Salvador Doggie

"Salvador Doggie (Sal)," 24" x 48", acrylics, charcoal and ink on panel, featuring my newest muse, a rescued mixed breed. Details and in process pics are on Facebook, and I think the color there is far more representative of the painting. This piece is $1499, a total deal for the giant serving of joy it will bring, and that price includes shipping inside the US (I also ship worldwide for a small fee) - inquiries may always come to me.

Sal joined our family over the weekend. He came via a rescue organization and we know nothing about his past except that whoever it was who dumped him lost out big. He's a dear rat terrier mix with the brightest eyes and a wiggle butt who goes from 100mph to stop at the sign of a lap. Or a cookie.

Didn't take him long to hit my easel, and I think his portrait sits as a great example of what I could do with your dog..... just think about it, then reach out if it's something you think you want to pursue!

Thanks for following along with my artwork,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

WORKSHOPS:

"Color-iffic," Montague, Michigan (near Grand Rapids), September 8-9th, 2016. For further information or to enroll, please contact Korrine Rodgers.

"Getting Fresh," Mt. Pleasant, SC, September 23-25th, 2016. For further information or to enroll, please contact Kathy Sweeney.

"Color-iffic", 2 days, Crooked Tree Art Center, Traverse City, MI, October 8-9, 2016. Click here for further information or to enroll.

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Training Your Super Puppy To Be Fearless

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Baby Oliver Plays With a Soft Plush Toy

Are you planning to add a furry member to your family this holiday season? You're not alone. Although the downsides are often touted, a well thought out addition is fine. The reality is that many families choose this time of year in order to use the extra time off to begin house training and bonding with their new family member. Today I'd like to offer a few tips from the Whole Dog Journal, along with my own enhancements to their ideas, sure to aid in helping you raise a fear-free pup.

Although ideally you'd want your new little buddy to have these experiences prior to entering your home, adding these enhancements to your holiday playtime will most certainly be good for his growth and potential to be a wonderful family member:

• Give your pup a chance to experience walking on 7 types of surfaces: carpet, concrete, wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, and wood chips. Each different texture will have its own lessons, most importantly that different footing is needed and nothing should be feared by a variety of textures under the pads of the feet.
• Offer 7 different types of play objects for a variety of stimulation: big balls, small balls, soft fabric toys, fuzzy toys, squeaky toys, paper or cardboard (toilet paper/paper towel centers are perfect), metal items (without sharp edges and sticks or pieces of hose. Remember that all playtime with toys should be supervised to assure your puppy's safety.
• Include 7 different locations in your puppy's experiences: front yard, back yard, basement, kitchen, car, garage, laundry room and bathroom. You'll want your little one to know all of these places are safe and fun, so make sure to offer pleasant experiences in each.
• Introduce your pup to at least 7 different types of new people: babies, children, seniors, people with canes, walkers, or wheelchairs, people in uniforms, people wearing hats, and men with beards.
• Provide 7 different challenges for your pup to work his problem-solving skills: climb around inside a box, climb off the top of a box, go through a tunnel, climb up steps, climb down steps, climb over obstacles, play hide an seek, go in and out of a doorway with a step up or down, run around a fence. Surely you'll be able to find even more challenges like these. Each will teach your new friend lots of ways to solve new problems.
• Offer meals in a variety of different containers: metal, plastic, china, cardboard, paper, pie plate and a frying pan. Don't forget to also use food-dispensing balls for a slower way to serve a meal, while your dog learns to push the ball around the house to retrieve his dinner.
• In addition to these ways to eat, your pup should learn that eating in a variety of locations is also a good thing: crate, yard, kitchen, basement, laundry room, living room, bathroom and even an RV. The lesson is clear; wherever you offer food to your pup, it's still yummy!
• Exposure to many different types of noises will help your pup learn that sound is not a scary thing. Include as much variety as possible, focusing on things like banging pots, thunder, loud music, traffic, sirens, vacuums, landscaping equipment, fireworks, dog parks, and crowds

Want to get your puppy started as a doga partner early? Try our short yoga videos that include tips on yoga poses as well as how to include your pup in your practice. Join us for more doga fun as we continue to expand this series.

What are your ideas for helping your littlest new family member get a good start? I'd love to share your tips. The comment link is always open!

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Wiggle - Day 2,973

We're in London at the moment, house sitting, but Wiggle is not liking the warm weather so I'm doing my best to keep him cool.  

Wiggle doesn't go upstairs any more so has left Neighbourhood Watch on the balcony to Haggis, Cato and Sofy:

To try and keep them from getting too hot, I've been taking the 3 of them to Richmond so they can splash around in the brook:

Sofy loves being in the water:

In other, very exciting news, we have a special visitor this week - LucytheLab's mom Jana is coming to stay with us from Seattle!  I'm very happy that Jana will get to meet Wiggle as it was through his friendship with Lucy on Twitter that Jana and I became such good friends.

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Wiggle - Day 2,959

Wiggle has had a good week despite a visit to the vet on Tuesday to treat a poorly ear.

He has decided now that he doesn't like soaked kibble which he has been having since he stopped wanting to eat dry kibble with his tinned meat.  Wiggle gets what Wiggle wants and so long as he eats, I will obey his wishes.

Although Wiggle is quite wobbly, he has enjoyed a few short walks and still wants to go out and have a change of scenery.

But best of all, when I'm fussing Wiggle, he doesn't want me to stop and he lets me know that he is happy in his retirement.

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Wiggle - Day 2,952

Wiggle is wobbling on, taking his retirement at a gentle pace but still happy and waggy and as cuddly as ever.

I've been looking back at this day and reflecting on Wiggle's life with me which makes me smile to think of the memories.

July 2008 and Wiggle was so athletic, leaping for his tennis ball: 

July 2009, my most handsome boy:

July 2010, silly Wiggle:

July 2011, running in the field:

July 2012, looking woeful in his towel after a summer shower:

July 2013, flecks of grey coming through:

July 2014, in the field with Sofy:

And last year, in Richmond Park with Haggis, Sofy and Cato:

I so love my Wiggle and all the memories we've shared.

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Happy 8th Gotcha Day Wiggle!

Tomorrow is Wiggle's 8th Gotcha Day - 8 whole years since I first met this sad, itchy, skinny boy:

I had fostered quite a few dogs before Wiggle but none were in such bad physical shape as Wiggle when I went to collect him on 20th June 2008:

Soon though Wiggle started to get better and it didn't take long for me to fall in love with this special boy:

And now, 3 months away from his 14th birthday, I love him even more than I thought possible.  Old age has slowed Wiggle but he still has his cheeky ways and every time he looks at me, he melts my heart: 

Sofy loves him too and takes care of her big brother:

I doubt we will celebrate another Gotcha Day but for me, every day with Wiggle is special.

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Wiggle - Day 2,924

Wiggle went for his last hydrotherapy session this week.  Sadly he finds it too tiring to swim much and although he is excited and happy to be there, his old body just doesn't have the energy any more.  It does make me sad as its another reminder that he is very much in retirement these days but to give him a treat, we stopped at Subway on the way home so he could have a grilled ham and cheese sub:

Lilly is still with us so today I took the girls to Virginia Water in Windsor Great Park to meet up with Mindy, Cato and Haggis.  All 4 Labbies were very happy to see each other again and wasted no time in having some fun:

Lilly and Sofy are best friends and enjoyed their day out:

Wiggle stayed home but did manage a little walk to the green at the end of our road.  He finds it tiring but he still wants to go out so we go at his pace.  Then he comes home and rests:

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