In just a few days we will be celebrating St. Patty’s Day with all the luck of the Irish; and it got me thinking about our lucky dog. Do you have a lucky dog? The dog that is a member of the family; sits on the sofa, is treated to ice cream, is hugged and loved and adored – that was our lucky dog, Mandy. Mandy passed a few months back and she has left a hole in our home and hearts. She was a dog overflowing with personality and did her dog duty fabulously well.
If you do not have a dog, I would highly recommend it, especially if you have kids. Growing up with a dog was a big part of my boys’ childhood. If you are wondering where to start, check out PetFinder. Here you can find all sorts of dogs in all sorts of areas that are up for adoption.
A great project I learned of recently is The Yellow Dog Project; a non-profit organization that “hopes to educate the public and dog owners to identify dogs needing space, promote appropriate contact of dogs and assist dog parents to identify their dog as needing space.” By tying a yellow ribbon round the ole dog collar, you are alerting folks to proceed slowly when it comes to your pup. It let’s them know to not just run up and start petting Fido. It does not brand a dog as aggressive, instead, it is more than likely a dog that may be a bit skittish, is not feeling particularly well or just needs some space.
Let’s also talk Dog Parades! Have you been to one? Many areas include Barkus Parades along with their Mardi Gras festivities. And, oh my, these dogs are decked out to the nine lives (ooops, that would be cats)! Here is a gallery of pictures from my own town of St. Louis. As you can see we are bit more conservative, because in Rio, the Carnival dogs are truly a sight to behold!
Although many dogs are lucky, well some are simply shamed. This is a pretty funny site where you can include a picture of your dog “explaining” their shameful behaviors. On the other end of the spectrum are dogs that are completely pampered, like these “owners” of some primo pet real estate. Or how about these celebrity canines? I have a feeling that these dogs are definitely not “ruff ‘in” it.
I would love to see a picture of your favorite dog(s). Please post a picture or two of your four-legged friend on my Facebook page.
