What is a Sato?

Satos=the term used in Puerto Rico for stray dogs...

For those of you that aren't familiar with the island of Puerto Rico, we have a huge stray dog problem here. It is very sad! I am a very lucky house dog that gets all the comforts of a wonderful life. I get really good food everyday, I have all the fresh water I can drink, I have comfy beds to sleep on, a family that loves me, toys to play with, healthy treats, even air-conditioning for this hot climate. Many of my kind, however, aren't that lucky. There is a pack of about 10 dogs that live at the beach close to my house. They sleep in the hot sun and have to search around for food. I have watched them drink from muddy puddles and pick through trash. Luckily many people go to that beach and feed them, but it still isn't the best life for them. Lately there have been two doggies hanging around our condo and they both are so cute. The humans have been feeding them and giving them water, but they still need a home. I don't know where they came from, but aren't they cute?

One of the problems here is a shortage of no-kill shelters. If a dog catcher takes a dog, chances are they will be put down. There is also a huge population of strays and although there are organizations that try to help, there are just so many dogs. I feel that I am so lucky and I just wished all dogs could have a happy home and a good life.

To read more about Puerto Rico's stray dog population, please see the links below.

Save a Sato  A non-profit organization that works with stray and abused animals on the island
All Sato Rescue  A non-profit working to reduce the number of strays and tackle the root problem
A.R.F  A non-profit in Rincon, PR, close to my home, that fosters dogs and has a really cool program that educates kids on how to treat animals!
NAIA  An interesting article that examines the global stray dog population problem and argues against shipping dogs from Puerto Rico to the U.S.

This is just a few of the sites you can find to learn more about the problem here. I wished I had an easy answer, but hopefully the problems with homeless dogs here will continue to improve. If you or anyone you know is interested in adopting the dogs above that live in my neighborhood, please contact me!
Love,
Branson the Great Dane

Foto Friday

Another beautiful sunset enjoyed with a friend

Foto Friday

Rocks by my house, doesn't it look like kinda like Mars? 

"So what do you feed that horse?"

Yep, horse! Can you believe people would call me that? I bet all you Great Danes have heard this once or twice. Am I right? Well actually it is a good question, but they could be more sensitive to my feelings! Before my mom and dad even got me they did ALOT of research on what to feed me. They didn't really know what was the best food and there are limited options here on the island, so they decided to have my food shipped in....

I get so excited when the big box arrives!

Through all their research they found some great information about quality dog food and Great Danes, so they decided to feed me Orijen 6Fish. Oh how I love Fish! People often comment on how shiny my coat is and how healthy I look. Orijen 6Fish is a grain-free food that is actually made in Canada. It has no preservatives, corn, rice, or wheat. It does consist of 80% fish and 20% fruits and veggies! Check out the ingredients HERE, as well as see their other products.  FYI...I don't get paid to say this, but I think the company should hire me as a spokesdoggie. :)

Smells delicious!

Now getting it here proved to be a problem at first, as many companies won't ship to Puerto Rico, but we then we found Luke's All Natural Pet Food store! Mommy says they provide great customer service, but I like them because often they send free surprises (the all-natural kind of treats that I can eat)!

Deciding what to feed your pet is a very important decision, especially for us Great Danes that are prone to so many health problems. There are many great options out there that are healthy and that your dog will love. Here are some resources to help with your research....

For Great Dane Owners:
The DOL Great Dane forum is an excellent resource for all your food related question and much, much more.

For everyone:
Check out Dog Food Analysis. This is an independent site that rates and reviews dog food brands. It is an excellent resource for all dog owners.

Another option is to feed a Raw diet and many dogs seem to do well with that. There is great info. on the DOL forum about this too. E-mail me at sunblisslife@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Also be sure to LIKE my Facebook page or sign-up for email notifications of new posts.

Update:
Apparently there are 2 schools of thought on how much protein a growing boy like me should have. I tried to get mommy to explain it to me, but it was really confusing. I went to dad for help, but he was worse and started talking about vortex ring state and something about Bernoulli. GHHEEESSSHHH! For more info. see Faust's post HERE on the DOL Forum (you will need to scroll down to the end).  

Until we bark again,
Branson

Branson Goes to Boqueron

Well, really I have been to Boqueron three times now and I love it....or should I say Boqueron loves me! I don't know what it is about this place, but it just seems that everyone here loves big dogs. It is one of the friendliest places I have been to so far in my young life. Every time I am there I always draw in the crowds...

Me and my daddy in Boqueron, PR

Boqueron is a quaint little village in the southwest section of Puerto Rico. Mommy says it reminds her of Key West, Florida and that it has the most beautiful sunsets around (to read more about it check out Sun Kissed Bliss). There is also a large public beach here where some cool dogs like to hang out...

Cool dogs wear bathing suits!

There are many little bars, restaurants, and shops that line one small street. One of the bars there offered me a drink of cold water. They were surprised when they realized my head could actually rest on top of their bar. Mom put my bowl on the bench to make it easier for me to drink and so I didn't scare away the customers. This still got a ton of stares!

Step right up...I think I will!

Whenever I go I get to hang out at La Marea Eat and Drink, a place where the people food smells delicious (of course I don't get any, but the staff is nice to me). They have a cool outside area for hanging out and people watching. Here are some of my recent admirers...

Photo credit: Ripp Motion

These people were so nice...here are some more...

Photo Credit: Ripp Motion

And here is a cool group of new people that I hung out with one Sunday, along with some of my family...

Fun times! If you see me in Boqueron be sure to say hi!

Foto Friday

Wow! I am so sorry I have not been blogging lately. My daddy's cousin came to visit and we were really busy and then we have had tons of rain and I just got lazy. Well really mom was the lazy one, but don't tell her I told you! Promise?

So for this Foto Friday here is a little preview of what I have been doing....

Lots of road trips....

I met a new friend...

I went to a bar in Boqueron.... (update: Read about it HERE.)

I stayed at another human hotel....

Plus...

I did sleep a bunch...I guess I was a little lazy after all! Good news though, all the rest allowed my paw to completely heal and I am ready for more adventures and blogging!

Until we bark again,
Branson

Foto Friday

13 May 2011

Daddy caught me sleeping!

Foto Friday (on Island time)

7 May 2011

I'm not always at the beach.
Sometimes I like to dress up and go to the city!

Foto Friday

15 April 2011

Up close and personal

Branson and Chunky go to the Beach

The other day my parents loaded me up in the back of my car along with our beach stuff....

Even with the beach chairs, my bed, toys, and my water cooler I still have plenty of room. I LOVE my car! Sometimes my parents and their friends have to keep their stuff up front and it gets crowded, but I still have it made in the back! 

Once we got going they told me we were picking up my friend Chunky! I love little Chunky, he is so much fun to play with. Look at how excited I was to hear the news...

I even had room for Chunky to ride in the back with me, if I could convince his parents to let him. I hope they don't think I will squish him with my big bottom. I know I am a big guy, but I am gentle. Plus, he is my best buddy, I wouldn't hurt him.  Guess what? 

Woo-hoo, they let us both in the back! We had so much fun playing around, but occasionally we had to see what our humans were up to in the front. Isn't Chunky cool? If we could talk we would have been asking, "Are we there YET?" We were getting pretty hot from all the wrestling around. Look at our tongues...

So, we finally made it to the beach and it was so beautiful. I couldn't wait to get in and cool off from the ride. Look at that water....

I jumped right in and swam out to my daddy. I am like a little fish, well more like a big fish! You can hardly see my dad, but I promise he is behind me. (Mom apologizes for the spots on the picture..she was using the underwater camera and it must have had sand or something on it). 

Now Chunky is a bit younger than me and still getting use to the water. His parents try to get him in sometimes, but he doesn't like it too much yet. I also tried to play with him in the ocean, but sometimes I get too excited and get carried away. He has plenty of time to decide if swimming is his thing, so we decided to hang out a little in the shade and relax. 

We ended up eating our lunch and then taking a little nap while our humans spent some time in the water. They let me get one more swim in before we packed up. It was such a fun day with my friend Chunky. You will learn more about him as I keep blogging, he is a great little guy! I hope to see him soon for more island adventures. 

If you want to read more about the beach, Playa Sucia, click HERE.
Also, keep in touch by being my Facebook friend, or signing up above for email updates!
Until we bark again,
Branson

Why the name Branson?

Ok, I get this a lot when around town, so here we go....
My humans wanted a name that meant something special to them, they say it is because I am so adorable. WOOF! One of their favorite memories was sailing in the British Virgin Islands on their honeymoon. That was way before I was born, but I hope to go there one day. It looks beautiful...

Do you think I would like being on a sailboat? I do! I wonder if I would have to wear my lifejacket the entire trip? I bet my parents would make me! Anyway, as they were sailing around the islands my dad was reading Sir Richard Branson's autobiography called Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way
. It is all about how he became a billionaire by building his business and having fun at the same time. Sounds cool to me. So dad is a huge fan of Sir Richard Branson. Here he is reading his book in Anegada, B.V.I.

 Mom and dad said that my namesake even has his own island, it is called Necker Island, and they sailed by there on their trip. Here is a picture of the island (mom says the picture doesn't show how beautiful it is, but it is the only one she has).

If you want to learn about Sir Richard Branson's island, you can go here. I would love to stay here, but it looks a bit out of my budget right now. Maybe if I get a movie deal one day I could rent the entire island for all my Great Dane buddies out there.

So now you know that I am named after Sir Richard Branson. He seems like a pretty interesting guy who loves to have fun and goes on all kinds of adventures. Hey, kinda sounds like me, huh? I hope I am living up to my name.

Until we bark again,
Branson

Branson the Great Dane Goes Shopping

I know to some of you other cat and dogs (wait...do I have any cat fans out there?) it may not be a big deal to go to the pet store, but for me it is a major event. Most people have never seen a dog my size and many of them want to pet me or take my picture, so it can create quite a scene. The store was crowded yesterday and I had to do lots of posing for the cameras, but I don't mind at all. WOOF! Mom and dad think it is good for me to get the socialization, whatever that means, but I just think it is fun to get all the attention....

It almost looks like I am in a zoo with all the humans behind the glass, what do you think? Although I love people I also LOVE other dogs, especially the small kind. I got to hang out with this one for awhile. Too bad we didn't have a chance to play...I bet we could have ran really fast through that store. I am sure the humans wouldn't never let that happen! Come on, we wouldn't knock anything over...

After the pet store we headed down to Condado to go to Mercado Urbano. You can read all about the market on my mommy's blog Sun Kissed Bliss. She said it was a great place to get all kinds of fresh products made here on the island, but the only bad things is they wouldn't let dogs in the park area where the market was. Can you believe it, no dogs on the grass?? Grass was made for dogs, right? The cops said I had to stay on the sidewalk, but I got as close as I could to the line....

After my parents took turns going into the market we rode over to Old San Juan. I got to see all of these humans flying kites at the park and then we walked around the town. I meet lots of very nice people, both tourists and residents, and even some children that gave me hugs! I am very gentle with kids, so they love me!

I had a fun day with the family and I am sure I will be in San Juan again soon. Hopefully we will go to the pet store again and I can see some of my new friends!

Until we bark again,
Branson the Great Dane 

Foto Friday

1 April 2011

I'm dreaming of coconuts!

Foto Friday

25 March 2011

Branson at one of his favorite swimming holes

Foto Friday

11 March 2011

Cooling off at my new swimming spot
Location: Isabela, Puerto Rico

Hey guys, sorry I haven't blogged lately. It has been a beautiful week at the beach and I have been doing  tons of swimming, running, and playing. Don't hate me because I live at the beach, someone has to do it.  Wish you were here,
Branson

Branson goes to Crashboat Beach

You all know I love the beach, any beach! Well, as long as the water is warm, I am Puerto Rican after all. However, since getting hit by a rogue wave the other day at Villa Pesquera, I was looking for a calmer beach. I ended up at Crashboat in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. I have been there once when I was younger Great Dane, but now I am a big boy. I like this beach because the water is nice and I always find cool stuff to check out.

Like these cool fishing boats....

Or this cute little dog that kept following me around....

Unfortunately, sometimes I also found some bad stuff 

that humans leave behind...

I wish those humans wouldn't be so careless, 

this is such a beautiful beach!

Please remind your humans to pick up their trash! Do any other Great Danes out there love the beach as much as me? I just want our oceans to stay clean so that I always have a safe place to swim.
Until we bark again,
B

Foto Friday

14 January 2011

Branson with his favorite toy 

No Autographs Please!

Welcome to another day in my life....it is hard being so handsome. My humans think it is cool that I get so much attention, but I sure do get tired of having to sit and pose for the camera. Mommy and Daddy had just taken me to Sea Glass Beach in Aguadilla, so that I could help mommy look for sea glass. I was already tired, wet, and hungry when we saw a tour bus unload! Great!

So of course everyone gathered around and I had to pose. I think I should get paid for it like those human models and movie stars do. Maybe I need an agent! I have had my picture taken so many times in my nine months....if I got paid I could buy myself some new bones! Do all you other Danes out there get this too?
Until we bark again,
B

Foto Fridays

Mommy loves taking pictures, so she told me we are starting a new thing called Foto Friday. She will post her favorite picture of ME for the week. I told her she was spelling foto wrong, but she told me that was the Spanish way. Since I am Puerto Rican I guess I will let her have her way....this time!

7 January 2011

Branson at his beach in Isabela, PR

Merry Christmas to me!!

Mine, all mine!

Look what arrived in the mail today...a package for me! It was even addressed to Sir Branson, can you believe that? Who loves me so much that they would mail me a Christmas package all the way from Georgia? Well, my grandmommy of course! Thanks grandmommy, I love you and miss you. Maybe you will come visit me soon so I can show you my new favorite beaches.

Even though it isn't Christmas yet, my mom let me help her open the box to see what was inside. I can't believe I got my very first stocking just in time for my first Christmas! Whoooo-hooo, I am so excited. I wonder if I will get a bone to fill up that stocking? Santa, I've been so good, give this Great Dane some love!                

Me being naughty

Me being nice