A Friend of Chazz

Winner, Winner, Winner

UNBELIEVABLE.......I'm going to Tyson's Corner, Virginia at the end of August for the 3-day, BlogPaws2011 Conference.  I want to thank The Anipal Times, and  Editor Cokie the Cat, for emailing to tell me I won the drawing!  WooHoo, I'm so excited.

 This is a Social Media & Networking Conference for Pet Bloggers, etc. I hope to learn a lot about pet blogging and maybe make some new friends along the way. 

I mostly want to thank Chazz The Dog who really made this possible in the first place.  

I love you Chazzy...Signed, Adopted Mom

Improving Technically

The Canine Photo Gallery is up and running.
I finally figured out how to edit my Tabs & remove the HTML gobbledygook.
Things are moving onward & upward.  Watch out pet blogger world here I come!!

Been a few days since I've posted anything. Chazz is pretty much all recuperated from his scratched eye. He has a bit more anit-biotic left and that's about it.  Now I am moving on to thinking about next month; taking him to a vet dentist to give his mouth a good check. The regular vet showed me a loose tooth, and I want to make sure that's the only thing going on.  The other two things keeping us preoccupied over here is figuring out how we're going to keep cool as the weather heats up...read kiddie pool....and of course the BlogPaws2011 Contest. There's just a little over a week left. I'm keeping my fingers crossed; and still think I have a shot at winning the grand prize. Probably what will happen is I win the second prize, entrance into the conference, but not the  airplane or hotel package. If that happens, I will donate paid entrance to the conference to someone more local - who can get themselves to the venue.  check out Chazz in his pic at the contest ...if u haven't already....& please comment. Thanks!!

BlogPaws.com   Go to contest. Our entry has my name and is entitled, BlogPaws2011 Fun For Everyone

Baking, Stay at Home Day

Well, chazz seems to be getting better, but then this afternoon he threw up a little. Didn't seem to stop him for long..but made me wonder.

 I baked a new recipe of peanut butter cookies for him. Really ez and he gobbled them up. Let me know if u want me to reprint the recipe. It's getting a little hot, so i am looking at above ground pools...well a lady can dream can't she?!

Chazz is getting back to his old self. We went for a walk at the park today and he had on his new Surfs Up Dog Jr. Coil Leash. I'm telling you this thing is great. It does not get tangled in your dog's legs, so you don't spend time stopping and untangling every few minutes. I highly recommend it.

I submitted an entry into the BlogPaws 2011 Contest. Check it out on
Facebook it is listed as BlogPaws2011 Fun For Everyone. You can't miss the pic of Chazz in his tent. BlogPaws is a community of people who blog about pets, and related issues. They are having a 3-day conference in August in Tyson's Corner, VA. (nope didn't make that name up) and I want to win the grand prize an all expense airfare, hotel, and conference pass.  Tell me what you think our chances are with the submission I created. Ok, keepin' it short....

Chazz, Getting Back to His Little Self

Chazz is definitely on the mend from his problem with his eye. Yay!  He's been taking his anit-biotics, his eye drops, and his pain pills like a little trooper. We are going back to the vet tomorrow for a recheck. In the course of his visits the vet noticed he has a loose tooth at the front of his mouth. She said, they could just pull it out under a little anesthesia. Well, is that the only treatment available?  I emailed a veterniary dentist and they said there is the possibility of saving the tooth. So  I will be making Chazz an appointment to go see these dentists in Pasadena. Why should it get pulled if they can keep it in his mouth. Wow, wonder what this is going to cost? Oh well, he deserves it.

Stay At Home Day

Chazz & I are keeping a low profile today. He is doing better and I believe soon will return to his little perky self...but we are not quite there yet. At yesterday's check-up, the vet saw the same improvement in the eye as I did - so that's good to know.  The vet also mentioned & showed me Chazz has a loose front tooth.

Carumba! I emailed a vet dentist who told me there were more options than just pulling the tooth which is what the vet said they could do. But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Right now I just am taking care of my little boy while he continues to mend.  What's new with you guys?

4:32 AM

I just woke a sleepy Chazz and gave him his pain medication, wrapped in some processed cheese of course. He managed to spit it out twice, but I finally got it past him buried in some stew.  His eye looks a lot better and that's good. We have a "no charge" recheck appointment this afternoon.

I'm still gnawing on this whole financial aspect at the vets. It makes a dog owner feel crummy, when you look like you can't afford to give your animal all the best treatments. I'm not sure about this issue. I mean I get it, the vet is a business. They have to get paid for services. But good grief, does it have to be so expensive?  In April I had Chazz's teeth cleaned. That was a bargain at $125.00.  I've seen it advertised at over $250.00. He had a wellness exam that started at $38.00 and I walked out of there 20 minutes later and paid $111.15. He was diagnosed with a slight ear infection.  This of course now becomes the argument for pet insurance. I've compared a few plans online; and have been thinking about purchasing some.

What has been your experience with paying for vet services where you live?

...follow me down the Chazz Road

The Adopted Mom to Chazz The Dog blog has been up for just a short time.  But that's cool, because it gives me the opportunity to welcome the people who have become "followers" at this early stage. Someday, when there are bunches & bunches of followers I won't be able to do it. So I want to take a moment, and actually tell the people who have jumped on this little bandwagon with Chazz & I how much we appreciate it:

#1 Mackerelhead - w/o him there would be no Chazz. see he is my landlord, who had the power to veto me bringing Chazz home. glad he saw things my way. lol

#2 K- is a very special lady, w/ a special little boy of her own...the human kind! 

#3 Outlaw - is the dog daddy to Lil' Eva Patron. a friend of many years & so much more I couldn't begin to explain it all. he's outlaw, what can i say.

#4 Dorian's Big Sis - well, again a special friend who has taught me a lot. some of it I didn't even know I needed to learn.

#5 & #6 Southern Cuzin' -  he's a smart, sexy, scientist, and he knows way more than I do about animals. i welcome his comments. woof to Maximus & Bear

#7 Blog Farm - thanks for accepting this blog for membership

#8  j - i gotta say this is the mystery follower. i think i know who you are, but i'm willing to leave it a secret as long as you do.

#9 Le Melange - here's a story. we met in another time in our lives when things were challenging for both of us. but we persevered, came out the other side, better for what we went through. 

So thanks to each of you, really. Chazz means so much to me  & this blog is my way of sharing that love. You guys are great. Now please go out and round up some more followers. See what I did there?  

XXOO

Back from the vet. Chazz is still feeling pretty puny. He had his eye, examined, flushed, stained, swabbed, wiped, eye-dropped, dilated, and pressure checked. He was prescribed pain meds, eye-drops, anti-biotics, other eye-drops, and he got a steroid shot in the office. Phew. And they're not 100% sure what's causing the problem.

Don't get me wrong. I did a lot of research before deciding on a vet hospital for my dog. I think these people are good, professional, who know their stuff. Their pricing structure is fair & equitable. It's just difficult when they tell you your dog is in pain, they're not sure if he's going to get better, they want to do blood work and other testing, on & on. I feel like a deadbeat mommy cause I can't just tell them to do anything and everything.  It's very upsetting.

But it doesn't really matter what I feel, it's the animal that counts.  I gave Chazz some food & hid his pain pill in that. I just gave him his eye drops, so will see how he does for the rest of the evening.  Okay I gotta go. I've kept him in all afternoon, and I think he is doing the doggy version of the pee-pee dance.  later......

A Little Memorial Day Excitement.. Not The Good Kind

Well, Chazz & I hope you all had a good holiday weekend. We had a little excitement around here yesterday, unfortunately. Chazz had been up for an hour or so, had breakfast, went out and checked his backyard.  All the usual routine.  I decided to go out on the front porch to read a book & relax. So I took Chazz's mat, a water bowl, one of his "babies" and set him up there as well. 

At a certain point, I was looking at Chazz straight on in the face and realized something was wrong. One of his eyes looked strange.  Upon closer examination, it looked like his eye was bloodshot, and not sitting correctly.  I started to panic, and get really scared. He was acting strangely too. Moving in a odd way.  Anyway to make a long story a little shorter; I decided to take him to the emergency clinic.   I'd never been to a pet emergency clinic before.  It's just like the human emergency room. Apparently over a holiday, pets get into as much mischief as humans too, but probably without the influence of alcohol. The lady came to the window and I told her about Chazz's eye.  She started jotting down notes on a form. Then turned it towards me and told me to fill the rest of it out & sign. She then told me it was going to be $90.00 to be seen. 

I said okay and she walked away. I was holding Chazz in my arms, which is unusual for him, he likes to be mobile all on his own. There was a big sign above the window that read, "No Billing. Payment Due When Services Rendered". I took the form from the clipboard, folded it, put it in my purse, and walked out. I don't know what all those other people in the waiting room thought. I just knew I didn't have the money to have him seen.

I put him back in the car and we went home. I was supposed to be getting together at a friend's house for a barbecue. I called, completely upset, feeling like a lousy adopted dog mommy, and told him what was going on. I said I didn't want to leave Chazz, and thought I better stay home with him. My friend who has 2 dogs, 2 cats, ferrets, fish, et. al. told me to come down anyway and bring Chazz with me. If I was going to be upset I might as well do it among friends, instead of home alone imagining the worst.


That's what we did. Chazz seemed to hold his own and I'm glad I went. My friend had a brand new toy for Chazz and he even got him to eat a little piece of hot dog.

It is now Tuesday and I'm trying to scrape together the money to take Chazz to his regular vet. The exam there is only $38.00, and at least then I will know what is going on, and how severe it is.   It may be Cherry Eye. I hope not because the recommended treatment for that is surgery.  Will update when I know more.

Watch Your Step!

No, this post is not about dog poop. (see what I did there?) Adopted Mom to Chazz The Dog blog is doing some remodeling. But the work crew knocked off early to enjoy Memorial Day Weekend. And by crew I mean Chazz & I, and by Chazz & I, I mean me.

So please don't mind our mess as we create new pages to highlight your comments, as well as your doggie's (& kitties) pictures. It is our hope, and by our I mean Chazz & I, that you find interesting, fun, content at this blog and return often.  Thanks & Have A Wonderful Holiday.

 

Big Thanks ...to The Blog Farm

The Blog Farm has reviewed and accepted the Adopted Mom to Chazz The Dog blog to be listed in the Directory at their Social Networking Site for Bloggers (wow now I'm a Blogger & a Ghostwriter!!). I'm really pleased about this.  With all four paws firmly planted on the ground, Chazz & I will move forward, onward, and upward, ta- dah!

What's In A Breed?

Is your dog similar to the description of the breed? My dog is a Terrier mixed w/Shibu Ina. So I went looking up the breed to see if it fit Chazz. Oh my goodness, does it ever! It's funny, because I realized had I known from the beginning - I might have passed on adopting this particular dog and kept on looking. What a sad thing that would have been, let me tell you. Chazz is my best buddy.


See, I learned that while they are smart, they are difficult to train, and not recommended for a first time dog owner.  That may have stopped me right there. They are strong-willed, especially if they sense the alpha dog / pack leader (that would be Me) is not strong. They don't like to share their food, toys, treats, etc. They can be somewhat aloof at times, not unlike a feline. They are "escape-artists" - I saw that the first full day I had Chazz and left him alone in the side yard for a few hours. Yep, he squeezed out between a wooden gate and a stucco wall for goodness sake!


In addition to those characteristics, Chazz is affectionate, lovable, loyal, fiercely protective, funny, and most often a joy to be around. More on this subject in future posts.

How do you think your dog's breed measures up??

Friends in The LBC!!!

Check out new pics of two of Chazz's friends who live down in Long Beach.  Bear & Max(imus) are a dynamic duo who I had the first hand pleasure of living with for several years. Their Dad is quite the animal lover and a good friend. He is never shy about telling me what he thinks of how I spoil Chazz. Oh well, what's wrong with a healthy difference of opinion?  Makes life interesting.

Waste Not Want Not - Dog Owners Rule

Quality dog food, treats, etc. are expensive. Sheesh! Given that is the case, I don't want to waste anything I get for Chazz. I also am very interested in varying his diet so he is always excited about his meals....

So, I bought these little biscuits and Chazz doesn't like them. Not to be outdone I came up with this solution and I am passing it on. Feel free to give it a try, it just may work out for you & your picky eater.

Put biscuits into a plastic container. Add a portion of water & milk, a few tablespoons depending on how much biscuit you have to use up. Enough to just barely cover the top of the biscuits. Place in refrigerator and let soak overnight. Next morning, microwave for a short time - be careful not to get it too hot -  and put into dog's bowl & serve. 

Sometimes I add a little crumbled slice of American Cheese as a garnish. (Chazz loves his cheese slices)  Chazz gobbles this up for breakfast or snack. The taste is good, and he forgets he didn't like it from before. I call it his hot cereal. This has worked with two different flavors of biscuits.

And no, I don't buy him biscuits any longer :)

Earnin' His Way- Puttin' Chazz Thru His Paces

Well, life has recently changed for little Chazz. In addition to his training to recognize the names of his stuffed animals; I got him a wooden puzzle. You know, it's kind of a knockoff of the expensive ones created by N.O. It's called a Flip Flap. Chazz figured out the slider part of it lickety split. He noses or paws the little caps over to expose the treats..and then gobbles them up!  The flap part of the game is tougher still. There are ratcheted wheels, one on either side that when moved will lift up two little flaps and expose the treat treasure inside. Wow, not sure I could figure that out without opposable thumbs. Chazz is still working on that, but has figured he can push at the hinge area and the flap will raise just enough for him to press his snout in there and get the prize. A-ha! That's using his doggy brain.

Anyway, all of this fun is just an introduction to the latest change. I am now using a Gentle Leader halter & leash with Chazz; and let me tell you he don't like it!  The Gentle Leader has a well done instructional video that comes with it, explaining how to fit your dog, use the item, and manage any problem behavior that arises. Easy, huh. Will see about that. Right now I am in the phase of trying to catch Chazz before he scrabbles the nose loop off his snout! Chazz is fairly dramatic when he is unhappy or doesn't want to do something. Oh well. I think he has a pretty good life and this will only enhance things for him....eventually.

What You Did For Your Dog...

I have a job interview today. That's right, an honest to goodness interview for an Office Manager position.  I hope I get it. Not just for me, but for Chazz The Dog as well. Since adopting Chazz, I have spent a lot of money that heretofore, I would have spent on my own needs. Chazz is worth every penny and more. The love, loyalty, playfulness, and all his other characteristics make me so happy & contented to be around him.  I have started training Chazz to recognize his little stuffed animal toys by name. Ultimately the goal is to train him to pick up his toys & put them away. I got him a little red toy basket to put his "babies" in at the end of the day. He's very smart and is doing well. We train at least two sessions per day. 

When I'm gone from home for any length of time, I literally can't wait to get back to him....What have you done for your dog recently? Share your story on the Chazz The Dog blog. Let everyone know what special things you do to show your dog (or cat) how much you love & appreciate them. And don't forget to send in a pic of your fur-baby so we can post it in Chazz's Canine Photo Gallery.

Dorian #1 in the Chazz Gallery of Pics!!!

Thank you to DORIAN for being the first to start off Chazz's picture gallery.  I especially want to thank him cuz he is a cat. And he lives in Maryland. Now I didn't expect Chazz's CanineClub Gallery to start off with a feline, but there you have it ! Dorian belongs to a friend of mine's mother, and he under the direction of  my friend - practices Yoga on a daily basis. As you can see in the pic he is very good at holding his position...

Chazz Responds

Chazz "asked" me to respond to a comment made by Drew:

"My Mom does not use "designer shampoo" when she gives me a bath. It is a simple oatmeal shampoo.Maybe what you smelled was my Dingo Dog, Doggy De-Funkifier Spray that she brushes into my fur between baths. She realized she might be trying to make me take baths too often so now I only get them if I am really stinky. Ha, Ha. So she sprays that stuff onto my fur and brushes it in. I think it smells pretty good, and I lick it sometimes too....  Thanks for greetings from Maximus & Bear.  I hope to meet them one day, and could you send me a pic of them? Woof

The Word Is Out!!

Chazz (& I) are very excited about the Blog. We are already have four followers!! Yipee!
Now if they will send in pics of their pets we can get the Chazz Canine Club Gallery up and running.
And don't forget to scroll down and check out the fish tank. When you click with your mouse "food" will appear and the fish will come a swimmin' for it.  I know it's silly...but this is all about having fun.

Blog Business

Today we are working on some new additions to the blog. Already added is Treat Tips a list of some of Chazz's favorite TREATS.  He really likes these treats whether I give them to him directly or in his treat ball.  Please send in your dog's favorites and we can add them to the list. Oh, BTW we are not getting any paid endorsement here, they just make his tummy feel yummy!!!

Chazz is very appreciative of his human followers; but he made a good point about dog friends. So we will soon be launching the Chazz Canine Club Gallery!  If you want to see a picture of your favorite four-legged friend, just email a small pdf or jpg and we will publish it. You can attach the pic to your comment on a posting.  Thanks, hope to hear from you....

Mother's Day Breakfast

Even though Chazz is not a Mom, I wanted him to have a special breakfast today. He is after all the "daddy" to all his little stuffed animal babies - Seymour (Sea Lion), Baby Duck, Donald (The Donkey),Birdie, and Eldon (The Elephant), who by the way Chazz doesn't know about the elephant yet.

He had broiled chicken, mashed yams and white potatoes, and a little green beans. That's right I cooked for the dog. lol  Right before I got Chazz I read all this stuff online about making your own dog food. Well, I thought I was going to do that,cheaper, healthier.... but no not so much. So recently on a very warm day I thought I would test out a few things. With a brand of yogurt that turned out  he did not care for...I made him peanut butter and yogurt ice cream. Froze them in mini ice cube trays...he loves 'em! Not such a big hit was fresh spinach, and orange juice pops. But I will keep trying.

Varying his diet just to keep him interested is key. Of course he has his favorite brand of "crunchies" dry dog food that he gets everyday. And then there are The Treats! Oh boy, several different brands of treats I have come to buy for him. Bil-Jac, Zukes, Mother Hubbard to name his favorites. He gets those for training or in his treat ball. Treat ball, that was a really good purchase. He has to work for the treats, as he moves the ball with either his snout or his paw to get the opening to shoot out the little treats. I fill the treat ball daily and I give him two sessions with it. The cooked food is just for once in awhile.  Okay gotta go see what he's up to outside....

Woof & Welcome

I want to welcome everybody to my new blog site.  Chazz the Dog has entered my life and I want to talk about it to all of you who love your dog fur-babies.  I hope you enjoy what you read, and even contribute whenever possible, or when we've gotten you riled up, or for whatever reason. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and read on!!!!