Dogs-N-More

Be Prepared

2011-05-28T13:32:00.000-04:00

The Boy Scouts had it right, BE PREPARED!

This week we were reminded yet again of how quickly a natural disaster can strike. Maybe we all need a reminder on being prepared to keep our pets as safe as possible. A little planning ahead of time can make a huge difference.

There are several web sites that give advice on disaster planning and have check lists to help you get organized.

The ASPCA has an especially good discussion of disaster preparedness on their site. It even breaks it down by planning for dogs and cats, birds, reptiles and other small animals. They list items that should be in your emergency kit and offer advice on arranging safe places for your pets.

Another excellent site to check out is this one. This site gives preparedness advice for us humans as well as our pets. They have a 12 item checklist for pets that I'm posting here.

Start by getting an emergency bag - a back pack, gym bag, suitcase or even a 5 gallon bucket.

1. On the top of the bag boldly print your name, phone numbers and pet's names.

2. Water and food enough for 3 - 7 days

3. Food and water dishes

4. Blanket or towel

5. Medicines, with instructions for use in a ziplock bag

6. Note listing your veterinarian, his number, the pet's names and your first and last names.

7. The name, address and phone number of a friend or relative where the pet might stay.

8. A favorite toy and some treats.

9. Collar and leash.

10. For cats and small dogs, a carrier, littler box and litter.

11. Small plastic bags and paper towels.

12. Picture of your pet, info on feeding and any behavioral issues. All written info should be placed in a waterproof container or ziplock bag.

Remember to keep some form of ID on your pet, either tags, a tatoo or microchip.

Keep extra leashes by the door so you save time making an exit.

It's handy to have your pet crate trained even if you don't regularly use one at home. If the animal becomes lost, it'll remain calmer in a crate if it's already familiar with one.

Many organizations and pet stores offer these rescue stickers that can be put on your door or window alerting rescue workers that there is an animal in your home that may need help.

A little advance planning can mean the difference between life and death when an emergency strikes.

Thyroid Disease in Dogs

2011-05-20T14:35:00.000-04:00

This week we learned that Noah has hypothryoidism. His thyroid gland isn't producing enough hormone for his body.

This isn't my first experience with this disorder and I'm happy to say I recognized the symptoms early enough to get Noah started on treatment before he suffered any permanent damage. Thyroid disease in dogs is relatively common and is fairly easily treated. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and if you suspect a problem, consult your veterinarian.

Libby was my first dog to have thyroid problems and I didn't recognize what was going on. She gained a lot of weight and seemed to lack energy. She had once been an extremely active dog, but it became almost impossible for her to walk very far and climbing stairs would make her huff and puff. She'd have to stop half way to rest. Her coat became dry and dull and started falling out. Her skin turned dark and felt cool to the touch. Within a month of starting treatment she had lost the extra weight, grown a soft, fluffy new coat and had all her energy back. She lived to be 15 years old and was chasing squirrels the day she died.

Monty had a slightly different problem. His thyroid level was in the normal range, but on the very low end of normal. We took a chance and started treating him because of his noise phobia. Prior to treatment Monty would panic at any loud noise. A thunderstorm would cause him to try to climb on my shoulder while shaking uncontrollably and drooling. Monty weighed 80 pounds and to have such a large dog out of control with panic was a difficult situation for all of us. Within a short time of starting treatment with a low dose Monty could get thru a thunderstorm by just sitting close to me. He would still tremble, but he was in control and was a much happier dog. Because Monty's level was in the low normal range, this was a decision that our vet and I discussed at length and made together.

After her diagnosis of Masticatory Muscle Myositis (MMM), a blood test showed that Samba had a low thyroid reading. We started treatment, but we're pretty sure that her facial paralysis was probably related to the thyroid problem. We've had to adjust her dosage upwards, but now seem to have it at a perfect level for her.

Some of the common symptoms of thyroid disease in dogs is weight gain, lower activity level, lethargy, mood swings, cold intolerance, hair loss or changes in coat becoming dry, dull, brittle.

There are many others and if left untreated this can shorten your dog's life span. Treatment can be as easy as giving a tablet twice a day. The medication is inexpensive, works quickly and you can actually see the changes.

If you're interested in reading more or in checking out the other symptoms, this is an excellent article by one of the authorities on the subject.
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/ThyroidDisease.htm

Hopping Down The Bunny Trail

2011-04-16T13:39:00.000-04:00

Spring is here and Easter is coming up, so some families are thinking of adding a rabbit to the family. Rabbits can be great family pets under the right circumstances.

Lilly

Some things to consider if you're thinking about getting a rabbit are where will the rabbit live? Remember that rabbits are strong chewers and you want to keep electrical cords away. They'll also chew on wood, so you don't want them to have free access to your mahogany floor boards or furniture. The rabbit will need his own safe place to live.

Skittles

What about other pets in the household. If you have a pack of beagles who love to hunt, a rabbit is probably not a good choice, but some dogs and cats can learn to coexist with rabbits and even become friends. You know you dog's temperament best. Be honest about whether he or she will accept a rabbit as a sibling.

Fahrenheit

Your pet rabbit will need food and veterinary care, just as your other pets do. Be sure to ask questions and do your homework before bringing any new pet into the household.

Amelia

If you've thought it thru and decided that a rabbit is a good choice for your family, consider adopting a bunny from a shelter. Just as with dogs and cats, many people buy a rabbit on impulse and find that it's not a good fit for them. The poor animal winds up in a shelter hoping for a forever home.

Nightsong and Cinnamon

All the bunnies shown in this post are available for adoption on Petfinder. Check out the ones in your area and give a loving home to an animal that needs you.

Dotty

Although rabbits can be good pets, remember that children and other animals must be supervised while handling them. They can bond with people, but it takes longer than with dogs. They can become aggressive if not handled gently. Don't buy a rabbit just because it's Easter, they're not toys. Do your homework as you would with any other pet and know what kind of rabbit you want, and how to care for it.

Gladiss
Enjoy life with your new bunny.

New Friends On The Blog

2011-04-09T12:26:00.000-04:00

We've been letting things slip lately. We have a bunch of new friends that want to introduce to you.

The four B's (Benson, Bailey, Brody and Baxter) have a new little brother.

His name is Walter, so we guess they're now the 4 B's and a W. His bigger brothers will keep him busy learning to run and jump and splash with them at the dogpark.

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Fuji, the Chihuahua, has a new playmate, too.

This is Randy.

He's a Vietnamese Pot Belly Pig and he's learning obedience. Check it our on their blog.

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Over at the Dog Foster Mom blog, a new family member has moved in. Tiggr is actually a foster cat looking for a loving forever home, but because he's already seven years old, his chances of being adopted are slimmer than if her were a kitten. He has wonderful manners and may become a permanent family member.

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Zona, Phoenix and Cali have new family members, too.

These are a momma goat and her baby daughter.

The pups can play with them while they wait for their new little boy to arrive.

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At Golden Pines there are two new residents.

Bubba is now a permanent foster.

His brother Toby is being adopted by the family. Now the two brothers will live out their lives together. What a happy ending to their story. They join a group of Goldens and little Charlie to make a pack as big as ours.

Go meet these newcomers and welcome them to the blog community. The more the merrier.

Japan's Pets Need Help Too

2011-03-19T11:48:00.000-04:00

Following the earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese people need and are receiving help from individuals and agencies around the world. The pets need help, too.

Many pets are now homeless, separated from their families and in some cases their families are among the missing or dead.

By now you've probably all seen the video of the brown and white Spaniel type dog that refused to leave his critically injured companion. As an update, they were both rescued and are currently receiving veterinary care. Both are expected to survive.

If you would like to help the animals, you can check out Global Animal. Org On their site they list several groups that are already on the ground in Japan making a difference.

Another is World Vets. I only recently discovered this organization which seems to be similar to Doctors Without Borders. I'm impressed with what I've read about them.

ARK Animal refuge Kansai is also accepting donations to help the Japanese animals. They accept Paypal making it quick and easy to donate.

Finally, if you're getting low on dog treats and need to stock up, Lucky Dog Treat Company is donating 50% of their sales for the remainder of the month to World Vets disaster relief. Lucky Dog is an Etsy shop, so while helping dogs in need, you're also supporting a craftsperson. It's a win-win!

What is PRA ?

2011-02-24T12:36:00.000-05:00

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, known as PRA, is a genetic eye disease in dogs similar to retinitis pigmentosa in humans.

The condition was first discovered in Gordon Setters, but has been found in many breeds including Cockers, Poodles, Labradors, Schnauzers, Old English Sheepdogs and many others. It's a disease of the retina that usually starts out as night blindness where the animal has trouble seeing in low light conditions and progresses to total blindness.

In most breeds the condition is inherited as a recessive trait. Siberian Huskies and Bullmastiffs are exceptions, as it is dominantly inherited in those breeds. There is no treatment for the condition and blindness is the usual result.

The condition was discovered in Portuguese Water Dogs in the late 1970s. Veterinarians, scientists and the dog breeding community took action to find the cause and the offending gene was located. There is now a test available from Optigen to determine if a dog carries the gene.

Dogs are rated as clear, carriers or affected. Dogs affected will become blind. Carriers can safely be bred to a clear dog. The resulting puppies can be carriers, but will not develop the disease. It's important for breeders to test their breeding dogs and be careful when breeding in order to control the spread of the disease. Breeding dogs should also be checked by a canine opthalmologists yearly to be sure they are free of symptoms. The exam is painless. They are then certified by CERF, the Canine Eye Registration Foundation.

When buying a purebred puppy, talk with the breeder about PRA in the breed. Ask questions about the breeders experience with the disease. Ask for the ratings of the parents and request copies of the CERF and Optigen certificates. Responsible breeders will be happy to give you the certificates and answer any questions. Breeders who care about their breed try to produce healthy puppies and eliminate health issues wherever possible.

In our pack, Samba is a PRA carrier. We had her tested when she was quite young and she saw an opthalmologist each year prior to breeding. Fudge is clear of the disease. It was safe to breed the pair and none of our pups will go blind from this heartbreaking disease. I sent copies of their cetrtificates to any prospective buyers.

For additional information on PRA and to answer questions about PRA in your breed, here are some informative sites to check out. Also ask your vet if you would like to know more about the disease in your breed.
Animal Eye Care
Optigen
CERF

Glaucoma and your dog

2011-02-17T23:03:00.000-05:00

This isn’t an easy post to write. We pride ourselves on being not just good, but involved, devoted, educated, aware dog owners, so having a young – three years old – dog show up with aggressive glaucoma in one eye over Christmas was devastating. The other eye has been checked and also has primary (genetic) glaucoma and its untreated pressure did touch on the lower end of the glaucoma/ eye pressure range.

After spending a month in survival mode – for the humans, not the eye… we lost that fight probably before we even knew we were at war – it was time to educate ourselves on canine glaucoma so we are fully equipped to face the almost inevitable day when the remaining eye also spikes into that dangerous, damaging pressure range. Now that we know the basics, it’s time to pass them along, and hopefully help someone else spot the warning signs faster, and in time to save both eyes. (Photo taken 12-26-10)

I have to pause here to be sure everyone knows we have the best vets – not just in my opinion, but according to the AAHA’s accreditation – around, and Sissy – our one eyed-girl – has very regular visits for her allergies. We didn’t miss anything; primary glaucoma is just that hard-hitting. In fact, we’re very lucky that our veterinary practice has specialized eye care equipment and the vet we saw on December 27th trusted her hunch and checked those eye pressures.

While our eye surgeon is working on an article to share with any of our doggie friends who want to publish a little something on their blogs, in their rescue or breed groups’ newsletters, etc., I’ve cobbled together a little something on what to look for. I must stress that early intervention is critical, so if you see ANY of these signs, please don’t delay and call the vet right away.

Rubbing the eyes
Redness in the whites of the eyes
Any deformity of the eye (an advanced symptom)
Cloudiness of the eye (also advanced)
Excessive blinking and/or tearing
Bumping into things or suddenly refusing to jump up or down off of familiar spots (also advanced)

You can see why we didn’t rush to the vet when these symptoms appeared in our allergic to the world girl on Christmas Eve. (There was no deformity or cloudiness until January 1, after treatment had begun.) If you have a dog with allergies, I’d still recommend talking to your vet about glaucoma and general eye health, because I haven’t touched on – and am not well-versed on – secondary glaucoma, which is caused by something other than bad genes, such as trauma or untreated eye conditions.

Sissy has given me permission to share all photos within this post, some of which have not been posted in blogland before, because she really does want to help other dogs avoid the serious pain glaucoma causes, along with the torture of lifelong eye drops daily, not to mention the sad surgery… I haven’t sited sources, but if you want or need more information, I can share my saved favorites upon request.

Puppy Pics

2011-01-06T14:23:00.001-05:00

A couple lucky puppies got kids for Christmas.

Actually, both these pups came into their new families before Christmas. Giving live animals as Christmas presents can cause lots of problems. These two lively characters were chosen by their new families and had been in their new homes to get adjusted well before the holidays.

Say hello to LaLa.

She joins the canine family of Gracie and Gabby, but best of all she now has her very own little girl to love.

LaLa is one very lucky little pup.

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Another lucky pup is Rascal. He had a big wish come true.

Rascal was a stray. He was living in a shelter when his new family found him there and decided to make him part of their family. Now he lives with another dog, Bucky.

But rascal got the very best thing a dog could get, his own boy to play with. I predict a very happy life for Rascal.

Congratulations to both pups and their new forever families.

New Year - New Friends

2011-01-04T17:26:00.000-05:00

We have some new friends to introduce. These new family additions all arrived before Christmas and were all wanted and chosen by their new families. Giving animals as Christmas gifts is usually not a good idea.

Meet Skittles.

She came to liven things up for Sampson and Honeydew, two Bassets who apparently needed a kitten to keep them company and make their days more exciting. Her Mom says she likes to knock things on the floor and blame the dogs.

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Remington.....

and Sirius

These two, Remi and Siri, were adopted by my friend Sue because she saw a mouse in the basement. I don't think either of these boys would know what to do with a mouse, but Sue's been too busy to think about mice since they came into her life.

Siri enjoys stealing the dog's food whenever possible and batting the pieces around the kitchen. Remi thinks it's fun to jump on the drapes and hang there until removed. It makes me think ten dogs are easy.

Are there any other new pups and kittens we should know about? We love posting puppy and kitten pictures.

Rainbow Week - Fourth Day

2010-12-31T13:43:00.002-05:00

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.....

Bear Bear
died 8/1/2010 at age 3 years

Bear Bear was playing in a dog park in Maryland when he was shot by a police officer.

Bear Bear should not have died.

Bugsy
died 8/18/2010

Bugsy was a stray in Kentucky. He hung around a business where the workers fed him. The workers contacted animal control hoping Bugsy would be placed in a permanent home where he would be safe. The animal control officer arrived and shot Bugsy on site, although several workers offered to pay his fine and adopt him.

Bugsy should not have died.

Rosie
died 11/7/2010 at age 2 years

Rosie was a sweet tempered Newfoundland puppy who escaped from her fenced yard in Iowa. Unable to get back inside her yard she wandered around her neighborhood. Police were called to help her. When she saw the police officer approach, she tried to hide in some bushes. He shot her. She was a scared, confused puppy.

Rosie should not have died.

Boomer
died 12/19/2010 at age 7 years

No Picture Available

Boomer was a Golden Retriever, a family pet, in a household of a widow and her six children in Georgia. He was in his own front yard behind an underground fence. When a police officer approached him, Boomer barked, exactly what a good dog should do. The police officer shot him in front of his family.

Boomer should not have died.

Target
died November 2010

Target warned a group of US soldiers in Afghanistan about a suicide bomber. She saved the group. One of the soldiers, Sgt. Terry Young, brought her back to Arizona with him as a family pet. Boomer escaped her yard on a Friday and was picked up by animal control. Sgt. Young found Target on the shelter's website Friday evening and paid her fine. He mistakenly thought the shelter was closed for the weekend. When he arrived at the shelter on Monday morning to take Target home, he was told that Target had been euthanized. Target saved the lives of US soldiers, but was killed by shelter employees after only a day or two in confinement.

Target should not have died.

Bless the beasts and the children,
For in this world they have no voice.
They have no choice.

Bless the beasts and the children,
For the world can never be
The world they see.

Light their way
When darkness surrounds them.
Give them love,
Let it shine all around them.

Bless the beasts and the children,
Give them shelter from a storm.
Keep them safe,
Keep them warm.
By DeVorzon and Botkin

Hug your pets and tell them how much you value them. Keep them safe in 2011.

Rainbow Week - Third Day

2010-12-29T14:05:00.001-05:00

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.......

Ginger
? - 2/2008

Ginger has been at the bridge for two years, but I still miss her.

Digby
? - 5/10/2010

Digby lived by the adage " Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin!" There will be laughter and mischief in Heaven tonight.

Dudley Arthur
8/18/1998 - 7/20/2010

Dudley was very patient and very shy. He didn't like kids, but would tolerate them. He was the sheriff around here, keeping the other dogs in line. He firmly believed that if he couldn't see you, then you couldn't see him. You are loved and missed, little man.

Sulie
? - 2010

She started life as a mill dog. She was afraid of lots of things, but she was strong and brave, too. We wish for freedom for all mill dogs.

Tango
10/2003 - 7/25/2010

Tango and his brother were abandoned as pups. A farmer took them in and caring foster families made room in their homes for them as permanent residents.

Babycakes
1/7/2001 - 7/28/2010

Babycakes was much loved and is missed by many.

Don't grieve for me, now I'm free
I'm following the path laid for me.

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to live, to work, to play.

If parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish for you sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full, I savored much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Don't lengthen it with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share with me,
That I have only been set free.

Author Unknown

Rainbow Week - Second Day

2010-12-28T00:01:00.003-05:00

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.......

Mack
Lord Duncan of McDuff
1996 - 5/17/2010

Mack was a special friend to his little sister Sally Ann. He taught her how to be a good dog and he did a great job. He always played with her and protected her. She and their Mom miss him, but they know he's still with them in their hearts.

Java
Spencer's Java Bean
7/18/1997 - 3/13/2010

We miss him today and every day, but we know he's free of pain and one day we'll see him again. Rest in peace, sweet Java.

Max
Ruffitwood Dancing Spring
3/12/2000 - 5/24/2010

An overwhelming love I feel,
For this magnificent creature at my heel.
Golden coat, tail held free,
Dark, beautiful eyes, all focused on me.
My companion, my friend, nothing he lacks!
My beautiful dog.......Max.

Spring
2007 - 8/24/2010

Spring has gone to meet her old friends Holly and Wiggles, waiting for her at the Bridge.

Trinket Thomas
1/30/1995 - 6/2/2010

Trinket was my first dog. We adopted him when he was nine weeks old, a bright eyed little black puppy. He grew to be a bouncy teenager, to an intelligent pack leader, to a playful goof ball, to our elderly sweet cuddle bug. Trinket passed away on June 2, 2010 at 15 years old from an enlarged heart. We donated his food, crate and medications to the Humane Society, which inspired our 4 Weeks- Forty Blankets project this summer.

Cut the leash that holds me here,
dear friend and let me run.

Once more a strong and steady dog,
my pain and struggle done.

And don't despair my passing,
for I won't be far away.

Forever here, within your heart,
and memory, I'll stay.

I'll be there watching over you,
your ever faithful friend,

And in your memories I'll run,
a young dog once again.

Rainbow Week - First Day

2010-12-27T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author Unknown

Chelsey, Sugar and Sandy

Chelsey was a beauty. She got caught on a fence when she was 11 and survived. We nursed her back to health, but unfortunately, she suffered from the effects of canine Alzheimers. She was such a beautiful pup and dog. We got her when my daughter was only a little girl, and she helped pick her out from the ASPCA ( she followed my daughter all around so she just had to go home with us!) They grew up together, along with Sugar, my daughter's dwarf bunny. My daughter would read to both of them - all three youngsters laying together with a book. I had Chelsey and Sugar for 13 years. Sugar used to ride in my daughter's Barbie car, too. Sugar finally went to rest after battling old age and initially was only given 5 years to live. Amazing!

Sandy was my Shepherd mix from when I first got married. My husband's and my very first dog that we adopted from the ASPCA. He had such a chubby little belly that he just warmed our hearts. Eventually Sandy was the first dog for my baby daughter, too. Sandy eventually passed away when she was older, from a massive chest tumor, but she was a sweetheart right up until the very end.

There were so many beautiful pets from my years growing up - dogs, cats, horses, a fox, a bull, birds and I will remember them all. May they all be romping carefree in the meadow at the Rainbow Bridge.

Harry

This is my special Harry, my best friend for eight years, rescued from the streets of Copacabana, Brazil. What a great dog! I will never stop missing him. He was sensitive, playful, obedient, loyal, loving, protective, affectionate and well, just Harry.

Splash Kennedy
Amigo's Seventh Wave 5/17/1997 - 12/23/2010

Splash was returned to his breeder by his original owner, but he was a very lucky dog. He was adopted by Senator Ted Kennedy and spent his days lounging around the Senate office building, chasing tennis balls on the Washington Mall and sailing off the Atlantic Coast. There is no better life for a Portuguese Water Dog, than to share his master's interests.

My Samba had an email correspondence with Splash after the publication of his book. I'm sorry they never had the opportunity to meet and swim together. He has gone to meet his Senator.

Callie
? - 3/22/2010

Callie lived most of her life in a puppy mill, but she was lucky. She was rescued and adopted into a loving home. For the first time in her life she had enough to eat, a warm, soft bed to sleep on, a doggy friend to play with and curl up with and a human family that loved her.

Trixie
12/23/2006 - 2/23/2010

We hope you've gone to a better place where you can run and play all day till your heart's content and not be hampered by physical limitations. Take care darling girl.

Winter Reminders

2010-12-05T12:34:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are again in December. A lot of us are experiencing cold weather and many have had snow. My dogs love the cold and are wishing for snow, but we humans need to be aware of some of the dangers that winter present to our pets. We were reminded of the dangers this week when a friend, Barney, was poisoned by ingesting anti-freeze.

Barney is an outdoor cat, as his name would imply. Although his owners are careful about poisons, Barney traveled to a neighboring property where the people weren't so careful. Anti-freeze contains ethylene glycol which is extremely deadly for animals. To make things worse, anti-freeze has a sweet taste that is attractive to animals. Make sure you store anti-freeze carefully and that your vehicle doesn't leak. Better yet, use a safer product that doesn't contain ethylene glycol. There are several on the market and though they cost a little more, think of the vet bill and tragedy you could be avoiding.

Fortunately for Barney, his human Mom is a vet and knew the symptoms. She got him immediate care and it looks as though Barney will live, though he may have some physical damage.

Anti-freeze isn't the only winter concern. The salt used on steps, sidewalks and streets can not only irritate cat and dog feet, but when they lick their feet to clean them they can suffer stomach and intestinal irritation, too. There are several ways to avoid the problem. There are products on the market designed to melt snow that won't make your pets sick. We can use those for steps and sidewalks, but the street salt remains. Some dogs will wear boots, but the easiest way to avoid problems is to rinse their feet when they come in.

While we're talking about outdoor hazards, let's consider dogs and cats that live mostly outdoors. In rural areas this can be more common. Be sure that your pet has shelter from the wind, snow and ice. A sturdy dog house with some form of bedding will help. Animals all need a supply of fresh water. Check water bowls frequently to be sure they're not frozen.

Cats like to climb onto cars to stay warm. Before you start your car, knock on the motor hood to warn Kitty that it's time to get out of there. Look at wheel wells and under the vehicle to be sure no one is sleeping there.

There are dangers lurking inside the house, too. This is a time of year when there are lots of good things to eat. Some of the things we enjoy most can be deadly to our pets. We're all aware that chocolate is a no no.

Raisins and grapes are also toxic to some dogs.

Did you know that the artificial sweetener Xylitol is deadly to dogs and cats? Xylitol is found in sugar free gum and some candies. Check labels carefully.

Some plants that we find around the holidays can be toxic or irritants to dogs and cats. Holly berries and mistletoe can be deadly.

Poinsettia plants produce an irritating liquid that can burn an animal's mouth and throat and cause stomach distress. Who wants any of that around the holidays?

Tinsel is another holiday item that is very attractive to animals, especially cats. It sparkles when it moves and can lure an otherwise well behaved pet. Chewing tinsel, which is metallic, can cut up the esophagus and intestinal walls of pets.

Candles can be dangerous. Never leave candles unattended. Keep candles high enough so curious dogs can't reach them and if you have cats, remember they can go almost anywhere to check out an interesting item. Keep candles away from curtains, and other flammables. A slight nudge from a curious kitty can cause disaster, not only for the cat, but for the entire family.

Space heaters are in the same category as candles, except that dogs also can reach them. They can not only cause a burn to a pet that gets too close, but if knocked over or moved slightly can cause house fires.

Finally, remember that young animals, pups and kittens, as well as older animals, have more trouble maintaining their body heat. They feel the cold more than others. A warm blanket in their bed and a sweater when they go outside will be appreciated. The same is true for animals with arthritis. Keep outings short and be sure they have a warm spot to rest when they come back in.

Keep safe this winter so we can all enjoy the holidays and look forward to spring.

Remembering

2010-11-27T21:13:00.000-05:00

Hi everybody. The year is coming to a close and we want to remember those pets who crossed the Rainbow Bridge. As we did last year, we'll devote the week between Christmas and New Years to them. If there is an animal you want to pay tribute to, please send me a picture, the animal's name and dates of birth and death, if you know them. Tell me what you'd like to say, and I'll post some each day during that week.

If you'd like to check out last years Rainbow Week posts, scroll back. Any animal that you loved may be included. We don't limit the post to dogs and cats.

Therapy Jacket

2010-11-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

Years ago when my first PWD, Bentley was about six years old, he developed a pinched nerve in his back. At first it just slowed him down a bit, but as he aged, it caused him more problems. The muscles in his back legs began to atrophy and then arthritis set in and the poor boy had trouble getting up and down. He also needed help on stairs. He never complained and I adored him and tried everything I could to help him. In his final years I would roll a towel lengthwise and put it under his hips to give him some support.

This would have been a very helpful item giving me more control and giving Bentley more security.

With the active pack I have now, we often have a muscle pull or a sore leg from some excessive racing around together. Morgan has arthritis an her back legs and sometimes feels stiff and sore.

Last week I ordered this item. I used to ice Bentley's legs and hips every night and I could tell it felt good. He lay very still and got a dreamy look on his face. This therapy jacket has hot and cold packs and the little leg strips are fastened on with velcro. I think the next time anyone has a sore leg, this should provide some real relief.

I found the therapy jacket at In The Company Of Dogs.

We Are The Cure

2010-11-02T16:10:00.000-04:00

November is Canine Cancer Awareness Month.

Cancer affects one out of every three dogs. Of those, over half of them will die of cancer.

Any of us who have lived with dogs for any amount of time have experienced losing a furry friend to cancer. We lost Pylon and Monty to cancer. Monty was only nine years old.

Check out the National Canine Cancer Foundation's blog. It lists 7 important things you should know about canine cancer.

You can also read about the National Dog Wash sponsored by John Paul Pets. It's a company owned by Paul Mitchell Hair Products. For a donation of $5 to the National Canine Cancer Foundation you will receive a package containing:
Tea Tree Shampoo
Pet Oatmeal Shampoo
a pink paw " We Are The Cure" decal
for every dog wash packet sold, Freekibble.com will donate a meal to shelter pets
30 day free trial of Trupanion Pet Insurance

They depend on us. Be aware of the signs.

Beginner Agility Equipment

2010-10-30T13:28:00.001-04:00

I know a lot of you do agility with your dogs both for competition and just for fun.

This little lady is Lyric and she loves agility.

A couple years ago I found a special deal on some beginner agility equipment. I'm not into agility, but I thought my dogs might enjoy playing with it and I was right.

Sky demonstrates his tunnel technique.

The deal is back and I thought I'd share it with you. If anyone is looking for some basic equipment, you might check this out. The set includes two jumps, weave poles, a tunnel and a chute.

Norma Jean backs up thru the tunnel.

Starting on November 27 and running thru December 12, Jeffers Pet has a special each day. The item of the day is for that day only and supplies are limited so you need to get online early because the items sell out fast. This year on November 29th the special item is the agility set. There are only 150 sets available and the price is $70. The regular price is $140. If you want to take a closer look at the set go here.

I have no relationship to Jeffers Pet except as a satisfied customer for many years. Some of the other daily specials include dogs beds, toys, a grooming table and Swarovski crystal dog collars. There's also a great small dog or cat house. If you have any questions, drop me an e-mail.

We Forgot Someone

2010-10-17T15:49:00.000-04:00

Sorry everyone, we forgot a very important new member of the blogging dog family.

This is Toby.

Toby lives in South Africa with King Toffee....

.......and Tammy Girl.

He's helping his new Mom fill the hole in her heart left by Max.

Lots Of New Friends

2010-09-21T18:18:00.006-04:00

We've gotten behind in welcoming new friends to the blogging community. Here are some of our newest blogging buddies. Be sure to drop by and say hello.

This is Andy.

His big sister Sally Ann is doing a great job teaching him how to be a good boy.

Next is Kelly.

Kelly is a service dog in training.

The dog under those ears is Roy Rogers.

Roy has lots of playmates including other dogs, cats, rats and even his very own little girl.

Meet Miss Gracie.

She looks like one of my pack, but she's actually a Kerry Blue Terrier and joins Buster and Ms Bailey Blue.

Not all our friends are dogs. This is Summer.

This lucky bunny has her own room in the house.

Summer isn't the only new kid around, JD has recently joined the family, too. They join Zodiac, Legend and Lyric.

It sure looks like a great life for JD.

There are probably some other new additions that I've forgotten. Drop me a comment or an e-mail and I'll get you all on the blog for special greetings.

Pedigree Helps Homeless Dogs

2010-09-18T21:00:00.004-04:00

For each blog that posts about the Pedigree Adoption Drive thru September 19, Pedigree will donate a bag of Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to shelters nationwide.

Just write a post and go to Life With Dogs to leave a link to your post so Pedigree can find it and count it.

They're counting on us to help.

Deafness in Dogs

2010-09-04T20:50:00.007-04:00

Chan recently posted about Nick, an older dog who was starting to lose his hearing. It brought up an important issue. How do we help our aging pets who are starting to lose hearing, sight or mobility? What do we do when we fall in love with a puppy, only to learn that he has special needs.

There are lots of questions to ask. Are some breeds more prone to certain physical problems than others? How do we live with and train a dog or cat with special needs? Are we capable of providing the care needed by pets with disabilities or aging pets?

I've asked Laurie to post about her experiences fostering deaf dogs. She writes about her daily adventures on her blog Dog Foster Mom and I've enjoyed reading about Ziggy. I can almost feel Laurie's frustrations in trying to find the right home for him.

Below is what Laurie has to share about her experiences. Be sure to drop by her blog and read about her dogs.

This is Tulsa. She was the first deaf dog that I ever fostered. Tulsa didn't know she was deaf. She was a six-month old puppy, and to her, the world never included any kind of sound. You can't miss what you don't know, and being deaf didn't make a difference to Tulsa at all. She was a normal purebred Australian Cattle Dog, who loved to herd and always needed a job to do in order to be happy. She took to herding Remi, my Great Dane, around the backyard - nipping at his heels to guide him where she wanted him to go. I was relatively new to fostering, and had been a dog owner for less than a year. I had wanted to work with deaf dogs, and had jumped at the chance to foster Tulsa. However, my first foster was a total failure. Tulsa was more than I could handle. I forgot one basic rule - a dog is a dog first, their breed second, and their disability last. And as an inexperienced dog owner that worked full time and lived in the suburbs, I was nowhere ready for a young, intelligent, tireless working dog. Fortunately for Tulsa, for Remi and for me, another, more experienced foster home (without any Great Danes) was found for Tulsa. I learned a valuable lesson - don't ever save a dog just because he or she has a disability that draws you in.

Several months and many foster dogs later, I learned of another deaf dog that needed a foster home. Noelle was a four month old puppy, also deaf from birth. She immediately captured my heart. Nothing made Noelle happier than being with her people. She loved to cuddle, and would often lay on top of my feet. I learned this was a common occurrence with deaf dogs. Since they can't hear you get up or leave the room, they sleep touching you or across a doorway to be sure to know if you are about to leave them. Noelle kept a close eye on me at all times since she wouldn't be able to hear if I were to do something interesting, like open a bag of dog treats. We went through obedience training together, and Noelle taught me that training a deaf dog isn't harder than training a hearing dog, and in some cases it is actually easier. Deaf dogs aren't distracted by the sounds of other dogs or people or traffic. Dogs respond to signs and body language better than verbal cues, so teaching Noelle was easier than I expected. Some deaf dogs know over fifty signs! Noelle is not one of them.

It was several months after giving in and adopting my foster dog Noelle that I received another request for help with a deaf dog. Chenille was a senior Pomeranian that was deaf. She came from a shelter several hundred miles away. A rescue group had pulled her to adopt out, and then found out she was deaf. They knew that deaf dogs are harder to find homes for, so in spite of being a beautiful purebred Pomeranian, they felt that she wouldn't have much of a chance finding a home in their rural area. While both Tulsa and Noelle had been deaf from birth, it's likely that Chenille had lost her hearing as she had aged. I thought it might be harder for a dog who used to be able to hear to get used to a world where all communication was done with signs or body language or facial expressions. But Chenille picked up quickly on the same signs I used with Noelle, and in no time she had fit right in.

By this time word had started to spread of my interest in working with deaf dogs, and I received an e-mail about Bella. Bella was a Boxer puppy who was turned in once her owners found out she was deaf. This adorable, smart, sweet puppy was unwanted simply because she couldn't hear. I see it over and over at adoption events when I am fostering a deaf dog. People are sometimes interested in the dog, and then they hear me say the dog is deaf, and suddenly they begin backing away and looking elsewhere. Some people think a deaf dog would be too much work, while others simply think deaf dogs are "defective". In truth, deaf dogs are just like hearing dogs. Some are more work than others - some are better behaved than others, and some are more well trained than others. It always amazes me how people can so quickly lose interest in a dog just because the dog is deaf. Bella taught me how much misinformation is out there about deaf dogs, and how great the bias is against deaf dogs.

Around this time, a volunteer at a local shelter contacted me about Farley. Farley was a deaf Dalmatian mix that had been waiting at the shelter for quite awhile. Farley was everything good about dogs. He was gentle, well behaved, smart, fun, an all-around great dog. He had already learned some basic obedience commands at the shelter, and I had him less than two weeks before Farley was adopted!

And then there is Ziggy, my current deaf foster dog. Ziggy is unlike any dog I have fostered before. he is very intelligent, very rambunctious, and very challenging. His deafness hasn't made him harder to communicate with, but it has added a bit of extra physical work on my end. Dogs who are still puppies or not well trained need a lot of supervision. The extra work comes in with deaf dogs who can't be stopped from whatever they're doing with a simple "hey!" or "no!" from across the room. When Ziggy is counter surfing in the kitchen, I have to physically get off the couch and get his attention before I can sign "drop the bananas, mister!". Of course, the fact that he doesn't immediately drop the bananas has only to do with my lack of training follow-through, not with his lack of hearing or understanding. So if you're considering adopting a deaf dog, and the dog is very young or still needs a lot of work on house manners, make sure you're up for the challenge of getting off the couch or out of the recliner to go get your dog when he does something you don't want him to do.

I've learned a lot from my deaf dogs. I'd like to say they're better, or sweeter, or more appreciative than hearing dogs. But the truth is, they're just like hearing dogs. Some of them bark a lot, and some of them seldom bark. Some of them are cuddly lap dogs and some of them are busy, independent dogs. They can learn to come to a porch light being flashed on and off instead of a verbal "come"command at night. Or during the day, they'll quickly spot a raised arm and come running, if they've been trained. Otherwise they'll be just like every other dog at the dog park, and ignore all requests to come when called! One advantage to living with deaf dogs is they are typically sound sleepers. If you want to come home from the store and get all your groceries away before greeting the dog, a deaf dog is a nice advantage. If you don't let them sleep in bed with you, you can even get up in the morning and get ready for work before they ever wake up. You don't have to worry about your dog being afraid of thunderstorms or fireworks or the vaccum cleaner. And your dog won't go crazy with trying to extract the squeaker from a toy, or refuse to play with a toy that doesn't squeak. All in all, deaf dogs make great companions. You can find out more about deaf dogs at http://www.deafdogs.org.
Laurie

There appears to be a genetic link between color and deafness. You can learn more about this and find a list of breeds most affected at the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals .

Going Green

2010-09-01T15:42:00.027-04:00

What does going green mean to you and your pet? It could mean a lovely walk in the woods, but we're thinking of another meaning. We're thinking about recycling.

No matter where you stand on the global warming debate, we can all agree that some things are worth doing just because they're the right thing to do. None of us want to be knee deep in plastic bottles or litter. We dispose of these things responsibly because it's what's best for all of us. How about putting some of that litter to good use?

First, beds. These are made from recycled plastic soda bottles. They're available in sizes XS to XL at West Paw Design.

These colorful sleep mats are also made from recycled plastic bottles. There's no shortage of bottles, we see them everywhere, so why not put them to good use? They're found at Pristine Planet.

If you're like me, you love buying collars for you dog. Each of mine has a couple and I'm always seeing new ones that I like. If you're looking for a new collar, think about getting one made from recycled or environmentally friendly materials. The ones above are made from 100% recycled materials and can be found at Green Nest.

Earth friendly doesn't have to mean dull or ugly. These collars are from Cycle Dog and are made from reclaimed bike tubes.

There are pretty leads to match.

At JeffersPet, one of my favorite online pet supply stores, you cam find these collars made from hemp. Don't they have a nice look for winter?

These are some of my favorites. Again, they're made from recycled plastic bottles and are from Westminster Pet Products. They also have matching leashes.

We're trying to practice what we preach. Here Samba wears her red bandana print collar. It's made by Westminster, but I bought it from Jeffers Pet. I think it looks great with her black curls and it's nice and soft against her skin.

Do you use Earth friendly pet products? What are they and where can we find them?

You talkin' to me?

2010-08-16T14:39:00.003-04:00

Long-lost Chan here... A small crisis in our extended family prompted me to crawl out from under my rock and seek your advice.

This is Nick. He belongs to my inlaws, and over the last few months, he's gone deaf. He's 11 and has had a few health challenges, so it isn't a huge surprise, but he and his pack need a little help dealing with this situation. My inlaws have had at least one other deaf dog, and for whatever reason, they all transitioned with ease then but not now.

Nick does live with Shadow, a younger sheltie. Shadow went to live with my inlaws after his owner died two years ago, and Shadow is still accustomed to being the center of attention. Nick has always been content to let Shadow run the show, but lately, Nick has been snapping at Shadow when Shadow tries to (obnoxiously nippy) initiate play as he always has. That's problem #1, because Shadow has been over-bearing with my own (female) dogs. Neither dog would really hurt even a flea, but stranger things have happened when a dog is confused and/or hurting...

#2 is just my mother inlaw's desire to be able to have some idea where in the house Nick might be when he doesn't appear when she calls. Their first deaf sheltie of ages past wore a bell, but she's also concerned that Shadow will bark his fool head off at the bell.

Lastly, they just want to keep Nick safe. He's a bright boy and is quickly learning the new hand signals my inlaws are teaching him, such as two fingers on his nose then point to the human eyes means "stay where I can see you" when they take him outside. (We live in podunk, for those who don't follow my blog. Lots of land and at Nick's house, a big, grassy front yard.)

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We had one dog with some hearing loss, so both of my fur-girls were trained from the get-go to voice and visual commands, but they're working on that...

Support Your Local Shelter

2010-07-20T16:39:00.010-04:00

I'm late for posting this. I missed the July 15th date, but our shelters need our help all the time, not on just one particular day.

The local shelter we support is C.A.R.E., Castaway Animal Rescue Effort.

C.A.R.E. is the brainchild of Melissa Sartin. She was dedicated to helping save animals lives for many years before she started and incorporated a non-profit animal rights organization in 1992.

She struggled for years working toward the goal of establishing a permanent No-Kill shelter facility and sanctuary. She purchased the land and a small building where the shelter stands. She and other volunteers dug trenches for water pipes, installed indoor and outdoor drains, put up chain link fencing, created dog walking trails and built out buildings.

C.A.R.E. now has a storefront adoption center and an attached thrift shop for fund raising.

C.A.R.E. does not accept animals from individuals. Instead they rescue dogs and cats from death row at various local kill style shelters. The animals can be seen at the adoption center or at one of the many adoption events the volunteers attend with adoptable animals.

In October the adoption center was broken into and $1000 was stolen. To a shelter that depends on donations to exist, that is an overwhelming loss. Last month some kids were seen on a surveillance tape breaking into a storage shed and stealing dog and cat food.

C.A.R.E has a wishlist, as do most shelters, of supplies they need. They also need volunteers for any number of tasks.

We'd love to hear about your favorite shelter.

A New Little Brother

2010-07-19T11:46:00.007-04:00

We want to introduce you to Brooklyn.

Brooklyn is a handsome young Chinese Shar Pei who was waiting in a shelter for his forever family to find him.

Now he is in a safe and loving home sharing duties with his big sister Lola. There are lots of things that he needs to learn and Lola will teach him. The boy doesn't know how to play, so that is the first lesson and it's already begun.

Brooklyn is adjusting well to family life and with a teacher like Lola, he'll do just fine.

Transport

2010-07-07T15:52:00.009-04:00

The final part of my series on helping animals in need is about transport.

Missouri, where we live, is a puppy mill state. It's a shameful thing to keep animals in such conditions and overbreed them till they wear out. The state should step in and help, but politics being what it is and greed being the driving force behind business and politics, laws are made that punish thoughtful, caring pet owners and let the millers go on with their disgusting work.

Occasionally a community will raid a puppy mill or an animal hoarder or just someone who is not caring for their animals. The animals will be seized and put into shelters. A shelter in Missouri may not be able to place five Cocker Spaniels, but they know of a shelter in Michigan that can. How do they get the animals from Missouri to Michigan. It's much too costly to fly them so they put out word that they need transporters.

The transport coordinator will contact shelters and clubs along the way and individuals will volunteer to take part. On the day of the transport, each volunteer knows the route they will drive and the time and place to meet.

Our first transport was last November when we helped a sweet Basset get from Oklahoma to Maryland. She had been owned by an elderly lady who had too many dogs and could no longer care for them. A couple of other people brought her to Springfield where we picked her up and drove her to Rolla, MO, a trip of about 100 miles.

In Rolla, her next transporter was waiting to take her on to St Louis, where she spent the night, then traveled on the next day.

In about three days time, with the help of a number of people, each driving about 100 miles, Bessie arrived at House of Puddles, a retirement home for Bassets. She'll live the rest of her life there surrounded by others like her.

No more cages and filth. Now she plays with other dogs in lovely surroundings.

Our second experience was a little different. This time there were six Chihuahuas that had come from several different shelters. They were all on their way to Indiana.

Because one of the drivers had another appointment, there was a delay and we took the little ones home with us for a couple hours. We fed and exercised them and gave out lots of scratches and belly rubs.

Then it was back into their carriers to resume the trip. This time they were going to spend the night in St Louis and be picked up the next day bu a long distance trucker who would take them to their destination.
This batch of pups were heading to Chihuahua Rescue USA, where they would be evaluated, given medical care and then placed in safe homes to live with a forever family.

Transports are a way of helping to move animals to where the homes are waiting. It takes only a little time from your weekend and gives you a tremendous sense of satisfaction. To get involved, call a shelter or dog club in your area. They probably know who to contact to get your name on the volunteer driver list.

Rescue

2010-07-07T14:14:00.009-04:00

Rescue is probably the most important means of making a difference in the life of an abused, neglected or abandoned animal. Getting them off the streets or out of dangerous situations is essential. Getting them off death row in a 'kill' shelter and finding safe homes with a foster family or permanent family is the goal.

Most of us don't have the time, funds and space to set up a full rescue shelter to keep a number of homeless animals till they find homes. Some people do it on a small basis, taking in a certain number of animals that they can care for while searching for placements, then taking in others.

Many of us do it on a one at a time basis. Even if we have a pet already, we find a place in our homes and hearts for a stray or an animal that was rescued by others. Rob and I have eight PWDs, but we also have Morgan and Tsar in our family. They were neglected and abandoned pups that fit right into our home and became permanent members.

Rob and I have taken in dogs that were strays on the street, dogs that were neglected or abused by owners that didn't want them and dogs that were turned in to shelters.

The public shelters in many communities have adopted a 'no kill' policy over the past few years, keeping adoptable animals alive and using creative ways of finding permanent homes for them. They swap with other shelters to put an animal in an area where it may be more in demand and the use of foster homes has grown tremendously.

Although most of us can't run a shelter from our own home, we can help out local shelters in a number of way.

Most shelters are privately funded from gifts and donations. Money is always in short supply and they have to use their funds carefully. Food, medical care, and utilities are major expenses. Any time they can save precious dollars by using volunteer services, that means more money for the animals and more animals can be helped.

If you've been thinking about volunteering, but you don't know what you could do, there's a job for everyone at the shelter. They need people to answer phones and do paperwork, to meet and greet people and answer questions.

Shelters create lots of laundry. Blankets, towels and bedding must be washed daily. Even kids can fold towels and blankets.

Cages and pens need to be cleaned daily or perhaps more often. Animals also need exercise. Many shelters are happy to have someone who will walk the dogs and give them some exercise.

Our dog training club recently sponsored an event in cooperation with the local shelter called 'walk a hound, lose a pound'. The shelter brought a load of dogs to the park and our club members each walked one around the park. People with dog training experience can work with the dog on improving his manners and walking well on a leash. Those simple things can significantly improve the dog's chances of being adopted.

Feeding can be a fun activity to help with at the shelter. What animals don't enjoy seeing someone coming with a bowl of food in his hand?

A very important activity for the well being of the animal is playtime. It also works to socialize the animal and make it more adoptable.

Another volunteer opportunity is helping at adoption events. We've all seen the dogs and cats at stores and parks and various places. The animals are all cleaned up and sometimes wearing bandanas, all hoping that someone will see them and take them home.

There are many ways to help rescue organizations and they desperately need our help. With more animals than ever being turned in to shelters and many families having trouble making ends meet, the shelters are stretching their funds farther than ever.

More On Fostering

2010-06-14T14:51:00.023-04:00

Fostering can be one of the most rewarding ways to help homeless animals. Today it's vitally necessary because so many animals are entering shelters and rescue. The shelters are overburdened and without foster families, many of these animals wouldn't survive.

This is Winston on the left looking out the window with Monty. Winston was one of our fosters. He had both internal and external parasites and was badly in need of some good nourishing food. He came to us when he was about three months old and lived with us for four months until we placed him in a home with a couple who had lost their elderly dog and wanted a new companion. I have the opportunity to see him several times a year and he's a wonderful senior citizen now.

Just before placing Winston, I decided I wanted to keep him. I'd grown very attached to the little guy. The couple came to spend the weekend and meet Winston and when I saw how much they loved him and how well he accepted them, it was much easier for me to let him go.

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Road Dog shared this experience:

" My husband was living in California and had two German Shepherds at the time. he decided to foster a third. By the time they got home, he called the German Shepherd rescue group and told them he was permanently adopting the foster dog."

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Several of our blogging friends are currently fostering.

This is Ziggy. He lives with Dog Foster Mom while waiting for his forever family to come along and discover him. I enjoy reading about Ziggy's adventures as he learns to fit into family life. It's not always easy.

Rescued dogs can come with baggage, behavioral problems and sometimes emotional or personality problems. Part of the job of the foster family is to work on these problems and assess the type of home that the animal can best fit into.

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Another blogger that is currently fostering is Barb and hubby Bill. They have a couple of large dogs of their own and over the past year have taken in several small foster dogs. Here are some of their temporary family members.

Roo, as you can see is a special needs dog. Having a deformed leg doesn't stop her from doing everything the other dogs do, but the foster family must be sure that she'll get the support that she needs in a permanent home.

Milli found her forever home.

Isn't Dove cute. She has also been adopted.

Edith was one of the lucky ones to find a permanent home.

Nicky now lives with her permanent family.

John is living with Barb and Bill and is waiting for a family to love him forever.

Chica found her forever home with Barb and Bill and her canine family members Ernie and Sasha. Foster families often adopt one of the animals they foster. They find that the new pet is a perfect fit with their family.

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My friend Nicki has some fostering info to share.

Getting started - Pick a group or breed rescue you are interested in and that has a good reputation. Ask about their adoption requirements. Some groups don't have much in the way of screening and you don't want to invest time, money and emotion into a pet that will end up in a bad home. The ones I have worked with will only place a dog that fits into your household with you. For example, if the dog is not good with cats and you have a cat, they will choose a different dog for you. Make sure you choose a rescue that promotes the pets well - online, local paper, adoption events, etc. This will help make sure you don't get stuck with one a long time.

I have fostered anywhere from a week to several months. It just depends on the pet and who is looking at that time. Older, large breed dogs will be hardest to place. Puppies are usually quick.

The few rescues I have worked with paid all the vet bills, but asked that we buy the food. They either had an appointed vet for you to take them to, or reimbursed for the vet of your choice, if needed.

Trip is Nicki's most recent foster pup

Some will arrange for the potential homes to meet the pet and do all the talking to the adopters and transporting of the pet for you. Some will ask that you participate in this process.

We started fostering because it was something I really wanted to do. We got to experience a lot of different dogs and at the same time really help out a worthy organization and help save lives. We fostered for about a year for an all breed rescue and now intermittently for a Border Collie rescue. When we worked with the all breed rescue, they would call and tell us they had a dog and what it was. If it didn't work for us, we could swap for another, but we generally didn't get to choose. With Border Collie rescue, I offer to foster based on the need or the particular dog when I can work it into our lives! It's generally the job of the rescue to find the home, although it doesn't hurt to promote your foster dog to people you know!

The best thing about fostering is seeing the pet end up with a perfect forever home where they are spoiled and adored! The worst part is the sad stories they often come with.

We have adopted two of our fosters - mainly because they happened to be exactly the type of dog we were wanting next. They just came sooner than we anticipated! I would love to foster regularly, but it takes a true time commitment which I don't have right now, and the willingness of everyone in the family, which is not always present.

Peyton was a foster last year

As far as not getting attached - I never consider the pet to be mine. I always think of him or her as a dog I'm just pet-sitting for awhile. But it also helps that I have very specific criteria for each new dog we get and many of my fosters don't fit the bill. For most people, I think making a conscious effort to never consider that keeping the pet is even an option ( always pretend it already belongs to someone else) is the best way. Working with a rescue that has pretty high adoption criteria helps, because you know it's going to a really good home. Some rescues give the foster home the final say in who adopts the pet, since the foster family knows the pet best. This is nice as it really gives you peace of mind when you finally have to hand over the leash.

Lyric started out as a foster, but was adopted by Nicki

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If you're interested in learning more about becoming a foster family there are a number of organization you can contact. here are a few to get you started:

www.fosterdogs.com

www.fostercats.org

purebredcats.org

www.smallbirdrescue.org

Fostering

2010-05-29T15:00:00.013-04:00

In today's terrible economy, everyone feels the pinch, but the situation is dire for many pet animals whose families can no longer afford to keep them. Household pets are being turned into shelters at alarming rates and the shelters are swamped. They don't have enough space, supplies or volunteers to care for all the animals looking for homes.

In the 24 years that Rob and I have been together, we've done rescue. Pylon, Bentley, Lucy, Monty, Morgan and Tsar were all rescues. We've done fostering, MG, Cookie and Winston, and recently we've been doing some transports, moving animals across country to find safe situations for them. The one thing we haven't done is shelter volunteering. I don't think I can do it. I have trouble just walking into a shelter. I want to bring them all home. I have the greatest respect and admiration for shelter volunteers.

On Dogs-N-More we'd like to discuss each of the ways we can help homeless animals. First let's discuss fostering. I know that several of you foster. Will you share your knowledge with us so that maybe some of the rest of us might consider trying it, or at least understand better what you do?

Lucky

Each of the animals pictured on this post is currently available here in Missouri. They are all listed on Petfinder, if you are interested in learning more about them or in giving one of them a home.

Kingston

Here are some of the questions you can help answer:

Why do you foster?

How long have you been doing it?
How do you get started?

Zoe

What types of animals do you foster?

How do you decide which ones to take?

Rocco

How long does an animal usually spend in foster care?

How do you find a permanent home for an animal?

Topsy

Are you responsible for all expenses?

What happens if no one adopts the animal?

Sassy

What is the best thing about fostering?

What is the worst?

Tex

Have you ever adopted an animal you were fostering?

Why or why not?

Natty

Will you foster again?

Why or why not?

Ozzie

Remember, it's not only dogs and cats that need help finding homes. All types of animals are currently in shelters or rescue organizations waiting for someone to give them a safe and loving home.

Cassidy

Perhaps you don't have room for a big dog and you're allergic to cats. Have you thought about helping a bird like Cassidy or a bunny like Charli?

Charli

What are some of your best fostering experiences?
What are some of the nightmares?
What are the funniest?

Edward

What should we know before considering fostering?
OK, everybody knows the big question--- how do you give them up after having them in your life for awhile and getting attached?

Mr Oinkers

I know several of you currently foster and more have done it in the past.

E-mail your answers to me wilcoxhall@ymail.com

I will post whatever you have to say about fostering. Want to write an entire post about it? Send it to me and I'll post the whole thing. This is an important thing you're doing. Without foster homes, many of these wonderful, happy, healthy animals would be euthanized.

What Kind Of Dog Is That?

2010-05-04T13:34:00.014-04:00

I love puppies. I guess that doesn't come as a big surprise to any of you.
I can't think of anything that can brighten my mood as fast as cuddling a warm puppy against my neck and inhaling that sweet puppy breath. I love their soft little ears and their smooth pink pads.

I've always thought that new puppies look like little fat sausages with ears, legs and tails. But, have you ever noticed that newborn puppies look alike regardless of what breed they are and what they'll wind up looking like when they grow up?

Here's a little quiz. See if you can tell what breeds these newborn puppies are.

Puppy # 1

Puppy # 2

Puppy # 3

Puppy # 4

Puppy # 5

Puppy # 6

Puppy # 7

puppy # 8

Puppy # 9

Puppy # 10

Puppy # 11

Puppy # 12

Puppy # 13

Puppy # 14

puppy # 15

Puppy #16

Puppy # 17

Puppy # 18

OK, notice how much alike they all look? They all have little round muzzles for easier nursing and they all have short, strong little front legs to help them find the milk bar and push their siblings out of the way. They're designed for survival in the first critical weeks of life. After that they'll start developing their breed characteristics.

The above are all purebreds, but mixed breeds look just like them. Did you guess what breeds they are?

Here are the answers:

Puppy # 1 Collie
Puppy # 2 Beagle
Puppy # 3 Scottish Terrier
Puppy # 4 Golden Retriever
Puppy # 5 Boston Terrier
Puppy # 6 Newfoundland
Puppy # 7 Border Collie
Puppy # 8 English Bulldog
Puppy # 9 German Shepherd
Puppy # 10 Staffordshire Terrier
Puppy # 11 Boxer
Puppy # 12 Labrador Retriever
Puppy # 13 Doberman Pinscher
Puppy # 14 Portuguese Water Dog
Puppy # 15 Weimaraner
Puppy # 16 Bedlington Terrier
Puppy # 17 Dachshund
Puppy # 18 Icelandic Sheepdog

How many did you get right? Aren't they cute? Wouldn't you love to cuddle any of them?

Warm Weather Reminders

2010-04-13T15:23:00.018-04:00

While some of our friends in other countries are looking forward to winter, warm weather has come to the US after a rough winter. We're all aware that we need to take certain precautions to keep our pets safe when the seasons change, but it never hurts to have a reminder.

Probably the most important thing to remember is to provide plenty of water for our fur kids. It's good to check frequently to make sure the bowl hasn't been turned over or no insects (think ants) have invaded for a swim party. My dogs love to get their big feet in the bowl and splash all the water out.

We may want to change our walking or exercise schedules and do them during the morning or evening when the temperatures are cooler.

We all know that it's deadly to leave pets or children in a closed car. They may look sad when you leave without them, but it's totally forgotten when you return and they remain safe and healthy.

If your pets are white, short haired or shaved down, you want to consider sunscreen. Also dogs with brown instead of black noses and those with stand up or prick ears can suffer sunburn to their ears and noses. There are sunscreens available made for dogs that will not hurt them if licked. Just try putting sunscreen on a dog nose without it getting licked.

Above are two of my dogs. Tsar has very pale skin under all that hair. When we put him in a lion cut he feels cooler, but we must watch him closely so he doesn't burn. Generally in hot weather he goes outside only in the morning and evening. Norma Jean has a lot of white. The skin under the white patches is pink and burns easily. If she's shaved down she needs special attention. Morgan has a pale brown nose so I slather sunscreen on her as she goes out the door.

Many of us like to open the windows and get some fresh air into the house after a long winter. Our pets enjoy it, too, but falls from open windows can cause serious injury or even death. Be sure if your dog or cat has access to an open window that there is a screen or barricade to protect them from leaning too far out while watching the squirrel on the tree limb just out of reach.

I love spring, but it brings the re-emergence of fleas and ticks and the diseases they carry.

This is the dog flea. A dog can be covered with these creatures and they get into furniture, carpeting and bedding. If left untreated they can cause hair loss, anemia and tapeworms.

The brown dog tick can cause some severe illnesses such as Ehrlichiosis with weakness and bleeding problems or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever with neurological abnormalities.

The Deer Tick, above, can spread Lyme Disease with lameness and arthritis or Anaplasmosis with it's joint pain and seizures.

Mosquitoes can spread Heartworm. All these insect borne illnesses can be prevented. Check with your vet for the prevention treatment that's best suited for your individual pet. What works best for one may not be right for another.

Poisoning is another potential hazard if your dog or cat eats your flowers from the garden. Check before you visit the nursery to see which plants are toxic if eaten. The ASPCA has a good list in alphabetical order with photos of plants that can harm your pet.

Keep your eyes open for those little signs in your neighborhood that say the lawn has been treated by a lawn service company. The chemicals can be toxic. If your dog walks thru the newly treated grass, then licks his feet, he can ingest the chemicals.

Some lucky dogs have access to water, either a lake, pond or pool. Be sure that your dog is supervised in and around the water. Even dogs that are good swimmers can fall into a pool and not be able to climb out. They can tire and drown. Lakes and ponds can have places for the dog to become entangled in roots, vines or fishing line. Check that there are no fishhooks left lying where a dog can step on them.

If you're going boating with your dog or if he's an unsure swimmer, be sure he's wearing a life vest. It will help keep him afloat if he falls overboard and it has a handle on the back to help pull him to safety.

Warm weather brings lots of new loud noises that might frighten your pet. With windows open, street noises seem louder and there is thunder and fireworks. If your pet seems frightened of these noises, there are ways of dealing with them. Check with your vet for ideas suitable for your animal.

Don't forget to have ID on your animal. With doors and windows open and new frightening noises all around, a dog or cat might try to escape the commotion and become lost. Be sure that if you and your pet do get separated, he can be identified and returned to you. Use whatever method works best for you, microchip, tattoo, and ID tags.

Let us know what other warm weather worries you have to deal with. By exchanging ideas we may help someone else keep their pet safe and healthy this summer.

Does Your Pet Have Auto Insurance?

2010-04-08T21:16:00.008-04:00

Most of us enjoy taking our pets with us in the car when conditions are right. We all know not to confine an animal in a closed car in hot weather, but if we're going for a ride, it's nice to have Fido ride along with us. Even if Fido isn't a happy traveler, there are times when it's necessary for him to ride along, such as vet visits.

Dogs and cats, of course, should be protected with either a seatbelt, a carrier or a barricade to protect them in case of an accident.

Now there is another protection available to our pets. A few insurance companies have started providing pet coverage if your pet is injured or killed in an auto accident.

We've all seen this annoying young lady in ads for auto insurance. The company she represents, Progressive, was the first to offer the free coverage for pets. Farmers, Auto Owners Insurance and AAA also offer the coverage.

There is no additional cost for the coverage, but there are some restrictions that apply.
* The coverage typically covers only dogs and cats.
* There is usually a cap for amount paid on vet bills.
* There is a payment if the pet dies during the collision.
* In some policies coverage depends on who was at fault.

More and more companies are looking at this type of coverage. We need to be informed consumers and call our agents asking if this coverage is available thru our policies. We need to make it known that this is something we want.

Vet bills can be enormous for injuries suffered in an auto accident. This may not pay the entire bill, but it's certainly a relief to have some help with the bills so we can make the best decisions for the animals we love.

Do any of you have experience with this type of insurance? We'd all like to hear how it works. It's about time the business world started realizing that our pets are family members. They deserve consideration, not as property, but as living beings. This is a start.

Happy motoring.

My Opinion

2010-03-31T10:35:00.004-04:00

By now most of you have read the Unsafe Toy Alert e-mail that has been making the rounds on the internet. I've received copies from friends, it's been posted on the breed lists I subscribe to and it's shown up on a number of blogs. There are a few things about this particular warning and others like it that bother me.

If you've read my blogs you know that I love my dogs. I'm concerned for their health and safety. You also know that I buy stuffed toys at thrift stores for them to play with. When I first read the alert now circulating I was alarmed, but now that I've read it a dozen times, I have some concerns about the alert itself.

First, there are no specifics in the alert. Remember from high school writing classes, ask who, what, where and when? This alert addresses none of these. Who wrote the alert. Why on earth wouldn't you sign your e-mail if this was true? Who is this veterinarian you reference? Maybe my vet would like to contact him or her for more information on what to watch for, but you don't give a name or location. When did this happen? Was it last week or was it a few years ago? What was the toy exactly? You say a teddy bear. Was it a Beanie Baby or a big stuffed bear won at an amusement park or something in between? Who was the manufacturer. You say the vet contacted the manufacturer, so who was it? Why didn't this vet contact the appropriate agencies such as the Consumer Protection Agency or the FDA or anyone else about this safety threat?

I have trouble believing that the manufacturers of dog toys are being more careful than the manufacturers of childrens toys, especially since most of each type are manufactured in China. And what about the toys that are being marketed for children and pets?

I wouldn't want my toddlers playing with toys that have this very toxic filling, so should I now buy dog toys as baby gifts?

I have a lot of trouble believing these non-specific warnings that appear out of nowhere on the internet and spread like wildfire. I feel it's cowardly to put something like this out there to scare people with no specific information and no names attached. Whoever started this, if it's true, sign your name to it.

So what do we do now? I'm not taking the toys away from my dogs. Will I buy more in the future? Yes. I will watch them when they play with their toys, but then I always have. If and when someone comes up with specific answers to my questions, I'll reconsider, but till then I choose not to give in to this type of scare tactic.

The opinions expressed above are my own and I will take responsibility for them and sign my name to them.
Sue Wilcox-Hall
Springfield Missouri

Late Edition: You can read about this on Snopes site.

Scratch, scratch...

2010-03-20T09:22:00.004-04:00

If it tastes good, spit it out. I think we've all heard someone grumble about that after his human doctor sent him home with a list of low-sodium, low-fat, low-sugar dietary suggestions. Or how 'bout my father inlaw's favorite, "Why not just eat cardboard?" for anything high in fiber?

We've been battling Sissy's digestive system since she was a puppy. High fiber was the first plan, but she made that complicated by deciding the stand-by of canned pumpkin wouldn't pass her lips, not plain, not stirred into her high-fiber kibble. Bake it in a human casserole or muffin, or mix it with yogurt and freeze it, sure, but not straight from the can.

Sissy's adventures in fixing her food issues are now tracked - along with her own thoughts on life - on her blog, because frankly, I needed a place to record what we were doing. Honestly, without help from Sue and Nichole, reading labels and trying to keep up with Sissy's list of restricted foods, I think Sissy and I would be calling cold, diced, boiled potatoes a snack. Poor Gretchen suffers with Sissy, because the she's a tiny dog and eats so little, plus it makes life easier to have them both on the same diet.

That photo, taken a couple of weeks ago, actually helps me accept that Sis isn't too thin. Thin, to be sure, but not too thin. I do need to weigh her and see how close we are to having those last two pounds gone (aren't they ALWAYS the hardest?). It also shows you her long back and short legs, which make the vet so interested in keeping Sissy as lean as possible.

I hope none of you have to deal with the severe food allergies we battle, but I know of two other dog-blog friends who have similar problems. Keep in mind that a chronically soft stool, the frequent scooting and/or icky scent that warns of anal glands that are too full, regular scratching, especially IN or around the ear, could be a sign of a food allergy. Be very aware if there is a food that seems to make your dog sick. Anything with corn or chicken MEAL or by-products, along with highly acidic foods (some fruits) wants to come back up rather than work its way out for Sissy. (And no, that isn't the whole list of her allergens.)

Please know that not all vets have a lot of background with food allergies. We are blessed to have found one locally who specializes in them, who is plugged into a network of other vets who also work a lot with food allergies. We are both blessed and grateful to have the knowledge and support we have, especially through our dog-blog friends. Sissy will forever hold Sue in high esteem, because Sue was a very strong advocate for the need to find a treat that was not the two-ingredient prescription kibble we feed. It only took one short, sweet conversation with our vet for her to agree and to begin to help me figure out how to find treats for Sis.

Hopefully, we're nearing the end of this phase of Sis's journey towards digestive health. If all goes well, in a few weeks we'll begin trying to determine which red meat(s) upset her system, so that the other(s) can return to her diet and give her a bit more variety.

Are you aware of any foods that don't seem to agree with your pet?

A Weighty Issue

2010-03-19T16:50:00.009-04:00

Big or small, canine, feline or human, we all have weight issues.

Chan and I each have a dog who firmly believes we're trying to starve them for no reason. Chan's Sissy speaks about it on her blog, Don't Mess With My Tutu. My Samba is on high doses of steroids to combat an auto-immune disease and is constantly hungry. What do you do with a dog who is always so hungry that she'll resort to stealing food? How do you know if your dog is overweight? What's a good weight for a dog?

My Lucy was a Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix and when she came to live with us at eight weeks she was starving. The family she was born into wasn't interested in the puppies and didn't feed them enough and Lucy was in very poor condition. She never outgrew that mindset and throughout the rest of her life, she was convinced she was starving.

Rob and I allowed her to overeat and her weight blew up to 28 pounds. She looked like a long haired sausage and one morning when she was about five years old, Lucy couldn't get up. Her back couldn't handle all the extra weight and we were afraid she'd never walk again.

Dr B gave Lucy meds for her back, but he also put her on a strict diet and scolded us for letting her get into that situation. After all, we controlled the food, not Lucy. We stuck to the diet and Lucy lost half her body weight and for the rest of her life weighed about twelve pounds.

Two of my dogs, Lola and Noah have always seemed too thin to me. Every time I ask the vet, he tells me they're perfect. He says that dogs who are kept 25% under what is commonly considered normal weight have fewer joint problems, and tests on rats have shown that the thinner ones have less auto-immune disease. Even though the study used rats, he feels the same would apply to dogs.

Dr B has told me on many occasions not to go by the numbers on the scale. Feel the dog's ribs. A padding of 1/8" is perfect. 1/8" isn't very much padding. He'll allow up to 1/4", but over that he tells me to have them drop some weight.

I currently have only one dog that needs to lose weight. Sky is a lot like me. He loves to eat and he hates to exercise. His idea of a perfect day is to eat breakfast, grab his glow ball and stretch out on the window seat to snooze till dinner.

I've cut Sky's food by 1/2 cup and substituted green beans. Sky isn't crazy about green beans, but he's hungry and eats them. The beans make him feel full without adding a lot of calories. Morgan eats green beans every day with her dinner and her weight is perfect for the first time in her life. Samba is also eating green beans to make her feel more full. We buy them by the case.

Sky doesn't like to exercise. He doesn't run much. If we throw his ball, he'll lope down the hill after it, grab it and stroll back to us. Since he isn't putting a lot of effort into the program, we need to increase the repeats. To give him the exercise he needs, we have to throw the ball till our arm feels like it's going to fall off. He'll bring it back as often as we throw it.

On my other blog it seems like my dogs are always getting treats. It's not as frequent as it appears on the blog. We do have a party occasionally, but most days our afternoon treat is carrot or apple or melon. When I buy dog treats, I look for ones that are nutritious and low calorie. We buy four different types of dog food to meet the needs of different dogs. It's not one size fits all.

There may be medical reasons why your dog is overweight. Thyroid is a common one. Check with your vet, have a simple blood test done, discuss the results and ask for help in maintaining a healthy weight for your pet

The control is in your hands. Don't kill your best friends with kindness, you want them to be around as long as possible.

Let's See Those Pearly Whites

2010-03-01T15:10:00.014-05:00

Last month was dental health month and we attended a seminar on canine dental care.

Now, I must admit I am not good about brushing my dog's teeth. Back when I had two dogs I brushed a couple times a week and when Bailey met a skunk last year, I brushed her teeth several times a day for a week or two till the odor was reduced. With ten of them, I seldom brush.

After our annual check ups last week, I'm going to get more serious about this tooth brushing stuff. None of my dogs had serious dental problems, but several had a specific area in the mouth where tartar was building up and could cause problems. Our vet recommended that I concentrate on those specific teeth if I don't feel I can do the entire mouth.

There are several types of toothbrushes available for pets. This variety has a double head so you can brush both sides of the tooth at the same time. My vet says it's only really necessary to brush the outside and the tongue will take care of the inside, but this brush is a good idea. Unfortunately, it takes some time and effort to get it positioned around the teeth so it works the way it's meant to. I've found when I do brush their teeth that I need to work fast. They don't want to stand there with their mouths open while I chat and work on each tooth till it's gleaming. They want me to get it over as fast as possible and their tongues are fighting me. I'm not skilled enough to use this particular toothbrush.

This is the type of toothbrush I used to use with Bentley and Lucy. It fits over the finger and I felt I had a lot more control over where I was brushing when I used it.

There is a problem with this type of toothbrush, too. When you brush a dog's teeth, they keep moving their tongues and trying to close their mouths. That can cause them to close their mouths on your finger while it's still inside the mouth. While these work pretty well for small, or older dogs, I don't think I'd want to try them on my current pack. I might sustain a painful injury.

Here are our new toothbrushes. The vet gave us these last week. They're childrens, soft bristle toothbrushes. The teeth I need to concentrate on are the big molars in the back, so the long handles should protect my fingers.

The next question is what kind of toothpaste to use. Toothpaste marketed for humans can cause stomach distress in dogs who tend to swallow a lot of it. There are toothpastes made just for dogs and cats flavored for their tastes. The toothpaste I'm using now is just called fresh flavor and my guys aren't crazy about it, but I've found other flavors they might prefer. The choices are beef, malt, poultry, seafood and vanilla-mint.

My immediate reaction was to buy vanilla-mint flavor, but then I remembered this is for my dogs. I love seafood, but it turns my stomach to think of popping out of bed in the morning and brushing my teeth with seafood toothpaste, but my dogs will probably love it. I've ordered a tube of seafood and a tube of vanilla-mint. We'll alternate and see which they prefer.

One day a week we apply this plaque prevention gel to their teeth. I gave up on this stuff a few years ago because it was so hard to apply. They provide a long cotton swab to apply it with, but the gel is the consistency of vasoline and it all stuck to the swab. I tried using my fingers but it wouldn't spread on the teeth and fell off in big globs.

Our vet has advised soaking the package in hot water for about five minutes to soften the gel, then with a finger apply a thin coat to the top and bottom teeth, then let the tongue action spread it around. It works. They don't mind it and now I'm not wasting so much of the stuff.

I don't guarantee that each of my dogs will have their teeth brushed every day. I know better than to promise that, but I will really try to do better than I have been. Do you have any tips or suggestions? How often do you brush the dog and cat teeth in your household? Anyone want to join me in trying to provide better dental care in 2010?

Be sure and answer the polls in the sidebar.

Introducing Ciara

2010-02-23T11:39:00.003-05:00

There seem to be a lot of new babies to welcome lately. That's a very good thing!

This little beauty is Ciara. She's a Siberian Husky and she made her debut last week as the new baby sister of Phantom and Thunder.

Isn't she a sweet little girl? This was on her way to her new home. She hadn't yet met her new big brothers.

She thinks this is going to be a great new home where she has her own bed and lots of toys to play with.

Here is a family shot of Phantom, Ciara and Thunder. They're still getting to know each other and how the order will change.

Why do I think this little girl will be running the show before very long? She has that determined look about her. Congratulations guys on getting a new sister. Take good care of her.

Frisbee Inventor Dies

2010-02-20T14:56:00.007-05:00

The following is a reprint from Skyhoundz website.

Walter Frederick "Fred" Morrison (January 23, 1920 - February 9, 2010)

Walter Frederick Morrison, 90, inventor of the plastic version of the flying disc, passed away on February 9, 2010. He was 90 years old - or 19 in dog years. Every kid who has ever thrown a disc in a park owes a debt of gratitude to Mr. Morrison for his foresight.

But many dogs owe him much more. You see, the ubiquitous flying disc - known to many as the Frisbee - is much more than a toy to millions of eager canines. It is a profound source of joy, an object of desire, and the glue that has cemented the bond between canine and human for decades.

Morrison may not have realized, as he hawked his plastic discs on California beaches, that canines would come to revere the plastic flying disc even more than humans. Today, no person of reasonable intelligence would deny this truism.

Morrison lead an unusual life that is not well known to most enthusiasts of the flying disc. His interest in flying objects was likely accelerated by his experiences as a pilot during World War II. At one point, Morrison was even shot down and held as a prisoner of war for eight weeks.

Although Morrison is often credited with the invention of the flying disc, that credit more properly belongs to students at Yale University who adapted metal pie tins from the Frisbie Pie Company for campus throwing games. Morrison plasticized and popularized the flying disc and initiated the fad that would introduce the world to the plastic flying toy that would soon become known as the "Frisbee."

Morrison's 1957 sale of the rights to his plastic disc invention to the Wham-O Toy Company put the toy in the hands of a company with the means to promote the toy worldwide. Thus, the trademarked term "Frisbee" became primed to enter our lexicon and the hearts and mouths of our canines.

In our house the frisbee is without a doubt the favorite toy. We use a soft variety to save on tooth injuries.

Samba loves her frisbee so much that she taught her puppies how to play with it.

She instilled a respect for the toy in each of her pups.

Not all dogs fly thru the air to play frisbee. Some fly thru the water. This is Noah retrieving his disc from the lake.

Competition for the frisbee is alive and well in our household. Thank you Mr. Morrison. Rest in peace.

Get Ready To Smile!

2010-02-19T14:43:00.007-05:00

I bet when you think of a Scottie, you all think of a little black dog. Right? Well, would it surprise you to know that Scotties come in other colors? According to the AKC standard they can be "Black, wheaten or brindle of any color".

Here is a brand new litter of wheaten Scottie pups welcomed by Rocky Creek Scotties.

This is their Dad, Piper.

This is Mom, Carrleigh, with her babies.

This is Hamish.

This is Angus.

Meet Dugan.

Introducing Finlay.

This is Henry.

This is Sophie's Scarlett Sage. What a long name for such a little girl.

The blur is Jasmine. I know from experience that this one is going to be a real mover. My Bailey was a blur, too.

Say hello to Ciara.

And finally, meet Snickers.

What a beautiful little family. If you didn't smile looking at all those puppies, you need a good night's sleep.

Meet Our New Sister

2010-02-18T14:26:00.007-05:00

This is Sasha. She's a yellow Lab and was once a rescue.

This is Ernie. He's a Schnoodle and he was a rescue, too.

Ernie and Sasha are best friends. Recently their Mom told them that they were going to help her foster a little dog that didn't have a family. They were going to let her live with them and play with them until a new family came along to adopt her.

Then she brought home Chica.

At first Chica wasn't sure how to behave and get along with Ernie and Sasha, but very soon they became good friends. Chica became such an important part of the family, that Mom and Dad decided to adopt her and make her a permanent part of the family.

Now Ernie has a full time playmate.

Chica and Ernie love to race around chasing each other.

And when Chica gets tired of playing, she and Sasha can take naps together.

And then guess what happened? Mom and Dad decided to foster again and brought home Milli.

Milli is looking for her forever home, but in the meantime she's the perfect size to play with Chica. Congratulations to the whole family. What a happy ending for everyone.

New Dog On The Blog

2010-02-17T15:39:00.006-05:00

We have a new dog to welcome to the blogging family. Meet Cricket!!

Isn't he a cutie?

When Kathy lost her beloved Huck, she knew she wanted another dog in her life, but it took a while to find the perfect fit. She checked out the shelters, but she didn't make that special connection, till she met Cricket.

What a sweet little guy. I have a special fondness for black dogs, eight of mine are black, but did you know that black dogs are the least adopted from shelters and the most euthanized? The statistics are appalling. Cricket is a lucky boy, he found his safe, loving happy forever home. Congratulations, Kathy, you made a great choice.

Dog Tags

2010-02-14T19:13:00.015-05:00

This is a good time to check your pet's ID tags. Are they still attached to the collar? Are they still legible? Have you moved or changed your phone number and forgotten to update the tags?

Maybe you'd like to get your best friend a fancy new tag just because you love him. Dog tags come in lots of materials, stainless, brass, plastic, enamel and others. They come in pretty colors and designs. They're now a fashion statement as well as a safety feature.

I get our tags at Boomerang Tags. They're not fancy, some are stainless and some are brass, but I've found that they are deeply engraved and the writing remains legible longer than any other tags we've used. Several of our dogs have medical conditions and I have those plus their vet's phone number engraved on the backs.

There are lots of other options for the well dressed pet. Here are just a few.
Good Dog Tags has a huge selection of designs. They have animal, nature, abstract, celestial and holiday designs. Check them out.
This is just a small sampling of their designs.

Red Dingo Dog Tags are stainless steel and enamel. They have a large selection of colors and designs. They also have some adorable cat ID tags featuring fish , mice, flowers, etc.

They're perfect for any size dog.

Some of the prettiest tags I've seen come from By Nicola. These are all handmade and are stainless with copper or silver.

There are a number of designs available.

Pet Expectations have a variety of shapes and colors available.

They also have some devices that are perfect for the lucky dog that has several collars.

This handy item is called the Nite Ize Pet Tag Holder. If you like to change your dog's collar with the seasons or to match your outfit, this makes it easy to just snap off the tags and switch them to another collar.

This is the Cetacea Tag It. It also holds the tags and clips onto the collar for easy removal.

Calling All Dogs have a lot of unique designs in various metals and colors. These are just a few of the styles they offer.

Be sure that the tags you buy are engraved and not stamped. The lettering on stamped tags will rub off from constant wear and won't provide the protection you're looking for. Check the tags frequently for legibility.

Even the very best tag won't protect your pet if it can't be read or if the pet loses it. Microchipping offers the best protection. If your dog or cat dashes out the door without it's collar when the UPS man knocks, a microchip can help him find his way back home safely. It's inexpensive and relatively painless and lasts for the life of the pet.

Happy tag shopping. It's like buying pretty jewelry for our pets, with a very practical purpose. Let us know if you have a favorite place to buy tags. We'll share with everyone.

Dogs That Work - Literacy Dogs

2010-02-04T22:15:00.015-05:00

There are lots of ways that dogs help people. They see for people with vision problems, they hear for those who can't and they help those who are unable to move around on their own by performing many useful tasks. But do dogs help us read? The answer is yes.

There are several organizations that use dogs to help children learn to read.

One of the organizations is R.E.A.D. Reading Education Assistance Dogs.
It is designed to improve childrens' reading and communication skills by having the children read to a dog.

The idea is that dogs are non-judgmental don't criticize and don't laugh if you make a mistake. Besides, it's fun to read to a dog. Have you tried it?

The program was started in 1999 by Sandi Martin and her Portuguese Water Dog, Olivia (You knew I had to slip that in there), and was the first such program in the country.

R.E.A.D. was so successful that there are now other similar programs all across the country. Reading With Rover is one that began on the west coast.

Handlers take their dogs into schools, libraries, pediatric clinic waiting rooms,after school latch-key programs, hospitals, detention centers and boys and girls clubs. They are also useful in programs where children are learning English as a second language.

The handler sits with the child and dog to assist and assess how well the child comprehends what he or she is reading. This is done by asking the child to explain to the dog what was read.

The results of these programs have been positive. The children become more self confident, they show more interest in reading on their own for fun, reading scores improve and hygiene improves. All in all the children demonstrate higher self esteem.

Reading therapy dogs must meet certain qualifications. They must be registered therapy dogs. You can begin by attending a basic obedience course with your dog. The next step is passing the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test which was discussed on an earlier Dogs-N-More post. Then contact either Delta Society or Therapy Dogs International for specific directions on becoming a registered therapy dog. They will assist you in finding an instructor in your locale.

Once you and your canine partner have fulfilled the requirements, there are many possibilities open to you for making a difference in the lives of others. Most therapy teams find their work not only rewarding, but a lot of fun. What a great way to spend quality time with your dog.

Choosing A Vet

2010-01-21T15:42:00.010-05:00

Are you happy with your vet? Does he listen to you? Does he answer your questions? Does he explain things in understandable terms? Does he demonstrate how to give treatments? Will he make referrals? Will he do research and make phone calls for additional information? How does he handle your pet? What about the staff? Are they friendly and helpful? Are they interested in your pet?

One additional question that Samba insists I post, does he have a supply of good treats within easy access?

If you are looking for a new vet, there are some things you might want to consider. Is the facility clean and well organized? Request a tour of the facility at a time when they are least busy.

How many veterinarians are in the practice? Who covers if your vet is unavailable? Check their licenses.

Does the vet have special interests such as dentistry, geriatrics, etc?

Is the staff caring, calm, competent and courteous and do they communicate effectively?
When we lived in Maryland we had a vet we liked a lot and he was good with our dogs, but the staff was so unfriendly and difficult to deal with that we changed vets.

Are x-rays, ultrasound, bloodwork, EKG and other diagnostics done in house or referred to a specialist? If not done in-house, where is it done?

What emergency services are available. If an emergency vet is recommended, which one do they use and how well do they communicate?

Discuss fees. Is there a multi-pet discount. Will they price match on medications or will they write prescriptions so you can shop around for the best price?
With ten dogs, it's necessary for me to shop for the best price. For awhile we did price matching, but now my vet writes prescriptions for maintenance drugs such as heartworm preventative.

Does the vet speak to your pet and act as if he really likes the animal?
At one time we had a vet who acted as if he was afraid of dogs. Obviously we went elsewhere.

You want to build a good relationship with your vet. There are some responsibilities the owner must accept in order to keep that relationship running smoothly.

See your vet regularly for preventive visits, not just when your animal is sick.

Learn what is normal for your pet so you can recognize the early signs of illness. Remember you know your pet best. If you think something is wrong, seek medical help and insist on the proper tests being done. Trust your instincts.

Schedule appointments and be on time. When you enter the office be sure your animal is confined with a leash or a carrier.

Don't expect your vet to make a diagnosis over the phone.

Discuss the treatment with your vet and follow the agreed upon treatment. If you don't follow thru with medication or other treatment, you can't expect the vet to make your pet well.

Write down your questions ahead of time and if necessary write down the answers as you talk with the vet.

Take a friend along. Two sets of ears are better than one. They might catch something you missed.

Ask lots of questions. If you don't understand the directions or the reason for something, ask about it. Ask to be shown how to administer meds, such as eye drops. A good vet will be happy to teach you how.

Remember, you are the advocate for your pet. His life is in your hands. Choose a vet you are comfortable with and who shows real concern for your pet.

Pets and Allergies

2010-01-13T14:25:00.003-05:00

Hello out there! I am still alive and well...

We've spent the last few weeks on another adventure with Sissy. We now have a new to us vet with a special interest in nutrition and digestive issues, a new diet (for the dogs, thanks much) and we might finally be making progress on Sissy's life-long problem with her anal glands. Along the way, our friend AllyB and her dog Sam introduced us to allergy testing for pets. Her vet used The Spectrum Group, but I'd love to hear any experiences you've had with similar services and/or other types of allergy testing for pets.

(See that super-pink belly?! That's not ideal... no wonder the girl always wants someone to rub her belly.)

I'll be asking New Vet about the blood testing on Monday when the girls go in for follow-up on Sissy and a "meet and greet" plus annual exam for Gretchen. I've had a dog with seasonal allergies and he spent his last years on assorted allergy pills, but this is a whole new adventure for me. How many of you have had pets with allergies, and what sorts? How did you manage them?

Rainbow Week - Fourth Day

2009-12-30T00:01:00.001-05:00

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.....

All the animals in this post shared their lives with me.

Blondie

She was my pal. We roamed thru the fields together and watched Hopalong Cassidy together. She slept beside me and she ate the veggies I didn't like.

Snowball, Dusty and Spot

My three rabbits taught me about the daily routines and responsibilities of taking care of an animal.

Boots died in 1958

Boots was an adult dog when my pleading for a dog paid off and she became mine. She was patient and gentle, a perfect dog for a little girl. She put up with my dressing her up and she went everywhere with me. (no picture of Boots is available, this resembles her)

Cookie died in 1960

Cookie taught me a lot about life with a hound. She chewed everything and never outgrew it. She liked to bark and chase squirrels.

Cherry 1957 to 1965

Cherry was a small blue Budgie. He was the first bird I ever owned and I spent hours watching him and laughing at his antics. He was very tame and went all around the house perched on my shoulder. He loved molasses cookies and I used them to bribe him back into his cage.

Zelda Louise 5/9/1961 to 8/19/1978

Zelda was one of the puppies from my accidental litter. When you breed animals you learn that not all of them survive. Zelda's sister, Penny, didn't make it to her first birthday, but Zelda made up for it living to be 17 years old.

She was the smartest dog I've ever known. Show her something once and she got it. Zelda went swimming every morning in the pond, then spent the rest of the day with me, unless she got the chance to go hunting with her friend Chip. Zelda never barked until she was eight years old, then surprised us all, we didn't think she could bark. It was my privilege to have known her.

Burton 1961 to 1967

Burton grew up with Zelda and was much tougher than the dog. He chased dogs away from the house, caught rabbits and chased squirrels right up the tree. He was a big cat that liked to eat and learned to open the cabinet where we kept the cat food to help himself. I believe he thought he was a dog. (no picture of Burton is available, this resembles him)

Libby 9/12/1972 to 2/28/1988

Her name was Liberation. She was the first dog after I was on my own. I was young and single and living at the beach and she was my dog. She slept on my bed, she went to work with me. We walked on the beach everyday and she chased gulls and dug for crabs. She was happy in a car, a boat or on a train. She adjusted to living in a beach house, on a farm or in a high rise apartment as long as we were together.

She checked out my dates and let me and them know if she approved or not. She loved Rob.

I'm so glad we were able to make your last years comfortable with a house and a yard and a sunny window to sleep in and watch the world around you. You went to the park and chased squirrels that morning before your stroke. We all miss you.

Pylon 9/15/1986 to 12/3/1999

Our wedding dog. We found her the evening before we got our marriage license. She was a stubborn puppy that grew into a wonderful dog. I never heard her growl, though she had nightmares almost every night of her life. She could be trusted with the smallest child or animal. She was gentle and sweet.

Porsche 4/25/1988 to 8/31/1988

She was a mischievous little girl who would do something silly, then lower her head and roll her eyes up to look at me. I called her Mouse and was looking forward to lots of time together.

We didn't have enough time with her. We only had her for two days when she got sick. She had picked up Parvo virus in the shelter where we found her and after being in the hospital for six days she died.

We have A Secret
We have a secret, you and I
that no one else shall know,
for who but I can see you lie
each night in fire glow?

And who but I can reach my hand
before we go to bed
and feel the living warmth of you
and touch your silken head?
And only I walk woodland paths
and see ahead of me.
your small form racing with the wind
so young again and free.

And only I can see you swim
in every brook I pass
ans when I call, no one but I
can see the bending grass.
Author Unknown

Bentley 9/15/1988 to 12/17/2001

My heart. He was known as Boo to those who loved him and everyone who met him loved him. He was dignified, but had a silly streak. He had a sense of humor and liked to play tricks on people and other animals. There was never a more gentle dog. He's the reason I have Portuguese Water Dogs today and why I call my kennel Legacy. When he died I was in despair and I still think of him every day and see him in Samba and her pups. He owned my heart and always will.

Schroeder and Vandal

Schroeder was a gift in 1994. Rob had heard me speak fondly of Cherry and surprised me with a little blue Budgie. He was sweet and fairly tame but seemed lonely so Vandal came to live with him. She was named Vandal for a reason. She tried to destroy everything she came in contact with. I remember the day I gave her a strawberry and left the house for a while. When I came home she was red, the inside of the cage was red and the white wall behind the cage was red. We had to repaint the wall, but I bet she enjoyed that strawberry.

Peri and Broc

We were having so much fun with Schroeder and Vandal that Rob surpried me with a pair of green Budgies. I called them Peridot and Broccoli. They weren't as tame as the other two, but we bought a huge cage and put them all together and they seemed to have a great time together. They were always a pair and died within a few months of each other.

Flirt and Bean

Bean was a joy. He was tiny and he loved to swing. Each morning when I uncovered them he would head for his swing and you could see his little head bobbing as he swung higher and higher. We made the mistake of putting him with Flirt who was homicidal. She had been brought in as a mate for Schroeder after Vandal died, but then Schroeder died mysteriously. Then one night we came home just as she was killing Bean. She lived the rest of her life in solitary. I'm sorry, Bean.

Buckley (the yellow one) died 2005

Buckley and Cloud were brother and sister. They joined our little group of birds and fit right in. Cloud still lives in the dining room.

Holly and Buddy

Buddy's owner gave him up because he had learned to call the cats and he wasn't safe. We took him in and he was a real character. He loved the ladies and any woman who came to visit us would hear, "Hello, pretty baby." He had a funny little voice and he would see the dogs and call, "Here kitty, kitty." He died in 2007 at the age of 25 years.

Holly came to keep Buddy company and they were a strange couple. She was quite fat and wore herself out laying eggs. Buddy loved those eggs and sat on them for hours, but none ever hatched. She was much to young when she died from breaking her neck against the perch.

Lucy 11/20/1994 to 8/12/2008

She was the smallest dog I ever had and taught me to respect small animals. Their life is not easy. Imagine living in a world of giants. Lucy quickly took over the house and bossed everyone around. Nobody messed with Lucy. Boo was her very best friend and they went everywhere together. He protected her from bigger dogs. After Boo died, Monty took over the job of Lucy's guardian.

Lucy let it be known that she was Rob's dog. They bonded the first day on the ride home and nothing ever changed that. She was a very obedient girl who loved to go for rides and to sleep in the sunshine.

Monty 3/5/1999 to 12/23/2008

He had a traumatic puppyhood, suffering disfiguring beatings before he was six weeks old. He never was able to trust people except for his immediate family and a couple of women who earned his trust. He was our self appointed guard dog and taught all the other dogs the rules of the house.

He adored puppies and forgot his fears when he was with a puppy. He would let them crawl all over him and pull his ears and tail. It was wonderful to see him play with Samba's pups. He never was rough with them.

He left us much too soon. It all happened so fast, then he was gone. I think about him every day and I miss him so much. The pain is still too fresh.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

When all the world is a hopeless jumble
And the raindrops tumble all around,
Heaven opens a magic lane
When all the clouds darken up the skyway,
There's a rainbow highway to be found
Leading from your window pane
To a place behind the sun,
Just a step beyond the rain.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high.
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

Someday I'll wake and rub my eyes
And in that land beyond the skies,
You'll find me.
I'll be a laughing daffodil
And leave the silly cares that fill
My mind behind me.

E. Y. Harburg

Rainbow Week - Third Day

2009-12-29T00:01:00.010-05:00

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.......

Otis

Otis had a back yard to play in and a great walk to the lake during the summer. No problem behavior and no fear of anything. On walks he would meet some dog four times his size, and he would stop and greet with his wagging tail, then march on.

He loved to play and made up lots of games. He would place his ball on the kitchen rug, then pull the rug over it. He would go off, wait a few minutes, then come back to the kitchen and grabbing the rug in his teeth, give a pull. The ball would fly off and he would give chase, then start over again.

One day I gave him a biscuit. His pal, Eddie, a Lhasa mix, heard the crunch and came looking for his. Otis dropped half on the floor and nosed it over to Eddie. It was the first time I had seen a dog share food.

I've loved every dog I've ever had, but Otis was the dog of my heart.

Casey

Casey belonged to my aunt. My aunt lived on a farm and always had working dogs. When she retired, her granddaughter was looking for a home for a little poodle mix and Aunty said she'd take him. She said she had never had a 'play dog' before. He was full of fun and the two of them adored each other. He lived to be 14. Every dog she ever met got compared to Casey and was always found wanting. (Though no picture of Casey is available, he looked much like this)

Beau sometime before 12/19/1996 to 12/21/2009

He wagged his tail to the very last
And he smiles in his last, long sleep;
The troubles of life, for him, are past!
A shrine in my heart I'll keep.
His soul -- for I feel that he had a soul
And he thought real thoughts, I know--
Has found the ultimate end, life's goal,
In the heaven where good dogs go.

He has lived with me and suffered with me
Shed tears, in his dog like way;
He has placed his paw at times on my knee,
In a vain attempt to say;
"God never gave us that wondrous power,
To tell all the things we feel,
But, I want to say, in my canine way,
That my sympathy is real."

So I loved my dog to the very end,
And he in our daily walk,
Was never just a dog, but a constant friend
And we had no need to talk.
And I hope, when the summons comes, for me
To embark on the unknown tide,
I shall find his eyes in the Paradise
They say is the other side.

James Clarence Harvey

Beau, you were there when there wasn't anyone else. You always provided me with companionship and a good laugh. I tried to provide you with everything you ever needed; but this time I just couldn't fix it. I'm sorry, Buddy.

I will forever miss you, my friend. May you always have a warm place in the sun.

Nibbles died 12/22/2008

Nibby was one of those kitties who loved everyone, very dog-like. She was as adorable as she was loving.

Kiwi 9/19/2007 to 4/26/2009

From day one, she lit up our lives. I knew the day I met her that she was supposed to come home with us. The connection was instant and the moment I met her I knew I could not live without her. I knew I needed her as much as she needed us. I was right.

Shelby died 8/3/2009

There will never be another Shelby, my heart rat. Shelby wasn't like a rat, she was like a mini-dog in a rat's body. We lost her much too soon and very unexpectedly.

Trixie died in May 2009

Trixie was our foster dog. It makes me happy to know that we found her the perfect home, with a retired couple who adored her more than words can say. Trixie really needed to be an only dog and they really needed a dog to adore.

Toby

Morgan's best friend, he let her lead him around on his leash when she was only a tiny pup. He was always patient with her and she loved to run away to visit him across the street. She'd race up the front steps and scratch on his front door. He'd come running to welcome her.

When Tsar came along, he and Toby became best buds. They would sit side by side on the hill looking out over the neighborhood and seemed to understand each others need for space.

Fred 5/2/1996 to 10/5/2007

A big, sweet boy who accepted that pesky pup, Mugsy, into his life and became his best buddy. They shared a love for games and trips to the beach and even snow.

Mugsy 10/5/1995 to 8/23/2008

The little guy who captured so many hearts. He was ready for any adventure as long as his people were there beside him. When he lost his friend Fred, he happily accepted a crazy new puppy, Sissy, into his life. Although he will always be his Mom's heart-dog, he took pieces of many other hearts when he left us, too soon.

I'm Still Here

Friend, please don't mourn for me,
I'm still here, though you don't see.
I'm right by your side each night and day,
And within your heart I long to stay.

My body is gone but I'm always near,
I'm everything you feel, see or hear.
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart,
As long as you keep me alive in your heart.

I'll never wander out of your sight.
I'm the brightest star on a summer night.
I'll never be beyond your reach.
I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach.

I'm the colorful leaves when fall comes around,
And the pure white snow that blankets the ground.
I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond,
The clear cool water in a quiet pond.

I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring,
The first warm raindrop that April will bring.
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,
And you'll see that the face in the moon is mine.

I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep,
And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.
Just look for me, friend, I'm everyplace.

Author Unknown

Rainbow Week - Second Day

2009-12-28T00:01:00.008-05:00

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge..........

Winnie the Bulldog

She was a sweetheart who was only with us four years when she died of lymphoma. Broke our hearts. A gentle giant with children...and a first class snorer.

Dutchess 1988 to 2000

A much beloved Doberman rescue, who though riddled with arthritis, stayed by my side day and night when I tore my ACL and was homebound for two months. She seemed to wait until I was able to get up and around before dying shortly afterwards at the age of 12. I spent many nights sleeping on the floor beside her during her final days, trying to give back some small measure of the love and comfort she had given me. A great dog.

Oscar 1990 to 2003

A Daschund devil who gave me no end of pleasure at his antics. My husband learned not to yell at Oscar or he would later find his slippers filled with a 'deposit' from the boy. Dutchess and Oscar were a sight to see when they were together, as their coloring and markings matched, even if their height didn't. Oscar died at the age of 13, a wonderful little rascal.

Lodie

A sweet natured Boxer who came to us shortly after we lost Dutchess, when her former owner had to go into a nursing home. Her first night in our house was hilarious as she tried desperately to play with Oscar, the Daschund - the first time she had ever played with another dog. They became great friends and in their time together, Lodie and Oscar spent many a winter night curled together before the fire. Lodie-girl was 12 when she died not long after Oscar.

W had three yellow Labs at the same time we also had Dutchess and Oscar- it was a very full house with 5 dogs and four children under 12. Jo-Jo was mother to the other two labs, Red and Jake. Another bunch of wonderful pups. Jo-Jo actually saved two of my children from falling out a two story window. Obviously, she holds a very special place in my heart.

Looker

The neighbor came home with his new black and white puppy, a cute little fellow. The pup kept coming over to our house to play and just hang out. He seemed very attached to my husband. Soon the pup was waiting when he walked out the door and followed him everywhere, even jumping in the car to ride with him. One day the neighbor came to the door and said, " I think this dog was supposed to be yours, you two have something special going on." For the rest of his life, they were never apart.

Allie

Allie and his littler mate Jess were adopted together. Jess had a sleek black coat with neat little white feet. She was small and dainty and a fine mouser. Allie was large and messy and clumsy. Jess would jump from the floor to the bookshelf, then walk the stair rail to a sunny spot. Allie would jump and miss and crash to the floor taking picture frames and books with him. Once on the stair rail, he would lose his footing and tumble down the stairs. He preferred to hide from mice. He died several months after Jess.

Dylan (on the right)

He was a silly pup who loved to bound thru the snow with his dog friends. He could clear a room with his snoring and he could catch a bird on the wing. He went crazy at the sight of water, a wading pool, a hose or a lake, it was all the same to Dyl, a place to play. He accepted Ellie into his life in his later years and taught her to chase the cats, Allie and Jess.

To Love Again...
Oh what unhappy twist of fate
Has brought you homeless to my gate,
The gate where once another stood
To beg for shelter, warmth and food?
For from that day I ceased to be
The master of my destiny,
While she, with purr and velvet paw
Became within my house the law.

She scratched the furniture and shed
And claimed the middle of my bed,
She ruled in arrogance and pride
And broke my heart the day she died.
So if you really think, oh cat I'd willingly relive all that.
Because you come forlorn and thin
Well don't just stand there - come on in.

Author Unknown

Cat died 11/16/2009

We don't know where he came from or what sort of life he had lived. We know his people let him down and didn't deliver on the promises they made to him as a kitten. He was a pretty cat, smokey gray with white markings, but he hid from people and stole food to exist.

We don't know why he chose us at the end, maybe it was the stray piece of dog food overlooked by our pups, or the bird feeders that distracted the fat sparrows and made them easy prey, or maybe it was just the comfortable porch furniture that offered a soft spot to spend the night and a place to bask in the sun in the afternoon.

Maybe he knew he needed help when he became sick and sensed that we wouldn't turn our backs. We're sorry that we only knew you when it was too late, but maybe we helped end the pain and fear.

Rainbow Week - First Day

2009-12-27T00:01:00.003-05:00

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together....

Author Unknown

Cookie

She was dropped off in the country one Thanksgiving morning. All she wanted was love, to sit next to someone and feel warmth and a gentle touch. She was one of the lucky ones who found a family to love her. After trying out several names, they called her Cookie.

Huck 1998 to 2009

I loved every single day with him.
I know you are here with me best boy, I miss you so.
I don't know how to move on and find joy with another dog.
Please send me an answer.

Dakota 8/15/1997 to 6/24/2009

You are missed everyday by your family and especially Thunder and Phantom

Oreo CDX RN AX AXJ AXP AJP CGC
12/3/1994 to 7/26/2009

Much loved and missed

Holly and Wiggles

Together again at the Rainbow Bridge

Taco

When I think of Taco, so many emotions go rushing through me. There's a feeling of sadness that I'll probably never have such a unique and remarkable relationship - teenage girl to geriatric horse. Nostalgia, a longing for the sweet smell of alfalfa hay and the sight of the barn that I made my second home for six years. I feel pride, pride for the life I gave him in his final years after enduring, for the better half of his life, what some would call neglect. Anger, for the failed and flawed effort that was put into saving him that fateful weekend he got sick. And sometimes I feel shock - shock that six years went by when it felt like only six weeks. Shock that in a blink of an eye, it was all gone away.

Most of all, though, I feel thankful. Thankful that my beautiful old man was with me for as long as he was, when everyone thought he'd have been gone so much sooner. Thankful for the way he allowed me to sit in a corner of his stall and do nothing else except form some of the best memories of my life. Thankful that he did not suffer for long at the end. Thankful that I knew him, and, above all. thankful to have been able to form such a magical friendship and have such a blessed experience in my life.

Callie

She was a grown cat when the two little babies and the goofy puppy came along, but she accepted them all and welcomed them to share her adored person with her.

Bo died 2009

He was the goofy puppy who grew into a big, gentle dog. He loved his kids more than anything and shared his home with several cats and other dogs. He loved to break out of the yard occasionally and wander off to visit his friends, but he was always there to play with his kids or cuddle with them to watch a movie. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Belle 1995 to 2009

Always a lady. She went everywhere with her person and was an exceptional ambassador for her breed. She is missed tremendously by her family.

If I Could...

If I could catch a rainbow
I would do it just for you
And share with you its beauty
On the days you're feeling blue.

If I could build a mountain
You could call your very own
A place to find serenity
A place to be alone.

If I could take your troubles
I would toss them in the sea
But all these things I'm finding
Are impossible for me.

I cannot build a mountain
Or catch a rainbow fair
But let me be what I know best
A friend that's always there.

Author Unknown

Happy Holidays

2009-12-24T10:46:00.002-05:00

Chan and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for joining us this year in our experiment called Dogs-N-More.

Chan and Gretchen and Sissy want to join........

Sue and Noah, Morgan, Samba and Fudge along with Tsar, Tess, Sky, Lola, Bailey, and Norma Jean in wishing a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.....

to you and your pets, whatever they may be.

Our Creative Readers

2009-12-19T19:34:00.004-05:00

We've been posting lots of recipes and crafty items lately to help with your holiday planning. I guess it worked because you've been baking and sewing and you've agreed to share with the rest of us.

Don't these look good enough to eat? These are from Freyja and Scout and they say they taste as good as they look. Here's the recipe.

Peanut Butter 'n Pumpkin Dog Cookies

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
4 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix well. Dough should be very stiff. If it's too stiff, you can add a little water or applesauce. Roll dough to 1/4". Cut into desired shapes. You can make these a little thicker but you'll need to adjust the cooking time. Watch carefully!

Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes.

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There's another happy dog who's been helping in the kitchen. Here's Lucy with some of her homemade cookies. I'm going to make these for Samba. Ginger is supposed to be good for an upset tummy and Samba's medicines are upsetting hers.

Gingerbread Mailmen

1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

In medium mixing bowl combine molasses, honey, water and oil. In another bowl mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt.

Stir flour mixture slowly into molasses, mixing well.

Divide dough in half, shape each piece into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4" thick. Cut into shapes and transfer to lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until firm and lightly browned around edges.

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Have you seen those neat bandanas that slide over the collar. You don't have to tie them so you don't get your pup's hair caught in the knot. They aren't as bulky and uncomfortable around the neck as the big knotted ones. Well, on Ernie and Sasha's blog their crafty Mom shows how to make them. She has a great tutorial that's easy to follow and now we can whip them up for all seasons and holidays.

Here is handsome Ernie modeling one for us.

Sasha is wearing hers, but doesn't care for the modeling part. Very good job, guys.

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Thanks to all of you for sharing your ideas. That's why we started Dogs-N-More, so we could share ideas, recipes and information, pictures, announcements and more. Let us know what you'd like to read about in the coming year. Have a wonderful holiday with you pets and come back to visit often.

Saying Goodbye

2009-12-16T22:09:00.002-05:00

I've always had animals in my life. My earliest memories are of the family cat. There have been dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, a hermit crab, a calf and a horse. There were hamsters and white mice and lots of frogs, toads and turtles. Sharing our lives with animals is wonderful, but we all know that their lives are too short and that someday we must say goodbye. I've held too many faithful dogs in my arms as they took their last breaths and I know you have too.

Chan and I would like to honor all those pets on this blog. Starting December 27 and running thru December 30 we will post pictures and remembrances of all the pets that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, the ones who have gone recently and the ones who went before.

Please join us. Send pictures, names and dates and whatever you would like to say about your pet to either Chan or me. My e-mail address is on the sidebar. On those four days we will have posts dedicated to remembering the pets who we have loved. If there is an animal that belonged to a friend or relative feel free to include them. The last week of the year seems like the perfect time to stop and think about those small lives who meant so much to us.

Here Come The Holidays -Part 6: Yummy Treats

2009-12-11T12:15:00.020-05:00

From your pet's point of view this is probably one of the most important parts of the holiday, second only to being with you. This is a great time to try making home-made treats. It's easy, it's fun and your pet will think you're the smartest, most wonderful person on the planet.

There are various methods just as with human cookies. There are drops and bars, but most popular are the rolled out cookies cut with cookie cutters.

Trust me, your pet won't care what shape the treat comes in, but I think it's fun to use dog shaped cutters for dogs such as bones and hydrants, cat shaped for cats, consider mice, etc. If you'd like to make animal shaped cookies, but you don't have a cutter, try The Cookie Cutter Shop. They have cookie cutters in every shape you can imagine. Yes, I have Portuguese Water Dog shaped cutters.

When I bake cookies, I have lots of helpers in the kitchen waiting for them to come out of the oven. I've done the leg work for you and here are some of the best selections of recipes for pet treats that I could find online. We're are so lucky to have access to the internet. We can find recipes for so many individual pet needs. If your dog is vegetarian, or allergic to wheat there are special recipes for them. If your pet is diabetic or has trouble putting on weight, or has problems with fleas or bad breath, there are recipes just for them. And if Fido has been packing on the pounds this year, there are low fat recipes for him. So we have no excuse.

Bullwrinkle has the longest list of recipes that I found. They're listed alphabetically starting with Apple Cinnamon Drops all the way thru Wacky Wheat Treats. In between you'll find Cheesie Bacon Biscuits and Snickerpoodles.

Gourmet Sleuth has a shorter list, but some interesting choices such as Bread Machine Biscuits, Flea Hater Biscuits and Vegetarian Treats.

Dog Aware has divided their selection into liver treats and non liver treats. My dogs aren't crazy about liver (I 'm not either), but in the non liver section I plan to try the Salmon Cookies. Another interesting choice is Sunflower Cookies. They also have recipes for dogs with allergies and recipes that are low fat/ low protein/ low phosphorus ( for dogs with kidney disease).

Hungry Mutt offers Banana Biscotti and Doggie Heaven (made with sardines), among others. We'll be making the sardine cookies. My dogs love sardines and eat them weekly.

Daily Drool includes Peanut Butter Basset Biscuits ( are you paying attention Sissy?) and Pet Party Mix.
Yummy For Dogs divides their recipes into several categories; biscuits, desserts and entrees. They also have recipes for bird food, wildlife food and rat and mouse food.

Cooks Recipes have some unique recipes. For cats they offer Mackeral Cat Munchies and for dogs you can choose from Beagle Bagels, Fatten'em Ups, Fussy Eater and Microwave Doggy Donuts.

Young Williams Animal Center offers recipes for Wheatfree Salmon Treats, Bad Breath Banishers, Wheatfree Scotty Biscuits and Milk Bone Dog Biscuits among many others.

Dragon Bear has some tasty offerings such as Dog and Cat Cookies, Carob Treats, Pumpkin Patch Biscuits and Bacon Biscuits.

Finally, Sugar Mama Baking has some wonderful choices such as Bacon Grease Doggy Cookies. That may not sound wonderful to you, but bacon grease is great for the coat. Flea Repel Doggy Cookies, and Baby Food Doggy Treats are also there.

This one is called Cheddar Doggy Biscuits. Don't they look good enough to taste? I used to make some similar for Monty and he liked them so much that he stole a whole sheet full, the one and only time he ever stole food.

I can hear you saying, "Is it worth it? I can buy a bag of treats." Yes, you can, but if you bake some treats you'll see responses like these.....

Samba

Norma Jean

Bailey

Fudge

Now isn't it worth a little time to see such happy pups? I have not personally tried any of these recipes, although I plan to. I will be posting a couple of my old favorites on my other blog, The Portuguese Water Blog, in the next couple days. If you decide to make some of these recipes, please let us know how you liked the recipe. Were they easy, did they turn out well and most importantly, did your pet like them? Your experience can help the rest of us choose which ones to try.

Here Come The Holidays - Part 5: Safety Tips

2009-12-04T09:11:00.009-05:00

The most important thing we can give our pets and the rest of our family, too, is a safe holiday. None of us want to spend any part of our holidays in the emergency room. There are some simple things to keep in mind to ensure that we all get to enjoy our time together. Most of them are familiar, but there may be one or two that have slipped our minds.

One of the most important things to remember is that pets and candles don't mix. Always supervise pets when candles are in use. It's amazing how high dogs can climb to check out something of interest and cats, of course, can go almost anywhere. Birds that are allowed to fly freely can receive nasty burns.

We all know that some plants are toxic to pets. Poinsettia, while it won't kill your cat or dog, can cause burns to the mouth and throat. Mistletoe can be deadly and pine needles can puncture an animal's intestines.

Here's one that may be a surprise. Did you know that many snowglobes contain antifreeze. Only a very little can kill a good sized dog very quickly.

Animals, like children, are attracted to the shiny ornaments on the tree. These look like balls to a dog or cat, but the broken glass can cause injury to paws and mouth.

Dogs and especially cats think tinsel looks like fun to play with. They're attracted by the light and the movement. It can cause intestinal blockage if eaten and the metal strips can cut the mouth and throat. It's wise to keep glass ornaments and tinsel high on the tree, out of reach of pets. It's a no brainer to keep cords tucked away and to unplug lights when you leave the house.

We all like to indulge in special treats during the holiday season and our pets are no different. We need to be careful and monitor what they consume.

Alcohol is a no no for pets. Many dogs and cats are attracted to the sweet smell, but it can be extremely toxic to them. Don't leave empty drink glasses on low tables where Fido can reach them to do a pre-wash.

We all know the list of toxic foods for dogs - chocolate, grapes and raisins, coffee and tea and macadamia nuts. Don't forget that uncooked yeast dough can expand in the stomach or intestines causing a rupture.

Some people haven't heard about xylitol. It's an artificial sweetener used in some gums, breath mints, candy and other human foods. It is extremely toxic and can kill quickly. If your dog likes to raid visitors purses looking for gum (my boxer had this nasty habit) be aware and keep an eye on him. Just one stick of gum sweetened with xylitol can kill.

Why don't my cookies ever look this good? Remember that pets, like children, can overindulge during the excitement of the holidays. It's fine to want to share out special dinners our treats with our pets, but use good judgement and ration their treats. They'll be just as happy with one of their own treats as they will with a frosted cookie.

This is a good time to check smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and other safety devices. Be sure to keep batteries in a safe place where pets can't get to them.

If Fido or Fluffy does get into something, keep these numbers handy:

ASPCA Poison Control 888-426-4435

Pet Poison Hotline 800-213-6680

If you're traveling for the holiday and taking the family pet with you,be sure to check ahead for the address and phone number of the pet emergency room near your destination. Planning ahead could save a life.

Now enjoy the holidays with your pets, knowing you've taken steps to ensure their safety.

Surprise!!!

2009-11-29T17:50:00.002-05:00

Wicked Wanda and Mr Big presented my friend Pat with ten new PWD puppies on Black Friday.

The surprise is that Wanda is seven inches taller and weighs 25 pounds more than Mr Big, who is a very little guy. Pat didn't realize Wanda was in heat, but Big knew.

I guess he's living up to his name. All the pups are big and healthy and growing fast. Aren't they cute? They make me want puppies again.

Here Come The Holidays -Part 5: Toys

2009-11-27T10:46:00.043-05:00

Let's admit it, we all love toys and we all look forward to receiving our favorite toys as gifts. My toys include my crafting tools and new gadgets for my computer. Toys can be anything that brings pleasure when you touch or look at or use it
Pets love toys, too. A toy can be as easy as a ball of yarn for a cat or an old tennis ball for a dog.

While we're speaking of cats, they love things that move and make them work. The fishing pole type toy above will make your cat think he's hunting and chasing big game. It's a fun way to get an older, more sedate cat interested in moving around.

Another cat toy is this ring with a ball inside. The cat can't get the ball out, but can spend hours trying.

Pet birds like toys they can preen and chew on.

These rope and straw toys provide hours of fun for birds. My two birds play with theirs all the time.

It's easy to make bird toys with string and shiny items all fastened together and it's a great deal of fun to watch them examine their new toys.

Dog toys come in several different categories. Think about the individual dog you're shopping for and also about the family's life style.

Balls are probably the most popular dog toys. Most dogs love them and they come in all sizes, shapes and colors. Some things to consider are the size of the dog, very little dogs can't pick up large balls and the age and health of the dog. Very old dogs may not be able to play with a ball anymore and a dog with arthritis or other disability may not be physically able.

The balls above are my pack's favorite, glow balls. They glow in the dark, if you enjoy playing ball at night. They come in two sizes and are pretty tough for strong chewers.

These Holee Roller balls are great tools for teaching your puppy to catch. We've had one for years and it's in perfect condition. My dogs haven't chewed it up. Once they learn to catch, they usually move on to other types of balls. You don't want to pick soft rubber or thin plastic for heavy chewers, but they're both fine for more gentle dogs.

Some dogs are lovers, not chewers, and for them soft, stuffed toys with or without squeakers can be perfect. My dogs all love stuffies, but I have four who feel it's their duty to dismember them. If you don't want to pick up cotton stuffing, consider the new ones that are unstuffed. If you can't stand the sound of squeakers, there are some made without them or with other sounds.

We gave these to friends one year. We picked up several take out boxes from McDonalds and put the burger toy inside. Dogs seem to recognize those little white boxes and they get very excited when you hand them one with a stuffie inside, all for them.

If your dog is bonkers for squeakers, try this. It has one or two squeakers in each leg. It's also a good tug toy for a multi dog family.

Some dogs love to retrieve. A hard plastic frisbee can be a hazard to the teeth as we learned the hard way. We use soft frisbees and our favorite is this one, the Flying Cow. We currently have three of them and have given them to each of our puppies who left for new homes. The company, Bamboo, guarantees all it's toys and will replace them for free, even if chewed. We've had ours replaced twice thanks to Morgan.

The Flying Cow is Samba's favorite toy and she taught her pups how to play with it when they
were about six weeks old.

Bamboo makes lots of different toys, all guaranteed. We have this one, too and it's good not only for retrieving, but for games of tug.

Here are more soft frisbees. These things can really fly and if the dog catches it mid-air, it shouldn't crack his teeth.

One of the newer toys, but a big hit with my group, is the Wubba. It flys thru the air for retrieving, it has long legs for tugging and some of them float for play at the beach.

If your dogs enjoy games of tug with you or with each other, there are lots of options. Most dogs like these rope toys, but be aware that they also enjoy pulling the strands out and leaving them all over the carpet and furniture.

If you have a multi-dog household, this is a good tug toy. It stretches and takes a lot of abuse.

A popular new category of toy is the one that makes the dog work for a reward. They come in all sorts of styles. This simple clamshell unscrews for loading with treats. Then the dog must work the treat around to the opening.

Or in my house, Bailey just ate away part of the clamshell letting all the treats drop out.

These soft puzzle toys are popular. You load the little squirrels, or chicks or whatever, into the large toy and the dog has to work to get them out.

We haven't tried these yet because Morgan and Bailey would use a shortcut, just eat the large toy and the little ones will fall out. They are cute for less aggressive chewers.

I'm fascinated by these puzzle toys and hope to get one for my pack this holiday. There are several styles where you load the treats in, then the dog has to move some part to expose the treat. I've seen several dogs demonstrate this and they really have to work at it.

These toys are rather expensive, but watch for sales.

If the family spends time at the beach, consider a floating toy that the dog can retrieve. Several companies make them specifically for water play.

A traditional bumper style is always fun and can also be used for training. They come in many materials such as the canvas above or plastic.

There are also floating frisbees and Wubbas.

Buying toys for pets can be fun and they can be found almost anywhere. Check out dollar stores and thrift shops, vet clinics and grooming shops. There are many pet supply sites online. Think about the pet you're buying for and what it's lifestyle is like. Then enjoy watching as the animal plays with his new toy.

If you need help locating any of the toys shown, email me and I'll tell you where they can be found.

Here Come The Holidays -Part 4: Gifts For Our Friends

2009-11-25T08:35:00.001-05:00

If you have pet lovers on your shopping list, relax, we have loads of ideas for holiday gifts they'll love. Here are some of our favorites

We have sleigh bells on our doors. Originally we had them for decoration, but Bentley taught us that dogs are so smart, they can ring a bell when they want to go out. We've never had to teach our dogs to do this. They teach each other. If I'm in another room and hear the sleigh bells, it means someone needs to go outside.

Everyone needs key chains. I don't drive, but I carry my keys at all times because Samba has locked me out of the house on occasion. Even if your friend doesn't need a new key chain, these can be used as purse ornaments or the little charms can be transferred to a charm bracelet. They come in all breeds and generic for those wonderful mixed breeds.

My pack has a toy box, though it's not nearly as fancy as this one. They love their toy box and check it all the time to see if anything new has shown up. It's also nice to have a box with a lid, so if company is coming you can stick the mess inside and close it.

These stickers are very important. They let emergency workers know how many pets you have and what species they are. If a fire starts when you're not home, these stickers could save the lives of your pets. We have them posted beside each door.

Each of the gifts shown above, plus many more are available at Jeffers Pet.

Garden flags are very popular.

You can find almost any breed of dog and cats, too on beautifully colorful small flags. Several types of holders are also available.

How about some refrigerator magnets? There are lots of different styles to choose from.
The flags and magnets and lots of other ideas can be found at Dog. com.

I like to give sweatshirts and mugs to my pet loving friends and my favorite place for both is Cafe Press. They have hundreds of styles for any breed. If you can't find exactly what you want, they'll even make up your own design.

Here is a gift sure to be appreciated by human and dog alike. It's even better if you fill it in advance with yummy treats. It's from Sit-Stay.

Here's an idea I really like. You know that neighbor down the street that never picks up after their dog? How about a dog poop ornament for their tree. Include a little package of poop bags with it. Maybe they'll get the message. It's not real dog poop, it's resin, but the meaning is still there. You can find this little gem at Sit-Stay.

Probably my favorite gift for any occasion is a book. I love to give them and I love to receive them. Check the Shelfari bookshelf on the sidebar for lots of great books about dogs. You can always go to Amazon and search for dogs and you'll find thousands of titles.

If you have a PWD person on your list, it's gotten easier to find breed specific gifts this year. It's nice to have friends in high places and Bo Obama has helped PWD lovers. Yesterday I actually found a PWD calendar in the mall. Every year I've looked and they never had one before.

A Portuguese lady came up with this neat design and has a shop selling all sorts of PWD items. Note that the jacket of the dog is made up of the letters H2O. Her shop is here.

Whenever possible I like to buy from places where my money will go to help others. The various breed clubs and shelters and rescue organizations usually have some holiday items for sale. The money you spend at these places will actually go to helping the animals. One of my favorites is Calimel Cares. It's owned by a PWD owner who donates 100% of the profits to the PWD Foundation. The Foundation does research into diseases that affect Portuguese Water Dogs. The research helps all dogs and in some cases humans.

Use your imagination and surprise you animal loving friends with some unique gifts designed for them.