Photo Of The Week 2-28-2011

This is Mint Julep and her human mommy is Rebecca Spaid. I decided to dress Mint Julep in honor of the Oscars being held tonight (since she was already half way there with her pink sun glasses). Isn't she just a cute little fashionista? Thanks Becky for letting us use Mint Julep's photo! She is such a STAR! According to my dog Lexi she deserves an "Oscar" for looking so darn good! Mint Julep is a Pomeranian Dog. The Pomeranian (often known as a Pom, or more humorously, Pom Pom) is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe (today part of eastern Germany and northern Poland). Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz. It has been determined by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale to be part of the German Spitz breed, and in many countries, they are known as the Zwergspitz (Dwarf Spitz).

Read more about Pomeranians here

What Can You Do To Keep A Puppy From Playing When He Has A Broken Paw?

It has been a very challenging week this week with having a six month old deaf Boxer puppy that is literally full of energy but can't play because of his leg injury. On February 23, 2011 my sweet puppy Nitro broke his toe playing in the back yard. Read broken toe story here and see x-rays. I also think it is a blessing that we had the good sense to have Nitro in training all these weeks. Since he is a level four in training he follows direction and commands very well (PTL!). I think we came up with some creative ideas to keep him occupied. Here are some of the steps we have taken to keep Nitro somewhat sane through this tuff healing process.

1. We set up a big play pen area in the middle of the living room covered with blankets and pillows. We call it the UFC Puppy Octagon playpen. It helps him stay right in the middle of our daily routines and activities.

2. We purchased a very large red rubber Treat Kong so we can feed him his meals through the Kong (keeps him from getting bored). It actually takes him about 20 to 30 minutes to eat his meal from the Kong.

3. We purchased some very large rawhide bones that are two big for him to chew any large pieces off. This way it keeps him interested in the bone for some time (but no danger of a big piece ending up in his belly). I also will rub peanut butter on the rawhide so he is doing more licking then chewing. This also keeps him for feeling the need to lick his leg all the time (redirecting his attention to the bone).

4. We purchased a smaller Kong and line it with peanut butter and kibble. This keeps him busy for 20 minutes or so and he is also getting some healthy protein.

5. I took a horse lead rope and tied toys all over it to dangle it over into his UFC pen. He loves playing with it and it gives me full control of how active he gets.

6. We let our little dog Tallulah go in and play with him but they both have to maintain a down position. I also join them in the pen and referee to make sure no one gets out of control.

7. This one is very important. Every morning I have him go in the car with me when I run my errands (usually takes us about two hours of running around). He is usually starting to go to sleep in the car on the way home.

8. We are still doing short training sessions for example like sit, stay, and lay down while he is in his "UFC
Puppy" enclosure.

9. We take him outside to lay around in the sunshine on our back deck so he doesn't feel so home bound.

10. Since Nitro has also had two really bad allergic reactions over this time period (he is allergic to black rubber mats) we have had to have him on Benadryl for hives and reduce the swelling in his face. We asked the docter if it would be okay to continue with the Children's Benadryl twice a day to keep him calm. The vet gave us full approval and said many of her patients are on Benadryl full time. I only give Benadryl to Nitro if he is having a really bad day. The other day he was biting and barking (he never bites and barks) so he got one in the morning and one at 8pm. This actually takes the edge off Nitro's intense energy level so he isn't so hyper. Some folks might not agree with this treatment but it is about keeping the puppy safe and calm so he doesn't injure the bone again.
We are all doing very well so far considering how challenging it can be to keep a 6 month old Boxer puppy calm. Wish us luck!

Below are some photos of our Petsmart trip on Saturday. Nitro laid in the buggy and just chilled out (and got a lot of attention from customers in the store) while we spent another $65 on treats and toys to keep him occupied. The photos below are of our Petsmart trip and Nitro in the car on the ride home. When we finally did get home Nitro was exhausted. Here are some photos of him napping in his new UFC Puppy Playpen.

 Photo of Nitro in the back seat of the car on the way to Petsmart - notice his new leopard sock splint boot cover with a pink boot? It has a rubber soal on the bottom so he doesn't slip - So cute!

 Nitro totally "chillin" in the Petsmart cart. It really was the perfect size for him to be cruising around in.

Nitro in the car riding home after our Petsmart adventure.

You can see in this shot he is starting to get tired in the back seat of the car. Check out those cool leopard socks and pink dog bootie...what a fashionista!

The minute we got home from shopping Nitro totally passed out in his new "UFC Puppy Octagon" playpen.

Here you can see the plush inside of his UFC Ogtagon puppy playpen.

Here is a photo of our UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champion) Puppy Octagon playpen. For all you UFC fans, you know what I am talking about. The whole unit is one of the fold up wire travel enclosures.This not only provides a safe place for Nitro to stay in the middle of our daily activities, but also keeps his leg safe from being injured (padded by the pillows). As an added bonus the blankets that cover all sides of the cage visually block his view of what our other three dogs are up to. So basically these blankets keep Nitro from getting to excited. Since Nitro is deaf, he doesn't react to different sounds like our other dogs do. What I discovered is once his "dogs eye view" is blocked he can't react to thier reaction to outside stimulus such as the UPS driver coming up the driveway. The pillows make it very comfortable for Chris and I to go in and hang out with him when he gets restless or just wants to play.

*** Update on Nitro 3-1-2011: We missed a really close call yesterday. We had an appointment at our local Vet to have laser light therapy on Nitro's paw. Since Nitro was not putting any weight on his splint, we insisted that his splint be removed just to see if there was anything else going on under all the bandages. As soon as the Vet started to unwrap everything, there was a horrible smell and what looked like drainage all over the gauze. How could there be any kind of drainage when there was no open wound? Well the splint had twisted thereby rubbing the skin raw underneath. We caught it just in the nick of time. We now have a soft wrap on Nitro's leg and paw and he is also on antibiotics this week. I should have caught it sooner because he was being so good (not normal for a 6 month old boxer puppy who is confined). Today he was a crazy puppy and back to his old self again. He wanted to play with the other dogs so bad! I had to take him into town twice today to run my errands just to keep him occupied. We did mini training sessions everywhere we went today so now he is starting to settle down. We have another laser light therapy treatment on Friday in which we will have the Vet unwrap everything all over again and take a look at his skin. He has been such a trooper.

***Update - See our March 22, 2011 update on Nitro's paw here

Oh, by the way, God Bless all you moms out there. I don't know how you do it with small children! Happy Tails! Lexi, Christina, Nitro, Bailey and Tallulah

My Poor Puppy Nitro Broke His Toe!

Nitro was out playing with Bailey the other day and came into the house covered in mud like he had wiped out. Then I noticed he was holding his paw up and would not let me touch it with out going nuts. We took him to Hanging Rock Animal Hospital the next morning to have his paw x-rayed. Well wouldn't you know it...he broke his toe. As you can see from these x-rays, it was a clean break. Now comes the hard part. Keeping a 6 month old puppy calm and on a leash for the next 3 weeks. Good luck with that, right? His first night at home was horrible! He cried until 1:00am because his pain meds had worn off. Thank god I had some Benadryl so I gave him 50mg and it helped him sleep for about 4 hours. He was so crazy this morning I decided to maintain our daily routine (with minor adjustments). So we went to visit our friends at the Salem City Hall. He had a good time visiting everyone and now he is down for a nap. Here are some photos of my pitiful pup.

x-ray of Nitro's front left paw

In this photo he is "red, white, and blue" such a good American Boxer!

I sure hope the next three weeks goes by fast. We will also be doing LED Laser Therapy for Dogs on his paw. Laser Therapy has and immediate effect on pain to produce an analgesic effect, which interferes with the way pain impulses are transmitted to the brain. Continuous laser therapy is best for conditions where inflammation exists. It also stimulates blood vessels to bring increased circulation and warmth to the effected area there by helping the bones to heal faster. Wish us luck!

Nitro Is Day Dreaming About Having A Dog Park In The City of Salem!

Having a six month old deaf Boxer from the Salem Shelter is a lot of work but it is very rewarding too. We go to the Field Of Dreams Training Center three times a week and on all the other days we don't go, I try to take Nitro to different places to get him socialized with people, children and other dogs. He does really well in his training class with other dogs but I would like for him to have an opportunity to meet and play with other dogs. Since Nitro is deaf, I would need a smaller enclosed area which would have to have fencing around it to keep all the dogs safe. So as Nitro and I were sitting around day-dreaming about a Dog Park coming to Salem, I got good news a few days ago. There will be a Dog Park coming to the City Of Salem!

This is great because there are so many benefits to having a new dog park inside the City of Salem. Now comes the hard part and that is securing sponsorships to raise money for the new dog park.

Here is some info from the City of Salem on the new City of Salem Dog Park:


The City of Salem is in the process of securing sponsorships for its first dog park scheduled to open in the Summer of 2011. This park is being established to create a fenced, off leash public facility where well behaved canine citizens can run, play and meet new friends in a safe and clean environment. The dog park which will be handicap accessible is to be situated on approximately one-half acre of land located next to the Salem Animal Control Shelter located on Indiana Street in Salem. Plans for the park will offer separate areas for small and large dogs, with double-gated entry to provide extra security when entering and exiting the fenced areas. Additional features include, pet and owner water fountains, comfortable benches, Mutt Mitt stations to assist with waste disposals, numerous trash cans, paved parking, an informational kiosk and beautiful landscaping.

So folks now comes the hard part. We need to get on the ball and help out the City of Salem so we can have a nice dog park to take our sweet dogs so they can have fun and play. The City of Salem will need to raise a total of $ 40,000 to get our new dog park up and running. They have already raised $ 7000.00 with many proposals going out right now for local sponsorship. It will also be up to us dog lovers to help raise additional funds. If you would like to make a donation in memory of your pet, a loved one that loved their dogs dearly or maybe you have a small business that would like to sponsor a spot at the park, this would be a great time to call Teri Atkins, City of Salem Special Projects Manager, for information regarding sponsorship opportunities. Teri can be reached at 540-375-3060 or tatkins@salemva.gov

Photo Of The Week 2-21-2011

Because it is still February, I went ahead and added some "love" effects to this photo. This sweet picture is of a beautiful pure bred Blue American Pit Bull Terrier named Chunkie. Chunkie's human mom is Alli Malus of Roanoke VA. I know Alli is a big dog lover because I see as many photos of her pup Chunkie on her Facebook pages that everyone sees of my dogs Nitro, Lexi, Bailey and Tallulah on my Facebook page. Is Chunkie just one big Valentine? Thanks Alli for sharing your big Love Bug with us!

The American Pet Bull Terrier (APBT) is a medium sized, solidly built, short haired dog whose ancestors came from England and Ireland. During the 19th century, England, Ireland, and Scotland began to experiment with crosses between bulldogs and terriers, looking for a dog that combined the gameness of the terrier with the strength and athleticism of the bulldog.[1]
In the late 19th century to early 20th century, two clubs were formed for the specific purpose of registering APBTs: the United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association. The United Kennel Club was founded in 1898, and was the first registry to recognize the breed, with the owner assigning the first number to his own APBT.[2]

Read entire Wikipedia main page on American Pit Bull Terrier here

I Love Being Able To Order A Hard Cover Dog Photo Book At A Reasonable Price!

I want to take this opportunity to thank our Saturday Pet Blogger Hop hosts Two Little Cavaliers , Confessions of Plume and Life with Dogs for letting The World According To Lexi participate in this weeks pet blog hop.

For the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop, I thought I would share with all of you my hard cover dog photo book that I ordered on-line for only $ 21.00. This is the third one I have done so far. The first two were of my other three dogs and some with Bluebird Farm photos. The book I ordered was an 8"x11" linen hard bound book. All you do is follow the steps and insert your photos. I went ahead and picked out 26 photos first and then I imported them to my desktop for easy uploading. They have so many backgrounds and designs to choose from so you can totally customize your entire book. I purchased mine at Walmart on-line under 8 x 11 Photo Book Designs (click here)

Here is the finished result of my photo book. Now that I look at it, somehow I think I skipped the "pick a design" step. My photo book is pretty plain.

The price at Walmart on-line is only $ 18.96 for each book plus shipping. On some of the pages you can add captions right at the bottom of the page. I had so much fun looking through all my Nitro photos and then deciding which photos I was going to put in the book. I had a great time putting the whole book together but what was even more exciting was showing of my new photo book to all my dog loving friends. Walmart also offers a copy of your hard bound book in a smaller bound flip through book for as little as $ 3 to $ 5.

Here are a few of my favorites on the Walmart's designs page (I don't know how I missed the "bad to the bone" dog design but I did).

I love anything FRENCH in design!

We live on Bluebird Farm so I love the vintage bluebird design

This is the "bad to the bone" doggie design - very cool!

This is one of my favorites....all my favorite colors that are in my house now.

If you get time go check out the photos books. According to my dog Lexi, we love them!

Happy Tails to you! Lexi and Christina xoxoxox

Nitro Being Silly?

Nitro is always on his best behavior when he goes to class at Field of Dreams Dog Training Center. People I see in class always ask me is he always that good? I usually laugh and say "oh no he can get in to a lot of trouble if I don't keep my eyes on him at all times". When he is at school or in training he is very focused . The minute you put his little red wondervest on his little white body, he knows it is time to go to work. So I wanted to share with all of you that he is very playful when he is not learning/working. Sometimes he is a complete nutcase! Here is a video of him having fun with two of our other dogs in the back yar

February 18-20 TAKC Agility Trials - Virginia Horse Center

February 18-20 TAKC Agility Trials held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington sponsored by Star City Canine

TAKC Agility Trial held by Star City Canine Training Club of Roanoke, Va. Hundreds of dogs from several states will be competing in Agility, the fastest growing performance sport in the world. Judging begins at 8:00AM and will run until late in the afternoon. Entries open December 1, 2009. Judges are Carol Mount and Paul Mount.

Location: Anderson Coliseum

Contact: Bill Watson bill.watson@mindspring.com

and Debbie Kaufman debbie@versatilek9s.com

Nitro Learning the "Wait" or "Leave It" Command

Update on Nitro: Nitro just graduated to Training Level 4 at Field Of Dreams Dog Training Center today! Isn't that amazing? He did such a good job today especially with him being in training for only 6 weeks and going from puppy class all the way up to Level 4 at only six months of age. Who knew he would be so smart? He can walk well on a loose leash, sit, stay, come (recall), laydown, shake hands, leave it command (which comes in very handy) and he can also sit and then stand all on command. He will sit while I am being greeted by a stranger and also sit (90% of the time) while the stranger meets him for the first time. We are still working on his greetings with other dogs. Because he is only six months old, he really wants to play with other dogs and he doesn't care how big or little, old or young they are when he approaches them.

What is really exciting is now Nitro can start training in his  Level 4 class for Canine Good Citizen Certification test. Hopefully if he keeps progressing at this rate and matures a little over time then I think we will work towards getting him certified as a Therapy Dog. Since we are so near the Salem VA Medical Center it would be wonderful for Nitro to be a Therapy dog for veterans at the VA. I guess we will have to see where Nitro takes us.

For more photos of Nitro training with Chris at Field of Dreams Click here.

Happy Tails!!! Lexi, Christina and Nitro

From training level 3:
The following photos are of Nitro learning the "wait" or "leave it" command. At first he staired at the little peice of hotdog a lot but now he ignores it completely. These following photos are of the "stairing" stages. I will post a photo and then after the photo I will post the same photo again with my special effects. Enjoy!

(this one is my favorite)

Nitro is so focused. We did this exercise outside at the Valleyview Starbucks. Even though there were people around, he still stayed focused....he is such a good boy. Oh yeah he is now at level 3 in training!

This Is What Happens To Nitro After His Level 3 Class!

Nitro snores louder then my husband and that is not an easy thing to do! I love his "big old home boy snores"....he is perfect!


This is how he looks right after he finishes one of his level 3 classes at Field of Dreams Pet Dog Training and Agility Center

Welcome to The World According To Lexi's Valentine Lovepalooza!

Since this weekend's Saturday Pet Blogger Hop falls so close to Valentine's Day, Lexi and I thought we would feature a special "Lovepalooza" Gallery to honor the dogs we love for Valentine's weekend.

I hope you all enjoy them as much as Lexi and I do. Welcome to The World According To Lexi's Lovepalooza!

This is Nitro our beautiful 6 month old white Boxer - He is lovely!

This is my cute little Pughuahua Tallulah hanging out with Nitro (two peas in a pod).

Tallulah - Isn't she perfect?

Oh be still my aching heart!

The look of pure love in those eyes...either that or he is thinking..."when is she going to feed me?"

My sweetest most loyal dog Lexi (As in the World According To Lexi)

This one reminds me of a cartoon dog getting hit over the head and instead of little cartoon birds chirping and flying around (dizziness) his head it is little hearts which means he loves his mommy ;o)

This is my sweet dog Bailey. She is the protector here at Bluebird Farm. She knows her job and she does it very well. We all love and respect her very much. Good girl Bailey!

Watching the ball....

She makes my heart pound faster and faster....

Oh that little pug tail...oh my....

I have a ball...I have a ball..do you want to play ball...come on..let's play ball...do ya...do ya...do ya want to play ball?

Relaxing in the afternoon sun on a cold winter's day...

This is the face of crazy Nitro when he is about to go outside and run laps around the yard...

My sweetest Valentine Tallulah

Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine, love, thou art every day my Valentine!

~Thomas Hood

Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart.

~ Author Unknown

Happy Valentine's Day! Lexi and Christina xoxoxox

Join The RVSPCA for the 10th Annual Puppy Love Ball - "Diamond in the Ruff"

“A Diamond in the Ruff”

04/09/2011

Join the RVSPCA for the 10th Annual Puppy Love Ball

"Diamond in the Ruff"
Saturday, April 9, 2011

The Hotel Roanoke

6:30 - 11:00 p.m.

Dinner ♦ Dancing ♦ Silent Auction

Order your tickets NOW!

$75/person ♦ $700 Table of 10

Some of My Favorites From This Year

Many of you know I love to take photos, I am also an artist and designer and I love graphic arts so I mashed all my favorite things together and here is what I came up with. These photos have been graphically enhanced to get the poster like effects.  I will be featuring some of these on stretched canvas for the upcoming Pet Expo in May. Enjoy!

The crazed look of my puppy named Nitro...his name totally fits his expression in this shot.

Rodeo horses...so beautiful!

I love how the background fabric brings the color blue out in Nitro's eye in this shot.

My sweetest Tallulah relaxing in the Sun in her "peaceful place"...

Two little peas in a pod -  My two dogs Lexi (L) and Tallulah (R)

Out of all of my shots this is my favorite one of my boxer pup Nitro. Oh my goodness..he melts my heart!

I love this photo because this horse was resting after jumping the cross country at Green Hill Park.

Below are some photos from Dogtoberfest 2010 - I had a lot of great "subjects" to choose from.

 This was one of the coolest dogs I have ever seen. Look at the way the light silhouettes his outline.

 I have a true weakness for Blood Hounds...isn't he magnificent?

 I love this little bumble bee! So cute

 Pugs...pugs....pugs....I love pugs!!!

Here are some black and white peices I have been working on from Dogtoberfest 2009

I love the texture in these shots...very cool and look at those sweet faces...oh my...

Shot of me, my sweet husband Chris and our little dog Tallulah at Dogtoberfest this year.

*** All photos have been taken and graphically enhanced by Christina Lee for The World According To Lexi - all rights are reserved.