Japanese Disaster Shows Emotional Intelligence of Dogs

I'm sure by now you've heard the story of the Japanese dog who stood guard at the side of his fallen friend...another dog.  I am not a scientist, but I am extremely passionate about dogs and have spent years learning about them and I feel this recent story proves that dogs are quite intelligent beings.  If you're a dog lover like me, you probably already believe this to be true as there are other stories like this one...

• Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye terrier, who visited his owner's grave for years until his own death.
• Stubby aka Sgt. Stubby, a Pit Bull terrier, was America's first decorated War Dog having saved his regimen from a mustard gas attack in World War I
• Hachiko, an Akita, remained so loyal to his owner for years after his death would wait for his owner at the train station where they routinely greeted each other daily before the owner's death

I have a friend whose husband recently passed away at home after a long illness and the dog, a Jack Russell terrier, was so distraught that upon his owner's death, he went into his crate and cried for hours.  I'm sure there are countless stories like this across the world.  I know my dogs grin a lot, cuddle when they feel like it and have real emotions.  They are amazing creatures and I think they are often underestimated.

Please feel free to share your favorite story like this with us, whether famous or personal.

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The Lesson I Learned from a German Shepherd Dog Named Molly

My sister and I with our first dog.


To say that I am a dog lover is an understatement.  As long as I can remember, I have been in love with dogs.  I was really shy and timid growing up, but I always felt comfortable around dogs.  Dogs don't judge, they give back what you give them, and they give unconditional love.  I was always excited to meet a new dog, but that may not have been the case if I didn't have neighbors like Mrs. V and her dog, Molly.

On my route to the school bus stop, there was a German Shepherd Dog named Molly.  I was in Elementary school and Molly must have only been a year or two old because I remember her being around for a very long time.  To get to the bus stop, I had to go through Molly's side yard and when Molly saw us, she would run up and down along the chain link fence and bark.  One day, my friend told me that Molly had jumped over the fence and attacked her, scratching her arms.  This scared me...a lot.  While I loved dogs, the largest dog we had was our basset hound, Mamie - not a high energy dog!  So, this story about Molly scared me enough to start taking the "long way" home.  I really don't know how long I took the "long way", but that route was streets only, no yards with large, barking dogs.  I do recall some of the older girls whispering and giggling at me, but I continued to take the "long way" because I was now scared of Molly.

One afternoon, Molly's owner waited for me to get off the bus.  This was back in the day when it was safe enough to get off the bus and walk home without worry.  Mrs. V asked me why I didn't go through her yard anymore, so I told her the story my friend told me.  Mrs. V told me that the story was not true, that the girls were playing a trick on me.  She then invited me to meet Molly.  I would say this was a very pivotal point in my life.

Mrs. V went and got Molly so I could meet her.  She had me hold out my hand so Molly could "meet me".  Mrs. V told me to pet Molly on her chest as that made Molly feel safe.  Molly was so sweet and gentle and I had a new friend!  From that day on, every day when I got off the bus, I would spend some time with Molly; talking to her and petting her.  Every day I looked forward to getting off the bus and hanging out with Molly before heading home.

It seems Molly was around forever.  I don't remember when it happened, but I remember not seeing Molly for a couple of days and then Mrs. V telling me that Molly had passed away.  Molly and I kind of grew up together.  Obviously, I was really sad and I'm even getting tears in my eyes as I write this.  While it makes me sad to think about it now, it also makes me very happy to have had that experience and to have known Molly.  Molly and her owner educated a young girl on dogs and dog behavior and I am so fortunate to have had that lesson.  Even though Molly died many, many years ago, her legacy lives on with me.

I'm sure if Mrs. V read this story today, she would be surprised that I remember it and how much it impacted me.  Mrs. V taught me a very special lesson about dogs and if she hadn't, it's possible that I might have always been fearful of large dogs which would have been such a tragedy.  Molly, this one's for you!

Do you have a "Molly" story?  If so, please share it with us.

Hound and Thistle Loves Etsy

I am in love...it's a new love...but a true love.  I am in love with Etsy and you might be too.  If you're not familiar with Etsy, it's a site that allows one to sell their handmade and vintage items.  It's a friendly place for crafters and budding entrepreneurs, like me!  Hound and Thistle has had a profile for a while now and it took me way too long to jump in to the warm Etsy waters and I'm so glad I did!  I've been officially selling on Etsy for approximately 4 months and while sales aren't through the roof (yet), I've sold to nice folks across the US and in Canada, Australia, and the UK.

Etsy provides its sellers with an abundance of resources to promote their businesses and is so easy to use!  Etsy members can create "treasuries" which feature items of a certain theme and Hound and Thistle has been lucky enough to be featured in several treasuries so far!  It's nice to be loved.  :)

If you aren't a seller, Etsy is a cool place to shop online.  You can find the most unique gifts AND support a community of craftspeople, designers, and those with a keen eye for vintage items.  If you're looking for a special gift for mom, or something unique for your picky sister, check out Etsy, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Thanks to Etsy's cool tools, you can now see some of my items for sale at the top of my blog...and of course, on the Hound and Thistle Facebook page, you can view Hound and Thistle items by clicking "My Etsy".  If you haven't been to the H&T Facebook page, be sure to stop by and "like" us...we'd love to have you!

Stop by Hound and Thistle's Etsy Shop and let me know what you think!

My Passion is Dogs and Design...What's Your Passion?

I just read a great blog post which asked readers to determine what their passion is.  Mine is easy:  dogs.  I started my business, Hound and Thistle, because I am passionate about dogs.  Of course I've known what my passion is for a while, but had a reaffirmation of just how much I love dogs this weekend.  Yesterday I helped the Atlanta Terrier Club prep their tunnels for their earthdog tests in two weeks.  After the work was done, we got to practice with the dogs.  Finlay dug so much while "working" that I was covered with dirt when I grabbed him from the tunnel.  I was covered in dirt and I liked it!  It's not that I like being covered in dirt, but it was the experience of doing something with my dog that my dog loves to do that made me so happy.  With unseasonably warm weather this weekend (65 degrees and sunny!), it was such a joy to be out in a field with my dogs as they got to do the work they are bred for.  Plus, I had to do some digging myself while prepping the tunnels and doing manual labor can feel good...sometimes!

Today, we were invited to another border terrier owner's home to do some more earthdog practicing.  Again, it was a beautiful day and we had a ball!  This time, Riley really got some good instructional time and I do believe she had more fun today than yesterday.  Boy, was she digging!  After we practiced, we went inside for a bit where I got to hang out with 3 border terriers...I was in heaven.  I got to love on three little borders who were so sweet and so fun; it's easy to see why dogs can lower your blood pressure!  They just make me so darn happy.

With Hound and Thistle, I get to share my love of dogs and design...and paper.  Oh, how I do love paper.  I love working with pet owners and design lovers who appreciate what I do. I get to meet people who are happy to be able to get custom note cards with a Wire-Haired Pointing Griffon and which are pretty to boot!  Of course the other wonderful thing about Hound and Thistle is that my dogs can come to work with me.  They switch between laying at my feet to laying by the window keeping their eyes peeled for any passers-by!

I hope you are doing something you are passionate about.  Whether it's fly-fishing or flowers, accounting or architecture...everyone is passionate about something.  It took me a while to realize how I could use my passion as my work (and it's still not full-time), but it's the thing I love to do the most...aside from getting dirty with the dogs, of course!  ;)

Here's the blog on Scoutie Girl by Danielle LaPorte that inspired this post:  http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=a8d54b6cc495ed62834c4e432&id=13bc34fb6b&liket=pop%20your%20cork:%20get%20enthusiastic%20with%205%20h...&likeu=http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2011/01/pop-your-cork-get-enthusiastic-with-5-heros-of-creative-living.html&fblike=fblike-9f473b13&e=[UNIQID]

Did you run out of time to send your holidays cards? Have no fear, our New Year cards are here!

If you're like me, you've got a million and one things to do, especially during the holidays!  Now, I design stationery, so it is a must for me to send out holiday cards, right?  Right.  This year, sales picked up (woohoo!) and work got busy and I could foresee that I would not be able to get my Christmas and Holiday cards out in time.  So, I decided this year I would do New Years cards!

Last year, my friend requested a design for New Years cards featuring a Jack Russell terrier, so I decided to make more color choices and an additional design for those of you who, like me, got a bit busy this year!  I've listed all the designs in my Etsy shop and would love for you to stop by and have a look around.  Also, please feel free to let your friends know if you think they might like them as well!  The site is www.etsy.com/houndandthistle

The cards are blank inside so you can write a note to your loved ones and send your good tidings and wishes for 2011.  As you know, I have drawn over 100 dog breeds in silhouette (plus a few cats and a horse), so we can put your breed on the cards.  If you'd rather leave off the silhouette, we can do that, too.  We aim to please here at Hound and Thistle!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and if you haven't gotten  your cards out, there is still time...If you can't get your New Years cards out, don't fret, I've got some Valentine's Day designs in the works!  ;)

Remember to Spay, Neuter, and Scoop the Poop! - Megan

Can Writing a Thank You Note Be Good for Your Health?

I just read an article on MSN.com called, "12 Little Instant Health Boosts."  Number 4 on the list is "Pen a Thank You Note".  Of course this caught my eye since I not only write thank you notes but also design and sell note cards.  In this day and age, it seems everyone is texting, emailing, and tweeting...everything is digital.  In fact, it seems many people would rather do the above than actually call someone on the phone, let alone actually write a note with paper and pen!  Sometimes I wonder if children who are growing up now will actually have good penmanship since it seems they know how to type before they can write!

According to the article written by Alyssa Shaffer (http://health.msn.com/health-topics/depression/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100265404&gt1=31036),  people who wrote notes of gratitude (and actually meant it) were happier. 

Some other benefits of writing according to the article may be improvements in:

• liver function
• lung function
• immune system
• reduced blood pressure
• well-being

A benefit that I think one gets from writing is the knowledge that the recipient of your note will be so excited to receive an actual hand-written note in the mail.  It seems the only things we get in the mail these days are bills and junk; it's always such a treat to see an envelope with a real stamp and your friend or family member's handwriting on the front.  When you see a note like that in your mailbox, you know something good is inside and can't wait to sit down and read the thoughtful note inside.

So, take a moment to grab some note cards, make some tea (another healthy item on the list!), and write a note or two to those you care about.  It will make you feel better and I guarantee, it will make the day of the ones you love!

Boxerstock - What A Blast!

We had an amazing time at Boxerstock presented by the Atlanta Boxer Rescue.  It was a great event with lots and lots of boxers...and a few other breeds for good measure!  ;)  I think the final count was 1200 people which was fantastic - a lot of great folks came out for a great cause. 

I learned a few things at Boxerstock:

• Check your boxer for lumps as boxers are prone to cancer.  Even if they are young, you should pay attention because if caught early, most cancers can be treated.
• Some breeders "put down" white boxers as they are seen as "undesirable".  Wait, what?!  Why not find them a home like the lovely ones I saw at Boxerstock?!  I realized I hadn't seen a white boxer before and I now knew why.  They are so pretty!
• Many people are not cropping the ears anymore...these guys are so cute with floppy ears!
• There's not as much barking at a boxer event as there is at a terrier event!  ;) 

We had a really good time and will definitely plan on being there next year!  Our thanks to everyone who came out and supported us!