turkeys r cool

Just added my one and only Thanksgiving collar to the shop... Ted is his name, running from Farmer John is his game. Ted can rest easy though since we're vegetarians round these parts... check him out here.

dog-friendly beaches round-up

Coastal Living has a great round-up on their web site of dog-friendly beaches around the country. While my fave didn't make the list (Sullivan's Island, SC), there are plenty of great options so make sure to check it out.

dogify the kitchen

Any Bulldog or Berner fans out there? Hang one of these on the oven door and you'll smile every time you're in the kitchen. It'll make emptying the dishwasher a little more cheerful.

entourage

Awesome. Requires a dog with plenty of swagger to pull it off.

gone fishin'

Not really... but for those of you that visited my shop in the last couple of  days, I'm sure you noticed that all of my collars were missing. I had an issue with the online shop, but it's back up and running now. Thanks to all of you who were concerned about my whereabouts!

And now that I'm back in business, I've added my 2010 Halloween collars to the shop. So go check 'em out.

friday frog legs

Frog legs make that bone taste better... you didn't know that?

these creatures

So when you have five dogs, you have dog bowls EVERYWHERE. I only have two dogs that can happily eat together side by side... the other three have to be fed in completely separate locations in order to keep the peace. But if I didn't have that problem, I would be all over these hanging feeders from these creatures.

Here's a dog doing his thing... I love the fact that it would keep a dog that likes to flip her bowl over from doing so (ahem, Matilda).

I'm particularly fond of the Pit Bull style... I swear, it looks like Quincy secretly went and modeled for it.

early fall

I've got a girl crush... and her name is Olive. She makes me happy.

Just added a few new "early Fall" items to the shop. And yes, I know it's not quite fall, but I'm so ready for cooler weather, falling leaves and COLLEGE FOOTBALL baby! Go Tigers!

love me some books

These two new books will be making their way to my bookshelf. The cover on the first one alone was enough to hook me. Check out Oogy and The Lost Dogs.

kids say the darndest things...

Can't take credit for this one... my friend was passing it around on her Facebook page, but it's so adorable that I must share. My bully lovers out there are going to be very happy campers.

SUV dog crates

I pride myself on knowing most of the handy gadgets and helpful everyday items for dog owners that are out there. (That happens when you have five dogs and your entire life revolves around them.) So how did these extra-narrow, SUV dog crates escape my notice? I had a friend mention them to me recently, and I was like "WHAT?". So I immediately tracked them down.

I'm sort of ashamed to admit that I am REALLY excited about these. But at least I'm among dog lovers here. You can order them at Amazon for only $80 each (that's for the large size) and it easily will fit my largest dog (around 62 lbs). For those of you with really big dogs, never fear. They have an even larger size that is still the same width.

I've also been searching for a new vehicle (since my poor little Escape was sent to car heaven when I had my wreck), and I'm pretty settled on the Chevy Traverse.

It is deceptively roomy... and the available cargo space is considerable - 116.4 cubic feet! And it's pretty too. I will be able to fit FOUR of the SUV crates in the back if I need to (which I do... because I have 100 bajillion dogs). And it gets much better gas mileage than something like a Tahoe or Expedition.

I also considered the Honda Element, and it was a strong contender. But its cargo space - even with the back seats removed - couldn't compare to what the Traverse could offer. So I'm currently on the hunt for a Traverse that has all the features I want. I can't drive right now anyway (lovely cast on my right leg and all), so I have plenty of time to make sure I find exactly what I need.

dusty girl

I love chalkboards. I realize that it's strange to love chalkboards. But I do.

I love making lists and writing things out, and chalkboards - although messy - are just better looking than most white boards.

So this chalkboard - with it's little doggie shaped eraser - is right up my alley.

furbish dog beds

I don't know if you guys read I Suwannee, but if you don't... then get on it. Jamie has an awesome blog, and she now has an fantastic store - Furbish - based in Raleigh, NC. I love that she's taken the big step to open up her own shop... she's working hard, but I can tell she's loves what she's doing. I'm super inspired and envious... I'm always dreaming of what I hope to do some day, and I'm working toward that goal, but so far, I'm still going through the daily grind until I reach the point where I can leave my job with a steady salary and benefits and live my dream.

But I digress. Jamie just unveiled her new line of dog beds at Furbish. Can you say eye candy? And she also has an adorable schnauzer Rowdy that is with her at the shop most days (also super jealous that she can take her pup to work with her). And if you happen to live near Raleigh, you can head over to Rowdy's birthday party this Saturday at the store! If you bring a puppy friend, you get a storewide discount and there will be all kinds of fun doggie things for our four-legged friends.

And even if you can't get to the store in person, you can email Jamie for pricing information on her new dog beds. She ships straight from the store. Happy shopping!

wrecked

Hi guys... just wanted to explain my recent absence. I was involved in a pretty bad car wreck early last week. I totaled my car, was banged up pretty good, and dislocated and broke some bones in my right foot.

I'm doing ok... and luckily I have a wonderful mom who has practically moved in with me to take care of me and all my puppies. I also have fantastic friends that are dog-sitting for a few of my babies as well.

I'm very lucky that I wasn't more seriously hurt considering the severity of the wreck, and I'm incredibly grateful that I didn't have any of the dogs with me. I know without a doubt that they would have most likely been killed if they had been in the car.

This has brought home to me that they need to be as secure as possible when I have them with me in the car, and making sure they're safe is my number one priority as I choose my new car. I'll keep you all posted as I research dog-friendly vehicles in the next couple of weeks. Thanks guys!

the skinny

So since I've been away so long, I thought I'd fill everyone in on the pups' current activities... we've been busy.

Mona Mae is currently in Rally training. If you don't know what Rally is, it's basically a course that we go through together where we have to perform different obedience tasks... Not as physical as agility, but fun all the same. We hope to start entering competitions soon! And don't you think she's looks extra cute these days too?

Quincy is still visiting with me as my Delta Society Pet Partner around town. He visits a local assisted living facility, an oncology unit at a local hospital and a VA medical facility. He loves visiting and passing on his doggie love, and I enjoy the fact that we get to change the perception of pit bulls one person at a time.

Oliver is... still Oliver. He's a little kooky, but sweet as can be.

Penny Sue had recently become more and more anxious and nervous. She's always been skittish, but she has gotten worse in recent months. I'm working with my vet on different medication options, and we've been test-driving the Thundershirt. So far, we've had some success with it, but I think it gives even better results with other anxious behaviors (thunder and other sound phobias, etc.) than it does for her general anxiety.

And guess who's still around? Matilda... also known around these parts as "Flapjack." Oh yes, she still lives with me. I haven't been able to find a good home for her yet. But I've been having a blast working on clicker training with her. She has taken to it like a duck to water, and she has learned all kinds of useful and fun things. We've also been working hard on "sitting for petting" because she tends to be rather enthusiastic about greeting new people. She also is a pain to photograph... she either won't sit still or she looks like she does to the left - like she has a stomachache or something. But she's still available for adoption so spread the word!

So that's the skinny on my puppy pack. Well, that... and the fact that they're all shedding like crazy and I feel like I live in a dog fur snowglobe sometimes.

blueblood indeed...

Let's just say my dogs are about as far from "bluebloods" as they can get. I pick them up from the side of the road, when I'm going through a fast food drive-through and from the shelter. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't be treated like one.

Blueblood dog products are so chic and well-made. I seriously love their dog beds (the purple one is my favorite), and the reversible totes are calling my name. And right now, if you use the code JULY 4, not only will they give you 20% off your purchase and free shipping, but they'll also donate the proceeds to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund. It's a pretty sweet deal so make sure to check it out...

y'all bear with me...

I'm working on a new look... and I hate this one... but it's 5:45 and I'm out. I'll try to fix this mess tomorrow!

yummies

So I have a friend who is a dog trainer, has adorable Shelties and she competes in Rally (more on that later). She also makes liver treats that my dogs (and every other dog I've ever known to try them) absolutely love. So I'm passing along the recipe.

Pay attention folks - I don't think I can emphasize enough how BANANAS these will make your dog. I've known my dogs to almost tear my purse apart trying to get to some of these I accidentally left in my bag. And I make no guarantees, but I'm pretty sure you could convince your dog to do a back handspring followed by an advanced calculus problem if you promise them one of these treats.

They're great for just everyday snacks, but you can cut them up into small pieces to use for training time as well. My dogs are always much happier to work for these than they are for store-bought treats. And make sure you follow the advice she gives in the recipe - cook with the windows open. The smell from the baking treats can be pretty... stinky.

You can find the recipe right here.

watersliding anyone?

This is so what Quincy would do... if he had access to a backyard pool with built-in water slide...

new and improved

Hi to... well, probably no one at this point. It's been almost exactly three months since I've even logged into this thing. To be honest, I was trying to decide whether to continue my foray into the blogging world... I just wasn't sure that what I was offering up to the world wide web was worthy of you guys reading it.

But lately, I find myself thinking... "Oh, man - I should totally share that on the blog."

So I've decided to take another run at this. And I promise I'm going to make it worth your while. I'm going to be adding giveaways, recipes (tested in the Pecan Pie Puppies kitchen and reviewed by my very own discerning 4-legged tasters), product reviews and more. Of course, I'll still provide you with the crazy stories that only my dogs and I can give you. There's never any shortage of those.