Saturday, December 22, 2012

Snow is on the mind!

It snowed day before Yesterday. :D

Saya is happy. Coarse it's sunny here so it's melting away. :\

Saya and Bella loved it of coarse.
Her recall is still good in the snow and when distracted by following rabbit scents.

I did a lot of practice with her on recall on and off.
Used fish fudge yummy.
I had mom pick up some raw smelt while she was at the butcher as I've been out and they make yummy small meals or snacks for the dogs.
We had a nice walk in the woods after we were done in the yard. The winds we had blew our trash cans all over luckily no trash in those. One was in the front yard other back.

Saya had a bit of off leash time in the trails. did some recall training and stuff and then we continued walk on leash.


We found some deer tracks and where they had lay down too. :D

Only wild life I saw was a rabbit which ran off.

I'm glad we got a nice snow I enjoyed it. :)
Bella coarse needed a dog coat since it was chilly she looks like a neapolitan ice cream..
This video is pretty cute and how that is a lot of snow! Saya would disappear in that.


Thursday, December 20, 2012

got another Vibram

November 25th I ordered these they're treksports.

I've been wearing them and they fit great luckily the size 40 fits fine just like spyridons.

I got a pair of socks too more thinner then the wool ones I have so nice for when Spring comes.

I'm slowly getting used to them I need transition to them as they can take some getting used to muscle wise and all that.

I did have some soreness wearing them first time after a bit, but now they feel fine.
I got these from vibramfivefingers.com. Shipping came pretty quick.

They do look silly, but I do like them so far.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Merrick Before Grain

Saya loves hanging on back of the couch.
Local pet store had Merrick Before Grain salmon on sale so we picked it up to try.

Ingredients looks pretty good so we'll see how Bella does on it.

Ingredients:
Salmon (Deboned), Chicken Meal, Potato (Dehydrated), Turkey Meal, Canola Oil, Sweet Potato (Dehydrated), Dried Egg, (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of Natural Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid, a source of Vitamin C), Yeast Culture, Natural Dried Chicken Liver, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lysine, Guar Gum, Sea Salt, Alfalfa, Salmon Oil, Choline Chloride, Acai Berry (Dried), Blueberry (Dried), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Venison Broth, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Natural Venison Flavor, Chicory Root, Marigold Extract, Rosemary Extract, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Natural Celery Flavor, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Natural Color (Turmeric), Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, Niacin, Lecithin, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Amino Acid Complex, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite

3586 kcal/kg (calculated)
One pound provides 1625 kcal of metabolizable energy (calculated)
One cup (100 grams) provides 383 calories
*Caloric content calculated using Modified Atwater Method

Guaranteed AnalysisCrude Protein (min) 32.0%
Crude Fat (min) 15.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 3.0%
Moisture (max) 11.0%

From looks of things Merrick is coming out with new line of kibble so it's bit different.

I think they only have chicken, buffalo, duck, and pork formula now no salmon formula. It's still grain free.

From looks of it ingredients are a bit different no chicken liver in the chicken formula. Not the end of the world or anything..

Ingredients in the new stuff looks good.



Merrick before grain dog food chicken guaranteed analysis
Guaranteed AnalysisCrude Protein (min) 32.0%
Crude Fat (min) 15.0%
Crude Fiber (max) 3.0%
Moisture (max) 11.0%

Merrick grain free dog food chicken formula guaranteed analysis
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein (min) 38.00%
Crude fat (min) 17.00%
Crude fiber (max) 3.50%
Moisture (max) 11.00%

Protein is a bit higher in the new brand.

I never fed Merrick food before so we'll see how Bella does with it.

Saya is about out of her fromm beef kibble. I'll have to get a small bag of something I'm going to try different brand.

She eats raw diet, but I do use kibble for low value treat. I like fromm grain free as they're tiny so she isn't getting a bunch of big pieces.

Not sure what I'll get once I'm out I'll check the pet store for something different.

I'm thinking of getting a bag of ziwipeak for training treats too I ran out of the samples I gotten so some new ones would be nice. It's pricey as heck, but should last a while if I use it as a training treat.

Oh yeah I've gone insane.. haha I got a pair of Spyridon  vibram fivefingers. Only one store in my area. Indy has more stores, but I don't want to go driving all over the place.

Luckily they were having a sale going on so got a decent discount on them. Also got toe socks since winter is here.. I was hoping to try the lontras as they're supposed to be winter versions of the five fingers they only have men at the moment.

They feel fine so far I'm gradually wearing them each day to get used to them.

Without the toe socks they're not to bad outside, but with them they're more comfortable.

My brother has KSO kind he seemed to like them since he wore them a lot out and about walking and when we were in Arkansas he wore them during our kayak trip.

I've been reading up on them and when I saw them at the store I tried them on then went to a party. Next day I tried some other pairs and I liked the spyridon. It fits fine without socks and the socks do make it a bit more snug, but not too horrible. I'm going to start walking the dogs with them to see how they feel.

Last night was our first snow fall that stuck to the ground coarse it melted the next day. 

Winter is on it's way!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

More Arkansas pictures

I thought I'd post some more or the rest of the Arkansas pictures I took.

I do miss that hot water such nice feeling..

We went kayaking after visiting hot springs the next day we went kayaking and we had a lot of fun during the kayaking I never kayaked before so it was an experience and I learned a lot from doing it.

Maybe someday I'll get one to do it somewhere..
Before we went to the bath house we went to eat a bit since we hadn't had any breakfast.. :\


They had good hamburger, but the service was slow I ran out of drink it took long time before I got another and the hamburgers took long time to be made.

They got order wrong with my brother's wife. Gave her a hamburger instead of a club sandwhich. Luckily the hamburgers tasted good, but still. They wasn't really busy so was weird. ah well maybe they had a off day.
The hot springs bath we went to it was really nice and relaxing
I enjoyed the hot springs bath they gave free water and did have a food area to get sandwhiches or smoothie.

Arlington hotel
Cool car I saw

I loved the rocks and the state is pretty nice area. 

I have one more set of pictures to post I'll do it another day though.

I enjoyed the trip, but hope next time we go somewhere that allows dogs Saya would have loved the hiking areas.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Covered bridge festival

A covered bridge we came by on the way to it.
Yesterday we went to the covered bridge festival it was a lot of fun. We went to the bridgeton one I think this one was the best one not as many junk for sell a lot of home made or craft items and few junk or knock off items..

We are here!
It was crowded as usual and few dogs there too some of the shop owners had dogs with them too which is nice.

Saya isn't one that cares to meet new dogs due to having some bad experiences with other dogs, but she isn't so reactive she can't go places she can be in presence of another dog without barking, growling, or lunging.

She did meet couple dogs one was a cattle dog another looked like a cattle dog mix had same look, but a bit different she got along fine with both, but I asked for the owners to end the greeting soon as to not get Saya too stressed since too long greetings seem set her off..

Saya must smell good as dogs always wants to smell her forever. Bella dogs sniff her some then walks off, but Saya they gotta keep sniffing.. wonder if they smell she is on different diet and she smells different from a kibble fed dog or what?

I'm glad she got to meet some dogs she liked and the dogs she met actually behaved nicely so many charge at her to play and she doesn't like that.

Luckily she behaved well and she doesn't go nuts around other dogs. I seen some at the covered bridge festival they barked some, but never snarled or lung which is good.

On the way home we passed another one which we had gone to last year there was a lady with a jack Russel and another type of dog looks like a poodle mix and it went nuts when a lady with a mix walked by both dogs barked lunged at the dog passing and the dog got a bit riled up too.

I think dog like that shouldn't be at such an event being as there is such a big crowd..

D:
There was this trailer it's $1 per person they have a wolf, coyote, grizzly bear, black bear, and a cougar in it.. Doesn't seem big enough for even like this. :\

Plus I don't like sideshow type attractions doesn't seem right. I didn't pay to go see it so not sure what it looks like in the trailer, but still seems small to have those animals for a show thing.. Traveling sure, but this? Ah well.

I just don't get why can't people enjoy wild life in the wild heck there is wolf park in battleground Indiana they have fox, coyotes, bison, and wolves and the enclosures are big and they do it to educate and they ensure their animals are happy..
Exit of the side show
The red sign says donations are greatly appreciated. These animals are very expensive they eat something a year I can't read it on the pic too blurry..

We are trying to keep admission affordable at $1..

Any additional donation is appreciated. Thank You.

Enjoy the Show.

A show is that all these people think of the animals. Sad. :(
Loved the bison statue cute
I think animals like this needs to be in the wild and if they need be in an enclosure for people to see it should be like the wolf park in battleground Indiana they're enclosure if huge has a lake and lots land for the animals. They operate to educate people on fox, coyote, wolves and bison.

I've been many times and it's amazing how great it is as the wolves are happy and their other animals are happy too.

OK end of off topic stuff back to festival pictures.


English bull dog
Loved the weather it was cool in am and warmed up pretty quick glad I kept the coat in the car I had enough to carry around with my camera and Saya's water.

Saya took to the crowds well she wasn't stressed or nervous she is used to it since I took her to the farmer's market as a little pup.

I did have to keep her on short leash in crowded parts and make sure she was at my side as she is a small dog and easily people wouldn't know she is there since she is a quiet dog.

No incidence of her getting punted which is good.

Most of the buildings allowed dogs one had a sign no dogs, but only on one of the doors we went on one door it had no sign at all.

We had no issues many of the shop owners commented how nice and well behaved she is and coarse she was asked is she a puppy or mini husky?

Only one person said she is a shiba inu right? A kid said she looks like she is a coyotedog. So funny.

She did great when ever I stopped she would look up at me and sometimes while walking too. She enjoyed the day and got tons of exercise too.

Speaking of exercise people would always make tons of comments like "oh poor thing you should carry her!" "She looks tired" "She looks hurt!" so on.

I got a bit frustrated as she isn't tired or hurt at all she was enjoying herself and she even ran after a leaf or two to get it.

Ah well she is my dog and I know her better then some crowd of strangers.



She got plenty of breaks we stopped and ate food and she got to get a drink and wait till we were done then we walked some more.

I was tired at a point so we stayed at a table while mom went looking. She got more water and sat then we were about done I was waiting for mom to get a wooden bird house she had the shop hold.
Saya posing for a picture. :)
Me and Saya was done at this point. so we stayed at the post office while mom looked and got her birdhouse. it was nice just sitting there Saya enjoyed being petted by me and she took in the sights as people walked by.
Saya enjoying a treat
Saya isn't a breakfast eater she likes to be up a bit before she eats. She usually eats at lunch time or dinner time if I feed her in am it needs be small meal like a couple chicken hearts or liver.

Since we went to the festival pretty early we left 7:40 or something like that she didn't get her meal till we got home around 6:31pm..

Must been torture for her right? Not really she got treats throughout the day for being good, but not a lot though it was small kibble or bits of dog biscuit.

She is fed once a day which I vary it sometimes in am, lunch or evening she does get snacks sometimes like a egg, heart, caned fish, chicken foot or bit of honest kitchen food.

She seems do fine on this and she did well never acted tired till the we got to the postal office.

I always checked on her and offered water if I think she needed it. I never forced her to walk either if she wanted to sniff the grass, tree, building, hay bale, or whatever I let her and then we walked she always followed and never lagged behind.
Saya didn't seem phased by the horses at all either she was closer at times when they went by she just watched them.

I wasn't surprised since she has met horses at our neighbors place so she is used to them and their noises. She wagged her tail as they came by. She was never close enough to sniff or get hurt by the carriage.
Saya always happy and smiling. :) She was glad to have come and enjoyed the event. I'm glad they allow dogs and glad most were well behaved and owners didn't have them on long leashes or flexi leashes like the other events.
On the way out I spot a Pomeranian and a mixed breed. :)
Saya chilling around while mom went to bathroom.

She didn't seem to mind the noise of the chainsaw.

The wooden bear and raccoons were cute. A different wood carver guy had some nice bears too he had pigs, and even a coyote. A bit above my price range though I didn't want spend that much for the coyote.
I mainly went to enjoy the walk and so Saya could have fun. The crab cake I ate was yummy.

A store owner's dog at end of the day tired from all the attention.
Not a great picture, but this little girl screamed practically because she was so excited to see Saya. lol

Saya loved the little girl and she went right up to her and licked her hand.

Saya has so many fans it's funny everyone loves her. :)



Time to go back through the bridge to home.
Someone did a cute graffiti in the bridge it's a polar bear with a bottle of coke. hehe

On way home we stopped at a bakery/ice cream shop I got a waffle cone with pumpkin and chocolate yummy at the bottom they put a malted milk ball.

As I was leaving a kid said my dog looks like a fox dog. hehe
We got home so I put Saya in my room while I got her meal she went down waiting for me.

She was so tired from her day of fun she ate her food laying down.

Then we went outside and had some fun off leash she fetched some for me and did tricks for mom.