Changing the Menu

Well, I've caved and switched to Life's Abundance dog food.

No preservatives? Shipped right to my door within twelve days of being made? Actually less expensive than my old brand if you sign up for auto-ship? Kinda can't go wrong there.

So long as Shadow likes it...

I'll let you know when it arrives...

But so long as it tastes better than wrapping paper, insects, and toy stuffing, we should be fine.

Plea from a holistic dog food company

In the wake of a massive dog food recall that has threatened the health of humans and canines alike, a company called Life's Abundance is embracing the power of social media.

Its breaking-news-style commentary is definitely worth a listen.


Diamond Dog Food Recall Alert from Life's Abundance on Vimeo.

Salmonella threat leads to massive recall

Pretty scary stuff here.

Diamond Pet Foods has recalled eleven brands of pet food, as have several companies who co-manufacture with Diamond. So far, fourteen people are reported to have grown sick after handling the products, and many dogs have died. I have been told that some breeders lost entire litters due to the contaminated food.

Wellness in particular has voluntarily recalled Super5Mix Large Breed Puppy with certain "best by" dates. (Check their website for the latest updated information.) This is the exact food that Shadow enjoyed until he reached the one-year mark and that I wrote about many posts back. He now eats Super5Mix Large Breed Adult.

If you have a pet, please continue to check the official website for the recall (diamondpetrecall.com) and give some thought to making any necessary changes.

Although Shadow's food seems to be safe for the moment, this is a wake-up call for my family. I am considering switching to something more natural. Blue Diamond Breeding recommends Life's Abundance, which has no (possibly cancer-causing) preservatives, but only gets three stars on dogfoodanalysis.com. I will continue to research the best food for dogs like Shadow, and keep everyone updated. 

Being a parent of any kind isn't easy. That's why I started this blog to begin with. So often it's just an exercise in trial and error. All we can do -- while raising dogs, humans, or the snail your kid picked up from the back yard -- is make the best decision we can with the information at hand, and pray the "errors" are always rectifiable.

What's so great about Uggie?

Google “Uggie the dog,” and you’ll be neck deep in videos, photos, biographies, unofficial fan clubs, a failed campaign to give him an Oscar, and gossip about Tom Selleck’s rejection of Hollywood’s latest canine cutie.

Yep, the ten-year-old Jack Russell Terrier and co-star of “The Artist” has officially become a STAR!

And who could argue? He’s adorable. He’s funny. He’s loyal. He does his own stunts. He saves the day. For goodness sake, he manages to tug at our heartstrings without a single (audible) bark. That is talent.

Still, all this Uggie mania got me to thinking. If Shadow lived with someone like Omar Von Muller and worked on his training twelve to fifteen hours a day… could he also be a star?

After all, he is pretty darn cute.

And super athletic. (Perhaps “War Horse” is a better comparison?)

 He knows how to work the camera.

He's already done some stunts.

He doesn't back down from a fight. (So long as it doesn't involve bunnies or cats...)

He's been resilient since his puppy days.

He's into yoga. (A must if he's gonna schmooze in Beverly Hills.)

He's a fan of excess. (Move over, Charlie Sheen.)

He's already trying to outdo Uggie’s performance in the breakfast table scene. (Bring it!)

 

He sings!

And he simply won't take "no" for an answer. (Diva in the making.)

With all this star quality, who needs a dog that can walk off-leash, pay attention long enough to finish a scene, or summon police to a fire?

Shadow's already got his paws full alerting me about the treacherous mailman and UPS delivery truck.

So what if, when I play dead, he comes over to sniff me and then shoves a bone in my limp hand? He makes up for that by forcing me to smile when life and work drive me occasionally insane.

Sure, I believe Shadow could play with the big shots if he really set his mind to it. But why would be want to? All those lights, crowds, interviews, exhausting publicity schedules, paparazzi. No thanks. 

The Shadow I know likes it simple. Food. Play. Sleep. Scratch.

And indulging his owners with the occasional cuddle :)

Someone's on the Naughty List...

I am often amazed by the ability dogs have to "just know" some things, even when us sensory-limited humans have tried extra hard to keep any clues hidden.

For example, how did Shadow know that beneath the Christmas tree... buried between little ceramic houses and amidst a bunch of other presents of the two-legged variety... was a brand new Kong dog toy just for him? Sure, the tag said "To Shadow," but... well, I'm not that crazy.

The Crime Scene

Just like a little kid on a quest to uncover all of Santa's secrets,  Shadow's suspicions began several days ago, when all the gifts sat in a pile on my desk, waiting to be wrapped. He couldn't see the Kong. And I can't imagine how he could have distinguished it from everything else by smell. But more than a few times I caught him staring anxiously up at the pile, wagging his tail, and whining.

But since we already unwrapped his big gift (a bed), I was not about to give in.  He had to have ONE gift Christmas morning. So this weekend, I  stole a few minutes to wrap the toy and place it under the tree with a nice little "To Shadow" tag.

(Click here to check out Shadow opening gifts on his first Christmas last year.)

Exhibit A

There it sat, untouched and peaceful for one whole day. But then... what did I hear just a few hours ago while typing away in my office? Rustling. Rustling like paper coming from the family room.

This is what my mind said: Shadow doesn't usually make noises like that. Shadow makes noises from chewing, bouncing his toys against the floor, and drinking water. But the presents would make that noise. Especially the tissue paper in the bags for my parents, but... no... no way. Shadow never EVER touches things that don't belong to him. He's good like that. He knows... but...


Slightly worried but certain that all would be fine, I walked into the room... and right in on the crime. There, in the middle of the floor with a tear and obvious signs of a struggle, was the gift. And there, a few feet further was Shadow... frozen and staring at me -- not with his usual tail wag, but with a look of "What? I didn't do it."

Ah, the joy of Christmas. Fun for kids and dogs alike!

The Remorseful (?) Culprit

Buttoning Up for Autumn

Two good things happened in the last month: My husband and I finished fencing in the back yard, and I landed a (fantastic!) literary agent. For each of these things, Shadow deserves some credit.

Shadow's quintessential look of confusion. I love it!

Here he is enjoying the autumn leaves, his newfound freedom, and his suddenly less anxious owners.

 

 

 

A Little Perspective

I used to think it was impossible to be morose around a frolicking, tail-wagging, quasi-smiling dog. As a writer and aspiring author, toeing the coast of my dreams and getting constantly walloped back by the system, I've learned that this isn't always the case.

While my furry companion sometimes likes to warm my feet with his paws, he hasn't yet learned to shield my problems. More likely, when all I want to do is lie in the sand and let the waves of self-defeat wash over me, Shadow forces me to stand up and take him for a walk, throw him a ball, or socialize myself while socializing him at the dog park. Rarely do I forget my troubles as a result, but my tunnel vision usually widens to remind me that every storm cloud has a brighter (though I won't go so far as to say silver) lining.

Maybe writers need dogs almost as much as they need ink. Thoughts?