cuddle bugs

Which parent passed down the goofy face gene?

Free Lupine products!

Most of you know that I love Lupine products because of their durability, adorable patterns and lifetime guarantee. Here is a chance to win a free leash and collar set! All you have to do is go to phetched and leave a comment describing which pattern you are interested in.

Wickie's first swim with her brother

Random tongue action

Believe it or not, she's actually trying to lick Chewie back

Wicket's big day

Today feels like Wicket's Bat Mitzvah/Quince/Sweet Sixteen

She got her last puppy shot, but was more concerned with posing than whether it hurt.

She...um...ah

And she graduated puppy kindergarten

Low cost rabies and microchip clinic, mini aussie and small herding breed meet-up

Just a note for my local readers:

Low-cost Rabies & Microchip Clinic at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington on Thursday August 27, 2009 6:30pm – Thu Aug 27 8:30pm.
Rabies shot:$10.00
Microchip: $25.00
Please bring proof of a prior rabies shot (a rabies certificate, not a tag) to get a three-year rabies shot. Without it, your pet will receive a one-year shot.
No appointment necessary. Sign-in on the sheet provided and you will be called in order. Waiting is outside so come prepared for the weather. Cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted.

DC Miniature Australian Shepherd and Small Herding Breeds Meet-up. I started a meet-up group for the little herders and our first get together is August 8, 2009 at 11:00 am. Any small herding breed is welcome!

Two of Wicket's brothers are still available. If you would be an amazing miniature australian shepherd owner and have always wanted a gorgeous puppy, head over to Westwood's page and take a look at the two available mini aussie puppies. Xavier and Gambit are to die for.

Crappy pics, funny situation.

Wicket met Lola and Felipe. Wicket Chased Felipe all over the place. While I have your attention, at the risk of sounding like the nut that I am, please check out the Canine Bark's post on the dangers of kibble. As many of you know, we feed the puppies raw for a variety of reasons, but this is why we don't feed dry dog food.

Chewie and his buddy Tucker at the park

Wicket puts Braddock in his place at Puppy K

Sunday with the pooches

After some chillaxing, a trip to Gravelly Point

Great Falls

Chewie, Wicket and Huxley at Great Falls. The minis love to climb.

Showing them how it's done at puppy k

Poor one out for my ded dragonflies

She really looks like a bear here

The kids playing outside

Wickie's Sunday

Hung out with uncle Chris

Chilled with Chewie

Napped

Had her first raw meal!

Two pups, two bully sticks

This is my bully
No, it's mine

I'm the big brudda, I'll have dis one now, the other one later

I am adorable and I love you, my Chewie

Ok, we can share.

Chewie and Wicket vs the Coyote

Giardia and staph at Shirlington dog park!!!

I don't normally write on the blog, but I just felt I should send out a heads up to Arlington dog owners. Over the course of the past 2 weeks I have run into a lot of dogs that have gotten sick at the Shirlington dog park. Despite many warnings to the contrary, most of us let our dogs swim in Four Mile Run. Usually these incidents are isolated and related to one source that causes problems for our pooches, however, lately the confluence of two events has me worried about the safety of the park. First is the number of canine staphylococcus infections that I have seen. The first time I saw staph was at the park when I saw two dogs with shaved sections on their backs. When I asked the owner what happened she told me they had staph. The horrified look on my face caused her to immediately tell me that it is not contagious. Then I asked her where they got it, and the answer was in the water at that very park. I have yet to figure out why she was there, where it all happened. In the past few weeks I have run into 6 more dogs that had staph from the water as well.
Now Chewie's buddy Huxley and Chewie himself both have giardia. The vet said that they had recently seen an outbreak of giardia in dogs that frequent Shirlington. Apparently, the vet isn't the only local business to be aware of the issue, because Woofs has posted a request to its doggie daycare clients asking them not to bring dogs afflicted with any gastrointestinal issues.
Our tips for visiting the dog park are:

1. Don't let your buddy go into the water, for now.
2. Bring your own bowl and drinking water.
3. Watch what your dog eats- giardia spreads through fecal-oral contact!
   

Two little ladies

Kluska and Wicket pose.

Play time!

Attack of the Ewok

They love to play!

big bro and lil sis

Post shower, pre-dry

Wicket's exciting evening

She helped clean up after dinner

Mommy put her in a stupid shirt and she hated it

She beat up on Zeus

Zeus beat up on her

Wicket and Ella Bean

Wicket and Zeus 2

Chewie and Wicket

Zeus and Wicket