Peckerwood Manor

I love silent films, especially the ones with animals in them. I wanted to share one with this fantastic star dog, Shep. 

I cannot gush enough about Border Collies. The breed is fantastic, intelligent, loyal, and plain wonderful. We have them on the farm for herding, and they double as the farm manager's much-beloved pet children. I thought I was a pup spoiler. Not in comparison, I am not. His wife makes their food, and every balanced meal is fresh from scratch, as if she were making meals for her and their family. If you ask her about commercial dog food, she will look at you like you lost your damn mind. I can't even argue because I make my dog food, too, but not daily, not every meal, and not as extravagant, and that is saying something.  This 60 Minutes clip discusses canine intelligence, measuring it, and the new findings they are making about dogs and their previously unknown abilities. Those of us who love our pups already know all these things. My support dog gets things for me, follows commands, initiates tasks, and picks up on moods and signs of my feelings that not even those closest to...

  This dog is hilarious. I couldn't help but laugh because our dogs had different reactions to when a baby was born in the family. No thieves, but some pouting did commence.  Does your pup do funny things? Do you have a story to share?

  Betty Marion White Ludden, born on January 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois, was not just a trailblazing entertainer and ardent animal advocate but a beacon of resilience and determination. Her career, which spanned over eight decades, was a testament to her unwavering spirit. She pioneered early television, becoming one of the first women to have creative control in front of and behind the camera, a feat that was not easy in those times. White's family's relocation to Los Angeles during the Great Depression, when she was just a toddler, marked the beginning of her journey. Her love for wildlife, nurtured during family vacations in Sierra Nevada, initially led her to dream of becoming a forest ranger. However, societal norms of the time barred women from such roles. Undeterred, she turned her attention to writing and performing, setting the stage for her future in entertainment. White's foray into the entertainment industry began in radio, where she honed her skills by rea...

  "Some of my best leading men have been dogs and horses."

Throughout history, many royals have found solace and companionship in the company of their furry friends. For instance, Henry III of France cherished his bichons and spaniels so much that he carried them in a little basket around his neck. Similarly, Queen Victoria created a pet cemetery with epitaphs to honor her beloved pets. German-born Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchess of Orleans, once wrote from the Palace of Versailles, "Dogs are the best people I have come across in France," highlighting the unique bond humans can share with their four-legged companions. Louis XlV loved dogs and had a beloved toy poodle who lived better than most people. I am a direct descendant of the little boy in the dress and leading streets, which means Versailles should be mine bitches! Alexander the Great is known for being an almost unstoppable conquerer. Legend has it that his beloved dog Peritas was a gift from a Greek King. Legend also states that Peritas had taken down a lion and an elephant. P...

The Hero Dog Awards is an annual nationwide competition organized by the American Humane Organization that recognizes heroic dogs in various categories, including law enforcement/arson, service, therapy, military, search and rescue, guide/hearing, and emerging heroes. The awards honor dogs that have performed brave and courageous deeds, such as comforting wounded soldiers, detecting explosives, and assisting in search and rescue missions.

My kids are on their school break, so I didn't have much time, but these videos are hilarious.  Enjoy posting your babies and funny memes and thoughts. Next weekend I will have more time. 

 Now that I have a support dog that is half collie, I am watching and scooping up Collie breed information. I wasn't around when this show was on, but I would have loved it. Do you have a favorite movie or show about dogs?

In the canine universe, Dalmatians are the equivalent of a classic black-and-white film—timeless, charming, and full of personality and character. With their distinctive white coats accessorized with distinctive black spots, these pups are born to stand out like superstars, full of charisma, the kind of dogs that don't just have an interesting nature; they have a presence . The origins of the Dalmatian are shrouded in mystery. They're named after Dalmatia, a region that was once part of Austria, but their true origins are elusive and hard to pinpoint. These striking dogs have had more careers than Barbie: coach dog, war sentinel, circus performer, and the favorite firehouse mascot. In the past, they ran alongside horse-drawn fire engines, acting as the original siren and equine therapists all in one because they kept the horses calm and focused.  Dalmations are the Olympic marathon runners of the dog world, with enough stamina to multi-task and run their owners into the ground ...

Well, it turns out that the canine world has its own version of the fountain of youth, and it's all about the nose! Recent research has shown that small, long-nosed pooches, known as the dolichocephalic doggy elite, tend to outlive their snub-nosed counterparts. That's right, the Whippets, Miniature Dachshunds (I think Dachshunds and I think pushy broad. I do), and Shetland Sheepdogs of the world are strutting their stuff well into their frisky teens, with median lifespans of about 13.3 years. The Lancashire Heeler, in particular, is practically a canine Methuselah with an ancient median age of 15.4 years. If you're wondering about the purebred versus crossbreed debate, the purebreds are wagging their tails a little longer, with a median life expectancy of 12.7 years, compared to 12.0 years for the mixed breeds. As for the battle of the sexes, female dogs are winning by a whisker, with a median life expectancy of 12.7 years, compared to 12.4 years for males. If you're i...

On May 4, 1929, in the charming city of Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium, Audrey Kathleen Ruston, known to the world as Audrey Hepburn, was born. She was the cherished daughter of the Dutch baroness Ella Van Heemstra and Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston. Her father embraced the more aristocratic surname Hepburn-Ruston, adding a touch of nobility to their family name. Audrey's childhood was a tapestry of experiences woven with the threads of different cultures as she spent time in Belgium, England, and the Netherlands, following her father's work assignments. There doesn't seem to be much indication that her very early life was troubled, but that would soon change. In the early 1940s,  the dark shadows of World War II fell upon Audrey and her family as they endured the hardships of life in Nazi-occupied Holland. In an instinctual protective gesture, her mother temporarily changed Audrey’s name to Edda Van Heemstra, to shield her British heritage from the Nazis. Yet, amidst the turmoil...