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Okay so Gracie is having some potty problems.  She is now 1 year and 3 months old and (before this week) totally potty trained.  Well, this week has been really difficult to understand.  Gracie typically sleeps in her crate at night.  Well Monday and Tuesday morning I woke up to a stinky surprise in the crate with her.  It was not sick poo, so I am not worried about her having diarrhea as it's solid.  I just thought the first time that maybe I didn't walk her late enough and she just couldn't hold it.  Well when it happened again the next day I called the vet thinking maybe there could be a problem worth looking into or just to see if it sounds more behavioral.  His recommendation was to feed a little more in the morning and less at dinner time (which is at 5:30) and increase her exercise.  Breakfast is at 7 am by the way.  Our last walk is around 9:30 or 10 pm so I feel that is enough time to digest.  So that is exactly what we have done but to no help at all.  I even woke up around 2am this morning (I had to do that in the beginning of the housebreaking when she was a pup) in hopes that she would go before relieving herself inside. I've started to let her sleep out of the crate because it's actually easier to clean the steamers off the hardwoods over cleaning the crate.  Every morning this week I've gotten a surprise even with the early morning walk this morning.  So, my question is has anyone had a problem like this where they have seemed to have forgotten about the pee/poo outside only rule???  How did you correct it?  Oh, and here is a side note.  We can leave her out of the crate during the day while we are at work and we never have any problems.  I'm so confused...

After a six-week CGC prep course Gracie and I took the Canine Good Citizen exam and Gracie received her CGC certification.  I honestly can't believe that she did as it appeared as though I was giving her the commands in Martian.  Seriously the girl didn't even acknowledge I was the ring half the time (that is if you compare the exam to an obedience trial standard).  At one point she seemed so bored that I swear she was about to lie down and take a nap. When she wasn't stretching or yawning she was scavenging for remnants of a treat on the floor.  Since you can't use treats during the exam to help encourage the dog to sit or give you their attention, she took it upon herself to seek them out elsewhere since I wasn't packing.  That made it sort of difficult to keep a loose lead.  Thank goodness we were able to wander a bit in between exercises. I'm just glad it wasn't an obedience trial, as we for sure would have been asked to just get out of the ring. LOL.  But all in all, she was very sweet, and welcoming and not at all skiddish or even the slightest bit of aggressive.  Obedient?  Well, she didn't jump on anyone or bark or even pull me around thank goodness.  She also didn't show too much interest in the other dogs she had never seen before which was very cool. So WAY TO GO to Gracie Belle. I'm very proud of my good little citizen.

I just bought a dremel so that I can groom Gracie and Rosco's nails.  My question is there are so many attachments to it and I do not know which piece is the best to use on Gracie's GIANT TALON like nails and if that would be okay to use on Rosco's tiny little tips?  There are stone attachments and sand paper attachments and the truth is, I have no idea which one works better than the other.  I know a lot of you use them and I thought I would ask what works best for you.  Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

This is so cute and odd.  Think I'll add a pony to my pack.  Well, maybe not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IWKBetMqbE

I wanted to share with you a book I read titled Amazing Gracie written by Dan Dye. Dan Dye is one of the Co-owners of Three Dog Bakery (the original all natural bakery for dogs) and the book as well as the company, Three Dog Bakery was inspired by his deaf Great Dane, Gracie. 

All proceeds from the purchase of the book goes to the Gracie Foundation, which offers financial assistance to non-profit dog rescue organizations. So not only is it entertaining it's beneficial to rescues. Here is a link with a little information about the Gracie Foundation.
https://www.threedog.com/gracieFoundation.aspx


I started to read the book Tuesday night around 10:30 and looked at the clock to see it was after 1 a.m.  I couldn't put the book down.  When I woke up yesterday (tired of course) my only clear thought was to bring the book with me so I could read it at the office when I had some down time.  I finished it yesterday afternoon. 

It's a very sweet story of friendship, success and the loss of a loved one.  It also will make you laugh at all the puppy antics we've all been through.

Oh, and my Gracie LOVES Three Dog Bakery's cookies.   

Mariah layed a fifth egg.  Totally awesome..

http://rfalconcam.com/imprints/

If not you MUST.  I love him.  I especially love the way his owners capture his personality.  He's adorable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lFgz043TT8

http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2408