Happy Valentine's Day!

Sending hugs and kisses on Valentine's Day from Tess, Jazz, and Indy!

Thanks, Santa!

Tess, Jazz, and Indy had a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of new toys and treats.

The three Dals join together to open a gift.

Two heads are better than one!!

Indy's favorite toy in the world is a rather beat up, semi-stuffed bunny.  He keeps tabs on it throughout the day and takes it with him when he settles down to sleep.  The poor thing is chewed up and ragged, but I finally found a brand new bunny for Indy to enjoy.  We'll see if he likes the new one or sticks with his old standby.

Thanks, Santa!  Here are the Dals in the aftermath of their Christmas morning flurry of gift opening.  A very Merry Christmas was had by all!

Happy Holidays!

From our house (and barn) to yours, wishing you a very happy holiday season!

Tess

Jazz

Indy

... and Rocky, too!

Holiday Hospital Visit

Tonight, all three Dals went for a holiday pet therapy visit to UPMC Passavant, dressed in their holiday finest.

As in years past, we had requests to snap pics of the dogs before we could even sign in for our pet therapy duties!  Everyone loved Tess, Jazz, and Indy in their Santa suits.

If you couldn't tell from the photo above, here's a closeup of Tess wearing her Santa hat and beard!  It was a big hit with the patients.  For as stubborn as Tess can be, I have to hand it to the girl...she wore that hat and beard for nearly an hour and a half without any fuss at all!!  I think she knew how much joy she was bringing the patients and staff in her holiday outfit.

I'm proud of the Dals for the great therapy work they do all year round, but I'm always thrilled that we can bring smiles to the faces of patients who are in the hospital during the holiday season.  We are truly blessed to have the companionship of these awesome dogs! 

Cover Girl Jazz!!

Found out yesterday that the photo above will be on the FRONT COVER of the 2014 AAA PetBook!!  I submitted the photo in the fall of 2012 and was told that it was not accepted for publication in the 2013 edition but that the judges had set the photo aside for consideration for the front cover in 2014.  Sure enough, I got a call from AAA yesterday that Jazz's photo was chosen for the cover of the book, which will be published around May of 2014!!  Along with the honor of being on the book cover, Jazz also won some very nice prizes, too.  I'm very excited to share a great photo from our Outer Banks vacation, as well as my beautiful brown cover girl!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Jazz!

Although Jazz officially turns 6 today, she started celebrating yesterday with her agility friends at B&D Creekside Activity Center.

Jazz in her party hat with her cake.  

OK, I'll wear the hat if that's what I have to do to get some birthday cake!!

Ah, Mom...my cake is on FIRE!!!!

At last, Jazz gets to eat some of her birthday cake.  I tried a new recipe with banana and applesauce and carob chips.  Not surprisingly, all the dogs loved it!

This morning, Jazz got to open her birthday gifts.  Here she is with her head in a gift bag from Aunt Mariann, Uncle Jim, Sammie, and Blaze.

Thanks, Aunt Mariann and Uncle Jim!  We all love the leopard and the owl.

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to Jazz and all her siblings!  It's been another great year with my little liver Dal.  Jazz has earned titles in agility, rally, and obedience this year and continues her work as a Therapy Dog.  She is my heart's dog, and I enjoy every minute with her.

Snow Frisbee

Here's a little video of a new game Indy invented while playing frisbee in the snow today.  Rather than the typical toss, fetch, and return, Indy decided that it was more fun to hike the frisbee through his back legs and then turn around and pounce on it.  As you can see in the video, there were times when he got some pretty good distance!  After the girls decided it was too cold to stay out in the snow, Indy entertained himself with his new game.