Dear Dad

    Sunday is Father’s Day in America and we hope all of the dads out there have a great weekend. The Bayou Boys wanted to pen a special letter to their dad and asked if they could share it here. ♥

Dear Dad,
   Happy Father’s Day! Pierre and I felt we should get together and write this letter to let you know how much we love you. You are the best dad a dog could ask for and we are very glad that you belong to us.

World Party Day

   April 3^rd is World Party Day! This holiday was created way back in 1996 with the concept that humans (and animals) have the right to joy and peace. It is meant to support positivity and fun with a worldwide day of partying.

   Such a holiday is at the very heart of what the Bayou Boys believe to be their purpose in life. We are going to look back at a few epic parties to prepare for today.

Bentley: “This is a pic from my 11^th birthday. As you can tell, we really enjoy a party! There is always reason for cake, am I right?!?” 

A 4th of July Out of this World Adventure

Bentley: “Here at Barking from the Bayou, Pierre and I have gotten used to the deliveryman stopping in front of the house. We used to think that he was a chainsaw killer and would give him a good barking. Now that we are bloggers, he is usually bringing something really cool for us to review. We have given him permission to enter our perimeter as long as he is carrying boxes.”

Pierre: “I’m pretty sure that he considers himself a very lucky guy. I had to restrain myself on more than one occasion from using my karate skills on him. These paws may look sweet and fluffy, but don’t be fooled. I have a black belt.”

Happy 6th Birthday Pierre

Happy 6^th birthday Pierre

   I can’t believe Pierre is already six-years-old. Time flies by us so quickly. It occurred to me while I was thinking about his big day that many of you might not know how he came to live with us. Here is his story.

I'm Not Just a Dandelion

It’s National Dandelion Day 

We think it is definitely a day worth celebrating! 

Some see a weed

Others see a wish

Valentine's Day Poetry for Pups

Bentley and Pierre are such romantics that they asked to write their own poetry for Valentine’s Day. 

Go Fly a Kite

Bentley: “Pierre, guess what day it is.”

Pierre: “Is it my birthday? Will there be cake? Woo hoo, I am so excited for my party!”

Bentley: “Chill out, dude. It is NOT your birthday and I haven’t smelled any cake so that is not looking too promising either.”

How to Celebrate the Festival of Sleep Day

   January 3, 2017, is the Festival of Sleep Day and we are thrilled to lend a paw in helping you celebrate. Many people look at dogs and cats sleeping and believe it is just something we do without any forethought. This is a silly urban legend. There is a lot of time and planning to obtain the ultimate level of sleep. As a public service, Pierre and Bentley will share some of their best snoozing tips.

Choose a comfortable pillow to rest your head.

Have Yourself a Merry Christmas

♥ Happy Holidays ♥
From our family to yours,

Melissa, Skipper,

Bentley & Pierre

Some Holiday Ho Ho Ho & Matchy-Matchy Sweaters

Here is a little musical number the boys and I have been working on for the holidays. Ho Ho Ho!

Behind the Scenes at a Basset Birthday Party

   “I, Bentley Basset Hound celebrated my 9^th birthday on Saturday, December 3^rd. My mom, dad, and Pierre gave me a party. What you might not realize is there ain’t no party like a Basset Hound party! Let me take you behind the scenes at my big bash.

   We started with a delicious dinner of baked hamburger surrounded by Dr. Harvey’s Veg-to-Bowl with a few bananas added for flair. It was the perfect beginning to the evening. It looked better than what Mom and Dad ate. 

7 Ideas to Keep Your Pet from Hating the Holidays

   T’is the season to celebrate the holidays and we all have the picture perfect celebration in our minds. Of course, more often than not, something happens and the Norman Rockwell image goes out the window. You can visit YouTube for endless videos of trees crashing, presents being shredded and turkey stealing dogs. Take it from me, over the years those become the treasured memories that provide the laughter and love.

   Most of us consider our dogs, cats, and other pets family and include them in the holiday festivities. The trick is to make sure they don’t start hating the whole Christmas season.

Here are 7 things to remember to keep the 

HoHoHo in your Holidays

How to Keep Your Basset Hound Healthy

   October is National Pet Wellness Month so we wanted to share some tips on keeping your Basset Hound or any breed healthy.

Find a veterinarian that you trust.

Selecting your puppy’s veterinarian is one of your most important responsibilities. Ask friends and family who they use, read reviews, and look for the AAHA logo. You have to trust your pet’s doctor and be able to talk to them openly about any concerns that you have.

It's a Labor Day Weekend Two'fer

   We hope that everyone is planning a great Labor Day weekend here in the U.S.A. It is the last hurrah of summer and we can’t wait for the first crisp day of autumn. Of course, this weekend means two things to Bentley & Pierre…

Squirrel Season

Our local squirrels are busy running up and down the trees this time of year and Pierre is busy “terrier~izing” them. They are certain this new Bayou Boys Super Duper Squirrel Stand is the answer to ridding the yard of those pesky varmints.

Happy National Dog Day on the Bayou

Happy National Dog Day 

to my best friends. 

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”

The Return 2 ~ Showstoppers

M. K. Clinton

National Black Cat Appreciation Day

   Today is National Black Cat Appreciation Day. It is so unfair for black cats to have such a bad reputation. They are less likely to be adopted if they enter the shelter system. Many are abused or killed by ignorant people who believe they are somehow bad luck. Every child sees black cats with arched backs and hissing associated with Halloween and witches. It is time for these myths and superstitions to be put to rest.

   I was lucky to have the coolest black Manx cat that ever lived named Amos. A lot of Manx cats have stubs for tails but Amos was completely tailless. Their hind legs are longer than their front. He always looked like his rear end was jacked up. He was so much fun.

   Amos was very shy and few people ever actually saw him in the fur. When someone came to the door, all you would see was a black streak and then nothing until whoever invaded his territory left. If Amos loved you, you knew it. He was a top-notch bread maker and his purr could wake the dead.

   There was never a question about having Amos represented in my book series, The Returns. Many who have read the books chose him as their favorite character. There is nobody cooler in the Big Easy than Amos the Black Cat. He knows people that know people if you catch my drift…

Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day!

Remember, when a black cat crosses your path, adopt it!

*On a personal note, this is my two-year anniversary of kicking the smoking habit. If you haven’t read the post from one year ago, please visit Does Your Dog Think You Stink? and share it with a smoker that you love.

We are joining our BlogPaws friends for

Wordless Wednesday's blog hop.

A Birthday to Remember

*Dr. Harvey’s is a sponsor of Barking from the Bayou. I am also a PAWtner with PrideBites. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a PrideBites product, I will receive a commission. MKClinton.com only shares information that we feel will benefit or entertain our readers. All opinions expressed are my own.

We celebrated Pierre’s 5^th birthday on April 17^th. The party began with a rousing chorus of “happy birthday.”

A Special Pierre Birthday Edition

Pierre: "Why are we posting on Sunday? I thought that we took the weekends off unless it was a special occasion."

Bentley: “It is a special occasion. Guess what we are celebrating today?”

Pierre: “Ummm...is it my birthday? Will there be cake?”

Bentley: “I know that is always your first guess, but in this case, you’re right!”

Feeling Fabulous at Five!

Dog Brush Basics

   One of the most perplexing questions for many dog parents is “How do I know which brush to select for my dog?” There is no shortage of styles at your local pet store. To find out the answer, I enlisted the help of my favorite PetSmart® professional groomer, Chris. He was happy to assist me on today’s post by answering the following questions.

Ask the Expert

A Letter to Mom

Dear Mom,

   I hope that this letter finds you well. There is something on my mind and I thought it’d be better explained in writing. February is chock-full of holidays including Groundhog Day, Fat Tuesday, Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. You will notice that those are all single days and really have nothing to do with pets. Not to say that we don’t appreciate a little something on February 14^th. Just sayin’…