With a Little Help from My Friends

In my five short years on this fine earth, I’ve been blessed from the start and quite fortunate to have received some help all along the way. Think about it, as a puppy I was selected to be THE Butler Bulldog by my breeders and Godparents, Frank and Jeane King of Kong King Kennels in Lizton, Ind. It was the Kings who then donated me to Butler University as a gift in-kind, if you will.

So here I am, a dog of fine stock; championship lineage to be honest, and while the Kings could get a nice chunk of change at fair market dollar for me, they instead decide I’d make a fine mascot and a great gift for Butler. Hindsight may be 20/20, but they just couldn’t have been more correct, if I do say so myself.

Then you’ve got my parents, who were gracious enough to welcome me into their home and completely change up their lifestyle to accommodate my needs and crazy schedule. And then on to the people I work with everyday who allow me to hang out in their workspace and do my thing. I’ve also got those great people who have been willing to watch and care for me when my parents head out of town, including grandparents, other family, friends, colleagues, etc.

And speaking of care, I’ve been lucky to receive some great care since 2004. Thanks to Dr. Kurt Phillips and his wife Julia, both 1992 Butler graduates, they and the folks at Woodland Animal Hospital have kept me healthy and fit.

Did you know, Dr. Phillips is kind enough to send Bulldog Beauty Contest invitation postcards to all of his bulldog patients? To quantify that for you, Dr. Phillips bulldog patients include 180 households representing a total of 296 bulldogs!!!! It’s no wonder that Dr. Phillips is one of the best when it comes to bulldog care.

And when it comes to my eyes and the procedure that I’ve had as a result of to my entropion and dystechia conditions, Dr. Deborah Rowley of VCA Animal Hospitals has not just hooked me up, but has really kept me seeing clearly…which is kind of important, I think.

So where am I going with all of this other than to give some much-deserved attention to those who’ve had my back over the last five years? Well, a pair of my partners have taken it upon themselves to send even more love my way, and it appears to me that they know full well that the way to my heart is through my tummy!

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to Susan Smith of City Dogs Grocery (currently located at 49th & College) and Susan being the kind lady that she is, got me fixed up with the Eagle Pack Pet Foods, Inc. group and together they’ve been able to provide a partial food sponsorship with their great tasting and nutrient-packed Holistic Select brand.

Recently Eagle Pack Pet Foods, Inc. changed hands and is now owned by Well Pet, who suggests that not only are they not changing the recipe that Eagle Pack has honed over the years, but they are increasing their support behind the product.


And they’ve done right by me from the get-go! Thanks to Susan’s advocacy on my behalf, Well Pet has come forward to now provide me with a full food sponsorship! That’s right, free Eagle Pack Holistic Select dog food each and every month!

But that’s not all! City Dogs Grocery and Well Pet are teaming up to once again provide each and every one of our participants in the 2009 Bulldog Beauty Contest (Oct. 3, 2009) a complimentary sample bag of Holistic Select dog treats, AND (drum roll please) they have also stepped up to provide this year’s contest winner, the “Best in Show” with a complimentary year’s supply (a 30 lb. bag/month for 12 months) of Eagle Pack Holistic Select premium dog food! That’s more than a $600 value! Boom!


I think that means the legitimacy of our little contest just went up a couple notches…nice!

So, there you have it. Behind every good mascot is a host of great sponsors and partners who’ve got their back, and I’m no exception. Big ups to all of my dear friends, family and partners and a special thanks to Susan Smith, City Dogs Grocery, Well Pet, Eagle Pack and Holistic Select for all of your much needed and appreciated support!

One lucky dog,

Blue II

P.S. Plans and arrangements for the 2009 Bulldog Beauty Contest are progressing nicely. 2009 already boasts better prizes and more spectator seating. Now we'll just see if we can beat our record of 75 participating dogs which was set last year! The category winner sashes were received in the mail today and the specially designed contestant bib numbers should be arriving soon. It's all coming together! Don't forget to sign up your bully or wannabe bulldog by e-mailing me at blue2@butler.edu.

An Eventful Close to Spring 2008

Well, when I last posted I was getting ready to head off with my mom to Wabash, Ind. for a little R&R in the country. It was just about everything I hoped it would be and more. Not only did I get to enjoy a one-dog pool party in my wading pool, but I also got to sample a little bit of cheeseburger and steak during a couple of grill outs that my grandma and grandpa Richards had. It was delicious!

The only thing I didn’t get to do was go boating when they went to Salamonie Reservoir one afternoon. Mom didn’t have my life jacket and besides, I probably would have been too hot anyway.

After that, my dad returned from Texas and we had ourselves a pretty interesting week. Of course, there was the usual dreaded thunderstorms that continued to roll through the Indianapolis area, but I also visited the girls basketball camp and took pictures with campers, went to the vet for x-rays on what was thought to be a broken toe, attended an event called Bullyfest, helped my parents celebrate their fifth anniversary and traveled back to Wabash for Father’s Day. Needless to say, last week was quite eventful!

Wednesday the 11th was when I stopped by the Women’s basketball team’s camp for pictures. I’ve been doing that camp every year since I was just a puppy so it’s just routine now. Here are a couple pictures from that appearance.

Also on Wednesday, I made some new friends with Hugo (4-month English Bulldog) and Frankie (1-year Daschund). They stopped by the office at the end of the work day so we went out on the campus mall and had a good time. Hugo and Frankie each have parents from the Butler class of 2008. I hope they come back to play again soon as we sure had a great time!

The next day, my dad and I were at home working in the yard, which is one of my favorite activities. I was helping him, and by helping I mean just running back and forth and around the yard at home like I own the place, because I do. Anyway, I must have done something to myself when I was getting all cocky out there because after I laid down to rest for a while, I got back up and found that I had a profound limp and was favoring my front right paw pretty significantly.

By the time my mom got home from work, I was in some serious pain and even fell while trying to walk. My dad just thought I had aggravated an old injury with one of my joints, but my mom (the physical therapist) noticed some swelling in my paw and quickly loaded me in the car and took me to Woodland Animal Hospital in Carmel, Ind.

Dr. Glore was able to see me and while my x-rays were negative, or virtually inconclusive, there was still a theory that I may have incurred a hairline fracture in my right front pinky paw. So I was sent home with pain meds and instructions to lay low and hit the ice pack every 40 minutes.

Below is a pathetic looking me, doped from pain pills with ice on my paw. Believe it or not, I was in so much pain that I left it alone.


All were worried because I typically not one to show much pain, let alone yelp or cry out, but I most certainly did when Dr. Glore was examining my paw. But, per usual, I made a quick recovery and by the next day, I was off of the pain pills and putting weight on all fours.

Nobody knows for sure what was actually going on, but there’s speculation that I might have stepped on a sharp rock or something and just suffered a deep bruise. Who knows?

By Saturday, my parents’ fifth wedding anniversary, I was back to my normal self, so my parents decided to take me to an event called Bullyfest which is held by the Bulldog Club of Indiana.

Basically it’s an excuse for local bulldog owners to get their bullies together in a warehouse, swap stories and learn various things from the demonstrations on how to show your bulldog in competition, obedience training, etc. But I enjoyed getting to see my first owners and breeders, Frank and Jeane King of Kong King Kennel. I couldn't help myself but to get excited when I saw them.

Since I am unable to compete in a professional dog show for reasons related to medical procedures (we’ll leave it at that), my parents are all hot on me becoming a “Canine Good Citizen” through the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, which they learned about at Bullyfest. As if my role as mascot of a NCAA Division I institution isn’t good enough.

The AKC Canine Good Citizen program was created in 1989 to reward dogs who are well-behaved companions at home and in the community. Sounds simple enough, but there are 10 steps to completing the test and earning the accreditation. You can view them here. I know I can do it, so whatever, bring it on. I guess the cool part is, I get a sweet AKC dog tag that signifies my new status as a good citizen and I can add it to my resume.

I’ll let you know how the training goes and when and if this canine good citizen thing ever comes to fruition. Until then, I’ll be getting as much bad behavior in as possible. Just kidding, that’s not my style.

Sunday was Father's Day so we migrated back north to Wabash to visit both the Kaltenmark and Richards residences. I rather enjoyed it as the weather was warm, but not hot and I could be outside with all of the kids (my cousins). Here are a couple of videos from the day and there are more at BlueTube as well.

In case you didn’t know, today (June 20) is national “Take Your Dog to Work Day.” (Check out http://www.takeyourdog.com/) Of course, this doesn’t really apply to me as I go to work everyday (note the picture in the top right corner), but the irony is, my dad didn’t bring me to work today, Uncle Kyle did. My pops is at the Iowa Speedway preparing for the Iowa Corn Indy 250…the next IndyCar Series race which can be viewed on Sunday at 1 p.m. on ABC.

So if you didn’t take your dog to work today, make it up to them and spend some quality time with the old pooch this weekend…maybe take them on a long walk, slip them some people food or let them lift a leg on the flowers just one time.

I think that’s about all blogging that I have in me for today. I know I said I would get around to answering those great comments and questions that people leave me and I will do so soon. With everything going on, I just haven’t had a chance to get to it yet.

In the meantime, I want to leave you with a video that my Kaltenmark grandparents emailed me (yes, you can email me too at blue2@butler.edu). It’s video of an English Bulldog named Gus who likes to eat watermelon. Here's a link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBIuHJHlUzU

You can bet that I added watermelon to my parents’ grocery list! I’ve got to try it for myself!

Blue II

Remembering my First Day on the Job

So today is a special day...May 20, 2004 was the first day that I got to go to Butler Unviersity and my new home. Thus, four years ago today I spent my first day on the job as official mascot.

I remember it well...

My dad came out to Frank and Jeane King's house in Lizton, Ind., also the site of Kong King Kennel, to pick me up. But before we left, Frank glued my ears back and in place, which is as much about aesthetics as it is about keeping dire and dust mites from making my ears a permanent residence. I wimpered through much of that process, even though it didn't hurt at all.
After that, my dad loaded me into a crate in the car and I cried and carried on all the way from Lizton to Indianapolis. However, I'm ashamed to say that the first campus I stopped at wasn't Butler's, but the University of Indianapolis'! Can you believe that?! I thought for a little while that they were going to try and make a Greyhound out of me! In reality, we stopped at UIndy to see my new, adopted mother who was a graduate student in the physical therapy program there. She couldn't wait to see me!

After we stopped to see mom and her classmates, it was off to God's Country, also known as 46th and Sunset, or the beautiful campus of Butler University. Once at BU, I got to check out my new office and colleagues, but at that age (around 7 weeks), I mostly slept and tried to bite just about everything due to teething. Here's a picture of me on that day...


After spending the afternoon on campus at Butler, I headed to my new home to check out my new digs. By this point, my seat in the car had gone from crate to dad's lap. This trend of "working the system" would continue.

At my new home, I immediately began potty training, testing the limits, eating, playing trying out my crate, and of course, more sleeping.

Here's a picture of my mom and I on that first night home and a shot of my enjoying my crate.

I was pretty much just one big wrinkle back then! Thankfully, I didn't grow into all of them!

Come bedtime, my dad vowed that I would not sleep in the bed. so he put me in a my crate, by the bed, and on the floor. That lasted all of maybe one hour thanks to my persistence and crying, barking and whatnot. Needless to say, I've been sleeping in the bed ever since.

Fast forward to today and I'm still coming to campus nearly every day, riding shot gun in the car and sleeping in the bed. Life is good.

Speaking of today, I got things started with my dad and Kyle down in Greenwood, Ind. at Westwood Elementary School. Kyle's nephews, Hunter and Kaylor and neice Autumn go there and they invited us to come by and read a book to the school and hand out my book marks.

Yesterday I got to take part in a video shoot for the Office of Admission which was being shot by YOUniversity.tv Here are a couple of my own videos from that shoot...

Once the official video is up on YOUniversity.tv, I'll be sure to pass along a link.

Well, I'm looking forward to this weekend, and not just because of the holiday, but also because I get to spend it with my Grandma and Grandpa Kaltenmark up in Wabash, Ind. I'm sure it will be a great time...grandma will spoil me with attention, grandpa will take me on errands around town and I'll get to sleep in! I can't wait!

I hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend. Be sure to tune into the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday to cheer on 2003 Butler graduate, Ed Carpenter, in the No. 20 Menards/Vision Racing machine.

Blue II

all SHOW, no DOG

In the wake of the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (aired on the USA Network) which wrapped up last evening in Madison Square Garden, I received a couple of comments as to why I haven't registered my AKC number for competition.

Personally, I didn’t watch much of the dog show given that the Bulldogs played last night up at Milwaukee as well, but I did catch some of it. But anyway, to speak to those comments, I originally had hopes to compete in the show ring and even pass along my genes to younger kin, but it wasn’t meant to be, I guess.

In a nutshell, it is my understanding that the criteria in which these dogs are judged includes their natural/pure representation of the breed as well as their ability to "mate" with fellow purebreds, thus transferring those great traits to offspring.

I think I do a fair job of representing the breed, acting somewhat obedient, etc. It’s a technicality with the sexual reproduction part that’s got me ineligible to compete.

In addition to serving as Butler’s mascot, there was a desire to make a show dog out of me as well as allow me to sire a litter or two. However, a few months after I was born, it was found that I had a condition known as cryptorchid…look it up and draw your own conclusion. As a result, my hopes of going pro were dashed by a couple of snips. (wimper)

Hindsight is 20/20, but it wound’t have worked out anyway given the eye surgeries to fix a couple conditions known as entropion and distichia. (A special thanks to Dr. Deborah Stephan of Indiana Veterinarian Specialists for taking care of that for me!) Once you get a little plastic surgery done, you’re out of the competition as well.

That’s okay, we all know what I was born to do and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. They can aspire to win some ribbons and I’ll see if I can’t get my paws on some NCAA hardware!

Besides, did you know that a show dog trying to make it to the top travels the country doing up to 150 shows per year! That's hardly a dogs life!

But back to the dog show…had I competed, would have been in the Non-Sporting group coming out of the Bulldog breed. This year’s bulldog bred winner was Ch. Cherokee Legend Rock.

Good looking bully. I’m no stranger to the Cherokee Legends. In fact, my great grand-father via my mother’s mother, was a Cherokee Legend. Cherokee Legend Mouser Bill to be exact.

You can learn more about the Cherokee Legends here:

http://www.cherokeebulldogs.com/

http://www.legendbulldogs.com/

I am a product of Frank and Jeane King’s Kong King Kennel in Lizton, Ind., and in my family tree I have eight champions.

Now you know where I got my stunning looks!

At any rate, in this year’s WKC Dog Show, the winner out of the Non-Sporting was some poodle. Look at that thing! It looks more like a manicured shrub than a dog. The Bulldog was second within the group.

Best in Show was the Beagle named “Uno” who turned out to be a real crowd pleaser. Uno made history last night, becoming the first of his breed to win the event. Big deal, you might be Best in Show, but as Elvis once sang, “you ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog.”

Oh well, for all of us wannabes and has-beens, there’s always the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest at Homecoming. See you there!

Blue II

P.S. Voting Period 6 is now open in the BISSELL Most Valuable Pet Contest. Please be sure to vote for me again this week and get me on that vacuum box!

To vote for me, click on this link:
http://www.bissell.com/redirect.asp?page_id=47081&Pet=4757

Enough Room in this Town for Two Blue's?

I hate to bring up the Indianapolis Colts given that they probably don't need any more grief after their playoff loss to San Diego, but since they are all over the news right now, it's relevant, I suppose.

Now make no mistake, when I'm not fulfilling my Butler duties, I support Indy's other sports and teams, sans other universities and colleges, and I've been known to support the Colts. I enjoy watching their games at home with my parents. I have a Colts leash and collar that I wore to a Butler game prior to their AFC championship game last year. And, Tony Dungy and Bill Polian even paid a visit to Hinkle Fieldhouse last year. So they're cool in my book.


My only beef with the Colts are those play-off losses and that darned mascot, BLUE! (pictured right) Really, I've got no problem with BLUE, he's got nothing on me. In fact, (kids, if you're reading this, cover your eyes) it's just some guy in a blue Puff the Magic Dragon-looking suit. I'm the real deal...born with my suit. That's real fur, baby!

But it's that whole name thing that gets me. Afterall, the Colts' BLUE didn't come around until 2006! My predessor, Butler Blue I first came on the scene in 2000 and I arrived in 2004. It's a fake horse and their logo is a horeshoe, name him "Lucky" or something.

Colt's BLUE Info: http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=community_dynamic&id=142

Oh well, it's not BLUE's fault. He probably didn't name himself, and I know I didn't name myself either. When Blue I was donated to the university by Frank and Jeane King of Kong King Kennel, Lizton, Ind., the university held a naming contest to come up with a name for the school's first "official" bulldog mascot.

The names most often submitted were "Blue," "Hinkle," "B.U." prn. "Boo," "Hampton," and "Victory." Over 350 submissions were made and "Butler Blue" was the top choice and announced at the Feb. 3, 2001 men's home basketball game.

Officially, Kristi Crofts Lowell, class of 1994 was credited with the winning name submission.

Thus, I'm Butler Blue II and someday, I'm sure we'll have Butler Blue III and so on. As Paul Harvey would say, "and now you know the rest of the story."

So, do I wish the Colts' front office would have been a little more original? Sure, but I can live with it. In fact, I think there's plenty of room in this town for two "Blues." Actually, we're elite company, that Colts' BLUE and I.

So BLUE, sorry about that loss yesterday. Enjoy your off-season on the farm with a warm stable and plenty of hay... and be ready for a prosperous 2008 in your new stadium and help bring another world championship back to OUR beloved city!

I'm Blue II.....................(wait for it)..............................(wait for it)......................................GOOD DAY!