7 easy ways to reuse your dog

It’s Earth Day, which means that we should be thinking of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Today, I thought I’d focus on that middle one.

(Why? Well, Tavish is currently on a diet, so he’s got that whole reduce thing covered. With regard toĀ recycling, I had to talk myself out of just postingĀ this video again.)

The EPA has noted that the best way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. One way to create less waste is to reuse what we already have. When I was thinking about things I could reuse, it hit me. I have a dog. (Two, in fact.) Obviously, my dogs provide me with love, companionship, entertainment, and blog fodder. But… can they do more? I bet they can – and I bet your dogs can too.

Without further ado, here are five alternate uses for your dog:

  1. Foot warmer – Are your toes cold? Don’t invest in a space heater. Just ask your canine companion to curl up on your feet.

    Foot warmer

  2. Footrest – Why should you spend a pretty penny on a designer ottoman? The perfect footrest may already be under your nose… er, feet. (Obviously, please take the size andĀ temperament of your dog into account. Not all dogs will be willing to put up with your nonsense.)
  3. Bookmark – If you saw it, then you should have put a paw on it.Daily Dog Challenge #82
  4. Shredder – If you simply must shred some documents (before you recycle the paper, of course), don’t invest in a pricey machine. Save your money and conserve electricity by giving your paper to the dog, nature’s shredder.
  5. Doorstop – Pesky door won’t stay open? Perhaps your dog can help. They’re probably going to curl up and take a nap anyway – why not hold that door open while they snooze away? If your dogs, like mine, would never agree to sit still for that long, try using a dog toy instead:Dog toys have many uses
  6. Exercise equipmentĀ – Don’t buy a treadmill or an elliptical machine. Just clip a leash onto your furry beast and get moving.
  7. Alarm clock – Don’t buy a new clock. Your dogs can wake you up each morning. Unfortunately, the canine alarm clock does not allow you to choose what time you’d like to wake up. It’s also missing a snooze button.After-market snooze button for your dog

There you have it – seven easy ways you can reuse your dog. Have some ideas to add to the list? Thought of some new ways to go green? Share them in the comments!

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9 posts to beat the February blahs

Obviously, I’m a bit behind. Nonetheless, I’m finally sharing the roundup of some of the posts I enjoyed in December, which seems so very long ago.

(Don’t take it personally. I currently have seven episodes of Nashville, thirteen episodes of Arrow, four episodes of Dallas, and twelve episodes of Boardwalk Empire waiting for me on my DVR… not to mention the shows that have more than one word in their titles.)

  1. It’s gonna be a White Christmas!!! from Ryker Rules – Loving these photos.
  2. Although it’s been said many times, many ways… from Cardiganshire Corgis – Speaking of awesome photos, this one cracked me up.
  3. Meme-ing our life away from You Did What With Your Wiener – I can’t choose a favorite, but these are great.
  4. 8 Holiday Questions for 8 Authors from Pooch Smooches – Carol of the Balls, anyone? Love it.
  5. Dog a Day Project: Happy Hanukkah! from Doggie Stylish – Puns!
  6. This Is My Settle Down And Take A Breath And Enjoy The Wonderfulness Post from My Brown Newfies – We all need to do this from time to time.
  7. from Something Wagging this Way Comes – I can’t argue with any these.
  8. Looking for More Beautiful from Tales and Tails – Exactly what I needed.
  9. You Might Be Dog Crazy If… from Rescued Insanity – Someone should add this list to the DSM. Diagnosis? We’re all mad here.

Hope you enjoy these! I hope to get the January roundup to you sooner rather than later… but I won’t be so foolish as to make any promises.

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Smiling’s my favorite!

As I recently mentioned, I’m well behind on my monthly roundups. However, let’s just consider this belated October installment an early Christmas gift. (By that logic, I’m actually ahead of the game.)

Anyway, I believe that Buddy the Elf would totally support me sharing these posts guaranteed to make you smile. Enjoy. If you need me, I’ll be enjoying selections from the four main food groups:Ā candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. Continue reading

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The dog blog days of summer: Part I

I’m breaking July’s monthly roundup into two installments – once I finally started catching up on my blog reading, the list ended up being much longer than I expected. (Seriously, I’d appreciate it if everyone would dial down the quality of their posts – it would make my life a lot easier.)

Before we get started with the first installment, I just have to shareĀ this postĀ from Text From Dog. I just could not stop laughing after I saw it.

Anyway, without further ado, here are thirteen more posts that made me smile in July. Hats off to these awesome bloggers…

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Many marvelous musings from the month of March

It’s time for another monthly roundup… in no particular order, here are seventeen marvelous musings I enjoyed in the month of March:
  1. The hag in the bag gets taggedĀ from Little Dogs on Long Leashes – I bow down to the Seussian brilliance of this post.
  2. Wherein Dewi and I Interpret the Sick-in-Bed Moaning Scene from When Harry Met SallyĀ from The Chronicles of Cardigan – I don’t even have words. Ā This post is made of hilarity.
  3. Mall HairĀ from Raising a Super Dog – As a former concessions jockey at a small-town movie theater, this post spoke to me. Ā (Our popcorn was not pre-popped, though refilling the “butter” was enough to put me off it for life.)
  4. Life with Cush Dogs – Guest Blog Post from Talking Dogs – Something I’ve often pondered, but never had a term for…
  5. Do you have dreams for your dog?Ā from Something Wagging – To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, you can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get exactly what (and who) you need.
  6. In Search of SpringĀ from The (mis)Adventures of Sage – This one is technically from February, but I fell far behind on my blog reading and didn’t actually read it until March. Ā However, the photos made me smile!
  7. Some Days You Just Want to Watch a Cute VideoĀ from Bunny’s Blog – I totally agree.
  8. The Eye Drop Rodeo from Tales and Tails – Anyone else remember when Rachel hated her eye drops on Friends? Ā That’s all I could think of while reading this post.
  9. Favorite Video Friday – Let’s Go to The Dog Park!Ā from No Dog About It – You just have to smile when you watch this dog’s eye view of the dog park.
  10. Dog a Day Project – Famous Last WordsĀ from Doggie Stylish – Haven’t we all said this one to a pup from time to time?
  11. Summoning CharmsĀ from jodistone – I had to share this post. It involves both Harry Potter andĀ irresistiblyĀ cute pups!
  12. Dog PeopleĀ from under the blanket – These are just too much fun.
  13. Wordless Wednesday 31 – 14 Years in 4 MinutesĀ from Bringing up Bella – This one made me cry, but in that good way. Then it made me bust out my own photo albums for a stroll down Memory Lane.
  14. bambino vs fido: on loving dogs lessĀ from Fido & Wino – A thoughtful post about love and change, and realizing that change doesn’t necessarily mean less love.
  15. A Bedtime FairytaleĀ from Kol’s Notes – The drawings are genius. Genius, I tell you.
  16. Life Without A Dog is No Life For Me from Rescued Insanity – The title says it all, don’t you think?
  17. How Dogs Read Us, Part I from Will My Dog Hate Me? – Fascinating. (The next installment appeared in April, but I’ll share it as a bonus anyway. Here’s Part II.)
These are a bit skewed towards the beginning of the month, as I fell behind on my reading. So there’s the possibility of some March posts on April’s list. (Apparently this is my pattern – see #6 above.) I get to make the rules, right?

Anyway, if you missed my earlier monthly roundups, check out my favorites from February and the ones I loved in January. If that’s still not enough links for you (in which case, I bow before your capacity for linkitude), you can always check out my Friday linkathons for more.Did I miss any of your favorite posts from March? Share them in the comments!

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Fifteen favorites from February

Last month, I did a post cataloging a few of my favorite posts from January.  I shared eight posts.  I’m back with another installment, and as you can see, the numbers have increased.  I didn’t mean for it to happen – but before I knew it, I had eleven or twelve posts on my list.  At that point, the nerd in me decided to aim for some alliteration… so I thought I’d share fourteen.  Of course, somehow I ended up with fifteen instead.  I could have added more, but the next number that would have allowed for such alliteration would be fifty.  Consider yourself lucky.

Anyway, in no particular order, here are fifteen favorites from February…

  1. Dad’s take: A songwriter’s muse from Love and a Six-Foot Leash – You know I can’t resist anything involving song parodies.
  2. Influence Positively Interview: Faith Maloney from Grouchy Puppy – Fantastic interview with one of the founders of Best Friends Animal Society.
  3. The House of Special Needs Dogs from No Dog About It – This one is technically from January, but I didn’t read it until February, so it still counts.
  4. Turning Fear into Understanding from Rescued Insanity – A thought-provoking piece (and thoughtful comments) about fear and judgment.
  5. A Confession on Bias from Back Alley Soapbox – In that same vein, here are some fantastic meditations on jerks, dogs, and Jon Hamm.
  6. The Ugly and the Adorable from under the blanket – A wonderfully whimsical collection of photos.  I can’t get enough.
  7. A Valentine’s Message from Cali… from The Daily Dog Blog – Speaking of photos, I just loved this one!
  8. Harry PAWter from PupLove – Words cannot explain how much I want to recreate this photo shoot.
  9. Notes from Home from Bringing Up Bella – Putting things into perspective…
  10. Tennyson Obviously Didn’t Have a Dog from Something Wagging – Drowning in dog hair?  Never fear!
  11. Forgotten Language from Tales and Tails – I’m a big Shel Silverstein fan, so this one definitely had to make the list.
  12. I Want to Be One of My Dogs from Twenty-Six to Life – I’ll take “phrases often said by members of my family” for $200, Alex, along with “if I’m reincarnated, I hope I come back as a dog in this family.”
  13. 10 Simple ways to Show Kindness in the Dog World by Rescued Insanity – Simple ways to have a much more wonderful (dog) world.
  14. Dog a Day Project – Tastes Like Chicken by Doggie Stylish – This one reminded me of Bella and her goose.
  15. Verona: Shakespeare, History, and A Lot of Dogs from Bicontinental Dachshund – These are a few of my favorite things (and I’ve always wanted to go to Italy).
As you’re probably aware by now, my linkaholism knows no bounds.  You can find many other great posts I’ve enjoyed in my usual Friday linkathons.
Did I miss any of your favorites?  Share them in the comments!
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22 things that made me smile in 2011

‘Tis the time for reminiscing about 2011…

Last year, I shared some of my favorite posts from this blog.  This year, I’ve decided to stop the navel gazing (until the Pet Blogger Challenge later this month, of course) and highlight some of my favorite posts from other bloggers.  (Thanks to Mel from the No Dog About It blog for the inspiration.)

It’s a tough task, actually. There is a ton of great content out there in the pet blogging community.

The posts below all have one thing in common – they make me laugh or smile (one of those really big smiles).  There are many beautifultouching, and thought-provoking posts that touched my heart this year. However, today I felt like aiming for tears of laughter or joy rather than the other kind.  Hope you don’t mind.

It was a long year. I’m sure there are some others I adored that slipped my mind when writing this post.  (Perhaps one of my 2012 resolutions should be to do a better job of keeping track of my favorite posts. You may notice that this list skews toward the more recent entries.)  In no particular order, here are 22 posts I loved this year…

  1. My Most Embarrassing Dog Moment from My Brown Newfies – I have no words. Just go read it.
  2. The Puppiness Project – Everything’s Better with Puppies from Something Wagging This Way Comes – With a title like that, how could this post not make my list?
  3. 10 Pictures of Dogs Reading Books from Doggie Stylish- I love dogs. I love books. I love this post.
  4. Favorite Video Friday – Stella’s Shasta Adventure from No Dog About It – I don’t know how Mel finds so many great videos.  However, I still watch this one when I just need a moment of Zen.
  5. (Viewing this may cause extreme joy) More Happy Pets! Part I from The Chronicles of Cardigan – It really did cause extreme joy. Extreme.
  6. Adopting Beelzebub: A Beast of a Bird? from This One Wild Life – An adoption story that warmed the cockles of my heart.
  7. 17 Things Bella Has Stolen from Bringing up Bella – I’m kind of glad my Bella only hoards socks.
  8. Spam Saturday: Amazing Products, Thrilling Occasions, Thanks-a-Mundo! from Will My Dog Hate Me – This post is masterwork. Go put the lime in the coconut and drink it up, okay?
  9. 32 Simple Things You Do That Matter To Dogs from Peggy’s Pet Place- More warming for those cockles.
  10. Dog a Day Project – Why I Don’t Have Kids from Doggie Stylish – I’m just going to start replying to everyone who asks me when I’m going to have children by emailing them a link to this post. (Don’t get me wrong – I don’t know what the future holds. However, I tend to think people should mind their own beeswax and stop asking.)
  11. 5 Reasons Puppies are Easier Than Kids from Smart Dog – A perfect companion to the Doggie Stylish post. 
  12. She Who Cannot Be Trusted from Postpartum Paradise – A toddler, a dog, and adventures in unconventional (and unsanctioned) grooming.  See? I can appreciate posts involving kids!
  13. Senior Dogs: Appreciate, Don’t Discriminate from Grouchy Puppy – This one is actually a guest post that Sharon from Grouchy Puppy contributed to this blog. I just love the message.
  14. The Mystery of Burt’s Bees from Tales and Tails – Or, as I like to think of it, “how to collect puppy kisses in one easy step.”
  15. Dogs in International Costumes: Bone Voyage! from Will My Dog Hate Me – Just because.
  16. Drunken Master IV:  Canine Fu from Rescued Insanity – A funny tale of DWWI (Dog Walking While Intoxicated).
  17. For Woofing Out Loud from Kol’s Notes – In case you’ve ever wondered if your dog thinks you’re as funny as you think you are… the answer is apparently no.
  18. 15 Ways to Tell if You’re Dog Crazy from Something Wagging This Way Comes – Just a genius post, and, well… it’s funny ’cause it’s true. This post inspired me to start that whole dog song parody series of posts. 
  19. Pinterest Tuesday – Dogs Making Messes from Two Little Cavaliers – The cutest kind of mess is the kind that I don’t have to clean up.
  20. Chinese Takeout = Bad Dog Parenting from Life With Desmond – Speaking of messes… wondering if something is trash or treasure? Just ask the dog.
  21. Dressing Up Dogs at Holidays from Grouchy Puppy – I just love this creative take on the antler photo.
  22. From the DDY Digs Desk from Daley’s Dog Years – I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m including this post partly because of the Ryan Gosling photo.

Why 22?  I have no idea. I feel like this list could have gone on forever (for example, I wanted to include a post from BZ Training, but I just couldn’t pick a favorite photo shoot, so I’m cheating and linking to the whole blog here). Finally, I just held an intervention for myself, cut myself off, and sent myself to list-making rehab.  
What was your favorite pet blog post of 2011?
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All I want is what I have coming to me…

‘Tis the season for wish lists.  I  haven’t really created a wish list this year (other than a few items I added on Pinterest).  I’ve been a bit of a proCATinator lately, in fact.  (Apparently I need to take a cue from Sally and demand my fair share.)

However, today’s post is inspired by the almighty wish list.  For each link I share today, I’m going to tell you what it makes me want.  (Not all of my themes are gems, folks, but I’m giving it the old college try.)

  1. Before we get started, your punny pet name for the week would be perfect for a feathered friend: Wing Crosby.
  2. Up next, enjoy this bonus unrelated punnage: Wu Tang Flan.  This makes me want to cook lots of punny food and share it on my other, oft-neglected blog.  It also makes me want to sit around thinking up other punny foods.  I think I’ll settle in with a Donna Martini and a PBJT (Peanut Butter & Jelly Taylor) sandwich.
  3. Um… anyway… this story makes me want to move to New Zealand.
  4. Apparently I’m all about the big life changes today, because this video makes me want a baby… psych!  It actually just makes me want more puppies, as most things do.
  5. Up next, this video makes me want to adopt a cat to help me practice yoga.  Bella doesn’t do yoga with me – she just thinks I’m hanging out on the floor so I can pet her more easily.
  6. I played the piano as a child and want to get one for my house.  Although, Bella hasn’t shown any musical talent, this clip makes me want that piano even more.
  7. This post from Something Wagging made me want to make up a silly song about puppy balls. (I can check this one off the list.)  If also makes me want to post some more dog song parodies, this time with Christmas carols.  So… check back soon if that sort of thing interests you.
  8. In other news, this tutorial shared by Doggie Stylish makes me wish I was a better knitter. However, I’m still working on my first project – a scarf.  Someday…
  9. These cookie cutters make me want to go on a baking spree.  I’m due for a good baking spree. (See #2 above.)

Finally, this week’s video makes me want to pen a Christmas story involving a giant cat.  It’d be sort of a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies kind of thing…



(via Life with Cats)

So, what’s on your wish list this year?  I think Bella is just hoping she never has to see those antlers again…

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Take a cue from the dog and treat yo self

First of all, some good news: Bella’s long national nightmare is over.  Her staples have been removed and she’s gotten clearance to say goodbye to her cone.  (Just in time, too… I think Bella has had enough of my attempts at cone humor.)

Thank goodness for the Comfy Cone, however.  I don’t think Bella would have ever forgiven me had I made her wear that plastic one for two weeks.  They had a good run, Bella and her Comfy Cone.  In fact, Bella’s flashlight costume won her first prize in Comfy Cone’s Halloween contest!  This cone, at least, had a (reflective) silver lining.

Moving on… in honor of Bella’s good news and inspired by Parks and Recreation, I think you should treat yo self this weekend.  Life can really take its toll on you sometimes, so every now and then it’s important to take it easy.  Our dogs seem to know how to live in the moment and enjoy life, and I’m pretty sure Bella doesn’t feel the least bit bad when she decides to treat herself.  Talk about a good role model.  I’ll help get you started…

  1. Your punny pet name for the week: Tom Catterford As a bonus, here’s one for the neighborhood deer: Ron Fawnson.
  2. Start your morning off right.  Play this song when you wake up.  It’s better than coffee. (No joke, I want to wake up to this song every morning. I am confident that I could do anything after listening to it.)
  3. You might consider planning a day trip with your best friend.  Just get out and enjoy the world.  (Note: words cannot even describe how much I love the video linked to here.)
  4. If a trip’s not in the cards, perhaps you should treat yourself to some culture – spend some quality time gazing at these photos from the Water Droplet Zoo. It’ll make you feel like a real aristoquack.
  5. After lunch, take in a classic movie with a real cinema buff.
  6. Don’t worry, your day should include some silly moments too.  Enjoy some comic relief, such as these dogs in wigs.
  7. Why not broaden your horizons and make a new friend today?
  8. Whatever you do this weekend, remind yourself that there’s so much to be happy about if you just know where to look.

You might be wondering how to cap off a nice day of treating yourself.  Never fear, I have it all taken care of. First, find someone to drive you around so you can relax.  Then, if you’re into the arts, might I recommend tickets to the ballet?

Not your style?  That’s okay.  If you’re a sports fan, how about a hockey game?

However you choose to spend your weekend, I hope it’s a good one and that you find some time to treat yourself.  If all else fails, just forget about the world for a while and do your own happy dance.

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Those better be some good treats

It’s almost time to watch Halloween cartoons!  (Yes, I am five.)  I do love It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – however, for my favorite special, I have to break out the DVD player.  Which one is that, you might ask?  Garfield, of course.  What’s yours?

Anyway, before I do that, I owe you some Halloween linkage.  Enjoy…

  1. This week’s punny pet names are inspired by my friend Coney McConerson: Conan O’Whinin’, Ichabod Cone and Cone Crawford.  (I’ve also added a few new nicknames for my Coney Island friend. One of my favorites?  The Cone Ranger.)
  2. Looking for an easy Halloween treat this weekend?  Try making this candy cane bark I shared over on the baking blog.
  3. Halloween is Monday… which means it’s the last Friday that I can share Halloween costumes this year.  Let’s start with 6 awesome dog costumes inspired by food.
  4. Those photos were taken at the 21st Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade.  Want more?  I aim to please.
  5. Remember that awesome collection of cat costumes from last week?  Now there’s one for dogs too.
  6. Still haven’t figured out a costume for your pup?  Lucky you – Doggie Stylish has a ton of ideas and tutorials!  Or perhaps you’d prefer something simple? (Whatever you choose, make sure to follow these safety tips from To Dog With Love.)
  7. Bella’s not so into pumpkin carving… maybe she’s just intimidated by the skills of these carving creatures.
  8. Speaking of pumpkins, these Dog O’Lanterns from PupLove and Gardening with Wyatt are pretty awesome.
  9. Don’t feel like carving? It’s not necessary for maximum cute.  Exhibit A: some photos of pooches hanging out with pumpkins

Finally, this week’s video:

I hope that you have a wonderful Halloween weekend!

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