Conrad got lots of presents over Christmas (and New Year’s!) and one of the gifts was some treats he really loves from Bocce’s Bakery, a New York City small business that makes dog treats from a few simple ingredients. Conrad has tried the Truffle Mac & Cheese and now has the Beef Bourguignon treats to munch on. I like them especially because they are low fat–one of Conrad’s dietary requirements.
If your dogs are asking for special treats, you can try the Meat Lover’s Box with the two flavors Conrad has tried–looks like he needs to try two more, too!
Sweater weather looms distantly in the future here — usually shows up around Halloween? I have posted things like this before, but who’s gonna stop me now? Conrad models sweaters so perfectly and professionally (kind of). I like to review his wardrobe periodically to give away stuff that doesn’t fit his ever-plumping weenie bod and see what new things I can add. So here’s some of what he has donned in the past!
The skull sweater is my current fave.
He also has a scarf in this season’s hot color, merlot …
How do I manage to not feed him all the cookies?!?!?
I think we did have to give away the marled technicolor sweater because Conrad got too swole.
So next I’m perusing the Chilly Dog sweaters to see which one I might get Conrad for the holidays. I’m thinking either this one or this one. Or both.
Conrad’s birthday was last Saturday, and he had a pretty dang good day. We went on a walk in the park …
He got to wear his new collar from PS of Sweden. (Which, thanks to the Exquisite Equine, I now realize that Eli MUST have a matching browband!)
Conrad enjoys modeling it, can’t you tell?
It’s maybe a little too big, so if when I get him another one, I’ll go down a size. Conrad also got Nylabones he likes to chew on, a bag of boar liver treats, and a froggy rope toy from his Grammie …
The froggy rope toy didn’t last long. Conrad also got a little bit of steak with his dinner. I’m not sure exactly how old he is because I adopted him from a shelter and he had been a stray, but my guess is he is about 5 years old now. And wow, I really need to take him to get his nails trimmed again!
Face in the gratin dishFace of Supreme Regent of Tumlinson Park; rules with an iron paw; tiny, cuddly tyrantMenacing face; death to all squirrels face, just needs a cape and a utility belt
I have a very short “bucket list.” Frankly, I am not really into bucket lists at all, as I change my mind about things on a whim quite frequently. Best as I can remember, my bucket list has two, maybe three things on it, and they all involve animals:
1. Shark diving
2. Frolic with wolves because they are SO FLUFFY
3. Jump side-saddle
Number 2 is about halfway crossed off, as I got to pet a rescue wolf while I was in line at the Village Alamo Drafthouse to see (probably) a Sherlock Holmes movie. The wolf was lusciously fluffy, friendly, and as big as a mastiff.
So what does any of this have to do with Weenie Wednesday? Socks. Socks are the segue. Socks with a howling wolf, socks with dachshunds.
And cognac.
And His Majesty Cookie Face.
The levels of intensity, exhilaration, and concentration in Conrad’s eyes while crunching up a cookie never fails to impress me. Always eat your cookies with gusto, friends.
Other than baby bunnies! His backyard time is severely restricted because of bunny eating. I can’t really get mad at him for doing what’s in his DNA, though.
Always hunting bunnies
So, dog food. Some of it … not appetizing. Okay, to me pretty much all of it is unappetizing. But when I first got Conrad, he let me know pretty quickly that dry food was not for him. I switched him to canned, and soon my dog walker recommended a particular brand of canned, and we tried different flavors before finally settling on the one flavor Conrad consistently eats.
Blue Buffalo Small Breed Lamb Flavor in a can is just about all that Conrad will eat. I can’t even feed him a different flavor of the same stuff without him turning up his nose at it. I like to be able to understand what all is in the food, and where the food comes from.
Same with treats–the fewer ingredients, the better, and if they aren’t from the US or Canada I pretty much won’t feed them to Conrad. I read labels especially now, when there have been deaths in connection to dog treats made in China and the suspicious ingredients therein.
Conrad’s favorite, which we discovered when some family got him some to try, are the Origen treats. The Alberta Wild Boar treats have two ingredients, both boar. They are freeze dried, and smell VERY flavorful, like what boar liver must smell like. Conrad goes bonkers over these.
He also gets cooked chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef, without seasoning, just a little bit to top his meals. Or maybe it’s the holidays and he gets leftover tenderloin bits topping his dinner. He likes Havarti cheese, too, but only gets tiny pieces. And, of course, bacon.
I am picky about what I eat, what my horse eats, and what my dog eats! It means spending a little more money at the outset, but long term that could keep the vet and doctor bills lower.
Why? Because I adopted Conrad from a shelter on January 16, 2011. Since then, he has trained me very well. Please enjoy the following photos of my exquisite personal assistant skills, cultivated by my employer, Joseph Conrad McBurney, Dachshund.
Conrad has a lot of sweaters. People remark that Conrad has more sweaters than they do. While he has sweaters in a variety of different brands and materials, my favorites and his are definitely Chilly Dog Sweaters. I stumbled upon the brand via Amazon, but you can check out their website! Seriously, read the About Us section if you need a little warm & fuzzy consumer pick-me-up.
Their sweaters are 100% wool, which keeps Conrad quite warm on our walks when it’s chilly out. I love them, and I will definitely be buying Conrad more! They are extremely well-made, durable, washable, and beautiful! Also, so stinkin’ cute, with little ears or antlers on the hoodies. And long enough for dachshunds! Total plus in my book, as his other sweaters are pretty short on him and leave his butt cold.
This one isn’t on the website, but I am 95% sure it is a Chilly Dog Sweater. Probably should have double-checked the tag before writing about it!
If your dogs need sweaters, I strongly and cheerfully suggest trying the Chilly Dog Sweaters.
Also, I would like to mention that I think my dog is extremely photogenic. In case anybody needs a dog model or anything.
Such pathos!
I want a painting of this picture. It is such a freaking painting. Look at the balanced composition! The chiaroscuro reminiscent of Caravaggio! The subject so timeless and enduring, so expressive! Somebody immortalize this pup in oil on canvas!
Okay, I’m done. Stay warm out there, friends, ponies, and pups!
Full disclosure: I have bought or been gifted via friends all of Conrad’s sweaters and I write about Chilly Dog Sweaters totally of my own accord. It’s a great brand with a great product, and I just wanted to share, as many of you have complimented Conrad’s sweaters whenever he’s wearing the Chilly Dog ones.