pit bull awareness day on Sat….

Saturday, October 24 is Pit Bull Awareness day…

http://pitbullawarenessday.webs.com/

Pitbull Blues by John Shipe

http://www.last.fm/music/John+Shipe/_/Pit+Bull+Blues

the song on this site made me cry… it’s so true… the friendliest dog in town… wagging tail at the speed of light… all I want to do is sniff/lick your shoes/feet, but no matter what I do I’m accused of looking for a fight… pit bull blues…

The lyrics say it all:

Pit Bull Blues by John Shipe

People see me walking down the street they all run and hide.

I used to take it personally now I take it in stride.

I got nothing against no one I wouldn’t hurt a fly.

People seem to think i’m mean and here’s why, and here’s why…

I’m a pitbull, a big brown red nose pitbull, a tooth baring muscle bound pitbull, I look like I can tear the steel off a locomotive freight train.

People park three spaces away when I’m waiting in the car.

All the kids in the neighborhood they never walk through my yard.

And there’s a rumor floatin’ around the county that I ate three cats,

But I swear from the bottom of my K9 heart I didn’t do that.

Nooo I didnt do that.

But I’m a pitbull, a big brown red nose pitbull, a tooth baring muscle bound pitbull, I look like I can dig a hole through a concrete wall.

yaaa.

I got these pitbull blues all I want to do is sniff your shoes.

I aint no killer hound though I’m the friendliest dog in town.

The sheer sound of my bark can break through arctic ice.

Deep down I’m a pussy cat, I’m just trying to be nice.

In case you didn’t notice I’m wagging my tail at the speed of light.

But no matter what I do I’m accused of looking for a fight.

yaaa

cause I’m…

A pitbull, a big brown red nose pitbull, a tooth baring muscle bound pitbull, I look like I can crush a cannonball with my jaws….

cici met a new dog through the window, she jumped up on the a/c unit to say hello, to an unfixed male pit bull… wagging her tail and licking the window… she sooo much wanted to play… the other dog seemed friendly, too, it just wasn’t the right time for them to play…

here’s some pit bull info… from ohmidog and other sites…

Please be aware that “pitbull” is not a breed of dog. It is a term the

public uses to describe a k-9 with certain traits resembling a

American Pitbull Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, or any other bully

breed.

A study done by the CDC showed that “pit bull type” dogs accounted for the majority of dog related fatalities in the United States between 1979 and 1996, though the study admits some limitations in its data. These attacks were proven to be by pit bulls that were highly under-socialized.

The American Temperament Testing Society shows a pass percentage of 84.3% for American Pit Bull Terriers. Still, a firm, even hand and early obedience training are best. They generally have a lot of energy and high prey drive ; they need exercise and stimulation in order to channel their energy properly and not become frustrated, bored, and destructive.

Activities

Being intelligent, athletic dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers excel in many dog sports, including weight pulling, dog agility, flyball, lure coursing, and advanced obedience competition. Some APBTs have been known to do well in schutzhund as well. Out of the 25 dogs who have earned UKC “superdog” status (by gaining championship titles in conformation, obedience, agility, and weightpull), fourteen have been American Pit Bull Terriers.

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a working dog, and is suitable for a wide range of working disciplines due to their intelligence, high energy, and endurance. In the United States they have been used as search and rescue dogs that save lives, police dogs performing narcotics and explosives detection, Border Patrol dogs, hearing dogs to provide services to the deaf, as well as general service dogs.

this is an adorable pit bull puppy named Lucy…

http://www.dailypuppy.com/puppies/lucy-the-pit-bull_2007-05-24

to b and b or not to b and b…

that is the question…

last summer, I had two very different experiences at inns… this is totally true, no exaggeration…

which inn would you want to stay at and come back to again and again??? which innkeeper loves being an innkeeper and which one might consider retirement or another profession?

this is what the first innkeeper did…

1. when we arrived, i was offered help with luggage and asked if i wanted a cold drink…

2. my dog was also welcomed… i was told repeatedly that my dog had the run of the house and shown various entrances and exits to make it easy for us to come into or out of the house….there were chickens in a coop and baby chicks off the side of the house and my dog was more than tolerated, patted, rubbed and given lots of attention (plus cheese and sausage) and a bowl for water

3. my internet connection did not happen, so i was offered to use the innkeeper’s computer to use to get on the internet, was able to sit at their desk and also told that they had two phones with free long distance and i could make phone calls if i needed to do so

4. before the innkeeper left for a meeting, they showed me around, explained how everything worked, and made sure i was comfortable. plus, the home was immaculate, sparkling clean, and fresh …

5. when they returned from their meeting, they offered tea and two blueberry muffins before I went to sleep.

6. upon arising early, i was offered an earlier than usual breakfast and hot water for tea was available beforehand.

7. the breakfast was done with a lot of flair and i was told how they came up with the idea.

8. there was a parting gift to remember the inn and innkeepers by.

9. i was asked if i needed assistance with my luggage when i left.

10. i was also given suggestions about places to go and take the dog in the area as well as directions … i left feeling as though my dog and I were both pampered and cared for…

the very next day at another inn…

l. i was greeted by the innkeeper saying that my dog basically was not welcome (even though she knew that I was bringing a dog and writing about dog travel) because there were chickens running around loose on the property and a fraidy cat dog

2. i was also told that i was expected later in the afternoon, all of which was a complete unwelcome

3. i was shown to my room upstairs, no downstairs rooms were an option (I had thought there were two ground level cottages). When we went downstairs, the innkeeper and I chatted in the kitchen while my dog was in the car, in the hot sun, the phone rang and the innkeeper not only took the call but stayed on the phone for more than 10 minutes, while i sat there waiting, i finally indicated that i was going upstairs and bringing my dog with me

4. i waited for more than an hour for the innkeeper to get back to me, and she never did.

5. she had mentioned she would be doing a wine and cheese hour in the afternoon and when i finally came downstairs (after waiting for her to get back to me) and asked about it, I was told, you said you did not want any wine. was i offered anything else to drink or eat? no… the innkeeper acted like it was a huge inconvenience, doors were slammed and i finally was given a generous slab of cheese and crackers, no water, no soft drink, no lemonade, no conversation and the person left to go off to a meeting for the evening.

6. the next morning, i was asked if eggs were ok for breakfast at 8:30… i said yes. I was not asked about my preferences or allergies or how i like my eggs cooked. they were thrown together, homestyle, scrambled with bacon (which I don’t eat) and english muffins, and yogurt and fruit was offered. not exactly the sort of food expected at a b and b.

7. the room itself smelled funny, no desk to work on and i had no idea if there was any temperature control of the room if it got cold nor if I could get on the Internet or not

8. the downstairs seemed dusty, musty and not entirely clean, there was a tv downstairs in the living room, but i was not told whether i could watch it or how to use it and there was no tv in my room nor a phone either

9. no parting gift, and no assistance or suggestions except to take my dog for a long walk which i had before we arrived. she had been able to run and roam free at a couple of properties but not in a couple of days…. and this property had no place for her that was safe… there was a busy road with cars, horses, chickens and no fenced area for the dog to play

10. i could not wait to leave and left at 9:15 am, I cannot recommend this inn to anyone… and if an innkeeper treats a travel writer this way, this is indicative of how they treat their ‘real’ guests… some innkeepers think it doesn’t matter and just want to make money and wonder why no one is booking at their inn. and they think that it is totally fine to give the media their worst rooms and to treat us shabbily, and then expect positive publicity… on what planet??? most innkeepers are more media savvy and smart than that… but some have an attitude that is unfathomable to me… if you don’t want us in your home, don’t invite us…

and if we go out of our way to get you excellent media coverage, don’t flake on the opportunity or you will be blacklisted and banned from future opportunities. the media are people,, too and no one likes to be treated badly.

do you treat your guests as if they are pests or people you truly want to be in your home ? do you think any guest would ever want to pay to stay at the second inn, visit the second inn another time and/or recommend it to their friends?

according to bed and breakfast.com, It is more important than ever to give your guests the best service and to get involved in social media and do publicity… just saying, if you need assistance, contact me and if I can assist you with writing a blog, twitter, newsletters, or other publicity, let me know…

http://www.innkeepersonly.com/innkeepernews/May-09/media.htm

cici’s new boyfriend…

Oneill is a rat terrier, five months old… cutey pie… his mom works at the Verizon Wireless store. Cici and O have been playing together the last few days … then she gets treats from SPCA ladies and others… she has a very tough dog’s life…

today someone gave me a lecture on her being an American Staffordshire, who knows… pit bull terriers he said have larger heads than Staffies, and she is just too beautiful/gorgeous so she must be a Staffie, ok, I think that she looks more like an American Pit Bull Terrier than an American Staffy… all that is confirmed is the Dalmatian part, see polka dots run…

what do you think ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pit_Bull_Terrier

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanstaffordshire.htm

I can haz belly rubs… all day long…

spoiled brat…

dogs survey carpet for treat crumbs…

cici likes her boyfriends young…

bathing a dog… hah…

hilarious, does this person actually have a dog ???

http://www.ehow.com/how_5512047_easily-introduce-dog-bath.html

you might want to slowly turn on the water while your dog stands patiently to be put into the tub… hah !

at the sound of running water, my dog cici runs and hides… tries to become invisible, shakes, and otherwise exhibits signs of trauma to come..

have tried some handiwipes (all natural, eco friendly) from Pet Food Express, which takes off the grime without committing the crime of putting soap and water on her, imagine, thinking bathing the dog is easy…

I LOVE the new shampoo but how to get the dog into the tub is vexing… am open to REAL solutions,, got any???

thanks.

this pup is from Bad Rap’s pit bull blog… sure, he looks like he’s really happy while bathing, NOT ! too cute… but he did it for a good cause… fundraising for dog vests…

need a dog fix, adopt one of these beauties !

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/adoptions.cfm

we love you, Martha Stewart !!!

on Martha Stewart’s daily wag, she wrote about pit bulls…about what loving overgrown lap and nanny dogs they are…

http://dailywag.marthastewart.com/2009/10/larger-than-life-lap-dogs.html

this is such a welcome post esp. since the marines, in their infinite devil dog mentality wisdom have banned pit bulls and other so-called aggressive dog breeds from marine bases… sure, as if dogs are the marines biggest problem…

http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/story/Marines-Ban-Certain-Dog-Breeds-as-On-Base-Pets/xXufy1DW00GbK-EyvXS_DA.cspx

here is what I wrote to one reporter of this story…

first of all, the military in its infinite wisdom has no problem sending young men and women into war and battles to die without proper equipment including armor… but they must protect military families from dogs??? I worked as a Newspaper Reporter in 29 Palms, and often followed stories at the Marine base there. The military leaders also had no problem with soldiers abusing their wives and children turning a deaf ear… but hey, it must be aggressive dogs that are the military’s most pressing problems. Basically, these breed specific laws are based upon fear and ignorance.

Most people do not even know what a pit bull is… can you find the pit at the link below there are photos of 40 dogs… which one is the pit???

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

2. I recently met three survivor dogs from Michael Vick’s kennels… all of these pit bulls (so-called aggressive breed dogs) that have been taken in by Best friends Animal Society, Monterey SPCA, Bad Rap and other animals organizations (millions of dollars spent to take care of them, a tiny percentage paid by Vick, who also has not made ONE inquiry into how ANY of the dogs are doing) have been trained and healed from the terrible traumas they were put through at the hands of violent psychopaths, including Vick, several of the dogs have become therapy dogs, and most are being adopted as loving pets.

3. Perhaps the marines should make sure that ALL breeds of dogs on bases go through such training or none at all… since

in a series of dog temperament tests conducted by the American Temperament Test Society, Pit Bulls had a passing rate of 95 percent.

These tests put different dog breeds through various situations. Some tests involved the participation of strangers. Any sign of aggression and stress from the dog resulted in a failure of the test.

Golden Retrievers scored an 83 percent and Beagles scored a 78 percent.

The American Kennel Club believes Pit Bulls are the ideal family pet and recommended the breed as an especially good dog for children.

The American Temperament Test Society continually ranks Pit Bulls better in temperament than many other breeds. The Airedale Terrier, Basenji, Beagle, Bichon Frise, Border Collie, Chihuahua, Collie, Dachshund(4 of 6 varieties), English Setter, Lhasa Opso, Pomeranian, Shar-Pei, Shiba Inu, Shih Tzu, Schnauzer, and Toy Poodle all score below average and many more far below that of the Pit Bull. Even though these other breeds temperament score is less than average many would not even think twice in their ownership as a family pet.

My sweet rescue dog (3 years old) is part Dalmatian and probably pit bull… She is a loving and gentle dog who has walked away from three fights with other dogs who have attacked her, including a Cairn terrier (Dorothy Toto dog)… But hey, the military is not going to ban Toto from their marine bases, are they???

thank you, Martha !!!

orangutan’s best friend…

great photo … and adorable video…

http://www.pawnation.com/2009/09/26/national-geographics-unlikely-animal-friends-explores-inter-s?icid=sphere_wpcom_inline

Okay, This might just be the cutest video HuffPost Green has ever seen. Surya the orangutan falls in love with Rosco the hound dog, and then they roll around in the grass together and share cookies. Too cute.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/26/orangutan-and-hound-dog-b_n_299010.html

beware, my dog cannot hold her licker…

my dog cici was a big hit today, got at least 10 treats, lots of belly rubs and head scratches, and she gave out lots of licks, too…

saw a sign recently that was apropos, it said: my dog cannot hold her Licker… no kidding… she gave one guy’s leg a bath …

target sells these:

here’s a couple of photos of her hiding her head under the bed, while growling at me… one of her favorite things to do… don’t know why… and it had nothing to do with my smushing her tail in the car door earlier this week, ouch! felt soooo bad… put ice on her tail and it seems much much better, back to normal…

se:

wag your tail in little river…

THE ANDIRON SEASIDE INN AND CABINS (FORMERLY PACIFIC MIST INN)

If you’re happy and you know it wag your tail…

Now if you are looking for a FUN eco and dog friendly inn for some peace and quiet and relaxation, run do not walk to the Andiron Inn in Little River, California along Highway One (20 minutes from Fort Bragg)… feel the stress melting away. Doesn’t look like much as you drive up, rustic ambiance nothing fancy but boy there is a whole lotta Silence. Peace. Quiet. There are nicely spaced apart for privacy individual cabins that have been refurnished, renamed and express the new owners creative flair.

There are do it yourself barbecues, kitchens, a hot tub in the woods (how romantic)… speaking of romance, if I were getting married, this would be a fabulous place to tie the knot and invite a wedding party to stay… and if you are thinking about having a girlfriend’s getaway, the cabins are perfect because you can each have your own room and share one cabin. It is a hop, skip and a jump to the beach.

cici and i stayed in #4 the There cabin, with a globe (lit), a pull down school map on the wall, lots of vintage suitcases, jigsaw puzzles and games, and travel posters, circa 1960, a gas fireplace to cozy up, television, and a deck to sit outside… the owners love salvage, recycled, rehabbed furniture and are planning to put in a veggie garden, build a chicken coop, and create an outdoor space for music as well as build a fire pit and plant native trees. Other cabins include the writer’s cabin (Write), Here, an homage to the north coast, nature, nurture, read, curious, curiouser, play and make (a crafty cabin with an entire paint-by-numbers wall which guests are invited to complete).

By the way, Cici was very happy when Jen was manager when the inn was called Pacific Mist. Jen had a dog and Cici always loves to play. Jen is no longer at the Inn but Jen is the person who introduced me to Mendocino so am thankful to her for that.

address (6051 Hwy One, Little River, CA 95456)
website
email: TheAndiron@gmail.com
pet amenities: a pet kit with sheet, towel and treats
Rates: $99-289 pet fee: $20 per pet per night
Tel: 707 937-1543
no breakfast
on site dog: sometimes, two lovely greyhounds
Dogitude Rating: 3.5 Bones

south lake tahoe 2

The alpenrose inn is an eco friendly inn near the blue water of Lake Tahoe, has 19 rooms, six on the first floor are pet friendly. There is a nice garden area and our room (C) had a little porch outside with table and chair. Upstairs, there is an area where guests can sunbathe relax and read. Cici and a handsome 2 year old Golden Retriever mix boy named Blaze chased one another, wrestled and played together there. In walking distance to the beach and shopping center. breakfast is continental in the lobby…

We visited Dog Dog Cat that offers only healthy, all natural pet foods and cici had fun picking out a chewy and wagging her tail, getting treats and her usual floor show (belly rubs wanted)…

The Alpenrose Inn utilizes biodegradable shampoos, lotions and soaps made with natural ingredients that are packaged in recyclable tubes and cartons made with recycled materials. In addition to earth-friendly shampoos and soaps, the Inn uses primarily bio-friendly cleaning products. The City of South Lake Tahoe does not currently offer a recycle program to individual home or business owners, however, all city refuse is taken to a central location to be recycled.

within walking distance:

* Private Beach Access – Beach Passes are complimentary, which gives you access to the lake, playgrounds, and volleyball (5 minute walk).
* Lakeside Beach Grill – This beach-front restaurant offers an extensive menu and mesmerizing vistas (5 minute walk). Open in summer only.
* Heavenly Ski Resort – The gondola operates year-round, which gives you access to the Observation Deck for breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe, the Desolation Wilderness and Carson Valley (10 minute walk to Gondola).
* The Shops at Heavenly Village – With over 40 unique shops, eateries, and entertainment venues, you can shop and enjoy the traditional Tahoe ambiance with a distinct European village flair (10 minute walk).
* Casinos – Entertain yourself at several venues, including Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Harvey’s and Bill’s (10 minute walk).