Better Late than Never

 

   Today’s post is better late than never.  Last night our Internet modem died and left me on the phone to AT&T for an hour and a half.  After declaring my modem D.O.A., I was unable to post my blog in a timely manner.  Fortunately, we were able to purchase a new modem and with more assistance from AT&T, I am up and running or rather blogging!  I appreciate the helpful representatives at my local outlet and via the telephone.  As a former employee of the company, I know their job isn’t easy.  Everyone that I spoke with was friendly, helpful, and very patient.  There is nothing about me that is tech savvy, so they baby-stepped me through the process.  Now, onto today’s post!

True joy starts begins with a wet nose and ends with a wagging tail.

To Plant or Not To Plant~Flowers That Are Dangerous to Your Dog

   One of the best things about the spring and summer is the gorgeous flowers popping up and out in gardens.  Do you know which plants or flowers to avoid if you have a dog?  Some flowers can be harmful or fatal to your four-legged friend.  The question is whether to plant or not to plant.

   I love digging in the dirt, planting bulbs, and bedding plants.  Bentley and Pierre love to participate in the warm weather ritual.  They get in the beds, wallow in the dirt, and run away with those little plastic six packs once they are emptied.  Most of my flowers are perennials, so I only have to replace my container plants.  If you have a dog, it is important to know what you are planting.  I have discovered that a few of my favorite flowers are deadly to my boys, if they decided to ingest them.  Neither dog eats the flowers or leaves, but I don’t want to take the risk.  Some of my flowers and shrubs are going to have to be moved to the front yard.

   It is best to know before you sow.  When you make the selections of flowers and plants at your local gardening store, make sure that they won’t cause more harm than beauty.  To help you get an idea of some of the more popular plants to avoid, here is a list.

Leaving the Dogs Behind for Vacation

   Now that summer vacationing has begun, it is time to decide if your destination will be a dog friendly adventure.  If not, what are you going to do with your four-legged friend?

   To paraphrase Paul Simon, there must be fifty ways to leave your puppy.  We love to travel, but most of our journeys require flying.  Bentley won’t fly, because he has to go as cargo and frankly, he is insulted by that.  In addition, the beverage and food cart doesn’t go below.

Some options that we have tried:

The Number Seven

  The number seven has always been my lucky number.  I had never given much thought about the reason why.  Over the past few years, we have researched the number seven.  Here are some things that we have learned:

*There are:

7 ~ Basic musical notes

7 ~ Bones in your neck, face, and ankle

7 ~ Celestial bodies visible to the naked eye.

7 ~ Colors in a rainbow

7 ~ Continents in the World

7 ~ Days of the week

7 ~ Deadly Sins

7~ Dwarfs

7 ~ Holes in your head

7 ~ mentioned approx. 735 times in the Bible

7 ~ Lamps of the menorah

7 ~ Mickey Mantle’s jersey number

7 ~ Oceans in the world

7 ~ Stars in the Big Dipper

7 ~ Wonders of the Ancient World

And…

Seven is the number on Bentley’s hip.

AAHA and Partners For Healthy Pets

   Today, I am sharing more information from the 2014 Blogpaws conference.  I was lucky to meet representatives from Partners For Healthy Pets and AAHA.  Both of these organizations are ready to become a partner for you and your healthy pet.

   All pet parents know that they need a veterinarian they can trust.  Your vet should be

"I don't always have to visit my vet, but when I do
I give Mom this Sad Basset look."

considered one of your family doctors.  You need to have your pet’s vet chosen before you bring your new best friend home.  If you are starting with a new puppy, there will be several visits for your little one’s shots.  The question is; how do you choose the best animal care provider for your family.  If you look up the listings in your city, it might be overwhelming.  Don’t just select one at random, do some homework.

   One great resource is Partners For Healthy Pets, a committee of the non-profit American Veterinary Medical

Our Memorial Day Tribute

    Memorial Day, as you probably know, is an American holiday to remember our members of our military who have given their lives fighting for our freedom.  It was first celebrated three years after the end of the Civil War.  It was originally called Decoration Day and the intent was for the graves of our fallen soldiers to be decorated with flowers.  It was supposed to be held on May 30^th, but in the American way, we changed to it to the last Monday of May.  It’s how we get to have a three-day weekend.  The boys heard me talking about the holiday.  Of course, they had a lot of ideas for today’s post.

Me: “Boys, today is Memorial Day.  Do you know what that means?”

Bentley: “I’m hoping it means Dad is gonna barbecue.  I love the smell of grilling meats.  Oh no, are there gonna be fireworks?  Not much takes the joy out of my holiday like explosives.”

Ridding Your yard of Moles ~ Westie-Style

**Warning: Photo contains one deceased mole

   Anyone who lives with a Terrier breed knows that their mission in life is to chase and kill a rodent.  Pierre is definitely on “anything that moves” patrol at all times.  He discovered the joy of chasing squirrels not long after he came to stay with us.  He diligently scouts the yard and trees for any that dare enter his perimeter.  When one appears, he goes ballistic.  You can observe for yourself here.  So far, the score on squirrels is Squirrels~100 and Pierre~0.

Pierre: “Wait Gramma!  Are you going to tell the mole story?  Let me help you.  There are a few areas that I think could use some embellishing clarifications.  Besides, it is MY story of heroism.

Me: “I don’t know that I would call it heroic.  Our military men, women, and dogs are heroes.  You, my granddog, are a rodent obsessed hunter.”

Something About the Gleam in Their Eyes

“It is something about the gleam in their eyes.

Like their soul has seen things no average dog has seen.”

TheReturns 2 ~ Showstoppers

The Importance of Washing Your Dog's Bowl

   You don’t eat from dirty dishes, so why should your dog?  We know to refresh their drinking water throughout the day.  We know to feed them on a schedule.  That is just

part of being a responsible pet parent.  It is easy to simply dump out the old water and fill it up with fresh.  After you give them their food, it is usually time to go outside for a potty break.  Before you realize it, it is time to change their water or feed them again.  It’s the same routine day after day.  Oops, you forgot to wash out their bowls…again.  They are staring at you and eagerly awaiting their bowls to be set down.  It won’t hurt to wash them later.  You’ll remember, right?  Maybe not and before you know it, they have been eating and drinking out of bowls that haven’t been washed in a week.

Paw Prints ID

Last week during the BlogPaws conference, we were lucky to meet many amazing brand representatives.  We also received many free samples.  Bentley and Pierre were very pleased with the wide variety of bounty that we brought home.  One of my favorite non-edible items was the two PawPrintsIDs.  We met Jason Smith, who is one of the founders of the company.  He was extremely nice and very helpful.  The boys are quite proud of their new high-tech dog tags.  They insist on telling you about them.

Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog

   On the last day of the BlogPaws conference, Tillman the English Bulldog treated us to a skateboarding demonstration.  It was one of the many highlights during the three-day event.  Flat Bentley, my husband, and I were able to meet Tillman and his owner on Friday night.  They are both incredibly sweet and posed for photos with us.  Tillman is a representative for Dick VanPatten’s Natural Balance Pet Foods and has a line of dog treats.  They travel the country in Tillman’s special RV making guest appearances.  The adorable Bulldog holds the Guinness Book of World Records for being the fastest skateboarding dog.  He absolutely loves riding his board.  Tillman even has a television show on the Hallmark channel titled “Who Let the Dogs Out.”  He is very down-to-earth for a celebrity of his stature.  It is impossible to meet and watch him perform without finding yourself wearing a goofy grin.

   We were among the throngs of attendees who cheered Tillman as he raced uphill and down on his skateboard.  In this photo, you can see how he progresses on his ride.  I am definitely a Tillman groupie!

The Capybara

It is Sepia Saturday on the Bayou.  This is a fun blog hop with many great sepia photos and is hosted by Ruckus the Eskie.

 

Do You Consider Yourself Lucky?

   Do you consider yourself lucky?  I haven’t always considered myself a lucky person, but for the past thirty years, I have considered myself very blessed.  However, for the past couple of years I think that I’ve been lucky.  Okay, so maybe not win the Powerball lucky but I have been on a winning streak lately.  I have been lucky in making new friends, writing, and publishing my two books, starting Barking from the Bayou, and winning prizes!  Bentley thinks it is his lucky #7 on his side.  Pierre feels certain that it is our four-leaf clover patch in the backyard.  I tend to think it’s a bit of both.  Today’s post is an example of my luck.

Shining

Welcome to Barking from the Bayou for another great Wordless Wednesday hosted by the BlogPaws community.  Today’s blog hop is a fun way to visit and discover more exciting blogs without having to spend a lot of time reading post.

Flat Pet Bentley couldn’t resist “Shining” at the beautiful Westin Lake Las Vegas during the BlogPaws conference last week.

Who Let the Dogs Out

**This post was originally published January 17, 2014.  It is one of my most popular posts, so I thought I would run it again today.  I will have a new post tomorrow to tell you about all of the wonderful information and friends that I met at the BlogPaws conference in Las Vegas!

  “Who let the dogs out?” was a huge hit for the Baja Men in 2000.  It is still played at ballgames, featured in cartoons, and emblazoned on t-shirts.  The song was catchy and funny.  The problem is that too many people actually do let the dogs out on a regular basis.

  Many people believe dogs should be allowed to roam free instead of being behind a fence or on a leash.  I have so many problems with that mindset; it makes me want to scream.  The dangers of a loose dog are monumental, not just to the dog but also people, other dogs, and the dog’s owner.  Let’s look at the reasons against letting your dogs run free.

Mothers are a Special Breed

Thank you for spending a few minutes with us at Barking from the Bayou on this Mother’s Day.  To all of the moms whether your kids have two legs or four, have a wonderful day!  You have one of the most important jobs in the world, holding our future in your arms.  Thank you for loving and teaching them how to live a great life!

Mothers are a special breed!  Have a tail wagging kind of day!

www.mkclinton.com

Face Westie

Welcome to Sepia Saturday at Barking from the Bayou/mkclinton.com!  We are so happy to have you visit us today.  Ruckus the Eskie is our host for this wonderful blog hop.  If you’d like to hop along with us, visit Ruckus for the simple instructions.

Pierre gives us this sweet look and we are putty in his paws.

Enjoy your weekend and be sure that you remember your Mom tomorrow!

www.mkclinton.com

Have You Hugged Your Pet Today?

   Welcome to Barking from the Bayou.  We appreciate you stopping by for a visit.  It’s National Pet Week, which is an appropriate time for BlogPaws to hold their annual conference. I am having a fantastic time and meeting so many wonderful friends at Lake Las Vegas!

   My regular readers know that like most pet bloggers, I am crazy about my pets.  Bentley the Basset is our seventh dog and has a seven on his side.  He has changed my life in more ways than I ever imagined.  In honor of National Pet Week, I thought it might be fun to share the fur babies that came before Bentley. They are listed in the order they joined our family.

Dog Tired

Congratulations, you’ve made it halfway through the week!  It’s great to have you here in the Bayou!  We are joining in Wordless Wednesday with our friends from BlogPaws.  There are few words, so you have extra time to visit more blogs and enjoy their photographs.

Bentley is dog tired, because

18 hours of sleep each day isn’t enough for a Basset Hound!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!  Be sure to tell your friends to visit us at

Barking from the Bayou at www.mkclinton.com Thanks!

A Cat's Tale and More

Monday is always a great day for mischief and Monday’s Mischief recognizes this fact.  My Brown Newfies, Snoopy’s Dog Blog, and Alfie’s Blog host this fun-filled blog hop, so be sure to visit them as well as the other mischievous bloggers.

Me: “Boys, do y’all know what day it is today?”

Bentley: “Yes ma’am, it’s Cinco de Mayo.  Yippee!  Let’s eat tacos!”

Pierre: “It’s my mama’s happy birthday!  Woo Hoo! Let’s have another party.”

Me: “You are both right, but it is also Mischief Monday.  Do y’all have anything to report?”

Pierre: *waving his paw in the air* “Pick me, pick me!  Let’s tell how I saved us from a vicious cat burglar last week.”

Deep Thoughts

Welcome to Barking from the Bayou for Black & White Sunday, a great blog hop hosted by Dachshund Nola and Sugar the Golden Retriever.  It is great to have you drop by for a visit.

“This is what I look like when I am in deep thought.

Okay, I’m thinking about treats.”

                                                              @mkclinton.com

Cell Phones vs. Dogs

Congratulations for making it through another week!  You’ve arrived at the always-popular Sepia Saturday Blog Hop hosted by Ruckus theEskie.  Thanks for visiting Barking from the Bayou.  We always enjoy your visit!

 “Having a great dog is like a cell phone...

once you have one, you can’t imagine life without it.”

                                                           mkclinton.com