Kailey is an English Springer Spaniel. Isn’t she just a gorgeous little lady? I love her markings.

And her eyes. I am quite certain that a few glances from those big eyes would get you to do just about anything for her. Although I’m pretty sure I’m a pushover with any canine.

I can’t help but share my favorite shot of the bunch…

The way Kailey reaches her head up to meet her owner’s hand absolutely makes my heart smile. Dogs are the best. End of story.

So – what are you up to this weekend? Any plans to spend time doing something special with your pets?

Bailey is a Weimaraner, and doesn’t he just look like a distinguished gentleman? I have always loved the unique color of Weimaraners, especially the way their eyes show such expression (and are a pretty color to boot).

I love the sweetness in Bailey’s eyes, as well as his intensity – he definitely was focused when a treat was in his proximity!

If you notice the white mark underneath Bailey’s neck: he has a story behind it. A little while back, he and his sister Kailey were bitten by a rattlesnake in their backyard. I know that rattlesnakes exist around these parts in Florida, but I’ve never encountered one (I’ll include alligators in that list as well – thankfully one has never gotten close to us. It happens though). It is amazing that both of them survived and are healthy, happy pups. He has the badge of courage to show for it.

By the way: how can you not love the pure joy he has running down the dock near his home? You can just see the big smile across his face. Yes…I do believe dogs smile. Don’t you?

And don’t worry: I won’t forget about his sister. You can see a peek of this adorable English Springer Spaniel…she’s coming soon!

Have a wonderful weekend! Will you be spending some time in the sunshine?

Except for when I want to attempt taking a few pictures of her and she becomes not so pleased. You see…I had the idea that I wanted to take a few shots next to the enormous tree in our backyard, so I tried coaxing her over.

Well, the tree is in the shade…and Lucia was NOT having any of it. She glumly walked over to the tree, but I swear…you can see it in her eyes: she was not too tickled about it.

Seriously: can you see it? Resentment. And how she decided to stare longingly at the other side of the yard covered in sunshine…

I mean, maybe it was just a little bit of blue steel. She was giving me “fierce.”

Anyway, when Lucia finally decided to stand up on the tree roots, I couldn’t help but think she looked a little bit – regal? She looks like the queen of the world…staring down across her land. The land, in this case, being the backyard.

Sorry Lucia. I’ll do my best not to disturb you when you’re laying in the sun in the future.

Do your pets like to bask in the sunshine outdoors?

Last week, a friend of mine was kind enough to let me stop by her home to snap a few pictures of her furbaby for some more practice with pets that are not my own and have never met me before. Meet: Otis.

Isn’t he just a gorgeous little guy? I love his coloring. Otis is a dachshund beagle mix, and has personality bursting from the seams. Isn’t it funny how such big personalities can come from such small creatures?

He definitely has a penchant for playing sticks strewn throughout the yard. Who could blame him?

Although (to me) he looks a lot like a dachshund, when Otis tips his head back to give a little howl there is no mistaking the part of him that is a beagle!

And of course, it should go without saying that Otis loves treats. Although, getting them out of a canister can prove to be tricky. I think he was suspicious as to why his mommy would leave an open dog treat container on the ground for him to enjoy!

Ok, one funny outtake for good measure. I can’t help myself. Thank you to Otis for being such a great dog model.

So, what do you think? Isn’t Otis such a cute pup?

…and then she promptly plopped herself down on the ground and refused to pose for any more pictures. What a diva.

Do your pups like to pose for pictures?

That, and I think my furbaby is just so pretty. I know, I’m biased.

Our new home has a fenced in backyard, and it is officially Lucia’s new favorite place to spend her time. I let her out to enjoy the backyard once or twice during the day, and it is always hard to coax her back inside.

Usually, Justin and I catch her laying in a beam of sunshine, basking in the rays. It is absolutely adorable. I usually won’t bother her, but the other day I was too tempted: I broke out the camera for a bit of fun.

As hard as I tried to get Lucia to look at me and to move out of the sun, she absolutely wouldn’t. My gal loves the sunshine, I’m telling you!

I’m so happy my little Lucia has a place she enjoys with this new house. I always felt bad about the lack of space in our old apartment. I knew she must have felt cooped up a little bit in there, and now she really has space to run and be outside without being on a leash. So nice.

Does your pup love to bask in the sunshine too?

Seriously. That face.

At this point in the week are you gearing up for Thanksgiving? Will you be going the traditional route with the  menu, or are you trying anything new? We’re going to have a Southwestern inspired Thanksgiving meal with my parents…I’ll have to share the results of what we make!

And then…of course…Black Friday. Is anyone heading out to brave the stores? Any good deals out there that are worth it? I have to admit: I am not one for door busting on Black Friday…but I sometimes head out to the mall if I’m up and have nothing else to do. I don’t know that I’ve ever scored any amazing deals though! Too much chaos…

Anyway, I’m signing off for a few days to enjoy time with the family (and to keep unpacking the house) – I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!!!

Today, we talk dog treats.

Normally, we don’t buy Lucia dog treats. I give her slices of fresh vegetables here and there. She gets to lick the bottom of my yogurt cups before I throw them away. She seems to be pretty satisfied with the situation.

But recently (thanks to a Klout perk), I received three bags of Hill’s Science Diet Ideal Balance Dog Treats for Lucia to try. And boy, does she love them.

I love them too, for the fact that the ingredients are natural and recognizable. I can actually read and understand the ingredients; no creepy sounding chemicals that I can’t pronounce and don’t have the slightest clue what they are.

The three varieties we received were a good spread: the Fruity Snacks with cranberry and oatmeal are cute little flower cookie shaped treats – Lucia gives them a “paws up,” if you will. The Veggie Chips with pumpkin and yam are thin disc shaped treats; they’re easy to break in half if you don’t want to use an entire treat at once. Finally, the Jerky Strips with real beef: Lucia FLIPS over them, so I only use them for a big reward at this point…don’t want her to get too spoiled now!

Make sure you don’t overfeed your dog when it comes to treats: the Ideal Balance treats provide a serving suggestion per day depending on the size of your dog. For example, the Fruity Snacks suggest that a 40lb dog (like Lucia) should only have up to 4 of the treats per day. I usually only end up giving her one, but that is good to know for reference!

Anyway, if you’re looking for all-natural treats for your pup, check out the Ideal Balance line of products. They’re Lucia-approved!

Do you have a favorite type of treat for your pets?

]]> http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/11/science-diet-dog-treats/feed/ 2 http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/09/puppy-cuteness-overload/ http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/09/puppy-cuteness-overload/#comments Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:25:21 +0000 Katie http://rufflesandtruffles.com/?p=11615 Today I simply want to kill you with cuteness.

Everyone needs a little bit of puppy love in their life, right??? I’ll start with Lucia, but she really isn’t the star of the show today. I just have to include a picture of my pretty girl for posterity (P.S. I can’t believe she is 4 years old)…

The cutie pies that will knock you out with their insane adorableness happen to belong to my brother and his girlfriend. Ari and Leya were nice enough to pose for a few pictures for me…

Don’t hate me for saying this, but I usually am not a lover of chihuahuas. A terrible generalization, I know…but let me tell you – Ari has made me change my mind, at least a little bit. I’m in love with this dude. He’s a spunky little guy, and he loves to snuggle. His ears are so big and expressive.

If there is a blanket on the couch, he’ll snuggle himself up underneath it. When we were pet sitting the pups a little while back, I couldn’t stop laughing after Justin went to sit down on the couch and all of a sudden little Ari’s head popped up from underneath the blanket. Justin jumped about a MILE. Thank goodness he didn’t sit on him!

But now…this little lady is the newest addition to the family. Her name is Leya, and my brother and his girlfriend adopted her from a shelter. She’s part Australian Shepherd, and we have no idea what else – any guesses?

I dare you to tell me she isn’t a little model. Look at those eyes! Seriously…

She can be silly too though. And fierce…

Are you passed out from all the cuteness overload yet??? Hope it brightened your day! Now, go give your pets a little snuggle for me!

]]> http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/09/puppy-cuteness-overload/feed/ 8 http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/06/saturday-sweetness/ http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/06/saturday-sweetness/#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2012 16:56:50 +0000 Katie http://rufflesandtruffles.com/?p=10041 I’m just doing a quick drive-by post this Saturday so Justin and I can run a few errands and enjoy the sunshine.

At this time last week, we were stuck inside in the rain with 6 dogs. Yep – 6 of them! Two of which I managed to snag some picture time with…

Sweet little Ari, who makes me actually like chihuahuas. I mean, look at that face!

And speaking of faces, there is a new girl in town. Her name is Leya, and she is the new addition to my brother’s family of pups. She’s an Australian Shepherd mix…but what she’s mixed with, we aren’t sure. Any guesses? All I know is that she has some striking green eyes on her…

I’ll have some more pictures to share soon, but if you’re looking to scroll through more animal cuteness to brighten your day, click here to see my archives.

Happy Saturday, everyone!