Back from the Beach

We have just returned from our trip to the beach.
Both dogs were excited to be reunited with the cream grainy stuff that is fun to dig up - sand of course.
Our Male Kangal Mix especially gets excited, when he hears the noise of the waves crashing he knows we are at the most fun place ever - the beach. He happily runs along smelling every smell and scent there is possible and our Pointer dashes off to find a prized stone to collect.
The sky is blue hardly any clouds and the sun is warm, there is nothing better than the free drink of salty sea water that is on offer for them both. They are so hot that even the salt does not put them off .
Our boy is just getting used to the sea, he is a little afraid of the waves crashing in but has braved his fears after seeing our Pointer swimming out to get her ball, so he now stands a little further in the sea with all his paws in the water. And we make a game out of it for him and instead of him fearing the waves, he gets excited every time they they come rolling in.
Our girl is always on a mission and has to be doing something like retrieving her ball, jumping around, nudging you or dropping the ball for you to throw, so as you can imagine very energetic.
Whereas our boy likes nothing more than to dig himself a very big hole in the shade to lie in.
Everyone is completly tired tonight after returning from the beach and the dogs, lucky for them have a nice long snooze and dream of their adventures while we prepare dinner.

KG Dogfighting Previously Known as Dog Wars

Some people have asked me my views on the the new Google Android game that was called 'Dog Wars' and that has now recently been renamed 'KG Dogfighting'.
I feel it glorifies real dog fighting and condones it as something cool and fun to do, I also feel it will change the way some people see dogs and they may start seeing them in a different light. Instead of owning a dog and treating it like part of the family, giving it food, caring for it, showing it love it could make people see a dog as a money making object and that the dog must fight and perform well for its food.
Children are very easily influenced by things they see on the TV and Games, they want to copy and act out what they see.
Kage Games witheld the game and changed the name to KG Dogfighting for trademark purposes, nothing has changed it is still the same cruel game.
It has reportedly been said by Kage Games that the game is educate the public on the evils of animal cruelty. But it does not educate people on animal cruelty as it does not show police arresting and fining the dog fighters, it does not show the dogs being taken away by animal welfare officers and it does not show the dogs in pain and suffering.
I would say it is more likely to educate people and give them the knowledge on how to train a dog to fight in real life.
All around the world now people/organisations/governments are trying hard to phase out dog fighting with some positive action which involves making harsher punishments for convicted dog fighter culprits, this is in order to stop people from taking innocent dogs and forcing them into fighting for money. Some dogs are lucky enough to live but are scarred forever but others sadly lose their lives.
And Kage Games go and release something like this.

The Elusive Draught Excluder…..

After his 5th Bark of the morning, I roll out of bed.....As much as he would like me to get up on his 1st bark, I simply can't.

Every morning our Kangal/Husky Mix Male decides when everybody is going to get up to go on the walk.

Its funny to think about how he obviously barks for no reason and outdoor everyday noises he'd normally ignore, when he wants us to get up he barks at them. The dustbin men passing etc...

As I get myself ready I notice the Draught Excluder (its a long furry sausage dog shape) by the front door is missing.....where am I going to find it? Yep you guessed it.....I stroll back into the bedroom to see him laying down asleep using the Draught Excluder as a pillow!

This is the morning ritual and its so funny to think that once he has successfully woken us up and got us out of bed and his job is done, he lays back down and has a extra deserving kip while we get ourselves changed and ready for the walk.

And everynight we put the Draught Excluder down by the front door and every morning our cheeky dog has taken it and has added it to part of his collection of soft toys.

Thats why I got chilly last night!

Do Dogs Dream?

Yes I think its clear that dogs do dream.

I am the owner of 2 dogs and 1 of them has more of an active imagination and dreams regularly.

My Kangal/Husky mix often dreams, his legs make a running movement while lying on his side, his tail wags, he growls and he makes loud hiccup whooping noises. Wheras my Pointer doesn’t dream often only sometimes she will also make loud hiccup whooping noises, but rarely.

Like humans dogs sleep in (SWS) and (REM) phases. Only humans sleep for longer.

(REM) - Rapid Eye Movement

All the dreaming happens in the REM phase when your dog is in a very deep sleep and this is when there is most brain activity.

(SWS) – Slow Wave Sleep

In the SWS phase your dog will be more likely to wake up. When your dog is still and breathing heavily this is the SWS phase.

Dreaming often happens when we come back from the beach, so I like to think that he has enjoyed himself so much he is dreaming he is back on the beach again running around, digging and playing games.

My Easter Delight vs My Pointer's Delight

I don't know if it is the Gold shiny wrapper or the little bell round its neck that jingles or just the though of Lindt chocolate that still makes me get all excited when I see a 'Lindt Easter Chocolate Bunny'. I had forgotten that they had existed until I had received one inside a small parcel from my Nan and Grandad. I may be many years older now but everyone that knows me knows I have a sweet tooth and gifts like this are much appreciated by me.
My Gold Bunny stood with pride on my bedside cabinet, little did it know it was sitting there waiting for its fate - for me to eat it. I did have some remorse at the same time so a couple of days passed, I couldn't bring myself  to tear the foil off and bite the ears and destruct this lovely shiny ornament so it would stand no longer. I had carefully chosen to place this on my bedside cabinet out of my naughty Pointers way. My GSP (German Short-Haired Pointer) is sometimes a minx she will try to eat anything and is always hungry. This seemed like the best and safest place.
A few days later and after wondering why my Pointers bed was empty and everything was too quiet I had a look around, approaching the bedroom door I noticed it was slightly open. I peered in and spotted her, she was in there eating something! I raced to the other side of the room and found her slurping and licking her mouth and looking up a me wide-eyed, there in front of her on the floor was my butchered Lindt bunny with the little jingling bell laying on its own metres away. I picked her up in my arms shouting 'No' 'Bad Girl'  I could not believe she had found it and had been tucking into the bunny, she was swiftly deposited straight in her bed where she was still licking her mouth and devouring the creamy Lindt flavour for many minutes after. But the main concern was her health she had eaten half of it and chocolate is very dangerous to dogs so we had to monitor her closely for the rest of the day.
We decided not to eat the rest of the chocolate as she had nibbled bits out of most of it and it wasn't quite the same anymore.
I sighed and picked up the bell which was the only piece of evidence left and placed it on the side, that was all that was remaining of the once proud bunny that had existed an hour earlier.

Looks like I will have to wait for next Easter and hope someone gets me one ; )