Wordless Wednesday: Treeing Practice

There wasn't anything in this tree but if there was, I would have tree'd it!

Dog Friendly Vancouver USA: Esther Short Park

Here I am on the bench waiting for the little girl to give ME something!

The other day I took one of those LONG walks called a volksmarch. We followed a map from the Red Lion at the Quay and ended up resting a bit in Esther Short Park. This is a great park with shady lawns and water sculptures.

I got my picture taken with a man and a little girl. Only thing is, they didn't move or talk to me. Later, I found out that it is a bronze statue and is a piece of art. The bronze statue, "A Gift for You" by Jim Demetro, Battle Ground, Washington, is located on the east side of the Esther Short Park. I would have had more fun if they had petted me and complimented me like real people do!

Here I am with the man. He is reading The Columbian

Here's the Salmon Run Clock.

On the other side of Propstra Square is the huge Salmon Run Clock and Glockenspiel. The bells and glockenspiel play every day at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. We were there around 11 a.m. so I didn't get to hear the bells. We saw a lot of Vancouver on our walk and I'll be writing more about it.

Since it's so sunny out lately, I wanted to tell you about Esther Short Park so you can go there with your dogs. Just keep them on a leash and, you know, clean up after them.

Here's a webcam showing the park. Maybe someone saw ME in the picture this week!

Location:

W. 8th & Columbia

Vancouver, WA

See map: Google Maps

Love, Cinnamon

A Glorious Day at Lucky Dog Park

I think I am one lucky dog to get to romp at Lucky Dog Park!

It always seems that when my owner can't sleep well, I end up getting up early too! Well, today I found myself at the dog park at 9 a.m. 9 AM! That's when I usually start waking up. Here I was headed through the gates with sleep still in my eyes.

Outstanding in my field!

But I soon found out the beauty of early awakening. The dog park looked like a blanket of white flowers as far as I could see. And just a few days ago Brush Prairie "Lucky" Dog Park looked like fields of yellow flowers. I ran in and started sniffing. I found out it was just dandelions that had gone to seed. Pretty, though.

I was greeted by a very loud small dog playing in the small dog area. It seems that the little ones are the yappiest. This one came up to the fence and started barking at me like he owned the place. Well, perhaps the small dog area... but not MY DOG PARK!

It turned out to be a beautiful morning. The billowing white clouds rose into the sky broken only by patches of blue sky and SUNSHINE! Remember, this is the park where I got rained on this week!

This is my favorite park. If you ignore the fence, the rolling pasturelands go FOREVER! There are really good smells there because there are wild things that hang out in the area at night. I think I recognized the smell of rabbits, squirrels and deer. 

You can tell I'm running because my ears are flapping!

I smelled everything, ate some grass and visited with some of the Saturday morning dogs. They told me that they got woken up way too early too. And when I saw a big puppy, I ran across the dandelions to greet him. He was big, cute and clumsy.

Showing a little attitude when it's time to leave.

And after it was all over, and my owner was calling me to go home, I just stood there like I couldn't hear her. Maybe it was the wind in my ears. Maybe it was the beauty of the morning. But I just couldn't hear her say, "Cinnamon, time to go home... COME!" No, I didn't hear ANYTHING like that.

If you want to go to Lucky Dog Park in Brush Prairie here's the address:

Brush Prairie "Lucky" Dog Park
NE 149th St at NE 101st Pl, Brush Prairie, WA 98606 http://www.clarkdogpaw.org/dog-parks/brush-prairie-lucky/

Cinnamon Checks Out the Lake in Woodland, Washington

It was one of those on again off again rain days. I got to go in the car and we drove north... longer than I thought we would. Turns out we were going to the Hulda Klager Lilac Farm and Woodland Washington's Lilac Days.

Here's one of my owner's photos. Notice there are NO DOGS allowed there.
It's not so bad because it was dripping with rain in there anyway!

It also turned out that NO DOGS ARE ALLOWED at Hulda Klager. So I sat in the car while my owner took lilac pictures and enjoyed herself. Turned out also that IT RAINED! So I was glad to be in the car.

Afterwards it was time for some fun FOR ME! We went down the road to the Horseshoe Lake Park. I've been there before but not when the water was so high!

Here I am checking out the geese in the lake and wondering what would happen if it flooded.

It is a  6.5 acre park located on the north bank of Horseshoe Lake. Horseshoe Lake Park is the largest developed city park in Woodland. It is used for community events such as Planter's Days, Farmer's Market, and the annual Fish Derby and Easter Egg Hunt, hosted by the Moose Lodge. But there wasn't much going on when I was there. Some people were fishing and a lucky dog was playing catch in the water and swimming. 

Here's that dog swimming in Horseshoe Lake. Bet it was cold!

Horseshoe Lake is a "no wake" lake and is open for swimming (no lifeguard on duty), fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. I want to go back and do some boating on the lake and maybe some fishing!

We just walked around, I sniffed and waded a bit in the water. I noticed some orange barricades and wondered if it was because the water was so high AND MIGHT GET EVEN HIGHER?

Here's the orange barricades. Think it will flood?

Well, by the time it rained again it was also time to leave so I didn't get to see if it was going to flood there or not!

Will you still love me, will you still need me.... when I'm old and grey?

I'm in a pensive mood after a rainy romp at the dog park. I am fortunate to have an owner that stayed with me out there in the open pasture even when it started raining. And when I spent too much time eating rain-covered grass she got wet. After all that, we went for a walk in the woods, enjoyed the wildflowers and sniffed for squirrels. All the while the trees were dripping with life-giving rain. When we got home she toweled me off and turned up the heat so I could get dry.

This is the good life. I AM LOVED!

I keep reading about how some humans adopt animals and then throw them away like an outgrown toy. If there is anyone who is reading this that doesn't think that owning an animal is for forever, and is a big responsibility, then please read some of the articles, I've been reading.

I NEED MY OWNER because I'm a domesticated animal. I can't make it out there on the streets (I tried it once) and I can't make it in the woods alone. I don't have the skills for survival.

Now, my owner is older so she has taken on the responsibility of a plan for me should she not be able to care for me. She introduced me to the Country Cousins and THEIR OWNERS SAID THEY WOULD CARE FOR ME IF SHE COULDN'T. A back up plan for your pet is so important. Here's a book that tells you all about planning for your dog, it's titled, "If I Should Die Before My Dog." It is a practical, thoughtful guide.

Here also to get you thinking is a wonderful picture and words that bring much peace and contentment to my life on this rainy day. (If you can't read it, click on the picture.) Don't you think she looks like a coonhound?

And finally here's an article from a woman that explains just what rescue organizations are all about and WHAT THEY ARE NOT ABOUT. It's titled, "What You Didn't Know About Rescue but Really Need To." It is kind of scary that people give up their dogs and think everyone who is in a rescue organization is there to take over THEIR responsibility. It just isn't so. And this article explains that, "People are under the mistaken impression that it is a rescue’s responsibility to take in their “no longer wanted” four-legged family member. This is not the case. It is not their job. They are not animal control."

I've been picked up by Animal Control, I've been a shelter dog and I NEVER want to experience that again. I am one of the lucky ones. I am in my FOREVER HOME. And, although it is not my nature, I'LL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL.

Please pass my thoughts along to people who "just don't get it," and think they can give up their pets just because they are moving, because they have a new baby or some other excuse. We are YOUR family.

Now that I got that off my chest, I think I'll go take a nap! (and, for my own good, quit reading things on the Internet!)

Love, Cinnamon

Best Bully Sticks: Cinnamon experiences a new treat and learns a naughty word

Here I am chomping down on the Bully Stick

I'm on day 3 of reviewing products from Best Bully Sticks. They sent me a big box of things I'd never seen before. I have to tell you that they are habit forming. This afternoon after our walk I just stared at the Best Bully Sticks box until my owner got the message. It was time to try another treat! 

But first, I promised to tell you what I learned about the Bully Sticks. The day I got my box I saw the plastic bag with the sticks. I really didn't know what they were. They looked like pretzel sticks or maybe rawhide. But they weren't.  I tried one and loved it. I was so in to chomping down on it I didn't even read about the sticks until yesterday.

Maybe I shouldn't have read about them but that's part of doing a professional review, right? Ok houndies, here's the scoop!

It seems like bully sticks are named that because they come from bulls. Here I just thought it was a cute name. I read further and found out they are made from a certain part of the bull. What part, you may ask? Well... er... the boy part! I, being a cultured urban coonhound girl, am not even sure I should be writing about this! Ok, here it is... the sticks are made from a bull's penis. Yikes! I said IT. And I learned a new naughty word... pizzle (it's an old English word). It is the same thing! 

Here's what they say about it on the website: "Bully Sticks are 100% Beef Sticks Dog Treats and dog chews that are made from the pizzle or penis of the bull. Pizzles have historically been used for different purposes from walking canes to medicinal powders, and even eaten in their raw or cooked form by humans in parts of the world today."

So does this bother me? Yeah it does but I certainly don't want any of these treats to go to waste, do I? So I'll just forget what I read and continue to enjoy the stick.. No matter what they are made from. So if you want to know more... here's a video. You'll notice Avrum skirts the issue of what the stick is really made from. But he's reassuring. It's good stuff and it's safe for me.

Now on to today's treat. This was round and kinda chewy. The label said it was a Pork Scroll Puff. I ripped it up and downed it in no time. So what the heck is a puff? Pork Scroll Puffs are simply made from the pig's inner ear and contain no preservatives or artificial flavoring. You know, I didn't need to know that (at least it isn't made from pork boy parts!.)  I just like to eat them.

This was really good. The only downside is that I ate it fast.

Suffice to say everything in my gift box was excellent. The only thing I would recommend is that you talk to the people at Best Bully Sticks before ordering. Let them know if you have a strong chewer like me so they send you tougher products. They have about everything including antlers.

I hear they have an auto ship program and I can tell why. I'd love to have one every afternoon. It would give me something to look forward to on those boring rainy days.

Note: As is common in the pet blogging industry, the writer was provided with complimentary products for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, Cinnamon believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

Weight Loss for Happier Dogs and Happier Owners #HillsPet

Cinnamon: The lean, mean hunting machine!

Last month I wrote about Hill's®Prescription Diet® Canine Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution. Between you and me, I've noticed lots of overweight dogs, even at the dog park!

I get worried about them.  It's clear that they are not healthy and huff and puff much more than I do when they walk (or try to run).

They are lucky their owners even bring them to the park 'cause it's so sad that they can't really enjoy their time there.

This poor dog would have much more fun after shedding a little weight!

Even when I tell my dog friends that they don't have to give up TREATS on this program, they are leery. But the Hill's people did real tests on real dogs in real homes. And 88% lost weight without giving up anything. They just changed the food and treats they ate. That's it!

Yes, I get sad when I see an overweight dog (well, even a fat cat too) but what I didn't really think about was that when a pet carries extra weight, many times it also affects their relationship with their owners. And for us, that is the most important relationship in our WORLD!

This video kind of explains that.  It's called Bear’s Story. It is a real life story of dog named Bear and how his excess weight affected his life and his relationship with his family.   (It's ok to watch it. There is a happy ending!)

Hill’s®Prescription Diet® Canine Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution is a great alternative for chubby pets and their worried owners. If you want to have a good life and a good relationship with your owner both of you should read the information on Hill’s MetabolicAdvanced Weight Solution Website.

 

See? You don't have to give up TREATS!

Remember, you don't have to give up the amount of food you eat or your TREATS! This diet affects an overweight animal’s metabolism.
   

Hill’s® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution provides clinically proven nutrition that naturally activates metabolism to burn calories and regulate appetite.

That's why it's different and that's why it works! (I, Cinnamon, read the research results).

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about  Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Food, but Coonhound Takes only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.