Scary and intimidating . . .

Being the responsible and awesome person that I am, I want to get my non-existent dog from either a. a shelter or b. a reputable breeder.

However! Option b is proving to be a daunting task. First of all, I don't recommend searching for breeders on the internet. It is difficult to find the legit ones, and even when you do, they're usually located in like, Tibet. Ok so not really Tibet, but you know, REALLY far away from me. There is also the fact that most of these people only breed show-quality or field-quality dogs. There's nothing wrong with that, mind you, but it makes finding a responsible breeder that only breeds companion dogs kind of difficult. It also makes finding something I might be able to afford really difficult. They are also scary. Scary and intimidating. Some of these people make me feel like they would put Cesar Millan on a waiting list for a puppy, and then proceed to not give him the puppy.Seriously, this world of dog breeding seems so exclusive. It feels like a club they're not gonna let me join. It also doesn't help that like 95% of them have hideous websites that are impossible to navigate. Do you think if I offered to redesign them they would give me a chance? Maybe a discount? A recommendation letter?

Anyway, if anyone can help me find some good breeders in the area, leave a comment! I will love you forever!

Still obsessing . . .

Yes I'm still obsessing! I am obsessing about dog breeds and dog names. I said before that the dog I picture in my head for me is a German Shepherd, but there are some other breeds that I love. Here are the top ten breeds I'm interested in owning. They will be in no particular order, because I don't feel like it.

1. Australian Shepherd
2. Golden Retriever
3. Shiba Inu
4. German Shepherd
5. Labrador Retriever
6. Siberian Husky
7. Border Collie
8. Weimaraner
9. Great Dane
10. Dalmatian

And now, dog names. I sincerely believe that dog names should not be overcomplicated or people names. Why? Well, I have a true story to illustrate this for you. So I was at a party with friends a while back, and one friend (we will call her LaToya for confidentiality purposes) had brought her new boyfriend (who shall be called Billy). When LaToya introduced Sancho to us, another friend simply said "I used to have a dog named Billy." Awkwardness ensued, and that is why I don't agree with giving dogs people names, especially names like "Jennifer" and "George". Anyway, here is my list of top ten names for my non-existent dog.

1. Sherlock (technically its a people name, but it doesn't count because its a very famous literary reference)
2. Merlin (see above)
3. Dodger
4. Dusty
5. Zero
6. Strider
7. Loki

Ok so there's only 7, so what? Those are the only names I really like. Thoughts? I may just do a poll on this, but I'm not sure . . . anyway, now I try to sleep. Try being the key word there, of course.

The puppies won't let me sleep . . .

So I'm obsessing about my non-existent dog. Badly. In my head, my dog is a German Shepherd. He is loved by all and my best friend. Boyfriend and I walk Buddy and my dog together. Everything is wonderful. Why am I obsessing? I realized today that there is a large amount of unused space in my yard that would be perfect for a dog run. Oh, can you imagine the possibilities?
I can imagine them, but to tell the truth it depresses me a bit, because I am not so sure I can pull this off. At this point, I am wishing with all my might that I can convince my parents to let me get a dog, but I just don't know if they will listen or not. Sorry, just feeling a bit pessimistic.
I believe I am going to officially start my dog campaign a couple of weeks from now. The reason is that in two weeks, my dad will have just returned from a tropical vacation where he visited his parents. I am assuming he will be in a good mood because of this. I am also assuming that my mom will be in a good mood because he came home. I hope everyone will be in such a wonderful mood that they will at least think about a dog. *crossing fingers* Wish me luck peeps!

Breed Spotlight: Goldens!

There's a reason that Golden Retrievers have been in the top 5 of AKC registrations for years. These dogs are beautiful, athletic, intelligent and loyal. Practically the perfect dog right? Yea remember when I talked about Shadow from Homeward Bound? Yea he basically sums up Goldens perfectly, just maybe a little less uptight.So about them Goldens . . . Goldens are very versatile. They can be field dogs, show dogs and companion dogs. Heck, they can be those things all at the same time. They are loving and eager to please, making them very trainable dogs and naturals for obedience. Like any sporting dog, Goldens are energetic and need a good amount of exercise. Goldens love to (guess!) retrieve! Because they were bred for that purpose, they love playing fetch. I believe a Golden would fetch all day if it could. They also like to swim because, like I mentioned before, that's one of the things they were bred for. The thing about Goldens is that if they don't enough exericse (physical AND mental) they will get destructive. Very destructive. So yea, make sure you know what you're getting yourself into if you get one of these dogs. Because of their tractable nature, Goldens can often be seen in the roles of service and therapy dogs. They're naturals at this, and this fulfills the Golden's love of working.
So Goldens are great dogs. They combine brains and good looks, as well as a sweet disposition to boot. To tell the truth, I would really like to have a Golden. Either a Golden or a Labrador Retriever. I know they're incredibly popular, but they're popular for a reason. They really are awesome dogs. *sigh* Do you think if I just smuggle a Golden puppy into my house, my parents will allow me to keep it because its so cute? I mean, look!
Can YOU resist that face? Huh? HUH? I didn't think so! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bad talking dog movie to watch.

Images from Flickr. 1 2 3

Give Love, Get Love

Here at Puppydog Dreams, we love all dogs. That's why I want to discuss the beauty of adopting rescue dogs! Every year, the Humane Society of the United States estimates that about 6-8 million pets enter shelters, and about 3-4 million are euthanized. That is a lot of dogs and cats. There are several things you can do to help.

First of all, if you are considering getting a dog (or any pet) make sure you do plenty of research! Many dogs end up in shelters because the owners did not do research, and couldn't handle the energy levels or attention needs of the breed they chose.

Second, if you already have a dog, spay/neuter! Unwanted puppies often end up either on the street or in shelters.

Third, if you are considering getting a dog, go to a shelter before you go to a breeder. You never know what you will find at a shelter, and they often have purebred dogs too. Some cities even have rescue groups specifically for certain breeds.

And now, some true rescue stories to inspire you.

Meet Sharie. I'm guessing she is a poodle/terrier mix but to be honest, God only knows.Sharie is a little ray of neurotic sunshine. This dog never stops moving, and she crashes into walls a lot. She is also something of an attention hog. Despite all this, she brings a lot of joy and love to her owner, who wouldn't trade her for anything. She may not be the type of dog for you, but that's the beauty of it. The shelter where she came from has plenty of dogs with a huge variety of personalities and temperments.Now let's meet Clemencia! Clemencia is a mutt that belongs to my grandfather. He rescued her directly off of the streets, and she is one of the sweetest dogs I know. The mix of breeds present in Clemencia is so muddled that I'm not really sure what she is. I just know she's cute.She also brings a lot of happiness to my grandfather. He loves this dog very much, and she is a big source of comfort to him.I don't know how he did it, but he somehow trained her to "Shake Hands", no verbal command required. You just hold out your hand and she puts her paw in it (as demonstrated in the picture). Needless to say, that's CUTE!

Interested in a adopting a rescue pooch? In my area (El Paso, Tx)? Here's a list of local shelters and rescues.

The Humane Society of El Paso
4991 Fred Wilson
El Paso, TX 79906

Phone: (915) 532-6971
Fax: (915) 566-0723

Offices are open Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm.
Monday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm


The Animal Rescue League of El Paso
(915)877-5002
7256 La Junta (Canutillo)
11:30 - 5:30 Tuesday - Sunday

Adoptable animals also available at the Westside Petsmart
Saturday 10 am - 4pm
Sunday 12 pm - 4pm


Pet Guardian Angel Welfare Association
Phone: (915) 598-0411
Fax: (915) 592-7160

13300 Round Dance (At Square Dance and Montana)
El Paso, TX 79938

10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday - Friday
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Saturday
10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday


This website has a listing of all the breed-specific rescues in Texas: Adopt a Rescue Pet

Hope you're inspired to make a difference!

Rover Dangerfield!?

As you can tell from the title, today's Nostalgic Pups is having a WTF moment. Yes today, we will be looking at the barely remembered, painfully unfunny and just plain awful crapfest that is Rover Dangerfield!
Yup. This is one of those movies that was a lot better when you were a kid. Okay, its one of those movies that was decent when you were a kid. Watching it now? Painful to say the least. Besides the flimsy plot, unfunny jokes and annoying voice actors the worst part is definitely Rover himself, which is just a creepy dog-like caricature of Rodney Dangerfield. I say dog-like because the animators retained way too many of Rodney's real life mannerisms, resulting in pure unadulterated weirdness. Exhibit A:
Charlie in All Dogs Go to Heaven was based on his voice actor (Burt Reynolds!) too, but it wasn't to the point where he no longer looked like a dog and was creepy.
So about that plot . . . yea, the plot. Rover lives in Las Vegas and loves it. He shows it during a terrible musical number:Things change because of Rover's showgirl owner.
She is dating this guy, who apparently is a methhead.
He decides Rover is an obstacle to something-or-other and tries to kill him. Instead, Rover is rescued and ends up on a farm. (A city dog on a farm!? That's preposterous!) On the farm are a group of dogs that the movie should have been about, but wasn't. Despite the fact that they are a billion times more likeable than Rover, they hardly get any screen time, to the point where I can't even remember their names. There is also another dog, Raffles (a Border Collie I think) who could have easily been the star of this movie, but is instead relegated to the role of simple country boy (dog?) who teaches the city slicker the ropes on the farm. Yawn. I really liked Raffles and the other farm dogs. They were the only thing worthwhile about this movie. Everything else felt so contrived. Oh well. Moving on! At this point there is only one thing missing from this movie. Can you guess? That's right! No movie about a fat and 'lovable' guy is complete without the superhot love interest! In this film, the love interest is Daisy, a beautiful Rough Collie whose job is to scare away crows, I think. After about five excruciating minutes of interaction (which include another terrible song), Daisy decides she loves Rover. Yeah, I don't have an explanation for that either. Anyway, after this Rover proves himself on the farm by saving the farmer's life and doing various other things. Blah blah blah. His showgirl owner finds him. Blah. All this nonsense culminates in one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen in animation.

These puppies (cue dramatic music):Why? Why are there like 30 of the Rover puppies and one of the pretty Daisy puppies? Why was this movie ever made? If you're feeling masochistic today, this gem is available somewhere on Youtube. Just don't say I didn't warn you. Because I did. Many times.