Snow agility rocks!

Yesterday it was just a little bit warmer outside, about 27 degrees, so Mum, Gracie and I got in a little snow agility! Gotta tell ya, I just loved it. Gracie and I both did 10 sets of weaves each, then Gracie worked on some jump and distance work.

Mum has been using my absolute favorite 5" basketball (the one that stays in the yard, year around) to get me all revved up. I jump and lunge and growl to get that ball. And Mum growls back at me, love that! Then she throws me into the weaves, where I barrel through (Mum thinks, I'm getting a bit faster), and then she throws the basketball as my reward. Love, love, love it!

With Gracie, since she is more food motivated and Mum is working some to get her a little more toy motivated, Mum has been putting Gracie's treats in a little Rubbermaid container. She rattles it, and get Gracie all revved up for the weaves. Gracie, with her wacky ways of ramming through the weaves, gets her treat container thrown as her reward. Gracie is loving it! And we think she may be getting faster in the weaves too.

Mum's also using Gracie's treat container as a throw to go on with jumps and other obstacles too.

The snow agility in this cold is lots more harder on Mum than us. It's harder for her to run with no claws like us, and it's harder for her to breath. We're just hoping she won't need a Seattle injury lawyer after our practice. BOL!

So today we're hoping that it will be a little warmer, again like the weather man says it's supposed to be. I'd love to get more snow agility in.

A great rescue!

Yesterday afternoon, Mum and I were watching the news on Channel 13 here in Indy when they broke in with a live news report. It was of a rescue in progress by the Indianapolis Fire Department of a two-year-old Great Pyrenees.

The pup who had been with a foster home, got loose and had been on the run for two days, when someone spotted Biscuit trapped in the middle of an ice float on the White River not too far from our home. The news stayed on the rescue until Biscuit was safely back to shore. It was so exciting and nerve racking!

Biscuit had only been with her foster family for 24 hours before she bolted from their home and got lost. We're super happy that she's back with a foster family and soon she will be ready for adoption to her furever home through Indy Great Pyrenees Rescue. Having an older rescued pup in our house, Gracie, my sis, we know Biscuit has got to be super confused and scared. We sure hope she finds a great, understanding and loving home real soon!

To read the entire story and see the video of the rescue, click here! Thanks to Channel 13 for your great coverage of a heartwarming story, and the Indianapolis Fire Department for coming to the rescue! And to the Indy Star for being on the scene to report the story and supply great pics for today's morning paper.

And remember, pups, be careful around ponds, lakes, and rivers, they can be super dangerous this time of year here in the Midwest and in other parts of the country. They may look frozen, but chances are they aren't!

The Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod!

The Iditarod is just around the corner in March, but this month and part of next month the Discovery Channel is airing an entire series called, The Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod.

From the Discovery Channel website:

Seen through the eyes of the men and women who dare to take on this monumental challenge, The Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod takes viewers on an adventure through dense forests, over mountain ranges and across frozen rivers and isolated tundra in the wilds of Alaska. Follow mushers and their sled dog teams across 1,150 miles of rugged terrain as they take on Mother Nature - and each other - in The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod follows seven mushers and their dog teams; both race rookies and race legends. The grueling competition from Anchorage to Nome puts the teams through the ultimate test of human and animal teamwork and endurance. But the harsh environment and extreme concentration takes its toll on the teams, no matter how hard they trained. To drop out of the competition would be devastating for any musher who has put everything on the line for a chance to compete.

To view the entire schedule of the three episodes, click here!

Saturday is Change a Pet's Life Day!

This weekend, Saturday, January 24th, is Change a Pet's Life Day.

Kyra Sedgwick, adopted by a shelter pet, and star of one of my favorite shows, The Closer, is working with Hill's to help others make a difference in the lives of shelter pets.

On this day the cost of the first ten adoptions at participating Hill's partner shelters will be paid by Hill's company. And new pet owners will receive a starter kit that includes free Hill's® Science Diet® pet food and tips to give their adopted cat or dog the best start in their new life.

Click here for more information, and here to see a list of participating shelters in your area.

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Finals on ABC Saturday!

Who doesn't love watching dog agility, dock diving, disc dog, and JR Hurdle Racing on the tele?

The National Finals of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge were held on October 4th, 2008 in St. Louis, Missouri. Now you can see all the action on ABC!

All Mum needs is a little Orovo in her system and we'll be raring to go. Broadcast time is this Saturday, January 24th, when the 2008 National Finals of the event will air on ABC at 2 PM ET. Set your DVR's, I know we will!

Are you shy?

Well, it's been pretty boring around here. All the cold and snow. But I did get in a few snow weaves yesterday when it warmed up a bit. We've been doing lots of tricks and games around our house to keep both me and Gracie occupied and Mum off the Leptovox, BOL!

Here's one of them I've been working to perfect. Are you shy? Mum's still trying to get me to 'hold' the position, but being the manic little guy that I am, we're not having too much luck. But here's what we have so far!

Happy Inauguration Day!

I'm not much of a political pup, but with the inauguration today, I've been thinking a lot lately about hope, change and progress. America needs it.

Today, I have donned my Obamicon in an effort to do my part to help America begin to regain what they have lost.

I remember watching 60 Minutes one night when Obama's election team was being interviewed. After taking Indiana in the primaries, they were asked how they thought they could win over this very Republican state, and their response, said with complete confidence and assurance? "Because we believed we could." Now that's powerful stuff!

Will our great country change and see progress with our next President? I hope so. I can't help but feel a renewed sense of optimism today. And I believe that today can quite possibly usher in a new beginning. Here's to change, hope and progress - I believe!

Get your Obamicon!

Around the dog blog-osphere!

Some cool links and info we've seen around the Internet and the dog blog-o-sphere the past couple of weeks that we wanted to share with you:

A long time coming...if you haven't heard yet, the Kennel Club (UK) has introduced new standards for 209 breeds, following concerns of ill health in pedigree dogs.

Last year, the RSPCA pulled out of Crufts, saying breeding to exaggerate certain features, such as bulldogs' jowls, had led to painful deformities. Now new rules designed to prevent exaggeration and incestuous breeding have been brought in. Here's a link to the article.

Since we're not on a heavy agility schedule right now, Mum has been looking into feeding me and Gracie some raw foods, in addition to my kibble and some cooked foods. If you are looking for inexpensive raw food sources here's a great link to Raw Co-ops listed by state, (scroll down about half way) as well as other dog feeding links and information.

If you've ever seen some of the The Dog Files episodes you know how great they are. The newest episode - The Wolf Files - is available now. Run with the pack, aaaaarrrrooooooo!

Silvia Trkman has a new vid up, showing her running dog walk training with her new pup, Bi. Shows some great info on the beginnings of using her methods, including turning after the DW.

If you're looking for a new addition to your pack, Kyra Sedgwick is working with Change A Pet's Life Day. On January 24th fees for the first 10 adoptions at participating shelters will be paid by the Hill's company, and be free to adopters. Here's more info, and how to find a participating shelter.

The AKC/Eukanuba Championships and the AKC Agility Invitationals broadcast dates have been announced by the AKC. Mark your calendars: February 7, 8PM ET and February 14, 4PM ET on Animal Planet - the AKC Agility Invitationals; and January 31, 8:00 PM on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel for the AKC/Eukanuba Championships.

Also, we are keeping a calendar of the TV programs and movies about dogs released in theaters on our Google Calendar. If you'd like to add these programs to your Google Calendar - log in to Google Calendar, search the public calendars for 'Dogs - TV Programs and Movies' and our calendar should be the first one that pops up. Just click to add.

Tomorrow (Friday) the highly anticipated movie, 'Hotel for Dogs,' opens in theaters nationwide in the US. In this family film, Nancy Drew's Emma Roberts leads a star-filled cast that includes Kyla Pratt, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon, and Don Cheadle.

A pair of orphaned siblings (Roberts and Jake T. Austin) are forced to give up their beloved dog when they move into a foster home. But since they can't stand to live without him, they turn a closed hotel into a home for their dog--and any other strays they can find. Hotel for Dogs is based on the novel by Lois Duncan.

Pedigree is partnering with 'Hotel For Dogs' - for every ticket purchased, they will make a donation to help shelter dogs. To learn more about the movie, visit my Latest and Greatest Movies About Dogs Squidoo.

The Discovery Channel has a great series about the Iditarod (which will be held beginning in February). Three episodes of the Toughest Race On Earth will air during the rest of January. The Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod takes viewers on an adventure through dense forests, over mountain ranges and across frozen rivers and isolated tundra in the wilds of Alaska. Follow mushers and their sled dog teams across 1,150 miles of rugged terrain as they take on Mother Nature - and each other - in The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Here's a link to the times.

Get your tv stand ready, the finals of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge which occurred last Spring and Fall will be broadcast on ABC, January 24 at 2:00 PM ET.

Surprise, surprise, there is another article from NewScientist, that says us pups are mood alterers for peeps. Those who enjoy their dogs reap the benefits of the naturally occurring 'cuddle chemical,' also known as Oxycontin.

I like to watch the news coming out of the UK regarding pets and animals. They are so far ahead of the US in their humane treatment of animals. So I found it interesting that the RSPCA has a bone to pick with owners who dress their pups in elaborate clothing.

If you live in the Atlanta or LA area, here's your chance to get help from 'It's Me or the Dog's' Victoria Stilwell. 'It's Me or the Dog' is casting in L.A. and Atlanta for the next few weeks.

Another casting call for us pups - a National Cable Network is looking for pet owners who spoil their pets & have amazing pet homes. Find more info on RealityWanted.com, deadline is 2/20.

If you didn't see my Tweet the other day, be careful when you are playing that Wii around your pups or other animals in your home. Ozzy, the sheltie, was struck in the head accidentally with the remote while his owners were playing Wii Bowling.

He immediately collapsed and appeared dead. Their neighbor came to the rescue, performed CPR, and brought poor Ozzy (who is now fine, btw) back to life. Just another reason to learn CPR for your dog, you just never know what can happen.

Have to applaud and give a nod to Mickey Rourke for his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes on Sunday night. It's a brave thing to thank your dogs on national television.

But he said, "sometimes when a man is alone, that's all you've got is your dog." And all the news reports are applauding him for it. Most of you probably know that Rourke has had a tough go of it in the last years, and is on his way to making a healthy, happy comeback. Seems his dogs stood by him during his down time, when others wouldn't. I'm sure many of us can identify with that in some way or another.

EDIT/UPDATE 1/15 PM: Well poo, guess I'm gonna have to stop my applause to Mr. Rourke. While I am happy that he wants to help dogs in some form or fashion, and spay/neuter programs are very important - I'm sure not pleased that he is helping PETA. See here. Dang!

Ok, that's it for now! Hope all of you have a great weekend, and keep warm if you're in the US, and sending cool wishes to our Aussie friends!

It's -6 outside, but I found a warm place!