so i decided that we should make our own … and of course, utilizing the Kongs is the easiest method.  so here’s one recipe that was a total hit …

get some quality yogurt … good probiotics for the dogs, and my girl needs more probiotics.   if you don’t already have some Benny Bully’s freeze-dried liver kicking around the house, you should!   a half-dozen to a dozen pieces run through the coffee- … er … liver-grinder … yes, we have a coffee-grinder that is just for pet stuff, and one that is strictly for our coffee.

mix the powdered liver and yogurt in a bowl … mmm … now taste.  no!  just kidding.

i actually used a small “Tidbit” treat normally used in merrick’s puzzle ball to fill the bottom ‘nipple’ of the kong.  then stuff your Kongs…

seal up with plastic wrap and stick ‘em in the freezer.

but before you do that, don’t forget to toss the scruffies a few tidbits or liver pieces.

and be sure to employ a good quality clean-up crew …

of course, frozen Kongs aren’t a new idea.  we dog-guardians have been doing it ever since Kongs hit the market in the late ’70s.  but sometimes we just need a reminder that it is simple.  yogurt is the best way to go — provided your dog doesn’t have any issues with it — as it’s got lots of benefits … and you can mix so many things in it!  mashed banana, peanut butter, mashed berries like blueberries or raspberries.  i went with the powdered liver first because it’s easy, and i know it’s something that my guys can’t resist and this was merrick’s first time working on a Kong.

and he sorta kinda loved it …

have fun with your Kong-sicles … and feel free to share your recipes in the comments below!

but merrick crept into his first agility class … had to be bolstered up by play with his ball … and he was the only dog for whom the tunnel had to be compressed, since the full 20′ was far too daunting, even with me at the other end cheering him on.  each obstacle was met with a certain amount of trepidation, but with a few passes, and sometimes a little ingenuity on my part to encourage him past his fears, his confidence grew.  and today he flew through the short seven-piece course in the shortest time in class!  in fact, his drive to move forward to each piece, now that the concept of running a course is clicking with him, was more than i ever expected.  it felt like i actually have an agility dog in the making!

and for having secured the fasted time in class, merrick came home with a bag of goodies …

and he wasn’t much into sharing them with matea …

of course, i would rather be showing you photos of my boy in class, but my hands are pretty full when i’m there.

and no worries, Allison, i’ve made him share his goody-bag with matea.  see you in two weeks for the start of the next level!

in fact, the final challenge for the group’s 2010 project was a ‘handing-over-the-reins’ or ‘passing-the-torch’ challenge for those die-hard 52-Weekers who are continuing with another year-long project through 2011 and perhaps switching dogs for their project.   since the passing of the project from matea to morley from 2009 to 2010 was a leash-theme …

… i followed my same theme this year with merrick to matea …

of course, knowing i had this challenge coming up, i’ve been working hard with merrick on his ‘fetch’ command, but it’s still not strong enough for him to actually ‘bring’ me matea.  when she refused to budge, he let go.  but you gotta give the little guy props for trying!

i’ve mentioned the 52 Weeks for Dogs project on the blog before, but for those who don’t know about it, 52 Weeks for Dogs is a “project-oriented” flickr group that was launched at the start of 2009, the premise being to envision, set-up, shoot and share a specific photo each week.  what had originally started as something i intended to do as a one-year project for my girl matea, ended up being a bit of a phenomenon.  within weeks of its inception and completely unpredicted, the 52 Weeks for Dogs group became an extremely active, vibrant, tight-knit community where its generous members share everything from dog-information to photography tips, and everything else in between.

of course, 2010 was supposed to be morley’s year.  it started off strong …

… but sadly, morley’s brain tumor took him from us in april.

because merrick had been rescued as a companion for morley during what were to be his final months, it seemed only fitting that merrick should continue morley’s 2010 project, and the deeply sympathetic members of the 52 Weeks group agreed.  so, without missing a week in the project, merrick made his appearance …

… with a bath photo as well, of course.

we had a blast throughout the year.  merrick overcame his incredible fear of the camera (as you can tell!) — of course, it doesn’t hurt that i’ve got just a little experience in that department — and like many members of the group who commit to photographing their dogs weekly, the year-long project produced some of my favorite photos of the little goober, photos i would never have had if not for the commitment to the group.

but now it’s matea’s turn.  this girl means the world to me, and as she enters her 9th year, i’m looking forward to redirecting my cameras onto her again.  it’s time for merrick to hand over the leash …

… even though he makes it amply — and loudly — clear that he doesn’t like playing second fiddle.  i think in 2011 merrick is going to prove a greater challenge in matea’s photo sessions than matea will!

thank you to everyone in the the 52 Weeks for Dogs group.  YOU are what makes this group so sensational and you’re a pleasure to share photos and more with.  and to those of you not continuing with a 2011 project,  you know we’re going to miss you somethin’ fierce!  happy new year to you all, and all the best to you, your 4-leggers, and your photographic endeavors.

with over two dozen  dogs and even more people from all over, there wasn’t much opportunity for shooting.  we moved at a pretty good clip over the two hours, and often the trail was only wide enough for two-abreast, so when it did open up a bit, i literally grabbed a few quick shots.

i wanted to get some shots of merrick’s new Cascade Bodysuit by K9 Topcoat in Oregon.  i’ve used K9 Topcoat products for years now, and seriously, nothing else out there comes close.  the Cascade is waterproof, windproof, and breathable … best of all it’s a stretch material which allows full range of motion.  although merrick inherited all of morley’s awesome winter gear, he needs this kind of coverage since his fine hair balls up with snow very quickly.  no doubt he’ll be modeling morley’s neoprene boots which i made two years ago as well; he did fine today without.

i had the legs of the Cascade taken up at a local tailor last week, but they didn’t take them up high enough … so a few more alterations.  sure wish i had a sewing machine.

merrick had a great time.  he didn’t do the kind of hunting he does when out with big sister matea, but it was a great experience for him to be in that sea of dogs and shuffling legs.  to watch him carry himself with so much more confidence now, that tail almost always straight up, shows me just how far this boy has come.

thanks, Tami and everyone, for an awesome hike.  see you at the group walk in a couple of weeks!

given that i don’t approve of dog parks and have seen — first-hand — many ruined dogs from bad dog-park experiences, this isn’t an avenue i have any interest in exploring, especially with super-sensitive Merrick.   however, with a group of pre-approved, stable dogs, i’m certainly game.

the group was made up of a good number of large dogs … which is neither here nor there for Merrick.  he loves all dogs.  it’s their energy that dictates whether he’s going to move forward and engage, or hang back, reserved.

Tami did a great job of getting the dogs moving …

including her own little firecracker, Indie …

but Merrick stuck close … not out of fear or concern, but more — i sensed — because he knows who his pack is.  now, if Matea had been with us and charging forward with the other dogs, you wanna bet Merrick would have been right in the thick of this crew.  but … whenever i turned around, this is what i saw … goober.

then again, the likes of these two were a bit much for him …

there were some crazy goings-ons.

i thought for sure he’d find some camaraderie in this s-wheatie …

and although he did make friends, it was Bailey, the hound pictured behind him, with whom Merrick had the closest bond and most fun.  i didn’t dare snap the shutter on any of the antics Merrick shared with Bailey … crazy zoomies and wild, zany circles of sheer joy … for fear that he’d stop at the sound of the camera.

i do hope we get to meet up with Bailey again because he seemed to bring Merrick to life after an hour of only moderate engagement with the rest of the dogs.  in fact, it was only moments after Merrick’s Bailey-induced rebirth that he turned his full attention onto this little sweetie, who really wanted nothing more than to stick to her owner’s ankles …

Merrick tried all of his new-found tricks … even a couple of back flips which i didn’t manage to capture … but still couldn’t get the little dollface to play …

all-in-all, a great outing.  we look forward to more social play dates, and i fully expect to see Merrick come out of his puppymill/abuse-shell more and more with each session.  thanks, Tami, and to all those who attended!  and i promise, as more play dates take place, i’ll be able to grab better photos.  i was wary of snapping too many since each time i clicked, Merrick — the former camera-terrified terrier — would stop all play and come running back to me to pose.  little bugger.

… and that’s one of my new favorite clients Macy on the cover.  her mom enjoyed her calendar session so much earlier this summer that she booked a Standard which we shot just this past weekend … so stay tuned for more of this tough-girl sweetheart!

just as with last year, scruffy dog photography designed and shot the entire calendar.  sessions were won by contestants who submitted photos of their pets earlier in the year.  it should go on record that SDP has no say as to who makes the cut from the submitted photos.  it is my understanding that these are narrowed down through voting by KWHS staff.  photos are then posted on the KWHS site and put to the public for voting.

sadly, one of the winning entries — Jack, owned by Julie Owens — passed away from lymphoma and was not able to be photographed for the calendar.  Julie now shares her home with newly adopted Molly, and as part of my upcoming 2011 shelter dogs program, i am extending Julie a discount on a scruffy dog photo session, should she choose to have Molly photographed.

in the meantime, the 2011 calendar is ready.  calendars sell for $15, and all profit goes to the animals at the shelter … so, as always, feel free to throw in a little extra!  there are a couple of ways you can get yours …

- you can pick up your calendar in person at the KWHS at 250 Riverbend Drive in Kitchener … BUT before you head over there, please take a moment and check out the KWHS Wish List — items needed by the orphaned animals.  this includes everything from cleaners to office supplies, kitty litter and collars.  maybe you’ve got some of this stuff lying around the house and can haul it over there when you go to pick up your calendar!

- you can go to their website right now and order online using their easy “Buy Now” button, and pay with PayPal.  ($3 for shipping.)

- and for scruffy dog clients … if you’d like to pick up at the studio, or add a calendar (or several!) to your order, just drop me a line.

here’s a peak at what’s inside your 2011 calendar …

now … let’s help out those orphaned animals!

… as we joined Tami Packham, Certified Educator Trainer, of Waterloo Dog, for an awesome group walk.  (and yes, merrick’s up there.)  it was a big group and hard to cram into a frame.  next time we’ll try stairs, guys.

merrick made a ton of friends along the way, and hopes to enjoy playdates in the future …

… even if they’re a terrifying twelve-legged norwich  tarantu-terrier …

i’d have taken more photos, but was truly enjoying the break.  what an awesome morning!  and coffee courtesy of Bark & Fitz.  thanks, everyone!  see you next month!  and thanks, Tami, for such a great monthly group.

NOTE: for anyone at the walk this morning who would like a digital copy of the top image, let me know.  you can’t tell from the blog-sized image, but it’s a good, clear image of everyone … if you happened to want a print of a bunch of nutty people with their dogs in Waterloo Park, that is. 

with so many clients and so many photos, i haven’t taken any time to teach myself video editing.  this magical piece by Anja reminds me of how much I need to get some video of my girl Matea while she still possesses some of her vibrancy and power.  this is the kind of artwork i can only dream of, one day, making of my girl.

enjoy …

and if the embedded video stutters or acts funky, you can go watch it on youtube or on Anja’s dogscanbark website.

the latest vaccine article — The Vaccination Overview –  is written by Dr. Jean Hofve, DVM and is a must-read for any pet-owner.   it’s also been added to the The Truth About Vaccines page at the bottom of the scruffy dog blog.

the article is a great all-around overview, highlighting some of the advances made in the thinking regarding vaccination protocols … at least, advances with some vets.  For instance:

Multiple studies have shown that the vaccines for parvovirus, canine distemper, and feline panleukopenia provide extremely good, long-term protection from disease—8 to 10 years or more. This is true whether your pet received the puppy or kitten series (with the last vaccine given at or after 16 weeks of age), or for older animals after a single vaccine.

as the caretaker for your 4-legger(s) and their only voice, please take the time to educate yourself on the need for vaccines, but also the very real dangers of vaccines and over-vaccination.  as most of you already know, the original “scruffy dog” was lost at the age of only 4 years because of vaccines given at a time when he should not have received them.  as such, it is a subject very close to my heart.

and as Dr. Hofve writes:  “As much as we all love animals, nobody cares about your pet as much as you do—so it’s up to you to do the right thing!”

Note: although the Only Natural Pet Store is US based, it is a great resource for articles and information.  check it out sometime.

why is he one of my favorites?  because he’s a lab and he’ll do just about anything for treats. 

and because he’s a big, fun-loving goofball …

… who only pretends to be a hunting dog when he hears a pretend noise.

plus, the camera just loves him, no matter what he’s doing.

thanks for the fun, Cynthia and Shane, and most of all Wrigley.  i can’t wait to see your gorgeous face on canvas!