My First Giveaway! The Puppy Diaries, by Jill Abramson, book on CD

I'm having my first giveaway. Are you excited? I am!

See, I've been reviewing books and things because well, I read books and use things. I figured putting the information out there would be useful and entertaining to people. Well, I reviewed the book copy of The Puppy Diaries by Jill Abramson the other day, and then got a very nice email from Esther at Macmillan audio, asking if I wanted to do a giveaway of the audio version!  I said, essentially, "Yes, of course!"

So, how do you enter?  Comment below about one of my blog posts that you've read.

 This is my first giveaway, so I'm keeping it simple. Depending on the number of entries, I'll write 'em on pieces of paper and Elka will pick. If it's more than I want to write (or more than I think will feasibly make sense for that kind of stunt), then I'll use Random.org to keep it fair. The contest will run from today (Saturday, October 29) 'til 11:59 on Tuesday evening (October 31).

Command Clinic: Drop it

I've put off this particular command clinic because, thinking back, I couldn't actually remember how I taught Elka "drop it". It's a cue that she certainly knows, and obeys, as I mentioned in this post, when she dropped the remains of a turkey sandwich she'd found in the park. If I was already eating a turkey sandwich and told to spit it out, I don't know that I would. So, good Elka, really!

So, "drop it" is important. It can keep your socks hole-free, keep a game of tug civil and controlled, protect your fingers while playing fetch, and keep your dog from consuming hazardous things like rocks and bottle caps and the like.

Book Review: The Puppy Diaries, by Jill Abramson

Around the same time I got Elka, the New York Times had a near-weekly column called "The Puppy Diaries", about raising a Golden Retriever puppy named Scout. At the time, I didn't have this blog, a mistake I'm kicking myself for now. Near-weekly guaranteed comment (and thus perhaps traffic) on the New York Times? Say it ain't so!

But anyway, the book of the columns, with some things removed and some holes filled in, has been published.

Wordless Wednesday, October 26 2011

Hoodie time

How to Make a Doberman Mean

I seem to be a landing pad for the title question, "how to make a Doberman mean?", so I thought I'd give a few pointers.

First, you do your best to select a breeder who you think cares about the breed. You pick a breeder who health tests, who lets you see the puppies, who lets you see the sire and dam, and who provides you with a pedigree.

In the News: Return to Sender?

I read this article first on October 12, and put off blogging about it. I really hoped that I would see a followup article somewhere, but so far, that has not been the case.

The basics: a German Shepherd, imported to Washington state by a broker was bought by a man in Long Island (flown to LaGuardia). The buyer had the dog, Emmi, for only a couple of days before he realized he could not control her. So he sent her back. The seller said the buyer broke contract, and left the dog overnight in kennel before going to retrieve her.

(picture that accompanied NY Times article. Not sure if it's Emmi.)

How Noisy is Your Walk?

I've mentioned before the number of barking dogs that Elka and I pass on the way to our customary park. That's a pretty transient noise, though, nothing we worry much about anymore. Elka can and will consistently ignore the barking in the favor of performing various cues.

Once to the park, though, it's really very quiet. Occasionally there's a single bark to be heard, or kids playing in the pool or on the playground, but other than that, it's rather nature-y. Which is very nice, truth be told. Relaxing for me, few distractions for Elka, and we go home happy.