PSA, Product Plug, and a Visitor

We have lots to tell you about this week!

It all sort of weaves together, so I will just jump right in. Last weekend, I took in a stray dog, a minpin I called Max. I found him on Friday, so he had to spend the weekend with me since my vet was closed until Monday. He was covered in ticks and who knows what else, so he had to stay outside, but I gave him a bath, pulled off all the ticks I could find, and made him super comfy with my outdoor cushions and lots of towels. He was adorable and made himself a little nest.



Because he was roughed up a bit and my posters, craigslist ads, etc. hadn't gotten any responses from his owners, I sort of didn't want him to go back to them anyway. It didn't seem like they were taking good care of him, and didn't want to find him. So on Monday, I had mixed feelings about finding a microchip. He had a chip, but luckily the number on file was disconnected. So, I felt like I did the right thing trying to find his owner, but was also glad he didn't have to go back there! The vet called the person they know who does minpin rescue, and she came and picked him up right away. They all said how friendly he was and how easily he would be adopted. Happy ending!

So, TICKS! This is my Public Service Announcement: Finding so many ticks on little Max reminded me it is bug season. Everyone, please be careful about treating your pets for pests. Also, when I took Dobby to the park today, a tick got on my TOMS Shoes so remember to be careful even when you are in a well-kept area and stay on the paths. They can still get you!

And that is my product plug. Free advertising for TOMS! They are a fantastic business model and the shoes are beyond comfortable. Basically, for every pair you buy, they give a pair to a child in need. They're my go-to shoes. You can wear them straight out of the box (no break-in period at all), and I never get tired of wearing them.

And lastly, since this IS a blog for Dobby, here he is modeling his new froggie harness:

Dobby's First Visit to the Beach

Dobby and I went on a grand adventure on Wednesday. My best friend from college moved to Raleigh last year, so we take turns visiting each other and for this trip, she had the great idea to go to the beach! So, I took Dobby with me and she brought Grizzly, her adopted mutt, and we made the journey to the coast. We went to a special beach that allows off-leash dogs on an island called Topsail Beach. Here's how far Dobby and I travelled on Wednesday:

We left Greensboro, drove east for almost 2 hours, then my friend L drove us all south east for another 2.5 hours. It was a long day! Breaking it up by stopping at L's house in Raleigh made all the difference, though, it would be hard to do the 4.5 hour drive alone as a one-day trip. But when we got there we had so much fun!!

It was high tide when we got there, so there was really just a narrow strip of sand between the water and the dunes. It was actually pretty great though, because it meant that the water was very shallow for quite a way out. We could walk out into the water 20 feet, and it would still only be up to our ankles! So that was great for shorty Dob. L had been to this beach with Grizz before, so she knew it was best for the dogs to stay on the sound side of the island, not the ocean side, because there were no scary waves. Once we walked a little past the few other people who were there (most of them just fishing), we let the dogs off leash.

Dobby really loves doing anything outside off leash :) So, although I was a little nervous about him being a baby about his paws in the sand or getting wet, he was a trooper. He was brave and trotted out in front of us along the sand and dunes, and then after I showed him how shallow the water was, he even went into the water by himself! I don't think he was really interesting in playing in it, but he definitely liked just exploring. And of course I took lots of pictures! (Click to make big!)

(Grizz wanted to play with Dobby but Dob thought he was just a little too energetic...)









Here are some special pictures taken by L with her fancy Nikon D80 camera (The one at the top of the post is hers too!):

Me and Dobby!

Then, when we got back to L's house in Raleigh, Dobby met her pet bunny and was fascinated.


What a great day!

Tada!

Here's a picture of the yard!! It's so cozy :)

And Dobby enjoys the patio: