This is a tale of a good idea – with a bad result.

So Friday after work, my human stopped at the grocery store to pick up something for dinner. And as she wandered, she spotted some frozen soup bones.  She happily scooped up four and after getting the contents for her meal, proceeded to the check out.  The rather glum looking clerk asked her if she found everything.  And my human – the cheerful-dog-owner-on-a-Friday-night explained that she had.  As the clerk scanned the bones my human asked “Do you know what I call those things?”  The clerk slowly looked up and stared at my human and said in a less than enthusiastic voice, “Soup bones?”  My cheerful human exclaimed “No – I call them Peace and Quiet.”  The glum clerk just stared at her and of course, my human went on to say that they were for us – and how during our bone fest, she would have some peace.  The girl just shrugged her shoulders and the woman behind her in the line chuckled – she was another dog owner.  The girl then went on to say she didn’t have a dog, but she knew that the Dollar Store sold all kinds of bones and rawhide treats.  My human figured that the girl wasn’t quite ready for the lecture on the dangers of Dollar Store dog treats laced with all kinds of toxic chemicals.  Nor did she explain that the ONLY dog related items she would ever purchase at the Dollar store were poop bags or dreadful holiday attire.  My human just responded with a cheerful “Is that right?’

When she got home she fed us and took us out and made her own dinner.  She told us she had a special surprise for later.  We knew what the surprise was – we had seen her taking them out of the bag, but we feigned surprise when she pulled them out after dinner.

Now keep in mind, this is NOT the first time we have enjoyed soup bones.  BUT – when we have had them in the past, my human gave them to us for a SHORT period of time.  Like 15-20 minutes.  She would then take them away, refreeze them and bring them out the next day.  And that was the plan.   HOWEVER….she had a really busy week at work last week.  And after dinner she was really tired.  She sat down on the couch in the DFZ, while we were in bone heaven and she quickly dozed off.  For about an hour.  She woke up with a start and we were all still chewing away.  She scooped up the bones and we all collapsed after the chewing frenzy.  Little did she know she would be scooping something ELSE the next day…

On Saturday, we had good walks and my human told us she was going to see her mother for a few hours.  The FG was sequestered in his pony sized crate and Einstein and I had free rein.

When my human returned after about 3 hours, she opened the french door in the hallway, and Einstein burst out into the hall.  She wasn’t sure if he was concerned because he had DONE something – OR because he was escaping something.  Hard to know – but when my human walked in, she realized she should have brought in a team wearing hazmat suits.  Ah yes.  The poop trail left behind when one or two have eaten too much marrow from soup bones.  It was hard to know who the culprit was – without DNA analysis. 

She cleaned up the disaster as we all watched.  Hey – when ya gotta go, ya gotta go.  Needless to say, none of us got the bones on Saturday night…but no worries – we were all fine in the poop department the next day.  And the smell from disinfectant is starting to fade…

Ahhhhh….the best laid plans….The moral of the story?  Set an alarm when feeding marrow bones – at least FRESH bones….and if you don’t – have LOTS of cleaning supplies handy….

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

So a new study just came out in Sweden, and the results indicate that humans owned by dogs have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.  So they have a lower mortality risk.   Now the benefits of owning a pet have been touted for a long time – but as with any research, there are always limiting factors.  One would assume that if you are owned by a dog, you get more exercise – which is good for cardiovascular health.  But did the people with good activity levels already, choose an active dog breed purposely?  They also wonder if by living with a dog,  human are exposed to more bacteria – and this somehow changes the microbiomes in the human’s gut.  This adjustment in the human system may somehow make humans more resistant to certain “bugs.”  I knew all that dirt that we drag in had a good purpose.

The study indicated that the lowest risk of cardiovascular disorder was seen in humans owned by hunting, retrieving and scent hounds.   No mention of herding breeds – but I think our activity level still fits the bill.  Heaven knows my human gets LOTS of walks because of us.

More research needs to be done – but who knows, maybe someday people will receive a prescription for a dog instead of a drug.  And then we need to get the insurance companies to pay for that prescription!

Of course, you know on the flip side….given our SOMETIMES less-than-exemplary behavior – my human thinks we actually RAISE her blood pressure.  Which we probably do.  And THAT’S why we try to get her to take us out for MORE walks.  Yup.  We have this all figured out.  Just call me Dr. Viktor.

Bottom line – we canines DO help humans in SO many ways.  And the benefits go both ways…

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.

Hey – remember the story of Snuppy?   In 2015, I wrote about Snuppy – he was an afghan dog – who was the first ever dog to be cloned back in 2005 in South Korea.  Well, Snuppy is gone – he went to the Rainbow Bridge just a few weeks after his tenth birthday.  But Snuppy lives on – because, you guessed it – they have recloned Snuppy.  While there have been concerns that cloned animals may have shorter lifespans, and other medical problems, it seems that Snuppy lived a healthy life – and lived to a decent age for the breed.

So now there are three Snuppy puppies out there.  I checked out a place in the US to see what the costs are to clone a dog.  Looks like they have gone down – it’s just $50,000 now.  What a bargain.  BUT – what ticked me off – the price to clone a CAT is only $25,000.  Seems like some canine discrimination if you ask me.

Clones are basically genetic twins.  BUT just because Cujo LOOKS like Cujo – their persnalities may be completely diferent.

While the IDEA of preserving a cherished pet may seem appealing, let’s face it – each one of us IS unique and that’s what makes us so special.  While humans have a hole in their heart when they lose a dog,  the arrival of a new canine kid takes up a new place in their heart.  My human said there will never, ever be another me.  “Thank goodness”.   I think she was joking.  Actually, I think she should get clones of all three of us.  Now.  Wouldn’t THAT be a circus?

Have a good one.  It’s FRIDAY! Peace and paws up!

It has arrived.  Well not officially, but we have had a sampling.  What am I talking about? Winter.  Well, winter weather.  Now I know that some folks have already experienced snow – but it was our first taste Tuesday morning.  And taste it we did.  My human took us out and while it was JUST a dusting on the lawn, we had to sample it.  Nothing quite like fresh snow!  As long as it’s not yellow.

My human is NOT ready for winter.  She had to search for her mittens And she began to panic because she has not put the snow tires on Ludwig yet.  Not that she REALLY had to worry with the snow we had on Tuesday – it didn’t amount to much and was gone by lunch time.  Still – it was a wake up call for what lies ahead!

To get you in the wintry mood, check out the attached snow dogs videos.  The first with some Bernese puppies is beyond cute…
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e859wGiFnFg

 And this one is a compilation of different dogs.  I must say, I felt sorry for some of those guys on ice…
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEutxAiytww

And then we have this gem, which I believe I have shared before.  Einstein and I in our crazy snow suits.  Looking like VERY strange creatures…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0p3YOESsQs

 And this one of the FG last winter with the snow zoomies:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyNxZdIeRGA

And of course, I MUST share some of my favorite snow pictures.  Ever.  Including one of Baby Pax…

So that’s your intro to snow.  Might as well get used to it if you live in any northern climate.   It’s that – or move to Florida.  And trust me, once the shoveling begins, I KNOW we will be hearing my human suggesting that!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Well time for a good news story for a change.  And it took place here in Nova Scotia.

A local breeder of Samoyeds went to the World Dog Show in Germany last week.  I don’t know if she was showing a dog – or if she was there as a spectator – but it was obviously a BIG trip.  Unfortunately, while she was away, two of her Samoyeds – a 7 year old and a 3 year old by the names of Faith and Alyse, went on the lam.  Poof.  They disappeared.  I don’t know the details of how it happened, but I do know that an APB (All points bulletin) was put out on NUMEROUS social media sites – including the Lost Dog Network.  People combed the rural farmlands where the dogs live – and there were no sightings.  People put up posters.  Everywhere.  And no doubt, their human was crushed.  Several days went by – with no sightings.  There were rumors they could have been stolen.  Or they got away and were shot by hunters. Things were looking pretty bleak.

And then – like in some Disney movie, along came Amy.  Amy is a rural mail delivery person who drives a postal van to deliver her parcels and had seen one of the many signs that had been posted for the lost dogs.  And as she was going about her job, she spotted two not-so-white-now Samoyeds along her route.  She got out of her vehicle and enticed the pair with a rice crispie treat, and in a friendly but firm voice, instructed them to get in her van.  And they did.  And then Amy delivered one of THE best packages EVER to one very appreciative human.

HOW GREAT IS THAT?!   Talk about good mail service!   So two escapees were reunited with their human.  And all it took was faith – and an angel named Amy.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!