A few of my favourite things

First of all, a reminder to please join us at the BARK Photos With Santa event tomorrow.

When: 8 am - 5 pm
Where: St Richard's Church, Merivale Road at Rossland in Ottawa


And now for a few of my favourite things:

Chilly Dogs coats (modelled here by our Cassie). Chilly Dogs is a member of our Paws for Charity group. I've known the owner Julie for many years. She's a great woman, and her coats are the best quality dog coats you'll find anywhere. Cinder has had a Chilly Dogs coat for years and of course we had to get Cassie one too. (Mulligan has a thick natural coat that seems to shed water and doesn't need one) The coats come in lots of colour choices and sizes. There are rain slickers and fleeces available too.

Dog food tables modelled here by Mya. I love these tables and I think they would be perfect for our Cinder. She's having a really tough time these days. Her legs are really shaky and she has a tough time standing. I think these raised bowls would help her a lot since she wouldn't have to lean over to eat. Contact Christine if you'd like to order a set.


And a present for me. Vintage Chick. That's the perfect tee for me. Available through the Prairie Home blog. I presented Sherry with a challenge and she came through! I think I was her first Canadian customer. I can't wait to receive my tee. Also available: Cowgirl Couture and Junk Prom Queen. They are a very soft cotton with cap sleeves and round neckline. Swarovski clear crystals added for sparkle. Sherry and her friends sell their items through monthly barn sales. How cool is that? I wish I lived in California. I'd be there every month. Love the shabby chic style.

One of my favourite blogs to read is Peach Tree Bliss. I have ordered a photo from Angelique but I don't have it yet. I'll share it with you as soon as I can. She's a photography student in Colorado (yes, the internet does allow me to shop the world). Read about her journey and take a look at her photo gallery.

I'd love to hear about your favourite things.

There's a new biz in town

This is a photo of Dawna-Llyn and some of her customers. She has recently started up a business in Kemptville that all you local dog fans should know about.
Your Pet … Your Way
Dog Walking
In-Home Pet Care
Home Monitoring
"Experience the freedom and peace of mind"

Serving Kemptville and surrounding areas
Call Dawna-Llyn Marshall
613.558.3952

For more info, check out her website: yourpetyourway.bravehost.com

Warm & fuzzy feelings

Some days I receive the nicest presents. Sometimes by mail. Sometimes by email.

From Pauline:

Hi Sara, I just wanted to let you know that the biscuits arrived - and that the dog barked all night at the cupboard where I keep them. She's never done that before - so I guess its safe to say that she really really likes them. I have a feeling they aren't going to last very long and I'll be ordering some more soon.Take care and thanks - Pauline

From Bill:

Nan says THANK YOU she really loves your treats...

And the cutest little Christmas card from Fluffy Flowers...Mr. Candy Cane Stripe.

For cards and stuffies, check out the Fluffy Flowers etsy shop.

Keep those emails & mail coming! You make my day.

Join us - BARK Photos with Santa

Please come and join us on location at our last appearance for 2007...at the BARK Photos With Santa event.

When: Saturday December 1st, 8 am - 5 pm
Where: St Richard's Church, Merivale Rd at Rossland, Ottawa
What: huge auditorium with lots of parking, bring your dog, photos $10, tons of Christmas crafts and vendors, and of course Barking Biscuits!
Why: to help raise funds for B.A.R.K.

Ho..ho..hope to see you there!

Urban Dog Photog's great Christmas Photo Idea

One of my Paws for Charity partners is Urban Dog Photog Suzanne Bird. She is the most amazing photographer...not just the actual photographs she takes but also the creativity and experience she provides to her subjects. Just look at this great idea...

Not your average "dog photo with Santa". You can have a photo taken of you and your dog under the mistletoe. What a fabulous way to show the connection between a person and their pet.

Available at Wag Cafe in Ottawa this Friday November 30th. Sessions are $59 and include a custom 5x5 print ready for framing and 5 custom country kissmas cards. Call Wag to book your appointment.

Fabulous!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's really starting to feel a lot like Christmas. We have lots of snow now. Last year we didn't even have snow on Christmas Day.

Things are bustling around here...yet another trip to the bakery tomorrow to pick up some more biscuits.

Today we are doing our own little Christmas photo session...John, the "girls" (aka dogs) and me. I'll let you know how it goes! It's not always the easiest task to get 3 dogs doing what you want them to do all at the same time.

Enjoy your day.

Stocking Stuffers for Cat Lovers

Our organic catnip comes from British Columbia and is powerful stuff. I just received a new shipment last week (backordered from June...phew! I'm glad it made it in time for Christmas). It's always a big joke at the post office when I go to pick up the box. The catnip is packed in a large thick plastic bag, and then boxed in a shipping box. This stuff is so powerful, you can smell the herb through the plastic and box. So, the standard line at the post office is...."Catnip? yeah, right! They grow other herbs in BC too you know". No, I'm not a druggie. But I know some cool cats who are.

I have a Stocking Stuffer Special for the cat lovers in your life.

1. A packet of organic catnip packaged in a cellophane bag with festive star design, sealed and closed with our catnip label...for the cat

2. A one inch button pin in your choice of colour (hot pink, light blue, golden yellow, orange, apple green)...for the cat lover

Price to Canadian addresses: $4.50 (includes catnip, button pin, taxes, postage)

Price to U.S. addresses: $5.00 (includes catnip, button pin, postage)

Send me an email if you are interested and I'll email you with payment instructions. Meow!

CWAC Puppy Raising Program

Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that I support Canines With A Cause, a registered charity based in Ottawa. I received an email about their new Puppy Raising Program from CWAC founder Miriam. I have reprinted it here with her permission.

Here is the CWAC announcement:
After years of carefully planning we are happy to share the news that CWAC has officially started its own Breeding Program.

Our girl named Hope (for a good reason), gave birth to 10 beautiful Golden Retriever puppies on Nov. 4, 2007. Hope was kindly donated to our program by Animation Acres and after passing all the health clearances, and successfully undergoing CWAC program socialization and training she was bred with a star stud from the National Service Dogs program in Cambridge ON.

There are currently open opportunities to puppy raise puppies from this litter to be placed early January 2008.

For more information about puppy raising, please click here.

To read the CWAC Puppy Raiser volunteer position description, click here.

Click here to apply online to become a CWAC Puppy Raiser.

We need your support to help these puppies become Assistance Dogs. Please consider making a donation or to sponsor an Assistance Dog Team. Contact us and we will be glad to send you an information package.

Shades of Gray

This is what we woke up to today. It looked like a black and white world.

But every day has some colour to it.

The glass window is hanging in one of our trees. I love working with glass, and used an old wooden window frame when I created this piece. It's quite large...about 1 1/2 feet wide by 4 feet tall.

Hope you have lots of colour in your day today!

Go Elf Yourself

It's really, really busy around here but sometimes you just have to take a break and have some fun.

Courtesy of Beebee Mod's blog, I discovered elfing.

Take a look at John and me prancing around in our elf outfits by clicking
here. I must admit...Jen's elves are much nicer looking than mine! As I searched my computer for suitable photos of John and me I realized that we don't have many. Lots of photos of dogs. Lots of photos of grandkids. Not so many photos of John. Hardly any photos of me (the result of me being the person in control of the camera)

Have some fun...take a break...and go elf yourself!

Photos from a Paws for Charity fan

Paws for Charity clothing is not just for people! Introducing Sam wearing her Paws for Charity nightshirt...You can purchase clothing for yourself...or your dog...with our Paws for Charity logo (in pink or in black and white or even just plain black print without the round circle) Full proceeds are donated to breast cancer research.Thanks Sam! You look truly fetching!

Old friends and new

I just love receiving photos from our customers and friends. Dogs, like people, come in so many shapes, sizes, and personalities. Each one has a different story.

I heard from an old friend last week. I haven't heard from her in many years so it was a nice surprise to hear from her. Meet Pichenotte, Pastel and Pablo:Thanks for your email & order Joyce!

A while back I heard from a new friend. She also sent some photos...a couple of photos that I'm holding until closer to Christmas. But here's a really cute one to warm your hearts...

Introducing Goose, Blitz, Surf, Brie, Ordi, Queue, Baxter. Thanks for the photos Tiffany!

Devil in Disguise

This is the face I see at work. Those are my legs in the photo, with Cassie gazing up at me. She's between me and my workbench. The other dogs are trained to stay out of my way when I pack biscuits. Cassie is determined to get between me and my workbench. Sometimes she lays down on the mat I stand on. Basically, she makes packing biscuits a challenge and I'm constantly "shooing" her out of the way.

But isn't she a cutie?

However, she was not such a cutie today. She was a challenge when a friend dropped by for tea. The friend asked how Cassie was progressing and I talked in glowing terms about how well she's doing...not much counter surfing and snatching things going on. Ahem. What was that again?

In the short time it took to drink a cup of tea: Cassie got up on her hind legs and grabbed a tea towel from the counter. Cassie grabbed an oven mitt from beside the stove. Cassie grabbed one of my slippers (something she has never done before) Cassie grabbed a kleenex from my friend's lap. Cassie jumped up on the couch beside my friend, sat down, and then lay down across my friend's lap!

So I'm wondering...Dawna, will you ever join me for tea again?

Pleasant Surprises

Isn't it nice when something happens totally out of the blue? Something pleasant that you weren't expecting?

I found out that our Barking Biscuits are featured in this month's Ottawa Magazine. A friend told me about it...I had no idea. I guess the person who wrote the article just went out and bought some for their feature. Totally cool!

Our biscuits are at the bottom of the page. They used 2 packages and then put some loose biscuits in the dog bowl. Our website & details are mentioned in the big white dot at the top right of the page. It's so great to have something like this happen when it's totally unexpected!

And...to make the day even better...I read one of my favourite blogs and my biscuits are featured there as well! I read Beebee Mod every day. I just find Jen so creative and so funny...I really enjoy following her ups and downs. Check her blog out (and my biscuits too!) Thanks Jen!

CNN Young Wonders - Ryan needs your vote

I received this email yesterday and decided to spread the word. CNN is currently conducting a vote to determine the "Young Wonder" for the CNN Heroes Gallery. Only one of the contenders is Canadian, and he's from right here in our modest little town of Kemptville. Please consider voting for this very deserving young man. (but you must vote by November 12th) He currently only has 17% of the vote, so it's vital for as many of us to vote as possible. Here is the email I received:

"I am sure that most of you have heard of "Ryan's Well." This is a project to provide clean water to many African villages and was the product of a very industrious young man by the name of Ryan Hreljac of Kemptville Ontario. Ryan and his adopted brother Jimmy Akana have written a book "Ryan and Jimmy and the well in Africa that brought them together". This book has been nominated for a Silver Birch Reading Program award. I would appreciate all of you logging on to www.cnn.com/heroes and look under the young wonders category and cast a vote for Ryan. He is the only Canadian candidate for this award. All voting must be completed by November 12/07. It is therefore imperative that the votes be cast as soon as possible. On the website there is a brief Video clip of Ryan. His book is available through Chapters. In logging on to the aforementioned website you will note there will be subsequent voting and I would ask that you follow the instructions and complete the process. Your help in recognizing this very deserving young man would be very much appreciated. Also please note that Ryan has been a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show and his book promoted by her, he has been Honored by the Governor General of Canada and recently has teamed up with Matt Damon to promote his worthwhile cause."

Let's give our fellow Canadian some support. Please vote!

Update: looks like Ryan didn't make it to the final round of voting. CNN airs their results on Thursday night.

happy

Don't you just feel happy when you look at this dog? This is Kiefer doing one of the things he loves best. We retired Kiefer's tags from our Peamutty Barks dog biscuits a month or so ago. (ie, we ran out of them and had to start using some new photos!)

Happy is what I felt today. I put a serious dent in my Christmas shopping list! Gotta love it. Only a very few presents left on the list. I feel good. I feel great! Everything is just coming together.

Do something that makes you feel good!

A funny thing happened

I received this email today. It was the first thing I read this morning and I must say it made my day!

"Hi Sara,

My 17 year old son Michael wasn't terribly impressed with me last night when I got home from working. Apparently the bag of Barking Biscuits that I left on the kitchen counter was a lure for him to indulge himself with. So thinking they were cookies - 'er ... well ... need I say more?

... and this was my fault because? Well I didn't stand for it, I lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the person most obviously responsible - YOU! It's that nice white packaging that you use.

Have a nice day."

So, in response I had to tell her about a funny story of my own from way back when I started my dog biscuit business:
"Reminds me of a story about me & my son very, very early in my dog biscuit making days. I had picked him up from school and we were travelling to a hockey practice. He was starving and we didn't have time to stop to pick up something to eat. I had my peanut butter dog biscuits in the car so we ate the biscuits! (peanut butter, rolled oats, skim milk, baking powder)
(I've never told anyone that story...I probably would have been charged with child abuse or something!)"

Mya The Pumpkin Biscuit Queen

Take a look at Mya and all her Barking Biscuit goodies! (and talk about spoiled...she gets to sit in the lazyboy too!)

And...if you want to see a video of Mya enjoying her pumpkin biscuits, check out Christine's blog.

Thanks Christine! You made my day.

And now it's November

Where does all the time go? It's already the 3rd day of November! Christmas is just around the corner, and then another year will be over.

And what a year it has been!

Our Happy Holidogs (this year featuring reindeer dog Carling) are now out in many of our stores. The remaining stores have requested them for November 15th delivery. We have veterinarians who will be giving out our "Ho Ho" bones (large 5 inch bones with a tag insert that reads "Ho..Ho..hope you have Happy Holidogs!") to their customers in November and December.

And, of course, our holiday and regular biscuits can be ordered anytime on our web site.

I feel the Christmas spirit coming...ho ho ho.