Hello canine shutterbugs! Yes, today, June 29 is national "Camera Day." As a photographer with five wonderful subjects - the FiveSibes - it's always Camera Day at our homestead! Whether you use film or digital, load up the camera, grab some great doggie treats, and go have some fun capturing them in their environment! Some tips for great pet shots include getting down on their level, and, if possible, shoot in the outdoors where there is both great natural light and lots of things to capture their attention, which translates to wonderful face shots in photos. It also helps to avoid "green eye," which is very common with dogs. While some programs can eliminate "green eye," it's so much nicer to capture them naturally. If shooting indoors, try turning off your flash or using a diffuser, use a lamp to cast some light, and/or take their photos by a window or open door.Whether you are a novice or a pro, it's a day to have lots of fun photographing ...

Has anyone visited Theanimalrescuesite.com? It seems like a great site for purchasing some pretty cool items, many of which are pet-themed, and raising dollars through visitors and their charitable partners for a good cause - animals in need. Wolf and I visited the site today and by purchasing items I wanted anyhow, but selected through their site - an insulated cup with cute pawprints, a pair of pawprint rain boots, and a thumb ring (all for me, the Hu-Mom!) we were able to fund 112 bowls of food for animals in need! Now how cool is that? Check out the link below for more info about their site and the work they do: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/ourprojects.faces?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_ourprojects_from_home_sidetabs This site is also working hard to get the "HAPPY Act" passed. The Happy Act is to assist pet owners worldwide with making pet care more affordable, thereby allowing folks to keep their beloved pets during tough economical times. For more i...

Are you ready to "GO FURRY" this Friday? Our Harley girl is all ready busy working (she's on break, that's why she's checking out Facebook!) So who else is taking their furbaby to work on Friday, which is Take Your Dog To Work Day (TYDTWD)? If you have not yet heard of it, TYDTWD was established in 1999 by Pet Sitters International when 300 businesses first participated. Today, thousands participate all in the effort to promote pet adoption. Does your office participate? If so, let’s hear how. Are you a freelancer or independent contractor whose canine companion assists in the home office with taking out the trash (your files), disposing of unused items (chewing up your supplies), and Emailing customers (sending notes to random strangers when their paws hit the keys)? If so, drop me a line and tell me how you and your dog plan on spending TYDTWD. Be sure to visit the adorable TYDTWD video below to discover the Top Ten reasons for taking your best furry friend ...

Not many people like to discuss the subject of anal glands. Embarrassment?  Perhaps. The “eww factor?” Maybe. But in the canine world, keeping tabs on the anal glands is just as important as brushing their teeth and clipping their nails. Recently, in our Husky homestead, two of our Sibes have been afflicted with anal sac issues. A few months back, Harley (our Alpha queen and surrogate mom) was constantly chewing at her backside, alerting us that something was not quite right. When we did a complete exam, she was very, very touchy when we came to her rump. A trip to our vet verified that she had impacted anal sacs, which were then expressed, eliminating a thick black tar-like substance, and she was instantly fine.   Most recently, Gibson (Harley’s honey and the big brother of the pack) has had a case of “limp tail.” His crazy, frizzy, furry waterfall of a tail simply has been hanging limply at his backside. He has been way more sedentary than usual, with no desire to get ...

Do you appreciate your dog? June 7 through 13 is celebrated as Pet Appreciation Week. Thinking about this, I sat back and asked myself, “Do my Sibes feel appreciated?” We all believe we love and appreciate our beloved furry members of our family. We give them food, shelter, kisses, hugs, and in some case, lots and lots of toys. But do they feel appreciated? In the canine world, appreciation really means love, and it pretty much comes in very simple terms. A warm place to sleep, fresh food to eat, cool water to drink, a pat on the back, and (always) a treat. They don’t really care if their cloth coat is a designer brand, if their collars have sparkling bling, if their bed is fancy, or if they have the newest toys. They would be just as happing chewing up a paper towel roll as they would the most popular dog toy. They would be content sleeping in a bed of hay, or in their kennel/crate or at the foot of our beds. They would enjoy getting brushed by our children as much as they would by ...