Saturday, February 28, 2015

Dogs are Winners for Good Reasons

When we enter our dogs in a contest and they do not win they are still winners and for good reasons. A dog does not have to win a Best in Show title or a prize pack to be determined a winner.


Undoubtedly, my Redtick Coonhound will never even enter the Westminster in hopes of winning a trophy as the best in his breed or the best in the show. And when I entered my mixed-breed shelter dog in a photo contest to win a prize pack of Good Reasons dog treats, he was not the winner. A dog named Gabe won first place with a picture story all his own while my Valentino came in as the second place winner.

I did learn, however, that my dog Valentino knows how to win friends and influence people. As I promoted Valentino's photo in order to win votes in the contest, I also watched his daily tally of votes increase. I saw the picture and story of my dog and I on the seashore shared all over the world wide web by friends and by people I did not even know.

Good Reasons Dog Treats


Much to my surprise, a few days after the photo contest, hosted by MyDogLikes and sponsored by Good Reasons, my dog was the recipient of a priority mail call package. Valentino had won the giving spirit of my fellow writer and dog lover friend, Margaret Schindel, who told me...

 "In my book you and Valentino won that contest, so I wanted you to have at least part of the prize."

Good Reasons dog treats arrived for my dog in three flavors, personally selected by Margaret: Charlie's Cheddar Chomps, Gracie's Goodie Two Chews, and Tucker's Tummy Ticklin' Turkey. Valentino immediately pounced on...


No doubt about it, in the future I will purchase additional Good Reasons dog treats so my dog Valentino will be able to taste test all available flavors for he gives his Paws Up! to hounds and these flavorful treats.

Reasons Dogs Are Winners


For me there is no better reason for my dog being considered a winner in my book than through the unconditional love, trust, and respect he has grown to show me since we rescued one another from our life circumstances.  But of course, I shower him with those same key ingredients in our canine - human relationship.

Share the good reasons you feel your dog is a winner!

You can share your winning canine here in the comments. Or, better yet, blog about it and link up with PAWSit Hop Saturday right here on Dog Pawsitive Tidbits.



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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Life Paw Prints In Sands of Time

Today I share pictures and verse of my dogs and me, life and paw prints in the sands of time.

Tidbit, she is of the past. Valentino, he is of the present. We wait (sometimes not-so-patiently) for what the future may hold for us in this, our life journey. Whatever it may be, we plan on living life to its fullest.


Time the tale
as we walk,
sit a spell.


Shell in hand,
stay your name 
in the sand.


Stand 'longside
past. We wait.
Time we bide.




As I am writing, I am singing the country music tune of "The Sands of Time" recorded by LeAnn Rimes on her God Bless America album.




And now that I am finished with today's pictures and poem, I waste no time in linking this blog post up with the BlogPaws pets and animals community for Wordless Wednesday.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Pawsitive Welcome Mat for Guests

We rolled out the welcome mat for our out-of-town house guest, the first overnight visitor experience for my dog.

Welcome Mat
In the three months my three-year-old redtick coonhound, Valentino, had been with me, I had spent time socializing him to the presence of other people and I was fairly certain he was a people-friendly dog.

Valentino had already made friends with many of our neighbors, greeting special ones with a tail wag of excitement when running into them on our daily walks.

Strangers In the Home


My dog had experienced strangers in the home, too. He behaved well with our landlord and his crew when they were here to repair the well water pump and water heater. And although a bit wary, he was okay with the bottled water delivery man from Crystal who came once a month.

Still, I was a bit apprehensive as I wondered how Valentino would react to a stranger in the house for days. I could only hope that the dog would feed off of my own excitement of seeing my friend and welcome her with open paws.

Love At First Sight


As it turned out, there was no reason for me to have been anxious about how my dog Valentino would react to my friend Chris visiting from out of town for a few days. It was love at first sight for my new dog and my old friend!

In fact, as soon as Chris sat down on the love seat, Valentino jumped right up there with her. He seemed quite excited about having a couch potato friend to share his sofa!

My Dog Valentino and My Friend Chris

Protective Pooch


Our water delivery coincided with the first evening of Chris's visit. Interestingly, Valentino was not happy to see the Crystal man, at all! He barked in an unwelcoming manner as the man carried the water bottles in the house and followed him to the door as he carried the empty bottles out.

Since this was unusual behavior for my dog, I attributed it to him being protective of Chris for some reason.  It could be that it was just too much activity and too many strangers to welcome in one day.

Valentino has now become more protective of our home, so maybe his reaction that day with the Crystal water man was just good timing. He now gives a sharp bark when someone knocks on the door and comes running to get me. I take this as a good sign that my dog is now guarding his turf and protective of his home's inhabitants. For this, my Valentino receives a "Good boy!"

But of course, this now means we are in WAIT! training — teaching Valentino to sit and wait from across the room as I answer the door and while I first greet visitors to our home.

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an Amazon Associate and may earn commission on sales via your purchases from links in this article. Article may contain links to 3rd party sites for which we are not responsible.


My dog and I would like you to be our guest by hopping along with us today in PAWSit Hop Saturday -- a blog hop for bloggers who publish dog-related articles on a blog home of their own.




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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Postcard Pup

My hound dog Valentino wanted me to let you know that he has a few new postcards added to his collection. My dog loves being a postcard pup!

When you enlarge this image for a closer look, you will see my shadow in the honeysuckle bush. I love shadow play!


And then there are the days where Valentino takes the lead and off we go!


Stray hairs and all, my hound dog's back paw!

Zazzle
Do your dogs have their mugs on a postcard?



BlogPaws


I am linking my postal hound dog up with BlogPaws for Wordless Wednesday. Come join the blog hop fun!


Saturday, February 14, 2015

Dogs Dare to Love and Be Loved

One year ago today a hound dog arrived at Franklin County Humane Society in Eastpoint, Florida, his fate to be determined by compassionate care and the name given him upon his Valentine's Day arrival — VALENTINO

Eight months later this hound dog took a car ride to what would become his forever home ... to love and to be loved ... Forevermore.

My Love Day Dog Valentino
(Click the pic for a larger view.)

This is the face of pure sweet love and is one of my favorite pictures of my dog Valentino. He grins from ear to ear and at this moment begins the journey of letting go of his fear, somehow knowing that the future holds all good things for those who wait and persevere.

Who Rescued Who


Oh, and wait Valentino did — for me!

You will discover just who rescued who when you read our waiting game story. Ours is a tale to remember, much like many stories of dogs and humans who have rescued one another with love.



You, too, can know a love like this and Valentino is always here to remind you — Adopt a shelter dog!

Sunshine Shelter Dog Postcard
Sunshine Shelter Dog Postcard by dogpawsitivetidbits
See other Adopt shelter dogs Postcards at zazzle


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!



Wednesday, February 11, 2015

When Valentino Speaks

When my dog Valentino speaks, people listen! Yes, just like they do when E. F. Hutton talks.

Listen Up!



Actually, Valentino speaks for a walk but he would much rather talk about the Good Reasons Dog Treats photo contest he's entered to win over at MyDogLikes. Valentino wants to win that prize pack for dogs and needs your vote to do so!

Valentino says:

Thank you and a tail wag!





We are linking this call to action up with the Wordless Wednesday blog hop hosted by the BlogPaws community.


Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Pets and Animals and Humans Oh My!

Sometimes pets, wild animals, and humans do not mix well! It has been a rough couple of weeks around the house, yard, and neighborhood of late with stray and feral cats roaming everywhere in sight.

Several of these cats tried to take up residence under the house, screaming as if mating, all night after night. We fixed that problem by blocking all the entrances.

Now the cats are running around on the deck by night and in the yard and all around the neighborhood by day. At wit's end, I turned that problem over to our local animal control.

I just want the cats to go away. My redtick coonhound wants to chase them right up the trees with the squirrels! (As he drags me right along behind him in this game of chase the cat!)

My dog Valentino spots stray cat in vacant lot across the street from our home.

On our daily walks in our rural beach community (surrounded by forested areas) my dog and I dodge and deal with dogs off-leash, black bears, vultures, coyotes, and stray and feral cats — not to mention an array of waterbirds. We also must deal with a few neighbors who feed the wildlife, thus attracting them, which increases the danger to humans as well as the pets and animals.

Bag of cat food found dumped along the street I live on.




Again, I am pretty wordy today! Still, I am linking this article with pictures up with Wordless Wednesday at the Blog Paws community along with all the other pets and animals and their paw prints.