Rest In Peace, Tartan!

I wish I could write about Tartan, our 12 year old Sheltie client and friend, in a happier mood but I can't do that because she passed away last Wednesday night (October 6th) after 5 months of fighting against the effects of kidney disease. I think it hurts worse for me than for Amos because I was the first to start visiting her nearly two years ago and I was the one who saw her 5 days before she passed away. 

Of course, the ones who are suffering the most are her owners, Wayne and Cindy, and I can only imagine how lonely they must be without her.

One of the reasons why I suspect Tartan's parents are especially lonely right now is because that girl was always talking about something. In the above picture, I suspect she was told to smile but instead she carried on a full-length conversation about every subject under the sun. Tartan had the gift of gab and she was proud of it!

Tartan's barking often continued on our walks but when it was late at night or early in the morning I bribed her with treats to keep her silent so as not to disturb neighbors.

Tartan beamed with pride every time I praised her for her silence because she knew she had earned the best praise of all...treats!

Sadly, Tartan did not enjoy her walks or her treats in her last few days on earth so she decided it was time to go to Rainbow Bridge where "all the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor."

I take comfort in the fact that Tartan is no longer suffering and is happy and healthy once again. Rest in peace, Tartan! We will miss you forever!

Thankful Fur 3 Thursday Blog Hop - 10/14/10

Welcome to Thankful FUR 3 Thursday Blog Hop! Why did I create this Thursday blog hop, you ask? Simply put, my three kiddos (Henry, Buster, and Daisy) want to meet three or more friends on their favorite day of the week and I thought their idea was pawsome!


This pet friendly blog hop is for every two-legged and four-legged blogger who wants to meet new and old friends alike. If you are not a fan of blog hops and do not wish to add your link below, we invite you to simply have fun, leave a comment (or not), and meet new bloggers who might strike your fancy.


Here are the guidelines of the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday Blog Hop:

1. We love your pawticipation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we are giving today's Google Friend Connect followers, RSS reader subscribers, and e-mail subscribers a chance to be featured in next Thursday's blog post by doing the following:

a) Become a Google Friend Connect follower or an e-mail subscriber or subscribe in a RSS reader.

b) Leave a comment letting me know that you want to me to post a write-up for next Thursday's Blog Hop. When you comment please let me know what type of follower you are along with your blog address.

2. To join in the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday, include your link in our list and follow The Teacher's Pets (no co-hosts today, unfortunately). Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love.

3. When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Thankful FUR 3 Thursday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers for pawticipating, and it’s a win-win situation.

4. Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog too! Just click “GET THE CODE HERE…” at the bottom of the list.

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

As promised, let's put our 3 newest blog friends in the SPOTLIGHT! We hope you will make add these fantastic bloggers to your blogroll list today! Introducing......

1. Catladyland is the home of Angie Bailey's humorous and sometimes unconventional musings on cats, family, and other assorted silly bits. Kick up your paws and roll around in the crazy...you'll be in good company!

2. Woody lives in Pennsylvania with with two other cat brothers, Ozzie the European Lilac Burmese and Brody the Maine Coon and with their human parents and four human brothers. Since "Java" the human mom is 45 years old (but still looking like she's 20) she calls her blog "Never Growing Old". I think we all wish we could stay young forever, right?

3. Jennifer has been doing graphic design for almost 10 years and it shows! She is handy at Paint Shop Pro and creates signature tags, web graphics, blinkies, and whatever else catches her eye. She's studied HTML and is now able to put all of her fun graphics together to build websites and blogs. From the looks of her blog I would say she could help all us add more bling to our websites, don't you agree?




 

Millie Barks Herself Out Of Storage Unit and Takes A Bite Out Of Crime

Normally I am not one to cut and paste an entire article from the newspaper but when I read this article from our local paper, The Union Leader, I was completely irate and out of time to post any further original thoughts because I had to get to my pet sitting duties. My apologies to the author of this painful-to-read article but I couldn't help myself!

If you are as distrubed as I am by Millie's plight then do me (and Millie) a favor by clicking on the Union Leader link (above) and leave a comment. I am sure little Millie would appreciate your support!

Here's the article....

EPPING – Little Millie appeared to be enjoying herself as she bounced around a pen outside a local animal shelter yesterday.

The environment was much different from the one police found her in last week when they responded to a report of a dog barking inside a unit at an Epping storage facility.

Millie, a 1 1/2-year-old terrier mix, was found sitting in a small cage inside the darkened unit at Epping Storage Place on Route 125. It wasn't a personal item that one would expect to find inside a rented storage unit.

Moments after she was found, Millie was seized by police and the Derry man who was supposed to be dog-sitting was charged with animal cruelty.

Justin Vose, 26, of 23 Fairway Drive, Apt. 3723, faces a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals after police said he placed her inside the unit and left her with no food or water.

Police Sgt. Jason Newman said police were called to the storage facility directly across from State Police Troop A around 4 p.m. on Oct. 7 to investigate reports from other renters who had heard a dog barking constantly while they were there.

With assistance from the storage facility's owner, police were able to open the door to the unit."The dog appeared to be in distress," Newman said.

While Millie wasn't injured, Newman said she was left with no food or water inside the unit without lighting and was placed inside a cage that appeared too small.

"Our concern was, although it was a small dog, the kennel it was being held in was extremely small and the dog really couldn't even move," Newman said.

There was also no way to regulate the temperature of the unit, Newman said.

The owners of Epping Storage Place do not allow renters to store animals in their units, and they had no idea that the dog was there until other customers reported Millie's barks, Newman said.

It appeared that Millie had been inside the unit for at least a day or more, Newman said.

Millie was brought to the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals where she remained in custody yesterday.

Newman said the dog belonged to Vose's friend and that he was caring for her. He wasn't allowed to have pets at his residence so he placed Millie in the storage unit, which was being rented by the friend, Newman said.

Newman declined to identify the friend because the individual was not facing charges.

Vose, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 5 in Exeter District Court.

What do you have to say about Millie, Millie's owner, or Justin Vose? Let's bark about it!

Wordless Wednesday (Almost)

                                                                 "Now Ear This!"

And The Doggie Bloggie Award Goes To.....

What do the Southern Fried Pugs do when they aren't watching the Virginia waves? Besides sleeping, snoring, eating, and playing they spend a lot of time awarding other dogs for their pawsome blogging abilities, that's what! And last week the puggies awarded 15 bloggers and 

we were lucky to be one of the 15! Thank you, Southern Fried Pugs! Instead of giving a speech, we are going to .....

Name 10 (yes 10) things about ourselves, okay?

1. Henry, Daisy, and Buster love watching "Mad Men", "Two and a Half Men", and "Ellen" but not necessarily in that order.

2. Henry (our 11 year old tabby) meows loudly before, during, and after Daisy heads out of or into the apartment. Why? Because he wants to be the next one to go for a walk!

3. Buster prefers to eat shrimp; Daisy prefers to eat everything in sight; Henry prefers to eat Daisy's food

4. Henry loves to chew on grocery bags....we think he likes the smell of grocery stores, for some reason.

5. Henry is the master and commander of the house. Everyone else comes in at a distant second!

6. Henry escaped from my Pensacola home twice and each time he stood on my doormat at precisely 6pm. Dinnertime.

7. Buster's name was given to him after he busted through newspapers, stacks of paperwork, etc, and he still destroys things to this day.

8. Henry does not like loud voices which is one reason why past boyfriends didn't get a 2nd date.

9. Our bed serves as a life raft for our pets when the vaccuum cleaner is moving by them.

10. Daisy gets into the car as if she is an old, decrepit lady and we don't know why that is!

3. Then, award 15 doggie bloggers (but I'm shortening the list to 10 instead). It doesn’t matter whether they are old or new. I know it is isn't easy to visit and follow each one of the award-ees but if you can, please do.....thank you! And the awards go to......

- 1. Maggie May the Boxer

- 2. Bookerman

- 3. Minnie and Mack 

- 4. Ruby and Penny the Dachshunds

-5. Laughing Fridge Art Magnets

-6. The Curious Pug

-7. Colorado Beckers

-8. Noodles the Pug

-9. Ten Lives and Second Chances

-10. The Chair Speaks

4.Comment on the new receivers of this award’s blog to let them know of the love.

Check your comments!

5. And the most important: HAVE FUN!!!

Confessions Of A Book Addict

Dear blogger friends,

Even though we've barely met I feel a certain kinship with everyone and for that reason I am going to tell you something that only a handful of people know about me... I am a book addict! My hands simply cannot stop picking up books at bookstores, libraries, and yard sales.

  

Even when I am cat sitting my eyes scan the owner's book shelves and if I see a book that looks interesting I will jot the title down and then order it on Amazon.com!

 

But it doesn't  make sense to order more books especially when my shelves are so full that I have to start stacking the rest on top of my beside table, does it? Well, the only excuse I have for my addiction is that I can share my favorites with you and one of my current favorites is on the top of the stack. Let me give you a closer look of.....

one of the best dog friendly novels I've ever had the pleasure to read, Free To A Good Home, and what a page turner it is too!

Free to a Good Home by Eve Marie Mont is a lovely book that appealed to me because the main character, Noelle, is someone I would love to meet because she is a vet tech in a New England town who lives with a Great Dane and I feel I could talk to her for hours about her seemingly perfect life. However, I found out that her life is not so perfect: her marriage falls to pieces after her husband reveals that he is gay, she can't seem to find Mr. Right, and her ex-husband keeps asking her for favors that are quite unconventional.

I think everyone who has a dog (or is thinking of adopting one) will enjoy this heartfelt tale so please pick up a copy today! You won't be disappointed!

NH Cats On The Prowl For A New Home

 If you are thinking about adopting a black cat just in time for the Halloween season then I'm your guy! I would describe myself as a very healthy, exceptionally handsome, neutered male who is about 9 years young. Since my name is Saturn you will find me watching the planets from your windows late into the night. I'm also a very gentle, loving cat who wants to adore you constantly.

The reason why I need a new home as soon as pawsible is because my mom is moving out of our house to move into an assisted living home. If I could follow her to the new home I would but I wouldn't get past the front door because cats aren't welcome inside.

I've been meowing so much about me that I forgot to mention that I have an 8 year old sister whose name is Isabel and she needs a new home too. Isabel. She is a part blue-tip Siamese who loves snacking on treats a bit too much, if you know what I mean but with the right trainer owner she will be back to her svelte self in no time!

It would make us very happy if some nice person would adopt both of us because we want to stay together for the rest of our lives. Could you be that person? We live in New Hampshire and if you live nearby I'm sure my mom's friend, Anne, could arrange a pick-up spot. If you are interested in us please contact her at  anne(DOT)d(DOT)grossi(AT)gmail(DOT)com or on Facebook at facebook.com/anne.grossi.

Could you do us a favor by passing our names around Blogville, Facebook, etc, so that we can find a home as soon as pawsible? Thanks for helping!

Your friends,
Saturn and Isabel  

Sew Many Halloween Costumes, So Little Time

That's right, there isn't that much time to find that purrfect Halloween costume for your feline so luckily I found this BATTY KITTY bow tie on Etsy.com. Unfortunately, the crafter is no longer in business but I'm sure I could whip this little number up in no time and I bet you could too!

If you are mad about the HBO series Mad Men then why not dress your pug in a classic shirt and tie for the evening? He's got the DON DRAPER look going on, don't you agree?

By the way, this dress shirt and tie comes with 9 detachable ties to coordinate with each season! How classy is that? Our blogger buddy, Pugs Possessed, designed this costume and there are more to choose from in her Etsy shop!

THE COUNT costume will be the #1 choice for pet owners who can’t get enough of Twilight and True Blood. Everyone will howl if your dog manages to say, "I vant some treats, please",  that's for sure!

If your dog is kinda CORNY then you need to order this candy corn hat for him/her as soon as pawsible! Your pup might not appreciate hearing trick or treaters say, "Your dog is so cute that I could just EAT him/her" though!

Put a spell on your kitty, and watch her/him miraculously transform into a white-haired, wise, old WIZARD, this Halloween. I think cats are really wizards in disguise anyway so why not let her/him flaunt it?

Since Halloween is only 22 days away I've got to pick out a costume for Daisy and our kitties, Henry and Buster, as soon as pawsible! I'm thinking of the BATTY CAT bow tie for the cats and a CORNY HAT for Daisy!

I wonder what your pets are going to wear this Halloween?

Little Miss Pumpkin Makes A Big Decision

Do you remember meeting little me (Miss Pumpkin) last week? And do you remember .....

meeting my new baby girl, Lucy?

Well, if you remember meeting Lucy then I'm sure you remember my wiggly little Betty, don't you?

 I don't mean to brag but they are only 5 weeks old and they are already starting to wobble walk and they don't drink as much milk as they used to so that means ......

they will be ready to live with someone else by Thanksgiving and then I will be all alone in my purple box! Waaaa! Believe me, I would love to keep my babies with me furever but I have to face the facts:

1. I am a single mom (Brady hasn't proposed yet)

2. Both Brady and I are unemployed (Brady can't even get a job as the Taco Bell dog)

3. We aren't allowed to drive (the humans say we need to see OVER the steering wheel and not UNDER it

So those are the facts and I have to face them soooo I've gotta start looking for someone to adopt my girls as soon as pawsible! I do have two people in mind and I'll give you three hints: they are almost married,  they have jobs, and they can drive! Who are these wonderful people, you ask?

My pet sitters, sillies! I think April and Amos would be the most pawsome chihuahua parents in the whole wide world, don't you? And if they adopt Betty and Lucy I can visit them whenever I please (their father can visit but ONLY IF that man puts a ring on my toe....heeeheee)!

From what I heard, they have 2 cats and 1 dog but if they add my girls to their family they'll have .... ummm....5 furry ones in the house....that's not a very big number, right?

April and Amos are kinda scared of the #5 soooo could you give them your honest opinion (talk them into adopting the babies), please?  I need all the help I can get!

Thank you,

Pumpkin

THANKFUL FUR 3 THURSDAY BLOG HOP .... 10/7

Welcome to Thankful FUR 3 Thursday Blog Hop! Why did I create this Thursday blog hop, you ask? Simply put, my three kiddos (Henry, Buster, and Daisy) want to meet three or more friends on their favorite day of the week and I thought their idea was pawsome!

This pet friendly blog hop is for every two-legged and four-legged blogger who wants to meet new and old friends alike. If you are not a fan of blog hops and do not wish to add your link below, we invite you to simply have fun, leave a comment (or not), and meet new bloggers who might strike your fancy.

Here are the guidelines of the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday Blog Hop:

1. We love your pawticipation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we are giving today's Google Friend Connect followers, RSS reader subscribers, and e-mail subscribers a chance to be featured in next Thursday's blog post by doing the following:

a) Become a Google Friend Connect follower or an e-mail subscriber or subscribe in a RSS reader.

b) Leave a comment letting me know that you want to me to post a write-up for next Thursday's Blog Hop. When you comment please let me know what type of follower you are along with your blog address.

2. To join in the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday, include your link in our list and follow The Teacher's Pets and my co-hosts, Feeling Beachie and Brian's Home. Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love.

3. When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Thankful FUR 3 Thursday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers for pawticipating, and it’s a win-win situation.

4. Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog too! Just click “GET THE CODE HERE…” at the bottom of the list.

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

As promised, let's put our 3 newest blog friends in the SPOTLIGHT! We hope you will make add these fantastic bloggers to your blogroll list today! Introducing......

1. Neyland D. Cat is a sophisticated modern cat who enjoys reclining on the mobile heated furniture (also known as humans) and sharing his thoughts with the world. He currently live with three other cats, who he somehow manages to tolerate, and two humans who they keep as servants.

2. Liz is 34 and single who teaches 5th grade in Minneapolis, MN. She is owned by the world's greatest dog, a 65 pound English Bulldog named Bogart who farts, snores, and drools a lot and sometimes he's a little stinky but his mom says that's all part of his charm.

3. Hoke is a 4 1/2 year old West Highland White Terrier who lives in New Jersey with his Dog Mom and Dog Dad (aka Kevin and Stacey). He likes to watch squirrels and patrol the yard looking for cats and the occasional ground hog. He also likes to run through the garden and sit in the sun!

Wordless Wednesday

What's So Different About Daisy?

Would it be alright if we played a little guessing game called "What's So Different About Daisy?" All you need to do is look at every picture to see if you notice anything different about the way I look. Easy peasy! Furst of all, take a look at me above....do you see anything different there?

 

Nothing yet? Would it help if I showed you what my left side looks like? See anything different there?

I don't hear any answers yet so I'll show what my right side looks like. What do you see here? Don't bark all at once now!

Okay, I've waited long enough fur you to figure out why I look so different so I'll count to 3 and then I'll let you in on the secret.....okay........

ONE!!!

TWO!!!

THREE!!!

DRUMROLL PLEASE! Folks, I am proud to announce that my mom finally bought an Easy Walk Harness fur me and I love it! Do you love it as much as I do?

An Interview with a Devon Rex Named Buddee

If you are wondering why Buddee is sitting at the table with a pen and a pad of paper before him it is because he just completed a series of interviews with his pet sitter. During the course of 3 days I learned a lot about Buddee and I hope you enjoy learning about him as well!

Me: That was quite a jump from the chair to the table, Buddee! I've heard that Devon Rex's can jump to even greater heights and I wonder where else you've jumped and why.

Buddee: I spend most of my time above the kitchen cabinets because the view is purrfect. Plus, I can jump from there onto my human's shoulder and scare him half to death at the same time! Meow!

Me: I know that Devon Rex's are very active so is that why there's an exercise bike in the office?

Buddee: Are you telling me that this cat tree is not a tree after all? Say it ain't so, lady!

Me: If someone were to pet you what would it feel like?

Buddee: Humans can't keep their hands off my short wavy fur and I can't complain because I love to be pampered and petted. Some people say my fur feels like velvet and others say it feels like lamb's fur and while they say these things they have huge smiles on their faces so I guess velvet and lambs are purrfect things!

Me: Among your many talents I'd say that your boxing skills are quite impressive! I've never seen a cat move like you do! How often do you practice? And what do you like most about the sport?

Buddee:  All of my workouts depend on the availability of any human who is willing to lend a hand. Some humans think I am naughty to use them as a punching bag but I'm only playing, people! 

What do I like about boxing? Fur one thing, boxing clears my mind and helps me think about more than just catnip. Fur another thing, it has turned me into a lean, mean (kinda), fighting machine!  

Me: If someone were to adopt a Devon Rex after this interview is over what should they be prepared for?

Buddee: Good guestion! Our nicknames, "Bunny in a Cat Suit", "Monkey in a Cat Suit", and "Dennis the Menace" have been given to us for a reason! If you like our nicknames you are  the purrfect match for a Devon Rex!

THANKFUL FUR 3 THURSDAY BLOG HOP - 9/30

Welcome to Thankful FUR 3 Thursday Blog Hop! Why did I create this Thursday blog hop, you ask? Simply put, my three kiddos (Henry, Buster, and Daisy) want to meet three or more friends on their favorite day of the week and I thought their idea was pawsome!

This pet friendly blog hop is for every two-legged and four-legged blogger who wants to meet new and old friends alike. If you are not a fan of blog hops and do not wish to add your link below, we invite you to simply have fun, leave a comment (or not), and meet new bloggers who might strike your fancy.

Here are the guidelines of the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday Blog Hop:

1. We love your pawticipation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we are giving today's Google Friend Connect followers, RSS reader subscribers, and e-mail subscribers a chance to be featured in next Thursday's blog post by doing the following:

a) Become a Google Friend Connect follower or an e-mail subscriber or subscribe in a RSS reader.

b) Leave a comment letting me know that you want to me to post a write-up (along with a profile picture and link back to your blog) for next Thursday's Blog Hop. When you comment please let me know what type of follower you are along with your blog address.

2. To join in the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday, include your link in our list and follow The Teacher's Pets and my co-hosts, Chewy and Brian the tabby cat. Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love.

3. When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Thankful FUR 3 Thursday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers for pawticipating, and it’s a win-win situation.

4. Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog too! Just click “GET THE CODE HERE…” at the bottom of the list.

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

As promised, let's put our 3 newest blog friends in the SPOTLIGHT! We hope you will make add these fantastic bloggers to your blogroll list today! Introducing......

1. Houndgirl shares her Texas home with two hounds from hell as she jokes.There is Fred the bloodhound and Haylie the Labrador – they are full of energy, mischief, and humor. Houndgirl holds nothing back, stop by and say Hi for laughs, tears, and relief.

2. Maggie May was diagnosed with luxating patellas at 4 months old. This blog tracks her progress before, during and after her surgeries. She is a strong kitty who is an inspiration to us all!

The picture above was hand painted by Maggie May's mom and it is one of the most popular prints available at her Etsy store. Take a look at her other cheery works of art and you will be tempted to buy them all, I pawmise!

2. Between helping his blog mom design quilts, Max The Quilt Cat spends his time composing his mystery novel and shares episodes with his fans regularly. He loves quilts (obviously) and food but does not like the sound of doorbells!

BLOG HOP CO-HOSTS WANTED! NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!

Daisy, Henry, and Buster are still looking for great blog-hop co-hosts for the September 30th edition of the THANKFUL FUR 3 THURSDAY BLOG HOP. No experience necessary! Will train! Interested cats, dogs, and 2-leggers need to have the following skills:

1. Editing Skills - can copy and paste our Thankful Fur 3 Photo and our mom's prepared dogument *ahem* document right after tomorrow morning's breakfast

2. Outgoing purrsonality - able to grab everyone's attention by any means necessary - barking and meowing accepted encouraged

3. Pawsome Manners - no hissing, growling at your visitors - every newcomer is to be greeted with a welcome paw - following bloggers is a requirement even if you have to run at high speed to catch them

4. Handy - able to grab the Mr. Linky code from us tomorrow morning and put it under your blog

TO APPLY:

1. Pawticipants MUST leave a comment with your blog url so we can add your name to our list

AND

2. Copy and Paste the Information Below

Welcome to Thankful FUR 3 Thursday Blog Hop! Why did I create this Thursday blog hop, you ask? Simply put, my three kiddos (Henry, Buster, and Daisy) want to meet three or more friends on their favorite day of the week and I thought their idea was pawsome!

This pet friendly blog hop is for every two-legged and four-legged blogger who wants to meet new and old friends alike. If you are not a fan of blog hops and do not wish to add your link below, we invite you to simply have fun, leave a comment (or not), and meet new bloggers who might strike your fancy.

Here are the guidelines of the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday Blog Hop:


1. We love your pawticipation and want to show it! In addition to gaining followers, each week we are giving today's Google Friend Connect followers, RSS reader subscribers, and e-mail subscribers a chance to be featured in next Thursday's blog post by doing the following:


a) Become a Google Friend Connect follower or an e-mail subscriber or subscribe in a RSS reader.


b) Leave a comment letting me know that you want to me to post a write-up (along with a profile picture and link back to your blog) for next Thursday's Blog Hop. When you comment please let me know what type of follower you are along with your blog address.


2. To join in the Thankful Fur 3 Thursday, include your link in our list and follow me and my co-hosts,  (insert blog name and link here). Visit other blogs on the list and comment to give them some blog love.


3. When people comment on your blog and let you know they’re a part of Thankful FUR 3 Thursday, return the favor and follow them back. This way everyone gets traffic and followers for pawticipating, and it’s a win-win situation.


4. Remember, YOU can host the link list on your blog too! Just click “GET THE CODE HERE…” at the bottom of the list.

By the way, we are an equal opportunity employer. No matter what your age, purrsonality, or breed we have a job waiting just FUR you!

                                                              Sincerely,
                                                              Daisy, Buster, and Henry