Kangee @ 8 weeks old

WARNING - these pictures contain optimum cuteness. Beware!!

GSPs and other hunting dogs looking for homes

http://web.me.com/msalyers/GSP_Rescue/Home.html

Out of Missouri. A very sad story for the owner. Hopefully they'll be able to find good homes for all the animals!!

Samoyeds Looking for a Home

I haven't verified this information, but it came from a reliable source. Please crosspost as you see fit:

There are 7 pure-bred female Samoyeds who need a "forever home" because their owner/breeder, Cathy Pendleton, is losing her battle with breast cancer. She can no longer care for her dogs and has been moved to Hospice after being in the hospital for a week.

I'm giving this a wider distribution than usual, so some of you may receive it more than once. Even though you may not be on a "rescue" group email, I'm including you in the hopes that you can forward on to the widest distribution so that these girls all have a chance to find the perfect new home. The dogs are in the Atlanta , GA , area, but they will allow them to be adopted out of state.

All the owner/breeder wants is for all of these girls to get good homes. Currently, they are not wanting to place any of the dogs in foster care because they are trying to move the dogs only once. My understanding is that the older animals have been spayed. Because she is a breeder, the younger dogs are not spayed; however the new family would need to have the dog spayed if she is less than seven years (The dogs range in age from 1.5 years to more senior dogs.)

One look at their picture (below) shows how extraordinarily beautiful these dogs are. (I count 8 in the picture, but perhaps one has been placed already.) All are healthy and well cared for, up to date on shots, heartworm, flea treatment, etc. The new "forever" home will need to have a fenced yard with sufficient space for an active dog. The folks who are placing the Samoyeds for the owner may do a home visit either before, after, or both to ensure that the dog and their new family are a good fit.

If you think you might be interested after reading Velvet's email (below), her contact info is v.a.simmons@ att.net.

Thanks for giving this the widest distribution possible. Following is the email from the lady who is managing the adoption of these 7 lovely ladies.

MJ

Charity Scrapbook Package for Australian Brushfire

The wonderful talents of 34 creative designers have combined to create a mega kit of scrapbooking designs, the proceeds of which will be contributed to the victims of the Australian Brush Fires. Check it out:

http://digilovers-addiction.blogspot.com/2009/02/are-you-ready-for-big-surprise.html

Top Ten Reasons Why Your Pet May Be Itching

Top Ten Reasons Why Your Pet May Be Itching
by Cynthia Holley-Connolly - Staff Writer, Only Natural Pet Store

Itching is one of the most unpleasant sensations imaginable - and a cat's or dog's never-ending scratching, biting, and licking can seem nearly as aggravating. Watching your pet suffer with a chronic itch is an all-too-common experience facing pet parents these days. If your pet is constantly shaking their head, or scratching, rubbing, chewing or licking some area of skin, you can bet that there's likely some agonizing itching going on. Left untreated, areas of itchy skin become vulnerable to damage from your pet's scratching or licking, to hot spots (areas of oozing, dry or inflamed skin), and even to secondary infections from bacteria. What may be causing the itch, and what can you do about it?

We've compiled a list of the top ten itch-causing factors and some suggestions on what you can do to help your pet escape from that irritating itch. Before your pet is tearing up their skin, pulling out their fur, or forced to wear a cone-shaped (Elizabethan) collar, consider these common causes of itchiness in pets and work with your vet to get your pet some relief:

1. Poor Quality Diet - We're not talking about food allergies here (more on that shortly). A surprising factor underlying a vast number of allergic itch reactions is simply a poor quality diet that inadequately nourishes a cat or dog. As we always say, a good diet is the foundation of good health. Even the best medication won't eliminate allergic skin reactions when your pet's immune system is unable to function properly due to lack of nutrients. If you're still feeding a grocery store, veterinarian prescribed or commercial chain pet store food, we urge you to read our article, "What You Need to Know About Your Pet's Food," check the label on your companion's food package, and find a natural food for your cat or dog. A good daily multivitamin is a great way to enhance the nutrient levels your pet gets each day as well.

*****************

For the rest of the story, see their web site!

Rescue Remedy Pastilles now SAFE!!!

Happy to report that when I checked the ingredients for the pastilles today, that they no longer have xylitol as one of the ingredients. Bach responded to feedback and they have reformulated their products, once again preserving the integrity that makes them safe for ALL of their customers :)

Kangee @ 7 weeks old

This was created for another challege at www.godigitalscrapbooking.com. The challenge was journaling and I also did a scraplift (where you find a layout you like and use it as the basis of how you place your elements.

Kangee is now 6 weeks old and full of vinegar. He is biting everything in his path to try out his puppy teeth. I gave him a limb from a bush yesterday and he was in heaven! He almost discovered shoelaces yesterday, but the unsuspecting victim moved their foot in the nick of time while I distracted him to something else.

Here is a picture of his mom. Check out the distinguished pedigree!!

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/401089.html

Vet Bills

When it rains, it pours. It all started about 6 weeks ago with Rizzo the pug getting attacked in the back yard. She had some serious wounds on the underside of her chest and was found close to dead in the back yard one winter day when the temperatures were low. She was rushed to the vet and made an amazing recovery, but required sedation on two different days and multiple stitches. The at-home care was rigorous for a few weeks as necrotic tissue disappeared and her body began the rebuilding process. Her wounds required flushing several times per day, but she was a good sport.

And to top it all off, the security cameras weren't at the correct angle to pick up what happened and it was a mystery what happened to her, but unfortunately all indicators pointed to Yoshi, the older german shepherd female we opened our home to when she was retired from breeding at her former residence. Yoshi is an incredible dog, worth her weight in gold, and very non-confrontational, so why the attack? After 3 years of peaceful living?

A week later, we noticed two masses on Yoshi's abdomen that were very tender to the touch. They weren't there two weeks prior, so that would explain the attack if she had been under the weather while these were developing. A preliminary visit to the vet with x-rays to see if it was cancer and perhaps if it were widespread indicated that the removal of the masses might be sufficient. So she underwent a mass removal and spay. Her body looks horrible with all the stitches and a big drain tube coming out of her abdomen, but her eyes are bright. She seems happy and very thankful to be on the other side of that procedure.

In between this, we took in a german shepherd puppy who was rejected by his mother at birth. He had some huge obstacles to overcome, including battling a systemic staph infection, being bottle fed, and the loss of one of his feet. He was the runt and is still far too tiny for his age of 4 weeks, but he is strong and vibrant, with a great appetite and is developing on course other than size. He's been into the vet at least 6 times in all this, getting his paw re-wrapped with bandages and being on anti-biotics.

Back to Yoshi, on day 3 of her post-spay care, we went through the two-man procedure to administer her medications. When she doesn't want to open up her mouth, there aren't many who can make her and successfully get medicine down her. And she was too nauseous to fall for the ole "wrap it in hamburger" trick. So on that morning, two of us got the anti-biotics and the rimadyl in her, but then were distracted and walked away from the scene of the crime, for which we paid dearly later.

That same day, coming home for lunch, it was discovered that 5 pugs had opened up the rimadyl (left on the coffee table) and scarfed it down. The culprit gave himself up when he started puking all over the sofa. He was rushed to the vet for 2 days of IV's because rimadyl can cause liver damage.

So roughly $2000 later, I hope we're done going to the vet several times a week. I almost refused the rimadyl because I have some great natural pain relievers that don't have harmful side effects. Wish I would have followed my gut!!

I'm just glad that everyone is ok and on the mend. But man, I need a vacation...

Fabio's scrapbook page

The scrapbooking challenges at godigitalscrapbooking.com have been keeping me busy. It's so much fun to relax at the computer, putting pieces of beautiful artwork together in new and creative ways. The best part is that I can walk away from the project and there's not a whole table that has to be dedicated to scrapbooking stuff!!

Here's the latest with Fabio made up primarily with pieces from the Plumbago Kit and the February Collaboration Kit.

More Scrapbook pages

Can you tell I'm having fun with the new digital scrapbooking pages?

The elements, papers, etc. for these pages came from the designers at godigitalscrapbooking.com

New page for Gator

This was made for a challenge to learn how to blend a photo into the background. All paper and elements are from various artists online, none are original creations.

There is a lot of meaning to the word where this little guy is concerned. Maybe one day his whole story will be posted. He's a brave little soul, with lots of (hutzpah?).

More pictures of Buzka & Fabio's puppies

Buzka's mom sent me more pictures of the cutie patooties today. She said both the boys are chunks. Big balls of pure luvin. Check 'em out.

Digital Scrapbooking fun

More fun with scrapbooking. The layout with Kangee is a template and paper kit from No Reimer Reason at www.godigitalscrapbooking.com and was the product of a challenge to do a multiple photo layout.
Jolene's is also from a challenge on the same site from speedscrapping night, but using a paper pack from www.shabbyprincess.com called Promise.

Puppy Updates

This little guy has lots of obstacles to overcome, but he has a team of knowledgeable folks on his side.

Temporarily, until a permanent name is found, we've been calling him Kangee which means raven in one of the native american tongues. Here is a picture of Kangee's older sister from a different litter.

Little GSD puppy needs some extra TLC

Over the night of January 6th, Allie & Axel (belonging to friends) welcomed their litter into the world. Among them was a little baby that was smaller than the rest and wasn't getting the same attention as his siblings. When he was about 12 hours old, the breeder called to say that it wasn't going to make it, the mother wasn't caring for it. When I got there, the little guy was separated from the other puppies, cold and weak, and hadn't yet been stimulated to release his first elimination.

I scooped him up, put him in my shirt primarily for body temperature, but also so he could feel the love. Once he got his temperature up and some food in him, he started getting stronger and stronger. This little guy has a bright future ahead of him. Once he's doing well, he's going to a home that is custom-made for him. They've been waiting for a male german shepherd puppy and it will be a perfect fit.

Fabio & Buzka's pups

Buzka and Fabio had their puppies at the end of November. I got to visit with the of the pups a couple of weeks ago and they were absolutely precious. The parents are in the top picture, the little apricot male was sleeping in my lap, and the little fawn girl and fawn boy were with their mom in the final picture. The boys are sweet and lazy, perfect cuddlers. The little girl is sassy and bossy and already tells the boys what to do. They are absolutely beautiful!

Merry Christmas from the Dogs

Clydesdale Budweiser Commercials

They have some of the best commercials! Some will make you laugh, others made me cry. Someone sent me links to this collection of commercials and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Streaker


Foal


Snowball Fight


9/11 Respect


And the Clydesdale Donkey
I must be emotional today - even this one made me teary-eyed.

Cats keep lost boy warm

MISIONES, Argentina, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Argentine police say a destitute 1-year-old boy was kept alive by a colony of stray cats who shared food scraps and kept him warm in the city of Misiones.

The boy, who had been missing for several days, was found by Police Officer Lorean Lindgvist, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday

"The boy was lying at the bottom of a gutter. There were all these cats on top of him licking him because he was really dirty," Lindgvist said. "When I walked over they became really protective and spat at me. They were keeping the boy warm while he slept."

Lindgvist said she noticed scraps of food near the boy and surmised "the cats knew he was fragile and needed protecting," the Telegraph reported, noting doctors said the warmth of the cats saved the boy during freezing nights that could have killed him.

The boy's father, who is homeless, said his son vanished several days ago and that cats had always been protective of the boy, Lindgvist said.

Christmas Tree Woes

The three calamities I expected with the Christmas tree this year (animals eating tinsel, ornaments breaking, tree tipping) have amazingly not occured. But in an house with dogs, cats and toddlers, the poor Christmas tree is still suffering its fair share of mishaps this year.

This past summer was one of the worst we've had for fleas in Ohio, and during the worst of it, the pugs learned that if they get underneath the decorative bushes by the deck, that they can rub their backs on the lowest branches. Oh, heaven! So when we put up the tree, they naturally thought we had installed an indoor back-scratcher just for them. It stinks when the branches pop out of the little holders and fall out. Kind of defeats the purpose. And it's even worse when the german shepherd puppy grabs said branches and takes off around the house with them, dragging streams of icicles, tinsel and ornaments behind her.

Now that the weather has turned cold, the cats have been training me to let them in and out. They enjoyed the fall weather outside so much that they don't want to return to a totally indoor experience, so they go out for a bit while the dogs use the potty, then they come back in, too. They also decided that the upstairs was too crowded with the toddlers, so they're trying to create a comfortable spot downstairs where everyone can live in peace and harmony.

Winter, the more sociable of the two, decided that any laundry pile or the master bed was good with her, and that's where she can usually be found. Luna, being more reclusive in nature, has gone through a number of hiding spots, but just hasn't found her niche. Until the tree went up. Turns out that the bottom two rows give too much (they're sagging very nicely now), but the third row from the bottom is just right. Not too weak and the branches not too far apart. It evidently makes a perfect perch and sleeping spot for a reclusive cat. To her credit, she somehow manages not to disturb the ornaments in her mount/dismount.

With the cats formerly living upstairs or outside, the dogs haven't been around either of the cats in a significant way for quite a while. So to help establish her place in the house, one day Winter hid on a chair and as unsuspecting pugs went by her, she smacked them with her paw. Didn't hurt them, but the sheer surprise of the sneak attack served its purpose and now the dogs don't know what's around the next bend of their formerly perfectly safe house.

Luna is totally black, so when she hides in the tree, there are very few dogs who know she's there. Last night, the german shepherd puppy was sleeping on the living room floor (a miracle in itself, with all that puppy energy) and the tree wiggled. Her head snapped up and it wiggled again. A threatening low growl was emitted at the same time Petunia came around the corner to find herself a cozy place to lay. When the tree wiggled a third time and more vigorously, Petunia jerked around, ran out of the living room with the german shepherd on her heels. No one wants to live with a haunted Christmas tree, you know.

Message from the Horses

Communicating with animals, and especially with the consciousness of the groups of animals can provide very profound information. Some gifted communicators have written books with information such as this. Here is an interesting excerpt.

From the Horses:
"This time in the Earth’s history will involve enormous changes in the vibration, and consequent consciousness and evolution of life on the planet. Within the next decade animals will be considered in a new light, as spiritual equals with rights and freedoms, with important gifts to contribute to the survival of L.I.F.E. (Love In Finite Expression) forever. Man has been struggling through the dark ages of their existence in matter. Human Mass Mind Consciousness, shaped by universal consensus i.e. TV, Radio, Newspapers, has been mired with an ego driven need to fight for and accumulate material possessions. Those possessions have made it increasingly difficult to find time to commune and connect on a spiritual level with the rest of life. All of creation except the majority of mankind has been holding the vibration of love which flows freely from the All when consciousness is open. Have you noticed recently that horses are everywhere inspiring a new understanding of their gifts as wise teachers and healers. Natural Horsemanship, Equine Facilitated Therapy and Therapeutic Riding are just the very beginnings of the possibilities in Horse/Human communication. Open your minds and hearts to the messages we send you and consider us not as pawns to be exploited and tamed but as messengers from heaven, here to guide you in the experience of oneness here on earth."

Liz Mitten Ryan
http://www.onewiththeherd.com
http://www.lizmittenryan.com

Otters holding hands

Scrapbook Page - Ellie's first litter (Jan 07)

Scrapbook Page - Ellie Litter 2

Scrapbook Page - Ellie 1

Jasper & the Unbaked Yeast Rolls

We have a fox terrier by the name of Jasper. He came to us in the summer of 2001 from the fox terrier rescue program. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this type of adoption, imagine taking in a 10-year-old child you know nothing about and committing to doing your best to be a good parent.

Five weeks ago we began remodeling our house. Although the cost of the project was downright obnoxious, it was 20 years overdue AND it got me out of cooking Thanksgiving dinner for family, extended family, and a lot of friends that I like more than family most of the time.

I was assigned the task of preparing 124 of my famous yeast dinner rolls for the two Thanksgiving feasts we did attend.

I am still mad at the electrician for getting the new oven hooked up so quickly. It was the only appliance in the whole house that worked, thus the assignment.

I made the decision to cook the rolls on Wednesday evening and to reheat Thursday morning. Since the kitchen was freshly painted, you can imagine the odor. Not wanting the rolls to smell like Sherwin Williams latex paint #586, I put the rolls on baking sheets and set them in the living room to rise for five hours.

After three hours, Perry and I decided to go out to eat, returning about an hour later. An hour after that, the rolls were ready to go into the oven.

It was 8:30 p.m. When I went to the living room to retrieve the pans, much to my shock, one whole pan of 12 rolls was empty. I called out to Jasper, and my worst nightmare became a reality. He literally wobbled over to me. He looked like a combination of the Pillsbury dough boy and the Michelin Tire man wrapped up in fur. He groaned when he walked. Even his cheeks were bloated.

I ran to the phone and called our vet. After a few seconds of uproarious laughter, he told me the dog would probably be OK; however, I needed to give him Pepto Bismol every two hours for the rest of the night.

Who knows why I thought a dog would like Pepto Bismol any more than my kids did when they were sick. Suffice it to say that by the time we went to bed, the dog was black, white, and pink. He was so bloated we had to lift him onto the bed for the night.

Naively thinking the dog would be all better by morning was very stupid on my part.

We arose at 7:30 and as we always do first thing, we put the dog out to take care of his business. Well, the dog was as drunk as a sailor on his first leave. He was running into walls, falling flat on his rear. Most of the time when he was walking, his front half was going one direction and the other half was either dragging the grass or headed 90 degrees in another direction. When he ran down the small incline in our back yard, he couldn't stop himself and nearly ended up running into the fence.

His pupils were dilated and he was as dizzy as a loon. I endured another few seconds of laughter from the vet (second call within 12 hours) before he explained that the yeast had fermented in his belly and that he was indeed drunk.

He assured me that, not unlike most binges we humans go through, it would wear off after about four or five hours. He then told me to keep giving the dog Pepto Bismol.

Afraid to leave Jasper by himself in the house, Perry and I loaded him up and took him with us to my sister's house for the first Thanksgiving meal of the day.

My sister lives outside of Muskogee on a ranch (a 10- to 15-minute drive). Rolls firmly secured in the trunk (124 less 12) and drunk dog leaning from the back seat onto the console of the car between Perry and me, we took off.

Now I know you probably don't believe that dogs burp, but believe me when I say that after eating a tray of risen unbaked yeast rolls, DOGS WILL BURP. These burps were pure Old Charter. They would have matched or beat any smell in a drunk tank at the police station. But that's not the worst of it.

Now he was beginning to pass gas and it smelled like baked rolls. We endured this for the entire trip to Karen's. We were thankful she didn't live any farther away than she did.

Once Jasper was firmly placed in my sister's garage with the door locked, we finally sat down to enjoy our first Thanksgiving meal of the day. The dog was the topic of conversation all morning long and everyone made trips to the garage to witness my drunken dog, each returning with a tale of Jasper's latest endeavor to walk without running into something. Of course, as the old adage goes, "What goes in must come out," and Jasper was no exception.

Granted if it had been me that had eaten 12 risen, unbaked yeast rolls, you might as well have put a concrete block up my behind, but alas a dog's digestive system is quite different from yours or mine. I discovered this was a mixed blessing when we prepared to leave Karen's house.

Having discovered his "packages" on the garage floor, we loaded him up in the car so we could hose down the floor.

This was another naive decision on our part. The blast of water from the hose hit the poop on the floor, and the poop on the floor withstood the blast from the hose. It was like Portland cement beginning to set up and cure.

We finally tried to remove it with a shovel. I (obviously no one else was going to offer their services) had to get on my hands and knees with a coarse brush to get the remnants off of the floor. And as if this wasn't degrading enough, the dog in his drunken state had walked through the poop and left paw prints all over the garage floor that had to be brushed too.

Well, by this time the dog was sobering up nicely, so we took him home and dropped him off before we left for our second Thanksgiving dinner at Perry's sister's house.

I am happy to report that as of today (Monday) the dog is back to normal, both in size and temperament. He has had a bath and is no longer tricolor. None the worse for wear, I presume. I am also happy to report that just this evening I found two risen unbaked yeast rolls hidden inside my closet door.

It appears he must have come to his senses after eating ten of them but decided hiding two of them for later would not be a bad idea. Now, I'm doing research on the computer: "How to clean unbaked dough from the carpet."

~Author Unknown~

Advice from a professional baker:

While its a cute story I need to point out that it is not accurate as
far as the danger of un baked dough. As a professional baker for 18
years and a dog owner I can tell you that had that really happened, it is
likely the dog would have died.
I only point this out so if your animals happen to eat yeast dough it
is very serious and they need to get it out of their stomach quickly.
My friends pug nearly died of a this from a bit of dough less than
the size of a golf ball.

If your dog eats dough call your vet. I'm the wet blanket on a cute
story.

M

The Dragonfly Story

The Dragonfly Story

Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in awhile one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily it gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more.

"Look!" said one of the water bugs to another. "one of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you think she is going?" Up, up, up it slowly went....Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited but it didn't return...

"That's funny!" said one water bug to another. "Wasn't she happy here?" asked a second... "Where do you suppose she went?" wondered a third.

No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its friends together. "I have an idea". "The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why."

"We promise", they said solemnly.

One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up, he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broke through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above.

When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn't believe what he saw. A startling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings...The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly!!

Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that he chanced to look below to the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends, the water bugs! There they were scurrying around, just as he had been doing some time before.

The dragonfly remembered the promise: "the next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went and why." Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water...

"I can't return!" he said in dismay. "At least, I tried. But I can't keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I'll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they'll understand what has happened to me, and where I went."

And the dragonfly winged off happily into its wonderful new world of sun and air.......

Thank you God, for the story of the water bugs and the dragonflies.

Please remember________who left the pond we live in...and remember me...

STICKNEY, D. (1997). Water Bugs and Dragonflies. Explaining Death To Young Children. The Pilgrim Press.

I rescued a human today

I rescued a human today.


Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels.


I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.


As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.


She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.


Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.


I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved.

At least I could save one.

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month

Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Senior Dog

1. Older dogs are house trained. You won't have to go through the difficult stage(s) of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping/cleaning up after accidents.

2. Older dogs are not teething puppies, and won't chew your shoes and furniture.

3. Older dogs can focus well because they've mellowed. Therefore, they learn quickly.

4. Older dogs have learned what "no" means. If they hadn't learned it, they wouldn't have gotten to be "older" dogs.

5. Older dogs settle in easily, because they've learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.

6. Older dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home. They are grateful for the second chance they've been given.

7. What You See Is What You Get: Unlike puppies, older dogs have grown into their shape and personality. Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.

8. Older dogs are instant companions -- ready for hiking, car trips, and other things you like to do.

9. Older dogs leave you time for yourself, because they don't make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.

10. Older dogs let you get a good night's sleep because they're accustomed to human schedules and don't generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.

Please save a life and adopt a senior pet today. If you're ready to bring home a senior pet, please visit the below links.

Pet Finder

The Grey Muzzle Organization

The Senior Dog Project

Old Dog Haven

Searches can also be done for the breed rescue of your choice (such as the Ohio Pug Rescue) and, of course, your local humane society. Often older dogs never make it out because people want younger dogs who will be with their families for a while longer.

Also, please take time to make provisions for your animals if something were to happen to you so that they don't end up in a hopeless situation.

Veronica addresses a pet who has died

www.innerwhispers.net

Dear Veronica,


We adopted a precious pit bull puppy about thirteen years ago. He was a wonderful dog and everyone who knew him adored him. He recently died of what we think was just old age. He didn't like being alone, he was quite sociable. We are heart broken and want to know if he is with either mine or my husband's family on the other side and if he knew we were trying to help him by giving him medicine.


Also, he was quite large and striking, white with a brindle right eye and ear. Since his death, there has been a large white bird with dark markings that comes to our house and flies over, sits in the tree, sits on the fence and chirps, and I wonder if it could be a sign from him. We've never seen a bird like this before and we've always had a busy bird feeder. I did get a good photograph of him.
-Karen

Dear Karen,


The dog is neither with your husband's family nor your own (on the other side). He is free and taking shape close to your own family. Since he felt such closeness to both of you he decided to keep his energy close. The bird was an easy mark and coincided with the freedom he sought from a malfunctioning body that no longer served him. He remembered a moment of envy when he saw birds flying by and sought to have the experience for himself.

He seeks another body that will make its way to you. That is why he chose a bird, to be able to see all opportunity. He is your buddy and wishes to stay with you. Seek a moment where you will let a newer version of himself to you.
He awaits the opportunity. He is not finished being with you!


He will fly until the moment serves him. He knew quite well how much you loved him. You did not want him to go and he knew it. He will return to you. Be watchful.

-VERONICA

April's Editor's Note: Pets, particularly dogs and cats can "blend" with other pets to hang around or visit after they "die". They also reincarnate and return to the same family more often then most people might suppose. Some of April's clients have had remarkable experiences with this... as have we.

Rescue Remedy Pastilles now SAFE!!!

Upset that such a trusted company could produce something that could potentially cause harm in a dog, I wrote the company, as I'm sure many others did. I heard back that the product wasn't recommended for dogs and that they would forward the information on to marketing. Out of curiosity, in Feb of 2009, I became curious and looked up the ingredients for the pastilles. A huge thumbs up to Bach for reformulating their pastilles, making them safe for ALL their potential clients, and for restoring the integrity of their products. I'm so relieved and appreciative!!

Here was the original warning:

Bach, the manufacturer of rescue remedy, has released a candy that is sweetened with xylitol. For those who don't know, xylitol is toxic to dogs. The original liquid formula is fine for your furry friends, but please avoid the candy version. Xylitol is also commonly found in chewing gum, so please keep this safely out of your dog's reach, as well.

http://www.oes.org/page2/12235~No_xylitol_for_dogs.html
http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/42372/5700515133048530975.html

RIP Coconut Jar

This morning it became apparent that it was time to put our friend, the Coconut Oil Jar, to rest. This jar has been one of our best friends during it's time here with us.

Our relationship started with an innocent comment or a link somewhere to the benefits of coconut oil. What? An anti-biotic and anti-fungal all in one? I was sure we could use some of this for something or another. I bought a jar on faith that it would be used and find its purpose.

Well, it found many purposes. The first of note was Gator's tearstains. After learning that tearstains were a sign of candida, an internal bacterial imbalance, I began to do what I could to restore the proper bacterial balance and used the coconut oil externally on the tearstains. It worked like a champ! The first application would soften the brown areas and make them very easy to remove in subsequent applications.

From there, we moved to putting it on hotspots, or other dry, patchy areas of skin. Occassionally it would find its way to a dry nose or a scrape or two.

But no matter where the oil was used, the dogs' favorite use was as a treat. Whenever the Jar was pulled out, everyone would gather around for a fingernail full of the fluffy white stuff. It quickly became one of their alltime favorites.

It wasn't long before the Jar taught them other things. Like how to steal it, even though it was far too big for a pug to carry. Then they learned how to remove the srew-top lid which truly resolved the carrying issue now that they could simply grab the rim of the Jar.

After learning how to remove the lid, it wound up on my bed mysteriously missing coconut oil down to the depth of a pug tongue. With getting past that hurdle, it lasted for quite some time afterwards since I was the only one who could reach down deep enough to get out more oil. It didn't prevent them from carrying it around and stealing it from each other. Finding the coconut jar was a chore at times, but fortunately the majority of the time it would end up back on the bed before I needed it again.

The Jar was one of their best friends. They didn't get depressed or give up in frustration that they couldn't reach the oil. No, they carried it around with awe and respect. The possessor would laud it over the have-nots. It would inspire a rousing game of chase. And they would lovingly and gently chew all around the rim of the plastic jar to the point where it was hopeless to ever reconsider putting the lid back on.

Yes, it was a beloved member of the family. Recently, though, we have been scraping bottom. Just yesterday they all got treats of coconut oil as they sat around me with bright and excited eyes. I figured it would only last a couple more days, so imagine my surprise when I woke this morning to find the jar absolutely empty.

It seems in a farewell to our family, it gave them one last lesson on life. Use your paw to get to the bottom. One of my beautiful, intelligent companions has figured out how to use her paw to scrape the bottom of the coconut jar to retrieve the last tasty morsels.

Farewell, our friend. May you find yourself recycled into the plastic of your dreams.

Right Now - relaxing

Positive Pause has created a beautiful slide show that is very relaxing.

Right Now.

Upside down dogs!

Check it out the webpage.


And one of the cutest cuties ever - here's a pug!

5 Major Myths About Raw Food Diets - Only Natural Pet Store

This information was in the most recent Only Natural Pet Store newsletter.

Store Site

All About Raw Food

Why the Staff Feeds Raw

10% off Nature's Variety Raw Medallions until October 30, 2008!


Five Major Myths About Raw Food Diets

1. It's Too Expensive – We firmly believe that feeding cheap dog food is a case of being “penny-wise and pound foolish.” A steady diet of cheap commercial dog food is strongly linked to poor canine health, often resulting in costly and hard-to-treat health problems as dogs age. What is really the more cost-effective option? You can spend a bit more for a high quality diet now, or pay dearly later on in terms of vet bills and your dog’s potentially painful and debilitating health problems.

2. Raw Food Is Risky – Generally speaking, the risk of getting sick from eating raw meat doesn’t apply to dogs. As did their ancestors, our canine companions have a shorter GI tract, and produce powerful digestive juices to digest and assimilate raw food and handle any bacteria it may contain. The bacteria that may be present in all raw meats (intended for human or pet consumption) do not usually cause health problems for dogs. In fact, a raw food diet is known to improve the health of most companion animals.

3. It’s All or Nothing – Many people mistakenly believe that feeding raw is an all or nothing deal, but this is not true! If cost or convenience is a challenge, you can choose to feed raw half time, or even just a few times a week. Your dog can benefit greatly from the high-potency nourishment that raw food delivers. Raw food is the natural choice for dogs, and even occasional raw food for your dog can improve their health and longevity.

4. Dogs Don’t Really Like Raw – It’s true that dogs (like us humans) can be creatures of habit, and dogs that turn up their noses at raw food are most likely responding to its “differentness” rather than the nature of the food. Also, dogs that free feed (have 24 hour access to kibble), or those that routinely eat commercial foods laden with artificial taste- and aroma-enhancing ingredients may have lost their natural sense of appetite and instinctive desire for healthy food. Dogs, like people, can get addicted to "junk" food. Given healthier food, many dogs learn to appreciate the vitality a raw diet gives them.

5. It's Too Much of a Hassle – When compared to the convenience of tossing some dry food into a bowl for our dogs, feeding a raw food diet is admittedly a bit more work. But with the convenient portions available in frozen prepared raw food diets, a bit of preparation (i.e., taking the time to transfer food from freezer to fridge to thaw) doesn’t add much to the food prep time. Today’s raw food diets take no more effort than you take handling raw meat to prepare meals for your human family members, and honestly, isn’t your dog worth the extra effort?

Raw Transitioning & Trial Tips

If raw food seems like a good idea, but you worry that your dog won’t take to a raw food diet, read on! The benefits of a raw food diet can be astounding, and if you make the commitment and persevere, your dog can greatly benefit from your efforts. Here are some tips to get you started:

Take Your Time – Incorporating raw food into your dog's diet is a big step, and your dog’s digestive system and palate need time to adjust to the change. Plan to transition your pet over a 2-4 week timeframe, depending on how picky your dog is and the state of their health. Gradually increase the proportions of new to old food so your dog’s system has time to adjust.

Taste Test First – You don’t have to go all out and buy pre-packaged raw dog food from the get-go! Try giving your dog a small bit of raw meat when you are preparing meat for family meals - this can give you an idea of how receptive your dog may be to a raw food diet. Try different meats and see if your dog has a preference. Often a dog that dislikes raw beef will take to raw turkey or chicken.

Whet Your Pet’s Appetite – If your dog is used to free feeding (having dry food left out all day), start by cutting back to two or three meals per day. This is healthier for your dog’s digestive system, and will increase your dog’s appetite - and usually, their willingness to try whatever you put down at meal time. You can also try adding a tasty “topper” to encourage your dog to try something new.

Take Baby Steps – Especially for picky dogs, a change to raw food can be a huge adjustment. Start out slow, and try mixing a bit of raw meat into your dog’s usual canned food or kibble. Many dogs will accept raw food more easily if you warm it up, or even cook it lightly first by pan searing the outside to release the aroma. Over time, you can cook it less until your dog accepts it raw. Keep trying - the results are worth it!

Raw food can enhance your dog’s quality of life and overall health, and help them live a longer life. It’s easy to take our dogs for granted, and investing in a raw food diet is one of the best ways to give back to your dog for all of the love they give you every day.

Judge OKs $24M for cats, dogs sickened by pet food

For those whose pets were affected by the pet food recalls

http://www.komonews.com/news/national/30981739.html

Trying to get to sleep?

This is not my house, but might as well be. Yes, it takes them forever to get to bed at night because the bed is the softest and bestest place to wrestle, you know :) Add in Petunia burrowing under the covers and Rizzo destroying the paperback novel after the lights go out, and you pretty much know how it is going to bed around here, too! I love how they disappeared and she had to go get them out of trouble about halfway through.

Challenger the bald eagle

Training suggestions for an aggressive/barking dog

Cross posted (with permission) from a forum where someone was asking for help with their dog (modified to remove names):

---------------------

The most effective approach is a multi-faceted one.

One suggestion I have is to have a TTouch Practioner do a couple of sessions with you, your sons and the dog. The process works on the basis on the fear in gentle and soft techniques. The public library also has books and videos you can watch and the techniques are simple to learn. www.ttouch.com

Second, I would highly recommned "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons and it will show you how to step by step retrain your dog to first desensitize, then even appreciate your boys. The clicker acts on the amygdala in the brain to calm the dog.

Third, exercise for high drive dogs always helps. By exercise, I mean 40 min 2x a day that gets her heart rate up. Chasing a ball, swimming, steady roughhousing with other dogs, running beside a bicycle etc. This will provide an outlet for excess energy and the chemicals released by the brain has a calming effect.

Regardless of what techniques you choose, it will be a long haul and there are always setbacks. We have had ours (also a recue) a year tomorrow and unexpected fear issues still pop up every now and then. I have been working several times daily training and socializing her at any venue in town to make her a dog anyone would be proud to own. She has made huge strides in her comfort level with "in your face strangers" and dogs off leash but odd sounds in the forest still freak her out.

Good luck!

Donna & Jessie

PS. We have been working Jessie through Sue Aislby's free on-line training program and it's awesome! It provides a step by step process of how to train useful behaviors for a family dog. Once Jasmine is starting to be more comfortable with the boys, they can be a part of the training which will help with changing her view of them and bonding.

http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/%20Dog1/levels.html

From a fellow pug @ YouTube - Max the Pug Sings!

September Fun - Mum Festival!

September has been a very busy month! We started off with a bang by going to the Dog Splash at the recently closed water park. At the same time, we were battling fleas. Yes, the fleas this year were horrendous. Last year we made it through our first flea season holistically with a bit of diatomaceous earth and some garlic tablets. This year, we knew by the way the summer started it was going to be harsh, so we added essential oils but ran out of garlic tablets. Right around the end of August, beginning of September, I knew we were in trouble. I located some more garlic tablets and added them to their diet. They worked wonderfully, but the problem was that the fleas were jumping off the dogs and onto me! That first night I found a flea in bed, off to the vet we went. The first vet we visited had actually sold out of Frontline (does that tell you how bad it was?) and so we got a bottle of bulk spray at the second stop. Now we've got them back under control, but it was touch and go there for a while! Bet I won't run out of garlic tablets again... Especially since Petunia had a horrible reaction to Frontline (like a chemical burn) and I only sprayed her 4 times (according to the bottle, she could have anywhere from 20 - 40 sprays per her weight). I wish they had remained with their original flea-inhibitor formula instead of going to a pesticide.



This is a 3 generation picture. Daisy, on the right with Rizzo, her daughter, on the left and Kentucky Lilly, the spoiled and headstrong granddaughter in the middle. They had tons of fun wresting every day. Lilly went to her new home two evenings ago and she is terribly missed, no matter how much trouble she caused :) She is busy trying to figure out what she can take over in her new home, I'm sure. She has lots of people there to give her undivided attention and slather lots of love on her! She and Rizzo are products of what we've been breeding for in our lines, with the combinations we've chosen and we're very, very proud of both of them, and of the rest of our crew. Not only is Lilly beautiful and strong, but she also has a strong immune system. She showed symptoms of parvo at 4 weeks old and recovered from it beautifully in very short order with the help of parvaid and colloidal silver. I will always have these products on hand for my litters now that I know exactly how effective they can be, especially when given at the onset of any symptoms.

We also got out for a day of sunshine and fun when delivering a quad runner to my friend's sister. It was a beautiful day, and we ran the quad runner up into an area where he hunts. I got to see beautiful land and dream of living out in the hills and forest. At the end of the day, a storm ripped through while we were driving back (hauling a trailer, no less). It was Hurricane Ike running into a fiercely set high pressure system. The meeting of the two caused a funnel-like reaction bringing hurricane like winds to the Miami Valley. We saw road signs bent over in half. There was actually a tree down on I-70 itself. We saw everything blow across the road in front of us except a cow. The damage was widespread. Even as it was happening, we saw a convoy of 17 Ohio Edison trucks on the highway off to try to repair the damage. In trying to get gas, we had to watch for any signs of electricity at the exits to even pull off. When I finally saw a lit sign, only 2 of the 8 gas stations were operating and they had long lines. And half their pumps were empty already. On returning home, it was shocking the amount of damage. I'm not sure there was anyone that didn't lose limbs from their trees, even if they didn't lose whole trees. In one yard alone, I counted 7 downed adult trees. The wind came through on Sunday, but the main roads in town were still without electricity till Friday and Saturday. Thanks to the help of some neighbors and Tony's ingenuity, the freezers full of meat were saved. With the cost of gas, maybe at an expense close to what was in them!! We have mostly recovered from the event, but there is still a tree in my mom's yard that needs to be cut up and removed. What we suffered was nothing in comparison to the folks in Texas. Our prayers are still with those who are battling the ravages of the hurricane!



Normally I don't post if we've had a visitor or not, but we did have the lovely miss Buzka visiting last week and she was delightful. I couldn't resist posting this picture of her (left) with Fabio. And if you're wondering, she really was giving him a dressing down. Buzka's mom was on her way to pick her up when we learned about a Mum Festival in her area, so we packed up and went there, instead.

Representing Pugville were Petunia and Ellie Mae. They had the most energy to burn that day and boy did they get their money's worth. We walked the vendor's booths for 3 hours! We had a blast. I forgot how many steps you can take between people wanting to pet the dogs. I think it's 3. Sometimes 5. But that's ok. We had fun and the dogs LOVED all the attention they were getting. They had just had baths that morning and were all spruced up and ready for a day out! And, yes, they slept very soundly that night!

Homeopathy Manual Online

A great reference!

http://www.hpathy.com/library/workbook.pdf

For the love of shelter animals

Prioritizing Genetic Defects by Dr. Padgett

http://clubs.akc.org/fcra/healthmanual/defects.html

Pet Food Recall - Salmonella - Affecting Pedigree & Others

From BARF WORLD:

Warning: If You Read Nothing Else Read About The Pedigree Recall
On Friday, September 12, 2008 Mars issued a
voluntary nationwide recall of products manufactured
at the Everson, Pennsylvania plant. The 150 brands
involved so far include: Pedigree, Old Roy Dog Food,
Special Kitty Cat Food, Country Acres Cat and Dog
food, Members Mark, Retriever brands, Natural Cat
and Dog Food (Sam's Club), Paws & Claws,
Wegman's Bruiser, Pet Pride, PMI, Red Flannel.


You may not recognize some of these names -
they are private label brands produced for various
supermarkets. For a complete list of all recalled
brands and sizes go to www.petcare.mars.com

The recall is due to potential salmonella
contamination - particularly Salmonella serotype
Schwarzengrund. The press release from Mars alerts
us to the symptoms (for both pets and humans) and
advises us to contact the doctor should we have any
such problems.
DISTURBING FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT THIS RECALL

1. Internally, the company ordered production
stopped at the Everson, PA facility on July 29th, 2008
because they were alerted to a potential and possible
link of two cases of Salmonella Schwarzengrund in
humans. Yet Mars waited until August 08, 2008 (10
days later) to issue only a limited recall for Pedigree
sold in Las Vegas and Southern California. Finally,
on September 12, 2008 - 45 days after production
in the plant was stopped Mars issued a nationwide
recall of 150 brands? Why so long to let the public
know?

2. The recall now involves all products produced
at the Everson PA plant beginning February 18, 2008
until July 29, 2008 when production was halted. Why
February 18, 2008? One could guess that their trace
back leads to contamination found as far back as
February 18, 2008.

3. Salmonella Schwarzengrund Outbreak
Investigation, August 2007. The Center for Disease
Control (CDC) collaborated just a year ago with FDA
and public health officials due to a multistate outbreak
of same salmonella strain and these illnesses were
linked directly to the dry pet food produced at MARS
Everson PA facility
http://cdc.gov/salmonella/schwarzengrund.html

4. The FDA provides guidelines to MARS and all
other pet food manufacturers, which states "... it
expects pet food manufacturers to use sufficient
manufacturing process controls and procedures to
ensure finished products are free of all Salmonella
species and other pathogenic microbes. This
could include having a Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Point plan in place, sampling finished
product prior to releasing products into commerce
and sampling incoming ingredients for the presence
of Salmonella..."
Assuming Mars follows the guidelines why yet
another recall of the same strain of salmonella from
exactly the same manufacturing facility?

Note: Mars of course assures us that their
products are produced at many facilities
throughout the country and only 2.7 percent of the
total PEDIGREE production came from this plant.
And all the other brands they produce?

5. Who's qualified to answer your questions?
Today I called the hotline at Mars to talk to a
company representative. In the course of the
conversation she assured me that there is no
salmonella in their products but they did find
salmonella Schwartzengrundat the production
facility. That was, I think, supposed to reassure
me. She said that sometimes the byproducts from
animals used in their products contain salmonella
and that might be where it came from.

When I questioned her about the same strain
and product recall a year ago she said she wasn't
aware of it - and sorry, she was new to Mars.

6. Healthy people can become infected with
Salmonella Schwarzengrund. It becomes
particularly dangerous to children, infants, the
elderly and those with compromised immune
systems. Some symptoms include vomiting,
diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, cramps, fever but even
more serious ailments could occur and you should
of course consult your doctor. The most obvious
means of transfer is though handling of food.

YOU BE THE JUDGE

Mars hasn't actually admitted there is
anything wrong with their pet food. The verbiage is
all in the "potential" contamination and "voluntary"
recall lingo. They haven't said how much is
involved yet ...if any. But, they have stopped
production at the plant that had exactly the same
problem one year ago. And they have issued a
nationwide recall. You be the judge - and if you
know anyone feeding these brands be sure to
make them aware of the potential dangers.

Dolphins with Bubble Rings

From an email I received today:
As if by magic the dolphin does a quick flip of its head and a silver ring appears in front of its pointed beak. the ring is a solid, donut shaped bubble about 2-ft across, yet it doesn't rise to the surface of the water! It stands upright in the water like a magic doorway to an unseen dimension.

The dolphin then pulls a small silver donut from the larger one. Looking at the twisting ring for one last time a bite is taken from it, causing the small ring to collapse into a thousands of tiny bubbles which head upward towards the water's surface. After a few moments the dolphin creates another ring to play with. There also seems to be a separate mechanism for producing small rings, which a dolphin can accomplish by a quick flip of its head.

An explanation of how dolphins make these silver rings is that they are 'air-core vortex rings'. Invisible, spinning vortices in the water are generated from the tip of a dolphin's dorsal fin when it is moving rapidly and turning. When dolphins break the line, the ends are drawn together into a closed ring. The higher velocity fluid around the core of the vortex is at a lower pressure than the fluid circulating farther away. Air is injected into the rings via bubbles released from the dolphin's blowhole. The energy of the water vortex is enough to keep the bubbles from rising for a reasonably few seconds of play time.

Splash Day at the Dog Park

Today was one of the bestest days, ever!!! The new city pool splash park teamed up with the dog park and they had a dog splash day now that the pool has closed down for the season. Truth be told, I didn't make it to the park during its inaugural year as a human to swim, but now that I've been there, I'm very impressed.

The lucky candidates to go with me today were Isabelle, Rizzo, and Rizzo's pup, Kentucky Lilly. Lilly, being only 8 weeks old, and one of the cutest pugs EVER, stole the show. She worked the crowd, following this person, chasing that dog, getting total strangers to ensure her every need was met. She could spot a "rescuer" from across the water park and make a beeline for him/her and give them the "help me, help me" look and they would sweep her up in arms full of cuddles. If I was following her, she barely knew I was there, but if I wanted someone to watch her while I went to do something, she was right behind me with them chasing saying "I tried to pick her up!!" Goofy puppy.

Rizzo was the first to try the water. They have a wonderful little ramp-type area. Humans weren't supposed to be in the pool with the dogs, but several were breaking the rules, so I went in to my ankles with her. She wanted so badly to be brave, but she ended up putting her front paws up on the back of the legs and slowly we waded out together, with her on my leg the whole time. She did ok, though, and kind of swam back a few strokes till she realized she could actually walk back out. Isabelle didn't go out that far, but she did get wet. When we started off for another area, Rizzo lost me in the crowd and ran out into the water searching for me. She found herself in way too deep in a circle of women and she was on her back legs pirouetting. They thought it was cute, but I knew she was panicking. As soon as I saw her go out, I started after her, so as soon as I was within ear range, I was asking people to pick her up. They did, thank goodness. She was in no real danger since she could still stand on her back legs, but she was definitely worried, and didn't really want to go back in the water after that, even though it turns out she's a fine swimmer!! She might have gotten over it if we had been able to stay out there with them for any length of time, but I was trying to be as good as possible for the sake of the health department :)

We continued on around the complex and watched the big, brave dogs. Their owners were throwing all sorts of things as the dogs fearlessly threw themselves into the deep end and gleefully retrieved whatever object it was. They would shake off so much water that it would drench Lilly - lol. She didn't care for that...

On the backside of the pool, where it was deeper, I tried to see if they would like to walk out onto a step where it was shallow and (for the moment) no other dogs. The adults weren't very interested, but Lilly fell into the pool. I immediately reached to drag her back out, but to my surprise, she was swimming very well. She was panicked, but she was swimming. So I held my hand over her till she got to the edge (about 4 inches and 8 puppy paddle strokes) and then lifted her out. Hoping that she would realize that she can swim and that she was ok. Well, she was pretty miffed about the whole thing. First the big dogs shaking on her, then getting her feet wet, and now her whole body??? Where was a rescuer when she needed one? Obviously this isn't what the princess had in mind.

We got to see lots and lots of other dogs. Some of our favorites were the 14-month old springer spaniel siblings, an awesome cutie scottie terrier named Duncan, a 5-month old puppy dachsund who tried really hard to keep up with everyone who ran by, a gorgeous german shepherd who enlisted me to throw his ball into the water, some beautiful golden retrievers, and many others I'm forgetting at the moment. We had a really wonderful time. The girls were totally exhausted after our 2 hour excursion and they settled into deep naps on the way home. And with all the excitement, I forgot to take pictures :( But Lilly kept me very busy with her antics and her frolicking. You just never knew which direction she was going in next. A representative from the dog park asked if she could take a pic for their web page, though. If I find it later, I'll scarf it and post it here for you all!

New picture of Rizzo's pup

It's been a while since any updates. So much has been happening, not enough time to tell it all. But here is a picture of Rizzo's baby girl taken today. She is aware of the world now, and been getting some new experiences. Today she was outside going potty and a truck came by with a whoosh. It scared her, so she jumped back behind the coral bells and peeked out between two leaves. Too cute! Wish I had a camera for every cute moment with these precious pups. But here is one of her trying to sleep while I was in the mood to take pics.

Miss Jolene growing up?

Maybe it's because I was feeling under the weather this last week. Or maybe it was because I said something public about Jolene having only two speeds, on and off. But whatever the reason, Miss Jolene went out of her way this week to prove to me that she has a softer side. She snuggled up for cuddles on several occasions and was calm and polite when doing so instead of "in your face." It was so nice!

And I've put on her website that she is too fragile for a home with small kids, especially remembering back to all the dresses I put on my poor yorkshire terrier when I was young, but she has me re-thinking that, too. We have a family living with us temporarily with 3 and 1 year olds. And when they giggle the loudest, Jolene is usually involved. She's so tiny that she doesn't hurt them if she jumps on top of them. She's light on her feet and QUICK! and can bounce back out of harm's way easily when she dives in for a kiss, especially when they're laying on the couch. They LOVE playing with her and she with them. She's tireless. And the rewards of a giggle spur her on and on, she could play for hours.

Dog Fancy Selling Advertisement to PETA - response

Dog Fancy Selling Advertisement to Peta - Response
Because it has been flying around the internet that Dog Fancy sold an advertising slot to PETA, I sent them an email of complaint. Why, you ask? When I love animals so much? Because since 1989, Peta has euthenized 85% of the animals they have "rescued" and their ultimate goal is no private ownership. So I was very disappointed in Dog Fancy and let them know in no uncertain terms. I was relieved when I read their response and wanted to share it with others who might not have heard their side of the issue!

--------------------------------------

Dear Jayne,



DOG FANCY does not knowingly accept advertising from PETA and does not agree with its extremist views. Unfortunately, PETA resorted to guerilla tactics by placing an ad in DOG FANCY under a pseudonym to deceive readers with a free gift bag offer, opting to use shock tactics to try to get its message heard.



DOG FANCY promotes responsible dog ownership, including the responsible breeding and sale of purebred dogs, and apologizes to anyone who has been offended by PETA's distasteful and misleading stunt.



Sincerely,

Satori Nakaue

Associate Editor, DOG FANCY

Cooking vs Enzymes vs Cancer

This article actually outlines what happens to the food and when. This is from a site that talks about how humans are the only species to cook their food and
the corresponding health issues we have as a result.

http://www.mindfully.org/Food/Cooking-Malnutrition-Cancer2001.htm

It is also worth noting that very successful cancer battling programs (in humans) often involve juicing (read The Cancer Battle Plan). Taking raw veggies, putting them through an extractor and drinking the juice to pack in more veggie servings in a day than we could fit if we also ate all that fiber.

The enzymes from raw veggies and juices destroy the protective coating that exists around cancer cells (which fools our bodies into thinking these cells are normal so that they get fed and grow/multiply). Once the protective coating is stripped away, the body can fight them and destroy them. Some enzymes are more effective against certain types of cancer, but the more variety we get, the more tools we give our body to build optimum health, not to mention the other side benefits of vitamins, etc.

Carnivores don't process veggies well, their digestive tract is too short for them to sit there and break down properly. Freezing/thawing and pulverizing helps because these methods help break down the cell walls. Veggies aren't going to do them any harm, but most of them will pass through undigested if eating a raw diet.
If eating a kibble, they might get digested better because kibble is harder for the canine to digest, thus keeping it in the digestive tract longer.

Raw meat, organs and bones are the most easily digested forms of food they can get. And the enzymes are still intact, helping the body quickly break down the food and absorb a much higher percent than with baked food.

For those who have a strong aversion to feeding raw, then adding a bit of appropriate enzymes to help the system more easily process other types of food is very helpful for long-term health.

Here is a b-naturals newsletter on changing diets which covers advice and links for commercial kibble, home-cooked and raw diets:
http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/changing-diets/

Difference between probiotics and enzymes:
http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/enzymes-and-probiotics/

And she has many more articles in her newsletter section.

So if you take nothing else from this, remember that natural enzymes help fight cancer. This is one of the reasons that carnivores thrive on this type of diet, although there are exceptions to every rule.

An accomplished nester?

Rizzo during childbirth. Can you see the pug?

And her singleton daughter:

Hemi Sync Helpers

A few weeks ago I went to a seminar and learned about Hemi Sync products created by Dr. Monroe 40 years ago to expand the usage of our brains via sound technology. It's fascinating how they began and how far they've come with it over time.

I was attempting to listen to the first cd in the core series, but with my schedule, I had fallen asleep at least 6 times without making it through the 45 minute session.

Two evenings ago I FINALLY made it through most of the first cd. In one section of the relaxation, the person is supposed to breathe in clean, fresh air, and out with the stagnant air, a sort of clearing out the body while relaxing. The next step is to breathe in, then when you breathe out, try to match the tone of the hemi-sync sound playing in the background.

It was after midnight at this point, I'm about 20 min into the program, and the dogs who were sleeping with me were snug in bed and sound asleep. However, when it came time to make the hemi-sync sound, Ellie Mae leaped from one end of the bed to the other and landed square on my chest with her paws on either side of my neck cocking her head. What was that sound??? When I made it again, she licked my lips till I stopped. Evidently she thought I was in some sort of distress and she had to save me.

So last night, with Ellie Mae safely crated, I tried it again. This time Mariah gave me kisses, but at least I didn't get a body tackle. Guess if my brain is going to expand, it'll have to be when the dogs aren't there to help. :)