Flat Fido… Flat Stanley… Flat Alex… just plain flat see the world…

Ok, so no response to my Naked Pit calendar idea yet… how about a Flat Fido project…  similar to the Flat Stanley project. What you do is create a Flat Fido drawing, crayons to paper, don’t have to be a great artist, just draw a doggie, make copies and then send a Flat Fido to relatives, friends, associates around the world, ask them to take photos of Flat Fido at places like the Louvre, Met Museum of Art in NYC, Bloomingdale’s, Monterey Aquarium, at the beach, on a train, on a whale watching boat, camping, in a ditch, at the circus, in a garden, at the zoo, Disneyland, SeaWorld, on a fire engine, in a police station, at a hospital or hospice, in a senior home, on a cruise ship, at the North Pole, Antarctica, Finland, Germany, India, Iraq, wherever, and also with celebs,  famous people, politicians, and send the photos of Flat Fido back to you… and then send the best ones to me…

ok, so we’re not in the lst, 2nd or 3rd grade… but I think Flat Stanley has traveled enough… it’s time for Flat Fido to see the world from a doggie perspective!  And if Flat Fido is based upon a real live dawg, and if Flat Fido meets a real dog, cat, horse, or other animal, you can name him Flat Fanny or Flat Felix…meets whoever, gimme a paragraph or two of Flat Fido’s story… therapy dog, search and rescue, family pet, whatever… clever, funny, cute, and sweet photos and stories wanted ! 

http://www.flatstanley.com/picture_gallery.html  

you can even paste a photo of your dog onto paper, or a magazine or newspaper photo of a dog onto paper…  or make a cut out of a cartoon dog…  you can give him/her a collar, a leash, and a personality, if you like.

here are some resources:

http://drawsketch.about.com/library/bl-step-dog.htm

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-draw-a-cartoon-dog 

just remember, the nice thing about Flat Fido is since he is a cardboard stick figure, pencil drawing or cartoon, or you can make him as realistic as your own dog, you don’t have to feed him, walk him, bathe him. He just hangs around, looking like he is glad to be with you.  Does he sit? Fetch? Bring your slippers and the daily newspaper? He is clean, obedient, and easy to take care of so your relatives won’t mind taking him out for a walk or a trip to the store. No poop to clean up. No muss, no fuss.

and oh by the way, my girl’s debut on squidoo….

http://www.squidoo.com/polkadotpitbull

I just wrote to someone that it should be illegal for dogs to be kept outside 24/7 on chains… this is cruel, inhumane and abusive treatment of dogs…. hurray, for this organization…

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/home.html

TIP JARLike my blog? Drop a few bucks into the Tip Jar and buy CeliaSue a cuppa hot chocolate!

Dog day afternoons at doggie daycare camp, K9 approved Four Paws Up…

These mutts of ours have it ruff ruff, bow wow… I tell Cici all the time when she’s whining about something trivial like I haven’t played with her in five minutes that she’s so deprived… NOT… spoiled rotten pup…

 

 

I have never taken her to doggie daycare or doggie camp but am very inspired by these places below… I picked places around the country that just seemed like a lot of fun… what pet owner wouldn’t want to leave their dog for a day, a week or two at a doggie ranch where the pooches play inside and outside, romp, work, swim, and are teamed up with dogs who match their energy, size, and temperament?  Some of these places have acres of fun, a structured environment, sometimes play, naps, meal times, individual attention (the best ones, I think), to give the pups the best of all worlds… and best of all they are cage free… no steely stark hard cold jail-like confinements for these mutts… some have comfortable homes with couches and others give the mutts and their owners a choice of accommodations. It’s a dog’s life!

 

If you are an owner or manager of a doggie daycare ranch or resort or if you know someone, I would LOVE to work with you (especially if you are in a warmer climate, California, here we come again !)   and I also would like to visit and write about the experience, so invite us for a visit and we will let the world know about you!

it has been snowing all week, brrrrrr…. and while Cici loves to play in the snow, her mom, wants to move south asap… and I would love a job where I could bring my dog to work…  and I also work freelance…

 

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22300755/

 

http://www.pamperedpuppy.com/features/200602_daycare.php

http://www.doggiedorite.com/index.htm

 

http://www.campbowwowusa.com/dog-daycare/

 

http://www.pawsconcierge.com/Resort/day.aspx

 

http://www.bone-a-fide.com/

 

http://www.houstondogranch.com/daycare.html

 

http://www.thedogranch.com/doggieday.htm

 

http://www.roxysdogranch.com/index.html

 

http://www.paradiseranch.net/dog_day_care.html

 

http://www.caninenannyservices.com/11.html

 

http://www.kep-ddranch.com/H-Activities.html

 

http://www.dancinwoofs.com/Daycare/

 

http://www.canineranchnyc.com/

 

http://www.wagsandwiggles.com/

 

http://www.setiadogs.com/state/michigan/metamora/flyingacanineranch/

 

http://www.luckydogranch.net/

 

http://www.rompattheranch.com/daycare/index.htm

 

http://playfulpoochusa.com/

 

http://www.dogboys.com/

 

http://www.findpetcare.com/se/dog-daycare-san-jose.htm

 

http://www.setiadogs.com/state/texas/sanantonio/pawderosaranch/

 

http://www.roverranchandspa.com/services.html

 

http://lovedogscamp.com/

 

http://waggintailswa.com/lodging.html

 

http://www.dogstarranch.com/home.htm

 

http://www.luckydawgs.us/

 

http://www.vintagekennelclub.com/boarddcare.html

 

http://www.doggieduderanchllc.com/daycare.asp

 

http://www.dairydellcanine.com/services/servicesOverview.html

 

http://www.thedoggieden.net/

 

http://www.creeksidecrittercare.com/dogdaycare.html

 

http://www.happytailsdogranch.com/daycare.htm

 

http://www.dogworksranch.com/?page_id=2

 

http://www.dogdaycare.com/sanmarcos/daycare.php

 

http://www.muttmates.com/

 

http://www.ladogworks.com/welcome.html

 

http://www.chateaumarmutt.com/

 

http://www.cagefreecanines.com/

 

http://www.personalpreferencepetresortspa.com/services/

 

http://avalonranchdogadventurecamp.com/index.html

http://www.dogworldabq.com/public/index.php

http://www.athenspetropolis.com/doggiedaycare.htm

Our Bed & Biscuit Suites are the ultimate in luxury. Each private suite comes with a flat screen TV built into the wall. Every guest gets a full sized toddler bed, toys and food. They even get a massage before bedtime! These suites are more quiet and are a great choice for dogs that tend to get easily stressed or for older dogs or just for those dogs that enjoy the good life.l

you are always on my mind, Willie Nelson / Malibu…

Best Friends Animal Society and Willie Nelson have teamed up to fight dogfighting in Georgia… making it illegal and giving the law oomph…. yay…

 

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071124/ap_en_ot/people_willie_nelson

 

 

and while I am not on the subject, was doing a search for a Chocolate Van to drive me and the pup around and came up with a new chocolate factory in the Bay area and

Chocolate Television… an indie station devoted to chocolate… imagine the possibilities…  but really, who wants to watch others eat and enjoy, you have to watch and indulge in chocolate samples yourself… 

 

http://www.chocolatetelevision.com/

 

 

 

The latest word on the new Malibu fires…  my friend is supposed to be In Las Vegas… have not heard a word… prayers for residents of Malibu …  sheesh, what a year this has been, fires, floods, earthquakes, oil spill, fires, cyclone in Bangladesh, weather and elements and people are churning… loss of homes, sadness, and hopefully, all will be well in time… 

 

 

http://www.malibutimes.com/articles/2007/11/24/news_flash/flash1.txt

 

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071125/ap_on_re_us/california_wildfires

 

 

MALIBU, Calif. – A fast-moving wildfire pushed by Santa Ana winds raced through the canyons and over the mountains of this wealthy enclave for the second time in little more than a month Saturday, destroying dozens of homes and forcing as many as 14,000 residents to flee.

 

The fire erupted in the wee hours after the long-predicted Santa Anas finally returned, and it quickly grew before the winds died down. Forty-nine homes were destroyed and another 27 damaged, said Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman.

 

By midafternoon the fire was estimated at 4,500 acres, or about 7 square miles, with 25 percent containment….

 

Some evacuees were treated to moments of joy and relief.

 

Geraldine Gilliland, 56, shrieked with happiness as an animal control officer reunited her with her six dogs and 21-year-old cat, left in her house when the fire drove workers at the property down the canyon.

“Oh my God. They got them, they got them, they got them!” she said, kneeling to embrace her pets.

“You can’t put a price on human life or canine life; these are my babies.”

Canine pools/rehab 2

Looks to me from the research I’ve been doing that my dog needs to be paddling / swimming in water for her physical therapy…  Found some great resources, now all we need is to find a place nearby (there is none), closest one is about an hour + away)… These are links to places I’ve found, some of them, seem really good and have explanations… Most are in California, Los Angeles area, Thousand Oaks, northern California, and some have listings for places in other states, too.    

Home

 

http://www.therapaw.net/theraPawLinks.html

 

http://dogpaddlewellness.com/your_pet_can_benefit_from_therapies_developed_for_you

 

http://www.mzjf.com/pools.html#CALIFORNIA

 

http://www.mzjf.com/pools.html

 

http://www.caminoanimalclinic.com/articles/canine_hydrotherapy.html                   Sorry but these links are not cooperating, so I am giving up, I have posted them and linked them about 10 times and they keep getting goofed up, running all together, there was a really cute photo of a dog swimming in the water, too… oh well…    see how this won’t give me a paragraph… you will just have to copy the links and then paste them onto your browser.

Barking at her own reflection… don’t worry, be happy

My friends had suggested that I take my dog on virtual walks, through a guided visualization, where she can run and play on the beach, as well as (I added this) play with other dogs. I also gave her a divine physical therapist, healer, trainer, and it was a lot of fun. Afterwards, believe it or not, her leg was stronger, she stopped hopping, and she even tried to climb this hill, which she has not done before. Some people may not think this means anything or think it’s coincidence, ok, that’s fine. For others, you know this works so I thought that I’d mention it. I will continue doing this.

My dog is bored and wants to run and play more than she can at this point, so part of doing this, is to help her dissipate some of the energy she has excessive amounts of, which leads to chewing up everything in sight and / or sticking her head under the bed and whining or growling or barking at me.

Speaking of barking, so funny, she saw her own reflection in the door to the laundry room and was barking at herself, thinking it was another dog, so i opened up the door so she could see that there was no dog in there… she sniffed around, looked confused, and looked at me, like what happened, where did the dog go? funny girl…

We did some training, stay and come and she did ok, but a few times, she just decided to mosy over, took her time, or she came before I told her to come… so this needs some work, she is still young…

http://www.strato.net/~crvny/sa03002.htm

dog self awareness…

http://www.dogtrain.ca/

dog training course

Countown to my birthday/Thanksgiving… got a huge turkey… so far no one to share it with… my friends are in Vegas or California or on the east coast, some in other countries, too. Dead relatives and the ones who are alive, never mind. I used to dread the holidays because it meant spending time with the family, now I’ve got no family to spend them with. Sad.

I would love to be at the beach, in Carmel, Monterey, Maui, Hawaii, any of the islands, in the Bay area, San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Pacific Grove, for my birthday… have a reservation, but don’t know yet how that could happen due to circumstances. Being stuck in northern Nevada is ok. It’s quiet and peaceful here at least. Could be worse. Count my blessings.

Praying for a new car/SUV, silver one, good on gas mileage, a Hybrid, or efficient, low mileage used one, as well as my own home near the beach. I used to live in Bodega Bay at the beach. It was cold in winter but I loved it there, listening to the surf / waves at night, the deer would come to the lawn, there were rainbows. The stars. Sigh.

There are a lot of stars here at night, and weird animal sounds. Rumors of wild bears, coyotes, and horses.

Is your Dog dreaming of a vacation?

Go to Carmel, CA. a very dog friendly town!

http://hollywoodpets.blogspot.com/2005/10/stay-at-doris-days-place-her-hotel.html

http://www.vacationidea.com/articles/luxurytravelpetsloews.html

http://www.european-jeweler.com/_carmel_dog_friendly.html

http://www.artistacreative.com/details/lovesDogs.html

Top 10 Reasons to Bring your Dog to Carmel:

1. Never dine alone at Carmel’s many dog friendly restaurants. For instance, Forge in the Forest offers a dog pound menu.
2. Wagging tails spark creative juices.
3. Dogs are great foot warmers.
4. Dogs can run/walk leash-free on Carmel beaches.

5. Dogs make a fuzzy and warm cuddle partner after the lights go out.
6. Carmel has many great dog boutiques- shop for matching outfits!
7. Barking and woofing are good for the soul.
8. Stop for a sip at Tiffany’s. Even Carmel’s finest retail shops place a water bowl on the sidewalks. And your dog is welcome in most Carmel stores and some banks.
9. Dogs don’t mind waiting while you paint, shop, nap…
10. Dogs love to socialize with other dogs and humans and birds.

http://www.cypress-inn.com/

http://www.bringfido.com/destination/CA/Carmel/

Or visit Kanab, Utah:

http://www.bestfriends.org/

Some Pet Friendly hotels/motels

http://www.redroof.com/

http://www.motel6.com/

http://www.lq.com/

http://www.wyndham.com/locator/pets/main.wnt

Fun sites:

Be a Dog Whisperer…

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/

http://www.aspenbloom-wellpet.com/

http://www.my-dog-blog.com/blog.php

http://aspenbloompetcare.com/pet-blogs

http://www.dogfriendly.com/

http://www.pettravel.com/

http://www.petswelcome.com/

http://www.takeyourpet.com/

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/caring_for_pets_when_you_travel/preparing_your_pets_travel_supplies.html

http://www.puppytravel.com/

http://www.travelpets.com/

http://www.happytailstravel.com/index.php

http://www.travelpet.com/

Get a Puppy Passport :

http://www.wagn4u.com/detail.aspx?ID=11

Airlines:

http://www.flypets.com/

https://www.aacargo.com/shipping/animals.jhtml

http://www.airlines.org/customerservice/passengers/Air+Travel+for+Your+Pet.htm

http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/special_travel_needs/pet_travel_information/index.jsp

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/pet/public/en_gb

http://www.atlanticair.com/pets.html

http://www.midwestairlines.com/MAWeb/travelPlanner/travelPrograms/petTravel.aspx

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1048,00.html

http://www.nwa.com/services/shipping/cargo/products/ppet.shtml

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/baggage/pets.html

Traveling with your Pooch Tips

http://dogs.about.com/od/travel/Travelling_With_Dogs.htm

http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Traveling_With_Your_Pet

http://cfhs.ca/athome/general_pet_information/

Media:

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2007/edition_09-23-2007/Pet_Travel

http://www.gadzoo.com/chicagotribune/PetsLinkView.aspx?LinkId=1202&GroupId=204

See the World with your Mutt

http://www.petsonthego.com/

http://www.swedenabroad.com/Page____47204.aspx

http://divinecaroline.com/browse/travel/family/?CMP=KNC-DC_GAW_16&gclid=CIK5hvC4uo8CFSbvYAodomvFIw

http://www.petscanstay.com/pet-travel/articles/travel_with_your_pet_the_easy_way_part_one.html

http://www.petvacations.com/

http://www.fidofriendly.com/

http://www.workingdogs.com/travel.htm

http://www.petfriendly.ca/checklist.php

http://pettravelcenter.com/

http://www.petssquare.com/Travel.html

http://goeurope.about.com/od/travelwithpets/Traveling_With_Your_Pet.htm

Restitution: And the People Said Amen…

My wish tonight is for everything
to become upside right
again

instead of inside out
and tumbled like weeds

that is where
i draw my personal line
in the sand

and hope and pray
and wish upon a star
that everything will right
itself again

Dogs are not cats

and cats are not birds

and never will fish be

leopards and porpoises

are not horses and cows

are not sheep and monkeys are not

caterpillars and squirrels are not camels

and chickens

are never gonna be

alligators

no matter how many of us wish and pray

for them to be so

the world should not have
gone awry
our meters on empty
our fortunes unkempt

Destiny awaits us
dare we rush away
from its call
hurtling ourselves deeper
into darkness and spaces
that were never meant to be
so painful

we should not have bent
and crawled and run and tangled
ourselves up into big blue balls
twisted with grief and sadness

do we have to wait for
the end to come
in order to be free?

for the world to be so
fragile and scattered
and shattered

for truth to be so obscured
and muted
for losses so permeated
and permeable

for people to shout to the heavens
save us
and the heavens
cry out with answers
but their cries fall on
ears that have not heard
a word in years

why is a child crying
when his mother
should be bawling
her very heart out

how can our leaders
fall so far short
of greatness
and dare to pluck their power
off of our trees
and stick their noses
so far out at us
like children and Pinocchio
saying nah nah nah nah

nanny nanny boo boo
the preschoolers wail
but is this proper behavior
for grown-ups
never mind our fearless leaders

where is that light in this dark tunnel
how do we find our way
when we are grasping for air
like miners looking for canaries
in caves that never should have been
tampered with

there isn’t a breath in sight
but there is California burning at night
with fetid air
and Arnold spraying poisons into our
atmosphere
in order to make money
for people who don’t deserve it
and to make things worse for the rest of us

how can we the people breathe
when there are so many untold truths
unburied bodies
and bold lies
that stick at our craw
and won’t go away

is it not better for us to
hurl ourselves into the wind
then to knock our heads
against the stoneheads of
the powers that be

we must hold onto each other’s hands
and never let go
for in our unity
there must be peace

We will find Peace
even if they don’t get it
and never will.

There’s a chance Peace will come

in our lives… John Lennon

All we are saying is Give Peace a Chance…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-NRriHlLUk

http://www.blogforpeace.org/2007/05/04/give-peace-a-chance-john-lennon/

http://willienelsonpri.com/peace/132/john-lennon-give-peace-a-chance.html

Let there be Peace on Earth and Let it Begin with Me…

Our hearts & prayers go out to our friends in southern California

Today CC has her last surgery… will be glad when this ordeal is over…

Speaking of ordeals, we went outside yesterday afternoon and I could smell smoke…

been receiving dispatches from our friends in Malibu about the fires…

one has lost her internet connection because of the fire… the other one sent this:

If you’d like some local Malibu news about the fires one of our newspapers has a website that is updated periodically.

http://www.malibutimes.com/

Just when we thought we were winding down here I heard sirens this morning at about 10:30, saw smoke rising and a fire helicopter flying in and circling – very near the bottom of my road! It turned out that a large truck had lost it’s brakes coming down Kanan Dume Rd. to Pacific Coast Hwy. He crashed into a Mercedes (both men killed immediately) while a 3rd car was hit and caught fire, igniting a brush fire… it’s been intense here since Sunday morning…

and I was reading the LA Times blogs this morning and found this one about a hotel offering shelter for owners and their pets, all kinds of pets…

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/breakingnews/

Hotels offering cut rates to evacuees

The fires bearing down on Southern California have closed popular tourist destinations, state parks and national forests in the region. The state’s record number of emergency evacuees — perhaps more than 800,000 — means travelers heading to affected areas may find it’s not business as usual.
Hotels from around the area are reaching out to evacuees who need a place to stay by offering reduced rates.
The U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego reports that one-half to one-third of their guests are local evacuees but says it will honor all regular bookings, said manager Mark Dibella. He said even the hotel’s owners — members of the Sycuan Indian tribe — have come to stay after being evacuated from their reservation.

The 97-year-old hotel has reduced room rates for evacuees — from $300 per night down to $165 to $250, depending on the type of suite needed — and relaxed their policy on pets. “It’s Noah’s ark here,” said Dibella, noting guests are now allowed to bring large dogs, fish, birds and other pets. “We are not turning away anybody in need of keeping their pet with them.” The hotel also reduced the per-pet rate from $150 to $50. Contact the hotel at http://www.usgrant.net or call (800) 237-5029.

— Mary Forgione, Jane Engle and Valli Herman