"By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer's best of weather And autumn's best of cheer." ~Helen Hunt Jackson September is my favorite month! It's not just because it's my birth month, but because it truly is a lovely time of year giving us both Summer and Autumn in one month! While still summer for most, the morning air becomes tinged with a coolness hinting at the soon to arrive Autumn with its crisp air and Mother Nature's beautiful palette of colors, a glorious time of year! With our oppressive summer heat wave finally coming to a close just yesterday after two months of the highest humidity we have seen in long time, I am looking forward to Autumn's arrival even more! While long days of summer bring about a relaxing time, when no one seems in a rush and happiness is lounging around with iced drinks and splashing in the pool, this summer with all of its hotter-than-hot heat and humidity did not seem to allow much mo...

Wow! This summer sure is one for the record books! After a short break from the heat, the past few days the temperatures rose as the humidity snuck back in at almost 100% giving us days with a heat index reaching a sweltering 105℉, which is unusually high here in the Hudson Valley. No one wanted to be outside, especially our snow-loving Huskies! They even have to be convinced to leave the cool air conditioned house when it was potty time, and then it was a quick trip out to do their business, a run through the pool (except for Chloe who hates water!), and then right back inside!  Today's Flashback photo above is from last summer when one day after the Sibes were back inside and I stayed out on the deck to freshen their pool water and hose down the area, I turned to see Bandit had opened the kitchen door to peer out at me as though she was worried about me staying out in the heat! I guess it is a role reversal when your dog thinks you need to come in from the heat instea...

Woo! While every day is Dog Day here at FiveSibes, who are we to argue with a national holiday just for canines, right?  I mean, what dog wouldn't want extra hugs and some special treats, and doesn't that all just go paw-in-paw with it being a holiday?! Today, we are enjoying the "howliday" by just lazing on the shady deck poolside enjoying the beautiful breeze together, which is a real treat since the weather had been so steamy and humid the past month. So this is a real treat!  National Dog Day was created by lifestyle expert and pet advocate to encourage people to Colleen Paige, who also is tops in our books as she also created some other pretty special bark-worthy howlidays, including  National Cat Day, National Puppy Day, National Mutt Day, National Horse Protection Day, National Kids & Pets Day and National Specially-Abled Pets Day, and one I just did an article on for 4Knines, National Beach Day ! "National Dog Day celebrates all breeds...

Gibson trainspotting circa 2012! Gibson and I used to love our walks together. It was our special time together away from the rest of the pack. With Canine Epilepsy, he had side effects from the medications including bouts of hind end weakness and an eventual torn CCL, which we treated with Conservative Care Management so he did not have to go through surgery and risk triggering an onset of seizures. As part of his rehab, we went on many slow and easy walks together. And he was the very best walker! He never pulled, he always was right by my side. We had so many wonderful conversations, and yes, I know he understood every word I was saying, and his eyes conveyed his words. We had that kind of a special bond. I always said he was truly my spirit animal. I like to believe he still is, and always will be. During our walks, Gibson especially enjoyed going down to watch the trains go by, as in these photos. It always amazed me that it never frightened him being so close, he jus...

It's a "woo-y" Wednesday at FiveSibes! While settling in for some relaxing family TV time last night, the pups decided they wanted the remote to watch something more dog appropriate and voiced their opinion, Siberian Husky style! BOL! (And if you are familiar with the breed, they love to howl and sing)! The interesting thing is our alpha queen Harley is now deaf, but Wolf makes sure he gets real close to her to include her in their songfest. Amazing to watch, and while they are a little out of tune, just as amazing to hear! So turn up the volume, and tell us if your dog joined  in the howlfest, or if your pet even noticed! Hope you enjoy their song! Today we are noisily joining in the Pet Parade Blog Hop hosted by Dash Kitten , Bionic Basil & Barking From the Bayou !  Click For FiveSibes Blog Home Page Click For FiveSibes *New* Website

August has just arrived, and while our FiveSibes family and many other folks are still enjoying the summer time soaking up the sun and splashing in the water, the thought of school is not that far off. Some families are busy with the annual ritual of back-to-school shopping and physicals, and some kids have already started classes! But if you are in areas where September means back-to-school time, this post is for you! While items such as bookbags, notebooks, and pencils are being added to shopping lists, the transition from summer sun to school-time fun could actually be a stressful one for pets. Here are a few of my FiveSibes "golden rules" to help ease the change for our furry best friends and their human pals: Practice Makes Perfect (Sense)
 Before the first day of school arrives, practice walking to the bus stop or driving your child to school with your dog accompanying you to introduce both your dog and child to the new routine.   Positive Reinforcement
 Whil...