The List Revised . . .

So, a few weeks ago I posted a list of my favorite breeds. That list now has to be revised. Ready? Here we go!

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

There are only a couple of changes, but they're important ones. Also, this list is actually in order, so as can see my number one breed at the moment is the Alaskan Malamute. Don't worry, I will be posting a breed spotlight on the Malamute next, I case you have no flippin' idea what I'm talking about.

Love your dog? Then you need to know . . .

Need to know what? You need to know about raw feeding, that's what. What the heck is raw feeding? Well, its exactly what it sounds like. Feeding your dog (or cat or ferret for that matter) raw food, specifically raw meat. I first encountered the term 'raw feeding' when researching ferrets, but I didn't look into it further at the time because it just seemed like an option for overzealous ferret owners. I ran into the term again after joining a dog-specific forum, and this time my curiosity was piqued. As I read, I became very interested in raw feeding, and began to do a lot of research. This research I will pass on to you, because I love you and I'm awesome.

I'm sure a lot of you are wondering why you would want to feed raw in the first place. Well, there are a bunch of reasons, and all of them are really important.

1. Dogs are carnivores. Don't believe me? Well, just take a look at a dog's teeth. Also keep in mind that even if they don't look like wolves on the outside, on the inside they are pretty much the same. Need more proof? Check out this lovely and well researched article: Dogs are Carnivores
2. Kibble is garbage. I mean that in the most literal sense. If you have a weak stomach, take my word for it and continue to number 3. For the rest of you, here are a few of the things that go into kibble: 4D livestock (the livestock that dies of illness or injury before it reaches the slaughterhouse), spoiled grocery store meat (including the styrofoam packaging it came in), used and spoiled restaurant deep-frying grease and sometimes even euthanized companion animals. That is just a fraction of what goes into pet food (not just dog food). Go here to see exactly what else is in your furry friend's food.
3. An all meat diet improves your dog's health. Because your dog is carnivore, he will get all the nutrition he needs from a raw diet, and none of the stuff he doesn't need. Raw feeders report that their dogs are better tempered, more lively, have clean, white teeth, fresh breath, shinier coats, brighter eyes, shed less, poop a lot less (yes, less poop!), don't smell, go to the vet a lot less and even live longer. Sounds good, doesn't it?
   
4. It's not as expensive as you might think. I admit, my first concern about raw feeding was price, but after doing a lot of research, I have learned that raw feeding is much cheaper overall than feeding kibble. Why? Well, for starters, meat appropriate for feeding a dog can easily be obtained from a butcher, a hunter, or even a wholesale meat distributor at excellent prices. Dogs don't need to be eating steaks. Also, a kibble fed dog is going to present more health problems, therefore more vet visits. Raw fed dogs don't even need to have their teeth brushed! Eating the way nature intended cleans their teeth.

When I get my dog, he is definitely going to be fed raw. As for the rest of you, I encourage you to look into it and at least consider it. You will change your dog's life! The following websites will help you on your journey. Check them out! They have specific information on what to feed when feeding raw, how much to feed, where to find meat, etc.

The Many Myths of Raw Feeding
This site is excellent and answers most of questions that people new to raw feeding have. It is extremely informative and helpful.

Raw Learning
Another excellent site! The FAQ page is especially informative.

Raw Meaty Bones
The original site about feeding raw meaty bones to dogs.

If you're really interested in starting your dog on raw, I really encourage you to join the Yahoo group, Raw Feeding. There are tons of members who all feed their dogs raw and there is always someone around to answer questions. I have learned TONS from this group, so please join!
Raw Feeding Group

The Good News . . .

Yea, I haven't been updating in awhile. That's because I wanted to give you a whole mess of news in one day! That's just me being awesome, no need to thank me.

SO!

I presented my case to my parents. I prepared a speech, with an accompanying power point presentation that would expand on certain points of my speech. It was very professional (except for the fact that I was wearing pajamas) and I managed to impress my somewhat confused parents. The verdict?

Wait for it . . .
Wait for it . . .
WAIT FOR IT!

I'm getting a dog! Yes, my parents were so impressed by what I had to say that I was granted permission to get a dog. HOWEVER! I will not be able to get this dog until sometime next year because of several things that include money, home renovations and time. I think that's really reasonable. After all, it really doesn't make sense to get a puppy when you're getting new flooring installed.

But my battles are not over yet. There were no decisions made as to what breed of dog I'm getting or if this dog will be allowed to be inside (that is a HUGE issue for my mom). I didn't push these issues on purpose though. I feel like it would have been too much at once for my parents, and they would've ended up saying no to everything :P.

So for now I'm biding my time, doing research on breeds (remember that top ten list I posted a while ago?) and of course trying to make enough money to actually purchase this dog. This is where you come in. PLEASE click on my Google Ads. I promise your computer won't explode and you don't have to buy anything; in fact, you don't have to do much. Just click. Pleeeeease click them. Secondly, if you know anyone that loves dogs as much as I do, please point them in the direction of my blog. I really enjoy this blog, but it kind of sucks not having anyone to read it. So spread the word! Think of it this way: if my blog gets very popular, I can always return the favor and advertise things for you. In the end we are all winners!

So, I won the first big battle, but the war isn't over yet! Stay tuned for the breed battle AND the inside/outside battle (it will be bloody)!

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!

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!

Because all the other dogs are jealous . . .

Yes, I am a little fixated on Buddy. So. What.

Buddy is the dog that I have the most contact with (other than my non-existent one of course!) But I do know other doggies. These two are ridiculously cute. They belong to a really good friend of mine, and I really want to squish them. Like really. Okay.


Meet Max.
He has a glorious mustache.
But sometimes, he has a hard time seeing through it.

Meet Meaty.
Meaty wears a glorious monocle on special occasions.
True story. However! Max does get a little jelly.
Max wants to wear the derby, but Meaty won't share. Its ok Max. We all want to wear the derby.

When you don't walk your dog . . .

He will walk himself. At least, that's what Buddy did this morning. Oh yes, after my lovely boyfriend left the gate to the yard unlocked, Buddy decided to open it and go for a walk. He didn't run away, or get lost or anything like that. He just calmly strolled up and down the street introducing himself to all the other dogs in the neighborhood.

No one realized Buddy was gone until a neighbor knocked on the door and asked if they owned a Siberian Husky. After boyfriend answered yes, the neighbor proceeded to tell him that the dog had been walking about for some time now. Boyfriend was flabbergasted, Buddy was exhausted and I was mad because no photos were taken. Boyfriend's response was: "I was in my pajamas!" My response was: "Honey its not like you were gonna be in the picture!"

Anyway, for the sake of posting some kind of picture of Buddy, I give you this:
I am aware this is not a very good picture. You be aware that Buddy is a fidgety-gibbet and he is very difficult to photograph. I promise you more photos and better ones. It's a big sacrifice on my part, but I think I can manage.

Buddy

It's time for you to meet Buddy. He is a Siberian Husky with a serious cute problem. He knows it, too. He uses his cuteness to manipulate you into loving him and eventually giving him your soul. True story.



On this particular evening, there was a party going on at my boyfriend's house. We had gone out to buy refreshments, and when we came back one of the party guests came outside to help us carry stuff. That guest left the door open, and Buddy took it upon himself to rush outside and jump into the car as we were unloading it. He was in the mood for a ride, I guess. I spent five minutes taking pictures of him as he excitedly bounced and paced all over the car. Time well spent. Cuteness must never go undocumented.
True story.