tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23305530799221034552024-03-16T12:49:24.390-06:00My Dog Chloe & MeChristian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.comBlogger366125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-27006966404274580272025-01-01T07:52:00.000-07:002019-12-25T12:06:00.620-07:00Chloe's Book, "Chronicles of a Cocker Spaniel"<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Dog-Chloe-Me-Chronicles/dp/0999637908/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514645862&sr=8-1&keywords=my+dog+chloe+%26+me">My Dog Chloe & Me, Chronicles of a Cocker Spaniel</a></i></span></div>
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<i>- click on book title above for link to Amazon.com -</i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5cso1gwoa6s/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5cso1gwoa6s?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
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Part story book, part picture book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Dog-Chloe-Me-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0796G4VB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543770083&sr=8-1&keywords=my+dog+chloe+and+me" target="_blank">My Dog Chloe & Me, Chronicles of a Cocker Spaniel</a></i>, is an amusing, funny, and heartwarming look at the experiences of sharing my life with Chloe, our American Cocker Spaniel.<br />
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What may seem like another trivial day, that is common and routine, can on closer examination be often turned into a memorable short story, and when you really think about it, isn’t this how our lives play out, as an accumulation of many little stories?</div>
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Chloe is notoriously inquisitive, mischievous, and loyal, and that’s all within a single day of activity. When I write her stories, she doesn’t recite to me the storyline, or even provide the research that is sometimes required for factual information. Instead, Chloe simply provides me with the inspiration, and offers a unique window in which to observe the simple things of life, like going for a walk together, greeting our neighbors, or just watching a sunrise from our home in the high desert of New Mexico.</div>
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Sometimes, Chloe can be defiant, bearing her full inner wolf nature with an under-toning growl, while at other times, she’s the perfect angel with her big expressive eyes, and her long spaniel ears. That’s when I wonder, how did we ever get along without Chloe in the family? You’ll see that when a dog comes into your heart, it changes everything.</div>
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The book contains 33 short stories that are each accompanied by a full-page color photograph.<br />
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Available in soft cover and in Kindle formats at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Dog-Chloe-Me-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0796G4VB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543770083&sr=8-1&keywords=my+dog+chloe+and+me">Amazon.</a></div>
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Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-47473798533455159922025-01-01T07:07:00.000-07:002020-10-25T16:27:31.915-06:00Talks with a Cocker Spaniel, Chloe's New Book!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"Talks with a Cocker Spaniel"</span></i></td></tr>
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If you enjoyed,<i> Chronicles of a Cocker Spaniel</i> - the story of Chloe becoming a member of the family - Chloe’s new book, <i>Talks with a Cocker Spaniel,</i> should be on your short list for reading!</div>
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This second book of the My Dog Chloe & Me series, is sure to delight children and adults alike, with its fun to read stories and full page colored photographs. Parents and grandparents will enjoy reading the stories aloud to their children and grandchildren with the book’s unique show and tell format.</div>
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The 33 featured stories, newly edited, come from the archives of the My Dog Chloe & Me blog. These stories written in 2013 and 2014 are no longer available on the blog. Many of them feature a common topic of what it would be like if we could talk with our dogs, while others provide a humorous and endearing insight to sharing our daily life with man’s best friend.</div>
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I know we would all love to converse with our dogs in a one-on-one conversation, where they would let us know, their ailments, their choice of food, and their view of all things in the doggy world! We’ve all imagined - what if my dog could talk!</div>
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Talks with a Cocker Spaniel will be available soon at Amazon.com in soft cover edition, with a Kindle e-book, and a limited edition hard cover to follow in 2020. Makes a great companion book to Chronicles of a Cocker Spaniel!</div>
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<i>PS - Chronicles of a Cocker Spaniel is now available as a "limited hard cover edition" here on our blog site. </i></div>
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<br />Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-6676109830924008072024-02-22T13:16:00.003-07:002024-02-22T13:20:21.595-07:00National Walk Your Dog Day!<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd8KqB0KQBVCTG_SRDX2PKaoH-j4yPS2nUIT6uIhGR6V-1nUfB9kf8NnHED5dVbtjnBX_TjFZlJRE7dydjt3ub-zaVtXv3mA9gTtCTD7AfPVgUST_pvfStp_5oIMEyvUyH1lE5io5JdHMG9-2RTlIj7YEhG1OdjhZBhQBJlndJl_dH_vSDHqGqPeSBGQ/s4000/00_image.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd8KqB0KQBVCTG_SRDX2PKaoH-j4yPS2nUIT6uIhGR6V-1nUfB9kf8NnHED5dVbtjnBX_TjFZlJRE7dydjt3ub-zaVtXv3mA9gTtCTD7AfPVgUST_pvfStp_5oIMEyvUyH1lE5io5JdHMG9-2RTlIj7YEhG1OdjhZBhQBJlndJl_dH_vSDHqGqPeSBGQ/s16000/00_image.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Chloe and Me on a Walk </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Did you know that today, February 22nd is “National Walk Your Dog Day?”</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was brought to my attention this morning through an advertising email from Gooby, a dog leash and harness manufacturer. While I’m well aware of National Dog Week, that's celebrated in September, I wasn’t up on this one. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">An internet search stated that the exact origins of this declared day is unknown, although it’s believed to have been founded circa 1960, by Jim Buck - who’s claim to fame - is being the first professional dog walker in New York city. I guess he was the first one to charge money for such services, thereby declaring the “act of dog walking” as a true profession. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">But the bottom line for today is simply for you to get some exercise while walking your dog! </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">…hey Chloe, lets go for a walk!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-9826689571598001872023-12-30T09:40:00.003-07:002023-12-30T09:59:44.163-07:00Christmas Photo Memories<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pCmhit46KAyX9od0fD3gKuOU5PnzvRBSovFgG4T8ZLoR6TQyjO1v8THPs_3QW0LsE-WHMegGcGFgfjuOq_ha7kdn8yZFHiZ_JOI1d8izxM9w4GaBDqVj5QVguK_MeWc6UYvSFa29Xw5Q2aTGPGPLjvFYlLHh4ILk4e1_xC2VTqZY9M0_ulUkt81FZp0/s1600/IMG_4898.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pCmhit46KAyX9od0fD3gKuOU5PnzvRBSovFgG4T8ZLoR6TQyjO1v8THPs_3QW0LsE-WHMegGcGFgfjuOq_ha7kdn8yZFHiZ_JOI1d8izxM9w4GaBDqVj5QVguK_MeWc6UYvSFa29Xw5Q2aTGPGPLjvFYlLHh4ILk4e1_xC2VTqZY9M0_ulUkt81FZp0/s1600/IMG_4898.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"That Blank Stare - I don't have time for this"<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Since the inception of My Dog Chloe & Me in July 2012, I’ve enjoyed creating Chloe’s Christmas card that we post to the blog each December 25th. It’s my way of telling Chloe’s story using a single moment in time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It means planning and executing a photo shoot to get just the right angle, the right pose, and even the right “doggy” facial expression - if there is such a thing. Of course, dogs give you that blank stare with a look that says, “…I don’t have time for this.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With 12 years of Christmas cards now under our belt - 2012 to 2023 - I’ve invented ways for Chloe to be engaged in the photo process, which goes something like this: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Step 1</b> - start with treats, Charlee Bears to be exact - a reward for cooperation. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Step 2</b> - be fast, ‘very fast’, with the camera to get the photo session over quickly. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Step 3</b> - photo shoot near day’s end when she is tired. There’s nothing worse if your dog walks off the set before you’ve even snapped the first image.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But, just as capturing that perfect Christmas pose is your primary goal, the real fun is snapping all of the pictures that don’t make the card. These discarded images become timeless as the years’ pass - giving you the true memories of that Christmas moment in time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These are a few of the images, except for the last one, that didn't make it to Chloe's 2023 card. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCjbbjz9Cur_tltnDsYDHJms2P6Yz-S6w5lrbK3KfQEO1ZbopS78WFa8DLnLkiASb7eCJ-p9QqTlPlbZI0oNDQeL4qjkri1hc9LLFn-gNwQ69ROSCveGLoL3sb1XYnA6jQ6Gcis4a7taoByBeFz3Qz9C8LkLaP1LZvPMoi8RO4-lbfjYpvBgj7kKyFuU/s2016/IMG_4903.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCjbbjz9Cur_tltnDsYDHJms2P6Yz-S6w5lrbK3KfQEO1ZbopS78WFa8DLnLkiASb7eCJ-p9QqTlPlbZI0oNDQeL4qjkri1hc9LLFn-gNwQ69ROSCveGLoL3sb1XYnA6jQ6Gcis4a7taoByBeFz3Qz9C8LkLaP1LZvPMoi8RO4-lbfjYpvBgj7kKyFuU/s16000/IMG_4903.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />Step 1 - Have treats to bring cooperation<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjmNBhOMJgT8Lo3JP6JtmLFtxhQkIpgxw7tUjjSjOt5apCvEcNL2XxF05lNRm4E-QqvcuC-twFIjloAS4jaj5Ho0N5owECSOaBXMTfVIU5J6Hj_Y4BoHJS2l0vas_N63-x3UpoxkjldcqDcMLY8DZt_Qz0bbKm1DyvKs_e3Ox-r5dhgzItOpbAOg9Dc8/s2016/IMG_4894.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjmNBhOMJgT8Lo3JP6JtmLFtxhQkIpgxw7tUjjSjOt5apCvEcNL2XxF05lNRm4E-QqvcuC-twFIjloAS4jaj5Ho0N5owECSOaBXMTfVIU5J6Hj_Y4BoHJS2l0vas_N63-x3UpoxkjldcqDcMLY8DZt_Qz0bbKm1DyvKs_e3Ox-r5dhgzItOpbAOg9Dc8/s16000/IMG_4894.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Step 2 - Be fast to get the photo session over quickly<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtN9PxwOkGGFo6WpyIxURCzUcvakY7M6k1tGT6rLf0imU37PQ2nH-Mxttiijwh3d3utQZ77SNhqwr4MJtRtj9yI9O7xWY1wp3aYGbP3KPqSV7sC9NsL0ePX0bg9CQ5UYJ6-DkjashOvfZCgoro0c2SMxId35hQXG-stk8baDRUEIvl-3wC6S1kG2jm8Bo/s2016/IMG_4893.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtN9PxwOkGGFo6WpyIxURCzUcvakY7M6k1tGT6rLf0imU37PQ2nH-Mxttiijwh3d3utQZ77SNhqwr4MJtRtj9yI9O7xWY1wp3aYGbP3KPqSV7sC9NsL0ePX0bg9CQ5UYJ6-DkjashOvfZCgoro0c2SMxId35hQXG-stk8baDRUEIvl-3wC6S1kG2jm8Bo/s16000/IMG_4893.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />Step 3 - End of day photo shoot when Chloe is tired<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6CL38Zb9rCtJB41WR_n1Pja8lL_Yz8XBNHC3jD6w3mNi06aTcHsBTPOylXDs0w9dFuVO0pbNl_GWxYXaCk6j_WEe8tod8dvvcIMbP2UP98MCobo4kB8lt-InNz2UEq2sLQ1Y5pw-_nw_VQyf29zbErIupiO03YbhyTy1i6OrTMz7a_MWlhAMojiEoi8/s4032/IMG_4901.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6CL38Zb9rCtJB41WR_n1Pja8lL_Yz8XBNHC3jD6w3mNi06aTcHsBTPOylXDs0w9dFuVO0pbNl_GWxYXaCk6j_WEe8tod8dvvcIMbP2UP98MCobo4kB8lt-InNz2UEq2sLQ1Y5pw-_nw_VQyf29zbErIupiO03YbhyTy1i6OrTMz7a_MWlhAMojiEoi8/s16000/IMG_4901.jpg" /></a></div><br />Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-52963485704464704022023-12-25T07:53:00.002-07:002023-12-25T08:42:49.435-07:00Merry Christmas !<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 | NKJV</h3></blockquote><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas | My Dog Chloe & Me </h4><p></p>
Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-25933756094009087592023-10-19T14:13:00.002-06:002023-10-19T14:20:40.535-06:00Happy Birthday Chloe !<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOJq5COXm2L9ktCcusiwKe07f_UaNmDHHHmVvpubN07RxMUom7ZmTtymlp2b3XZpP33H63wdXApqjdCFD5EPd1jkbVZVXZ4wFeMQhNTfjA46iRBBn-65v9vBU-bjxiH7fOuKRtGl3U2Dzsdn8EMYOdX2v9i7yUVySBVGiaYC3eMlZWeMY9AY2XhsYxIk/s1600/Chloe%2012th%20birthday.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOJq5COXm2L9ktCcusiwKe07f_UaNmDHHHmVvpubN07RxMUom7ZmTtymlp2b3XZpP33H63wdXApqjdCFD5EPd1jkbVZVXZ4wFeMQhNTfjA46iRBBn-65v9vBU-bjxiH7fOuKRtGl3U2Dzsdn8EMYOdX2v9i7yUVySBVGiaYC3eMlZWeMY9AY2XhsYxIk/s1600/Chloe%2012th%20birthday.jpg"/></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='400' height='322' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxvly7CZE36m3P6LoUcmxUNY2MFdpxqav5i_6A7z8LqhL9ggOF64oZzhr_I_2v_KtKhgcHpgewKP_rvwhPXQQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-30526410056671037652023-02-20T20:48:00.001-07:002023-02-20T20:54:34.710-07:00Was Punxsutawney Phil Right?<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84EFXd7AbZ9EU5MstZZkfoMs-fCfjqv6LitiTWDuALQD7rNo8TBJN4TIJu9kyLSiURT1Tb5OkFvBJr8vBBd9hnhWK7Loq8ntlw4e6nKoi3wIKcjwsElewCdwIlZww46Bzl_uBIxyu4DlFlTmIi_gJOSlIaQBKiV-KBXKT0cdAspPWfAywopUHfqM0/s4032/01_Chloe_winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84EFXd7AbZ9EU5MstZZkfoMs-fCfjqv6LitiTWDuALQD7rNo8TBJN4TIJu9kyLSiURT1Tb5OkFvBJr8vBBd9hnhWK7Loq8ntlw4e6nKoi3wIKcjwsElewCdwIlZww46Bzl_uBIxyu4DlFlTmIi_gJOSlIaQBKiV-KBXKT0cdAspPWfAywopUHfqM0/s16000/01_Chloe_winter.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><i>With snow all around, Chloe gives me that "crazy groundhog is maybe right" look!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Here we are 18 days removed from February 2nd, a day that is set aside for the infamous “Groundhog Day” prediction. If you aren’t aware of what Groundhog Day is all about, here’s Wikipedia’s definition:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>“In North America and Canada, Groundhog Day is derived from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early.” - Wikipedia</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So at this year’s 2023 official Groundhog Day - held in Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania - Punxsutawney Phil as he’s so aptly named, came out of his burrow, eyed his shadow, and quickly retreated - signifying six more weeks of winter! </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Well here in the high desert, we were cruising along just fine with a fairly mild winter - when all of sudden just after February 2nd - BAM! Winter is upon us with two snow dustings and severely cold temperatures. So was Punxsutawney Phil right? </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I’ll go out on a limb here, but that old Phil the groundhog had an easy 50-50 chance of guessing it correctly, and he just may have gotten it right this year!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-IeazWwtp0zI8OKAfDKtYKqLDuk1E9sM4xLOHLIwsV5vGi8upxQ1SG-vpjMgG1v9VGkNgRDAhgsMX8K1Fnw6jzxvLkgXCZvUgv9cwWlp3N7g2CQ1XK17ieXpo5e5EqMRoo4OV8PXLVXLdmCYxg2xDKfH_LeLrEGTwFYrAF2T4gAxFwtA_ZtDiU9J/s640/02_Chloe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-IeazWwtp0zI8OKAfDKtYKqLDuk1E9sM4xLOHLIwsV5vGi8upxQ1SG-vpjMgG1v9VGkNgRDAhgsMX8K1Fnw6jzxvLkgXCZvUgv9cwWlp3N7g2CQ1XK17ieXpo5e5EqMRoo4OV8PXLVXLdmCYxg2xDKfH_LeLrEGTwFYrAF2T4gAxFwtA_ZtDiU9J/s16000/02_Chloe.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />A stop in the park for an early morning selfie</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-17601719722258747582022-12-24T12:16:00.000-07:002022-12-24T12:16:05.514-07:00Merry Christmas !<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r4gufs8M-SEJOPPxKw155CaDnkeaRixvpt7Ddb_n4pdbO4PfZPIoEZskMElm-H3z_K27kcvRflkZXA1otgPbwAQpEvZdXz6E7kuIUTAfEdIFAUFUNhs_iEA6EBTBCXH7nRWXCgk_yz6yeDXW2ofvML4AvY5UxlrgeDdD-klRWCaFyWKUBcUFOeqr/s2000/chloe%20christmas%20card_2022_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r4gufs8M-SEJOPPxKw155CaDnkeaRixvpt7Ddb_n4pdbO4PfZPIoEZskMElm-H3z_K27kcvRflkZXA1otgPbwAQpEvZdXz6E7kuIUTAfEdIFAUFUNhs_iEA6EBTBCXH7nRWXCgk_yz6yeDXW2ofvML4AvY5UxlrgeDdD-klRWCaFyWKUBcUFOeqr/s16000/chloe%20christmas%20card_2022_final.jpg" /></a></div><br /><blockquote><h3 style="text-align: center;">"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only son". John 1:14 | NLT</h3></blockquote><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas | My Dog Chloe & Me </h4><p></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-20759705559856991242022-10-19T06:34:00.002-06:002022-10-19T06:34:55.289-06:00Happy Birthday Miss Chloe!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucO5uv1Gf3KxZOulsBwLZeJdNRrpm3SAst03HgzYjY2BiSr6GFrXBpwgVwbRJhYyGSwiF7gp-vBeVI-f5abIb_WMNWlzdTs9U3YBB6CWK83DBY7QqJHLRhVYQjXIuIIzLXKCYBlFhsgCyaKpuQRYSjKRKv6MzgEcEpL3wWhlira99W5Lu-kTIklhF/s3264/Image_Chloe%20Birthday%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucO5uv1Gf3KxZOulsBwLZeJdNRrpm3SAst03HgzYjY2BiSr6GFrXBpwgVwbRJhYyGSwiF7gp-vBeVI-f5abIb_WMNWlzdTs9U3YBB6CWK83DBY7QqJHLRhVYQjXIuIIzLXKCYBlFhsgCyaKpuQRYSjKRKv6MzgEcEpL3wWhlira99W5Lu-kTIklhF/s16000/Image_Chloe%20Birthday%202022.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s been almost ten months since I posted a story, but time has flown - from the passing of my father - to taking hold of the reins in settling his estate. <br /><br />Through all of this Chloe you never missed a beat, always there with a wagging tail to cheer me up, or that Cocker tilt of your head when you say, “…we’re in this together”, and of course all those new shenanigan pranks you invented just for me, like digging up the lawn in search of grubs!<br /><br />Chloe, you’re one of a kind!<br /><br />Happy 11th Birthday to my sweet Miss Chloe!</span><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-4327725405965231092021-12-25T06:55:00.000-07:002021-12-25T06:55:51.051-07:00Merry Christmas !<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEI_F4IntyBUfjrVGoVvzs0GpF8lLNqoIcmE3f0lafjzdo0-UKHu1p_MwCEMlhH7Av9GhBGiO7KQ4QQ9NxM0WCMemJ9caG94HlH5MMMNx0MYe_S7lstd9cCHFw0Gj51UUfhCnmHJUmiLZXzcGpyQ1loRX43E47fsSqAP1UrEje_GeewiK9AQP-CaHV=s2247" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="2247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEI_F4IntyBUfjrVGoVvzs0GpF8lLNqoIcmE3f0lafjzdo0-UKHu1p_MwCEMlhH7Av9GhBGiO7KQ4QQ9NxM0WCMemJ9caG94HlH5MMMNx0MYe_S7lstd9cCHFw0Gj51UUfhCnmHJUmiLZXzcGpyQ1loRX43E47fsSqAP1UrEje_GeewiK9AQP-CaHV=s16000" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: justify;">And on the 9th-day, God looked down on his wide-eyed children and said, ‘They need a companion.’</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, God made a dog.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">God said, ‘I need somebody willing to sit, then stay, then roll over. Then with no ego or complaint dress in hats they don’t need and costumes they don’t understand.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, God made a dog.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">God said, ‘I need somebody strong enough to pull sleds and find bombs, yet gentle enough to love babies and lead the blind. Somebody who will spend a day on the couch with a resting head and supportive eyes to lift the spirits of a broken heart.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, God made a dog.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It had to be somebody who remained patient and loyal, even through loneliness. Somebody to care, cuddle, snuggle and, nuzzle, and cheer, and charm, and snore and slobber, and eat the trash and chase the squirrels. Somebody who would bring a family together with the selflessness of an open heart. Somebody who would bark, and then pant, and they reply with the rapid wag of a tail when their best friend says, ‘Let’s go for a ride in the car.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, God made a dog.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="text-align: center;">______________________________</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="text-align: center;">God Made a Dog | Anonymous</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6J9cSu0VCL8nvEA7ZUMRYOxcJP-v4NqbIDD82cmLlELVqS5RGK9jsEEGTQMQ_xtrhEnzFCSxFDL-Hju9gIaUpDHUVj4HIECC5f4eOAXQvgrGNJG9aHffGiOWvt07E-1teLaz0SDsnWbkM3nHQLuYw7JRctAm8f0rYUtsTRGkTjU8LEy_qOUjqZzcv=s2252" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="2252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6J9cSu0VCL8nvEA7ZUMRYOxcJP-v4NqbIDD82cmLlELVqS5RGK9jsEEGTQMQ_xtrhEnzFCSxFDL-Hju9gIaUpDHUVj4HIECC5f4eOAXQvgrGNJG9aHffGiOWvt07E-1teLaz0SDsnWbkM3nHQLuYw7JRctAm8f0rYUtsTRGkTjU8LEy_qOUjqZzcv=s16000" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">MERRY CHRISTMAS | MY DOG CHLOE & ME</span></div><p><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-53924067949997841682021-10-19T08:16:00.002-06:002021-10-19T08:19:02.623-06:00Happy Birthday, Chloe !
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5ymujCuiiA/YW4o6Yd6NyI/AAAAAAAABB0/IjyMTrxU1WAYWEBz-QxD9dFsigW1IXycQCLcBGAsYHQ/s892/Original-Chloe-Image_retouch-3_web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="892" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5ymujCuiiA/YW4o6Yd6NyI/AAAAAAAABB0/IjyMTrxU1WAYWEBz-QxD9dFsigW1IXycQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Original-Chloe-Image_retouch-3_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloe - The Queen! </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Today marks Chloe’s 10th birthday. She was born in a small outdoor shed at the Weems Family Kennels in Portales, New Mexico - where she came to our house as the Princess - but now comfortably reins as the Queen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even my wife, Karen, remarks that Chloe is the Queen of the household where she has the rule of the roost! One doggy bed upstairs with an identical one downstairs! Plenty of food, treats and chews! Daily morning walks! Oh, to have such luxuries - that are truly fit for a Queen! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy Birthday, Chloe! </div>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-15592772722127869512021-09-26T14:12:00.001-06:002021-09-26T14:17:23.031-06:00Trudy Passes<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6iJyQ4A_6PE/YVDPVrrSlpI/AAAAAAAABBM/DEMADfRNVhY70iHrJQREQliH1JEWY8WwgCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Trudy-at-window_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="960" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6iJyQ4A_6PE/YVDPVrrSlpI/AAAAAAAABBM/DEMADfRNVhY70iHrJQREQliH1JEWY8WwgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Trudy-at-window_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trudy, Chloe's sister (2006 - 2021)<br />Photo by Denise Mahaffey Pernell</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It’s never easy to write about the passing of a loved one, or a beloved pet for that matter, but this past week our family has seen the passing of my father-in-law, Jack Shinto** and Chloe’s sister, Trudy. Trudy is a unique story in itself. It was 2013 when I first learned that <a href="http://www.mydogchloeandme.com/2013/11/entry-151-chloes-real-life-doppelganger_2.html" target="_blank">Chloe had an identical looking sister</a>. Identical in terms of the same sable coloring but also in personality. Trudy (2006) was born five years earlier of Chloe (2011) to the same Cocker Spaniel parents of Buster and Minnie at the Weems Family Kennel in Portales, New Mexico. Learning of Trudy and following her through the years on Facebook had become a classic past time. The pictures below are of Trudy and Chloe as pups, where even the pose says “they must be sisters!”</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>**I’ll cover my father-in-law, a commercial and water color artist in a later blog entry. Jack’s hand pencil sketches of dogs on yellow trace paper were discovered in a file folder stashed away in a cabinet, and I’ve been wanting to post them for a long time. </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzx1uv2JDME/YVDP1OV49xI/AAAAAAAABBU/n-ujr39KC-sLaXC2mRRzfvfJQTvS1f2AgCLcBGAsYHQ/s775/trudy-and-chloe_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="577" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fzx1uv2JDME/YVDP1OV49xI/AAAAAAAABBU/n-ujr39KC-sLaXC2mRRzfvfJQTvS1f2AgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/trudy-and-chloe_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Identical sisters, born 5 years a part</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-10037142976025707552021-08-26T11:21:00.004-06:002021-09-21T20:29:43.944-06:00Happy National Dog Day 2021!<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqRiS-Llz-w/YSfM6YbRUwI/AAAAAAAABA8/jWuNu1L3FrAOQDGZ0OC7WqwZ2yM_ng4fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1937/01_image_web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1937" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KqRiS-Llz-w/YSfM6YbRUwI/AAAAAAAABA8/jWuNu1L3FrAOQDGZ0OC7WqwZ2yM_ng4fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/01_image_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloe is a little bummed out with her trip to the groomer today</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">August 26th marks National Dog Day for 2021, and Chloe is spending part of her day at the groomer. I know it’s not her favorite way to celebrate this event, but then again I didn’t coordinate with her when I made the grooming appointment. I’m sure if she had known, she would have quickly scolded me with the remark, <i>“Hey dude don’t you know what day August 26 is?”</i> Oh well, I’ll make it up to her with plenty of extra treats on tomorrow’s walk!</p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-14458192346356562592021-03-20T12:01:00.002-06:002021-03-20T12:23:05.521-06:00Disney's New Lady and The Tramp<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aOq7jNKRmFY/YFYtCWhRt_I/AAAAAAAAA-I/YIYUtrBPTgElMqPELKOsWXKygZM98xt8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1210/Image%2B01_Lady_web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1210" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aOq7jNKRmFY/YFYtCWhRt_I/AAAAAAAAA-I/YIYUtrBPTgElMqPELKOsWXKygZM98xt8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Image%2B01_Lady_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Disney's new "Lady and The Tramp", a remake of their classic 1955 film.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Some people believe that whatever you do, never remake a classic, or in the case of Disney’s stable of movies, never try to outdo the past. I’m talking about the newly released 2019 <i>Lady and The Tramp</i> movie that features both a live cast of dogs along with their computer-generated images or CGI counterparts.<br /> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Just recently, Chloe and I watched Disney’s reinterpretation of their famous 1955 classic, <i>Lady and The Tramp</i>. In place of the iconic and animated film characters of the fifties, the new movie ushered in a mixture of CGI talking dogs with their real-life counterpart. Disney had a budget of sixty million dollars in which to show off their blending of real life and computerized acting dogs that played the parts of both Lady and Tramp.<br /> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The back stage story of the dog actors is quite fascinating when you consider that both the leads of Lady, an American Cocker Spaniel, and Tramp, a mixture of breeds, were handled by two untrained canines discovered by Disney through a nationwide search of rescue dogs. The primary aim of the search was to find two dogs that could resemble - in real life - the appearance of the classic 1955 film characters. Lady had to be tan with white coloring across her chest and muzzle, while Tramp had to feature the grayish tones of a Schnauzer-Terrier mix.<br /> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In my mind, Disney perfectly matched the imagery of the classic Lady and Tramp with actual dogs, while only using their CGI stand-ins to handle the dogs’ speaking parts. I’m sure if Disney had a bigger budget - since $60 million only goes so far - maybe they could have gotten the real dogs to speak, but that’s for another story!<br /> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I give the new 2019 <i>Lady and The Tramp</i> remake, two thumbs up, while Chloe followed with a solid three paws out of four - but that’s only because she wanted the acting part of Lady! Hey Disney, why didn’t you come to Albuquerque with your search!<br /><br /><i>PS | Tramp was played by Monti, a rescue dog that had been kenneled in Las Cruces, New Mexico!</i></p><p><i> </i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivK809UBsNk/YFYyFk8truI/AAAAAAAAA-g/QlKXPr3d_T8M5QfpEEoElfU2RgB-OFQAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1210/Image%2B03_Lady_web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1210" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivK809UBsNk/YFYyFk8truI/AAAAAAAAA-g/QlKXPr3d_T8M5QfpEEoElfU2RgB-OFQAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Image%2B03_Lady_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lady is played by Rose, an American Cocker Spaniel.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2pRpMKrm8Y/YFY1oJOlM6I/AAAAAAAAA-0/hZd8hQ_Vp6QXAE3O-b_g5igkIue5DBunACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Image%2B02_Lady%2Band%2BTramp%2BComparison.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2pRpMKrm8Y/YFY1oJOlM6I/AAAAAAAAA-0/hZd8hQ_Vp6QXAE3O-b_g5igkIue5DBunACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Image%2B02_Lady%2Band%2BTramp%2BComparison.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Comparing the 1955 iconic characters (top) with their new 2019 live action actors (bottom).<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-79893448581511823712021-03-06T12:34:00.009-07:002021-03-06T18:02:11.490-07:00Sherlock Holmes and Dogs<p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivTkS4PD2kk/YEQYPDqeDaI/AAAAAAAAA9w/qLNh04NWq3QOd70h_WCAge9zcD4IL-kjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/chloe-sherlock-holmes-poster2web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivTkS4PD2kk/YEQYPDqeDaI/AAAAAAAAA9w/qLNh04NWq3QOd70h_WCAge9zcD4IL-kjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/chloe-sherlock-holmes-poster2web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloe wears her Sherlock Holmes deer stalker cap.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Chloe and I just wrapped up watching the Granada Television series of our favorite detective - Sherlock Holmes. I’ve always admired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional character of Holmes for his deductive reasoning and the extreme importance that is placed on examining even the smallest of details in solving a case. You might say the architectural profession, which has consumed 40 years of my career, runs on the same principles of reason and detail.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of all the many actors that have played Holmes, Jeremy Brett is one of the best in his portrayal of Sherlock with his mannerisms of a quick wit, and the short rhythmic form of speech. Brett, along with actors David Burke and later Edward Hardwicke who both played his assistant Dr. Watson, were cast in the 1984-1994 Granada Television production. It was this well done British TV series that Chloe - sitting in one La-Z-Boy chair and I in the other - spent many evenings following the villains, the clues, and of course the dogs that were weaved in and out of the plot lines.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">William S. Doran, author of “The Dogs of Sherlock Holmes”, listed a total of 20 different dogs of various breeds and dispositions as having appeared in the 60 Sherlock Holmes stories penned by Conan Doyle. Even Holmes had a special dog - named Toby - that was often used to follow the scent trails. No doubt Conan Doyle also understood the importance that our dogs play within the family when he had Sherlock quote:</p><p></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">“A dog reflects family life. Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family, or a sad dog in a happy one? Snarling people have snarling dogs, dangerous people have dangerous ones.”</span></i></b></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7xpuatm5_Co/YEPYp_nIt9I/AAAAAAAAA9Q/vZplqDSkYsY6OOkA99V9nWLhwTo9egTqACLcBGAsYHQ/s785/jeremy%2Bbrett%2Bwith%2Bdeerstalker.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="785" height="386" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7xpuatm5_Co/YEPYp_nIt9I/AAAAAAAAA9Q/vZplqDSkYsY6OOkA99V9nWLhwTo9egTqACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h386/jeremy%2Bbrett%2Bwith%2Bdeerstalker.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Actor Jeremy Brett in his iconic deer stalker hat.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-47904541113311012802021-02-28T16:17:00.003-07:002021-02-28T16:24:44.828-07:00Exiting the Deep Freeze<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0zlYxH4Ap7E/YDwgEn7CH0I/AAAAAAAAA8E/vK0Yp0AmPb8BSyy3MwtDYMRK28GTxGQWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/01_image_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0zlYxH4Ap7E/YDwgEn7CH0I/AAAAAAAAA8E/vK0Yp0AmPb8BSyy3MwtDYMRK28GTxGQWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/01_image_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloe gives me the look, that it's great to be out walking again after the deep freeze.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">While neighboring state Texas was exhibiting a once in a life time big freeze that knocked out both power and water in some places, and even had people huddling indoors with layers of blankets - our part of central New Mexico got by with a pass. Don’t get me wrong, it was cold here, especially at night which brought in several inches of snow, but our electricity, along with the natural gas supply never missed a beat. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">New Mexico’s deep freeze conditions, however did put a damper on walking all last week with wind chill temperatures in the single digits, particularly since Chloe and I usually mark our time out the door at 6:30 am. By weekend, the deep freeze was over and our walk to the park provided only minor traces of snow still visible. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n_OSXp7HXiI/YDwiEYv6x3I/AAAAAAAAA8U/zTuTx6JbyN0TurBtl4S_0lHZcoU1NqgpACLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/03_Image_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n_OSXp7HXiI/YDwiEYv6x3I/AAAAAAAAA8U/zTuTx6JbyN0TurBtl4S_0lHZcoU1NqgpACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/03_Image_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>With the freeze over, this snow man spends its last hours on earth.<br /><br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sv2tJ4JEXoc/YDwgvy_D0fI/AAAAAAAAA8M/zogDvoxcXIo35Kbr0LlyJXdbAHQ-uRadQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/02_Image_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sv2tJ4JEXoc/YDwgvy_D0fI/AAAAAAAAA8M/zogDvoxcXIo35Kbr0LlyJXdbAHQ-uRadQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/02_Image_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloe in her military "at attention" pose on our Saturday morning walk.</i><br /><i>When you lose the ability to walk for a week because of extreme weather conditions - even Chloe is on her best behavior!</i><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-69563375271646328202021-02-14T10:54:00.002-07:002021-02-28T16:20:28.809-07:00Winter Dangers and Dogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNdf3L64HLE/YClgIm8c8ZI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/Rk6u7fS1PFgGJkrdnosrNUF19HdTJ1pTACLcBGAsYHQ/s1728/01_image_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1728" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RNdf3L64HLE/YClgIm8c8ZI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/Rk6u7fS1PFgGJkrdnosrNUF19HdTJ1pTACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/01_image_web.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Chloe and I both enjoy the winter months in the high desert with its cooler temperatures, and hiking through the snow, but unlike the other three seasons, there’s a bit of caution that must be taken to stay safe. One of my favorite dog publications - of which I subscribe - is the <i>Whole Dog Journal.</i> It offers advice on all things related to dogs, including food, their health, equipment, and much more. One recent article was this one - winter dangers and dogs.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Winter Warnings to Heed</b></p><p><b>Reprinted from <i>Whole Dog Journal, February 2021</i> </b></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Winter can be a harsh season for dogs and people alike. But there are certain dangers that dog owners need to be aware of to keep their dogs safe. Here are a few things to look out for.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Hypothermia and Frostbite</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">These are very real concerns in frigid climes. Signs of frostbite include discoloration of the affected area of skin (this discoloration is often pale, gray, or bluish); coldness and/or brittleness of the area when touched; pain when you touch the body part(s); swelling of the affected area(s); blisters or skin ulcers; areas of blackened or dead skin. Severe cases of frostbite can result in permanent disfiguration or alteration of the affected tissues, or worse, amputation or surgical removal of the necrotic (dead) tissues. Signs of hypothermia can include strong shivering and trembling followed by no shivering; acting sleepy, lethargic, or weak; fur and skin are cold to the touch; body temperature is below 95° F; decreased heart rate; dilated pupils (the black inner circle of the eye appears larger); gums and inner eyelids are pale or blue; trouble walking; difficulty breathing; stupor, unconsciousness, or coma.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--feIB0W_nFI/YClg0piaFfI/AAAAAAAAA7g/FOuK6zCjuE8h4LS2hNPDnsy5a10BRkqYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1728/02_image_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1728" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--feIB0W_nFI/YClg0piaFfI/AAAAAAAAA7g/FOuK6zCjuE8h4LS2hNPDnsy5a10BRkqYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/02_image_web.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Antifreeze Poisoning</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Spilled antifreeze presents a serious danger to your dog. Dogs are attracted to antifreeze because of its sweet taste, but just a lick or two can be deadly. There are antifreeze formulations that contain a bitter substance intended to deter ingestion, but they are still toxic if consumed. Antifreeze poisoning happens in two stages. In the first, which happens three to six hours after ingestion, your dog appears drunk - staggering, vomiting, falling down, and peeing a lot. Then your dog may appear normal, until the second stage begins, when the body starts to break down the ethylene glycol into other chemicals such as aldehyde, glycolic acid, and oxalate. This stage is dangerous because it can cause severe to fatal damage to the kidneys. If you suspect your dog has ingested antifreeze, get her to a vet immediately. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Ice-melting chemicals</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The calcium and sodium chloride in rock salt that is used to treat roads and sidewalks is toxic to your dog. Dogs get the salt on their paws and fur, and lick it off to clean themselves. Signs of salt toxicity include extremes in water consumption (your dog may either drink excessively or stop drinking altogether); vomiting; diarrhea; lethargic or “drunk” behavior; seizures. While “pet-safe” salt is safer than regular rock salt, like “pet-safe” antifreeze, it is still not completely safe. Take precautions to avoid ingestion, and contact your veterinarian if you think your dog might have salt toxicity.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oOw3si2i_NY/YClhG1ZbDxI/AAAAAAAAA7o/c4fyhg3QeXclNmF5J6L-p5KlHhq9LvFqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1728/03_image_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1728" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oOw3si2i_NY/YClhG1ZbDxI/AAAAAAAAA7o/c4fyhg3QeXclNmF5J6L-p5KlHhq9LvFqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/03_image_web.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Falling Through Ice</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Every winter brings tragic stories of dogs falling through pond or river ice, and drowning or freezing to death. Sometimes the tragedy is compounded by the death of the human who tried to save the beloved dog. If your dog doesn’t have a rock-solid recall, keep her safely on leash when you are around frozen water. If she does fall through, call 9-1-1 rather than trying to rescue her yourself. If you must rescue her, study up on ice-rescue safety precautions well in advance, and be very careful!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Heaters</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A chilly dog can become a heat-seeking missile and may try to cozy up to the heaters in your home. Caution: She can burn herself on a wall heater or wood-burning stove, or knock over a space heater and start a fire. If your dog is prone to trying to get as close as possible to the source of your home’s heat, use management tools to prevent her access to any heat source that might be dangerous. Provide her with a pet-safe heating pad; these products have chew-resistant cords, and heat up only to a pet’s internal body temperature. Alternatively, give her a cozy den with plenty of warm blankets she can burrow under.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TOQgRMZk9vw/YClhXcdT0eI/AAAAAAAAA7w/rXxKQ_MoIBMRS3st1pCFCv8pNPc5ARQowCLcBGAsYHQ/s1728/04_image_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1728" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TOQgRMZk9vw/YClhXcdT0eI/AAAAAAAAA7w/rXxKQ_MoIBMRS3st1pCFCv8pNPc5ARQowCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/04_image_web.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-91193316338664906702020-12-25T08:42:00.000-07:002020-12-25T08:42:56.784-07:00There Was a Man Named Nicodemus<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2IbCMtWMlVo/X-X_x2AuAiI/AAAAAAAAA6c/8mw2czrW5YAyEK1Lwr-tw64YivhycVydgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/02B_chloe%2Bchristmas%2Bcard_2020.png" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2IbCMtWMlVo/X-X_x2AuAiI/AAAAAAAAA6c/8mw2czrW5YAyEK1Lwr-tw64YivhycVydgCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/02B_chloe%2Bchristmas%2Bcard_2020.png" /></a>
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<blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”</i></span></blockquote><p> </p></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”</i></span></blockquote><p> </p></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus replied, <i>“You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. </i></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.</i></span></blockquote></div></span><blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. </i></span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”</i> | </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">John 3:1-21</span></blockquote></div></span><blockquote></blockquote> <b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>MERRY CHRISTMAS | MY DOG CHLOE & ME</b></div></b>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-65629446176033707602020-10-27T16:55:00.000-06:002020-10-27T16:55:24.349-06:00Why Do Dogs Love Snow?<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXD2PIn-x_8/X5igjz-s2II/AAAAAAAAA5I/H_pBLWNRQjAmm_gfN5ZjCiVgL-mGZU2bwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1716/01_image_snow_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1287" data-original-width="1716" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXD2PIn-x_8/X5igjz-s2II/AAAAAAAAA5I/H_pBLWNRQjAmm_gfN5ZjCiVgL-mGZU2bwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/01_image_snow_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloe loves the snow!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The 2020 fall/winter season landed early - dropping more than 8 inches of snow - or so that’s what I measured sitting on the patio table. It began yesterday morning with the temperature plunging 50 degrees in less than 8 hours as the storm rolled into Albuquerque. When the snow finally stopped falling this morning, Chloe headed straight for the backyard to check it all out.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">That set me wondering, …why do dogs love snow? </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Case-in-point, Chloe hates getting wet, where she diligently walks around any operating lawn sprinkler next to the sidewalk that we might encounter on our walk. But, when it comes to snow, she’s the first one out the door - rushing feet first into the white stuff!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Why Do Dogs Love Snow? or Why is snow a Very Big Deal for some dogs?</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">Julie Hecht, January 27, 2015, scientificamerican.com</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday, East Coasters prepared for the blizzard of the century. I learned of the storm’s potential severity while at the supermarket - all the bread was gone. All of it. Why bread? Do people just sit at home chomping on bread during snow days? “Alright kids! Finish sledding so you can come inside and finish your loaf!” Dogs do not spend snow days at home eating bread. For many dogs, new snow is a Very Big Deal. But why? I asked a few canine science experts why dogs love snow. It turns out that when it comes to snow, dogs might be a lot like us. Here's what they said:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Patricia McConnell: Predators love their big, new play room</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">"Why do dogs love new snow? Good question. Let me answer it with another one: Why do kids love snow? Why do some adults? I remember growing up in the Arizona desert and seeing Christmas cards with snow and feeling deprived. Truly deprived. When it did snow once in Tucson everyone was crazy with excitement. I honestly don’t know why snow is so exciting to dogs, and kids, and adults who don’t have to shovel it. But maybe because it’s new and different (predators love change, prey animals hate it), and it turns the world into one big play room for animals that love to play. (I’m thinking too of river otters who love to play in snow. So, do bears.) So, who doesn’t like snow as a new toy, unless you have to shovel it, hate where you are snowed in, or are a hawk who goes hungry because the field mice and voles can hide from you so well under the blanket of white?"</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (Blog, Facebook), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Zoology, Author of The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs(Ballantine Books)</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Gordon Burghardt: Remember back to childhood</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">"Many animals from temperate areas seem to really enjoy frolicking in the snow. I think it relates to the sensory qualities of snow and the bracing effects of cold weather. I think when watching dogs, for example, in snow we are not too far off in comparing their activity to that which we experienced as young children ourselves."</p><p><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Gordon M. Burghardt, PhD, University of Tennessee, Department of Psychology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Author of The Genesis of Animal Play: Testing the Limits (MIT press)</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7rsXdIrjS_w/X5ig3INu0vI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/u94BnZ3vImE673pLGmZmZ491hfUa2_nZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/02_image_snow_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7rsXdIrjS_w/X5ig3INu0vI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/u94BnZ3vImE673pLGmZmZ491hfUa2_nZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/02_image_snow_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snow that's knee deep is part of the fun</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Alexandra Horowitz: Pleasure in a changed landscape</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">"My dogs both do find the snow to be the bee's knees, as have all my dogs-at least until the icy patches form between their toes. The question of 'why' is a bit imponderable, but if I must ponder I'd say that here, dogs might be more like us than we'd expect: there is a pleasure in a changed landscape, a topography re-shaped by fallen snow. Dogs like the 'new', of course, and what could be more new than their entire world covered with this icy blanket. Smell is changed, too, and we can for a moment see some of the otherwise invisible markings (like tracks or urine) which are so engaging for dogs. More than anything, I suspect that the very sensation of snow on the body is engaging for dogs. Have you ever run through the shallow waves of the sea? Why does kicking up sand and seawater make us happy? I can't say. But it is clear that it does. While on snow: research found that dogs have exceptionally good venous anatomy in their paws, which leads them to do better in the snow than we might think (i.e. more blood flow, warmer toesies). This to those owners who boot their dogs not to save them from salt or ice-between-pads, but because they put boots on themselves."</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Alexandra Horowitz, PhD (Twitter, Facebook), Barnard College, Department of Psychology, Author of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know (Scribner)</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">John Bradshaw: Habituation be gone!</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">"I suspect that part of the answer lies in how quickly dogs habituate to objects that they play with. Snow changes the sensory characteristics of everything it touches - visual appearance, obviously, but also, and perhaps more importantly, scent. Thus, snow has the potential to renew a dog's interest in its familiar surroundings, and switch on exploratory behavior. Of course, there can also be a social dimension, which most dogs find highly motivating - for example, dogs chasing snowballs thrown by people. Much of dogs' solitary play seems to be connected to predatory behavior - but I can't imagine how snow could be incorporated into that narrative. One final thought: dogs' ability to turn up their metabolism as the temperature falls means that snow will cause them far less discomfort than it can do for us!"</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>John Bradshaw, PhD (Blog, Twitter), Visiting Fellow, University of Bristol, Author of Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBw_fNwhEiM/X5ihDlVqBlI/AAAAAAAAA5U/5NRs_iwlk2MrjhARNJhdWJnhkdkMTEZKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/03_image_snow_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBw_fNwhEiM/X5ihDlVqBlI/AAAAAAAAA5U/5NRs_iwlk2MrjhARNJhdWJnhkdkMTEZKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/03_image_snow_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snow on her nose doesn't bother Chloe one bit</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Stephen Zawistowski: Nature's enrichment</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">"Dogs like snow because it is cool and different. When we do enrichment for dogs, we provide individual items to increase variety in their environment. Kongs with peanut butter and kibble in paper bags provide a change from the everyday. Snow changes everything: what a dog sees, smells, hears and feels as it runs/swims through the snow. Knee-deep snow is up to a dog's chin. When I watch dogs run and play in snow, it reminds me of kids in a ball pit, diving in and burrowing and having a blast."</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Stephen Zawistowski, PhD, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Science Advisor Emeritus, ASPCA, Author of Companion Animals in Society (Cengage Learning)</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Paul McGreevy: Ask the sled dogs</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">"Seasoned sled dogs rarely show the enthusiasm for fresh snow typical of novice players. This suggests that the value of novelty is critical. Just as they do for the dog visiting the beach for the first time, the joys of opportunity and exploration abound for the virgin snow dog. Fresh odors to sniff, novel tactile experiences to enjoy, unusual outlines to mask familiar objects and even the prospect of hiding within the very fabric on one’s surroundings. What’s not to love?"</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>Paul McGreevy, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, The University of Sydney, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Author of A Modern Dog's Life: How to Do the Best for Your Dog (The Experiment)</i></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-43061322394189627232020-10-19T07:51:00.000-06:002020-10-19T07:51:02.814-06:00A Birthday, A Dog & Friendship<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eNR1L5Z7-64/X4xZQSShwVI/AAAAAAAAA4g/xsDMik4pkQQTd-aCkCKYyMkI5AeLvhXswCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/02_chloe-birthday-card-with-text_web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eNR1L5Z7-64/X4xZQSShwVI/AAAAAAAAA4g/xsDMik4pkQQTd-aCkCKYyMkI5AeLvhXswCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/02_chloe-birthday-card-with-text_web.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Today, October 19th marks Chloe’s 9th birthday - <b>Happy Birthday Chloe! </b>While we may sometimes take our dog’s friendship for granted, did you know that our bonding is grounded in science? </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: justify;">People Have Bonded With Canines For Centuries - and Science Can Help Explain Why Dogs Are Humans' Best Friend</h3><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><i>www.insider.com, by Zoe Miller, August 2018</i></h4><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Whether or not you consider yourself a dog person, you probably know someone who has a close bond with their pooch. People have had partnerships with canines for centuries, and for good reason. Not only can dogs understand human speech, they may also be genetically predisposed to be outgoing. Both humans and dogs are social creatures, so the partnership is mutually beneficial. While dogs lessen their owners' worries and make them feel safer, people care for and nurture their pooches. Thus, this symbiotic relationship is mutually beneficial. </p><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><br /></h4><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Dogs may be inherently outgoing thanks to their genetic makeup. </h4><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Dogs are known to happily greet their owners when they walk in the house - and the reason for canines' boundless joy could actually be genetic. Researchers discovered that hyper-sociability in dogs could be linked to the same gene that makes people with the developmental disorder Williams-Beuren syndrome friendly and trusting.</p><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><br /></h4><h4 style="text-align: justify;">While a dog's genetic makeup can dictate its personality, pups are likewise influenced by the lifestyles and personalities of their owners. </h4><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A study conducted at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, found that canines are affected by their owners' lifestyles and personality traits. Researchers administered online questionnaires to more than 14,000 dog owners. Dogs featured in the study represented 267 breeds and 3,920 mixed breeds. Owners had to answer a survey about themselves and how they interacted with their dogs, in addition to filling out questions about their dogs' personalities. Overall, the study determined that owners influenced four key animal traits: calmness, trainability, sociability, and boldness. </p><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><br /></h4><h4 style="text-align: justify;">Dogs can understand human speech, especially if it features words of praise. </h4><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another Eötvös Loránd University study looked at dogs' ability to understand human speech. By using an imaging machine to examine the brains of 13 dogs as they listened to their trainers speak, researchers found that the reward pathway in the dogs' brains lit up when they heard praising words spoken in an approving way. "Dogs process both what we say and how we say it in a way which is amazingly similar to how human brains do," Attila Andics, a neuroscientist at the university, told NPR. Mutual gazing (aka eye contact) bonds dogs and humans - just like it bonds people and their non-fur children. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A study conducted at Azabu University in Sagamihara, Japan, found that when people lock eyes with their dogs, the process generates the "love hormone" oxytocin. The researchers - who analyzed urinary oxytocin levels in about 30 dog owners after they interacted with their pets for half an hour - postulate that dogs acquired these human-like modes of communication when they were domesticated.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Dogs actually possess the ability to distinguish between friend and foe, like people can</h4><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">According to a 2017 study published in the journal Animal Cognition, dogs are capable of distinguishing between friends and foes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The findings are based on a series of experiments conducted at the University of Zurich. Researchers gathered a group of 27 dogs comprising different breeds. Each dog was introduced to two human partners. The "cooperative partner" would call a dog's name and give it a treat when it walked over, while the "competitive partner" would get the dog's attention but hide the treat.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the next phase of the test, the dogs had to walk the partners over to identical boxes that contained a sausage or a dog biscuit. Dogs could only eat a treat if they walked the cooperative partner over to the boxes. If they led the competitive partner to the treat boxes, they weren't allowed to eat the food. Most dogs knew to lead the "nice" partner to their preferred snack.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Just as I had written on the back cover of Chloe's book - <i>"...a dog enriches our life with their unconditional love and devotion". </i></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-83308884051420231292020-09-25T15:27:00.027-06:002020-09-26T13:51:40.676-06:00In Search of Calico Chloe<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1WR9ODIIzlo/X24IWWjzKII/AAAAAAAAA20/x4kKQ_Wa87Ivd5cfoZnznD48Z-LA1wK7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s792/Calico-Chloe-Poster-06A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="792" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1WR9ODIIzlo/X24IWWjzKII/AAAAAAAAA20/x4kKQ_Wa87Ivd5cfoZnznD48Z-LA1wK7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Calico-Chloe-Poster-06A.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Where do you begin? That’s the question I asked myself as I began an investigation into a dog named <a href="http://www.mydogchloeandme.com/2020/09/the-legend-of-calico-chloe.html" target="_blank">Calico Chloe</a>. According to legend, Calico Chloe lived during the era of the American Old West, but that’s the legend talking, and as I said earlier, legends have a tendency to be largely fiction with a little bit of truth thrown in.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">With the help of Google, the words "Calico Chloe" produced an impressive 12.5 million results. My excitement was quickly tempered when those internet leads proved to be mostly cat related, since the word calico is usually associated with the calico cat, which is defined as a domestic cat that has a tri-color fur coat of white, black and brown. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">One interesting piece of information that popped up was that of an old western ghost town called “Calico.” Today, it’s a restored tourist attraction located north of Interstate-15 between Barstow and Yemo in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1881, Calico was once a bustling silver mining town that was named after the Calico mountains in which it’s situated. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Was this evidence that Calico Chloe was from the town of Calico? More digging provided another interesting tidbit that came from Wikipedia for the town of Calico. Wikipedia makes mention that children’s author, Susan Lendroth, wrote a picture book titled, <i>Calico Dorsey, Mail Dog of the Mining Camps</i>, based on the true story of a dog that carried mail between Calico and East Calico in 1885. Thinking that maybe I was on to something, I researched the story and found the following.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span><i>"…Calico had another famous resident - that of Dorsey, the “mail carrying dog”. Dorsey was found in 1883 by Postmaster Jim Stacey when the hungry and footsore black and white shepherd was lying on his porch. Stacey quickly adopted him and Dorsey became his faithful friend. In addition to his postmaster duties, Stacy also had an interest in a mine in nearby Bismarck. </i></span><i><span>On one occasion, when Stacy needed to get an urgent message to his partner at the mine, he tied a note to Dorsey’s neck and sent him up there. Before long, Dorsey returned with a reply. Dorsey was soon carrying messages back and forth to the mine frequently when Stacy had the idea to make the dog a regular mail carrier. Soon the dog was carrying all the mail from Calico to Bismarck, bearing his load in little pouches strapped to his back. For three years, Dorsey covered the mail route between the two camps and became so valuable that Stacy was offered $500 for the dog, to which Stacy replied, “I’d rather sell a grandson.” - www.legendsofamerica.com, (Calico, California)</span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Although Dorsey was a fascinating story, I concluded this probably was not the real Calico Chloe legend, or at least not the one that I had hoped to find. Yes - I had found some evidence to a potential legend such as:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><i>The name ‘calico’ referring to a tri-color fur coat - which is not unlike my Chloe’s sable coloring of white, black and brown. Could this be why Calico Chloe had calico in her moniker?</i></li><li><i>The name ‘calico’ could also refer to a place such as the ghost town Calico, and wasn’t this town a part of the Old West!</i></li><li><i>Then there’s Dorsey, the incredible mail dog of Calico which gives us a noteworthy dog in which to wrap a legend around!</i></li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">But then again, my search didn’t find any correlation to the ‘Chloe’ portion of the legend’s name - so, is that the fictional part of the story? Historians will tell you that true legends are born of a mixture of truth and imagination. Where the truth ends, imagination simply fills in the details. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, if there really isn’t a Calico Chloe legend - than maybe it’s time to begin one.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.calicochloe.com"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="864" height="106" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KOsNzPqaj24/X25wMV8eepI/AAAAAAAAA4I/lhpn7fCMYOgS9ShJdpBIDTcB50X3W9qWgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h106/logo_calico-chloe.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">'Click on the logo above and begin learning about the Old West'</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-29770312826425949512020-09-19T12:35:00.003-06:002020-09-19T12:35:48.680-06:00the Legend of Calico Chloe<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W0gzW-HFkDk/X2ZOSMyBncI/AAAAAAAAA2o/OV7FS40KK0An-M_ymd3FfpF7RpAJRgdEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/01_calico-chloe_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W0gzW-HFkDk/X2ZOSMyBncI/AAAAAAAAA2o/OV7FS40KK0An-M_ymd3FfpF7RpAJRgdEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/01_calico-chloe_web.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Legend of Calico Chloe</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">It’s been said that legends don’t come around too often. Some even say they don’t come at all. But legends are an important part of our culture historians claim, where they somehow mix a portion of the truth with the greater part of fiction. Maybe it’s best to define a legend as being somewhere in between the historical facts and how those facts are remembered. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I recall hearing about one such legend of a dog they use to call “Calico Chloe”. No doubt it’s a story that probably combines one part of the real with three parts of the unreal, but that’s how legends are born. They’re bigger than life, and it’s why they still come to mind many years and often decades later. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The ‘Old West’ had more than enough legends to go around, especially if you’re a history buff like me, but the story of Calico Chloe came to life when I realized how much in common this past western adventurer had with my dog - who just happened to be named Chloe. Coincidence, or fate, I don’t know? Let’s just say I became even more fascinated with the whole Calico Chloe story.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As I began to investigate, I couldn’t help but think of why a dog might be called “calico”. By definition, the word typically refers to a cat that is spotted, or multicolored with patches of brown, black and white. That’s when I realized I had to find a photograph of Calico Chloe to see how closely she might resemble my sable colored Chloe which just happened to have brown, black and white. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Could it be that Calico Chloe was maybe a long-lost ancestor? </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As with any story that comes down to us from the past, it’s often difficult to say where the historical diverges from the myth, and in the case of this tale, separating the fiction from reality was going to take some sleuthing into the legend of Calico Chloe… </p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-38908115997999690222020-09-12T16:40:00.013-06:002020-09-12T16:56:14.921-06:00Hawk Encounter<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A8Tjab7eCVs/X11NcWH8jqI/AAAAAAAAA2I/i7jpFlwTkOwLpBqk0LVQy2RukVgJQp3SwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1728/New-Mexico-Hawk_web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="1728" height="806" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A8Tjab7eCVs/X11NcWH8jqI/AAAAAAAAA2I/i7jpFlwTkOwLpBqk0LVQy2RukVgJQp3SwCLcBGAsYHQ/w976-h806/New-Mexico-Hawk_web.jpg" width="976" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chloe eyes the Cooper hawk perched on the tennis court fence</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Albuquerque, an urban center contains an abundance of wildlife living within the city boundaries. Most recently, bobcats and coyotes have made the city their preferred hunting grounds, and residents with small cats and dogs have been instructed by the city’s wildlife department that it’s best to take protection measures for their pets against these roaming predators. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now add another predator to that list, the Cooper hawk, which has moved from the surrounding mountains into the city. These birds are also capable of attacking small pets in their backyard. Chloe and I observed one such hawk that flew across our walking path as it tried ambushing a darting rabbit that had evacuated the safety of some low sidewalk shrubs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Most recently, we encountered a Cooper hawk perched on the park’s tennis court fencing - see image above. It was the bird’s unique silhouette that caught my eye, and then I pointed it out to Chloe. As we crept ever closer to the sitting bird, I could also see Chloe’s hunting instincts about to kick in, even if the hawk was high up on the fence. Chloe finally gave off our position with one loud bark, and the bird took off.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjSdmo1Bx2c/X11N0U5ty9I/AAAAAAAAA2Q/-eNXsSIsWtEK5HWS5sreFw7EdUQS21orQCLcBGAsYHQ/s727/Cooper%2BHawk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="727" height="779" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjSdmo1Bx2c/X11N0U5ty9I/AAAAAAAAA2Q/-eNXsSIsWtEK5HWS5sreFw7EdUQS21orQCLcBGAsYHQ/w1220-h779/Cooper%2BHawk.jpg" width="1220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Cooper Hawk </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-15910716025536898982020-09-06T18:25:00.006-06:002020-09-06T18:49:59.243-06:00First Dog<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVn55ErPdCI/X1V9bMKIqjI/AAAAAAAAA18/iNQ29kiorMQ1FI9mdrVf1Q_W9WYH6vDsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/Anne%2527s-Dog_web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1440" height="695" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVn55ErPdCI/X1V9bMKIqjI/AAAAAAAAA18/iNQ29kiorMQ1FI9mdrVf1Q_W9WYH6vDsgCLcBGAsYHQ/w976-h695/Anne%2527s-Dog_web.jpg" width="976" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">No, I’m not referring to the “First Dog of the United States” which is an honorary title bestowed upon the President’s pet. Instead, the title of “First Dog” goes to my granddaughter Anne who brought home her very first dog. Although, I was surrounded with family dogs growing up, Chloe is my first dog - and as I’ve written in her stories - a dog changes everything. My favorite quote regarding how we share are lives with dogs, is this one:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace.” - Milan Kundera, Author</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anne, Welcome to the adventure that a dog brings to your life!</p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2330553079922103455.post-33402618114661673512020-08-29T11:54:00.010-06:002020-08-29T14:44:09.335-06:00Don't Pet the Coyote<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwKNy5TxkfM/X0qXYUr_0LI/AAAAAAAAA1g/UfCDvlIoBx4t_qAgi8dkHl81DSgFFhKOACLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/coyote%2Bimage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwKNy5TxkfM/X0qXYUr_0LI/AAAAAAAAA1g/UfCDvlIoBx4t_qAgi8dkHl81DSgFFhKOACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/coyote%2Bimage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Here’s an article – that I like for its title alone - on the dangers of coyotes and why you shouldn’t get too close. Coming into contact with coyotes, especially here in the southwest is all too common. I’ve seen them in the park that Chloe and I walk to each morning, in packs of three or more in fields, crossing a highway with traffic, and even running down the middle of a residential street.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Don’t Pet the Coyote</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Reprinted from <i>Your Dog</i> a publication of Tufts University, July 16, 2019</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Coyotes are well adapted to both suburban and urban areas - they’ve even been spotted in New York’s Central Park. And you may have been seeing more of them because while coyotes tend to be born in the spring, they often spend much of the summer in and around their dens, both being protected and fed by their mothers and being taught to fend for themselves by learning to hunt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Keep away from them, no matter their age, no matter how dog-like they appear, and no matter how much you might want to care for one that seems to have gotten lost. (Some people have actually mistaken coyotes for dogs.) A “coyote will never be completely tame and able to bond with humans as a domestic dog can,” says Florina Tseng, DVM, the director of the Wildlife Clinic and associate chair of the Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Tseng adds that “coyotes have an innate wariness of humans and are more unpredictable than domestic dogs. Because of this, the animal will always be a potential threat to people.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Keep your dog away, too, and definitely on leash in areas where you know or suspect coyotes are raising pups. Small dogs in particular are at risk of harm, and even death, when coyotes are feeling territorial during denning, a time of pup-rearing and keeping babies safe in the den. Larger dogs tend not to be in much danger of a conflict with a coyote, but as with smaller dogs, keep them on leash in places where you sense baby coyotes are being cared for.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Coyotes in general are not a threat. They’re not looking for interaction. But if a coyote does approach while you’re walking your dog, most probably at sundown or at night, act aggressively (without getting physical). Stand tall, hold out your arms to appear larger, and, if necessary, make loud noises, wave your arms, and throw sticks and stones near (but not at) the animal. Keep in mind that in rare instances, a coyote may be rabid.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In addition, if you know or sense there are coyotes in your area, do not allow your dog in the backyard by himself, never leave food out, and remove tall grass from around your home to reduce what a coyote could use as protective cover. Finally, alter your dog-walking route if necessary. Why court confrontation?</div></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Christian Helgesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10583961205379040120noreply@blogger.com0