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