I won, I won!!

These are DogPause bowls and guess what.....I WON one!!! WOOF, WOOF! My pal, Simba, a cute Manchester Terrier that lives in Canada, was having a photo contest on his blog and the winner got a blue DogPause bowl. That's right, the winner was moi! I was so happy I won that my tail would not stop wagging....forget the part that I was the only one that entered the contest....I won and that's all that matters. Be sure to check out Simba's site by clicking on his name above and you can see ME on his blog by clicking on the I WON one part. ;) Seriously though, check out Simba's blog...he always has interesting dog stuff on there and his Human Mom (HM, as he calls her) does these really neat paintings of dogs...my Mom really likes them. :)

So, what is the DogPause bowl you ask....it is a bowl with four deep "pockets" or chambers for food. It was designed to help those canines like myself that eat too fast to slow down! It really does work too! Click on the picture of the red DogPause bowl above to visit their website and learn more about them. :)

When I got home from my vacation in Canada, I had this package waiting for me. (It was from Canada too...BOL!) Mom cut the tape for me and I proceeded to try and open it with my nose...

When that didn't work, I tried it with my paw...

After several attempts and failures, I said "GRRRR" and stuck my tongue out at it...

I think the tongue thing worked and I was able to FINALLY get it open with my nose and a little help from my teeth...

Once the box was open I had to get the packing material off...can you see the blue bowl??

TA-DA....and there it was in all of its beauty...although at first, I wasn't sure what in the world it was...I mean, normally when I open up boxes there is either a) food inside or b) toys for me to chew on...so I was a little confused...

I figured it must be a new, shiny chew toy so I started to test out its durability but Mom quickly brought my fun and games to a halt...

She then showed me that it was for food and I got the idea...




It was quite tricky to get my muzzle in those chambers to get out all of the food but I managed...it did slow me down a little too which is the goal. Do you notice in the middle of the bowl the cute dog face with its tongue sticking out??

Those chambers are deep! I would recommend the DogPause bowl to any of my canine friends who like to "woof " down their food...BOL! It is much more healthy for us canines to eat slowly. Check out the video below of me using my new DogPause bowl for the first time. I also want to send out a big bark and some puppy kisses to my friend, Simba, and say thank you, thank you, thank you for my new bowl! I LOVE it!

Coffee that will make ya BARK!!! Galileo Coffee, that is!

Ok, the computer was having problems so I'm just now getting to tell you about the BEST coffee I have ever had...Galileo Coffee! Above is the logo that I borrowed from their website...if you click on the logo it will take you to the site. The site currently just contains contact info but will soon be adding more stuff so come back every now and then to check it out! This place not only has deeelicious coffee but they are super dog friendly and they even have a local dog who hangs out sometimes and greets humans and other canine visitors! Is that BARKariffic or what! Just in case...their website is http://galileocoffee.com/.


Above is the real logo (which is very good) but I really think they should consider this one...what do you think??? Is that coffee art or what? ;) BOL!


Doesn't that look pawesome! That's me in front of the store...Mom tried to get a picture but they were so busy that I just couldn't sit still...too many people coming and going that I NEEDED to say hello to. ;) The human doing the coffee art is Lance...he is one of the owners and the roaster....the picture with me in it has the other owner, Cara, walking up the steps to take care of more customers!


There is the place where the magic happens and the owners even take the time to pose for pictures with canines...isn't that great! Don't mind my weird face in the picture with Lance....it's not the best shot of me but hey, I can't be in model mode 24/7! Also, you will notice a picture of me taking a lick of coffee....hahahaha.....and Mom thought she could just get a cute little picture of me with the coffee and I wouldn't try to drink it! BOL! All I can say is this coffee is dog tested and approved!!!! And there is the local dog, Babe, who hangs out and greets people. She was very nice and she even kicked up her paws and wanted to play with me....apparently, that's rare according to Lance. She is normally not much into the play thing.

So, there you have it...coffee to bark about. If you are ever in Britannia Beach, B.C. be sure to check it out!

O Canada!

This week I got to go to Canada for the first time! My humans and I, along with my Uncle Joel, went to Whistler, B.C. and we had a pawesome time! It is a very dog-friendly place and I saw lots of other neat canines...I even got to play with a few of them.

Here I am at one of the many Canine Coves...they have lots of them just for us dogs! Although I am not much of a swimmer it was still nice to frolick with the other dogs and cool my legs in the water. I saw one dog there who would dive under the water and fetch rocks....I would NEVER do that...that dog was crazy!




I played with a Bouvier named Mykenna and a mini Golden Doodle. That little Golden Doodle had some speed...in fact he looked like a fox with his long strides and bushy tail. My favorite part was chasing him around and I even caught him once and sent him into a tumble as we collided...don't worry though, no one got hurt...it was all in good fun! He got right back up without missing a beat and kept the game of chase going.






I even saw Mykenna the next day at a different Canine Cove and got to play with her some more!




This is me at Lost Lake with a dirty nose...I was inspecting and smelling everything and since it was wet my nose got a bit muddy. I washed it off in the lake later.




Mom & me at Lost Lake




Dad & me at Lost Lake




I even got to go into a COOL store....it is named Whistler Happy Pets and boy did it make me happy. I sniffed all of the food and picked out a few toys. In the end though, I didn't get everything I wanted....just a new collar....BLAH, that's not exciting but I did get two bags of some very tasty treats! YUM!

Uncle Joel & me at a park in West Vancouver...we stopped for a break.




I had a barkin' good time in Whistler and can't wait to go back. Did I tell you that I even had some close encounters with some bears...that's right. Well, I didn't actually see them but Mom and Dad did but I won't tell you that part.....um, yea, I saw some really HUGE bears and they took one look at me and knew I was a fierce lion hunter and ran away. My Mom and Dad were very proud of my amazing protective skills and my fearlessness....that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Tomorrow, I will tell you all about the BEST coffee shop in the world...that's right, the best in the world right in Britannia Beach. B.C., so stay tuned you don't want to miss it!

Happy Father's Day Dad!

This is me & my Dad just this morning! I really think my Dad is the GRRReatest! He takes me fun places, fixes up my yard so I can play and relax, he plays with me, he gives me yummy food (especially from the BBQ), and he even lets me sleep in the bed with him! I made him a special Father's Day card with my very own paw print on it...of course, he loved it! I also, with a little help from Mom, got him a cool new tool for the BBQ so now he can make us even more yummy treats! hehehe! Dad, if you are reading this, I WUFF you and know that the BBQ tool is also for you to enjoy not just for me and Mom to reap the rewards from! ;) Happy Father's Day!

Nala Goes To First Grade!!

I recently went to first grade to visit some kiddos with my Mom. The class is very special to my Mom as they are one she has worked with quite a bit. As you can see from the pictures, they had lots of questions and stories for me. Each of them also got to ask me to do a "trick" like sit, shake, down, etc... They loved it, and so did I because it meant lots of YUMMY treats! They wanted to go through the line again and do another trick with me, but the adults squashed that idea...darn it...I could have had even more treats! Oh well!

This class really wanted to meet me which is why Mom brought me to see them...why, you ask. Well, Mom talked about me ALOT because I am her only DOGter and she used a cute little doggie that she named Nala in the classroom to help with management. There were three colored bones...red, meaning OOPS, we need to make better choices, yellow was a warning, and green, meaning, WOW, what super behavior!! The students really responded well to this and so after all the Nala stories they wanted to meet me! There is a picture below and although the green bone is covering the collar I just want you to know that my name is on the tag! It even kind of looks like me! ;)

My new RR friend, Riley

This weekend, I met a new friend. Her name is Riley (hope I am spelling that right) and she is a Rhodesian Ridgeback just like me!!! We had a GRRRREAT time playing in my backyard, and she uses her paws to give hugs when she plays just like me too...is that PAWESOME (thanks for the new cool word Simba) or what! Riley lives two hours away but she was visiting some family that just happen to live across the street from me...talk about lucky! There I was lying on the floor inside when Mom comes and takes me outside...to my surprise there was a Ridgeback in my yard...it was Riley! I rarely get to play with other dogs like me so it was a very special treat, and I hope she gets to come back real soon for some more rowdy Ridgeback rompin' in my backyard.

This weekend was also my human pal, Madison's, 2nd grade graduation! Is she not the cutest little human pup you ever have seen! Ok, I guess she's not a pup anymore since she will be in 3rd grade next year...I still can't believe it! My Mom drove over for her end of the year school program, and she got to see Madi do a skit with her class. Mom said that she did a very good job...wish I could have gone but at least Mom shared the pictures with me.

One last picture...this is me and Madi hunting Easter eggs last time she was over. I am like a little lost puppy...wait, I am a puppy....I mean, a little lost sheep following her around when she's over. I really WUFF her! We get to have camp outs on the floor when she is over too and I snuggle up right beside her...to help keep her warm, of course! I hope she comes over soon...I miss the little graduate.

Queen of the Couch - UPDATED

Check out my new couch...that's right...I said MINE...not Mom and Dad's but MINE!

They don't know it just yet, but it is the reality of things...it will sink in soon enough though, I'm sure. I haven't been able to try it out yet because pesky Mom and Dad are always around and right now they are being very strict but soon...HA,HA,HA...soon I will be curled up in a nice little ball on those soft cushions.

It matches my color and everything so clearly it was meant for me...right!?? If Mom and Dad don't leave then I may just have to wait for them to cave and they will...especially Mom. She is a sucker for my cute little face and my whining. Boy, do I have her wrapped around my paw or what! Eventually, she will put a blanket over the couch and tell me to "hop up" so until then I will be watching for the blanket. I will let you know what I think once I get to test it out so stay tuned....

Ok...I just posted this yesterday, and I have already tried out the new couch. It is great...so much softer than the last one plus because the color is the same color as me it is very hard for my parents to find any furry evidence I may have left behind! ;) I first tried it out yesterday as soon as Mom left the house and then again this morning when the humans went to the Farmer's market...don't tell them though...they still think I am their perfect little angel puppy. ;)

My Rhodesian Ridgeback Family

Just thought I would share some family pictures with you! I think my Dad, King Khufu, is quite regal looking, don't you? And my Mom, Apache Red Kelly,...could she be a prettier color of red? I think that I am a nice mix of both of them as I am a lighter color like Dad but I am built like Mom. Anyway, they are both quite beautiful looking Ridgebacks which of course provides the answer to where I got my good looks and charm! ;)

King Khufu (dad) and Apache Red Kelly (mom) both live in a little town called Yacolt, WA at ApacheRidge Ranch...this is where I was born. In fact, their human, Diana, let my human Mom borrow some of her pictures so I could show them off to you. Thanks Diana! I lived at ApacheRidge Ranch for the first 9 weeks of my life and although I don't remember much from that time I have a feeling that I really liked it...I mean...there are lots of other Ridgebacks to play with there plus there are some "human pups" to play with. My human Mom thinks that my early start with kids is what helped make me be so friendly and "kid-loving" today!

Then, on June 10, 2006, my human Mom and Dad drove for a long time to come pick me up...my Mom said that she knew I was the one they wanted right away...can you blame them? They had a crate all set up for me for the long drive home but I was very scared about leaving home and my Rhodesian Ridgeback family and whined so much that Mom held me on her lap for a bit. I fell quickly asleep all curled in a tight ball on her lap. However, this was short-lived because after we stopped for a potty break Mom and Dad decided that I needed to get used to my crate and this time they let me "bark it out" until I calmed down and fell asleep. After that, I didn't mind the crate so much. :)

Here I am in all my barking glory begging and pleading to be let out of the awful jail!

In no time though, I fell in love with my crate...it was like my own special room where I could curl up and get cozy! Wasn't I teeny? I can still curl up in a ball almost that size...ok, not quite but we Ridgebacks really can curl up quite nicely. I can squeeze into very tiny spaces especially if it means being close to my humans.



My first picture with Mom! She wishes she could still hold me like that but I guess snuggling on the couch will have to suffice.

Me and Dad taking a break from the drive to my new home.



King Khufu

Just another picture of my Dad...he's very tough looking, huh!

Apache Red Kelly

My Mom looks so sweet...maybe that's where I get it from!?

And finally one of the parents together...don't they make a cute couple! They certainly make beautiful puppies!

Brix the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog

I have definitely seen better weekends...my parents have been very busy so as a result I have not enjoyed my usual weekend activities. Mom and Dad had this dinner club thing where they had a bunch of other humans over so of course I got banished to a separate room of the house...HOW RUDE! I guess they did give me a tasty bone to chew since I was banished but still...they were cooking Southern food (Southern U.S., that is) and I just had to smell the catfish and hushpuppies while chewing my bone. So unfair, especially with a name like hushpuppy...I mean, shouldn't I be in on that one.

Ok, enough about my sad weekend...this post is about my friend, Brix...who, by the way, I usually get to play with at least once on the weekends but not this one because of my parents busy schedule...RUFF! Ok, seriously, I am finished complaining. And now about BRIX...

Brix is a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, and he sure is handsome. In case you don't know what a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is...they are a cross between a German Shepherd and a Carpathian Wolf. The breed is relatively new as they were first created in 1955. (that is if I have my facts correct...I googled it but who knows if that stuff is accurate so if anyone knows better and would like to correct me then feel free) They didn't become recognized as a national breed until the year 1982, and so far there are not too many of them in the U.S. but I sure am glad Brix is here...he even has a sister in Louisiana, I think. (wonder if she ever gets to eat hushpuppies???)

Brix, like other Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs I'm sure, is very fast and graceful when he runs. In fact, it doesn't look like he expends any energy at all. I think he is getting faster too because lately he has been catching me and biting my butt...only gentle bites though...play bites. I don't know....maybe it has something to do with me looking back to see of he is chasing me that is slowing me down?? He is also very friendly and he plays nice. He is tall and he has three different colors of fur...very beautiful!

Another thing about Brix is that he is an amazing jumper...that boy just jumps up on things for fun and things that are way too high for me to even think about attempting...I mean, I could do it but I just don't want to show him up...ya know. Ok, who am I kidding, he is a WAY better jumper than me. Well, he also likes to run up and then run down the slides at the parks we play at together. I always watch in admiration, but never attempt it myself. (I tried it once when I was a puppy before I knew what a slide was, and it was too slick for my claws to get any traction so I was sliding all over the place and I DIDN'T like it...I don't know how he does it??) Anyway, check out the video of Brix on the slide from last weekend...OH, and watch for me at the end congratulating him on a job well done with wet puppy kisses!

Hope you had a good weekend Brix...I miss you, and my parents better bring me to see you next weekend!!

**To see more of my fun times with Brix, click on the colored words/links above!