Meet the Beagle of the Week: Bru from Home Bruing

One thing I've discovered since starting this blog is there are lots of beagles online.

So each week we're going to introduce you to a new beagle and their parent to check out. We'll also feature a beagle who needs a home.

Our first Beagle of the Week -- Bru!

Bru as a puppy and Bru today.

Bru belongs to Holly Rose, who runs a blog called Home Bruing, which is a product review and DIY site. I've been lucky enough to practically watch Bru grow up through Holly's pictures. Isn't he adorable?

I asked Holly 10 questions about him, and here are her answers:

1) How old is Bru? 
Bru was born April 15, 2012. He's almost 1 year, 4 months.

2) Where did you get him?
We adopted Bru from a small family in VT that had a litter of beagle pups. The father was an active hunter, so both of Bru's parents are hunting beagles! He looks JUST like his mom! We drove 3 hours there, 3 hours back to get him!

3) How old is he, and how long have you had him?
He's 1 year, 4 months. We've had him since he was 7 weeks old!

4) What's his favorite food?
What ISN'T Bru's favorite food? He goes nuts for wet foods, forbidden people food, treats, peanut butter and more. We've tried giving him veggies, but he just likes to mash them up into my rug for me to clean up.

5) What's his favorite thing to do?
Bru LOVES to go hiking. You should see him "catch a scent," as we call it. He'll start whimpering and pawing around trees looking for squirrels, rabbits, and who knows what! He must get it from his mom and dad. He likes to walk the perimeter of our backyard and stalk/chase robins, too.

6) What's his favorite toy? 
 Bru's favorite toy is his stuffed koala. The family we adopted him from said he loved to snuggle it. It used to be bigger than him and he would sleep on it like a pillow. Now that he's bigger, the koala has become his "girlfriend!" He has a special romance with her and loves to lay down with his mouth on her. It seems to relax him! She's lost minimal stuffing over the past year. We think he's less rough with her to keep her around longer!

7) Does he take part in any special activities (i.e. therapy dog, service dog, spokes dog, etc.) ? 
No, but he passed his Basic Obedience training class at Petco Unleashed. I'd love to bring him to a nosework class someday!

Editor Note: Bru also helps his mom out as a foster brother. They foster with Last Hope K9 Rescue in Massachusetts. Here's what Holly says:

"Bru had 3 foster brothers since March, and all have been adopted! We're taking a break right now, but plan to foster again soon. He loves to romp around with foster siblings! Our first foster, a 3-year-old basset hound, was finishing up heart worm treatment and Bru seemed so sweet to him and gave him lots of kisses and snuggles!"

8 ) What's the best part about owning a beagle?
The best part of owning a beagle is their loyalty and love. There's nothing like a wagging, happy whining beagle to greet you when you come home and to snuggle into you at night. He's like a little shadow, following us around the house!!

9) What's the worst?
The worst part about owning a beagle is their wandering nose. We've yet to fully fence in our yard, and he has gotten out of our sight a few times. Bru loves to go for a stroll down the block and make his mom and dad worry!

 
10) Anything you'd like to add?
Follow me and Bru at www.homebruing.com for product reviews, DIY projects and other adventures!
We're also on Pack: http://packlove.com/bru
I'm also the curator for the Beagle Pack: http://beagle.news.packlove.com/

 So that's Bru! It's amazing what can happen when a pup has a great home!

Now, please spread the word and lets see if we can help two other beagles:

I wrote about Shoeshine and Buck earlier this week. Both beagles are still at Osceola County Animal Shelter.

Shoeshine has been there for weeks. The shelter is at capacity, which means Shoeshine especially is in danger of being euthanized!

Please help spread the word about Shoeshine and Buck, and lets see if we can find these beagle boys homes!

Here's the info:

You can contact the shelter at 407-742-8000.

The hours of operation are: M: Noon - 5pm; T-F: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 9am - 2pm.

You can also check out their website at http://www.osceolacountypets.com/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OsceolaCountyAnimalServices.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Lulu's new dog toy

Stay tuned -- we'll review Lulu's newest toy, AND -- give one away!

Beagles for adoption at Osceola County Animal Services

There are 24 dogs up for adoption at Osceola County Animal Services in St. Cloud, Florida. Many of them are quite young, and two of them are beagles.

This is Shoeshine. He's a 27-pound beagle puppy. No word on how he ended up at the shelter, but he's been there for weeks.

This is Buck. He's a four to five year old beagle boy. He arrived at the shelter as a stray, and he needs a home without small children. Buck's been at the shelter for about a week.

Both beagles could use a home. So could the other 22 dogs at the shelter. Osceola County Animal Services says they are way beyond capacity and need help.

You can contact the shelter at 407-742-8000.

The hours of operation are: M: Noon - 5pm; T-F: 10am - 5pm; Sat: 9am - 2pm.

You can also check out their website at http://www.osceolacountypets.com/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OsceolaCountyAnimalServices.

A good, stinky time: Fleet Peeples Park in Winter Park

If you're a dog owner in Central Florida, you've probably heard of Fleet Peeples Park. This Winter Park dog park is considered one of the best around. Most people love it, dogs love it.

But would Lulu and I love it?

Fleet Peeples is nestled along Lake Baldwin. And part of the lake is fenced in and available for the dogs to romp in the water. The park is huge! On top of the large off-leash area, there's also a big trail with a sidewalk that's great for a dog who wants to sniff around.

But not everyone likes Fleet Peeples. For one thing, there's no separate area for small dogs, like most area parks. That means yorkies are mixing with pits and aussies, and there are LOTS of them. For another, the park is not completely grassed. There's lots of dirt, which mixes with water from the lake and can make things quite muddy.

Then it appears not everyone is picking up after their dogs. I didn't see anything, but boy, could you smell it!

I don't think people are deliberately not picking up after their dog. I think it's tough to keep track of the pets because the area is so big.

Lulu had no problems making friends when we went. She ran a bit and played mostly with the small dogs. You could hear a few fights here and there, but generally the dogs all seemed to play well together.

Lulu didn't want to play in the lake, since she's not a big water fan. But it was really hot that day. She drank water from one of the drinking areas, but eventually she just laid down in the dirt.

Lulu didn't get dirty, but there is a dog wash area that's quite nice, right by the human restroom. There was a long line to use it. Everyone had towels with them.

Overall, I think it's a nice park. We will try to visit again when it's not so hot.

Fleet Peeples Park is located on Lakemont Avenue, on the shores of Lake Baldwin in Winter Park. It's not easy to get to, but if you go to the Friends of Fleet Peeples Park website, they have easy directions to get to the park.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Thunderleash

Does your beagle pull on the leash?

When I first got Lulu, she would pull to the point she was pretty much crawling across the ground to get at what she was smelling.

She's on an Easy Walk harness now, but sometimes she'll still yank when she really wants to get at something.

That's why I decided to give Thunderleash a try.

Thunderleash was created by the same company that brought us Thundershirt. We did a week long review of the Thundershirt earlier this year.

Unfortunately, we aren't as much of a fan of the Thunderleash as we are of the Thundershirt.

The Thunderleash is designed to prevent pulling. The leash converts to its no pulling design by wrapping it around the dog's body and clipping it to a safety clip.

There are buckles that allow you to keep a small amount of slack around the leash, and another that stops the leash from going any further.

There is a lot of room for user error, so read the instructions carefully. You need to make some adjustments on the buckles to make sure there is just enough slack. Too much slack and the harness aspect is useless.

If it works right, each time the dog pulls it should provide gentle pressure around her chest so that she stops pulling.

Now I typically don't use a harness that clips at the top because Lulu will pull through that like it's nothing.

But as you can see, she was pulling hard. Even with the Thunderleash around her. Lulu was able to keep pulling me, even moving the leash around on her body.

Now, as with the Thundershirt, not everyone has the same experience. Lulu is driven by her nose, and she can be tough to deal with. A dog that would rather choke than not pull is not going to have any problem with the gentle pressure of the Thunderleash around her chest.

So it is possible it will work with your dog, even if it didn't work with mine.

And remember, if it doesn't work, you can always take advantage of the company's guarantee.

Something else to consider -- any "no-pull" harness is really no substitute for training your dog not to pull. This is one of those places where Lulu doesn't do well at home, but does elsewhere.

The Thunderleash is $30 and comes in two sizes: small for dogs 12 to 25 pounds, and large for dogs bigger than 25 pounds. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a free Thunderleash to try out from Thundershirt.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Family weekend

Lulu is recuperating. She's had quite a weekend.

First, we went to my parents' house to help Dad take care of his dogs while Mom was out of town.

Here's Jasmine and Buster, my parents' puppies. They don't look like active dogs, but that's because this was the only good picture I could get of them! They are crazy!

And here's Cappy, Mom's dachshund. He and Lulu had lots of fun. They play all the time.

And since the dogs all wanted to beat up on poor Lulu, she was pretty tired and stressed out.

And that might have something to do with the possible seizure she had overnight.

I took her to the vet, and she seems to be ok. She's never had a seizure before. I'll be watching her pretty closely from now on. AND... we'll be talking about seizures and beagles in the coming weeks.

DC beagles free thanks to Beagle Freedom Project

On Monday, seven beagles walked on green grass and got human love for the first time ever.

Photo courtesy of Beagle Freedom Project.

Beagle Freedom Project, the group that rescues beagles used for lab research, rescued seven dogs from a facility in the Washington, DC area on Monday.

The beagles were taken to a home and given their first taste of freedom together. Six were named for the Founding Fathers: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. The seventh, a girl, was named for Dolly Madison.

But this is not the end of their stories. They have a long road ahead of them, including time with foster families who can teach them to be regular dogs. 

Photo courtesy of Beagle Freedom Project.

Shannon Keith, founder of the Beagle Freedom Project, was on hand for the big rescue, which is only the second East Coast rescue for the group.

I spoke to her at the beginning of the year about what it takes to do a rescue. Check out that interview here.

"We have sent a letter to all 380 laboratories across the US that use dogs inviting them to participate in our beagle retirement program," Keith said. "Most companies and universities that have partnered with Beagle Freedom Project have come from a friendly advocate working inside the lab. Although they may disagree with us about the efficacy and ethics of using animals for research, they do share our principle of giving these dogs a chance at a normal life after all they have endured and suffered through for the sake of human products and corporate profits."

In other words, it takes someone who wants to see these dogs in a good home within these labs. Otherwise, these beagles will be killed at the end.

"Each year there are over 70,000 dogs (almost all of them beagles) used for testing in the US," Keith said. "A good many of these dogs are needlessly killed at the end of the research and this should not be."

Photo courtesy of Beagle Freedom Project.

Keith calls that these companies' "dirty little secret." The research done is maybe pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

 What's worse, each year taxpayers fork over millions of dollars earmarked for animal research at government facilities.

Keith said there are things you can do to help Beagle Freedom Project rescue these beagles, not just across the country but around the world.

1. The first is money.
   
   "The rescue missions and veterinary costs can often be prohibitively expensive, but we will never let a laboratory beagle be killed simply because of money," Keith said. "We are always grateful for any donation."
   
   Oftentimes these beagles have health problems after years of experimentation. 
2. People can sign up to be a Beagle Freedom Project volunteer. Supporters can sign up at info@beaglefreedomproject.org
3. Buy and wear our merchandise. So many people have contacted us because they have see a stranger wearing a t-shirt and then looked up their website!
4. Never every buy anything tested on animals. Be a cruelty-free shopper and encourage all your friends and family members to do the same.

To buy cruelty-free items, check out Life With Beagle's Cruelty-Free Guide.

We have sent a letter to all 380 laboratories across the US that use dogs inviting them to participate in our beagle retirement program. Each year there are over 70,000 dogs (almost all of them beagles) used for testing in the US. A good many of these dogs are needlessly killed at the end of the research and this should not be. Most companies and universities that have partnered with Beagle Freedom Project have come from a friendly advocate working inside the lab. Although they may disagree with us about the efficacy and ethics of using animals for research, they do share our principle of giving these dogs a chance at a normal life after all they have endured and suffered through for the sake of human products and corporate profits. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith.html#sthash.vC3W9E2Z.dpuf

We have sent a letter to all 380 laboratories across the US that use dogs inviting them to participate in our beagle retirement program. Each year there are over 70,000 dogs (almost all of them beagles) used for testing in the US. A good many of these dogs are needlessly killed at the end of the research and this should not be. Most companies and universities that have partnered with Beagle Freedom Project have come from a friendly advocate working inside the lab. Although they may disagree with us about the efficacy and ethics of using animals for research, they do share our principle of giving these dogs a chance at a normal life after all they have endured and suffered through for the sake of human products and corporate profits. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith.html#sthash.vC3W9E2Z.dpuf

We have sent a letter to all 380 laboratories across the US that use dogs inviting them to participate in our beagle retirement program. Each year there are over 70,000 dogs (almost all of them beagles) used for testing in the US. A good many of these dogs are needlessly killed at the end of the research and this should not be. Most companies and universities that have partnered with Beagle Freedom Project have come from a friendly advocate working inside the lab. Although they may disagree with us about the efficacy and ethics of using animals for research, they do share our principle of giving these dogs a chance at a normal life after all they have endured and suffered through for the sake of human products and corporate profits. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith.html#sthash.vC3W9E2Z.dpuf

We have sent a letter to all 380 laboratories across the US that use dogs inviting them to participate in our beagle retirement program. Each year there are over 70,000 dogs (almost all of them beagles) used for testing in the US. A good many of these dogs are needlessly killed at the end of the research and this should not be. Most companies and universities that have partnered with Beagle Freedom Project have come from a friendly advocate working inside the lab. Although they may disagree with us about the efficacy and ethics of using animals for research, they do share our principle of giving these dogs a chance at a normal life after all they have endured and suffered through for the sake of human products and corporate profits. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith.html#sthash.vC3W9E2Z.dpu

We have sent a letter to all 380 laboratories across the US that use dogs inviting them to participate in our beagle retirement program. Each year there are over 70,000 dogs (almost all of them beagles) used for testing in the US. A good many of these dogs are needlessly killed at the end of the research and this should not be. Most companies and universities that have partnered with Beagle Freedom Project have come from a friendly advocate working inside the lab. Although they may disagree with us about the efficacy and ethics of using animals for research, they do share our principle of giving these dogs a chance at a normal life after all they have endured and suffered through for the sake of human products and corporate profits. - See more at: http://www.lifewithbeagle.com/2013/02/beagle-freedom-project-shannon-keith.html#sthash.vC3W9E2Z.dpu