tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56601670337328928762011-07-08T04:20:25.959-05:00Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.comBlogger521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-78908152978445401282010-03-01T00:01:00.004-06:002010-03-01T11:53:10.917-06:00

Rich: News travels fast in the dog park circles. It's not just tails wagging there, it's tongues too. People tongues. Who needs the Internet? Matters big and small ripple through the people park from person to person faster than you can type, text or telephone your next-door neighbor. Sometimes the news is shocking. Recently there was news of a fistfight between two dog walkers resulting from

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He's black.She's white. He finds things to carry in his mouth.She takes them away.He poses.She won't stand still.He's a landlubber. She swims.They share some bad habits...and some common interests.They fight like brother and sister.Is it any wonder they're best friends?

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Rich: With Jane out of town the last few days (in Florida, where else?), Boomer, Daisy and I had a chance to explore parts of the world we've never explored before. Always a lot of fun. The sun was shining, the snow gleaming and we were very excited.When we go off path, we don't know what to expect. Like these weirdly tall weeds we found:Could that be a hill? In Illinois?I didn't think the

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-73252467743740981622010-02-08T07:44:00.005-06:002010-02-08T08:00:16.566-06:00

Rich: Find a stick:Find a friend:Share the load:

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Rich: Winter lets us see water in all its forms, sometimes all in the span of a day. There it is, everywhere, beautifully presented. Sometimes it flows, like the water in the west branch of the DuPage River.That's the kind of water you can play in, if you're of such a mind as Daisy was today.Many times, it's disguised as snow. When you walk in this snow water, people are going to know where

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 Rich: I didn't want to get out of bed. I really didn't want to get out of bed. I really really didn't.But somehow I did.It was a dark and snowy morning, at least a half hour before sunrise. I stuffed a point and shoot camera in my pocket, grabbed the leashes, and off we went - Boomer all crazed about the falling snow, Daisy all crazed to be awake and me, just plain crazed.In the darkness, the

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 Rich: On New Year's Eve, I returned from my ninth trip to Florida in the last twelve months. Two of these visits were road trips that included Jane, Boomer, and Daisy, too. Those were the pleasure trips.We discovered and quickly came to enjoy Lori Wilson off-leash dog park a few miles away from where we stayed. It's a great park filled with friendly people and terrific dogs. (More on that topic

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The kids couldn't be more excited about Christmas.Boomer knows Santa's on the way:While Daisy's storing her energy for her first birthday, on Christmas Day:I mean, what's gotten into these two?

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-47986332964590947352009-08-10T00:01:00.003-05:002009-08-10T13:09:53.135-05:00

Rich: The Woofgang's silence of late shouldn't be confused for a lack of things going on around here. Quite the opposite. There's too much going on; some of it's taking an emotional toll.So, I'll share a few photos from the past few days. In capturing these summer sights and colors, I found a sort of quiet peace.Till things settle down, enjoy!

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We're celebrating wordless Wednesday on Friday this week. Have a great weekend, all!(Click photos to enlarge)

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Jane: Last week we promised you a report on The WoofGang's maiden voyage to Michigan for the 4th of July. In fact, we promised we'd update you last Monday. In case you thought the events were so traumatic that we couldn't even write about them until today, rest easy. All was calm on the Eastern front--surprisingly so. In fact, the brief trip left us with more stories of what didn't happen than

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Jane: It's coming . . . our first long-distance road trip with Boomer and Daisy. We've decided to load up the politically incorrect (but dog friendly) SUV, drive to Michigan, and celebrate the 4th at a BBQ hosted by my extended family. The entire WoofGang is drooling with excitement--but we're not so sure about the other family members we'll be visiting. You see, while my mom and dad adore Boomer

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Jane: My colleague and fellow blogger, accomplished writer and author Cindy Crosby, recently posted this story on the Walk With Me blog about what she learned as a foster "parent" to a collie named Max. It moved me so much, I wanted to share it with our WoofGang readers. I hope you'll be similarly moved and provoked to think about the nature of forgiveness. Enjoy!Seventy Time Seven: A Collie

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Jane: I'm embarrassed to write this post. But I have something to confess: Boomer no longer sleeps on our bed.I know, I know, I chatted up the virtues of nocturnal canine companionship in a previous post, “Love Wrapped in Fur." After sleeping on it, I still believe there's nothing as comforting as the sweet warmth and rhythmic breathing of a dog on your bed, lying next to you when you're headachy

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Last in a four-part series on the BARF dietRich: I will never forget the first time I fed Boomer a raw chicken wing, bones and all. Boomer always approaches new things cautiously and there I was, taking on faith information from the Internet saying that it was perfectly safe for dogs to eat raw chicken bones. This went against everything I'd ever heard about feeding dogs chicken bones. (Caution:

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Part three in a series on the BARF dietLet your food be medicine and your medicine be food. - HippocratesRich: So, let's get right to it. What are the health benefits of feeding your dog the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) way? First, I'll list the most commonly cited benefits, then share some observations from actual WoofGang experience.BARF BenniesReduced body odorNo bad breathClean,

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Part two in a series on the BARF dietRich: The first time I saw Buddy, our previous black Lab, eat a live bunny whole was the last time I mistakenly believed that dogs are little more than furry, four-legged humans who bark. Buddy demonstrated wild-dog instincts that years of breeding and domesticating hadn't yet destroyed. He instinctively toyed with the bunny, eventually tiring it, then

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First in a four-part seriesRich: Mealtime around The WoofGang household is always exciting. There is dancing, prancing, twirling, and drooling preceding every feeding. And then there are the dogs!Breakfast, especially, brings an overwhelming outpouring of enthusiasm. Daisy literally pirouettes on her hind feet as I carry her dish from the kitchen to the feeding area. Boomer is more stoic, but

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-60228793910888496792009-06-09T11:33:00.003-05:002009-06-09T18:58:46.585-05:00

Meet a new WoofGang friend, Nikki. She loves to go camping with her owners!

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Jane: Just a quick update. Daisy is now stitches free and out chasing Boomer with the pent-up ferocity of a she devil unleashed. You go, girl!

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Jane: Last week we took my girl to be spayed. We agonized over this decision because we'd seriously entertained the thought of breeding Daisy. But in the end, we felt it was healthier for Daisy and better for our WoofGang lifestyle of daily off-leash dog-park visits to get the sorry deed done.During surgery, the vet's office called to tell us Daisy also needed some repair work on her "outie"

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-42343789703506828922009-06-03T09:44:00.004-05:002009-06-03T10:01:38.336-05:00

The WoofGang's most recent unscientific poll, Has Your Dog Attended Obedience Classes? exposed the DIY bent of our blog visitors' responses. Forty-six percent would rather train their own dog or let Victoria Stillwell's TV program do the trick. Twenty-six percent claimed to have doggie valedictorians who graduated Magna "Come" Laude (the WoofGang can not relate). And the rest of you? We're just

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Rich: Photographers call them captures or images, photographs that convey the essence of an experience or personality or moment in time in a way that requires no explanation, that speak to the viewer in a silent universal language. In my own humble way, I'm looking for captures or images that are "keepers"--ones that capture an experience or a moment or a memory in way that speaks to me. It

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-76592384130364535012009-05-27T08:38:00.015-05:002009-05-28T18:15:17.866-05:00

Jane: The process of naming a new dog can be as emotionally agonizing as choosing just the right name for a baby.But unlike naming your child, a dog often comes with a ready-made name, particularly if he's a rescue dog. For example, when we adopted our first dog, Bo, he'd already been given his moniker by his original owner (although officially his records spelled it "Beau"). We liked how Bo's

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Rich: You've seen them all on TV. Cesar, Victoria, and the Monks--rescuing hapless dog owners from the ravages of their savages. Give them 30 minutes, an intractably naughty dog, and, voila!, greater wonders cannot be found on this animal planet. Beastly beasts go bust and domestic tranquility is quickly restored. But wait: Push the pause button on el Tivo. These are not reality shows.

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Jane: Until we brought Daisy home, we'd always owned male dogs. Somehow, it just made sense. In a household of one male and three female humans (our two daughters and me), Rich was clearly outnumbered. So whenever he needed to escape a brewing estrogen storm, he'd take Bo, or Buddy, on long walks around the neighborhood. Two guys on a mission--to escape the high drama of life with three

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Jane: It had been a grueling three weeks. Intense, even. I'd had my nose to the grindstone, working long hours every day to complete a freelance book project. I'd been so consumed with this assignment that I'd found it difficult to take time off for a quick trip to the park or a simple stroll around the neighborhood with Rich and the dogs. Finally, with a click of "send now," the project launched

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Two of the WoofGang's newest members are Sophie and Lucy from Cincinnati. Today we introduce you to Sophie. Sophie's master, Dan, tells us that his Lab girls help him relax and keep his blood pressure down. Small wonder--Sophie knows repose. Sophie occupies a special place in the family. It's called the window seat.Sofie leads by example. Notice the effect this has on Dan:

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Rich: By a chance encounter last week, we heard the news. Jane and I walked Boomer and Daisy at the county's East Branch off-leash dog park, taking the long way around. It was a quiet day there, just a few scattered cars and SUVs in the parking lot. Threatening weather suppressed the turnout among the regulars who frequent the park on Saturday mornings. We chose a mowed path to the north, turned

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In response to our story, Monster of the Mudway, Barbara posted this comment: "There are only three seasons for dog owners: grass, snow, and mud."How true. To wit:Grass season--doesn't always coincide with "mow" season.Snow season--sometimes known as "laundry" season for all the toweling needed when the pups come in the house.Mud season--sometimes known as "hand me the hose" season.Seasons

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About to turn six y-o, Murphy retains all his puppy good looks to this day.Some would say he looks the same today as he did at two months. He sports the best-looking collar you ever saw too.Who is he? He's a good friend from the dog park.

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Wait till tomorrow when Murph shows up here full grown. You won't believe your eyes!

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Jane: Two months ago, when we brought Daisy Dickens home, I wondered how I would feel about having a girl dog. You see, we've always had strapping young males who either liked to roam, or hump, or lift their leg and mark their territory. As silly as it sounds, owning a female pup seemed as unfamiliar to me as birthing a son (we had two precious girls). So off I went to PetSmart before Daisy

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We have a special announcement to make. A new visitor, Rachel from Rachel's Doggie Life, dropped by our blog on Tuesday, May 5. Rachel's friends include Bailey, Oliver, Mac, Rocky, Sophie, and many more--too many to list them all.Now Rachel's friends include the WoofGang. We're always flattered to add another Follower to the Gang. While she was here, Rachel awarded the WoofGang the coveted "

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Rich: Swine flu pandemic reports mount every day, so the WoofGang remains watchful. In the interest of public safety, the WoofGang Department of Dogland Security (DDS) boosted its swine flu advisory level to two ears up. DDS epidemiologists evaluate new information as quickly as it is retrieved. If current conditions deteriorate, the advisory level will be adjusted to an unprecedented three

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Jane: Twentieth century British poet T. S. Eliot once wrote, "April is the cruelest month, mixing memory with desire." Why did T. S. poetically slam the month of April in The Waste Land? I suspect it was because he owned a dog.No doubt about it, this April was cruel. Thirty days of snow and rain transformed our backyard into a personal Waste Land. Oh, we have memories: Once upon a time, long,

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Rich: Forget the snow that fell two weeks ago. Lose the boots and the balaclava. Mothball the fleece. Prepare to suffer another stretch of good weather, even great weather, wearing t-shirts, shorts, sandals, and SPF 30. Most years of my life I'd be thrilled to tell winter to kiss off. I'd be more than ready for sunshine, warm weather, baseball games, and motorcycle rides. But this year is

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Jane: They say owning a pet keeps you healthy. But recently I'm starting to wonder. First I read a WebMD article suggesting dogs might be hazardous to your health. Then Daisy gave a dear friend a shiner. It was purely accidental. Friends visited last Saturday to "see the baby," and as soon as Tom and Sue arrived, Daisy and Boomer transformed into whirling fur dervishes, moaning and groaning

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The WoofGang's collective tail started wagging at the news Honda was introducing a dog-friendly Honda Element this fall. Features are to include a built-in doggie ramp, water bowl, restraint system, and cooling fan.But what about all the other essential features every dog owner really yearns for in a vehicle? Woofie brainstormed the accessories we'd like to see included in a WoofGang Edition of

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A Monologue Conducted While Walking Two Dogs at a TimeCollars buckled. Leashes snapped on. Tails? Wagging. Good.If I could . . . just . . . step over Daisy . . . there, that foot's flat on the floor . . . and swing the other leg over Boomer without . . . whoa! . . . without losing my balance, I'll reach to open the door and get us . . . outside . . . get us started on this walk. Let me just pass

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The truth's out. On our most recent (and totally unscientific) poll, we asked, "Does Your Dog Sleep on Your Bed?" and discovered 68 percent of you allow your dog up on the bed (some by invitation only). The other 32 percent? Woofie thinks you're missing out on all the fun--and sleep deprivation! If you have any doubts about where The WoofGang lands on this issue, check out "Love Wrapped in Fur,"

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Jane: I just couldn’t get that pesky dog to jump into the backseat of my Jetta.Boomer, my 80-pound black Lab, is unabashedly the light of my middle-aged, empty-nester life. And as a proud “mama,” I hate to admit he has some quirks. But he does. For instance, when it came to jumping into my car, I just couldn’t convince this strong, obstinate creature he was physically able to do it.Boomer’s lack

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Jane: It started, as most "bad" habits do, innocently enough.We'd just returned from the hospital after meeting with a series of physicians to discuss a family medical crisis. Exhausted, emotional, plagued by "what ifs," I retired to our bedroom for a nap. But with my mind spinning and my body tense, rest eluded me. Then I noticed the gentle breathing of Buddy, our black Lab, who'd entered the

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-56724105451574650082009-04-03T11:00:00.002-05:002009-04-03T11:37:23.915-05:00

The poll results to our question, "Do dogs go to heaven?" are in, and the results were unanimous: Yes!And in case you think this question is frivolous, please read what Dr. Randy Alcorn, a popular author, says about dogs and heaven. We think you'll find it thought-provoking and even comforting.

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-63129888147406530022009-03-30T05:00:00.009-05:002009-05-19T07:56:36.706-05:00

If you think the economy's going to the dogs, then you need The WoofGang's Guide to Understanding the News. as-set (noun): A useful and desirable thing; your dog. Related forms toxic asset: the thing that leaves your dog's behind; the aftereffect of consumption; Toxic Asset Relief Program (TARP): walking your dog. bail-out; bail out (noun; verb): To skip walking your dog when the weather

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Jane: Not a doggy day goes by that I don't remember our former "Woofgang" pack members who await us in heaven (yes, I believe all good dogs go to heaven). Beau, our rescue dog, who started it all. He lived to be 14 and died at home in our kitchen, in my arms. And Buddy, our beautiful black Lab, whom we tearfully, agonizingly, had to put down at the age of 12. We were so torn up after this loss,

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-69972401150212951962009-03-25T08:02:00.000-05:002009-03-28T17:06:40.414-05:00

Rich:I don't wear a watch much anymore, at least not during the day. But with the new puppy in the house, I've been wearing one more often than not while sleeping. I have this perverse curiosity to know what time I'm dragging my sleeping body out of bed in the middle of the night. My Timex has a light (or as the Timex people call it, an electroluminesence system). That's how I know Boomer started

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-29294267656292792312009-03-24T07:27:00.001-05:002009-04-02T19:17:28.691-05:00

Thanks for two more questions you never want people to ask you about your dog:1. Is he a house dog? 2. Will he outgrow that?Please keep 'em coming!

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-17445166077257364602009-03-23T09:07:00.000-05:002009-03-23T11:34:06.647-05:00

Here, according to Rich, is a list of questions you NEVER want people to ask about your dog:1. Did he just eat what I think he ate? (Or: What's that he's got in his mouth?) 2. Does he always do that?3. Was he like that when you got him?4. Whose dog is this?5. Will it ever go away?6. Is he like that at home?7. Did you meet both parents before you got him?Misery loves company, so please add to our

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-9446439783795424972009-03-23T08:35:00.001-05:002009-04-25T20:52:38.863-05:00

Jane: "You know, it would really be easier if we both walked the dogs this morning. It goes much faster," Rich said.I felt a twinge of guilt as I lay groggily in bed. My husband was already up and dressed, ready to venture forth on this rainy, dark Monday morning with Boomer and Daisy in tow. Lately Rich had been taking Boomer, our full-grown Lab, on walks with Daisy, our pup, while I lounged in

Rich, Jane, Boomer, and Daisyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13642501201459105632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5660167033732892876.post-32720236501744249372009-03-22T10:22:00.000-05:002009-03-23T11:29:21.904-05:00

A week ago, a friend asked us about life with our new pup, Daisy. I laughingly replied I felt trapped. "I'm watching Daisy like a hawk so she'll 'potty outside,' but it's been horrible because of our muddy backyard!" I explained. Our friend's wife is a professional dog walker, and they've have had several Labs, so he understood. He smiled and replied, "Oh, yes, those puppy blues."Of course I'd

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The idea for this dog blog came to me (Jane) early Saturday morning, as I wrangled two eager canines out to our fenced yard to do their business. As they sniffed and circled, searching for just the right spot, I dashed into our laundry room to fill their food bowls, knowing that within minutes two expectant faces would be staring at me from the sliding glass door. I needed to prepare for the

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