Tag Archives: in which I get serious for a moment

Say "cheese… and adopt me please!"

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Last month, I read a post on Jezebel entitled “Pet Photographer Says Better Photos Save Shelter Dogs’ Lives.”  Not long after that, I read another article on FIDO Friendly on the same topic.  Through the FIDO Friendly article, I learned about Second Chance Photos, a non-profit that encourages people to donate their time to take personalized photos of animals in need of a forever home.

I was intrigued – the idea makes perfect sense.  The cuter that furry face looks in the photo on the rescue group or shelter website, the more likely someone looking for a pet is going to fall in love.  Not convinced?  Check out some of these before and after photos.

As someone who’s obsessed with her camera, I couldn’t think of a better way to volunteer!  Inspired by Second Chance Photos, I contacted some local rescue groups to see if they could use my services.  One group, Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA), took me up on the offer.  FOHA is a non-profit, no-kill shelter that operates in the DC/Northern Virginia area.  (Remember Dozer?  He’s a FOHA alumnus.)  According to its website, FOHA typically houses more than 100 dogs and 30 cats on site (as well as more in foster homes).  As you can imagine, that’s a lot of animals that need photos for the website!

This weekend, I visited FOHA to take photos of some of their adoptable pets.  I’m so glad I did.  A friend came along to handle the dogs while I took photos – we spent the afternoon playing with dogs and (fingers crossed) helping them find homes.  It was rewarding and fun  – I hope they’ll be willing to have me back.

Want to see some of the photos?  Allow me to introduce you to my new friends…

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

If the slideshow didn’t work for you, check out the set on Flickr.  For more information on these pups, visit Friends of Homeless Animals.

Interested in learning more about volunteering as a shelter pet photographer?  Second Chance Photos has some great tips on how to get started, as well as tips regarding equipment, how to conduct the photo shoot, and editing. 

You don’t have to be a pro – it just takes a little bit of homework and a lot of practice.  It’s nice to think that all of my time playing pupperazzi has a practical application.

Have you ever taken photos for a rescue group, or are you considering doing so?

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Tell Petland USA to stop selling puppies!

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Blog the ChangeAt one point or another, we’ve probably all been drawn to that puppy in the window of a pet store, whether by his sheer cuteness or by that sad look in her eyes.  Maybe you’ve even taken one home.  I did.

However, now that I know more about the connection between pet stores and puppy mills, I will never do so again.  Read on to learn more about this connection and what you can do to help.  Join us in telling Petland USA to stop selling pets in its stores.


When I was ten years old, I wanted a dog of my own for Christmas.  (We had dogs – plenty of them – but this one was to be “mine.”  My parents had agreed, and I was in the process of finding the perfect companion.)  I had my heart set on a Scottish Terrier.  However, while at the mall one day, I saw a Toy Fox Terrier puppy in the window of the pet store and fell in love.  I convinced my mom to let me meet her.  After some calculated begging and whining, I then convinced her to get this puppy for me.  I named her Scotti.  She became my best friend.

While I wouldn’t trade my time with Scotti for anything, it saddens me to think that she was part of the pet store/puppy mill system.  Scotti was our only pet store dog.  Most of our other dogs were rescues,
if in the non-traditional sense of the word.  (My dad would bring a dog
home that someone in town no longer wanted, or we’d take the neighbors’
dog in when they moved.)

When I walk by a pet store now, I no longer view it through the eyes of a child.  Instead, I feel an overwhelming sadness for the animals inside.  That sadness is quickly followed by anger.

It’s that mixture of sadness and anger that fuels today’s post for Blog the Change for Animals.  Although there are many pet stores out there, the most well-known is probably Petland.  According to the Humane Society of the United States, Petland is the largest retail supporter of puppy mills in the U.S.  In 2009, HSUS released more information suggesting that 95 percent of Petland’s stores were buying from puppy mills, either directly or indirectly.

Puppy mills are not idyllic places full of puppies, nor some paradise like that Daisy Hill Puppy Farm in Snoopy’s past.  The conditions are truly horrifying.

Puppy mill dogs may suffer a host of health problems.  (Scotti did have some minor health issues – due to a leaky tear duct, she
wasn’t fit to be a show dog and had ended up in the pet store instead. 
Honestly, we were very lucky that her issues were minimal.)  In addition to the impact these terrible physical conditions can have on a dog’s health, a recent study also details the severe psychological harm that being in a puppy mill can inflict. 

Petland Canada saw the light and stopped selling pets.  (Update 10/16:  perhaps in theory, but not always in practice.)  When will Petland USA follow?  Perhaps we can help spur them to action…

Mary Haight from the Dancing Dog Blog created a petition on Change.org for just that purpose.  Today, as part of Blog the Change for Animals, several bloggers (including me) are standing with her and promoting this cause.

Want to know how you can help? Take two minutes to sign and share the petition.  Take a few more minutes to write a
short post on your blog or on Facebook.  Share this post and the link to the petition on Twitter.

I know it can be hard to resist those furry faces when you walk by a pet store – and, if my own experience is any guide, resisting a child who desperately wants that puppy in the window is no easy task.  You may think that by “rescuing” the dog in the pet store, you’re doing a good deed.  However, I recommend you check out this excellent piece at Dogster and think long and hard before you unintentionally perpetuate the puppy mill-pet store cycle.   

Be strong.  Look into rescue, and adopt a dog.  Don’t patronize stores that sell pets.  It’s not the only business model that works – both PetSmart and Petco encourage adoption.  I’d rather support a business like that, wouldn’t you?

Let’s raise awareness of this issue and take a stand against puppy mills!

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Another trip down Memory Lane for #My7Links

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Last month, I was notified by Katie from Tripbase that I had been nominated to take part in My 7 Links.  (A huge and belated thanks to Kim from This One Wild Life for the nomination – sadly, it took me this long to write the post.  Oops…)

The goal of My 7 Links?  “To unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share
lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts
that deserve to see the light of day again.”  Sounds like fun, right?  Here we go…

1.  My most beautiful post

This was kind of a tough call – I think that a lot of the photos I’ve shared of Bella are quite beautiful. (I’m biased, I know.)  However, I decided to go with something a bit wordier: “Lend me your eyes and I’ll write you a blog.” 

2.  My most popular post

According to my stats, my most popular post (based on page views) was one from my recent series recapping the BlogPaws pet blogger conference.  Specifically, the post entitled “BlogPaws Episode 2: Say hello to my not so little friends,” in which I discussed listening to the guys from Rescue Ink give the keynote on the first day of the conference.

(My photo post “Leave(s) it to Bella” was a very close second in the page views category, while I received the most comments on “Take a look at me now,” a post I did as part of the Pet Blogger challenge reflecting on my blogging experience.)

3.  My most controversial post

I’m not the most controversial of bloggers. (I love puppies and cupcakes and spend way too much time talking about pop culture, after all.)  However, I think that the post that qualifies as most controversial is probably “Dogs in hot cars: when will it stop?”  The story I shared in that post was horrifying on so many levels and did inspire some debate.

4.  My most helpful post

I’m not sure I’m that helpful either.  However, I was a bit torn on which post to list here – some of my recent BlogPaws posts have contained some useful information, but I wanted to go with something a bit older.  I do think that “Bella: the Great Houndini” was a pretty useful post – I shared some of our methods of Bella containment and I think that the ideas there would be helpful for others dealing with their own crafty canines.

5.  A post whose success surprised me

As you may know, I have a regular feature that I call No Frown Friday.  These posts are kind of a hodgepodge of things depending on what I have on the brain that week.  I never really know which ones will strike a chord and which ones will fly under the radar.  I find it interesting that the most popular of these posts has such an unassuming title: “That’s one way to stay cool.”

(Also interesting – the most commented on Friday post was “Appreciate a squirrel today.”  Guess it’s not always puppies around here.)

6.  A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved

This one was kind of a tough call.  There are many posts from the early days of the blog that never really saw much traffic.  If I had to pick one, I’d probably choose “She’s cute, but…”  This post is a perfect introduction to Bella.

7.  The post that I am the most proud of

I knew that the post I selected for this category would be one where I was blogging the change for animals or sharing an important cause.  I think I’ve settled on this one: “Blog the Change: Pets of the Homeless” (the first time I mentioned that particular cause on the blog).  I think that this is a really important organization, and I’m dedicated to spreading the word about it.  (I discussed it again as part of the recent Pay it Forward blog hop.)

So, those are my links.  Now, for the fun part – nominating five others to participate!  After checking the list of bloggers nominated so far, I think I’m not duplicating… if so, my apologies.  Anyway, I’m nominating these great bloggers:

Happy Monday!

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Less adoptable? Super awesome is more like it

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In honor of Petfinder’s Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week, I’m dedicating this week’s No Frown Friday to the less adoptable pets out there. This week’s motto?  Appreciate, don’t discriminate!

  1. Punny pet name:  Mike-howl Ian Black.
  2. Did you see my guest post on Grouchy Puppy earlier this week?  If not, check out 10 great reasons to adopt an older dog.
  3. Even better, Sharon from Grouchy Puppy did a guest post here as well (check it out if you missed it).  Remember: when it comes to senior dogs, appreciate, don’t discriminate! (For a host of senior dog resources, I also recommend that you visit Daley’s Dog Years.)
  4. Also among the less adoptable? Pop over to Something Wagging to learn about tripod dogs (a.k.a. dogs with three legs).  Don’t get too cocky – I have a feeling that many of them could beat me (and probably you) in a race.  You can also read about more special needs pets at Bessie Mac, Bringing up Bella, and browndog cbr.
  5. I’ve talked about Black Dog Syndrome before and introduced you to some of the awesome black dogs from my past.  Check out this post at the Northern Virginia Dog Blog for more info.
  6. Do any of your pets (past or present) fit into the less adoptable (a.k.a. “awesome but people are too dumb to see it”) category?  Tell me about them!  (You can also stroll down memory lane with some other bloggers this week, like Kim from This One Wild Life and Dr. V from Pawcurious.)
  7. Dawn from Affurmation shares why she prefers adopting those so-called less adoptable pets.  It’s a great reason!
  8. Warning: this story from Amazon Cares about the special bond between a less adoptable pet and his human might bring tears to your eyes.  (I promised no frowns, but I said nothing about happy tears.)
  9. Kim from CindyLu’s Muse reminds us why different is beautiful.
  10. As Marg’s Pets will tell you, it’s not just dogs that have to deal with this label.  Learn the facts about FIV-positive cats at Brian’s Home and check out some black cats at House of Carnivores and The Chronicles of Cardigan.

We end today’s post with a video of one of those less adoptable pets…

Based on how cute this “less adoptable” black dog is, I can only conclude one thing… people are crazy.

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Senior dogs: Appreciate, don’t discriminate

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Today, I have a special treat for you – a guest post from one of my favorite bloggers!  Editor-at-Large for LIFE+DOG Magazine and Founder of Grouchy Puppy, Sharon Castellanos writes to educate and inspire people to focus on the beauty and joy of having a dog in their life.  She shares stories and interviews that strive to illustrate how we all have it in us to give fearlessly and influence positively.  I was lucky enough to finally meet her in person during BlogPaws in spite of that whole hurricane thing.

I think pets, like a fine wine, get better with age.  Below, Sharon discusses ageism and appreciating older dogs.  It’s the perfect post to share with you during Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week.

Do dogs face ageism like people? When I read how people will
drop off their dog to Animal Care and Control because the dog is old, it makes
me a little crazy.
Why is it so hard for some people to be empathetic? A dog
lives an entire life being your companion and buddy. Who else is that excited
to see you, every time you open the front door, whether you’ve been gone five
minutes or five hours.
As we age, no one likes to feel aches and pains that come
with the advancing years. We all have to change our diet and take things a
little slower. It is the same with a dog. Why would you expect them to be any
different?
Cleo isn’t a puppy and that is a good thing. We love that
she was already an adult when we adopted her. When I think back, it almost was
like cheating because she came with bonus extras. I almost felt as if we should
have paid more. An older dog more often loves to hang out with you, rather than
dashing off to sniff every new and amazing thing. This is certainly true for
Cleo.
Sure puppies are cute but so are old dogs. Who doesn’t love
a sweet face with a little grey around the muzzle? How adorable is it when you
see a small old dog wearing a sweater. They look almost professorial. All they
need is a little pipe and a newspaper.
I can only imagine the regret these people must feel after
they get home. Their dreams filled with the consequences of what they have
done. It has to be tough thinking that you couldn’t give the same level of
commitment to a relationship as a dog can.
The upside to many of these stories in San Francisco is that
we have wonderful groups who step in and scoop up that senior dog for a new
life with people who can commit. Have you heard of Muttville? Our city has lots
of families who adore the senator or professor look in a dog.
Let me say that Cleo may be old, and now we’re dealing with
age-related issues for her but I wouldn’t trade her or these experiences for
anything. Being with her now helps me reflect on my own mortality and how I
view and treat old people. We all age and I for one appreciate having a dog in
my life who is willing to go through it all with a big happy face.

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Today, we remember

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It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years.  It’s a day fixed in my mind – I remember exactly where I was that morning. I had an early class and returned to my on-campus apartment to find my roommates watching the news, horrified by what they were seeing. While trying to process what was happening, some made panicked phone calls to loved ones who worked at the Pentagon (less than 20 miles from our campus). Others checked on the status of friends and family in New York and DC, hoping they were okay.

I don’t even know what else to say about the tragedy that unfolded that day.  Words don’t seem to be enough.

However, I want to share this video from the archives – it’s from The Dog Files, and although I posted it last year, I think it’s just as powerful today.

Bless all the heroes – both human and canine – who were there that day, as well as those who continue to work tirelessly on our behalf.  We are forever in your debt.

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Pay it forward: Pets of the Homeless

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Last weekend at BlogPaws, I attended a great session by Felissa from Two Little Cavaliers and Neil from Life with Dogs.  I’ll be posting a bit more about the session in another post – I have a few more BlogPaws recaps in the queue, after all.

However, at that session we discussed the idea of community – what the word meant and how we as a community could help each other raise awareness and share each other’s causes.  From that discussion came the inspiration for today’s Pay if Forward Blog Hop.  Today, pet bloggers are sharing one (or more) of the causes that they are passionate about and adding it to the blog hop.  Then, those participating in the blog hop or reading through the posts can offer to help out with causes they are interested in or even solicit some guest posts for their blogs.  I will definitely be checking out the other causes, and I may approach a few bloggers about doing some guests posts to share their causes with you.  I’ve included the list for the blog hop at the end of this post – so I hope you’ll also take a moment to see what everyone is talking about today.

Today, I’m sharing a cause I’ve written about before.  I’d like to tell you about a group called Pets of the Homeless.  This nonprofit organization provides pet food and veterinary care to the homeless and less fortunate in local communities across the United States and Canada. For my last birthday, I told all of my friends not to buy me gifts.  If they absolutely felt the need to bring something, I asked that they bring a bag of dog food instead.  I then donated this dog food to Pets of the Homeless.  I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday gift – the chance to make a difference for pets (and their people) in need.

Imagine, if you will, that due to circumstances beyond your control, you find yourself homeless.  What do you do with your pet?  Your pet gets sick.  You can’t afford veterinary care.  Where do you go?  Or, let’s say you are currently homeless and encounter a stray dog who becomes your companion.  The nearest homeless shelter doesn’t allow pets.  Do you go to the shelter and leave your companion to fend for himself? 

These are tough choices.  Choices that I hope none of us ever have to make.  However, many people do have to make these choices on a regular basis.  Pets of the Homeless notes that the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that as many as 3.5 million Americans are homeless.  Between 5 to10 percent of homeless people have dogs or cats – in some areas that number may be as high as 24 percent.

There are many reasons people end up homeless, including foreclosure, poverty, domestic violence, lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and declining public assistance.  The demographics of the homeless population show that anyone can be affected – young, old, and in between.  The homeless population is not just one ethnicity, gender, or age.  Their homes may have been destroyed by a hurricane or a tornado.  They are veterans, victims of domestic violence, the unemployed, families with children… and so many others.

Pets of the Homeless aims to help this population in many ways.  It has established collection sites to accept donated pet food.  This food is distributed through partnerships with homeless shelters, soup
kitchens, and other entities.  The organization also makes two types of grants:
one to veterinarians that go to where the homeless congregate and
provide veterinary care such as vaccines, spay/neuter and other needed
treatments; the other to homeless shelters looking for ways to allow
pets sanctuary with their owners.  

Want to know how you can help? If there is a collection site near you, donate pet food and supplies.  (If there’s no collection site near you, find out how to become one.) Pets of the Homeless also provides a list of other ways that you can donate your time (like volunteering at a distribution site) or money to this worthy cause.  You can also help by spreading the word about Pets of the Homeless to bring awareness to this cause.

If you have tissues handy, I urge you to read some of the success stories and view the touching photos on the Pets of the Homeless website. I hope you’ll check out this great organization as well as some of the others being highlighted in today’s blog hop:

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BlogPaws Episode 2: Say hello to my not-so-little friends

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After the welcome reception on Thursday evening, I was feeling pretty good about returning to BlogPaws on Friday.  I wasn’t disappointed.  The day started out with a pretty great keynote speaker.  Or, more accurately, a duo of speakers:

Meet the men of Rescue Ink.  These are some pretty tough customers from Queens. If you’re looking for peaceful conflict resolution, they may not be your guys.  (Although I have a feeling they’re the type that can solve problems without knocking heads together if the situation allows it.)

In any event, they’re tough customers who care about animal welfare, as the dedication on their website makes clear.  They’re extremely committed to stopping animal abuse – you could really feel the emotion behind their words and their passion for this cause was evident.  That commitment was inspiring.

Rescue Ink is an international animal welfare organization dedicated to defending the defenseless.  (They joked that their lawyers wouldn’t let them go into too much detail about how they actually do that.)  Our two speakers are actually two of the founding members of the group.

Joe Panz (bio)
Big Ant (bio)

Rather than give you an exhaustive recap of their speech, I just wanted to share a few of the quotes I jotted down during the keynote:

  • “A rescue isn’t a rescue until you take it out of a bad situation and find it a better home.”
  • “You don’t send Boy Scouts to get rid of bad guys.  You’re gonna run out of Boy Scouts real quick.”
  • “They say that animals don’t have a voice.  We don’t mind speaking for them.”
  • “It takes 5 puppy mill puppies for one to survive long enough to make it to the pet store.”
  • “Money shouldn’t get between you and your animal.  Your animal is family.”
  • “We defend those that can’t defend themselves.”

You can learn more about the guys from Rescue Ink at their website, including some of their success stories.  I also recommend checking out this post at Kahuna’s K9s – Eryka did a great interview with them after their speech.  This recap at the Pet Health Care Gazette is also fantastic and perfectly describes how I felt listening to these two.  Finally, here’s a video of the interview that Miah from Start the Change did with Joe and Big Ant.

A shot of their logo on the big screen at BlogPaws

Up next: the sessions begin, I learn some stuff, more friends are made, and a puppy movie is screened.  In short… good times.

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Child leaves dog on doorstep to save him from the pound

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It’s quite the story.  It’s the stuff you see in movies and cartoons – a baby in a basket, left on a doorstep by a mother who cannot take care of him.  A note penned to the basket hoping that a benevolent stranger will take the orphan in and give him a better life.  Take that familiar tale… and replace it with a dog.  Rather than let his beloved pet go to the pound, a child essentially left his dog on the doorstep of a neighbor.  Engage tear ducts…
The dog is named Mr. B.  He was waiting in the driveway of a man in Washington state with a scribbled note stashed in a bone-shaped compartment attached to his collar.  The note stated that the child’s parents were getting divorced.  It indicated that Mr. B was to go to the pound, but that the child thought the dog would have a better life with this man.  (Side note: Isn’t divorce hard enough on this poor kid without getting rid of the dog too?  Obviously there’s no way to know the full story or if the parents were really going to take Mr. B to the pound, but still…)  To help take care of the dog, who was described as being “used to kids – not other dogs,” the child included his birthday money.  Among the many heartbreaking lines in the note (found here), the final few are truly heartbreaking: “He’s a good boy.  I know God will take care of Mr. B. – Everyone loves him… especially me.  Thank you.”
Wisdom from the mouth of babes.  Although leaving your dog on a neighbor’s doorstep may not be the best plan, you can’t deny the powerful emotion behind the action.  Ending up in a pound is a death sentence for many dogs… and even if it’s not, finding a new home isn’t easy.  Had Mr. B been dropped off at the pound, he’d likely be scared, confused, and utterly heartbroken.  Fine way to treat a creature you’ve brought into your home as a family member.  My heart breaks for this child.  If only everyone felt this way about the furry beings they’ve taken into their homes.  It’s a responsibility that far too few take seriously.

On a happy note, the neighbor took Mr. B to work and the pup has already found a new home.
For more, watch the story here.

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Lend me your eyes, and I’ll write you a blog…

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Earlier this week, I advised you to stay tuned (I kill me) for a post that was somehow related to that overly cute kitten playing an invisible piano in his sleep.  This is that post.  Be prepared for some serious rambling ahead… both serious in nature, and seriously rambling.  After all, you know I love Memory Lane like I grew up there.

Do you ever get the feeling that the universe is conspiring to make you slow down and indulge your nostalgic side?  Recently, I found myself commenting on two different blog posts that reminded me of a very special show from my childhood.  Does anyone else remember Garfield’s Nine Lives?  (If you do, you may be my pop culture soul mate.)

If you haven’t heard of it, Garfield’s Nine Lives began as a 1984 book containing a group of short stories illustrating the various “lives” of Garfield the cat.  (I own this book.  Fun fact about me: as a child, I was obsessed with Garfield and began collecting Garfield books – including the daily strips, the Sunday Treasuries, and the specials.  I couldn’t get enough.  I’ll always have a soft spot for that cat.)

The book was adapted into a TV special in 1988.  My mom taped it for me when it aired.  (Ah, the days of VHS.)  I watched that special countless times – I could probably still quote most of it on request (such is the case with many Garfield specials, actually, but this one was by far my favorite).  The book is a bit darker than the TV special, and some of the lives differ between the two formats.

Anyway, you may be wondering what this has to do with… anything. While reading this post from Brian’s Home, I made a comment about Cave Cats (you know, a distant relative of the elusive Cave Dog).  This reminded me of Garfield’s first life, in which he was… a Cave Cat.  In addition, while reading this post from The Chronicles of Cardigan I was reminded of another life from the TV special – my favorite one, in fact.  It’s called Diana’s Piano.

Garfield describes this life as the one where he fell in love with music and when he “fell in love with a girl who played the piano just for me.”  As a child who took years of piano lessons and had a white cat (like Diana, the feline incarnation of Garfield in Life No. 6), this cartoon was catnip.  

It’s a touching story.  I just watched it again before writing this post, and needed several tissues.  Several.  Gets me every time.  I highly recommend it, but if you don’t find yourself sobbing or at least getting a little weepy… well, I just don’t know what to think about you.

My cat Buttercup wasn’t as much of a music fan as Diana (she was downright antisocial at times),  but I loved her dearly.  She was my first pet, joining our family when I was only three years old.  In my young mind, this cartoon was us.  (In fact, when Diana decides to scratch a visitor and has a look of smug satisfaction on her face, it was like they’d based the character on Buttercup.  Seriously.)

When I watched Diana’s Piano again as an adult, I realized that it also touched upon my relationship with another significant animal in my life – my dog Scotti.  She entered my life when I was ten years old

Scotti used to hang out by the piano while I’d play (she was much more of a music fan than Buttercup).  We were inseparable… and just like the woman in the cartoon, one day I had to leave for college.  (As she narrates: “That was a sad day.”)  When I called home, I’d ask to talk to Scotti on the phone, and I would ask my mom if Scotti seemed to recognize my voice.  I was always elated when my mom said yes.  I missed Scotti terribly, and I couldn’t wait to see her again.

Time passed.  I graduated and finally moved into an apartment off campus.  (One that allowed pets, of course.  That was an essential requirement.)  However, by the time I graduated college, Scotti was twelve years old – really too old to leave the comfort of my parents’ house.  It just wouldn’t have been fair to her to uproot her, move her to an apartment hundreds of miles away, and expect her to adjust to my hectic schedule.  I felt guilty that we wouldn’t be together, but I think it was the right decision.  Luckily, she didn’t hold it against me – every time I saw her it was like we had never been apart.  (She did – slightly – hold it against me when I adopted Bella and would bring her home with me for visits.  Although they only met a few times, I am sure Scotti was wondering who this interloper was and why I kept bringing her home.)

Scotti is gone now.  It’s been several years since I lost her, but I find myself thinking of her often.  She was truly my dog in a way that I’d never imagined could happen.  We had other pets when I was a kid, but the two of us were like peas and carrots.  A true team.  I can’t imagine my childhood without her by my side – she features prominently in the majority of my memories.

I realize that I’ve come to define the different phases of my life based on the cats and/or dogs that were with me during each time.  (Does anyone else do that?)  Each “era” is different, but they’re all special.  Just like the wonderful creatures I’ve been lucky to know – to paraphrase the song that inspired this blog title, I always got by with a little help from my (furry) friends.

Thanks for indulging my sentimental side… it’s funny what will inspire a trip down Memory Lane, isn’t it?

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