WOLFDOGS - FEEDING RAW FOOD DIET TO MY DOGS

I am seriously considering feeding my wolfdogs a raw food diet. I have done a lot of research on this and it sounds like the best, healthiest and safest way to feed my dogs. I know we are going to go through a transition and I know all about the bacteria that lurks around on raw meat and such so I will be checking with my vet prior to taking off on this venture. I will also be taking great care when preparing their food to avoid any unnecessary stomach upset. I don’t know about you but, when my doggies don’t feel good, it saddens me. Poor things, they can’t really tell you how they feel but I do know my dogs well enough to recognize when something is not right in their world, or their belly, whichever the case may be.

The question that is being raised most often is “will this make my wolfdogs vicious?” I can safely say that this will not make them vicious. I researched that very carefully as well. The neighbors can be safe in the knowledge that my wolfdogs are not going to suddenly start scouting the neighborhood for their next kill; first off, they are very well contained. They are not going to look at the pit on the street behind us and wonder if, between them, they can take it down or drool over the little poodle next door and think it would make a yummy appetizer. I wish no harm to my neighborhood of pets or their owners for that matter and this will not be an issue.

My biggest concern is the transition period and the cost. I have always prided myself on doing whatever is necessary for my pets’ health and safety and even though this could wind up costing more, especially in the beginning, I think it will be much healthier for them in the long run and, I will keep looking for bargains.

Here are some links that answer a lot of the questions that are going through your mind right now. There is a great e-book about this. Please visit these sites for more info.

The following links are taken from Aleesha's Raw Life

Raw dog food made easy
BARF for beginners
Sample home feeding tips
Weekly sample feeding schedule for adult dogs
How will they get their calcium
A calculator to determine how much to feed

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO REMOVE PETS FROM DANGER OF HURRICANE GUSTAV

There is immediate need for help in removing pets from the path of Hurricane Gustav. I just read an update that says Gustav is now a Hurricane category 4 with winds up to 145 miles per hour. Hanna is fast on its tail and could hit this area that was devastated by Katrina 3 years ago.

The pets in and around the Louisiana/Mississippi area are in need of transport. These pets are being housed currently at shelters throughout and need to be moved so that following the danger, pets can be brought in to local shelters and provided with care and lots of love in the hopes of soon finding their owners or new owners that will give them a good life.

Refrigerated trucks are needed as well as other vehicles of transport. There is a need for dog crates, food and medical supplies.

If you are a trucker and wish to help, make sure you mention the blog posts from the houndsgood.com blog site. Payment has been mentioned if you tell them you responded to the blog posts.

For those of you who wish to volunteer your time and much needed energy, please make your way to the areas listed in this blog, some items will be provided but plan on being self-sufficient including the possibility of having to sleep in your car or vehicle.

Monetary donations are always appreciated and information is available at Houndsgood.com.

WOLFDOG PUPPIES - SEQUOIA AND FREEDOM

TROPICAL STORM FAY SLIDESHOW

TAKE A LOOK AT STELLA'S BLAWG

For a bit of wimsy, check out Finding my happy place, one blog post at a time. I knew upon entry to her blog that I was in for a bit of fun. First of all, she has a really cute flip-flop header, has a joke about a Louisiana farmer that made me lol, and she has some informative bits in there too; things like Google page rank which is on everyone’s mind right now, Google has recently spanked people for sponsoring posts, then she has some info about acne, baby bedding, fat burners, and paella pans.

I checked out the YouTube video, that guy really does have pretty eyes and it is a great song.

Be sure and take a look at the older posts, she has a section in there about Thursday Thirteen where you can list 13 things about anything you want and can be featured on the thursdaythirteen.com site. It is like a spin-off of “100 things” whatever. It is a short-list so to speak.

Visit her blog, it is both fun and informative.

WOLFDOG FEARS

If you have read earlier posts, you will know that Sundance is afraid of virtually everything. I believe he is no longer afraid of frogs as evidenced by the one he carried into the house with him just a little bit ago. It was just kind of hanging out of his mouth. Once I got him to drop it, I had to chase the hopping little thing all over the house before I managed to get him back outside to safety.

Sundance has had to learn patience and how to pee in standing water. Due to Tropical Storm Fay, we have an abundance of water in our backyard and all of the critters out there are now on the same "ground" as the dogs are. I guess he decided he might as well play along and "play" he did. I am happy to announce that the frog is okay this time around. Let us hope that Sundance doesn't lose his fear of snakes and befriend one of those. If that happens, I will have to finally give the house to the dogs, pack my things and leave. I have a horrible fear of snakes and many other critters, is it any wonder my wolfdog is afraid of everything too?

Wolfdog

10 DOLLAR SIGN-ON BONUS WITH PEPPERJAM AFFILIATE MARKETING NETWORK

If you have a blog, by now you have figured out there is money in that there blog. There are many ways to make money with your blog but one of the easiest is with Pepperjam Network.

They have a very fast-growing company in affiliate marketing and have been listed as one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in the United States and to celebrate their success, Pepperjam Network is Now Offering a $10 Affiliate Sign On Bonus. Join Today. That is not a typo, you really get 10 bucks just for signing up.

Once you sign up, you are put in touch with multiple companies categorized for many different blog themes. Marketing companies are eyeing the success of internet business and switching their attention to top search engine affiliate companies and are frequently looking to Pepperjam to help them with their marketing needs. New advertisers are added frequently from top-named brands, names people are familiar with.

I think one of the reasons they are so successful and are recognized by Inc. 500 ranking system is their support staff. They have a great crew that will work with you through all of your advertisers. Better yet, you can be online at the same time as your advertisers and chat with them in real time. Advertisers love this one-on-one opportunity to work with the people who are blogging about them and running ads on their blogs.

Become a member of a fast-growing affiliate network. Join Pepperjam Network and Receive a $10 Sign On Bonus. Make money on ads provided by Pepperjam, they do all the work, all you have to do is place the ads.
If you take a closer look at the 2008 Inc. 500 rankings you’ll see that Pepperjam is....

- one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in the United States
- the #2 fastest growing company within the State of Pennsylvania
- the #1 fastest growing affiliate marketing network
- the #1 fastest growing full-service internet marketing agency
- the #1 fastest growing interactive marketing agency
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- the #1 fastest growing “advertising / marketing” company within the State of Pennsylvania (#5 in the United States)

In addition, they have great incentive programs for bloggers. Click on a link and join PepperjamNetwork...sign up today!

MY WOLFDOGS DRANK MY CHOCOLATE HEMP MILK

I was away for a while today, even though Tropical Storm Fay was all over us and it was raining everywhere, I felt the need to get out of the house and, before I can’t leave the house due to flooding that may occur in my area, I decided to go up to Ormond and visit my dad and stepmom.

The first thing I noticed upon my return was that Sundance was loose, I had forgot to put the baby gate up. The second thing I noticed was an empty box of Chocolate Hemp Milk laying on the floor, empty, every last drop was gone. I looked at the ingredients to be sure there was nothing in it that would hurt them and did see where it contained cocoa powder but felt it was not enough to do any harm, as long as they shared it equally between them, like good little boys.

I know it had to be Sundance because every time something gets eaten or destroyed, he is loose. Spirit can stay in here and not touch anything, no matter how tempting. The time I came home and found 8 double rolls of toilet paper all over the house, Sundance was loose. The time I came home and found the garbage can had somehow fallen over and garbage was strewn all over my house where someone had rifled through it, Sundance was loose. There have been other instances that do not immediately come to mind but on every occasion, I had forgotten to put up the baby gate and Sundance was loose. He tried to get up in my lap and kiss the pain away because, let’s face it, that chocolate hemp milk is not cheap, it is as if he had drank a bottle of very expensive Champagne when he could have had some cheap wine. When I told my mother, she became hysterical and couldn’t stop laughing, she knows how expensive it is and even took up for them saying it was my fault for leaving it out where they could reach it. I buy that stuff and sip it a little at a time savoring the flavor, rolling it around on my tongue like fine wine. I am thinking he dove right in and slurped it all up without actually tasting it, he and Spirit together. The reason I know they both got into it is both of their muzzles and lips were sticky and had a slight hint of hemp chocolaty goodness on them. But, I guarantee you it was Sundance that instigated it, he looked the guiltiest and…….he was loose. My bad!

BEAUTY OF LIFE BLOG

One of the ways to get our blog recognized and get more traffic is to write about interesting blogs we have found.

I have recently come across a very nice blog called Beauty of Life. It is a family oriented blog with information about everyday things. The young lady that runs that blog is married with one child. She has family in the Philippines and is troubled by conflicts that are occurring fairly close to where her family is currently residing. She has faith in God and for those of you who pray, maybe you can send up a little prayer for her family.

They have a cute section on the Grin Trademark; she and her husband always do a silly grin whenever they pose for a picture, some of which can be seen on her blog.

Her blog contains information about making money online, health issues, food, all kinds of subject matter.

She and her husband have a very cute little munchkin they call Abi. She has some cute pictures and stories in relation to her son, be sure and check it out.

FLORIDA FLOOD WATER AND YOUR PET'S SAFETY

Tropical Storm Fay is making its way slowly through Florida, back and forth it goes with strong winds and lots of rainfall. There are multiple flood areas across the state, especially in the Brevard area.

If at all possible, keep your pets inside or on a leash while outside, do not let them get away from you. This kind of weather scares our pet friends and they may make a mad dash away from you so a leash is necessary.

Do not allow them to play in the flood water or drink any standing water. I know that animals have a tendency to drink water wherever they can get it but this water is very, very dirty. It is filled with bacteria not to mention snakes and bugs, and in some areas, alligators. In addition, there is the risk of electric shock.

You should not be in this flood water and neither should your pets. If it is a necessity that you and your pets make your way through flood water, any areas of the body that have touched this dirty water should be cleansed with soap and water.

Keep you and your pet family safe.

SEQUOIA'S PUPPIES ARE OPENING THEIR EYES

I just heard from Sequoia's mommy, the puppies are fine and have started opening their eyes. Soon, they should be able to see what they are getting into, look out, this is when the fun starts.

START BLOGGING FOR MONEY - WEARING JUST YOUR BUNNY SLIPPERS

If you are looking at my blogs and thinking to yourself “hey, I can do that”, give it a try. Not only does it ease boredom, it promotes creativity, provides a challenge to get traffic to your site and, you can make money online while you are doing it.

I have just recently entered the online money-making community and have signed up with various websites geared to help you work at home wearing just your bunny slippers if you choose.

There are also just as many blogs devoted to helping you with tips and tricks to having a money-making blog and to work at home but one of my favorites is Blogger Talk OnlineThis blog contains hints, tips and links to tried and true work from home sites, they did all of the leg work for you. If you use their guidance, you really can make money online either full-time or in your spare time. Who doesn’t need a little extra cash at this time. If you choose to do this on a full-time basis, look at the money you will save on clothing, dry cleaning bills, maintenance on your car, gas for your car, and with some insurance companies you can even save on your auto insurance. If you have kids or pets, you can become a stay-at-home parent and keep a close eye on things, I know your pets would love to have you around all the time, not so sure about your kids lol. Visit Blogger Talk Online | Make Money Online | Work At Home and learn how to work from the comfort of your own home.

FLORIDA WEATHER AND YOUR PET'S SAFETY

If you live in Florida, you are keeping a close eye on the weather. There are storms out in the Atlantic that are projected to take several different paths and all of them look like we will, at the least, get a lot of bad weather which could power us down. Make sure you have your bad weather plans in place. If you are staying at home and have animals, make sure you have a gallon of water per day per animal and some for the humans too. I like to fill my bathtub, I can give the dogs water from that and flush the toilet with it. I also like to fill my washing machine tub with water. I always clean the tubs well prior to filling.

If you plan on heading for the hills, then please check out Floridapets.net for pet-friendly shelters and hotels.

In addition, check your hurricane kits and make sure you have fresh batteries for your radio and flashlights.

If you plan on using a generator to power up some of your appliances, make sure you move the generator out of the garage area, do not keep the generator in an enclosed space, it can be deadly. Remember, be careful and keep you and your pets safe.

Wolfdog

CHEROKEE AND FREEDOM'S ADVENTURE

Well, Cherokee and Freedom had to go their separate ways. Their dates this time around were not successful but we are hoping that absence will make the heart grow fonder and the next time around will be a better experience. Long distance love affairs have a high failure rate but I don't think this is going to be the case and......all is not lost, Cherokee started to warm up to me a little and came closer and closer to me, I was even allowed to pet her a couple of times and she was starting to bond with Freedom's mommy, Lisa. You know how tough it can be with those in-laws. So, let's all wish Freedom and Cherokee a better "union" the next time Cherokee comes to town.

Wolfdog

VISTAPRINT'S FREE EVERYTHING SALE

In order for your blog to be successful, you need to spread the word and one of the many ways to do that is to have some business cards printed up. But don't just stop there, VistaPrint is offering a special sale.

This is a great opportunity for you to get some free business cards printed up that contain your blog address or a way to place yourself in the job market. My dream job is to be a professional postie and what better way to market my skills. VistaPrint has many designs to choose from. Business cards are easy to pass on to others; hand some out at social events, join business card exchanges, leave some at your local businesses. Create some business card magnets. This is one of my favorites. Everyone loves magnets and VistaPrint makes durable, high-strength magnets. There are many people who collect magnets and your business card magnet can serve as a constant reminder when placed on someone’s “fridge”.

Are you planning a family reunion, have a special event coming up or just want to have an “End of Summer” party? With VistaPrint, you can create some high-quality, full-color invitations and announcements and provide your guests with a special custom-designed T-shirt to document the special occasion.

With just a few clicks of the mouse, you will soon be on your way to designing custom post cards, rubber stamps, business card holders, and return address labels which is also one of my favorites.

With so many possibilities combined with VistaPrint’s FREE EVERYTHING SALE, why wouldn’t you take advantage of this offer!

Visit the VistaPrint website today and check out these great deals. They stand behind their products and offer a 30-day 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t delay, order from VistaPrint today!

SEQUOIA HAD HER WOLFDOG PUPPIES

Hey everyone. Sequoia gave birth to 9 healthy puppies yesterday and Sequoia is doing fine. She did a really good job, taking care of business as nature intended. Rick and Deb's daughters were able to watch the blessed event and Deb says the girls were a little grossed out but Deb was beaming the whole time. It sounds like everyone did well. So, we have lots of beautiful wolfdog puppies for sale, send me an e-mail if you are interested at bdurrance@cfl.rr.com and I will put you in touch with Rick and Deb. The puppies will be ready in 8 weeks and will be wormed and have their first set of shots and will come with a health certificate. If you want to know more about these wonderful animals, please take a look at my blog, the older posts and check out wolfdogqueen's blog at http://www.wolfdogqueen.blogspot.com.You can visit some of the sites I have listed as my favorite sites or just google wolfdogs, wolf dogs and wolf hybrids. These pups are high content wolfdog mixed with husky and malamute.

DOG NIGHT AT RITTER'S

Howl everyone! Mommy has been so busy I think she forgot to mention that tonight is dog night at Ritter's Frozen Custard. Mommy is going to skip it this month. Cherokee is in heat and not sure if Cubby is going to see if her family will take her. Freedom and Kodiak are going to be there. Have a howling good time.

Spirit

CHEROKEE AND FREEDOM'S FIRST DATE

That beautiful girl Cherokee had her first date with the handsome wolfdog, Freedom. There was a lot of sniffing, a little bit of growling and showing of teeth when Freedom got too close for comfort but in the end, Cherokee did not mind having a date with Freedom after all. No pups in our future yet but it was not for lack of trying on Freedom's part. Cherokee sent him on his way singing the "blues". They have planned another date and hopefully we will all be able to do the puppy dance. Please enjoy the picture of Cherokee and Freedom taking a break and in one of their more quiet moments.

CAN YOU SPOT THE PITBULL?

Several posts ago, I wrote about an aggressive dog study (click here to read). Some of the results surprised me but with all the bad hype about pitbulls, I was not as surprised to see them on that top 10 list. Breed Specific Legislation is being passed in some parts of the country and what this means is, certain breeds are being banned. I took a test to see if I could spot the pitbull here. To be perfectly honest with you, it took me my 12th to 13th try to "spot" the pitbull. This is very embarrassing to me since I grew up with a pitbull named "Clyde" and an Uncle of mine raised another pitbull named "Tiger". It is shocking how many dogs look and have certain characteristics of a pitbull and can be easily confused for one. Both of the above-mentioned pitbulls were pretty good dogs, especially Clyde who was a big baby.

Pitbulls are on the list of banned breed specific dogs. I feel bad for the people who have a "pit-like" dog that is being taken away from them because it meets certain criteria and is mistaken for a pitbull. Not only are the owners of a much-loved pitbull losing a member of their family but others are losing their dogs as well due to the inability to prove, for instance, dogs without papers, lack of pitbull heritage. I can't imagine being one of these people that is losing what to me would be one of my children and especially if there is a huge mistake being made and you have no way of proving it.

Now, I raise wolfdogs, another breed that is banned in some areas. In addition, there has not been enough testing done to determine if a rabies vaccination really works on a wolfdog. What does that mean? If one shows up at the pound, it is immediately put down because of this factor alone. How wolfdogs got a bad rap, I have no idea. I have three who could not be more loving and sweet-natured. The only thing that is hard to explain is their skittish behavior toward new people, sights and sounds. They take a long while to warm up but once they do, "look out" because they could be accused of licking you to death.

If you would like to know more about this test mentioned above, please visit this site. I have read through it a little bit and find it to be a very interesting site with good reading and information.

Wolfdog

SAFE ICE CREAM FOR YOUR DOG

Ever wonder what would happen if you gave your dog ice cream? Well, many dogs are lactose intolerant and should not be given ice cream. Lucky for them,
there is a specially blended ice cream for dogs and Cold Nose Creamery makes it in four delicious flavors. All of their dog ice cream is made using natural ingredients including soy milk combined with lactose-free milk.

If your dog likes peanut butter, they make a yummy "Puppernutter" that has enough peanut butter in it to satisfy your dog's craving. "Puppermint" is made with mint leaves and helps take care of that "doggie breath" your loved one sometimes has. Mint is also very good for "people breath". They also make "Puppernilla" and "Pup o'Latte" which include vanilla extract and carob powder respectively. Click on each flavor to see a complete list of ingredients and analysis.

Cold Nose Creamery is located in Connecticut but they are planning on branching out. In the meantime, you can order from their website at the Cold Nose Creamery.

They make a variety of other products for your dogs so be sure and check them
out.

With the weather currently being the way it is in most parts of the country, this would make a nice treat on a hot afternoon.