I think I might have shown this before but it’s just too cute to not feature by itself. This is my favorite picture of my one Golden Retriever, Benson.

Okay, so these are my dishwasher duty dogs. Every night after dinner they help out with the pre-wash cycle. (Don’t worry — all the bad stuff is off the plates… :))

Can anyone come up with a quote for these pictures?

For the sake of keeping us all together and making new friends in the pet blogosphere I have started talking about my favorite pet blogs once a week. This week’s wonderful pet blog is a dog blog. It’s called A Dog’s Life, the Real Story.

Our Golden Retriever friend Mogley is the author/blogger over there. Mogley sure is a lucky dog. He gets to have foster brothers and sisters to play with all the time because his humans are such wonderful people. They are so wonderful that they take in foster Golden Retrievers from Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (funny that the acronym is “GRRR!” BOL!)

Mogley always has so much fun with the other dogs and he loves to play. He loves to play more than any other dog we have ever come to know. Mogley’s humans often take Mogley & Co. to the parks and trails out there in beautious Colorado where they find all kinds of streams, lakes, ponds and swamps to gallup around in. Lucky duck! The pictures of such pre-meditated swamp swimmings (often done without human’s permission) are hilarious! We always get a great BOL when we see them and so does our human! She says it is so typical of us Golden Retrievers to take unsupervised swims before our humans know what we are getting into. Mogley also likes to run through the sprinkler!

From Mogley’s blog:

My Humans leave the key board of the computer on the fireplace hearth so I can write my own blog and tell you about the daily life of a Golden Retriever. I am a foster dog, living with a family that provided me a home when I was homeless. A poodle once said that golden retrievers can’t spell, but poodles can’t run spell check! Read the first blog, it was written by a human, but it gives you my history.”

Although Mogley says that he is a foster dog, we suspect that he is in his forever home.

We encourage everyone to go and check out A Dog’s Life, the Real Story, because it’s real true! We Goldens live like Kings (as do most of the dogs we have met in the pet blogosphere!). We visit Mogley on a daily basis to see what he is up to. His life is SO exciting!

Take care everyone and have a grrr-eat weekend

Love Benson and Gibson

10. The way they play with each other (hopping around like bunnies, tackling each other like puppies and chomping their jaws together – hilarious!)

9. Their loyalty

8. The way they snort when they get really excited and have toys in their mouths

7. The way their bodies “waggle” back and forth when they see me walk in the door

6. The way they absolutely have to sniff people up and down

5. Their lack of modesty (the way they go belly-up at night on the couches, mouths open with their legs spread apart and their front paws in the air

4. Their intelligence and awareness of a daily routine

3. Their lack of intelligence (or perhaps its just selective hearing…)

2. Their cuddly nature

1. Their ability to forgive and unconditionally love us imperfect humans

This is dedicated to the most gentle and loving Golden Retriever, Marvin White and his human, Gary.

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, sunshine so our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill or old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy except for one small thing…they miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent, his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group , flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted. And when you and your special friend finally meet you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life, but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.”

-Author Unknown

We love you Marvin. You are a special dog who taught us about love, life, laughter and patience. And its because of God’s gracious creatures like you, as this blog’s sub-head says, that All Pets Go to Heaven.

Love, Jaime.  

For the sake of keeping us all together and makin g new friends in the pet blogosphere I have started talking about my favorite pet blogs once a week.

This week’s winner is our good friend, Spencer. The Adventures of Spencer: A Mascot Dog’s Blog is all about a 10-year-old Golden Retriever named, you guessed it, Spencer.

Although I am partial to Golden Retrievers myself (having two), this dog is sweet as sugar and smart as a whip and you can just tell from all his pictures that he is a great companion and loyal friend. Spencer is so easy going and smart that he is a therapy dog for cancer patients. It doesn’t get much sweeter than that…

Spencer lives in Los Angeles with his humans and spends his days napping, getting cuddles, playing with tennis balls and taking walks. Ahhh, the life of a spoiled Golden Retriever.

Spencer’s humans, wonderfully generous parents, recently started fostering a 4-month-old Golden Retriever and Spencer, patient and laid back as he is, spends much of his time showing “the kid” around and teaching her about life. They even fostered a second pup, Sunny, for a little while before she went back to the Rescue.

Spencer’s Blog, one of my favorites on the Blogroll, is written by Spencer (he’s very smart) and is refreshingly funny.  It’s one of those blogs that I look forward to reading when I get to work every day.

Plus, one of the best things about it is the pictures. Spencer’s humans take some great pictures of his Golden Retriever beauty, and the pics of the little foster dog, Jessy, will make you want to squeeze her (and Spencer, too). Be sure to check out the tennis ball pictures; Spencer can fit three tennis balls in his mouth at one time!

I encourage you to start visiting The Adventures of Spencer for some good laughs and great stories!

Well it sure is nice to see two other Golden Retrievers getting spoiled rotten! We just visited the Adventures of Spencer and learned about Spencer’s foster brother.  Click here to see the cutest Golden Retriever pictures from The Adventures of Spencer.

Boy are they pretty Goldens, our Mom says! Boy they look like they sure are having fun together! It’s so much fun having a brother!

Wuf ya,

Love Benson and Gibson

Someone asked me on our nightly stroll last night how we happen to find a white Golden Retriever.

I had just read a story on MSNBC called “ Buying a Dog? Beware of Breeder.” Since the gentleman asked and I had just finished reading the article, I felt the need to tell him the whole story. (He probably regretted asking me later).

Gibson (the white Golden’s name) was littermates with Benson (our red Golden). When the family chose to take Benson home 7 years ago, Gibson was one of the last two pups left. We felt horrible for leaving him alone. (*Important note: I wanted a shelter dog but the decision was not mine to make.)

The breeder had some serious acreage on his plot with tons of room for the dogs to run around. They had very nice pens, lots of greenery and a big fat sticker and papers that said they were AKC registered. The dogs seemed healthy enough (although you and I both know Goldens are infamously inbred but you can never tell if the breeder lies about it or not) and happy enough.

Benson was a great addition to the family. After he turned 5 months old, we returned to the breeder (without warning) to get Benson’s papers.

What we found was an absolutly horrifying site. The “other” side of the house, the part that wasn’t green and lush, the part with no pens, was filled with trash, overgrown sharp brush (dangerous in the California desert in summertime), old car parts, farm equipment and such. There was no water bowl, no food dish, no nothing.

And then there was Gibson.

He barreled over to us, tail between legs but SO happy to see a human. Gibby was in terrible condition. He was skinny, had bloody feet and was very dirty. (You can really see dirt on a white dog.)

We practically knocked down the door of the place (we had mistakenly happened upon the wrong side of the property) and said we were here to get Benson’s papers, and, oh by the way we are taking this dog and getting your AKC and USDA breeding license revoked.

When we got Gibby home (we impolitely slammed down $500 - more than a fair bargain- on the table and said “we are taking this dog”) and to the vet, turns out he had fleas, ticks, ear mites, and multiple leg and foot punctures from fox tails. Fox tails are these needle-like weeds that are very dangerous to animals in the desert. They enter through the feet and are so thin they can travel in an animal’s blood stream all the way to the heart and puncture it.

We did report the breeder to the AKC AND the USDA, and they both said it’s very hard for them to control every single breeder who displays their name. You have GOT to be kidding me. They pretty much just said they would take note of the breeder but they don’t have enough time or resources to get out there.

I personally wanted to stand in front of this jerk’s house and farm and tell every single person who walked up in the next couple months (I assumed the mother was carrying another litter on the “good side” of the property) what this breeder was REALLY about. I would have been arrested though for multiple things and I probably would have wound up in a fist fight with the owners of the place.

The MSNBC story states:

“Just because a breeder has a license from the USDA doesn’t mean much. USDA minimum standards for housing and exercise are bare bones. The agency requirement for cage size…is just six inches taller, wider and longer than the dog inside… The USDA waivers the exercise requirement of 30 minutes per day for at least five days a week if the dog is housed in a cage with twice the floor space.”

The article also says the AKC requirements are less than savory and that all AKC papers certify is that both parents were of the same breed. Who knew?

Read the full article here.

As far as the AKC goes, it actually says right on their website that they don’t “guarantee the quality or health of dogs in its registry.”

Gibson, whose picture I have used multiple times in this blog since he’s so handsome, thankfully has turned out to be the absolute sweetest, most gentle and observant dog I have ever known. He kisses kids gently in the face when we pass them on the street, he smiles at you (literally) when you walk in the door, he purrs (from being brought up around cats), and has the most delicate nature. He does have that blessed Golden personality but there’s a little something special added in because he came from such hard beginnings. (He could use some help in the training department that Big Paw Blog recommends but that’s our fault for spoiling him rotten!)

I’m pretty sure the fault lies in the actual breeder here, but I was surprised to see the outright lack of requirement that the AKC deems. It was after this happened that I learned more about the horrors of some pet breeders and what some of the animals are subjected to.  I have since become an even bigger advocate of shelters and rescue pets.

Does anyone else have any history (good or bad) with AKC or AKC registered breeders?

1. Wake up at the crack of dawn with Dad. Wag wag, pant pant, air paw air paw, kiss kiss, smile smile.
2. Go outside to sniff the world (and pee on it, too). Walk in a few circles in the backyard and wander into the woods. Disappear in trees for awhile just long enough so Dad has to put shoes on to come and get us. Wait for him to call us from outside before we come back.
3. Inhale cookie we receive even though we didn’t come when called.
4. Prepare for breakfast by standing 1 centimeter from Dad’s legs as he makes breakfast. Jump up and down (literally). Trip him while he is taking it to our feeding stations.
5. Inhale breakfast.
6. Drink half the bowl of water without wiping our mouths so we drip all over the laundry room and kitchen floors. Hear mother cursing our father for not wiping it up as she steps in the slobber-water in her socks.
7. Prepare for cheese and crackers. Cheese and crackers are our vitamin and glucosamine pills disguised in Velveeta cheese with half a dog cookie. Boy does our Father spoil us. Stand 1 centimeter from Dad while he prepares cheese and crackers.
8. Go back outside to sniff the world some more. Possibly go to the bathroom
9. Come back inside and back to the water bowl. Proceed with slobber-dripping.
10. Proceed to leather couches. Rock back and forth before jumping up – take up one couch each. Exhale loudly as we plop down.
11. Greet Mom and big sister when they come down to leave for work. Wag, wag, pant, pant, air paw air paw, kiss kiss, smile smile.
12. Get close-up cuddles from big sister. Breathe hot breath in her face until she says we have stinky breath. Try to tell her she does, too.
13. Nap on leather couches.
14. Take a morning walk with Dad. Sniff the lawn of every single house.
15. Nap on fireplace hearth.
16. Take an afternoon walk with Dad. Sniff the lawn of every single house. Pee on the world.
17. Nap on leather couches.
18. Greet Mom and sister when they get home from work.
19. Prepare for dinner by standing 1 centimeter from Dad’s legs. Jump up and down (literally). Trip him while he is taking it to our feeding stations.
20. Wait for humans to eat dinner. Sit 1 centimeter from dinner table for human scraps. Listen to Mom tell us to back away.
21. Pre-clean dishes as they get put into dishwasher.
22. Go for evening walk with the family. Poop in neighbor’s yard and kick back grass as Dad picks it up.
23. Nap on leather couches so the humans have to rearrange themselves.
24. Bedtime cookie.
25. Goodnight.

Every year the American Kennel Club comes out with a list of the Most Popular Purebred Dogs (based on 50 major U.S. cities).  It’s funny to me how the breeds in here run the gamut, but I wonder why so many of the breeds that I know and love get left out.

The big headline this year was that, bringing up the rear end at Number 10, the Bulldog once again made the Top Ten list (after a 75-year abscence). As usual the Labrador Retriever topped the list followed by the Yorkshire Terrier, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Beagle and Boxer.

The Dachshund comes in at Number 7; easy to see why so many people prefer these precious pooches if you check out the funny photos at Dogster’s Dog Blog.

The rest of the list holds Poodles and Shih Tzus coming in before the Bulldog.

The AKC’s list is based on registrations trends, so who knows how many pups from those purebred litters actually get sold directly to families (whimper).  Plus, they don’t count really popular mixed breeds like the Golden-Doodle and Puggle.

Personally, I think rescue dogs and strays make a pretty darn good sweetie, too. (Check out Dogs’ Aye View for some fresh rescue perspective.)

 I would also like to see Bassett Hounds, Blood Hounds and Pit Bulls make a comeback (numbers 31, 43 and 58, respectively) !

Share with me; give your perspective on what your favorite breeds are.