Blind Doggy Plays Catch!

my mother worried so much that her old german shepherd was going blind. i tried to explain to her that with dogs they don't have 'society' telling them that we lose senses with age and that is okay.
however dogs are not ever told this so they go on with the attitude of acceptance and use what they are given in life. for dogs to go blind in old age or other conditions they just accept it as a normal part of life and they go on as a normal stage of life with no worries (only us humans worry about everything).
something we humans can learn from when we wallow in self pity over the affects of aging (after all we are taught that we must "age gracefully." slowing down and the normal stage of aging, losing eyesight, hearing etc. "are bad things."
i feel this dog is a great example of sharing with us that no matter what our limitations in life are; we can be happy, energetic, love life and romp and play without bumping into things. if you didn't know he was blind, you'd think he was a normal dog.
so when i found these clips i just had to share in hopes we can learn from a very amazing dog.



"Riddle was born with no eyes, but he is just like every other dog, maybe a little smarter." (hullshaven,June 16, 2009)



thank you hullshaven June 16, 2009 for sharing this amazing dog with us!

The History Of Flag Day

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day'.

On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.

Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the mayor of Philadelphia and all others in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as 'Flag Day', and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.

Two weeks later on May 8th, the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution unanimously endorsed the action of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames. As a result of the resolution, Dr. Edward Brooks, then Superintendent of Public Schools of Philadelphia, directed that Flag Day exercises be held on June 14, 1893 in Independence Square. School children were assembled, each carrying a small Flag, and patriotic songs were sung and addresses delivered.

In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, under the auspices of this association, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating.

Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself."

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

information found at; www.usflag.org
a website "Dedicated to the Flag of United States of America"

Native American Pet Prayer

Oh Great Spirit! I give you thanks for creating all of the peoples;
Two legged, four legged, winged and finned.
May I learn the great lessons from each of these...
From the Cat, let me learn healing, clarity, and keen vision.
From the Bird, let me learn how to let my spirit soar.
From the Fish, let me learn tenacity and to overcome obstacles.
From the Horse, let me learn strength and freedom.
And from the Dog, let me learn faithfulness, courage,
and unconditional love.
May I walk, swim and fly in harmony and balance with all of these. Aho!
—Victor Fuhrman

Child Harness Leash

The other day I was in a public place with the assignment to watch my 5 year old grand daughter and 3 year old grand son. I realized that it is exhausting trying to keep two children safe in a busy place when neither wanted to hold my hand to be kept safe by my side...especially the 3 year old! He's an active "big boy" that wants to explore and be free.
If I released his hand he was soon to race off and then I was at the dilema of how to chase after him and still remain close to the 5 year old so she would be safe.
Thus I started thinking of the advantages of child harness/leash assemblies that give the child some freedom while keeping them safely nearby.
Researching these items I found many people think they are great (those with active and multiple children); while others felt "leashing" a child is horrible and refer to treating the child like "a dog."
Being a dog owner, handler and trainer it dawned on me that I have my dogs on leashes when I travel out of my fenced yard to keep my dog from getting lost, running off, being hit by a car and numerous other safety reasons.
Should a child be treated with LESS safety than my dog???
Reasearching child safety harnesses I found that they range from the simple harness;

to really cute backpack animal ones;

When I saw the backpack animal ones I realized that if I were to get one for my 3 year old grand son that I know my 5 year old grand daughter would want one for herself...which may not be a bad idea. Although the 5 year old is good at staying close; in a crowded public place can one ever be too safe?
I'm curious to hear what others think of having harnesses on children...how do you feel about them?

and our animals still love us unconditionally???

see more dog and puppy pictures


see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Happy Easter!

Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival

my favorite flower is tulips and i had heard about the "thanksgiving point tulip festival" a few years ago. last year i made it just at the end of the festival so was too late to enjoy it and chose instead to take the kids and grandkids to the animal farm where we did have a great time. it was at that time that all of my family decided we loved thanksgiving point so much that we all bought year memberships and i told the kids back then that, "next year we are going to find out more and we are going to be sure to make it to the tuplip festival."

well "next year" has almost come and my next trip i'm planning is definatly going to be in a few weeks to the tulip festival!!!!

"Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival
Website
April 17 - May 2, 2009

Thanksgiving Point Gardens

3003 North Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, UT 84043

801-768-2300

Hours of Operation: 10:00am-6:00pm

Price: $10 Adults, $6 Children

Come see over 250 thousand bulbs bloom in our 55-acre garden paradise. There are
over 3.5 miles of winding paths that will rejuvenate and inspire you. In addition to the spectacular display of tulips, the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival includes music, demonstrations, vendors, tours, food, and even
storytelling for children."

Safest and Most Dangerous U.S. Cities, 2008

Now that we have found the happiest places to live, how about the Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in the United States...and it doesn't seem that the happiest poeple necessarily live in the safest places, nor do the unhappiest people live in the most dangerous places.
I found some of the places interesting where they were ranked, some I've never heard of, pleasantly suprised at how well California rated and glad a city in Utah did find it's way at #20 of safest.
The information provided below was found at;
Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/us/cities/safest-dangerous-cities.html

Safest and Most Dangerous U.S. Cities, 2008
The following ranks the safest and most dangerous cities in the United States as of 2008. The cities all have populations of more than 75,000. The rankings are based on a city's rate for six crime categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

Safest Cities (by rank)

1. Ramapo, N.Y.
2. Mission Viejo, Calif.
3. O'Fallon, Mo.
4. Newton, Mass.
5. Brick Twnshp, N.J.
6. Clarkstown, N.Y.
7. Amherst, N.Y.
8. Greece, N.Y.
9. Allen, Tex.
10. Colonie, N.Y.
11. Irvine, Calif.
12. Lake Forest, Calif.
13. Chino Hills, Calif.
14. Toms River Twnshp, N.J.
15. Cary, N.C.
16. Frisco, Tex.
17. Sugar Land, Tex.
18. Thousand Oaks, Calif.
19. Round Rock, Tex.
20. Orem, Utah
21. Troy, Mich.
22. Missouri City, Tex.
23. Gilbert, Ariz.
24. Canton Twnshp, Mich.
25. Cranston, R.I.

Most dangerous Cities (by rank)

1. New Orleans, La.
2. Camden, N.J.
3. Detroit, Mich.
4. St. Louis, Mo.
5. Oakland, Calif.
6. Flint, Mich.
7. Gary, Ind.
8. Birmingham, Ala.
9. Richmond, Calif.
10. North Charleston, S.C.
11. Cleveland, Ohio
12. Baltimore, Md.
13. Miami Gardens, Fla.
14. Memphis, Tenn.
15. Youngstown, Ohio
16. Atlanta, Ga.
17. Compton, Calif.
18. Orlando, Fla.
19. Little Rock, Ark.
20. Minneapolis, Minn.
21. Washington, D.C.
22. Philadelphia, Pa.
23. Jackson, Miss.
24. Newark, N.J.
25. Milwaukee, Wis.
Source: www.cqpress.com.

How happy is your state?

the gallup poll is in! this time it covered how happy each state is. interesting. i wonder who thinks up what to poll?

anyway, it seems utah has come in #1 as the happiest state.

i wonder if the people here know it yet?

and west virginia has come in as the least happy state.

i wonder if happy people in west virginia will have to move.

anyway, how did your state rank?

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/the-happiest-states-of-america/

Daylight Savings, Spring Forward

Tonight is the night to set our clocks ahead 1 hour (unless you are up at 2am tomorrow morning and want to do it then).
I never have quite figured out what daylight savings is all about as I think they do it backwards (i'd rather have daylight later in the day in the winter when the sun sets at 4:30/5 pm than in the summer when we have daylight until 10pm).
If this is a sign that spring is coming maybe someone should tell mother nature as I woke up to 5-6 inches of snow this morning. Luckily it is warm and melting off fast, but they say another storm is headed this way on monday.
So tomorrow morning the sun will rise an hour later, but also set an hour later...interesting how humans can even control the rise and set of the sun LOL!

Dog parks, keeping our friends safe

on my board we have been discussing dog parks and my concern about a bunch of dogs running off leash together and the possibility of fights. i found this site that has a lot of good information and suggestions (rules) for owners that are going to use a dog park.
i still worry that it only takes one owner that has the attitude of " my pet wouldn't do anything wrong" (as some people with kids) that could cause a horrid situation.
luckily i live in the country and my dogs can run my acreage with each other and when i go places i'm a firm beleiver in leashes even for the best trained dog so i don't have to go to dog parks.
yes, i'm an over protective "mom"

Dog parks, keeping our friends safe

Posted using ShareThis

Where Recovery & Reinvestment money is being used

this is interesting. president obama has put up a website that people can go in and see exactly how money is being spent and checked on in the future.
great idea if it works; as i already see people "picking out" portions of how the way the money is planned to be divided and who will spend it how.
i like the idea that president obama is going to this effort in trying to keep the american public informed, as it always seems that the people are the last to know just what is being done with taxpayer dollars.
it's a new idea...it may not be perfect, but at least it's a start to inform the american people and hopefully stop the speculation of the unknown.

i know i'll be interested in keeping track of how the money is being spent that is given out, and the monotoring of how it is being used.
the link is;

http//www.recovery.gov/

so far a very interesting site that breaks down exactly how much will go to infastructure, schools, energy, healthcare and so forth.

(and maybe it will cut down the uninformed scare tactic emails that seem to be going aroung if we can all just go check it out ourselves :-} )

Dog Ramp Comparison

the information given is my opinion only.
i looked into dog ramps as my back is getting too bad to lift my big dogs into the van in the event something happens that they aren't able to jump in themselves and also due to the fact i don't like my big dogs jumping in and out as i have had them slip at times and i just don't feel that it is good for their joints, especially as they are getting older.
1. at first i thought that i would like a "telescoping ramp" but as i looked into it more i didn't like the look of the aluminum which could dent and get sharp edges. in the reviews on them there were complaints that "the sandpaper like walkway" would get holes poked thru it from the dogs toenails and wasn't very rugged. at the price of around $140.00 i decided that it wasn't built to the quality that i expected at that price.
as i may be in places with rain or snow, i wanted a rugged all terrain ramp.
the telescoping ramp only weighs about 13 pounds which is great, but the features and what i had read in the reviews made me worry that it wouldn't last with my big dogs, me tossing it in and out of the van that could cause small dings that i was afraid then it wouldn't telescope right or if i left it set up when at dog shows or camping and it getting weather. review complaints of the legs falling off and the problem that many stated about the "sandpaper like finish" (it looked like rubber matting in the picture, but i guess not). trying this out made me decide that even though this was lighter that it wouldn't be the right one for me
this is rated to hold up to 400 pounds. telescoping ramp;
http//www.discountramps.com/petImages/deluxe-telescoping-ramp-4.jpg
2. so my next choice was just an all plastic one which was $40.00 less thru costco. (most other places that sells ramps carried this ramp also) it weighs around 18 pounds which carries easy with the built in handles on each side. the reviews said that people pinch their fingers closing it and i can't figure out how they do that unless they are picking it straight up in the middle where it hinges. i have had no problem with pinched fingers, if folds down as small as any others i looked at, is easy to handle, set up and take down. i love that it is molded solid so the rampway is firm and steady under the dogs feet. the footing is good and doesn't slip around when in use. it is solid even when up on my side door van step. i love that this is weatherproof and if left outside no harm will come to it from rain or snow (it can even be used in swimming pools and has optional legs for that application).
i'm sold on this one and it's the keeper! this is rated to hold up to 500 pounds; http://www.discountramps.com/petImages/petstep.jpg
3. there is one that looks much like the one i got and is priced around $70.00---but it's not of the same quality. many complaints about it tipping, the surface and enough bad reviews that i didn't even try this one out even though it was cheaper. it weighs 10 pounds and is rated to hold 200 pounds. http//www.discountramps.com/petImages/solvit-folding-dog-ramp-2.jpg
of course this is all my personal opinion on these ramps and it's each individual choice to see what they like best.

Wishing Everyone a....

Massage and Roses for your Valentine

Christy and Jerr are always looking for new innovative and fun ways to celebrate holidays. I thought this was a great idea of offering flowers with a gift certificate for a massage.

http://bpmassage.biz/

Cop eats Brownies; Calls 911 (a DUH moment)

Taxes

With tax time drawing near i thought this was rather fitting to post;

Tax Poem
At first I thought this was funny...then I realized the awful truth of it.
Be sure to read all the way to the end!

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts
Anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think..

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his a__.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore..

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL license Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Excise Taxes, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline At x (44.75 cents per gallon), Gross Receipts Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges, IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Taxes, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Personal Property Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service Charge Tax, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax, Sales Tax, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Taxes, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax...

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What in the heck happened?
Can you spell 'politicians?'
And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?!?!?!?

received by email; author unknown

SMARTEST DOG IN Obedience school

received through email; author unknown

Watching the News

the other night i was watching the news. i am a person that tries to keep an open mind and judge things by common sense; which i think is lacking in this day and age. (my mother always told me i march to my own beat (LOL). i definatly have opinions, but also try to see both sides of the story before i form an opinion. race, religion, political parties and so forth do not sway me in any one direction; common sense does, and i guess i see irony in many things. so as i said i was watching the news and both of these stories made me think....

Democratic President Obama Issues First Execitive Orders;

retreived 1-22-09 from; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTuHgewKn1g

interesting speech, but what caught my attention was this...

Obama Freezing Some Aides' Salaries;

retreived 1-22-09 from; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMKKozEvBnQ

following that story this next story was broadcasted. unfortunatly i can not find it in video, so i will have to print it out for you to read (sorry, i'll condense it and if you want to read the whole story you can go to the link provided at the end).
as i live in utah (the most republican state in America)this did raise my hackles a bit as it seems to me that our seniors, mentally ill & physically ill,law inforcment,baby your baby,our schools, abused aid and so forth are the ones that will be affected....
Utah parents, advocates beg state's lawmakers not to cut funding for autism services, disability programs
From the Salt Lake Tribune.
Deep cuts proposed for the Department of Health appeared to salvage other programs defended by Utahns Wednesday. Winners ranged from parents with autistic children in preschool to low-income women with breast cancer relying on publicly-funded insurance.
Renae Bolson, a single mother diagnosed with breast cancer, said Medicaid's coverage helped keep her alive. Without it, "my family would have been planning my funeral," Bolson said.
Under revisions made Jan. 21, state money that flows to local mental health programs would be cut $3.5 million in 2010, instead of $8.6 million.
Rather than eliminating Meals on Wheels for thousands of vulnerable seniors, a far fewer number would lose their access to the program.
But other cuts remained deep...
A proposed $3.5 million cut in 2010 would eliminate Adult Protective Services and its 45 positions...
Officials believe cutting the program would endanger residents and make Utah the only state in the nation without such services. Law enforcement or other agencies would likely need to increase their involvement, which would cost the state money for training, said Nels Holmgren, the director of the Division of Aging and Adult Services.
A proposal to reduce cuts to substance abuse programs hinges on making people help pay for their treatment. But that could lead to the further loss of federal Medicaid dollars and is unrealistic...
About 200 people had packed Wednesday's hearing, begging lawmakers to spare programs ranging from disability services to the four autism preschools.
Dozens of parents...convinced lawmakers to not close the schools.
The families suggested the state put more money into the program, which has a waiting list of nearly 300...
"If you take this away, that is nothing but pure cruelty," said Gloria Stratford...
Advocates urged lawmakers to save Medicaid programs by temporarily tapping rainy day funds, repaying them with expected federal stimulus funds.
"Economic recovery is on its way from the federal government," said Lincoln Nehring, Medicaid director for the Utah Health Policy Project. "There are resources within the state that [could] help mitigate the economic challenge that we currently face." ...
Melissa Gilley said the Baby Your Baby program helped to ensure the safe delivery of her daughter...
"You're cutting people's quality of life. We're real human beings here, we're not just another number," said LouAnne Stevenson, who said she would become suicidal without treatment for clinical depression...
Several speakers said the so-called savings would result in more costs in the future. For example, cutting 5,600 women from Medicaid-funded prenatal care could result in astronomical hospitalization costs, according to March of Dimes spokesman Stephen McDonald.
A study of mothers who didn't receive prenatal care showed their babies were two times more likely to be born prematurely and severely underweight and need time in intensive care, he said.
Retreived 1-22-09 from: Utah parents, advocates beg state's lawmakers not to cut funding for autism services, disability programs

as i said, i don't affiliate with any party and i'm one of those that stay nuetral with the attitude of "show me what you will do" and as i have had the experience of living both VERY POOR & VERY COMFORTABLE i have witnessed both sides and can relate to both. however, this really makes me think of what i want my government to focus on.

sorry this is so long---i'm getting my Robin Hood outfit out just in case LOL.

one last note; the mention of utah not wanting to "dip into their rainy day fund" which consists of approximatly 400 million dollars.

couldn't this be considered a "rainy day?"

for more on utah's "rainy day funds" follow this link
Retreived 1-22-09 from; http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705277414,00.html

Inauguration of President Barack Obama

Questions about Massage

As you can see in my post below i had many questions about getting a massage. I found this great sight that answers many questions and has links explaining the different types of massage therapy; http://altmedicine.about.com/od/massage/a/massage_ques.htm

Massage in Utah

http://www.bpmassage.biz/

After my daughter in law, Christy, graduated from Massage Therapy School, she worked for a local Spa. However, feeling that massage therapy is more than just a pampering deal, Christy wanted to focus more on the assets that massage can provide for athletes and the recovery of the body for optimum performance. So along with her husband, Jerriah, she has opened a small shop to focus on helping people.
Christy’s shop is located at Anytime Fitness gym in Lehi Utah. She calls her shop Body Performance Massage, and I love the way the title really says her goal. She has been taking additional classes in Sports Massage and is looking into doing massage at different sporting events around Utah. Christy’s future goal is to open a shop that will accommodate multiple therapists and work with local doctors and trainers.
With my bad back I have always thought massage sounded so nice and my doctor even recommended it, but I am not the type of person to strip down naked in front of someone and let them put their hands all over me. However, after talking to Christy and learning more about it, I found out that it is recommended that a person “disrobes to their comfort level" to get a massage and that they are "draped" during the whole procedure. Meaning; if you feel better wearing shorts and a t-shirt, that is fine. When a person does this, it is a signal to the massage therapist that they are not to massage that area. Also, draping is when a sheet, towel, or blanket is used to cover the body during the procedure. The only parts of the body that are exposed are those being worked on, and private areas are never exposed or massaged for any reason. Additionally, the massage therapist leaves the room to give you privacy when you are changing and doesn't return until you are safe under the sheet or completely dressed.
Feeling a bit more comfortable with the idea, I decided to let Christy give me a massage. During the massage, I never did feel exposed and really appreciated Christy's professionalism during the entire procedure. I only let her work on me for a short time, but it was as relaxing as I had imagined and my back felt so much better afterwards that I look forward to the next opportunity to get a massage.
I did learn that there are many different techniques of massage, and will have to write about that another time; for now I’d like to wish Christy and Jerriah the best of luck with this new and exciting venture in their lives!

Obama's January 8, 2009 Speech highlights

What is the Best Dog food to Feed?

people are always asking me what dog food they should feed. this is a hard one...ask 100 dog people this question and you will get 100 answers. i have a few rules i use when buying my dogs food;
1. NEVER use a food with corn in it!!! (i was cheaping out once and lost one of my best stud dogs to bloat/torsion. he had not over eaten, the corn had just caused gas to build which i found is common in larger dogs after they reach the age of 7 years and beyond.) Dogs can't digest corn and it has no nutritional value for them so you have to feed more (so much for saving money) and hence you have to clean up more poop---something that is not my favorite job.
2. i feel dogs should be on dry dog food not canned. dry is better in many ways, including keeping their teeth clean and canned food is mostly water and i don't like paying for water.
3. i stay away from artificial colorings---dogs don't care if their food is pretty and it has been linked to cancer.
4. i stay away from soy. it's been linked to thyroid problems.
5. i stay away from grocery store foods due to the corn listed in #1.
next thing i have to go with is a food that is easily accessable to buy in my area. there are foods that i would like to buy, but i would have to travel long distances to get them which brings up the cost of the food and also can create the problem of running out if i can't get to the place to get the dog food.
and of course cost is a big factor! i want the best food available at the best cost (silly me)! and remember the cheapest doesn't always mean saving money. if i buy a dog food with corn that i have to feed twice as much as a good digestable food that i can feed half as much, i haven't saved any money and my dogs health is a factor (it cost $750.00 to have the surgery for torsion and the dog died anyway).
my dogs show me a lot of what is good food also. i have show dogs and they have to be in the best condition, shiny coat, good undercoat and so forth. when i had a friends dogs here we had numurous breeds and a few of each breed that we could split up to test different good high quality feeds on the dogs.
all dogs did well on the feeds that we chose so it came down to cost and availability for me. as a result i have used the same dog food for about 13 years and still get comments at dog shows on how my dogs "glisten" and i have been happy with their overall health. i do use a different brand puppy food than the adult food tho, due to i found the puppy food in that brand contained corn (wonder why they would make a good adult food and not a good puppy food?).
25 years ago i tried 3 "good brand" dog foods (Eukanuba, Iams & Science diet) and hated them...my dogs looked horrid on them and i've never used them again; although other dog people swear by them (and i just laugh at the beneful commercials).
another thing that i am adamant about is; DON'T FEED SCRAPS! a good dog food is so nutritionally balanced that by adding scraps you throw off the balance of the nutrition and are defeating your purpose; not to mention the upset stomach it causes the dog having food that it isn't able to digest properly thus giving the owner the fun job of cleaning up diahrea and vomit!
since my experimental days, i have run accross this handy guide to rating a dog food to help the owner pick a good food, and a list of dry dog foods that have been rated that i found very interesting and thought it was worth sharing;

Prepared by HausMommy
How to grade your dog's food:
Start with a grade of 100:
1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points
2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points
3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points
4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points
5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. "ground brown rice", "brewer’s rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points
8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points
9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points
10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points
11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points
12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points 14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:
1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points
3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points
5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points
7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points
8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points
9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points
10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point
13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point

94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D <70 = F

Here are some foods that have already been scored. If you don't see your dog's food here, ask and someone will score it for you. (some of these i have never heard of so must be available only by special order or in different locations that i'm not at)

Dog Food scores:
Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+
Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B
Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+
Canidae / Score 112 A+
Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B (i use this, my dogs aren't allergic to wheat so that brings this up to a 94 A)
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
Diamond Performance / Score 85 C
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
EaglePack Holistic / Score 102 A+
Eukanuba Adult / Score 81 C
Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C
Flint River Senior / Score 101 A+
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+ (intersting for fat ol' destiny, but i live far from a cosco. also interesting that they didn't score "Kirkland Lamb and Rice" as it is made by the brand i use and i advocate it to many that have a cosco near and know many people that use it and are very happy with it.)
Member's Mark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C
Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A+
Nature's Recipe / Score 100 A
Nature's Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+
Nature's Variety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A+
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B
Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A
Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+
Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A
Purina Benful / Score 17 F
Purina Dog / Score 62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F
Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+
Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Solid Gold / Score 99 A
Summit / Score 99 A
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A

Average Life Expectancy of Dogs

after researching some dog breeds for "average life expectancy" i found this site that i thought was interesting http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-46.htm ; it took me a minute to find collie as it's listed as rough collie (smooth's do have the same life expentancy) and of course we all know some dogs that have lived longer or shorter lives---but this site seemed more accurate than some i encountered that said collies live to be 13 to 16 years, german shepherds 12 to 15 years and dobermans 12 to 15 years . (all dogs i have studied and knew better). if you go down the page of the link it has many interesting tips on dogs and cats also.

Life expectancy in dogs - How long will my dog live?

We all want our pet dogs to live as long as possible, but the fact of the matter is that on average, certain dog breeds live longer than others. This might be a consideration when choosing a dog breed and it is therefore useful information to know before hand.
The average life span of the North American or European dog is 12.8 years. This is a large increase in life span over the past 100 years and is mostly attributable to better food and better medical care. Within this 12.8 year average for all dogs is a large range of life spans where certain breeds live longer and certain breeds live less long. In general, larger dogs live shorter lives than smaller dogs. This is due to the fact that the bodies of larger dogs must work harder (are more stressed) than the bodies of smaller dogs. That said, the life expectancy of any one dog in particular is ALSO determined by the stresses in its life (both physical and psychological), what it eats and how well it is taken care of.
Life expectancy of popular dog breeds:
Afghan Hound (12.0)

Airedale Terrier (11.2)

Basset Hound (12.8)

Beagle (13.3)

Bearded Collie (12.3)

Bedlington Terrier (14.3)

Bernese Mountain Dog (7.0)

Border Collie (13.0)

Border Terrier (13.8)

Boxer (10.4)

Bull Terrier (12.9)

Bulldog (6.7)

Bullmastiff (8.6)

Cairn Terrier (13.2)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (10.7)

Chihuahua (13.0)

Chow Chow (13.5)

Cocker Spaniel (12.5)

Corgi (11.3)

Dachshund (12.2)

Dalmatian (13.0)

Doberman Pinscher (9.8)

English Cocker Spaniel (11.8)

English Setter (11.2)

English Springer Spaniel (13.0)

English Toy Spaniel (10.1)

Flat-Coated Retriever (9.5)

German Shepherd (10.3)

German Shorthaired Pointer (12.3)

Golden Retriever (12.0)

Gordon Setter (11.3)

Great Dane (8.4)
Greyhound (13.2)

Irish Red and White Setter (12.9)

Irish Setter (11.8)

Irish Wolfhound (6.2)

Jack Russell Terrier (13.6)

Labrador Retriever (12.6)

Lurcher (12.6)

Miniature Dachshund (14.4)

Miniature Poodle (14.8)

Norfolk Terrier (10.0)

Old English Sheepdog (11.8)

Pekingese (13.3)

Random-bred / Mongrel (13.2)

Rhodesian Ridgeback (9.1)

Rottweiler (9.8)

Rough Collie (12.2) *note; smooth collies have the same life lifespan

Samoyed (11.0)

Scottish Deerhound (9.5)

Scottish Terrier (12.0)

Shetland Sheepdog (13.3)

Shih Tzu (13.4)

Staffordshire Bull Terrier (10.0)

Standard Poodle (12.0)

Tibetan Terrier (14.3)

Toy Poodle (14.4)

Viszla (12.5)

Weimaraner (10.0)

Welsh Springer Spaniel (11.5)

West Highland White Terrier (12.8)

Whippet (14.3)

Wire Fox Terrier (13.0)

Yorkshire Terrier (12.8)