Grab an old end table & make a cutie patootie bed for your fav♥rite pooch!

I just l♥ve to reuse, recycle, re-purr-pose! One of my favorite blogs is JUNK CAMP. Imagine how thrilled I was when I saw this adorable cat/dog bed you can make from an old end table! Now, who doesn't have one of these hanging around in the basement or garage or hasn't seen one for just a couple of dollars at a yard sale? I have BIG dogs, so, with a little imagination, all you need is an old coffee table and there you have it - a dog bed!
Look what you can do with it! I know what I'll be doing next weekend. I'll be on the hunt for one of these "beauties" to transform into a bed fit for a little prince or princess. How about you? All directions to make this adorable, sweet bed can be found at the blog link listed above.

Times are rough and tough financially all over our great country. Get busy now and make a whole bunch of these cutie patooties to give as gifts this Christmas to your feline and canine l♥ving friends and relatives...and heck, strangers...these are too sweet not to share with everyone!

Recycle, reuse, repurpose, go green! Adopt your best friend from your local shelter!

Today we would like to make a public service announcement in favor of adopting your next best friend from your local animal shelter. Summer is on the way and it is the best time to add a little pooch to your life and home. Obedience classes, dog parks, walks on the beach...what great, healthy activities for the whole family. But, please, check out PetFinder, your local shelter and all humane organizations before you buy. Times are tough financially, but they're worse when you don't have a home and someone to love you.


Over my life I have had many, good dogs. Most have come to my from a shelter and not all were puppies. Several were purebred...just because a pup cost someone good money doesn't mean that the family won't lose interest and boot the dog out once it isn't cute anymore or has nibbled on dad's slippers. All dogs need loving homes...shelter dogs are dying for good homes.

He's big 'n he's pretty but a 9 pound cat can take him down!

Today our momma got a picture in the e-mail computer of our nephew, Cody, who is just one year-old. Time flies when youz havin' fun and Cody sure is one of those dogs that has been havin' fun. He pulls his little Golden Girl sister, Suzie, around by her collar just like she was a wet rag and mostly she is a wet rag when he's done playing wif her. He also likes ta play hide 'n seek wif his human momma and daddy...winter, summer, spring or fall, Cody is always ready up for a game of hide 'n seek.

The only time we've seen him a little bit intimidated was one day when he came here ta our house and he thought he'd skeer our Miss Camille Suzanne. Now this is a kitty-catty who thinks her cat litter doesn't smell, if you know what I mean. A couple of barks from Cody and Camille boxed his nose some good ones. Den he just sat down by his daddy all nice and pretty and was a good boy 'til it was time to go home. Miss Camille just sat there and cleaned her paws, now that the job was done. She has a gun-belt wif lots of notches on it, believe me!

Ours is a family with Goldens and German Shepherd Dogs. I don't know if the humans just copy each other or if we just happen to come around at the right time. Our momma and her son, Jeff, 'dopted the Goldens from our shelter because they really needed some good homes and boy, do all of us have good homes. The GSD's just popped up when the time was right and that was that, another dog to love and cuddle.

Wish we coulda' got a picture of Camille boppin' the snot outa Cody fur you ta see...that was funny☺fur us at least!

WAR DOGS OF THE UNITED STATES- A Memorial Day Remembrance

Please take the time to remember our dogs of war. They gave so much for so little in return.

In all previous wars we brought home our highly trained military dogs to retire with their handler or to continue to serve EXCEPT for Vietnam. When our military was ordered out of Nam our dogs were tied to camp poles and left to watch the soldiers they loved and protected walk away and not look back. Those dogs were considered to be excess baggage.

What happened to those dogs? Most were starved to death, used for target practice or skinned alive and eaten by the Viet Cong who considered them to be a delicacy. Rumor has it that those who weren't tied, or confined, ran behind planes, waited patiently beneath helicopters for their orders, and then, when they were completely exhausted, went back to their last camp and held vigil, patiently, for their handler to come back. (If you would like to learn more, click on the War Dog graphic. It will take you to a very sobering site.)

Out of 3,000 war dogs, about 200 came home.

This Memorial Day let us also remember fallen soldiers who lived, and died, for our country and for the soldier at the other end of the leash.
Dogs do not have the option of enlisting in the military. Yet, after they are chosen and trained, they stand next to their handler willing to give his life for him. When a war dog locates a bomb, or a large cache of weapons and explosives, or even deters an attack we do not hear about it. It isn’t covered on the news, you won’t see it in the newspapers, and chances are we will never know about it. However we, the handlers, know. The Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Seamen who just had their lives saved know. The war dogs also know, and usually receive a special meal at the end of the day.
This blog entry is dedicated to these dog teams, but today I want to say an extra prayer and remember not just those dog teams that have given their lives but all dog teams worldwide who continue to be on the front lines. God bless them all.
Please. if you have the time, visit the United States War Dogs K-9 Wall of Honor. You are here because you love dogs. You will leave these pages deeply affected.

A Working Dog
GOD SUMMONED A BEAST FROM THE FIELD...
And he said, Behold man, created in my image. Therefore adore him
You shall protect him in the wilderness, shepherd his flocks,
watch over his children, accompany him wherever he may go;
even unto civilization.
You shall be his companion, his ally, his slave. To do these things,
God said, I endow you with these instincts uncommon
to other beasts: faithfulness, devotion, and understanding
surpassing those of man himself.
Lest it impair your courage, you shall never foresee your death.
Lest it impair your loyalty, you shall be blind to faults of man. Lest it
impair your understanding, you are denied the power of words.
Let no fault of language cleave an accord beyond that of man with
any other beast; or even man with man. Speak to your master only
with your mind and through your honest eyes.
Walk by his side: sleep in his doorway: forage for him, ward
off his enemies, carry his burdens, share his afflictions;
love him and comfort him.
And in return for this, man will fulfill your needs and wants-
which shall be only food, shelter and affection.
So be silent, and be a friend to man. Guide him through the perils
along the way to the land that I have promised him.
This shall be your destiny and your immortality.
So spoke the Lord. And the dog heard and was content.
(Anonymous)

God bless America
God bless our troops

The l♥ves of my life ~ the dogs of my life...my last companions in life

When I first began to read the words below in the poem Best Friend, I thought it was another of those pieces we find on the web about the love we have for our animals...pretty generic, most of them - then word by word my heart became more affected and my mind began to conjure up images and my body brought about deep emotion and feeling.

The last few words I feel were written just for me (the blue italics are mine) and only for me, not true, but my soul owns those words, words I want read at my funeral, near my grave, the last words spoken just before everyone begins to leave, to get on with their lives again...now that I am gone. But even though I will be gone from life, and they will think I am dead and alone, there will be excellent companions who will stay close to me forever...forward into the night, and far beyond.

My sweet Freyja

We made them

in the image of our fears

to cry at doors

at partings - even brief

to beg for food at table

and to look at us with those big

aching eyes

and to stay with us

when our children flee.

And sleep upon our beds

on darkest nights

and cringe at thunder

as in our own childhood frights.

We made them sad-eyed

loving, loyal, scared

of life without us.

We nurtured their dependency and grief.

We keep them as reminders of our fear.

We love them as the unacknowledged hosts

of our own terror

of the grave - abandonment.

Hold my paw

for I am dying.

Sleep upon my coffin.

Wait for me,

sad-eyed,

in the middle of the drive

that curves beyond the cemetery wall.

I hear your bark

I hear your mournful bark

Oh, may all the dogs

that I have ever loved,

carry my coffin

howl at the moonless sky

and lie down with me sleeping

when I die.

~Best friends by Erica Jong

Scout, 100% of his love, 100% of the time.

When I die, my last words will be:
Where is my dog?

Sometimes a dog & a child come along that bring untold blessings into your life...

Sometimes when a dog ends up in rescue, he gets lucky, really lucky. Sometimes someone comes along that looks into his eyes and sees beyond the thin body, the missing hair, the bony ribs and hips. Sometimes someone knows...just knows that inside that package that someone else might overlook is a special dog. A dog with soul. A dog with heart. A dog that will exceed each and every expectation or hope. A dog that will not only be a good friend to her, but to the people she l♥ves.
Sometimes when a baby is born there is something inside that sweet blessing that is remarkably special. Sometimes what is inside that little baby is so much like a parent or a grandparent that it cannot be denied. Sometimes a grandmother has the distinct privilege of watching a grandson blossom into a child - a person - that is remarkably like she was as a child. Sometimes that grandmother is so overwhelmed when she thinks of that little boy that her heart literally sings.

Ever since I can remember I have loved animals. I've loved the ones that loved me back and I've loved the ones that bit me and I've loved the ones that never gave me a second thought. All through my life I've known that my love of animals bore deep into my core. I knew that I cared more deeply and felt more deeply than most people. I knew that if you took my animals away from me that you may as well take my life, too. Imagine how I felt when it became apparent that one of my grandsons' inherited from me that same caring and love of animals - deeply and genuinely and purely.

The little boy you see, Benny, is my eight year-old grandson. I have seen him kiss the lips of snakes he's found in the grass before he set them free. I have seen his eyes light up when a tiny creature blesses him with it's presence. He touches it gently, and with respect, being careful not to hurt the bitty life he carries in his hands. This little boy is the Pied Piper of my cats and dogs when he comes in the back door of my home. They follow him and seek to be near him and to love him.

There are no words to adequately describe how thrilled and happy and blessed I feel when I know that this little boy carries inside of him what I have carried inside of me for so many years. Within Benny's heart is what I have held most dear all of my life...my respect for all things living whether they are beautiful or fancy or free or costly or treasured or cast off by others. My belief that life, all life, is sacred and should be l♥ved and cherished and cared for and touched gently.

When I leave this earth I will have immense comfort knowing that a part of me, a part of who I am - my core belief in the sanctity of life - rests within the soul of my darling Benny.

Benjamin Matthew, your Mimi loves you more than you'll ever know.

Diggin' a fort, spyin' on da neighbors 'n fence fightin' wif da neighbor grrrl

My mom took this photo of me from her kitchen window...through the screen. Someone should tell her that she could have used the other side of the window, you know, without the screen, but it's not gonna be me. Nope, I'm already in enough trouble cuz I dug this hole under the chair in my backyard.

But, I did have a dog-gone good reason to dig it. We have a lady golden 'triever who lives next door. Her name is Gable. She's a real pretty Golden 'triever lady. I like to spy on her when her humans let her outside, and then, when she's just about to sit down and relax in the sun, I POP OUT AND BARK, BARK, BARK at her. Boy, is that ever fun! You should see her face! Mom tells me dat isn't the way to make Gable like me an' I do think she's cute. I do try to be quiet but sometimes I just can't help myself☺

Then Gable 'n me we have one of the best rip-roarin' fence fights you've ever seen in your whole life! This kinda fun just never gets old, never. It's one of those things that you can do a zillion times in a day and each time just gets better.

I can't do it too many times in one day, though, because my mom will ask me to come in the house and take a nap...sigh.

Loving for a living, a job that these two dogs were born to do...

Hello, this is the momma of Scout the Golden Retriever (age 8) and Freyja, the German Shepherd Dog (age 5). Before I pass this blog into their competent paws, I wanted to give you some background about them as they are much too shy to tell you how wonderful they are to me and for me. Scout is a rescue retriever. He came to live with me when he was 3 years old. His human was dropping him off at our local shelter because they were moving (one of the most common exuses) and they couldn't take him with them. Scout never got the chance to be checked into the shelter because I was called immediately and when I met him it was l♥ve at first sight...for me. Scout, although polite, still waited for his other family to return for him, I'd say for about 6 months, and then one day I looked into his eyes and I knew he was mine, all mine. Don't ask me how I knew, it was just one of those things...felt with the heart and soul.

Freyja was a gift to me from a local breeder. He found out that my service dog, Starr, had passed away at the age of only 3 years as a result of acute pancreatitis. I was devastated and could barely function for weeks after she passed away but one day I got a call from Steve. He told me that he thought he had a pup that would suit my needs. She was terribly sound and unruffled under most circumstances. Just what I needed for therapy work and for my home needs. I went to look at the little lady and it was one of those times when you knew if you didn't take that baby home you'd regret it forever and now that I've had these years to live with this remarkable dog, I know I would have lost out on so much without her in my home. Freyja may not be a rescue in the true sense of the word, but she rescued me when I needed it most and continues to hold me up with her tender l♥ve.

Over time you will get to know these precious members of my family. You'll also meet their four kitty siblings and will hear stories about the furry friends my family has waiting for us at the Bridge. I've always said that a thousand years is not enough time to spend with someone you l♥ve and it is so, so true. I have never been ready to face the day and time when I must say good-bye to someone I l♥ve with all my heart and soul but I do it because I cannot be so selfish as to keep them here with me when they need to transition into their next life experience.

Why did I name this blog Loving for a Living? Because that best describes what these two friends of mine do best, love me completely, unconditionally and without question. That is their job, the way they make their living and I am more than happy to keep them employed!

So, if you've found my blog, please come back often. You will meet some remarkable animals that have blessed me with their presence in my life making it more tolerable to live in this cold and sometimes cruel planet we call home.