Tag: Dog

What A Wonderful & Blessed Day, Happy Thursday, dear friends!

Good Morning Images, Quotes, Comments, Graphics
Good morning to you! How is everyone doing this morning? I got up at 5:00 a.m., said the heck with this and went back to bed, lol! Of course, to actually get in the bed, I had to move critters. I am going to take a picture of all them asleep in the bed and post it. You will laugh your rump off. Kiki (little Pom) sleeps at the head between the pillows. Then I have Stinky (cat) and Razzy (bobcat) stretched out all over the bed. Stinker might just be a cat but he is huge too. Between the two of them, the floor looks pretty good at nights, lol!

Anyway how do you like this morning’s graphic? I had someone the other day leave me a comment. The comment stated I was the most negative person they had ever seen in their life. Threw me for a loop anyway! I didn’t think I was negative at all. I try to bring a very positive vibe everyday to the blog. They were referring to my post about “Spellcrafting, spellcasting and the Spellcaster.” I went back and re-read it and I couldn’t find anything negative about it. I still am baffled about that one.

Well I haven’t had much time to talk to you recently. So I figured what the heck I would stop and smell the roses for a minute or two. Around here all you smell is stinkweeds (ah, I see the negativity coming through now, lol!). I just have a very dry sense of humor, or so I have been told. Or perhaps they mean, I have a very strange way of looking at the world. But don’t we all? That’s what makes us individuals. I would hate to think we all thinked alike, looked alike and acted alike. What a boring world that would be!

Well speaking of boring, the only excitement I have had around here was Mother’s Day.  I figured Mother’s Day would be very quiet and peaceful. The day before, my daughter and husband caught me at the Dollar Store. They bestowed my Mother’s Day gifts there in the parking lot. She told me that she wouldn’t be out because she was staying home. They had been to Nashville the day before and her house was a mess. So she was going to clean house. So I figured since I had seen her the day before, Mother’s Day would be quiet. I didn’t think my son would make an appearance. Heck, I am just his mother why should he??? We have quiet a few new readers and I should explain this real quick. You see my son married into a very religious family and the religion isn’t mine. And he opened his big mouth and politely told them I was a witch. Well you can imagine how that went over, like a lead balloon! They don’t want him to have anything to do with me, his own mother. Up until recently he hasn’t but things have now changed in his marriage. He is starting to become close with me again. So back to the story, he up and calls on Mother’s Day. He wants to know if it would be alright for him and his dog to come out. I asked him how his dog got along with cats. He responded, “Oh, just fine!” Lying little, I let that one go! He comes out and brings the dog in the house. The first thing, Kiki tries to jump it. I caught her in mid-air. I had to hold her the whole time he was here. Everytime the dog got close to me, she would try to tear it up. I could tell this was going to be a long five hours, oh brother! We went in the living room and sit down. I looked around for the cats and didn’t see them. I thought they smelled a strange dog, they would stay hidden. Yeah, right! After about two hours of bonding with my son, here comes Razzy sneaking down the hall. Before I could even get up, she had rounded the corner and was heading for the washroom. Well my son’s dog broke loose from him and went right straight for Razzy. He pinned her up against the screen door. All you could see was fur flying and a very loud and angry bobcat shrieking. You would have to hear one to know what I am talking about. But they were both going at it in the corner of the door. Finally the dog backed off and Razzy flew to the washroom. My son’s dog had his face mauled. It was horrible. I got the paper towels and started to look at the dog. He needed stitches unfortunately. I offered to sew the dog up (since I doctor all the wild animals that come from the vets’ to me), I thought I would offer. “Heck, no!” He was taking his dog to his vet. So he left and I tracked down Razzy. She had jumped behind the dryer and couldn’t get out, not to mention she was wild. She was snarling and growling, so I knew she had to be hurt. I pulled the dryer out and as I put my leg down she smacked at my leg. I asked her who the heck did she think she was smacking at. Then she sort of calmed down. I slowly picked her up and she would occasionally growl. I would stop and talk to her and she would quit. Well I got her out and looked at her. Her shoulder was dislocated and she had been bit through her paw. I put her shoulder back in place and started making poultices to put on her paw. By this time she had jumped off the table and had run to one of the bedrooms. I was in hot pursue. I tracked her down and pulled the bed out. She did the same thing again, growling and snarling. I talked to her again and she calmed down. I picked her up and we started back to the kitchen were I could doctor her paw. Going through the living room, it was all I could do to hold her. Her back paws got loose and she cut the living crap out of my face. But I was still nice and loving. I got her to the table and I had already had a sedative out for her. I got her all doctored up and she went to sleep. While she was sleeping, I got to thinking how quickly she converted back to being wild. That scared the crap out of me. She has always had a wild side to her that I haven’t been able to reach. So I started to cry thinking she could never stay in the house. Then I remember the wonderful Goddess Bast. I prayed and prayed to Her. I asked Her to bring my Razzy back to me. After all night of praying and crying, Razzy woke up. She was not the same cat at all. She was the tamest I had ever seen her. Even now, she is still a totally new cat. Oh, how I thanked and thanked the Goddess for bringing her back to me. I gave the Goddess Bast an offering of gratitude. I even found a small figure of a cat and dedicated it to Bast and put it on my altar. I was never so happy in my life. What a miracle worker the Goddess was. She had brought Razzy back to me but even better than ever. I had told Bast about the wild streak Razzy had and how I couldn’t reach through it. But the Goddess did and Razzy has such a beautiful personality now. Oh, I still can’t get over it. I am so grateful.

I am still amazed at how something so bad could turnout to be something so good. Since that experience, I feel very humble. We all know the Goddesses exist but to actually see their work right before your very eyes. It is something else. I believe the experience left me feeling very loved because you know the Goddesses are listening and ready to help at a moment’s notice. It reassures your beliefs and also let’s you know that you matter to Them. You are truly one of Their children. It is just a wonderful feeling, I know that much. It also reassured me that my life might seem like a mess right now. But everything is going to work out. With the Goddesses on your side, how couldn’t it?

Dog-gone Doggie of the Day for May 23rd

Name: Luna
 Age: Two years old
Gender: Female Breed: Australian Shepherd, Labrador
Home: Germany
Hi, in the picture you can see my pet Luna. It’s a dog, a mixture between Australian Shepherd and Labrador. Her color is blue merle and she is two years old, but her birthday is on May 31st so it is coming up soon.

Luna lives in our house. Her sleeping place is on the floor, but during the holidays her favourite place to sleep is in my bed. My dog is an intelligent one, we took her to the dog school near by us. There she learned sit, down, come on, heel, and a lot of tricks.

Her personality is very funny, like a mickey mouse and she is always “hungry.” For example she eats my socks, which I do not think must have tasted very good! Luna wants always be with us. She amuses our familiy very much!!

Luna can do tricks like “give me five,” “chuck,” “play dead” and “turn around.” We live in a little village in a house with garden. There Luna plays her favorite games, frisbee or fetch with a ball. Also she plays with our other dog Sally. In the summertime she often wants to catch butterflies and bees.

I’m very happy about Luna!!

Flea Prevention & Holistic Treatments for Cats

By Celeste Yarnall, Ph.D

There’s so much that is done to our cats that is accepted and mediocre—so much so that few ever challenge it, especially Western trained veterinarians. But some of these habitual protocols done so mindlessly and often have turned out to be quite harmful for our cats. One of those is the routine use of chemical flea products. Let’s look at what we see advertised today routinely.

Flea collars (whether herbal or insecticidal) don’t work!

They don’t kill fleas, and they don’t even particularly repel them, except for the area right around the collar. The grocery/pet store variety contains concentrated toxic chemicals, and the herbal ones are irritating to odor-sensitive cats. Topical (spot-on or pour-on) flea preventatives are associated with liver disease and other adverse effects in cats. Permethrin, pyrethrin, or pyrethroid-containing products intended for dogs are extremely toxic to cats and have caused many feline deaths. Putting a dog flea product on a cat causes neurological signs (twitching, disorientation, seizures) that ultimately kill about 10 percent of cats.

Healthy cats eating a balanced, properly supplemented raw meat and raw bone diet are much less susceptible to fleas and other parasites. If your cat is experiencing a flea problem, work on improving your cat’s overall health and deal with the immediate parasite situation. This is a “holistic” approach in the truest sense of the word!

The conventional thinking that fleas are the problem is like saying “flies cause garbage” just because the two are often found together. It is the unhealthy state of the animal that attracts the parasites, just like garbage attracts flies.

Fleas, those nasty little blood suckers, are tough, highly evolved parasites that, once entrenched, are not easily eliminated. Fleas are attracted to warmth, moving shadows, and the vibrations from foot (or paw) steps. When dealing with fleas, you need to protect your cat and reach fleas and larvae hiding in carpets and yards. Even exclusively indoor cats can get fleas, which travel in on peoples shoes and clothing. (Keeping your cat indoors, however, will eliminate the risk of ticks.) And removing shoes at your front door keeps fleas out and helps keep other germs out as well.

Adult fleas spend most of their time on the cat, where they feed on blood several times a day. Flea eggs are slippery and quickly fall off the cat and onto the cat’s resting areas, floors, rugs, bedding, and furniture. The eggs hatch and go through several intermediate stages before emerging as adults in as little as two weeks, but they may remain dormant for months. That’s why even if you get rid of the fleas on your cat, reinfestation is a common and very frustrating phenomenon.

A Three-Pronged Approach to Treating Fleas
Try this one-two-three punch to eradicate fleas from your—and your cat’s—life.

ON YOUR CAT:

Use an ultra-fine-tooth flea comb daily. Pay particular attention to the neck, tummy, and base of the tail, which are favorite flea hangouts. Have a glass or bowl full of warm, soapy water at hand to drown any fleas that turn up.

Bathe your cat. Bathing your cat will drown a lot of fleas, but apply soap around the ears and neck first to keep the fleas from rushing up to the cat’s head and face. The herb Erigeron Canadensis (Canadian fleabane), found in some herbal shampoos, will help kill fleas. Bathe no more than once a week. See CelestialPets.com for erigeron shampoo.

IN YOUR HOME:

Floor/carpet treatments such as diatomaceous earth (the fossilized shells of one-celled organisms called diatoms) and boric acid–derived powders will kill flea larvae, primarily through dessication (drying). Exterminators use borates; you can either hire professionals to treat your home or do it yourself. For a serious flea problem, it may be worth paying a professional since their work is guaranteed. Vacuuming is very effective against flea eggs and might even catch a few adults. To keep the eggs from hatching or the fleas from escaping, discard the bag immediately or use a flea spray in the vacuum bag or container, (not on the cat) either before or right after you vacuum.

IN THE YARD:

Beneficial nematodes eat flea eggs and will help control flea populations outdoors.

Garden-grade diatomaceous earth is very effective. Concentrate on areas under shrubs and decks and other cool shady spots where animals (such as rodents, raccoons, and outdoor and feral cats) have access.

Be very careful about the so-called natural approaches to flea treatment such as the use of essential oils topically or internally for cats.

Remember essential oils can be very toxic to cats even though they are highly touted by so-called holistic pet experts. Do keep in mind that:

Cats’ livers do not have the necessary enzymes to break down and excrete certain chemical compounds in essential oils. The chemical compounds accumulate in a cat’s body and are sometimes toxic to the point of death. Cats are very sensitive to morphine, certain sulfanomides, salicylic acid (aspirin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), allyl propyl disulfide (onions) and compounds containing bezene (benzyl alcohol preservative). Avoid all of the following oils around cats:

  • Wintergreen and birch oils contain methyl salicylate, the same chemical compound in aspirin.
  • Phenol-containing oils: oregano, thyme, cinnamon (cassia), clove, savory, cedar, birch, and melaleuca (tea tree oil)
  • Ketones, such as sage
  • Monoterpene hydrocarbons pinene and limonene, most commonly found in the citrus and pine oils: lemon, orange, tangerine, mandarin, grapefruit, lime, bergamot, pine, spruce, and any fir oil. Many household cleaners and even pet products have these latter substances in them to make them smell nice to the owners.

Hydrosols are the appropriate form of essential oils to use in cats. Regardless, the cat should always be given a choice as to whether to “partake.” Forcing a cat to ingest oils that have not been tested for safety in their species seems most unwise and many essential oil people will do their best to tell you it is ok. However do not ever attempt this without a vet’s supervision at best.

Let’s only use foods and supplements that are safe and proven to be safe and effective for cats. The best oils for cats come from animal sources such as those that possess anti-inlammatory benefits such as Omega-3s from marine lipids which also help treat flea bite dermatitis.

For more holistic protocols for cats and information see The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care, An Illustrated Guide by Celeste Yarnall, PhD and Jean Hofve, DVM.

Should People Have to Take a Test to Own a Pet?

By Dr. Justine Lee, PetMD

OK, I know this sounds harsh, but should pet owners be allowed to own a pet without taking a written test first? The inner veterinarian in me often thinks, no!

A few weeks ago, Shalanon Brooks left her “support dog” in a locked car while she casually attended the Six Flags Magic Mountain park. Rumor is that the zipper on her dog carrier bag was broken, so Ms. Brooks elected to leave her dog, Malibu, in the car instead. (This, to me, is abuse of a “support” dog, but that’s a whole other blog!) While Ms. Brooks left food and water in the car, she only left the windows “cracked” open during an 80°F day.

Thankfully, the security personnel and staff from Six Flags found the dog, and thought Malibu looked visibly overheated. So, kudos to Six Flags for taking the initiative to rescue Malibu from the hot car and taking Malibu back to the park’s kennel area to cool down and hydrate. The bad news? Malibu recovered well enough to escape from Six Flags, only to be lost for several days.

But don’t despair: A few days later, Brooks tweeted that her dog had been found and was returned to her.

 

That said, should Ms. Brooks have been allowed to have her dog back? After all, her poor decision making could have resulted in the death of her dog. Many animal advocates were fired up that she ended up getting Malibu back, as she didn’t seem deserving of pet-ownership after nearing killing her dog with heat stroke. Had Malibu been a two-legged human, I highly doubt child services would have been as forgiving.

And what about Kisha Curtis, 27, the owner of Patrick the pit bull? This starved, 20-some pound dog (who was supposed to be 50+ pounds) was thrown down a 22-story garbage chute in Newark, NJ. He was left for dead: hypothermic, anemic, dehydrated and emaciated. Thankfully, Garden State Veterinary Hospital — along with the support of countless animal lovers across the world — was able to help him rally to a new home. Thankfully, Ms. Curtis didn’t get the rights back to her dog.

So, readers, take this test. If you can’t get the answers right, you are officially stripped of all pet-owning rights.

Which of the following methods best shows that you can be responsible for the life of a four-legged creature?

  1. Throw it down a garbage chute.
  2. Let it deep-fry in a car on a hot day.
  3. Neglect veterinary care – after all, he’s indoor only and doesn’t need vaccines!
  4. Love it the way it loves you: unconditionally.

Fire away — what do you think – should potential pet owners have to pass a test to own a pet?

Precious Pup of the Day for May 22nd

Name: Emily
 Age: One year, six months old
Gender: Female Breed: Maltese, Poodle mix
Home: San Diego, California, USA
My dog Emily is very special to me and to so many other people as well. She’s sweet, friendly and extremely loving to anyone she meets.

I first met Emily on a vacation to Texas where I went to visit some distant relatives. They had a litter of eight week-old puppies that needed homes. They told me they were having trouble finding a home for Emily, who was the runt of the litter, and would soon be taking her to the pound. I had been looking for a companion to keep my eleven-year old Baby D (Dexter) company. I thought Emily might brighten up his spirits, since Baby D had been very sick for a long time. I was concerned about adopting a puppy and bringing it into my home and upsetting Baby D, but couldn’t bear the thought of her being in the pound. That evening I dreamed that I adopted her and named her Emily, a name I would not have normally chosen. The next day, I went back and got her and braced myself for some serious puppy training!

Emily is very timid around unfamiliar objects because she’s so tiny, weighing in at less than five pounds. It takes a while to convince her that the object isn’t going to “eat her alive”! She is, however, very friendly around dogs of all sizes. She loves to go to dog beach in Coronado and always happily wags her tail to greet a friendly face. My friend Richard, who loves her so much, takes her for sleepovers once a month. He usually treats her to blueberry facials and grooming which she absolutely loves.

About a year ago, Baby D passed away and now Emily accompanies me to work three or four times a week in her little “Simply Dog” travel bag. Once at work, a co-worker takes her to his office where she spends the day with his mini Aussie Checkers. They are best buds and Emily follows Checkers everywhere.

I didn’t plan for my trip to Texas to be so life changing. I was expecting Emily to save Baby D, but instead she saved me.

WE LOVE EMILY!

Precious Pup of the Day for Monday, May 21

Name: Nala
 Age: Two months old
Gender: Female Breed: Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever
Home: Seven Fields, Pennsylvania, USA
Nala is absolutely full of energy and is mischievous but she is such a loving dog that loves kisses, hugs, laps and to be held. She already sleeps great at night and is a hit with the neighborhood kids and dogs. We can’t wait to see what she turns into. Right now it looks to be more lab but only time will tell. But we do know that she will provide lots of love and fun to this family for many years.

Nala is a Golden Retriever mix. Her dad was pure bred Golden and her mom was half Golden Retriever and half Black Lab. We lost our fourteen-year-old Golden Retriever about two months ago and Nala lovingly fills that void. She is incredibly intelligent. In just four days of having her home with us she learned numerous words including: home, inside, outside, sit, bedtime, our “potty words” and the obvious “no“.

She is potty training great and now goes to the door and whines but we have to move fast! She does great in her crate with little complaint and has slept through the night since the first day we got her. She listens to and watches everything from the lawnmower to a someone sawing. She doesn’t always like these new things but watches intently to try and figure them out.

She has many favorite toys but especially loves my kids old Webkinz animals. Perfect for her size and little teeth for now. She loves kids with no hesitation. She is more apprehensive with big people but warms up within seconds. We love her very much!
 

Precious Pup of the Day for April 26th

Name: Charlie
 Age: One year old
Gender: Male Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Home: Manhattan Beach, California, USA
Charlie is our little “butterball.” Yes, weighing in at 31 pounds he is a bit large for his breed but there is just more of him to love. My daughter Jenny fell in love with this particular breed by looking at pictures on the Internet. Soon she was begging for this “second” dog to add to our family of pets which already included four cats and a Golden Retriever. After a while I began to adore those cute little faces as well and found myself researching breeders. When we got Charlie he was about the size of a grapefruit and we fell immediately in love with him. He loves to play tug of war and has a bit of a stick fetish. He loves to chase them and then make you chase him to get them back.He also loves the water. We have taken him out on the ocean several times on our fishing boat and he will settle himself in your lap for the ride to Catalina Island. Once there he will chase and be chased by his big sister Sammy, (the golden retriever) in the surf. He has even been cajoled out into the surf swimming with, of course, the toss of a stick.

If you pat your lap he will lumber over and plop himself down for some serious scratching and loving and who can resist that? He always has kisses to give to everyone, especially small children. He still chases a cat or two around the house when he is feeling playful. But mostly his interactions with the cats can be quite endearing. We have managed to snap a few photos of some tender moments snuggling and kissing our friendly felines. And oh, did I mention he snores, quite loudly, but we don’t mind. I have to admit that Charlie gives us many things to snicker about, his size, his snoring, his occasional grumpy growls, and other endearing habits too numerous to mention. But we all admit that life without Charlie is unimaginable. We love our Charlie!!!

Charlie, the Dog of the Day
See more images of Charlie!

Precious Pup of the Day for April 25th

Name: Rocky
 Age: Eighteen months old
Gender: Male Breed: Boston Terrier
Home: St-Jerome, Quebec, Canada
Rocky is a Boston Terrier dog that is owned by Daniel. Like a typical Boston Terrier breed, he is friendly, alert, expressive and playful. He generally doesn’t bark except when necessary. He really likes to play with the balls and toys. He really enjoys going at the park to run fast, to expend energy and to play with balls. Every time we come home from work or anywhere, he is really happy to see us and wants to play.We think he is a very cute black and white Boston Terrier. He really likes to stay with his owners to play and he also likes to play with everyone, even with the cats. He is friendly with all other dogs, too. He likes to go for a walk and explore everything. He loves to go for car rides and going to the drive-in for watching movies. We really love Rocky and he is like our baby. He even inspired us to create a website for Boston Terriers!He is our first Boston Terrier and the first dog we have had. We decided to get him because we were interested in having a dog. We had seen some video and pictures of Boston Terriers and we thought that they were really beautiful and fun dog so we started learning more about the breed. We discovered that we found the perfect dog breed for us. The tricks he have learned so far are to sit, lay down and shake each paw. For his favorite games he likes to play, he likes to play baseball with us. He also likes to fetch sticks and he really likes to chew them. He also like to come camping with us and going for a canoe rides.

Because there is a cold winter season in Quebec, Canada and the Bostons don’t have long fur, we found it is a good thing to protect him from the cold weather by getting him a leather jacket and some hoodies. He fares well in the cold weather, but when it’s too cold he prefer going back inside where it’s warm. He doesn’t like spending too much time outside when it’s cold, but like us he likes the snow and everything else about winter.

Rocky, the Dog of the Day
See more images of Rocky!

Precious Pup of the Day for April 24 – Buddy

Name: Buddy
 Age: Nine weeks old
Gender: Male Breed: Bichon Frise
Home: Ballston Lake, New York, USA
Buddy is a Bichon Frise puppy that is owned by Lindsey. He is very friendly and is playful. He loves to chase me around the yard and he is always exploring. He is a little bad, too, like when he chews on the kitchen chairs (Uh-Oh!!!). He is still a puppy, though. He is a cuddle bug and is the sweetest guy you will ever meet!!!He is a very cute and courageous guy and is not independent at all! If we let him out of the kitchen he will chew on a lot of stuff. But if you play with him he is the sweetest and most loving Bichon Frise in the world. He loves to go outside on the yard and he doesn’t even need a leash (yet) but he is an adorable guy and if you meet him, will love you forever!

Buddy, the Dog of the Day
See more images of Buddy!

Precious Pup of the Day for April 19th

Cupid, the Dog of the Day
Name: Cupid
 Age: Two years old
Gender: Male Breed: Chihuahua, Papillon
Home: Golden Meadow, Louisiana, USA
I came to meet Cupid through a good friend of mine. She said her dog was pregnant and thought about me right away. She knew of my love for dogs and thought I would be a great choice for one of her dog’s pups. I couldn’t wait to choose my pup when they were born. My dad said I could have one but it had to be a girl because boys have a tendency to be territorial. I was fine with that because I just really wanted my own dog. The pups would be Chihuahua/Papillon mixes.

The day they were born, I received a picture from my friend with all the pups. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get the call that I was allowed to go pick one out. When my friend called me, I rushed right over to choose one. I played with each pup, but none really sparked a relationship with me. Then I noticed one of the pups crying and strayed away from the rest. I picked him up, and fell in love with him. I noticed he had a heart spot on his side and instantly gave him the name Cupid.

I begged my parents to let me get the male I fell in love with. They ended up giving in with the agreement that I had to pay for his vet bills and to train him. When I knew Cupid was mine, I couldn’t wait til the day he came home.

My friend dropped off Cupid to me when he was six weeks old – five days after my boyfriend and I made our relationship official. He was the tiniest, cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

Two years later, I couldn’t love him anymore than I already do. He loves to cuddle with me, play with his favorite toy, and tows his blanket everywhere he goes. He’s the sweetest pup who loves to give kisses to anyone he meets. He acts like he’s so tough sometimes, but at the same time is scared of bugs.

I don’t know where I would be without this dog now that I’ve known what life is like with him. He’s always there to listen. He knows when I am upset. He knows when I am sick. He will be the best nurse and take care of you if you’re sick-by “take care” I mean, he naps with you and never leaves your side.

After getting to know his personality, his name does suit him. He makes everyone he meet fall in love with him. Instead of arrows, though, he has kisses!

Cupid, the Dog of the Day
Cupid, the Dog of the Day

Doggie of the Day for April 18th

Saito, the Dog of the Day
Name: Saito
 Age: Six years old
Gender: Male Breed: Alaskan Malamute mix
Home: Milford, Massachusetts, USA
Hello! I would like to honor my dog Saito; he is wonderful and handsome.

Hello. My name is Saito, named after ancient Japanese warrior Hajime Saito. I insisted on writing my own Dog of the Day summary, as I consider myself more human than dog:

Exhibit A – I prefer people food over “kibble.” My favorite is pita; I don’t like jalapeños. Once when my humans were away, I ate all of the leftover pizza! Minus the jalapeños, which I removed with surgical precision and lined up on the living room rug.

Exhibit B – I prefer people furniture. My favorite is the couch when my humans are lounging on the floor. Every night, I slumber on the guest bed with my little sister curled up on the floor in front of me like my dog.

Exhibit C – I am proud of my looks. I stand straighter and walk with more swagger when I wear my favorite bandanas. My looks have gotten my humans countless free drinks at Starbucks drive-throughs. Once when we were in Boston, a couple stopped us to offer me one of the hamburgers they just picked up for take-out (which my humans turned it down! I’m still upset about that).

Exhibit D – I need my personal space and freedom. Unlike most canines, I am choosy about when I dole out affection…most typically when I want something or think I’ve done something wrong. When my humans call me over, I stop just far enough out of their reach. And finally, I believe a man needs his adventures; if the backyard gate is accidentally left open, I unfailingly run away!

My humans sometimes call me “Emo Boy.” It’s true that occasionally I cry for seemingly no reason or stare blankly into space for minutes at a time. The characterization falls a bit flat though, because my favorite toy is a stuffed pink dragon named Marjorine. I have seven Marjorines whom I love equally.

My humans constantly shower me with affection, toys, and treats and also tell me how special I am. I know they love me more than anything, which I deserve.

Saito, the Dog of the Day
Saito, the Dog of the Day

Dog-gone Doggie of the Day for April 17th

Joey, the Dog of the Day
Name: Joey
 Age: Eight years old
Gender: Male Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Home: Queens, New York, USA
This is Joey, he’s my Yorkshire Terrier, and he just turned eight years old on March 8th! My dog is so sweet and smart. When he wants something, he literally shows you what he wants by taking you to a specific place. (Like if he wants to go out, he leads you to the back door, or if he wants a treat, he points to the treats with his nose.) My dog also loves wearing clothes. When he sees you holding an item of his clothing, he gets so excited and he will sit down and help you dress him by giving you his paws. His toys have names and he knows all of them; if you tell him to get you the ball, he’ll get it. If you tell him to get you his stuffed red dog, Rodrico, he will go and get it. If you are upset, he will sit by you and stay with you; I fell down the stairs the other day and for the rest of the day, every time I went up and down the stairs, he would watch me closely, making sure I didn’t fall again.

Joey has been in my life since I was twelve and I love him so much. He is a part of the family and I talk to him as if he is a human being himself. He is so sweet, smart, gentle, playful … the list goes on!

Joey, the Dog of the Day
 

Special Kitty of the Day for April 16

Cleo, the Cat of the Day
Name: Cleo
 Age: Five years old
Gender: Female
 Kind: Cat
Home: Ormond Beach, Florida, USA
Cleo is my mother’s cat, and as for her age, well, a lady never tells. Let’s just say older than five. For her breed, well a bit of this, a bit of that, and a striped tail! Cleo is listed as the main author of “The Cat Manual,” a humor book translated from Cat by Michael Ray Taylor.

Cleo is what my mother terms a “problem child.” White, with brown patches and a tall striped flag that my mother calls “the tail from another cat,” Cleo is the most perspicacious and persnickety of a litter of four kittens that my mother’s lawn care provider discovered abandoned in a field. At his insistence, she took them in “only until they could find homes.” She already had two cats, one of whom was quite elderly. She had previously declared that there would be “no more cats” when these two were gone. Although she was not quite yet old, Mom informed us she was getting too old for new cats. She couldn’t bear to lose them when they grew old and infirm.

Yet after a couple of weeks, the kittens all had names. From this fact, we in the family knew they had also found a home. I spent long Sunday phone calls listening to descriptions of the antics of little Cleo. Several years later, it remains Cleo who is the first to try such sports as jumping onto the refrigerator, ambushing the visiting cousin, and rearranging the tiles whenever my mother attempts to play Scrabble the old-fashioned way, on a table, rather than on the computer.

Of course, Cleo helps her out on the computer also – and her secret writings there form part of “The Cat Manual.”

Cleo, the Cat of the Day
Cleo, the Cat of the Day

Doggie of the Day for April 16th

Buddy, the Dog of the Day
Name: Buddy
 Age: One year old
Gender: Female Breed: English Springer Spaniel
Home: Washington, Indiana, USA
Buddy Bear Promise (Buddy for short) is my beautiful male liver/white English Springer Spaniel. He is almost one year old and he loves to have me sit on the ground and let him lick my face and climb all over me. He loves food and adores Lolli, his playmate. He now lives in Washington, Indiana with us.

He lived in a kennel for his first nine months and I just got him in January. He is sweet and playful. He doesn’t know any commands yet. He hates being kenneled when he is bad and he cries and tries to tear the kennel apart, so I never leave him there for long. It must remind him of how his life used to be. I love Buddy and hope for many more happy years together.

Buddy, the Dog of the Day
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Precious Pup of the Day for April 15th

Finney, the Dog of the Day
Name: Finney
 Age: Ten years old
Gender: Male Breed: Shih Tzu
Home: Ste Anne, Ontario, Canada
Hi there! My name is Finney and I am a Shih Tzu. That means Lion Dog and let me tell you I am as brave any lion but far more important as my ancestors came from the Emperor’s Palace in China!

The first eight years of my life were very sad as I lived in a horrible place called a puppy mill where I was used to breed and never treated well or kindly and had no family to adore me … but then I was rescued and eventually adopted by my foster family who fell in love with me and couldn’t bear to part with me. I am now so happy and love living here with all the other dogs in the house – there is a Bichon called Ben who is my permanent best doggie friend and always at least four other foster fluffs to play with me when I feel like romping. Of course I am the Doggie King of the Castle but I am very kind and protective of them all (even the cat!).

Every night before I go to sleep on my own soft blanket on the big bed, I get to have a really good time and a play with my two teddies and a belly rub from Dad whom I love more than anyone in the world. I am so happy to be here for the rest of my life!

Yes, Finney is a real Dad’s boy and follows my husband everywhere. Finn is a real character and not a day goes by without him doing something to make us both laugh and love him even more. He is loving, sweet and kind to all the dogs he meets and we are very lucky to have him as our furkid!

Rescue dogs (and cats) are the best!

Finney, the Dog of the Day
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Precious Pup of the Day for April 14th

Blue, the Dog of the Day
Name: Blue
 Age: Seven years old
Gender: Male Breed: German Shepherd, Husky
Golden Retriever
Home: Ontario, Canada
I had always wanted a dog. I had a couple when I was really little but I hardly remember them. One day my parents said that a friend of the family’s dog had a litter of puppies. So we went to check them out. There sure were a lot of puppies and we played with them all and finally the soon-to-be-Blue was chosen! We had to wait a couple of weeks for them to be ready to leave their mother but the day finally came when we could pick up our pup. He is a German Shepherd, Husky, Golden Retriever mix. At first we were going to name him Buddy but it seemed too common. So we named him after his icy-blue eyes. Since then it has been seven years. I remember some good memories like how Blue used to hate going for walks as a puppy until he met another dog who loved going for walks. Now if you say ‘walk’ Blue runs for his leash. I also remember not being able to sleep one night so I had started down the stairs to sit with my parents for a bit. I overheard them talking about getting rid of Blue, I was so upset that I ran back to my bedroom. The next day my Mom told how someone almost broke into our house the night before after they went to bed. Blue barked and growled until my Dad had come down to see what was wrong. When they look in the back yard there was a guy dressed in dark clothing trying to get back over the fence. Who knows if they guy was dangerous or not, either way Blue saved us and he was allowed to stay.

Blue is a big dog, he doesn’t meet many dogs his size and when he does he does he acts all surprised. Sometimes he is afraid of little dogs and will hide behind me but he eventually comes out to say ‘hi’. He thinks he is a lap dog and loves to sleep on my lap. It started when he was a puppy and he just never outgrew it the habit, although he outgrew my lap a long time ago. He is friendly, calm & loyal as well as my best friend. Blue has always been there for me when I was angry or upset and never once has he judged me. He is getting older now and our walks are getting shorter but I am cherishing every moment that I have with him

Dog-gone Doggie of the Day for April 13th

Chesty, the Dog of the Day
Name: Chesty
 Age: Fifteen years old
Gender: Male Breed: Chow Chow,
Golden Retriever
Home: Hayward, California, USA
This is Chesty. To those who know, it is the same name as the Marine Corps mascot. He is also known as… Pup, my pup, Monster pup, and Chestydawg. I wanted a rugged, fearless “guy’s dog,” and I got one. He was five weeks old and ran up to my biggest horse and played bowed him to wrestle. He is Chow Chow and Golden Retriever mix. It has been a great joy to watch his DNA at work. The Chow Chow makes him sooo loyal and a very one man dog, and the Golden makes him a great hunter! Both breeds gave him a beautiful coat, and lord how he hates the mailman!!

He pulled me out of depression and dragged me back into the world. When I first got him, he would go out in the back yard every day, go to the woodpile, find a piece of kindling, and chew it to bits in the middle of my apartment. He was teething and finding his own solution, leaving a perfect little pile of wood chips. Until the day he realized that the only time I did not play with him, was when I was reading or working on the PC. That day I came home and found a perfect little pile of my glasses. Smart boy!

His first night, I figured since he was away from the litter, he would want body heat and heartbeat. I took him onto the bed and cuddled up. He lasted five minutes, and went down to the foot of the bed, and put his chin on my ankle. He has slept there for fifteen years.

Gosh, the first three years it was just Chesty and me. I had a pick-up truck, he would jump in and sit at my right, him staring out the front window eager to take off. It had a camper shell, and sometimes we would just go until we were tired and sleep on a mattress in the back. He is totally fearless and very adventurous. On rainy Saturdays we would take our early morning walk, come home to sit on the couch and watch K-9 to 5 together, and he would really watch.

He loves water. We lived very to close to the water in the Bay area. He would wade in all the time. One day he saw some ducks and wanted to chase them. He took off! I tried to stop him, and then realized he had to be swimming. About the time I realized it, so did he! He immediately turned around, then decided he wanted the ducks and turned back, then the ducks took off, and he realized, swimming was good! Swimming was fun! Now on rainy days he will go and just stand in puddles! I think it is time for a drive to the water this weekend!

He is now fifteen years old. Chesty is sundowning. Arthritis is slowing him way down. We have started medication, and now I am glad to report the medications are working! I came home from work after his first day on them and he stood up, smiled, and walked to the car for his trip to the park! I am sooo happy! I could tell a million stories… but he is, simply put, the bestest dog in the world.

Chesty, the Dog of the Day
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Special Kitty of the Day for April 12th

Coolidge, the Cat of the Day
Name: Coolidge
 Age: Unknown
Gender: Male
 Kind: Cat
Home: New York, USA
Coolidge is a fearless cat with lots of street smarts and attitude. During the heatwave of August 2011, he approached a woman walking two large dogs on the Lower East side and demanded that she take him in, feed him and provide some air-conditioning. He picked the right woman since she is the founder of rescue Project Pet, Inc. She knew just what to do.

Cool’s pet parents had just lost their cat and their German Shepherd Sheba was missing him something fierce, looking for him and crying all the time. And so, a search on Petfinder.com led to Coolidge and he joined the family in October 2011. Cool is learning to walk on a leash so he can see the streets of NYC once again, this time as a visitor. And he gets along fine with Sheba, so our family feels complete again. We’re all happy he is here.

Coolidge, the Cat of the Day

 

Dog-gone Doggie of the Day for April 12th

Maya, the Dog of the Day
Name: Maya
 Age: Three year old
Gender: Female Breed: German Shepherd
Home: Ontario, Canada
This is my best friend, Maya. Maya is special for many reasons, but mostly because despite her huge size, she still cuddles with my family, friends and myself the way my other dog (a.k.a. her best friend) does, and her best friend is a tiny chihuahua. (Maya doesn’t realize she is 15x his size). Maya is also very silly, and her favorite command (that only I know she does) is “dance with me”. When you ask Maya to dance with you, she will put her paws on your shoulder and literally dance with you (which is quite hilarious given her size).

Maya also enjoys “talking” to the dogs she sees on the television – she will sit smack dab in front of the screen and bark as if she is having a conversation with them. Maya’s favorite game to play is tug-o-war, and she enjoys “kicking” around rubber balls as if she is playing soccer. Maya is extremely photogenic, everyone that meets her ends up taking pictures of her on their phones- she is one beautiful puppy! Maya is very lovable, and lets our chihuahua cuddle right up into her during naps. One last thing… Maya is (in her mind, anyway) a “professional” squirrel tracker – she will sit and stare out the back door for hours fixating on squirrels as they run by. We love her!

Maya, the Dog of the Day
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Good Morning, my dear friends! Did you miss me, lol!

Good Morning Images, Pics, Comments, Graphics
Good Thursday morning, my lovelies! I hope you are having a fantastic day. I must apologize about yesterday. But at you can see, I wasn’t taking a vacation day, lol! The blog had some needed up-dating. I had been trying to get it all done in the mornings before I did my blogging. But the up-dates turned out to be too many and I couldn’t get it done. So yesterday, I decided I should be ashamed of myself for letting all this go and take care of it. Thank the Goddess, I got it all done.

As you can see the blog has a new look. I hope you like it. Also the monthly Goddess, Herb and Crystal are now current. I also pulled off some dead links and other things I have been aiming to remove. The blog is now current and hopefully it will stay that way for a few months (keep your fingers crossed, lol!).

I just wanted to drop you a quick note and let you know what was going on. Really, I didn’t want you to think I flew the coup, lol! Now let’s get down to business……