A Castle is...
A place for the imagination to soar...
Where the past is part of the present...
A tangible reminder of conflict, power and struggle.
Hame castle, built in Medieval times (1320), and seen in the photo, was built on Lake Vanajavesi by the conquering Swedish king to withstand the advances of the armies of Novgorod. In my visit to this heavily walled and fortified bastion, originally built on an island, I wondered about the Finns, the people who had made a life in the great forests and on the coasts of Finland, caught for centuries between invaders from both East and
West.
I have now visited four castles here in Finland. I have previously visited castles in Ireland and the Dordogne region of France. These experiences, and the castles, great forests and endless lakes of Finland, inspired the story of Castle In The Mist, Volume 2 in the Planet of the Dogs series.
Writing children's books, where dogs overcome violence, offers an opportunity to rewrite history in a world of perpetual conflict and strife. If people could only learn from dogs....
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A Dog Walks Into the Room...
Therapy Dogs and the Human-Canine Connection
How can a dog walking into a room change the lives of the people who are there? It happens all the time. For the old and infirm, the eyes light up and a smile may cross their face. For the dying, it is a moment of connection with a world they are leaving. For a child, a door opens to the world of reading, a world of imagination and information, a world of possibilities.
The Human-Canine Connection – The Therapy Reading Dog
I wrote this article with the support and information from several therapy dog owners. The complete article was published on PawNation and featured on RedRoom as Blog of the Day...the therapy dog in the photo is Ruth Driewer's Bessie wearing her Bark for Life collar.
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Therapy Reading Dogs and Owners Recognized by theThe U.S. Senate...
A senate proclamation has extablished November 14th as
National Reading Education Assistance Dogs Day...
In the photo: From Indiana, Shannon reads to Karen Sorensen's therapy reading dog, Star, in the Paws for Tales Program....
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Kids Reading Dog Books To Dogs
If you have a therapy reading dog and like the idea of kids reading dog books to dogs, send us an email at [email protected] and we'll send you a complimentary book from the Planet Of The Dogs Series.
We support kids reading dog books to therapy reading dogs in 13 states.
Teachers,therapy dog owners, and librarians all tell us that kids are enthusiastic about reading dog books to dogs. Here are some comments by third grade teacher Julie Hauck, developer of the Pages for Preston reading program in Sheboygan, WI...."The children look forward to reading to Preston beyond my expectations...their excitment translates into motivation."
Librarians and teachers, email us at [email protected] for your complimentary copy of one of our books and watch the kids as they experience reading dog books to dogs.
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Ten Companies that Let You take your Dog to Work
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Deanna Leah of HBG Productions and the International Publishers Alliance...
Deanna will represent our Planet Of The Dogs series October 12-16 at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 2011~ Hall 8 N-949... 5 full days, 8 halls, over 290,000 visitors, 7,300 exhibitors from 100 countries, referred to as the greatest book fair in the world. Tho photo on the left was taken last year at Frankfurt during Deanna's presentation to Spanish publishers.
She posted the following on Facebook following the London Book Fair." ...A new offer for the Chinese translation of the series PLANET OF THE DOGS came with the request to combine 3 volumes into one more impressive & marketable Chinese version. In general we recommend to trust the foreign publisher's ideas to publisher & market your book - perhaps a different cover, an abridged version, a combined volume, more volumes or …" We agreed to combining the 3 books into one for the Chinese edition and await further developments. Deanna is also a dog lover.
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from the Planet Dog Blog....
Sept is National Guide Dog Month. In celebration, here are some fast facts about guide dogs, and some tips on etiquette when you meet one. All of us at Planet Dog are honored to be able to support these amazing dogs and all they do to increase the independence of visually impaired people. Enjoy September, and be sure to praise a Guide Dog this month!
Guide Dogs and Their Owners
A guide dog is a highly trained dog that acts as a mobility aid to blind and visually impaired people. It provides not only mobility but gives freedom and independence as well as being a faithful and loving companion.
With the increased mobility and independence gained through the use of a guide dog, the confidence of the blind or visually impaired person soars.
Photo courtesy of Planet Dog Blog.
To read this article visit http://www.planetdogblog.com/planet_dog_blog/
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"Do you think it is possible for dogs to stop a war?"...
We were delighted when we first read these words about Castle In The Mist. They were the lead in written by Wayne Walker in Stories for Children Magazine, Home School Book Review and Home School Buzz.
Wayne went on to write a positive review..."(Castle In The Mist) is about dogs who come from another planet to help people on earth. But under the surface are the important messages of friendship, love, loyalty and how to overcome evil with good...It will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next..."
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New England Librarians and Independent Bookstores
See all the books in the Planet Of The Dogs series
As members of the Independent Publishers of New England, IPNE, we will be exhibiting our books at the following events:
NELA -- New England Library Association Annual Conference in Burlington Vermont,Oct 2-4...Tables 501-502
NEIBA -- New England Independent Bookstore Association, in Providence, R.I, Oct 12-14.
Boston Book Festival -- Boston, MA, at Copley Square, October 15.
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Zen and Dogs
In a fascinating article entitled Be The Dog,in the Huffington Post, Dennis Merritt Jones writes about how we can have a more balanced and fulfilling life if we are open to learning from our dogs...
"The philosophy of Zen comes to mind when I witness dogs "being" themselves. My understanding of Zen (in part) is that it is the practice of "be-ing" 100 percent present and one with what is in the field of my awareness, or whatever I am doing. Given that meaning, it's safe to say I have a new Zen master in my life. His name is Mac Doodle, aka, "Master Mac." He is an 18 month old, half Goldendoodle and half Labradoodle. I receive new teachings from him daily. Today he taught me the importance of spontaneously taking a time-out from my usual busyness to play a little, which I did because he wouldn't leave me aloneuntil I did. This was a win/win for both of us. I was a bit tired and losing my focus anyway. Now I feel twice as alive, energized and connected to what needs to be done ... and he is taking a snooze so I can get my work done.
It's interesting how the universe knows how to balance the energy for all living things when they are willing to "be" in the moment. Mac naturally knows when to play and when to take a time-out to rest his mind and his body. We, on the other hand, are not always that in touch with our true nature...".
Use this link to read all of this insightful article: BeTheDog
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From dog health to true life dog stories, there is no limit to Nancy Houser's imaginative posts on Way Cool Dogs. Recent articles include Arthritis Help for Dogs, A Sheltered Dog Named Daffodil, and one on How Music for Dogs Influences Their Brains.
How Music for Dogs Influences Their Brains
Posted on September 12, 2011 by: WayCoolDogs
Nancy recently posted "A Video All Dog Lovers Will Understand" -- it was hilarious.
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Read Sample Chapters of all our books on our website: www.planetofthedogs.net
All books in the Planet Of The Dogs series can be purchased at your favorite bookstore or on the internet through Amazon, Barnes & Noble , Powells and others...
"Loved it...this book (Planet Of The Dogs) works on so many levels for readers of any age."-Mary Jacobs reviewing on Bookhounds.
Librarians, teachers, bookstores -- order our books directly from Ingram...professional discount, of course.
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Once again, Dogs help fight Cancer
The 4th Annual Paws for a Cure dog-based fundraiser will take place on October 8, 2011, in Conger Park, Jackson, TN...a special day for dogs, kids, and families with contests, games and competitions...organized by Rebecca Todd...more info at www.tickledpinkforacure.org.
The photos were taken at a previous Paws for a Cure event...Barking Planet Productions donates a set of the Planet of the Dogs books as a prize.
Up On The Woof
Cayr Ariel Wulff is theYelodoggie woman, artist and designer of the dog world.
She is also a passionate advocate for all things Dog. Here is a sample...the opening of her recent article, How To Change The World in Thirty Seconds
There’s a saying I’ve heard repeatedly in animal rescue.
”Saving One Dog Won’t Change The World But Surely, The World Will Change For That One Dog”
Well, I’m here to tell you that I think that’s complete bullshit. I think that saving a dog most certainly changes the world.
Let’s take a look at it from the simplest standpoint. Say you have a Facebook page and you go to the Pet Pardons app. You click on any dog. By clicking, you have just advocated for a doomed dog. Now suppose somebody rescues him because they saw his picture on your Facebook page. Three things have already changed:
You, the dog, and the people who have him now.
You change because saving the dog has made you feel good. You advocate another dog, and another. Each dog that is saved because you choose to click on his picture gives you more confidence. When one of the dogs you advocate doesn’t get saved, it just makes you more determined. You realize that your actions can make a difference. Once you realize that, you know that it’s possible to affect change wherever you apply yourself... Read it all at this link: UpOnTheWoof
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About Sunbear Squad
Transforming Animal Lovers into Animal Welfare Defenders
This site offers all-original knowledge, tools, and inspiration to help individuals prepare to report signs of animal abuse, animal neglect, accidents, and distress promptly. In other words, “Be a Better Good Samaritan for Pets.”
Visit the web site at http://www.sunbearsquad.org.
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"I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of some weird religious cult."
-Rita Rudner
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Hello,
you commented on one of my reviews on BlogCritics, yet blogcritics removed your email address, so I could not get in touch with you. PLease email me mamapoekie at yahoo dot com
Posted by: Laura Schuerwegen | October 12, 2011 at 12:13 PM