tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87037077553283443742024-03-05T23:47:12.441-08:00The Tales of Dexter, Nora, and ChloeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-57898276617919890882013-01-31T10:37:00.000-08:002013-01-31T10:37:15.545-08:00Nora the Explorer<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharkleroad/8284697581/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Sleeping in a patch of sunshine. by Mrs Harkleroad, on Flickr"><img alt="Sleeping in a patch of sunshine." height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8074/8284697581_f43eeed749.jpg" width="320" /></a>I have been working on a huge home improvement project since New Year's Day. We had pulled up the carpet in the living room, upstairs hall, and on the stairs last summer, in the hopes of refinishing the floor. After much deliberation, we decided to redo the floors ourselves, covering them in book pages and putting varnish polyurethane on top. It has been a lot of work, but the results have been awesome. The upstairs hall and the stairs are done, so this week we started on the living room floor.<br />
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We moved all the furniture out of the room, and scrubbed the floor. We have two registers in the living room, so we had to remove the covers. I spent more than 2 days gluing the paper covering on the floor. Yesterday, we took a day off to allow the glue to fully dry before we moved on to varnishing. We have had to keep the dogs off of the floor completely, but Nora has been fine, and pretty much stayed away from the floor. Until last night.<br />
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We had the dogs upstairs, watching a movie. As the movie was wrapping up, we heard a loud metallic bang from downstairs. I figured it was Nora just horsing around (she does that a lot at night). When we went downstairs to take the dogs out, we could hear Nora crying, but could not find her anywhere. We called, she cried, but she did not come out of hiding. After listening to her crying, I made a horrifying discovery.<br />
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Nora had crawled into the ductwork of our heating system, from the uncovered vent in the living room. I was immediately concerned that she was injured, or that we would be unable to get her out of the ductwork. We shut the furnace off and started trying to locate her. It sounded like she was walking around, and we thought we could coax her out with food, but it did not work. The ducts are riveted so we could not even unscrew anything to try to rescue her. We worried and fussed for about an hour.<br />
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Finally, Hubby removed the filter in the furnace, and said he could see Nora. She had made her way all the way into the actual furnace. We were able to remove a cover from a portion of the furnace and rescue her. It was quite the harrowing, and heartbreaking. As you may remember, <a href="http://thetalesofdexternoraandchloe.blogspot.com/2010/05/great-cat-escapes-of-2010-and-of-2008.html">this is not the first time Nora has tangled with a vent.</a><br />
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Once we got her out, and made sure she was safe and unharmed, we gave her an extra plate of food. Nora will be contained in the basement until the floor is finished and the register covers are back in place. And her vent investigation excursion has earned her a new nickname: Nora the Explorer.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-7887953343504559672012-12-17T04:43:00.000-08:002012-12-17T04:43:25.936-08:00Delicious Doxies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last year, we went to a store that had a ton of unique cookie cutters. After looking through hundreds of different shapes, I finally found a dachshund shaped cookie cutter, so of course I had to get it. And since that time, it has been sitting in a drawer in our kitchen, unused. <br />
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This weekend, I decided that needed to change. I wanted to surprise Hubby with gingerbread dachshunds. But this was going to take some finagling. Since the first step was to bake the cookies and let them cool, I had to make Hubby promise to stay upstairs. He took the dogs upstairs with him. <br />
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I baked up about three dozen cookies. Unfortunately, the design of the cookie cutter included a really thin tail on the dog, and half of the cookies lost their tails. It took a little over an hour to mix the dough, bake the cookies, let them cool, and wash all the dishes so Hubby would not suspect what I had been doing. After the cookies all cooled, I stacked them in a container and hid them.<br />
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Later on in the day, Hubby sequestered himself again, this time to wrap Christmas presents. I took this opportunity to ice all the cookies. They looked adorable, even the ones that had no tails. When Hubby came downstairs, I made him close his eyes, and I led him over to the table covered in cookie.<br />
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Most delicious surprise ever.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-19584049880750495692012-12-13T09:42:00.000-08:002012-12-13T09:42:48.692-08:00Ready for Santa Paws!Does anyone still read this blog? I have been woefully absent this year, mostly because my book blog keeps me so busy. I am hoping to achieve better balance in 2013. In the mean time, some very cute animals want to say hello!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #660000; font-size: x-large;">Happy Holidays from</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Dexter</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Nora</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">and Chloe</span></div>
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If that is not enough cuteness for you, view the rest of the photo set <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharkleroad/sets/72157632223739315/">here</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-80178650182592442192012-10-01T18:08:00.003-07:002012-10-01T18:09:06.910-07:00We Have Our Winners!<div style="text-align: center;">
We are super excited to announce the winners of our Blogfest 2012 Giveaway. Can you see our excitement?</div>
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Anyway, we are pleased to announce that <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shadow</b></span> and <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Alyssa </b></span>have won our giveaway. We hope your doggies like these treats as much as Chloe and Dexter do.</div>
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Thanks to all who entered!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-77975775519950767552012-09-28T08:32:00.000-07:002012-09-28T08:56:07.877-07:00Blogfest 2012 Giveaway- Cesar Treats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello friends, I know we have been away for a bit, but we returned with something exciting in store. It is time for the annual Blogfest.<br />
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This year, we are giving away a product that we really love: Cesar Cookie Crunchies!<br />
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We think these treats are the bees knees, really we do! They are small, for small doggies like mine, and pack a ton of crunch. The treats are not terribly high in calories, which is good because we have to watch the dogs' weight. They do not smell bad the way some treats do, and my dogs literally hop up and down when they see me opening the bag.<br />
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So, 2 lucky winners will each win one bag of chicken flavor cookies and one bag of filet mignon flavored cookies. Would your doggies like to win? <br />
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The giveaway is open to US Residents only. All one needs to do to enter is complete the form below. Additional entries may be obtained by following me on several social media sites, and spreading word of this giveaway on social media.
Here are links to my various social media sites:
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tiffanys.blogs">Facebook</a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Tiffanysblogs">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/mrsharkleroad/">Pinterest</a><br />
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All you need to do to enter is fill out the form below:</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="1200" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dDZnRzJocF9wZm5qTUxGXzlnWm5Panc6MQ" width="500">Loading...</iframe>
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Make sure to visit the next blogs on the list!<br />
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<a href="http://talltalesfromasmalltown.blogspot.com/">Tall Tales from a Small Town </a><br />
<a href="http://midnightthrillers.blogspot.com/">Midnight Thrillers </a><br />
<a href="http://www.books.notoriousspinks.com/">Notorious Spinks Talks Books </a><br />
<a href="http://www.mochasmysteriesandmore.blogspot.com/">Mochas, Mysteries and More</a><br />
<a href="http://littlepocketbooks.blogspot.com/">My Little Pocketbooks</a><br />
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And be sure to see the main Blogfest site and list of all blogs participating at <a href="http://www.ajourneyofbooks.com/">A Journey of Books.</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-12068971570005011622012-05-17T16:06:00.001-07:002012-05-17T16:06:10.850-07:00Paw-don the PunI tried and tried to think of a clever title for this post, and that was about as good as I could do. You see, this post is about paws. Specifically, Dexter's paws.<br />
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Dexter is a happy, healthy dog. We take him for regular vet check ups, we watch his diet, and we try to make sure his needs are all met. We also shower him with love and affection. He is indeed a happy dog.<br />
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However, several months ago, I noticed that Dexter, when climbing stairs, did it on 3 paws only, never putting weight on his front right paw. When he runs around, he does so on all 4 paws, and never acts like his paws hurt, it was just this weird thing with the steps. At first we chalked it up to him just being a weird dog.<br />
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Then I noticed that same paw, the front right, seemed to be bent out or twisted, more than his other one. Hubby said it just looked like Doxie paws to him. After one particularly long walk, however, his leg was so bent, it looked like it would buckle under him. I immediately called the vet.<br />
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After a thorough examination, the doctor said Dex has plantar fasciitis. This means the tendons in his paw have been strained or injured in the past, and are inflamed. He does not put full weight down on his paw; because of how he does put pressure on the front of his paw, the leg twists outward. It is not really causing him any pain, but he cannot go for walks right now, until we see if the inflammation subsides. We are resting his paw, and giving him fish oil. If this does not work, we may have to have it wrapped. Other interventions could include cortisone shots (which I am hesitant to do) and eventual surgery. The doctor thinks surgery will not be necessary, right now at least.<br />
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Again, Dexter shows no signs of being in pain, or being depressed. He still runs around outside like a nut, but no walks and we carry him up the inside steps. Have any of you ever experienced this with your dogs? Can you provide me with any insight? I am unable to find much online about this in dogs, only in people. The doc says this is simply a risk of a dog being bred to be short legged with a long body. In other words, doxie problems.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharkleroad/7218203466/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_1185 by Mrs Harkleroad, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1185" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7236/7218203466_596755a870.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-89612503695419440602012-05-04T07:10:00.000-07:002012-05-04T07:10:00.348-07:00Are they brilliant, or just plain crazy?Each and every day, my dogs act like they are encountering things for the very first time. The cat, for example. The cat was part of the family when Dexter joined, so he has know her as long as he has know us, yet every time he sees her, he freaks out, like "OH MY GOSH THERE IS A CAT HERE!!!!!". I swear, one of these times he is going to hurt himself. Same thing with the mailman. Mail comes through the door slot? Commence freak out by both dogs. Thank goodness for mail free Sundays.<br />
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But their worst freakout over an everyday occurance, by far, is when one of us comes through the front door. Each day when Hubby comes home from work, they flip their lids. For a good 5 minutes, usually until he hugs them. It is even worse when we are both returning from somewhere. We always talk about it in the car, how Chloe will be sooo mad, doing her sassy little bark, and Dexter will be hopping up and down like he has not seen us in days.<br />
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However, there is one notable exception to this through the door phenomenon. Three mornings a week I jog on the bike trail near our house. I have a routine, I come downstairs in my workout clothes, put on my shoes, put my cell phone arm band on, and stretch. If Hubby is not home, I take my keys, lock the door, and jog for 30 minutes. And each time, when I come home, and come through the front door, it is to total silence. They never make a peep, it is like they know, "oh hey, she will be back in half an hour, no need to worry".<br />
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So when I come home, this is usually what I see: Dex buried in his blanket, and Chloe looking around like, "oh hey".<br />
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So you tell me, are they brilliant dogs who understand my pre-jog routine means I will be back shortly, or are the just crazy?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-66205035522237881382012-05-01T18:14:00.000-07:002012-05-01T18:14:12.015-07:00Hug your pets tonight<i>Hello friends, so sorry this blog has had a bout of radio silence. The past few months have been pretty hectic, but I am hoping to spend more time on all my blogs now. </i><br />
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There is something happening that pet owners need to be aware of. For the second time in a month, I have heard of an attempted or successful pet robbery. Both times involved dogs that were safely confined in their owners' yards. Each time the owner turned their back for just a moment. With the first incident, the owner returned to see a strange man holding her dogs. When questioned, he said they got loose and he was returning them. In the second incident, when the owner returned, the dog was gone. Last I heard, the dog was still missing, and the suspected thief was a neighbor.<br />
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These incidents happened hundreds of miles apart. I just do not understand what would possess a person to steal someone's pet. In both cases, I believe, these were indoor pets, who were outside for recreation and potty trips. It only took seconds for the situations to occur.<br />
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I know I am guilty of opening the back door, and letting the dogs run outside and play, while I wash dishes or cook in the kitchen. I keep an eye on them, but clearly, it only takes seconds for someone to try to steal your pets, even from the safety of your enclosed yard. So, please, I beg you, hug your pets a little tighter tonight, and keep a close eye on them at all times.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-48788154309957627412011-08-27T19:50:00.000-07:002011-08-27T20:13:52.099-07:00Write a Post, Help a Dog<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharkleroad/5463204045/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="doggies by Mrs Harkleroad, on Flickr"><img alt="doggies" height="309" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5463204045_da6618eaf1_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As many of you know, I write 3 different blogs, each one showcasing different passions of mine. I write a <a href="http://tiffanysbookshelf.blogspot.com/">book review</a> blog, a<a href="http://talltalesfromasmalltown.blogspot.com/"> small town life</a> blog, and of course this blog about my furry little loves. So, I have blogger friends who specialize in all kinds of different blogs. One of these friends is Melissa from <a href="http://melissawatercolor.blogspot.com/">Books and Things.</a> Melissa loves to read, just like me, and she also is a pet parent, also like me. So when I saw her blog about something amazing that would help shelter dogs, I had to get on board.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Pedigree Foundation and Pedigree dogfood has, in the past, had a blogging program where any time a blogger wrote a blog for the program, 20 pounds of dogfood were donated to a specific shelter. The program is called<b> Write a Post, Help a Dog</b>. Last year, nearly 400 bloggers participated, resulting in 7,820 pounds of dog food donated. How amazing is this. Well, this year, the program is back, and I am doing my part to help. And I am hoping you will too! In fact, you can copy all the info below for your blog post!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">How you can help in 2011</div><br />
Simply spread the word about <b>Write a Post, Help a Dog 2011</b> and once again Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of food for each blogger's post. Here's all you need to include in your post: <br />
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The <b>Write a Post, Help a Dog</b> program is aimed at raising awareness and food for the more than four million dogs that wind up in shelters and breed rescues each year.<br />
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For each blog post mentioning the Pedigree Foundation from now until midnight ET on September 3, Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of its new dry Pedigree recipe food for dogs -- its best recipe ever -- to a shelter, because every dog deserves leading nutrition. <br />
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The Pedigree Foundation -- a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit organization is committed to helping dogs by providing grants to shelters and rescues and encouraging dog adoption. This year the Foundation has already raised more than $376,570 against its goal of $1.5 million to carry out its work to fund grants that not only help shelters operate, but to further shelter innovations.<br />
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The Pedigree Foundation depends on charitable contributions from individuals to carry out its mission to help dogs find loving homes. In addition to writing a blog post, here's how you can help:<br />
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Donate online at <a href="http://pedigreefoundation.org/donate.aspx">http://pedigreefoundation.org/donate.aspx</a><br />
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Apply for a shelter grant from the Pedigree Foundation by completing a form at <a href="http://www.pedigreefoundation.org/">www.pedigreefoundation.org</a><br />
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Purchase Dogs Rule Gear at <a href="http://www.dogsrulegear.com/">www.dogsrulegear.com</a> where the proceeds go to the Pedigree Foundation to help loving dogs find a home. SPECIAL OFFER: Get 10 percent off Dogs Rule Gear by using the promo code BlogPaws10 from August 22 - September 30.<br />
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Then, link up to our Blog Hop below, hosted by the Pedigree BlogPaws bloggers to help spread the word about <b>Write a Post, Help a Dog</b>. I really hope many of you will consider blogging to help such a wonderful cause!<br />
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</script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-13282329913740625772011-08-27T17:48:00.000-07:002011-08-27T17:48:56.115-07:00The Power of TwoThis totally warms my heart. <br />
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In honor of National Dog Day this week, there was a photo contest in which we entered the dogs' photos. I sent my Hubby several possibilities. He showed one in particular to his coworker, M. M has a doxie as well, and has been begging her husband for a second one. He has been resistant, and Hubby has been telling M what a good thing it has been for Dex to get a little sister. So, Hubby sends M the picture. M forwards it to her husband.<br />
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Her husband responds by saying, OK, we are getting a second doxie.<br />
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So, this picture right here, helped make M a very happy woman, and is going to send a doxie to a loving home where he or she will have a great older sibling.<br />
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Yeah, my dogs are just that awesome.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-52993582595523403792011-08-08T07:44:00.000-07:002011-08-08T07:44:07.112-07:00Lookie what I got!This past weekend was a big arts and crafts festival in our town. The vendors include lots of people with doggie themed wares, collars, coats, toys, that kind of stuff. I looked for something for the doggies, but nothing caught my eye.<br />
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As we were walking along a stretch, we saw a vendor who made really cute woodworking items. We had bought something from this particular vendor last year at a different festival, and we had it customized with our last name. When we saw one of his new items, at an incredibly reasonable price, we could not resist.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Isn't it the cutest?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-10286620732954036652011-07-21T14:03:00.000-07:002011-07-21T14:03:50.682-07:00Pampered, by ChloeMommy and Daddy often spoil me, but today really took the cake. It has been so hot, as many of you know, and with my fur being longer and shaggier than Dexter's, I tend to be uncomfortable in the heat. Today, Mommy helped make me feel better by taking me for my very first haircut.<br />
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I think it was tougher on Mommy than on me, since she had to leave me alone with a stranger, but I really did not mind. Mommy stayed in the store and watched most of the time. The ladies complimented me on how well I behaved. It felt so good to get a little trim.<br />
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They put cute little bows in my hair once I was all trimmed up.<br />
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AND<br />
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Mommy paid a little extra to get my nails painted!<br />
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I felt so special and pretty. I even posed for a few pictures when we got home.<br />
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But let me tell you, all this pampering has me pooped, so I am going to take nap.<br />
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Love,<br />
ChloeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-85737901475718416892011-07-19T04:16:00.000-07:002011-07-19T04:16:07.329-07:00Travel Tips<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharkleroad/5643232409/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="IMG_7343 by Mrs Harkleroad, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7343" height="300" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/5643232409_320423759e_o.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Hello friends! I am hoping some of you can help me out. We are having a bit of trouble traveling with Dexter. When we first got him, and he was the only dog in our house, he traveled just fine. He wanted to sit on my lap in the car, but other than that, he did great.<br />
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How that we have two dogs, traveling is more complicated. Chloe does great, she sleeps in the backseat, she never fusses if we leave our room without her, she does get scared when pottying in a new place, but otherwise, she is a breeze. It is Dex that is the issue. He now gets very excited in the car, almost agitated. He paces and jumps and claws, it is awful. On our most recent trip, we bought a calming collar for him, and it worked like a charm. He spent most of the drive sleeping in the back seat with Chloe. The only time he got agitated was when we went through a drive through for lunch, and that was only because he wanted our french fries. He was an angel; I thought we were home free.<br />
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I could not have been more wrong. The trouble was once we checked into the hotel we were staying at. He would totally freak out when we would leave the room. His excessive barks could be heard throughout the hotel. And when we returned, he had totally detroyed the plastic tray that serves as the bottom of his crate. It was awful. I am at such a loss as to what to do. We really want to be able to continue taking them on trips with us, but if his behavior continues like this, we just cannot. It is not good for him to be getting this upset, and it is really stressful for us.<br />
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So, friends, do any of you have any suggestions as to how we can handle this behavior, and how to make traveling with the dogs more enjoyable for all of us?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-66891522219698731872011-06-30T16:03:00.000-07:002011-06-30T16:03:12.362-07:00What I Like About You- Chloe EditionOh Chloe. Miss Peepants. Chloebell. Chloenstein. Chloe Bear. Sally Draper. You honestly have made our family complete. I was so nervous about adding a second puppy to the family, but you were our missing piece. There is so so much I love about you.<br />
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First off, your ears. From the day we brought you home, your ears had the cutest little curls on them.<br />
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You ears were really the only indication, for a long time, that you were a long haired doxie. The rest of you is starting to catch up, but your ears are still the shaggiest part of you. They are like permanent pigtails, and I just love it.<br />
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Next, your eyes.<br />
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You have such soulful brown eyes. You are my brown eyed girl. They always look a little sad, because your fur around them is so dark, so it looks like you have on black eyeliner. Such an emo puppy. And don't get me started on how cute that snoot is.<br />
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Next up, your personality. And for such a tiny dog, your personality is huge.<br />
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From the minute we brought you home, you ruled the roost. You are miss sassafras. You bully Dexter, you bully Nora, and you are smaller than them both. You climb stairs, and leap off of the couch. You give daddy special kisses by "booping" him, and you kiss my by licking my eye. You have so many weird quirks, like rolling in the grass, but that is what makes you special. Now, if only we could get you potty trained.<br />
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But I think most of all, I love that you are Daddy's Girl.<br />
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Because for a long time, it was just me and Dex all day everyday, he is such a Mama's Boy. I am glad that you and Daddy have your own special bond, even though you show that you love me lots as well. It makes me all warm and fuzzy when we all sit on the couch together, and you fall asleep in Daddy's arms.<br />
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In short, Miss Thang, you have made us complete. And I love you to pieces.<br />
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A few days ago, we got the pool out and filled it up. It was a stiflingly hot day, and we thought this might perk up the pups. Dexter had gone swimming last year, but this was all new for Chloe.<br />
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Dexter seemed much more interested this year. In fact, he sat in the pool as we filled it up. Just sat there, letting the cool water flow over his tootsies. He was in heaven. <br />
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Then we tried putting Chloe in the pool. She was, shall we say, unenthusiastic. Most of the time, she would hop right out before she was completely out of our hands. And once Dexter saw her freaking out, he was no longer interested in staying in the pool.<br />
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The pool did seem to help them cool off however. After his little swim, Dexter ran around the yard for the first time in weeks. He had been mostly just moseying, never really wanting to play, because of the heat. But now that he was wet, he was ready to run!<br />
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Chloe just mostly wanted to shake<br />
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and roll around.<br />
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But still, it seems like they had fun, and that is the important thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-34011388831065427132011-06-01T06:15:00.000-07:002011-06-01T06:15:02.618-07:00Poor DogHello friends, hope all is well with you. We have been patiently waiting for Chloe to get an "all clear" from the vet after her surgery. Yesterday, she got her stitches out, and is now able to play once again. She is now the happiest dog in the world.<br />
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Speaking of happy, or in this case unhappy dogs, there is a video clip that Hubby showed me that be both absolutely adore. I seriously watch it at least 3 times a day right now, it is so funny.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you enjoyed it!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-66275057555995328802011-06-01T06:14:00.000-07:002011-06-01T06:14:16.396-07:00Review: FunBitesWe are always looking for new treats for our dogs to try, so when I had an opportunity to try FunBites, I was excited to possibly find another healthy treat to add to our treat rotation.<br />
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These treats are marketed as being healthy for dogs, fortified with calcium and phosphorus. The chewing also helps clean teeth and freshen breath. While my dogs do not have a huge problem with this, it never helps to have treats aimed at good dental health.<br />
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When I first brought the treats out, the dogs were not interested, as they were engaged in a serious game of bitey face. <br />
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However, when they heard me open the bag, they came running.<br />
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Dexter, the older dog, quickly chewed his snack down to nothing.<br />
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Chloe, who is still just a puppy, took more time with hers, and when she walked away from it for a moment, Dexter swooped in and finished it for her. Clearly, he approves of the snacks. I tried later to give Chloe another one, and she finished it, chewing it slowly. She will definitely get the dental benefits from these.<br />
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Since my dogs are small, this was a perfect treat for them. They both seemed to like them a lot. The packaging says these are appropriate for all dogs up to 75 lbs. However, the bigger the dog, the less time it will take to chew, which reduces the dental benefits. <br />
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Also, be forewarned that these treats contain rice flour, maltodextrins and dextrose. For dogs with food allergies, this may be a problem. Also, for dogs with weight issues, this treat may not be a good choice. There are a lot of empty calories in the treats. My dogs stay within a healthy range, so these will work for me. But for older dogs, dogs with low activity levels, or dogs already overweight, these may not be the right choice.<br />
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So in summary, a decent treat for small dogs that will help with dental health. A nice additional source of calcium, but beware the additives and their empty calories. As for us, we give these Harkle Hounds seal of approval.<br />
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</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I received this product for review as part of the Amazon Vine program.</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-50486645284004365022011-05-02T10:38:00.000-07:002011-05-02T10:38:32.432-07:00Meet Our NeighborWhen we first moved into our neighborhood, we attended a block party to get to know our neighbors. Turned out our neighbors right across the alley has a doxie. It was one of the deciding factors in us getting a doxie, because their little lady was so sweet. When we first got Dex, we told these neighbors about our new doxie love. Sadly, their doxie had passed away. They were planning on getting another one, and before we knew it, a little doxie pup appeared in their yard.<br />
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Over the months, both Dex and Chloe have come to think of this pup as their friend. Her name is Izzie, and she is such a sweetie. She is a few weeks younger than Dexter. They talk all the time when they are outside together, and sometimes she and her mommy come to visit at our fence. Once Chloe is all healed from her spay, I am hoping they can all 3 play together in the yard occasionally.<br />
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Isn't she just the prettiest little lady?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-46614995890383263512011-04-27T18:02:00.000-07:002011-04-27T18:02:07.490-07:00Recuperating, by Chloe<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharkleroad/5663084424/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="221342_10150174575954060_618599059_6707388_7860092_o by Mrs Harkleroad, on Flickr"><img alt="221342_10150174575954060_618599059_6707388_7860092_o" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5663084424_751e21e24b.jpg" width="375" /></a>Hello dear friends, I just wanted to give you a little update as to what is new with me. I had to take a trip to the vet this week. I had to go get spayed. Mommy explained that this was a necessary procedure to insure my continued health, and to make sure that our family does not grow larger than what Mommy and Daddy can handle. Mommy also got me microchipped, so that if I ever get lost, they can get me back home as soon as possible<br />
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Mommy took me to the vet yesterday morning, and had to leave me there overnight. I had my surgery, and Mommy called yesterday afternoon to check on me. They told her I was doing well, and I could come home in the morning. So, early this morning, Mommy came to get me and bring me home. I napped pretty much all day, but I am eating and pottying normally, and I really want to play, but Mommy says I can't for 2 weeks. Dexter keeps telling me the time will go fast, I sure hope so, because I miss wrestling. But I am enjoying the extra cuddle time with Mommy.<br />
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So, thanks for prayers and positive thoughts. I hope I will be running through the grass again soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-86857083515707283992011-04-25T08:36:00.000-07:002011-04-25T08:36:14.858-07:00We know we are a day late but....We hope you all had a Happy Easter!<br />
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We got to visit Mommy's family, who met Chloe for the first time. We also got to visit our doggie cousins, Phoebe, Champ, and Peaches.<br />
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We had a wonderful day, and hope you all did too!<br />
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Love,<br />
Dexter and ChloeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-41118074195177558042011-04-22T16:10:00.000-07:002011-04-22T16:10:11.834-07:00A Weinerful BirthdayIt was my birthday this past Wednesday. Hubby and I took a little trip at the beginning of the week, complete with the dogs. We had a blast, despite bad weather, Chloe being pee shy outside, and Dexter having separation anxiety each time we left the hotel room.<br />
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When we returned, Hubby gave me my presents. I got a shirt, a video game, a necklace, some candy, a camera gadget, and a doxie. No, not a real one, but he is adorable none the less.<br />
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It is a paperweight, and he looks fantastic on our mantle with the other doxie chotchkies. I am getting quite a collection!<br />
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We went for a long car ride to Erie, Pennsylvania. We liked riding in the car, it is so fun to look out the window. It was only about a 2 hour drive. When we first got to Erie, we went to a place called Presque Isle. We gave Mommy and Daddy a bit of a scare there, because I (Dexter) slipped out of my collar and took off running. I finally caught up with the rest of my family, and Mommy and Daddy decided we needed to stay in the car.<br />
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After that, we drove a little around town, and then we got to our hotel. Boy oh boy did we have fun jumping on the bed. We stayed in the room while our parents went to dinner.<br />
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The next day it was really rainy, so we once again stayed in the room and snoozed while Mommy and Daddy went out and about. They came back with treats for us, so we were pretty excited about that.<br />
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The third day, we checked out of the room and headed for home. We made a couple of stops, again, we had to stay in the car, because us doggies are not allowed in most stores. But then we headed for home. We slept most of the way, but then Mommy and Daddy stopped for lunch and we woke up. We decided we wanted to ride in the back window for a bit. It was so fun, we felt like we were surfing. Mommy was there to make sure we did not fall though.<br />
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All in all, we had a great trip. This was my (Chloe) first vacation, Dexter told me it would be fun, and he was so right. <br />
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So, when can we go again Mom and Dad?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-84100429825718958442011-04-12T21:16:00.000-07:002011-04-12T21:16:42.727-07:00A kitty named BruceLast weekend , Hubby and I joined some friends in a trip to a local used book store. I just love mucking around in this place, hoping to find some great bargains (I never leave empty handed).<br />
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One of my favorite things about the store is Bruce.<br />
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Bruce is the resident cat, always willing to pose for a picture. During this visit, I found him snuggled into a beanbag chair in the children's book section. i could not resist snapping a few shots.<br />
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Isn't he handsome? And since he enjoys a good belly scratch now and then, I gave him some scratched on belly and behind ears to thank him for posing so nicely.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He accepted them as payment quite willingly.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8703707755328344374.post-43985710836860457112011-04-08T14:35:00.000-07:002011-04-08T14:35:57.796-07:00Look at all the cuteness!Last weekend, while at a very cool store, I found pretty much the best thing ever.<br />
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I can't wait to make cookies with it, but in the mean time, I can play with it!<br />
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When I first got Nora, she never really clawed anything, and I did not have any nice furniture to worry about, so, no harm no foul.<br />
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When Hubby and I started dating, and since we have gotten married, Nora warmed up to him better than she does most people. However, she does get territorial sometimes, and dislikes it when Hubby is in the kitchen. She finds him there, and swipes. Also, she swipes when he walks up the stairs. More than a few times, she has drawn blood. I get frustrated when she hurts him.<br />
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Then, she started clawing our new furniture. In less than a year, she destroyed our brand new couch. <br />
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We got to a point where the Soft Paw nail caps were no longer working, and she could not be distracted by scratching toys.<br />
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So, our choices were declaw her, or get rid of her. And we did not want to get rid of her, so...<br />
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Tuesday, Nora came home from surgery. She is happy and well. No bandages, or stitches. Her nail beds are glued closed. She is eating, and purring, and doing well. The only problem is trying to keep her confined to one room so she does not run down the stairs.<br />
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I know a lot of people disagree with declawing cats, and I assure you, this was not a decision I took lightly. But in my heart I think we made the right choice.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0