Wolfdog Den

GOJI JUICE IS GREAT FOR YOUR PETS HEALTH TOO

2008-10-03T03:21:00.002-04:00

As I have mentioned before, I want to consume a raw food diet and also want my animals to do the same. I think it is the healthiest way to go and, today, I came across an interesting site about Himalayan goji juice. It talks about the benefits of Goji berries in humans and it got me to thinking about the benefits my dogs may receive from this. I already have Sundance and Spirit eating fresh fruit, they love it. I imagine they will like the berries as well. If they were in the wild, they would hunt for berries and small rodents to eat, it would be the natural thing to do. Just to be on the safe side, I googled if it was okay to give your dogs Goji berries and found it was not only okay but considered to be a great idea. I hope the person at the above-named blog will eventually write about the benefits of Goji berries in your pets diet as well; I know that they can help maintain the balance of a healthy immune system and also aid in prevention of infection and also illnesses that come with the natural aging process

WINNER OF GREATEST AMERICAN DOG

2008-09-11T02:14:00.002-04:00

Presley is the Greatest American Dog. He is owned by a 29-year-old bartender who thanked the judges and his house mates, thanking them for the experience and for the things he learned. When Travis and Presley entered the contest, they were just a guy and a dog, now they are a guy with the Greatest American Dog. Presley’s owner won $250,000.00 and Presley won the title and a trophy that, according to Travis, weighed more than Presley did.

This last week of competition pitted Presley against a Maltese who, according to the judges, suffers from separation anxiety and a Border Collie mix who was trained to be obedient through rather stern command from their owner.

I am really glad Travis and Presley won, I think their relationship is adorable and Presley really does show a lot of potential.

Congratulations Presley and good luck with your new adventures as The Greatest American Dog.

YOUR KIND OF BLOG

2008-09-10T02:03:00.002-04:00

I was blog surfing and came across this blog about funny stuffs and is called “Your Kind of Blog”. I found some great pictures on this blog and you really must see the “some amazing facts” post and the part about flu season and some very useful information regarding the flu. If you are a fan of the movie “300” and King Leonidas of Sparta, you will find some pretty funny photoshopped pictures of the main character involved in various activities.

This blog rose to a PR2 (google page rank) in a short amount of time and I would really like to know how they did that, I have had my blog since July and I am still PR0. I have heard that google is not happy with blogs that post for money but, if it is so bad, why is everyone doing it?

Give this blog a look, there are some interesting things contained within.

MY WOLFDOG ATE MY ORGANIC PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

2008-09-05T19:23:00.001-04:00

If you think your wolfdog/dog will not get into something because it is boxed up and on the shelf, you could be mistaken.

While out to dinner with my mother, I painfully remembered that I had not put Sundance’s baby gate in place. I figured something would be gone or tore up but not my organic peanut butter cookies. He ate the whole box, didn’t even leave me a crumb. Of course, had I known he was going to eat my cookies, I would have bought more while mom and I were at the store a few minutes ago but no………I already had some at home, or so I thought. The funny part is, I found the plastic insert with the slots that hold the cookies in place, and the white plastic that goes around that but I cannot find the box they came in. I can only assume he ate that too. Maybe he thought he could get rid of the evidence that way, who knows, but someone is going to be pooping cardboard and peanut butter for a few days.

I started hollering “who did this”, he came over to give me a big lick on the cheek which is how I know it was him, he reeked of peanut butter. This wolfdog didn’t pull the wool over my eyes. Again, my bad for not putting the baby gate up and not making sure everything is out of reach.

GREAT WAY TO DISPLAY PHOTOGRAPHS

2008-09-01T00:05:00.018-04:00

I take a lot of photographs of my wolfdogs and wind up storing them on my computer. This practice has a tendency to slow your computer down so I started looking for a better way to store and display my pictures. I vaguely remember digital photo frames where you had to manually change the picture but what I was really looking for was a way to display multiple photographs at once.

I visited the Digital Framez website and found exactly what I was looking for in a 10 inch digital photo frame. With one of these digital picture frames, you take your photos, plug in your SD memory card, play with the settings until you get your slideshow the way you want it, display it and leave it. When you are ready to add more photos, take your memory card, put it in your camera, snap away and repeat the above process.

I added a link to their website so you can see for yourself just how easy and convenient these frames are to use.

Wolfdog

WOLFDOGS - FEEDING RAW FOOD DIET TO MY DOGS

2008-08-30T23:47:00.005-04:00

I am seriously considering feeding my wolfdogs a raw food diet. I have done a lot of research on this and it sounds like the best, healthiest and safest way to feed my dogs. I know we are going to go through a transition and I know all about the bacteria that lurks around on raw meat and such so I will be checking with my vet prior to taking off on this venture. I will also be taking great care when preparing their food to avoid any unnecessary stomach upset. I don’t know about you but, when my doggies don’t feel good, it saddens me. Poor things, they can’t really tell you how they feel but I do know my dogs well enough to recognize when something is not right in their world, or their belly, whichever the case may be.

The question that is being raised most often is “will this make my wolfdogs vicious?” I can safely say that this will not make them vicious. I researched that very carefully as well. The neighbors can be safe in the knowledge that my wolfdogs are not going to suddenly start scouting the neighborhood for their next kill; first off, they are very well contained. They are not going to look at the pit on the street behind us and wonder if, between them, they can take it down or drool over the little poodle next door and think it would make a yummy appetizer. I wish no harm to my neighborhood of pets or their owners for that matter and this will not be an issue.

My biggest concern is the transition period and the cost. I have always prided myself on doing whatever is necessary for my pets’ health and safety and even though this could wind up costing more, especially in the beginning, I think it will be much healthier for them in the long run and, I will keep looking for bargains.

Here are some links that answer a lot of the questions that are going through your mind right now. There is a great e-book about this. Please visit these sites for more info.

The following links are taken from Aleesha's Raw Life

Raw dog food made easy
BARF for beginners
Sample home feeding tips
Weekly sample feeding schedule for adult dogs
How will they get their calcium
A calculator to determine how much to feed

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO REMOVE PETS FROM DANGER OF HURRICANE GUSTAV

2008-08-30T14:01:00.003-04:00

There is immediate need for help in removing pets from the path of Hurricane Gustav. I just read an update that says Gustav is now a Hurricane category 4 with winds up to 145 miles per hour. Hanna is fast on its tail and could hit this area that was devastated by Katrina 3 years ago.

The pets in and around the Louisiana/Mississippi area are in need of transport. These pets are being housed currently at shelters throughout and need to be moved so that following the danger, pets can be brought in to local shelters and provided with care and lots of love in the hopes of soon finding their owners or new owners that will give them a good life.

Refrigerated trucks are needed as well as other vehicles of transport. There is a need for dog crates, food and medical supplies.

If you are a trucker and wish to help, make sure you mention the blog posts from the houndsgood.com blog site. Payment has been mentioned if you tell them you responded to the blog posts.

For those of you who wish to volunteer your time and much needed energy, please make your way to the areas listed in this blog, some items will be provided but plan on being self-sufficient including the possibility of having to sleep in your car or vehicle.

Monetary donations are always appreciated and information is available at Houndsgood.com.

WOLFDOG PUPPIES - SEQUOIA AND FREEDOM

2008-08-24T16:22:00.000-04:00

TROPICAL STORM FAY SLIDESHOW

2008-08-22T16:06:00.000-04:00

TAKE A LOOK AT STELLA'S BLAWG

2008-08-22T13:20:00.002-04:00

For a bit of wimsy, check out Finding my happy place, one blog post at a time. I knew upon entry to her blog that I was in for a bit of fun. First of all, she has a really cute flip-flop header, has a joke about a Louisiana farmer that made me lol, and she has some informative bits in there too; things like Google page rank which is on everyone’s mind right now, Google has recently spanked people for sponsoring posts, then she has some info about acne, baby bedding, fat burners, and paella pans.

I checked out the YouTube video, that guy really does have pretty eyes and it is a great song.

Be sure and take a look at the older posts, she has a section in there about Thursday Thirteen where you can list 13 things about anything you want and can be featured on the thursdaythirteen.com site. It is like a spin-off of “100 things” whatever. It is a short-list so to speak.

Visit her blog, it is both fun and informative.

WOLFDOG FEARS

2008-08-22T02:08:00.003-04:00

If you have read earlier posts, you will know that Sundance is afraid of virtually everything. I believe he is no longer afraid of frogs as evidenced by the one he carried into the house with him just a little bit ago. It was just kind of hanging out of his mouth. Once I got him to drop it, I had to chase the hopping little thing all over the house before I managed to get him back outside to safety.

Sundance has had to learn patience and how to pee in standing water. Due to Tropical Storm Fay, we have an abundance of water in our backyard and all of the critters out there are now on the same "ground" as the dogs are. I guess he decided he might as well play along and "play" he did. I am happy to announce that the frog is okay this time around. Let us hope that Sundance doesn't lose his fear of snakes and befriend one of those. If that happens, I will have to finally give the house to the dogs, pack my things and leave. I have a horrible fear of snakes and many other critters, is it any wonder my wolfdog is afraid of everything too?

Wolfdog

10 DOLLAR SIGN-ON BONUS WITH PEPPERJAM AFFILIATE MARKETING NETWORK

2008-08-21T22:06:00.010-04:00

If you have a blog, by now you have figured out there is money in that there blog. There are many ways to make money with your blog but one of the easiest is with Pepperjam Network.

They have a very fast-growing company in affiliate marketing and have been listed as one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in the United States and to celebrate their success, Pepperjam Network is Now Offering a $10 Affiliate Sign On Bonus. Join Today. That is not a typo, you really get 10 bucks just for signing up.

Once you sign up, you are put in touch with multiple companies categorized for many different blog themes. Marketing companies are eyeing the success of internet business and switching their attention to top search engine affiliate companies and are frequently looking to Pepperjam to help them with their marketing needs. New advertisers are added frequently from top-named brands, names people are familiar with.

I think one of the reasons they are so successful and are recognized by Inc. 500 ranking system is their support staff. They have a great crew that will work with you through all of your advertisers. Better yet, you can be online at the same time as your advertisers and chat with them in real time. Advertisers love this one-on-one opportunity to work with the people who are blogging about them and running ads on their blogs.

Become a member of a fast-growing affiliate network. Join Pepperjam Network and Receive a $10 Sign On Bonus. Make money on ads provided by Pepperjam, they do all the work, all you have to do is place the ads.
If you take a closer look at the 2008 Inc. 500 rankings you’ll see that Pepperjam is....

- one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in the United States
- the #2 fastest growing company within the State of Pennsylvania
- the #1 fastest growing affiliate marketing network
- the #1 fastest growing full-service internet marketing agency
- the #1 fastest growing interactive marketing agency
- the #1 fastest growing search-engine marketing firm
- the #1 fastest growing “advertising / marketing” company within the State of Pennsylvania (#5 in the United States)

In addition, they have great incentive programs for bloggers. Click on a link and join PepperjamNetwork...sign up today!

MY WOLFDOGS DRANK MY CHOCOLATE HEMP MILK

2008-08-21T20:05:00.002-04:00

I was away for a while today, even though Tropical Storm Fay was all over us and it was raining everywhere, I felt the need to get out of the house and, before I can’t leave the house due to flooding that may occur in my area, I decided to go up to Ormond and visit my dad and stepmom.

The first thing I noticed upon my return was that Sundance was loose, I had forgot to put the baby gate up. The second thing I noticed was an empty box of Chocolate Hemp Milk laying on the floor, empty, every last drop was gone. I looked at the ingredients to be sure there was nothing in it that would hurt them and did see where it contained cocoa powder but felt it was not enough to do any harm, as long as they shared it equally between them, like good little boys.

I know it had to be Sundance because every time something gets eaten or destroyed, he is loose. Spirit can stay in here and not touch anything, no matter how tempting. The time I came home and found 8 double rolls of toilet paper all over the house, Sundance was loose. The time I came home and found the garbage can had somehow fallen over and garbage was strewn all over my house where someone had rifled through it, Sundance was loose. There have been other instances that do not immediately come to mind but on every occasion, I had forgotten to put up the baby gate and Sundance was loose. He tried to get up in my lap and kiss the pain away because, let’s face it, that chocolate hemp milk is not cheap, it is as if he had drank a bottle of very expensive Champagne when he could have had some cheap wine. When I told my mother, she became hysterical and couldn’t stop laughing, she knows how expensive it is and even took up for them saying it was my fault for leaving it out where they could reach it. I buy that stuff and sip it a little at a time savoring the flavor, rolling it around on my tongue like fine wine. I am thinking he dove right in and slurped it all up without actually tasting it, he and Spirit together. The reason I know they both got into it is both of their muzzles and lips were sticky and had a slight hint of hemp chocolaty goodness on them. But, I guarantee you it was Sundance that instigated it, he looked the guiltiest and…….he was loose. My bad!

BEAUTY OF LIFE BLOG

2008-08-21T11:50:00.002-04:00

One of the ways to get our blog recognized and get more traffic is to write about interesting blogs we have found.

I have recently come across a very nice blog called Beauty of Life. It is a family oriented blog with information about everyday things. The young lady that runs that blog is married with one child. She has family in the Philippines and is troubled by conflicts that are occurring fairly close to where her family is currently residing. She has faith in God and for those of you who pray, maybe you can send up a little prayer for her family.

They have a cute section on the Grin Trademark; she and her husband always do a silly grin whenever they pose for a picture, some of which can be seen on her blog.

Her blog contains information about making money online, health issues, food, all kinds of subject matter.

She and her husband have a very cute little munchkin they call Abi. She has some cute pictures and stories in relation to her son, be sure and check it out.

FLORIDA FLOOD WATER AND YOUR PET'S SAFETY

2008-08-21T02:40:00.002-04:00

Tropical Storm Fay is making its way slowly through Florida, back and forth it goes with strong winds and lots of rainfall. There are multiple flood areas across the state, especially in the Brevard area.

If at all possible, keep your pets inside or on a leash while outside, do not let them get away from you. This kind of weather scares our pet friends and they may make a mad dash away from you so a leash is necessary.

Do not allow them to play in the flood water or drink any standing water. I know that animals have a tendency to drink water wherever they can get it but this water is very, very dirty. It is filled with bacteria not to mention snakes and bugs, and in some areas, alligators. In addition, there is the risk of electric shock.

You should not be in this flood water and neither should your pets. If it is a necessity that you and your pets make your way through flood water, any areas of the body that have touched this dirty water should be cleansed with soap and water.

Keep you and your pet family safe.

SEQUOIA'S PUPPIES ARE OPENING THEIR EYES

2008-08-18T20:18:00.002-04:00

I just heard from Sequoia's mommy, the puppies are fine and have started opening their eyes. Soon, they should be able to see what they are getting into, look out, this is when the fun starts.

START BLOGGING FOR MONEY - WEARING JUST YOUR BUNNY SLIPPERS

2008-08-17T14:25:00.009-04:00

If you are looking at my blogs and thinking to yourself “hey, I can do that”, give it a try. Not only does it ease boredom, it promotes creativity, provides a challenge to get traffic to your site and, you can make money online while you are doing it.

I have just recently entered the online money-making community and have signed up with various websites geared to help you work at home wearing just your bunny slippers if you choose.

There are also just as many blogs devoted to helping you with tips and tricks to having a money-making blog and to work at home but one of my favorites is Blogger Talk OnlineThis blog contains hints, tips and links to tried and true work from home sites, they did all of the leg work for you. If you use their guidance, you really can make money online either full-time or in your spare time. Who doesn’t need a little extra cash at this time. If you choose to do this on a full-time basis, look at the money you will save on clothing, dry cleaning bills, maintenance on your car, gas for your car, and with some insurance companies you can even save on your auto insurance. If you have kids or pets, you can become a stay-at-home parent and keep a close eye on things, I know your pets would love to have you around all the time, not so sure about your kids lol. Visit Blogger Talk Online | Make Money Online | Work At Home and learn how to work from the comfort of your own home.

FLORIDA WEATHER AND YOUR PET'S SAFETY

2008-08-15T17:39:00.003-04:00

If you live in Florida, you are keeping a close eye on the weather. There are storms out in the Atlantic that are projected to take several different paths and all of them look like we will, at the least, get a lot of bad weather which could power us down. Make sure you have your bad weather plans in place. If you are staying at home and have animals, make sure you have a gallon of water per day per animal and some for the humans too. I like to fill my bathtub, I can give the dogs water from that and flush the toilet with it. I also like to fill my washing machine tub with water. I always clean the tubs well prior to filling.

If you plan on heading for the hills, then please check out Floridapets.net for pet-friendly shelters and hotels.

In addition, check your hurricane kits and make sure you have fresh batteries for your radio and flashlights.

If you plan on using a generator to power up some of your appliances, make sure you move the generator out of the garage area, do not keep the generator in an enclosed space, it can be deadly. Remember, be careful and keep you and your pets safe.

Wolfdog

CHEROKEE AND FREEDOM'S ADVENTURE

2008-08-09T13:18:00.002-04:00

Well, Cherokee and Freedom had to go their separate ways. Their dates this time around were not successful but we are hoping that absence will make the heart grow fonder and the next time around will be a better experience. Long distance love affairs have a high failure rate but I don't think this is going to be the case and......all is not lost, Cherokee started to warm up to me a little and came closer and closer to me, I was even allowed to pet her a couple of times and she was starting to bond with Freedom's mommy, Lisa. You know how tough it can be with those in-laws. So, let's all wish Freedom and Cherokee a better "union" the next time Cherokee comes to town.

Wolfdog

VISTAPRINT'S FREE EVERYTHING SALE

2008-08-07T15:46:00.006-04:00

In order for your blog to be successful, you need to spread the word and one of the many ways to do that is to have some business cards printed up. But don't just stop there, VistaPrint is offering a special sale.

This is a great opportunity for you to get some free business cards printed up that contain your blog address or a way to place yourself in the job market. My dream job is to be a professional postie and what better way to market my skills. VistaPrint has many designs to choose from. Business cards are easy to pass on to others; hand some out at social events, join business card exchanges, leave some at your local businesses. Create some business card magnets. This is one of my favorites. Everyone loves magnets and VistaPrint makes durable, high-strength magnets. There are many people who collect magnets and your business card magnet can serve as a constant reminder when placed on someone’s “fridge”.

Are you planning a family reunion, have a special event coming up or just want to have an “End of Summer” party? With VistaPrint, you can create some high-quality, full-color invitations and announcements and provide your guests with a special custom-designed T-shirt to document the special occasion.

With just a few clicks of the mouse, you will soon be on your way to designing custom post cards, rubber stamps, business card holders, and return address labels which is also one of my favorites.

With so many possibilities combined with VistaPrint’s FREE EVERYTHING SALE, why wouldn’t you take advantage of this offer!

Visit the VistaPrint website today and check out these great deals. They stand behind their products and offer a 30-day 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t delay, order from VistaPrint today!

SEQUOIA HAD HER WOLFDOG PUPPIES

2008-08-06T14:05:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone. Sequoia gave birth to 9 healthy puppies yesterday and Sequoia is doing fine. She did a really good job, taking care of business as nature intended. Rick and Deb's daughters were able to watch the blessed event and Deb says the girls were a little grossed out but Deb was beaming the whole time. It sounds like everyone did well. So, we have lots of beautiful wolfdog puppies for sale, send me an e-mail if you are interested at bdurrance@cfl.rr.com and I will put you in touch with Rick and Deb. The puppies will be ready in 8 weeks and will be wormed and have their first set of shots and will come with a health certificate. If you want to know more about these wonderful animals, please take a look at my blog, the older posts and check out wolfdogqueen's blog at http://www.wolfdogqueen.blogspot.com.You can visit some of the sites I have listed as my favorite sites or just google wolfdogs, wolf dogs and wolf hybrids. These pups are high content wolfdog mixed with husky and malamute.

DOG NIGHT AT RITTER'S

2008-08-04T16:13:00.002-04:00

Howl everyone! Mommy has been so busy I think she forgot to mention that tonight is dog night at Ritter's Frozen Custard. Mommy is going to skip it this month. Cherokee is in heat and not sure if Cubby is going to see if her family will take her. Freedom and Kodiak are going to be there. Have a howling good time.

Spirit

CHEROKEE AND FREEDOM'S FIRST DATE

2008-08-02T02:18:00.003-04:00

That beautiful girl Cherokee had her first date with the handsome wolfdog, Freedom. There was a lot of sniffing, a little bit of growling and showing of teeth when Freedom got too close for comfort but in the end, Cherokee did not mind having a date with Freedom after all. No pups in our future yet but it was not for lack of trying on Freedom's part. Cherokee sent him on his way singing the "blues". They have planned another date and hopefully we will all be able to do the puppy dance. Please enjoy the picture of Cherokee and Freedom taking a break and in one of their more quiet moments.

CAN YOU SPOT THE PITBULL?

2008-08-01T23:47:00.004-04:00

Several posts ago, I wrote about an aggressive dog study (click here to read). Some of the results surprised me but with all the bad hype about pitbulls, I was not as surprised to see them on that top 10 list. Breed Specific Legislation is being passed in some parts of the country and what this means is, certain breeds are being banned. I took a test to see if I could spot the pitbull here. To be perfectly honest with you, it took me my 12th to 13th try to "spot" the pitbull. This is very embarrassing to me since I grew up with a pitbull named "Clyde" and an Uncle of mine raised another pitbull named "Tiger". It is shocking how many dogs look and have certain characteristics of a pitbull and can be easily confused for one. Both of the above-mentioned pitbulls were pretty good dogs, especially Clyde who was a big baby.

Pitbulls are on the list of banned breed specific dogs. I feel bad for the people who have a "pit-like" dog that is being taken away from them because it meets certain criteria and is mistaken for a pitbull. Not only are the owners of a much-loved pitbull losing a member of their family but others are losing their dogs as well due to the inability to prove, for instance, dogs without papers, lack of pitbull heritage. I can't imagine being one of these people that is losing what to me would be one of my children and especially if there is a huge mistake being made and you have no way of proving it.

Now, I raise wolfdogs, another breed that is banned in some areas. In addition, there has not been enough testing done to determine if a rabies vaccination really works on a wolfdog. What does that mean? If one shows up at the pound, it is immediately put down because of this factor alone. How wolfdogs got a bad rap, I have no idea. I have three who could not be more loving and sweet-natured. The only thing that is hard to explain is their skittish behavior toward new people, sights and sounds. They take a long while to warm up but once they do, "look out" because they could be accused of licking you to death.

If you would like to know more about this test mentioned above, please visit this site. I have read through it a little bit and find it to be a very interesting site with good reading and information.

Wolfdog

SAFE ICE CREAM FOR YOUR DOG

2008-08-01T02:29:00.006-04:00

Ever wonder what would happen if you gave your dog ice cream? Well, many dogs are lactose intolerant and should not be given ice cream. Lucky for them,
there is a specially blended ice cream for dogs and Cold Nose Creamery makes it in four delicious flavors. All of their dog ice cream is made using natural ingredients including soy milk combined with lactose-free milk.

If your dog likes peanut butter, they make a yummy "Puppernutter" that has enough peanut butter in it to satisfy your dog's craving. "Puppermint" is made with mint leaves and helps take care of that "doggie breath" your loved one sometimes has. Mint is also very good for "people breath". They also make "Puppernilla" and "Pup o'Latte" which include vanilla extract and carob powder respectively. Click on each flavor to see a complete list of ingredients and analysis.

Cold Nose Creamery is located in Connecticut but they are planning on branching out. In the meantime, you can order from their website at the Cold Nose Creamery.

They make a variety of other products for your dogs so be sure and check them
out.

With the weather currently being the way it is in most parts of the country, this would make a nice treat on a hot afternoon.

WOLFDOG - CHEROKEE HAS A DATE

2008-07-31T18:01:00.002-04:00

Well, the time has come for Cherokee to have a date. She is going to meet up with Freedom. Freedom is a wolfdog/husky mix that belongs to our good friends Lisa and Steve. Let's all hope for a successful date and the joy of puppies in a couple of months. I love puppies as long as they don't hang onto my tail. They have such sweet puppy breath. A friend of mommy's once said they had "bologna breath" lol.

WOLFDOG DEN - DOG PARK JULY 2008

2008-07-28T16:05:00.003-04:00

As you can see from the slide show below, we had some good food and lots of fun. Quinn had the dogs running with him, everyone except Sundance. Sundance wanted to stay in the picnic area, wonder if it had anything to do with the food available there. Cherokee came over to me, laid down and let me pet her. That was a great moment for me. I thought I took more pictures and missed getting pictures of many of the humans. But, this was a day for the dogs and I got their pictures. Cubby had a great time with a new friend, Ginger. I had a great time and hope we can do this again.

Wolfdog

WOLFDOG DEN - DOG PARK SLIDE SHOW

2008-07-28T16:03:00.001-04:00

WOLFDOG - CHEROKEE'S COMING OUT PICNIC

2008-07-26T20:51:00.004-04:00

The reason for tomorrow's picnic is two-fold; first of all it is going to be great to see everyone again and second, we are exposing Cherokee to more people in the hopes of giving her comfort in the knowledge that we love her. Wolfdogs tend to like staying within themself and their immediate pack and the comfortable surroundings of their den. When at a vet's office, you may notice other dogs sniffing each other; that is their way of saying hello and memorizing scents. They give off a tremendous amount of body language and, for the most part, it is friendly. Wolfdogs sit and observe, they are not as quick to go up and "sniff" someone else. This leads people to incorrectly assume they are not nice and some may think they have been mistreated. They are different and require a lot of socializing. I noticed when we were at Ritter's for dog night, Sundance was not as open and happy to meet people as he had been in the past and that is my fault for not continuing to expose him to people and socialize him. Cubby on the other hand has never met a stranger, she could be the poster dog for a campaign on helping people to understand how gentle and sweet these animals can be. I am hoping for some really good pictures tomorrow; some with Cherokee being touched and hugged by someone other than her immediate pack family. If it does not work out, we will try again, sometimes these things take time and patience. One must have a lot of patience when owning a wolfdog. Enjoy this picture of Cherokee and her new toy. To see more great pictures and read some informative articles, check out wolfdogqueen's blog by clicking here.

Spirit

WOLFDOG DEN - PICNIC IS SHAPING UP

2008-07-26T14:59:00.003-04:00

Hey there. Tomorrow's picnic is really taking shape. Mommy bought a couple of new toys to take along and there is going to be some yummy food for all. Cherokee and her family will be there, Cubby and her family will be there and Sundance and his family will be attending as well. Can't wait to hear about it and see the pictures upon their return. Check back tomorrow evening for the new picnic slideshow.

Have a howling good day, Spirit.

WOLFDOG - WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO A PICNIC

2008-07-21T22:42:00.004-04:00

Hey there. Our daughter Cherokee has invited us to a picnic at James Holland Park in Palm Coast, Florida. Grab your hoomin and come to the picnic. It is this coming Sunday, the 27th starting at 11:00 a.m. If you are going south on I-95, take the Palm Coast Parkway East exit. Go East on Palm Coast Parkway to Florida Park Drive, make a left on Florida Park Drive. It is not even a mile down on the left.

Hope to see you there, Spirit.

WOLFDOG - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SECOND LITTER OF PUPS

2008-07-21T15:59:00.002-04:00

Hey, it is a BIG day for my second litter of pups. Today marks a year since they came wiggling into our lives. Mommy's furniture is still feeling the pain lol. Love to all.

Spirit

WOLFDOG - NEXT RITTER'S FROZEN CUSTARD DOG NIGHT

2008-07-19T19:32:00.003-04:00

Howl everyone! The date for the next Dog Night at Ritter's Frozen Custard is August 4th, which is a Monday. Ritter's holds this event the first Monday of every month, between 6 and 10 p.m. Come and join us! The dogs get a free bowl of ice cream topped with a tasty dog biscuit. Yummy! Even though it should be my turn to go, I think mommy is taking Sundance again because I have seen her try and get him into the car, practicing for the big event. If he would just jump into the car, he could go more places like I do. As you know, many drive-through windows have pet friendly people manning them and they are always shoving something in your face; for instance, I have had a munchkin, a chicken tender, a couple of dog biscuits and an ice cream of my very own. He won't even jump into the car for his favorite "cookie". We can't say that word out loud here as he gets very excited when he hears the word "cookie".

That is it for now. As the 4th of August approaches, I will send out some reminder posts and see who all might be attending. Mommy loves to see you there. Enjoy the picture of Cheyenne and her grandpa.

Spirit

WOLFDOG - NOTHING WORSE THAN A RAINY DAY INSIDE

2008-07-17T21:20:00.004-04:00

There is nothing worse than a rainy day inside. All day, we have spent inside because mommy doesn't want us tracking in the mud. The last I checked, there was nothing wrong with mud. Maybe after she finds all the things we secretly destroyed, she may change her way of thinking. I know Cheyenne pulled a pillow apart, nice fluffy stuff all over the bedroom and Sundance destroyed the pillow case it was in, Sierra is a good girl, she didn't chew on anything. Me, on the other hand, I found an old sock, got me a potholder and did not like that thick phonebook, I thinned the pages out some. Anyway, who needs a phonebook when you have the internet? Aw man! Sundance has my sock, gotta go.

Spirit

WORLD'S OLDEST BLOGGER HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 108

2008-07-14T03:35:00.002-04:00

An Australian woman by the name of Olive Riley died at a nursing home in New South Wales. She was 108. Since February of 2007, Riley had posted more than 70 entries on her "blob", as she liked to call it.

The site was "The Life of Riley" where she wrote about living through two world wars, raised three children, worked as a cook and a bar maid.

The blogging community is sure to miss this woman and may she rest in peace.

WOLFDOG - INTERESTING STUDY ON AGGRESSIVE DOGS

2008-07-11T00:37:00.002-04:00

Believe it or not, Dachsunds are considered the top of the list for aggressive dogs. This study was performed by Applied Animal Behavior Science. The Chihuahua was ranked second and the Jack Russell Terrier third. The Akita and Australian Cattle Dog rank fourth and fifth respectively, while the Pit Bull ranked sixth. The Beagle ranked seventh with English Springer Spaniel eighth. The Border Collie was ninth and German Shepherd came in at tenth. These results are based on a study of 6,000 dog owners. I am very surprised to see some of these dog breeds listed here but I have heard in the past that Cocker Spaniels were considered aggressive as well although they flew under the radar on this particular study. As with everything, there are many studies of this nature and can be found all over the internet. The lists differ to a certain degree with some similarities, that being Dachsunds and Chihuahuas. I am happy to note that wolfdogs and wolf dog mixes are not on any of the lists I stumbled upon but questions remain; were wolfdogs tested? and what other dog breeds were used for a comparison study? and what methods did they use to test aggressiveness? I have searched the web trying to find a decent link to what is considered "aggressive" behavior and I am baffled by the variants in this regard. Many people think it is the owner's fault and, up until recently, I truly believed in that but, a study of Cocker Spaniels show that they have something called "the rage syndrome". You can't blame that on the owner and what about dog owners that own more than one dog, Fluffy and Fifi are very nice whereas Killer is an absolute menace, where was he when the positive reinforcement was being handed out. There are also people that say there is no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad owner. Again, I have started to develop mixed feelings about this, I know really good people who have had a "bad" dog and people who could care less about their dog, chaining it in the back yard virtually ignoring it and the dog turned out to be a very sweet, lovable dog. Go figure! Since there are so many views available out there, I don't believe Dachsund and Chihuahua owners need fret over this latest study and I sincerely hope that they don't give up their weiner dog or Chi-Chi, after all, they are part of your pack.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-07-07T22:09:00.001-04:00

WOLFDOG - CHEYENNE IS GOING TO DOG NIGHT

2008-07-07T17:05:00.002-04:00

Hi, Cheyenne here. I just got my bath, I don't mind it too much because I like water but I still have to put up a fight to give mommy something to do. I don't think she feels like she accomplished anything if I don't wiggle a lot. It is my turn to go to dog night at Ritter's Frozen Custard and I get to see Cherokee, mommy tells me she is going to be there. For those of you who do not know this, Cherokee is my daughter and I can't wait to see her again. Just spoke to Amy, Cherokee's mom and they are on their way so I better get off the computer so mommy can brush me down real good, make sure I am dry and pretty for pictures. Check back later for lots of new pictures from Dog Night. Love to all, Cheyenne.

WOLFDOG - KUNA'S TRAVELING SLIDE SHOW

2008-07-05T22:00:00.002-04:00

WOLFDOG - WHAT DO WOLFDOGS EAT

2008-07-05T18:49:00.003-04:00

This is a good question and one that mommy was asked on multiple occasions when she was trying to find loving, understanding homes for mine and Cheyenne's cubs. Wolfdogs eat what other dogs eat; name brand dog food, snacks, etc., even table scraps if you allow and many wolfdogs lay down to eat. Some of the people were surprised to find that wolfdogs eat dog food. I think they believed that they were going to have to let their wolfdog out on occasion so they could hunt for their own food. Both wolfdogs and dogs are quite capable of chasing down a squirrel, rat, snake or anything else that makes the mistake of visiting your yard. I think that dogs tend to believe this is considered a toy, something to play with but wolfdogs on the other hand believe it is a food source. This is of course dependent upon how much wolf is in your wolfdog. Lizards and frogs make easy prey, snakes should be circled and studied carefully before getting too close. Squirrels are quick on their feet and can climb to dizzying heights and rats are good at hiding. With that being said, Sundance has caught a squirrel that thankfully died quickly without too much suffering. He also caught a rat that mistakenly poked his head out of his hiding place, before you know it, Sundance had him in his grip. Funny thing about that is, he was trying to keep his prize to himself when, in the wild, wolves eat in order of rank; the higher the rank, the tastier the morsels. Studies have shown that omega males in the pack will bring food back to the pack and feed young cubs even if they are not theirs. This is the way nature intended it to be. Sundance was not going to share his kill, even though I am the alpha male in this pack. Sundance has a lot to learn about heirarchy in a wolf pack. For now, he is forgiven; after all, he is one of my cubs and I am technically supposed to be taking care of him but as he grows older, he is going to have to learn his place in the pack. Fur may fly but I promise, no one will get hurt. I am the man!

Spirit

WOLFDOG - WOLFDOGS ARE ESCAPE ARTISTS

2008-07-05T17:24:00.002-04:00

The famous magician known as Houdini has nothing on us when it comes to escaping our confines. Cheyenne is about three-quarter arctic timber wolf mixed with husky. Huskies are also known for their great escape skill. Huskies are a very curious animal, they want to know what is on the other side. Wolves tend to be a little more cautious and typically hang in packs and even though huskies are considered pack animals as well, their curiosity sometimes gets the best of them. When you mix the two, you have a great escape artist, one with the cunning ability to outsmart you at every turn. Just when you think you have us confined, we find a new innovative way to check out the neighborhood. Cheyenne and I gave our neighborhood a run for their money one morning. It took mommy and two ex-marines 4 hours to find us. We traveled several miles to a neighboring schoolyard, trekking through ditches and woods to get there. Since we don't bark or make noise, finding us was made even more difficult. If it were not for the fact that I am pure white and stand out like a sore thumb, they may have never found us. To make things worse, Cheyenne was not wearing a collar, she tends to get hers stuck in her mouth and does a crazy dance trying to get it off of her such that mommy does not leave a collar on her for fear of her hurting herself. Well, after a 4-foot chain link fence and, later, a 6-foot privacy fence did not successfully contain us, mommy resorted to the invisible fence. There is a lot of controversy regarding the use of invisible fences, some think it is inhumane. Before we were allowed to check this fence out, mommy took the shock a couple of times to see what it would feel like to us. After deeming it "not so bad", she had the fence installed. To her way of thinking, it is better for us to get a little shock every now and then, than to wind up out on the street and possibly get hit by a car, picked up by the dogcatcher or taken by individuals who do not understand us or do not love animals like mommy does, we could wind up in a very bad situation, we could even wind up being put down. As far as the shock goes, we do not even need to wear our collars anymore, we got the message after a couple of shocks and stay away from the fence. This is a good thing because, as I stated earlier, Cheyenne has an issue with collars that could prove to be dangerous for her as well. If you decide to go with an invisible fence, keep in mind that signing up for the automatic battery delivery is not always necessary and can prove to be costly when you may not need the collar after the first few shocks. So, if you want to contain us, it is well worth the money to invest in an invisible fence, they have come a long way and have an improved version available that is much less troublesome than it was in the past and more successful in keeping us safe inside our own yard. If you would like more information about the invisible fence, please click here. Thank you and please keep us safe, it is your responsibility because we don't know any better and it is sometimes instinctual for us to wander off.

Spirit

WOLFDOG - ONE VERY BRAVE WOLFDOG

2008-07-04T23:19:00.003-04:00

I have to say that I am one very brave wolfdog. I sat half way across my mom's body and across her chest in order to protect her from all the noise from the fireworks. I guess mommy thought I needed protecting so she wrapped her arms around me and whispered soothing sweet nothings in my ear. I let her think it was her protecting me but we know the truth, I am one brave wolfdog. Sundance tried to get up here and protect mommy but I beat him to it and got the best position. I would gladly do it again even though she told me I was heavy and needed to lose weight.

WOLFDOG - HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!

2008-07-04T10:26:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone, happy 4th of July to all. Please be safe while you enjoy your holiday; eat lots, drink little and don't blow yourself up. Also please remember that we are very afraid of the the noises that fireworks make. If you take your dogs to an event, make sure you have a good grip on them so they don't run away. Fireworks can be very pretty but, at the same time, very scary and our ears are sensitive. Enjoy the fireworks, just click anywhere and fireworks will come to life.

Spirit

WOLFDOG - WOLFDOGQUEEN - CHEROKEE'S MOM HAS HER OWN BLOG

2008-07-02T14:56:00.003-04:00

Hey, check it out. Amy has her own blog. Amy is Cherokee's mommy. It is a very nice blog dedicated to Amy's mom who has early onset Alzheimer's disease. Please stop by and comment often. Let's encourage Amy to keep her blog going and give her some content and pictures for her blog. The address is www.wolfdogqueen.blogspot.com or click here. Good luck Amy!

If anyone would like to start a blog of their own and are not sure how to do that, please contact my mommy wolfdog, she will be more than happy to help you get up and running.

Spirit

WOLFDOG - NEWS FROM KUNA

2008-06-30T23:53:00.002-04:00

Kuna is currently in California. She and her parents are staying in a cabin on 40 acres of land where she can chase mice and birds and hide her bones, apparently she does not like it when she is observed hiding the bones. She likes to keep it as her little secret. Her mommy attempted to send some new pictures but with limited internet access, is experiencing some technical difficulties so hopefully she will be able to do that soon. Can't wait to hear from you again Kuna, write soon.

Spirit

WOLFDOGQUEEN'S SLIDESHOW

2008-06-29T18:38:00.003-04:00

Wolfdog Queen is Amy, she is the mommy of Cherokee. Enjoy their slideshow. It has been updated in the last hour. Mouse over the photos to see captions, click to go to website to look at each individual picture. Great stuff, thanks Amy.

WOLFDOG - SLEEPING WITH THE DOGS

2008-06-29T18:11:00.004-04:00

Wolfdog here. Do your dogs sleep with you or is it the other way around, they let you sleep with them? I am allowed to sleep on the bed, a small portion of it. Then there is the struggle regarding who sleeps nearest to the warm body, that being me. When I had my schnauzer, Bentley, he slept with me at the head of the bed. Then I rescued Sierra who took over that spot and curves herself in position against my body, then stretches out pushing me over to the edge. Bentley was "allowed" to sleep at my feet. Sierra took over the bed. Then along came Spirit. Sierra and Bentley did not like having him on the bed at all because he was too big and took up too much space. Besides, he wiggles too much. He has to get up, turn around, sniff, and then lay down, then repeat all of that again until we would all get mad and send him to the living room. After Bentley passed away, it was just me and Sierra on the bed. Then I brought Cheyenne home. Oh my goodness. You would think that I was doing Sierra the most horrible injustice by allowing Cheyenne on the bed. Cheyenne is bigger and can push harder so she usually gets up around my head which of course sends Sierra into a tailspin. She sits beside us and stares. That is it, just sits and stares, boring a hole right through to the core of your being, and it burns. Not much sleep happening there. So, finally Cheyenne gets the hint and moves down to my feet. Spirit on the other hand is still too restless and is in the living room, again. Then Spirit and Cheyenne had puppies. That was the last straw as far as Sierra is concerned. But, she need not worry, the puppy that I kept is afraid to climb up onto the bed and, if he ever got up there, he would never be able to get down without help from his granny. I am talking about Sundance. He is able, however, to get up on the couch. It took a while but he accomplished it. Now, he and Spirit struggle over who is going to sit next to me on the couch while I am trying to watch TV. The sounds they make while carrying out this struggle is awful, a lot of howling and growling going on, so much so that listening to the TV is next to impossible. Not to mention that their struggle somehow occurs right in front of my face and on parts of my body, they use me as leverage against each other. Throw an old sock in there for good measure and you have a real struggle going on, not only are they trying to be the one that sits next to me but they are trying to be the winner of the sock as well. So, whether it is in the bed or on the couch, someone wants to be next to you. Does it feel good for your dogs to spar over who gets the best position in your house, it sure does. Enjoy the picture of some of the pups trying to get into my lap. I feel loved.

WOLFDOG DEN - CAN YOUR DOG GET YOU IN TROUBLE?

2008-06-26T01:45:00.005-04:00

When I was growing up, we had a german shepherd named "Ginger". I grew up with two older brothers, "Mark" and "Steve". Mom mentioned that Ginger was very lovable, that she would have to step over her in the kitchen, step over her when she got out of bed and so on, the dog was always around her. Well, apparently she loved my brother Steve too. We know that because she would get excited and wag her tail whenever he would return in the middle of the night, climbing back through the window he would sneak out of. My mother always knew when he would sneak out because of that tell-tale thump (pardon the puns). I think it was her way of getting revenge on us. We used to blame things on her; like a broken window, a crack in the glass on the heater door, things like that. I don't remember what happened to the window, I think one of us was banging on it to get back in the house after the others had locked us out, but we were having a rubberband fight when we hit the glass on the heater door and it cracked it. Of course the dog did it. Remember, if you sneak out and then back in again, your dog is going to herald your return with a boisterous wag of the tail, maybe some whining, real body language that is hard to miss by others. Can your dog get you in trouble? I think so.

Wolfdog

WOLFDOG DEN - WHAT TO DO WITH GAS

2008-06-26T01:29:00.002-04:00

I'm not talking about the gas you put in your car to make it go, I am talking about the gas that just came out of Spirit, whew! He passed gas, took a look at his bottom and then got up and came over to me and laid down, almost scared, as if he was saying "something just came out of my backside and it was not a good thing". He was right, it wasn't good, we had to hold our noses for a few minutes. Do your wolfdogs have gas a lot? Spirit and Sundance seem to have an abundance of it. Sundance is more subtle about his. He poots, gets up and moves, leaving it lingering around the rest of us. I think Cheyenne and Sierra, being girls (smile), do not pass gas, at least I have never caught them doing it. I think it is the food he sneaks around and gets. I don't think Purina is known for its gas-passing qualities. Because Spirit sneaks food, I have to be sure we don't have anything in the house that is dangerous to animals. I have lost an entire plate of spaghetti before, luckily it did not have onions in it. I turned around just in time to see his mouth open like a gators mouth and one bite is all it took. Lucky for him I had more. Sierra has taken her life in her own paws before when she grabbed a rotisserie chicken off the counter and started dragging it around the house. Come to think of it, Cheyenne has done the chicken dance too. Even though it was not edible any longer, I made sure I got it all up because chicken bones are bad for dogs. Enjoy the picture of some of the pups having something legal to eat. Have a good one and hope to see you all at dog night at Ritter's on the 7th. Cherokee will be there for sure.

WOLFDOG WEDNESDAY

2008-06-18T15:32:00.004-04:00

How many of you think storms with thunder and lightning are scary? Well, Sundance who is afraid of virtually everything, is not afraid of a storm where, on the other paw, I am scared to death of them. I just spent a frightening half hour in mommy's lap, on her head, behind her on the couch, anywhere I could get close to her to seek shelter and comfort with the one person in the world I trust more than anything. She is supposed to keep me safe, right? Wrong! No matter how hard she tried, she could not make the thunder and lightning go away fast enough. I was shaking in my fur! Me, the alpha male, was skeered. Don't laugh at me, it only makes it worse. But at least I am not the only one in this house afraid of storms. Cheyenne was howling and Sierra was whimpering so I am not alone with my pathological fear of storms. Now that the storm has passed, I am going to get me a nap because, in Florida, you never know when another storm is going to pass through here and a wolfdog needs his beauty rest. Have a good day, stay safe and no matter how tempting it may seem, do not go outside to see what lightning looks like up close.

Spirit

WOLFDOG DEN MONDAY

2008-06-16T14:08:00.004-04:00

Hey there, hope all of you dads out there had a great Father's Day. I was remiss in not putting up a Happy Father's Day message. Sorry about that. For my father's day, I got to go bye-bye's in the car, got a new bone to gnaw on and mommy gave me some great hugging and scratching. I even got a massage. Ahhhh.

The inspirational juices are not flowing right now, I need stories so I can post them. Any day now, we are hoping to get some new photos of Kuna on vacation and Cherokee has a funny banana-eating photo coming soon. As far as we know, Sequoia is doing well, due on or around August 3, dog night at Ritter's is always the first Monday of the month so it will fall on July 7 next month. I guess Cubby is doing okay, have not heard from her in a while, the silly girl, she is always up to something.

Hey, Neeko does not like his feet messed with, anybody else out there have this problem? Sundance does not like it when mommy tickles the hair between his toes, he jerks around like he is having a seizure or something.

And, I don't know if you are all aware of this or not but wolves and some wolfdogs groom themselves. I have trimmed my claws on occasion and have helped Sundance trim his, we trim the hair out of each other's ears and such. It is really neat to be able to do that. I kind of over-did it once and stripped my beautiful tail down to nothing. It looks much better now, mommy says it is a very handsome tail.

Hope you have a good week and let us hear from you soon.

Love to all, Spirit.

WOLFDOG DEN - LOL DOGS AND LOL CATS

2008-06-12T13:09:00.002-04:00

Hi there. If you have not checked these sites out yet, please do, some of the captions and pictures are hilarious. Keep in mind that these are G to PG rated so you might want to check it out first before you let your cubs sign on there. I have not seen anything bad but I may have missed something.

see more dog pictures

WOLFDOG DEN - READ MY BLOG PLEASE

2008-06-11T15:26:00.002-04:00

Howl everyone! It is very hot outside. We have been staying inside a lot because of the heat. It would be nicer if we would just go ahead and lay down in the pool to cool down, we just want to get our paws wet, do not have the courage to lay down, not sure what is up with that. Mommy has not been feeling well the last couple of days, has a sinus infection and had to go to the doctor. Please, please read our blog and comment on occasion. It lifts mommy's spirits to hear from you and to know you are reading. Don't forget to read older posts to catch up. Also, let all of your friends know about the blog. They can come and visit too. Thanks a bunch, Spirit.

WOLFDOGS DO NOT LIKE THINGS MOVED

2008-06-08T19:06:00.004-04:00

Hi there, Spirit here. Sundance peed his pants today. You know why? Mom moved his baby gate. It was not where she usually leaves it and that is a cause for concern. She moved it about 5 inches total in order to get something out of the pantry and she failed to put it back. When it was time for Sundance to go to his room, he got to the door, saw the baby gate was not in the correct place, squatted and peed, right there on the spot. If that wasn't enough, he cowered like he was about to be murdered or something. How many of you wolfdogs out there don't like your stuff moved around? Cheyenne can tell if mommy moves a plant or candle or adds something new to the room. Doesn't mommy realize that everything has to go through proper channels? We have to be in on the decision-making process when moving, adding, or removing things from our den. How about sending me some stories about your wolfdogs behavior when you change their environment, we would love to hear about it.

Spirit

WOLFDOG DEN KUNA CHECKED IN

2008-06-07T23:49:00.002-04:00

Kuna is currently in Denver, Colorado, on her way to California. Lucky dog! Her mom, Katie, has provided me with some information about the pictures in her slide show. Adam was trying to get her to jump up onto that stump. They were at Tahquamenon Falls in Upper Michigan. The one on the cliff with Adam, she is in North Carolina and mom says she was very agile and at home on the rocks and cliffs. Sundance would have stood there and cried, he had to have help getting in the car for dog night and he may not be going next month because mommy is still sore from pushing and tugging on him. When Kuna gets to California, we are going to receive a lot more pictures of her vacation and I will post them. I can't wait to see where she has been and what she has been doing.

Spirit

WOLFDOG DEN SATURDAY

2008-06-07T16:56:00.003-04:00

Howl everyone! Happy Saturday! We are just hanging around the den, we have a pool full of water and muddy feet and are doing the happy dance. We are looking forward already to the next Dog Night at Ritter's which is the first Monday of every month. In July it falls on the 7th which is just a few days after Independence Day and I think we should all go with a red, white and blue theme. Let's see if we can get dressed up for the occasion. That would make for some great pictures dontcha think? Speaking of pictures, can you tell who this is in the picture? Comment if you think you know who it is and check back for the answer.

WOLFDOG KUNA'S VACATION

2008-06-04T14:31:00.001-04:00

PATTY AND WINSTON

2008-06-04T14:12:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone. This is a picture of my Aunt Patty and cousin Winston. Winston is a lovable Weimaraner as you can see, he loves to give kisses.

Spirit

RITTER'S DOG NIGHT SLIDE SHOW JUNE 2008

2008-06-02T21:19:00.001-04:00

WOLFDOG DEN - BATHTIME FOR SUNDANCE

2008-06-02T16:37:00.003-04:00

Well, Sundance and mommy just took a bath although I don't think mommy intended to have hers in the screenroom. It is a good thing we have a privacy fence because it wasn't pretty, mommy says it is like wrestling with an alligator. Sundance is now in his room drying off and pouting although I did see him turn around and give his granny some kissing and hugging so I guess he has forgiven her.....for now. I hear thunder in the distance and I know someone is not going to be pleased if we went through all of that and it winds up raining out dog night at Ritter's. As you can see from the picture, he does not appear to be very happy. Hee, hee. Better him than me!

Spirit

PET FRIENDLY AREAS IN FLORIDA

2008-06-01T01:11:00.002-04:00

The 2008 hurricane season is upon us. Be prepared. I like this FloridaPets.net site more and more everytime I look at it. They have a very good section about pet friendly shelters and motels/hotels in the state of Florida and some out-of-state. Please read and print this, you will be glad you did. Have a plan in place for your family and pets. Click here for more information.

WOLFDOG DEN - SEQUOIA AND FREEDOM'S DATE

2008-05-31T15:40:00.004-04:00

We just received a call from Aunt Lisa; Freedom and Sequoia have had a successful date. Let's keep our fingers crossed that we have puppies in a couple of months. If all goes well, the puppies will be born anywhere between 57 to 63 days and may we hope for a healthy batch of puppies and lots of pictures to add to the blog. Freedom has a great personality and is gorgeous and that mixed with Sequoia's beauty and sweetness should make for some great puppies. If anyone is interested in a puppy, let us know, I am sure Rick and Debbie would be happy to start a list. To contact me, e-mail addy is bdurrance@cfl.rr.com or barbara.durrance@gmail.com. I can then put you in touch with Rick and Debbie. Freedom's daddy is going to provide information about him but Sequoia is from Spirit and Cheyenne and is 74% arctic timber wolf mixed with Malamute and Husky. This wolfdog den is very excited.

P.S. As you can see, swimming pools aren't just for swimming, they make great containment for the first 1 to 2 weeks of puppy birth and mommy can easily get in and feed and will keep the area nice and clean.

WOLFDOG DEN NEWS

2008-05-30T15:26:00.003-04:00

Spirit here. Getting started late today, mommy took lunch to Aunt Lisa's house. I hate when she does that, nothing to pilfer. And she had the nerve to come back here with "Yorkie" breath; yep, she pet and kissed a Yorkie, our cousin Kodiak. Gonna try to get a picture of him, he is like a spot compared to the rest of us. I think mommy is planning on going to dog night at Ritter's. Aunt Lisa and Aunt Michele want to go. I heard her talking on the phone about giving Sundance a bath which means he is going to dog night. I didn't even get asked if I wanted a bath. That's okay, I didn't want one anyway, I like this grayish-brown color I have become. It is tough being a white dog, seems like everything sticks to your fur. Speaking of fur, Cheyenne is shedding like crazy right now, it is coming out in clumps. The dustbuster has been busy. Sundance doesn't like that thing either. Come to think of it, Sundance doesn't like much of anything. Well, time for another nap, enjoy the picture of one of my pups trying to sneak some dog food. Like father, like son.

WOLFDOG DEN IMPORTANT NEWS

2008-05-29T17:07:00.003-04:00

FloridaPets.net is a web site loaded with information about pet friendly areas. It is a great site, check it out, I love that site. There is an article in there regarding pet hazards; there are a lot of dangerous animals and plant life listed. Click here to view that article, it is well worth reading.

DOG NIGHT AT RITTER'S FROZEN CUSTARD - Ritter's Frozen Custard in Port Orange has dog night the first Monday of every month. It is from 7 to 10 p.m. We get there around 6:30. They have free ice cream for the dogs. They dish up a little bowl and put a dog biscuit on the top. If you have a lawn chair, you might want to bring it; there is seating but it is scattered and sparse. It is located at 4629 Clyde Morris Blvd in Port Orange, phone 386-760-1082.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-05-29T00:57:00.001-04:00

WOLFDOG DESTRUCTION

2008-05-28T23:31:00.003-04:00

If you own a wolfdog, you can identify with the stories told in the comments and posts on this blog. In my home, Spirit chewed up a Coke can and a few other items. Sundance helped the puppies from the second litter destroy my futon. He has gnawed on a very nice decorative wolf pillow that I own and someone chewed on a handmade Raggedy Ann doll that my mother made for me. Well, there is good news! I can trust Spirit in any room of the house now, I know he is not going to touch anything, unless of course, it is food. He is a sneak-eater. I have to be sure that we do not have any of those toxic foods in the house. Sometimes I forget to block Sundance's bedroom door with the baby gate. He wakes when he sees sunlight streaming through the window and he opens the door. Wow, the baby gate is not in the way. So he explores the rest of the house. The first time I heard him howling at my bedroom door, my heart froze. My first thought was, what in the world did he destroy. To my surprise and delight, he touched nothing. I was shocked but I still don't trust him.

Cheyenne on the other hand still eats everything. She figured out how to open the bathroom cabinets and helped herself to a brand new 300-pack of Q-tips. Q-tips are a lot of fun to throw around apparently. I am still picking up Q-tips. She has figured out how to open my closet doors and helped herself; she tried on some clothes, tried out several pairs of shoes and took out the luggage and looked at it. I guess she thought she was going on vacation. She doesn't know how close she came to getting there, anywhere but here. She also figured out how to climb the shelves and helped herself to some sweaters, beanies and stuffed animals. I have rustic bedroom furniture, the "distressed" kind; well, it wasn't distressed enough for her. And some of this was just in the last few months. I have resigned myself to the fact that she will not grow out of this. That, coupled with this insane desire she has to dig more dens makes for a very destructive wolfdog. I keep telling myself she must have had a good reason, just haven't figured out what it is yet. You gotta love 'em.

WOLFDOGQUEEN'S SLIDESHOW

2008-05-28T18:14:00.005-04:00

Hey, check it out. Cherokee's mommy created a slideshow too. Click here and enjoy.

CUBBY'S WATER FOUNTAIN AND MORE

2008-05-28T15:43:00.003-04:00

Grace, Cubby's mommy, has given me permission to post an e-mail she sent to me with more detail about Cubby's fountain experience. Please enjoy, it is hysterical.

You know how Cubby LOVES water, right? Well, this year we decided to make a 'fountain' for her in the back. Which consists of a kiddy pool buried in the ground and held in place by 50 lb rocks with a filter to recirculate the water (so she could play with the jetting water) It took 1 day to create...30 minutes to destroy!! She played & splashed & dug joyfully in the water until she realized it was a little black box making the water move! She tore the filter to shreds (careful to not touch the actual machine-which she picked up gently with her mouth & threw over the fence sputtering) MOVED 2 rocks (YES, 50 LB ROCKS!!) yanked & pulled the pool out of the ground and proceeded to bite it all over. Basically the pool holds no more water...but she's got a new digging hole that's a lot cooler than the one in the forest (because it's full of muddy water!) I'll have to get a picture of the wreckage for you. I wish I took a picture of the finished product, but who knew it would be destroyed so quickly! HAHAHAHAHA! I attached some new pictures for you as well!! I'm reading the site saying how cautious wolf/dogs are and I'm thinking perhaps I got the puppy that's ALL dog!! Cubby is beyond bold! She fearlessly goes romping ahead whenever we go somewhere new! Loves meeting new people & animals. Doesn't understand why not EVERYBODY wants to play with her! HAHAHAHAHA!! She has no fear of anything. We climbed the jetty rocks and she was right there with us bounding away! When she sees a person she considers NOT a friend, she barks once then assumes the position. Which is feet planted shoulder width apart and lowers her head and stares. Quite intimidating if you didn't know she's a goofball!!

CHEYENNE AND CHEROKEE

2008-05-28T15:38:00.006-04:00

Can you tell the difference? It amazes me how much Cherokee resembles her mommy.

WOLFDOG KUNA, CUBBY AND SEQUOIA

2008-05-27T14:42:00.004-04:00

Kuna and Cubby checked in today and I got to visit with Sequoia yesterday. I have updated pictures of Cubby here and will be receiving pictures of Kuna soon. Kuna was on vacation, went up north and into Canada, those should be great pics. Her mommy and daddy love her a lot and say she is great traveler and a very smart girl. Cubby is a silly little girl. She is the one that loves to play in her water bowl. I received a cute note from her mommy about a fountain they made for her, which she quickly destroyed and now have a big mud hole. It is a good thing her mommy and daddy love her. I got to see Sequoia yesterday. She was visiting with our friend Freedom. You can see his picture in the slideshow, handsome devil. We are hoping he becomes Sequoia's new boyfriend if you know what I mean. I will be adding more pictures to the slideshow so check back often. Hopefully people will start posting comments on the blog so we can share all the funny stories. I love to hear from everyone. I am thinking a family reunion is in our future. Let me know what you think of that idea and maybe we can start the planning process. I would like to see everybody together. Maybe a picnic or something.

WOLFDOG - PEOPLE FOOD AND MEDICATION THAT CAN KILL YOUR PET

2008-05-27T00:40:00.003-04:00

If you are like me, it is difficult to resist that sad puppy face and those imploring eyes as they watch you eat. They always act like they are starving and you really must give them what you are eating or they are just going to drop! Very dramatic but that is the way it feels sometimes.

Human foods are dangerous to animals.

Every year, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center receives tens of thousands of calls where animal poisoning resulted by the use of human food and household items.

DANGEROUS PET FOOD LIST

AVOCADOS
BEER - ALCOHOL
NUTS
CHOCOLATE
CANDY
CAFFEINE
GRAPES AND RAISINS
ONIONS

MEDICINE - check with your vet about medicine on the okay list, there are a few. When in doubt, it is best not to give them any medicine.

ACETAMINOPHEN AND IBUPROFEN - extremely toxic and are found in many over-the-counter pain medications.

There are some human foods that are okay for your pet but keep in mind whenever you change your pets diet, it can lead to GI upset and diarrhea. Always check with your vet prior to changing your pet's food or adding any new item.

OKAY HUMAN FOOD

LEAN MEAT - cooked, low in fat, no chicken skin or fat from beef. NO BONES as they splinter. I give mine soup bones from the meat market, they are considered the safest although there is still some slight risk of splintering. Supervise.

VEGETABLES - believe it or not, cucumber is okay and so is zucchini. I don't eat cucumber so don't have to worry about that. I gave the pups carrot sticks to gnaw on when they were teething and it worked very well. Green beans are okay also.

FRUIT - apple slices, orange slices, bananas and watermelon are said to be okay. NO SEEDS.

BAKED POTATOES - make sure they are cooked completely.

BREAD - plain bread.

RICE AND PASTA - I have used rice to calm my pets belly down. It works great. Some people put a little boiled chicken in it. This was recommended to me by a vet.

Always keep your vet's phone number handy, have it on speed dial and just as you would have the Poison Control Center number handy, have the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center number handy as well - 888-426-4435.

If you think your pet has eaten anything they should not have, call for help immediately. If you see your pet consuming anything you think might be toxic, seek help immediately even if they do not exhibit symptoms (see below for symptoms). Better to be safe than sorry.

The most common signs of poisoning include muscle tremors or seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, redness of their skin, ears and eyes, abnormal swelling or bleeding.

WOLFDOG PERSONALITIES

2008-05-26T20:38:00.004-04:00

Wolfdogs can be a bit skittish around new objects and people, sometimes it takes them quite a while to warm up to someone or for them to get used to having something new introduced into their environment. This does not always make for an ideal pet as owners tend to get frustrated with their behavior. A true wolfdog parent is undertanding of this and gives them the space they need to gradually come around. It takes a lot of patience to raise one of these beautiful animals. They really do tend to be sweet-natured to their den family but a little wary of your friends. They see you as part of the pack. It is almost as though they feel the need to show the newcomers who the alpha is and to be sure their parents or someone in the pack remain the alpha in any given situation. Keep in mind too that percentage can make a big difference in how your pup behaves.

My mother and brother visited one afternoon. They walked into the backyard and Spirit started circling them. He also circled a couple of people that came to look at the puppies. He wasn't being aggressive, just watchful. On the other hand, my stepbrother approached and Spirit immediately lay down and rolled over showing his belly in submission. It is like he saw an alpha gene floating around over my stebrother's head or something.

Cheyenne is not usually very picky about who she associates with but she does, on occasion, withdraw. She dislikes my dad although she can be seen in the slideshow, calmly sitting in front of him. But, she is receptive to my friends and to people who came to pick out a puppy. She is a little shy at first but comes around pretty quick. Until now, I have never met a dog or child that did not like my dad.

Sundance is afraid of everything. A feather floated into the backyard one day, it scared the daylights out of him. I have dream catchers throughout my house and he gives them a lot of clearance when moving around them; they have feathers attached to them. He is afraid to jump to an elevated position or if he does make it, he is afraid to come down. He is afraid of the broom and the garbage truck but he will circle a snake and chase a squirrel. Go figure.

Sasha loves her mommy but it took a while for her to warm up to her daddy. Caesar has a great personality and gets along with everyone. Kuna looks like she is fine with everything. Cubby loves everyone and everything, especially the water bowl which she likes to play in. Last I heard from Charley Bleu and Lady Kit, they were getting along fine and loved the grandkids. I heard from Lilly soon after she went home with her new family and she was doing well. Have not heard from Libby in a while but she was a bit stubborn as a pup. It was her way or the highway. Sundance loves everybody but is afraid of objects. Sequoia is very friendly and does not seem skittish at all. Neeko greets everyone that comes through the door but, on a walk, gets nervous when people come out or an object appears, he wants to immediately return to his comfort zone, his den. Spirit loves to go for rides in the car, I can't get Sundance to go out the front door much less get in the car and it is a jump up, which he is not going to do, no way, no how.

The puppy personalities I mention here are very lucky to have the parents they have. We did good. Why you ask? Because first, they love their pup and second, they understand; these are not dogs, they are wolfdogs.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-05-25T20:48:00.001-04:00

ONE OF MY PUPS CHECKED IN

2008-05-24T17:36:00.002-04:00

Hi there. Lazy Saturday again. Supposed to get bad weather here. Sundance just tossed his cookies, not sure what he has been eating to make him sick.

Sequoia checked in a few days ago. Her mommy sent a lovely photograph that I want to share with everyone. She is a pup from our first litter.

Enjoy!

P.S. Isn't she lovely?

IS THAT THE MICROWAVE BEEPING?

2008-05-20T15:43:00.003-04:00

Hello, wolfdog here. Isn't it amazing the sounds your pet family become familiar with? They react to a knock on the door and the doorbell, even if it is not their door. They can hear it on the television and react to it. It seems as though mine know what the telephone ringing means; it means I am going to be busy talking on the phone and not paying attention to them. They pull out all the stops to regain my focus, I believe children are guilty of this too. No one has anything to say or is in need of anything until you get on the phone.

Then there is the microwave beep. Spirit will come and get me when he hears the microwave beep and, when feeding out a baby African Grey parrot in the past, the baby bird even knew what the microwave beep meant. Her little featherless body would scramble across the plastic box, eyes closed, beak in the air, knowing that sound heralded feeding time.

And what other sounds does your pet recognize? Think about it for a second; okay, your second is up.......the sound of kids walking home from school means they have to tear down the blinds to get a good look at them even though they know they are the same kids that walked by yesterday and the day before and the day before that, they are just wearing different clothes. How about the sound of the mail carrier truck? There are two things the mail carrier delivers; bills and junk mail, and we don't want either one of them. Oh, and the garbage truck, run for cover on that one. That thing is evil. If they knew what was in that truck, they wouldn't be so scared of it, they would have a field day in there, just think of all the discarded goodies. One man's garbage......well, you know how it goes.

Just remember, when the microwave beeps, you are not the only one concerned with what is in there.

OUR FIRST COMMENT

2008-05-19T14:31:00.003-04:00

We received our first comment yesterday, that is other than grandma. Thanks sd for the comment and hope you keep checking back regularly for all the updates. And please comment some more, we love to hear from you.

Spirit

P.S. Mommy thinks sd is our Uncle Steve.

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM WOLFDOG

2008-05-18T15:15:00.003-04:00

Cheyenne and Sierra are usually the best of friends and can co-habit very well without friction but, Sierra is not a wolfdog and she does not truly understand the heirarchy business about who the alpha female is in this pack. I am the alpha here but in my absence, the girls are still vying for that position and want to take charge.

If you have a wolfdog and a dog of another breed in your home, be sure to supervise feeding, especially when the aforementioned soup bone is in play. I made the mistake of trusting the girls to gnaw on their bones in peace and a fight erupted. No blood loss thank goodness but I was nearby and could hear the growling and was able to intervene quickly.

Another important note is.....if you have children in the home with any kind of dog, be it a wolfdog, chihuahua or labrador retriever, always make sure you can take food away from the dog without problem. A lot of injuries have been reported when a child tries to take food away from the dog. It is natural for a child to offer their cookie to a dog, then abruptly change their mind and want it back, make sure your dog understands the rules of this game so as not to hurt the child. The child needs to be recognized as the alpha in your home.

It is a good idea to start this practice when the dog is in its early developmental stages. Practice giving and taking.

Wolfdog

P.S. Spirit says, "if you can't share it, you don't deserve to have it".

SOUP BONES AREN'T JUST FOR SOUP ANYMORE

2008-05-18T14:37:00.002-04:00

Soup bones make a great treat and keeps us busy for a very long time. The ultimate cure for boredom. Please be careful what kind of bones you give us. Avoid bones that can splinter and cause damage to our stomach and intestinal tract. Many of your local supermarkets and meat markets carry good soup bones that make an inexpensive treat and are good for our teeth and gums. Mommy always tries to buy a pack with exactly four bones in it so there is no fighting. Wolfdogs will fight over a bone, especially the ones with a little meat on them.

I don't have a whole lot to report today, just having a quiet Sunday. It is very warm today so the pool has been a popular "hot" spot. This is the time of year when mommy's water bill goes up because, as you know, there are those that can't wipe their paws off before jumping in and she has to empty and refill often.

Have a howling good day everyone.

Spirit

WE HAVE A SWIMMING POOL

2008-05-17T12:21:00.002-04:00

Yayyyyyy! The swimming pool is out of the car, on the ground and filled with water. It is kind of small but we don't need much, just enough to cool down on the those hot summer days but where is the common courtesy among wolfdogs? Cheyenne and Sundance jump in here with their dirty paws. It is slowly becoming a mud bath. Why pay to go to a spa when you can have your very own mud bath for free. Maybe we can start charging. And mommy is now calling me a pigdog but hey, she left her breakfast on the end table, what is a wolfdog to do? She said she was not finished with it but around here, if you put something down, it is fair game. I assumed she was done, wrong apparently judging by the smack on the rump and the hollering I got. Hee hee, she doesn't know that I can't feel the smack on the backside, it is all hair down there. It will be our secret!

Spirit

P.S. Mommy smells like scrambled egg.....and so do I lol.

I am smelling garlic again

2008-05-15T21:34:00.003-04:00

There's that smell again. Mommy is having left-over spaghetti and here I am standing next to an empty dog food bowl. How long does one have to stand next to an empty bowl before something magically appears in it. Oh, she got the hint, now I smell dog food....... in my bowl.......where it belongs........all the time. Thanks mom.

Spirit

P.S. That pup is one of mine, ain't he cute?

Is that Garlic I smell?

2008-05-15T16:30:00.002-04:00

Hey, I smell garlic. Wonder where that is coming from.

Mommy bought us a pool, a bright blue one although I can't really tell what color it is as I am color-blind but she tells me it is blue. I have to trust her on this.

We were left alone again today. Mommy had some appointments. This time she took grandma with her so I think I know where the garlic is coming from. They always visit a place called 100% Italian. Yep, there is a doggie bag coming through the door although no doggie is going to see that bag. We might get a piece of garlic bread if we sit nice and beg properly.

Sundance tells me that mommy spoke with Uncle Wayne today. He has a window in his bedroom and he can see everything if he peeks through the blinds. Uncle Wayne is our good neighbor. He loves dogs. He asked if we were the ones barking the other night. Wasn't us, we don't bark.

Oh good, the AC has been turned on, time for a nap, howl at ya later.

Spirit

P.S. Mommy has spaghetti breath.

Home Alone

2008-05-14T14:39:00.002-04:00

Was home alone today for quite a while. Mommy had a doctor appointment. Then she had lunch with grandpa and then met grandma at Publix. A quick check of the bags she carried in reveal fruit, fruit and more fruit. When are we going to get some real food?

Spirit

P.S. Mommy smells like fried chicken.

A note from Spirit

2008-05-13T16:34:00.002-04:00

Howl there! Spirit here. Very hot outside today and it seems overcast but I think that is due to all of the fires surrounding us. If you haven't heard, Florida is on fire again, not as bad as 1998 though, or so my mommy tells me. I have asked Aunt Lisa and Aunt Michele to send pictures of our dog friends, Freedom the Wolfdog, Kodiak the Yorkie, Phoebe and Lola the Chihuahuas. I have pictures of some of my kids to post. Have to get mommy to help me with that. The last I checked, we have pictures of Neeko, Kuna, Cubby, Sequoia, Cherokee, and Caesar. Mommy also has a bunch of other puppy pictures stored on her computer. Hopefully she will help me post those too.

Sundance and Cheyenne get really hot outside and they are hoping mommy will get us a pool like she did last year at this time. A small plastic pool is a great way to cool off on those hot summer days here in Florida. Maybe if grandma reads this, she will get us a pool, they are only 8 bucks at Wal*Mart. Somebody needs to get us a pool.

Well, it is time for mommies nap so that means naptime for us too. Talk to you soon. Keep checking back for more pictures of my pups, our friends and family.

Spirit

Making another blog

2008-05-13T12:13:00.002-04:00

I am going to make an additional blog so that I can separate the wolfdogs and the healthy eating. My other blog will be Smoothies and Raw Food or S.A.R.F. And don't forget to check out my website ProofreadingRUs.googlepages.com. I figure proofreading will be something I can do since I can't type like I used to. My right hand goes numb and makes typing difficult. So bear with me as I try to add things to my blogs.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2008-05-11T00:17:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day. Mom, if you are reading this, the flowers are for you.

Lazy Saturday

2008-05-10T12:39:00.002-04:00

Today has started out in a very lazy way. We are all just hanging around on the couch doing absolutely nothing. I think the most we will do today is scratch bellies and some of us will gnaw on soup bones.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. My brothers and I are going to take mom to a place called Aunt Catfish's. Yummy. I will try to remember to take the camera so I can take pictures to add to my blog.

Brother Mark's post cardiac cath doctor visit

2008-05-09T17:01:00.000-04:00

Hi there. I just got back from the cardiologist's office. This time the visit was for my brother Mark who is 50 years old. Last Saturday, he had to have stent placed in one of his arteries. He is doing well, the doctor told him to take 1 tablespoon of Canola Oil every day and eat fish 2 to 3 times per week, salmon by the way is very high in omega 3.

Well, I have to get busy adding pictures to my blog and such and check out other people's blogs, join the community and all. Talk to you later.

Wolfdog Introduction

2008-05-09T12:53:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone. This is a short introduction to go along with my "about me" section. I am 48 years old, raise wolfdogs (check out the photo gallery below) and have recently changed my diet to a more nutritional and healthy way of eating. I am just getting started here and really have a lot of things I want to say and have some links to add so check back often, changes will be occurring regularly.