Henry's 5 New Year's Resolutions

Do you see anything wrong with this picture of me? If you are thinking that it is a bad idea for me to lounge on the sofa with a remote at my paws, you are incorrect. If you are thinking that I look a little miffed then you are absolutely correct and the reason for that is because my humans left me to my own devices before the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Now, if they headed out the door to some fancy party I would've understood but they fell asleep on the couch and then headed off to bed....at 10:00! What a bunch of sissies!

So there I was all alone, wide awake and bored so I did what any cat would do at a time like this....I composed a list of new year's resolutions and this is what I came up with.....

 

Furst of all, I plan to pester my mom to take me for lots and lots of car rides

  

I also plan to play more games of leaf catching with my dad

and I will make every effort to visit my favorite rock more often and plant it with kitty kisses

And I will make sure that my feasts are as fancy as pawsible

And I resolve to keep in touch with my Blogville furends because 2011 wouldn't be the same without you!

Happy New Year!

Henry

Is There A Good Excuse To Get Rid Of A Family Pet?

 

When I saw this poster on Facebook I immediately thought of the many dogs and who are not treated as well as should be even though they were the prize possession in the home as puppies and kittens. I also thought about the sadness on the faces of the dogs and cats who are in kennels and cages as they wait for someone new to take them home. I also thought about what must be going through the minds of these creatures as they are uprooted and sent off somewhere with people they don't know or trust. These rejected dogs and cats must wonder why they cannot live in their familiar environment anymore. 

As a professional pet sitter I can attest to the fact that animals do get depressed, lonely, and anxious when their owners are away for the day, the week, and longer so can you imagine the distress and confusion a pet goes through once they realize their owners are never coming back to claim them? And what about the dogs or cats who aren't taken to the shelter but are left to fend for themselves outdoors? How could anyone with a conscience cast their pets aside in such a thoughtless manner? 

A pet is going to love its owner unconditionally for its whole life. I don't understand how someone can betray a pet's trust and simply cast them aside, can you? 

In my opinion, pets are family members for a lifetime but if a pet does "need" to live somewhere else there should be a very good reason (such as an elderly person having to move into a nursing home where pets aren't allowed) for it. That's my opinion....what are your thoughts?

To Muzzle Or Not To Muzzle, That Is The Question

The first day of the new year started out with a visit to Ellie's house and it is always a delight to see her lovable face looking up expectantly at me while I search for her leash. However, this morning's visit was not one of my favorites because Ellie worked herself into a frenzy while trying to take off her mesh muzzle. The result of taking off the muzzle was horrifying; drops of Ellie's blood were spattered throughout the kitchen floor, some of Ellie's paws were blood stained, and sections of the radiator were bloodied and scattered all around her.

In my opinion, Ellie has a severe case of separation anxiety and although I suggested Ellie be given alternative chewing "toys" such as bones, squeaky toys, Kongs filled with peanut butter, etc, my advice didn't seem to fall on listening ears. I even suggested crating her but apparently Ellie does not approve of crates but personally I would rather have her in a confined crate where I feel she would be less susceptible to injuries.

From what I've read about muzzling dogs, I learned that muzzles are only to be worn while supervised and they should not to be worn for long periods of time. 

In Ellie's case, she wore her mesh muzzle (as seen above) throughout New Year's Eve and into the morning and I shudder to think of the frustration that she went through for so long!

 I am not a renowned pet sitter or dog trainer but I feel it is cruel to punish a dog for their destructive behavior with the use of a muzzle. In my opinion, muzzling only works as a band aid and does not help calm a dog who has anxiety issues. 

Because I have been dealing with the results of Ellie's behavior training and because her situation has stayed the same and apparently won't change I gave my notice this morning. Hopefully, my absence will produce positive results for Ellie's sake.

I appreciate that you took the time to read this post because this situation has weighed heavily on my mind for months. I am anxious to know what your thoughts are about muzzling. Do you think there's a time and a place for it? If you have positive or negative or indifferent thoughts I'd love to read your comments. ANY advice is welcome!

Daisy Thinks About Her Favorite 2010 Memories

When my blog mom asked me to write about my favorite Blogville memories of the year I put on my trusty Thinking Cap and got down to business because, after all, I only have a few hours before the clock strikes at midnight! 

 

One of my proudest moments was when I finally captured these tasty bunnies with my own bare paws 

and another proud moment was when I first learned how to swim with the fish and the turtles

and celebrating my 2nd birthday as a princess was royally pawsome

and it was so nice to see so many white-haired people at the nursing home because they had the best treats ever

and wearing a red bandanna was oh-so-silly but oh-so-fun

but the best part of 2010 happened right here at the computer because that was where my mom and I met all of our dear Blogville friends! Our year was the best ever all because of you and we are so happy to be a part of your lives and we hope you have a very yappy new year!

Love, 

Daisy

Super Similarities Between A Super Dog And A Super Man

I've never met Superman AKA Kal-el in person but I can tell you that I've met his German Shepherd nemesis, Kal-el, and I think the two share a lot of similarities. For example, both keep a careful eye on their surroundings; as you can see, Kal-el's favors the kitchen while Superman favors a mountain top view of Planet Earth!

And when their loved ones need a helping paw/hand Kal-el and Superman are ready to fly through the air with their paws/arms facing forward!

And since Kal-el and Superman are so much alike they both agree that it's a ball to live on Planet Earth!

Wordless Wednesday

How A Beverly Hills Chihuahua Changed A Little Girl's Life

If you have been reading my blog posts lately you are aware that two of our tiniest clients, Ginger and Yoko, found a home with a 7 year old girl named Lochlann but what I failed to mention was that Lochlann decided she wanted a chihuahua two years ago after watching the movie, Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Amazingly, Lochlann also had a specific color choice in mind (ginger) and her pup's name would be Ginger. Clever and cute, don't you agree? Two years later, Lochlann has her Ginger and her Yoko too!

Wishing You A Harmonious Christmas And Happy New Year!

While giggling through this furry and feathered rendition of "Deck The Halls" I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if all of the Blogville started practicing singing this song for next Christmas. I bet we'd be a You Tube hit if we could just find a way to link all of the voices together, don't you agree?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our precious friends,
Henry, Buster, Daisy, April the Blog Mom, and Amos  

Love ...The Greatest Christmas Gift Of All

When the chihuahua baby girls woke up this morning they had no idea that their lives were about to change forever! It was probably a good idea that their goodbyes to their human mom, Michelle, and their chihuahua parents were brief or else there would've been too much sadness for these wee ones. In no time at all the girls were at eye level new human mom, Susan, and their new nephew, Sebastian, and of course it was love at first sight!

 

And the chihuahuas had no idea that this would be the morning they would be riding in the car for the very first time  

 

And they certainly didn't know that they would be the best Christmas presents

 

 

 a little 7 year old girl named Lochlann could ever ask for!

And newly named Ginger (and sister Yoko too) never knew she was the answer to Lochlann's prayers

And believe it or not, Lochlann had no idea that her mom had been planning to give her the best Christmas gifts of all, the gift of love!

Ed the Basset Hound's Rescue Update

 

Ever since Ed got in the backseat of Officer Johanson's cruiser on Tuesday I have been keeping tabs on him and so far I know that Ed is recuperating at an undisclosed veterinary office and will remain there until he is strong enough to be placed at a local SPCA. Because this is a criminal case, the officer cannot disclose Ed's location and it breaks my heart because I don't want him to think I've abandoned him but I am sure he knows I'm thinking about him constantly!

According to the officer, Ed has been enjoying his time at the veterinarian's office and he is in good spirits! Isn't that wonderful? He has been eating, drinking, and sleeping in a warm and loving environment and I couldn't be happier about that but .... 

I was not happy to hear that Ed must have bladder surgery before he can be placed in a new home! To be honest, it didn't surprise me that Ed had a bladder issue because he was peeing blood when I met him but I did not expect to hear that Ed will be put to sleep if the cost of the surgery (approximately $2,000) cannot be funded.

In my opinion, Tracy, Ed's former owner, should foot the bill for the surgery but if he is unable to do so then I would imagine that Ed's current vet or the SPCA will be accepting donations. However, I think all of Blogville could raise the money a lot sooner than anyone else could, don't you? If you are interested, I'd like to set up an "Ed Fund" and as soon as I find out how soon Ed needs the surgery I will get his funding started so please stay tuned!

A Walk To Remember: Ed's Rescue Tale

I think everyone knows I have a soft spot for long eared dogs or else I wouldn't have a coon hound in my life so of course I was completely delighted to see Ed in all his long eared glory today! However, my delight turned to shock and horror as I walked towards him because 

he was all skin and bones

and his toenails were dirty and overgrown 

and his glorious ears weren't so glorious looking 

and to make matters worse, Ed's yard was covered in feces!

 And to make matters even worse, Ed's living arrangements did not include a bowl of food or water and he certainly did not have a secure tie-out or collar so 

I gave Ed a big hug and promised to get him the help he deserved.

As soon as Officer Johanson saw Ed's emaciated body

she took him for the best ride of his life! A check up at the veterinarian's office and a chance to live with a caring owner (hopefully with me!) was just what he deserved!

How Do You Know If A Movie Is Right For You?

I know this blog is supposed to center around my life with pets but sometimes a gal's got to spend some time in the world of humans and that's exactly what I did this weekend! 

Since this week is going to filled with visiting pets at all hours of the day and night I thought I'd start the weekend off with a trip to the movies and I chose the highly anticipated "How Do You Know?" as my jumping off point but I found the movie to be terribly disappointing.

                                                                           BUT

I have a feeling Roger Ebert will give rave reviews for another Reese Witherspoon film, Water For Elephants, a movie adaptation of Sara Gruen's novel of the same name. I cannot wait to see this novel come to life on April 15, 2011, can you? 

Feast your eyes on the newly released Water For Elephants movie trailer below and you'll understand what the buzz is all about!

 

What are your thoughts about "How Do You Know?" and what are your thoughts about the upcoming film "Water For Elephants"?

THANKFUL FUR 3 THURSDAY BLOG HOP - 12/16/10

Why did I create this Thursday blog hop, you ask? Simply put, our 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!

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 and let us know what type of follower you are.


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.


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.

4. Remember, YOU can put the blog hop link on your blog too! Just click “GET THE CODE HERE..." at the bottom of the page!
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Now that the introductions are out of the way, let's meet last week's 3 newest blogger buddies! Be sure to say hello to them and add them to your friend list, okay?

1. Shannon's blog focuses on the ins and outs of my everyday life in Nashville, TN, with her athletic trainer hubby, Adam, and her adorable basset hound, Beauford's funny antics! If you want to see what dinners Shannon puts on the table or what projects she's working on then you need to follow this fantastic blog!

2. Sammy's human mom fell in love with this beautiful black cat while visiting friends in New Mexico, in 1997, when he very young. At first he was mistaken for a PUPPY because he spent so much time growing up with them! After awhile Sammy's mom found Sammy's soon-to-be brother, Andy, on a busy street in Mesa, Arizona. At the time, Andy only weighed 9 ounces but with lots of TLC Andy recuperated and is a happy member of the family!

3. We were so glad that Avery Jack broke out of jail a few days ago and found us in Blogville because it's always good to have a seasoned treat snatcher to keep us on our paws! Avery Jack is a 4 year old Chihuahua/Schnauzer mix whose other talents include cuddling, playing with toys, and being too darn cute!

Wordless Wednesday

18 Christmas Cards And Counting!

While I was waiting for my dad to take me to work with him this morning I sat on the couch and counted cards (not that kind, sillies!) and I couldn't believe we have 18 Christmas cards so far. Can you believe that my kitty brothers and I have so many Blogville fans furends this holiday season? And can you believe this is our very first Blogville Christmas? Let me tell you, this Christmas is better than ever all because of .... 

Geisha, Grover, Wrinkles, Bailey, and Lily

and Benny and Lilly (at the top), Riley the Cattle Dog (in the middle), and Maggie Mae

and Frankie Furter (Who is crazy about snowmen, by the way! HaHa!) and Indiana, Shingo, and Molly

and Zack, Sassy, and Buddy (at the top) and Milly and Shelby

and Avery Jack (on the left) and Sam and Pippen (in the center) and Zona

and the Dachsies With Moxie (on top) and Remington and Wyatt and Stanzie (on the bottom)

and Mr. Pip (smiling above) and Levi-Mac

and last but not least, Minnie and Mack (at the top) and 12 months of Norwood !

Thank you ever so much to all of our furry furends who took the time to pose for the camera, go shopping on-line, or cruise down the Hallmark aisle! We appreciate every greeting card (including the e-mailed cards) so much! Please...if you haven't sent one to us please know that we are furends forever whether we get one or not! 

By the way, our mom is finally sending our cards out to you tomorrow so keep checking your mailboxes!

Merry Christmas!

                               

Daisy, Henry, and Buster