Decking Out!

Our Christmas decorations went up today!

Earl and I.

PLUS, DON'T FORGET - THE FIRST EVER HOP EARL'S PINCH PUNCH POST IS OCCURRING TOMORROW! COME ON BLOGGER TOMORROW MORNING AND IT WILL BE THERE AS SOON AS HUMANELY POSSIBLE FOR I, THE HOST. COME JOIN THE FUN!

Follow Up, FitDog Friday & Pet Parade

Does this ever occur at your house on a Friday?

You: "Hmmm. I'm really hungry. But I'm saving the Pringles for Christmas!"

Family member: "Who cares… just eat them… its Friday after all!"

You: "True! I'll just eat them. Its a special day after all!"

(You eat all the Pringles or other 'special' food)

If so, do you ever include your DOG? NO? Great stuff and good on you! Dogs do not understand what day it is. They may understand your daily routine, but they don't think 'Monday - damn it is a bad day' or 'Friday! Yippeee! Almost Saturday and Sunday when the humans seem to like it!' They may know when the humans are going to be in all day, or when training class frequently occurs, but giving your dog those 'oh what the heck its Friday' treats is a step down the path to darkness and despair.

So just act normally when it comes to treats for your dog! Enjoy your Fridays, yes I love them too (especially Friday nights, haha) but your dog won't be upset if he missed out of apparent Friday funday. He won't know!

Our Follow Up Friday:

So now that that warning is over, we can get onto responding to our lovely readers' comments!

The comments to What If My Dog…? Book review! are as follows:

Jenna,Mark Drady said:

"hmmm, think i'll try and find that book, hopefully they have it in ebook format?"

Hiya Jenna! You'll have to look into that!

On Monday Mischief - Sneaking a peek are we? the comments were as follows:

Flea said:

"Good taste in literature.

www.dogtreatweb.com"

Isn't it just spiffy when your dog turns out so brainy??!?!?!!

Megan Dienhard said:

"I fall asleep when I read too! Happy Monday from2catsandacattledog.com"

Hope you had a good Monday too Megan. There's nothing like a bedtime story is there!

Laika said:

"What a cutie, Laika said: http://laikashundeliv.blogspot.com"

2browndawgs said:

"LOL guess it put you to sleep!"

It certainly did! A very tidy close-up of the book as well! Thought those paws would fumble at least a little.

The comments to Show success at Dog Vegas! were replied to, apart from one recent one:

Vicky said:

"Well done! Was this a show at the UK arena in Grantham? If it was I was there with Tommy too."

Hi Vicky! Yes, it was! We think we saw you with Tommy! Were you wearing a sweatshirt with Vicky a Tommy on the back?! I expect that is you!! Are you going to the next one?

Now for Pet Parade hosted by Rascal and Rocco…

Showing off more of Earl!

I am privileged to have him by my side.

--------------------

So that's it for today's Friday hop folks! We've had a busy one!!!! Phew.

Have a good day (and don't go overload with your dog treats just because of this day!)

Plus, please vote for Earl by 'loving' his post on PackDog profile in the grateful #grateful contest! Thank you so much, loving readers!

And don't forget our Pinch Punch Post this Sunday!!

Earl and I.

Don't give in just because of the day!

The first link list is for Follow Up and the 2nd for FitDog Friday, and the 3rd Pet Parade.

We hopped off Heart Like a Dog for Follow Up Friday.

We hopped off My GBGV Life for FitDog Friday.

Thank you to Jodi from Heart Like a Dog for hosting FUF.

Thank you to SlimDoggy, Peggy's Pet Place and To Dog With Love for hosting FDF. 
We hopped off Rascel and Rocco for PP. Thank this blog for hosting it too.

What If My Dog…? Book review!

Bookdog alert! I have just finished reading 'What If My Dog…?'! Remember - the book I told everyone about HERE!

I would give this book a full 5 stars (or dog bones, as Earl would prefer today!!!)

Full 5 bone rating from me!

!!!!!

The book covered many concerning topics that are common for dog owners. E.g. messing in the house, destructive behaviour, unsociability, greediness to eat everything, illnesses all in professional terms given sensibly. There are many fun cartoons to give this informative book  a cute twist also! It even gives you advice on coming to terms with death and when to know to let your dog go. It focuses on those little questions in the middle of the book, starting with the sometimes stressful puppy period, right through to the dog being a golden oldie. A great book all round!

Unlike some books, which are more like a knowledgable journey, a course, or project, this book is for reference when you need the help. You don't only understand the last part of the book, when you've read through the entire book from start, but you can open any page and have a handy tip at… your finger tips!

Pros:
Informative
Professional terms used
Fun canine cartoons
Expert advice
Only includes needed info
No draghino words

Cons:
Sometimes the explanations are a little short
Sometimes you still don't have your question answered in full detail

In summary to this online book review, I would recommend the book to anyone interested in dogs and what they may get up to. Great for first time dog owners or un-knowledgable ones especially, but interesting for all dog enthusiasts like myself.

We hope the review helped you!

P.S. Don't forget to take part in our exciting 2 weekly dog polls… just skip to the bottom of this blog page and participate freely! Thanks :)

Plus, get ready this 1st of December for the first ever Earl's World!'s Pinch Punch Post! Its the all new, original, fun blog hop! For more details visit Pinch Punch Post
Earl and I.

Monday Mischief - Sneaking a peek are we?

Earl is a real bookdog!

Taking a sneak peek at my Chrimbo issue of Dogs Today Magazine are we now little man of mine?! Thought so!

Earl and I.

Thank you to Alfie's Blog, Snoopy's Dog Blog, and My Brown Newfies for hosting this Monday Mischief blog hop.
We hopped off 2 Brown Dawgs Blog

Black and White Sunday - Understanding canine teaching (And Poll update!)

Earl and I have put together some quirky photos that show the importance of training your dog with an understanding heart and brain. Happy Sunday everybody.

Unfortunately, our kind host Dachshund Nola could not bring a Linky List into today's Sunday as apparently LinkyTools + iPhone = impossible! 

Earl also played with his spongey pudding toy today, and loved it to bits bless!

(Some non black & white photos, sorry!)

De-de-de-ler!

Although these takes show Earl playing INDOORS, he took it OUTDOORS in an attempt to play when we arrived home from agility today, therefore it is apparently not allowed back in the house due to outdoor dirt… so its an outdoor toy now, BOL!

Now lets do the 2 weekly dog poll review…

Our poll 8 question posed was: 'Do you think competing or just-for-fun is better?'

The winning vote was: 'Doesn't matter'

The rest of the votes available were:

2. Competing (2 40%)
3. Just for fun (0 0%)
1. Doesn't matter (3 60%)
3. Other? (0 0%)

The number. is what place they came overall now the poll (8) has closed.

On this poll, 3 placings were given.

About getting into dog sports

To have the opportunity to compete without upset or loss, you need to be able to DO the sport you will be competing in first. It is as waste of time, money, emotions, and energy for both you and your dog if you don't. Don't rush it! Its your choice, make the right one for your and your dog's own benefit! Once your ready (and I mean proper ready for stomach turning moments but a load of enjoyment) you can get started!

Any details?

Well, you need to make sure you understand what competing involves, before you partake. Your dog needs to be fairly sociable and well mannered as there will be lots of other people and dogs at the event (like your training class, unless you ave a one-to-one!)

More on THAT decision…

All I can say from here (truthfully) is that the decision is up to you! Your training instructor will advise you and guide you through the process I am sure. Mine has done a superb job at helping me through. I couldn't have down it without her.

What should you do?

Ask your instructor, or friend or family member who does the sport and knows what they are talking about to get you started. Make sure your on as higher note as possible when you compete - you don't want your dog to go flat and be put off.

Well done and thank you for voting! If you voted, you managed to get what you think should be in place in the dog world out there to the world! Your making one of those minor differences that counts.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our Poll 9 will be opening NOW!! It will have 2 weeks as usual for people to be able to vote, and then information following the closure will be given on the subject, usually on the winning vote if it is relevant, works and suits. Remember to share what you think should be in place in the dog world!

Our Poll 9 is n the subject of homemade and commercial dog diets. The question posed is: 'Would you rather feed a commercial or homemade diet to your dog?'.

Voting will have 1 day extra this 2 weeks, because I will be posting the brand new Pinch Punch Post hop on Sunday 1st Dec, so would like to simply get that sorted out on that day. Please join in and comply with that, I need to make sure it gets sorted and works smoothly for my readers.

Lets get voting! Thanks.

REMEMBER, POLLS ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG PAGE!

Earl and I.

Show success at Dog Vegas!

Today was another of our Dog Vegas Agility Competition days! We had so much fun, and we had so much success as well! We won out (out of Grade 1 to Grade 2) in Vegas Money Small Agility Combined Grade 1-3, received £8 (pound per person entering, there was 8 people in this class!), plus received a huge 1st place rosette and a  well-decorated mug (their version of a trophy). It was a clear round, and our other 3 classes we did (we had 4 all together) were all clears too, all only a couple of places away from being, well… officially placed!!! 

As always, photos of Earl sharing his successes were took, in the same spot as usual…

A proud and maybe just a little bashful image of Earl <3

First side of mug trophy...

Next side of mug trophy...

And final side of mug trophy!

Our awards display is just GROWING! And that is the way we LOVE it! I am extremely proud of us both.

Sorry, we are unable to post this photo!

Trophies/medals etc display

We also bought Earl a spongey rubber xmas pudding toy ball today! He has not yet played with it however, as he immediately crashed out on the sofa when we got home from the show! Bless him!

The 'Spongey Pudding' by 'Good Boy'!

This soft and festive toy withstands wet and muddy weathers, rinsing off much better than a tennis ball. Have you noticed your dog's tennis balls getting filthy in the winter conditions yet?? This only applies if you are having true wet, windy, muddy, cold conditions this year I guess though!

It could be one of your dog's Christmas pressies this year! Or maybe just for the fun of it. Any reason suits this fab toy. Your dog is sure to love it!

Of course I can't really give proper reviews on this toy, as Earl hasn't even played with it yet! But if you want to find out more, just ask as I can say now it will not be long until he's enjoying it to the full!

We even spotted a fellow blogger today at Dog Vegas!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Earl and I.

Follow Up Friday - Free time already?

Yesss! Its finally Friday! After such hard working week, its nice to know now we have 2 whole days to put out feet (and paws!) up. WRONG. We are probably the most busy we have ever been on a weekend this weekends. To top it off, we've had a bucketload of comments from fans and readers over the past week in reply to our posts, so let us not delay on getting back to these friendly dog-lovers! 

Comment + response key:
Red and italicised = reader's comment
Black and normal = My reply

Worldless Wednesday - On a Roll comments...

dogwalker8 said:

"Hi Earl, you silly dog :)"

Hi Dogwalker! Yes your absolutely right, haha! 

Jenna,Mark Drady said:

"Love the pics! And I love your blog, I am going to follow! 
This is my first blog hop, and I am a brand new blogger, so if you get a chance, hop on over!
http://ownedbyahusky.blogspot.ca"

Welcome to the dog bloggin' world Jenna! You blog is great, keep up the hard posting, and make sure to join in more blog hops, including our brand new one which occurs every 1st of every month, called Earl's Pinch Punch Post! Just link up and grab the badge to display on your Pinch Punch Post, and describe the last month you have had your dog, and tell us a bit about your plans for the new month. Simple and fun! Enjoy, I am following your blog so I can keep up with your lovely Husky's adventures!

Janet Keefe said:

"There's nothing like a good roll on the carpet! We don't have many carpets….I don't think the dogs are very happy about that :)
Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets"

Earl also likes to roll outside on the grass (bird poo, fox poo, worms, etc!) so there is no stopping your dogs from having a good roll ;)

Deanna Watson said:

"My Jack Russell will randomly do that! So cute.
My WW entry is #88. Come by and vote for us?

Hello Deanna, it is cute isn't it! I will defo check out your post for Wordless Wednesday. Hope your week has been fab.

Cattle Aussies said:

"You are so silly Earl! Do you make silly noises when you do that? Terra and Kronos love rolling around making funny noises :)"

Sometimes he does - if he is rolling, say, on a toy, he will make 'waraaaaaaaa' moaning noises and high pitch 'eeeeeeeem'… after the latter, he will bounce up and pester a human to play with him! Aren't they just hilarious?!

Nerissa said:

"I see your exposin' your tummy there. You like the tummy rubs? I LOVE the tummy rubs. I like chin scritches too. 

Purrs,
Nissy"

Nissy…… believe me… and I'll talk straight from the pooch's mouth himself here…YES!!! He loves tummy tickles :) Most dogs do, I believe - and I don't blame 'em either! If I were a dog, I bet I would too! Earl is proud of me for being that way…

Ruckus Eskie said:

"Earl! Difficult finding your sweet spot?"

Hehehehe, actually he got there in the end.

Oz theTerrier said:

"That is some roll, Earl! Good job!"

Earl's says thank you. He is a master-roller I can assure you!

Black and White Sunday - Hoops & all comments…

tubby3pug said:

"awesome pictures! Your blog is great by the way and i love your header we will surely be back

urban hounds"

Thanks so much! I worked long and hard on that header, wanting to make it apt and just perfect! I decided to settle on the current quirky one we have - glad you like it :-D

OhMyShihTzu said:

"Love this pics!!! It takes a ton of practice to balance things like that… especially fun tug toys like that!!! Hope you had a great day at agility today!"

Thanks! We had a great agility day… the teaching was successful and the class learnt a lot and progressed. In our class, I even got Earl actually BOUNCING eagerly through the weaves! Result!

Now, I replied to two of the comments on Follow Up & PitDog Friday - Now its cold… but kindly, two more bloggers comments afterwards! So here are those two replied…

Oz theTerrier said:

"Great advice for dogs and humans living in those frigid conditions (I never see cold and snow here in Florida). I do love Earl's jacket… I need one for when it rains!
Have a great weekend!
Oz"

Hey there Oz Terrier my friend! Blog about it when you get a jacket please so we can see your handsomeness wearing it!

Milo Robinson said:

"Thank for the great advice!!
Love the pictures of Earl!!
Love Milo :)"

Hellooooo Milooooo! Not seen you in a while! Nice to receive a comment from you again - I hope the advice proves helpful!

Now that's all we have comments wise folks (phew, my fingers ache!!) thanks for commenting - we love to hear from you!! Keep 'em coming all the way!!!

So what are we doing this weekend? We have a Dog Vegas Agility Competition tomorrow so wish us high luck! And on Sunday, our training day. Fun is coming our way!

Have a suuuuuuuper weekend yourself my lovely readers…

Its Friday and time to partAyyyy… Yippeee!

Keep enjoying the blog, and as few more Earl's World! reminders for y'all…

On 1st of December, which is only 9 days from today (yes that's right, 9 days!) our first ever Pinch Punch Post blog hop occurs. Make sure to link up early and grab the badge. You will find you will have heaps of canine fun when you post, plus increase traffic to your blog. Winner all round! I have already made the link list and it is ready to go. It will be posted first thing Sunday 1st December 2013. Get on your blogs that day and be sure to participate! We hope to make this extremely fun idea a regular, popular blogging occasion. My co-host, GizmoGeoDog from Terrier Torrent, has volunteered and is going to co-host the hop. You still up for this Gizmo my close pal? :)

Here is our badge for this hop:

Display this totally original badge on your PP Post!

The badge is homemade by us at this blog. 


Please enjoy it!

The next reminder is out 2 weekly dog polls! With only hours to vote and share your opinion of things in the dog world, flicking down to the bottom of the blog page is a must!

The theme is dog sport competing.

Earl and I.

We hopped off Donna and the Dogs
Thank you to Jodi from Heart Like a Dog and co-host Donna and the Dogs for hosting this FUF hop.

Wordless Wednesday - On a Roll

Black and White Sunday - Hoops & all

Happy Black and White Sunday everyblogger (and non bloggers)! This week, Earl has gone even further into town with the B&W photos!

Balancing act

Hewo vere!

Me and my shadow  - thought this looked great in b&w :)

Earl luuuurvs his hoop toy! (and having his photo taken!!)

Right, now must go and prepare to attend agility class all day, as I will be co-teaching the lower level classes then participating in my advanced class with Earl!

Enjoy your day.

Earl and I.

Thank you kindly to the host of this hop, Dachshund Nola and My Life in Blog Years

We hopped off Dachshund Nola

Plus remember to take part in our 2 weekly and very fun dog polls at the bottom of this page!! Woofs!

Follow Up Friday & FitDog Friday - Now its cold...

Now its getting to that freezing chilly time of the year - winter - I feel that today is a good opportunity for us here to give some advice on exercising your dog(s) in the ice and snow, or just cold temperatures. A great Friday for everyone!

We are going to use this post as an informative and fun post to ensure all owners and all dogs are happy as Larry this cold season - I hope you can understand why we seem to be posting about this so seemingly early… according the the weather forecast, over in Scotland, there is snow beckoning!! We will start with 5 'must-dos' of dog ownership and caring this winter.

Earl middle-aged enjoying one of his first ever snows :)

'Cool' (get it?!?) winter dawg tips:

1. PREVENTION & ELIMINATION
Wash all of your dog's paws after walks, then apply some vaseline or special dog paw wax if your dog suffers from cracked paws in icy conditions. It may be a wise idea to apply this regardless, just to be sure your dog is feeling adequate comfort all winter round. It is also vital that you wash your dog's paws (and possibly up the legs and belly if your dog has been rolling around, or you have had particularly deep snow) after walks because road grit/salt is highly toxic to dogs and so is antifreeze, which some heartless souls have even been known to put down on purpose. Keep a strict eye on your dog all winter round while walking. 

Earl having his paws washed

2. KITTING FIDO OUT
Make sure your dog is kitted out with all the winter essentials to keep him warm, protected, and well seen for those dark walks by night. Exercise is still compulsory - you can't use the weather as an excuse to keep your dog cooped up all season! So why not make the most of it and enjoy splashing out of safety items for your canine friend this dark, dark winter now the nights are closing in and we look forward to earlier nights where no light disturbs our sleep. It could also prove fatal to our dogs if they get lost etc on dark walks. Glowing, flashing, neon, high-vis, reflective gear could also come in useful when choosing what to kit our dogs out in. Why not choose a reflective and high-vis waterproof jacket with thick fleecy lining like Earl's? 

Earl showing himself off in his coat

3. A FIT DOG ROUTINE
I think this is a surprisingly important factor in the overall happiness and wellbeing of dogs. Even when its bitter and uncomfortable outdoors, that is still no valid excuse to pack in going out and exercising with your dog(s). Just kit up both you and your dog(s), and get out there! Please see tip number 4 for advice on how to know what limits to set if your dog has a known joint/medical/health problem. Try and keep as much to your normal routine as possible over the colder season, but set limits if necessary. Still try and do the same normal activity, but shorten and differ it is needed for the wellbeing of the dog.

4. SETTING BOUNDARIES SAFELY
You need to have a clear understanding of your dog's medical history and present, plus any joint problems or overall healthy problems your dog may suffer from. If this is the case, shorten your walks and play sessions but make them more frequent if possible and safe for your dog. Keep his stimulation levels high to make sure boredom is not at stake as that could be harmful to your dog's mental wellbeing. 

Limit your dog's activity when necessary if he has joint complaints

5. APPROPRIATE PLAY
Why would either you or your dog want to play with soggy tennis balls all season? Because those are likely to become very messy and a discomfort to hold in both our hand and our dog's mouth, so why not invest in a waterproof rubber ball, that can easily be seen in a bright colour! We don't want our dog's toys to get lost in the snow, that's no fun! 

Let balls continue to be fun!

We hope y'all enjoy this coming season! 

Earl and I.

Thank you to host Jodi from Heart Like a Dog and co-host Flea from Jones Natural Chews for hosting Follow Up Friday today!

Thank you to hosts Peggy's Pet Place, SlimDoggy and To Dog With Love for hosting the FitDog Friday Hop!

We hopped off 2 Brown Dawgs Blog for FUF
We hopped off SlimDoggy for FDF

The first linky list is the entries for FUF, and the second FDF.