THEY"RE HERE!!!!

Actually, Pooh and her husband are at  Grandma's right now, but they arrived safely.
It was very exciting yesterday- not only did they arrive, but my family had cheesesteaks for dinner, and being the wonderful humans that they are, they let me have little pieces of the ends. YUM! the only bad part was that Daddy forgot my order for 2 cheesesteaks- triple cheese, double bun. :) :(


Lots of love,
Professoressa Rosa

HURRAY!

GUESS WHAT!

Pooh and Pooh's Husband are coming today! WHOOPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Off to do my best imitation of Snoopy's happy dance!*

An Important Part of A Dog

I was thinking this morning that I've yet to mention that we Bernese Mountain Dogs have a vital organ located between our hearts and our stomachs. No, not our lungs, something much for important! Our Love Tanks. That's where we store all the pats, kind words, belly rubs, snuggles, and affection and love that we receive.

It's a vital organ because it needs constant filling to keep it full and in tip top shape. If we don't get enough fuel there, we get below a critical mass of affection and start getting Cranky. Yes Cranky, not cranky. This is why after a long period of separation from our humans (greater than or equal to 37 minutes counts as a long separation!) we need so much attention and affection. This phenomenon is especially noticeable in the morning after we've been forced to stay downstairs all. night.  long. while the humans are upstairs all.night.long. Hence in the morning I need A LOT  of attention and affection.

How much love and affection does one BMD need per day? Well, it obviously may vary from dog to dog, but here are some rough estimates. (Times things last for are for how long they stay in the Tank.)

1 pat on the head lasts 23 seconds.
1  68 second belly rub lasts 93 seconds.
1 paw rub lasts 4 seconds.
1 3 minute snuggle lasts 4 minutes.
15 endearments last 68.76 seconds. (I'm helping Tigs in Analytical chem. Can you tell?)
 This list goes on, but I won't bore you with boring, technical details.


Therefore, with there being 60 x 60 x 24 seconds in a day, I need a total of
1 578 374 862 783 835 982 689 378 267 386 483 742 873 793 839 374 pats, belly rubs, paw rubs, snuggles, etc, etc, etc per day. Minimum. Yes, math is my strong point. Why do you ask?

P.S. Doesn't Mommy have charming snow boots?

A Pondering

(Picture: Me pondering. In the snow. With snow on my nose. No, it is not snowing here yet. Sadly. )

I think that Tigger needs to set her aspirations higher. After all, why is she majoring in Chemistry, not in Dog? I think that she needs to become a dog not a chemist. Clearly her sights are not set high enough as she wants to be a chemist not a dog. Oh, and I told her so.

WOOOPPPEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

Guess what Roo just told me?!!!
That's right- Pooh and her husband are coming in less than a week!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!

Roo says, though, that I'll have to get a *shudders in horror* bath. Obviously, my humans are failing Canine Health and Nutrition 101 for beginners.
I just LOVE Pooh and her husband. Maybe they'll bring me a nice treat....
XO,

I couldn't find a picture with P. and P.H., so please enjoy this picture of me hauling leaves instead.

Rosie

Test answers

  Professoressa Rosa (that'd be me) is now going to post the test answers.  If you think that I did not cover a question ( except the Extra Credit ) in lecture, please let me know. :)
1- C
2-  Your answer should be to the effect that too much exercise will make your dog hungry, so she'll eat more, so she'll gain weight. Bonus points for mentioning that too much exercise can injure muscles, tendons, and ligaments, especially in large breed puppies.

3- True. See lecture 2

4- E.  I realize that I should have put this before D. Sorry, folks :(

5- Treats show your dog that she is loved, and prevent her from being starved. Also, they bring joy into your life, when you see the joy in your dogs eyes when she sees you getting out her box of milkbones (hint hint, hint hint). :)

EXTRA CREDIT:
E- it's capillary refill time. Tigger, you should have gotten this one. You were a CSB champion for how many years??!!!

As many as I want.


Love and wags,
Professoressa Rosa (AKA ROSIE)

Some More Of My Relatives and Relations

Tigger told me today that one of my lovely cousins said in a letter that she liked my blog. This made me think that I should talk a bit more about some of my charming and lovely cousins.

First off, the canine cuz.


Miss A : She is my bouncy, high-energy dog cousin. She is a GSHP and an active hunting dog. Grandma has an adorable picture of us together shportly after my 1st birthday and when she was about 10 weeks old.

Miss S: My sweet, older Golden cousin. I liked it a lot when she came to my house for Thanksgiving. Until she sat under my Mama's feet at dinner that it... But we got over it and are still good friends. We are equally good at retrieving sticks too. Just saying...

Mr. R: My only boy dog cousin. A black lab. I've never met him, but I've heard that he's sweet and energetic.
The Feline Cuz.

Mr. B: I've only seen pictures of this dude, but I love cats, and I know we'd get along.

Mr. T: Little brother of Bellybutton. We look a like- fluffy, cute, black and white  (he doesn't have any rusty brown though). I've never met him either, but we'd be awfully cute together.


Now onto the best category of cousins. The Human Cuz.
Now, no offense grown-up human cousins, but I'm especially fond of the small fry. I have 3 little cousins, soon to be four, and I am especially fond of them. I have 5 big (adult) cousins, and I am awfully fond of them too, of course, but it's hard to beat my lovely, wonderful, and super fun little cousins.

Miss  Cousin . - She's my oldest little cousin, and we're close to the same age. We used to write letters to each other in our baby/puppy days. I like her a lot and wish she lived closer. We have fun together.

Mr. Cousin #1  - He lives with my canine cuz, and so is quite experienced in the Proper Treatment of Dogs By Little Boys. He was just here in July and we had fun together. Of course.

Mr. Cousin #2 - Miss Cousin's little brother. I like him a lot too. I haven't seen him since he was pretty small, but as I recall he liked me, and I know that I liked him a lot.

Cousin #4 - The world has yet to meet this one, but I can't wait! If Cuz #4 is anything like 1-3, then I know we'll be pals. :)

Hugs and kisses to all my cousins!


P.S. I have some really nice pictures of me and the little cousins, but I don't want to post them  so another  picture of me will have to be sufficient.

Canine Health and Nutrition 101 For Beginners- FIRST QUIZ!!

Howdy there, folks!
I hope y'all've been studying hard, 'cuz it's time for that dread of all college students. THE POP TEST!!!!
Oh, come on, out from under the desks, chairs, and tables.  If you look me up on grademyprof.com, I get lots of good ratings for being an easy grader.
*************************************************************************************
INSTRUCTIONS: Leave a comment with your answers. Please be sure to sign your comment. For the multiple choice questions write something like 0) Z. 0, Z, 0z, or pretty much any other combination will work. :) GOOD LUCK!!!!!

1) Which of the following is true about exercise?
      A. It will make your dog thin
      B. It will supress your dog's appetite
      C. It will make your pooch pudgy
      D. None of the above
      E. All of the above (including D)
2)  Explain the importance of not giving your dog too much exercise. Please limit your answer to 10- 10x10 to the 10th words.  Answers over the limit will have a deduction of 10 pts. per word.
3) True or False: It is important to your dog's mental health that you be the one in charge.
4) Explain in a 1-9999 volume (320 pages to the volume, 150 words to the page) why bathing is harmful to dogs. ALTERNATELY, choose which of the following options on the same topic is false.
    A. It will make all her fur fall out
    B. It will rid her of her lovely natural scent
    C. It will mentally scar her for life. FOR LIFE, I TELL YOU!!!!
    D. None of the above.
    E. ALL OF THE ABOVE
5) Explain the importance of treats in the life of dogs.

EXTRA CREDIT:
Is normal Canine arterial refill time
A) 0-2 seconds
B)1-2 seconds
C) 3-5 seconds
D) 1-2 minutes
E) This is a trick question. There is no such thing as arterial refill time.

How many treats should I get every day?

ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED IN A DAY OR TWO. STUDENTS WHO POST THEIR ANSWERS AFTER THE ANSWERS ARE POSTED WILL GET NO CREDIT. :):):):)

I like to help Roo study!!


Love, ROSERDOO!!                                                                                                                                                  






 

Frosty Paws!



As some of you may know, I like love adore treats. When it's hot, I love treats that cool me off, as well as being tasty. This summer, my next door neighbor, the charming Miss C. gave me a Frosty Paws to try. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Frosty Paws, it's dairy free ice cream cups for dogs. I was so cute eating it, that my humans had to get some pictures of me.

Hm.... What's this?!

Hey- This stuff''s pretty good!

All done!

Please, Owl, may I have some more?

Happiness is...

...Getting your Tigger to give you a good morning scratch on your rump and your head at the same time.

(About the picture:  This was my "Tigger please, puh-leeeeeeze stop grooming me!" look, but then it turned into a snuggle. Also, it's not from this morning. )

6 Outdoor Activities For Dogs... My Thoughts

Tigger saw a post about 6 outdoor activities to do with your dogs. Here are my thoughts  in italics. on some of the suggested activities.

Organize a Play Date

 Play dates are a great way for dogs to keep their socialization skills sharp. Find a dog park in your area to meet and greet with other pups, or if you have your own fenced-in yard, invite friends or family members over with their pets for an afternoon of backyard fun. Make sure to have plenty of water on hand, along with bags to clean up after any messes, and keep a close eye on the group to make sure everyone plays nice. 

I love playtime with other pooches! This is a fantastic idea. I especially think that snack time should be involved.
Get Active With an Activity
 Whether it’s in your own back yard or at a local dog park, you can up the outdoor ante with a game of Frisbee or fetch. Most dogs love to hunt and retrieve, and you can also use these types of games for training opportunities as well.

I already do this. I play soccer, stick, and go devil dog. What other activities are there? Oh yes, and I'm very good at hunting and retrieving. I'm so good that the humans haven't figured out that that's what I'm doing!

Take a Hike
 Even if you take your dog on regular walks in your neighborhood, hitting the hiking trail can provide a challenging, refreshing change of scenery. You can vary between a leisurely or more intense pace and even mix up the length of your outings, from short stints to an all-day excursion. Before you head out, make sure your pup has adequate protection from ticks and fleas, pack enough water for both of you, and don’t forget a collapsible bowl and a few treats for your pup.
I LOVE going to the p-a-r-k. I even have to have Tigger spell it out so that I don't get excited and go devil dog in the house at 8 pm as I'm composing this post. I get a bit bored sometimes in the neighborhood. After all I'm smelling all the same dogs all the time... And that tip about the treats? ESSENTIAL. 
 
Visit an Outdoor Cafe
 Pet-friendly dining is becoming more and more popular with establishments that offer outdoor seating, from coffeehouses to full-fledged restaurants. If you have a well-behaved pooch, it can be a great opportunity to relax and bond.
I agree. Let's go!   

                                            Picture of my ululations in the snow. Early 2011.
Article found here.  

A Sad Tale

Yesterday Mommy told me something Very Sad. Very Sad, not very sad. The local groccery store, Giant is no longer selling Crunch and Cleans, which are of course one of my absolute favorite-est snacks ever. It's a sad day in the life of the Rosie.

Canine Health and Nutrition 101 for Beginners- Class 3

Welcome back to Canine Health and Nutrition 101 for Beginners.  Today we're going to discuss one of the biggest evils known to dogkind. That's right. THE BATH.  Just thinking about it makes me hide in my brave cave (Roo's note: AKA, under the coffee table). Now, you may not realize this, but this is one of the most popular and worst misconceptions that humans have about dogs.
Misconception: My dog smells AWFUL.  It must have to do with that stuff she rolled in yesterday.  I don't know what it was. I guess I'll have to give her a bath to get all tha dirt out of her fur.

Reality: Even human research admits it: Dogs have a keener sense of smell than humans. I think that that stuff smelled wonderful, and anyway, I wasn't rolling, I was getting a DIY backrub.  It's like a spa- a sweet scent, plus a backrub. Aaaaaaaaah, bliss. But I digress. As I was saying, the stuff I rolled in used for my massage smelled rreeeaaally good to me. And I'm the one around here with the better sense of smell. Ergo, I smell lovely.
Also, that's not dirt in my fur. It's a combination of little bits of food in case I get hungry, and powdered sticks. All you have to do is just add water, and you get instant playtime.  At least, that's what Cousin  Lily told me, but I haven't noticed it yet. But since Cousin Lily would never lie to me, I guess I just haven't figured out the perfect amount of water yet.
Finally, Bathing washes away my fur, which means that I lose some of my crowning glory everytime my humans bathe me.  If they give me too many more baths I'll be as bald as a mangy Mexican Hairless Dog's tail. EWWWW!!!!!

 I'm working on a test for next week, so study hard, and review those notes.  If you have any problems, contact Tigger.  She's the SIL tutor for this class.

I will look at you like this if you a) have food I want and you aren't sharing, b) attempt to bath me, or c) fail the test next week. :)

Love to all,
Roserdoo

A Puppy's Plea

Rain, Rain,
Go away, don't come again another day,
Big ol' Rosie (ME!!!) wants to play!

I do not like the rain.  I can't go out and exercise because my humans are dainty and don't want to get their delicated toesies wet. (Roo says: Don't believe her.  We'd LOVE to walk her in the rain [most of the time].  Trust me, we call her Princess Paws for a reason. :) )  WE've had much to much rain lately, which is why I will give you a gift that keeps on giving, and post a picture of me in the *only* kind of precipitation which I enjoy. Snow.

Tigger's Glove=Tasty

Lots of love, kisses and wags,
Rosiekins

Happiness...

                                               is playing in the snow with my girls.

Apologies to Snoopy for stealing his quote. :)

A Special Announcement

Attention World,

Today is my Mommy’s birthday. She is the best in the world. I love her lots. I chose her when I was 4 weeks old, and she and the family came to meet me and my littermates. I curled up right next to her leg and just slept there.(I wanted to put that picture here, but I couldn't find it on Tigger's computer, so a picture that Mommy took of me in the snow will have to do instead.)

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to the BEST Mommy in the Whole Wide World.

XOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX,

Rosers, Little Lady, Pupper Doo i.e. Rosie Zidane

Places to Go and Things to Do

I am fortunate to live in an area with a lot of interesting attractions, historical sites, and things to do.   I thought I'd list some of my favorites in case you're ever in my area.

Places:

   The Park

   I love to visit the local township park.  There's a nice walking loop of about a mile and a half, a pond to sniff out (often with juicy tidbits to roll in) and an enclosed "Bark Park" where I can run around off-leash.  I usually try to get my people to take me there on Saturday mornings, and often get to meet other dogs and humans who like to admire me.

   The Hardware Store

   Helping Daddy shop at the hardware store is great.  Our local family run store has a dog-friendly policy.  I am allowed to go inside, and there is a big open box of treats just inside the door - if I'm quick enough I can often snag one.  A few of the people who work there also carry dog treats in their pockets, "just in case".  It's a good thing for me there are lots of projects around the house and yard, and that Daddy always likes to get new tools.

   The Post Office

   Yes, I'm allowed there too.  They don't have a treat bin like the hardware store, but people are usually nice to me anyway.

   Dog Club (aka the helper dog training facility)

   I go to 4H dog club activities at a facility used to train service dogs.  Dog club is great, because the kids there are trying to learn how to train dogs, which of course involves treats, sometimes lots of treats.

   Ed and Judy's B&B

   I recently stayed at Ed and Judy's bed and breakfast (and dinner and snacks too) while the rest of my family went to the beach.  Theirs is a friendly establishment, with several resident dogs, cats and a guinea pig.  Ed is a particularly gracious host.  I highly recommend his 6AM pre-breakfast belly rubs.

Things to do:

   Driving - there are lots of scenic roads in our county, and it's great fun to get your people to drive you around.  One of the best things about all the places listed above is that we have to drive to get there.

   Apple Picking - one of my other favorite places is our local apple orchard, where we can pick our own apples.  I usually pull a cart around with the basket in it so the humans don't have to do all the work.  Usually, though after a while I get tired and then Daddy has to pull the cart for me.

Canine Health and Nutrition 101 For Beginners Class 2

Welcome back to class, folks! I hope you've been studying hard.  Today we are continuing our study of Canine health.  Today we will be thinking outside the box, and talking about mental health. 
Now, it's very important that dogs maintain good mental health, or we might do crazy things like enjoy our baths (more about the evils of water next class), or refuse milkbones.  It makes me whimper just to think of a dog that insane.
So, how can you, your Precious Pooch's loving human prevent these canine tragedies? It's easy.  Just follow these three easy steps, as outlined by Misz Nabby in K-9 Siekolugey and Neurosis- Ther kawses and treetments 499 (Roo's note: she means The Causes and Treatments of Canine Psychological Disorders and Neurosis.(:  ).  
Step 1: Be in charge.  Believe it or not, we dogs prefer looking up to you to bossing you around (most of the time).  But be in charge NICELY.  We want you to be our parents, not a Calormene Tisroc.

Step 2: Shower us with love and affection.  Pat us. Cuddle us.  Tell us how amazing we are.  Give us treats.

Step 3: Take good care of us.  Make sure we get the proper nutrition. Give us clean water, and take us out when we need it.  Don't make us get wet unnecessarily. Take us to the vet. Play with us. And most importantly- GIVE US TREATS.

Enjoying my mental health!!!

Study hard, y'all!!
Love and wags,
Prof. Rosie

I Go On Vacation

Last month, I went and visited my dear friends J.,  E., Biddles, Ruby, Ginger, The Cats, and Gretel. Biddles, Ruby, and Ginger are dogs. They are very sweet and lots of fun. The Cats are, well, cats, believe it or not. They were very nice too! Gretel is a guinea pig and awfully cute. J. and E. are The People, and I like them love them lots! I even loved Mr. E. enough to wake up crying for him every morning at 6. (Sister#2's note: Rosie never does that at home. In fact she disdains reville before 6:30 at home... Many apologies to E. for Rosie's early rising.)  I had a blast! When I came home I was a little out of sorts because I missed my friends.  They are very fun and I had a good time.

Wags and Snuggles,
Rosie

Now That's A Good Human

Stories like this always warm the cockles of a dog's heart. I know that my family would do the same, although I suppose that I could probably take a bear on more than a dachshund could. (Uh oh, I may have insulted Gretchen...)

A 22-year-old Alaska woman said on Wednesday she punched a black bear in the face to save her small dog from being carried off and possibly eaten.

Juneau resident Brooke Collins said she hit the bear Sunday night to save the life of her dachshund, Fudge. She said she discovered the bear crouched down, clutching Fudge in its paws and biting the back of the dog's neck.

"It had her kind of like when they eat salmon," Collins said Wednesday. "I was freaking out. I was screaming at it. My dog was screaming. I ran up to it ... I just punched it right in the snout and it let go."

From yahoo.com .