Jessie, with Illinois Doberman Rescue

It's hard to pick what Dobermans I include in my Tuesday Tails posts (even when I put them up on Mondays). Jessie's sweet face and airplane ears captivated me this time around. I just want to put my arms around him and feed him and tell him he's a sweet boy.

(picture from IDR+ site)

All my Elka stories are new again (plus a new one)

I make the joke, somewhat seriously, that I started this blog to give the people around me a break from dog things.

I can talk about different dog topics, from breeds to training to health, longer than most people I know. It's one reason the Internet is such a great place. There's a message board for that. Or Twitter or Facebook, or another blog. I've spent a lot of time on Doberman Talk, and learned quite a lot. Learned enough that I'm able to give some of that knowledge back when new members come aboard.

Wordless Wednesday March 26 2013

Monday Mischief: Dogs chewing books

Occasionally, a red-faced dog owner brings a chewed book back to the library.

I've posted pictures of them before, and thank the good Lord frequently that Elka is not a book chewer. She's not an inappropriate chewer anymore at all, actually (/knock wood).

This latest offering is 61 Hours by Lee Child. The dog owner was doing the right thing by having his dog crated when the dog, a Rottweiler, could not be supervised. However, the dog knocked the crate against the table where the book was, knocked the book off said table, and then drew it into the crate with his paw to have his snack. So good problem solving skills there!

I asked if it was all right to take pictures for my blog, and he said it was fine. We had a good talk about dogs needing mental exercise as well as physical, and I told him about the magic of a frozen  peanut butter Kong, even if it's "just" the dog's normal kibble and not anything more treats-y.

Dogs (and other animals) know when we're sick

Well, I'm recovering from my once-a-year bout with the flu. The problem with doctors is once you feel ill enough to go see one, you don't want to go see one. You don't want to go anywhere. What happened to house calls?

Anyway. Elka was very good in the time I was sick. I'm thankful time and again that I taught her hand signals in addition to her verbal cues! When your voice goes, you still want your dog to be able to listen.

Wordless Wednesday March 19 2014

Doberman Assistance Network's2014 Flower Power Fundraiser

It's that time again! From now until April 25, you can buy a number of things to grow on the Flower Power Fundraising website in order to benefit the Doberman Assistance Network. Why "a number of things", rather than flowers?

(Persian Buttercups, from Flower Power Fundraiser site.)

Well, they have flowers, yes. But they also have strawberries, and herbs, and a vegetable garden package. And a cookbook! So if you're inclined to grow your own veggies and/or have the yard for it, check them out. The prices seem fairly reasonable, and 50% of each purchase goes back to DAN.

I wrote about a number of the Doberman Assistance Network's cases this past year. Sweetheart was one of them, and Nola with her puppies, and Roscoe, a puppy who had Parvo. That's only a few of my posts, and my posts are very few of DAN's cases. They keep going on fundraisers and donations, and it's the only way some of these dogs get any kind of help.

Ruthie, with Special Needs Dobermans

Ruthie is one of Special Needs Dobermans' newest general funds cases. She was found in Ohio, dumped at the intersection of two county roads (yes, in THIS weather, which I'm sure is similarly frigid throughout the country) [hush, Florida]. She's with a foster home through Southwest Ohio Doberman Rescue, and they speculate she could be between 8 and 10.

(picture is from Special Needs Dobermans Facebook page)

I support K9 Veteran's Day March 13

Humpty Dumpty, with Illinois Doberman Rescue

Perhaps this is a "too soon" kind of joke, but Humpty Dumpty is a 4 1/2 year old cropped and docked black male Doberman with Illinois Doberman Rescue. He was hospitalized for a full month when they first got him, poor guy!

(image from IDR+ web site)

Wordless Wednesday March 5 2014

Toy Review: Tuffy Toy Mega Octopus

Last week I whined about Twitter, and this week I'll praise it, at least a little. See, this post wouldn't have happened were it not for Twitter. I've reviewed a Tuffie toy in the past, the squid, and I follow the company on Twitter. I happened to notice they Tweeted a coupon code (10% off I think?) and I retweeted, and went to bed. The next morning I had a DM: they'd made a sale from my RT, would I like a Tuffie toy for Elka? Of course I would!

And so we got the octopus (Tuffy Mega Creature Small Octopus Dog Toy, Tiger Print ). Elka seems to like a toy that smacks her in the face while she shakes it, I don't know why. My dog is weird.