Tag Archives: in which I get serious for a moment

I’ll stand by you… words to live by

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A momentary semi-serious interlude ahead…

Last night, I returned home to find a very unhappy Bella.   We had a thunderstorm while I was at work – a fairly loud one.  Bella’s storm phobia appears to have skyrocketed to a whole new level lately – I found paw prints on the dining room table, the dining room chairs… and other evidence of absolute and overwhelming fear.  My poor girl.

Initially, I was worried that she may have hurt herself, but she seemed okay. While I cleaned up the dining room, she had dinner and seemed relaxed.  So although it had been a rough afternoon, things seemed to be returning to normal.

Unfortunately, more storms were on the way.  So, I loaded Bella into her Storm Defender Cape, and we headed upstairs to hang out with some music on in hopes of keeping fear at bay.  (As an aside, the Storm Defender Cape seems to work sometimes, but I ordered the Thundershirt last night in order to see if it will work better.  I need to try something different in light of her escalating fear.  I’ll keep you posted.)

Anyway, as I sat upstairs, sipping my second glass of wine on an empty stomach (it was one of those days, capped off by the dining room incident), iTunes decided to play “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders.  It seemed like a good song to sing to Bella – I blame the wine for this assessment.  (Although I cannot carry a tune in a paper sack, I love to sing.)

As I serenaded my receptive pup with this song, it struck me just how perfectly some of these lyrics described how I was feeling.  I know it’s technically a love song, but stick with me here for a second.  For example, take the following lyrics:

  • “Don’t be ashamed to cry/ Let me see you through/ ‘Cause I’ve seen the dark side too”
  • “Nothing you confess, will make me love you less”
  • “Take me in, into your darkest hour/ And I’ll never desert you, I’ll stand by you”
  • “Won’t let nobody hurt you/ I’ll stand by you”

That’s the kind of unconditional love that our animals deserve.  (Honestly, it’s the kind of unconditional love that some people in our lives deserve too, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

When a dog is fearful or reactive, some people get angry at the dog.  That’s hard for me to take… for all that we treat them like our children, dogs are not just little people in fur suits.  They’re dogs, and it’s our responsibility to try to understand where they are coming from rather than ascribing human reason and emotions to their actions.  It’s natural to be upset when your dog messes something up, but it’s essential to put things into perspective.  How you react to to something like this is within your control – you can choose how to handle it.  Fearful dogs don’t need to be blamed… they need love and a person who will do their best to help them through this difficult time.

Although sometimes she destroys things, messes up the house, or generally makes life difficult, I am fiercely protective of my girl.  I’ll do whatever it takes to help her through the rough times.  I’ve been fortunate in the past to have people do the same for me, and I hope I’ll be that fortunate again should the need arise.

Deep thoughts about dogs inspired by a 1994 power ballad.  That’s just how I roll.

 

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Another hot dog story… with a twist!

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Item I saw in today’s Washington Post:

I love this for multiple reasons:

  1. It’s just darn funny.
  2. I was just skimming the Metro section of the paper and stumbled across it.
  3. I started to read the item and get angry… until I got to the twist.
  4. Even though it’s funny, I’m glad that someone called the authorities when they thought a dog was in distress.  Better safe than sorry.

That being said, remember that dogs of the non-wooden variety won’t fare so well in this terrible heat.  So make sure to keep your dog cool this summer!

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Blog the Change: Happy birthday, Petfinder!

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Blog the ChangeIt’s that time again… another installment of Blog the Change for Animals!

I’ve focused on a variety of issues in the past (for my earlier posts related to Be the Change for Animals, click here), but today I want to keep it short and sweet.

As you know, Bella’s a rescue pup.  I found her using Petfinder… I’ll forever be indebted to that wonderful website for making these last 10 years of puppy love possible.  With that in mind, I’d like to dedicate today’s post to Petfinder… it’s Petfinder’s 15th birthday this weekend, after all.  Synergy!

Yesterday, I read an article about animal shelters and how both adoptions and donations have been declining due to the economy.  That’s why all I want to say to you today is this: if you’re thinking about getting another pet, adopt. Consider donating your time, money, or resources to your local shelters and rescue groups.  Petfinder has a wealth of info… read about how you can help and then find a local rescue group.  I’ve donated food and other items in the past, but I’ve decided that I want to do more.

Today, I renew my own commitment to helping animals and will be contacting at least one local group to donate my time.  I hope you’ll take a few moments today to think about what you could do to help animals in need.  (If you’re already involved with a rescue group in any way shape or form, I want you to know that you are my hero and I want to be like you when I grow up.)

Like I said, short and sweet.  (As short as I’m capable of anyway.) 

To read more fantastic Blog the Change entries, check out the list after the jump.  To participate in the blog hop, visit Be the Change for Animals for more information or add your link after the jump.


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Meow’s the time: adopt a cat!

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The lovely Dawn from afFURmation had the brilliant idea to host a blog hop to promote cat adoption in honor of Adopt-a-Cat Month.  Although Bella’s the star of the show here, our feline friends do make frequent appearances on the blog (and I’ve had a few kitty loves of my own over the years).  Also, I’m never one to pass up a good blog hop… so, I’m joining up and sharing some adoptable cuties today. 

(If you want to join too – pretty please with sugar on top? – check out the information at the end of this post.)

First up, I’d like you to meet Harry Potter, an adoptable cat from the Bethesda/DC area.  As you can see, he has a cool lightning bolt on his forehead, just like his namesake.
Next, I’d like you to meet Xena, who is also available in the DC area.  Unlike the famed warrior princess, this sweet girl just loves to cuddle.
Finally, meet Vivaldi, another DC kitty.  I bet his purring would be like music to your ears.
To find more adoptable kitties, check out the blogs participating in the hop (after the jump) or visit Petfinder.  If you’d like to participate in the blog hop, scoot on over to afFURmation for more information, or link up below.
In parting, I leave you with some words of wisdom from our friend Brian: “Adopt cats, we deserve it!”
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Father’s Day & some bloggy business

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Deep thoughts?

A few topics I want to hit today…

First, I’d like to wish a happy Father’s Day to all of the great dads out there, including my own!  (Bella the grandpuppy sends her love to my dad too.)  In your honor, here are some adorable animals celebrating Father’s Day and some amazing Father’s Day cakes.  Consider it a virtual celebration…

Second, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Kol’s Notes and Something Wagging This Way Comes for choosing to honor this blog
with the Versatile Blogger award!  I’ll do a longer post on this
subject later (and pass it on to some other blogs I love), but I wanted
to say thank you.

Finally, I’m sending happy birthday wishes to our buddy Kolchak Puggle (he shares it with Garfield, so he’s in good company)!

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Sealed with a kiss

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Today, we’re talking about seals… or as I like to call them, “the puppies of the sea.”  They even call their little ones pups (well, humans call their little ones pups… I imagine that the seals have not adopted our terminology, but I digress).  Anyway, in case you hadn’t already guessed, I find seals pretty irresistible.  (Proof: I used to be obsessed with this animated version of Rudyard Kipling’s “The White Seal” and had a stuffed animal to back up that claim.)

Anyway… I have a pretty wonderful seal video to share with you today.  Recently, two seal pups that were rescued and rehabilitated by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center were released into the wild.  Their farewell scene was perfection:



(via Jezebel)

Could those two get any cuter?

Sadly, even as illustrated in the cartoon I linked to above, the topic of seals is not without a sad component.  To learn more about the dangers faced by seals and what you can do to help, click here,  here, and here.

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Everything really is better with puppies

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The amazing and wonderful Pamela from Something Wagging This Way Comes (don’t you just love the name?) recently highlighted my humble blog as one of her favorites.  (Pamela had the brilliant idea to encourage her readers to visit some other fun dog blogs out there – including another of my faves, 24 Paws of Love – while she was on vacation… I just may have to “borrow” this idea one day.  In case you can’t tell, I want to be like Pamela when I grow up.)

Anyway, I’d like to take this moment to return the sentiment.  I highly recommend you swing by and check out Something Wagging This Way Comes to meet Pamela and her Golden Retriever, Honey, whose cuteness is off the charts.  Threre are so many fun and interesting things on Something Wagging – one of my favorite regular features is “The Puppiness Project.”  It’s a twist on Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project (which I also loved), in which Pamela attempts to learn how to be happy by studying Honey.  It’s an absolutely brilliant concept, and it will really get you thinking.  (A small sample: the merits of cuddling, learning to eat with gusto, and trying to expect the best from people.)  Maybe we’d all be better people if we followed our dogs’ examples!

However, my favorite post title has to be this one: “Everything’s Better with Puppies.”  If I didn’t already have a blog title, I’d be begging Pamela to let me borrow that one! 

So, in honor of Pamela and Honey, I suggest we all embrace our inner puppy and enjoy life without worrying about who is watching or if we look absolutely ridiculous, like this guy:


(via Best Week Ever)

The happiness is just radiating off that video in waves… it’s a nice a reminder to enjoy the simple things, try not to take everything too seriously, and have some fun.  Now get out there, tell Monday you’re going to have fun in spite of it, and enjoy your week! 

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Dogs in hot cars: when will it stop?

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Seriously… what is it going to take?  I dream of the summer when I won’t end up writing a post about the tragic tale of a dog left in a hot car to bake.  I use that term for a reason – on a hot day, you can actually bake cookies in a car.  Think about that for a moment.

You can bake cookies.

Would you put your dog in an oven while you whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies?  That’s exactly what you’re doing if you leave your dog in a hot car.  Yet every summer, many people do just that.

I can’t sugarcoat this one for you – leaving your dog in a hot car is like giving him a death sentence.  So for the love of whatever it is you believe in… don’t do it.  Spread the word so that others don’t do it.  Please.

My Dog Is Cool
Today’s tale of woe comes from Loudoun County in Virginia.  (Thanks to my fellow dog lover Hey Love Designs for the tip.)  I admit, this story has a bit of a twist.  I warn you… you’re going to get angry.  Really angry at a whole bunch of people.  I am.  (Though you probably already figured that out.)  Allow me to set the stage…

A man goes to a party.  He gets in his car, leaves the party and decides, as many do, to stop for food before heading home.  He goes inside the restaurant, leaving his dog in the car.  He then falls asleep at the restaurant.  The manager calls the police, who then arrest him for drunk in public.

Point of anger #1 – If this man was drunk, why was he driving to IHOP in the first place?

Point of anger #2 – If this man was drunk, he was endangering himself, other people on the road, and his own dog (the helpless passenger).  I’ll reserve my commentary on this specific point of anger for another day, but I thought it was worth noting.

Point of anger #3 – The man left his dog in the car while he went to the IHOP.  I realize it was dark out, but I’m not really a fan of the idea of leaving your dog alone in a car for an extended period of time in any event.  You never know when you’ll be delayed and then your dog will be trapped and helpless, at the mercy of the weather and passersby.  (I recognize that others may have different opinions here – that’s just mine.)

The man was arrested in the early hours of the morning, around 5:15 A.M.  He allegedly told the cops that his dog was still in the car, and they allegedly told him not to worry about it.  He was taken to the county jail, where he allegedly begged the cops to help his dog, who was no doubt baking in the unattended vehicle.

Point of anger #4 – Really?  I mean… really?  Would the police (allegedly) have ignored the man’s pleas if he’d left a child in that car instead of his dog?  Did none of the officers have a heart?

Point of anger #5 – Did this man get a phone call?  If so, then why didn’t he call someone to go rescue his dog?  If not, then why?

I’m sure you can already guess the sad ending to this story.  It was over 100 degrees that day.  The man was released from jail late that night.  He returned to the parking lot.  The dog had collapsed.  The man rushed the dog to the emergency vet, but it was too late.  Rex was dead.

Point of anger #6 – How many people must have been in the parking lot of that restaurant that day?  Did none of them (or the management/employees of the restaurant) notice or care about the dog slowly dying inside that oven?

Honestly, I can think of enough points of anger to fill a book right now.  My anger is mixed with a deep sadness about what has occurred.  Poor, innocent Rex.  My heart breaks for him.

Loudoun County Animal Control has launched an investigation, as has the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department.  To follow this saga, you can visit the Justice for Rex Facebook page.

Each time I read one of these tragic stories, I find myself rapidly transforming into a female version of the Incredible Hulk.  Right now, I’d really like to Hulk smash pretty much every terrible person involved in the story above.  You can find more information about the dangers of hot cars in my earlier posts:

You can also visit MyDogisCool.com for more info.  Please spread the word so that we can prevent needless tragedies like this one.
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A different kind of rescue dog

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There’s some synergy in the air, it seems.  We were just talking about Jack Russell Terriers on Friday… and today I have a very special JRT story to share with you.  Meet my new hero, Steve Porter.

For more on this amazing story, go here.  You can also see photos of the rescue.  Although Jessie ended up with a cone of shame, this story has a pretty happy ending.

As you may know, JRTs are very brave and are built for hunting below ground.  Some JRTs even compete in events called Go-to-Ground, which simulate and test a JRT’s ability to hunt underground. 

When I was a kid, my Toy Fox Terrier (Scotti) would show off these skills as well.  She’d chase squirrels and other animals all over the yard, including chasing them through a small drainpipe that was back there.  We were lucky – she never got stuck, although the habit did result in quite a few baths for my muddy mutt.  The frequent baths never proved to be a deterrent, however.

It appears that Jessie’s ordeal hasn’t stopped him from following his instincts either.  Those terriers are incorrigible.  In a good way.

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