Pawsatively a great time

Well, we pawsatively had a great time at Pawsabilities 2011 last weekend! New this year, our Dog Scout Troop 161 ran the Gambler's Choice Obstacle Course which helped raise money for the Susquehanna Service Dogs (SSD). Mom and Thelma Lou "manned" our troop's booth while Roger dressed as a card shark to help draw in participants.

Stuffed Rowdy, Mom, and Thelma Lou "manning" Troop 161's Booth

Card Shark attempts to lure prey into the Gambler's Choice Obstacle Course

In addition to raising money for the SSD, Dog Scout Troop 161 helped raise awareness of responsible pet ownership, which includes cleaning up after your pets. I say, duh! But you would be surprised at how many owners don't see the need.

Paws up for my fellow Troop Member Marguerite who very politely informed an irresponsible pet owner, who clearly saw her dog urinate on the floor and planned to walk away, that she was responsible for cleaning up after him. Sure, we all get overly excited at times which sometimes includes not being able to control our bodily functions, but that's what our owners are for, right? Heck, Mom and I are well on our way to earning my Clean Up America II Scout badge for picking up after irresponsible owners. I currently have 25 documented piles to date to prove it.

Oh yeah, and Thelma Lou participated in doggy dance freestyle with Fieldwood Instructor Ms. Mary Kutulakis, founder and long-time member of Steppin' Woofs.

Last but certainly not least, we kicked dog butt in the costume contest on Saturday and brought home a big blue ribbon -- something I was never able to do in the conformation ring. Rumor has it that the Triple Threat might even become the official spokesdogs for Pawsabilities 2012. Only time will tell.

How many times are M&D going to dress us in this getup?

Thanksgiving is 8 months away!!!

Accustomed to sporting head dresses and braids adorned with feathers, Native American Squaw Thelma Lou ponders why everyone is looking at her strangely.

Squaw Thelma Lou

One thing is for sure. We were pawsatively tired when we got home.

Exhausted from a great day at Pawsabilities, Newman can only get three paws up! 

The two Bullies give eight paws up on the day's events

We can't wait until next year to support this worthy cause!

Happy St. Patty's Day

A best friend is like a four leaf clover -- hard to find and lucky to have!

Thelma Lou's best friend, Atticus, begs for a kiss

An Atticus Smooch from his favorite Pooch

Safira wants no part of the mushy stuff!

Gambler's Choice

Boxer bantering in the back room of the local watering hole*

I don't want you to think that I've abandoned my fans. It's just that Mom was in Florida for 10 days, so I was without an editor to review my ramblings before posting for the entire world to criticize. Additionally, we have been busy getting ready for the 15th Annual Pawsabilities to be held this Saturday and Sunday, March 12-13 at the Farm Show Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The the two-day fundraising event, which benefits Susquehanna Service Dogs, will feature numerous Olympic games, the Great Biscuit Bite-Off, where SSD dogs will judge homemade treats, costume contests (ahem!), and a host of other events and activities. Like last year, the event will include performances by the Ultimate Air Dogs, one of the premier dock jumping organizations in the country. If you've never seen a dock diving competition, it's well worth your time. With their short, little legs, I don't think that Roger and Thelma would be contenders in the diving competition and will stick to entering the costume contest.

New for PawsAbilities 2011 is the Gambler's Choice Obstacle Course which will be run by none other than my very own Dog Scout Troop 161. The course contains obstacles that range from easy to difficult, such as going through a tunnel or jumping over a hay bale to retrieving a rubber ducky and scooping up piles of play poop. Each obstacle has a certain point value based on difficulty. You choose which obstacles you and your dog want to complete – but choose wisely! You only have two minutes to rack up as many points as possible.

Do you go for the difficult obstacle worth a lot of points? Or do you complete a bunch of easier obstacles? It's the gambler's choice! As the Gambler says, "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away and know when to run ( with your tail between your legs!)
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* Photo compliments of GCh. Amity Hall's All About Me, RN, CGC, TT "CJ" and his son, Prizms Tazmanian Devilfire, CGC, RN, NAJ, NA "Taz"

Don’t be a victim to dastardly dog breath

Ah yes, the sweet smell of puppy breath. But what happens when that sweet scent fades? If proper steps aren’t taken, you may very well end up with dastardly dog breath. And, not only can the smell become offensive, improper dental care can lead to gum disease and ultimately more serious health problems.

Newman demonstrates proper dental hygiene

In case you didn’t know it, every year February is Pet Dental Health Month as a way to remind owners of the importance of proper dental care. Although we dogs rarely get cavities, we are prone to gum disease and excess tartar buildup on their teeth. Food particles and bacteria collect along our gum lines forming plaque. Routine home care can help remove this plaque.

As the Dog Scout Owner’s Motto states, “Our dogs’ lives are much shorter than our own, so let’s help them enjoy their time with us as much as we can.” Healthier teeth mean healthier dogs, so why not help prolong the lives of your canine companions by giving them proper dental care? My mom does.

Here are a few tips that I’ve picked up along the way to help curtail ghastly dog breath:

• Enzymatic toothpaste (such as CET) – Mom loves the smell of my fresh mint-vanilla scented breath after brushing with it. Even if you aren’t a great brusher, toothpaste like CET contains an enzyme that inhibits the formation of calculus on your teeth. Never use human toothpaste. Other tasty flavors include liver, chicken, and beef. See your vet for a tube today!
  
  
• Dental chews – While not as good as brushing, dental chews work by scraping the teeth clean during the chewing process, and also contain an enzyme that inhibits plaque.
  
  
• Dental rinse – If you’re a belligerent bully and detest brushing and chewing, consider doggy dental rinse. Believe me, I know about bullies. I live with two – my brother, Roger, and sister, Thelma Lou. Again, never use human dental rinse.

Decisions. Decisions.

The goal of brushing is to brush the outside surface of teeth in area where teeth and gums meet. Training your dog to have his teeth brushed is no different than leash training. It takes time and patience. Most importantly make sure that each step is perceived as enjoyable and non-threatening by your pet, so don’t forget to load on the praise along the way. I just love hearing, “Good boy, Newman!”

Tips on the brushing process:

• When introducing brushing, limit the session to no more than a few seconds, then discontinue the session. Start by rubbing your bare finger along the gums. Do this for a few seconds and build up to longer periods of time.
  
  
• Add some dog enzymatic toothpaste to your fingertip and massage gums.
  
  
• Apply some dog toothpaste to a pet toothbrush and brush outer surfaces of teeth and gums.

Don’t be a victim to stink breath. Have your owners take steps to prevent it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Katandy's Triple Threat wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day!

A Valentine's Poem by Newman

Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Sugar is sweet,
And so is Thelma Lou.
But the roses are wilting,
And the violets are dead.
The sugar bowl is empty.
And so is Roger's head.

And they call it puppy love . . . 

A Romp in the Snow

Please enjoy this video of me and the rest of the Triple Threat having fun with our friend, Jasper, in the snow.



Jasper is now it Florida with his Dad, Pappy John, running on the sunny beaches at Fort Myers. Mom is going to join them next week. We are very jealous, but Mom doesn't feel comfortable flying me as luggage to just to be able to join them. She'd rather miss me for 10 days than run the risk of something happening to me in the bowels of the big bird that will be transporting her.

Bark and Bowl

As Cowboys fans, Dad and his daughter, Angel, bleed blue and silver. And not being a fan of bandwagoneers, Dad put his paw down when Mom wanted to buy us Steelers jerseys to show our support for Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. Howl-ever, we thought we'd profile our good bully buddy, Atticus, sporting his jersey. Here we go Steelers! Here we go!

Atticus is ready for some football

Has my sister, Angel, lost her mind?

What do you see in this photo?