Tag Archives: other four-leggers

How Shampoo Can Change the World

8 Nov

A few weeks ago I wrote about and held a contest for Mutt NOSE Best, a Maine based dog shampoo company that features a lot of blueberry based shampoos and conditioners. What I failed to mention, and what is the topic of today’s post, is that every month, Mutt NOSE Best chooses a charity to help raise funds or donations for. Last month, the charity was the Eastern Area Agency on Aging’s Furry Friends Food Bank whose goal is to assist seniors and adults with disabilities feed their pets. For every “like” on their facebook page in the month of October, Mutt NOSE Best donated 1lb of dog food. At the end of the month, Mutt NOSE Best donated 163lbs of food!

This month the focus is on Logan’s Legacy, a fund whose goal is to help human Suzan Morris raise enough money to secure a service dog. Suzan, was diagnosed with MS in 1996 and, through the help of her first service dog Logan, Suzan was able to volunteer and lead a productive life. As Suzan stated in this article by Mutt NOSE Best, “With Logan by my side I was able to maintain my independence and together we participated in life fully. From everyday activities to hospice volunteering to Disneyworld, she made it possible to connect with many people worldwide. She will always be in my heart, the angel by my side…” Sadly, Logan passed away from cancer leaving Suzan heartbroken and in need of another companion.

Suzan and Logan in 2010

 (photo source)

It takes lot of time and money to raise and train a service dog. Some of the things that Logan and her successor did and will be able to do for Suzan are things like picking up dropped items like keys and coins, opening and closing doors, carrying small bags or items, getting (though not answering) the phone, etc. Currently Suzan is on a two waiting lists with non-profits that train service dogs. She has to raise roughly $9,500, 26% of which she has raised as of today. Any amount that exceeds her goal will be saved and used as the Logan’s Legacy scholarship fund to help others with disabilities fundraise for a service dog.

For the entire month of November, Mutt NOSE Best will be donating $1 from every bottle sold on their website to Logan’s Legacy. And, as if that was pawesome enough, The Loyal Biscuit Co, one of my all time favorite pet stores, has decided to join the fundraising efforts but sending $1 off every bottle of Mutt NOSE Best sold in their store throughout November to Logan’s Legacy.

If you would like more information about Logan’s Legacy or to make a donation, please visit their Give Forward page as well as their facebook page. And, if you want to buy some of the yummiest smelling shampoo, make sure you visit Mutt NOSE Best’s online store.

Happy tail wags!

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Mutt Nose Best Giveaway Winner!

10 Oct

Thank you so much to everyone that entered my Mutt Nose Best giveaway over the weekend. I really wish I could have given you all a set of Mutt Nose Best’s pawesome shampoo, but there could be only one winner. To make things fair (and easy) my mom wrote everyone’s name on a slip of paper (those that did the two extra entry options of subscribing to my blog and liking the Mutt Nose Best facebook page got extra slips) and put them in a teacup. She then drew one slip…. Congratulations to Samantha from Barkzilla (there were two Samanthas so we had to specify). I can’t wait to hear what you and Paddy think of U Berry Calm Puppy!

Happy tail wags!

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Ratbone Rescues

28 Sep

Since our attempt to become the collegiate elite didn’t quite work out this time around, my mom and I have had some extra time on our hands. Of course, I can spend all my extra time chewing on a delicious ox tail or chasing the cats around the house, but my mom always likes to have projects. She has recently become more diligent in making toys and clothes for her and Angelica’s Etsy shop, The Smiling Frog Pets. My mom has also become a virtual volunteer for a really amazing rescue group called Ratbone Rescues.

Founded in 1999, Ratbone is a nationwide dog rescue dedicated to helping and finding forever homes for Rat Terriers in need. Ratbone’s Rat Terriers are usually pulled from kill shelters and given a second chance at life. As there is no actual facility or shelter, the dogs under Ratbone’s care are fostered in homes throughout the US until they are adopted. Ratbone Rescues’ entire existence is dependent solely upon the countless volunteers who work tirelessly transporting, fostering, fundraising, going through adoption applications, writing letters and emails, and generally helping to spread the word about the current Rat Terriers that are up for adoption.

This is Jozi who is currently available for adoption.

My mom’s main focus in her volunteer work is to help spread the word not only about the rescue, but about their fundraising efforts on various social media avenues. In fact, she just helped launch Ratbone’s newly revamped twitter account, @Ratbone_Rescues. It’s a little empty now, but it’s sure to be hopping soon. As all of Ratbone’s good work is based on the monies raised through fundraising, it’s really important to spread the word. Their current fundraiser is a quilt raffle! It’s actually their seventh quilt raffle to date.

And it features Rat Terriers of course!

The raffle runs until October 31st. Each ticket is $5, but there are deals (such as $10 for3 tickets) the more tickets you want to purchase. All proceeds go toward covering the cost of spay/neuters, vaccinations, and other general veterinary care. You can read more about the quilt raffle and but a ticket here (or click on the photo of the quilt above).

If you’d like more information about Ratbone Rescues, please visit their website. There you will find not only a list of all Rat Terriers currently up for adoption, but also information about how you too can volunteer to help such a pawesome rescue! And don’t forget to “like” the Ratbone Rescues page on facebook.

Happy tail wags!

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Keep BSL Out of Maine

15 Sep

There are very few things that get me grumpy; a late meal is definitely at the top of the list, but so is when humans cast dogs in an unfair and harmful light. Yesterday morning, a page of the Bangor Daily News, one of our local papers, was left out for my mom’s perusal. The original intention was for her to read an article about a therapy dog who recently received a number of awards. What caught my mom’s eye instead, and caused my annoyance, was an article with the glaring headline “Dog Maulings Disturb Waterville Police Chief” (feel free to read the article for yourself here). Without even reading the article, it was blatantly clear it was going to be another diatribe about the “dangers” of pit bull ownership. In this case, after a pit bull was euthanized after the dog bit a 2-year-old and 6-year-old human child, Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey has decided to launch a campaign against, as the article states “dogs that are known to be aggressive, such as pit bulls, Rottweilers and German shepards” and to keep these “aggressive” dogs “away from kids.” Massey even went so far as say he believes the Waterville City Council should enact a breed specific legislation to ban these dogs.

I have been vocal in the past about how unfairly I believe pit bulls and other “vicious” dog breeds are treats by humans, especially in the news. What irritated me so much about this specific case is that there was absolutely no mention about why. Why did the dog bite those two human children? It is very, very rare that a dog will just bite without a reason, and especially without a warning. It is a human default to jump to needing vengeance for and act without looking into the details. Were the children prone to teasing the dog? Should the dog have been better suited in a home without children? How many times did the dog warn the children, or show signs of stress and anxiety before finally biting? By asking these questions, I am not trying to say that the children in anyway deserved what happened to them. In fact, it hurts my puppy heart that they were injured to the point of being hospitalized. I pose these questions because this is what humans need to think before jumping to the conclusion that because a dog bites it means they are vicious and without reason.

The Bangor Daily News article did, however, offer support for the dog breeds Massey is targeting through the expertise of Susan Bell, the director of the Bangor Humane Society. Bell says, as do many of the humans who support the pit bull breed (and what I agree with) that it is “up to the owners to properly train [their dogs]” and that “all breeds have the potential to attack when provoked.” It is up to the owner, the human that decides to bring a dog into their home, a home they may be sharing with young children, to know whether or not that the dog is appropriate in their home and to take responsibility for what that dog does. It seems like common sense, but sadly it is not.

Sadly, I don’t think this will be the last time there will be an inflammatory article that blames an entire breed for a single dogs actions. This attitude that dogs can just “snap” and that certain breeds are disposed to “viciousness” will not go away until the attitude about responsible dog ownership changes for all humans. In the meantime, I will be, as always, continuing to help stop the “vicious dog” stereotype and I will be keeping my paws crossed that a breed ban will not be enacted in Waterville.

Happy tail wags.

 

P.S. I just learned from a facebook post by The Maine POM Project that municipalities, like that of Waterville, are not allowed to adopt breed-specific ordinances, laws, or regulations. While this removes the immediate threat of a BSL being put into place, it still doesn’t help to remove the stigma.

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Woofstock 2011

12 Sep

I love raising money for animal shelters and rescues. It is up there with squeaking a brand new toy and eating chicken. Of course, helping out animals in need is even more fun when you get to hang out with other like minded humans and dogs. This weekend I got to do exactly that! Saturday marked the 6th annual Woofstock festival presented by The Animal House. Woofstock is festival that celebrates the pawesomeness of being a dog as well as all those pooches (and kitties!) looking for their forever homes. This year, there were 17 rescues and animal shelters from all around New England that benefited from the proceeds raised through the “Pay What You Can” admission fee, pet items yard sale, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, for-profit vendor fees, and what ever money is raised by the shelters and rescues themselves through items sold or services rendered at their booths.

Some of the rescues is attendance

There were also tons of vendors selling everything from collars, toys, treats, pet shampoo, and dog clothes. My pug friend Jenny and I (we attended the event with Marie, Jenny, Angelica, and Leo) were in doggy heaven from all the delicious samples being doled out by the likes of TriPom Chews, Zelda’s Biscuit Bakery, Nature’s Variety (where I met one of my facebook friends!), Stella & Chewy’s, Barkwheats, Merrick, Evermore Pet Food, and more. Leo wasn’t all that interested in the treats because he doesn’t eat in public. Some of the other vendors included Mutt Nose Best, a natural pet care line made in Maine, Uncommon Paws, a shop and maker of collars, leashes, pet clothes (who also happened to have a display of blanketIDs!), Classic Hound with their beautiful collars, the Maine POM Project, and so many more.

Mom, myself, Angelica, and Leo

There were also some really fun dog demos to watch. We happened to catch a bit of the agility demo where a few pups ran through tunnels, jumped over hurdles, and generally made me jealous that I wasn’t a bit more athletic. Even Jenny and Marie got into the action when they volunteered to help out during the freestyle demo.

This is Jenny's patented "Sniff for Treats" move

Honestly, one of the greatest things about the Woofstock was being able to meet so many different dogs and humans. Dogs from giant (and I’m talking at least a four poop bagger kind of giant) Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds, to itty bitty Chihuahuas as well as every breed or mix of breeds in between were their in their furry glory. I sniffed butts of dogs with three legs, dogs who needed carts to get around, even a deaf Border Collie. There were long haired dogs, short haired dogs, some dogs in dire need of a hair cut. I even got to finally rub noses with Finch, the foster dog turned adopted dog of the humans behind Barkwheats (and a puppy that my mom has been obsessed with ever since seeing her photo on the Loyal Biscuit facebook page), as well as Oscar, a me-look-a-like whom Angelica and Leo kept running into around Rockland.

This Great Dane's head was bigger than all of me

 

The adorable Finch!

 

Oscar, my look-a-like and I

All in all, it was a terrific day that was spent helping out 17 terrific shelters and rescues. We all came away with the satisfaction of knowing we helped many pets in need of homes, lots of new friends, and so much swag! 

So much swag!

As I didn’t want to make this post too picture heavy, I’ll be posting the rest of my Woofstock photos on my facebook page later today. 

Happy tail wags!

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Maine Greyhound Placement Service

22 Aug

On the day that I went with the humans to visit The Animal House, we had two missions in mind. The first being to meet and lavish with kisses (at least on my part) Aubrey the co-owner. The second mission was to get some information and talk with some of the humans behind the Maine Greyhound Placement Service (MGPS) who happened to be hanging out with a few of their four-legged counterparts, at The Animal House for the day.

MGPS is a non-profit organization whose soul purpose is to rescue and find loving and responsible forever homes for retired racing greyhounds. Even though their adoption center is located in Augusta, Maine (they are currently working on building a new kennel for the dogs in their care), they have placed greyhounds in homes throughout New England and beyond! The adoption center is also home to a pet supply store as well as a spay/neuter clinic. All the greyhounds that the MGPS works to find homes for are usually between the ages of 2-5 years old. As mom and I knew very little about greyhounds as a breed, I had my mom grab all the literature that MGPS provided. We’ve learned a lot! Think greyhounds are hyper? They are actually incredibly mellow and calm. They can also make great apartment dogs as they only require an average amount of exercise (it’s not mandatory to have a fenced in back yard) and most greyhounds are content to just lounge around most of the day.

What was wonderful about the meet and greet with some of the members of the MGPS was rubbing noses with the greyhounds in attendance, all of which have found forever homes and work as spokesdogs for those still searching for the right family. As the MGPS is run by the hard work of volunteers and the kindness of humans who donate, they are often in need of many things. In fact, there was a great write-up in the Greyhound Express, MGPS’s quarterly newsletter, about all the ways you can help the organization succeed. The first is to help spread the word, like I am doing now. As the newsletter states, “Word of mouth is the best promotion.” If you live near the Augusta adoption center, you can also volunteer (check out their website for more info). And they always accept donations, especially of the kennel items they need such as bleach, paper towels, and more (you can read the full list here).

My mom has always said that in the future she would like to share her home with a retired racing greyhound. If you’ve always thought the same, the Maine Greyhound Placement Service is the perfect place to start your search.

Happy tail wags!

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2011 Boatyard Dog Trials

15 Aug

It’s that time of the year again for the annual Boatyard Dog Trials put on by the Maine Boats, Homes, & Harbors Show (read my post about last year’s competition here). As it was last year, I wasn’t able to attend due to the “No Dog” rule (other than the dog contestants, that is), so I sent my ever adventurous human reporter (my mom) to go and take some notes for me (and have fun obviously!).

This year the competition was extra special because my Labrador friend, Fenway, and the co-owner of The Loyal Biscuit Co, Joel, were one of the five competing dog-human teams. The other dog contenders were Grace O’Malley (the pirate queen), Oskar (the skilled jumper), Lyla (the crustacean queen), and Pixel (the facebook celeb. You can find Pixel’s facebook page here)

Fenway, the black belt!

There are three parts to the trial that every dog has to complete. The first part is an obstacle course involved bait buckets and lobster traps, the second is entering and exiting a tippy dinghy, and third, a freestyle routine. In addition to the different parts of the competition, there are usually only two rules in the competition (1. Either the dog or the handler must be completely soaked at the end of their 8 minute or less routine and 2. Not only is cheating allowed, but it is incredibly encouraged) but this year an extra rule was added! The third new rule was that, somewhere in the freestyle routine, a rubber ducky had to be included. In this, every contestant excelled. There were duckies included in everything from a raft of ducks used for fetching, to a ducky float stuffed with bribes for the judges.

Layla

There were two teams that my mom found incredibly impressive. The first was Fenny and Joel, the former of which was dressed in a karate gi, the later in his police officer uniform. Not only did Fen handle the obstacle course with ease (even through the temptation of the stinky bait bucket), but she was also in an out of the dinghy as if she had been doing it her entire life. The greatest moment happened during the freestyle when, after going through a few obedience commands (and Joel rolling around on the dock in an attempt to make Fenway roll over), Joel tried to entice Fenway with a rubber ducky when he “accidentally” fell off the dock. Fen jumped in not too soon after. You can see the entire performance here (mom tried to get video, but the judges’ boat kept getting in the way. Oh, and if you listen closely, you can hear my mom shouting “Fenway’s a SHE” in the background). 

And double points for BOTH contestants being soaked

The other impressive team was former shelter dog, Pixel, and her “Posse.”

Shelter pets DO rock

Pixel performed an impressive trick when she and her human attempted to board the dinghy. Her human laid down and became a living gang plank, connecting the dock with the dinghy. After a few faulty starts, Pixel boarded the dinghy with finesse. Then, during her freestyle, she not only jumped over a jump covered in duckies, she also donned a swim cap and rode a skateboard. Her human, in a matching swim cap, also rode a skateboard, except she rode it right into the water.

Pixel during her freestyle

Of course, through out all the fun, the Boatyard Dog Trials is a judged competition. So after all the bribes, doggy gymnastics, and cheers, the judges tallied their votes and awarded Fenway with the championship and Golden Bowl trophy!

Even though there had to be a chosen winner, in truth, all the dogs were winners in the spirit of having a good time.

Happy tail wags!

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P2V

26 Jul

Dogs mean so many different things to so many different humans. Some dogs are coworkers, others are fellow travelers, friends, children, and even sometimes saviors. According to last night’s CBS Evening News, no one knows this better than Dave Sharpe, a human who served with the US Air Force in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and his pit bull Cheyenne. 

(photo source)

After his deployment in 2001, Sharpe was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to events he experienced during his service. He experienced severe emotional upheaval and often lashed out at those around him. It was at this time that he found and adopted Cheyenne, then a puppy, through a pit bull rescue group. Unfortunately, Sharpe still experienced tremendous depression which, one night, led to his decision to commit suicide. Right before he was about to take his own life, Cheyenne licked his ear and gave him a look that Sharpe said looked as though she was saying “‘Listen, if you take care of me, I’ll take care of you.’” Sharpe then confided in Cheyenne everything he was feeling. All the emotional weight was lifted and he became a completely different person with reduced outbursts and less depressive symptoms. Inspired by Cheyenne, Sharpe decided then that he would help others who found themselves in a similar situation.

In October of 2009, Sharpe and Cheyenne started Pets2Vets, or P2V, a non-profit organization dedicated to matching veterans with their own furry saviors. One of the unique things about P2V is that the humans aren’t the only ones being rescued. All the pets, as both cats and dogs can be adopted through the program, are adopted from partnering shelters (the current shelters are The Washington Animal Rescue League, 4Paws Rescue Team, and Animal Care and Control of NYC) so they, as well, are saved. As the P2V site states: “There are 18 veterans in the United States that commit suicide everyday and one (1) shelter animal is put down every eight seconds.”

P2V currently operates in Washington, DC and NYC and provides two programs options. The first is the adoption program, or P2V Matches, where a qualified veteran is matched with a suitable shelter pet for free and provides low-cost pet health care as well as support and training. The other program, P2V Connections, provided visitation and socialization between wounded veterans and the pets in the participating shelters.

HN Pittman and Coconut

 (photo source)

Since P2V was founded, over 36 humans have found their saviors, and over 36 pets have found their forever homes. If you would like more information, or if you would like to donate, please check out the P2V website.

Happy tail wags!

Source: CBS Evening News, P2V

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Celtic Celebration

22 Jul

Last weekend, I was very fortunate to attend (along with Leo, Angelica, and my mom) the Maine Celtic Celebration in Belfast, Maine. It’s very rare that I get to go to any sort of outdoor festival, mostly due to the crowds and heat. This time around, the celebration was hosting a whole afternoon of dog activities, not to mention happened to be hosted in the same town as a pawesome dog park and the new Loyal Biscuit location, so my mom felt a little more than obligated to bring me along.

One of the day’s events was a parade and show of Celtic breed dogs. While we were a little late for the parade, many of the attendees were still wandering around enjoying the free agility course and just having a ball canoodling with the other four-legged festival goers.

Some were even dressed for the occasion

 Thankfully the revelry wasn’t specified only for those of Celtic origin, so there were dogs of every breed (and mix of breed) enjoying the sun and attention.

Like Bagel!

 The biggest draw of the afternoon was watching a flyball demonstration by a Maine-based flyball team known as the Flyball Maineiacs.

One of the flyballers in action

Flyball is a form of racing that matches two teams of four dogs who race relay style over a 51 foot course that features jumps and a pressure-released ball box. Each dog races down the jumps, hits a box which releases a ball, grabs the ball, and returns back through the jumps. Once the first dog returns, the second dog is released to run the course. Because the event was so thrilling to watch, I made sure my mom grabbed a video!

All in all it was a very fun and incredibly exhausting day. I was very appreciative that my mom came prepared with plenty of water and let me rest (or in one case take a snooze on a stranger’s lap) when I became a little too hot and tired. Even Leo, who is usually nervous and scared in crowds and unfamiliar places, seemed to enjoy himself.

Happy tail wags!

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Beach Romp

12 Jul

My love for the beach is a vast and powerful love. When we are within a mile of any salty and sandy location, my tail starts drumming faster than my excited puppy heart. Why do I love the beach so? It’s because the beach is one of the only locations that I am allowed to run without any tether. No leash, no fences, just boundless freedom (until the humans calls me back, that is). It’s even better when I can share the joys of this freedom with other pooches. Recently I had that exact opportunity during a beach visit that resulted in a gathering of the furry minds. A Havanese named Cosmo and a Labrador-mix visiting from Connecticut were all ready enjoying the salty spray. Luckily my mom had her camera in tow and she captured our fun on video:

Happy tail wags!

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