Wordless Wednesday April 2 2014

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.

Product Review: Kong Dental Dog Toy

February is Pet Dental Health Month, and in recognition of that, we were offered a KONG Dental Dog Toy, Large, Red  for review. Kong products are a staple in this house, and have been since Elka first came home, when she had her little blue puppy Kong and little blue puppy Kong Flyer (don't impose your gender roles on her!)

New toys are always cause for joy (and we've got another toy review coming down the pike), and Kong toys inspire a certain love and concentration in Elka, as will of course be seen below. Wisely, the Kong we were sent was of the X-Large persuasion; Elka does okay with a Large, but sometimes the bigger ones make her work harder and longer.

Island of Misfit Toys? No, we have a toy graveyard.

With Elka, we have toys that are "supervised" and ones that she can just have all the time. For the most part, the "supervised" toys are ones that we've gotten to review (like from Zippypaws or a PetsLoveToys box.) Or they're squeaky toys, which are not awesome when people in the house are sleeping. Or they're ropes, which a certain miss has apparently now decided must return to their original thready forms. Or, or or. You get the idea.

So, the "supervised" toys go on top of the refrigerator when she may not have them. This has resulted in a rather sad and desperate collection of things that I haven't yet thrown out because seriously, that's dog blog gold, and also because I feel bad throwing things away. But I also don't feel like I can give them to her most of the time.

Dishwasher Safe

Every once in awhile, like a mother pulling a security blanket (or security stuffed animal) from a child, I'll run Elka's puzzle toys through the dishwasher. I should probably do it more often, but really, she licks her butt. How concerned can I be?

The little Kong looks about good as new

Yoghund Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats Recall

If you're like me, you've noticed the recent peanut butter recalls and thanked your lucky stars that nothing you bought fell within that category.

I haven't bought Yoghund products either, but thought that I ought to mention it here, that the Organic Banana and Peanut Butter frozen yogurt flavor has been recalled for possibility of Salmonella contamination.

According to the FDA release:

Although there have been no reported incidents of human or animal illnesses in connection with their product, the company has elected to recall all case product of Lot Code 268 12 and earlier, cup and four pack Best By Date of 9.24.14 or earlier.
Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic, have diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets, can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
Individuals handling the frozen yogurt product can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. People who believe they may have been exposed to Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who are more likely to be affected by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS and people receiving treatment for cancer.
Product was distributed through retailers nationwide.
Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is in the recall or have additional questions may call us at 603-775-7772 x1007 between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

I've noticed Yoghund on the shelf in one of the stores around here, and while I considered it, I don't tend to spend that kind of money on ice cream for ME, yet alone Princess Elka. So, if you have bought it, check your "best by" and Lot Code dates, just to make sure you and yours are safe!

Intelligence: a two edged sword

I may or may not have mentioned it, but I do so love blog hops (you might have noticed). I get to read all kinds of new blogs that I hadn't discovered before, and new people come to me as well! One of these new blogs was Bites and Tales, who commented on last week's Wordless Wednesday and who I went to check out.

Scrolling through, I adored the picture, and then came to a post on a topic near and dear to my heart: Smart dogs.

Flourless Peanut Butter Mug Cake (for Elka)

Not only had I quicked Elka's nail while trimming it Sunday night, but when Monday morning rolled around, and we took the sock off, she was bleeding again. Or still. I think again; it looked like A LOT, but I think being freaked out about it probably multiplied the volume. Me being freaked, that is. Elka minded it, but wasn't a wreck. I just didn't anticipate it to still be a problem; I knew that Elka didn't have Von Willebrand's Disease (will post about this on Thursday. This week is just coming together, isn't it?), so I didn't think it was life threatening. But still bleeding was a total problem in my eyes.

So I called out of work. And took her to the vet, hoping they would be able to get her in without an appointment. Last time we had to have an emergency vet trip was the year before I started the blog. She'd broken her toe by getting it caught in the leash while pouncing on a tennis ball in the back yard, and the vet sedated her to x-ray her to be sure of which toe was broken. In all honesty, I should've said no, because it seemed pretty obvious which toe, and that it was only one. But what it came down to was she peed the bed, with my fiance in it, while sleeping off the sedation. So, not knowing what the vet trip would hold, I called out, so that I could supervise her and keep her from worrying at it through the day, in the belief (hope) that things would be better Tuesday.

Of course, I still felt horribly guilty. She yelped when I pressed a paper towel to it, which she hadn't on the night of the Incident. So I sprinkled some cheese on her food after we came back (armed with cauterizing powder and gauze). I kept a baggie of treats on the coffee table and gave them to her for doing things like moving out of my spot on the couch. And oh yeah, making her a Flourless Peanut Butter Mug Cake, from the Kirbie's Cravings recipe.

Tasty Tuesday May 8, 2012: Where the buffalo roam

So, after last week's Diamond Pet Food recalls, including their Friday "as we go out the door" announcement of recall expansion, we aren't doing Taste of the Wild anymore. I'm not saying that we're dropping it forever, necessarily, but definitely for the foreseeable future.

What have we gone with, you ask? Blue Buffalo Wilderness.

I actually had to sing the first verse of "Home on the Range" to remember the line about the buffalo. I hope you appreciate me. Elka did not.