Loving Your Dog’s Quirks: 5 Things I Love About My White German Shepherd Dog
Many people love animals. Many of those people love dogs. A good number of those people love White German Shepherds. A few people love MY White German Shepherd. However, only I get to love the bond between Arie and me.
The bond between a pet parent and their pet is something unbreakable and beyond special. You get to know them in a way others don’t, and you grow to love little things about them. Like a human best friend, their oddities and quirks become endearing and some of the things you love about them most. For a few examples, here’s my top 5 list for Arie:
1. I love the fact that my dog is GINORMOUS. There is nothing more hilarious than walking a giant dog. Why? people. I love people watching, and seeing how people react to her cracks. me. up. “OH. That’s a BIG dog.” is a common statement. Some people will switch sidewalks to avoid her. Others, like a five-year-old in my neighborhood, want to get up close and personal. “Can I ride your puppy? She looks like a pony!” (I kid you not. It was said).
(Okay so home photos, but let's just appreciate the nostalgia of the amateur photography please.) Arie, and Shady, our lab mix. Shady is around 45 lbs, and sometimes feels a little inadequate next to gigantor.
2. I love the fact that my dog honks. Yes, honks. Arie is a very vocal pup for a dog that doesn’t bark often. She sighs. She grumbles. She “honks”, or at least that’s what I call the noise she makes when she’s over tired or exasperated. It’s reminiscent of a moose, which is fitting–If she had been male, her name would have been Moose.
3. When she was a pup, she looked like a bat. If you’ve ever seen a German Shepherd puppy, their ears look like they could take flight at any minute. Hilarious.
EARS. and paws. Massive, especially when they were disproportionate puppy features. Also, this tired face would be optimal for "honks".
4. Shake in Arie language means a lot. Arie has come to associate “Shake” with making sure that things are okay. When we taught her to shake, she thought it was the best thing ever. Now, when she’s in trouble, or if I’m ill about something, she comes over to shake, as if to say “It’s okay mom, right?”
5. I love the fact that she’s a White German Shepherd. Having a WGSD is like having a hipster hair cut and a classic home. On one hand, you have something that’s trendy and cool, a little controversial, and a little rare so that it gets appreciated. It’s ever-changing, and constantly evolving. On the other, you have an amazing, classic and comfortable companion that makes you feel at ease, that you know will be with you for life, and that is all your own. WGSD are something that took time to create–Arie is from a breed that was built on decades of work and effort to make an amazing dog.
Just for the sheer cuteness of Arie as a puppy. (Is there anything more precious than a White German Shepherd puppy?!?) I had to do the token cute photo...after all, this is an Arie appreciation post.
A Dog Food To Love: My Experience with Nutro Natural Choice
Arie is a big girl, though we would never use that terrible three letter “f” word when talking about her; she’s really just big-boned, or, actually, a big breed (she’s also larger than the traditional White German Shepherd). Weighing in at 95 pounds, you can imagine how much my Shetland pony sized companion can eat. Being a protective pet parent, I really watch what goes into Arie’s stomach. There are many things to consider when selecting your pet’s kibble, and it’s essential to make a selection that gives your pet everything that they did, and nothing that they shouldn’t have. Here are a few things to consider while choosing your kibble:
- Many breeds have health risks (check the background of your mixed breed to find out what their’s would be) that can affect their diet needs.
- Does your pet have any food allergies? Pay attention to their behavior and scratching habits, and talk to your vet about possible allergy-inducing elements in food.
- Activity level and age are both important factors in choosing a food. Look for options that fit your dog’s life stage and activity level, whether they be a couch potato puppy or an active senior working dog.
Trust me--the proportion of dog to food is drastically different these days, but that doesn't mean that I care any less about what Arie eats. What's going in your pet's bowl?
- Do your research. Find out about a company’s reputation and their history. You want to trust the people who make your pet food, just like you trust certain brands to stock your fridge.
- Read reviews. Look for bloggers and other sources who aren’t paid to endorse a product. Additionally, read the reviews on the product’s and company’s website.
- Contact someone at the company with your questions and concerns. Their response is key–If they show care and concern with your questions, it’s a good sign they actually care about their product.
- Talk to your vet and trusted pet parent friends. They know you, your pets, and your standards, and have their own. They’re a great source of information.
Highlights from the First Task: 31 Days to Building a Better Blog
Yesterday was the kick off of the “31 Days to Building a Better Blog” group for Blog Paws writers, as based on a previous series to help writers improve their blogs. I’ll be writing little posts like this one in addition to my regular posts to keep you up to date on the wonders within the group, to detail our progress and the learning curve. Jump in and sign up, it’s not too late, and you don’t want to miss this.
First Assignment: The Elevator Pitch. Do you know how to sell your blog? Do you know what it is your selling? An Elevator Pitch helps you focus your topics and your blog, and to nail down exactly what you’re working on.
While the assignment recommended a piece of 200 words or less, that seemed a little lengthy for me, so I wrote one short version that would be social media friendly, and another that’s blog friendly. Here ya go:
Short: “A view into the life of one girl and her White German Shepherd, with helpful advice, product reviews, and interesting stories along the way”.
Long: “Whether you’re passionate about White Shepherds, starting your life with puppy, or cherishing years with your canine companion, Life with Arie is a great blog for you. Welcome to my blog, which stands as a chronicle of my life with my dog, Arie, a WGSD, as well as my place to offer up all I’ve learned while having her.
Here you’ll find my tales of tails, interesting stories from around the web about animals and the amazing things they do, as well as about the people who love them, and a great deal about pet care and nutrition to help make your life with your pet as interesting, fulfilling, and long-lived as possible. Join me on my journey and share in my laughter, tears, and know how, and share a bit of your own. Thanks for reading!”
The feedback on our first assignment was really engaging, and it looks like we’re going to have a good group to work with. I’m already looking forward to our second task and to getting this blog started right! Do you have ideas or suggestions for my elevator pitch? Please share them in a comment.
For The Love of Dog: Would You Punch a Bear In the Face to Save Your Pooch?
Brook Collins and Fudge, her dachshund that she saved from a bear, as photographed by Michael Penn for Juneau Empire.
Punching a bear in the face sounds like an epic moment from a slapstick comedy or survival movie, but for one Alaska woman, it was last week’s big event. So, why would a small woman punch a large black bear square in the nose? To save her dog, of course!
Brook Collins, a 22 year old pet lover in Alaska, had seen black bears around before. They often come through residential areas in Alaska, and some are very used to the presence of people, going for trash and other people produced goodies. Usually, she would just leave the bear alone, or follow it to take pictures, but this time was different–Collins’ dachshund, Fudge, was about to become bear chow.
Collins’ had let her dogs, a pomeranian named Toki and then Fudge, out in the evening as she usually did. A blood curdling cry from her pup, and Collins saw one of her fears come to life: Her dog was outside, but with a giant black bear over him, holding him in her claws. Adrenaline kicked in, and before she knew it, Collins had acted on a principle she learned about animal behavior; When many animals are punched in the face, they back off. So, this petite 22 year old did just that, and punched the bear square in the face, then took Fudge and ran. Fudge suffered minor marks, but is fine, and Collins ended up with a cut on her thumb. To have taken on a black bear and won, I think those battle scars are fortunately mild, indeed.
Read the full story with Juneau Empire.
How far would you go to save your dog’s life? Tell your stories of amazing animal rescue in a comment.
Remembering 9/11: Canine Military Efforts Cataloged
Today many of us spent a moment of silence remembering the tragic events that occurred a decade ago, though for me, it feels like it might have been yesterday. With the attacks on American soil on September 11, many people lost their lives, and many heroes devoted their last hours to ensuring that others might continue a long life. Some of these heroes walked on two legs, some on four, and I think that as we remember all of the lives lost on that tragic day, we should not forget the amazing animals that worked alongside heroic people.
Many dogs helped to discover survivors of the September 11th attacks that were buried under rubble, or helped guide those on the streets to safety. One American White Shepherd (like Arie!) and rescue dog, Thor was even memorialized on the obituaries of urdead2me, a blog remembering lost loved ones. The writer commented on Thor’s experience, saying “His most significant [of] deployments was the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 where he served at the Pentagon at the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
Thor, an American White Shepherd and rescue dog, was remembered in his own obituary post on urdead2me.
Dogs have served an integral role in search and rescue efforts for years, and even beyond 9/11, are a constant presence in our military. If you haven’t checked out War Dogs, it’s a great line up of photos showing how dogs have helped the military, with the interesting tag line “There’s a reason they brought one to get Osama bin Laden.”
One of the iconic photos from War Dogs and War Dogs II, an iconic series written by Rebecca Frankel for Foreign Policy Magazine.
These service dogs and the four-legged rescuers of 9/11 are remembered fondly in the minds of their human companions, the people they rescued, and beyond, with documentaries and various articles written about them, like this one. One dog, a German Shepherd who aided rescuers at the World Trade Center site, was remembered even beyond paper and thoughts. Trakr, after being nominated by his owner, James Symington, won a contest with BioArts International to become one of the first dogs to be cloned. Symington and others prized Trakr’s heart and rescue ability so much that they created an entire litter of little Trakrs.
Trakr, pictured here with his human companion and his mini-me's. Photo via Los Angeles Times article.
Efforts are underway now to create robots that would eventually replace dogs in the military, but I’m skeptical as to how well they’ll work out. The creators are trying to make robots that respond and “think” like a dog, but there’s a reason why man’s best friend’s unique instincts and loyalty have been prized for centuries. A bond so unique and so powerful, where dogs willingly risk their lives to please people and save lives, would be hard to come by through machines. Though such robots would mean less lives lost for canines in uniform, they would most likely be much less effective.
Do you know any heroic stories of military dogs coming to the rescue of people in the 9/11 attacks? What do you think of a robot canine-like soldier? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so share them in a comment.
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