Why I am a Neglected Dog

Here's proof that she doted on the horses ALL DAY!

My owner is a writer. In fact, I learned most of my writing skills from her! But writing, and particularly writing about horses, has gotten out of hand. Francesca and I are now neglected hounds and we WANT CHANGE!

So here's what last week was like. On Sunday, Francesca went to Day Care and I stayed home (familiar story). I lazed around the back yard. I lazed around the house. I counted the hours until I had company once again. There was no one to play with, no one to give me treats and no one to offer me fresh water. I was neglected from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. while she doted on the horses at a polo match!

OK, and then came Thursday. Francesca stayed home and I stayed home. BORING! We spent several hours in the den while she went out with friends to enjoy Mexican food. Well, I'm from New Mexico and I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD! I didn't get to go.

And after she fed us our kibble, she said good-bye and went to, you guessed it, a horse event. She went to see Odysseo by Cavalia in Portland. And I heard she got to go visit the horses after the show. I am beginning to hate horses. Now let me tell you, it was late when she finally got home.

Here's proof she stayed late and took pictures
of the horses at their bed time.

She let us outside in the pitch black darkness and we weren't sure what to do. Our schedule was all screwed up. So Francesca hatched a plan to pay her back for her neglect. First we didn't want to go back to bed and then Francesca woke her up TWICE during the night! That was after she broke into her bedroom and stole one of her slippers! GO FRANCESCA!

So we thought that would take care of things and put our owner on notice that her neglect would not be tolerated.

So what happened yesterday? Francesca went to Day Care and you guessed it... I stayed home alone! It was hot too! No one was there to fill my water bowls and no one was there to make sure I didn't lay out in the sun too long and get heat stroke! I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CALL THE HUMANE SOCIETY, when she arrived, just in the nick of time to feed us dinner.

Here I am... neglected.

So I've had it with horses and writing. I need attention, love, food, water all day... not just part of the day or in the evening.

Love, Discouraged, Neglected Cinnamon

#12Bravecto Don’t Hesitate with Treatment for Fleas or Ticks

Hi. It’s me, Cinnamon. One time I was at the veterinarian’s office and I saw something really scary. A woman came in with her fluffy little poodle. What scared me wasn’t the poodle. It was the lady’s legs. They were filled with ugly red fleabites. That doesn’t have to happen if you use BRAVECTO® (fluralaner) like Francesca and I do.

This post is sponsored by BRAVECTO® and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network™. I am being compensated to help share information about BRAVECTO.  But we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Neither Intervet Inc., nor Merck & Co Inc., are responsible for the content of this article and have not written, reviewed, or edited it in any fashion. For more information about BRAVECTO please click here.)

When I was at the shelter, I’d see dogs come in itching and looking pretty miserable. They were what we dogs call, flea ridden! Now things are probably different with your pets who have their forever home. They wouldn’t be like that. Or would they?

If you see a flea or two on your dog, keep in mind that what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. What you don’t see is the toughest part of the problem. You can pick off and kill those visible adult fleas. But by the time you see fleas on your dog, it’s likely you also have an infestation of the immature stages in your home. That’s what happened to the lady at the vet. I think she was more miserable than her dog!

So as an example, you might find ten fleas on your scratchy dog but there could be 40 or more in hiding. So then (get scared here!) with 40 fleas you can expect about 80 pupae, 280 larvae and 400 flea eggs hiding in your carpet, bedding, furniture and even between your floor boards.

So if you get good flea control started you’ll still continue to see fleas for several months as these life stages mature.

So now, I know you’re scared! So what to do? If you see one or two fleas on your dog, it’s not too late. Visit your veterinarian and see if you can start your dog on BRAVECTO®, the flea prevention I told you about in my last article. It’s a tasty chew and the only chew that kills fleas for 12 weeks with just one dose.*

Francesca and I both get our flea and tick prevention in the mail just at the right time when the dose is due. We encourage dog owners to take their dog to the vet so that they can begin flea and tick prevention with BRAVECTO® and ask your vet if they work with a service that sends it out automatically.

One reason I think I don’t get fleas is because BRAVECTO® is long lasting. The flea’s life cycle is long and those monthly treatments may leave gaps in protection, allowing a re-infestation of your dog and your home. It can take several months to get rid of those little buggers once you get them. Yuck!

If you are new to BRAVECTO®, signing up for MyPet.com My Pet Rewards can help you save money while protecting your dog from fleas and ticks. Register for savings here.

I have more time for squirrel hunting because I'm not worried
about fleas or ticks!

Remember, the sooner the better!

* Disclaimer: BRAVECTO kills fleas, prevents flea infestations, and kills ticks (black legged tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick) for 12 weeks. BRAVECTO also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks.

Important Safety Information: The most common adverse reactions recorded in clinical trials were vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, polydipsia, and flatulence. BRAVECTO has not been shown to be effective for 12 weeks duration in puppies less than 6 months of age. BRAVECTO is not effective against lone star ticks beyond 8 weeks after dosing.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published. However, it remains the responsibility of the readers to familiarize themselves with the product information contained on the USA product label or package. More product information is available here

Cinnamon at the Blessing of the Animals in Portland's Grotto

Yesterday was a very special day. I was lazing around the backyard when my owner came to the door calling my name. I didn't come at first because, well, I was busy being lazy. But when I looked up and saw that she had my flower lei in her hand, I knew something was up.

Here I am lazing around the backyard with Francesca

I got all dressed up and got in the car. We headed across the bridge to Portland. We parked at a beautiful wooded place and I looked outside. There were dogs walking everywhere. They seemed to be headed somewhere. Was it a concert? Was it a dog show? I had no idea.

But when we got out I saw a sign: The Grotto of the Sorrowful Mother.  I got really excited. Ever since Pope Francis was reported as saying that DOGS GO TO HEAVEN, I have been a good Catholic dog. But I never was allowed to go to church. That made me sad. But today things were different.

I was welcomed in to this beautiful place of peace and serenity. I noticed right away that Francesca wasn't going. She wouldn't know how to behave in a place of peace and serenity!

More and more dogs came. I saw a little puppy in a man's arms. We walked to the beautiful grotto in the rocks and noticed all the dog bowls that were placed there. They all had water in them. (I checked).

Here is the shrine.
Someday when it's not so crowded I want to go say a prayer
and light a candle for all the dogs who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

A nice man gave us a program and petted me. We sat down in front on a green bench. Soon my friends Elaine and Julie showed up with Winny, the Italian Greyhound. Winny was a little scared but I wasn't. I was proud to be there all dressed up. I had my picture taken near the altar.

Here I am practicing how to stand when
it is my turn to see the priest and receive a blessing.

While we were sitting on the bench, a man in brown robes came by and stopped to talk to me and pet me. I was thrilled... I love attention!

They really love animals at The Grotto

So then the music started and we paid attention to the songs and to the leader. We all prayed:
"Oh God, you love us so much that you give life to us and to all creatures. We thank you for the gift of the animals we care most about, our pets." All the songs and prayers thanked God for us. It made me feel very important! I loved the song, All Things Bright and Beautiful. "All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all!"

Here I am listening to the music

During the songs, the Basset Hound near me started singing too. I decided to keep my mouth shut and behave myself so I would be invited back!

So after the final prayer, it was time to be brought forward for the blessing. Winny got in line first and then I went. I was very careful not to snap at the dogs around me, no matter how annoying they might be. I was on my best behavior.

When it was finally my turn, the priest reached his hand out toward me but then he surprised me by sprinkling water on my head with a cedar branch. I wasn't expecting that! I regained my composure and walked on, though.

Elaine filmed the whole ceremony and here it is so you can see how well-behaved I was!

Love and Blessings, Cinnamon

What Kind of Dog Are You? A Beagle?

Francesca got back from Cruisin' the Gut yesterday. It wasn't what you might think. It is a classic car event in our hometown, Vancouver.

While she had fun trying to poach food from people's plates as they enjoyed their picnic lunch on the sidewalks, she had even more fun with the attention she drew.

The biggest dilemma for people seemed to be trying to figure out what she was. Most people thought she was a beagle. With those long legs? Nope! Francesca is a Treeing Walker Coonhound and looks just like the picture on the far right. So what am I? Well, I'm a Black and Tan Coonhound. I just happen to be short in stature. BUT I'M NOT A BEAGLE!

So that's what we are, folks.... COONHOUNDS!

Part II: What we did on our Dogcation in Central Oregon

It's been nice outside so I haven't been writing too much. But I did promise to tell you all about our vacation in Central Oregon. We stayed at a dog friendly home rental that I talked about in my last post. That was pretty cool but what we ended up doing each day was full of adventure.

Since we had to be on leashes or tie-outs while we were in Sunriver, we were itching to get out and run free. So we looked up the dog parks in the area. While Bennington Properties had a small one, it wasn't our idea of ADVENTURE. So we found something in Bend that sounded ideal. It was in NE Bend and was part of Pine Nursery Community Park. The Bob Wegner Memorial Off Leash Park is a 14-acre off-leash area for dogs including grass field, splash pad, walking trails and separate small dog area. It was named after Bob Wegner a tireless advocate of Off Leash Areas in Bend.

That all sounded good but we were absolutely blown away by what we found at the park. It was a dog adventure area with trails, rocks to climb, trees, trails and even a huge grassy area for ball catching and rolling. Francesca liked that part for playing and rolling with other dogs. There were drinking fountains all over the place and benches for owners to rest on.

I like sniffing for lizards around the rocks and pine trees. It was a place we could get away from our owner where she couldn't see what we were doing. But you know what? We always came back to her.

We went to Bob Wegner park four mornings in a row. We got up at dawn and loaded into the car for the 25 minute drive. It was worth it. It was the greatest park we've ever experienced.

One day we found out it was a holiday... the Fourth of July. Now they don't allow fireworks at Sunriver so we almost forgot about it. But I heard some fire engines and police cars and wanted to investigate. So we (meaning everyone except Francesca) went over to the Sunriver Village and found out they were having a big festival. And we were just in time for the parade. Now there were supposed to be dogs in the parade but we only saw one. There were tons of families with decorated bikes. It was fun!

So that was an exciting day.

I have to admit that each day was exciting and the excitement started at dawn. That is when all the squirrels they put out in the woods started doing squirrely things and other animals traipsed through the area. So, of course, we had to ALL GET UP AT THE CRACK OF DAWN! I got frustrated because I wasn't allowed to chase the squirrels. One day there was a squirrel that climbed up onto our second floor deck and taunted me!

We took short walks every day and the last day we took a drive over to the river. We parked at the stables and walked down to the river. I wasn't in the mood to wade but Francesca walked right in. In fact, if she hadn't had a leash on, she would have gone swimming.

After that, it was time to get packed. We left at the crack of dawn the next morning before the squirrels got up! We had a good drive home and had a late breakfast once we got there. I was happy to be home. Francesca and I slept the entire first day home!

Love, Cinnamon

Summer Dogcation: Escape to Central Oregon

Sometimes a dog's just gotta get away. That's what I decided last 4th of July when my beautiful wooded neighborhood turned in to a war zone. The noise lasted a good part of the week and came to a rousing crescendo on July 4th. I think humans were celebrating something, but it was hard to be to get into the mood. I was cowering in my bunker in the master bathroom most of the time.

4th of July 2015 was horrible!

So this year was completely different. We had already researched fireworks-free vacation areas. I couldn't go to the beach because they allowed fireworks. I couldn't go to my country cousin's home because they allowed fireworks, and besides, they moved into a tiny place.

So we found just the place. A place that is so dry, they never allow fireworks. It was Sunriver, Oregon. In fact, Sunriver has a company that specializes in dog-friendly vacation home rentals. We got on the Bennington Properties website and found a house that would be perfect for our 4th of July grand exit from Vancouver, WA. Here's a list of their "Dog-loving Vacation Rentals." And here's the house we chose. We did everything online and our Dogcation was all arranged a year before.

Here's our rental house. We rented it on July 5th, 2015

So the day finally came. July 1st, to be exact. I had already heard a few pops so I knew it was time to get going. We packed the car with our beds, food, leashes and toys. We were loaded down so I got to ride shotgun with Francesca in the crate in the back.

Here I am. I'm in charge of the GPS.

It was a long ride... about 3 hours. When we pulled up, the house was all ready for us. We had to stay on a tie-out for a little bit while our owner unpacked. Francesca got in trouble because the tie-out was long enough for her to bust in on the neighbor's deck party while they were having chips and salsa. Needless to say, she didn't get any. Our tie-outs were promptly moved to the back of the house. When we got inside we saw our beds in place in the living room and something very interesting on the kitchen counter.

Welcome treats!

Things were looking up. However, at dinnertime, I wasn't very hungry. All that driving made my tummy a bit queasy. So I just wanted to rest. Francesca was already complaining because it was hotter in Sunriver than it was at home.

Francesca was hot so she laid down next to the A/C vent

Soon it was bedtime. We were both very tired after the trip. We were glad to see our beds and toys.

Here we are on our beds with NO fireworks to bother us!

Before we went to sleep, Francesca and I read the Sunriver magazine and picked out some activities. We thought a boat trip on the Deschutes River sounded nice and cool, and the 4th of July parade, which included dogs, would be worth seeing.

So what did we do on our vacation? Read Part II and find out!

Love, Cinnamon

Coonhound Tales is on Vacation: Back Soon!