4 Legged Friday: Breed Bans

I stumbled across an article through a friends Facebook page today, The 3 Most Aggressive Dog Breeds Revealed! - Pit Bulls? Rottweilers? You'll Be Surprised.... After reading this, I checked out their source,  according to the Journal of Applied Animal Behaviouir Science, the top breeds for showing aggression towards humans are dachshunds, chihuahuas, & jack russel terriers. There was also a Pennsylvania study that showed the dachshund to be the most aggressive. I have to say the meanest dog I have ever stumbled across is a chihuahua. I had to chuckle at hearing about the little wiener dogs topping the bite charts, as my parents are owners of 3 mini dachshunds. They've never bitten a human or gone all hackles up, teeth bearing to a human either, however, they do have 'little man syndrome.' Dodger, the male thinks he's 150 pounds & bullet proof, he would take on a monster if he could (especially through a fence). I would have to say doxins are mouthy little bastards, a real ankle biter, but I'm not going to say they're ALL like that. Mom's female, Roxy, was a lover to the core.
Breed banning is something I am very passionate about. I am disgusted with people that look at a dog & label that breed as dangerous. Just because one dog does something bad does not mean that entire breed is defective. A dogs' behavior, I believe is based upon how it's raised & what it is & isn't exposed to.
Topeka, KS was to be at the top of my shit list when they had a city ordinance prohibiting anyone from owning a pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or an American Staffordshire terrier. Luckily, in September 2010 they replaced it with a broader 'dangerous dogs' ordinance stating that it would target animals with a 'known propensity, tendency or disposition' to attack or cause injury & these dogs would be declared dangerous through a court process then would have to be spayed or neutered. I haven't heard any problems lately with this, but I haven't been searching either. Today, there are still plenty of cities in the US that have breed bans (including rottweilers, pitt bulls, mastiffs, dobermans, presa canarios, chows, etc) & I hope & believe that there are more people out there sticking up for our fury friends & preventing these stereotypes. So, if you have one of these oh so called viscous dogs, show someone that they're not & if you are one that is afraid get out there & meet a good one!

One breed that I am in love with is the pit bull, & it really tugs at my heart strings when people judge them &/or treat them badly. Yes, you will always have those folks who own them to increase the size of their testicles, which is fine with me as long as they are not training them to fight, cropping their ears too short (or w/out the use of a veterinarian), chaining them out for hours, & using huge chain link as their collar. My dad had a pit before I was born, he was a fawn & white boy named Boss. Then I came along. Whew! I put that guy through the ringer. Attaching my baby carriage to him, riding him, sticking my hand in his mouth when he'd yawn, & who knows what else. I do remember painting Boss' nails when dad was at work. Dad sure loved that ;) haha. Boss was a huge part of our family. He camped, 4-wheeled, traveled, & boated with us (even though he hated water!). Once he got older he would even curl up with our old man cat, Spike. Boss lived out to the old age of 18.

Boss, My dad, Me, & Abby

Mom & Boss. This is how we'd take him to shore to go to the bathroom when we were at the lake.

Boss & Spike. RIP guys :)

Someday I hope to own a pit bull that could live up to him & show others that they are great dogs.

4 Legged Friday: Cooper

 This Friday's post is dedicated to Cooper, 

soon to be 3 year old Great Dane.

When I was back at my parents last week I was fortunate enough to get to spend some quality time with Coop.
Cooper youst to live with me but he & Bruiser decided they no longer liked each other. Sooo, my mom always wanted a Dane... He ended up back out at the farm in Boulder county.

This turned out to be great! He is one of the best farm dogs Spring Tree has ever had. He sticks around, even if you go into the barn, there he is waiting for you when you return. 

Cooper also made other four legged friends, Dodger & the piglets.  Dodger is my sisters' 12 year old, blue merle doxin. Looks like a mini Cooper! At first Dodger hated him, but now they are inseparable. He attempts to keep up, but usually ends up riding in the Polaris with mom. I say piglets, but they're actually around 80 pounders. It's amazing & hilarious watching him with the pigs. A couple females have taken to Coop. They will actually 'talk' to & try & play with him. He'll play bow & bark & they'll chase each other. We've tried to get it on film, but he gets distracted by the camera & lays there watching you instead.

Cooper also loves walks. Spring Tree Farms (the parents' official place name) is luckily enough to be located down the road from a llama/alpaca farm. Ah yes! Well, Coop has made some playmates there too... only through the fence & he's the only one 'playing'

The engagement party rolled around, along with the decorating! Cooper loves balloons too: chasing them, pawing at them, & eventually popping them. Well, dad had a helium tank so we of coarse we had to do what anyone would do... attach one to his collar. Ah, the entertainment!

I love that big dope SO much! He's an excellent dog &

I miss him but the farm life was truly meant for him.

Bulldoggin' It Up!

Three & half years ago I ran accross a flyer of a bulldog. I've always loved them & have a gooshy place in my heart for those dopey dogs. I stopped by, checked this bulldog, Bruiser, out. Turns out the family just had a baby & wanted to get rid of the dog - who was 4 years old by this point (they had him since a pup). He was underweight & bored out of his mind. They handed me his file which showed he was a petland pup who spent more time at his vet then at home (they boarded him just to have 'dog-free' weekends). After that I loaded him into the Jetta.  Dallas didn't approve of this 'adoption,' it took a while for her to warm up to him.

At the time I lived in Manhattan, we would go on walks & Bruiser would take to rolling. Not a gentle romp in the grass, but more of a flop onto his back in the middle of the sidewalk or street, totally regardless of people & or vehicles. Once we moved to the country I discovered his true favorite toy, a 5 gallon bucket! Absolutly loves them, they are his crack! If there's no bucket around he'll settle for a 55 gallon trash barrel too. I like to say he's my special ed & that is his helmet. He also LOVES boxes & water/pop bottles (20oz-2 litre). If you bring home a t.v. turn your back on the box he will have it ripped to shreds in seconds! With the bottles his first goal is getting that darn cap off. You could tighten it with he-man strength & he'll have it off in no time... maybe I should try some JB weld or lock tight :) Stuffed animals are a nice treat, first thing he does to them is chew their eyes & nose off. It's kind of disterbing around the house, we'll have faceless (or headless) stuffed toys laying around. Bruiser won't refuse a car ride either, especially riding shotgun! Water is another great entertainment piece. Him around a fountain, you know the kind that sprise pop out of the ground that kids play in, is extremely halarious. A creek or flooding street with sticks will also keep him busy.

Oh, Bruiser... he has 3 tricks: sit, laydown, & speak. If you hold the treat long enough he will sit & run through his 'routine' before you even say sit.

On his warning lable:

 - When riding in vehicles: he will jump at overhead bridges, semi trucks, loud motorcycles, & hail. Also, bites the air if head out of window... would probably jump if it was far enough down.

 - During rainy season wish for NO thunder & lightning or have a saferoom. He runs from wall to wall barking at lighting & thunder. He gets locked in the basement with the lights on at our house.

 - Wheels: Dangerous. Will take out your bike OR skates. Attacks the lawnmover. Chases any vehicle. (note: has been run over for doing this...twice)

 - Will beg for a place in bed or on the couch...especially if it's cold.

 He's great at kennelling up & dressing up... a real ham! He's a true people lover, even with the little ones, he just walks up, gives a big kiss & sits. That darn dog may make a mess but he also can light up your day with just one look.

.... I may start a Bruiser story or picture of the week... he always has one for me :)

First week of May!

This week was filled with some firsts besides just the number one.
On Tuesday, I took Dallas to McRite Retirement Plaza for some 'pet therapy' visits. To do so I had to go through an hour & a half orientation and Dallas had to be up to date on all of her shots. She was not too enthuzed about the vet visit. After we hop out of ole Jetta I attach her purple collar & straighten her purple, paisley, powercat bandana and we head inside. There waiting at the 'fun director's' office in our name tags & my list of ladies & gentlemen who are okay with a dog visit. We make our way around the visiting the verious tennants. Dallas wasn't too sure about everything, all the different smells, temperatures, and voices. People wanted to shake her paw, but the she doesn't understand, "doggie let me have your paw." So, we have a little training to do. It was nice talking to the elderly and seeing some of them lighten up when Dallas strolled in. I had one lady, Helen, who said that this made her day! I hope that Dallas warms up and enjoys it as much as the ladies (mainly the one's who enjoyed her company) did.

Dallas when we got back home

I would also like to mention, when we visited McRite I took notice to my list of occupants; the names stood out. I love it! I love all the 'earlier generation' names, I find them very intriguing. There was a Gertie, Helen, Nola, Betty, Dottie, Glen, Violet, Alta, Pearl, Marcella, Mildred, Sophie, Elwood, Edna, Dorothy, Wilma, Marge, Beulah, and many more! One just doesn't hear those anymore, don't get me started on the names you do hear ;)

Another first this week... I planted flowers in pots. I'm not one to buy flowers and re-plant them. I don't have a green thumb once so ever. Yes, I worked in lawn & garden and studied crop science, but that doesn't mean these flowers will survive. Good news though they are still blooming and standing tall and it's been about four days!!!

Just Another Gal...

... Miranda Lambert, that is. I not only LOVE her music but I just think she is another all around country lady. This Texas native can belt some tunes, but she has also started MuttNation Foundation which is a Foundation that raises funds in order to support other organizations and governmental institutions or entities whose purpose is to build animal shelters for better care; increase pet adoption and encourage responsible pet guardianship; rehabilitate sick or unsocialized animals; fund spay/neuter programs; reduce/eliminate euthanasia of healthy animals; and train shelter dogs for purposes of therapy programs, assistance for wounded military personnel and dogs-in-prisons programs.

 However, she's not your normal celebrity pet lover... she owns a 700 acre ranch in Oklahoma next to her soon to be hubby's ranch. Here she enjoys her off time of outdoor fun, fishing, & hunting. This farm raised girl truly knows the difference between a pet animal and a food animal. Which brings me to the reason I wrote this post. I was catching up on my blog reading and checked out Crystal.Cattle's post about food animals mentioning Ms. Lambert's opinion on the topic. I went to her Health magazine article and read the interview (which you can also do), but my favorite question was:

                                      Q: Was it hard slaughtering animals that were your pets?

                     A: Dad would give us two rabbits as our pets, or we’d have one pig we could name. They explained that not every animal was a pet—some were providing for our family. It sounds weird to other people, but I look at it like, there are some animals you feed and some animals that feed you.

This quote gave me an all new respect for her because
nowadays these actors, actresses, musicians "google"
animal cruelty and join some Peta/HSUS organization
and don't even realize what they are supporting. I hope
she further spreads the word of her Foundation,  
continues her awesome doggie saving duties, and and
doesn't fall into the mainstream ways.

And of coarse if I could talk to her I would wish her luck
in her wedding & up coming year! Here is one of my favorite
songs by Miranda Lambert: 'The House That Built Me.'

~Enjoy~



Snow Days!

~ I LOVE SNOW ~

Especially when I have a camera and when I can play with the dogs. Bruiser, he usually ends up on the porch waiting to go inside after the first romp. Dallas on the other hand absolutly LOVES it too!! It's a blast going out and playing with her!

Hope you enjoyed these snowerific photos! Caught some good one's of Dallas!

phew! Long time....

Sheesh, It's been a while! Let's see since July......
Not much has gone on. I've taken a lot of pictures (which I posted some of my favs). Cooper is growing like a weed. He's something else that's for sure. Him and Bruiser are "my boys" they are always pickin' & playin' with stuffed animals together. Cooper also likes to follow Dallas on her little "walks" but hopefully he'll listen a little better than her. Cooper comes up to just above my knee now, and he's only 4 months old! He's going to the vet on friday though... he's all itchy & bloodshot eyes... my fingers are crossed that he's not allergic to anything.
August.... not much went on. Oh! started practicing with the women's rugby team again. Won't touch on that in this message.... It's getting it's
own!


September...... Oh! My BIRTHDAY! A whopping 25 years!! holly cow, right? Jorge, our Pomeroy buddies, and myself all went to eat then pre-drank at Pomeroy house, then headed to the bars. Went around to the bars.... didn't drink too hard because I had the Alumni rugby game in the morning. Met up with some of the ruggers.... Steph even came into town from Oregon to play! Gotta love ole Nippy! I was very proud of myself, went to bed at a decent time.
Then Saturday.... ALUMNI GAME!! Woohoo! All the oldies back in town (well, most of 'um anyway). We played, my heels hurt! oh did they hurt... so i was pissed because i didn't do my best. But we got the rookies in for some playing time. Alumni lost. Then we went to the rugby house for the social.... songs, beergames, fun! Dinner then back out for round 2!

Meanwhile I couldn't walk! My ankles were swollen and I hobbled around the whole night. It sucked! So, the rest of Labor day weekend summed up with me hobbling and some fishing up at Kramers pond by Corning (or some little town NorthEast of here).

Rest of September.... Work. Went and watched rugby since I couldn't play. Then mid-month I had planned to go home to CO to visit & see one of my good friends get hitched! However, my feet got worse, I couldn't walk! had to take vacation & sick time (which I don't have much left. So.... needless to say I was unable to take the time to get home... plus I didn't have the gas money. I feel horrible not making her wedding. I'm sure she was beautiful along with the ceremony!!

The last weekend I tagged along with the team to OK for a tourney. (i'll cover later).

October..... feet are getting better. Tried working out some. Still hurt, but I have got to do some kind of working out.... I'm going crazy! Cooper's getting big and being a little nut. The weather is cooling down. OH! last Saturday we went to Ottawa to a friend of our's farm and camped. Supposed to "catch our dinner" only we didn't catch anything. Luckily we brought brauts & other accutramal. Then we sleplt under the stars, next to the fire, like John Wayne. You're prolly like, "shit! wasn't it cold!" and yes it was chilly but the fire kept us more dry than those in the tent. (hehe).

Other than that not much has been going on. Happy Birthday to my Mother!! .... Big 50!! I wish I was there to embarrass her at her work or resturant or something. I will plan something and get her when I do come home.

And now I will give out the Blue Ribbon...


This past weekend was ..... well, a pretty good one!

Friday, I just went to look at some pups and once I got there, I was in for a surprise. Not all was good. The bitch was too thin and covered in ticks and fleas. There were 9 pups following her around. I sat with them for a while....picking fleas off. This lady cared about her dogs, don't get me wrong, but they were covered in bugs, had the runs, and didn't look like they were getting enough nutrients. I originally went there with no intentions of taking one home. However, me being the softy I am had to help out. I brought home this little cutie! His name is Cooper! Oh, and did I mention, he won't be little very long...He's a great dane! That's another thing that got under my nails. These are great dane pups! they need nutrition. Especially right now to help their bones!
Anyways, So this is my early birthday present and the newest member to our little family.


After we brought him home, I called around to see what I could give him, after all he is only 5 1/2 weeks old. Then on Sunday, the poor thing vomited a couple worms and also had them in his stools. So, now he's getting wormed on top of everything else. He's doing well though. Dallas, my aussie, was the old lady at first but now she's getting used to him. Brusier, the bulldog, just looks at him and doesn't seem to mind him. He loves tails! Especially the cats!! they don't care, they bat him around a bit, but no harm is done.

Saturday, Jorge and I went garage saling. Only, we got up too late....again. One of these days we'll get up in time for the good ones. Then we were off to Rossville area to look at a ranch. It was pretty amazing. I just wish we had the money. So....we're not giving up. We're looking into some loans. It was an old limestone house (could use some remodeling) and 240 acres of brome and pasture.... pretty nice! Afterwards, we stopped by the house for some dog time then Jorge and I were off to the Riley County Fair! for our date night! We watched the market hog show, bet who would win.... we tied most of the time. Then watched the rodeo, where muttin' bustin' has to be the best event. Along with people watching!! gotta love who comes round to the county fairs!!! Once out of the rodeo, we headed to the carnival...Jorge had to get me back from last year. He had to beat me in this ball rolling, horse racing game. Sucker! I beat him & 10 other people....again!! Then we went on our 1 ride.... The Sizzler!! We're such big kids, I love it! We could barely fit.... it was hilarious! And behind us was this little kid sitting with his parents. He just was big enough to peek through the holes in the bars. His face during the ride was priceless.

Sunday....
Not too eventful. Just played with the dogs. Oh, and we took a trip up to Onaga, KS, where Jorge got some chickens!! He was and still is super excited about them. We acquired 16 of those little annoying feather chirping cluckers!
Might I add we are not excellent chicken farmers! Yesterday, they all got out of the fence in the hut. Dallas was having a blast. Boots, an outside cat was stalking 3 in the woods. Bruiser was in ahh of these new ground birds. Cooper was just galloping around. I was meandering through the spider web infested woods in my scrubs & flip flops chasing Boots, chasing 2hens & a rooster. Meanwhile, Jorge is chasing them the other way and letting more of them out in the process. It was quite a site! Eventually, we got them in. Once we got I got out of my chicken/dog crap clothes, we threw our hands up and just went to a movie....The Ugly Truth....Hilarious!!
Other than that not much has been going on. this wasn't very written but it was a long day and I just wanted to get something down.
Till then.... "take life with a grain of salt...... & tequila & lime!"