sutton077

What's the most fun you can have on the run? I think it's the Furry Fun Run. It's a great 5K to benefit Peppertree Rescue group, and the best thing about the event is that you can run with your dog. We got both Ike and Brooks from Peppertree (and maybe someday they'll find us a new furry friend.) So Mike decided to run in memory of Kelly and Ike.   I loved seeing so many different breeds of dogs represented. And they all got along.  And the race is on! Here they are at the finish line. Mike made it! We were glad to be a part and support Peppertree Rescue. We even made a new friend, Bernie.

#MyDogsPurpose This is a sponsored post. BY ZEKE I was standing in the kitchen chowing down on my crunchy munchy kibble when my mind started wandering, as it tends to do because I'm only a three-year-old golden retriever, and can't concentrate on any one thing too long and I started thinking about my purpose. What is my purpose? Visions of taking my humans for walks and helping devour all that pesky bacon in the refrigerator flashed before my eyes, but before I could find an answer to that perplexing question...my humans came along and told me it was time for Family Movie Night. Well that begged the question, what is the purpose of movie night? I think it's to bring all the family together--with me in the center of course--to share in a mutually bonding experience. We all sat around in my human grandparents' living room. I visit here often. My best friend in the whole wide world, Ike, used to live here, but he went over the rainbow bridge just five weeks ago. I miss...

Saturday, my sweet dog Ike died of hemangiosarcoma. Tragically, we had no idea he was seriously ill. In fact, he'd had his senior exam not long before this. We were constantly alert to Ike's daily health, and probably nothing would have changed the sad outcome. I'm sharing these details in the hopes it may help someone else...although sadly, there is very little that can be done to prevent or treat it. At the end I will list a few suggestions. Ike's symptoms (*this may not be the way it is for all dogs): 1. Ike was 10 years old. Over the last several months he seemed excessively tired at night, preferring to remain on his pillow in the living room rather than climb the stairs to join us. We'd mentioned it to our vet who surmised multiple possibilities for this. Maybe it was joint pain. We even considered that he wanted to be downstairs to stay with our other dog, who had started sleeping downstairs as well. Maybe it was just part of aging. Looking back, it was the c...

It is with the deepest sadness that I have to share that we had to say goodbye to Ike on Saturday. He was 10 years old. He was a good boy. Ike's Purpose Ike had many jobs to do here on earth, and he did them all without us asking. We adopted him when he was seven years old, and he knew that in order to stay with us, his first job was to get along with Kelly, our bossy female spaniel. From the start he was a gentleman and always let her have her way. His next job was to help my husband Mike recover from a life-threatening illness. When Mike came home from the hospital after 41 days, Ike provided TLC, the most powerful medicine around, especially when administered by a warm and furry canine companion. On a daily basis, he kept me company as I worked from home, and was the best office-mate ever. Then he became a certified therapy dog, giving unconditional love to all he met. Finally, as our 16-year old Kelly became blind, deaf and in the throes of dementia, he stepped in an...

If you have to fly, the thought of transporting your pet in a crate in the cargo section of a plane may be disconcerting...but some airlines are taking more consideration for the welfare, comfort and well being of pets traveling by air. Photo from arkjfk.com  A particularly encouraging improvement is the ARK at JFK --an airport lounge for animals. The ARK offers (or will offer when completely functional): * more than 100,000 sq ft, 14.4 acre facility *Pet Oasis features 47 kennels for dogs and 12 for cats *round-the-clock 24/7 animal care *Zen-like environment *dedicated outdoor relief area for dogs *quarantine area * pre-flight and after-flight walks *baths and/or brushing *healthy meals *cleaning of travel crate *48 climate controlled stalls and 24 additional export stalls for horses *aviary with special habitats *vet on premises *transportation to connecting planes *airside location for direct access to planes * Have you ever experienced this kind of lounge or treatment when fly...

Ike here! I've been spreading the word that my mom is a Chewy Influencer. That means that she gets cool things from Chewy.com , and writes a review. And I get to sample the food! This month I've been telling you all about Rachael Ray Nutrish Peak turkey, duck and quail Northern Woodland Recipe. All month long I've been trying this new food, and Mom has been keeping tabs on how I'm doing. As lots of you know, different food can affect our digestive system, skin and coat, energy level and more. I can be a bit sensitive to new food, so Mom introduced Peak gradually. I'm happy to say that I love Rachael Ray Nutrish Peak food! Here is my evaluation form: Did it smell good?  CHECK--almost as good as dirty socks. Did it taste good? CHECK---I licked my bowl clean every time. Did it agree with my tummy?  CHECK--no bellyaches, no vomiting, and everything looks okay on the backyard patrol. Did it help make my coat nice and shiny? CHECK--you can see for yourself, right? Did it...

Today is Kelly's Birthday!! She's 16 years old today. Kelly has been struggling with her health a bit lately, so we just want to make this birthday a time to celebrate the good girl that she is. She's been with us through many happy times, the empty nest, she's welcomed (at times, tolerated lol) new dogs in the family and loves the new grandbabies.  Happy Birthday Sweet Kelly!