A word from the Editor

That would be me!

Over the past weeks, some of you asked a lot of questions regarding my life as an editor for the magazine Lulu on the Road.  Time to answer some of your questions!

I came up with this idea of publishing a magazine because i thought that it would be a great medium to share my travel experiences when on the road.  I also thought that a magazine would be easier to read and that it would give me the opportunity to publish short stories on other dogs, friends i would meet while traveling.

After a brainstorming session with mum and dad, i decided to launch it sooner than planned.  I met so many interesting friends on social medias and heard so many wonderful stories that i couldn't help but start the magazine at the beginning of this year.

The third issue of Lulu on the Road will be out tomorrow.  What an experience it has been so far!

But i must say that it's a lot of work.  Besides my blog, which takes about 2 hours of my time each week, publishing a monthly magazine requires about 20 hours of work each month.  Doesn't sound that much?  Well, i have to build my schedule around mum's and it ain't that easy!

First, i have to search for interesting stories.  Then i have to write them or contact other dogs and ask them if they would write a story for the mag.  After that, i have to pick the photos that will be in the mag, choose one for the cover, decide which breed will be feature in Breed of the Month on the back cover.

This is only half of the work done, because now, i have to put everything in order!  Laying out a magazine can be very frustrating!  This story before or after this one?  This photo should be edited or not?  Did my typist make any error in the pages?

And i'm not talking about the editorial meetings i held with mum, which can last till late at night!  We also ask dad's opinion before publishing the final product to see if we missed something or if we should change anything.

So yes, it is a lot of work but it's so much fun!

A lot of doggie friends already helped me by being featured in the first issues and i'll always be grateful for that!  This magazine wouldn't be the same without you guys!

Do i have other projects besides this blog and my magazine? Of course i do! You know me, always working on something!  So stay tuned because in the upcoming weeks, i will launch my first book!

So excited!

Black and white Sunday

One of my favorite pic, in Cape Cod last summer.

I really look like a professionnal model, don't you think?

Have a great sunday!

Winner of the Most Beautiful Dog on Twitter!

The results are in!  I am ready to announce who is the winner for Most Beautiful Dog on Twitter!

First, i would like to thank all the participants.  You are all beautiful!  Your humans can be proud of you!

Ok, remember that the winner will receive 2 bags of treats from Oven Baked Tradition and will be on the cover of march issue of my magazine, Lulu on the Road!

Drum rolls please!

Third place is Amadeus Ivan from Netherlands!

@Amadeusivan

Second place is Boots, from UK!

@OldEnglishBoots

The Winner of Most Beautiful Dog on Twitter is...

Abby, from USA!!!

@AbbyDawgBlog

Congratulations Abby!!!

This contest was really fun, thanks to all of you anipals and humans who voted for your favorite and congratulations to Abby!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends!!

Love and friendship are the most important things in the world.

Thank you for being so kind to me, to follow me in my little crazy world, to share your life with me.

Thank you for making me laugh.

Thank you for being here.

You are the best!

Luv

Lulu xxx

Rescue... or not?

You know me.  I'm all in for rescuing dogs and help them find a forever home.  I can't stand seeing dogs in shelters, having nobody to love them and cuddle with them and show them that life can be wonderful with a good human by your side.

I'm such an advocate for the cause that i insisted when it came to Bree's adoption.

Which raised an interesting question.  Are we being fooled when adopting a doggie?  Do previous owners or shelters workers tell us the truth about the dog or are they so eager to find a home that they omit to tell important facts about that particular dog?

Don't throw rocks at me yet.  Bree is our first adopted anipal and we may have been the unfortunate ones.  We did not adopt via a shelter but via owners.  And they might have "forgotten" to tell us that Bree was a biter, in order to get rid of her as soon as possible AND without having to deal with the dreadful decision, put her down or not...  Better leave that decision to someone else, right?

Bree is my humans' 10th or 11th dog.  They are very good at training and never had any problems with their dogs, big or small.  But Bree is in a class of her own...

She is beautiful, no doubt about it.  She already shares a bond with mum and listens to her most of the time.  She is playful, funny, potty trained, she sleeps in her crate.  80% of the time, she is a great dog.  The only problem is that she bites.  A lot.

Of course, the owners didn't tell us about it.  Just said that she "tried" once or twice to bite the human baby...  We suspect that she did, and more often than once or twice...  Her behavior shows that she cannot deal with discipline, with dominant dog or human, except mum.  It's not a breed characteristic, it's a behavior problem.

The point is, when you adopt, are you being told the truth?

I know, there are no bad dogs, just bad humans, i'm the first one to say it loud and clear.  I believe that you can rehabilitate almost any doggie with love and patience.  But if we were told the truth about those dogs we want to rescue, maybe it would be a lot easier on them and on the new owners.

We won't get rid of Bree.  Not yet.  We will try our best to show her that biting is not an option and that she needs to behave in order to have fun and live a wonderful life with us.  She is a lucky girl and we hope that she'll understand that we kind of saved her life.  But what if she bites someone while on the road?  What if the relation between us two gets worst?  What if i hurt her, or worse...?  What if we can't help her?

I always loved meeting new friends and i never had any problem interacting with other dogs but what if i change my mind and see other dogs as threats because of Bree?

Rescuing is a big decision.  It changes the family dynamics and we have to be prepared for that.  I know that finding new homes for these anipals is very important but please, please, tell us the truth!  Like it or not, some dogs cannot be rescued...  Sad but true.

What's your opinion? I would really like to know.  Did you have a bad experience rescuing a dog or know someone who did?  Do you feel you had all the informations needed?  Do you agree that all dogs can't be saved or do you believe that we can save them all, no matter what?  And what would you do if your rescued was not the dog you thought it was?

Rescuing, besides being a gesture of love, is also a moral question.  We may be facing a behavior that will shake our values and beliefs.  Are you prepared for that?

Humans need to be trained too!

It bothers me a lot when i meet humans that have no idea what so ever on how to deal with dogs, especially dog owners! 

I remember when I was in Maine, we went to visit a park and the Ranger there, a dog owner, saw me and started to talk to me like if I was a baby human.  First, i'm not a baby, second, certainly not a human!  The tone of his voice was annoying to my sensible ears.

Then, without warning, he bended his knees and looked me IN THE EYES!! 

Let's all be very clear on that.  Humans, i'm telling you, never, NEVER, look a dog in the eyes if you don't know him very well.  Meaning, if you're not his owner, don't do that.  Or you'll be asking for trouble.

As you all know by now, i'm well trained and i behave like a sweet puppy on the road.  I let people pet me and i greet them with a lick or two.  I respond to voice commands and to gestual ones.  

The only thing i don't appreciate is when people look me in the eyes.  When you do that, you dare me, you provoke me, you are testing me.  And i take it personnal.  And my doggie friends will take it personnal too, may them be rotties, doxies, poodles or mix breeds.  

This Ranger was in for a surprise...  I did not bite him - i'm not that stupid! - but i did warn him that his behavior wasn't ok.  

Humans always tell us how to behave with humans but who ever told them how to behave with us?  Humans need to be trained too in order to avoid dramatic situation.  Adults AND children.  When on walkies, i often see young humans running around unfamiliar dogs and their parents letting them pet the dog without even asking for permission.  And by that, i mean asking our human and us permission!  What if i don't feel right?  What if i'm tired, hungry?  What if i'm in pain?  What if i just don't want to be pet?

Please humans, remember this:

- always walk your dog with a leash

- train your dog to walk by your side, not 10 feet in front of you 

- always ask before petting a dog

- don't look a dog in the eyes

- don't let your child play with an unfamiliar dog

- always remember that, even if we are cute and small, we are animals

There is one thing my dad always says to people when we meet for the first time.  First, i'm an animal, then i'm a dog, then i'm a rottie, then i'm Lulu...  

The search for the most beautiful dog is on!

Hi anipals!  I'm looking for the most beautiful dog on Twitter! Are you the one?

Here's the deal.

If you have a Twitter account, you can participate in this great contest.  

1. Enter the contest by leaving me a comment here on my blog, with your Twitter name

2. Send me a pic of you by email at matoupare@hotmail.com

3. The pic has to be high resolution, color or B&W, in the most beautiful setting you can find.  Can be indoor or outdoor.  Keep in mind that the winner will be on the cover of march issue of Lulu on the road so it has to be perfect!    

4. The pics will be posted here on the blog for readers to vote for their favorite.

5. To vote, just leave a comment here.  

6. The doggie with the most votes will win!

What do you win?

- a chance to be on the cover of Lulu on the road - march issue

- 2 bags of doggie treats from my sponsor, Oven Baked Tradition 

You have until february the 10th to send your pic.  Winner will be announce on february the 15th!  

So, think you have what it takes to be a cover dog?  

Best of luck! 

And may the most beautiful doggie wins!!

The February issue of my magazine is out!

Happy Sunday everybody!

Here is the February 2013 issue of my magazine Lulu on the Road !  A Valentine Special for you anipals and dog lovers! I really hope you'll enjoy it!

This issue is better and bigger than the first one and, believe it or not, i am already working on the march issue... I learned that in the publishing world, you have to be at least 2 months ahead so i'm woking very hard to keep up the good work!

The March 2013 issue will feature stories that will certainly please you.  Spring is in the air here at the office!

But first, take a look at this Valentine Special

And please, tell me what you think of it!!

My new sisfur!!

I got a new sisfur!

My pawrents adopted a Doxie 2 days ago! Isn't it amazing?!

Her name is Brioche - Bree - and she's 2 1/2 years old.  She's a black and tan little thing that was in a really bad situation.  Here is her story.

Bree was living in a loving family of two humans.  They loved her very much and let her do whatever she wanted because she was so sweet and funny.  She was the Queen of the house!  Everything went smooth until they adopted another doggie.  This other doggie was rescued from bad owner who beat him. Bree took the dog under her wing and showed him everything but still, she was in charge!

Then, about a year later, her pawrents had a human baby...

You can imagine that Bree wasn't very happy about this new arrival in the house.  She barked a lot, asked for all the attention and finally, tried to bite the little human.  Her pawrents were really devastated because they loved her very much but the baby was the new priority in their life.  Bree became nervous, stressed out, out of control.  She had no more limits, no boundaries.

She is a Doxie and this breed needs lot of attention and good training or they become little terrors and that's what happened.

Bree started acting weird, peeing in the house, even pooped in the house!!  Nobody could approach her, except her mum.  She weighs about 8 pounds and everybody was scared of her!

Her pawrents couldn't handle her anymore so there was no choice.  Either put her up for adoption or euthanasia...

My mum heard about Bree the day she was put up for adoption.  Talk about faith!!  At first, dad didn't want to hear anything about having another dog, and certainly not a problem one!!  But mum and I finally convinced him that we couldn't let anything happend to Bree.  So we called the owners and 2 days later, we went to pick her up...

Oh my dog!  Bree tried to bite mum, barked like crazy and pooped on the carpet right in front of dad!!  Lucky for me, mum looked at dad and said "she just needs discipline, that's all"...  Dad was very reluctant at first, thought that she would become our problem and that we couldn't do anything with her.  That was before i met her...

The meeting went ok.  She tried to bite me but soon realized that I was the boss here!  I taught her a thing or two about sharing treats and meals - NO WAY! - and where she was allowed to sleep - not on MY couch!  I also told her that peeing and pooing is a thing we do outside.  Other than that, everything is going great.

Bree looks like me! A mini Lulu!!

The funny thing is that mum bought her a tiny chocker and a leash, and is being strict with her when it comes to house rules.  And Bree listens all the time, looking at mum like if she was the most wonderful human on earth!  She follows her like glue!

She is still a little bit intimidated by dad and me, but i'm sure we'll become a great family.  Of course i watch her every move... i was told not to trust Doxies!  They can be fierce and they are very intelligent!

Am i jealous?  Maybe a little bit.  Which i think is very natural.  But my humans are good with dogs and they know that i'll always be number one in their hearts.  They treat me the way they always did.  I'm the first being fed.  I still receive lots of cuddles.  My toys are mine and only mine.  We each have our own cushion.  I still sleep with them in the bed, but Bree isn't allowed.  For now.

We need to adapt to each other.  We've been together less than 24 hours!

But i kind of love her... She's cute, small - very small!! - and she always makes funny faces!  I think i'm even starting to fell a little protective of her, especially when we go outside.  So i guess this is a good sign that we'll get along.

I must say that i'm very proud of my pawrents.  They saved her life!  And that is the most important thing because Bree only needs a bit of discipline, lots of love and a stable home to become a great dog, just like me!

Welcome home Bree!  Just don't steal my food and everything will be perfect!!

I'm ready!

My humans are a little on edge this week.  They're waiting for an offer on the house.  Hope this one will be the one!  Because as soon as the house is sold, we are leaving!  Keeping my paws crossed!

In the mean time, we continue to prepare our trip on the roads and I, for myself, have a lot to think about.  My bag is ready - bringing my cushion, my toys, my bandanas, leash, ... - and i had my visit to the vet to get all the shots i need for this trip.  The vet was very nice and he didn't really hurt me.  Well, maybe just a little but i didn't mind, that was for the good cause!

my ears are clean, now leave me alone!

Hey!  Not in my butt!!!

I also mapped out where all my north american friends live, because i made a deal with mum & dad.  Everytime we'll enter a state or a province where i have a friend, we will visit!   At this rate, we'll visit all the states and provinces!

Seriously, the house is almost empty - which feels kinda weird -, my humans already put many things in storage, they made their choice regarding the RV we'll be living in and now, they're just waiting after the potential buyer.  If all goes right, we might be leaving sooner than we think!!!  Isn't it exciting?!

Ok, maybe not that exciting for me, because they're so stressed out that they sometimes forget to give me treats, they talk all night long and don't cuddle with me as often as they used to, they're always on the phone talking to other humans about the house, ...  Hello! I'm here, remember me?  Lulu?

Oh well, i may be a diva but i won't act like one.  I'll let them deal with that human stuff.  Too complicated for me...

I have only one request for all my anipals.  Could you please, please, keep your paws crossed for me and my humans?

Thanx guys! I luv you!  Can't wait to see you on the road!

Doggie Photoshoot!!

A few weeks ago, i was tweeting with a friend of mine who's looking for a photographer to help him build his portfolio.  This friend is a well know dog in the UK as he entered the Top Dog Model competition last year.

I told him that for his first official pictures, he doesn't really need to hire a pro, as long as his humans have a good camera and time on their hands.  Because taking pics of a dog can be time consuming!

My mum does a great job with her camera and she taught me a few tricks to be sure that i would behave during a photoshoot.  So i thought i would share them with you guys, in case your humans decide to take "pro like" pics of you!  They might not send them to an agent or a magazine, but at least they'll have beautiful pics of you to hang on the walls!

First of all, it's much more easier to take pics of us dogs after our meal or after a walkie.  We are calm and we tend to be a little lazy, so that helps a lot when humans want us to stay still.  Also, try to take pics in a safe and quiet environment.  If it's too busy, too loud, with lots of humans, or dogs - or cats! - your humans will have a hard time!  Tell your humans that you need clear command or you'll be all messed up and the pics will look weird!  I had a lot of fails, believe me!

Your humans have to prepare the settings first!  We don't like waiting, doing nothing, while humans prepare all the stuff they want in the pics, like cushions, toys, flowers, blankies, ...  Please humans, be prepared!!  And please, if you want to dress us for the pics, do it at the last minute!  We may get dirty while waiting...

Lighting is important too.  Best time of the day to take our pics outside is an hour or two before sunset.  It will give us a nice glow because of indirect light.  It works anytime of the year, summer or winter.  But if your humans want to take pics in the woods, they must do it when the sun is at its highest point, around noon.  The rays will go down between the trees and pics will look amazing!

Don't forget that the background is also very important! And tell them to find one that will suit your fur color!

Last but not least, treats!  Tell your humans that a little reward after all that hard work is always appreciated!

Ok, to give you an idea on how those pics could come out if your humans try mum's advice, here's a look at some pics i have in my portfolio...

A last note for your humans.  If they want to build a real professional portfolio, they need to have full body pics, 3/4 ones, just your face, as many as possible in different settings or while performing a particular trick, and black and white pics too.  Both studio and outside pics are good.  If you're serious about it and want to send your pics to agencies, don't forget to take some with humans too!

I'm not a pro and the pics are just for my own use.  But i like beautiful pics of me.  Kinda makes me fell like a star!

It's not easy to be a model, but it's a lot of fun!  Think about the treats guys!

How do they make doggie treats?

Me and Tammy at OBT.  Isn't she lovely?!

I knew that talking about treats would make you happy!  So today, i thought about giving you a small tour of my sponsor's plan, where they cook treats for us dogs!  Isn't it amazing?

Oven Baked Tradition is a great company from St-Hyacinthe, a town near Montreal, Quebec.  About a year ago, they kindly accepted to sponsor me as they thought it was quite special to see a Rottie going on the road with its humans for 3-4 years.  They knew that my adventures to come would be very interesting and different, and that i would be a great ambassador for them!

Tammy, the wonderful lady that takes care of me at OBT invited us to visit the plan.  Of course, i was not allowed in the plan itself, but while my humans went inside, i stayed in the office at the front desk.  Boy was i a good security guard!  And i had lots and lots of treats!  Liver treats are my favorites!

My humans took a few pics inside, so here's a look at how they make treats at OBT.  (Don't ask for the recipe, it's a secret!)

Mixing all the ingredients for the treats...  Smells good!

Picking the right design for the treats...

Mixture going in the oven...  Isn't called Oven Baked for nothing!

Treats are cooked! Yummy! But still too hot to eat...

Tammy telling Dad all the secrets... He looks funny with this thing around his beard! 

Oh My Dog!!!

Ready to go!

After the visit, Mum & Dad were very impressed!  They said that it was clean, that it smelled like cookies coming out of the oven and that all the employees were kind and smiling!  

I am so proud to have them as my official sponsor!  Please visit their web site as they have a forum for us anipals and our humans, lots of pics, funny facts, ... They are just great!!  And you can follow them on Twitter @OvenBakedT and on Facebook too !!! And they even have a new commercial on tv, which is totally amazing!!

(Hmmm... I just thought about something... A contest maybe...  Let me think about it...)

Thanks Tammy!  Thanks Oven Baked Tradition !!

Don't blame me because i'm a rottie...

I've been thinking about this for a long time and i think now is a good time to talk about this issue.

Breed Specific Legislation.

Why do I talk about this now?  As you probably all know, I travel a lot with my humans and i'll be on a RTW trip soon.  While doing some research for our trip, i noticed that there are a lot of places i can't visit just because i am a Rottweiler.  This fact was very disturbing to me, as i am a well-trained and very good dog.  Why do some cities, states or even countries won't let me in?

Because i'm a rottie and my reputation preceeds me.

Let's all be clear on something.  I did not, nor did my fellow rotties, do anything wrong.  Humans made us do bad things.  Humans with little knowledge on how to deal with my breed.   The same goes with all the breeds considered to be "dangerous" like Pit Bull, Mastiff, Staffie, Cane Corso, Akita, Huskie, German, ...

Take any dog, any breed, and tether him with a chain 24 hours a day.  Don't pet him.  Don't play with him.  Don't socialize him with other dogs or children.  Train him to be agressive by poking him with a stick.  Don't groom him.  Let him starve a little.  Shout at him all the time.

You'll end up with an agressive and very dangerous dog.  Wether it's a rottie or a collie, or even a jack for that matter.  Any dog that doesn't have a good home and a good relationship with a human who doesn't know how to take care of a dog or worst, with a human who will try to make his doggie more agressive just because it's "cool", will end up being dangerous.

Of course, big dogs require good training.  We're big, we're strong and we are often very protective of our family.  Who wouldn't be?  But protective doesn't mean malicious or dangerous.  It means that we love our humans and don't want anything bad to happen to them.  If you treathen my mum, grab her by the arm while i'm on a walkie with her, i may bark to advise you to stop.  But if you're being nice to her and to me, i will let you pet me.

By the way, i had a cousin, a pomeranian, who was so protective of her mum that she bit the ankle of a man who was rude to her... Her tiny little teeth made a hell of a mess!  And another cousin of mine, a Lhassa, had a serious fight with a kid!  Did anyone ask that they be put to sleep? No.  Because they were not considered dangerous breed, it was classified as "incidents"...

Seriously, the Breed Specific Legislation has to change.

This legislation is unfair to those behaving in accordance to the law, dogs and humans.  The legislation has to deal with the behavior of individuals, not focus on the breed.

I am a good rottie.  I have a lot of respect for other doggies.  I also have a lot of respect for humans who show the same respect to me.    And the best thing you could do to show me the respect i deserve is to become a great leader.

I'm not a mean beast.  You just have to understand me and treat me to way i should be treated.  The way you, humans, want to be treated.

Don't ban me because i'm a rottie.  And don't blame me...

My new magazine is now available!

I'm sooooo excited!  After many hours of hard work, i'm now ready to launch my new magazine!

Lulu on the road!

This is a project i had in mind for a long time!  I really hope you'll enjoy it as much as i had fun making it!  It was a lot of work but i think it was worth it!

This first edition is all about friendship.  16 pages of love and fun!

It will be a monthly magazine and every month, i'll try to bring new topics for my readers.  Of course, if you would like to be part of the magazine, be my guest!  You can send pic of a funny or weird thing you saw on the road, a text about a particular subject you'd like to share with the readers or maybe i'll interview you!  Or maybe you could be the Dog Model of the month, you knows?

Watch for the monthly release on my blog, in the right side bar!  It's free! And we love free things, don't we?

So have fun reading it and please, leave me a comment on the blog to tell me if you liked it (or not!)!

Thanx everybody! I'm sooooo happy!

If i ever go to the UK...

me in a restaurant in Cape Cod, Mass.

I will certainly have my pic taken in one of these fabulous places!

PUBS!!

A great tradition there, many pubs also welcome doggies.  If there's a pub, there's a pooch!

Here in Canada, dogs aren't welcome in pubs.  That, i don't understand!  Is there something more welcoming than a dog sitting near a fireplace or under a table, watching his human sip a pint, eat peanuts and chat with friends?

Once i was allowed in a restaurant and boy did it was fantastic! I had my own space near the table, my own plate with fresh water in it, got to taste a lil bit of the food, ...  And i wasn't alone!  There were those 2 lil things, with tutu and bows on their heads, and all the clients were giving them treats!  Seriously, i think that every restaurant and especially pubs should welcome dogs.

In Great Britain, they understand the bond between humans and doggies.  And when i discovered this blog on the net, i told mum and dad that, while on our RTW trip, we must go there!

The blog i'm talking about is Dogs in Pubs.  This blog is a tribute to all the dogs in pubs.  They are doing a great job and the pics are fabulous!

If you haven't seen it yet, go and take a look.  My favorite pic is All alone Alfie.  Luv it!

Have you ever been to a pub?  If so, please tell me about it!

We want details!

me on my first camping trip!

Of course you do!

So here are some insights on my upcoming RTW trip with my pawrents.  My Twitter friends were asking me about it, so i tought it would be a good idea to share the highlights of that trip.

We will be leaving soon for a 3-4 years trip around the world, starting in North America in a motorhome.  That will be my new house for the next year or two.  I'll still have my toys with me, don't worry!  We will travel across Canada and the United States and then, we will cross the big pond to travel in Europe.  I think Mum wants to go to Asia too, but i don't know if i want to.  You know what they eat there, don't you?  Everybody will look at me with hungry eyes!  We'll have to talk about it...

Anyway, my plan while travelling is to meet as many people as i can, discover new places and live the adventures of a dog's lifetime!  Hiking in the Grand Canyon, swimming in the ocean, see the buffalos in Yellowstone, run on a glacier in Alaska, ... The works!

I will share my adventures with you pals, here on my blog, but also on FB and Twitter.  My humans friends asked me to write a book or two about it so i will.  And i hope to publish a book with pics!  Me in front of the Eiffel Tower, Stonehenge, near Dracula's castle in Romania, ...  that will be sooooo pawsome!

By the way, i have a sponsor.  They tought it was very unusual to see a Rottweiler travel the world and write about it so the decided to help me by giving me free food! And let me tell you, this food is very very good!  Tammy, from Oven Baked Tradition, takes good care of me and i luv her very much!

Unfortunatly, there are some places i won't be able to visit because i'm a Rottweiler.

Some countries don't want me to cross their borders - i guess they think i could steal secrets from them - and some others want me to stay in quarantine for ever!  I mean, i would have luv to visit Australia and my friend Dakota, but i'll have to stay in quarantine for 3 months!!! No way!  There are also islands i can't visit, because they are, well, islands.  People there are afraid that i might bring deseases in my bag.  Hello! I'm a very healthy dog!  But you don't discuss with the customs, you do what you're told.  So i guess i won't be able to sunbath in Hawai...

Up til now, i already visited a few states and parts of Quebec.  My favorite place so far was in Maine, a lil town called Bar Harbor.  It's very pet-friendly and the people there are so nice to doggies, i couldn't belive it!  I also liked hanging out in Cape Cod and I was very impressed by the bridge in Boston! Wow!

Hum, if you're nice, maybe i'll tell you all about it in another post!

Answering Fan Mail

Yes, believe it or not, i do receive a lot of fan mail!  Look at that face! I'm such a cute, sweet, loving, adorable, awesome doggie!

For the last 2 years, i've been blogging on my humans' blog.  I've ended up having a bunch of fans, asking me lots of questions about my life in general.  Now that i have my own space, it'll be much more easier to answer their questions.

1. Are you really a Rottweiler?
No, i'm a poodle... OF COURSE, i'm a Rottie!  Duh...

2. You're a travelling dog, you must speak many languages?
You're kidding, right?  I don't speak any languages, i'm a dog, hello!  But i do understand french,english, italian, spanish and german.

3. On your pics, you look really big. How much do you weigh?
A lady wouldn't normally answer that question but i'll do you a favor.  *whispering* 125,4 lbs.  Not bad for a female.

4. Do you plan on travelling for a long time?
4 more years before i retire.  If i'm lucky enough to live that long...

5. Do you have a boyfriend?
Fans are so curious! What about my private life??  Yes, my doggie boyfriend is Tank the Boxer, we met on Twitter.

6. Have you ever been scared of something?
My first time at the beach was scary as hell!  First, these signs warning people about recent sharks seeings (!!) and then, this enormous seal with which i came face to face in the ocean! I ran out of the water like crazy!

7. Do you have a nickname?
My nickname is Dude, and on Twitter, my nickname is Evil Lulu ( #evillulu ) because i luv to tease my friends!

8. Favorite treats?
Cheese, Mini Wheats and Oven Baked Tradition liver treats.  OBT is my sponsor.

9. Any bro or sis?
I had a sister, Maya, a german sheperd, but she went OTRB 2 years ago... I also have a human sis and a human bro.

10. Are you really a famous dog?
What do you think?? (silly fan, pfff...)


Ok, that's it with fan mail.  You're boring me...

......

Just kidding!! I luv receiving fan mail, please, keep sending!

Not for young doggie readers...

You probably all know by now that i'm a travelling dog.  My humans are seasoned travelers too.  We do that for a living and it's great!  We meet new people, see new places, learn a lot about other cultures and write about our experiences.  Sometimes, we encounter strange habits and we wonder "why they do that?".

I asked myself the same question when Dad went to China.  I was really eager to hear all the stories of his trip there, but when he told us about a certain restaurant, i stood in the middle of the living room, in shock...

This Chinese guy he met invited him to this fancy place, with dancers, music and great "authentic chinese food" as he said.  Dad went with him, no questions asked.   Of course, Dad doesn't speak nor read chinese so he said to the guy "i'll have what you'll have".  Bad decision...

The menu was entirely meals cooked with DOG MEAT!!

In China, there's this saying that a guest shouldn't never insult his host, so Dad had no choice but to eat dog meat.  On the table, there was dog soup, raw dog meat with vegetables, dog's brain with tomato sauce, dog's sirloin, ... He even saw the chef cooking big bones in a pan!

raw dog with vegetables

dog's brain with spicy tomato sauce

I couldn't believe it!! Why they do that? What's the point in eating dog meat?  Don't they have enough rice there to feed the people?!

But then, as i was listening to dad's story, i realized that i shouldn't judge them.  Of course, it troubled me A LOT but really, who am i to judge?  Here in North America, eating dog is almost a crime, but we do eat rabbit and deer and moose and duck.  Cute little anipals we raise not for the fun of it, but to eat them.  We even eat horses!  Chinese people would probably think we are crazy too.

That's what we call culture shock.  Going out of your comfort zone and trying to understand that some people are totally different than you.  You may not agree with the way they live but you have to be tolerant.  We scream out loud to save those dogs' lives but here, we turn our head and close our eyes on puppy mills...  Easier, isn't?

By no means i will encourage eating dog meat.  I'm against that practice.  But i will try to understand.  Being a dog, i can't imagine that a human would eat me, but i can try to understand that some humans, in other parts of the world, would.

At the end of the story, Dad looked at me with tears in his eyes and said "Dude, while i was in that restaurant, i kept thinking of you and i was sure you knew what was going on.  Hope you'll forgive me and i promise you, i'll never eat dog again in my whole life."

Don't worry Dad, I forgive you.  I always will.  And think about it for a minute.  Mum went to Africa and probably ate a cute lil zebra, for all she knows!



    

So, what's up Dude?

Nothing much, really.  Been licking my paws a lot lately.  Not that my life is boring but, you know, when you've got no tail, you've gotta find something to amuse yourself.  So, i lick my paws.  And chew on my friend kermitt, a fluffy thing i got for Christmas.

Last night, i was relaxing with Dad on the couch when i heard Mum talk about New Year's resolutions.  I listened more carefully, curious to know what resolutions she might take for 2013...

1. She wants to be more organized.
...

That's IT??!!  I think my Mum has some priorities issues...

Ok, so if humans can take resolutions for the new year, what about me?  I tought about it for 5 minutes and i came up with this list:

1. Stop being so dramatic.  I can be a drama queen when it comes to treats.
2. Stop chewing on dirty socks.  It gives me bad breath.
3. Drink a beer a day to keep the vet away.
4. Better train my humans.  Hardest one, really, they are so messy...
5. Convince my humans that i need a bro or a sis.  A pug?  Boston Terrier? Chihuahua?  Any midget breed will do, except Yorkies.  These lil things are so annoying!

Dogs' priorities in life are so much more important!  Humans should learn from us, really.

So here's to 2013!  It's gonna be a great year, probably the best of my life!

Humans can be so silly!

I remember the first time Mum said to a friend of hers that i was on Facebook, Twitter and that i was writing about my life as a dog.  A minute of silence and then...

She got "THE LOOK".

I'm pretty sure that this friend seriously tought of calling the police or worst, the psychiatric ward.  Of course, Mum never saw her again...

Why do humans always think that we can't do the things they do? I mean, we have opinions, we can speak our own mind! Ok, i admit that it's kind of weird looking at a dog typing on a computer and chatting with its anipals on Twitter.  It's unusual.  Or maybe not.  Because last time i checked, there was a bunch of us doggies on Twitter!  One of my pal has nearly 2 000 followers!

But that's not my point.  My point is that dogs have a life too.  There are things we like - chew on old socks and discuss the taste between us, teasing kittens, ... - and things we hate - like zoombies, aliens, or funny hats that our humans put on our heads at Christmas.  Some of us work, others are retired.  Most of us are well-trained and a few need to be more careful with their humans' carpet.  And all of us love to make fun of our humans! They can be so silly!

I mean, is there anything funnier than seeing a human teasing us with a bone or a fluffy toy?  They get down on their knees, talking to us making noises as if we couldn't understand words, using that irritating tone of voice. I always wondered what they would do if they could see themselves in a mirror...  Even more silly: they think we are weird because we like to dress up with wigs - and like my friend Spikey said, we are comfortable in our weirdness - but they dye their hair! Hello?! A dog would NEVER do that!

Except in China, but that's another story...

Anyway, silly or not, we love our humans.  They always make funny faces when they look at us and we can't help it but cuddle a lil bit closer.  They even let us in the bed when there's a storm outside, thinking we are afraid of thunder.  Like if we were, pfff...  We make up our best pity face ever when there's food on the table, even if we know we're not allowed to be around at dinner time, and they always fall for it!

Didn't i tell you they were silly?!