Lounging tree!

 Now here's a tree built just for taking a load off!

When I see trees similar to this, I often wonder just how it got that way? Was there something in the way for it to go straight? Did this start as just an offshoot years and years ago and was there another part of an original tree? Very cool none the less. You sure could take add a nice latex mattress and take a load off, don't ya think? BOL!

I got to try the new Nina Ottosson Dog Worker!

The nice folks at Pawlickers sent us the new Nina Ottosson Dog Worker to try out recently!

I have to say that this is the most versatile, wooden Nina Ottosson Puzzle and Interactive Toy I've tried yet!

This one is different as it has three different ways you can play to vary the skill level, so it's great for any dog. The first way (you can see it in the video) is to use just the pegs; the second way is to hide the treats under the outer pegs and under the spinning wheel; and the third way is to put it all together and hide the treats under the sliding pegs so that your pup has to turn the wheel to slide the pegs and find the treats!

So here's our vid showing all three ways to use the new Nina Ottosson Dog Worker!





Right now you can get the Nina Ottosson Dog Worker through the Pawlickers store on Amazon for $51.49 (that's a discount of 13% or $7.50) with free shipping!

With the heat of summer coming up, it's a great way to engage and 'wear out' your dog when you can't get out there for a nice long walk or hike! A tired dog is a happy dog, believe me I know. Enjoy!

We did it again to help the Grace-ster!

Yep, we did it again!! We moved last weekend to a pawsome new cabin, just about 10 minutes or so from our old place.


It's further up the mountain, but has all the comforts of home, including trash pickup! DOG, has Mum missed that.

So why did we move this time? Well, we found out after a repair job at our old cabin, that the place had mold. And it turns out that we are 95% sure it is the reason that Gracie and Mum got sick this past fall and winter.

So, let me show you our new place!


Here's the front of the new cabin...

And very importantly my, and Gracie's, rompin' area...soon to be fenced in, with a few pieces of agility equipment, our summer portable pool!

And here's the view from our back porch/deck, just off the living room and Mum's office room.

So back to the reason we moved...Mum was frequently sneezy, runny nose, and coughing a lot from fall into winter and early spring, which isn't like her at all. In February she had two days of 102 temperature and I really had to give her the YoYo comfort routine. And Gracie has had a snotty nose since last August that none of the several vets she's seen have been able to help her with.

Once we were able to open up the windows to the cabin in the Spring, both Mum and Gracie got lots, lots better! So that's when we became pretty darn sure the mold was the issue.

Dr. Harvey, the founder of  Dr. Harvey's, our super pawsome friend and Twitter bud for a long time, has been helping provide Gracie with a lot of immune system builders utilizing herbs and homeopathics. He has helped her a lot to keep potential infections away. With Dr. Harvey's help, all this time Gracie never lost her appetite or energy level and was even doing all her agility and hiking with us; and acted her same wacky self , except she had snot coming out of her nose, along with sneezing too.

We are super grateful to Dr. Harvey for helping us with Gracie. Since we've been in the new cabin for about a week now, she is 90% better! Still a little sneezing in the morning and a little snot. But we talked with Dr. Harvey today and just know that with a few more supplements she will recover completely very soon thanks to all his amazing help over the past months. (Hope Dr. Harvey Cohen doesn't mind that I shared his photo with you...that's the Doc with Daner in the photo to the left). When you get a chance go take a look at his amazing line of foods, treats, supplements and more; all healthy, safe and natural, just the way nature intended, and the way we like. Oh and check out the Power Patties, they are my most absolute favorite agility running treat!

So we are loving our new place so far. It's got lots of places to walk and hike right out our front door. And we are really going to be super happy when Mum gets the fence up. There are a lot of horse farms around here too, which are fun to see; folks around with all their equestrian apparel, and such. And Mum is loving having the trash picked up and having filtered ice and water from the fridge door again. And Gracie is back to her old tricks hitting the lever to get a quick drink, silly girl!

Paws crossed!

Ok, my sis is such a girl!!!

She isn't usually very girly. More of a tom boy like my Mum I guess. (although I've seen Mum all spiffied up before and yep, she's a girl and she cleans up pretty doggone good!!).

But Mum and I like more tom boy stuff, not sure if that's the right word, but you know....girls that aren't afraid to get dirty, will zoom with me, hike with me, take a dip in the stream with me, and run in smelly horse arenas doing agility. You know the type....

So when we see Gracie doing this...

...Mum and I always shake our heads. Such a girl thing, don't you think? And she does it nearly every time she lies down! 

Bet she will even do it after a nice swim in our summer pool (which we can't wait for Mum to set up, along with that pool safety fence). 

Is it summer yet, is it!

More about that music stuff...

I'm getting to be a pretty good drummer now...

So I was just wondering if the four leggers in the family may wanna get the 'band back together'! (If you're old enough, it's one of Mum's favorite lines from an old movie), BOL!

I could see it now...me on drums, Wolfie on keyboards, Wiggy singing ('cause he likes to meow real loud a lot late at night when Mum's trying to get to sleep). And oh that Gracie, she needs an uber cool guitar with Elixir, fur sure!

I see dogs on the interwebs doing all kinds of singing, playing piano and other instruments, dancing and more! I think we could do it, don't you? BOL!

So if you forgot how good I can drum....here's a little reminder :). Fun stuff! (you'll have to furgive Mum, she went wild with the clicker on this one, sheesh!).

Kitties! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

Not only do they take over my tunnel, my dog beds, my kitchen counters (oops, wasn't supposed to talk about that!), my cuddle time with Mum....

But now they are taking over my crate!!! WTD!!!

Ok, kitties...

• I know you put up with the fact that Mum got me after you had lived with Mum for seven or so years and you accepted me. 
• And I know I chase you, and sometimes nip a little fur off your butt. 
• And I like to bark at you so that you have to jump up on top of the fridge. 
• And I won't let you outside the door. 
• And if you do get out the door, I herd you like the mad herding sheltie that I am).

But I draw the line at taking over my crate! I'll get you my pretty, and that other kittie, too! And just watch I may kick back with discount cigars when I'm done! Bwwwaaahahhaha!

I'm Johann, Johann The Dog!

Lots of folks have asked me over the years how I got my name. Some of you may already know, but for those who don't, I thought I'd tell ya!

I'm named after Johann Sebastian Bach (that guy on the right there, see a resemblance?). He was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist of the Baroque Period, and wrote many famous, beautiful pieces.

But I'm not the only one of my four legged family named after a composer. My kittie bro, Wolfie, is named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Wiggy, my other kittie bro, is named after Ludwig Von Beethoven; and sis Gracie is named after Grace Williams, who wrote many arias of beauty for various operas.

You see my Mum loves classical music. She also likes pretty much every kind of music, so we don't have to listen to classical all the time. She even likes country and rap sometimes :).

She was a flutest as a hobby before dogs. Played, studied and taught flute. She played for weddings, and at church sometimes. But when she started her marketing career, she had to put the flute and stupid deal wooden Yamaha piccolo away. The kitties didn't mind her playing, but when she played for me the first time a few month after I was adopted, I howled the entire time she played. Not my kind of fun, gotta say.

Now she doesn't really play anymore, although it's kind of one of those things you don't forget, like riding a bike. But we enjoy doing agility a lot more than having her play for us, BOL! I think she enjoys us more than playing too, but don't tell her I said that!

Here is one of my all time favorite pieces from my namesake, Cantata Nº 208, 'Sheep May Safely Graze.' Enjoy!

We've got bloomers!

We've got some bloomers here on the mountain!

 Dogwood...

Little weeds with little blue flowers...

The Holly has been blooming and there are tons and tons of bees enjoying the nectar...

The rhododendron is getting ready to bloom...

And there are lots of weeds blooming little yellow flowers...

If you'd take a nice limo service tampa around the mountain here in the past weeks, you would have seen tons and tons of naturalized daffodils, azaleas, and lots more! Sooooo beautiful! Now that it's turned a little cold here, we hope the ones getting ready to bloom won't be hampered!

Hope if you're having some snow, that it doesn't hurt your bloomers too!

Our SQ and strategy for last weekend's snooker course!

Getting a SQ in USDAA Masters Snooker isn't that easy for a seven year old pup like me that's had a ton of injuries in my life.

Heck it's not that easy for lots of dogs!

In my opinion, it takes a real good strategy and plan by your Mum, nice speed by you (the dog), and nice accuracy.

Mum and I still have one more SQ to go for the ADCH, but we're super hopeful that we'll get it, because we've learned a few things about snooker in this recent quest that have really helped us get the two we have, and to get super close to the ones we haven't gotten lately.



Since we're not super speedy, we need a very well thought out strategy. So we're gonna share our strategy and plan from last weekend's SQ. Turns out I got 49 points in 48.99 seconds (with 52 seconds allowed) in this run; the highest number of points in the least amount of time in all the jump heights. Go figure!

So here's the course....



We started with the red in the lower left, took the teeter and 7C, then headed back to 7A and took the red just to the left. Then we took the 6 combo, and then the red at the top, back to the six combo and then on to the 2 frame heading toward the three and on through the rest of the closing.

We had a little bobble getting from 6b to the frame, but thought it flowed very nicely otherwise.

Since I'm not super speedy, Mum's planning for me on snooker courses lately to try and get the SQ has been to calculate how many obstacles I can accomplish in the full course time. Then she calculates the number of obstacles in the closing, including the combos and any 'invisible' obstacles there may be between numbers (or reds) if the numbers (or reds) are far apart (this is an important part for us since we're not super speedy).

Then she starts calculating the number of obstacles in the opening that will give us the maximum points in the shortest amount of distance, as well as a nice flow from one red to color to the red and color and so on; making sure that we don't go over the total number of obstacles I can accomplish in the full time allowed.

Before she started calculating this way, she was way over planning my opening and we weren't doing well at all. Now it's working really well. Lately if I do get all the way through without a mistake, we've been either 'oh so close' to a SQ or have gotten a SQ.

Mum's plan may be over strategic and too 'scientific', but very helpful to us. I think she deserves buy morgan dollars for all that thinking, BOL!

On to the next one for the ADCH!

USDAA this past weekend!

This past weekend Gracie and I competed at a USDAA trial about 1.5 hours from our cabin.

Gracie was entered in STD and Snooker on Friday, me in the usual Gamblers and Snooker (hoping for those last few Q's for the big ADCH!).

Usually Gracie is way over the top goofy for her first run of the weekend. But she stayed focused all throughout her STD run. She's got teeter troubles right now and when she gets about two feet up the teeter at a location other than home she won't go any further. So Mum had her go on. She did really great we though, other than the teeter.

I ran Gamblers on Friday and it was a really nice little gamble run. I had really nice speed in the opening. The gamble was a jump to the left to an out curved tunnel, then way out to the teeter and back in to a jump. I ended up 1/10th of a second over time for that run. Oh so close!!! The buzzer was late so we thought we got it originally. Didn't find out till later that we didn't. DANG! Hate when that happens....

Gracie ran her Snooker run and she was doing great, when after the first seven and then a red, she took an unexpected tunnel which was a four, where Mum had planned for them to go back and get another seven.

Mum hasn't ever had that happen with either of us, but she took a sec or so and remembered the judge had just said 1 and then 4, so she knew she needed to get another red in and then a number. So she took Gracie clear across the course to the other red and it worked great! Then finished up the run and whadda ya know, Gracie got a 1st place!

That's three 1st place finishes for Gracie in P1 Snooker and she earned her title, so she moved up to P11 for the rest of the weekend!

Then I ran my snooker, need that SQ baby!!! Only two more for my ADCH.

Lucky me I ran last so Mum was able to play around with her plan. She's been
over-planning my Snooker runs lately, so after seeing what some of the others ran, she had a great plan in place, but I was going to have to be speedy. Got in a seven and two sixes and made it through the 7 in the close in great time! Guess what I got 1st and that much wanted SQ! Woo Hoo!

Lucky 13th Snooker day for me and Gracie!

Saturday was kind of a bust for both of us. I ran Snooker again and back jumped when Mum took her eyes of me just a sec. I was running speedy though! We're proud of that! Then I ran Steeplechase, got in a bobble for no Q.

Gracie ran STD, Jumpers and PII snooker, and had a tough time in all of them, but with some super great moments. She didn't run off too far on any run, that's huge!

Then it was Sunday, I was entered in Grand Prix and Gamblers. Gamblers was first and it was a little tough two jumps out then a hard right turn to the 12 weaves out about 20 feet or so, then back in to the line for a jump. Oh boy, I was doing great!!! Until that 10th pole and I pulled in toward Mum, missed her!!! So no Q again in gamblers, but we'll get there! I've been way, way too close on several of my last gambles, so we're not worried.

I ran GP and did pretty darn good, with a Q and just a little under the placements. Happy there too!

Gracie had a tough time in her two first runs. In STD some real weird activity was going on outside the starters ring and dogs were barking up a storm, which kind of whacked her out. It was so loud, Mum couldn't even think out there!

Gracie was way over the top stressed during and after the run for a while. so Mum worked with her and by the time she ran Snooker P11 Mum was hoping she was good to go. Mum didn't think since she was so stressed before that she would do the 7 weaves, so they did four reds for this run which had all jumps and tunnels numbers 1-6. Just the thing to get Gracie back and over her stress, she loves, tunnels. It worked great!!! They made it all the way through the six in the closing and even got to start half the weaves.

Mum was sending Gracie to the tunnels from about 20 feet away and able to get in good positions. It was pretty and Gracie got a nice 1st place in that run too.

Late in the day Gracie ran her jumpers course but by that time she was exhausted. So they had a little slow speed, mixed in with Gracie's wacky speed. But it wasn't enough to Q. Oh well....

Overall, we were really happy with the weekend! I got a SQ and a GP Q; Gracie got a nice 1st title of her entire life, and some blue ribbons too.

Now all we need is for Mum to pick up a skid steer for sale and make us a real agility yard here on the mountain, BOL! It was so fun to run!!! Can we go next weekend Mum? Can we?

Ok...Ok....you don't have to hold it in....

....you can say it....I'm a handsome devil!

Yep, that's right, handsome! (This is my money shot side.)

Mum was outside with the stereo on, using our wireless speakers on the porch, and taking some flower photos of items blooming around the cabin, which we're gonna share soon. Lots of stuff blooming around here.

She let me stay outside but in the fenced area which includes all the deck around the cabin. She came around the side of the cabin and saw me and said, 'you are such a handsome devil!'

Well I instantly puffed out my chest and did a little pose for the camera.

Yep she's right, I am a handsome devil!

I'm gonna get you...some day...some day!

What is it?

OMD!

It's a....a.....a.......

Squirrel!!!!

Those pesky squirrels! They are everywhere, taunting me and Gracie. Every time we go out, there they are. Gracie even jumped our 3.5 foot fence the other day trying to get to one of the buggars! Agility dogs, what ya gonna do with them? What ya gonna do without them?

Bet you could guess....getting a squirrel is on my Bucket List! No hello kitty for me. It's squirrel I want!!!! Some day....some day....

Teach your dog something new, have fun and help the Planet too!

March 31st is a big day! At 8:30 PM all over the World people, and dogs, will be turning off their lights for Earth Hour!

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is a global grass-roots movement encouraging individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take positive actions for the environment, and celebrating their commitment to the planet by switching off their lights for one designated hour.

This year is a special year for Earth Hour. As part of the "I Will If You Will" challenge, Raise A Green Dog is teaming up with Castor Pollux Pet Works!

If we get 100 dogs to commit to learning how to turn off their lights for Earth Hour, Castor Pollux will donate 1000 meals to dogs in need!

You don't have to be an expert trainer, or an expert trick dog! Just give it your best shot and have some fun! Here's our challenge, watch it if you dare:

If you'd like to help your dog learn how to turn off the lights for Earth Hour and take our challenge, here are two great vids to help teach your dog to turn off the lights, be more eco-friendly, save energy, reduce your carbon pawprint, turn your dog green, and participate in this Worldwide environmental movement:

How to teach your dog to turn off a wall light switch.
How to teach your dog to turn off a floor lamp switch.

So get pawin', turning off the lights is a great green skill for your green dog! And don't furget to take our 'I Will if You Will' Challenge! Click to take the dare!

The Chet and Bernie Mystery Series rocks!

Mum and I have been on a reading spree, reading three of the Chet and Bernie Mysteries, by Spencer Quinn.

A while back, the nice folks at Atria Books sent us three of Chet's mysteries for free to see how we liked them. But with all the moving and work, we never got the chance to read 'em.

But over the past month, Mum has been reading to me every single night before we nod off and dream of our own adventures, windows wide open and all the mountain cool air and smells drifting into our bedroom.

We have been having a great time reading up on Chet's and Bernie's Adventures!

Chet, is the very wise and and funny canine narrator of the Chet & Bernie Mystery Series, who works alongside Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator. Chet might have flunked out of police school (“I’d been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn’t remember exactly, although a cat was involved, I believe”), but he’s a detective through and through.

We started with the first in the series, 'Dog Gone It', then moved on to the next one in the series, 'Thereby Hangs a Tail,' and finished off the other night with the third one, 'To Fetch A Thief.' We hear they have another one that we just have to put our paws on, 'The Dog Who Knew Too Much!'

All of the books kept us on edge as Chet and Bernie did their thing as PI's, finding missing persons and taking on an occasional divorce case. Chet and Bernie have a bond that kind of reminds me of mine and Mum's...they finish each others sentences, know just when the other wants or needs something, and on occasion when they get separated, hated being away from each other and would do anything to get back together.

The books are narrated by Chet, the dog, a very smart, instinctively brave and intuitively investigative canine, who makes me chuckle frequently with his sharp wit and cunning remarks. If you like a fun, entertaining mysteries, especially featuring dogs, you'll love the Chet and Bernie Mystery Series!

Here's a little trailer we found on Chet's blog, just as I had imagined them, enjoy!