This is one hilarious dog bark

Pupdate

While on the topic of Leah's blog earlier in the week (World's Largest Dog), Bryson has become HUGE! We took him to the vet's office on Monday. We figured he was maybe close to 40lbs. However, we were greatly mistaken. He is now 51 lbs! A little over 4 months old and 51 lbs. That is a big Labrador pup! We also recently changed his food to Nutro Lamb and Rice Puppy Chow. Along with containing more natural ingredients, it also has growth-control. This will help him not grow so fast and avoid joint problems that many large breeds often have. During this visit he also received his last set of shots until next year! Yay!

Later this week we took him to the beach and he went into the water all by himself for the first time! We are very proud parents.

Bryson's next adventure will be a 17-hour road trip to Massachusetts to visit my parents on Wednesday. Good thing he loves car rides! Check up next Friday for updates on how he did on the drive and meeting his Auntie Mosie (a 14 year-old, one-eyed, arthritic, happy-as-can-be yellow lab)!

Upcoming Events

TONIGHT: 5-8pm. Lowcountry Golden Retriever Rescue Doggie Dining at Dog and Duck in Mt. Pleasant. Visit www.lcgrr.org for directions.

April 28th: 10-6pm. Three Dog Bakery GRAND OPENING in downtown Charleston at 430 King St. The JASPCA will be showing off adoptable pooches and will be the recipient of the day's proceeds. Special door prizes for dogs and their humans will be awarded throughout the day. There will be plenty of our delicious home-made bones, paw-shaking, intriguing canine-versations and tail waggling galore. Call 843-937-9895 for more information.

April 28th: 10-3PM. Southeastern Therapy Animal Resources (STAR) Introductory Therapy Dog Workshop at the Franke Home in Mt. Pleasant. Registration forms and additions information can be obtained by contacting Barbara Dengler at 843-849-8201 or via e-mail at fluffydogtherapy@comcast.net.

April 28th: 10-2pm. Lowcountry Lab Rescue Meet and Greet at Whole Foods Market, Houston Northcutt Blvd., Mt. Pleasant. Talk with Lowcountry Lab Rescue volunteers and find out more about adoption and foster opportunities. Adoptable Labradors will be on-site.

April 29th: 10am. Hilton Head Humane Assoc.'s 10th Annual Dog Walk on the Beach. The walk takes place on Hilton Head, at Coligny Beach. 200 walkers and sponsors registered last year. Prizes for canine contests, top money collectors, and companies. There will be vendors set up for free give-aways and several fabulous raffles. Information or registration by calling HHH at 843-681-8686.

Hercules: The World's Biggest Dog According to Guinness World Records

Hercules was recently awarded the honorable distinction of Worlds Biggest Dog by Guinness World Records. Hercules is an English Mastiff and has a 38 inch neck and weighs 282 pounds. With "paws the size of softballs" (reports the Boston Herald), the three-year-old monster is far larger and heavier than his breed's standard 200lb. limit. Hercules owner Mr. Flynn says that Hercules weight is natural and not induced by a bizarre diet: "I fed him normal food and he just grew".... and grew. and grew. and grew.

Bark After Dark

If you've ever wanted a place to walk your dogs after hours make sure to vote for the Bark After Dark project . It's one of the ideas presented in the New Ideas for a New South Carolina Contest. Vote here.

Therapy Dogs Help Virgina Tech Students Cope

Watch the full CNN report here.
Hooray for Therapy dogs (and the people who take the time to train them!)

Pupdate

First of all, I added a pic to last week's Pupdate. Check it out, it's pretty cute.

Bryson is getting huge. Monday we are bringing him to the vet for his 4months checkup. I am estimating that he weighs about 40lbs now. HUGE! We have become regulars at downtown Charleston's dog park on Rutledge. We go about three times every week. Most dogs are there around 5pm. There have been anywhere from two to twenty dogs there at a time. Bryson has made a lot of friends there. His favorites to play with are Bailey the boxer and Bailey the black lab. They are both about his age (not his size though!). He has so much fun running around with them. The dog park is a great place to take your dog for some socializing and exercise.

As you can see from the picture above, Bryson is good as socializing with humans too!!

Upcoming Events

April 22: 6:30PM "All Things Italian"-A benefit for the Pet Helpers Rescue at Sienna Restaurant on Daniel Island. The evening will feature a four course meal prepared by four area chefs and each course will be paired with an appropriate wine. A silent auction will also offer incredible items such as a brunch prepared for six by Sienna chef Ken Vidrinkski during a private cruise on his boat. Tickets are $125 and are very limited. Call Beverly McElroy at Pet Helpers for more information, 906-6673

April 25: 5-8PM Lowcountry Golden Retriever Rescue Doggie Dining at Dog and Duck in Mt. Pleasant. Visit www.lcgrr.org for directions.

Labbie Hour!

Wednesday, April 18, 5-7PM @ Parson Jack's Cafe: Come share a cold beverage with Lowcountry Lab Rescue volunteers and America's favorite breed. Find out about volunteering, fostering and adopting. Adoptable Labradors will be there for slobbery kisses and tail wags. No cover. Entrees $5-$10

Parson Jack's Cafe
3417 Shelby Ray Court
West Ashley, Charleston, SC
(off Glenn McConnell Parkway)

*Pets must be restrained/leashed at all times

lowcountrylabrescue.org

Pupdate
Bryson's First Pet

So it may be cliche, but we bought a bunny on Easter. His name is Bunny. We decided to introduce Bunny to Bryson, slowly. During their first meeting, Bryson was semi-rough with Bunny, nipping at him and shoving him with his nose. Each time he did this we pulled him away from the bunny telling him to be gentle. And each time he did this Bunny pretty much didn't move (I think he may have gone into shock). His second meeting, however, was much different and very successful. We put both Bunny and Bryson on the bed together. Within minutes Bunny and Bryson were cuddling. If Bryson moved away, Bunny would hop towards him to get closer. Over the past week they have become best buds. Unfortunately, my camera is out of commission and I am still trying to figure out how to download the pics from my camera phone onto my computer. Once I figure that out I will put up the pics of Bryson and Bunny, as I have several :)

Upcoming Events

Saturday, April 14th...so much to do with your pup!

-10am-4pm: PetFest 2007. Mt. Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park. Pets are encouraged to bring their humans to this fun outdoor event featuring entertainment, educational exhibits, vendors, a microchip clinic, charity dog walks and great food for all. Fee $3, pets get in FREE! Call 795-FUN for more information. Lowcountry Dog Magazine will he hosting our annual cover model contest at PetFest. Entry into the contest is free and a winner will be chosen to grace a future cover of LCD! While you're there, come meet and greet black lab puppy Bryson from lowcountrydog.com's "Pupdates."

-9am-1pm: Lowcountry Lab Rescue & Charleston Dog Show Meet and Greet. Farmer's Market, Marion Square, Downtown Charleston. Come talk to Lowcountry Lab Rescue volunteers and find out more about the upcoming Charleston Dog Show!

-April 14th and 15th. 11am-4pm. Palmetto Animal League Adoptions at Bluffton, SC Petsmart visit. www.palmettoanimalleauge.org for more information.

Great Dane Design My husband and I are building a house so I've been searching the net a lot for sources for everything from door hinges to lampshades. Ran across Decor Maison on Desire to Inspire when I was looking for wallpaper and found this fantastic image of a Great Dane and their black print wallpaper. Love it!

Ah, joy.

I love internet treasures like this one. Followed by this shot. With this gem as the grand finale.

When Raising Children, Lead By Example

Wow, this is nuts. Maverick researcher Shaun Ellis raises abandoned wolf cubs and teaches them by example how to survive in the wild. In A Man Among Wolves, see Shaun's unorthodox approach to understanding wolves’ every move—living and behaving like them, howling, licking, and snarling like them, even eating carcass meat like them. (now that's commitment!) According to the National Geographic Channel: " This one-hour special documents this man’s incredible journey to better grasp the complex nature of wolf society by immersing himself in their world as their accepted leader. It is a curious study that provides Shaun with one-of-a-kind insight into this feared predator."

Can a human teach wolves to be wild? Are they learning real skills to survive from this man? Or is this just TV magic? What can we learn about interacting with our dogs from this human/wolf experiment?

Check out the trailer here.

Airs on the National Geographic Channel at 9P on Monday, April 16th. Also airs: Tuesday, April 17 Friday, April 2.

Preventing "Puppy Overboard!"

The weather's getting warmer and you know what that means...time to hit the beach, take a dip in the pool or have a nice afternoon cruise on the boat. All these activities can, and for most pet owners, will involve your dog. To be sure that your dog is safe this summer during his or her water activities, consider purchasing a doggy life vest. My favorite life vest that I have found is made by Paws Aboard. Their life jackets are fashionable while still providing buoyancy and security for your dog. It also features a mesh underbelly for draining and drying. This doggy life vest as well as other Paws Aboard products for your sailor pup are available at petstreetmall.com or by clicking here!

Poet Pics.

People sometimes wonder why I don't post more photos and stuff about Poet, so here's some recent photos of her. We went to visit dad ( my husband, Chris) in his office but he was busy talking on the phone with a client. So we entertained ourselves with a little mini photo shoot and had a great time distracting him.

Wild Orchid


Bonny Lass

Homeward Bound

Last week, Boston Terrier Mickey, originally from Kansas City, was found 1,100 miles away from home in Billings, Montana. He had disappeared from his home 4 years ago and had not been seen since. Mickey was picked up and brought to the Billings Animal Shelter. Fortunately, Mickey's owners had microchipped him as a puppy. The shelter used the microchip to find his family back in Kansas City. He was returned to his owners last week. Read the full story and watch a video of Mickey's happy homecoming by clicking here. Or type http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/05/missing.dog.ap/index.html into your browser.