I never had a more delicious meal until a tight knot in my stomach stopped me in my tracks, and let’s just say, it was a good thing I was outside for what happened next.

After a begrudging visit to the vet, I learned the words “gluten intolerance.” Who would’ve thought that a dog powerful enough to herd sheep and fast enough to keep predators away—is defeated by an ordinary grain?

I don’t like to think about it. My weak stomach inspired Mom to gather recipes that help me feel and perform my best without worrying about explosions in and out of my gut—apologies for the TMI.

My Fav Recipes

A couple of my favorite recipes from the book include Salmon Fudge, Liver and Potato Treat, and Chicken and Rice Popsicle. I’m drooling just thinking about them. Kaleo says he “doesn’t care for any gluten-free snacks,” but he tries to steal my food whenever I’m not watching. I wonder where he learned that one?

I even caught him taking a bite out of my sweet potato treat, or as he calls it, “orange rat.” Gross right? I don’t like to think about that either, but I do like to think about my next treat! I’ll make sure that Kaleo doesn’t even get as much as a lick of it. As for fried chicken skin, my nemesis, I’ll help steal it, but it’s going to Kaleo—I’m sticking with my gluten-free snacks.

-Aspen

PS: you can find moms cookbook in our store ‘All My Fur’s Gluten Free Dog Treat Recipes’

The post Going Against the Grain appeared first on All My Fur.

Aside from my superior intelligence, there was a time when I hated my leash. As soon as that leash went on, it was a tug-of-war time. I frequently tugged my way out of Mom’s grasp, leaving a flailing leash behind me as I ran free, or as Kaleo would say, “snake behind you!”

I will let you in on a little secret; I love my leash now. It is like I’m wearing a crown. Here comes royalty with a 24-karat leash and a priceless poop bag dispenser. So what changed? My parents signed me up for a brain training course for dogs, or “Big Brain Academy,” as I like to call it since I was in it.

Adrienne, the dog trainer, helped me understand my aggression. And since then, Mom and I have enjoyed more quality time together on walks without tug-of-war or snakes.

The post Big Brain Academy appeared first on All My Fur.

Just because I’m a Sarplaninac and enjoy my leisure time doesn’t mean that I’m lazy! Livestock guard dogs everywhere get a bad rap, and this is why.

Why Is Sarplaninac Constantly on Watch?

You know those silly guards in England that stand watch in front of Buckingham Palace? Vigilant, scanning, watching for trouble? I’m the same. The only difference? Why spend all that extra energy standing up when you can do the same job lying down? Think about it. I’d have less energy to chase off a fox or a skunk if I stood around all day. Somebody should send this tip to those guards in England, honestly.

I’m Not ignoring Humans; I’m AnalyzingSure, fine, I’m laying down on active watch, and people come up and pet me. Do humans come up to you at your place of employment and start tickling your head? Or rubbing your belly? I’m working here! Of course, I enjoy it, but I’m on watch. I’m not ignoring you; I’m choosing to analyze the surroundings instead. It’s for your protection.

Other Dogs

Other dogs, like my brother Kaleo (German Shepherd), can’t get enough playtime. Fetch the newspaper, fetch the ball, fetch the stick—he loves it. Humans see that and think, “Kaleo has so much energy, unlike Aspen, who just sleeps all day.”

The post Stop Calling Me Lazy! appeared first on All My Fur.

I have to be upfront, my brother Kaleo is a German Shepard, so while I may be a little biased, I still assert that German Shepherds are attention hounds. Let’s look at the evidence.

Fetch

German Shepherds will always play fetch—it’s in their DNA. Heck, if Kaleo sees a leaf fall, he’ll chase it. I’m a different breed. I’ll play fetch, but I’d rather know what’s in it for me. If I play fetch, can I relax for an hour? No? No deal.

Attention Span

German Shepherds have smaller attention spans than Peacocks.

Shoe. Squirrel. Leaf. Ball. Human. Ball. Shoe.

You get the idea. The result? Constant attention and amusement from humans. They can’t get enough of watching Kaleo chase mundane objects. I’m not sure who benefits more, the humans or Kaleo.

Constant Affection

I have to give it to Kaleo; I’m not sure if it’s the small attention span or if he just has that much love, but he could snuggle up with our parents all day. All-day long. That kind of affection is almost sickening. Yeah, I like the occasional ear scratch, but I like having ears; I don’t want them scratched off after hours of petting and scratching. If our parents don’t tell Kaleo, “No,” he would sit on their laps forever, and he’s heavy! Oh, and don’t get me started on the dogs that get pushed around in strollers.

Being the center of attention is fine, but have some dignity out there, dogs! Well, unless you’re a Chihuahua, then I truly am sorry.

 Back to Humorous Blog From a Dog

The post German Shepherds, a.k.a. Attention Hounds appeared first on All My Fur.

Let me tell you a story about “What is the universal truths about a cat”, but, wait a minute, why on earth is a Sarplaninac writing about a cat? hahaha… Are not they supposed to be mortal enemies? Yes. Yes, we are. But there is a famous saying, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Let me be clear; squirrels are my absolute enemy. But, after studying a cat, I have a new respect for the feline species, I will explain.

Boss Cat

I have studied the cat next door, “Theo,” long enough to notice that his parents are not in control, Theo is. His parents yell, “Get outta there!”  “What are you doing!” “Stop clawing the couch!” And he does not even respond—that is power.

A Body at Rest Will Stay at Rest

I am a big fan of conserving energy, and Theo has mastered it. Every time I peek next door, Theo is sleeping inside the window sill. Relaxing and sunbathing—that cat is a genius. I would do the same, but I would not fit in the window.

Equilibrium

Theo’s parents pet him until he attacks! He attacks his parents! And that is if he even decides to acknowledge their existence. If I tried that, I would be an outside pup in a heartbeat. I have to hand it to Theo; he does whatever he wants without consequences. By acting unpredictable, Theo maintains a power equilibrium in the house. For instance, Theo allows petting but will bite, ignores his parents 90% of the time, and sometimes pretends his dad is a tree and climbs right up. Theo keeps his parents on their toes—asserting his dominance.

While I don’t agree with all of Theo’s “acts,” I may have to try some to keep my owners on their toes.

The post Universal Truths That I Learned From a Cat appeared first on All My Fur.

I have enrolled Kaleo for tonight’s operation—I told him that the hose is a snake. And it’s funny because he believed me without a second thought. We even had a serious discussion about striking at 9 pm when Mom and Dad are winding down in their bedroom. We have already dug up a hole behind the house to bury the “snake.”  I have also enlisted a couple of neighbors’ dogs to keep watch as our operation (destroy the water hose) is active. If this goes well, I will never have to play sponge again.

The plan is simple. We are going to slip out the front door, avoid the motion lights, bite the hose off at the nozzle (head for Kaleo), drag it to the hole, and bury it forever. I have gone over the plan about ten times, and Kaleo seems to remember something about a rake. Close enough. Okay, now as soon as our parent’s light goes off,… Uh oh, footsteps. What does Mom want?

“Night, night  Aspen, get plenty of sleep for our trip to the lake tomorrow.”

Shoot, I forgot about the lake—new plan. Operation “Drain the Lake.”

The post Operation: Destroy The Water Hose appeared first on All My Fur.

Birdbrain

There is a particular word known as “birdbrain.” If you have heard “birdbrain” directed towards you, it probably was not a compliment; it was an insult to your intelligence. Here is an example. Kaleo spent an afternoon trying to catch his own tail—what a birdbrain. While I do not know the origin of the phrase, I have a theory involving windows.

Keep Your Windows Dirty—PSA

Mom and Dad like to keep the windows of the house spotless. They even clean up the residue from Kaleo’s drool, which could be daily. A few weeks ago, I was conserving energy underneath the large picture window; when “BLUMP,” a woodpecker, went headfirst into the window.

Upon inspection, birdbrain would fit, but I felt awful for the bird and its family. I gave it a few nudges and nothing.

“MOM” “DAD,” I barked. They came out and took a look at the bird.

Oh, poor thing.” Mom said.

“I will get a shovel,” Dad said.

“Snack!”

Kaleo Shouted.

As soon as mom and dad walked away, the woodpecker rolled over and flew off. Kaleo darted after it barking.

This specific incident was a happy one, but you would be surprised how often birds fly into that window. So to all the humans out there, do your part and save a life, keep your windows dirty. If you need help, I will happily enlist my birdbrain brother.

The post Keep Your Windows Dirty-a Public Service Announcement appeared first on All My Fur.

How Do Dogs Have Fun

Kaleo Having Fun

He chased the ball all the way down to the water and almost somersaulted in. I have to hand it to Kaleo; he can certainly keep himself entertained, which is something rare these days—especially in humans. But bringing the ball up the hill and chasing it back down on repeat? Even I was exhausted watching him, and I love hiking.

Ignorance is bliss, and Kaleo is the definition of both. Couldn’t tell you which one he was, though. He just knows how to have fun. Even though he often looks like a doofus in the process—gotta love him. But I think next time he’s ready to chase the ball, I’ll roll it from just a little higher up the hill. I’m tired of seeing almost somersaults. I want to see the real thing. Shh, don’t tell Kaleo! He’s about to play a new game—Go Fish.

-Aspen

The post Dogs Just Want to Have Fun appeared first on All My Fur.

Have you ever wondered about the world’s oldest pandemic? By the way, my name is Aspen, and I hate squirrels. There, I said it. As an avid guardian of my human parents and the land we own, I can enthusiastically say that I despise squirrels. I’m not biased either. I’ve conducted a scientific poll with all neighboring dogs, and it’s unanimous—squirrels are a plague. The scavengers steal anything they can get their filthy claws on. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good entertainment for my brother Kaleo (German Shepherd).

My Brother Kaleo

—he’ll chase anything that moves, but I have higher qualms with them—matters of principle.

What Does Mom Plant?

Last week, Mom planted some delicious-looking fruit trees. Mom, Dad, and Kaleo love the stuff, but that’s not saying a lot for Kaleo. But then, a squirrel clan decided to trespass into my yard and tried to steal my fruit. MY YARD! And on a warm day too!

I saw the squirrels on the power line running like they were infiltrating a country. As they moved closer to the fruit trees, I signaled for Kaleo to take a position, but he got distracted by a butterfly. The squirrel leader leaped off the line and started scaling the tree.

The World’s Oldest Pandemic

I roared and sprinted toward the tree. The second squad member was in mid-air. I jumped with all my might, opened my mouth, and then as I started to bite into it…eww, it tasted like a New York Rat! I opened my mouth and let the pest go. I saw the fear in the rest of the squirrel’s eyes as the cowards retreated to their base. Mission accomplished and another win for the Sarplaninacs. I’ll be ready the next time they decide to plague my yard.

The post Squirrels—The World’s Oldest Pandemic appeared first on All My Fur.