Black and White Sunday

Blog Hop Hosted By-

Snow Saturday

We're Home and Dad's here!

Mom got a break from being on duty and we got to go home to Chicagoland. I don't always go with Mom to her crash pad, as she travels a lot, but I got to this time and we had a lot of fun together in the evenings and I got lots of walks with my dog walker that comes by during the day. But it's  been over two weeks since we've  been home and I really missed my Dad.  He said there's LOTS of snow left, even though it's warmer, after 20 inches came down last Sunday.  I was rescued  quite a ways south of here so I hadn't seen a lot of snow.  Let's see what I think of it.

That looks pretty deep.

Look, I'm Jaws!  do dee do do do dee do do do dee do do

 Dive Captain Nemo Dive!

 I am the master of my destiny.

Everything's upside down!

Hey - there better not be any embarrassing pictures for the blog. 

I'm making snow angels. 

Just one more Mom- please?

The classic yoga pose - canine contortion

OK, I'm pooped.

It's getting late we need to get inside so my ears and paws don't get too cold.

 I'm a bear - a big furry bear.  Can I have a bear claw?

I love snow!

There's SNOW place like HOME!

Search Dog Foundation and a Shameless Plug for my Mom

Mom had a busy year. It started sad as Barkley the Lab went to the Rainbow Bridge, with her only brother following, leaving her the primary care-provider to her 94 year old Dad.  With a new husband and a hundred year old house, two grandkids, dog hair and adopting me, it was busy. (Did I mention Mom likes coffee? Actually do any of you remember that Saturday Night Live skit where the guy replaces the blood in the hospital patients' bag with Folgers Crystals? Yah, that's Mom),

Oh, and she puts this shiny gold thing in her black bag and goes to work 4-5 days a week, sometimes in the middle of the night.

Whew!  No wonder she likes wine, chocolate and dog kisses on an evening she doesn't have a stack of laundry!

Anyway. Somewhere in there - she wrote a book.  It's a book about a dog, but it's really a book about growing up, finding her way back to faith and family and an unexpected love story, of both the two and four legged kind. She worked hard to get it done so her Dad could read it before he too, was gone and he did.  He cried and patted me and gave her a big hug.

The Book of Barkley was just nominated as a finalist in the Bookbzz Prizewriters Competition in the biography memoir  class.  The winner gets their book mentioned on TV on international book day and a cash prize.

Mom said if she wins--- the cash prize is going to Search Dog Foundation   Click on their link to see all the wonderful things they do to help both animals and humans.

Please vote for Mom's book and for a good cause.  Consider picking one up if you haven't-- for even if you don't vote, all of the monies from the book sale go to animal rescue/welfare/education.

The link to vote is below (just click or go to bookbzz.com) and you can just vote once between now and Feb. 28th.  Thanks so much for voting and sharing this for your friends that may like to vote.


http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-biography-memoir-vote/


Abby Lab

Sunday Black and White

 

 

 

Our Blog Hop Hosts Nola and Sugar - Thank You! 

Pin IT!

Barkley in full hoverdog mode

Mom has her first Pinterest account.  Her marketing assistant from Outskirts Press helped her set it up and she can now start adding Pin's.  If you want a Pin of your pet, pet book,pet project or pet peeve, please let her know.  cliodna58(AT)gmail(DOT)com and provide the picture. She has a couple of wonderful dog book author's here but she didn't want to pin them without their permission.

She's also open to having another board on there with any pet related businesses any of you may have.

She's sort of new with this so be patient with her.  I know I am, especially when there are treats.

http://www.pinterest.com/lbjohnson8/

Canine Dating Advice

It's hard to find a fella I love as much as my Dad, but I need a date for the dance.

Yente Ruby--I hope it's not too late for you to fix me up for the Heart 2 Heart Dance.   I should have asked you right away for your wonderful matchmaking services.  I mean look at lucky Sarge and Cinderella.

But no  - I went cheap and went to one of those online dating sites, Snoot.com and THIS is what they sent me for a possible date match.  I am sure he has a nice personality but. . . .

Abby the Lab

The Blogville Heart 2 Heart Dance is coming up.  If you haven't signed up go on over and visit

• Murphy and Stanley

No Dog is an Island

I know I'm not supposed to be up on the mattress when Mom washes the sheets on the little bed in the guest room--- but if I hide my head in the blanket, she can't see me!

And yes, Mom fixed my toy after I de-squeaked it. But first she put it in the trash saying it was too torn up for me to play with!  I was so lost without it---I gave her pitiful looks until she saved it as it's my nap noodle. But seriously Mom, Duct Tape? You get Dr. in front of your name and you fix stuff with DUCT TAPE?

Oh wait-- Mom said she's not that kind of doctor.  If she's not that kind of doctor - then she must be that kind of doctor we saw watching Gilligan's Island with the peeps. Which doctor?  That doctor. Other than the Vee-Eee-Tee, I don't know any other doctors.

Well - that does explain her hair in the morning.

Abby Lab

Sunday Barkley - Black and White

The Salmon Will Be By Here Any Minute!

Foody Friday - PORK.

Someone is stealing dog bloggers copyrighted photos and content.  Go ahead, take this, and try and pass it off as your own..

I present Crown Roast of SPAM

 Yes, those are Slim Jim's. My Mom is easily bored.


Abby the Lab

I "Heart" Happy Dog Barkery - A Blog Hop

The Blogville Heart 2 Heart Dance is coming up.  If you haven't signed up go on over and visit

• Murphy and Stanley

And then go to the bottom of this post to join the Blog Hop they're hosting as part of the Dance festivities.

If you can't attend and just want to have a celebration of your own, and you live around the Chicagoland area-- I have to tell you about a dog barkery that's just the BEST.

Happy Dog Barklery - In Downers Grove, IL

It's worth a drive from anywhere in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, Downers Grove being a unique little town with an assortment of delightful shops with artisan wares, and easy parking.  In the fall - there's also a scavenger hunt that the children just love.

I discovered them when my blog friend Piranha Banana the therapy chihuahua had a birthday pawty and Mom started drooling over the pictures of spinach pies that were served with the cake.

Happy Dog Barkery owners Cheryl and Beth Staley are sisters who left the corporate work in April of 2004 to fulfill their dreams of working with their dogs and being business owners.  Active in animal rescue and foster, Beth has been baking since she was a young girl and when she found her own Labrador had allergies, baking for her dog, and then for others, was destiny

Birthday cakes for dogs  (and cats!) wheat free, allergen friendly and big enough to share with your doggie friends.  You can get a cake that's peanut butter, liver, carob, grain free peanut butter or grain free coconut.  YUM! 

They also have a collection of all sorts of unique, allergen free, human food grade, treats for pets baked fresh on-site and the dogs just go crazy for the liver ones.  But the honey and barley dog cookies? - all I can say is woof!  woof!  woof

In addition to the baked goods they also have a collection of some of the best natural dog foods available, all in one location with a lot of knowledge on how to keep your pet happy and healthy with proper nutrition.

Check them out on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/HappyDogBarkery

or their website:  http://www.happydogbarkery.com/

Find them at 5118 Main Street, Downers Grove, IL  630-512-0822

Or load up your best friend into your vehicle and drive on over and visit in person - pets are welcome!

Abby the Lab

Wordless Wednesday

Are you Ready for the LUCY BOWL?

• The best Bowl Commercial this year may just be on Hallmark's Kitten Bowl!

• This commercial will change the way America looks at cats and dogs forever.

• Lucy Pet Foundation's groundbreaking #DogsVsCats football game commercial airing on Super Bowl Sunday, will feature the most high-tech CGI ever done using animals, and is bound to be among the most discussed ads of the year.

• The Director of the commercial is Sam Nicholson, one of Hollywood's most acclaimed visual effects Wizards, known best for Heroes, 24, The Walking Dead and Star Trek I. The commercial will draw attention to the 80,000 pets euthanized each week in shelters across the US, due to overpopulation.
Take a look at the teaser Lucy Pet Foundation’s #DogsVsCats football game commercial--real dogs and real cats in a real football game.
https://vimeo.com/116935043

Pet's (including our favorite-- Gilligan at Wag's Ahoy) were entered in a contest to win $500 for their favorite animal rescue group with a  photo of their pet with a #TeamDog or #TeamCat sign (sort of like the "dog shaming' posts)  with winners getting not only prizes but a chance to be a CGI dog or cat on TV.


The dogs and cats who win the contest were announced this last week on the Home Family Show on the Hallmark Channel .  Let's all go share the news about the upcoming ad and remember why we are doing it.  For the rescues like me who would have been euthanized were it not for the efforts of people who care.
Abby the Lab (sorry, you're cute, but I'm #TeamDog) 

This post was brought to you in an effort to raise awareness about Lucy Pet Foundation's upcoming ethical pet population campaign. Lucy Pet Foundation provided all images and information about the commercial.  If you'd like information to share online-- contact bloggers@lucypetfoundation.org and request more information!

Sunday Black and White

Sunday memories of warmer days and sun gleamed steps on which to rest.

 Thank you Nola and Sugar for Hosting.

Barkley Down Under

Hi - Abby's Cousin here, the little white dog on the right.  I'm a rescued cattle dog that belongs to her family out West and I'm here with a quick message. That's not Mom in the picture but one of her family friends with her rescue dogs--but Mom asked that I tell readers down under that The Book of Barkley is now available at

• Amazon AU

I'm going to go see if I can round one up. How about you? Just click on the link above to order.

Watch Dogs

Mom went out with a girlfriend for lunch last Sunday while I guarded her crash pad.  She had just an afternoon off before going back on duty, and decided to get out of the house. She did leave the curtains open a bit so the sun would come in and left me lots of fresh water.

I have to tell you, by the time she got back, days and days later, I was just FRANTIC with worry.

It's Blogville Inaugration time!

Junior Officer Abby here.  I'm so excited - my first official full day as one of Blogville's Paw-lice department!

We are so ready for the Inauguration of Murphy and Stanley as co-mayors as Mayor Madi retires. It should go without a hitch.

 Officer Sully is in charge of field operations. SIDEBITE  is stationed at one side of the inaugural platform and everyone has walkies talkies (Walkies! Walkies! - oh sorry - I got excited there for a minute).

Ahem.

Sully is going to fly the department helicopter (Mom says to watch out for retreating blade stall!) over the parade route to spot any sign or trouble so he can land. I'm on ground duty scanning the crowds out front with Junior Officers Whitey and Riley. Officer Gussie has our dignitaries in the limo.

 Wait - what's this?

Just a moment ago - off to the side of the street- that was just a plastic container.  What's that climbing out of it?

 He's alone - maybe he's just interested in the garbage can put out to collect the inauguration trash.

 No - wait - he's spotted the crowds. He's signaling someone with his tail.

 This doesn't look good - he's climbing up to get a few of the platform there in the distance.

 Just a lone nut job - or something more disruptive?

He's spotted me.

I hear one of the other officers on my walkies talkie!  This one's just a scout, there's a bunch of squirrels trying to disrupt the proceedings!

Junior Officers - let's round them up!

Nothing to see here folks!  To see how this shakes out - I'd go visit these two blogs to start as the blog hop builds
Sully Texas Scottie

• Murphy and Stanley