her expression remains the same...

I had a ball. Taylor wanted it. Badly enough that she didn't mind the camera in her face. I took advantage. :o)

Smiling for Spring!

Libby is pretty happy that Spring is here!!!!

Twins

King and Gus look an awful lot alike...

except for the ears that is!


oh, and a few years too!

(p.s Gus is the pointy eared older one of the two....)

The Many Sides of Marci

I introduced you all to Marcipan (Marci) on Wednesday with the creepy tongue....today I thought I'd show off his non-creepy-tongue side!

The Serious...

The Happy

The Surprised!

The Calm...serious, this is about as calm as he gets...

and the happy...again...that's pretty much how he is all the time...

Windy City Canine Rescue

There is a new rescue in town called the Windy City Canine Rescue.  They are focusing on more "experienced" dogs (aka older) but they will be helping out dogs of all ages that need to find a new home.  They are having a "Spread the Word" contest at the moment.  All you have to do is tweet, facebook or blog about the rescue and you can enter to win a free photo session from Paws on the Run!  You can find out more on their blog.  Start spreading the news!  (Did you all sing that like I did, or am I the only nerd?)

From any Angle...

You have to admit that Maddie the French Bulldog cross is absolutely adorable. She had a great first visit at daycare and took time out of her busy schedule to pose for some photos....

Strange day for tongues...

Taylor shows off her curves...

Charlie looks suspiciously like he is telling me where to go with the camera...

Suka gives classic slurp...

and the strangest....

Marcipan the Vizsla demonstrates the unexplainable tongue...seriously?

The Clown of the dog world....

The Boys Club- Jasper, Cooper, Milo

We have at least two (and often more!) Golden Retrievers at daycare every day. They are a very popular breed, and for good reason!

They are happy, friendly, and generally easy to train. Raised right Goldens adore people and make great family pets. They are active enough to enjoy hiking, camping and other outdoor activity, but are equally happy playing fetch in the backyard.

Milo

The Goldens at daycare range from the wild and crazy, to calm and easy going. They are great daycare dogs and are often found in the middle of anything that is fun. Fetch is a favorite game (they aren't called Retrievers for nothing!) but they are equally happy wrestling, or playing chase games.

Roscoe- all puppy smiles!

All goldens seem to have that sweet, melt your heart expression and they aren't afraid to use that to their advantage. It's awful hard to stay mad at a sweet golden face! They also seem to all share the clown trait- they do the goofiest things and love to make us laugh. Rolling around on the floor, playing with a toy by themselves, or laying in a puddle....

Dasiy- she LOVES the pool...

Golden Retrievers are VERY smart, and pick up training really fast. They are easily motivated by toys, food, or just a "good boy." They are popular in Obedience Competitions, Agility, and Search and Rescue. Goldens seem to be an all purpose breed that can do just about anything!

Barley is happiest with a toy in his mouth...

Because they are so smart, and active- it is important that you exercise them both physically and mentally. A bored Golden is trouble! Teaching tricks, obedience commands, and general manners are all highly suggested! A golden requires more than a walk around the block and will drive you a little nutty if they don't get a good run or a few long walks a day!

Cooper (often called "Super Duper Cooper" in a sing song voice) :o)

Golden Retriever are very social and love their people. They need to be an important member of your family and are happiest in the house, being spoiled. Nothing is better than the happy wag of their tail and the smile on their face. They really are an all around great dog!

Jake, showing off his serious side

From the CKC site:

ORIGIN
The most glamorous of the retriever family, the Golden was developed in the mid-19th century by a Scotsman, Sir Dudley Majoribanks, later Lord Tweedmouth. The romantic story that first unfolded concerned Sir Dudley visiting a circus and being so taken with a troupe of Russian sheepdogs that he bought them all. But when his breeding records were made public, they revealed the Golden was all sporting blood. It had been created by crossing the wavy-coated Retriever with the yellow Tweed Water Spaniel. The offspring were crossed with the Irish Setter and the sandy-coloured Bloodhound. Linebreeding finally created the Golden. It was first granted breed status in Britain in 1913. Among the most ingratiating of breeds, the Golden’s manners win friends for him wherever he’s seen.
TEMPERAMENT
As a family pet, especially with children, the breed has few equals. The Golden is noted for being friendly, reliable and trustworthy. In addition to being a gentle-mouthed retriever, the breed excels in obedience and shines as a guide dog for the seeing-impaired.
ACTIVITY LEVEL
A powerful and active dog, the Golden does well in suburban or country environments where he gets lots of outdoor exercise, but keep him well-fenced for his own protection.
COAT
The dense and water-repellent coat lies flat against the body and may be straight or wavy. It is firm and resilient. There’s moderate feathering on the back of the forelegs and heavier feathering on the front of the neck, back of thighs and underside of tail.
COLOUR
It’s golden, of course, but in various shades of gold.
GROOMING
Regular brushing is the only grooming required outside of the occasional bath.

For more information about this happy breed, or to find a breeder check out the Golden Retriever Club of Canada website

Jolly Blue Ball

There are only a few types of toys that stand up to daycare use. The Jolly Ball is one of them. The rope has long since been chewed up and thrown out- but the ball itself still provides lots of entertainment....



Matty the Vizsla cross had a great time playing with it- she prefers to try and bite it to pick it up.



Tucker the Cattle Dog likes to chase and "herd" it around.

We may need more than one!

A Short Video

Here is a short video of the Big Dog play group on Friday.

Aroooo!

This cutie is Ace.

This weeks featured breed is none other than Beagles!

Beagles have got to be one of the most popular dogs around and for good reason! Who can resist this face?

Ace again because how cute is he?!

Breed Standard from the CKC

Origin: Great Britain
Height: For field trialling and conformation shows, Beagles are divided into two classes—13 in (33 cm) and under, or over 13 in (33 cm) but under 15 in (38 cm)
Weight: 18 to 30 lbs

Snoopy the beagle. (Appropriately named!)

Brief History of the Beagle:
The Beagle's origin is uncertain but it is believed that his ancestry dates back to 200 AD when he was bred to track small game by scent. Early development of the breed took place in Great Britain and was introduced in the United States in the 1870s. Previous to 1870, in the Southern United States, the then called Beagles resembled more of a straight-legged Basset or Dachshund. By this time, however, the first imports were brought in from England and breed type was established. In 1888, the National Beagle Club was formed and held its first trial.

The English variety of the Beagle was used to track fox and bred to an average height of about 15 to 17 inches while the American variety was bred smaller and used for rabbit hunting.

Little Bailey- woo woo wooing...

Breed Profile:

The Beagle is a wonderful family companion who is generally very good with children. He is a "pack animal" who requires companionship. If he cannot have companionship from other dogs, he will require it from his family. The breed is not one to bond with only one family member but rather, bonds to the entire family, especially children. He is bright, friendly, outgoing, inquisitive and active. He has a highly developed sense of smell and an independent nature and, therefore, may tend to roam. He is energetic, very alert and has incredible stamina so daily outdoor exercise is a must. Today, Beagles are seen in field trials, as well as the conformation ring, obedience competition, tracking, flyball, and agility.

The most common colours are tri-colour (black, tan and white) and tan and white (also called lemon and white or red and white), but they can be "any hound color". They always have white feet as well as a white tip on their tail which makes them easier to follow in the field.


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Shandi- no toy is too big for a beagle

We have plenty of Beagles at daycare and they are one of the best players. Most Beagles will play with just about any dog- regardless of age or size. We often call them the life of the party. They are happy, outgoing, and very busy. They also tend to be a little on the vocal side. :o) Although nothing is cuter than a baby beagle bay (bark) of happiness it can get old really quickly. Teaching them to be quiet on cue would be something that every beagle owner should work on.

Shandi again

They have have more energy than you'd expect for dog their size so it is important that they get regular walks, play, and socialising. Beagles are very food motivated and are quite smart- they love to learn, and excel at Obedience, Agility, and of course Tracking. Beagles are well known for their great noses and often have them where they shouldn't be. They have got to be one of the nosiest dogs around and like to investigate new things. They are a charming little dog, and love their people. The ones here are often found on our laps, or at our feet.

Izzy, enjoying a sun spot.

The Beagle makes a great family pet- they are a nice size, don't require much grooming (although they do shed!), and are just happy to spend time with the family. Typically they are great with kids, and love to do outdoor activity such as camping and hiking. They are not an outdoor dog, and do not have the type of fur that can withstand frigid temperatures. We call them sunseekers, as they tend to search out the sunpatches throughout the day, or cuddle up on the couch when it's cold.

The Beagle Club of British Columbia has some great information about Beagles in general and what to expect if you own one.

There are lots of things about the Beagle that make them wonderful, but personally, My favorite part of a beagle are their ears!

Life Is Good

We have been wanting to carry Life is Good products for quite a while. I love their upbeat messages and Rocket (the dog) is pretty cute. We've finally decided to carry some of their t-shirts and dog toys. Unfortunately their minimum order size is quite large so we won't be able to pick up the odd item every now and then.

Check out their website, and if you want anything specific please let us know by Friday March 26, and we'll order it for you.  The prices will be slightly more expensive than what you see on their website as these are American prices.  For example, the Donut Frisbee which is listed for $10, will cost $12 and the $25 Cruiser T-shirts will be sold for $30.  If there is anything specific you want a price for, please don't hesitate to ask.

If you are still riding the wave of your Olympic pride, you might not want to miss their "Canada" stuff.

Their ordering system is quite different from any of our other distributors so I'm not positive we'll be able to get every item but we'll let you know if they have what you want in stock.

Wanna Play?

Kaycee has the puppy dog eyes down pat!