In Honor of .... Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Ozzie and I just want to salute all those men and women who fought the good fight and gave the ultimate sacrifice to their country. Everyone have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

Ozzie with his Favorite Treat

Bully Sticks Revealed

I have bought Bully Sticks for Ozzie on occasions as a special treat. Once he gets a hold of one he goes to work chomping away going into a trance like state of nirvana. It is the only thing I ever saw him bury in the backyard, maybe for when times get rough and he needs a fix! Not until recently have I figured out the true identity of this coveted doggie delight! I thought that it was simply a tendon from a cow but I have come to the realization it is a quite different part of a cow's anatomy. I saw them referred to as Pizzels, which set me to wondering. As I looked up the meaning of the word I found that it is Old English for penis derived from the German word pesel. Yikes! That seems a bit repulsive, at least by a human stand point but dogs don't know any better. I guess that if they use every part of the cow there is no waste?! It's not like I am going to find it in the local grocery's meat counter or floating in my soup at a fine restaurant! It certainly has added a new level of gross to the item but what the heck! Ozzie loves them and they are better than rawhide since they are digestible and low in fat. I guess from now on I will always giggle a little when I go into a pet store and ask where are the bully sticks. ( though I am sure the cow is not laughing at all! )

Pet Peeves: BP Should Stand for Betray the People!

I have to end the week with what has been on my mind the most lately, the oil spill in the Gulf. At least 6 million gallons of oil have gushed into the Gulf since April 20th with scientists estimating that at a low end. Yesterday Representative Ed Markey of Massachusetts (D) stated "We cannot trust BP any more and they have lost all credibility! It's clear that they have been hiding the actual consequences of this spill." Yes certainly a company who seems to not have had an emergency disaster recovery plan in place and is just shooting from the hip in attempt to stop the oil spill of one of the worst ecological disasters of our time should appear less than credible. In matter of fact our government should seem that way too! Why didn't the agency who sees after off shore drilling and the Environmental Protection Agency mandate and inspect British Petroleum's disaster contingency plans?! Was our government to blame for looking the other way while the profits were flowing in for all?! Meanwhile the delicate marshes of the Mississippi Delta are thick with sludge the texture of latex paint which is slowly destroying all the plant and animal life that calls it home. Such a bounty of rich marine and bird life lost for now generations to come. If we are not technologically advanced enough to be able to drill off shore and handle any problems that ensue then we should not be there! The bottom line is that it always comes down to mans greed which wins over his conscience!

Achey Brakey Cephalic Pooches

Yesterday on the CBS morning show they had a segment that featured dogs that fall into the brachycephalic category or flat faced pooches. Veterinarian contributor Dr Debbye Turner Bell gave a very informative explanation on the special needs of these dogs. For any of you that are considering getting one of these pups it is a good primer for the care they require. The word Brachycephalic is from the Greek words "Brachy" which means short and "Cephalic" which means head. Of course the Bulldog falls into this category as well as the Pug, the French Bulldog, the Boston Terrier and the Boxer just to name a few. Pretty much any dog with a smushed in face would be considered "BC". Because of their unique structure they are prone to breathing problems. With a narrow trachea (windpipe) and stenotic snares ( small nasal openings ) breathing is quite often compromised. I haven't met a Bulldog or Pug or didn't snore! They are more inclined to suffer heat stroke and should never be walked during the heat of the day or left in a hot environment. When the thermometer reaches 80 degrees that is when it is best to have them lounging in the air conditioning sipping a Pina Colada ! Well maybe it's best the owner have the Pina Colada and the pooch just chill. Air travel can he hazardous due to their intolerance of the heat and cold. If your dog cannot fit in the cabin with you think twice. The cargo area which is often not temperature controlled like the cabin can be a death trap for them! Any way you will find Ozzie just "chillin" this summer in the central air taking his usual power naps undisturbed. Here is the link to the segment if you have a moment to watch it is very interesting. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/18/earlyshow/contributors/debbyeturner/main6494200.shtml

Those Sunny Daze!

With Summer just around the corner and sunny days ahead we should all take care of our skin and our children' s skin with sunscreen to avoid nasty burns and worse skin cancer! Our doggies need protection from the suns harmful rays too! Even though they have fur which offers some protection, the suns rays can penetrate that fur. Especially at risk are white colored or light colored fur dogs and those with short length hair or fine in texture. Sunscreen for dogs is recognized by veterinarian medicine. Vets do warn however not to use human sunscreen on your dog. It contains PABA and zinc, ingredients that may be harmful to your dog if ingested. There are a limited amount of products on the market. Doggles and Nutrivet do make sunscreens for your pet. Ask your vet what they recommend. Apply to areas that need extra protection like the bridge of the nose, ear tips, belly and groin area. Certain breeds are prone to develop skin tumors ( Bulldogs, Boxers, Dobermans,Bichons, Poodles and Schnauzers ) so lets do what we can for man's best friend when out there enjoying the weather this Summer!

Elvis, Knights and Fair Maidens

It was a busy weekend for us! We attended my brother in-laws wedding on Friday night. It was interesting and less than conventional! They had already performed the nuptials a few weeks ago in Las Vegas at the Elvis Chapel with Elvis himself administering the vows! This was kept as a secret to most of the attendees, to be revealed later on with the video of the Elvis ceremony! Surprise! They had a more traditional ceremony on Friday night with friends and family present. Well maybe not that traditional. The theme to the gathering was Renaissance period dress and yes there were more than not in some interesting attire! Even my mother-in-law was dressed in the best Maid Marion get up you ever seen. My son Will rented this brilliant costume with velvet jacket and knickers, the whole enchilada! We all had a wonderful time except for poor Ozzie who was not invited! He was a good boy however and when we got home after midnight he was waiting with his little corkscrew tail a wagging! Well back to Monday and Ozzie is working on his morning nap as I type away. God save ye a good week to thee all!

Biggest Loser?

Ozzie has been complaining his collar is a little tight of late so we decided to get serious about dieting. One of the founders of the MidAtlantic Bulldog Rescue recommended a diet dog food that she used on a rescue who was very chunky. They had received a female bullie who was 90 pounds and resembled a seal when she walked or at least attempted to! She lost 15 pounds on this food so with that I thought lets give it a shot! It is Purina Veterinary Diets OM formula. ( the om is for overweight management if you didn't guess! ) Our vet didn't carry it so they ordered it special for the Oz! We are feeding him 3/4 of a cup twice a day. At night I mix his portion with steamed green beans to bulk it up a little. It doesn't seem like much but something has got to give. My only reservation about the food is that it has wheat in it, a product I have avoided so far since it is the culprit of many skin allergies in bulldogs. Honestly I am not sure if Ozzie is liking his new food. He stares at me as if to say "What's this stuff?!" when I put it in his bowl. Hopefully I won't weaken and give him too many treats! Well it's only week one so let's see how it goes.

Beautiful Baby?

Ozzie is trying to decide if he has the energy to jump up on the couch to take a nap!