Yum

Here are a few clips of Mya eating chicken legs. Yes, I know, it's not very exciting, but I'm still fascinated by the whole thing! :)

Chick, chick, chicken!

So, today was the first day that Mya got raw chicken, bones and all.

I bought chicken thighs to start. I put 2 in her bowl. She looked at them, looked at me, looked at them, looked......(you get the picture! lol)

I picked one up and gave it to her. She tenderly put it in her mouth and proceeded to bring it to the couch. No, no, no! I picked it up and brought it back to her bowl. I guess she just didn't know what I wanted her to do with it.

She licked it, picked it up in her mouth and started chewing and crunching. Then it was time for the second one. She looked at me again, as if to ask, "do I eat this one the same way?".

She picked that one up too and munched and crunched.

Once she got the hang of it, she really loved it. I think she wanted more, but she will have to wait until tomorrow morning.

Now, my next challenge is to find all this stuff on sale!!

I guess she likes it?

Ok, so this is my first attempt at feeding raw. I thought I would at least try it. Whether I will stick with it is yet to be determined.

I started by blending beef heart, liver and kidneys. I also added ground hamburg and a can of mackerel. I measured out single portions and put them in baggies to freeze.

Then I combined cooked brown rice, cooked potatoes (skin on) and carrots. I pureed these and separated them into meal size baggies and froze those. So she will get a baggie or each for supper.

In the morning, I am going to try raw chicken, with bones. I will go out tomorrow and buy those. I also have oatmeal and other fruit and veggies to add in to change things up later. But for now, we will try this and see how it goes.

It's a Love/Hate Relationship

Mya just loves her little stuffed bunny. She actually has 2 of them, one with a dress on and one without a dress. As much as she plays rough with these things, she has never ripped one of them. However, they do have to get washed often.

Doing what I love to do

It was funny, because I've been helping out a few Giants lately and I do it because I love doing it, no other reason. I don't expect anything back from it, it just plain makes me happy to do it.

Now, my husband on the other hand thinks differently. He reminded me that I no longer do rescue. He said that I should charge people for my time! Ha ha ha ha ha ha

It's funny how "non-dog people" think differently. He would do anything for his hockey buddies without thinking twice, so why is this any different? They just don't get it do they?

It just makes me laugh.

Mya's Heat

First heat - April 2005
Second heat - Sept 2005
Third heat - Feb 22, 2006
Fourth heat - Aug 19, 2006
Fifth heat - Jan 13, 2007
Sixth heat - May 12, 2007

Seventh heat - Sept 26, 2007

(for my records)

It's grooming time again

I just finished grooming Mya. I do it in 2 stages. Today was the inital grooming and tomorrow is the touch ups. I can't expect her to stand on that table for as long as it takes me to be satisifed with her cut. I wish I would get better at grooming! I guess I need some better tools. I need new grooming shears and thinning shears! I'm putting it on my list to Santa!

Before (yes the basement is creepy, but I have to groom her in the furnace room)

Where are your eyes?

After (the eyebrows still need some work)

Happy as a clam to be done.

It's too bad this shot isn't clear. She has beautiful ears.

That's my pretty girl!

Did someone say food?

In an earlier post, I explained how I'm trying to find the "perfect" food for Mya. What I mean is a food that Mya will do well on, not just OK.

I had her on Timberwolf Organics for 5 weeks. The eye guck went away, the stools were excellent, the dander decreased, but....she was still chewing on her legs. Now I realize that it happens to be the worst allergy season lately, so part of her problems could be environmental.

I thought I would try another food with no grains and no chicken. It's called Solid Gold Barking At The Moon. I've been wanting to try this for a long time, but was hesitant because it has beef as the second ingredient. With all the problems in the past with beef in pet foods, I just put it off. I have heard people talk about the protien level being too high in dog food, but if you feed raw, especially prey model, the protein level would be higher.

Solid Gold Northwest Premium Dry Foods"Barking at the Moon"Grain and Gluten-Free High Protein Dog Food TM

We are proud to introduce our new "Grain and Gluten-Free High Protien" formula for dogs. The low-carb movement has been taking the world by storm, and more recently, the idea that dogs can benefit from a similar approach has also been taking hold. Omitting grains from a dog's diet is also one of the major philosophies behind the "BARF" diet (which stands for "Bioligically Appropriate Raw Food") which is making waves in the contemporary world of holistic pet nutrition. High protein and high fat are two major components of nature's intent for canines. The diet of wolves in the wild is characterized by large quantities of meat and organs from prey, some vegetation and very limited grains. Our Barking at the Moon is an attempt to capture this natural (i.e. "Nature-Intended") diet and make it accessible to your dog in a way that is realistic for modern dog owners. Also with the recent probelms involving wheat gluten in the pet food recall, we are happy to point out that wheat is not used in any of Solid Gold's formulas and Barking at the Moon is entirely GLUTEN-FREE! For more on Solid Gold and the recall, check here. By the tradition of Solid Gold, Barking at the Moon is free of any added salts or sugars. It is free of all chemical preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and Ethoxyquin. We use fresh wild salmon and hormone-free beef as our primary protein sources.

Ingredients: Salmon Meal Beef Potatoes Potato Protein Canola Oil Tomato Pomace Natural Flavor Salmon Oil Choline Chloride Taurine Dried Chicory Root Parsley Flakes Pumpkin Meal Almond Oil Sesame Oil Yucca Schidigera Extract Thyme Blueberries Cranberries Carrots Broccoli Vitamin E Supplement Iron Proteinate Zinc Proteinate Copper Proteinate Ferrous Sulfate Zinc Sulfate Copper Sulfate Potassium Iodide Thiamine Mononitrate Manganese Proteinate Manganous Oxide Ascorbic Acid Vitamin A Supplement Biotin Calcium Panthothenate Manganese Sulfate Sodium Selenite Pyridoxine Hydrochloride Vitamin B12 Supplement Riboflavin Vitamin D Supplement Folic Acid

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein, Min 42%Crude Fat, Min 20%*Crude Fiber, Max 4%Moisture, Max 10%Calories 465 kcal/cup

I keep track of this info for my own records, so I know what she has tried and what ingredients are involved. I also have a record incase they go and change the formula on me!

There's still 1 more waiting for a new home!

Dutchess

As of yesterday, Dutchess was still available. I see now that they have application pending on her profile. I sure hope that someone applied for her that can give her the life that a Giant Schnauzer deserves!

***APPLICATION PENDING***Can you resist my adorable face? Sadly, I was surrendered to the Shelter because I just couldn't get along with the other dog that was living in my previous home. So I guess it would be best if I went to a home that had no other dogs. I'm a smart, gentle and well behaved girl and I already know my basic commands. I need a family that will help build my confidence and give me all the attention I deserve. I would like my new family to bring me to obedience training because not only will that help to build my self confidence, but it will help me to become more socialized.

Casi has a NEW HOME!

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Casi (the rescue Giant) has a new forever home! Yes, it gives me goosebumps to think of what a wonderful life this girl will have.

She was adopted today by Sara and John Harley. Sara is the owner of her own dog biscuit company called Barking Biscuit. Casi has 2 new furry sisters, Cinder (female Giant) and Mulligan (female mixed breed).

Casi was being held at a kennel that does Standard Poodle Rescue. After a bit of time, Casi warmed up to Sara and John and won their hearts. Then she was introduced to Cinder and Mulligan. Everything went great.

I recommended Sara and John to Morgan (who does Poodle rescue but had Casi) so the process went a little faster than what it normally does. I told Morgan that if I had to rehome Mya for any reason, I wouldn't think twice about placing her in Sara and John's home.

Avery (my son) and Casi

Cinder and Casi

Sara giving Casi a scratch

Casi, Cinder and Mulligan with Sara

Waiting for their Barking Biscuits
Sara and John - the new family
Congratulations Sara and John on your new addition!

Introducing Casi

Casi

I had the pleasure of driving out to Bowmanville today to meet Casi. She is a female, spayed Giant Schnauzer who is looking for a new home. She is staying at a kennel right now with a lady who does Standard Poodle rescue.

Watch the video to see her fetch!

This girl is amazing. She let me pull her hair, play with her tail, check her ears, eyes and teeth. The teeth probably need to be cleaned. I played with her feet and nails. She even let me roll her over so I could scratch her belly. She really loved that!

As you can see, she has a non-schnauzer haircut right now. Her tail was docked very long also. She has a lot of white hairs all over her body, but she also seems to have some grey on her legs.

She has no bumps or lumps that I could feel. She loves to play fetch but would rather not give the ball back after she gets it! She responded very quickly to the commands sit and down. She likes to give the paw and she only jumped up once when I got her really excited.

She would make a wonderful addition to any home. She has been well socialized and gets along well with other dogs. I was told she likes children, however I cannot guarantee that as I did not put her in that situation.

If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information

mycozyhome@rogers.com

Change

Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Stever Jobs
US computer engineer & industrialist (1955 - )

The Loofa Dog

Mya loves her Loofa Dog. But....she hated the squeeker in it. So she worked hard and tore it out. So, with Loofa Dog having a huge hole in him from her "Open Heart" operation, I had to sew him back up. When am I going to learn to not buy her toys with squeekers in them?

Giants Needing Homes

CASI

Casi is about 3-4 yrs old. She is spayed, well behaved, obedient and very smart. As you know, her bad habits are sometimes (she has gotten better) getting food from the table/counter and loves eating tissue paper, usually from same areas. Go figure!!! She was given to a foster home by a really nice family who just did not have the time for her anymore. She’s great with special needs kids and LOVES men.
Update: Casi is with Standard Poodle Rescue but is still available. I will be visiting her this week and will update this blog with more information shortly. If you are interested in Casi, please email me at mycozyhome@rogers.com or Tracy at tracy.k9crazy@gmail.com

DUTCHESS

Dutchess: Sadly, I was surrendered to the Shelter because I just couldn't get along with the other dog that was living in my previous home. So I guess it would be best if I went to a home that had no other dogs. I'm a smart, gentle and well behaved girl and I already know my basic commands. I need a family that will help build my confidence and give me all the attention I deserve. I would like my new family to bring me to obedience training because not only will that help to build my self confidence, but it will help me to become more socialized.Dutchess is at the Orangeville OSPCA http://www.orangevillespca.ca/dogs.html

Speaking of not wanting to do rescue.....

It seems that when people are looking for a Giant Schnauzer to be adopted or a shelter looking for someone to adopt a Giant that they have, we somehow get a call. Tracy and I used to do rescue at one time. We both decided that it wasn't something that we wanted to do. However, what we have agreed to do is work kind of like a referral service. We will keep a list of names of people who are looking to adopt a Giant, and should a situation like these 2 female Giants come up again (see an earlier entry), we can hopefully match a person up with a Giant. However, as it is only a referral service, once we get both parties involved, our involvement ends.

We will ask people who are looking for a Giant some questions. We want honest answers. We will ask questions about lifestyle, family, work, financial responsibility etc. Don't be put off by this, it will help us determine which Giant to match you up with.

So, if you want to leave us your name, we will contact you with more questions.
Write Tracy at: tracy.k9crazy@gmail.com
Write Christine at: mycozyhome@rogers.com

My Velcro Dog

Where I go, she goes! She likes to lay at my feet when I'm on the computer.

Emergency - 2 Giants looking for homes!

Well, some of you may know that I used to do rescue for Giants. I didn't do it for long and actually, it is an extremely difficult job. Without being able to bring other Giants into my home, I couldn't personally take care of them. Finding foster homes or even permanent homes was very stressful. Also, a thought was always in the back of my mind....what if the dog bites someone? I just couldn't live with that. I like to stick with things that I have some control over!!! However, I will never turn my back on a Giant and I will help in any way that I can.

There are 2 Giant Schnauzers looking for homes in Ontario right now:

Casi is about 3-4 yrs old. She is spayed, well behaved, obedient and very smart. As you know, her bad habits are sometimes (she has gotten better) getting food from the table/counter and loves eating tissue paper, usually from same areas. Go figure!!! She was given to me by a really nice family who just did not have the time for her anymore. She’s great with special needs kids and LOVES men.
Casi will soon be going into the Newmarket OSPCA

Dutchess: Sadly, I was surrendered to the Shelter because I just couldn't get along with the other dog that was living in my previous home. So I guess it would be best if I went to a home that had no other dogs. I'm a smart, gentle and well behaved girl and I already know my basic commands. I need a family that will help build my confidence and give me all the attention I deserve. I would like my new family to bring me to obedience training because not only will that help to build my self confidence, but it will help me to become more socialized.
Dutchess is at the Orangeville OSPCA http://www.orangevillespca.ca/dogs.html

Please pass the word along!!! Let's help these Giants find a good home.

The life of a Giant

I still can't get over the crazy positions that this dog sleeps in!

Grape Video

The Grapes of Wrath

Why are grapes harmful?
"As far as grapes and raisins go, no one is sure why they're harmful. It's been confirmed that even grapes grown without fertilizers or pesticides can be toxic to dogs. But not to every dog, and not every time. It's also not known whether small amounts eaten over a long time period could have a cumulative effect.
What we do know is that the end result in nearly all reported cases of grape or raisin toxicity is acute kidney failure. (The term "acute" means that the condition is severe and comes on quickly.) The dog ultimately can't produce urine, which means they can't filter toxins out of their systems -- a process essential to life."

(from EZine articles)

So I went on a mission to get the grapes out of our yard so that Mya wouldn't get sick if she decided to eat them. I started pulling vines but quickly figured out that this was going to be a bigger job then I expected. I managed to cut all the trunks on my side, which will kill all the vines. I also had to get the vines down that already had ripe grapes on them. That was the hard part. The ladder let me reach quite a few, but others I had to just reach and pull. While standing on the ground, pulling as hard as I could, the vine let go and I landed on my rear!!! I thought it was funny, and I'm sure my neighbours thought so too! I also got a branch in my eye, and I now have a terrible eye ache. But the job is now done. I will have to monitor the yard and make sure no grapes from the neighbours side somehow land on my side.

1. This is a picture of the vines on the other side of the fence.
2. Grape vines on the ground after I cut them down
3. The vines were strangling our other trees.

4. They are tiny, but there are quite a bit of them.

5. Another close up

6. Thickness of the trees/vines

7. More vines

8. Picture of the grape vines twisted around another tree.

9. My neighbours must watch me and think I'm crazy.