There's No Business Like (Dog) Show Business!

Here's a photo of me with my first dog, Zero Amy at the 1968 "Girl Scout-a-Bout" held on the football field of Highlands High School. There was a dog show and Zero won first place in the costume division dressed as a bumble bee. My mother, the Edith Head of Sterling Avenue designed the costume that featured net wings, a yellow tutu and pipe cleaner antenna. If you look really close, you can even see a little stinger sticking up above her tail. (My Mother has always been a stick-ler for detail!)

This was our second foray into dog show-dom that summer and we were feeling pretty unstoppable. (Sort of like Taylor Swift must about now.) And who could blame us? After all, we were coming off the heady experience of taking first prize in the costume division, then going all the way to "Best in Show" at the Ken-L-Ration Kid's Dog Show in the parking lot of Kroger in Fort Thomas.

That win came complete with a blue ribbon, trophy and the right to represent the Fort Thomas Kroger at the regional Ken-L-Ration Kid's Dog Show competition at Coney Island. That meant that Zero got to go to Coney Island with my Mother, Dad and me. Actually (as we are fond of saying), Zero took us to Coney Island. Now, being a dog and all, she couldn't ride the rides, but they did let her into the park. That was a really big novelty!

*Now, I'm digressing, but since this is my blog and I can write what I want, let me ask you this: Do you remember when you were a kid and a dog would somehow get into the school and run around? It was a really big deal...at least at Robert D. Johnson Grade School. We thought it was the coolest thing ever. The dog would dart into the classroom with the janitor chasing behind. We would laugh and cheer and stomp our feet like the audience on American Idol. But, why was this? It wasn't as though none of us had ever seen a dog before. Most of us had one or two waiting for us at home. But a dog in school... WOW! Now, that...that was just out of context enough to have us buzzing for the rest of the day.*

Back to Coney Island...

Zero didn't win at the "Bigs." My 6 year old self was kind of miffed about it, but from where I sit the whole thing was a success because it is one my my most prized memories.

And guess what? I was just invited to emcee the "Furry Fort Thomas" dog show sponsored by the Campbell County Public Library Carrico/Ft. Thomas Branch this Sunday, June 6 from 2-4 p.m. Ryan Stacy, the Adult Services Librarian who asked me, said that there will be four categories: "Best Looking," "Best Trick," "Most Obedient" and "Best Dressed."

My life has come full-circle!

Nipper's Favorite Dog Cookie Recipe!

Eureka! I have found it, the best home-made dog biscuit recipe on earth. The ingredients are easy to find; it is fun and easy to make and best of all...*drum roll please* the final product is NIPPER APPROVED! Four paws up. He pronounced them (after taste testing two), "Good enough to serve the next time I have my buds over to play poker." Now that is high praise if I ever heard it.

Tomorrow we stop by to gift family and friends with the tasty morsels! Something tells me that I'm going to be extremely popular with the canine set! Now that the dogs are taken care of, I'm looking for a cat treat recipe. Do you have one? If so, please share...

Here's the recipe I used. Get to it!


Nipper’s Favorite Dog Cookies

(Makes about 2 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutter)

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
½ Cup Wheat Germ
½ Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Egg
½ Cup of the Water you used to boil the Chicken Livers
2 Tsp. Dried Parsley Flakes
1 Cup Chicken Livers
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Method

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Combine Flour, Wheat Germ, Yellow Cornmeal and Parsley in a large mixing bowl.

-In a separate bowl, beat the Egg lightly together with the Oil.

-Add Egg and Oil slowly to dry mixture; then add broth from the Chicken Livers. Stir together.

-Remove Chicken Livers from water. Pat dry on paper towels and mince very fine. (I used cooking shears.) Fold into dough. Mix well.

-Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until it forms a firm ball.

-Roll dough out to ½ inch thickness and cut into shapes with a bone shaped cookie cutter. (I suggest you use a small one.)

-Place on cookie sheets that you have coated with Non-Stick Cooking Spray.

-Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and firm.

-Cookies should be stored in the refrigerator.

Petsy Accessories!

Unless I'm wearing dog fur, I'm never totally dressed. You can quote me on that!

Part of the joy of having a black (and barely white) dog is if I have on dark clothing, the white hair shows and if I have on something light...well, visa-versa. There's no getting around it. Furry animals shed. I've tried asking Nipper nicely to "suck in his fur" but he isn't complying. I'm not willing to give up doggie snugs and hugs, so there you are. It is what it is. I've embraced dog hair as part of my "signature style." This is something I believe that Coco Chanel would definitely approve of considering that her nickname "Coco" literally means, "little pet." (Bet you didn't know that!)

I have lint brushes of all makes and models stashed in every conceivable spot. That's not to say that when I need one desperately, I can find one, but I digress...

Besides dog-fur, a lot of my wardrobe consists of pet-centric items. I own shirts, sweaters and nightshirts with pet-themes, slippers in the shape of bunnies and monkeys, scarves embroidered with images of dogs and cats, mittens with animal faces, a handbag with leather cut-out pups and an entire jewelry box of tiny creatures including dangly white mouse earrings. My favorite is a bracelet with a gold Cocker Spaniel charm that Tom gave me. (It is because, as my dear husband chuckled, "Nipper is "as good as gold.")

Speaking of Tom, he makes his own fashion statements with t-shirts that have Cocker Spaniels on them and several ties bearing the same motif.

But our favorite way to be "seen" is holding a leash with the real flesh, fur and grrrr guy on the other end. I always joke and say I got a black dog because I look thinner walking him. You've heard of LBD's (little black dresses? Well, Nipper's my LBD (Little black dog!)

Cuteohcuteohcuteofcuteness!

Love and Loss...

This past week I have had two friends call with the news that their beloved pets had died. Even though both had been ill for some time, when the end came it was still a horrible, stinging blow.

A pet can crawl into your heart in a way that nothing else can. (I do not have human children, so I can not even begin to imagine.) They give unconditional love and depend on you for their very lives; every drink of water, every morsel of food. You are their entire world. When they greet you with wiggling, waggling, gleeful enthusiasm, that is your reward. We need to be needed by them. They give us more than we could ever hope to give them.

But there is a flip side. The day that we all hope and pray won't come invariably does. We have to say goodbye. Our pets pass away and our hearts are broken. Sometimes we have to make that hard decision ourselves, other times they leave us on their own accord. Neither is easy.

Their loss leaves a hole in our lives that never truly goes away. Love is our greatest renewable resource and other pets may come into our lives; but those unique bonds are never broken. We never really say goodbye.

To my friends who lost their pets this week and to those of us who mourn our departed darlings, I offer the words of Albert Schweitzer. I hope that they will offer some comfort.

A Prayer for Animals

Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful.

Nose Art!

Now I don't mean to brag, but our dog Nipper is quite an accomplished artist. His canvas is glass, his nose is the brush and his medium is good, old-fashioned dog slobber.

I didn't always see it that way. It's not like I'm Martha Stewart, but one of my personal bugaboos is dirty windows. I'm the kind of person who keeps Windex wet wipes in the car. Not a nutso clean-freak, but aware.

So, in the interest of my sanity (which hangs by a very slim thread to start), I've decided to "think outside the box" and embrace Nipper's habit of "snuff-ing" up every shiny surface in doggie-reach as an attempt to express himself through abstract impressionism. My budding little "Paw-blo" Picasso needs encouragement...and goodness knows that nothing is too good for the
"Nip-meister."

Does anybody have the telephone number for registrar's office at the Art Academy of Cincinnati? Perhaps we'll have a show and sell some of his work. I'm sure it would "fetch" top dollar!

Hello! Do You Like My Hat?

Do you remember your favorite childhood book? Mine was "Go, Dog. Go!" by P.D. Eastman. Thinking back, I had my parents read it to me so often that their eyes probably bled from staring at the dozens of brightly colored dogs romping through the pages.

My favorite part was a running "bit" between a pink Poodle and a yellow Hound. The Poodle would arrive on the scene wearing a frou-frou hat and after their initial greeting of "Hello!" would ask, "Do you like my hat?" and the Hound would say, "I do not." Then the book would continue with other dog antics.

Well, this mounting tension was almost more than my tiny little heart could take. The Poodle's hats grew more and more elaborate, until at the end of the book, she appears resplendent in a huge chapeau decorated with a flowerpot, mop, spider and pinwheel and the yellow Hound finally smiles and enthuses that he does indeed like her hat.

That "joke" has never gone stale. To this day, my Mother and I still ask each other once in awhile, "Do you like my hat?"

Oh yeah...go, dog. Go!

Dog Care Tips from Under the Big Top!

Every dog owner thinks that theirs is the greatest dog on earth. But Hans Klose can truly say that his dogs are part of "The Greatest Show on Earth."

In town through Sunday with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, the world-class dog trainer and his wife, Mariya own 18 dogs, 12 of which perform in his act, "Klose's Performing K9s." Most members of the pack are "rescues," among them four Standard Poodles, seven Fox Terriers, one Great Dane and several mixed breeds.

As the owner of a Cocker Spaniel who can sit, stay, lie down, stand up and shake a paw on command (the most that any dog I've ever owned can do), I am deeply impressed by people with the patience and ability to train their dogs (to paraphrase the opening of the TV series, Superman: "far beyond the abilities of mortal dogs." So, between rehearsals I took the opportunity to ask Hans what his "Top Five" suggestions for "civilian" dog owners might be.

They are:

1.) Choose the right dog (or cat) for your living environment. Use common sense. If you live in an apartment, you don't want a Great Dane. Do you have an active family with children? Pick a dog that will fit in with your lifestyle. Research before picking a pet. This will get you off to a good start.

2.) Teach your dog basic things that will keep them safe like sit, stay and come. You want to be able to walk your dog with or without a leash. This will keep them from darting out into traffic or running away. You have to teach your dog manners and that requires a lot of time and patience. It doesn't happen overnight. The more time you put into it, the better dog you will have.

3.) Feed your dog properly. A happy dog is a healthy dog that is in shape. Don't feed table scraps. This is not only healthy for the dog, it discourages begging at the table. Keep your pet on a nutritious diet.

4.) Exercise is important! Regular activity keeps them in good physical shape and is fun for you to do together. Dogs want to do things with their owners.

5.) Get proper veterinary care. Hans believes that dogs (and other pets) require as much medical attention as humans. "You need to consider the cost before you get a dog," he counsels, "Owning a pet is a big responsibility and commitment."

What is the hardest thing to teach a dog? "Not to bark," admits Hans.

That's a tough one at my house, too!

Twinkie Rehab

My husband Tom and I have no human children, so a black cocker spaniel
named Nipper has become the perfect, furry embodiment of our love.

I’ll admit it. We are absolutely wild over this dog and nothing is too good for him. We are those eccentric dog people that non-pet owners roll their eyes over. And if the old adage, “We are what we eat” is true, then Nipper has become a Hostess Twinkie.

It all started because Nipper, has suffered from ear infections all of his life has had to take various medications, mostly in pill form.

And guess what? It’s hard to give a dog a pill. So, through the years we
have tried hiding them in dog treats, peanut butter and everything in-
between.

At first, during Nipper’s puppy hood, Tom was a bit more pragmatic. So for awhile we tried the “tough love” pry-open-the-dog’s-mouth,-toss-the-pill-into-it,-hold-his-muzzle-shut-and-blow-on-his-nose-until-he-swallows-approach. Uh-huh. It sounds good in theory, but doesn’t work.

Look at it from the dog’s point of view. All he has is time on his paws. This is a great game. Why would he be in a hurry to give it up?

That brings us back to the current problem. The ear infection is under
control. There are no pills left but Nipper still expects his morning Twinkie.
It’s classic Psych 101 stuff.

This can’t go on. I’ve made up my mind. Tomorrow morning…no
Twinkie. I’m staging a snack cake intervention and putting Nipper into
rehab.

At least until the next ear infection flares up.

Lambie-Love!

My heart is bursting, overflowing with Lambie-Love! I just got back from Sunrock Farm in Wilder, Kentucky where Farmer Shelley introduced me to Honey-Suckle, a lamb who was (quite literally) born yesterday. From the top of her pink little nose to the tips of her tiny little toes, she is adorable.

Forgive me for the flowery prose and overuse of exclamation marks. I have never held a live lamb before, much less fed it a bottle. As an animal lover, this was a "heart's desire" come true.

Sunrock Farm, if you have never been, is an educational farm dedicated to providing children and other visitors with memorable, hands-on experiences with animals and nature. It is located just ten minutes from downtown Cincinnati.

Once, several years ago, I won sixth-place in a goat milking contest there. Of course, there were only five other people in the contest besides myself and they were all under the age of 10. My ribbon was for "accuracy." But, before you laugh...keep in mind that it is better to have won sixth place than never to have played at all.

Here's Sunrock Farm's contact info:

103 Gibson Lane
Wilder KY 41076
859-781-5502
email@sunrockfarm.org

Open year 'round.

Sea Monkey Mania!

When I was a child, there were colorful ads in the back of comic books advertising Sea Monkeys. “Enter the wonderful world of amazing live Sea-Monkeys!” they crowed. “Just add Sea-Monkey eggs to prepared water, look in the bowl and see LIVE BABY SEA-MONKEYS (Artemia) swimming around! Now simply grow and enjoy the most adorable, entertaining pets you’ve ever owned!

What kid could resist? Certainly not me. I’ve always been easily manipulated by the media. So I clearly remember cutting that little coupon out from the back of my Superman comic book and mailing it and $1.25 of my allowance money to an address on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

It took several weeks for them to arrive. Oh, the sweet ecstasy of waiting for mail when you are a kid. Time seems to drag! Funny how that changes when you grow up and instead of “The Miracle of Instant Life” the mailman is in the nasty habit of delivering, “The Miracle of the End of the Month Credit Card Statements.“

I would rush home from school and check the mailbox first thing. On Saturdays, I’d stare longingly out the window waiting for the mail truck. But, finally the happy day arrived.

That was when I was nine years old. Who knew that all these years later I’d still be reconstituting those darned “instant life” eggs and waiting with bated breath for them to hatch?

In the scheme of things, I realize that they aren't much more than fish food. (They feed them to the Jellyfish at the Newport Aquarium), but I was in awe of them then and still am now.

Even if they are the lowest guys on the food chain; what other pet can you mix with water after they die and they'll come back again?

Now that's the most amazing trick I've ever heard of!

No Cat(nipping)!

Stop me before I start! It is not even Spring and all I want to do is run out and buy herbs. Every year I grow a "Scratch and Sniff" garden on a Baker's Rack on the front porch and that includes a huge pot of Catnip.

We don't own a cat (Nipper wouldn't allow it), but I do love growing the stuff to give to our feline chums. I tie it up with fancy ribbon and present it like a bouquet. Problem is, not every cat likes it. I shouldn't have had my feelings hurt because it turns out that they aren't ungrateful, it is because the ability to react to Catnip is genetic. Studies estimate that between 10-30% of cats are unaffected by "the nip." (Sort of like not all people can roll their tongues!)

Now I know. But for those of you whose cats get a jolt from the stuff, tell me this...do they prefer the fresh or dried kind?

Spring is Coming!

Can you feel it? Spring is almost here! I noticed it one morning last week. We had the window over our bed cracked open a teeny bit and the chirping of the birds woke me up. They had that excited "we're making eggs" tone in their voices. Chirp, chirp...CHEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPP! One squawked so loudly I think she must have got an egg caught cross-ways on the way out.

So, here's to our feathery friends! Lay away! But, quiet down...at least until our alarm clock goes off.