Patrick - Rescue, Love and Rehab

So hard to look at, but I know the outcome of

love and care for this boy....

this is Patrick found in a garbage shoot

And THIS is Patrick today !!! ~  Ain't love grand?

Murph Training XVII: The Old Dog Teaches the Young Dog New Tricks

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"The developing relationship between Pickett and Murphy reminds me a bit of The Old Man and the Boy, the remarkable stories of Robert Ruark about a young boy and his grandfather and their adventures together hunting and fishing in old North Carolina. While Pickett is not Murphy’s grandfather, they are in fact chronologically suited, as Pickett is nearing 63 using the hypothetical dog-year calculation and Murphy is somewhere around five.

Pickett is calm and forgiving in the face of the whirlwind that is Murphy. Murphy finds his greatest pleasure in leaping on and about Pickett, even though he is now no longer a puppy but an adolescent of considerable size. He is in fact as tall as Pickett, but still a gangly youth with boundless energy. He is constantly trying to engage Pickett, taunting him with a stick in his possession as if to say, “Look what I’ve got! Try and take it! Come on!” Meanwhile, you can almost see the quiet and knowing smile in Pickett’s demeanor as he lies down and ignores the leaping and spinning invitation.

While Pickett plays the part of the uninterested old man, when a dummy flies, there is still fire and desire in his belly, and the metamorphosis from lazy old dog to a rippling specimen of speed and muscled athlete is almost shocking. While Murphy may exude great energy, what he still lacks in his youth is great strength of body and character. Murphy is like the young boy who constantly learns the lessons of life from the old man in the woods and fields of rural North Carolina; Pickett is the all-knowing and powerful one, quietly teaching by example."

Paul Fersen Raised in Georgia, Paul Fersen has spent much of his life outdoors. His wide-ranging career has included stints as a professional football player, a dairy farmer, and a writer of essays and books—and through it all, Paul has always found time for his true passions: hunting and fishing. He has worked as a fly-fishing guide in Alaska, and has helped to introduce countless enthusiasts to the sporting life. via Orvis Dogs

Maru - we LOVE this cat!!!

and if you want more out-loud good laughs, there's more of Maru on YouTube

Dogs at work

Dogs Make Employees More Productive At Work

Leib Lurie never intended for his company, message delivery service One Call Now, to be pet-friendly. But his dog, Ivy, had other ideas.
Five years ago, the German shepherd showed up unannounced at One Call Now's Troy, Ohio-based office—a 1.5-mile trek from Lurie's home. When he continued to make the trip each day he wasn't brought to the office, Lurie realized it was time for a change in company policy. Today, four or five employee's dogs, as well as a variety of fish, birds, and other caged animals join Ivy in the office daily to make One Call Now a workingman's menagerie.
"They're not very good at sending voice messages," Lurie jokes of the pets in his office. "But we've gotten them down with using the computer, at least the point part."

One Call Now joins a growing force of companies across the United States to welcome pets in the workplace. While only 17 percent of U.S. employers currently allow animals in the workplace, according to a survey from the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, pet-friendly, often specifically dog-friendly, environments are building steam. From major companies like Google, Zynga, and Amazon.com to growing start-ups (some featured in Inc.'s Winning Workplaces), more and more canine companions are showing up to work.

For many entrepreneurs, the inception of a dog-friendly environment begins long before offices enter the picture. "My dog, Blueberry, was the founding dog," explains Randy Hetrik, founder of TRX Training. "Literally, it was him and me before any other people came in, so he takes great pride in what we've accomplished." As Hetrik built his company, he never forgot his first partner. Today, up to ten dogs wander with Blueberry through the four floors of TRX's San Francisco office.

Many pet-friendly work environments develop as a part of the company's larger mission or company culture. After spending years in uptight corporate climates, Nancy Squires founded her own consulting firm, The Squires Group, with a distinctly homey atmosphere, which included her two Italian greyhounds.

Marketing software company G5's dog-friendliness fits into the animal-friendly climate of their mountain town Bend, Oregon, as well as  the company's own cultural backbone. "We try to have a culture that promotes freedom for the employees and helps them thrive," says G5 CEO Dan Hobin. "If that involves bringing your dog to work, bring your dog to work."
Having pooches underfoot might seem to some like a distraction, but advocates of animals in the workplace see quite the opposite. Dogs in the office foster friendlier, more collaborative work environments. At G5, this includes dogs posing as mascots for the company's various divisions. "Everyone rallies around the dogs," Hobin says.

Employees surrounded by dogs also have a tendency to rally around their jobs. According to a survey of 50 small and large companies by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association in 2008, companies that allow pets in the workplace see a lower rate of employee absenteeism and more willingness to work longer hours.

"There are a lot of people who know they have to spend extra hours at work, particularly in this economic climate," says Debrah Schnackenberg, vice president of emergency services for the American Humane Association. "People feel comfortable spending that extra hour or two at the office when they know their dog is right there with them."

Dog-friendliness may generate more loyalty for the company as a whole. In the last two years, One Call Now has seen a two or three percent turnover rate. Lurie attributes this small number in part to the office pets. "You ask someone who is in a $12-an-hour job, 'Would you work anywhere else?' And they say, 'No way.' Where else could I bring my dog to work?" he says.
This sense of loyalty stems from a simple concept: Dogs make people happy. "They're always happy to see you, they're happy for the smallest things, and they're ever optimistic," says Hetrik. "Having a dog wandering around just seems to make people smile."

In high-performance or high-stress work environments, dogs can not only spread smiles but also ease tension. Taking a walk, practicing a trick, or even absentmindedly scratching a dog behind the ear allows even the most worked-up employee to relax and reprioritize. "It's their cigarette," says Squires. "The dogs are a sense of peace, gentleness, a diversion, something other than what we define as work. I think it's a great break."

And, a dog break is certainly healthier than a smoke break. Numerous studies have shown that having the companionship or even being in the presences of a pet, for instance in the workplace, lowers blood pressure and cortisol (stress) levels while heightening endorphins and oxytocin, the hormone linked to maternal bonding. Such an emotional connection is healthy for your dog as well. "Dogs bond to their humans and would rather be with them than not," says Schnackenberg. "From an emotional well-being perspective, it's healthy for a dog to be with their owner throughout the day."

With their many attributes and benefits, dogs play a critical role in pet-friendly company's hiring processes. All of the aforementioned companies and many more like them use their dogs in the interview process to introduce potential employees to the corporate climate. Their reactions to the animals also serve as a compatibility test. "I've never met a dog-friendly person who wasn't a customer-friendly person," says Lurie. "And we hire customer-friendly people."
The dog un-friendly or the allergenic, however, need not apply.
"You try to build a company of people who can rally around a vision, and dogs play a part of that," Hetrik says. "People who look at that and say how stinky or hairy or whatever probably aren't people that are going to mold well into the casual, rough and tumble, work hard, play hard work environment that I've created."

The Squires Group maintains a similar mantra. "If people don't do dogs, there may be another part of the company they don't do," Squires says. "I'm not saying they're bad people or that they wouldn't be great for other companies, but they wouldn't be a great fit for our company."

Companies considering introducing a dog-friendly work environment should consider adopting a pet policy. When advising companies in this transition, the American Human Association suggests highlighting clear rules about when you can bring your dog in, what behavior is expected, and what happens when the pet or person does not conform to those rules.

Many small companies adopt these advised policies, but govern their pets in a more ad hoc manner. After a few minor "accidents," G5's HR Department developed a detailed pet policy to include in the company handbook. "I don't think I actually ever read it," admits Hobin. "In short, though, the policy is to be responsible and respectful."

At TRX, dogs are under the same considerations as people. "You wouldn't tolerate a lot of barking, snapping and snarling from the people you work with," Hetrik says. "Neither should you tolerate it from the canine pals they bring to work. We're pretty clear on all that." Growing companies should also be flexible to changing the stipulations in their policy as they develop.
Adjustments to the TRX pet policy are under consideration as the company intends to expand its workforce from 120 to 300 employees. The company may introduce a sign-up, limiting the total number of dogs to the current two to three per floor. No matter the changes, though, dogs will remain a fixture in the company.

"Dogs were part of the fabric from the very beginning," says Hetrik. "And they'll be here 'til the very end. I like having these pups around."
This post originally appeared at Inc.

via Business Insider 

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Nice Human

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David Sharpe, a war veteran who suffered from depression and PTSD, found salvation in saving a pit bull puppy named Cheyenne. This led him to found P2V (Pets to Vets), which places dogs needing homes with veterans.

A much stouter Cheyenne still lives with Sharpe a decade later. "I couldn't talk to anybody, not my father, not the counselors, but I could talk to that dog, and she never judged me," Sharpe says.

See all the photos here
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/program-lets-veterans-and-shelter-dogs-save-each-other/2011/06/21/AGvQ1aeH_gallery.html#photo=1

Stay updated:  On Facebook, go "like" P2V

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Control...yes, of the entire pack

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(and not just the older dogs - wait for the puppies!!!)

Mommy and Baby spoiled together!

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Oh yes we have visited

Andrea Levine Design

Go See here

It's ok. Say it. 

We walk around saying it at some point every day:

"awwwww"

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Shelter Pets and Randy, the Loser

Dog Art on Mondays ~

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via Mid Michigan Boxer Rescue

say "awwwww"

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Nice Human Friday....

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Antonio Ballatore and Chewie

Design Artist, Engineer, Interior Design,

Construction Analyst and Dog Owner.

Big Note: CHEWIE is part of the team!

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Physically Fit

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Lia:  WOW - could YOU do that?

Zoe:  Absolutely - remember, I'm the fence jumper.

Lia:  Yah - but I hear you're 7 pounds overweight, TubbaWubba and

         you've been having a hard time scaling that little 4 foot fence.

Zoe:  Pffft.  And, whut - you think YOU could get more that 6 inches off the

         ground, Miss I-Lost-My-Waistline?

Lia:  Maybe we need to exercise more.

Zoe:  Maybe you should shut up before someone hears you.  Just 

          get off the Internet and quit finding these embarrassing photos.

Lia:  Done.

via ilovemydog

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Rescue

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"Rueben" who was adopted by Senator Faulk, 

is going to be the spokesdog for "Spay Tennessee".  

He was an hour from euthanasia when 

I rescued him from animal control. 

But now, he goes to work at the capital 

with the Senator and is living in the lap of luxury! 

ADOPT RESCUED DOGS!!!

via Bernie Berlin
A Place to Bark Rescue

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Infants, Pets and Allergies

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Infant Exposure To Pets May Lower
Risk Of Later Allergies

"A newborn’s immune system needs time to figure out what should be fought and what should be left alone. Conventional wisdom had it that early exposure to potential troublemakers, from peanuts to pets, could lead to allergy issues later.

But recent research shows that having a dog or cat at home isn't likely to make children allergic to animals. And a new study finds that kids who grow up with pets are less likely to have an animal allergy all the way through age 18. The works is in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy. [Bill Hesselmar et al, Does early exposure to cat or dog protect against later allergy development?]

The key to this enhanced immunity was having a mostly indoor dog or cat before a baby's first birthday. Infants with cats at home had half the normal risk of a cat allergy when teenagers. And boys with a dog during their first year had half the risk of later allergies to dogs.

Researchers are still debating why early pet exposure helps keep allergies at bay. Some think that all the extra dust, dander and bacteria train a baby’s immune system, stopping it from reacting unnecessarily.

Now, getting your toddler to stop pulling the cat's tail, that's another question."

—Katherine Harmon
Scientific American

Photo courtesy of Paige and her doggie, Rufus

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Looking back...

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"Just you-Just me. Lying in the summer grass..sharing our best secrets."


I'm sure this is how it all started for me: 
a five-year old and a new pup - and we shared secrets!

Via Marci Scudder
we LOVE her stuff!!!


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Dog Art on Mondays ~

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Simon

This bulldog is our hero and headed for stardom!!!

WHAT a Clown!!!

by Serenah Photography

Meet Nugget & Chic

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So that you understand the story, 

There's Grandpa Mike and his lovely wife

who added little Nugget to their home.

An Awesome Cutie with beautiful markings and a "one-up" ear

Nugget

Into the mix comes Chic, now Mike's "Grand-Girl-PuP"

Chic

Chic, in these pics, appears to be smiling - 

well - actually laughing out loud and 

ready to "start something", would you agree?

Sweet Nugget....waiting....

Ok - go!

Then rest - in a beautiful pose, of course.

Well...rest as much as possible for a terrier

(no...you do not see a leaf in my mouth)

More resting - mouth open - getting ready

More resting......hmmmm....

More resting...mouth open again....LET'S DO SOMETHING!

oK...I'll sit on Granpa's stereo house...

and these beauty model hot rods - 

I don't even know they're behind me!!!....

Frankly, we think Chic is going to offer the Lee family

a zillion laughs - and we don't doubt that Nugget

will join in the fun!!!

Great additions to the family....Congratulations!!!

*you funny face*

Via Michael T. Lee

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Proof

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All dogs go to heaven.

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"just a dog"

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Written by Richard Biby, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Song is "Everywhere I Go" by Lissie

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Chick Magnet

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Me and my new purple polo;

bring it, Ladies!

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T.G.I.S.

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Thank God It's Summer

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Jacob and Camilla

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This odd-sized duo have been dubbed a real-life 'Little and Large' after becoming friends at an animal sanctuary. 

Two-hundred-pound Great Dane, Jacob, may be a hundred times bigger than tiny two-pound Chihuahua Camilla, but the feisty little pooch doesn't hesitate to put him in his place and he has patiently learned to put up with her mood swings.

Jacob became a big hit with visitors and staff as the largest dog ever to be housed at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Ramsbottom, Lancashire - even bigger than the sanctuary's resident Shetland Pony - after his owners could no longer care for him.

 

New friends: Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Lancashire have just received two new dogs, their tallest ever - a Great Dane called Jacob and their smallest ever a Chihuahua called Camilla

But it was pint-sized pooch Camilla - who at 7in tall is too little to sleep in the kennels and has her own makeshift bed in the sanctuary's office - who really took a shine to the huge dog.

Stray Camilla, who hit the headlines when she arrived six weeks ago in a poor state, with staff fearing that she may have been treated as a Paris Hilton-style fashion accessory, is now recovering well and happily focuses all of her attentions on her new pal.

The unlikely pair keep sanctuary staff entertained with their comedy duo act, which has been likened to Morecambe and Wise with Jacob as the long-suffering Ernie Wise and Camilla as feisty Eric Morecambe.

 

Best pals: Jacob towers over Camilla at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Lancashire

Sanctuary boss Neil Martin said: 'They're fascinated with each other. Camilla will have a go at him, she's really feisty. He has seemed a bit frightened of her at times when she acts out, he's very cautious but he suffers her attentions patiently.

'They are very curious about each other. He has no idea of doing her harm even when she's annoying him. He's a gentle giant.'

'Bedraggled' Camilla was picked up as a stray six weeks ago and was found to be underweight, suffering from a skin condition and the sort of behavioural problems that led Bleakholt staff to suspect that she may have been carried around in a handbag. 

Mr Martin said: 'She's looking better and feeling better, but there are still problems in her temperament. She's still quite aggressive because she was probably rewarded by her owner who maybe thought it was cute when she growled and barked but now we're training her but ignoring her when she acts out.'

New addition Jacob - who stands at almost 4ft high - was brought in by his reluctant owners just four weeks ago as they were separating and could no longer care for him. 

The shelter initially assigned two members of staff to walk him, but gentle giant Jacob was so laid back and well behaved that they soon realised one was more than enough. 

Mr Martin said: Jacob's subdued outlook is a stark contrast to Camilla's feisty nature and that the pair often amuse staff when they are together.

He said: 'When he first saw her he looked down at her and seemed confused regarding what she was. Like all Great Danes he's got a 'whatever' point of view. He can't be bothered fighting.

'They are very curious about each other. He has no idea of doing her harm, even when she's annoying him. He's a gentle giant.'

The unlikely friends could also have finally relegated to a controversial one-size-fits-all dog-food campaign that featured in The Apprentice to the doghouse.

One of the teams in an episode of the TV business talent show launched a brand of pet food called Everydog, which was subsequently shot down in flames by boss Lord Alan Sugar. 

Little and Large: Camilla perches on Jacob's broad back 

Mr Martin said: 'Just imagine Camilla and Jacob on the same diet. They have different needs. She would choke on normal-size dry food pellets.

'Jacob, as a lean-waisted type of dog, needs adapted food to keep gastric torsion from occurring.

'The idea of one food for every dog is ludicrous. We can do far better for dogs by giving them different diets.'

He added that while explained that the Jacob slept in the kennels Camilla was being socialised and was given the full run of the office. 

Jacob's arrival coincided with the welcoming to the sanctuary of three-year-old miniature pony Tweedledum, who was found wandering alone along a busy dual carriageway.

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TGIF and I Steal Pets

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need a calendar?

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LOVE Marci Scudder's calendars

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To Help You

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just...in case you forgot how to use

a Michael Vick chew toy

jESSE fREIDIN

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mR. jESSE fREIDIN

is "up there" in our most fav dog photographers.

wanna see?

Go drooling

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