Oops, we ate it! Burp, belch, urp...a few doggies indescretions to confess

We was asked by our dear, little, baby doggie friend, Miss Sierra Rose, to tell all and expose to the world what we have eatin' that our momma didn't specifically give to us for dining purposes. We will go in the order of age before beauty, although momma says that both of us are the most beautiful dogs in the whole, wide world.

Scout when he was first adopted six years ago

I, Scout da 'triever, must admit that inside the house I have been known to enjoy a snack of paper napkins or nose tissue (used is the best and most tasty), as well as nummy-licious cat poopies! Oh, those cat poopies are just so delightful and enjoy-a-menting! I have also, but not often, grabbed a little lick of whatever momma is eatin' at the time if she needs to leave the room for a moment. Not wanting to be totally exposed, I only lick a little here and lick a little there leaving the bulk of momma's meal on the plate - well, maybe it looks a little different, but it is still there☺ Now, if you wanna ask me about hole diggin' that would be another and different story. I am doggy - hear me ROAR!

I, Freyja, being the youngest, and the only one of us who momma raised from a little baby, also finds great enjoyment when I can snack on a cat turd now and then. Our momma does everything she can to prevent us from nibbling on the cat-tootsie-rolls, but me, being furry large, I can use my strong paw to turn covered litter boxes around so that dining may take place much like a kitty-rocha buffet (without the sneeze guards). Momma has cat toilets behind doors, in the bathtub and under furniture, but me an' Scout, we find 'em and we do our best to snack on 'em, YUM!

Freyja, her first week at home

When I was a wee baby I would eviscerate my stuffies. First I would make them blind by pulling out their eyeballs so they couldn't see what I was doing to them. Then I'd get rid of the arms and legs so they couldn't crawl away to safety from my puppy jaws. Finally, I'd go for the belly and totally remove all of the guts flinging them willy-nilly all over the room. Boy, I sure loved to do that. But now I don't take so much of a thrill by killing my stuffies and just play with them nicely - oh...all right, I do pull off an eye every now and then just for old time's sake - some habits are so hard to break.☺

On occasion, and just because I am tall enough to do so, I have been found shopping in the kitchen sink after momma's dinner and before the dishes are washed. To my utter delight I have found some really good snacks in there that my momma overlooked as she finished her meal. However, and I don't know why, momma now remembers to scrape her perfectly good treats into the garbage disposal before she leaves the room utterly foiling my after dinner sink perusings.

Outside of the house if a new planting of momma's looks like it isn't going to make it and that it might be dying a miserable death, I will pull it out of the ground to end its misery. I am a furry com-paw-ssionate dog, you see. Sometimes when momma finds the dead bodies she tries to put them back into the dirt creating further suffering for the little, green vegetation. Not wanting to point out to momma that she is not being humane, I wait until she goes back into the house and again remove the little guy from its life support in the dirt. That usually completes the circle of life - and death - and momma gives up her efforts to continue plant sufferings in our backyard.

Well, that is about all we have to confess. We know that some doggies eat lots of things that cause their humans to scream and holler and moan and groan but so far we haven't seen that response from our momma. Oh sure, the occasional PEE-EWW when there is a cat roll dropped on the bathroom floor because we were caught in the act of making our selection from the kitty-catty toilet, but that's about the extent of her most horrible reaction, other than her shoving us away when we want to kiss and make up☺

We will now pass this reward on to:

• "Multum In Parvo"...with a Cinnabon tail. We have a feeling that this little Pug really has some stories to tell about his midnight snackings.
• Anna, the German Shepherd Dog, who just turned one year old. We've seen her true confessions and will bet money (or two cat turds) that she is gonna have a long, long list of trans-grrressions to tell about.
• Ruby and Penny, two, little Dachshunds who l☺☺k like they may just be double the fun when it comes to checking out the best places to have a good time.
• The 'splorin' Wolfies. These two are tall, fast, gorgeous, and just the right amount of fun, to think of some excellent goodies to exercise those larger-than-normal jaws!
• Golden Boy, Luke. We don't know if Luke has ever been a bad boy. In fact, we don't think he ever has - but there just might be a little something in his past that he hasn't shared with his rescue momma!

Now, this is the rules for this award:

1. "When accepting this award, you must blog about the food you have stolen when your humans were not watching.
2. If you have never stolen any food, you must have been a really good pup!
3. You can accept this yummy tray of cookies as your reward!
4. Next add the logo of this award to your blog (optional), then nominate at least 5 other furry blogs and let them know by leaving a message on their blogs."

Most of all HAVE FUN! This is a good time to spend some quality huggin' and kissin' (unless you eat cat poop like us) with your human.

doG, God, doG, God - unconditional l♥ve above our heads & at our feet

I am not posting this to share any religious theology. You don't have to agree with this. You don't have to agree with me. If you find the thought of God offensive, please hit the back button. However, when I see this adorable video and I look at the dogs resting at my feet - I am humbled - humbled by what is above me when I see a blue sky and feel the warmth of sunlight on my face - and humbled - when I look at what I have at my feet - unconditional love on earth in its purest form.

US Senator Edward Kennedy Dies ~ He l♥ved his dogs, yes, he did.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, a son of one of the most storied families in American politics, a man who knew triumph and tragedy in near-equal measure and who will be remembered as one of the most effective lawmakers in the history of the Senate, died Tuesday night. He was 77 .

Say what you will about Ted Kennedy or Democrats or politics, but that man loved his dogs. They were with him in the Senate and on his boat and in his home. Those Portuguese Water Dogs of Kennedy's were his constant companions. Dogs have lost a dear and loving friend. This man, often called the Lion of the Senate, was a pushover for those high energy, curly-haired companions of his. It was said that you would often see him outside the Senate hitting tennis balls for his beloved dogs in an effort to gain relief from the tense atmosphere often found in elective office. It wasn't often that you would see the Senator without 2-3 leashes and a water dog on the other end. (My words)

Making a Splash

You may think you know Ted Kennedy after 40 years in the Senate and enough speeches to fill the Library of Congress. But you haven't seen him play fetch with the inspiration for his new children's book.

Washington insiders know better than to get between Ted Kennedy and his Portuguese water dog, Splash, who tails the senator all around Capitol Hill. (Globe Photo / Chris Hartlove)

There's an old saying: "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." A few years ago, Senator Ted Kennedy decided to do just that. Now his beloved Portuguese Water Dog Champion Amigo's Seventh Wave (nicknamed Splash) is the most famous canine on Capitol Hill. Here we follow Senator Kennedy and Splash through a busy day in D.C., from press conferences to meetings with school groups to committee discussions to a floor vote. The result is an exciting, behind-the-scenes look at the life of one of the most energetic figures in American politics — and, of course, his equally famous owner. (Book can be purchased on Amazon.com)

Susan Milligan, 2006
BOSTONNEWS.COM

Follow the senior senator from Massachusetts, known for beating up tobacco lobbyists and conservative Supreme Court nominees, into his Capitol Hill office - the inner office, the one decorated with a framed, handwritten note from John F. Kennedy as a child, with pictures of Edward M. Kennedy standing alongside Martin Luther King and past presidents - and he quickly morphs into 8-year-old Teddy Kennedy. "Do you know how much I missed you? Do you KNOW how much I missed you?" Kennedy coos at Splash, his Portuguese water dog who has been awaiting his owner's return from a Senate committee hearing. Kennedy bounces a tennis ball, sending the large, curly-haired canine running around the bustling office before settling comfortably next to the senator. Kennedy (and Splash) sit down to discuss not the Iraq war, election politics, or health care initiatives, but rather his new 56-page children's book, My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View Of Washington, D.C., due out this month from Scholastic.
I hope you weren't thinking this was going to be an easy interview because it's about your dog. So let's start with the tough question: Isn't it true you stole Splash from your wife?
That's unfair. But probably true.
He was, originally, a gift for Mrs. Vicki Kennedy. Where did you get him?
I had dogs all my life, but Patrick [Kennedy's son, now a congressman from Rhode Island] is a chronic asthmatic. He's allergic to everything. We looked at this kind of dog, because he's non-allergic. I looked at the small dogs, the puppies, and the breeder said, "Let me show you what the dog will look like when he grows up." I knew, once we went out to take a look at Splash [named by a previous owner], it was going to be all over. He said Splash wasn't for sale, but I agreed to take care of him when they weren't breeding him, so he said, "You've got a deal." Four months later, they decided they weren't going to breed him.
Then you started taking Splash to the office. How did you square that with Mrs. Kennedy?
Well, Vicki thought I was taking Splash away, and she wanted to have a dog, so we got Sunny, one of Splash's great-nieces. Then Vicki said, "We don't want them separated. They'll get lonely." So I bring both of them in. [Sunny was not in the office the day of this interview.]

What made you decide to write a children's book?
Do you want to see a trick?
Sure.
Splash, Susan would like to see the ball, if you would show it to her. Can you show me the ball? Will you show me the ball? Splash. Please. SPLASH. Will you show me the ball? Come on, come on, show me the ball. Thank you. You know I want that ball, and you know I want that ball now. SPLASH. Please. Now you know I want that ball, and you're not going to give the ball to me? Come on, come on. Look. Show it to ME. Where are you going with that ball? Why are you teasing me? You know I want that ball more than anything in the world. Well, I guess you won't let me see it.

The idea for the book?
Oh, he came back. You're such a good dog. Thank you, Splash. I read over at the Robert Brent Museum Magnet Elementary School [in Washington, D.C.] once a week, and I noticed there were few books available to read to the children. I saw that the children love books about animals, and we had some funny stories about Splash, so I thought, let's do a book about it. To be honest about it, when I finished it, I thought that was the first chapter, but they said no, that's the whole book. Then I got the illustrator [Caldecott Medal winner David Small] and I read it to my grandchildren.
And?
They thought it was ho-hum. They were interested, but not enormously excited about it. Then one of them said, "Why don't you have the story told by Splash?" Vicki stayed up until 11 o'clock at night and rewrote the whole story, from Splash's point of view. That's why I dedicated the book to her.
Is there anywhere Splash can't go?
The Senate floor. He is a little upset about it. [He opens a copy of the book.] "I know the rules, no dogs allowed on the Senate floor. But I don't like it. I see plenty of senators, and they don't behave any better than I do."
But he's seen some famous people and places.
He's met Elton John. He was in the Oval Office. He has a dog bone from President Bush. He gave me this rawhide dog bone and wrote on it, "From Barney to Splash." I take him to all the hearings; he always sits under the table. He goes to press conferences, to the Cape. He loves to take long trips in the boat. He could sail all day.
Doesn't he get to be something of a distraction?
Not really. [Splash barks and tries to retrieve a tennis ball from under the couch.] But one time [during a committee hearing] we had a roll call, and when we came back, Splash was sitting in the chairman's chair.
How does he behave around other senators?
One time, the caucus went on too long, and Joe Biden and Paul Wellstone were speaking louder and louder. Splash started to bark, so Paul Sarbanes made him an honorary member of our caucus.
What does Splash do when he sees the bomb-sniffing dogs?
 He waits until we pass. And then he barks.

I didn't always agree with Ted Kennedy's politics but I always agreed with him 100% about the value of dogs!

♥Serve up some homemade Frosty Paws for your favorite furry friend♥

Summer may be on the way out in a few weeks, but a cool, yummy and healthy treat is always IN! Just ask that bundle of unconditional love that follows you around all day! Frosty Paws can be a little pricey if you have more than one dog so making your own is a wonderful alternative. What I like is the fact that I KNOW what's in the ones that come from my freezer - all healthy, all goodness and all fun! Quite frankly, I've tasted this doggie treat and it's GOOD!

Frosty Paws

 

1 small container of plain or vanilla yogurt  (4ounces)
1 ripe banana
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) water

Blend ingredients, using a food processor or blender.  Freeze in ice cube trays, and then transfer to Ziploc freezer bags, for easy storage. Molds can also be used, or small Dixie cups.  If using Dixie cups, fill them 2/3 full, to allow for expansion.  A large measuring cup, makes filling trays, cups, or molds, very easy.  Frosty Paws are great for teething puppies.

In place of regular yogurt, why not give goat milk yogurt a try?  Goat milk has 13% less lactose than cow milk, and because its milk particles are small, goat milk is very easy to digest.  Goat milk fatty acids have a unique metabolic ability to limit cholesterol deposits in body tissues. Compared to cow's milk, goat milk has similar amounts of protein, fat, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin D, but has more natural vitamin A, and more vitamin B.

Remember, you can use any kind or combination of fruits to make your Frosty Paws, or use a medley of vegetables instead.  Banana strawberry is a yummy combination, or how about fresh cranberries, or, one of the very best sources of antioxidants-blueberries.

Other combinations your pooch might like:

1 large container of plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt (32 ounces)
1 ripe banana
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey

OR

1 large container of plain or fruit yougurt
2 ripe bananas
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

OR

1 large container of plain yogurt
1 cup pure pumpkin pureé
1/8 teaspoon carob powder (a big pinch)

OR

2 cups melon, e.g., seedless watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe  (Mango and Passionfruit are also doglicious!)
2 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons honey (optional)

OR

2 cups applesauce, with no added sugar
2 cups water
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 

Animal advocates call on Eagles to match Vick's salary in shelter donations

SI cover: December 29, 2008 issue.

A Philadelphia-based animal welfare group is asking the Eagles to put their money where their mouth is.

DogPac, a political action committee and advocacy group, sent a letter to Eagles owner Jeff Lurie today asking him to match every dollar he pays Michael Vick with a donation to area animal shelters.

That means a total of $6.6 million over two years.

"The Philadelphia Eagles have repeatedly stated that they believe in giving second chances," said Tom Hickey Sr., chairman of DogPAC and a member of the state Dog Law Advisory Board. "I believe this is a way for the Eagles to clearly demonstrate that they are willing to invest equally in giving a second chance to the dogs that are the victims of this brutal illegal activity."

In addition to the letter to Lurie, Hickey sent an email to the 23,000 people on the DogPAC list urging them to send emails to the Eagles and show their support for the donation request. As of noon 925 letters had been sent to Lurie, Hickey said.

Hickey said the Eagles contribution should go toward enforcing animal cruelty laws and helping care for and rehabilitate fighting dogs.

"With this matching contribution dogs that have been brutalized will be able to receive the necessary medical and behaviorial care that is necessary to give them that second chance of being adopted into a loving and caring home," he said.

There has been no word from the Eagles on exactly what will be expected from Vick as far as his anti-dog fighting activities are concerned or what, if anything, the team plans to do to help the area's animals in the months and years ahead.

Here is the letter DogPac sent to its email list:

Are you as outraged as I am that the Philadelphia Eagles have signed Michael Vick? I’m sure that you are, and you have every right to be. Vick has admitted doing barbaric things to dogs, and the Eagles have shown horrible judgment by making him a member of their team.

The Eagles say that Vick will use his position to help save dogs and show kids that animal abuse is wrong. That simply is not good enough.

However, I believe that by working together we can make the Eagles put their money where their mouth is and do something very positive for dogs in Philadelphia.

That’s why I’ve sent a letter to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie urging him to prove his team’s commitment to stopping dog abuse by donating AT LEAST the equivalent of Michael Vick’s salary to dog shelters and rescues every year that Vick is an Eagle. That would mean donations of $1.6 million this year and $5 million next year, if Vick is still on the team.

Now I need your help to put public pressure on the Eagles organization to make this happen. Please join me by sending an email to Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie telling him to prove his commitment to protecting dogs by agreeing to make these donations.

Click here to send an email to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie telling him to put his money where his mouth is to protect dogs.

The Eagles have said that they are giving Michael Vick a “second chance” by putting him on the team. By making these substantial donations to rescues and shelters the Eagles could give a second chance to thousands of dogs that have been abused, maimed and tortured by dog fighting rings just like the one that Michael Vick ran.

If they believe that Vick’s second chance is worth $1.6 million this year, then we believe it’s worth at least that much to give second chances to thousands of innocent dogs who otherwise would be destroyed.

Please help me convince the Eagles and Jeffrey Lurie that this is the right thing to do by sending him an email right now.

Thank you for your continuing support and for everything you do to help protect dogs in Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,
Tom Hickey, Sr.
DogPAC Chairman

If enough of us support this. If enough of us contact the Eagles. If enough of us speak for those who cannot - we CAN get something done - 

YES, WE CAN!

H.R. 3501 -- Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act

I, for one, will be contacting ALL of my federal legislators to express my firm support of this bill. I cannot, and will not, tell anyone how to feel about H.R. 3501, but I stand firmly behind it! This bill won't pass without all of us, all animal folks, letting our collective voices be heard! So, pass this along to each and every person you know and tell them that if they do nothing, that may be all they get...nothing.


THE HUFFINGTON POST
Michael Markarian

EVP/COO, Humane Society of the United States

Posted: August 19, 2009 12:09 PM

I wrote last year about California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's misguided plan to add a sales tax to veterinary services as part of a larger set of proposals to deal with the state's multi-billion dollar budget shortfall. Thanks to the work of HSUS, the California Veterinary Medical Association, and state legislators, the governor's idea was terminated, and California pet owners weren't forced into an even more difficult situation where tough choices had to be made about cutting care for their animal companions.

What's an even more hopeful sign of the times, however, is that federal lawmakers, led by Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), are taking a much more foresighted approach by working to give pet owners a break during this economic downturn. McCotter has introduced H.R. 3501 -- the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act -- which would amend the federal tax code to allow a person to deduct up to $3,500 per year for pet care, including veterinary expenses. (The deduction applies only to household companion animals, not animals in laboratories, farms, or other businesses.)

McCotter has been a strong supporter of animal protection, and has advanced issues that promote the safety of both people and animals, such as dog bite prevention. We're grateful for his leadership in this new effort to help struggling families make ends meet -- recognizing that pets are part of the family, too.

During a stressful economic period, McCotter's bill is as much a human health issue as an animal health issue. Pets are good for us emotionally and physically, and studies show that having a pet can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. If you've lost your job or are having trouble paying the mortgage or rent, caring for a companion animal provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment and lessens feelings of loneliness and depression.

The legislation could be a critical safety net to prevent struggling pet owners who can no longer afford to care for their animal companions from relinquishing them at animal shelters -- which not only tears families apart but also places a financial burden on local municipalities and private shelters for the costs of housing pets and, tragically, euthanizing them. And by encouraging affordable pet care, the bill not only promotes animal health and well-being, but also could help to stimulate the economy by driving more business to veterinarians, animal hospitals, and pet care providers.

Pet care, in fact, can be big business. More American households can claim pets than children as dependents. Since 1998, pet ownership has increased from 56% of households to 62%--an estimated 71.4 million homes enjoy pet companionship. And to care for these animals in our lives, we collectively spend more than $40 billion -- on food, veterinary care, and other supplies and services -- every year.

Moreover, pet ownership is not just for the wealthy -- 58% of households earning incomes of $55,000 or less per year own pets. While pet ownership does increase with income, a recent American Veterinary Medical Association survey revealed that pets are most likely to be a part of families with children led by full-time workers owning their homes. And the largest growth rate in pet ownership is among retired older couples.

If you would like to see this legislation passed into law, YOU need to contact your Federal representatives in Washington and tell them you support this bill. If you do nothing, well, that is all you will get, nothing. Currently this bill is being reviewed by the Ways and Means Committee.

If you show your mom a stuffie, she knows what you mean

When I have a message for my momma, I take one of my stuffies an' show it to her. Just like magic she can read my mind an' gives me what I need (that's a momma for ya). If what I want is to go outside, we go to the kitchen door an' I drop the selected stuffie there to be put back into my toy box so I can use it again or maybe play tug with it or maybe play catch with it.

But sometimes - sometimes a guy has a favorite stuffie that he just can't leave by the kitchen door an' needs to bring it back into the house when he is done wif his business, if-ya-know-what-I-mean. It's kinda that way wif my teddy. Ted was my first stuffie friend when I gots adopted from the shelter, so he's never left by the back door. He gets a ride back up the steps by me.

He ain't crazy, he's my brofur...

There are times when bein' a good brofur is really an' really hard cuz there are times when Forrest kitty gets beside himself wif his ♥ for me an' can't stop himself from rubbin' an' purrin' all over me. Momma says to me that I don't have to put up wif alla' Forrest's intentions an' that I can get up an' go away but I don't cuz I am the only one in the house that Forrest ♥s an' I don't wanna hurt his itty bitty kitty feelings or put his self-esteem in the litter box. You guys understand, right? You do, huh? I'm just tryin' ta be a good brofur.

Scout, real man-dogs ♥ pink stuffies

You need to go visit with the older an' handicapped pets on Petfinder.com cuz someday you is gonna be old an' you might need a home, too. You might find just the right sweetie to kiss an' to l♥ve.

Guest post: Forrest Man-Catty - NO TOLERANCE FOR DOG FIGHTING, EVER!

I am Forrest and I am a man-catty. Being a man-catty I know all about being macho and strutin' around to be a big floof here in my house. So, when I tell you that hurtin' da woofies is a cowardly and rotten and horrible and mean and nasty and disgusting and unlawful and blood-thirsty things to do, I AM RIGHT. I do not fight with the woofies in my house and the woofies in my house don't fight each other.

Our momma says that dogs are pack animals and that it is against their nature to kill each other. It is the mean human beings that teach dogs to do hurtful things to each other and that is wrong and those human beings need to go to jail and then when they get out of jail our momma says that they should work at a humane society for years and years cleaning up poop and wear a sign that says that they abuse animals and that they are being punished for their bad behavior. We think that Mr. Michael Vick needs to pick up a lot of poop for the rest of his life.

We are also against cock-fighting and all fighting between animals that makes people money. That is a furry and furry bad thing. Furry bad.

If you agree with us, we ask that you go over to Confucius Cat's place and sign up for the PURR TO STOP DOG FIGHTING and to show that DOGFIGHTING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

• Participants should purr for three minutes commencing at 6:00 p.m. EDT (U.S.) which is 11:00 p.m. (23:00 hrs.) BST in the U.K.
• The cat’s human staff should assist their cats with the project by stroking and nuzzling the cat at the appointed time.

We also ask woofies in the house to wag tails for three minutes, too. Humans should play with the woofie. That will make your woofie smile and wag its tail really lots for a long time. It doesn't have to be a big tail. Any tail will do. Thank you furry much.

Two dogs, 2000 miles to find a cure for K-9 cancer

This video has the power to move the soul of anyone who has ever cupped a furry head in their hands, looked into loving eyes and had to say good-bye - not because a life was lived long and well - but because of a menacing disease - the word we all hate cancer. After you've watched the trailer, please visit the web site, too. This walk began last year and continues on. This man and his two dogs have made many stops along their way to educate others about their venture and to emphasize the need for cancer research to find a cure - a cure for our beloved dogs who give us unconditional love until they breathe their last breath. If anyone should try to tell you that human beings need more help, remember, most cures for humans began with our best friends on four feet.


To learn more about this wonderful trio, just click on the photo. It will take you to their web site and links that give a volume of information and their media coverage about this remarkable journey. If you have ever loved an animal, there is no way you will not be moved. They also have a facebook page and you can follow them on twitter as they tweet quite often!

Hudson, Murphy and Luke

Their blog chronicling their jouney