Astro Pups, the Dog Blog

Royal Dogs

Does anyone know which breed of dog this Queen favors?

If you said Pembroke Welsh corgis, you would be absolutely right. In fact, Her Majesty has about ten of them, give or take, and the Pembroke breed has been part of the royal family for decades.

The breed’s name comes from the Celt word for dog. Flemish weavers brought the dogs to Wales in the 12th century. They did the work most people would apply to Collies. Their job in Wales was to herd cattle and they did this by nipping the cows’ feet to keep them from straying.

Pembroke-Welsh-Corgi-outdoors — Pembroke Welsh corgi (Google Images)

Now is about the time I usually talk about what kind of owner the breed needs in order to thrive, and be a forever dog. So many breeds need the right owners to be all they can be. However, there are no strong personality owner needs for Pembroke Welsh corgis. They just need owners to adore, go for walks with, to play with and, of course, treats close to hand. Another Corgi would be fun to play with if you are absent a fair amount of time.

A Corgi would rather play than fight, but it’s still a good idea to socialize the pup at about three months with people and other dogs, as it has good watch dog traits.

You will be impressed with yourself as a trainer with this corgi. The dog is very bright and ever eager to please. Its also ready to show much earlier than most breeds.

You will need to brush its coat about twice a week. This is something your Corgi would enjoy, especially if you talk over things in general as you brush.

If you need a new grooming tool, there’s a reduction of over 50% on this one. In addition to keeping your dog’s coat healthy, it reduces shedding and will also give your dog’s coat a subtle thinning – nice with the summer upon us.

The Pembroke Welsh corgi has a cousin.

Cardigan Welsh corgi

The Cardigan has bigger ears and a bushier tail, but is much like the Pembroke. It is a quieter dog, less outgoing than its cousin. Cardigan Welsh corgis also served as herding dogs for cattle in Wales.

imagesFTJUO6J1 — Cardigan Welsh corgi (Google Images)

Perfect for apartment living, and behaving with decorum most of the time, this dog travels well, shows well, and is a delightful companion.

We suggested both breeds for Taurus in AstroPups, available in paperback and kindle at Amazon Books.

Thinking about royal dogs, it’s hard not to remember an aristocratic little spaniel who has been a member of court for centuries. It was once known as the Toy Spaniel, but King Charles favored this dog so much they changed its name to:

King Charles Spaniel

Van Dyke painted many portraits of King Charles with his spaniels back in the 17^th century. As a pup, it is shy and needs affection and encouragement to develop well. Once the dog has gained confidence, it will fit in well with your family. If you have a cat, your spaniel will make the cat its best friend (only if the cat agrees, of course).

The little dog looks fragile with its big eyes and silky coat, but this is far from being so. A King Charles spaniel is a hardy breed and absolutely loves the outdoors. Walking and exploring are favored things to do.

There is an owner personality requirement with this breed. The owner should be a care-giver in that if you choose a King Charles, you must be prepared to bathe its face when it comes in from outdoors. At only 10 inches tall, this inquisitive little dog will come in with dust, leaves and particles on its face and they could cause eye infections. You should have an eye wash on hand just in case.

A quick rinse of your spaniel’s eyes will prevent a more serious problem requiring a visit to the vet.

If it rains, and the dog gets wet, it is important you dry it off as soon as you get back indoors.

As the owner of a King Charles, you will also have to harden your heart when the dog gazes up at you with those big, liquid eyes whenever you eat. The King Charles spaniel will do anything for a treat and begs like a pro from the start. The dog should only weigh about 10lbs.

The Dog Whisperer is not truly needed with this bunch, but I’m sure he enjoyed his time with them.

A larger version of the King Charles is available if you want a bigger spaniel. It’s the Cavalier King Charles. This dog weighs about l8lbs. Cousins include the Prince Charles (white with black and tan markings) the Ruby (white with chestnut red markings) the Blenheim (white with red markings)

All of these spaniels are sweet dogs. They once roamed palaces and now roam homes, confident in their owners’ adoration of them.

For a change, I am chatting about dogs that just need owners to love them and all of them love to be part of the family.

In AstroPups, we suggested the King Charles spaniels for Virgos looking for a toy breed. All of the Zodiac signs in AstroPups have large, medium and toy breeds suggested for their personalities. Lifestyles are also discussed for all breeds.

Any questions? You can contact me through Comment or via email, which is located in About Us, top right of page. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews.

Acknowledgements of authors who contributed to AstroPups, which I use to write my blog, can also be found in About Us.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the royal dogs. Thanks for coming back to my blog. See you soon. 🙂

Famous Dog

Can you guess the breed of this famous dog?

No, it’s not the well known Collie, Lassie, but this dog has starred in movies. Remember the movie Oliver? Bill Sykes owned one of this breed. Rarely camera shy, this dog has also been a TV star.

General George S Patton took a dog from this breed with him when he travelled. He named his dog Willie – after William the Conqueror.

Here’s two more clues:

Target has this dog as its mascot.

He is also Spuds McKenzie – the Budweiser dog.

Final clue:

This dog has won Best in Show not only in the U.S, but also in England, South Africa and Australia. It knows just what to do to win the trophy. The dog has a jaunty, confident step in the ring, and always smiles at the judges!

Did you guess the breed? It’s the …..

Bull Terrier

This dog is not just famous, it has skills a lot of breeds do not have. The Bull Terrier is a good watch dog, but so are other breeds. What is special about this dog is that it has an uncanny ability to sense when somebody is up to no good. It has amazing instincts and intuitive powers.

If the owner has raised the pup in the right way, and has a lifestyle that fits with its temperament and exercise needs, it’s a super dog.

Bull Terriers are solid and stocky. Most of them are white often with brindle coloring, and about 21” tall. Their energy is explosive. As a pup, they do not seem to know any boundaries and you would have to be vigilant about stopping your pup from straining muscles and pulling tendons. I kid you not. Hyper speed is this pup’s style.

Famous Dog (Google Images)

Perfil_Canino

Training a Bull Terrier is not a challenge if you are firm, consistent, and give treats. However, the pup can be over-eager to enter into the game of training, so it must learn right away that you are Alpha –the leader of its pack. If you lose your temper and are aggressive with this pup, though, the dog will become stubborn and aggressive, losing the breed traits that make it an outstanding companion.

As an adult dog, lots of long walks will be important. A Bull Terrier loves to go on walks, but it may not play nicely with other dogs if you have not socialized the pup. Three – four months is a good time to do this. Introduce the pup to other dogs and people and be friendly to all so the pup will gain confidence through your behavior.

The dog will enjoy your friends who are visiting once it knows they mean you no harm.

Some pups have been born deaf, so make sure you check out the pup you choose carefully. There is another possible problem with a Bull Terrier in that they are often allergic to mosquito bites and can break out in a rash when bitten. If you live where there are mosquitos, use preventative measures to safeguard the pup/dog.

These chewable tablets are a good protection against mosquitos. Your dog will also be protected from fleas and ticks. This tough dog has sensitive skin and could be allergic to sprays applied for preventive measures against parasites.

Bull Terriers are clean dogs and grooming is minimal. To increase the bonding, though, brushing the dog and saying nice things really helps. Bull Terriers wriggle with joy when their beloved owner gives them attention. They are loyal, steadfast dogs if they have an owner who is calm, firm, positive and loves them totally.

If you are wondering which Zodiac signs were favored with Bull Terriers, we suggested them for Capricorn and for Scorpio in AstroPups, available in paperback or Kindle at Amazon Books.

Thanks for coming back to read my blog. I’d love to hear from you. You can leave a Comment or email me. My email is on About Us, top right of page. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews.

Acknowledgements of authors who contributed to AstroPups, which I use to write my blog, can also be found in About Us.

See you soon 🙂

Madison & Nilla (my grand dogs)

Madison & Nilla Wordless Wednesday on BlogPaws

Grand Dog

My dog for today is a grand dog.

The Basset Hound

What a totally adorable pup. Its body is too big for its little legs, and it falls over itself as it scampers across the floor with its big feet. If you have stairs, get the gates in place!

The Basset is known as an intelligent breed. Say what? It doesn’t listen, obey commands, and is more interested in thinking its own thoughts than listening to you. Okay, training will be slow with this one, but if the owner doesn’t understand the Basset breed traits, and pushes the pup too soon, he or she will have a very stubborn dog.

Kindness and patience, with an upbeat approach to training, will help. Give the pup small treats for every success, or even the pup’s attempts to please. I say small as keeping an eye on this dog’s weight is very important. I saw an overweight Basset at the doggie park recently. He ambled along, unaware that his tum was grazing the grass, leaves and twigs. We chatted with his owner, who absolutely adored his dog, but was worried about grazes on his belly. No kidding!

I have to admit that until the pup has grown an attachment to you, and listens through his love for you, treats are your best bet. Most owners find this out quickly and tend to give the growing pup too many.

You can see this dog mulling over its options when told to do something. There will be times when devotion nor treats work. The dog decides it needs to sleep some more, and it will take effort to make this dog move. The good news is that most of the time the dog will decide to obey, but definitely not instantly and not all of the time.

Obedience is just not a Basset’s strong suit, but this can be amusing. In fact, when you issue a command, several times, the dog does not appear to hear you. A Basset can develop a deafness so convincing, you consider a visit to the vet for an ear check. Before you do this, though, consider rustling a bag of treats, or opening the fridge door. The dog’s apparent deafness is magically gone in a flash.

Madison 3 — My favorite Basset Hound, Madison

The Basset Hound has the distinction of being the breed heavier in bone for its height than any other breed. Yay, that’s a distinction, but the dog is not very tall. In fact, the dog has very short legs and moves its solid frame with a deliberate gait.

The French bred the Basset to be a badger hound and the Basset’s long ears have a purpose. They stir up the scent of small game. Thinking you definitely need to know that there is a badger about, your dog will let you know with its distinctive hound sound

Grooming your Basset is fun. As you brush your dog, a closer bond is formed. It’s a together time over treats and walks.

Your Basset will shed, so the above tool will dramatically reduce this. It’s a grooming tool and brush – pretty good one, too.

Usually a Basset is easy going and not aggressive. The dog has such an interesting personality. If you haven’t forced the obedience issue too much, and have a good sense of humor, you will really appreciate the armchair clown. It’s also impossible to resist that “sorry” look in this dog’s expressive eyes.

Why would I say the Basset is a grand dog? Because the Basset is definitely a grand dog, but its also because Madison is my daughter’s dog. Madison is my lovable granddog.

We suggested Bassets for the Zodiac sign of Pisces in AstroPups.

You can contact me through comment or by email. You will find my email in About Us, top right of page. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews of AstroPups.

Acknowledgements of authors who contributed to AstroPups, which I use to write my blog, can also be found in About Us.

Thanks for visiting. See you soon 🙂

Your Lifestyle-Your dogs

As many of you know by now, I want to help people to choose the right dog. Many dogs come into the family because someone likes the look of a pup for sale, hopefully from a breeder and not a puppy mill. A friend has a female who had a litter and they offered a pup to you. You decide to adopt a rescue from a shelter. There are many ways a pup can come into your life, and once it is a part of your family, many of you will accept its breed traits or sigh and try to find another home for the pup who grows up to be a dog that simply does not fit with you, your family or your lifestyle.

Rescue dogs abound and all sorts of breeds and mixed breeds are available. You can go into this wonderful transaction with your eyes open and choose the right dog, still a rescue. While it is a fact that you may have to overcome some tough times your rescue dog might have experienced, the breed traits usually hold true. Dogs give second or even third chances to people who prove they really care, and if its a breed capable of devotion and affection, you will have your forever dog. All you have to do is show you can be trusted, unlike somebody else who owned the dog previously and it became a rescue. Of course, some dogs are given up for genuine reasons, like the owner is deployed overseas, or passed away, or the owners lost their home. Unfortunately genuine reasons are not as common as abandonment.

Most dogs, if they have the right environment, are true to themselves. If they are country dogs, ranch hands, agile, energetic dogs they should not have to fit in with concrete and high rise buildings. If you work fulltime and then some, how does your dog get the exercise it needs to flourish? These dogs are intelligent, trainable, loving, even devoted, but left to their own devices and unable to exercise fully, they can become destructive and very unlike their breed traits.

Let’s take an example. Austalian shepherds are about l7th in popularity in the U.S. They are not from Australia, of course, and there are guesses as to why they got this name – maybe they were sheep herders for sheep from Australia. This magnificent dog needs to run, run and then run. They need to be busy, mentally and physically. They have been bred for working on ranches and farms. No dog is prouder than this one when it does its job well. The dog is tireless on hikes, and is famous for its agility.

That being said, I know an Australian shepherd who was not able to work, run, exercise, and was left alone all day in the suburbs while its owner, a fireman, had to work. The dog’s name is Auggie. I know the dog well, and am fond of him, but he changed from a lively pup to a difficult dog. He became super possessive of his food, was aggressive to strangers, and did not play nicely with other dogs. In fact, if he had the chance, he would attack dogs who dared to come near his property. He was not meant to be the dog he became, but his owner’s lifestyle did not permit him to develop as he was meant to develop. Auggie was loved, fed, watered, and bored. Firemen work three day shifts, and come home exhausted, dealing with life and death situations. A three mile run was not likely, although some days his owner rode his bike with Auggie in tow to try to give him exercise.

Unfortunately, Auggie was not in control of himself or under any control when he bit Anna’s face recently, and she had to be rushed to the emergency room. Anna, adored the dog, and tried to feed him his food. Nobody touches Auggie’s food, not even one of his own.

The pup was a rescue – one of those family things where a member couldn’t keep him and needed a home for him. Now, of course, the dog is rarely allowed to be in the house. He is safe though with others he loves.

The point is that Auggie was not a good fit. Left too much on his own, to his own devices, he developed his own codes of behavior and none of them were good.

If you have children, getting the right dog for your family is super important. Small children will adore the dog, and if they are bitten, it is a shattering event and a guilt trip for you. From that day on, your child will probably fear dogs, and you have the problem of a dog who cannot be trusted around your child. You love the dog. No question, your child comes first.

I took Sally and Jake over to visit Anna. I wanted to see how she felt about dogs after experiencing Auggie’s bite. Anna giggled at Sally, our toy breed, and yes, tried to feed her. She hadn’t learned her lesson on that one, but Sally licked her hand which gave her a fit of giggles. “I like that doggie,” she said happily.

Anna took one look at Jake, our pit mix, and leaped into her father’s arms. “He’s too big,” she announced solemnly, staring down at Jake with apprehension. Jake didn’t take it personally. He reached up and licked her leg before running after Sally. She giggled, but preferred to stay in Dad’s arms.

An Australian shepherd must have lots of exercise, preferably live in the country, and live with people who understand the breed. This dog is smart, needs to be useful, and should have the chance to run freely in the fields. The dog will do what you ask of him or her, but if you ask little, and the dog is left alone too much, over long periods of time, it will not have a chance to develop into the dog it was meant to be.

I will be chatting to you further about breed traits, lifestyles and personalities and really want to help you to get a good fit. I will usually be on the dog’s side, as you chose the breed and the dog will be yours forever, or not.

If you want to contact me, please leave a comment or email me. My email is on About Us, top right of page. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews.

Acknowledgements of authors who contributed to AstroPups, which I use to write my blog, can also be found in About Us.

Thanks for visiting. See you soon. 🙂

Dogs and Depression

If you read my recent post on rescue dogs, you will have met Tiff, the lab/beagle mix. At 7 months old, she was rescued with a squirrel in a cage in Northern Canada. She is wearing doggles, prescribed for her to help with the pain she feels in her eyes when the sun shines.

Tiff, now l5, was in mourning for her best friend, Sarah’s cat, who died of kidney disease last Christmas. Sarah was so worried about Tiff’s depression, she set about to find Tiff a new friend, finding the perfect one in a SPCA rescue, Betty White.

To quote Sarah, “It was great from the get go.” The arrival of Betty White has put the spring back into Tiff’s step. We saw Betty as a kitten, a photo from the SPCA. Look at how she has grown, definitely interested in the strings of that guitar.

There’s one member of the gang, as Sarah calls them, that is not so thrilled with the new member to the family – Blackie. No one can be as haughty as a cat who has his nose out of joint, particularly if he considers himself royalty to start with. Sarah calls her boyfriend’s cat The Pharaoh..

Blackie aka The Pharoh — Blackie aka Pharaoh

Time will tell on the two cats’ relationship, but the good news is that Tiff is no longer depressed!

Depression can be a serious problem with some dogs. The dog goes off his/her food and lies about as though exhausted even before the dog has had its run.

We were very worried at times about our friend Loraine’s dog, Apollo aka Apple. He was a purebred Golden retriever who was very sensitive. If someone hurt his feelings, with a sharp word, or refused to toss a ball for him, he disappeared into his bed and ignored dinner.

Whenever Apple went into one of his depressions, refusing to eat or drink, Loraine would call me to come and help. Of course, we took Apple for a walk, hoping to stimulate him with smells and sounds, to no avail. The dog walked with his head lowered. On our return, he slunk into his bed again. Loraine was very worried about him.

golden-retriever-photography-pics — Google Image

One of my daughters, Nicole, came home from college for the weekend. She was so happy to be home, she did a happy dance and sang. Loraine had brought Apple to our house to see her. When Apple saw her dancing and singing, his tail went into a furious wag and he wriggled with joy. Nicole sang to him, calling him Apple Dapple, and we hadn’t seen him so happy for a year. He ate and drank well that night. Music, singing and dancing was the magic key to get Apple out of one of his depressions. Great we found the key, but Loraine couldn’t sing.

People would not buy tickets to hear me sing, but I can carry a tune. Whenever Apple decided life was a burden, I would drive over to Loraine’s house to sing and dance until Apple’s tail was wagging again and he gobbled his dinner. We also got him a lab mix friend, Cocoa, and his depressions were less. Sometimes even Cocoa couldn’t get him up and going, so I had to drive over and go into my vaudeville routine and bring the lovely dog back to us.

There is usually a reason a dog becomes depressed. Apollo had a big fenced backyard, a family with kids, was taken for long walks and totally adored by all. I had trained him, which was easy as he was very bright, eager to learn, and was an obedient dog. I train with a positive hand and with treats. We decided that Apple was just super sensitive. Fortunately, we found the key, through Nicole, to help him out of his depressions, and he lived passed his allotted time. We all miss that beautiful dog.

We didn’t have a digital photo of Apple, but I found his exact look-a-like on Google Images. Golden Retrievers all look so much alike, some more golden than others. We smile when we see an Apple dog trotting along the sidewalk. I have even leaned out of the window of my car on more than one occasion, and told the dog’s owner that he/she has one of the best dogs in the world. They always grin and agree with me.

If you want to contact me, you can either leave a comment or send me an email. My email is on About Us, top right of page. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews.

Acknowledgements of authors who contributed to AstroPups, which I use to write my blog, can also be found in About Us.

Thanks for visiting my blog. See you soon. 🙂

Update on Astrology

untitled (5) I have had a few emails about the astrology post. Some people preferred to comment to me personally rather than on the comment section.

Okay, I do believe there is a lot of merit in astrology. It is an ancient science and nothing would have lasted for centuries if it was nonsense. I studied the sun signs fully to find out about the personalities to write AstroPups (see first post). Jacqueline Chapple helped enormously as her knowledge of the subject is extensive, but I had to know the subject inside of myself in order to write in my own style and through my own knowledge. Actually, astrology has become a part of my knowing people.

While it is true that I used Zodiac signs as a guide to personalities in my book, and my goal was to help people to learn about the dog breed they were adopting into their families, I do think it is an interesting and even absorbing field of study. I have also studied religion, psychology, sociology, and philosophy. I have learned a lot from all of them.

As a teacher for twelve years, I applied what I had learned to reach a student in need of help. Certainly, as an author I needed all of my insights to write well.

I understand sun signs. I wrote about them as I do all things, in depth. I have been told I am “spot on”. It is because I understand the Zodiac signs that this is true.

During my research, I discovered something interesting. Some business people, CEO’s of companies, when deciding on a pitch, actually check on the birthdays of the lead players. If the person who holds the key to acceptance is a Capricorn, for instance, a lot of back up proof would be vital to the pitch. If the person is an Aries, then that person would be more willing to take a chance on what appears to be a good deal.

I also discovered that kings and queens, politicians, classic writers, doctors, and psychologists were among the millions who believed in and studied astrology all over the world.

There is magic in a child’s smile, in a dog’s sigh as it nestles into your lap, in the beauty of a sunrise over the mountains, and the sunset over the water. Perhaps there is magic in the stars.

If you want to contact me, please use Comment or you will find my email on About Us – top right. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews

Thanks for coming back. Thank you also for all the comments. I love hearing from you. 🙂

Samantha

Available on Amazon Books.

Dog Update

In a previous post, Yikes, Stairs! I told you about a dog ramp we built for Samantha, our senior Boxer, to enable her to get in and out of the backseat of the car. I guess we were over-thinking this as she would prefer not to use the ramp. In fact, since we introduced her to the ramp access, which she barely acknowledged, she jumps in with ease. Guess she showed us! We know she will have no choice soon, but that’s not now.

In the post, The Dog of my Dreams, I praised the Border collie for its intelligence, skills and for being intuitive. I said that my niece, Mandy, who lives in England has a Border collie, Nelson, who loves to watch TV. I was thinking about how Nelson runs to the right and left of the screen following the running dogs on the screen. Could be he was just running with this pack, or could be he was trying to herd them. What do you think?

IMG_7608 (2) — Nelson, Border Collie mix

Mandy sent me some photos of Nelson. She is sure he is a Border Collie, but he is definitely a Border Collie/German Shepherd mix, looking more like a German shepherd in this shot. Beautiful dog and no wonder he is so bright with both dogs’ intelligent and intuitive breed traits.

Rescue Dogs

As you know, most of our dogs are rescue dogs. Trixie was rescued because her foster home had a child who was allergic to her. Wrigley, yes, we are Cubs fans, was named for Wrigley Field where, for those who do not know, is where the Cubs play home games. Wrigley was a German shepherd/pit mix. She was found homeless and starving in the south side of Chicago. It took a while, and she was always looking for food, unable to shake off those starving weeks, but what a lovely dog she became.

Yesterday, I was sent a very interesting and happy rescue story from Sarah who lives in Canada. Her now l5 year old dog is partially blind, is deaf, and never leaves Sarah’s side if she can help it.. Meet Tiff aka Sealy.

Rescued from Northern Canada — Rescue dog, Northern Canada

Tiff is a Labrador/Beagle mix. She was about seven months when she was first spotted running loose, trying to find food on the highway near a First Nations Reserve. At first they could not capture her, and thought she could be feral as she feared people. They finally captured the elusive Tiff in a cage along with a companion, a squirrel. Tiff resisted their efforts to help her and bit the rescuer. At the shelter, she was spayed. Unfortunately her heart stopped twice during surgery, but Tiff is made of stern stuff. Now that could be the Beagle in her, as they rarely give up.

At l5, Tiff is very agile and bounds around the yard like a pup. She is bright, intuitive and very affectionate. However, she is grieving over the loss of her best friend, Sarah’s cat who died last Christmas. It was time for Sarah to get a new friend for Tiff.

Meet Betty White Betty She was chosen from the SPCA photo files, but Betty lived at a rescue in Northern Canada. Sarah lives in the western part of Canada, but she filled out the requisite forms, was approved, and flew to get Tiff’s new friend.

We wish Tiff and Betty White all the best and commend Sarah for her love of animals and the lengths she will go to give them a loving home.

By the way, Sarah recommends bringing a cat or small dog in a soft carrier which can be stowed under the seat. It is so less traumatic for the pet to travel in the cabin than in the bowels of the plane.

If you want to contact me, please leave a comment or email me. My email is on About Us, top right. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews of AstroPups.

Once again, thanks for coming back to my blog. I hope you enjoyed tips and tails. 🙂

Do People take Astrology Seriously?

untitled (5) — Zodiac wheel (Google Images)

I received an email from a friend today. Her name is Jennifer. In her email she said that she knew lots of people looked up their horoscopes in the newspaper, but how seriously do they take astrology?

I never thought about it when writing the book. Studying the breeds of dogs, I thought about the kind of owners they would need. I hit upon the idea of sun signs as it was a familiar and popular guide.

Jacqueline Chapple, the astrology consultant on the book, patiently explained to me that sun signs were not the whole person astrologically. Other influences were strong also, but she did say it was a guide I could use and we were off to the races.

Sun sign symbols) — Zodiac symbols (Google Images)

When doing research for the book, I went to dog shows and talked to the proud owners doing the touch ups on their beautiful dogs, visited breeders to get expert insights on their dogs, and stopped people on the street to chat about their dogs. At the doggie park, while my dogs romped and played, I chatted to more people about their dogs. Research books are great and the internet helpful, but its people and their dogs which gave me the best insights. I had trained several dogs, but was now dealing with 85 breeds. Thatsalotta dogs!

A breeder of Rottweiler pups laughed out loud when I told him I was matching sun signs with breeds. “You’ve got to be joking,” he said, ”It takes a special owner to get one my pups. I screen carefully.” Right, he was one of the good ones. As I was leaving, he ran after me. “Um, what signs got my Rotts?” he asked.

colitis_in_rottweilers_1 (3) — Rottweiler pup (Google Images)

I grinned. Who could resist knowing that? “Come on,” he said. “What sign?”

“We suggested Rotts for Aries,” I said.

He ran to the house yelling his wife’s name and demanding to know what sun sign he was. I didn’t hear her answer.

Dog people were intrigued, but unsure of the concept. Astrology people told me as Mrs. Chapple had that people were more than their sun signs. They all wanted to know what dogs were suggested for their sun signs, and wanted to read about themselves as dog owners via astrology and what kind of breeds they may get along with.

I looked up some astrology blogs on Google tonight. They were very complicated and some quite beautiful. Of course they were all about the influences in the universe.

I’m sure that a lot of dog people are astrologers. Maybe they pick their dogs for when they were born. I am a breed person and define dogs by their breed traits. A woman told me she should pick a Virgo dog as her Ascendant was in Virgo. Another said she was very intense and emotional as her Venus was in Scorpio so she should choose a Scorpio dog. That’s great because they will read the breed traits of all the dogs suggested and know if the dog is right for them and their lifestyles. If people know other influences which affect their personalities, look how many dogs they will have to choose from and learn all about.

Samantha

To find out more about AstroPups, check it out on Amazon.com. Books or by author, Lucille Callard.

I hope I have explained my book and the reason I wrote it for all interested people. Thanks to Jennifer for asking the question which prompted writing this post.

I appreciate your return to my blog. Please leave a comment or you can email me. My email is on About Us, top right of page. Click on About Us and scroll down. The banner of dogs remains for the post, About Us and Reviews.

Until next post 🙂

The Dog of my Dreams

In a previous post, I said that the dog of your dreams may or may not be the right dog for you. I used as examples a Border Collie, a Rottweiler and a Poodle.

Border Collie

The Border Collie is an amazing dog, one of the brightest breeds we know. This collie does not just come in black and white, but can be also Tri-color with liver, blue merle, red merle, yellow and white. Even the eyes of the Border Collie can be different colors.. The colors of the dog is just a matter of preference, though. What is important is that this breed must be active and engaged from pup on. A Border Collie can’t be cooped up in an apartment all day long. If the dog is not busy mentally and physically, he or she will become a difficult dog to put it mildly. If you adopt a Border Collie, you must be prepared to give him or her lots of exercise. He/she loves to romp and play, is very agile, and looks for a chance to herd. If there are no sheep about, he/she may herd your children. This dog is a working breed, single minded and devoted to the task at hand. Long days on a hike will delight this collie, even if the terrain is rough, and you will be surprised how intuitive he/she is. There’s no doubt that this dog thinks, is a problem solver, and will tune in to your moods.

If you do not have the time to exercise, play with, hike with this dog, it would not be wise to get one. The grooming is important, too. At molting time, you must be super careful when removing Border Collkie the thick undercoat.

Border Collie (Google Images)

My niece, Mandy, who lives in England has a Border Collie mix called Nelson. He loves the outdoors as all collies do, but when at home, he enjoys watching TV. Mandy puts a dog video on for him, and he is glued, running to the right and left, following the running dogs. Mandy and Nelson have a special relationship. They are tuned in to each other. They go on lots of walks, and they roam the cliffs when on vacation.

Rottweiler

The second dog I thought you might be thinking about is a Rottweiler. This dog would scare all intruders away, and is such a magnificent, strong dog, capable of great affection and devotion. you might think you really need this dog, or do you? As a chubby pup, a Rott is totally adorable. You should know, though, that your pup will remain a pup for about two years and will need consistent training throughout this period. True to its breed traits, you would not have to train him or her to protect you, though. What you may have a problem with is who the dog should protect you from. Never let the dog decide, and it will if you are not Alpha.

If you live in an apartment, this makes the Rott’s territory small, and it will be over protective. Also, the dog is very muscular and must have lots of exercise. If you, yourself, are not strong, you will have a problem with control.

Your personality is important, in addition to your lifestyle if you own a Rottweiler. It may be a dream of yours to add one to your family, but it is a serious dog who needs an owner able to be kind but firm at all times. We suggested Rotts to Aries in AstroPups (see first post). Aries have a strong, positive approach to training and would allow no nonsense.

Poodle

The third dog I thought you might be thinking about is a Poodle. This breed comes in three sizes, the Standard, the Miniature and the Toy. Colors vary white, brown, orange, or black. We suggested the Miniature for Gemini in AstroPups. Poodles have a wonderful spirit, are lively, bright and affectionate. They want to please you, and their antics will put a grin on your face regularly.

You might think anyone can own a Poodle, but this is not true because all Poodles need a lot of grooming. An un-groomed Poodle is the saddest sack of a dog you would ever see. If you are not prepared to groom your dog, or take it to be groomed, forget it. The dogs should be bathed regularly, clipped often and brushed. If this is not done, their curly coats become matted, and can be painful. Now you do not have to groom it for show, although your dog would be certainly be impressive.

poodle6 — A Poodle groomed for Show (Google Images)

You would have to spend the time to brush those tangles out, keep the dog clean and keep that strut in its step.

All Poodles will love you if you love them back, but the Toy Poodle takes this very seriously and considers you his/her possession, to be protected at all times. You would need to have the time to give this little one lots of attention.

Too many people get a dog they like the look of, but do not check into what the dog needs from them to make it a forever relationship. All three pups above are wonderful in their own ways, but …

A Border collie is a dog for the country or the suburbs. Of course you can live in the city and own a Border collie, but concrete is not usually a part of this breed’s preferred environment.

A Rottweiler is a serious guard dog. If you do decide it is still the right dog for you, check out the dog’s genetics. Unfortunately indiscriminate breeding has been rampant and your dog may not be all this magnificent dog can be.

Time and/or money is needed for Poodles. Their grooming is vital to their well-being.

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Acknowledgements of authors who contributed to AstroPups, which I use to write my blog, can also be found in About Us.

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