September Charity is S.O.S.

Every month we pick a worthwhile organization to donate proceeds from our Silly Stripe Collar sales. It's always difficult to choose a charity, not for lack of organizations, but because they are so, so many animals in need. As I searched through rescue websites this evening it was overwhelming to see story after story of unwanted, sick, abused and forgotten animals. It validates my personal stance and Lucky Fiona's to support and promote rescue. I only wish I could do more, have more money to donate, more space in my home, more time in my life to help all the creatures in need. This month we are pledging sales from our Silly Stripe collar to Save Our Setters http://saveoursetters.org This wonderful group does so much for setters in need and seeing the large number of Irish Setters in particular in need of support was heartbreaking. Loving the breed as I do it's painful to think of any setter not getting all the love and quality of life they deserve. What also drew me to this group was the number of dogs they have with serious medical issues in foster and also many whom were taken from puppy mills and are advanced in age. To think of a dog at 8 years of age who lived in a mill their whole life... no dog deserves a chance more than that. I hope we sell many collars for them this month and hopefully some kind hearted animal lovers will see their website and sponsor one of their foster dogs. We are just a small little collar company, but with every donation we're making a step in the right direction. That thought will help me sleep tonight. Please visit the site and do what you can if you can. Fiona and Dugan and Caelan send sweet setter kisses to all who help their kindred spirits at S.O.S.

On Dog Walking and TV Game Shows and NonLeashes - My Rant

If we were playing a TV game show like Pyramid these would be your clues:
"Kneading bread dough, balancing your check book, painting model airplanes"
Answer: Things you don't do while walking a dog.
Logic tells us that certain things don't go together. Like walking a dog while balancing a tray and water bottle on top of your head. (Illustrated here by my dogless best pal Nicole. Congrats Nicole for finally making the blog. Even though you have no dog I thought I'd find a way to get you in here)
I digress... when you're walking a dog you should be focusing on well, walking the dog. This simple premise seems lost on many as I witness some crazy stuff on my daily dog walks.
Take Friday for example. I'm walking Dugan and coming towards us on the sidewalk is a lady pushing a stroller, with a retractable leash in one hand attached to a crazy little terrier mix and a cell phone cradled in her neck. Oh how I hate retractable leashes...if it was up to me they would be banned. I mean really, we can ban trans fats and not the most stupidly designed dog restraint ever? The best is I love how people act surprised all of sudden that they have no control over their dog on a retractable. Uh-duh... the leash is designed to let your dog go any old place with no resistance. So when they dart out 30 feet in front of you and you can't reel them back like a trout you act surprised. Which is what happened with crazy little terrier. Stroller Mom started freaking out and let go of the stroller so she could try to reel the dog back towards her. Dugan and I walked off the sidewalk and on the grass and kept heading in our original direction but out of the range of crazy terrier. Mind you Stroller Mom never ended her phone call, which I thought might have aided her cause, but what do I know? Maybe she was a lifeline on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire or something and simply couldn't hang up. So she leaves the stroller completely unattended and stranded behind her on the sidewalk and runs up to the dog and attempts to pick him up. Crazy terrier proceeds to bite her hand. Then she starts yelling into the phone how out of control the dog is - which I guess rules out Howie Mandel was on the other end. Dugan and I are now standing dumbfounded guarding the unattended baby as Stroller Mom herds the dog back towards us by kicking the dog along the sidewalk like a soccer ball. The whole thing was disturbing and I was like "you don't have to kick the dog" but Stroller Mom completely ignored me and took the stroller handle and quickly walked away -amazingly continuing her phone call. Ironically Dugan didn't freak out like he usually does when an unbalanced dog is near. He kind of had a perplexed look on his face like "Damn - that terrier is more screwed up than me."
I know everybody is limited on time and I know we should applaud the fact that people are actually making an effort to exercise their dogs, but people let's not multi-task too much. Case in point - the Dad on a bicycle I witnessed 2 weeks ago. He had three young children also on kiddie bicycles riding along with him on the sidewalk next to a 4 lane busy roadway. Added to this family fun were 2 large American bulldogs...on ropes...and did I mention Dad was on his cell phone while riding? He held the ropes along with the handlebar of the bike. What the hell? Did his wife yell at him to order take out for dinner, entertain the children and walk the dogs and he decided to merge everything together into one act? Does he not know American bulldogs are not really running dogs - evident by the fact that they trailed behind everybody and looked like they were heading to heat exhaustion. Finally... a rope is not a leash mister. Which leads me to my following tangent.
Things I've Seen People Use as Leashes that are NOT Leashes
* The aforementioned rope. Sure it works in a bind, but for the love of Sam people, do we all live on a farm? No we live in the snooty Chicago suburbs. Strip malls, townhomes and 4 car garages. Nobody has a barn or a rodeo event in the near future. Why do you even have a rope - you wouldn't begin to know how to tie a knot if asked.
* 20 feet of plastic sealed steel cable. The type normally attached to those stupid lawn tethering systems that should also be banned. Is it just laziness that you don't want to unhook your dog from the lawn tether to be mobile? Rather just coil the whole thing up and walk down the street? Insult to injury - you are using a cable that is tested to like 3000 pounds of resistance and you have it attached to a 11 pound shihtzu. Why?
* 40 foot nylon lead with a metal snap-hook. Well we are getting closer to something that is somewhat leash-like, yet we've missed the mark again. First off - if you let your dog go 40 feet in front of you I got news for you, you have no control over him or her. Secondly this type of lead is handy when lunging a horse...not walking your labradoodle.
* Chains. It doesn't make your dog look tougher. It makes you look like an asshole.

So in review...lets walk our dogs (not bicycle with improper equipment) and actually pay attention to walking and controlling our dogs. Let's get crazy and use oh I don't know... a leash. They sell them everywhere from Target, the grocery store, the local Walgreens to one of many pet superstores that are located everywhere. (plug: Or have one custom made by Lucky Fiona!)

Clues: Bonding with your pooch, enjoying nature, reflective relaxation....
Answer: Things that happen when you walk your dog the right way!

This Week's Official Friend of Fiona is...Lawrence!

Holy macaroni is this one good looking dog! Fiona had no problem picking this week's official winner as Lawrence just wowed us with his handsome face and take charge demeanor. Lawrence (don't you dare call him Larry) is simply fetching in his new Lucky Fiona collar and leash combination. We are always impressed by a dog that weighs less than 10 pounds and sports our bad-ass "Tattoo Be Doo" style as seen here in the tan version. Lawrence was recently rescued and is just adored by his Dogmom Tanya. We can't wait to see what style Lawrence picks out as the winner of a free custom collar for being the Official Friend of Fiona. Congrats on being this week's winner!

Advice? No thanks.

Nothing angers a Dogmom more than people who try to tell you about your dog as if they know them better than you. I especially love people who just randomly give you dog advice where they have no business doing so as they are barely qualified to poopy-scoop much less counsel on being a dog guardian. When you bring your adorable dog out in public, as I do with Fiona, you open yourself up to much unsolicited "advice". Here are some of my favorite little nuggets to share:

* While walking past a neighborhood backyard where some guys gathered to play horseshoes I overhear a lively debate about what breed Fiona is as we approach. The consensus was "long haired-dalmation" or "dalmation-retriever mix". I smile and say "She's an English Setter" as I walk directly next to them. This was met with disbelief and scoffs. One tall guy says to me with a snarky smile "no, she is for sure a long haired dalmation, trust me I know dogs-I've had like 30 of them." Okay, bub...first off there is no such thing as a long haired dalmation, second of all she is an ENGLISH SETTER. Third off - you barely look 30...how the hell could you have had 30 dogs in your lifetime?

* Just the other day at a local dog bakery & supply store I am waiting on line and hear a salesperson telling the guardian of a rather excitable labrador that if she purchased their "special" one time nail treatment they would guarantee her brand new wooden floors would never be scratched. The customer nodded and smiled like a child being offered candy and went into great detail how much money she just spent having wood floors put in and how she would do the "special treatment immediately!". Ummm, unless the special treatment is removing that spazzy labrador's paws those floors are getting scratched lady. I couldn't resist finding out what this magical treatment was so I asked as I got to the counter and the girl looked at me as like she was giving away top secret information and whispered "Our groomer uses this special tool called... a dremel!" Yeah, okay doofus - groomers and dog people alike have been using dremels to sand down dog nails for years and years, it's not a big secret and guess what? Nails still continue to grow after being dremeled! The girl tilted her airy head and said I should totally try it for my dogs and I told her it wasn't necessary, I have laminate floors. I took my bag and left her standing there blinking in curiosity as I am very sure she did not know what the word "laminate" meant.

* Conversation while walking past playground with Caelan and Fiona....
4 year old child: "Mommy! Mommy! Look at the pretty dogs!"
Mom: "Yes that is a pretty dalmation isn't it? Just like your DVD!"
Me: (silently) (Here we go again with the dalmation crap again...I should have just named her Pongo)
4 year old child: "Can I ask if I can pet them?"
Mom: "No just go ahead Emily, they look friendly."
Me (blocking 4 year old running at us full speed with hands flailing and questioning how the child has better dog manners than the Mom): "Whoa...well actually the red dog is a little skittish around children, but you can pet Fiona the black and white setter."
Mom: "Are you sure about the red one because I saw her tail wagging before."
Me: "Yes, I am sure, she has always been nervous around children."
Mom: "You know what you should do? File her teeth down. My Dad did that with one of our dogs that bit children and then he couldn't hurt anybody."
Me:(horrified) "Wow, really, well, she has never bit anybody, she is just nervous around loud excitable children."
4 year old child:(bouncing up and down) "I want to a pet the red one, the red one...THE RED ONE!"
Mom: "No honey, that dog bites. Remember what happened to Aunt Sarah's dog? He had to go away after he bit your cousin Nathan." (turns to me and whispers "Euthanasia")
Me: "Okay, well have fun this afternoon!" (quickly herd dogs away before any more great advice is forthcoming about my biting dog that has never bitten anybody)

So in closing, I love to talk dogs. But perhaps not with everybody.

Fiona's Lady and the Tramp Moment

One of Fiona's boyfriends (yes...there are more than one) recently mentioned taking her out to the finest restaurants in Brooklyn! (Oh Yoshi - you are such a gentleman) Fiona was very excited over this prospect so we decided to practice some noodle sharing a la "Lady and the Tramp" I'm proud to say she picked up the whole spaghetti-slow-nibble very quickly and is now ready to hit any fine Italian eatery Yoshi may suggest.

Name that Collar Winner Enjoys Her Prizes!

Winning one of our contests truly does have it's beautiful advantages! Pictured here is the lovely Ellis - a Great Dane rescue who captured our hearts in the "Name That Collar" contest earlier this summer. On the left Ellis is wearing her namesake collar and we admit she looks just lovely in that tone of green on green. We are pleased to say that "The Ellis" collar is selling very well since it's introduction. On the right is another great shot of Ellis wearing The Marino which she used her gift certificate prize to pick out for days she feels like a style change. Ellis shared the Lucky Fiona spirit with a donated Gift Certificate to her Great Dane Rescue group as well. Everybody is a winner with Lucky Fiona!

This Week's Official Friend of Fiona is...Bandit!

Fiona had no trouble picking her Official F.O.F. this week - the devilishly handsome Bandit was a clear winner in his dashing Lotus collar. I mean look at the gleam in his eyes ladies...he is a handsome, handsome boy. Thanks to his Dogmom for sending along his pictures and we ask for everybody that reads this to send positive thoughts Bandit's way as he is fighting heartworms right now and in the midst of treatments. Feel better sweet pooch and we know you'll be healthy and stylin' in your Lucky Fiona wear soon. A free collar is coming Bandit's way as this week's winner. Have your Dogmom let us know what style you choose Bandit-O!

My Special Needs Dog

Seems like walking Dugan sometimes turns into an event. I realized this last evening when I arrived home post walk and my husband said "Well, what went down tonight with the boy?" Apparently there is no such thing as a walk in the park with Dugan. People don't understand my special needs dog.
You often hear people comment about their children's social challenges yet not too many people bring up their dog's behavioral issues in the office lunchroom. Unless you are me. Believe me, the chuckles echoed down the hallway as I brought up my "special needs" dog. So unfair I tell you. I have to listen to co-workers talk about human children's issues with a sympathetic expression on my face. "Poor Peyton has hyperactive-attention-deficit-learning-social-challenges-disorder with irrational fear of red objects and a peanut allergy" Blah-blah-blah. I mention Dugan is on medication for OCD and it's met with laughter and sideways glances. Excuse me people...it cost me $250 an hour with a top vet behaviorist to get that diagnosis, it's legit.
The truth is Dugan is special. He is loving and affectionate and playful and charming with people of all ages. He loves people. Other dogs? Not so much. Hence he sometimes panics and howls like a banshee and flips out if he sees another dog. Especially a male dog. Or a dog with a dark muzzle. Or a dog that is born on a Tuesday during a lunar eclipse. Okay, my last point is sometimes it's random why he doesn't like another dog.
He is not a candidate for any off leash dog parks. He was expelled from doggie day care (true story) and we can't just randomly let other people come visit with their dogs until we know he's okay with them. He has special needs and we meet them because he is our special dog, we adore him and understand him and will do whatever it takes to make him happy.
Other people just see a dog flipping out on the end of my leash. They see a barking, twirling dervish of a dog. I see my baby in a state of high anxiety. I know he has trauma from being attacked by other dogs before we rescued him. I know this because we paid an animal communicator $45 an hour to share these details with us. (another factoid that produces snickering from the non-dog understanding) I know his chakras are not clear (Animal Reiki master $55 a half hour) and he ate a piece of wheat toast earlier (contradicting his non-grain diet $50 per 30 lb bag) My special needs dog is a puzzle and I understand how to put all the pieces together. A puzzle that has cost me thousands of dollars over the years...but I'm not complaining mind you.
During a walk last week a teenage girl approached us on the trail with a large male boxer, at least 90 pounds worth. Innocent, no? Well the dumbass was riding a bicycle and had the dog attached to a retractable leash she was holding onto with her index finger. Also I should mention she had her hoodie up and an Ipod on, so my assessment of her being a dumbass was truly accurate given the lack of control she had on the dog. If she had a third hand I am confident she would have been texting her BFF at the same time. I saw this wobbling mess approach me from 50 yards away. I kept a calm assertive attitude (Cesar's Way by Caesar Millan $19.95) and walked Dugan off the path, down a hill and faced him the other way and waited for this train wreck to pass by. Well as soon as the boxer saw Dugan the dog lunged off the path and "surprise" the bicycling girl lost her grip of the leash and the dog came bounding at Dugan down the hill like an avalanche of brindle. Dugan started his wailing manic twirling behavior and I acted like a hockey goalie blocking the boxer from coming into contact with Dugan. The girl thankfully took her Ipod off and finally grabbed the boxer and managed to get control. Completely ignoring me she said to the boxer "Did that crazy mean dog hurt you?" What? What? My crazy mean dog? Dugan stood silently next to me, the event already over in his world. I looked at my special boy and wondered how anybody could say a harsh word about him.
You know hell hath no fury like a Dogmom who has been told her dog is crazy (or ugly or a different breed then they really are) I didn't have time or inclination to tell her about his anxiety or chakras or the very expensive vet behaviorist so I looked her square in the eye and said "He's not crazy...he has special needs!" I walked a few feet away and then turned around and said "And your a dumbass for riding a bike with a dog on a retractable!"
I'm not proud of yelling obscenities at a teenager, but this is what my life as a Dogmom of a special needs dog has boiled down to.
So when my husband asked what our special boy did I had to tell the story. It sounded a bit like the one the week before when Dugan's wailing over a shepherd mix stopped a softball game or the time he made an overprotective Soccer Mom clutch her children like aliens were attacking at the playground when he was wailing his crazy howl of a bark.
I don't care, he's my dog and I love him.

Interspecies Adoration

Sometimes you just need somebody to hold your paw. It doesn't matter if they are supposed to or even if anybody sees you. It's just nice to know that somebody cares and that they are there for you.

Cute pooch alert!

"Thanks for the new collar!"

Love,

Leeander

We love fan mail as you know and even better when we get pictures attached. Leeander is just so handsome in his Lucky Fiona Darden collar. We know Leeander has great taste as he is the dog behind Sandy Dog Bakery which is a fantastic place to get homemade all natural dog treats. Check out his Dogmom's shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5304572

This Week's Official Friend of Fiona is...Rowdy

This week's Official Friend of Fiona is the most handsome pooch we've seen in awhile... Rowdy!Look how at ease he is here modeling his custom made Silly Stripe collar in 1.5 width/martingale styling! Honestly, with such a bold fashion choice he is going to be the talk of the neighborhood in his unique custom creation. Just another reason to order Lucky Fiona...we custom make every collar so we can do whatever collar width or type you please. We certainly cannot imagine how Rowdy got such a name by the way, but we imagine it is due to his serene and peaceful personality. His Dogmom Caitlyn hasn't indicated otherwise...just looking at his picture you can never imagine he has been naughty a day in his life, right? Well Caitlyn, let us know the truth when you email us to let us know your pick of a free collar for being this week's winner.

My Dog is Cuter than Your Dog

I know a Dogmom's love is blind, but still I have to admit my dogs and cats just may be the most adorable things I have ever seen. I was pleased as punch the other day to be at a client's home and while visiting with her she stopped off topic/mid-sentence to say "Oh my gosh -look at how cute you are Gracie!" in reference to her too-sweet-for-words Great Dane. I can't tell you what a relief this was to know others in the world just stop what they are doing for no particular reason and ogle at their dog.

I've done it while gardening, writing bills, cleaning, cooking and occasionally after cleaning up after them. (this seems to be when they really amp up the cuteness and tilt their heads as if to say "Look at how adorable I am! Now finish cleaning my vomit from garbage eating...but remember...I'm CUTE!"

I can't help it. I am vexed. Sure I see other's animal companions and they are gorgeous, but secretly I think mine are more gorgeously gorgeous. I know I'm not alone.

I mean look at Fiona's face...c'mon.

Cats got our collars...

Sully-cat here to remind everybody that Lucky Fiona makes cat collars too!
Sully's getting bigger by the day and we are thrilled his original kitten collar is expanding with him! To celebrate all things cats we are offering a special secret blog sale of Buy 1 Get 1 Free on cat collars through Etsy. Simply order a cat collar and put "Sully Sent Me" in the buyer notes along with your pick of a free cat collar and we'll include it at no additional cost!
Hurry - offer for limited time only!
Go to www.luckyfiona.etsy.com

This Week's Official Friend of Fiona is...Ted!

Oh my goodness...how incredibly adorable is Ted wearing his highly collectible/retired design Fluffernutter collar? Living large on the Upper West Side, Ted is the cutest puppy in NYC. Well we also think he is the cutest little thing we've seen in a long time and Fiona is happy to name him the official friend of the week. Welcome to your forever home Ted! We look forward to making you custom collars as you grow and grow!

Setter on the Loose!

Of all the roads in the world he had to come running across mine...
It was Wednesday night about 8:30 and I was doing what most people in my neighborhood do on Wednesday nights - dashing out to get garbage stickers for the cans for Thursday morning pick up. While I love the fact our town has a great pick up and recycling service, it seems I am forever dashing out last minute to purchase stickers to place on the can handles. Hence I was coming home from such an exciting excursion when a frightening sight unfolded as I turned my blinker on to enter my neighborhood. A dog racing and weaving in front of cars on the busy main road that leads into our subdivision. Any dog would have made my heart sink, but adding to my panic was the fact this was an English Setter. Being a setter-mom I recognized the look I saw in this spotty guy's eyes. It was the dreaded "Heyyyy! I'm freeeee!!!!! Whoo-hooo!!!!! Is that a rabbit I smell? Let me dart over there and find out! Whopppeeee!! Car? What's a car? Wheeeeeeee!" Thankfully he zoomed into my subdivision and off the busy main road.
He was an orange and white fellow and looked a lot like my pet sitter Jane's setter Luke - just for kicks I even yelled out "Luke" and to my surprise Speedy Gonzales froze and tilted his head at me. Strange. I attempted on foot and in vehicle to catch up with him. He was in full setter-mode, following his nose into yards and around houses. I could track him by the dog barking of others who were objecting to him entering their yards. Once in sight I threw the car door open a few times and invited him in and he did the same thing my own beloved dogs have done when they have gotten loose - he threw his head in the air as if to mock me and ran in the opposite direction. Finally I noticed his manic pace seemed to slow down a bit and it occured to me he was getting tired! Finally! I drove ahead of him at the top of a cul-de-sac using my Jetta like a corralling quarter horse, threw it in park and hopped out. I had one trick up my sleeve that every desperate dog person has done and I was growing desperate. I outstretched my hand with an imaginary treat in it and beckoned him over. "C'mere sweet boy - want a treat?" Tongue hanging to the ground he walked over to me and in super slow mode I reached over and grabbed his collar. Sweet success.
Under the glowing street light I saw an ID tag and his address and name..."Lucas" So when I yelled "Luke" I wasn't too far off from his real name! I plopped him in my car where he promptly sprawled out in exhaustion and drooled lovely ribbons of saliva on my front seat as I ran him back to my house to look up his street address. My husband was not the least bit fazed when I called ahead on my cell phone and said I had an English setter in the front seat. I guess after years of rescuing dogs and being a lost-dog magnet I have jaded him somewhat. Once in our driveway Alex got him a fresh bowl of water which he polished off in 2.3 seconds and then another. Lucas was just a very sweet boy and I knew somebody must be frantic looking for him.
My husband called the number on the tag and got a woman who said we made a 7 year old very happy and they'd be right over. Alex and I were all smug in our good deed for the day and looked forward to the Disney-like "dog and his boy" reunion about to take place in our driveway.
Except after all was said and done it didn't feel like a Disney movie.
Lucas' Dogmom and two young boys pulled up a short while later and they were thankful and polite. She says she's impressed we knew he was a setter and how these type of dogs just catch and scent and take off! "Yes we know, we chorused! We have setters too!" She mentioned Lucas was a rescue 3 years ago from a local humane group we know very well. How wonderful! Just like Fiona - a rescued setter, we stood and nodded and smiled. She mentioned he's been loose before and picked up by kind motorists....what? ummm, how often is this dog loose? (red flags start fluttering across the screen of my Disney scene) She mentions the last person that found him had no cell phone on them and took Lucas home to a town that is over an hour away and she had to go all the way out there to pick him up.(red flags now canvas the screen in my Disney scene) She mentions she thought Lucas was finally learning to just stay in the neighborhood when he's loose. (warning bells drown out the dramatic score playing in the Disney scene in my head)
My husband and I smiled politely and petted Lucas goodbye, still filled with questions why he is loose so much. We gave his Dogmom a Lucky Fiona collar since his looked a little ragged. His Mom mentions she's been meaning to get him a collar since he's still wearing the one they adopted him in...3 years ago. (Disney scene is officially shut out of my mind)
Now I know we can't judge and I know these people obviously love the dog. I just wonder why he gets out and how they can be satisfied if he "stays in the neighborhood"? I know the group they adopted Lucas from with is very strict about having a tall fence before they will adopt out to you, so I am sure they are fenced. I also know how devilish a setter can be in the need to escape. This is why we have had to tear down our first fence and put in a new taller one (so a spotty Fiona cannot jump over) lined with river rocks and landscaping (so a spotty Fiona cannot dig under) Setters are not an easy breed to contain. I guess this makes me bothered even more so - as hyper-vigilant as we are about keeping our gate locked and being careful coming in and out of doors, we have still had dogs get loose. When they do we are heart sick and out searching and getting everybody we know to help. Our reunions are the Disney scenes with tears and emotion and thankfulness.
I just hope if Lucas gets out again he has another dog-lover watching over him and keeping him out of harms way. I also think I should have given his Dogmom a leash...and told her to keep a hold of it. Tightly.

When Good Dogs Do Bad

Every once in awhile dogs remind us that they are well...dogs. Seems simplistic, no? For me it's a good dose of realism, I think I humanize my dogs and their emotions so much so often, that I forget sometimes. It's easy to do, we make our pups family members, our "fur children" so to speak and when they exhibit some canine behaviors it can be disturbing even though quite natural to them.
Last evening I was walking our eldest rescue setter Dugan and our sweet Fiona. Coming around a corner we were charged by a little bullet of a min-pin that had broken loose out of it's yard. The dog's guardian quickly retrieved the min-pin who had backed off of Dugan but Dugan was still in a state of "fight or flight" with no intention on flight. Hence he displaced his aggression on the next closest thing which was unfortunately Fiona, who had just been standing by watching the melee. In a period of 5 seconds which seemed like hours he pounced on Fiona and I was tearing apart a dog scuffle that sounded way worse than it was. For those of you with dogs that have fought, you know the sounds I speak of, they make your heart leap in your throat. Sounds that are part Cujo, part King Kong with a little Godzilla mixed in. As quickly as Dugan snapped into the monster routine he snapped right out of it and stood calmly wagging his tail as his Dogmom attempted to put her heart back in her chest it was pounding so hard. Fiona likewise was fine, licking my hand as if to say "it's over Mom!" We walked home without any further incident and the two of them drank out of the same water bowl simultaneously and sprawled out in the same room to relax. I of coarse sat in the room on the floor distraught - asking Dugan to apologize to his sister for his behavior and for her to please forgive him for being such a mean boy. Then I blamed myself for walking them at the same time when I typically walk Caelan and Fiona at the same time if I am solo as I can't walk all 3 dogs by myself. Then I blamed my husband for working late and not being able to be there to stop the fight. Finally I blamed the National Weather service for predicting storms which is why I took the shorter walk route past the min-pins house in case rain started. On the scale of Dogmomhood I felt like a failure.
Then I looked at my dogs and realized how silly I am. They were over it 3 seconds after it happened. They don't need to apologize or forgive. They were being dogs. They are dogs. Unlike us humans, they don't hold a grudge. They were not traumatized, if anything all my anxious energy was more traumatic than the 3 second incident.
So I think I'll not walk them together again if I am alone, but I will also try to remember that they are dogs. Spoiled, loved and pampered, but dogs that sometimes do dog-like things. Come to think of it I got in a few scraps with my human brother when we were younger and we love each other none-the-less too.

Fiona loves Fan Mail!

Hi Fiona,Please tell your Dogmom that I am in love with my new bug off collar and leash! I even tinkled a little on the floor when the mailman came to the door. I just get so excited I can't contain myself! Here's a picture of me with my new accessories. All I wanted to do was go take a little run to show off my new threads to the neighborhood pooches, but nooooo - my mommy wouldn't quit snapping that dang camera! At least I got a treat for being a good girl! Can you see my mouth open there? I'm saying, "Hi Fiona, Dugan, and Caelan"!
Wags and Licks,
Paisley Jane

We love a rave...and a cute little kitten in the Tattoo Be Doo

From www.luckyfiona.etsy.com

"All my cats look so cool and chic! Sadly I can't post all of them, but your cat collars adjust small enough to fit my 12 week old kitten! "

We're Pleased to Introduce...The Ellis

We are pleased to name the official winner of the "Name that Collar Contest" and Lucky Fiona's next top selling collar The Ellis! We had so many wonderful entries but Ellis just warmed our hearts. She is a rescue dog who was found as a stray this past year around Christmas and she was kindly taken in by the folks at Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue (check them out- http://www.rmgreatdane.org/.) Her dogparents have only shared their lives with her for 7 weeks and are so completely in love with Ellis they can't imagine their life without her. Sort of how we feel about our Fiona too! Ellis' pastimes are looking stylish in her Lucky Fiona wear, carrying around her favorite piggy toy, and getting the "zoomies" after doing commands correctly. As our winner Ellis will get a custom made collar of her namesake and a gift certificate for any other custom made collar in our shop. Thanks again to all who entered and congrats to the beautiful Ellis!

Some of Our Finalists in Name that Collar Contest

We had so many wonderful entries into our "Name that Dog Collar Contest" and we wanted to share some of the finalists with you because they were just too good not to post! We had 32 entries and we want to thank each and every one that took the time to send in their pooch's photographs and stories. Fiona and I had a wonderful time seeing all you gorgeous dogs out there. A big woof to everybody that entered - we love you!

2nd & 3rd Place - Penny & Sulley (Dog-Brother & Sister)
So regal - so refined, Penny you are lovely! Sulley
* We did already feature a collar named "The Sully" in June which really isn't this Sulley's fault. We just love his photo however - it's almost like he's saying "Please - no photos! Damn Paparazzi!"

4th Place - Paisley Jane
They don't get much cuter than this and we love P.J.'s little skirt here- Fiona wants to borrow it for her next date with Yoshi.

Honorable Mention and Best Use of Props to Suck Up to the Judges
Oh Scout - we love your photo and your apparent collar buying addiction, which is why we had to award you as last week's Official Friend of Fiona. Buying lots and lots of collars does indeed get you somewhere in life.