Archive for the ‘dogs’ Category

If I, Corky the shelter dog, look puzzled in this picture, I am.

I had to ask why is Dexter our rescue kitty lying down in my bed smacking his lips after eating tuna? The answer I expected is NOT because he has tuna juice on his lips!

Let’s try that again, only with a more direct question: WHY is Dexter in MY BED?!!

He’s cute. He’s a kitten. I get it. He’s so cute I want to gag sometimes! I let him play wrestle and tackle me then let him win. Sam our cat does, too. He uses my bushy tail for a toy. I let him.

Dexter has been living here 12 short days while going from abandoned and dumped on the street in our neighborhood to King of the Castle. Let’s hope he matures quickly and learns to share the wealth with the cat and me.

We love the little rascal and want him to stay a part of our happy family, so it’s okay if I let him borrow my bed. He needs to learn it’s still mine!

Who would have guessed the impact of the price of gas and doggy parks? The photo shown is Mill Slough Dog Park near home in Kissimmee, Florida. I go there lately because it is 5 minutes away by car.

It is enclosed with a run for larger dogs yet rather small compared to my favorite doggy park and the play area is shared by small and big dogs alike.

Any doggy park visit is better than staying home, so I am NOT COMPLAINING.

The cost of gas for a 2 hour round trip means some animal pal families may not be able to afford going often. That’s the case locally as the price of gas continued to rise in recent months. Mill Slough is not bad, but the biggest problem is being the only dog there almost every time I visit.

Happily gas prices are dropping and I may get back on track to visit my fave park more often. Crosses paws. Says doggy prayer.

Dogs kept as pets do work. Don’t think we do? I’m on security duty 24/7. That’s a sweet assignment because a dog can sleep on the job and not get in trouble.

Outside the house even pet dogs on squirrel patrol are doing their job.

Dogs can sleep with one eye open and hear intruders to sound the alarm by barking to scare them away.

I do a low “grrrrr” sound if I suspect something wrong, and then bark like a big dog to wake up my parents as a backup plan.

The photo here is me, Corky the shelter dog, as taken a few days ago with me looking up at a treed gray squirrel and sniffing his tiny little squirrel tracks.

Personally, I’m trained to “leave it” if told to ignore everything from trash, glass, or cigarette butts to cats, dogs, birds, or squirrels. Playing off leash I once allowed a squirrel to pass across a large open space of the park where I was playing fetch because Dad said “Leave it.”

Dog training is not always easy to obey.

Squirrels are less trouble in trees, so any of them found frolicking on the ground will be promptly chased up a tree by most dogs. To chase or not to chase is a tough decision for dogs on squirrel patrol.

Since Dad and I have been going 5-7 miles every day on walkies, he’s lost 10-15 lbs and I gained 1/2 lb plus one new friend, Buddy the cat. Earlier on the main site, a new Corky kitty pal video was released, and it’s being shown here, too:

Watch me, Corky the shelter dog, and my new buddy Buddy (the cat) as we meet on the street next to his house. For the hearing impaired you may want to view the video and read the narration while watching my buddy Buddy on the main site, or look for the video on my YouTube channel being uploaded soon.

The portrait photo here is me, Corky the shelter dog, on a visit last week to Mills Slough Dog Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

The dog park is an enclosed area within the larger human park. The photo is in the human park before going in to play in the dog park section.

The tree shown fell over a bajillion years ago, so there’s roots above ground and hollow places for dogs to explore and have fun. As you can see, the roots are BIG and have bark just like branches above ground.

Why am I off leash in the human part of the park? Mostly because I behave and listen to commands like “leave it”. I do “leave it” for squirrels, cats, dogs, people, trash, glass, cigarette butts, and just about anything if Dad says so.

Children could learn from that lesson. With privilege comes responsibility. Be good and you get cool privileges like playing off leash inside (and outside) places similar to Mills Slough Dog Park.

Stay tuned. I have video footage of me climbing that tree to be released soon. The photo here will be the still shot intro at the beginning as voted on by my pals on Twitter.

Sam our cat is 10 years older than me and it took 2 years in my forever home for us to become pals. Yesterday Dad took video of both of us pets play wrestling and posted it as a new episode in my life story as Corky the shelter dog.

Later he uploaded it to my YouTube account, so here’s the YouTube version of “Play Wrestle or Play Dead”:

You can follow the link to my Life Story (above) to see all 8 episodes, or visit my 17 doggy videos on YouTube that include even more entertainment with cats, dogs, ducks, and more!

If you didn’t know already, pets DO celebrate holidays! This 2011 Valentine card for me, Corky, arrived Saturday in the mail.

Today is Valentine’s Day and the photo here shows me, Corky the shelter dog, reading a card from my cutie patootie puppy pal @Niqqi on Twitter. She lives in Illinois which is far far away from Florida, so the mailman brought me the card. Inside it reads:

Dear Corky,

Wishing you the pinkest Valentine’s Day ever!

Fluffs,

Niqqi – 2011

The photo features a closeup of the Valentine’s card (center), and then me looking up (left) while holding the card, and then me looking down (right) and reading the card.

Thank you! Thank you, Niqqi!

This commercial for Travelers Insurance is a classic and a must see for all my puppy pals. After adding this to my list of faves on YouTube I decided to put it here on my blog, too.

The doggy in this video looks a little bit like me. However, even though I might become a shelter dog film or television star one day… that is not Corky in makeup, but he might be my cousin!

No dog should have to worry worry about their bone or health and safety. I’m a rescue dog and encourage my readers to consider a visit to their local shelter if you need a pet and maybe you will adopt a puppy or kitty.

Today was another spoiled day in the life with Corky the shelter dog story as I got this stuffed toy owl from the flea market. For those from another state or planet, a flea market is NOT a place to get fleas, and besides that doggies should never have to buy them.

In some places a flea market is called a swap meet where people sell new or used stuff for a bargain. I didn’t see anyone swap stuff so why swap meet and I didn’t see any fleas, so why flea market? Humans are confusing!

Whatever you call it, Mom and Dad took me to the Orange County Fairgrounds Flea Market because they allow dogs. Last time we went I barked at half the people I met and some were scared. They don’t know the difference between a friendly bark and a you’re-gonna-get-bit bark. I only have a friendly bark (*Psst – look for the wagging tail as a sign of a friendly bark).

Anyway, the stuffed toy owl shown here was brand spanking new and made like the raccoon stuffed animal I got for Christmas. It’s lasted for months and months without a squeakerectomy, so the parents thought the owl was a good idea! Guess what. It wasn’t for sale.

Today I didn’t bark at half the people I met – maybe 1 in 10, and not at the man selling the owl toy. He LOVED doggies and thought I was extra extra cute and said “For Corky, it’s free!” He even gave me water and ice from his ice chest for a cool treat.

There you have it pals. If going to the flea market don’t worry about fleas. Next, always be friendly and extra cute and you might get free toys, too!

The residents of Winter Park should consider electing Steve Leary and Sarah Sprinkel to the city commission on March 8th for their public stand on Fleet Peeples Dog Park support.

The photo shown and taken earlier today is me, Corky the shelter dog, posing on a tree stump while exploring the wooded area of the park. Why do I endorse these candidates?

The city of Winter Park in Florida is home to Fleet Peeples Dog Park on Lake Baldwin, and last fall the city imposed a fee per dog to use the park effective January 1, 2011.

For now collecting the fee at the park is in limbo because the machine intended to collect the fee and issue a receipt has not been installed. Mr. Leary and Ms. Sprinkel are in favor of repealing the fee.

Quoting Mr. Leary from his website in reference to the park fee he states “The fees collected will not come close to equaling the expense required to enforce the fees. Only in government can you make such a fiscally, lopsided decision”.

Visitors to my website, my 3,200+ friends on Twitter, and fans of my blog and YouTube videos are encouraged to tweet their support for these candidates. Help me help them protect my most favorite place in the universe!

Visit their individual websites to learn more at Elect Steve Leary for Winter Park City Commission Seat #1 and Elect Sarah Sprinkel for Winter Park City Commission Seat #2 on March 8, 2011.

UPDATE 9 March 2011: Both candidates I endorsed won yesterday! Congratulations to Sarah Sprinkel and Steve Leary. With their support the repeal of the dog park fee at Fleet Peeples is one step closer to success! Puppy power may have helped!

FINAL UPDATE: Success! The access fee was repealed on a 3-2 vote by Ms Sprinkel and Mr Leary plus mayor Ken Bradley as reported in this article repeal announced in the Orlando Sentinel.