Dogs On Thursday

Be tuff! The "dog days" of summer can be wuff!

Welcome to this weeks edition of Dogs on Thursday.
Where friends and family are welcome but fleas are not.
We are praying and hoping that those hit by the recent storms in Florida and along the east and gulf coast there and around the vicinity of the hurricane/ tropical storm Fay survived and are well.
Please check in and let us know you are okay, that is quite a nasty storm out there.

We have two new members this week. Everyone please go and bark a hello to Peggy and Serendipity.

For those that are in the Dogs Days of Summer Secret Swap.

The last day of the swap is next Thursday the 28th.
If you are running late getting your packages out please contact your pal and let them know or contact me and I will let them know.
Also if you are having trouble completing your commitment please email me or Natalie for help.

Don't forget that the DoT Bloggerverary Contest is still running until the 10th of September so there is still plenty of time to get creative in finding a way to make a representation your dog(s).

We are going to have a new feature on DoT.
Nichole has very kindly agreed to keep up the good work reviewing things pertaining to dogs and when she does a review of a dog related item we will post a link to it here.
Like we did last week when she did a great review of the Rachel Rays dog food.
I have put up a spot on the side bar that has a link to that post and some other wonderful ones she has done.
So if you are wondering about a dog product, like I was last week, then check the side bar or with Nichole as chances are she has tried it out or did research on that product.
Thanks Nichole!

Also if anyone else has done a review of a pet product that they would to share please email me or Natalie and we will add it to the side bar.

Since I don't have a Doggie Spotlight for today I am going to introduce you to another dog that my family and I met on our trip to England this past May.
While visiting the historical town of Battle (where the battlefield to the famous battle of Hastings was fought.)
We met this sweet little dog named Roscoe he is a 5 year old West Highland Terrier.
(with apologies to Roscoe's human and my family for letting me use them as DoT fodder.)
Roscoe and his human, along with my husband, Sister-in-Law and Father-in-Law took
the 5 mile walking tour around and throughout the historical sites and onto the famous battlefield.
I and my Mother-in-Law and other Sister-in-Law took the short 2 mile walking tour.
and met up with Roscoe and his newly formed fan club at the end of the trail for a much needed rest in a cool spot in the shade.
I don't know how impressed he was with the walking history lesson but were sure impressed how he walked 5 miles without compliant.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and stays cool!

A Doggie Spotlight for Cooper

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures;

they give unconditional love.

For me they are the role model for being alive. ~Gilda Radner

Welcome everyone to this weeks Dogs On Thursday!

For those that are in the DoT's Dog Days Of Summer Secret Swap;

I hope you are having a fun time collecting items for your pal and her Pup(s).

Also, don't forget to contact your pal (anonymously please) this week and let her know you are out there and thinking of her and her K-9(s).
You can send a snail mail card, anonymous message on her blog (if her blog allows them), or send an email from a secret email account, or send an e-card.
Also if you have any questions or troubles please contact me or Natalie.

Here is a re-cap of DoT's Bloggerversary Contest that is going to run until September 10th;
Create a Representation of Your Dog(s)!
This can be achieved in any creative form, such as painting, drawing, quilt, poem, knitting, crochet, sculpture, etc... The ideas are endless and so use your imagination to your wildest extent!
There will be two categories for the prizes.
Category A: A representation using Fiber (ie, fabric, yarn, unspun wool, cotton, yarn/fabric dyeing, etc...
Category B: A representation not using Fiber (ie, painting, drawing, writing, clay, wood, metal, etc..)

Here is a wonderful Pupcake recipe from Susan:
(and Elise wants me to say wonderyummmyful because I have made the blueberry ones already and they made her so happy!)

Blueberry Pupcakes by Susan
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
1/2 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup quick rolled oats (though I use the whole grain oatmeal)
1 T baking powder
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together oil and honey. Add eggs one at a time, then whisk in
sour cream and milk. I like to whisk in the baking powder next, then
add the flour and oats. Stir until moistened, then gently fold in the
blueberries.
Put 1/4 cup of batter in each muffin cup and bake for approximately 30
minutes. Cool thoroughly before serving to your dog.
This recipe also works with other fruits, including strawberries and
bananas. It would probably also work with carob chips, too.
(Just don't use chocolate or any other foods that are bad for dogs.)


For our Doggie Spotlight, meet Dianne's Cooper!

Cooper's Story:

"Hi! My name is Cooper!

I also answer to Coopster, Coopey Baby, Mr. Coopey Doo, and Little Man.
I’m the new guy here in BritKnitter-ville.
I’m nine years young, but mommy says you would never know it ‘cause I act like a goofy teenager!
When I first came here, I was filthy dirty and smelled pretty bad.
At least, mommy said I smelled bad. I kind of liked my rolled-in-something-dead cologne.
I got a bath (really a scrubbing!) first thing, and mommy was amazed that I didn’t fight her or try and run away from the hose.
I even let her take all of the ticks off of me.
I don’t know how many there were - mommy lost count at 23.
After my bath, I got to meet these two really cute babes...turns out, they’re my new sisters.
I tried to get a little too friendly with Emma, but she put me in my place.
She is obviously the top dog around here, and that’s OK by me.
My next big adventure was a trip to the Vee-Eee-Tee where I got a good going-over, and some needles in my butt. That wasn’t so bad.
Later that week, I went back to the Vee-Eee-Tee where I had a nice nap, and came home minus some parts, if you know what I mean.
There are some odd rules here, like I’m not allowed to climb over the fence or pee in the house.
I only had two accidents inside the house before I learned.
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Mommy says I’m too skinny, and need some TLC ‘cause I’m a bit skittish, but she said she will take care of that.
In this place I have two meals a day (plus lots of treats), some fun sisters for company, and everybody loves me.
Mommy says she knows my first nine years were not that great, but she will make sure that the rest of my life will be the best she can give me.
I wonder why she was crying when she told me that?
Then I gave her kisses, and she cried some more.
Humans are funny creatures."

DoT's Dog Days Of Summer Secret Swap

Welcome to this weeks edition of Dogs On Thursday!

Next month on July 10th, Dogs on Thursday will be One!
There will be a contest in July to celebrate, so stay tuned.

And...Today starts the sign ups for our Dog Days Of Summer Secret Swap.
Here is a button for the swap, I am not very good at button making so maybe there will be more buttons to choose from next week.

The swaps officially Starts on Thursday July 10th and Ends on Thursday August 28th.
This is a Summer Themed swap.
It is also a secret swap and there is a $30. minimum.
For this swap each participant must send a package containing at least one summer related toy, one treat bag for the fur baby(ies) and one treat for the human owned by the fur baby(ies).
One card with a tip on how to help keep cool in the summer heat.
Please mail packages no later than August 21st.
(Stuff happens down the road so after you sign up and you find you are running late or need help or and angel please contact me or Natalie.)
If you want to participate please email me or Natalie with the answers to this questionnaire.

DoT's Dog Days Of Summer Participant Questionnaire.
1)Your Name
2)Dog(s) Name(s)
3)Snail Mail Address
4)Email Address/Blog Address
5)list any related allergies for you or your furbaby.
6)What is your pooches favorite summertime activity?
7)What is your Favorite summertime activity?
8)What are your dogs favorite treats?
9)What is your favorite treats?
10)How do you and your Pup stay cool when the temperatures rise outside?




I have another special dog story to tell you from my trip to the UK.
Some may already have heard this tale but is was new to me when we visited Edinburgh, Scotland.

Here is The Story of Greyfriars Bobby

John Gray used to take his little dog Bobby, a Skye terrier, to work with him everyday in Edinburgh were he was a Constable there.
After the one o'clock gun sounded, he and Bobby would have lunch in a pub near Greyfriars.
On February 15th 1858, John Gray died of tuberculosis after Gray was buried in a graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in the Old Town of Edinburgh.
Bobby would refuse to leave the grave of his master, but only when the one O'clock gun would sound would Bobby leave the grave and find his way to the pub were he and his master used to have lunch and the Pubs landlord would continue to feed Bobby.
For 14 years Bobby watched over his masters grave, stirring the emotions of the people of Edinburgh.
The gardener and keeper of Greyfriars tried on many occasions to evict Bobby but in the end they took pity on him. He built the little dog a shelter nearby and helped to fed him regularly, especially on Sundays when the gun did not sound.

In 1867, when it was pointed out by the city that an ownerless dog should be destroyed, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir William Chambers (who was also a director of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), went to court to fight for Bobby's life and then paid for the renewal of Bobby's licence, making him the responsibility of the city council.
Every year there after the children and other kind citizens made sure that Bobby's licence was paid for each year and that he was cared for and fed.

It is said that Bobby never spent a night away from his master's grave even in the most dismal weather conditions.

When Bobby died on January 14, 1872, he could not be buried within the cemetery itself, since it was consecrated ground; instead he was buried just inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard, not far from John Gray's grave.
A year after the dog died, the philanthropist Baroness Burdett Coutts had a statue and fountain erected to commemorate him.
A red granite stone was erected on Bobby's grave by The Dogs Aid Society of Scotland, and unveiled by the Duke of Gloucester on May 13, 1981. It reads:
"Greyfriars Bobby — died 14th January 1872 — aged 16 years — Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all."


I hope everyone has a cool and pleasant week!