or should I say, food dishes?
If you've been a reader of "At A Glacial Pace" you will probably have figured out that I can be a little, persistent, bugger. When I get an idea, I run with it and try to figure out if it's feasible or not. Recently, I've had a few such ideas, but the one that I have not laid to rest is the idea of feeding Glacier and Roscoe something healthier. Glacier doesn't seem to be bothered by what he eats. In fact, he once ate seven Brillo pads and threw them up three weeks later in a compacted ball of steel wool. Yes, I was freaking out. Needless to say, Glacier is not only Mr. Jaws of Steel, but Mr. Stomach of Steel as well; quite literally. That doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve a good diet though.
As for Roscoe, I cleaned out his ears yesterday as is our routine and I pulled little bits of dried up ear wax out of his ears. His ears also smell quite badly and his fur is still coarse and falling out as if he were blowing his coat. Since we are moving in less than two weeks across the world, I am not going to do anything drastic right now because that may upset both dogs' systems even more than the stress of moving will. That said, I've decided to do a bit of experimenting and this morning was my first step in feeding my boys a healthier diet.
First of all, since returning to SC Glacier has not been eating Orijen because there are only two places in the entire state of SC that sells the food and of course, they are nowhere near us. So, he's been switched back to a middle ground food that he was eating before we left. The only difference I have noticed is that his bowel movements are much larger and that his coat may be a bit coarser, but I am not entirely sure. As I've mentioned several times before, Roscoe's ears/breath stinks, he has an over production of ear wax, he drools like crazy and he's shedding like it's spring time. Yesterday I furminated both dogs and was completely blown away at the amount of fur that came off of Roscoe. It was this brushing that got me to thinking; why not try to improve the quality of commercial food they are ingesting by sprucing it up a bit?
I wouldn't say I'm starting them on a raw diet or that what I fed them was a raw diet. I would call it an improvement diet. I didn't have a protein source that would be good for the boys, so I still fed them their kibble, but added in a few extra tasty tidbits to hopefully help Roscoe battle his allergies.
First thing's first, I know dogs do not need vegetables or fruit, but I also know that it won't hurt them either. Fruit and vegetables can add vitamins and minerals to your dog's diet that they otherwise would not get. A lot of what I have read has also said that dogs do not digest vegetables to the full capacity unless they are slightly boiled or blended into oblivion. So, I busted out the rice cooker, put a bit of water in the bottom with about a cup of carrots and set that to lightly boiling. I then cracked an egg into each dish. I had thought about adding the egg shells as they are an excellent source of calcium, but I didn't have a grinder and so wasn't sure if the shells would cause tears in the dogs' esophagus or intestines: it seems highly unlikely, but I am not taking any chances. Something for further research. I also cored and chopped up half of an apple into tiny pieces and added them to the bowls. Once the carrots were "lightly boiled" I scooped them into each dish and poured the water over the mixture. Boiling can leech some of the vitamins out of the vegetables and so I figured the water couldn't hurt. Plus, it's so hot here that any kind of hydration would be good for Glacier and Roscoe.
Once I had my concoction in their dishes, I dumped a cup of their regular kibble over it. This isn't ideal as it does not eliminate the food that Roscoe is reacting to, but it reduces the amount he is eating with the added benefit of the other foods that I mixed in. I was going to use a bit of cottage cheese for calcium/protein/vitamins and blueberries for antioxidants, but the cheese had gone bad and I couldn't find the blueberries in the freezer.
In the grand scheme of things, it's a very small step as the protein source and elimination of commercial foods/treats seems to be the stress of the raw feeding regiments, but I think it's worth a shot. Perhaps I can pick up some canned salmon and plain yogurt the next time we are at the grocery store to add to the mix of healthier options and the kibble. If this small change can make a difference for Roscoe's allergies, then I think it's sustainable. I'm still a bit squeamish about handling raw meat and feeding it to the boys (we have no idea how big our flat is going to be and so having a crate they can have dinner in may be out of the question), so for now, I'll keep experimenting and hoping that less kibble and more other tastiness will give Roscoe some relief from his itchy, smelly ears.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Blog of Interest
If you have an interest in Paralympic sport-running to be exact-then one of my good friend's blog may be of interest to you. Incredibly articulate, amusing and informative, the blog chronicles his experience as an active elite athlete, preparing for the 2012 Games to be held in London England. Some of the blog may seem like jibberish since he talks about the sets he is running and such, but for the most part a person without an athletic background could appreciate what he is talking about. So, if you have some extra time and would like an interesting read go over
and check it out.
Saying Good-bye to The South
Last night Mr. K and I went out with a few friends for supper and it got me to thinking about our move. Actually, we hardly do anything these days without me thinking about our move, but a few outings have made me think about the things that I will miss about living in The South. Despite my complaints of inaccessibility and other things, certain parts of The South are charming. So, here is, in no particular order, a list of things that I will miss about living in South Carolina.
1. Sweet Tea: there's nothing like it and there's no way to really describe it, but that it's sweet and tastes fantastic on a hot day-and since it's nearly always hot in The South, it is an appropriate drink.
2. How a grown woman will still call her father "daddy" and the grown men call every strange woman "ma'am" as he holds the door open for her.
3. The locus singing at night. The South have some scary bugs, but some of them sing so nicely when it's hot outside-it's very comforting.
4. The food: you get so much of it and nine times out of ten it is so delicious you can't stop eating.
5. The smell of the air at night, just after the sun has gone down. It's weird; I can't really explain it, but it's sort of sweet. You'd think living in such a car dependent city that everything would stink of pollution, but it doesn't.
6. A particular kind of Southern accent: the deeper into the state you go, the prettier the accent is. When we had our tour of the historical house last weekend, our tour guide's accent was quite enjoyable. One of our friend's grandpa's the same-when they talk, it's what you think the old guy sitting on his front porch, enjoying the sunset in the South should sound like. If that makes sense at all. :)
7. All of the different birds that live down here. Half of them I couldn't tell you what they were by their song, but others are common up North as well like the Blue Jay or the Mourning Dove. It's just so interesting to me that so many different species can live in the same geographical location and yet still thrive in a completely different environment elsewhere.
8. The history: everywhere you go, there is something historical that happened there. That said, I am moving to a place that is even richer in history since it is way older. But, it's a different kind of history and it is very interesting.
9. The little expressions that make it The South. I.E., "cut it on;" this means to turn something on like the car or AC. "Cut it off;" obviously means to shut the object off. "Up in;" in reference to something being in somewhere. Basically, I hear
"there's a dog up in the mall."
Of course you can't escape "ya'll." Mr. K has even started saying it. And many, many other phrases that are unique to the South-or at least I think they are because I am from Canada and don't know any better. :)
10. The strength of the people here. It's more of a feeling you get than any one experience you can point out, but any population who can live in 100 D.G F weather for three months and still smile are "some dang strong" people if you ask me. :)
1. Sweet Tea: there's nothing like it and there's no way to really describe it, but that it's sweet and tastes fantastic on a hot day-and since it's nearly always hot in The South, it is an appropriate drink.
2. How a grown woman will still call her father "daddy" and the grown men call every strange woman "ma'am" as he holds the door open for her.
3. The locus singing at night. The South have some scary bugs, but some of them sing so nicely when it's hot outside-it's very comforting.
4. The food: you get so much of it and nine times out of ten it is so delicious you can't stop eating.
5. The smell of the air at night, just after the sun has gone down. It's weird; I can't really explain it, but it's sort of sweet. You'd think living in such a car dependent city that everything would stink of pollution, but it doesn't.
6. A particular kind of Southern accent: the deeper into the state you go, the prettier the accent is. When we had our tour of the historical house last weekend, our tour guide's accent was quite enjoyable. One of our friend's grandpa's the same-when they talk, it's what you think the old guy sitting on his front porch, enjoying the sunset in the South should sound like. If that makes sense at all. :)
7. All of the different birds that live down here. Half of them I couldn't tell you what they were by their song, but others are common up North as well like the Blue Jay or the Mourning Dove. It's just so interesting to me that so many different species can live in the same geographical location and yet still thrive in a completely different environment elsewhere.
8. The history: everywhere you go, there is something historical that happened there. That said, I am moving to a place that is even richer in history since it is way older. But, it's a different kind of history and it is very interesting.
9. The little expressions that make it The South. I.E., "cut it on;" this means to turn something on like the car or AC. "Cut it off;" obviously means to shut the object off. "Up in;" in reference to something being in somewhere. Basically, I hear
"there's a dog up in the mall."
Of course you can't escape "ya'll." Mr. K has even started saying it. And many, many other phrases that are unique to the South-or at least I think they are because I am from Canada and don't know any better. :)
10. The strength of the people here. It's more of a feeling you get than any one experience you can point out, but any population who can live in 100 D.G F weather for three months and still smile are "some dang strong" people if you ask me. :)
Friday, August 05, 2011
Fun Fact Friday
A while back I mentioned that I've started a small business/ complete with website. I was not going to tell you about it yet as it is still under construction and there is not an accessible format. It is built entirely through Flash and that will make a screen reader very angry, but I did want to tell you about it and see what you have to say. So, I do apologise to my screen reader user friends. There will be an accessible form designed since that is something I do feel strongly about.
Fifteen Facts About My Mystery Business
1. It is called Furdemonium. Yep, that is the title. Be forewarned that the website is not done yet.
2. The idea came to me as I was browsing the internet reading about different rescues and the animals' surrender/rehoming stories. It dawned on me that often people get pets they are not prepared for or know nothing about and need a resource to assist them to make it easier for both them and the animals. This also stems from my own rehoming experience. I hope with my services that I am able to reduce the amount of rehoming/surrendering that happens by being proactive instead of reactive.
3. So, what is this business? I am a Pet Consultant. Yeesh, it sounds silly putting it out there like that, but my main service is providing people with information about different kinds of pets and whether or not that kind is right for them. I.E., dog VS. cat, Labrador VS. Collie.
4. I have been spending a lot of time on the internet as of late trying to make contact with people I could refer my clients to-when I get some. I am always surprised at who doesn't respond and then who does.
5. We want the Welcome photo to be of Glacier sitting under Big Ben.
6. I would like to feature an animal weekly who is in need of a home-kind of like how a lot of the blogging community does. I haven't heard back from any rescue organisations so far.
7. I thought Mr. K would say no and tell me I was crazy, but he actually built the website for me. What a patient, amazing man.
8. All of the products I have reviewed, or will review, have been used by me and my dogs and/or cats. If another person were to write an article for the site about a product, I would want them to have had experience with it...and then I'd probably go use it as well before the article was published. LOL
9. I've talked to Newtrix-the only head collar I really like for several reasons-and there is only one supplier in the whole of the UK. Once my business is sustainable/stable, I will be supplying Newtrix to the UK as well. I am very excited about this. (If you are a service dog user and you would like to use a Newtrix with your dog, contact them and tell them you have a service dog. They will sell the head harness to you for 25 dollars instead of the 40 dollars regular price).
10. I feel very strange promoting my business and probably won't talk much about it again once I have the website for you. I feel like my blog is a personal place and business does not belong here. I figured this out after writing half of today's post. LOL
11. Going back to Mr. K's wonderful web designing skills-he said he will be able to "decorate" my site for holidays like Halloween and Christmas. I might even jazz it up a bit for Glacier and Roscoe's birthdays. I love little personal touches like that.
12. One of the other services I provide is party planning. I am extremely excited about this service as I had such a great time planning the puppy shower and Jetta's birthdays and retirement parties. I have so many ideas swimming around in my head!
13. I am so excited to have the opportunity to develop one of my passions into a career. It may be slow moving, but I can't wait to see where Furdemonium will bring me. Well, not just me-Glacier, Roscoe and Mr. K too. :)
14. Any feedback is always welcome.
15. And, the moment you all have been waiting for...the link! Okay, perhaps you haven't been waiting for it, but here it is anyway. Furdemonium can be found
here.
Happy viewing and happy Friday. :)
Fifteen Facts About My Mystery Business
1. It is called Furdemonium. Yep, that is the title. Be forewarned that the website is not done yet.
2. The idea came to me as I was browsing the internet reading about different rescues and the animals' surrender/rehoming stories. It dawned on me that often people get pets they are not prepared for or know nothing about and need a resource to assist them to make it easier for both them and the animals. This also stems from my own rehoming experience. I hope with my services that I am able to reduce the amount of rehoming/surrendering that happens by being proactive instead of reactive.
3. So, what is this business? I am a Pet Consultant. Yeesh, it sounds silly putting it out there like that, but my main service is providing people with information about different kinds of pets and whether or not that kind is right for them. I.E., dog VS. cat, Labrador VS. Collie.
4. I have been spending a lot of time on the internet as of late trying to make contact with people I could refer my clients to-when I get some. I am always surprised at who doesn't respond and then who does.
5. We want the Welcome photo to be of Glacier sitting under Big Ben.
6. I would like to feature an animal weekly who is in need of a home-kind of like how a lot of the blogging community does. I haven't heard back from any rescue organisations so far.
7. I thought Mr. K would say no and tell me I was crazy, but he actually built the website for me. What a patient, amazing man.
8. All of the products I have reviewed, or will review, have been used by me and my dogs and/or cats. If another person were to write an article for the site about a product, I would want them to have had experience with it...and then I'd probably go use it as well before the article was published. LOL
9. I've talked to Newtrix-the only head collar I really like for several reasons-and there is only one supplier in the whole of the UK. Once my business is sustainable/stable, I will be supplying Newtrix to the UK as well. I am very excited about this. (If you are a service dog user and you would like to use a Newtrix with your dog, contact them and tell them you have a service dog. They will sell the head harness to you for 25 dollars instead of the 40 dollars regular price).
10. I feel very strange promoting my business and probably won't talk much about it again once I have the website for you. I feel like my blog is a personal place and business does not belong here. I figured this out after writing half of today's post. LOL
11. Going back to Mr. K's wonderful web designing skills-he said he will be able to "decorate" my site for holidays like Halloween and Christmas. I might even jazz it up a bit for Glacier and Roscoe's birthdays. I love little personal touches like that.
12. One of the other services I provide is party planning. I am extremely excited about this service as I had such a great time planning the puppy shower and Jetta's birthdays and retirement parties. I have so many ideas swimming around in my head!
13. I am so excited to have the opportunity to develop one of my passions into a career. It may be slow moving, but I can't wait to see where Furdemonium will bring me. Well, not just me-Glacier, Roscoe and Mr. K too. :)
14. Any feedback is always welcome.
15. And, the moment you all have been waiting for...the link! Okay, perhaps you haven't been waiting for it, but here it is anyway. Furdemonium can be found
here.
Happy viewing and happy Friday. :)
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Mr. K's Photo Adventure
So, since Mr. K is my hubby, I feel that I should promote his photo blog. Well, it's mostly a photo blog. Every once in a while he will write a post, but for the most part he posts photos of his/our various outings. He started the blog in order to chronicle our move/life in Scotland, but he has already started putting pictures up. Did I mention that he's the photographer? Pretty impressive for a totally blind man. :)
Anyway, feel free to go over and check it out. His blog, Blind Guy's Life can be found
here.
Check back often as he updates quite frequently. Happy viewing. :)
Anyway, feel free to go over and check it out. His blog, Blind Guy's Life can be found
here.
Check back often as he updates quite frequently. Happy viewing. :)
The World is My Oyster...and I'm Moving to Scotland!
Today marks our two week countdown to our big move. I woke up this morning to Glacier poking me with his cold nose and Roscoe dancing around grumbling in his Roscoe way. I groggily stumbled out of bed, down the stairs and over to the dogs' food closet and then it hit me: we have two weeks left! Two weeks is not a long time. It is amazing how a crazy idea discussed sitting at a Tim Horton's during the Christmas holidays has become a reality. Who would have thought eight months ago that I'd be selling off/giving away pretty much everything I own to embark on one of the largest adventures of my life. I thought people got married and settled down. I think that is why I was so afraid of marriage for so long. I wasn't, and am not, ready to "settle down," in the "you must stay in one spot" sense. Fortunately for me, I found the right guy who is willing to sell/give away most of his possessions to experience this incredible opportunity with me. I couldn't be happier.
Yesterday we had a fabulous birthday dinner at a friends' house. The meal was quite hardy, as they are in The South, and the home made peach pie was delicious. I even got a cake with a burning match in place of a candle. We had a great evening just chatting and laughing. Earlier in the day I had been a bit stressed just thinking about everything we still needed to do, but our conversation turned to our "to do" list and the whole family offered to help us. They are willing to haul stuff to Good Will for us; sell some of the bigger items like the dryer if we can't sell them before we leave; ship a box over with smaller more keep sake type items; clear our place out once we've left; clean the place after we leave...the list could go on. I was incredibly touched by their generosity and a wave of relief washed over me. I woke up this morning feeling much lighter and a lot less stressed. I feel like we have a better game plan now and a support network to help us reach our goal. They even offered to come over two days before we leave and help us pack everything. Again, I am so grateful-there is just so much stuff and so little space to squish it all in to that I had no idea where to start.
I also got Roscoe and Glacier's appointment to have their paperwork "endorsed" moved to an earlier time and that makes me feel so much better. We have to send the documents over to Animal Reception in London before we leave and they will send us a pre-approval letter back. Our original appointment would not have given us much time before our departure and I was concerned that the letter would not reach us before we left. The pre-approval letter has to be presented to the Airline before leaving the United States and I was worried that we wouldn't even be able to leave.
Glacier and Roscoe's "safety" harnesses have also arrived. Richard, from Leader Dogs for the Blind, filled me in on what style of harness we needed to purchase and Mr. K and I were able to find them on Amazon. Mr. K just has to walk over to the apartment complex's main office to pick them up and we'll be able to try them on. These two new developments make me feel a bit more at ease.
A friend, one of the people who offered to help us out last night, is going to run us to find a larger suitcase tonight. Mr. K and I figure we're already going to get charged for an over sized bag, so why only be over by two pounds? We have "space saver" bagged some of our linens already and when I tried to fit it into our luggage yesterday, we realised very quickly that the suitcases are much too small. So, "a shopping we will go."
With help available and the dogs' stuff becoming more organised, I had an overwhelming feeling of grattitude this morning. Oh, and of excitement too. It's a little scary to think that in just over two weeks I'll be roaming the streets of a completely different country on a completely different continent, but I guess that is a part of the thrill of it all. As that old saying goes,,
"The world is my oyster."
Yesterday we had a fabulous birthday dinner at a friends' house. The meal was quite hardy, as they are in The South, and the home made peach pie was delicious. I even got a cake with a burning match in place of a candle. We had a great evening just chatting and laughing. Earlier in the day I had been a bit stressed just thinking about everything we still needed to do, but our conversation turned to our "to do" list and the whole family offered to help us. They are willing to haul stuff to Good Will for us; sell some of the bigger items like the dryer if we can't sell them before we leave; ship a box over with smaller more keep sake type items; clear our place out once we've left; clean the place after we leave...the list could go on. I was incredibly touched by their generosity and a wave of relief washed over me. I woke up this morning feeling much lighter and a lot less stressed. I feel like we have a better game plan now and a support network to help us reach our goal. They even offered to come over two days before we leave and help us pack everything. Again, I am so grateful-there is just so much stuff and so little space to squish it all in to that I had no idea where to start.
I also got Roscoe and Glacier's appointment to have their paperwork "endorsed" moved to an earlier time and that makes me feel so much better. We have to send the documents over to Animal Reception in London before we leave and they will send us a pre-approval letter back. Our original appointment would not have given us much time before our departure and I was concerned that the letter would not reach us before we left. The pre-approval letter has to be presented to the Airline before leaving the United States and I was worried that we wouldn't even be able to leave.
Glacier and Roscoe's "safety" harnesses have also arrived. Richard, from Leader Dogs for the Blind, filled me in on what style of harness we needed to purchase and Mr. K and I were able to find them on Amazon. Mr. K just has to walk over to the apartment complex's main office to pick them up and we'll be able to try them on. These two new developments make me feel a bit more at ease.
A friend, one of the people who offered to help us out last night, is going to run us to find a larger suitcase tonight. Mr. K and I figure we're already going to get charged for an over sized bag, so why only be over by two pounds? We have "space saver" bagged some of our linens already and when I tried to fit it into our luggage yesterday, we realised very quickly that the suitcases are much too small. So, "a shopping we will go."
With help available and the dogs' stuff becoming more organised, I had an overwhelming feeling of grattitude this morning. Oh, and of excitement too. It's a little scary to think that in just over two weeks I'll be roaming the streets of a completely different country on a completely different continent, but I guess that is a part of the thrill of it all. As that old saying goes,,
"The world is my oyster."
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
How many Years is That in Dog Years?
Good morrrrrning dear furriends.
It is I, Glacier, your friendly neighbourhood party animal. My girl doesn't know it, but I have taken overrrrr this bloggie thingy this morrrrrrning because I want to wish her a verrrrrry happy birrrrrthday. Dad says she's 28 in humans years. I think that means she is verrrry old in dog years. What do you think? But then again, she doesn't act old. She still runs and plays and jumps and plays tug like she's supposed to. She can even do the stairs without help. Hmmm, I wonder what is about you two legged creatures that make you old without acting old. I am confused...
What I am not confused about is that I love my girl and I verrrrry much hope she has a lovely day. I made sure to wake her up by performing Gopher. This always makes her laugh. I sit on my bum and put my two paws up and rest them on a human's arms, legs or a chair. Usually this maneuver is necessary to get someone to hold still so I can give them kisses, but I knew today was verrrrry special. So, I did Gopher by placing my paws on the edge of her bed, just to hear my girl laugh. It was her first laugh of her birrrrrrthday. Dad made her breakfast this morning and made her laugh too-he is a goofy guy. I'm sure she will have many more because she will get cake tonight-wait! Do I get cake? This is something I must investigate. Hmmmm, I must go investigate that now!
It is I, Glacier, your friendly neighbourhood party animal. My girl doesn't know it, but I have taken overrrrr this bloggie thingy this morrrrrrning because I want to wish her a verrrrrry happy birrrrrthday. Dad says she's 28 in humans years. I think that means she is verrrry old in dog years. What do you think? But then again, she doesn't act old. She still runs and plays and jumps and plays tug like she's supposed to. She can even do the stairs without help. Hmmm, I wonder what is about you two legged creatures that make you old without acting old. I am confused...
What I am not confused about is that I love my girl and I verrrrry much hope she has a lovely day. I made sure to wake her up by performing Gopher. This always makes her laugh. I sit on my bum and put my two paws up and rest them on a human's arms, legs or a chair. Usually this maneuver is necessary to get someone to hold still so I can give them kisses, but I knew today was verrrrry special. So, I did Gopher by placing my paws on the edge of her bed, just to hear my girl laugh. It was her first laugh of her birrrrrrthday. Dad made her breakfast this morning and made her laugh too-he is a goofy guy. I'm sure she will have many more because she will get cake tonight-wait! Do I get cake? This is something I must investigate. Hmmmm, I must go investigate that now!
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Introducing Purple Squirrel!!!
As everyone knows by now, Glacier is a toy monster. He can destroy pretty much anything and eventually he will do so. There have been a select few toys that have held up to his jaws of steel, even the Square Ball from Toughies has finally been defluffed. But there has been one toy that has held up through everything. It was one of the first toys I bought Glacier when I first got him back in 2008 and that wonderful toy is still with us today. Actually, it's the only toy that is still with us today. Meet Squirrel Dude by Premier. which can be found
here.
The toy is a purple squirrel with his arms clasped across his chest, clutching a giant nut. It is a treat dispensing toy and Glacier is now chasing it about our very empty living room, trying to make his breakfast fall out. There is a hole located in the bottom of the toy where you put the treats and this hole is semi-closed by four little rubber prongs that kind of block the opening. These little prongs are meant to make getting the treats out more challenging. At first, getting the Squirrel Dude to dispense treats was a pain in my rear, but with a bit of creative thinking, the toy has been irreplaceable. There are two ways around the prongs.
1. Use kibble instead of treats. The kibble actually fall out whereas treats are too big and get stuck in Squirrel Dude.
or
2. Trim the prongs. You can clip them to make the hole a bit bigger and allow for treats to actually come out.
I personally choose to leave the prongs longer and just use kibble. It's a good way to dispense breakfast, as it is doing right now, and kibble are lower in fat than treats. The only downfall of Squirrel Dude is the filling time. Putting Glacier's breakfast into Squirrel Dude takes much longer than just dumping it into the bottom of the Kong Wobbler, but we gave our Kong Wobbler away. So, Squirrel Dude it is.
Squirrel Dude has been chewed on, tugged, tossed and chased inside and out and it has still held up. There are a few nicks on the bottom where Glacier tried to chew it apart, but they are barely visible. The best part is that Squirrel Dude comes in a bunch of different sizes, so dogs from small to extra large can have fun. I would also like to point out that its effectiveness as a dog toy is not its only perk-the thing is kind of cute and it's purple; the best colour out there.
So, if you are looking for a toy that will challenge your dog's brain and chewing power, the Squirrel Dude is right for you. It was definitely right for us since it's the only toy that has lasted longer than six months in our house. And I think it will be making a trip across the "pond" to our new home in honour of its survivability.
here.
The toy is a purple squirrel with his arms clasped across his chest, clutching a giant nut. It is a treat dispensing toy and Glacier is now chasing it about our very empty living room, trying to make his breakfast fall out. There is a hole located in the bottom of the toy where you put the treats and this hole is semi-closed by four little rubber prongs that kind of block the opening. These little prongs are meant to make getting the treats out more challenging. At first, getting the Squirrel Dude to dispense treats was a pain in my rear, but with a bit of creative thinking, the toy has been irreplaceable. There are two ways around the prongs.
1. Use kibble instead of treats. The kibble actually fall out whereas treats are too big and get stuck in Squirrel Dude.
or
2. Trim the prongs. You can clip them to make the hole a bit bigger and allow for treats to actually come out.
I personally choose to leave the prongs longer and just use kibble. It's a good way to dispense breakfast, as it is doing right now, and kibble are lower in fat than treats. The only downfall of Squirrel Dude is the filling time. Putting Glacier's breakfast into Squirrel Dude takes much longer than just dumping it into the bottom of the Kong Wobbler, but we gave our Kong Wobbler away. So, Squirrel Dude it is.
Squirrel Dude has been chewed on, tugged, tossed and chased inside and out and it has still held up. There are a few nicks on the bottom where Glacier tried to chew it apart, but they are barely visible. The best part is that Squirrel Dude comes in a bunch of different sizes, so dogs from small to extra large can have fun. I would also like to point out that its effectiveness as a dog toy is not its only perk-the thing is kind of cute and it's purple; the best colour out there.
So, if you are looking for a toy that will challenge your dog's brain and chewing power, the Squirrel Dude is right for you. It was definitely right for us since it's the only toy that has lasted longer than six months in our house. And I think it will be making a trip across the "pond" to our new home in honour of its survivability.
Monday, August 01, 2011
Dog Foster Mom: Introducing Maddie
Isn't she beautiful? I really wish we could take her to Scotland. If anyone knows anyone who would take this lovely girl and give her a forever home, despite her rocky beginning, please contact Dog Foster Mom-the best Foster Mom ever. :)
Dog Foster Mom: Introducing Maddie: "This is Maddie. She's a one year old purebred Australian Shepherd. A very nice lady contacted the rescue community for help recently. She..."
Just What We Needed
This past weekend Mr. K, Glacier, Roscoe and I were picked up by two of our friends and whisked away to stay with them for the weekend. It was one of the most enjoyable weekends we've had in a long time and it was exactly what we needed. With all of the chaos of last week, a few days of relaxing, touring historical sites and eating great food was perfect.
Friday they picked us up around six PM and we drove the almost two hours to the small town they live in; population 5500. They gave us a tour of their gorgeous turn of the century home and introduced us to their two dogs, Charlie and Bailey. The two acres or so of backyard was fenced in and all four dogs enjoyed romping about. It was quite hot still though, so outside play was a bit limited. After wandering around the spacious halls and rooms we walked over to their favourite restaurant and indulged in a very nice dinner, that they so graciously paid for. After stuffing ourselves, we made it back to the house and I was able to take in just how amazing their house really is.
Most of the ceilings are close to 12 feet tall, with high arching doorways, wood floors and fireplaces in almost every room. Most of them are not working right now as they are changing them over to gas as opposed to wood burning, but considering it's 100 DG F in the summer here, the use of the fireplaces was not necessary. Most of the rooms are connected to each other through other doorways or hallways and I was convinced I'd get lost at least once while I was there.
We spent the rest of the evening sipping wine and just chatting about anything and everything. It was so relaxing.
The next morning, the Lady of the house and I headed over to a local market and got fresh doughnuts for breakfast. One bite of those things and you will never eat another doughnut again. She fixed us a breakfast of eggs and bacon, which was also incredibly tasty. The bacon was from a local butcher shop and had pepper corns sprinkled throughout the meat; so good. With our bellies full, we headed over to a house that had been built before the Civil War and we had a tour from an extremely energetic, animated, knowledgeable 67 year old man. The tour was fantastic. He let us look in each room, filled us in on the history and let Mr. K and I touch things that most people do not get to even get near. The tour guide and I even sat on an original "courting bench," which I had no idea existed until he told us what it was. There was so much history in that house and I think we could have spent the whole day there. Our tour was probably close to three hours, but it was so interesting that I didn't even realise it. This was the house where the Civil War ended. Jefferson Davis and his people decided in that house to surrender. To be honest, I didn't even know who Jefferson Davis was until we toured the house, but my excuse is that I'm Canadian. (For those of you who don't know, Jefferson Davis was considered to be the president by the South).
After roaming the halls of the historical house, we headed back to our weekend home and I took a nap. The bed we were given to sleep in was extremely comfortable and there was something soothing about the house that I just couldn't help myself. I think I may have been worn out from our tour guide's antics as well. He seemed to take a particular liking to me and would excitedly show me stuff in the house and make little side jokes with me. He definitely made the tour.
Nap time over, we again went into the little town, with the sun beating down on us relentlessly. The sun was so hot it almost hurt your skin. Poor Glacier and Roscoe were so warm, but thankfully we didn't have far to go. We originally were going to stop in a restaurant that makes crazy good hotdogs, but they were closed. So, we headed to a little coffee shop instead. There we took refuge from the heat with frozen drinks of some sort and Mr. K and I fed ice cubes to Glacier and Roscoe in an attempt to keep them hydrated and cool them down. Again, we just sat and relaxed in squishy chairs just chatting. Even though this was only the third time I had met these two particular individuals, it seemed our conversations would never dry up. Drinks finished, it was back out into the heat. We checked the restaurant again, but it was still closed, so we made our way back to the house, where I guzzled water like a camel. The funny part was that the power had gone out after we had left and we hardly noticed since it was so hot out. After a few minutes though, it was apparent that the ceiling fans were no longer spinning and the AC no longer running. We were a little worried that we would be without power for a while, but it came back on probably within a half an hour of us being back. Thank goodness because with it being off for the short period of time, the house began to heat up and we were all sweating. More chatting, more water, another glass of wine and back out to see a concert. Our wonderful hostess is a part of the Artists' Guild and brought us to an event that the Guild was putting on that evening.
We didn't stay long. The first singer we watched was quite enjoyable. He was a good singer and an even better guitar player. Towards the end of his performance, he had a girl join him on stage and their voices blended well together, making the experience that much more enjoyable. The next act came on and we were told they were a local favourite. When they started I couldn't see why-they were horrible. The guitar wasn't bad, but the lead singer could have been a cartoon character singing his or her best friend happy birthday. He was out of key, sang through his nose/the front of his mouth and squawked like a parrot. The lyrics didn't improve the quality of the performance either. He had a song called,
"beach week" or some crap and I couldn't stop cracking up. Everyone seemed to love them, cheering loudly after each song. I was incredibly confused by this enthusiasm since I wanted to poke my ears out with forks. At one point he sang a song called,
"Anywhere but Here," and I leaned over to Mr. K and said
"yes please."
I think Mr. K was relaying my comments to our host and hostess, either that or they could see me cringing, because we only stayed for about four songs and then left. We joked about it at the restaurant where I had a Greek inspired salad, that is until the band came in. Thankfully, our friends warned us that they walked in because that could have been quite embarrassing. That said, I'm pretty sure if the lead singer had asked me personally if I had enjoyed the show I probably would have replied,
"no." It was that bad. Not that the lead singer cares about my opinion.
Our bellies full again, we went back to the house and chatted some more. We also watched a few episodes of "Expedition Impossible" because there is a blind guy on it. I had read about this particular man when I was in university. He was the first blind man to climb Mount Everest and the article had made him sound like an arrogant jerk, but watching him on TV made me realise that he definitely is not and I may even watch the show now.
Sunday morning came much too soon and we had coffee, eggs, bacon and doughnuts for breakfast again. We toasted to our move to Scotland. We took our time getting ready and then our friends drove us home. It was one of the best and well timed vacations I've ever had. It gave us a short break from the craziness of moving across the world and gave us the opportunity to put a few things into perspective. The company was wonderful and both of our friends were extremely considerate. I don't know what it was about their house, but it was very warm and welcoming and if I could transplant it into Scotland, I would.
Last night we another two of our friends made us dinner and we spent the evening sitting on their front porch just talking. The evening was cooler than it's been, so it was actually nice to be outside listening to the crickets sing. It made me feel like I was really in the South, sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, a dog lying at my feet. These two friends have three dogs and a mini pig and it was very interesting meeting Jethro the pig. Glacier and Roscoe stayed home as they were both worn out from their busy weekend and Mr. K and I both fell into bed quite exhausted, but very satisfied. I woke this morning feeling rested and rejuvenated and ready to take on the real world again; all thanks to the generosity of our friends.
Friday they picked us up around six PM and we drove the almost two hours to the small town they live in; population 5500. They gave us a tour of their gorgeous turn of the century home and introduced us to their two dogs, Charlie and Bailey. The two acres or so of backyard was fenced in and all four dogs enjoyed romping about. It was quite hot still though, so outside play was a bit limited. After wandering around the spacious halls and rooms we walked over to their favourite restaurant and indulged in a very nice dinner, that they so graciously paid for. After stuffing ourselves, we made it back to the house and I was able to take in just how amazing their house really is.
Most of the ceilings are close to 12 feet tall, with high arching doorways, wood floors and fireplaces in almost every room. Most of them are not working right now as they are changing them over to gas as opposed to wood burning, but considering it's 100 DG F in the summer here, the use of the fireplaces was not necessary. Most of the rooms are connected to each other through other doorways or hallways and I was convinced I'd get lost at least once while I was there.
We spent the rest of the evening sipping wine and just chatting about anything and everything. It was so relaxing.
The next morning, the Lady of the house and I headed over to a local market and got fresh doughnuts for breakfast. One bite of those things and you will never eat another doughnut again. She fixed us a breakfast of eggs and bacon, which was also incredibly tasty. The bacon was from a local butcher shop and had pepper corns sprinkled throughout the meat; so good. With our bellies full, we headed over to a house that had been built before the Civil War and we had a tour from an extremely energetic, animated, knowledgeable 67 year old man. The tour was fantastic. He let us look in each room, filled us in on the history and let Mr. K and I touch things that most people do not get to even get near. The tour guide and I even sat on an original "courting bench," which I had no idea existed until he told us what it was. There was so much history in that house and I think we could have spent the whole day there. Our tour was probably close to three hours, but it was so interesting that I didn't even realise it. This was the house where the Civil War ended. Jefferson Davis and his people decided in that house to surrender. To be honest, I didn't even know who Jefferson Davis was until we toured the house, but my excuse is that I'm Canadian. (For those of you who don't know, Jefferson Davis was considered to be the president by the South).
After roaming the halls of the historical house, we headed back to our weekend home and I took a nap. The bed we were given to sleep in was extremely comfortable and there was something soothing about the house that I just couldn't help myself. I think I may have been worn out from our tour guide's antics as well. He seemed to take a particular liking to me and would excitedly show me stuff in the house and make little side jokes with me. He definitely made the tour.
Nap time over, we again went into the little town, with the sun beating down on us relentlessly. The sun was so hot it almost hurt your skin. Poor Glacier and Roscoe were so warm, but thankfully we didn't have far to go. We originally were going to stop in a restaurant that makes crazy good hotdogs, but they were closed. So, we headed to a little coffee shop instead. There we took refuge from the heat with frozen drinks of some sort and Mr. K and I fed ice cubes to Glacier and Roscoe in an attempt to keep them hydrated and cool them down. Again, we just sat and relaxed in squishy chairs just chatting. Even though this was only the third time I had met these two particular individuals, it seemed our conversations would never dry up. Drinks finished, it was back out into the heat. We checked the restaurant again, but it was still closed, so we made our way back to the house, where I guzzled water like a camel. The funny part was that the power had gone out after we had left and we hardly noticed since it was so hot out. After a few minutes though, it was apparent that the ceiling fans were no longer spinning and the AC no longer running. We were a little worried that we would be without power for a while, but it came back on probably within a half an hour of us being back. Thank goodness because with it being off for the short period of time, the house began to heat up and we were all sweating. More chatting, more water, another glass of wine and back out to see a concert. Our wonderful hostess is a part of the Artists' Guild and brought us to an event that the Guild was putting on that evening.
We didn't stay long. The first singer we watched was quite enjoyable. He was a good singer and an even better guitar player. Towards the end of his performance, he had a girl join him on stage and their voices blended well together, making the experience that much more enjoyable. The next act came on and we were told they were a local favourite. When they started I couldn't see why-they were horrible. The guitar wasn't bad, but the lead singer could have been a cartoon character singing his or her best friend happy birthday. He was out of key, sang through his nose/the front of his mouth and squawked like a parrot. The lyrics didn't improve the quality of the performance either. He had a song called,
"beach week" or some crap and I couldn't stop cracking up. Everyone seemed to love them, cheering loudly after each song. I was incredibly confused by this enthusiasm since I wanted to poke my ears out with forks. At one point he sang a song called,
"Anywhere but Here," and I leaned over to Mr. K and said
"yes please."
I think Mr. K was relaying my comments to our host and hostess, either that or they could see me cringing, because we only stayed for about four songs and then left. We joked about it at the restaurant where I had a Greek inspired salad, that is until the band came in. Thankfully, our friends warned us that they walked in because that could have been quite embarrassing. That said, I'm pretty sure if the lead singer had asked me personally if I had enjoyed the show I probably would have replied,
"no." It was that bad. Not that the lead singer cares about my opinion.
Our bellies full again, we went back to the house and chatted some more. We also watched a few episodes of "Expedition Impossible" because there is a blind guy on it. I had read about this particular man when I was in university. He was the first blind man to climb Mount Everest and the article had made him sound like an arrogant jerk, but watching him on TV made me realise that he definitely is not and I may even watch the show now.
Sunday morning came much too soon and we had coffee, eggs, bacon and doughnuts for breakfast again. We toasted to our move to Scotland. We took our time getting ready and then our friends drove us home. It was one of the best and well timed vacations I've ever had. It gave us a short break from the craziness of moving across the world and gave us the opportunity to put a few things into perspective. The company was wonderful and both of our friends were extremely considerate. I don't know what it was about their house, but it was very warm and welcoming and if I could transplant it into Scotland, I would.
Last night we another two of our friends made us dinner and we spent the evening sitting on their front porch just talking. The evening was cooler than it's been, so it was actually nice to be outside listening to the crickets sing. It made me feel like I was really in the South, sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, a dog lying at my feet. These two friends have three dogs and a mini pig and it was very interesting meeting Jethro the pig. Glacier and Roscoe stayed home as they were both worn out from their busy weekend and Mr. K and I both fell into bed quite exhausted, but very satisfied. I woke this morning feeling rested and rejuvenated and ready to take on the real world again; all thanks to the generosity of our friends.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
