Saturday, January 31, 2015

Paws Barkery Dog Treats Delivery

My dog Valentino could not have been happier with his Cookie's Kisses delivery from Paws Barkery ... A box of sweet dog treats just for him!


A knock on the door elicited a bark from Valentino, and yes, this was a priority mail package for him from Paws Barkery! The dog could not wait to get into that box of all natural dog treats.

Valentino's first choice? Why, Cookie's Kisses, of course!


Here you see how much Valentino enjoys his Priority Mail call!



Paws Barkery Dog Treats Flavors

These dog treats from Paws Bakery come in a triple variety of flavors and my dog Valentino was doggie delighted by the chance to taste all three via special delivery. He received two packages each of Cookie's Kisses, Nutterbites, and BowWow Snickerdoodles!


Cookie's Kisses are heart-shaped carob and vanilla dog treats, while Nutterbites are shaped like a dog bone with a peanut butter flavor,  and the BowWow Snickerdoodles are a round of honey and cinnamon flavors.

These flavorful treats for dogs are made in the USA from ingredients sourced in the USA too, from all natural ingredients found right in Candice the dog lover's Paws Barkery kitchen cupboard in Bushkill, Pennsylvania. The treats are made without artificial flavorings or preservatives, using honey as a natural preservative. And they are corn and soy-free treats for your dog.

Valentino Barks a Lip Lickin' Paws Up for Paws Barkery Dog Treats

I received this gift of tasty dog treats because my dog lover, Ruthi, was the 1000th follower of Paws Barkery on Twitter!


Ruthi and Valentino invite you to share your dog tail - tale in a blog post and link up with PAWSit Hop Saturday this week!


Get the PAWSit InLinkz code.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Tree Hugger Hound Dogs Pee

Do you know that tree hugger hounds can help save the planet?


I am Valentino, a happy hound dog tree hugger, one who is ready to share a hug with anyone who answers the call of nature by hugging a tree.

Hound Dog Tree Hugger Post Cards
Hound Dog Tree Hugger Post Cards by dogpawsitivetidbits

But of course, dogs need mankind to hug the trees too. Without your help in saving the trees, planet Earth shall not be saved, and tree huggers like me shall have no place to pee!

Hugging A Tree Is About Giving Thanks


My human companion, Ruthi, assisted me in making a video to teach you how to hug a tree, just like me!



As you can see from our video, Ruthi came up with that "Give thanks!" command, not me. (Don't tell her I said so, but I do think it's a pretty nifty phrase.)

Oh! Check this out -- I do all the tree hugging and she gets a gratitude gift from Mother Nature! What's up with that?

Well, I did get a treat for giving thanks, but I had to sit for it too, and I'm sure you noticed that I'm not too keen on sitting in pine needles. I do much better in the house, on a solid surface, or in soft grass.

Dog Pawsitive Tidbits


Wondering what to do with dog poop you surely scoop? Learn how to contain pet waste underground in your own back yard! This way, you can create a compost stew for trees, shrubs, and plants. (Not recommended for food gardens.)

Now, go hug a tree! And send a tree hugging friend a postcard hug from me!

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Canine Companion Stand By Me When I Fall

My dog is not a service dog nor a Lassie, but he is the next best thing and he earned the status of being my best friend when I had fallen and could not get up.


I've Fallen and Can't get up! Button
I can still recall every second of the fall. As my body twisted to see what was the matter I remember thinking How stupid of me to walk the dog with pants long and wide enough to get caught under the heel of my shoe and trip me! Then, down I went.

For a few days I could still hear the sound of the Crack! as my head hit the pavement. I remember as it bounced and hit again wondering where my dog would be when I recovered.

The pain in my neck screamed as I lifted my head to put my hand to my thick grayish-red hair to see if it was redder still with my blood. I moaned in thankfulness that the head wound was only skin deep.

I reached for the cell phone in my pocket but looking at the face of the phone I could see naught but a colorful blur of the buttons. I had lost my glasses and with one legally blind eye I could not see.

However, I could see that the dog leash was not on my wrist or in my hand. "Oh Lord," I cried. "How will I ever find that hound dog?"

In full body pain, I managed to roll over and a glorious sight I did see — my dog Valentino was sitting right beside me, moaning right along with me! I reached for that hound dog and as he began licking me in the face in pace with his whining, I recall thinking of all the hours we'd spent together the last couple of months: hours walking the neighborhood and beach, hours of stop-sit-stay dog training, and most of all, hours of creating a bond that would never be broken.

Valentino stayed with me as I assessed my wounds. With no body parts broken or bloody I leaned on my dog to rise from the hold the pavement had on me. Still dazed and with eyes glazed, I began searching the street for my glasses. Eventually I found them about thirty feet from where I'd fallen, along the edge of an empty lot, thick with overgrowth of trees and bush. Unbroken, hallelujah!

As I stooped to pick my glasses up off the ground and put them where they belonged on my head, I actually chuckled as Valentino wagged his tail and licked my face. He seemed as happy as I that I'd found them.

My Dog Valentino Stands By Me
I recall thinking I should grab the dog's leash but it was just another random thought from the mix of madness in my quickly swelling head. I did, however, have the presence of mind to take one picture of my canine companion in his stand by me stance as I settled my rattled brain for the walk home.

I slowly made my way home, with my dog Valentino by my side all the way. Once inside my front door I fell to the floor and with tears of joy in my eyes I thanked my lucky stars for the hound dog sitting beside me.

I can assure you that my dog Valentino received plenty of special dog treats and a lot of loving that day, as well as over the course of the few days it took my aching and bruised old body to heal from the wounds of my fall.

Through it all, the fall and the rise, my dog never left my side. For that I give thanks.

I recently read an article about service dogs outfitted with new gadgetry and trained to sit-stay-call 911. I am thinking it might be time to teach my dog Valentino to bark his loudest howl of the hound to call for help when I have fallen and I can't get up!



Share your canine companion story in a blog post and link up with PAWSit Hop Saturday this week!
 

You can grab the InLinkz code for your PAWSit post!

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Dog Face of Freedom

Standing outside talking with a neighbor yesterday I mentioned how I would love to see my dog Valentino running free in a fenced yard. Within minutes, my dog was free to run in her fenced yard!

I could not thank my neighbor enough for the gift of seeing my dog run free. His delightful dog face of freedom gave me such a feeling of happiness.

Valentino ran and ran and ran some more! Occasionally he'd run up to me, wag his tail and smile. Then off the dog would go, ears flapping as fast his feet were running. Once he ran himself ragged, he settled in with his nose to the ground, sniffing every square inch of the neighbor dog's yard.

Naturally, Valentino had to leave his scent in the yard for Speckles to find once we were gone. These boys have greeted one another daily through the barrier of a fence but we're hoping soon to see if they'll play peacefully together inside the fenced yard.

You can view my previous dog, Tidbit, and neighbor dog, Speckles, nose to nose on my Friends and Fences Photo Plaque.

On my wish list for 2015 is to fence at least a part of my yard in for my dog. I rent, so this is quite a commitment, and quite an expense. My dog having the freedom to run and play off leash is well worth it.

In fact, I have earmarked my Zazzle earnings toward the fulfillment of this goal. Check out my Zazzle stores and I'm sure you shall find something you adore. And you'll know if you purchase anything that you are helping me to give Valentino a daily dose of freedom.

  1. Dog Pawsitive Tidbits
  2. abitosunshine
  3. Books4Kids


I am linking this not-so-wordless freedom tale up with BlogPaws for Wordless Wednesday. Check out all the pets and animals, join the BlogPaws community, and add your pet's paw prints to the mix!



Saturday, January 17, 2015

Great White Waterbird Hunter

My Coonhound In Our Back Yard

Nose to the air, my coonhound sniffed as if saying, "Who goes there?" The hunt was on!


The dog quickly followed the lead of his nose to the ground, I following right behind him to see what I might see from allowing him to lead me around. Rarely was I disappointed when following after the lead of a dog and today would prove no exception.

We rounded the corner a house away from ours, my dog Valentino running faster and faster while pulling me on his leash with much of his might. Suddenly he came to a stop, on point, quiet as a mouse.

Now here we were, less than a block from our house. Following the focus of my dog, I finally saw with my eyes what my four-legged hunter had sensed from our back yard--a great white waterbird.

Stop Sign at Hwy 98 and Lanark Beach

The Great Egret

There in a blaze of Florida sunshine, strutting its stuff along the side of the road, was the Great Egret. Ironically, my dog and I were held captive near the stop sign in front of us as we watched the egret waltz its way to its destination. This bird was hunting too.

Great Egret
We followed the waterbird with our gaze, from about thirty feet away, to the water ditch alongside the roadway. There it stood still in the gully, seemingly forever, scanning the water for unsuspecting prey. Perhaps he might find himself a frog or a fish upon which to dine.

Unfortunately, a biker passing by revved his motorcycle engine at the sight, scaring the bird into flight. Silently I cursed him for interrupting the Great Egret in its hunt for food and our amazing moments with one of Florida's fabulous waterbirds.

Thanks to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for the identification of Florida birds, by its yellow bill and long black legs, I was able to confirm this is the Great Egret. However, I am sure a good book about Florida's waterbirds would come in handy now that I live along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida Panhandle.

I must wonder, too, if my redtick coonhound, Valentino, might appreciate an egret dog toy to hunt in the house, and in all probability, destroy.


   



My dog Valentino and I invite dog lovers and bloggers to join us for our PAWSit Hop Saturday dog blog hop each week here on Dog Pawsitive Tidbits. Grab our badge and link up with us with your own dog-related blog post!

Get the InLinkz code for your PAWSit blog post.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Not A Morning Dog Person

Dog or no dog, I am not a morning person!


Morning Dog Cross Stitch Kit
When my dog Valentino woke me at six o'clock in the morning after his first night of sleep in our home, I grumbled having to walk my hound dog with the rising of the sun — without coffee!

Fast forward to today... I awoke at ten-thirty in the morning to a sleeping dog beneath the comforter while using my feet as his pillow!

I woke Valentino up with gentle rubbing and whispers of love. Upon rising out of bed, we headed to the kitchen for my first mug of coffee. I settled in at my desk to wake up my brain for writing this article while drinking my coffee. My dog Valentino nestled on his pillow bed on the floor behind my desk chair.

When my coffee cup ran dry I headed to the kitchen, with the dog as my shadow, fixed his breakfast, then refilled my cup with hot coffee and went back to my desk. Upon finishing his morning meal, Valentino sat near my desk with pleading eyes for his morning walk.

"Hot," I said. He backed away into his laying down place with head on his front paws, patiently watching me drink my second cup of coffee.

With two mugs of coffee to wake me up, out the door Valentino and I went for our long morning walk. Our morning walks are so enjoyable, greeting the neighbors (humans as well as dogs.) I generally allow my dog Valentino to take the lead on our first walk of the day, which means me often jogging along at his fast pace.

There is, of course, a method to my madness — the hope of tiring him out so upon our return to the house I can finish off that pot of coffee while he snuggles up on the sofa for a morning nap as a couch potato while I begin my creative writing and design work of the day.

Thrilled that over the course of a little over two months I have gradually trained my dog Valentino to understand that I am not a morning dog person. Now, in fact, I can also announce that Valentino is not a morning dog and I have my morning mug to prove it!





We're linking our morning dog person article up with Writer's Unite over at Marsha's Spot. Read, write, and hop along with us!

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Dog Pawsitive Tidbits Photo Plaques

Life and Love with a Friend Plaque
Life and Love with a Friend Plaque
by dogpawsitivetidbits
With each tale and tail wag shared here at Dog Pawsitive Tidbits, it has been my goal to live up to the light my dog Tidbit and her puppies shed unto my life over the span of fourteen years.

It is my hope that you will enjoy the dog photos I share with you today, each on a plaque with a motivational message all its own.

I have designed these images and dog pawsitive tidbits to be printed for purchase, displayed on 5.25" by 5.25" hardboard plaques. Each motivational plaque comes with its own easel stand attached.

Dreams to Realize Photo Plaques
Dreams to Realize Photo Plaques
by dogpawsitivetidbits
 
Of course I will be creating more of these photo plaques but for now ... Enjoy the dog pawsitive tidbits trio!

Note: Click each image for a larger view.

For additional dog pawsitive tidbits, I have published an article about living life to its fullest from the perspective of my teaching trio of dogs.




It is a pleasure to be hopping along on Wordless Wednesday with the BlogPaws community. Add your picture paw prints to the blog hop!

I am also delighted to be linking up for WW over at the Noner Says blog this week. Come join us there, too!

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Tick Repellent Essential Oils For Dogs

Walk in the Woods with my Dog, Valentino

Take a hike in the woods with you and your dogs smelling like a rose and you needn't worry as much about ticks going along for the ride.


I am living in a rural north Florida area surrounded by tick infested woods and thickets. This presents a serious problem while walking my hound dog, Valentino, who prefers the wooded areas to the pavement, dragging me right into the thick of things with him.

After each walk I would find and remove several ticks from my dog and a couple from me as well. I immediately put the dog on Frontline Plus to kill the icky tickies, as I call them.

I was not happy about using the controversial chemical on my dog so I began researching more natural alternatives. After reading many articles about using essential oils as a tick repellent, I opted to give it a try.

Rose Geranium Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils
Based on articles I read as well as customer reviews, I purchased Rose Geranium by Edens Garden from Amazon. Interestingly, along with its many medicinal purposes, the plant which this oil comes from has historically been cultivated by many people to ward off evil spirits. Well, I consider bloodsucking disease-carrying ticks as evil as arachnids can be, so that works for me!

Working to repel ticks is exactly what the Rose Geranium essential oil is doing for me and my dog. I did not administer Frontline Plus to my dog in early December nor in January. Instead, I administer the essential oil daily — a drop at the shoulder blades and at the base of his tail. And, of course, I give myself a drop too, at the hairline on the back of my neck. I am finding no ticks on either of us!

Last week it rained for days so I did not apply the Rose Geranium until the third day when, yes, after we came in from a walk I immediately saw three ticks on the dog and removed one from myself. Now I reach for that little bottle of essential oil every day and no more ticks!

Beautiful Roses Custom Mug by RaintreeDesigns

No doubt about it, I am convinced. I'm sold on the use of Rose Geranium as a tick repellent. And ... My dog and I smell as sweet as roses!




Dog Pawsitive Tidbits: From my personal experience I have found Rose Geranium a viable solution as a tick repellent for my dog. However, I highly recommend you discuss this with your veterinarian and/or medical professional before administering essential oils to your pets and animals. Further, do NOT use essential oils on cats.




My dog Valentino and I would enjoy having you dog blog hop along with us this week for PAWSit Hop Saturday

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Dog On Beach At Sunrise

Dog stands in the morning glow on pearly white sand, not snow, o'er the Gulf of Mexico.



For another view of the rise of this sun of dog Valentino's and mine, read all about my new year resolution, my sunshine state of mind.



We are hopping along on Wordless Wednesday with the BlogPaws community. Add your picture paw prints to the blog hop!


Saturday, January 3, 2015

Old and New Year Dog Beds

My Dog Valentino's First Nap In Our Home
On November 5th of 2014 I welcomed my shelter dog, Valentino, into my heart and his forever home. After he wore himself out sniffing every item in every nook and cranny of his new surroundings he settled in for a nap on a dog bed fashioned from an old comforter that three past dogs had slept upon.

I would drag that old comforter with me as Valentino followed me from my home office to the living room during the day and finally to the bedroom at night. It was the only place he would lay to rest or to sleep as he had yet to show anything other than fearfulness about sleeping on my furniture.

My Dog Valentino Napping On His Pillow Bed
Then Valentino's majestic pillow bed for dogs arrived. Here again, something new for my shelter dog to get used to. Since he'd grown attached to the comforter, it remained his day bed while the pillow dog bed became his bed for sleeping in my bedroom at night.

Of course, I longed for the day Valentino would feel comfortable lying on the couch and sleeping in my bed. The day finally came when he grew into a couch potato. And although at night he would prance around my bed and beg to climb aboard with me, I had set a rule about this — he had to want it enough to jump up there for himself.

On New Year's Eve, my dog Valentino placed his paws upon the bed. The moment had arrived — into my bed he climbed! I think he was as amused by this event as I.

My Dog Valentino Sleeping In My Bed

My dog Valentino was quick to lay his head upon my pillows and together we rang in the new year, 2015, with a whole lot of loving.

What happened to that comforter? It is now neatly folded to fit the floor of his crate. That suits Valentino just fine. And his plush pillow dog bed is on my office floor for when he wants to be near me while I work. If I'm in the family room, he is a couch potato.

Our bedtime routine has become a time for us to cuddle up for a half hour or so. Then Valentino moves to the foot of the bed where he has his own pillow. And the two of us are now nestled in for a good night of sweet dreams of a happy new year.

We invite you to join us each week of the year here at Dog Pawsitive Tidbits for PAWSit Hop Saturday, a blog hop for you to share your dog paw prints and tails with us!

Grab our badge for your blog post and share a dog tale or two. We would love to get to know you and your canine companions.


Grab the PAWSit InLinkz code.