Interesting Dog Facts

I am currently reading House Rules by Jodi Picoult and came across an interesting passage. The book is about a young boy with Asperger's (which I find very fascinating), so there are times when he will spew out random facts about various subjects. I thought these would be cool to share here, as they are all about dogs!

1. They evolved from a small mammal called miacis, a tree dweller that lived 40 million years ago.
2. They were first domesticated by Paleolithic cavemen.
3. No matter the breed, a dog has 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth.
4. Dalmatians are born white.
5. The reason they turn in a circle before lying down is because when they were wild animals, this helped mat the long grass into a bed.
6. Approximately one million dogs have been named the primary beneficiaries of their owners’ wills.
7. They sweat through the pads of their feet.
8. Scientists have found that dogs  can smell the presence of autism in kids.

I found number 5 especially fascinating! I always wondered why they did that!

Anyway, the book is really good if you're looking for a summer read! I'm not done yet, but I have enjoyed it so far. I like most of her books. Happy Summer!

Sadie as a Puppy?

Because I adopted Sadie when she was at least a year old, I have no idea what she looked like as a pup. This makes me sad, because I am sure she was freaking adorable!! I stumbled across this picture last week while on the Internet, and am convinced this is what Sadie looked like as a pup! What do you think???

Wordless Wednesday

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Sadie’s Mom

That’s me! The writer of this blog!

I thought I’d take a moment to properly introduce myself to everyone and to tell you a little more about me. My name is Laurie, and I am 28 years old. Currently, I work as a proofreader at a small marketing/advertising agency. Since I graduated college (University of Florida) in 2003, I have been working as a proofreader or editor of some sort, both in the agency and book publisher settings. As an English major in college, I always thought editing was what I wanted to do. I’ve always loved reading and writing, and it just seemed like the right career for me. I guess like most things, you don’t really know what you’re getting into until you try it. It’s not that I hate what I do. I do enjoy editing/proofreading. But I get bored easily. I need a job where things change on a daily basis. And I also feel unfulfilled with this type of work. I need to do something that matters in the grand scheme of things.

I am in the process of working toward a new career. This past Spring, I started graduate school. I am getting a dual degree in Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. Ideally, I would really like to work in some type of rehab facility that deals with alcohol and substance abuse. So, I’m on the way to something that will (hopefully) matter more (to me and others). However, it is going to take me a few years to finish my degree, especially because I will have to do four different internships. But it’s all worth it. Or at least I think it will be in the end!

I currently live on Long Island in the great state of New York! I moved here last August. Previously, I was in Boston for about five years. I grew up in Florida though, and lived there through college. I don’t really know what state I’ll end up in once I’m done with my Master’s degree. I’ve realized now you can’t plan for those things in advance; you just have to see where life takes you. I never thought I’d live in Boston, especially not for five years, so who’s to say where I’ll end up next. I do like Long Island, though!

As I mentioned, I love reading and writing, but I also love theater (seeing it, not acting in it!), TV, movies, and have started to become very interested in photography, as you know. I try to get into Manhattan every once in awhile to see a play or musical. And I’ve been known to wait after shows to meet celebrities. (In fact, I have a whole album on Facebook documenting these moments!)

Hmm what else? I’m an only child, and I never wanted siblings. I’ve always had pets growing up (cats, dogs, rabbits, turtles, fish, hamsters), but Sadie is the first pet that is truly mine. I used to be a swimmer and a gymnast (not a major competitor in either though). My 10 year high school reunion is in September, and I’m on a mission to lose weight (down 18 pounds so far!). I’m shy when I first meet someone, but will open up pretty quickly. My favorite smells are my mother’s cooking and perfume, Sadie’s paws, morning dew, and crayons. I love all types of music, but especially love Sheryl Crow. (In fact, I have “I Shall Believe” tattooed on my inner left wrist, which is one of her songs.)

That’s a good place to start, I think. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! :) Thank you all for reading our blog. I love meeting other animal lovers!

P.S. If you’d like to add me on Facebook, here’s the link!

Wordless Wednesday

“Where’s my Mama??”

Over the weekend, my dad was in town, so we had the family over to the house. Sadie is always very excited when people come over, because that means more people to pet her and give her attention! Not to mention all the food that could possibly fall under the table at dinnertime haha. It’s funny how Sadie acts when everyone is over though. She gets super excited when everyone first arrives, and makes sure to get some petting from everyone (while looking back at me to make sure I approve). Then once the excitement settles down and everyone has been there for a little while, Sadie is glued to my side. She follows me everywhere. I think it’s because it’s harder for her to keep tabs on me when there are several other people there. She wants to make sure I don’t go anywhere. So for most of the day, she was laying on top of me or walking closely behind me. This also means that Sadie doesn’t sleep on days when we have company. God forbid she closes her eyes and something exciting happens!!! And because of that, she is one grumpy pup when the house clears out! She was so tired on Sunday night, and even Monday morning, she went right back into bed after her walk and breakfast.

She does this at the dog park, too. She doesn’t always stick right by my side, as she likes to play with the other dogs, but every few minutes, she will scan the park to make sure she knows where I am. It’s rather adorable, really. When she can’t find me right away, she looks very nervous, and then she sees me and her eyes really do light up! It’s so sweet, and really makes me smile. She’ll even come bounding over to me sometimes and jump up on me just to remind me that I’m her Mama and she loves me.

This little furkid never ceases to put a smile on my face. :)

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming...

To bring you some pictures of New York City! :) I took my camera to the city this past weekend, and wanted to share some photos. There are more at my photography blog and the full set is on my Picasa album...Hope you like them!