Traveling Dog Lady: November 2013

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

#WordlessWednesday #Thanksgiving

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am thankful that my elderly dog forgives me!!  He was left out in the rain by mistake last night by dumb mama (um... that'd be me [hangs head in total shame]).  


My attempt at a "shaming" picture.


Here's what happened: I turned my back for a second, and left the slider open for the two younger dogs. They came right back in after "doing their business" in the rain. Unbeknownst to me, while I had my attention elsewhere, Hobie went out!  I shut the door and went back to bed.

Our ever-resourceful dog decided, after (yes) opening the gate (the gate that I need TWO HANDS to open and close, mind you), that maybe barking like a mad dog from the next door neighbor's yard, in the DARK, just might get my attention.  It worked.  Thank goodness I recognize his voice!  I had no idea he was outside!  I thought he was sound asleep in the other room!

To my credit, I ran outside barefoot, sans coat, at dawn, in the middle of a storm, in November, in New England, on an almost holiday, and found him sort of disoriented at the back fence, on the neighbor's side.   He had exited from the front fence where the gate remained, wide open.  I don't know why he couldn't find his way back, and that really bothers me.  I sure learned my lesson, from now on I do a head count no matter what!

Anything for my beloved dawg.

Hobie:  "WTF, mom?!"
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

#WordlessWednesday Cooper & Charlie Brown reunite with their mama & sis

Cooper kept hogging the ball

Can't tell these guys & gals apart!  This isn't Charlie, it's his sister, Tess!

Mama Katie taking it all in.


"Gosh, did I really give birth to those two idiots?"

Charlie doesn't know what to make of Rico Suave, our foster mom's latest cutie.

On the way home, Cooper says, "Can we do it again next year?"





Monday, November 11, 2013

That's 14, in dog years! #puppybirthdayreunion #veteransday

What a day!  First off, it's Veterans Day, and everyone knows I'm just a little bit proud and grateful of the various Mueller family members who served our great country, especially the Greatest Generation guys like my dad.   To those serving right now-- Thank you for your service!  Here's a nice little collage my colleague and friend, Pat, made today on our company Facebook page, cool, huh? (That's my handsome father, Sgt. Mueller, in the lead photo.)

Next, DoggyWoof published my November blog post right on schedule (my posts on DW blog are always published on the 11th of each month, in case anyone would like to mark a calendar!)

The big day finally got here:  Charlie Brown and Cooper's second birthday [that's 14 in dog years!] and their reunion birthday party on the beach in Gloucester, Mass. -- home of the Gorton's Fisherman.

Now, I have been anticipating and planning (read = worrying) about this day for MONTHS.  Ok, probably for a whole year, even though last year's event went off without a hitch and was wonderful. That's me, worry for an entire year... for what reason, exactly?  Things again went swimmingly, as I should have know they would, and this has me now vowing to break out of my funk and get Charlie to social situations with other dogs more often.  This is ridiculous living in fear all the time and for what? Yesterday, I told a neighbor what I was going to do (bring the dogs to the beach) and said "I hope Charlie doesn't get into any trouble", to which my neighbor replied, "Trouble?  He's so friendly, what kind of trouble could he possibly get into?"  Of course, my neighbor was right.  Nothing happened. Ughhh!  So, baby steps for sure, but I'm going to seek out little places I can take Charlie and SOCIALIZE!

We're probably going to have to pay a visit to Eddie's Wheels soon (how ironic that this manufacturer of mobility carts for disabled dogs is right HERE in Massachusetts!).  In hindsight, we probably shouldn't have let Cooper run as much as he did today (could have put him on the leash).  We will have to remember that for the future.  He did have fun, and seems fine, but (big surprise) I worry.

Now, without further ado:  photos from today!


Charlie Brown, his mama Katie in the middle, and sister Tess off in the distance.  What a reunion!



 I finally met mama Katie! (ok, I just typed "we" .... uh, the boys already know her, LOL!!  and yes, I think they remembered each other)
Sister Tess looks so much like Charlie I had to keep looking for the red collar to determine who was who!  (Tess wears the red collar)





Can't get enough of lovely Katie :)


Q. Charlie, or Tess?   A.  Tess!





Cooper wasn't exactly the most polite guest -- he kept stealing Tess's ball!  But it's ok, everyone accommodated his handicap and let him keep lying down (with the ball lol) to rest his weary front leg.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Tess is saying, "Gimme back my ball, you, you, you.... typical brother, you!"

Charlie diggin' to China!




 Captive audience!  [ Charlie, foster sister Bella on the bottom, mama Katie, and Rico Suave looking on in the background.]


Bella and Katie looked at the camera LOL!


Cooper resting, but won't let go of that ball!


Coop and sister, Tess, running after the ball !  Yeah, we kinda had the whole beach to ourselves WOOO!


Sunday, November 10, 2013

Bon Jovi's best "quarters in the jukebox" performance EVER!

So many good parts, I can't decide which is best... but guitar trio at the end is not to be missed!

http://www.youtube.com/v/R10sQ6hsD18?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=muhtF2ZV4hWZX6JJjgtKRg&showinfo=1

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Purina + GOOD partner to celebrate heroic pets in photo/video challenge

Better late than never!  This press release should have been shared here by me a couple weeks ago.  The contest is still on, for two more days.  It ends on Veterans Day (November 11th).

Until Nov. 11 at http://heropets.maker.good.is/, pet owners can submit a photo or video plus a short (true) story about how their pet has changed someone's life. Whether it's turning a frown upside down or feats that would make Lassie jealous, pets are heroic in every way.

15 finalists will be voted on by the GOOD community and the winning "hero pet" will receive a $5k donation made in their name to one of the following pet service non-profit orgs: Pet Partners®Support Dogs, Inc.New Horizons Service Dogs, Inc.Working Dogs for Conservation; plus a one year's supply of Purina brand food and a featured post on good.is to make the hero pet truly Internet famous.


Purina ONE® and GOOD Celebrate “Hero Pets” In New Photo and Video Challenge

Pet Owners Encouraged To Share Images And Stories Of Heroic Pets For Chance To Donate $5k To Pet Service Non-Profit And Win A Year’s Supply Of Purina ONE Food 

LOS ANGELES, October 29, 2013 – Heroes often come in all shapes and sizes. The pet lovers at Purina ONE and GOOD (good.is) know the profound difference that a furry friend can make in a person’s life, and they’re celebrating the ways that pets are everyday heroes with the new “Hero Pets to the Rescue” photo and video challenge (http://heropets.maker.good.is/). 

Now until November 11, 2013 at http://heropets.maker.good.is/, pet owners can submit a photo or video and a true story about how their cat or dog has helped someone in need. A panel of judges will review applications and select 15 hero pets to move on to the finalist round. The GOOD community will then vote on the 15 finalists from December 2-9, 2013. The hero pet with the most votes from the GOOD community will receive a year’s supply of Purina ONE brand pet food, a featured post on Good.is to share their pet’s story and a $5,000 donation made to one of the following four pet service non-profit organizations of winner’s choice: Pet Partners, Support Dogs, Inc., New Horizons Service Dogs, Inc., or Working Dogs for Conservation. 

“At Purina ONE, we’re always striving to highlight the positive difference pets make in everyone’s life,” said Christina Schneider, Assistant Brand Manager, Purina ONE. “Whether in small ways or in bigger ways, all cats and dogs are heroes to the people who love them. We look forward to seeing the inspiring stories that pet owners submit to the ‘Hero Pets to the Rescue’ Challenge.”

“Our partnership with Purina ONE has celebrated the many ways that pets change our lives, and we’re constantly amazed by how pets help people with even just the smallest of gestures. We’re excited to recognize the heroes that pets are,” said Jay Ku, Head of Partnerships, GOOD.

Entering the Challenge is simple. Participants submit a brief story along with a photo or short video about how their pet has been a hero to someone in need at http://heropets.maker.good.is/ from now until November 11. The winner will be announced on or before December 16.

Purina ONE® and GOOD began their partnership in 2012 with the GOOD Pets Hub on good.is. The editorial hub includes personal stories, shelter appraisals, revolutionary ideas, infographics and community challenges called GOOD Maker challenges. 

About Nestlé Purina PetCare Company
Purina ONE® brand dog and cat food is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, one of the leading global players in the pet care industry.  Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The company has provided more than $30 million dollars in support to organizations nationally. By supporting their partners in animal welfare, Purina®assists in providing care and adoption for more than 2.2 million pets annually. The North American headquarters for Nestlé Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A. -- the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company. For more, visit www.purina.com.

About GOOD
GOOD is a global community of people who give a damn, and good.is is a social platform where community members can connect with the best ideas and tools for progress, like GOOD Maker, an online grantmaking platform. GOOD Local brings the collaboration and efforts of the community to life in person at a local level, and GOOD Magazine is a quarterly publication that reflects the activity and impact the community creates. GOOD/Corps partners with member companies and organizations to align their social impact efforts with organizational success. To learn more, visit www.good.is.

The Saturday Pet Blogger Hop - Best Photo Ever of Charlie Brown




Friday, November 1, 2013

#DiamondNaturals commitment to food safety... and a gift basket #Giveaway!

This post is sponsored by Diamond Naturals on behalf of the BlogPaws Blogger Network (link to http://network.blogpaws.com/). I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Diamond Naturals Grain Free dog food, but k2k9 only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Diamond Naturals is not responsible for the content of this article.

Enter our prize GIVEAWAY between now and November 15th for a chance to get THIS groovy gift basket (or similar) from k2k9 courtesy of Diamond Naturals!  The gift basket includes:


  • 28lb bag of Diamond Naturals Grain-Free, formula of choice
  • Box of Dogs on a Beach notecards
  • Dog bone shaped paper clips
  • Decorative sign
  • 2014 dogs and puppies calendar
  • $40 Visa gift card. 

The Rafflecopter entry form is below! (and please Tweet and re-Tweet and share so everyone gets a chance).  You can enter once a day, and some of the questions are mandatory for your entry.

Charlie Brown says "Hey, you're giving away all those great prizes to some lucky human? Wow!"
Cooper is just trying to figure out how to get away with chewing on some firewood.

And now for a little bit more information on Diamond Naturals and Diamond Pet Foods.

Diamond Pet Foods is committed to safe food manufacturing and processing, and that's appealing to any pet parent.  Did you know that the company is family-owned and privately-held? Just like the company I work for!  And just like our family-owned and privately-held business, Diamond Pet Foods prides itself on only manufacturing dog food that the company's owners would feed their own pets. Quite honestly, I'd much rather do business with a "mom and pop" company (even a big, successful one) than a publicly-shared organization, wouldn't you? 

Stating "nothing is more important than" the safety of its products, Diamond Pet Foods adheres to stringent and scientifically-advanced food safety protocols.  Raw materials are constantly monitored and tested for things like mycotoxin, oxidative stability, ingredient nutritional tests and finished product nutritional tests.  All employees are also trained for safety. The company's air quality and water quality systems and state-of-the-art facilities are second to none.



  Leading-edge manufacturing technologies have been incorporated into the Diamond Pet Foods manufacturing plants to ensure a safe, 
high-quality product is produced. This technology includes equipping each production area with HEPA®-filtered and ozone air-treated 
handling units to ensure clean, treated air is utilized in segregated zones. 

A "test-and-hold" program provides very strict standards before a product is released into distribution.  No product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods is released into distribution without passing the Test and Hold Program, in which product tests are conducted by a certified, independent lab.  (No, not a Labrador Retriever... a laboratory, silly!).  Tests are conducted on samples that are collected hourly, and every sample is kept for a time equal to the guaranteed shelf life of the product, typically 12 months.


                                                                      The Diamond Pet Foods facilities incorporate the latest technology and manufacturing processes. 
                                     Every step of the process is carefully monitored, tracked and measured to ensure the quality and safety of every product made. 

Made in America, by American workers, Diamond Pet Foods has four manufacturing facilities, all located in the U.S.:  Missouri, South Carolina, and two in California.  Employees are offered a great benefits package and the company boasts a very low turnover rate (hey, family-owned businesses are like that!).

You can find out more about Diamond Naturals at their web site , or follow Diamond Naturals on Facebook or on Twitter @diamondnaturals_dngf.  




a Rafflecopter giveaway