With Christmas just around the corner, I wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. For those pups that celebrate another holiday, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or Happy Winter Solstice. The picture below is our Christmas card for this year. That's Gryphon to the left of Pooh, I am between Pooh and Tigger and Elsa is standing next to Eeyore.
We always get featured in the Christmas card every year. At first I was a little annoyed because Mama would always dress us up, set a scene and make us sit still while she took the picture. One year, Gryphon and I were hooked to the fireplace so she could have us sitting in front of the fire. (Don't worry, the fire wasn't lit at the time. . . she added the flames after the photo was taken.) I don't mind sitting in front of a fire on a cool night, in fact the warmth from the fire is nice.
Since she has had a digital camera though, things have changed for the better. Now, she just takes several pictures of us separately in different poses and then does her computer magic to add us to the scene that she and Papa have selected. That's much nicer.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. (Beg for lots of presents) Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, clickhere. Where in the World is Misfit McCabe? To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in theMisfit McCabebook trailer contest, go toGriffie Worldto view the videos andGriffie World Talkto vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
With Thanksgiving coming closer it's a good time to look at your life and all of the good things that we have been blessed with. I, for one, feel that I have been a very fortunate pup. I have a Papa and Mama who love me and treat me like the princess that I am. I have Gryphon who has always been there for me, taking care of things so that I don't have to worry about anything. I have good food, a soft bed, a roof over my head. Not all dogs can say the same. I don't think I'd have ever made it as an outside dog. I know that people say you can get used to anything, but having to get my paws muddy every time it rained?? Eeewww! But, I digress. I'm even thankful for that little whippersnapper, Elsa, who has come into our lives. Sometimes she can be a pain, like all younger siblings have the ability to be, but she definitely has joy in her soul and is so silly that I get hours of amusement just laughing at her. She is sweet though and doesn't mean to be a bully. She just grew faster than any of us expected and she doen't realize that she is now significantly bigger than I am and when she falls over on me it hurts.
For all of you with people who treat you well, give Thanks during this season that you have a good life. For you rescue dogs, give thanks that your people took the time to pick you out of the crowd, and that you have life.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. Where in the World is Misfit McCabe? To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
Ok, I thought I was done with Elsa stories, but she obviously likes my writing little stories about her. Last weekend Gryphon and I noticed that Elsa was drooling a little bit. Mama noticed too, but she thought it was that Elsa was sleeping so hard she drooled a little bit on the pillow she was laying on. Well, that was only the beginning. The drooling got worse, but Papa didn't notice it because he was busy working. Mama noticed some wet spots when she came home, but Papa thought he must have spilled some water - even though he didn't have the water anywhere near the wet spots!
That night as we went to bed, Elsa curled up next to Mama and Gryphon and I wanted to stay dry, so we snuggled against Papa. About 11:00 Mama realized that the bed was wet and she uncovered Elsa to take a look. Elsa was lying in a pool of drool (yuck). Her ruff was soaked, her tail was soaked, in fact the tail was so wet, it could be rung out. Mama didn't like seeing the drool pouring out of the corners of Elsa's mouth.
She woke Papa up, which took a few minutes because he tries to pretend that he can't hear anything so he doesn't have to get up. Then grabbed the laptop to look up what could possibly be wrong with Elsa. It turns out, according to the internet, the most common cause of excessive drooling in dogs, other than being a St. Bernard, is that something, like a stick, is caught in the mouth. With Elsa that could be a distinct possibility, because she does like to pick up sticks and carry them around outside. I choose not to pick up anything nasty like that off the ground.
Mama checked her mouth out, but didn't find anything, so it was time for the usual call to the vet to see what he had to say. Unfortunately, our vet had his phone on the message machine (something that occurs only a few times a year), so all patients were being referred to the Emergency Animal Hospital, and so Elsa's first midnight vet run began.
While Mitzi was alive, midnight runs to the vet were not uncommon as she had heart problems in her later years, and Mama said she thought they were done with those for awhile. But, the kid was sick, so something had to be done. The vet couldn't find anything in her mouth either and recommended a course of antibiotics, nausea medicine and allergy medicine, in addition to an IV to replace the fluids. Plus, he wanted to keep her overnight for observation, give her some X-rays and do some blood work.
Fortunately, Papa decided that Elsa was better off coming home to us, because Gryphon and I would have missed her. The next morning it was off to the vet again to see our regular vet. Elsa was diagnosed with an infection of the salivary glands which was causing the excessive drooling. He put her on a course of antibiotics, and she is now much, much better.
What a confused pup she is . . .first trying to be a Shar Pei, and now a St. Bernard. 'Til next time, Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. Where in the World is Misfit McCabe? To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
We are having a bit of an issue with Elsa because she keeps wanting to bark at the puppy in the mirror. While we are playing on Mama and Papa's bed, she'll catch sight of the puppy out of the corner of her eye and then she becomes obsessed. She runs to the edge of the bed and stares into the mirror and barks at the puppy.
Mama and Papa have both tried to show her that she is the puppy in the mirror, but she just won't believe them. She thinks another dog has snuck into the house and is going to steal her toys and treats. Once upon a time, that puppy used to bother me too, but then I figured since the puppy never did seem to get anything that was mine and Papa never gave any treats or scraps to that puppy, that I really didn't have to worry about it. Gryphon and I are trying to teach Elsa that too, but she won't listen to us either.
I guess we just have to wait this one out folks. One day she'll get tired of confronting the puppy in the mirror. 'Til then, Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
Elsa is a little trying when traveling in the car. She tends to get nervous and barks because she thinks that someone should be comforting her through the entire trip. Well, a couple weekends ago, we took a trip to GrandMuttMaw and GrandPupPaw's house to visit crazy Daisy and she was yipping on the way there. Trust me, she has a piercing yip that can shatter an eardrum. So, Papa put his hand back with us (Gryphon, Elsa, and I get to share the back seat) and kept stroking her, so she piped down and was pretty quiet the rest of the way.
Now, it isn't a long trip, only about 30 miles, so I think Elsa should be able to travel that far without requiring that type of attention, but I guess she's still a little young yet. Gryphon and I are pros at travel, although I will say my favorite vehicle to travel in is the van because we have a big picture window to look out of. It's nice to be able to see where we are going.
By the time we left, it was night time and therefore dark. Elsa lasted to the freeway onramp before she started barking. A distance of approximately 3 blocks. Papa tried to comfort her just like he did on the way out, but she wasn't having any of it. Mama tried talking to her, but Elsa was too scared of the dark to listen. Even when Mama turned the overhead light on Elsa wasn't happy, and therefore no one could be happy. Gryphon and I always like to take a little nap on the return trip because we're tired from running around in the back yard, but with all of the yipping going on it was impossible.
Papa jokingly said, "Maybe she doesn't like country music." and Mama immediately started searching for the classical music station. Papa took over the station search since Mama was driving and the second that Papa locked in the station it was like someone flipped a switch. Elsa stopped barking practically mid bark.
She sat back down and started listening to the music, her ears tuning to get the best sound. Her body relaxed and she folded her paws (she gets that from me). She didn't bark once for the remainder of the journey - a record for her.
Mama and Papa thought the whole thing was incredibly funny because she calmed down so quickly, they turned the light off and Papa didn't even have to put his hand back with us to calm her down. She didn't make a peep the rest of the way home and only started to whimper once we turned in our driveway.
We now have a station programmed into the radio which has been dubbed the Emergency Elsa station. I enjoyed the music too but Elsa seemed to be enthralled by it. For all you music lovers out there - Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
As I promised in my previous post, there are some Elsa stories just waiting to be told.
This story starts with Elsa getting her operation so that Mama and Papa could register her and get her license. Well, apparently Mama thought Elsa already had her rabies, but she didn't, so she had to go back to the vet to get the rabies shot. Gryphon and I went with because Mama also decided that we all needed baths. So, Papa packed all of us up and carted us off to the vet's office so Elsa could get her shot and we could all get sweet and clean. Elsa ended up having to have 3 shots because she was due for two others in addition to the rabies.
Anyway, Mama wasn't feeling all that well and stayed home from work, so when Papa brought us home, she was home too. Elsa was pretty well knocked out from her shots, and Mama kept fussing about her. She thought her nose looked puffy and that something wasn't quite right. Then she noticed that Elsa was getting dark circles under her eyes and she kept telling Papa that something wasn't right with her.
Elsa continued to sleep and Mama kept a close watch on her. Papa kept saying that Elsa was fine and he didn't see anything the matter. Then all of a sudden, Mama scooped her up and wanted to know if she hit her face on the cage because it was definitely swelling.
She then asked for the phone because in front of our very eyes, Elsa was turning from a dachshund puppy into a little Shar Pei. Her face was getting wrinkly and her eyes could barely be seen. After talking to the vet's office Mama told Papa that they were going back because Elsa was having an allergic reaction to the shots.
Gryphon and I went into the cage and Mama and Papa hurried out of the house with Elsa. I can tell you I was a little nervous. As much as I dislike going to the vet and think that Elsa can be a pain sometimes, I didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Neither Gryphon or I have had any problems with getting shots (other than not liking them), so this was a big surprise to everyone. I've never seen a reaction like that before.
After they returned, Elsa told me she had to have 2 more shots but she was starting to feel better. She said she really didn't feel well before going to the vet, and I thought she was being a drama queen. Oh wait, that's my job.
Anyway, things are now back to normal and Elsa has given up looking like a Shar Pei and returned to looking like a long-haired dachshund (which is a much finer looking dog if you ask me).
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
I don't believe it! It has been over a month since I could even put a paw on the laptop, let alone have a couple minutes to post a blog. Right now, the only reason I have a few minutes is that my Mama is out in the kitchen fixing some tea. It has been terrible. I haven't been able to surf the net, look for new treats to beg for, or even catch up on all of the dog shows.
My Mama has been working non-stop on her latest project with her book, Misfit McCabe and is just in the process of fully launching it. The problem is that every day she gets a new idea that needs research, or time posting articles elsewhere and I don't even have a chance to THINK about getting a paw in edgewise.
Actually, the project is pretty neat and I have been giving Mama a few pointers here and there on how to make the whole thing better. It's nice to know that she does listen to me. What she has done is created 8 special edition versions in hard cover of Misfit McCabe and sent them to someone in different states; California (where we are), Nevada, Washington, Colorado, Ohio, Texas, New Jersey, and Virginia. The people who receive the books will read them, register on the website, sign the blank pages in the back and put their location and then pass it on to someone else to do the same. She calls the project Where in the World is Misfit McCabe? The website is pretty cool because there is a map to show where all of the books are and all of the places they have been. Plus, there's lots of interesting facts about the places themselves. And now, thanks to suggestions by me, there are some pictures as well, so everyone can have a "snapshot" visual of where the book is.
Oops - have to go. . . .I hear Mama coming back. 'Til next time, Paws Up!
PS Next time, I'll have to share some Elsa stories with you. That pup is sure a character!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
When I first looked at Treat People, I thought the look a trifle plain. They do have some cute puppies in the header. They should have a picture of Elsa as a puppy, with her little nose-hawk. While the site design may lack bling, the treats they offer do not.
Treat People offers the canine consumer, just that - their selection of treats. The brands that they provide are Pet 'n Shape, Greenies, BilJac and Newman's Own. They primarily offer Pet 'n Shape, which are billed as 100% Natural, Safe, Gluten Free, and Human-Grade. What the heck is human grade and why would I want it? If I want some "human" food, all I have to do is look at my Papa for a period of time and then he feels guilty and shares what he has, so there is nothing special about human grade around my house.
Treat People list their offerings along the side of the page, so you don't have to hunt through the entire site, just to find their Duck & Sweet Potato (I love these) treats. The give you a run down on why they provide so many products with Chicken and Duck. There is a page explaining why they are promoting the Pet 'n Shape products, and one of my favorite pages is how they outline all of the uses for the treats, such as mid-afternoon treat, afternoon tea treat, crunchy midnight snack and more. I think that you should get your parents to spend some time perusing that page so that they know all of the times that it is appropriate to give you a treat. Then once you think they have it down, hone your persuasive skills and get them to start following the program.
The next page outlines their ongoing contest to find the most beautiful pet, the cutest, the funniest, and the one who does the best trick in order to get a Pet 'n Shape treat. I don't believe that I will be entering the contest, but I'd love to see you all submit your pics and stories.
Now, perk up your ears. . .I have now come to the supreme page for you to focus on ~ the FREE SAMPLE page. When your parents get to that page, start to nuzzle them, and if they don't get it, whine, and if they still don't get it. . .bark your head off. Ask them in every possible way to please, please, PLEEAASSSEEE get you a free sample. Otherwise, how are you going to know whether you like the product or not. I love a bargain, and figure that everyone should share in the wealth.
So at the end of the review, I determined that what I thought of at first as a plain little site, is one that is actually beautiful in it's simplicity. This site is one that offers treats and doesn't try to mess it up with providing too many services. . . just treats. And for those of you who have a feline friend, they also have some cat treats.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
The other night, I was amazed as I watched my Mama bring up a site which she was led to by visiting one of the message boards that she frequents. This site was a contest for the cutest dog's face and my picture was not enetered.
The criteria for entry was that the dog in question (moi) live in the OC. If living in Mickey Mouse's backyard doesn't qualify as living in the OC, then I don't know what does. At any rate, the Orange Country register is running a contestfor people to post their dog's picture (or for people who know the dog's to post the picture) and then people can vote for the cutest face. There are over 4300 dogs faces on the site, and I checked and Gryphon, Elsa and I are not among the horde of pictures. Even though I don't tell her this, Elsa does have a cute face. . .she has a mohawk in the middle of her nose. Gryphon has the cutest expressions that she gives when she is listening to either my Papa or my Mama talk to her. And, of course, I am just adorable (I don't believe in false modesty when the evidence speaks for itself - if you doubt my word, you can check out my profile picture.)
So, I tried to come up with a reason on why we would have been neglected as entries in such a contest, and then it hit me. . . since I am the dachshund princess, I should not participate in contests as it wouldn't be fair to the commoners participating, and since Gryphon and Elsa make up my court, the same rules apply. I forgot that different rules apply to royalty for a few moments in the initial surprise that my cute face was not posted on the site.
Now, I will watch the voting and politely clap and smile, maybe even give a slight nod of approval when the winner is announced. Maybe I should be giving out the award. Strange that no one has contacted me yet to see whether I can take the time from my busy schedule to do such a thing. Is that my phone ringing? Have to run now.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
This will be short one as it is late and my Mama is wanting to shut down and make herself a cup of tea. Doesn't she think I can shut down a computer by myself? I mean after all, I can certainly push these buttons.
Tonight's topic is sharing chews. I don't chew often, because if chew is fresh, it is hard and can hurt my delicate gums. I do like to get the beef basted ones though and lick them until the taste is gone. Gryphon and I had a perfect system that has been working for years. Mama would get us some chews and I would lick mine and Gryphon would start chewing hers. She'd chew on it until it would get all mushy (long after I had stopped licking mine), and then she would suddenly tire of it and leave it alone. That was my cue to hop down (I was usually on Papa's lap while Gryphon was on the floor chewing away) and pick the chew up and enjoy the soft mushiness of it all. Later, Gryphon would come along and chew on mine for awhile, and once she had it good and softened up, I would chew on it a little myself. It was the perfect system. **Sigh**
Those days are gone. Having Elsa in the family has completely changed the mix of how these things work. She was enjoying a chew this evening and got it all nice and mushy, just the way I like it so it won't hurt my mouth. She was done with it, and then when I started chewing on it, she kept barking at me in that high piercing bark she has. By the way, Elsa has a bark that can puncture your ear drums at 20 feet. It is that loud. I just kept chewing away and tried to ignore her because she needs to know how this thing works. She still hasn't gotten beyond the wanting everything that Gryphon and I have stage and she thinks we should give it to her immediately.
Mama finally got her settled down and stopped her yipping, but I now have a headache and must get my beauty rest.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
I have a story to tell you of something that happened in the Griffie household a couple of weeks ago. I was going to blog about it before, but then Ike hit Texas and caused so much devastation, that I didn't want to post my small little complaints - or you might think I'm a whiner. The bottom line is that I feel sorry for all of the people and pups who have been without power for an extended period of time. I can't even imagine how scary it must be for some. I am saying extra prayers to the great Dachshund in the sky that everyone gets back to normal soon.
So what happened in the Griffie household? Let me tell you. . . A couple of weeks ago, all of a sudden, the power went out. My Papa went to check to make sure that we hadn't just blown a fuse, because that does happen from time to time. My Mama was at work at the time, and they didn't lose power, so she was sitting in a nice air-conditioned office, while Grypon, Elsa, Papa and I were sweating it out at home. It was a tremendously hot day as well, so that didn't help matters any. Well, it definitely wasn't a fuse. Our neighbor, Charlie and his family were also without power. Charlie, by the way is a new puppy who has moved in behind us and we bark at each other all the time. My Papa checked everything out and found out that the whole block at least where we live was without power.
We tried to stay as cool as possible and waited for Mama to come home from work. Well, she brought dinner home with her because she wouldn't have been able to fix anything without power anyway and we had a nice dinner on the front porch because it was cooler there than anywhere else. Our front porch has jasmine covering the lattice, so it smells really good too. As it was getting dark, Mama and Papa were relaxing on the porch and Gryphon, Elsa and I were enjoying the smells and barking at passersby. No one was inside as it was too hot and too dark inside the houses.
Then we heard the bad news. . . the power was going to remain off until about 1:30 in the morning. Papa and Mama decided that since it seemed to be a localized problem with the power, that they would go over to GrandMuttMa & GrandPupPaw's house for the night because Mama was really tired and didn't want to get up and check things in the middle of the night. Plus, it was too hot for her to sleep. So, she went inside to get everything ready.
She brought out our harnesses, so we would be prepared for the drive and Papa got us ready, and then we went in the house to get our leashes and make sure everything was turned off and locked up. Because it was sooo dark, Papa couldn't see and hooked two leashes to Elsa, and none to me. He called for me to come outside with him, and I didn't like to disobey, so I went. But, since I wasn't hooked up to anything, I decided to go and check to make sure that the car was ready.
Papa realized I wasn't with him and started to panic. He handed the leashes to Mama, who was wondering why if he had 3 leashes, he didn't have 3 dogs. He was running around trying to find me, and Mama had gone back inside and started calling for me, in case I had come back inside.
You see, being a black dog, in a pitch black house, no one can see me. I heard my Mama calling for me and so I went up the front steps and was on the front porch knocking on the door when my Papa found me. I guess Mama couldn't hear me knocking over her yelling my name.
Papa was so happy to find me again, he kept telling me how glad that I wasn't lost or hit by a car. Of course I wasn't lost. I knew exactly where I was the whole time. Papa was the one who was losing it.
Anyway, all you dogs out there need to remember that your parents are easily excitable, so you have to help reassure them by sticking by their side as much as possible. Really, if I'd known how much chaos I would cause by simply checking to see whether I could get into the car or not, I would have stayed with my Papa until he realized I didn't have a leash.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
My next foray into the world of reviewing dog websites took me to The Poop - "the site where a dog can have its day."
First of all, you have to like a website that calls itself The Poop. I happen to love double entendres. This site has a lot to recommend it, store, blog, pet adoption, recipes and more. While not being a specifically dog-oriented site, dogs are definitely featured. There are nice graphics to help the consumer find the appropriate store for the type of pet that they have. The pet store that is associated with The Poop is PetFoodDirect.com - America's Pet Store on the Web.
This site really does have a little bit of everything. You can register your pet's birthday so that on the day, the birthday greeting will be listed, participate in polls, voice your own opinion in the blog, and learn how to make food for your pets (although, as you know, I prefer my food to be prepared already as handmade food just isn't happening in this household). There are actually links to even more things such as pet news. This is the one negative that I found on this site - there is so much going on, that on the main page it is not all apparently available. You have to go to the store in order to see the link for their pooppourri section which has a cornucopia of information sources.
All in all, a well worthwhile site to visit for pets and their parents.
On my Paw Scale (1 being low/5 being high), this site gets:
'Til next time, Paws Up!
By the way - how do you like my new signature. I feel that it is much more me, being all sparkly and pink.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
Sorry for being away so long. We had a full weekend and I was just too tired to get to posting anything. I am working on my next website review, so watch this space for news of the next site to catch my attention.
On Saturday, we went over to GrandMuttMaw and GrandPupPaw's house and spent time with crazy Daisy again. Elsa is getting close to playing with her, but Daisy is still so excitable when we first arrive that Elsa gets frightened and hides under things.
Papa wanted to visit to watch the Florida Gators play the Miami Hurricanes in football. Mama was still working on her book trailer, which she has now finished - I think it looks pretty cool, so you should check it out!
Elsa got a chance to just hang out in the backyard (sans Daisy) and had the best time just running around the backyard. We don't have a backyard at home (no fences, so we always have to go outside on a leash) so it is a treat when we get to run free in a yard. Elsa runs so fast, she is just a blonde blur running around a course that she has mapped out in her own mind. I saw her having so much fun, I even ran with her a little bit.
My Papa just came back, so I have to sign off now. . .Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Here is my very first review of the sites that I run across when searching for dog treats. First of all, I should give my method for searching. It is actually quite simple. I open up a browser window (ok - all of you in the peanut gallery, I said BROWSER, not BOWSER) and in the Google search widget, type dog treats and then enter. The results come up and I selected one randomly.
The GourmetSleuth.com came up and it has several recipes for dog treats. Actually, dog biscuit treat recipes. My first comment has to be that I am look for treats to eat, not to bake myself. Plus, I am not allowed to work in the kitchen. This site really doesn't do me any good, because my Papa doesn't cook and my Mama doesn't have time and simply won't do it anyway.
In addition to recipes for dog biscuits, they have some dog food recipes as well. Let's discuss the dog-likability factor of the page. There is a dog bone graphic at the top and they have books on dog recipes, kits for making dog treats, etc on the side bar, but other than that you wouldn't know it was a site for dogs looking for treats. All text, no visuals of the treats themselves. No descriptions to capture a dog's imagination, and frankly from the sound of some of the ingredients, you woulnd't catch me eating them anyway.
Then there is the final reason why this site will not get a Paws Up recommendation from me. Apparently one of their readers let them know that some of the recipes that they have in their collection have grapes or raisins in them, which can be toxic to us pups. Their response to receiving the information was to post a blurb advising people to be careful that some of the recipes they are linked to could actually cause your dog harm. Did they remove the offending links? No they did not. How can they even hope to retain any measure of dog-friendlieness when they are posting recipes that could kill their supposed canine friends.
All in all this site does not have dogs as its primary focus and should be steered clear of for the best consideration of your pet.
On my Paw Scale (1 being low/5 being high), this site gets:
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Labor Day is upon us and I just thought I'd let you know how we celebrated today. We went to visit GrandMuttMa and GrandPupPaw and that crazy Daisy. We had a pretty good time. Daisy was even crazier this time for some reason than she was last time. But, after Mama helped GrandMuttMa to learn how to access her library account online and extend a book and put some others on hold, Daisy came in and we shared a lap for a little while. (Very little while).
Elsa is interested in Daisy, but Daisy scares her when she jumps up in the air (getting about 3 feet of pure air). Let me tell you seeing someting coming out of the sky from that height, especially when it is about 10 times bigger than you, can be a daunting sight, for those whose height is 8 - 10 inches, so I can't say that I really blame Elsa for being afraid. When she gets scared, there is only one person in this world that Elsa wants and that is my Mama, 'cause she knows that Mama will protect her and she is safe then.
I laughed when Daisy jumped up in the chair with Elsa and I, while sitting on Mama's lap and Elsa stood up and leaned against Mama's chest and started boxing Daisy in the nose. Daisy didn't know what to make of that. S ince Elsa kept doing it, Daisy cottoned on to the fact that it was Elsa's way of trying to play, then she got over-excited again and started running around and had to be banished once more.
Gryphon, Elsa and I had an opportunity to run around the backyard, sans Daisy, for awhile after dinner and we had a marvelous time. Elsa got to running so fast, she was like a blonde blur as she chased a tennis ball back and forth. I even ran around a bit and wrestled with Gryphon and Elsa. It was good times.
Now I'm pooped (Elsa and Gryphon are already passed out), so I'll call it a night with a tired (Yawn!!) Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Finally! I can hardly get a paw in edge-wise these days. Mama has been working diligently on her book trailer and doing other things related to promotingMisfit McCabe, that getting time on the internet has been scarce for me. When am I supposed to look up new treat sites for crying out loud.
Yes ~ it's true, I do surf the net searching for new treat sites. I am very picky about the treats I eat (only the yummiest please) and want to make sure I am up to date on all of the latest offerings.
We will be trying some treats from SpunkyPup sometime soon, so I recommend that you stop by and check it out. Don't be startled when you access the site for the first time and the site guard dog barks a greeting to you.
Speaking of barking, Elsa was soooo loud today, it was annoying. She doesn't like when Mama is in an area where she can't get to her and then she sits there and yips in this ear piercing bark to get attention. I hope Mama breaks her of that soon, my delicate ears just can't take that.
I think that with all of the talk of book reviews that has been going on in our house because my Mama got a great review from The Lulu Book Reviewyesterday, I will start reviewing websites geared toward dogs. I figure why not? I have excellent qualifications to do so. I am a dog, I have lots of opinions. . .what other criteria could there be?
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
All right, this post is going to expose my vanity. Elsa is now bigger than I am, so I am still the most petite pup in the house. You don't know how much that makes me smile. I like being the littlest, especially since I am no longer the youngest.
Elsa is longer than I am and also has longer legs. She's still smaller than Gryphon though because Gryphon is broader (and maybe a little taller). I enjoy being the smallest because it allows me extra cuddle time, everyone calls me "baby", strangers think that I'm the puppy, and it's easier to get extra treats. So my status has gone from being the middle child, back to the elite smallest pup.
All for now 'cause Mama wants her machine back. Petite Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
We are running on YouTube overload here today. My Mama is doing research on book trailers so that she can create a book trailer for her juvenile fiction book Misfit McCabeand my Papa seems to be searching YouTube for the videos of what stupid people will do and want to show everyone.
It is amazing to me the things that people want to video tape and then broadcast to the world. With what my Papa has seen today, we should film Elsa eating poop and post it on YouTube, it'd be an instant hit. The number of people who have stun devices who use them on themselves and make a video of it is beyond me. Ok, we've all done stupid things from time to time, but really, do we want to share those things with the world? I, for one, do not.
The book trailers have been interesting. Some use actual video, with people playing parts, and others are a succession of photographs and other graphics mixed with music. Some have narration and others do not. I can't wait to see what my Mama comes up with for her book, Misfit McCabe. I'm sure that it will be very creative. She has been searching for some pictures as well as some sounds and music, but has hit upon what she wants as yet. I'll be right there guiding her, so I'll be the first critic to review the trailer once she is done.
One of these days, I might even design my own. All for now. Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Ok, as you know, I was skeptical about how this whole pineapple thing would be. I actually enjoyed it, against my better judgement. When Mama offered it to me, I sniffed it and it didn't smell half bad, so I stuck my tongue out and licked it. Sweet! It was sweet and a little tangy and so juicy it was practically dripping. That first taste was all it took, I grabbed the chunk and scarfed it down. Then Elsa came over and had to see what I was getting and she didn't hesitate even a moment to sniff it first, but just gobbled it down. Gryphon, on the other hand, sniffed it, gave it a little lick and then said "pass". So she hasn't even tried it yet. Mama tried to give it to her again, but she just put it on the ground and Elsa came by and snagged it.
Anyway, for anyone who has not tried it, pineapple is wonderful. So ask your owners for some today.
Also, my Mama got me a new shirt today - not quite as cute as my pink shirt with the bedazzled crown and the word princess, but cute nonetheless. It is a black shirt with pink edging (collar, hem and arms) and has in hot pink on the back, "It's all aboutME. Deal with it!" This so sums up my attitude toward life, that Mama just had to get it for me. It fits me like a glove and I have been wearing it since Mama brought it home. I love it.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Today's topic is a little disgusting. It is about coprophagia (thanks to Gryphon for helping me look that one up) which means to eat feces. This is apparently a common thing among puppies, although I simply can't believe that I even thought about doing something so disgusting. Well, it is a topic in our household, because Elsa occasionally partakes. Now mind you, she usually doesn't eat her own, but mine and Gryphon's.
Apparently, my Mama has read that if you feed a dog pineapple then it makes the poop taste terrible (like it doesn't already taste terrible) and that will deter pups from eating the feces. Well, since Elsa prefers eating Gryphon's and mine, guess who is going to end up having to eat pineapple?? I have lodged my protest already. I tried talking to my Papa about it first. I asked him if a dog who would eat poop won't eat poop with pineapple, then doesn't pineapple have to taste hideous to start with. He is under the impression that pineapple is tasty, so I really didn't get very far with him.
So, next I tried Mama and told her I have a very delicate digestive system and really think that this who pineapple thing won't be good for me. She told me that we will try it and if it doesn't work, then we'll have to try some pills, but she wanted to try the "natural" way first. Whoever said that pineapple was natural for dogs?? I ask you.
So having struck out on both fronts, I believe that pineapple is in my future. I'll try it, and if it's not too bad, I'll eat it to help Elsa stop eating poop. Paws Up!
PS If I don't like the pineapple, then I'm putting my Paw Down!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Well, today we spent a lot of time over at GrandMuttMa and GrandPupPa's house. They just had a DSL line installed and my Mama was installing the modem and software so that they could get up to speed online.
What should have been an easy half hour installation, turned out to be all afternoon and evening. The phone company messed everything up,which my Mama was prepared for as she figured it wouldn't go smoothly because the phone company lost the order, sent a technician out for the wrong installation, etc. We at least got to sit on her lap as she was waiting someone in technical support to answer her call, which took over 40 minutes, so I almost took a nap.
Daisy has calmed down a little bit. She still thinks Elsa is a toy and pounces on her every move she makes though. She also gets over excited at the sight of a leash, even if it's ours. We spent the time with our Papa, either out in the back yard, or sitting in his lap. All in all a pretty good, although somewhat stressful time.
Everyone kept worrying about whether my Mama would be able to get the issues wth the account resolved, but I had no worries. My Mama is good at what she does and I knew she would prevail.
So at the time of this writing, my cousin Daisy is now internet capable, but she's still to young to be posting online yet. Plus, I think that she needs a little more self-control before they let her near a keyboard.
All for now, 'cause I'm all tuckered from running around. Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
All you dogs out there - this is directed to you. How many of you hate that great sucking monster that roars through the house on a periodic basis. I know the Gryphon, Elsa and I do. There we are sitting comfortably on a lap or pillow and this thing comes out of the closet and wreaks havoc in our world.
First of all, the NOISE!!! It is incredibly loud to our sensitive ears. You'd think the two-legged geniuses who thought that contraption up would have learned how to deaden the sound. I know they have gotten quiter in recent years, but really it is a thing of degrees. When you have hearing that is as sensitive as ours, above the buzzing of a gnat, things are getting in the realm of noisy and the level above the sound of food being poured into our dish is obnoxious.
Then there is the fact that it whirs back and forth across the floor so that if you happen to be taking a stroll through the house you have to jump out of the way. It also tends to suck up those chews that you have so carefully hidden so that they can be saved for a later time. (Of course with our Elsa, there isn't a hope of their staying hidden now - she's a chew burglar.)
I follow behind Mama and when I get the chance, I nip around her legs and bite the corner of it and then hide back behind Mama so it doesn't know it was me. So far, that tactic has not produced very good results, but I'm hopefully that I can seriously wound it one day. So, if anyone has found a way to kill this monster, please drop me a line. Until then, Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Today's topic is pillows. Now you might think that a pillow is designed to rest your head on. Wrong! Pillows are for dogs to lie on. Now I don't know about big dogs, but I can tell you from the perspective of the petite pup, that the quality of the pillow matters. I myself like a nice, soft pillow that I can nestle my body down into, with a soft covering (yes - I prefer a pillow case).
Gryphon likes her pillows nice and thick, so that she has to climb up to get on top. She puts her head (and most of her body) right next to our Papa's head to sleep at night ~ I think she gets more of the pillow than he does.
Elsa doesn't understand about pillows yet and the comfort they can bring, she's just too young. She thinks they are something to attack and try and bite a hole in. You should have seen the mess she made with the Squish pillow when my Papa wasn't looking. It looked like it snowed in the bedroom.
My point about pillows is this: Some of you out there think it is perfectly acceptable to go to a pet store and get a "pillow" for your dog. You know the kind I'm talking about. . .the ones with zippers, wood chips for filling, and a burlap cover. Puhhleeeeze!!! I'd rather stay on the floor. At least on the floor I can find a nice soft bit of carpet or a rug that I can scrunch up. I have sensitive skin and simply can not tolerate that rough stuff on my belly. So, check wth your pups and see whether or not they would prefer something softer, with a nice satin, flannel, or jersey slip cover. I think you'll find that all of them would prefer that to the stuff that comes home from the pet store. Why do you think we destroy those so quickly?
Your dog is faithful, loyal and lives only to love you, so do them a favor and give them a nice soft pillow to rest on. All for now. Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
All you two-legged creatures out there, listen up! When it comes to food, dogs like to eat and they may or may not like to share. Now, Gryphon and I have always shared our food. We either eat from the same bowl, although sometimes at different times, or take turns getting treats from our Papa (and extra scraps of food that we're not supposed to tell Mama about.) Some dogs want separate dishes and nip at you just for sniffing it. They need to learn some better manners about how to treat guests in their house.
Now we do have a little bit of an issue in our house with Elsa around. Elsa, being a puppy, is supposed to have puppy food. Since Gryphon and I are more mature, we have food that is special to meet our needs. Well, I don't know how many of you have tried food for the mature pup, but frankly, puppy food has it beat hands down for taste. Of course, Gryphon and I are not really supposed to eat that much of the puppy food, and Elsa is not supposed to eat ours, but here's the way it works. Elsa eats our food, because she sees us doing it and she is such a copy-dog, she figures that anything we get, she should have too. Gryphon and I KNOW that her food tastes better, so while she sneaks over to our bowl to get crunchies, we're sneaking over to hers.
Mama has just about given up. She puts both food into one bowl now and figures that at least for a portion of what we eat, we'll be getting the right stuff. Our tactic is to eat the puppy food and leave the rest until they refill the bowl. That way we get more good tasting stuff and less of the bland, good-for-you stuff.
By the way, Elsa should really be named Piglet, because she eats any and everything. She gets really excited whenever Mama and Papa are having their food, even though knows that it's not for her. She's getting better about not jumping up, but she still likes to climb up on Papa to ask him for food whenever she can. This kid picks up sticks and rocks where we're outside and tries to eat them ~ even if she just finished eating inside. Mama is working with her on not doing that, but Papa is just not as consistent. I will say this about our Mama, she does have an eagle eye, and watches us constantly. If we're out of sight, even for a moment, she wants to know where we are.
Anyway, my message to you all is this. . . get to know your pups and whether they want to share or not, and then provide accordingly. That's all for this post. Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Gryphon points out that the title of this post is incorrect ~ it is Our new puppy and not just mine. Actually, no one asked me if I wanted a new puppy and if they had, I would have answered very quickly, "NO!" Gryphon and I had things very well and didn't really need a new puppy. After all, all I had to do was look at my Papa and he was starting to know what it was that I wanted. It's taken quite a few years, but I finally have him trained the way I want him, and they want to ruin that by bringing in another dog?
It was my Mama that made the decision and she kept trying to talk to me about it, but I put my paws in my ears and said, "La-la-la-la-la-la", so I couldn't hear. Gryphon listened and told me about it later, but she just kind of shrugged and accepted that we were getting a new puppy.
Now, just so you dont' think I am anti-puppy, you need to know that Gryphon and I have had some bad experiences with puppies. We can go back years to my Mama's grandparents and their dog Coco, who when she was a puppy broke her leg, so that when Gryphon and I met her, she was very excited running all over the place, jumping up and down and whacking us with that stupid bright pink cast on her leg. She was at least a small dog and did settle down in later years. Then Coco ran off one day, so Grandpa replaced her with Nickel, a min-pin who would not leave us alone. I had to tackle his legs one day because he was running poor Gryphon ragged, and if anyone is going to do that, it is going to be me.
Then we had a string a much bigger dogs, starting with our cousin Harley, who is a black lab. By the time we met Harley, she was huge, but still a puppy and thought that I was a squeak toy. I mean really! Do I look like a squeak toy? Harley also wouldn't leave Gryphon alone. It was like she wanted Gryphon to be her mother or something, and Gryphon just wanted to be able to walk on the ground without having a head that was bigger than she is lifting her up from the back end. Then they added Max, a one year old (at the time) German Shepherd, so we really couldn't explore their home and check it for marauder's. Then, the final cap to it all was that our Papa's parents (GrandMuttMa & GrandPupPa) got a new pup (Daisy) and she is bigger and overly volatile and excitable.
So, that is why, when saying the word puppy, I didn't want to hear anything about it. Papa and Mama even took us out to meet the new pup before we brought her home. I stood there and ignored her, even though she kept trying to follow me around. I thought that if they saw that I wasn't interested they'd give up on the idea. Oh well, it was a good try. We picked Elsa up a couple weeks later, and the first day she was a very calm little thing.
I didn't let that lull me into a false sense of security though. I kept ignoring her the best I possibly could, and so did Gryphon. Mama kept telling Papa to give it some time, that we would warm up to this little bundle of fur. Elsa quickly became much more playful and Gryphon ran away from her, because she thought that she might hurt the little thing if she played with her. (And Gryphon loves to play) After a couple days of that, Gryphon finally did play with her and they have been wrestling ever since.
I maintained my dignity and still ignored the little whippersnapper, because she kept taking my place and was horning in on my belly rub time. But, I finally decided that since she was here to stay that I should get acquainted and tell her where her place was. . . at the bottom of the pecking order.
Elsa is actually a smart little pup, and is sweet, just a little excitable and rambunctious. She is learning to behave, but still sometimes gets into trouble. I even wrestle with her sometimes, just to make her smile. She is getting to be very lovable. The picture posted is from the day we brought her home. (Mama has been slow to take updated photos ~ she says Elsa doesn't sit still long enough and she shows up in the pics as a blur.)
Anyway, she may have something to say every now and then. Until my next post. Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
Well friends, it's been a long time. I'm sorry for the long delay, but it's been difficult getting some quality computer time. Why the long delay? Well, my Papa retired from the Coast Guard and was occasionally freelancing, but otherwise out of work, and I had the job of sitting on his lap and comforting him during the job search. Then, once he was once again gainfully employed, my Mama has been going through some health issues and had some surgeries, so I had to sit next to her in the bed to make sure she was healing properly. A good dog's comfort work is never done.
Plus, while she was home from work, she had the laptop available, but used it for work purposes, so how boring is that? And the really terrible thing is that I couldn't get a paw on it. (Right now, I'm sneaking on while my Mama is taking a bath - hee-hee)
We've had a few exciting things happening in the interim ~ Gryphon and I have a new puppy. Elsa came to us in late May and we have been working hard to get her properly trained. It really helps having a puppy around for getting extra treats. At first that was all she was good for. I really didn't think much of the idea of getting a puppy. I mean, really, Gryphon and I have things pretty good and I didn't want to have another pup butting in.
It has made things a little more cumbersome, like, Papa only has two legs, and now there are three dogs, so someone is without a leg to lie upon while he watches TV. I like to curl up next to my Mama when we are going to sleep, but Elsa keeps trying to take my spot. But things are getting better now that Elsa realizes that I am the princess of the household and a force to be reckoned with.
Another big event is that my Mama published her first novel (another reason why I have had so little computer time ~ she's been hogging it). You can check out the detail at her website Griffie World. I am very proud of her, she has done a good job. Yes, I have read it, and helped to edit it by pointing out some mistakes. The book is titled Misfit McCabe, and is in the Young Adult category. It has some pretty exciting moments in it, you should check it out.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf
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