A Song About A Dog

Tessie Mae was a stray at the Charlottesville, Virginia SPCA. She was adopted by Robin and Linda Williams, talented bluegrass musicians. They wrote a song praising the charms of their rescue dog. Listen......



If you have challenges with the words, here are the lyrics:

You’re an angel and a little sneak
A sweetheart with a stubborn streak
Good at following your nose
Out any door that wasn't closed
You're July and January
Sunny bright and contrary
Used to doing as you pleased
Back before you sidled up to me

CHORUS:
Hey, Hey your straying days
Are over Tessie Mae
Hey, Hey sit and stay
Don't turn your head away
Your straying days are over
Tessie Mae

You're five pounds of sugar in a two pound sack
You stole my heart, I don't want it back
You’re a tease and you’re a flirt
But I don't get my feelings hurt
When you go prancing up the street
White socks on your little feet
And wag your tail, that curlicue
Strangers drop to do the coochie coo

CHORUS:

I'd like to go and see Levon
And tell him that her name is wrong
That Bessie girl he once knew
Tessie she sure sounds like you
But Levon had you pegged it seems
Cause Tessie, you're a drunkards dream
You mend me when I spring a leak
You defend me I don’t have to speak

CHORUS:

Winner

This summer all dog lovers had the opportunity to win an oil painting portrait of their favorite dog.

How? All that you needed to do was to click on "like" on the Facebook page of Training Collar Source and your name was entered in the drawing to win a portrait of your dog painted by me.

Shelley was the winner and she has two Wirehair Pointing Griffons;
Mother and Daughter.

Bailey and Frost by the waterfront in Olympia

The paintings are in process and will soon be posted, so watch for them. You can still visit and "like" Training Collar Source and learn of future happenings.

Bath Challenge

Oh yes, the winter is setting in and the dog is starting to smell bad.

I have given up the home bath frenzy and, now, Ebony visits the pet spa. It is soooo much easier to bathe my dog in elevated tubs and to tether her preventing escape.

This dog bathes itself in washing machine style.

The dog is definitely enjoying its bath.

Put on a Happy Face

Do you have one of those dogs who smile?

Yes, it is a definite up turned expression of joy on their faces.

You can submit your dog's smiley face photo to the number of happy campers at the website of The Bark Magazine. They pick 40 favorites to appear in each issue of their magazine (published five times a year). Other photos they select to post online as Weekly Smilers.

Enter your smiley face dog to the gallery!

Doggie Ears

No, not sugary and sweet like elephant ears.

Doggie ears need attention too.

I recently picked up the fall copy of Virginia Maryland Dog magazine and read an interesting article on the health of doggie ears. Besides having interesting articles, this magazine features a dog on its cover each issue that is up for adoption at Baywater Animal Rescue, a NO Kill animal shelter. Inside the magazine you can read about the cover dog.

The fact that I learned was that the dark, brownish-black substance that smells like yeast on the dog's ear is NOT normal ear wax. It is NOT dirty ears or waxy buildup. It is an infection called Malassezia. Just cleaning this off the outside of your dog's ear canal will not take care of it because the ear canal is very long and makes a turn. The article talks about how to take care of this infection, so be sure to read about it and other ways to keep your doggie's ears healthy.

Warm Place to Sleep

Want to make a difference in a dog's life?

Did you know that every year 5-7 million companion pets end up in shelters around the United States?

The Petfinder Foundation and P.L.A.Y. have teamed up to insure that shelter pets have a warm place to sleep.

Here is how you can help. Purchase a bed from P.L.A.Y. and they will donate a special edition Chill Pad to a shelter in need.

You will sleep better, too, knowing that you helped a furry friend.

Patriot PAWS Program

Now that my dog is in training as a Service Dog, I learned about the Patriot PAWS program.

Beau, co-founder of the program
Since 2008, these dogs have spent their formative years in a Texas women's prison, enriching the lives of the inmates who train them even before they meet their veteran companions.

The prison program started when the Texas Department of Criminal Justice contacted Patriot PAWS founder Lori Stevens to offer inmates at its Gatesville, Texas, facility as service dog trainers. Lori, who was already training service dogs for veterans, was looking to expand her program. Now 75 percent of Patriot PAS dogs start out with inmate trainers.

The program has had positive effects on the inmates, too. Inmates learn job skills, and among the inmates involved in Patriot PAWS, only one in 39 have returned to prison.

Read about Beau.....