I recently connected with a great blogger. Her name is Julia, AKA The BargainBabe.
Her blog, BargainBabe.com offers excellent advice about how remain fabulous while keeping on your budget. I will be doing some guest posts for her in the upcoming month about how to save money when it comes to all things dog!
It’s quite surreal to be holding this impeccably designed (I can say that because I didn’t design it) book in my hand and think holy crap I wrote this!
It’s been almost two years to the day since my beautiful friend Tara who was my book agent–we’ve been friends since 10th grade (think big hair and scrunchy socks)–called me to tell me that there was a publisher (Adams Media) interested in buying my proposal.
I have to say I barely believed her.
After working in Hollywood, “interested in” something is about as good as “I’ll call you”. So while I was excited, I didn’t even really tell anyone for a few days because I didn’t think it was real!
Gladly it was real, and soon after I had a contract and an editor. After the holy s**t-momentary freak-out that now I had to actually write this thing, I dove in! Even with my (self-diagnosed) ADD, I just went into a zone. My whole life became about the book. No longer did I have to feel badly about going home early or not going out at all. I even went on a dating a hiatus! “Sorry, I may be 34 and single but I have to write.” No guilt, no second guessing. It was liberating. It was genius!
From July to November, while keeping a full-time job and of course caring for Bella, I wrote close to 80,000 words. The contract only called for 45,000– a number that I was so worried I’d never reach–but as I covered the items I outlined in my proposal to a level I saw fit, somehow the word count just kept growing. I’d certainly come a long way since college when I spent almost as much time playing with the font, margins and spacing (to make my papers seem longer) as I did writing.
Me & B
With the book’s roll out just beginning, a publicity strategy in place, and parties planned, I bursting with anticipation and excitement. But underlying it all is a bit sadness that Bella isn’t here to live experience this with me. I know it’s great that I’ve commemorated her in print, but in some ways it makes me feel my loss that much more because the whole book talks about her and us in the present tense, and I miss thinking about her in the present tense. In French, the term I miss her, Elle me manque, literally translates to she is missing from my life. And that is how I feel.
But enough with the sadness. I’m not a big one for dwelling or regret. Instead, I am gleeful about the book. I walk around with my copy like a kid with their blankie. And I am happy to have my sweet boy Ranger at my side to pick up where his sister Bella left off. As I type this, Ranger is lying by my side snoring away. He is pure love and canine happiness and I couldn’t be happier.
Ranger and his girlfriend Idaho
Now, go buy my book and tell your friends to do the same!
Like many Yellow Labs, Ranger has allergies. When we first got him, his ears were terribly infected. The doctor said was most likely a result of years of low quality food full of corn and or other fillers to which many dogs tend to be allergic.
As soon as we got Ranger, I put him on a chicken-based food that is usually good for dogs with allergies and we continued to give him treats and chews. Like his big sister Bella, he was quite a fan of the bully stick, particularly the round ones.
Initially Ranger’s itching ceased and then it all of the sudden came back with a vengeance. He was itch-obsessed. One morning I woke up and realized he also had the beginning of a rash. So I scooped him up and took him to the vet. More money than I want to admit later, Ranger had been given a medicated bath, Advantage, which he now needs to get every three weeks not four like other dogs, and he has to be on a restrictive diet– Duck and Potato from Royal Canin. It’s a food made for dogs with allergies, so it has limited ingredients which helps vets figure out what foods a dog is or isn’t allergic to.
Ranger's New Diet
Pretty much immediately Ranger began to itch less, which is great. But holy crap it’s hard not to give him anything but his food. No treats, no bribery when we’re leaving and I feel guilty… nothing. It’s like being on a diet myself!
Thankfully Ranger is happy with his food. However tonight, he found a left over bully stick. Before I could realize what he had in his mouth, he took off. I chased him up and down the stairs; all around the apartment trying to get it back from him. He of course thought we were playing a game. For what seemed like an eternity, we went round and round the couch in a game of face off. I was laughing hysterically and he was eluding me at every turn!
Eventually I cornered him and got the bully stick back. I literally shouted, bully stick in the air ”A-Ha, I got it!” Defeated, he followed me and watched as I put the bully stick on top of the fridge. He looked a little sad, and truly I wanted to give him that bully stick so badly, but I couldn’t. So as a consolation prize, I opened another can of his food, went and found his Kong Toy and stuffed it full of a combo of wet and dry Duck & Potato Royal Canin.
Ranger is now happily slurping away and I feel good that at least one of us stuck to our diet today.
This is some scary you know what. I know a lot of people who feed their dogs NUTRO….
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that the agency is investigating NUTRO pet food, following a series of unexplained illnesses and deaths. Consumers have been complaining for more than two years that their pets have become ill after eating NUTRO products; many have recovered when they were switched to other foods. The company has steadfastly denied that its food is to blame.
What's in your bowl?
Until now, the FDA has been mum about whether it was actively investigating the company. Today, the FDA’s Division of Freedom of Information confirmed the agency has an ongoing investigation into NUTRO — and said that investigation could be criminal or civil in nature. The office did not elaborate on the nature or focus of that investigation.
The investigation came to light when the FDA denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by ConsumerAffairs.com seeking a list of complaints and lab results the agency has collected regarding NUTRO pet food. The agency denied the request and said that releasing the information could hamper “prospective or ongoing” action by law enforcement.
Click Here to read full story on the Consumer Affairs website!
Ben Stein is far more than just a brilliant economist, writer, and icon of Pop Culture. He is also a dedicated animal lover and supporter of rescue work here is Los Angeles and around the world. Watch this video, listen to his message and hug your dogs! In this tough economic time, the love of a dog goes a long way…
Meet Rufus. He’s the kind of dog that the Obama’s should have adopted, but didn’t. But the good news is that you can still can do the right thing and adopt or foster Rufus!!
Rufus needs a home or foster ASAP
Rufus is losing his home in 10 days (April 25) because his owner have 5 dogs instead of 3 (don’t you think animal control should spend their time busting real animal offenders) When animal control comes back they will fine the owners and confiscate the dogs. But their loss could be your best friend!
Here is more on Rufus…
Rufus is a great doggy but due to L.A county rules my owner can not keep me. She loves me dearly, But I’m a dog that she knows would be okay and would be at my best with a new family that loves me. I’m awesome with kids, loves to play and play with other Dogs and I love to cuddle….
Help Rufus Stay out of the Pound
How good does that sound? And while it’s sad that his owners must give him up, it’s a great opportunity for a someone to adopt a well adjust dog who’s behavioral tendencies are known!
Rufus is 1.5 years old and a mix between a Wheaten Terrier and a Shi Tzu… maybe. But he’s darned cute whatever he is!
Yesterday I wrote about Bo Obama- the girls named him Bo– and referred to him as a rescue dog. I actually struggled with whether I should add the words “sort of” at the end of that statement. Ultimately I left it off and now I regret it.
While Bo was given back to the breeder, something that happens a lot with puppies (FYI a sign of a good breeder is whether or not they will take a dog back, so I am at least grateful that they found a decent ethical breeder) I realize that I don’t think their bringing Bo into the White House is in sync with what was promised– that they would rescue a dog. Sorry, but no matter how much I have been behind Obama, I can’t quite buy that a dog from The Kennedy’s chosen breeder should be consider a rescued dog.
Reports indicate that The Obamas will donate to the Humane Society, but to me actions speak louder than words, and in this case money. The donation is a consolation prize and while a nice sentiment, it will be but a blip on the Obama dog radar. Rather Bo will be around for a long time, and people will think in order to get a good, worthy dog they must get a breeder dog.
And lest anyone claim it was an issue of allergies, there are hundreds of dog dying in shelters around the country every day who are just as hypo-allergenic as Bo Obama.
I am sad and extremely disappointed in the example The Obamas are setting.
According to news reports the Obama’s long awaited dog is on its way to the White House!
AOL reports: The presidential pooch is set to make his public debut Tuesday…The Obamas have settled on a Portuguese water dog from a Texas breeder – the same breeder and doggie lineage as Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy’s pets.
The 6-month-old puppy, Charlie– the picture is not the actual dog–was originally sold to someone else, and then returned to the breeder. The dog will be “re-homed” with the Obamas and presented to the first family by the Kennedys.
I am eager to hear and share more but wanted to get the word out that the dog is a rescue.
For more information on Portugese Water Dog Rescue click here!
It’s incredibly hard to know about an animal in need and or about to be put down and not do something about it. And some rescuers simply can’t say no. They become unable to create boundaries; venturing into what’s called hoarding or collecting. The distinction between these two scenarios is subtle, but generally hoarders become unable to care for their dogs while collectors maintain adequate hygene and care–but far from what a dog needs.
Schnauzer Poodle Mix at Collector
A rescue group I work with, Lhasa Happy Homes was called to help the nephew of one such collector deal with more than 80 dogs and 120 cats that his ailing aunt has in her “care”. The aunt recently had a stroke, and is now incapcitated leaving the close-to-200 animals in jeopardy.
There are Labs, Huskies, Poodle mixes, Pomeranians, you name it and they are all in desperate need of homes and or help. They have been relatively well cared for, and most are well socialized and all things considered are pretty healthy.
Russian scientists say that Moscow stray dogs became much smarter. The four legged oldest human’s friends demonstrate real smartness such as riding the Moscow metro every morning to get from their suburban places of living to the fat regions of Moscow center. Once they arrive to the downtown they demonstrate different new, previously unseen for the dog skills. Those skills can include “the hunt for shawarma” for example, the popular among Muscovites eastern cuisine dish. This hunt scene can be seen as this:
Regular Moscow busy street with some small food kiosks. A middle-aged man buys himself a piece of hot fast food and walks aside chewing it without a rush. Then just in a second he jumps up frightened – some doggy has sneaked up on him and barked out loudly. His tasty snack falls out from his hands down to the ground and the dog gets it. Just ten minutes later, on the same place, the teen youngster loses his dinner in exactly the same manner. The modern
Russian dogs are on their urban hunt.
“This method of ambushing people from their back is widely exercised by Moscow dogs”, saying A. Poiarkov, working in Ecology and Evolution Institute of Moscow. “The main point here is to define who would drop the food scared and who won’t, but the dogs are great psychologists they can do it better than us”.
Moscow ecologists think that dogs started acquiring this habits in 1990s, when the Soviet union collapsed and Moscow has fell into the hands of new class of Russian capitalists. They understood the true value of the downtown realty underestimated by previous Communist owners and became removing all the industrial complexes Moscow had in its centre to its outskirts. Those places were used by homeless dogs as a shelter often, so the dogs had to move together with their houses, so they had to learn how to travel Moscow subway – first to get to the centre in the morning then back home in the evening, just as us people.
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