Friday, September 18, 2009

MagMyPic


Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com


Thursday, September 17, 2009

There's a Serial Arsonist in our Neighborhood


I learned that someone is burning down unoccupied homes in our neighborhood. At least people aren't living in the homes that were set on fire, but it sure is scary. Mommy and I walked by one of the homes today and took pictures. The smell didn't bother me but mommy didn't like it. I hope they catch the person who is setting the fires because mommy doesn't like to listen to sirens and helicopters at night. This is very unusual for our area so everyone is quite upset.

On a happier note, I received my Paw it Forward presents from Dory - thank you Dory! I'll be sure to Paw it Forward next month when mommy has more time. Mommy wants to let everyone know that my blog will be on hold for a couple of weeks but I'll be back in October. Mommy and daddy are going to take a much needed vacation which means I get to stay with my host family. I'm sure they won't leave any cookies on the table this time because last time, I stole them and got sick.

Did I tell you that I was sick twice last night? I threw up food around 2 AM and then bile around 7:30 AM. Mommy thinks it might be my new food even though I only had 1/16 of a cup - since mommy is trying to transition me slowly. I hope I do better tonight. Mommy only gave me kibble with water today - no treats - so hopefully I won't vomit. And tonight, we're actually going to go to bed before midnight so maybe a good night's sleep is all I need. Mommy has been so busy lately so I hope she gets to relax on her vacation.

I'm going to get professionally groomed next week - I can't wait. Mommy thinks I'm starting to look scruffy but I actually received two compliments today. I was told I'm beautiful and yes, it's gone straight to my head.

You can see a picture of me in the car before our morning walk - which means it's before I've been brushed for the day. I'm wearing my seat belt. It's pretty don't you think? Mommy says this picture shows off my long eyelashes. Apparently the ladies love my long lashes.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I'm Switching my Dog Food


Mommy took me with her on a lot of errands which means I got to enjoy one of my favorite activities: ride in the car! Besides our usual drive to the woods for our morning walk, mommy took me to a holistic vet so I could get new food. No one was there but we sure had fun looking around. I was very interested in chicken legs or beaks or something chicken related that I had never seen before.

Since no one seemed to be there, we left and went to a pet store so mommy could return the food I usually eat. It's wheat-free but mommy thinks the synthetic vitamins could be what's causing my tummy problems. Apparently doggies have died due to synthetic vitamins D3, Selenium, and Zinc. That's why some dog food brands had to be recalled....or at least that's what the folks from my new dog food manufacturer told mommy.

While we were at the pet store, we saw another Cocker Spaniel but this cocker was not like me. His owner said he was a field cocker but mommy thought he looked awfully American to her. He was very friendly, sweet and cute, but after I let him sniff me, I walked away. I don't mind being sniffed or sniffing other dogs but I don't really like to "play" like some other doggies do. I was more interested in an open bag of treats. I tried to get some, but I couldn't because mommy kept an eye on me while talking to the other cocker's owner. He was a nice man and was so excited to share cocker stories with mommy. I guess we're a funny breed.

Then mommy took me back to the holistic vet and we were able to buy that special food. Mommy said she wants to give me a little each day until I get used to it, but I'd be happy eating all of it now. I seem to be waking up earlier and earlier with my tummy problems so mommy is hoping this new food will do the trick; if not, I'll have to see the holistic vet to see if my stomach pH is off or if I need some probiotics. In the meantime, I'm stilling taking antacids at night.

Later this evening we stopped by a new park - well, new to us. There was a tennis court and a volleyball court with sand. It looked really neat for humans, and the best part for mommy was the fact that there was no litter. Yeah! I didn't see any other dogs there but that's OK; when they go there tomorrow, they'll know that Euri was there because I marked my spot.

When we got home mommy cleaned my water bowl and I received fresh filtered water. Am I a pampered pooch? So with all of the walking and driving today, I'm worn out. I sure hope I sleep well tonight. I know mommy would like it if I didn't get up at 5 AM again.

P.S. Do you like my photo? It looks like I'm sticking my tongue out at you. Hee-hee!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Food, Food Everywhere


As you can see from my photo, I'm poking my head through someone's fence. No, I'm not being nosy, I'm staring at a kitty that is hiding under a car. I have a good eye for cats because I love to chase them ....even though they seem to be faster than me and they can jump like Spiderman.

Mommy hasn't been taking me to the local park where all of the rubbish is but I managed to find some trash anyway. It seems people around here just like to put their food all over the sidewalks and grass which is great for me, but not for mommy. Today we took another route but I found some popcorn on the pavement. Mommy said she gives up; no matter where she takes me, people seem to litter. Did you know that it's actually illegal to litter in some countries? I bet mommy wishes she lived in one of those places but not me.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Walking in the Woods in the Rain

It has been raining a lot lately which means the ground is wet, so mommy put my waterproof suit on me and off we went to the park with the woods. I'm such a good sport because I don't mind wearing my snood or waterproof outfit; I know that when mommy puts it on me, I will be able to go out and play despite the weather. Mommy took a short video of me running in my outfit so you can see how great it is. Now mommy is thinking she should use it as part of my Halloween costume. Grandma suggested I be Zoro - do you think I can do something with my waterproof outfit for Halloween? If so, leave a comment or e-mail me at EuritheDog@yahoo.com.

I love running through the woods because there are so many good things to smell. I never really see any animals except birds but whenever I get close to them, they fly away. Today while we were walking in the woods mommy spotted a dog out of no where. We noticed the doggy's collar but we didn't see an owner. Mommy told the dog to "Be nice" while sniffing me. She says dogs know that term. Do we? It turns out the dog was actually friendly and really liked mommy. I think the dog was part terrier because it had wiry fur like a Cairn Terrier. Then the dog's owner came and got the dog. I think her name was Lucy or LuLu or something like that. Anyway, if I see her again, I'll be sure to say, "Hello!" because she was a nice doggy after all.

The woods are really strange because it's in a park in a suburban neighborhood. It feels like we're in the middle of no where but we're really surrounded by houses, trails and lots of grass with picnic tables. It's pretty neat for us doggies and dog parents like it because the park supplies free dog bags - no, not leftover food; bags to pick up your dog's poop - and the bags are biodegradable...whatever that means.


Sunday, September 13, 2009

I'll Be Sleeping In My Orvis Bed From Now On


Mommy didn't get any sleep last night and I think I'm to blame. You see, we took daddy to the airport yesterday and as a special treat, mommy allowed me to sleep on daddy's side of the bed. The problem is, I moved around all night, made lots of noise - including loud snoring - and at 6:50 AM, I threw up bile. Don't worry, mommy managed to get me off of the bed and onto the hardwood floor in time, but now she's upset because my antacids just don't seem to be working like they used to.

Mommy made sure she didn't feed me anything new yesterday so she thinks that maybe I snuck something in at the park yesterday morning when I was walking with daddy. Or maybe I just need more antacid? So anyway, I have to sleep in my own bed tonight but that's OK with me because I love my Orvis bolster bed.

I remember when mommy went to a special warehouse sale to buy me a plush Orvis bed. You can see a picture of me in my Orvis bed above this article. I don't look very happy in the photo because I had just gotten a bath and my parents made me wear a towel to keep my back fur flat. It's a lot of work staying gorgeous. Anyway, mommy got my bed on sale but I think it would have been very expensive if she has purchased it in the store. I like Orvis because they allow dogs in their stores. Did you know that? They are very dog-friendly especially to hunting dogs like me. OK, so I only hunt for cats, squirrels, and poop while in the park, but I'm still hunting.

Mommy is thinking about not taking me to the local park anymore because some people there are very inconsiderate and put their trash all over the place. Whenever we go there, I see lots of bottles, chicken bones, and empty bags of potato chips. I don't know why they don't throw away their trash when there are trash bins all around the park. It makes mommy very upset because I have a knack for finding all of this stuff and I try to eat it quickly. Mommy has to watch me like a hawk.

And there are those dog parents who don't curb their dogs - that means pick up their poop - and I love to eat poop so it's like a buffet for me. Mommy wishes someone would enforce the rules but no one seems to care so it's best we go somewhere else from now on so I don't have to be tempted on a daily basis. The other park we go to in the mornings has woods and is very clean but we have to drive to get there. Mommy is trying to convince daddy to move but he thinks we live in a convenient location. Come on daddy, let's move to a nicer area where people don't litter in the park and they pick up after their dogs.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Remembering 9/11


I wasn't even born yet but mommy told me that something bad happened on 9/11/2001. Mommy remembers living in the DC area and being scared to leave work and go home because her house was so close to the Pentagon (which was hit by bad men). Mommy also lost a very dear friend in the World Trade Towers. I didn't know him but I'm sure he was a very nice man. Mommy said he was like a brother to her, so that sort of makes him my uncle. I know that lots of doggies were involved in helping people during 9/11 so here's to the hard working doggies that dedicate their lives to helping humans.

******************************************************************************
Today
OK, so you know how I got a bath yesterday? Well, I got dirty again today. Mommy took me for a walk in the rain - well, it wasn't raining when we first left but it started to rain so what could we do? Mommy was smart enough to put my snood on me in case the ground was wet from yesterday's rain, but that wasn't enough. My entire body got wet and my paws got all muddy. So now I don't smell so nice anymore. Oh well, at least I had a good time sniffing away in the woods.

Today mommy took me outside to walk the street looking for something. Apparently someone delivered daddy's package to the wrong place and now we can't find it. So while mommy was out walking from house to house, I went with her. I was very well behaved. I didn't run in the street or anything and I stayed close to mommy .....OK, I ran ahead to see if I could find a cat and I ate some grass, but I listened to mommy as soon as she called me. I'm a good boy.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Zanies Giggling Peek-A-Treat Ball for Dogs


Mommy is trying to sell the toy she got me because I'm scared of the noise. It's ironic considering I don't mind "real" noises like thunder but there's just something about the giggling that comes from the "Peek-A-Treat" ball that I don't like. I'm sure it's perfect for some doggy out there, just not me. Click here to learn more.

Mommy Gave Me a Bath Today


Usually daddy gives me a bath but today, mommy decided she was going to do it. Was I really that stinky mommy? We went to the park with the woods this morning, and even though the trails were dry, I came out soaking wet. I guess mommy couldn't stand me being stinky and wet, so she took out the doggy bath and lathered me up. She tried a new shampoo this time since I keep getting so many knots - paws crossed it works. I know it smelled nice. Avocado or something.

I was a very good boy; I didn't yodel once! I like how mommy talked to me the entire time to make the torturous task of getting clean more bearable. Then we went for a walk in the sun so I could dry off - that was my second walk of the day! I did something silly though; I rolled around in the dirt. Oops! You can see a leaf on my wet fur in the picture. It actually compliments my coat, don't you think?

I'm getting professionally groomed in two weeks so I'm safe from another bath for a while. Can you tell I hate getting a bath? At least mommy gave me treats while she was cleaning me so it wasn't so bad. Mommy says she wants my fur to grow back since summer is just about over. That makes me happy because I don't like people thinking I'm a Poodle when I'm shaved. I'm not a Poodle - I'm an English Cocker Spaniel. I guess they don't see too many of us around here. That makes me special.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Paw it Forward

Banner created with MyBannerMaker.com

I received my very first Paw it Forward award from Dory! I'm so excited! Read about it on Dory's blog by clicking here.


Do I Look Like Will Smith?

I took a celebrity quiz yesterday - it's OK, it's for pets - and it said I'm just like Will Smith. Daddy thought I'd be someone more girly ( does that mean a girl?) but mommy wasn't surprised by the results. Daddy thinks I'm scared of everything because I jumped at a leaf once...OK, maybe two or three times, but I'm very brave and curious. Anyway, I like Will Smith and mommy said he's a good actor who is funny too, so I'm happy with my results.

Are you a doggy that wants to find out which celebrity you are most like? Click here and read all about it.

Oh, did I tell you that I threw up again this morning? Mommy wasn't happy about it because I threw up in my bed. She gave me a new treat yesterday made with lots of vegetables and healthy grains so she's convinced that it's all her fault. Poor mommy. But maybe it's because I ate some poop while walking to the park - it's one of my bad habits, I can't help it. Everyone has at least one bad habit right? Mommy likes to pick at her nails when she's upset. What's your bad habit?

So what's the good news about vomiting early in the morning? I got to eat breakfast early!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Adopt Me - I'm Clay and I'm Looking for a Forever Home


This guest blogger's name is Clay. He's a lovely lad, and I must say he's quite good looking too. Clay is staying at Rover Oaks in Katy, TX while waiting for a forever home. If you know of someone who would like to adopt Clay, contact Joy at 281-693-7687.


My name is Clay and I'm about three years old and about 35 pounds...a pretty good size. I'm probably a cattle dog mix of some sort, and I am staying at Rover Oaks in Katy where they are trying to find me a good home. See, I'm a really good dog, but because I'm a herding breed I have a lot of energy and I need stuff to do to keep me occupied. I was bred to herd things, so sometimes I still nip at feet and heels, even though my trainer keeps telling me that doesn't make a good impression on people. I'm a smart guy, and know all of my basic obedience, and they even tried to get me involved in something called the Gifted Animals Program where I could learn to sniff out bombs and drugs and stuff. But, I was too interested in the other dogs so they said that wouldn't work out very well. Next, they are going to teach me agility - I can run fast and I'm smart so I bet I'll be really good at it! And it will be good for my energy level too.

Anyway, I got adopted once but it didn't work out. I really loved my dad and he loved me, but he had a lot of company in and out of his house so that got me really agitated and I acted out a little bit. I'd probably do great in a place that didn't have a lot of comings and goings, but where somebody had time to spend with me, running and playing and stuff like that. I really like other dogs...my trainer says I like them TOO much...I like to play rough and I don't seem to get it when another dog tells me to back off. And, I REALLY don't like cats. So probably if I could be an only pet in a house with no young kids and someone who understands dogs like me that would be best.

So, I'm having a little bit of a hard time finding that great fit for a forever family...even though I know there's someone out there for me...so if you find anybody that might look at me and say "He's perfect!" please let them know. I'm at Rover Oaks in Katy waiting for them!

Labor Day is for working dogs too


Mommy says today is Labor Day - a day off for humans that work, but what about dogs that work? There are military dogs, service dogs, herding dogs, tracking dogs....oh, the list goes on an on. Click here to read more about why working dogs deserve to celebrate Labor Day too!

Photo Credit: Flickr, billadler: Sled Dogs in Iceland Taking a Break

Sunday, September 6, 2009

I Don't Want to be a Girl for Halloween


Yesterday mommy and daddy took me to a warehouse store with lots of party supplies and Halloween costumes. They even made me try on a dress! I was so embarrassed. I don't know why they want me to be a girl for Halloween; I guess it's because of my long pretty ears.

Someone suggested that I be a revolutionary soldier for Halloween. I would like to be a Red Coat but neither mommy nor daddy can make my costume. They're good at a lot of things, but making clothes is not one of them. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Now daddy just wants to do something easy for my Halloween costume: a basketball player since I already have a basketball jersey. But mommy wants me to be something special so I'll win the costume contest on Halloween. Mommy can buy me a cheerleading outfit and put my ears in scrunchies, but then I'll be a girl and I don't want to be a girl. I'm a boy!

It's hard being a pretty male dog.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Chinese Dwarf Hamsters Guest Blog


We have two guest bloggers: Ruby and Rebekah. They are nice Chinese Dwarf Hamsters. Read what they have to say below. Above is a picture of them. Don't ask me which is which, I'm just a dog not a veterinarian. Ruby's text is in Bold while Rebekah's is italicized.
********************************************************************


HI I'M RUBY AND THIS IS MY TWIN SISTER REBEKAH. WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABO......

RUBY, YOU HOPPED ON THE CAPS LOCK THINGY. IT WILL MAKE EVERYONE FEEL LIKE YOU ARE YELLING
.

THAT'S DUMB. I AM AN ITTY-BITTY HAMSTER. HOW CAN I YELL? I JUST MAKE CUTE LITTLE SQUEAKS AND CHIRRUPS.

RUBY…………...FDGJHJOjfghiuhs. there, i fixed it. go on typing, the people will be awake soon.

um, ok, whatever. what was i talking about?

you were telling the computer world about us.

gotcha. i'll start over. hi, I'm ruby and this is my twin sister, rebekah. we had another sister, but they didn't bring her home with us.

nope. Left poor ole mavis back at the pet store.

(a moment of silence for poor ole mavis…)

anyway, we live here in our lovely glass castle nest in the people's big house. the people give us nummies and treats and soft bedding and fun places to hide. they also give us our beloved wheel-of-excess-energy-dispersion and the bottle of water-that-never-ends.

...and they also wake us up in the middle of the day to talk to us and flash bright lights at us and destroy our nest in the castle and pour in new, scratchy bedding and tubes and talk to us in baby voices.

do we have an attitude today, rebekah? hmmmmmm?

me? attitude? just let one of those hands come in here and chase me down today. i'll show my "attitude" with a big ole chomp out of one of those fingers!

rebekah. tsk.tsk. first of all, the hands are quite nice. at least, i think they are, once i'm fully awake. they hold us so gently and i love it when the finger strokes the top of my head. second of all, those are the proverbial hands that feed us; you're not supposed to bite them. thirdly, your mouth is so tiny that i doubt they even notice it when you do bite them.

since when do you know any proverbs?

sheesh. if you're going to be a crab, rebekah, why don't you just go back to bed?

i think i will. but i don't know if i'll be able to sleep.

why not? our nest is perfectly warm and snuggly and comfortable.

exactly! and you know what that means!

um…*scratch*scratch* ok, bek, what does it mean?

the people will probably "clean" it today. they'll steal all our food stashes and scrub away our marked spots and destroy our cozy home! we'll have to start all over from scratch. again! *sniffle*

oh. bummer. you're right.

(a moment of silence for the sure-to-be-destroyed cozy home.)

but wait, bek… I know how we can pay them back for all that stress!

*sniffle* You do? How?

we'll send all this typing we're doing to that dog, euri. if he'll put it on his blog, then the whole world will know the trauma we chinese dwarfs have to go through every couple of weeks.

ooooooo. and won't the big female human be surprised when she sees us online? and won't they all be puzzled and confused when they see the computer on in the morning, even though they're sure they turned it off?

...and the lid off our castle?

..and the crumbs on the keyboard?

heh-heh-heh!

ok, so how do i put those photos on here?

I think you just drag them from the desktop to the email with the mouse.

(hop) THE MOUSE????????????






Friday, September 4, 2009

Please Don't Hit Your Dog


As mommy and I were walking home during our evening walk last night, a chocolate Labrador Retriever came running over to me. He wasn't mean or anything, he just wanted to say, "Hello!" But then his owner came over, took his hat off of his head, and hit the brown doggy. That wasn't very nice. Both mommy and I were very upset that the poor doggy was hit for no reason. Mommy didn't understand why the dog was treated like that, and I thought maybe I had gotten him in trouble so I walked away as quickly as possible. Mommy vocalized her displeasure but the owner didn't care. He actually apologized to mommy for his dog coming over to me. It made no sense. Doesn't he know that dogs like to say, "Hello?" to one another?

I could see if the chocolate lab was aggressive or trying to attack me, but he didn't seem to be mean at all. So mommy and I will try to avoid that street in the future because we don't like to see dogs being hit. Please don't hit your dogs! We need love, praise and affection - we don't like to be yelled out or hit.

P.S. Mommy said there is a nice doggy named Ellie that is looking to be adopted. If you want to learn more about Ellie, click here.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Houston Astros Dog Day: bring your dog to the game on Labor Day

I'm not exactly a baseball fan; in fact, I'm not a fan of balls unless they squeak, but the Houston Astros are doing something really nice for Labor Day - they're allowing dogs to go to the game!

A combination ticket for both owner and dog is $20, and $10 of the ticket price will benefit the Houston Humane Society. So if you're a baseball lover, make sure you register on the Houston Astros web site. Click here for more information.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

I Got Hit by a Soccer Ball



When we were walking home after our visit to the park last night, a soccer ball came rolling down the street. I saw it coming and didn't know what to do. I jumped and moved out of the way but somehow this ball managed to roll right into me. I wasn't hurt but I was a bit embarrassed. I tried to get out of the way yet the ball kept moving. Some nice men at the park did warn me, and mommy tried to move me out of the way. I guess I just wasn't expected a soccer ball to roll down the street like that.

Mommy noticed that I tripped yesterday when going for my evening walk as well. Daddy was surprised that mommy hadn't noticed sooner because he says I'm a clod. Is that like a Clydesdale? They're my favorite horse. Daddy thinks it's because my front paws are so large. He thinks I' have big bear claws and that I should be a bear for Halloween. Last year I was Superman - or should I say Superdog? What do you think I should be this year? E-mail me with your Halloween costume ideas: EuritheDog@yahoo.com



Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The World's Oldest Dog Dies


I'm saddened to report that Chanel, the world's oldest dog (according to Guinness World Records) has died. Chanel celebrated her 21st birthday (in human years) in the spring and led a long, happy life. To read more about Chanel, click here.

*Photo courtesy of BARM/Fame Pictures