This Time Last Year (puppy video)

It's looking like Spring has sprung here...the blossoms are all on the plum trees, the bulbs are starting to bloom, the birds are singing, and the grass is in need of a good mowing! Finally we can go outside without our rain boots.

While we're obsessively checking the girls every day for early signs that they're in season...no, no....we mustn't admit that....patiently waiting for our girls to come in, I thought I'd share this little video of Tasha's first puppies at this same time last year!

Buddy, Seren and Shiraz - March 2010

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBWfm0SB-Es

Why is it that time seems to go by so quickly for some things - like how fast these little guys grew up, and other things just seem to take forever? I guess it's really true that patience is a virtue, and when it's in the hands of Mother Nature, all we can do is wait!

So yes, we are planning two litters later this Spring from our girls Tasha and Aimee, and as soon as we have news to share, we'll be sure to post it here! :)

Better Than Tennis Balls

All our dogs love playing with balls....they start as young puppies by rolling them across the floor and use their feet to swat them back and forth (good practice for the much larger soccer balls later on!)

We used to let them play and chew on tennis balls, but a couple of years ago there was an article in Dogs In Canada magazine about how the fuzzy green covering is super abrasive, and the doggie dental expert explained how destructive it is for their tooth enamel.

So what's a tennis ball-loving dog to do? 
We've found two great alternatives...the turnup, and soft road hockey balls.

 
The turnup is made from natural latex rubber, and isn't perfectly round, so you never know which way it's going to go next . If it rolls under furniture, it often comes right back, boomerang-style, and they absolutely love that!

I really like that it's natural and eco-friendly. We're all about being green, we recycle, compost, use natural cleaning products, and recently began switching our incandescent light bulbs to the compact fluorescents in our recessed lighting fixtures. British Columbia has already banned the sale of 75W and 100W incandescent light bulbs to push people to make the change.

 

"Tasha..move fast and block that shot!"

The orange road hockey balls (in soft - there are different types) withstand loads of abuse, but they're not solid and have "give" to them. The doggies love to gnaw on them and they're super easy to find here in Canada. We get ours from the hardware store, and they're under $1.50 each.