Being Sick Sucks/Russian Blue Breed Profile

Is it only Tuesday?  I have been sick this whole weekend and I'm finally OK enough to be back at work.  

This it Happy Junior.  Well, not really.  He's from the pet store at the mall.  He's a Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix.  SO freaking cute.  I wanted him so bad but I remembered there are so many dogs at shelters that need homes too (and also he cost a whooping $1099.00)  kind of out of my budget.

Anyways, Christmas time is pure madness.  I love it but at the same time its crazy making.  I can see how easy it is to forget the true meaning of Christmas in all the present buying, gift wrapping, mall going, having parties, and house decorating.  But its moments like this when I'm sitting at my blog that I can have a peaceful moment to remember the reason for the season.

**** snowflakes ****

Here's my cat Arnica making her nest in the tinsel I bought to decorate.  She cracks me up.  She was burying herself in it and being all cute.  

Here is a Breed Profile on the Russian Blue Cats:

Little is known about the origin of the Russian Blue, however, stories and legends abound.  Many believe the Russian Blue is a natural breed originating from the Archangel Isles in Northern Russia.  Legend has these beautiful animals were trapped for their plush double coats. Rumor also has the Russian Blue as a descendant of the Royal Cat of the Russian Czars and as a favored pet of the Queen Victoria.

The Russian Blue is a gentle, affectionate cat easily distinguished from other breeds.  One of the most outstanding features is the short, dense coat of an even bright blue color with each hair dipped in silver.  The silver tipping gives the Russian Blue a silvery sheen that can be appreciated in natural light.  The body of the Russian Blue is fine boned (not Arnica, she's fat), long, and firmly muscled (maybe underneath all that fat?)

Disposition:  They are quiet, clean cats (yes, Arni is very clean), who are playful and loving companions.  Despite their shy natura, they are devoted and quite affectionate toward their loved ones (So true!)  Sensitive to the mood of the house, Russians will "clown" to quiet a crying baby or sit patting your face to chase away the blues.

This is interesting:  While the R.B. may at first glance look like any other grey cat, a more careful look will show them to have a special appearance all their own.  They have been said to look as if they are smiling and that the reason for that smile is known only to themselves.

If you want to read the whole profile, here is the link I got the info from:  Russian Blue

Fish - No, but Shark...Yes?

A couple posts down I had wrote that Happy did not like the Fish Sticks I bought for her.  I was a little bummed and I should throw them out now.  I keep hoping she would start chewing them but they are in mint condition.

I saw the 6" Great White Chew online at BestBullySticks. The fish failed epically so who knows why I thought Happy would like Shark?  I ordered it.  Gave it a shot...and she LOVED it!  She really devoured the whole thing in about 10 minutes and only crumbs were left.

Here were the reasons why:

1.  The are made of Thresher Shark Spine and nothing else!  Kind of cool huh.

2.  They are good for teeth and are packed with Chondroitin for joints.  I know this is good for you because when I hurt my knee the doctor made me take Chondroitin pills.

3.  They are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids that promote healthy skin and heart.

4.  The most important reason of all...is that they have anti-cancer properties!

Did you know that cancer is leading health issue for dogs?  Like human cancer there is no direct pinpoint to where it comes from.  Its estimated that 1 in 4 dogs will die from canine cancer. Cancer is the leading cause of death in both Cats and Dogs over 10 years old.

According to VPI Pet Insurance, dogs are:

1.  Twice as likely to develop leukemia than humans.

2.  Four times more likely to suffer from breast cancer.

3.  Eight times more likely to develop bone cancer.

4.  35 times more at risk for developing skin cancer.  Insane.

Possible reasons why the risk is so much higher than humans:

1.  Dogs may be consuming carcinogens in their dog food.  Some of the chemicals used to preserve pet food have been revealed to be cancer causing agents.  Sadly, Mouth Cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer in dogs.

2.  Dogs regularly inhale unseen cancer causing materials.

3.  Dogs get a lot of sun exposure.  On a sunny day (especially So. Cal) dogs are likely to hang out in the sun for hours.  This can lead to a large amount of ultraviolet exposure and likely the reason for skin cancer in dogs.

ANYWAYS.  Enough of the sad talk.

Enjoy life while its good.  Enjoy it when its bad because its the only life you got, so live it to the fullest with no regrets!

wendy

Its Love, I Swear

My cat, Arnica, rules my house.  She goes from room to room, couch to couch, strutting her stuff being fabulous and fat (yes, she's quite chunky...) This is what I bought for her but its actually 2 different pieces.  The steps are separate from the rest of it but I wanted her to be able to lounge on the steps next to my table.  She doesnt do that though since she would rather lounge in my lap more than anything.

My cat loves her cleaning pipe self scratcher.  Its the black "U" shaped item at the bottom left.  She may appear to be spoiled but like the title says, I swear its Love!  She is such a good cat.  She's clean, cuddly, gives me kisses on my nose, and snores.  She never barfs (well not anymore since I changed her food) and never leaves any food.  

I have to say, just say NO!  to Science Diet cat food.  Even the sales girl at Petsmart advised against it.  Arnica is currently eating Wellness Light dry food with Fancy Feast grilled can food. She seems to really like the Wellness food.  It contains no by-products, gluten (big no-no) and no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors.  One great thing about this is the fact they added Cranberries to the ingredients.  One of the number one reasons cats go to the vet is because they get the dreaded UTI (Urinary Tract Infection.)  If you see your cat peeing in other places besides the litter box (either on a hard surface or really soft surfaces) your cat has a UTI.

Daniels cat started peeing in the bathtub and stove top (hard surface.)  Arnica started peeing in my clothes (soft surface.)  The Wellness food knows that and added 3 different types of cranberries to promote a healthy urinary tract.

Okay, well thats my thoughts on cat food for now.

wendy

The Day Happy Stood Still...

I like to call this photo, "The Virgin Happy."

Happy is very camera shy at times.  She will be totally still and the minute I take out my camera or try to take a photo on my phone she moves and wont stay still.  Arnica does the same thing.  Camera shy I guess.

This photo I got just in time though.  We were outside playing tug-of-war with her blanket and she sat down so I threw the blanket on top of her.  She looked so cute and funny and gave me her signature "sideways glance."  It was like she was in a photoshoot mood because I was able to capture a few good photos that night.  I'll post more later but this one is my favorite out of them all.

I love the little black area below her nose.  Reminds me of Charlie Chaplin (btw, I want to name of my next pyrenees Chaplin.)  

Well its raining, and its raining hard.  

Next post I will do a study on the breed.  I'll start off with a Great Pyrenees of course!

Keep dry,

wendy 

Winter Wonderland

Got this email from Best Bully Sticks.  Receive 5% off all your orders for the month of December.  When checking out, apply DECEMBER into the coupon code box.

I just ordered 8 bully sticks and a 2 bags of Duck treats. 

Just to show you the price difference, I ran out of bully sticks so I bought 2 at Petco at $4 a piece.  At Best Bully Sticks, you are guaranteed quality and the price is only $1.09 each!  Such a deal its amazing.

Next thing when I get paid is to try the Antlerz (which is perfect for a Holiday gift!)  Happy is a big time chewer and it seems like this will be a good challenge for her.  It doesnt splinter and its 100% natural. 

Also, I have to get a picture of Happy chewing her bully sticks because you can win a $25 gift certificate!

wendy

Dusting off the Old Bones

Last night I came home and Happy is so great.  She always leaves me fun presents!  So last night I got 4 giant blobs of barf everywhere mixed with a little bit of dirt and grass.  

I was too tired to clean it but I needed to find out WHY she was barfing.  I looked over to my right and noticed something giant covered in dirt on the floor.  Oh gross!  It was an old bone that she had dug up and she must have tried to eat it and her body was like, hellz no and barfed.  The bone was so old that it had stuff growing on it, like a plant root.  You know its bad when a bone is growing something!

Anyways, I trashed it and she hasnt barfed since then.  I should pick up a couple of bully sticks for her so she doesnt go finding old treasures she buried.

Ugh, Belly Aches

Since Sunday, Happy's stomach has not been well.  She has been having the runs but she doesnt seem to be affected by it much.  She was still running around and being her silly self.  My dad told me not to feed her anything for a day.  I said "NO" and fed her anyways.  Bad move.  My dog walker told me the same and to hold food from her for 24 hours.  If she gets better, then feed her some mushy rice and chicken but if it continues for a couple more days to go visit the vet.  

So my dog walker (Heidi) took away Happy's food.  She didnt seem to mind at first but after the 24 hours passed and I fed her the rice and chicken, she was eating like a maniac.  Needless to say, her poop is better and she is now back on her Natural Balance.

I'm gonna receive a package from Best Bully Sticks today so I am excited to see how Happy enjoys her "fish" sticks!  I will post her reaction.  I hope its a good one!

Wendy

12/2 EDIT:  Happy did not enjoy the fish sticks.  She licked them a bit but she never even bit into them.  They seemed like they were going to be really good but nope.  Happy Rejects the Fish Sticks!

Bully Sticks

Hi, my name's Wendy.  I have created this blog for my dog Happy Feet aka Happy aka Puppy Face.  She is a Great Pyrenees and almost 2 years old.  We took her in after a friend could not take care of her anymore due to her size and her "wild side."  She was a bit of a crazy dog with no manners at all.   I recall days when all I could do is bury my hands in my face and cry because I felt like I could not control her especially since she is a large dog too (and I am not so large.)  Luckily I found time and a private trainer to help me with her manners.  Her biggest issue was that she was not shown enough attention so the only way she could get it was to bite people.  It was extremely tough on me because she would run at full speed and just start biting me and tearing my clothes.  After a few hard months, we finally came to a truce.  I dont know how it happened but it just did.  She is now one of the most amazing dogs ever.  She is so smart, cute, quirky, and goofy.  

So the reason for this blog is to review products, training tips, and whatever else that makes Happy a Happy dog!  I feed her so many different kinds of treats and I would love to share what I find with other people.  Also, I have 2 cats too so I might throw in a few cat facts here and there.  

Thanks for reading,

Wendy