My Dog Parks Deserve a Little Support

Here I am greeting a friend at the Brush Prairie Dog Park

This morning I went to my favorite dog park, the Brush Prairie Park. It is run by Clark Dog Paw in conduction with Clark County Parks. DOGPAW is an all-volunteer non-profit (501c3) organization registered in the State of Washington and it is because of them that I have so many beautiful dog parks to choose from in my town of Vancouver, WA.

Isn't my park beautiful?

Today, the lawn was freshly mowed, bright new informational signs were posted, and the doggie clean-up bag containers were filled. With a view of Mt. Hood and nice dogs and owners walking around the park, it made for a wonderful morning. I was so happy. I ran up to my friends, got petted and sniffed some new dogs. 

I even ran like the wind and played on the mound with the pipe I can run through. I even got water from the spigot with the other dogs. It was like a big party.

Here's the people and dogs having a great time.

So it was a bit of a downer when one of the owners said that Clark Dog Paw needs more money. You see, the membership drive is still on. If everyone who went to the dog park paid their $25 annual membership all would be well. But that, evidently isn't the case. Here is how you can become a member like me!

So, if you live in Vancouver, please join Clark Dog Paw. I'd really appreciate it! And if you love dogs and live anywhere else, you can donate on behalf of our parks. If you donate, please tell them Cinnamon sent you!

Please help my beautiful dog parks. I would really, really appreciate it.

Love, Cinnamon

Cinnamon's New Warning Leash

I've had it! When I am on my leash I feel vulnerable. When other dogs come up to me and get in my face, I get scared and need to protect myself. So what do I do? I snap. Grrrr.... Snap! GO AWAY!

My owner was getting tired of explaining to everyone that I don't like dogs coming up to me when I'm on the leash. She had to explain that I was fine at the dog park where I was off my leash and I was a very nice dog. BUT DON'T GET IN MY FACE!

So I was really excited when I read about warning leashes and harnesses. Assuming dogs and/or people can read simple words, these leashes should make things easier on all of us. Here is what they look like:

I think I would be embarrassed to wear a leash or harness that said "nervous!"

I think if people read the leashes, they will understand. If a leash says, "Caution," wouldn't you back off? I sure would! But I am friendly with people so I got the "No Dogs" leash instead.

This is the leash I got. It means... "Dogs, get outta my face when I'm on my leash!"

Game of Thrones Helping Shelter Dogs in My Home Town!

You probably all know I came from Santa Fe New Mexico. I was a shelter dog, after being a street dog. In fact, in this video you will see some of the same streets where I roamed. I was hungry and skinny, yet still cute. I was picked up by Animal Control and put in the shelter. Fortunately I got adopted and eventually moved to my evergreen home here in Washington State.

But I enjoyed seeing my old home town and my old shelter program in this funny video:


They'll do anything to raise money there. But I can tell you, dogs like me are well worth it!

Wordless Wednesday: What Does Cinnamon Want?

This is my "I want something" look.
What do you think I want?

Long Weekend: Dog Park Adventures and the Dreaded B A T H

Like I said on Facebook, two days of spending hours in the garage was more than this girl could endure. I demanded that the next day I be rewarded with a trip to the Brush Prairie Dog Park and I WAS!

It was a great morning. No scurrying around. No early breakfast. Just a leisurely morning topped off by a chauffeured drive to the Dog Park. That's the way things should be. I was so excited I sat up and watched during the whole trip.

The park was filled with dogs and people. What a great sight!

Even though I like to see the other people and dogs
I always find some alone time. I like the grassy hill.
It is my Happy Place!

When we got there, it was really crowded with people, dogs and even little kids. I was so happy to be there. I sniffed as much as I wanted to, met some new dogs and visited with some people I knew from the park. I even went up to some little kids and gave them a slurpy kiss. I rolled in some great smelling stuff.

Oh how I love rolling in smelly stuff I find in the grass!

Everyone was nice to me and I spent over an hour there.

I was a bit tired when we left so slept in the car when we stopped at Chapman Gardens Nursery. And then it was time to head home. Visions of sleeping in my cushy bed filled my head. I was ready for a nap.

Oh oh.... that's when things took a turn for the worse. I was called inside and knew something bad was going to happen. The water was running in the bathtub and it was too late for my owner to be taking a bath. That meant only one thing. IT WAS BATH TIME FOR ME!

I pretended to put up a fight but knew it wouldn't do any good. I walked into the bathroom and obediently hopped into the lukewarm water. Next it was time for a good soaking with the hand-held shower and some sweet smelling Wen Shampoo for Dogs. I don't like the smell but my owner does.

I had a good scrubbing and then came my favorite part... lots of toweling off and rubbing. It feels really good (but I don't often admit it). Once I was a little bit dry I went outside and WENT WILD! I was so happy to have my bath over, I ran like the wind in circles in the yard and even played ball. It didn't take long for me to get tired. After all, I was tired when I got home from the Dog Park.

My owner put a dry towel down on the rug and I crashed right there. I didn't even get upset when she took a picture of me in the turquoise towel. Usually that would annoy me.

Here I am all bundled up to dry after my bath.
Don't I look abused? Would someone please
call the Humane Society on my behalf?

So finally, I was dry and ready for my long-awaited nap.

What a day!

Love, Cinnamon

Wordless Wednesday: Stalking

Here I am behind the shed stalking a crow. I don't like crows.

On Gardening

I can't figure out why I get in trouble for doing the same things in the garden my owner does. I get in trouble for knocking over plants, for digging and for thinking about eating certain plants. I am happier when she leaves me alone in the garden to lounge on my little deck and do as I please.

Here I am lounging and staying out of trouble.

So please explain this to me:

I got in trouble for digging here. I left a nice hole against the front fence.
But I don't understand why it's such a big deal.

She can dig and even uses a garden tool:

Here she is making another hole. Don't ask me why she is allowed to do it and I am not!

And then she rips plants apart:

She cut all these branches off my shade Rhody.
All of them!

Then she ripped a bunch of these leaves out of the ground.

I just don't get it. I can't uproot a plant. I can't knock a plant over. I can't eat a plant. And I can't rip a plant apart. I get in trouble but she doesn't.

So that's my life in the garden. It's "No, Cinnamon... no, no Cinnamon!" more often than not.

I'll just go lay on my rugs and stay out of trouble.

Love, Cinnamon

Bench Substitute

Those of you who have been following my blog know that I USED TO HAVE A BENCH. I brought it with me from New Mexico. It was my favorite place to relax in my garden. Just before we moved to the new house, I put a poll on this blog to get input on what color the bench should be painted. Turquoise won.

Here's the bench I brought with me from New Mexico

So I had a like new turquoise bench. I fantasized how I would enjoy it in my new garden. I looked at all the places I might put it... mostly places in the sun.

So when moving day came, my bench wasn't put in the back yard. IT WAS PUT ON THE FRONT PORCH WHERE I COULDN'T GO!

Yes, it brightened up the porch but it was MY BENCH!

I was not happy. My owner knew it and tried to show me how the decks were just as good as a bench. I tried laying on the decks. They were too hard. I tried laying on the grass but it was too wet and dirty.

So my owner FINALLY figured out what to do. She set aside a side deck just for me. Then she put little indoor-outdoor carpets on the small deck. It absorbed the rays of the sun and, because it was under cover, it didn't get wet. YES I NOW HAVE A BENCH SUBSTITUTE. And I have to admit I like it!

Here I am with my bench substitute.
I am relaxing in the sun.

#InspiredbyCrafted Don't I Deserve High Quality Food?

Last month I told you about a new, small-batch-crafted dog food I was trying. I told you I really liked it. But what’s different about Hill's® Ideal Balance® Crafted food?

Here I am on the fishing boat in Canada.
We caught our limit that day.
I was wishing I could have good salmon every day!

First, it is made in small batches. Small batch means that Ideal Balance Crafted is made just the way your owner would — one very special batch at a time.

Hill’s experienced, dedicated master bakers create unique recipes in small batches using high quality meats, wholesome vegetables and ancient grains.

These are the same ingredients you would see in high-end, healthy human foods.

The proteins are sourced from trout, salmon, tuna, roasted beef and chicken cooked slowly to ensure high quality taste and composition. And, you’ll notice that these proteins are #1 on the ingredient list. That is not typical of kibble.

The other ingredients include whole–ancient grains including, quinoa, buckwheat and vegetables like sweet potatoes, barley and peas. Sounds pretty healthy, right?

Things are looking up! Hill's has protein
sourced from foods that I like... Salmon, trout, chicken!

Your owner probably is spending time finding high quality foods like this to put on the dinner table. But YOU need to insist that dogs require the same consideration, right?  How many times has my owner taken me to the Farmer’s Market and purchased food for HER! Now it’s time for me to eat as well as she does! (I hope she’s reading this!) 

The problem is, I need different food. Food made especially for me. I'm not sure my owner is going to spend the time to do that for me. So Hill's® Ideal Balance® Crafted food makes sense for us.

This is the chicken kibble from Hill's that I have been enjoying.

Hill's® Ideal Balance® Crafted food benefits:

- Made in small batches

- Natural ingredients, perfectly balanced

- 100% Balanced Nutrition Guaranteed or your money back

- Made in the USA

- No wheat, corn or soy

- No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives

- Available in Grain free varieties

This is the canned food from Hill's

By now I’m sure you want to try this food too. You can purchase Hill's  Ideal Balance™ Crafted™foods online and from selected veterinary offices and stores. Currently you can save 20% at this site.

If you want to learn more about Hill's, check them out on social media:

• 
  
• Hill’s on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HillsPetUS
  
• Hill’s on Twitter https://twitter.com/HillsPet
  
• Hill’s on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/hillspet/ 
  

Running on the beach and sniffing for seafood is my thing!

Love, Cinnamon

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill's® Ideal Balance® Crafted, but Coon Hound Tales only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Wordless Wednesday: How I get my Shiny Coat!

I'm so shiny I scared the squirrels away!
I use Wen for Pets

Pets Need Friends Too!

Right now my best friend is my owner. Sometimes I think I'd like a sister.... sometimes. So when I saw this video it made me think:

Mother's Day - A Doggone Good One!

Well, my heart sank when the doorbell rang and the florist handed a lovely arrangement to my owner. I looked, but there was nothing for me. Doesn't anyone remember that I had a litter or two of puppies before I was adopted? I lovingly cared for those puppies. I don't know where they are now and obviously they don't know where I am. :(

I looked so disappointed that my owner went into her garden and picked a special bouquet just for me. And she put it in a special blue vase just like the one her mother used to have. I brightened up a little. But it still wasn't enough.

My special bouquet

Later my owner, seeing that I was still sulking, suggested a visit to the Dog Park for Mother's Day morning. I hadn't been for a long time and I got very happy about going. Yay!

The next morning I got up very early and even jumped on my owner's bed (she was resting, but was awake). She petted me and then said she'd get up and we'd go to the dog park right away. I followed her around expectantly. Soon I was getting my harness and leash on and we were on our way to the Brush Prairie Dog park, my favorite.

Sniffing is part of the fun at the dog park!

We got there and saw lots of dogs! They were chasing balls, chasing each other and, in general, nosing around. I couldn't wait to join them. Once I got inside, I started sniffing everything because that is my favorite thing to do. I trotted around and greeted the owners (sometimes the dogs annoy me) and made it 3 times around having a great time! On the fourth time around I spied some friends who are regulars at the park. I went up to them and was very happy to see them. I even hung out with their dogs for awhile.

The sun was coming out so I got hot and tired. It was time to leave. But I have to say I had a marvelous time!

After that we stopped at Chapman's Greenhouse to purchase a couple of plants for my backyard. I stayed in the car and rested because I was tired. I never care what type of plants she puts out there as long as she keeps my squirrel chasing path free of plantings. And she does!

We got home, planted the plants, had breakfast and then I took a nap. It was a perfect Mother's Day!

Love, Cinnamon

Unauthorized Room Decor

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that I am fussy about my room and where I sleep. Now, I've accepted sharing an office with my owner as long as I have my bed of choice in said room.

But this week, she got the decorating bug. AND SHE DIDN'T ASK ME! It turned out that my room is now decorated with Guatemalan weavings and embroidery.

Now I haven't been to Guatemala (BUT SHE HAS) and it means nothing to me. So I was not pleased. I'd much rather have a collection of dog paintings gracing my walls.

Shouldn't I be consulted? After all, its where I sleep!

This wall hanging clashes with my coloring.
Don't you think?

Love, Cinnamon

Does Your Dog Need to Be Vaccinated Against Leptospirosis?

I just got back from the vet’s office. It was time for some of my regular shots. I was surprised when the vet asked me where I might be traveling. When I said I like to hang out on the beach and also drink out of puddles, he suggested including a vaccination against leptospirosis.

So I started reading up on Leptospirosis. It’s kind of scary. It’s an infection of bacterial spirochetes, which dogs acquire when subspecies of the Leptospira interrogans penetrate the skin and spread through the body by way of the bloodstream. (1) Yuck!

And how I can get it is yucky too! The bacteria are spread in the urine, often making their way into water sources and remaining infective in the soil for up to six months. Rats, pigs, raccoons, cattle, skunks, and opossums appear to be the primary reservoirs. (2) They didn’t mention squirrels.

My vet said even sea mammals can spread Leptospirosis. So that’s why he inquired about my beach habits. And I have some pretty disgusting beach habits!

You can do something to help avoid the bacteria. Exposure to leptospirosis can be reduced by preventing your dog from drinking from puddles of standing water or from swimming in lakes, streams, or other bodies of water that may be contaminated.

If you have questions about the vaccine or the disease, please talk to your veterinarian. 

References

(1) http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_multi_leptospirosis
(2) http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/canine-leptospirosis

And here’s an article about the vaccine: http://www.vetstreet.com/care/leptospirosis-vaccine-for-dogs