I'm In Blueberry's Brigade!

Today, my plan was to share some photos of my dogs on their first morning outing to the backyard.  It's a brisk, windy day, which usually sparks extra bursts of energy and playfulness.  

Blueberry

Before we get to the photos, I want to share some information with you about my good friend Blueberry.  She's a stunning 8-year old greyhound, and a member of the fun-loving, adventurous Tales and Tails pack.  Blueberry recently developed a lump on her head, for which her parents quickly sought veterinary attention.  After surgery, the pathology report indicated neurofibrosarcoma, a form of cancer.  All of us with pets are well aware of how quickly vet bill mount up, especially when you're talking x-rays, lab work and surgery.  While one surgery is behind her, Blueberry's future will include additional treatment and possibly more surgery.  I hope you'll visit Blueberry's Christmas Auction.  There you can browse items up for bidding, and learn of other way to help, such as monetary donations, or auction item donations.  I've added a link in the upper right-hand side of Dogs Rock to a secure PayPal donation account.  We love you, and are pulling for you Miss Blueberry!!

We're participating in today's Saturday Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume.  Please enjoy our photos from this morning, and hop along to the other sites.  You're sure to have lots of fun!!

Roxie

Zoe

Xander being a little rough.

Paybacks.

A meeting of the minds.

http://auction4blueberry.blogspot.com/

And the Winner Is . . .

Before we announce the winners of the Dogs Rock Holiday Giveaway Hop for Pets, I want to say thank you to the hop organizers, Life With Dogs, Dog Tipper, and Two Little Cavaliers, for allowing us to participate in such a fun event!!  Thanks to everyone that entered, but as we all know there's just one prize:  3 bags of Paw Paw's Wholesome Homemade Dog Treats, and a cute treat tin in which to store them.

Without further ado, I am pleased to announce that the winner of Dogs Rock's first ever giveaway, selected by random.org, is Entry #18:

Minnie and Mack said...

Treats!!!! Nom, nom, hope we win!

Minnie and Mack

PeeS: We are following you on Google Friend Connect!

November 18, 2010 10:13 AM 

I truly hope that Minnie and Mack are as thrilled with their treats as we are to share them!  Well, Zoe still doesn't quite understand the concept of "giving away her treats," but she's just a pup, and it's a good lesson in sharing!  Congratulations Minnie and Mack!!

Yappy Thanksgiving!

This year is flying by, but we have lots to celebrate this Thanksgiving.  In April, we added Zoe, a 9-month old whippet, to our fur-family.  Roxie turned 11 this year, and Xander is 9, so the timing seemed right to inject a little youth into the pack.  Zoe has definitely done her job, and then some!  Here's a photo I took of her in the back seat of my car on the long way home after we picked her up.

It's hard to believe she's only been here for 8 months now.  She fits in so well that it feels like she's always been a part of the family.  Not to say that a 9-month old puppy didn't come without it's troubles, but she has come a long way in the behavior department.  If I had to describe Zoe in one word, I would probably choose "fun."  She loves to run, play with her toys, and chase, or be chased, by Roxie and Xander.  Xander has run more this year than he did the last 3 years all together.  It's great to see them have fun together!  I thought that Roxie and Xander had forgotten how to play, but Zoe has definitely shown them how it's done again.

Now, if only Zoe could do something about all those gray hairs Roxie has accumulated over the years!!  I'm seriously tempted to use some black shoe polish on her face.  :)

We started the Dogs Rock blog in September of this year, and are so thankful for the friends that have followed our adventures here, and for the new friends we've already made.  We even had the honor of winning a giveaway from Elyse and Riley, our friends at Adventures of a Cattle Dog.  It's a festive Santa Bandana for Zoe!!  Here she is modeling her ultra serious look.

And here she is just thinking about Thanksgiving dinner.  Thank you Elyse and Riley!  We had fun participating in and winning the Santa Bandana!!  (Those squirrels that Zoe likes to stalk in our yard will find that little jingle bell very interesting.)

Happy Thanksgiving from our pack to yours!!

As a last reminder, the Holiday Giveaway Hop for Pets ends tonight, Thursday, Nov. 25th at 11:59 p.m.  If you haven't entered the Dogs Rock giveaway for tasty Paw Paw's Wholesome Homemade Dog Treats, it's not too late.

Wordless Wednesday 11/24



The Adventures of Gadget Girl

Yesterday I spent a little time looking for useful apps. in the Droid Market. I found one called Blogger Droid, and thought I would give it a try. One could say that I'm a bit of a gadget junkie. When my co-workers get a new phone, camera, etc., they usually bring it to me to figure out the shortcuts. Thus, I've earned the nickname "gadget girl." I'm not certain that's a good thing, but I do come by it honestly. Thanks Dad!

That said, I'll keep this post short and sweet, as I test it. Yesterday's topic was the moon, and tonight's moon is full, so I'm adding a related photo I took with my phone a month or so ago. Here's wishing everyone a howling good day!!

Moon Dog

The spectacular moon and clear skies had me rushing home from work this week to grab my camera and telephoto lens.  Next to the hounds, it's one of my favorite things to photograph.  It's not officially a full moon until tomorrow, but this photo taken yesterday shows that it's almost there.

Since I'm on the topic of the moon, here's a photo of some artwork a friend's husband did.  I was really impressed and asked his permission to share it on Dogs Rock.  Jokingly, he said, "If anyone likes it, tell them it's for sale for $300.  I really don't think they would part with it though.  If so, I might buy it myself!  Thanks for letting me share Moon Dog, Taylor! 

Please join me in this week's Saturday Pet Blogger Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume.  It's a great way to connect with fellow pet lovers!  If you haven't had a chance to register for the Dogs Rock prize of Paw Paw's dog treats, please visit the Holiday Giveaway Hop for Pets.  You can enter to win through Thursday, Nov. 25th, and there are links to other participating blogs with lots of pet prizes up for grabs!

Holiday Giveaway Hop for Pets

 

Welcome to the Holiday Giveaway Hop for Pets!  This giveaway will end on Thursday, November 25th, and a winner will be selected via random.org.  I really appreciate you stopping by, and encourage you to visit all the blogs that are participating in this hop.  There are lots of great gifts you could win for your pets!

When I first heard about the Holiday Giveaway Hop for Pets, I knew immediately that I wanted to participate.  What a fun way to start the holiday season!  I wasn't sure what our gift item would be at first, but it didn't take long to figure out.  When we attended the Saint Francis of Assissi DogtoberFest event last month, our dogs discovered a new favorite treat:  Paw Paw's Wholesome Homemade Dog Treats.  Paw Paw's treats come in fun shapes, and they smell better than any other dog treat I've encountered!  They're made with human-grade ingredients, such as peanut butter, sweet potato, and chicken broth.  Our dogs started with a bag of peanut butter treats, and since then they've greeted every flavor of Paw Paw's goodies with lots of enthusiasm!  Paw Paw's treats are made in nearby Salem, Virginia, and sold at farmer's markets, veterinarian offices, and a natural foods grocery store that we like to visit.  I'm eager to share Paw Paw's treats with a lucky reader's dog!  I know they'll be a hit!

Here's what you need to know:  The Dogs Rock giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.  To register for the Dogs Rock prize:
1.  Follow Dogs Rock publicly with Google Friend Connect.
2.  Comment on this post.
It's that simple.  The winner will receive 3 bags of tasty Paw Paw's treats in the following flavors:  Peanut Butter, Chicken Broth and Bacon, and Sweet Potato.  Since your treats are sure to be gobbled up quickly, I've added a cute dog treat tin, appropriately covered in paw prints.  As a reminder, the winner will be selected randomly, and notified by email on Friday, November 26th.

While you're here visiting Dogs Rock, I invite you to sign our Guestbook.  This isn't required for entry in the Dogs Rock giveaway, but we do enjoy hearing from you!  Good luck and best wishes for a very happy holiday season!

Wordless Wednesday 11/17

A True Dog Lover

The following passage is framed and posted in one of the exam rooms at the veterinarian office we visit.  I liked it so much one day as one of the hounds and I sat waiting that I snapped a photo of it with my phone.  There wasn't an author referenced, but I did a little internet searching and found that it's an excerpt from a Dean Koontz novel, The Darkest Evening of the Year.

"If you are a dog lover, a true dog lover, and not just one who sees them as pets or animals, but are instead one who sees them as one's dear companions, and more than companions--sees them as perhaps being a step or two down the species ladder from humankind, not sharing human exceptionalism but not an abyss below it, either--you watch them differently from the way other people watch them, with a respect for their born dignity, with a recognition of their capacity to know joy and to suffer melancholy, with the certainty that they suspect the tyranny of time even if they don't fully understand the cruelty of it, that they are not, as self-blinded experts contend, unaware of their own mortality.

If you watch them with the heightened perception, from this more generous perspective . . . you see a remarkable complexity in each dog's personality, an individualism uncannily human in it's refinement, though with none of the worst of human faults.  You see an intelligence and a fundamental ability to reason that sometimes can take your breath away."

Thank you for joining us on the Saturday Pet Blog Hop!  

We love meeting fellow pet lovers, and wish you all a safe and happy weekend!!  

Furtastic Friday!!

Those of you that are familiar with Roxie, especially from Facebook-land, will recognize this as an oldie, but goodie photo.  It's one of my personal favorites.  We just wanted to share it today and wish everyone a weekend full of fun and good times.  Be well!!

Wordless Wednesday 11/10

Crescent Moon

Leopard Print Stylin'

Zoe here!  Mom has been fighting a nasty flu-bug for a week, so when I asked her what the topic of today's post was, she said I was in charge of it this week!  I get to talk about whatever I want!! Therefore, today's topic is leopard-print fashion.  Everybody at my house appreciates a nice leopard print!  Here I am modeling a lovely leopard collar Mom bought for my "brother," Xander, years ago in Dewey Beach, Delaware.  In April, Xander came with Mom to pick me up in North Carolina, and she took the leopard collar right off of Xander and onto me since it was adjustable to a perfect fit.  Mom keeps saying she needs to get a replacement for Xander, but for now he runs around mostly naked (weirdo!)  

Mom really likes to dress like me because she likes my style!  She's pretty proud of her leopard print shoes, and I think they're snazzy!  I think you'll either love them or hate them.  When she came home with them as a new purchase, Dad asked, "Are you going to wear those in public?"  What does he know anyway!?!  Here she is posing for pals on a recent trip to Vermont, where she met the infamous Nigel Buggers!  I'm not too happy that she didn't take me to meet Nigel too, but she claims that she had to fly on a big bird in the sky and I wouldn't have liked that at all.  Pffftt!!.

Since we're on the topic of stylish leopard prints, I have to introduce you to my BFF, Miss Sasha from Ohio. We love hanging out together at the mall, listening to tunes on our iPawds, and going on adventures with other doggie pals.  Sasha's Momster recently bought her a lovely leopard Snuggie!!  I think you'll agree that Sasha is one of the purdiest girls you've ever seen.  (Thanks for being my super-stylish BFF and participating in today's bloggie, Sasha!)

When I saw Miss Sasha's leopard Snuggie, I went bonkers, and immediately began a quest to get my very own leopard couture.  The Snuggies were all sold out in my size, and just when I began a hunger strike, and was about to sink into a deep despair, Mom came through for me and found a bee-you-tea-full fleece vest at MotleyMutt.com!!

My "sister," Roxie, is a rather warm-natured greyhound, so despite having a few coats in her closet, she rarely wears one.  The other day, Mom was hanging a coat in the closet when some leopard print fleece caught her eye on the top shelf.  It was Roxie's long-lost, and nearly forgotten leopard coat, which was purchased years ago.  We knew this was an excellent opportunity to do some modeling.  Roxie's has a hoodie like Sasha's!

Roxie was happy when the photo shoot was over.  She much prefers to go au naturale!

I hope you've enjoyed today's fashion show.  'Tis the season to be pulling out the cold-weather gear.  Why not add some flair to your wardrobe with a touch of animal print?  We're also very fond of zebra!  Make sure you mark your calendars for November 18th.  We're participating in the Holiday Hop for Pets Giveaway, and one of our lucky readers will win a pawsome prize!!

Happy weekend to all.  See you on the Blog Hop!

Wordless Wednesday 11/3

Roxie, Xander and Zoe