All Harnessed Up And Ready To Go!

Daisy loves going to new places, and we wanted her to be as safe as possible in this world of crazy drivers. So I did some research and decided that a car harness is the safest way to protect our little travelin’ pup.

I read that you should use the harness several times on short trips to get the dog used to it, because they generally don’t take to it right away. Well, we tried the harness out for the first time this weekend – I think Daisy rather liked the open-air experience, what do you think?

This is much better than my puppy travel crate! I feel like a person!

“Thrilled” is the word that came to mind! She was SO happy and tried out all kinds of sitting, standing, and lying positions, always with that same happy puppy-pant.

I'm so happyyyyyyyy!

I was shocked to read in a Blog Paws article that there are still a lot of people who drive with their dogs on their laps – while they’re driving! Just take a look in the article at what the AAA (American Automobile Association) says happens to dogs of different weights who are unrestrained by a car harness – it’s terrifying. You’d think that would be enough to convince pet owners to keep their pet as safe as they keep their children.

Anyway, since our first 10-minute drive with Daisy was such a success, we’re going to increase that travel time. We also have a seat protector which we’ll use on our next trip because we know this time we’ll be taking Daisy out to explore. (Isn’t it funny how Daisy’s coloring just happens to match my car interior? LOL!)

Where are we going next??

Monday Morning Chuckle – Dog Property Laws!

I ran across this list called Dog Property Laws and thought it was so true – and funny!

It's mine, all mine!

1. If I like it, it’s mine.
2. If it’s in my mouth, it’s mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it’s mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.
5. If I’m chewing something up, all the pieces are mine.
6. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours.
7. If it just looks like mine, it’s mine.
8. If I saw it first, it’s mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it’s broken, it’s yours.

Have a happy, shining Monday everyone!

Monday Morning Chuckle – Funny Dog Costumes

We’re way past Halloween, but funny dog costumes give good giggles any time of year! This website has a collection of costumes that can even bring a smile to Mondays. There’s even a bird dressed in a tuxedo!

Enjoy, and have a happy Monday!

Those dogs look amazing, but I still like being a pumpkin!

Monday Morning Chuckle: Strangest Dog Names

So VIP Pet Insurance publicized a list of the top 50 strangest dog names they’ve ever heard. These are actually the names of dogs whose owners applied for pet insurance!

Here are a few of the wildest:

I may be goofy, but at least my name isn't!

Sirius Lee Handsome
Zip Drive
Muppet Bundle
Meatwad
Low Jack
Rush Limbark
Peanut Wigglebutt (can you imagine the vet calling that name out in a crowded waiting room??!)
Spatula (don’t let this one get around – those nutty celebs who name their kids things like Diva Muffin and Audio Science [I kid you not, just follow the link!] would probably steal it!)

And of course, there’s the classic old joke about a dog named Herpes because he wouldn’t heel….

Have a happy Monday everyone!

Monday Morning Chuckle: Dogs RULE!

This is SO TRUE!!!

DOG RULES OF THE HOUSE:

Wink wink....this sofa's MINE now.

1. The dog is not allowed in the house.
2. Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
3. The dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.
4. The dog can get on the old furniture only.
5. Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
6. Okay, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.
7. The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but not under the covers.
8. The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only.
9. The dog can sleep under the covers every night.
10. Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.

From “My Dog is the World’s Best Dog“ by Suzy Becker.

Hope you all have a good Monday! It’s rainy here with major thunder/lightning storms during the night (why do they always come in the wee hours of the morning so sleep is completely disturbed??!!), but we’ll make the best of it!

Monday Morning Chuckle: Canine Concierge – Pooch Relations!

No I’m not making it up – this is a bonafide, real life occupation and one employee at the Hotel Pennsylvania has the business card to prove it!

Oh Concierge....I'm ready for my spa treatment, please....

Being right across from Madison Square Garden, the hotel expected about 1,000 canine guests during the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and one man’s job is the Canine Concierge in charge of Pooch Relations.

A Wall Street Journal article about the dog show talks about this and a few other new occupations to hit the Big Apple for this elite event – how about a Pet Taxi for dog owners who don’t want to walk their star AKC pups in the crowded city? No fewer than TWO cab services of this type are being offered!

And the Barking Dog restaurant cooks burgers to your dog’s taste, any way he/she likes it. (Reviews for their human food aren’t so good, though.)

How cool is that?!

Date Bait – Dogs as Matchmakers!

My family says every heart on my blanket represents a different reason they love me!

Valentine’s Day is next week, so I was wondering – have you or has anyone you know ever met that “special someone” because of your dog?

Oh yeah, dogs can definitely find love  for their owners- they’re the ultimate matchmakers, in a sense!  We’ve all heard about guys and girls who use their cute dogs as “magnets” to attract potential dates.  BUT – did you know that there are dating sites specifically for dog lovers?

Date My Pet is an online dating service for pet lovers – it even has a catch line of “Date Me. Date My Pet”. Funny, but for true pet lovers, their significant others’ acceptance or rejection of a dog or cat can make or break a relationship!

Plenty of romantic comedies include scenes of a new lover tossing a dog or cat out of bed, or getting completely intimidated by a dog staring at them during a love scene. My guess is that it happens in real life too!

Must Love Pets is another online dating service for pet lovers – they describe themselves as a service for “singles looking for a partner who understands your pet is your baby.”

You get the idea! I’d love to hear if anyone has used these types of services!

Monday Morning Chuckle: Stupid Dog Laws

Where do legislators find the time to think up all these crazy laws?!

Good thing this is only an empty bottle of sparkling apple cider, or I could be arrested in some states!

Here’s a bunch of crazy, funny, and yes – stupid – laws concerning dogs from right here in the good ol’ US of A. I know some of them are antique and have actually been repealed, but some are actually still in existence!

Colorado: The dog catcher must notify dogs of impounding by posting, for three consecutive days, a notice on a tree in the city park and along a public road running through said park.  (umm….maybe just badly worded?)

Illinois:

It is illegal for anyone to give lighted cigars to dogs, cats, and other domesticated animal kept as pets. (Who on earth did this??)

It is illegal to give a dog whiskey. (Darn!)

No person may keep a smelly dog. (Actually reads: No person shall keep or maintain any animal, poultry or fowl in such a manner to cause inconvenience or disturbance to other persons by reason of noise, odor or other cause.)

It is against the law to make faces at dogs. (HAHAHA – we’re sunk!)

Michigan:

It is illegal to kill a dog using a decompression chamber. (But other means are okay???? Yikes!)

North Carolina:

In one town, fights between cats and dogs are prohibited. (Do they have a drug to quell this natural instinct? And I guess dog fights are condoned??)

Ohio:

It is illegal for a dog to urinate on a parking meter. (Apparently this is from a particular town, where supposedly there are no parking meters.)

A policeman may bite a dog to quiet him. However, the reverse is not true, even if it’s a police dog. (I really hope this is misquoted…)

Oklahoma:

Violators can be fined, arrested or jailed for making ugly faces at a dog. (LOL!!)

Dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate in groups of three or more on private property. (Or else the neighborhood will go to the dogs…. Sorry, I just had to say it.)

Outdated or current, the fact is that these laws do or once did exist. I’d love to know how some of them came into existence!

 

Monday Morning Chuckle – Yorkie Becomes International Canine Supermodel!

Move aside Kate Moss – Manfred of Sweden has arrived!

And I thought those imported Irish sweaters were pricey!!

Manfred is a Yorkie who lives in Sweden but can’t handle the cold weather. So his ingenious owner designed and created a line of clothes of the same high quality and design as her own clothes, and the multi-million dollar company, Manfred of Sweden, was born.

Manfred isn’t just the inspiration for this line of canine clothing and matching bags, he’s also the model and has become the top canine supermodel of the world. Manfred of Sweden clothes are carried in only the ritziest boutiques, and they’re made with materials like lambskin, real gold, sterling silver, fine pearls, Swarovski crystals – you get the idea!

While this is nothing short of brilliance on the part of his owner, the chuckle comes to me from the prices people are willing to pay for dog clothes – how about $1,471 for the American Bag dog carrier that matches the $601 American Jacket?

Or maybe you’d like to tone it down with a $220 black retro T-shirt….

And of course, your pooch can never, but never, wear the same thing twice…. 

Monday Morning Chuckle – Dog Poop Lawsuit

This dog-related lawsuit is SO crazy that it was even a topic of discussion in the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey discussion forum!

Humans sure can be silly. Why sue when you can nap??

NORWALK, Conn. (AP) ― A New York woman has filed a $100 claim against Norwalk saying a family outing to the Maritime Aquarium was ruined by dog feces.

The woman claims her child’s shoes, along with the entire outing, were ruined when her 1-year-old stepped in dog feces outside the Maritime Garage.

City attorney M. Jeffry Spahr says the official response is that her claim is denied and in his words, “poop happens.”

Kelly DeBrocky of Mahopac, N.Y., wants the city to reimburse her for $54 she spent replacing her toddler’s ruined shoes and the expenses for parking and aquarium admission.

I mean, just think of the time and filing fees this woman incurred! I guess this should be filed under the “Get A Life” category….