Better lay low...

"Man's best friend could be one of the environment's worst enemies, according to a new study which says the carbon pawprint of a pet dog is more than double that of a gas-guzzling sports utility vehicle.

But the revelation in the book "Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living" by New Zealanders Robert and Brenda Vale has angered pet owners who feel they are being singled out as troublemakers.

The Vales, specialists in sustainable living at Victoria University of Wellington, analysed popular brands of pet food and calculated that a medium-sized dog eats around 164 kilos (360 pounds) of meat and 95 kilos of cereal a year.

Combine the land required to generate its food and a "medium" sized dog has an annual footprint of 0.84 hectares (2.07 acres) -- around twice the 0.41 hectares required by a 4x4 driving 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) a year, including energy to build the car.

To confirm the results, the New Scientist magazine asked John Barrett at the Stockholm Environment Institute in York, Britain, to calculate eco-pawprints based on his own data. The results were essentially the same.

"Owning a dog really is quite an extravagance, mainly because of the carbon footprint of meat," Barrett said."

see the rest of the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091220/sc_afp/lifestyleclimatewarminganimalsfood

Christmas Ornaments

These adorable Christmas Tree ornaments are made out of old lightbulbs. I want a tree full of them!

Safety First

unknown photographer

I Love "New Yorkies"

This has got to be one of the sweetest paintings ever! It is painted by Greg Olsen.

Make Your Own Dry Dog Shampoo

I got into some bugs that irritated my skin while I was in Virginia. Meri helped me out by making this mixture and using it on me:

DRY DOG SHAMPOO:
Rub some bicarbonate of soda [baking soda] thoroughly into the dog's coat, then brush off excess. Leaves the coat clean and shiny.

FOR FLEA PROTECTION:
You can add a few drops of essential oils to the powder. Try lavender, eucalyptus or mint.

A Must See Video

Go Huskies!

My favorite team is going to the Sweet Sixteen!
Go Huskies!

Jasmine's Story

My friend, Karen sent me this story because of the greyhound we used to have:

"In 2003, police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. It had been locked in the shed and abandoned. It was dirty and malnourished, and had clearly been abused. In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a greyhound female, to the nearby Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, run by a man named Geoff Grewcock and known as a willing haven for animals abandoned, orphaned or otherwise in need. Geoff Grewcock and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved. They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home. The dog had other ideas.

No-one remembers now how it began, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It wouldn't matter if it was a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, probably, a rhinoceros, Jasmine would peer into the box or cage and, where possible, deliver a welcoming lick. Geoff Grewcock relates one of the early incidents. "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the centre and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them.""But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them and it helps them to not only feel close to her but to settle into their new surroundings."She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose."

Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born. The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, 15 chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and 15 rabbits. And one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, 11 weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster mum role. Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection and makes sure nothing is matted in her fur.



"They are inseparable," says Geoff Grewcock. "Bramble walks between her legs and they keep kissing each other. They walk together round the sanctuary. It's a real treat to see them."Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life. When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely. She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse.

From left, Toby, a stray Lakeland dog; Bramble, an orphaned roe deer; Buster,a stray Jack Russell; a dumped rabbit; Sky, an injured barn owl; and Jasmine.

Doing what she does best, being a mother." source unknown

It may be greyhounds in general. Trevor brought home a stray cat [turned out she was pregnant]. When she had her kittens [in my closet] Biscuit kept a close watch. When the mother cat started leaving the kittens alone for bits at a time Biscuit would go over and lay down next to them and cuddle with them until the Mother cat came back.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I wish I knew the story behind this photo but I don't.

The Creation; from a dog's view

On the first day of creation, God created the dog.

On the second day, God created man to serve the dog.

On the third day, God created all the animals of the earth to serve as potential food for the dog.

On the fourth day, God created honest toil so that man could labor for the good of the dog.

On the fifth day, God created the tennis ball so that the dog might or might not retrieve it.

On the sixth day, God created veterinary science to keep the dog healthy and the man broke.

On the seventh day, God tried to rest, but He had to walk the dog.

-anonymous

National Dog Dental Month

Many people do not know that dogs need regular brushing and dental care just like humans do. February is National Dog Dental Month and a good time to learn how to take care of a dog's mouth.

Food: canned and wet food are gloppy and stick to a dog's teeth. Dry food on the other hand helps clean the teeth so it is better.

Toothbrush and Toothpaste: there are specially made dog toothbrushes but if you prefer to use a soft human one it will do. Do NOT however use human toothpaste. Buy poultry or beef flavored toothpaste for us. Did you know that there are even electric toothbrushes for dogs? Don't try one on an adult dog though [scary] unless you introduce it slowly. Once in a while the Vet can clean the teeth. He will have to put the dog out to clean them though. Talk to him about it. He knows best.

Treats: There are treats of all kinds that will help keep a dog's teeth in tip top shape. Check them out- some are even good for bad breath.

Reason: If dog's teeth aren't well cared for they can develop gum problems, loose their teeth and have bad breath... any dog over the age of three.

Whoo Hoo!!!!

The University of Connecticut Huskies [men's basketball] are now ranked Number 1 in the nation! The now join the Lady Huskies Number 1 ranking. Meri speaks of a time when they both won the National Championships in the same year. I guess that is why she hangs that Championship flag outside this time of year. All I know is that I wear my UConn sweater with pride these days and I get to sit in Terry's lap for long naps during the games. Ahhh. Good Times.

New Friends

I went with Meri to New Jersey because of a new baby being born. Although these old friends of hers are more like family I had never met them. I loved them immediately I found it interesting that they all loved me unconditionally... even their dog and one of their cats. [maybe it is because of my UConn sweater]

Look carefully in the corner of the picture and you will see my new friend, Shana the cocker spaniel!

Oh, for a drive in the country!

Last week, M and I went for a drive. We started down an unfamiliar road and M saw an old brick farmhouse. Bounding out from behind the snowdrifts was a dog; some kind of hound. It ran to the car and greeted us as though we were old friends. M stopped the car, opened the door and petted the dog for several minutes, then told the dog we had to be on our way and to go back inside where it was warm. I thought of a poem I'd heard recently and wondered if it could have been written about this dog:

A Dog Sits Waiting

A dog sits waiting in the cold autumn sun,
Too faithful to leave, too frightened to run.

He's been here for days now, with nothing to do,
But sit by the road, waiting for you.

He can't understand why you left him that day.
He thought you and he were stopping to play.

He's sure you'll be back, and that's why he stays.
How long will he suffer? How many more days?

His legs have grown weak, his throat's parched and dry,
He's sick now from hunger and falls, with a sigh.

He lays down his head and closes his eyes,
I wish you could see how a waiting dog dies.
-anonymous