012-12-18T14:42:00.004-06:00

From our friends at The Daily Dog, we thought this was a great list of resolutions for dog owners!

Top 6 New Year’s Resolutions for Dog Owners

While dogs aren’t capable of resolving anything, December 31 is a good time to take stock of ways to help your dog become healthier and happier. Below, Dr. Trisha Joyce of New York City Veterinary Specialists offers suggestions for pet-centric resolutions.

Resolution No. 1: I will take my dog on regular walks.
“It’s a well-being issue in terms of both physical and mental health,” says Joyce. “The biggest health problem dogs have is weight-related, which is helped with exercise. When dogs are acting up, which we could think of as being related to mental health, the first line of advice behaviorists give is to make sure they get lots of exercise. If you think about it, your dog lives the life of a shut-in. It needs the stimulation of daily walks to feel content.”

Resolution No. 2: I will not feed my dog table food.
Commercial dog food is formulated to give dogs all the nutrients they require. Table scraps, however, can cause serious health problems in your pet. “Table food is the No. 1 thing contributing to weight gain in most dogs, and a lot of health issues are associated with it -- from diarrhea to pancreatitis,” explains Joyce.

Resolution No. 3: I will brush my dog’s teeth.
Inflamed and receding gums can occur if teeth are not brushed, causing your pet pain and leading to expensive medical procedures. “Dental health in dogs is generally really poor,” says Joyce. A bit of fluoride just once a week helps stave off teeth extractions or difficult cleaning procedures that require anesthesia -- which can be risky, especially for older dogs.

Resolution No. 4: I will play with my dog.
“Everybody’s so busy, but your pets still need time that’s devoted solely to them. Resolve to play five or 10 minutes a day -- tossing a ball, tugging a rope. The attention makes them feel important and loved,” says Joyce. “Making that effort benefits the owner too: You’re reminded that you have this creature that loves and depends on you.”

Resolution No. 5: I will put an end to my dog’s behavior problems.
Nothing prevents an owner from enjoying his dog like persistent behavior problems. Identify any issues -- from urinating in the house to begging for table food -- that keep you from fully appreciating your pet. Consult with a dog trainer or a training manual on how to eliminate the behavior. “It doesn’t take long to train your dog if you do it consistently. In a couple of weeks, you can train out behaviors you don’t appreciate,” says Joyce.

Resolution No. 6: I will help myself while helping my pet.
While you’re making resolutions that will benefit your dog, why not think about yourself too?

Guarantee your pet-related financial health by starting a pet savings fund. Stock away a little money each month in case of a pet emergency.
Get organized. Clean out old, dirty toys that neither you nor your dog enjoy.
Make sure your dog has adequate ID, either on its collar or in the form of a microchip. If your pup is regularly on the run, this will help reduce your stress levels.
Do a good deed: Consider taking in a foster dog. Inquire at a local shelter about good matches for your current pet.

http://www.thedailydog.com
*******************************

What do you think? Will any of these be on your list? Do you have any others you think should be added??

Wordless Wednesday - 12/12/12. As Close As Possible.

2012-12-12T15:31:00.001-06:00

The theme of last weekend at our house was "Get As Close As Caninely Possible." It was cold and snowy, and the pups wanted to snuggle up just as badly as we did. Excuse the crummy iPhone photos. Sometimes it's all I have handy to capture these goofballs without disrupting the moment.

Who's Comfy? Not Momma...

2012-11-27T11:37:00.001-06:00

This is a typical evening in our house, when Chad is gone. I'm laying on the couch watching TV, and having my personal space invaded by all three snuggle bugs. (Ok, wearing a scarf while laying on the couch is not typical, it was just so cozy I forgot to take it off....)

Suvi is sound asleep, with her nose buried in my neck, breathing puppy breath so hot I didn't even need a blanket. Pablo is sleeping in his usual downward-facing dog position (sometimes his back gets sore, so he finds a spot to prop himself up and stretch it while he sleeps).

I couldn't get Ramsey in the picture with my iphone camera and the angle at which my arm was allowed to work, but she's down by Suvi's bottom half, curled up behind my knees, snoring loud as can be.

How do your dogs sleep on casual evenings? Are they allowed on the couch? Does anyone else's dog have a fascination with having their face buried in something in order to sleep comfortably (like Suvi)??

Dad with Dogs, Melts My Heart

2012-11-18T22:29:00.000-06:00

After a long weekend around here (we were working hard, and playing hard), Chad snuck in a little naptime with the pups this afternoon. When he got up, I took his place, and now neither of us is tired at bedtime...

These pups sure love their Dad, and he loves them....it melts my heart when I see them sleeping, snuggling, or playing together.

I think Chad was a little worried when he saw 15 of the same photo on my iphone today! haha. I was trying to get one where Ramsey didn't have demon eyes! It took a lot of tries :)

Do you have any good Dad/puppy snuggling pics?

Howl-o-ween 2012. They Hate Me.

2012-11-14T10:41:00.000-06:00

ok, howl-o-ween is so overused. but, cute. literally the only 'celebrating' we did this year was to buy a new costume from the clearance section three days after Halloween, and shame the girls into each trying it on. they hate me now, i'm sure of it. well, actually, i think Ramsey was feeling a bit left out when Suvi was running around the house with me following, laughing hysterically, and yelling, 'here, piggy, piggy, piggy!' - so she may have actually enjoyed the attention she got when i put it on her!

excuse the poor photos - I was trying to move quickly with my iphone, but these girls are fast :)

She has a fat head. I tried to use double-sided tape to stick it to her, which she wasn't sure about....but seriously, how cute would it be if her big floppy ears stuck out the right way??

Ramsey is way too big for the size Large costumes at Target, so the body just got strapped around her neck. Strangely enough, the head part fit her much better than it fit the pit bull's fat head.

{back story: Suvi makes a funny little grunting noise that sounds like a pig when she wants something - usually when she wants outside, or out of her room, etc. she's done it all her life, and i've half-heartedly attempted to teach her to do it on command - the command being 'what does a piggy say?' maybe some day....}

We're BAAAAaaaack.

2012-11-09T23:42:00.001-06:00

Oh my goodness, life has been busy. But never fear, the pups have remained the center of our universe. Unfortunately, blogging has not. That leaves a pretty big hole in what has been a pretty big adventure in our lives - moving to a new house, starting a business, etc.

But let's start with some cute dog pictures, and we'll catch you up on the details later!

A New House (!) Means Happy Puppies (and happy puppy parents)

2012-08-01T13:30:00.001-05:00

So this is it, I can finally spill the big news! We closed on our new house today, and we couldn't be more excited! We already have happy puppies, but they're about to get a whole lot happier because...

this will be their first home with a fenced yard. And it's a BIG yard!

It sounds silly, but when I got Suvi, and she grew big enough and fast enough that she needed to constantly be on-leash outdoors, I promised her (out loud, and many, many times over) that our next house would have a fenced yard. This dog LOVES to run, zoom, and play more than any dog I've ever met. And now she can, without a leash, a rope, and without needing to go to daycare.

And Ramsey and Pablo? They can play outside longer and more often, without getting tangled in Suvi's retractable leash. Pablo can pee on stuff 'til his heart's content (and he will pee on EVERYTHING outside. over and over again). Ramsey can chase bugs, and Suvi can chase balls. And we'll all live happily ever after.

But first, we have to get the fence built. What a debate and project this has been. 6 feet, or 4 feet? picket or solid board or board on board. chain link or wood or vinyl? We didn't want to be THOSE people that move into the neighborhood, immediately build a ginormous fence, and shut out the rest of the world. We also didn't want to completely isolate the view of our beautiful new backyard and patio from the rest of the world - people deserve to SEE this stuff! ;) Lastly, we wanted the dogs to still get to know there's a world outside the fence. So we decided 6 feet on two sides (the back, and the side with neighbor dogs), and 4 feet on the pretty sides facing the river and the road. We'll have a framed board-on-board, with accent rail - and wood (this wasn't really a debate). Pretty + functional = happy puppy parents.

I can't wait to share photos, and Chad can't wait to make new videos, and the puppies just can't wait to live in their beautiful new house and yard. Stay tuned as we dog-proof, make dog-friendly, and start enjoying, our new place.

Wordless Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - Sugar S. Bear

2012-07-25T10:19:00.000-05:00

Sugar was the first real life pit bull I ever got to know. And while I had already made up my mind that when I rescued a dog, it would be a pit bull, because of the high percentage of the shelter population they represent - Sugar sealed the deal for me.

She was quiet, sweet, well-behaved, smart, and she really won me over with the trick "show me your belly!" If you've ever met Suvi, you know that this is her most popular trick, stolen from Sugar Bear, and followed closely by "Say please!"

Sugar Bear's momma is my cousin Danielle, and she's one of my favorite people in the world. It stands to reason, then, that Sugar is one of my favorite pups. Chad and I got to visit them in Michigan recently, so I snapped a quick iPhone photo of Sugar.

She was rescued from UPAWS in Marquette, MI about 5 years ago by Danielle and Dan.

Doesn't she just LOOK so sweet!?

Maybe I'll ask Danielle to write a guest blog about her someday. At any rate, this wasn't anywhere close to a "Wordless Wednesday" but I figured I better explain if I was posting a random dog photo :) We don't need anyone thinking we got ANOTHER one!

Stay tuned next week for some big news on the blog!!

Giveaway! 50,000 Blog Views = Handmade Mosaic Leash Holder for....

2012-07-12T10:37:00.000-05:00

One month ago (June 11th), I posted a giveaway - a mosaic leash holder to be sent to one of our subscribers who commented on that post - when we reached 50,000 blog views.

WE DID IT! Our readers are seriously the best. I know most of you are here because you already knew of Ramsey, Pablo and Suvi through YouTube and/or Facebook. I'm so excited that you care enough to listen to our behind-the-scenes stories, support us (me) through the harder, negative-feedback-times we go through in this life with famous dogs, and to share our ramblings with your friends.

This is a fun process for me - and I hope to look back on this blog one day and be so happy that I've (further) recorded the memories of our family, and that I've done much good for other dogs and friends along the way. Thanks for coming along for the journey!

All that mushy stuff out of the way (I really mean all of it), let's give away some fun stuff!

The handmade mosaic leash holder below will be sent out to.....

Tierra G!

Tierra, I'll be in touch via email to get your address!

Thanks so much to all of you for reading, commenting, and sharing our fun. I have a few more leash holders (all handmade, all different) to give away in the coming months. Leave a comment below with your idea for an upcoming contest!

Pool Time!

2012-07-08T11:55:00.002-05:00

Things have been crazy busy around here, which has left little time for posting. Though, I will admit...I've still been able to sneak in a little time for Pinterest here and there...but, I finally found some quiet time this morning to post a few summer time photos of the girls.

Last week, we had record-high temperatures, and the most consecutive days over 90 degrees in the last 20-some years. The girls LOVE being outside, and I hated to watch them look longingly out the window, only to be let out of the air conditioning into sweltering heat and humidity. So I went out and bought them one of those hard plastic kiddie pools.

Only....they didn't quite grasp the concept of a swimming pool. This is how THEY used it to keep cool...

Even after I sat it in (fully clothed, as I had no intentions of getting in when I ventured outside)...they still didn't care to join me. Suvi did get her paws wet at one point, but unless she was using it as an oversized water bowl, Ramsey stayed as far away as possible....

I didn't pick them up or try to force them in, but I really wanted to! (Actually, that's not true - I did put Pablo in. He didn't hate it, hung out for a few seconds, and then hopped out and ran around the yard). The girls have no idea what they're missing out on! We're going to keep filling it up on hot days, and hoping they catch on.

Oh, P.S. - giveaway update - only 800 more pageviews to 50,000!! You can share this post using the buttons on the left side, to help us bring those views up. Pop on over to this page to see the details on how to win the handmade mosaic leash holder.

July - Dog House Repairs Month.

2012-07-01T09:50:00.002-05:00

I have no idea who dreamed up this silly holiday, but we have one reason to celebrate. Her name is Suvi. Well, then there were those foster dogs that ate the floors, too.

Things that have already been repaired, after Tornado Suvi "fixed" them:

Drywall around both the cable jack and outlets in her room.
Window trim that she gnawed on while she was teething.
Kitchen stools repainted after her first few weeks at home.

Things that have led to much, much bigger "repairs" - ie, remodeling - started with foster dogs, including Henry literally EATING the vinyl kitchen floor. No damage to him, but...
it did lead to a full kitchen remodel. You know the drill, well, as long as the floor is pulled up, and the appliances are already out of here, I should probably tile instead of replace the vinyl, and new appliances would be easier than hauling these old ones back upstairs. Oh, and may as well pull down the grapevine wallpaper, and paint. And re-do the trim. I mean, as long as the floor is ripped up....

And just a few weeks later, another foster ate through the plastic kennel bottom, through the carpet, and the pad, which of course led to needing to re-carpet Suvi's room.

Will you be celebrating Dog House Repair month?? Do you have any photos to share of your dogs' destruction? I'd love to post some (maybe before and afters??) - shoot me an email if you'd like to share! brandy [dot] lehto [at] gmail.

Contest update: 2500 views to go! Soooo close! I can't wait to ship out that leash holder to a lucky reader!

Queen Ramsey

2012-06-28T23:12:00.000-05:00

She's just so regal, isn't she? We were out on the deck in some perfect lighting the other night, and I snapped this photo of her. I could stare at it all day - she's just so elegant!

Contest Update!! We are 4,700 view short of 50,000 at the time I posted this. Share this post, check out the link below for the giveaway details, and when we reach 50,000 views, we'll give away a handmade mosaic leash holder.

Here are the contest details: http://puppymomma.blogspot.com/2012/06/giveaway-monday-mosaic-leash-holder.html

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday June 27th, 2012 - Will Walk for Coffee

2012-06-27T07:29:00.001-05:00

Chad and the girls waited patiently outside the world's cutest Dunn Brothers coffee shop while I grabbed drinks for all four of us. It ended up being about a four mile walk round-trip; and was totally worth it for the coffee! (the girls happily drank water though I'm sure Suvi would have stolen our coffee if we gave her the chance).

Pittie Pride. And a lesson learned.

2012-06-24T22:26:00.001-05:00

Today Chad, Suvi and I walked in the 40th Annual Minneapolis Pride Parade. Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue and A Rotta Love Plus team together for this event every year - it's a great way to promote another group that often feels the effects of discrimination - pit bulls!!

Suvi wore her Pride shirt, and gave out tons of kisses along the parade route. Here's a pic of her pre-walk:

You can check out more pics from the parade on A Rotta Love Plus Facebook page.

Unfortunately, it was pretty hot today. Suvi was a trooper, and made it through the entire nearly three-hour process without complaint. We learned a hard, scary lesson today though...

We've always known she's picky about how she drinks her water. She REFUSES to drink from another dog's water dish, especially if they're slobbery. Of course, two very responsible rescue groups brought a wagon filled with gallons of water and many dog dishes. Suvi would NOT drink water from them - she'd sniff, decide she smelled another dog's slobber - and turn her nose away. We kept her drenched in water throughout the walk, but by the end we could tell she just wasn't feeling right. I carried her the last few blocks, stopped in the grass and shade for a rest, and bought some water. We let her drink directly from the bottles, just pouring them into her mouth, and she lapped it up like crazy - so we could tell she was thirsty.

It was too little, too late, though - and on the way back to the car, she over-exerted herself and fell over on the sidewalk. Chad and I both freaked out - she started limping, and then just fell over. There were some city workers nearby, and they were incredibly helpful. They misted her with water from their hoses while Chad held her, and I ran (sprinted) to get the car and crank up the AC and pick them up from the sidewalk. We gave her some more fresh water, and she bounced right back. But for about 10 minutes, my heart stopped - we pushed her too far today.

Lesson learned - know your dog's limits, and ensure that you are prepared for their quirks. We were SURE that she would drink water if she were thirsty enough. We even had someone from another rescue say "don't try to force her - they self-regulate. If she's thirsty, she'll drink...." I wanted to believe that, but the truth is, I KNOW my dog...and I knew she was thirsty and choosing not to drink. She's such an amazing dog, and so loyal and trusting, that she'll do whatever we ask of her, without complaint. It's our responsibility to know the signs, to ensure we're giving her what she needs, and to be prepared. I feel like I let her down today. But of course, she's forgiven me, because she's the best dog ever.

Wordless Wednesday June 20, 2012 - Tree Swingin' Pit Bull

2012-06-19T21:07:00.001-05:00

I picked Suvi up and swung with her at the little coffee shop. Despite the look on her face here (she heard a loud truck go by and turned), she seemed to really enjoy it! She relaxed and just laid on my lap. She's so easygoing, and just LOVES being held!

Best Puppy Daddy in the Whole World

2012-06-17T17:27:00.000-05:00

We are lucky to have him - the best puppy daddy in the whole world - right here, in our house! You all probably already know this, because so many of you have been watching (or listening) to him behind the scenes with Ramsey and Pablo for years.

Just to confirm your suspicions though, here are the reasons why I think he's the best. The puppies have their own list below, too!

He rubs the puppies' backs and says nice things to them when they're sick, instead of yelling at them for throwing up on the floor.
He gets really mad when people say bad things about the pups, and would defend them to the end of time.
He tells them he loves them 85 times a day, each. Out loud.
He plays with each of them in the way that they like best. Every day.
He loves Suvi as much as he does Ramsey and Pablo, even though he hasn't known her for even a fraction of the time he's known them. There are no "step-~~children~~-pets" in our house.
He would rescue every homeless dog in the world, if he could, but also wouldn't do it at the expensive of affecting the quality of life of our dogs. So he finds other ways to help save them.

Here are the reasons that Ramsey, Pablo and Suvi think their daddy's the best:

He gives them multiple treats, daily. Just for being cute.
He lets them sit under the table at dinner time, and always gives them a bite at the end of the meal. (After he licks off the spicy stuff, so they don't sneeze too much).
He let them give him (almost) as many kisses as they want. On the face.
He worries about them a lot, and that means extra attention. (I personally think Pablo fakes sick sometimes 'cause he's got this figured out).
He buys them special toys, and always makes sure that they each have one, so there's no fighting or playing favorites.
He lets them take up all the room on the bed that they want, and then sleeps around them.
He likes to take their pictures. They like the attention they get from him, and the rest of the world.

All of these things, and many, many more are why we are so incredibly lucky to have him in our lives. In addition to being the best in the world right now, it gives us all a great sneak preview of what an amazing daddy he'll be to human babies some day. (Let's be clear, this is not a hidden message. Some day in the future, quite a while from now. But all of the same things that apply to our pups will apply then, and it's a great feeling to just know it....)

So, the pups say, Happy Father's Day - to Chad, and all of the other Daddies of human and furry babies out there. We hope you had a fabulous, relaxing day!

Oh, P.S. the view count is at just about 43,000! 7,000 more to go until the giveaway - please share!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Suvi!

2012-06-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

Suvi turns three today. In fact, "The Great Eight" all turn three today. That's the name of the first litter of puppies born into MN Pit Bull Rescue. Momma Sula was a saint, and the puppies have all grown up beautifully thanks to an awesome start with an awesome rescue group and fantastic forever homes.

MN Pit Bull Rescue Great Eight!

Some days it feels like I've had Suvi forever - much longer than 3 years. And some days...
I can't believe how quickly it's all gone by. She and I have been a team for longer than any romantic relationship I've ever had. She's given me more kisses than anyone I know, and I've trusted her more than most humans I've met. We've had our ups - like every time someone changes their mind about pit bulls because of her. And our downs - like the time(s) she's eaten the drywall.

Suvi makes me laugh on a daily basis. Very often, she makes me laugh hysterically. She makes me frustrated on a daily basis, too - but it's much outweighed by the enormous personality that comes out of that 55-lb body. I can't help but laugh and cheer her on when she carries something in her mouth, making her so proud that her head stands high, and her whole body wiggles. I can't help but be amazed at the trust she places in Chad and me, every day - the need to be as close as she possibly can when she sleeps, because she is so comfortable and in love with us. I can't help but look at her when she's snuggled up on the couch with me, rub her fat, fuzzy head, and let out a great big sigh of "good grief, I'm in love with this dog, and i'm so lucky to have someone(thing) else that loves me more than herself." I did that exact thing earlier this week - sighed, loudly, and Chad asked what was wrong. Nothing, in fact, just the opposite. Life is good. Very, very good. And as much as I love having Suvi's innate knowledge and comfort when things are less than perfect, I love even more having her as a part of our every-day lives, and getting to enjoy watching her learn, grow, and be her beautiful, crazy self. I absolutely can't imagine my (our) lives without her...

Here are some pics, of the Great Eight of MN Pit Bull Rescue, Suvi's first few weeks, and her first birthday. Feel free to wish her a Happy Birthday in the comments below!

The baby Suvi pics are courtesy of MN Pit Bull's Facebook page.

The very first picture I took of Suvi. (then Fergie). Before I'd decided to even adopt her - but who could resist that face??

Suvi celebrated her first birthday with a sibling reunion! It's her only brother Mugsy, and her sister Penny!

For Suvi's second birthday, we celebrated on the patio at dog-friendly Psycho Suzi's in Minneapolis. Hey mom, camera's this way!!

This year, we're headed back to Psycho Suzi's! They are so great with dogs, they have the most amazing patio overlooking the Mississippi, and Suvi likes the tator tots. (and mom likes the fun drinks).

Happy birthday, baby bear!! We love you sooooooo much!

Wordless Wednesday June 13, 2012 - Pablo wants to be a pit bull.

2012-06-13T21:11:00.000-05:00

This is Pablo's best impression of a pit bull, albeit a mighty tiny one!

Ramsey cheers on her (human) cousin at t-ball!

2012-06-12T21:16:00.000-05:00

Ramsey and I took a trip out to watch Chad's nephew Nolan play baseball (t-ball) tonight. Ramsey ate grass and made friends, and Nolan played an awesome game!

Great hit, Nolan!!

Gotta love t-ball :) That's Nolan, still running from the triple that he hit. Notice the ball is still in the first (?) baseman's hand! Nolan is pretty fast....

A new friend we met. Isn't she gorgeous?

P.S. The views threshold still hasn't been met for the mosaic leash holder giveaway! At time of this posting, the count was just under 40,000. Click here for details on how to win!!

Giveaway Monday: Mosaic Leash Holder

2012-06-11T11:05:00.000-05:00

Our first giveaway! Here's the scoop: We have 39,000 blog views right now. When we get to 50,000 blog views, we'll be giving away a mosaic leash holder to one of our subscribers, who comments on this post! (I say "we" a lot. By that I really mean "the dogs and me" ;))

How do you win?

Subscribe to our email list (spam-free, I pinky swear): Subscribe to The Life of a Puppy Momma by Email or sign up in the box below this post.
Comment below (be sure to enter your name. Anonymous can't win). Feel free to leave a comment about your favorite Ramsey, Pablo and Suvi moment, or to tell us about your own pooches.
Tell your friends! The giveaway only happens when we reach 50,000 views, so share a link to your favorite Puppy Momma post via email, Facebook, or Twitter. Pin us on Pinterest, whatever works for you.
We'll randomly choose a winner from those that have commented AND subscribed, and let you know via email! We'll give you a little shout out, minus your contact info, on the blog, too!

Let's just be honest - I'm planning a giveaway in order to grow a viewer base. Good news is, you already know and love us all, so you have a great shot at winning this awesome leash holder.

Now, some info about the prize: Made by Crafts for Canines, it's a 12-inch long bone-shaped leash holder with a stained glass mosaic. It's sturdy, and comes with hooks on the back for hanging, and hooks on the front for your leashes, collars, and pet clothes (c'mon, you know you have some...). It's valued at $65.00.

I'll share progress on blog views at the bottom of each new post! Good luck!!

Dog Days of Summer

2012-06-10T09:47:00.000-05:00

Well, maybe we're not quite in the dog days of summer yet. In fact, I'm not even sure exactly what that means. The hot ones? I'm redefining that term now - every summer day is a "dog day" around here. Yesterday I got a new camera lens, and took a few new pics.

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend as much as we are!

Click to see more...

And a fun one :)

Daddy's Away - the puppies will...play?

2012-06-07T14:46:00.001-05:00

Chad works out of town for a few weeks here and there throughout the year, which leaves the pups and me to fend for ourselves from Monday mornings through Friday evenings. We manage ok, but some things definitely change when Daddy's away:

I have to wake up to let the dogs out and feed them (Chad usually does this, because he leaves earlier). We have different feeding routines, and I am not a fan of the craziness of "breakfast time" first thing when I wake up. So when I feed them, they are all required to sit, give me attention (look me in the eye), and wait until they're given an "okay" to eat their food. By the end of the week, things are a bit calmer, or at least I have a bit better illusion of control....
The dogs are all needier. It's counter-intuitive, really - they get more attention when I'm here alone, because Chad and I aren't going out to eat, and I'm not occupied by hanging out/talking to Chad. Pablo, especially, is crazy snuggly when Chad's gone - he hangs out with me on the couch when I get home, and sleeps next to me for hours at night.
I have to get creative in order to manage our schedules, so evenings for the dogs sometimes involve coming to kickball with me (Pablo had a fight with the ball last week), or sometimes just to the grocery store - just to make sure they are getting enough Momma time and attention.
We take, and send, a lot more photos! I know it's bittersweet for Chad to get photos of us all hanging on the couch - he loves to see everybody, but wishes he could be home with us. So I try to send just enough to make him happy, but not lonely :)
I cannot say the words "Home" and "Daddy" within 5 minutes of each other, or there is a stampede to the front door.

Things that don't change:

I still have no room in the bed. You'd think that by removing a whole person from the equation, there'd be a bit more room for me to stretch out at night. Nope! I think the girls sleep better, though...all stretched out and comfy.

I WILL capture this on video some day. Maybe tomorrow. My absolute only and favorite thing about Chad being gone, is Pablo's reaction when he comes home. That little guy is so over-the-top in love with his Daddy, that when he sees him after a week away, he's so overwhelmed, his little body can't handle it. He cries, and flops, and runs, and finds babies, and cries, and kisses Chad, and hops all over in his arms. He cannot contain the excitement in his tiny body - it seeps out every pore of him, and it's the sweetest thing I've ever seen in my whole life. So, I will capture it some day!!

Hope everyone is having a good week! We're all looking forward to Friday evening!