Friday, December 28, 2018

A Look Back at 2018

   As 2018 draws to a close, can’t help but reflect on all the things I’ve learned this year. It has been one of the most changing years of our lives.
   We sold our home in Louisiana and moved to Texas. That meant cleaning out and going through 25+ years of stuff. It was overwhelming and cathartic at the same time. People must forget how stressful moving is because they do it so often. It’ll be some time before I forget. I did learn that we could not have done it by ourselves. You can read about the move in my post, “It Takes a Village to Move.”

Thursday, December 27, 2018

3 Ways to Calm Your Dog's Anxiety

   In Bentley’s world, the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve go from Peace on Earth to OH NO!! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!!!
   I’m talking about fireworks. Those fun and beautiful pyrotechnics are absolutely terrifying to him. There is not a lot you can do about others celebrating with fireworks but there are a few things you can do to help your dog.
   We have used all these products with Bentley during thunderstorms and fireworks. His anxiety level can get pretty high and includes pacing, panting, trying to climb in our laps or bathtub. Over the years I have found using them together to be a winning combination.
Basset hound resting with Dr. Harvey's Relax

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Our Picture Perfect Gift

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas. 
We were able to spend it with our grandbabies so it was a very exciting holiday. I wanted to share one of the very special gifts that our children and their spouses bought us.
It is a custom photorealistic watercolor portrait of Bentley and Pierre. The extremely talented artist is
Roz Thompson from the south coast of the UK. She did an amazing job of capturing the boys’ personalities. Needless to say, I cried lots of happy tears when I opened it. We will treasure our picture perfect gift forever.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Tummy Tips from Santa Paws

Santa Paws wishes you a safe and happy Christmas. Having recently battled a very serious case of gastroenteritis, Santa wants to share some tips for keeping a healthy tummy this holiday season.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Dear Santa Paws

Two dogs writing Santa ©mkclinton.com
Dear Santa Paws,
   We hope that you had a terrier-ific year. Pierre and I have tried to be good boys since your last visit. You do know that we moved to Texas, right? We wouldn’t want you going to the wrong house!

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Yappy Howlidays with goDog Toys

goDog Holiday collection Santa
Bentley Basset Hound: “Ho ho ho! We are so excited to tell you about our newest toy from goDog®! It is part of their furbulous Holiday collection and more fun than any old reindeer games. You hear me, Rudolph?”

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Oh, Christmas Tree

Two dogs decorating tree
Oh, Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches.
Oh, Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree
Why do we suddenly need to pee?

Friday, December 14, 2018

Our Poor Little Guy

Westie dog
   Hey y’all. This has been a tough week for us here on the Bayou. We are just now feeling confident enough to share what has been going on because Pierre is doing better. To be honest, we weren’t sure if that was going to be the case.
   Early Monday morning Pierre’s stomach began making noise. That is not unusual, so I gave him one Omeprazole over-the-counter acid reducer. It usually works quickly and once he eats, all is good. Not this time.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Barking from the Bayou Turns 5

   It is difficult to believe that five years have passed since we decided to become Barking from the Bayou. I have learned so much since that December 13, 2013 when we went from a writer’s blog to a dog lifestyle blog.
   Of course, that gave the Bayou Boys a job that includes testing toys, treats, and lots of other dog products. They think it’s a great gig and are looking forward to many more years of sharing their opinions with all of you. They have a few more before Christmas and are excited for 2019.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Tuesday Fun

We are sharing some of our favorite memes today because we all could use a laugh to help us through the day.
two dogs with their tongues out

Friday, December 7, 2018

President Bush Funeral Train

   This is not a usual post for us at Barking from the Bayou but December 12, 2018, was not our usual day. President George H. W. Bush was a proud Houstonian and the city has been honoring and remembering him all week. There have been some very moving tributes by politicians, sports figures, celebrities, and regular citizens who knew him. 

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Where Are My Gifts?

We have finished decorating for the holidays and it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the Bayou! We put the tree up in my office. 

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

The Fabulous Furballz

goDog multi-color Furballz
Bentley: “The Bayou Boys love a good toy. One of our favorites has to be the Furballz from the amazing goDog® division of Worldwise. They make the best most durable toys that we have ever tried and believe me, we have more toys than most pet shops! (Pssst...Don’t tell Mom I said that, or she might get some silly idea about clearing out the toy box)"

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Welcome to My 11th Birthday Party

Bentley: “Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes. It really means a lot to me. My 11th birthday was a lot of fun. We all went for a walk in the afternoon around our neighborhood. Mom brushed me for an extra-long time because she knows how much I love it. Mom and Dad both gave me lots of hugs and belly rubs. Add some yummy cookie with ice cream and it was a perfect day!
Basset wearing birthday cake hat
 I promised to share some of the pictures from my birthday party so I hope you enjoy these. I’ll be your moderator for the festivities.

Monday, December 3, 2018

Happy 11th Birthday Bentley

   It’s my birthday and as you can tell, I’m thrilled to be turning 11 years old.
   Seriously, this senior dog still feels like a pup most days. Mom and Dad make sure I always have great food from Dr. Harvey’s which is very important to my overall health. Playing is an important key to staying young so I get some running and chasing in each day. Having Pierre around has definitely helped keep me spry! He can sometimes be a typical little brother but I don’t know what I’d do without him.