Just Jack

I awoke one morning much like any other morning...wandered downstairs to make a cup of tea. I hadn't taken the girls out yet and I hadn't prepared myself for visitors, but that's what I got...a visitor.

I first spotted a man in my driveway. I couldn't make out who he was or what he was doing but it looked like he had rope in his hand. I was curious as to why this stranger was in my yard, coming across my driveway and up onto my deck, carrying a rope of some kind, yet not coming to my door. This was no ordinary Jehovah's Witness and it wasn't the mail man...who was this guy?

I had a moment's trepidation at opening the door unarmed and in my bathrobe (mainly because my vanity demands that I not let people outside the family see me in my morning getup), to confront an unknown man lurking on my deck. But as I opened the inner door I saw something brown and white shoot across my deck and over the snowbank that is as high as my deck railing. It startled me and I startled the man. We were all startled. I opened the screen door, said hello nicely and asked him why he was on my deck.

He was obviously frazzled and told me that he can't get his dog....which, as it turns out was the brown and white rocket that had just gone up and over the snowbank. I smiled to myself when I realized that this must be a small dog having the time of his life sniffing around in my yard that smells like my dogs. This must also be the little dog that occasionally "talks" to my girls when we're outside...someone they've never met but have answered with deep bellowing howls to his short rapid barks.

The man looked like he was going to go over the side railing after his dog but I informed him that the snow is chest deep over there. I also told him that way leads to the road so perhaps it might be a good idea to head around to the front of the house. We don't want the little brown and white rocket dead in the road. He got a momentary look of panic on his face and started for the front of the house. It was apparent that his dog didn't want to come to him and in fact was having the time of his life staying just out of arms reach. Oh those little dogs! They know just how to push your buttons don't they?

I looked out a front window but didn't see anyone so I determined I had to help this guy and grabbed my coat and jumped into my boots. I also had the idea to grab some dog biscuits....little dogs like them just as much as my big girls do.
I no sooner joined the man on my deck then 'the rocket' came to the crest of the largest snowbank and paused to look at me. This was my first clear look at him. I already knew he was a boy because he'd left his signature on the side of my deck snow....clever boy! He looked to be a Jack Russel terrier or something quite close to that. He looked a little bit like "Eddie" from the Frasier show.
I asked the man what the dogs name was and he said "Jack"......I thought, of course it is.

Well I looked at Jack, raised my voice to that high baby talking sissy voice we use for speaking to small dogs...and said 'Where ya going Jackie? Come on over here and gets a biscuit from me!' And that's exactly what Jack did. He launched himself in my direction and happily chewed a biscuit long enough for me to grab his collar. His little body was all wiggles and wags and he was clearly very excited about his adventure. I got the impression also that 'Dad' doesn't normally have much control over Jack. I think Jack is a momma's boy and that's why he came to me so easily.

Jack's Dad clipped his leash on him and while I fed Jack biscuits he explained how the escape took place. Jack normally has free reign of his backyard but this day Jack discovered that he could walk on the snow and that snow just happen to be piled up just right so he could go up and over the fence out into the wild world. Thankfully Jack stopped at my house..probably because he smelled the girls and was hoping to meet them. Jack's Dad (I never did get his name) had been following about 3 feet behind Jack for the past hour. Jack is a smart little guy and he knew he had to stay away from Dad to continue his adventure.

Well thankfully Jack didn't wander into the road and nothing bad happened to him. I told his Dad that he'll have to move the snow in Jack's yard. Once he's made a break he'll do it again. The small dogs are very smart about retaining that kind of information. I said good bye to Jack; gave some extra biscuits to his Dad; accepted his thanks for my help and went back to my morning cup of tea.

The picture here is not Jack...it's just a reasonable facsimile of him. :)

Snow Dogs

This half a dog is Bell.



Yup, you guessed it...Bell again.


Kaylee trying to avoid Bell's snow diving.


Bell just loves snow diving!


Kaylee almost got knocked down by Nick trying to catch up with Bell. Nicki does not seem to enjoy snow diving...she's more the jumping type.

Snow Storm vs Retarded Rabbits

Dogs love snow. There's no way around it...they do. And mine are no exception. Even though they have such a little amount of hair to keep them warm, they still love the snow. They are mindless with the snow (no big surprise there)...jumping into it without a thought to how deep it may be. And boy it's deep this time around!

The previous snow fall left some moderate drifts on the lawn. And as they hardened up the girls took delight in going to the top of the hill to pee. I don't know why that's so important to them but it is. Must be a dog thing.

So this time with the massive snow storm we got and the wind that came with it we ended up with much higher drifts, at least up to the necks of the girls. Once again they tried to climb these drifts but they are soft and the girls keep falling through. Apparently they don't understand why this is happening because they just keep trying again. Then they discovered that it's very unpleasant to pee when the snow is enveloping your entire body...including the tender bits. But rather than head for the areas with less snow they begin to jump..and jump...and jump..trying to get to the top of that hill. It's really quite comical looking.

Ears perked up...or at least as perky as it is possible to be with ears so long. Tails held high and spunky stances adopted they jump over and over again...like large retarded black rabbits. And they never get to the top.
Nick decided that the snow doesn't always feel too good on the feet at least. She stopped jumping, came back to me and just stood there holding her foot off the ground. I suppose that's meant to mean Mom fix it! So I did just that. She had snow packed between her toes...her big webbed toes. I think webbing holds the snow even better than regular toes. Somehow I doubt Nick will remember that.

Big Puppy Christmas 2010

Christmas for the girls was very much like last year. I bought a bunch of stuffed toys (their favorite!) from the Salvation Army. Last year they were .50 each...this year they were $1.00 each. And as cheap as that still was...the Capricorn in me found that irritating. Is there a legit reason for the 100% increase in the price of stuffed toys? Maybe...but they didn't offer any explanation and I didn't bother asking for one. They were very busy changing the rules (yet again) for donations anyway so I had enough to think about.I obtained the required pile of stuffed toys for the girls and called it a day.

Christmas day the pile was poured onto the living room floor and the girls were allowed to 'have their way' with them. One stuffed cat was 'killed' the same day...one other toy was discovered to have the small beads inside so it was eliminated from the bunch. My dogs will eat anything...including small beads and those things are sinister.

I don't have to tell you they enjoyed themselves immensely now do I?

Thanksgiving

Two new toys...two dogs...shouldn't be a problem right?
No sharing here even on Thanksgiving!

To Enzyme or Not

Different dogs...same results...I'm done!

It seems like every time I try using enzymes for my dogs they end up barfing. Bell was fine on them but Nicki couldn't take it. I put them in their food a few times and eventually Nick was barfing. A clear signal that it's not going to work for her and if I can't give it to both of them I'm not going to bother with it at all.

What are enzymes for you ask? (other than to make your dog barf?) Well they are supposed to help the dog digest their food more efficiently. I felt it was worth a try with them because I make all their food. Making your dogs food goes hand in hand with worrying that they aren't getting the right nutrition. (because they are my fuzzy kids)

I have been dead set against most commercial dog foods for some time now...ever since I read a book entitled "Food Pets Die For" by Ann N. Martin. It was a shocking read and after gaining that knowledge I was unable to feed my dogs dog food ever again...or at least not the standard ones.

Commercial animal foods are like the evil cousin of our processed fast food....full of chemicals; the lowest grade of raw product; and in the case of dog food, dead animals. Yes, commercial dog foods are made from dead animals. And I'm not saying just the factory farmed animals (don't get me started on THAT topic) but also domestic pets (flea collars; vaccines; and drugs used to euthanize included); and road kill. You heard me...it's all in there and the companies don't want you to know it.

But the government has control of the situation right? Don't bet on it. There are very little regulations set forth for dog food companies and even fewer people to regulate it. And the regulations set forth are either broad and sweeping in nature or complex and difficult for the layman to understand. In short it's garbage in a pretty package colored and shaped to please the human eye. And the thought that comes to mind is one I'm sure you're familiar with: Garbage in garbage out.

So in order to sleep at night I make my dogs food. And I read a lot about dog nutrition. And I try to do my best to see that they get what they need. One of the things I've read many times that they don't need or need very little of is carbs. My dogs get carbs...for the most part in the form of certain vegetables. But they also get rice and that's not a carb that falls into a 'natural' diet for a dog and that's why I was trying the enzymes....to give them something that would ensure that they are able to process the carbs in their diet. I've found it virtually impossible (not to mention wicked expensive) to feed them enough to keep their weight at normal levels without using rice for some of their meals. And nobody wants to see a skinny dog! As it turns out I've once more (Allie was the first of my dogs with food allergies) become the owner of dogs with 'food sensitivities' or possibly allergies. I believe this was the reason that Nick started barfing on the enzymes. They are just too much for the sensitive stomach of a dog with food allergies/sensitivities.

So I will shelf that idea and more forward in the search for better food and a well rounded diet. One food I do give them is from the Honest Kitchen. It's a raw dehydrated food made from vegetables and fruits. They love it! But then these are two dogs that eat everything...including things that are not food. What I like about it is it fills in for some of the foods I just can't afford to buy on a constant basis and seems to keep their stools very normal. It is a requirement that a protein be added if using that food only. I rotate their proteins as they seem to have definite problems with certain meats. Chicken, beef and dairy are the most frequently reactionary foods for dogs. My dogs must have read that somewhere because they have a problem with all three foods! I was feeding them chicken for quite some time before I realized that was what was causing them to have diarrhea. So that not only eliminates chicken but all birds. And when they started having gas when they ate beef or cheese I knew they were no longer an option either. The real problem arises when you discover that many other meats are too similar to beef...they can't have them. And the cheese was just a much cheaper way to provide protein that is off the table now too. Currently they are doing fine on fish and ground pork but I will be experimenting with lamb some time soon.

So the search for the best dog diet continues and I'll continue to read as much as I can find about dog nutrition. The picture below of the enzymes are what I used and won't be using again. However if you are feeding your dog a commercial dog food with no problems you might want to try this type of enzyme and see if it works for your dog. Just because I can't use it doesn't mean it's a bad product. Don't take my word for it. Read up on dog nutrition and form your own opinion.

The book below is a fascinating read but be warned...you will never think of commercial dog food the same way again after reading it and you may decide not to feed it to your dog going forward. And some of the information about how dog food standards are created is absolutely heart breaking. They use live animals for the studies and it's criminal to treat animals (mostly puppies) like that in the name of science!

Dog Biscuits

Well I finally got around to trying a new dog biscuit recipe for the pups. (I call them pups because they act like it but they are really incredibly active big dogs) I must say I didn't check out that recipe before I printed it and when I took a real look at the ingredients I was a little shocked to see 'sugar' as an ingredient. That's just crazy! Dogs don't need sugar anymore than we do and it's just as destructive to them as it is to us. (not that I don't love my sugar, I do..I do...really I do!)So I knew at that point that I had to 'doctor' this recipe. That's no problem really. These girls eat things that aren't even food..I'm sure they'll eat the biscuits without even really tasting them.


So I omitted the sugar and also omitted the corn meal because I didn't have any in the house. I added more oats, some wheat germ and a little more flour instead. The batter turned out to be too wet anyway (probably because they had me using 2 eggs and oil) so I added more oats to dry it out. These were supposed to be peanut butter dog biscuits but the recipe only called for 2 tlbs of peanut butter. I added three and they still don't have a whole lot of peanut butter smell or flavor to them. (yes, I ate some to see what they taste like...hmmmm, needs sugar if I'm going to like them!) They ended up nice and crunchy which is good but that's because I left them in the oven after turning it off.



Over all I am not pleased with this recipe and I won't use it again. The search for a better dog biscuit recipe is still on. Meanwhile the girls will polish these off in no time. It's gratifying to know that even my 'less than impressive' biscuit attempts will not go to waste with them.
Good doggies!