This and That Thursday: A couple of announcements

First, we here at Bringing up Bella are pleased to share this special announcement from our friends over at Kol's Notes:

Art pieces make a unique and thoughtful gift.

With the holidays approaching, everyone is looking to find gifts that will show their loved ones how much they care. What better way to honour the pet lover in your life than with a custom drawing of their furry friend - past or present?

With only a few weeks left until the Holiday deadline (all orders must be placed by Dec. 1 in order to receive the finished piece before the holidays), AJ Emm wants to give you a gift:a custom portrait of the special pet (or person) in your life.

One lucky winner will receive a single pet illustration or a digital portrait, custom made based on their own loved ones pictures.

(If you have already ordered a portrait or want to order one to ensure holiday delivery, the cost will be refunded to you or you can choose to have a second custom piece created.)

Click here to order your portrait now and enter below for your chance to win.
(Save 25% by using coupon code UNICORN at the check out!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Next, we'd like to announce our own very special upcoming event: an auction to benefit Save a Sato rescue in Puerto Rico.

When I attended the BlogPaws conference in May, I was lucky enough to win a beautiful black diamond paw print pendant from the ASCPA.

Unfortunately, I don't really wear jewelry so I have decided, with approval from the ASCPA, to auction off the necklace and donate the proceeds to Bella's original rescue, Save a Sato.

I haven't worked out all the details yet but as soon as I do, I will post all the information here, so stay tuned. To sweeten the pot, I will double match the winning bid (up to $500). This would make a lovely holiday gift for you or the dog-lover in your life.

We are very excited to have this opportunity and most grateful to the ASCPA for their generosity. Bear with me as I work out the logistics of this. A full post with the details about it will be coming soon.

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This and That Thursday is brought to you by 2 Brown Dawgs and Ruckus the Eskie.

Wordless Wednesday 110 - Bella speaks out

You just can't let it go, can you?

This is what I think of your silly stegosaurus suit.

What's that you say?
It's not a stegosaurus, it's a triceratops?

Are you sure?
'Silly stegosaurus suit' simply sounds sweeter.

Fine. Whatever.
"Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

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Black & White Sunday: Focus

Happy All Hallow's Eve!

When I started planning Bella's first Halloween photo-shoot, I had no idea how apparently controversial the topic of 'pets in costumes' was. But after reading comments on Facebook and blogs and forums that sometimes marked me as the devil incarnate for putting Bella in a hat, I thought I would weigh in on the issue from my perspective.

I did my first Christmas photo-shoot with Bella last year, and, to be honest, I had no idea how she would react to wearing a costume. But since I have spent the last 5 years teaching Bella to trust and to not be afraid of a whole host of things from wrapping paper and stairs to weave poles and teeter totters, I was pretty sure I could gain her cooperation without traumatizing her too severely by making her wearing a hat. (Antlers, to be precise.)

Armed with her most favorite treat in the whole world (home-made chicken jerky), we had a blast doing that photo-shoot and have done several others since. To be fair, we don't usually use props. But these shoots, in our world, are training and bonding opportunities. To Bella, it's 'play time'.

Would Bella rather not have to wear a silly prisoner outfit to get that chicken jerky out of my hand? Oh, undoubtedly. Just as I'm sure she'd rather not have to sit for her dinner. But coupling an activity with something she loves is the whole idea behind getting a dog over their fear.

So maybe I wasn't really abusing the dog after all by asking her to don a triceratops horn.

But here's the thing, not all dogs will like being put in costumes. If your dog doesn't, you have two choices: 1) don't do it or 2) work with them to make it a fun experience. And if you don't know whether or not your dog does, err on the side of caution and make it a training adventure.

To folks on both sides of the "Dress Your Pet" divide, I say, come on, let's just use some common sense.

Towards that end, here are a few good ground rules:

1. Pay attention to your dog. If you see their body stiffen, their head turn away, or their tail tuck between their legs, stop what you're doing. The costume pictured below came with leggings with which Bella never got comfortable. I put them on her twice briefly and she froze. So they came off. Simple.
2. Be careful not to constrict your dog's breathing or movements with the costume or clothing. The princess costume came with a little "dress" that was just a wee bit too small for Bella. So I let her play with it instead of wear it.
3. Don't dress your dog up for the first time on Halloween night when all the sugar-crazed kiddies are swarming to your door. The night itself is full of mischief and mayhem, don't make it worse for your dog by putting them in a completely unknown situation. Test first, train, make good decisions and do right by your dog.

Now, for the record and for those who don't know her, Bella is just as likely to produce that teenage scowl she has so perfected whether dressed as a unicorn or hogging the bed.

The best part about trying to take pretty pictures of my dog is how grumpy she "appears" to be about the whole thing. If I was a better photographer, I'd have pictures of our play during these photo-shoots and not just pictures from when I beg her to just sit still for one second.

Remember, a couple of still photos doesn't really tell the whole story. Let's try to be gentle with each other, okay?

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Finally, about that last 'costume change' I mentioned in our last post. This one goes out to all my "chicks". You know who you are and let me just say: you rock.

Happy Halloween!

Less-Wordy Wednesday - Early Halloween Edition

We had our first Halloween costume photo-shoots for the blog over the last few weeks.

Bella doesn't make a very good prisoner. I think she's too sweet to look too terribly "hardened".

Especially when she kept playing with the hat.

But she did a pretty good triceratops impersonation.

The great three-horned hunter, er, vegetarian? Uh, Bella, we need to talk.

And I think she made a lovely princess.

She tries so hard.

Stop by again tomorrow for one final costume change and some of my thoughts about dressing up your dog for Halloween. And please, keep your pets safe INSIDE tomorrow night.

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