Sleepy Sunday ~ B&W Sunday

Whew, was everyone's Thanksgiving holiday as exhausting as ours? Family from out of state came down and brought two Boston Terriers (11 Months and 12 weeks) and two little boys (5 and 3). Boo and Bee, the Bostons exhausted Skipper (Terrier-cousin reunion!) and the boys exhausted me! We both loved it though and I got some awesome stuff for the dogs on Black Friday (and some stuff for me, of course). Now, though, it's time to catch up on the rest and relaxation that we missed before Monday hits us!

B&W Sunday: A New Main Model

Happyhappy girl!

 While Skipper seems like the focus of my dog-life, considering this blog is named after him and features him as it's primary inspiration, my day-to-day life is actually very much focused on our other two canine house-mates as well. Our almost-senior Pug, Victoria is today's Top Model. Victoria will be six in January and came to me as an rehome rescue. She's never lived an underprivileged life, but her previous owner requested that Victoria be life in my care as she was no longer a good fit for their lifestyle. She has BYB origins and is smaller than most Pugs at between 12-14lbs (it varies on how well I'm watching her diet, haha). She has some health issues that aren't big now but have made her into a Senior dog before her time and will almost definitely shorten her lifespan. It breaks my heart because if any Pug deserved the best chance at life it's Victoria--happy all the time, loving everyone and ready for any adventure you throw her way. But she was badly bred and it has affected her lifestyle. I'm taking this post today to make the statement: Backyard breeding without health testing, a complimentary pairing by a stud/bitch proven to be good at whatever they should (by breed) excel at, and extensive experience and knowledge by the breeder should be a crime. If Victoria's parents had been health tested they probably wouldn't have been paired up and while that means Victoria would have never happened (and in full disclosure something in me does scream that a world without Victoria would be horrible and empty) it would have been the right thing. I'll save the horrors of puppy mills for another post, but be aware: Petstore puppies are just as bad, if not worse, than puppies bred by Backyard Breeders.

Depressing rant over with, here are a couple more photos to lighten the mood!

The obligatory Skipper photo

And dear Quenya mustn't be neglected!

Autumn Morning ~ Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday--Hot Meal on a Cold Day

For participating in a Facebook survey, I got three samples from The Honest Kitchen! While far too expensive to feed my trio on a regular basis, everyone enjoyed them enough that I think I'll buy some more sample packets for this winter as they make a great meal add-on for a chilly day/night. It's getting down to 24 degrees F here tonight which is bleeping FREEZING. This is FLORIDA. Winter hasn't started yet--Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet! Sigh. Anyway I figured tonight was a great night to give the pups some warm refreshment and fill their bellies with yummy things to fight off the chill that lingered even after I turned the heat on.

Samples!

Hot Water + Packet

All made up! (This was Skipper's, he doesn't like loose consistencies so I made it a little thicker than the directions)

Waaaaaaaitiiingggg

The crew was seriously into it. I fed Skipper and Quenya together in the kitchen. Skipper was slightly confused as to how to eat it at first (whilst Quenya's was pretty much gone before Skipper even took the first lick on his) but he got it pretty quickly.

Nomnomnom!

Sluuurp

I am obsessed with his eyes. So pretty.

Almost done, taking a breath.

Victoria ate hers in her crate, as she has a history of resource guarding high-value objects from the other dogs. I knew this delicious-smelling, new, super yummy food would fall into that category, so she got sentenced to dinner isolation. You can tell she was just miserable.

Mischief Monday ~ A Terrier's Gotta Do...

"I have no clue why I'm doing this...but it's fun!"

"Ugh! I inhaled an ant!"

Bright Eyes!

Investigations on B & W Sunday

His first visit to the park where he was allowed to interact with other dogs; he did wonderfully!

Very tired puppy afterwards, fell asleep in his new bed while I was still shopping!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Rock Climbing

Yaky Charms ~ Tasty Tuesday

I was in a local holistic/natural pet store to get the crew some duck foot chews and I noticed this as I was checking out:

Intrigued, I picked up a bag, brought it home and stuck it in the microwave for the full 3 minutes (which was too long, a few pieces got a little, er, "tan"). At first I thought it wasn't working because you can't hear the pieces popping like you can with popcorn, but when I took the bag out, voila!

The texture is most similar to puffed rice, and Skipper and Quenya went crazy for them. They ate them so fast I couldn't even take a good picture.

There was probably about 1 1/2 Cups of the little puffed Yaky Charms in all, and they actually stretch a long way. While Victoria wasn't interested (unless it's squishy and meaty, or a nice chew/bully stick she usually isn't interested) both Skipper and Quenya liked them enough that they could definitely be used as training treats for a special occasion where I might was a high-reward, no-mess treat. They are too big/easily crushed to be a practical training treat.

 

Mischief Monday ~ On the Hunt

My personal guess is Grasshopper

So Serious ~ B & W Sunday

Sepia Saturday

Wordless Wednesday ~ An Ode to Dogs with Duties

Black & White Sunday

 

Soaring Through Sepia Saturday