Birder-Day Supplement: House Sparrow

First of all, if you haven’t already seen my post regarding the fundraiser and the new tee shirt design, please check out that post.

Found this diminutive gentleman on my way home from work a few days ago. He was perched right near a crosswalk, and was chirping so loudly and regularly that I thought he was the crosswalk indicator for the blind (which chirp in San Francisco), until I looked and realized that the crosswalk lights were red in both directions. This strikes me as dangerous.

Edit: I am overwhelmingly outvoted on the bird identification. In my defense, the pictures I saw of a house sparrow online did not have the lovely brown color of this guy’s back and wings (it was mixed black, tan, and grey instead), nor the same distribution of black on the throat and grey on the cheeks. Further picture-studying has revealed that (shock!) birds do sometimes look different.

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee Perched on Barbed Wire in San Francisco

I grew up surrounded by black-capped chickadees (Massachusetts). Their call (or, at least, their alarm call) is much different than the one these guys have.

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Site News: New Tee Shirt and Benefit Concert/Site Benefit

I have a couple of announcements for this evening. First off, I have a new and exciting shirt design for the DogBlogStore: my Schauzers Gonna Schnauze tee shirt.

Schnauzers Gonna Schnauze Tee ShirtSchnauzers Gonna Schnauze Tee Shirt

 

Awesome, right?

Second, Autumn and I are helping a friend of ours get back on his feet again, in an unusually literal way. An Irish music buddy of Autumn’s took a horrible fall (more than a story, onto concrete) while trying to fight off someone breaking into his building. And then the intruder fell on top of him. It’s had some terrible effects (concussion, nerve damage, broken bones) and he currently can’t work, play music, or even stand up very well. He’s in the process of getting disability, and thankfully he is now part of Healthy SF, so he has a lot of help with medical bills, but for the moment he’s got no income, and is in very real danger of losing his apartment and ending up homeless. Which, in his condition, would be even worse than usual.

Autumn is helping to set up a benefit concert for him at The Plough and Stars, on Clement Street, on May 25th. (More details are here.) She’ll be playing there, along with a bunch of other people. I heard a rumor that there may also be some dancing and some drinking involved, but don’t tell anyone, okay?

I’m going to help out too: in addition to a donation myself, I’m going to dedicate 100% of the profits from the DogBlogStore to the ‘Help Glenn Farr Not Lose His Apartment Fund’, from now until the end of May. (Yes, this means I will be suspending my 10% donations to the SF SPCA until then.) So if you want to get a nifty tee shirt, hoodie, or canvas tote, and help out a person who is in need, please pick up something from the DogBlogStore. (Also on this page is a paypal donation link in the event that you wish to help out Glenn but a) you do not like my designs, b) you do not like tee shirts, hoodies, or tote bags, or c) you do not have a torso. Although if you fall under c), then I should probably be having a benefit for you!)

Thank you for putting up with my shameless fundraising. I now return you to your regularly scheduled dogblog.

Posted in Dog of the Day | 1 Comment

Old Home Week 4: Cooper the Labradoodle

Autumn got Cooper’s dad as a customer some time ago, and I walked Cooper a couple times because Autumn was out of town. And then his dad moved, and no more Cooper; Autumn never even got to walk him once. Which was too bad because he was a joy to work with.

An oddity: my previous post says that Cooper is a labradoodle, whereas the notes from this time say that he’s a schnauzer mix. I am not sure which to believe, because he looks like both. (So maybe he is a poodle/Labrador retriever/schnauzer mix? Who knows?)

Possibly a Black Labradoodle

He has the monster eyebrows OF DOOM.

Maybe Some Kind Of Giant Schnauzer Mix?

Autumn is so jealous. (We ran into Cooper’s dad later on, together, at a local watering hole, but Cooper wasn’t with him.)

Could Be Some Kind Of Schnauzer/Labrador Retriever Mix

I still think there needs to be a mini-Cooper to go with him. Teacup poodle? Miniature schnauzer? 

Handsome Dog, Whatever the Hell He Is

One of the times I took him walking, we went jogging instead. He is a great jogging partner.

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DoggiEvent: Million Dog March, June 2

SF Dog is having a march for “dogs’ rights” (and pet owners’ rights, to boot) on June 2nd, from 10 AM to 2 PM at McLaren Park. Check it out! Among other things, they are going for the world record for the world’s largest dog walk.

Sounds like a good time to me. Now, if only I can find a dog or two to bring along…

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Old Home Week Part 3: Wilma the Collie/Border Terrier Mix

Wilma is one of the most distinctive dogs I’ve posted on DoSF, and the pictures of her and the Dane and humongous poodle (which turns out to be a German shepherd/poodle mix!) are some of my favorites. I ran into her again near the end of last year, and I am ashamed that I haven’t posted these until now.

Wilma’s dad says that she is a collie/border terrier mix. I’m not 100% convinced, but I’ll take his word for it… for now. He also says that she’s very lady-like, which I can confirm… when she’s not leaping around playing with other dogs, or sniffing butts. 🙂

Merle Collie/Border Terrier Mix

She has got that puppydog eyes thing so mastered that she can charm people without even thinking about it.

Merle Collie/Border Terrier Mix

See what I mean? She has that expression in most of her pictures.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Pug, and Merle Collie/Border Terrier Mix

Yes, that is a corgi butt. You will be seeing the rest of the corgi after old home week is over.

Merle Collie/Border Terrier Mix

I thought you had to pick ONE merle, either red or blue. But she looks like red AND blue merle.

Merle Collie/Border Terrier Mix

Bonus goofy pug grin in the background.

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Old Home Week, Part 2: Baylor the Field Spaniel and Friend (Lyra the Silken Windhound)

I’ve got a few posts queued up for you guys of dogs I’ve run into before, and seen again lately (starting with Sunday’s dingo mix). This time it’s the eternally awesomely goofy Baylor the field spaniel, along with a new friend, who is a member of a relatively recently-introduced breed, the ‘silken windhound’. That sounds a little cheesy to me, but Lyra certainly is a gorgeous dog.

Long Low Brown Field Spaniel and Black Grey and White Silken Windhound

I could not attract Baylor’s attention for the life of me, but Lyra was quite interested.

Long Low Brown Field Spaniel and Black Grey and White Silken Windhound

Man, that fur is really amazing. I guess silken windhounds are borzoi plus border collie plus some other breeds. Only quite recently recognized by any kennel clubs, and not by the AKC yet.

 

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Dog of the Day: Gunner the 4-Month-Old Golden Retriever Puppy

It’s been a good week or two for puppies. Autumn and I ran into Gunner on the way to dinner a couple weeks ago. It was a little dark for pictures, but a couple turned out okay.

4-Month-Old Golden Retriever Puppy

Look at that ear. Yes, it was every bit as soft as it looks.

4-Month-Old Golden Retriever Puppy

I think someone might be learning to shake hands. 

4-Month-Old Golden Retriever Puppy Sticking Out His Tongue At Me

Too cute not to post. And hey, if it’s a little fuzzy, that’s okay, so is he.

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Dog of the Day: Ginger the Labrador Retriever/Dingo Mix

Guess who I ran into today? A dog I posted waaaaay back in January of 2010. In fact, I think she was right around my 35th post. Her name is Ginger, and she helps out her dad, who is an accordion player. She’s the sweetest thing on four legs.

Labrador Retriever/Dingo Mix

A mellow goofball who likes accordion music. Sounds like an awesome personals ad to me.

Labrador Retriever/Dingo Mix

She has quite the grin.

 

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Cat-Bird-Day Supplement: Dark-Eyed Junco?

Well, I did a little bit of looking around, and I think this fine fellow might be a male dark-eyed junco, but I’m not sure. Any of my birder friends want to chime in here?

Dark-eyed Junco

I think someone found an inchworm. Yum!

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Dog of the Day: Hobbes the Newfoundland Dog/Labrador Retriever Mix

I asked if Hobbes was named after the philosopher or the cartoon character, and they said both. (And then, if I recall correctly, they said ‘he was named that way when we got him, but don’t tell anybody. Ooops! Oh no! Sorry!)

Black Fluffy Newfie/Lab Mix

Hobbes is just a big bundle of fluff, drool, mud, and goof. (Not listed by volume. Contents may have shifted during gallumphing.)

Black Newfoundland Dog/Labrador Retriever Mix, Grinning

He’s not letting his ten years slow him down any. Good going, pup!

Black Labrador Retriever/Newfoundland Dog Mix With Silly Grin

Sometimes I feel like ‘Glamor Shots’. Soft focus? Check. Blurred background? Check. 2/3 view? Check. Dangling tongue? Che… waaaait.

Posted in Dog of the Day | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments