On Memorial Day…

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Pup Fan

Memorial Day… a time to remember those who have given their service to our country. Words really aren’t enough to describe this sacrifice and to truly honor those who have made it so that we can be free. So these simple words will have to do instead: thank you.

Last year, I shared my tribute to human and canine heroes alike. (I hope you’ll take a moment to revisit that post if you haven’t read it before – and even if you have – as it contains some fantastic links and information about War Dogs and Military Working Dogs. Also, if you are in the market for something to make you cry today, I have a feeling that post will provide what you need.)

I did want to share some links with you today:

As you probably know, a dog helped in the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound. This amazing dog, a Belgian Malinois named Cairo, has received quite a bit of press (and even met the President). Ever since, it seems like hero dogs have been all over the news.
Countless dogs have served our country over the years. Check out the history of war dogs in these two amazing photo . (Thanks to and Phetched for the tip.)
As always, The Dog Files has a moving and visually stunning saluting Military Working Dogs.
I also urge you to visit FiveSibes for a touching tribute and some fantastic videos that are just perfect for today.
Check out this great post from Bocci’s Beefs about dogs of war and what would have happened if cats were helping us out instead. (Just kidding… after all, there are some truly patriotic cats out there too.)
Last year, the National World War II Museum honored some four-legged heroes in an exhibit. You can learn about some of these heroes here.
Can’t get enough of these fabulously furry heroes? Read about five more here or watch a movie about some heroic dogs or horses..
Not all heroic dogs are on official duty, as illustrated by this tale of a unit in Afghanistan that was saved by some local strays.

As I mentioned last year, when these hero dogs retire from service, they need homes. After Cairo’s participation in the bin Laden raid, inquiries about war dog adoption have increased, but these heroes will need homes even after the initial rush slows. If you are interested in giving a home to one of these retired heroes, learn more at Fido Friendly and then head over to Military Working Dog Adoptions. (You can also check out the Department of Defense’s Official Military Working Dog Adoption Website.)

If you have any stories about Military Working Dogs (either in action or in retirement), click on over to Dogster and read about Maria Goodavage’s new book project, Soldier Dogs.

Take a moment to remember today…

Bella: the Great Houndini

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Pup Fan

Much like the space station, we have an airlock. Allow me to explain…

A reminder to our visitors… a non-football version adorns the door year-round.

Bella is quite the little escape artist, and will take any opportunity to flee. (All Bella escape attempts are referred to as “fleeing” based upon a surprisingly adorable note a maintenance man left in our old apartment.) When I was a child, our dogs were fairly well-behaved and listened to my mom when she told them to stay in the yard. (That woman had some sort of magical Dr. Doolittle-esque abilities – I don’t think she had to train them. They just listened.) My family did experience one terrifying lost dog incident when Kandi (our Chihuahua) got lost in Richmond for a few days. We were visiting family, and Kandi managed to slip out. It was quite the harrowing experience – my parents even hired Bloodhounds to track her down. Eventually, we got a call from someone that had spotted Kandi sneaking cat food, and we were able to find her.

So, needless to say, I’m usually fairly careful about the potential for puppy escape after the Kandi escapade. Even so, Bella has managed to get around my defenses a few times. Fortunately, her penchant for escape is often balanced out by her puppy ADHD (aka her tendency to get distracted, or “oooh, shiny!”). Our first experience with the crafty canine flight risk also known as Bella was after a long road trip for the holidays. While we were bringing our luggage inside the apartment, Bella slipped by and ran outside. We chased her and I began to panic… however, she was distracted by the sight of a toy tricycle someone had left outside, and we were able to catch her.

After that, we put Bella on lockdown. Baby gates were purchased, and all friends and family were trained in the art of Bella containment. Even so, Bella managed to escape while we were visiting my parents. The scene was complete and utter chaos – my (now) hubby running frantically after Bella, while my mom hopped in the car to give chase. My parents live in a fairly rural area – there’s a quarter mile of gravel road until you hit the pavement. I thank my lucky stars every day that Bella followed the road instead of sprinting into the woods somewhere along the way. I thank those same lucky stars that she stopped to sniff a flower, making it possible for the hub to tackle her and bring her back to base. Bella really knows how to add some excitement to your day.

Anyway, after these various escape attempts, we got pretty serious about our containment plans. At our last apartment, we only entered through the garage because it had what became known as the airlock. There was a door from the garage to the laundry room and another door separating the laundry room from the kitchen. Thus, it was possible to come and go without Bella ever having an unauthorized path to the outside world. When we purchased our house, it also had a laundry room airlock – it was obviously meant to be. I do sometimes wonder if Bella thinks we just sit in the laundry room all day…

(via Comics.com. Click the comic to see a clearer version.)

In any event, we still have an airlock in our laundry room. We also decided to apply this principle to our yard. When redoing the fence, it occurred to us that an outside airlock would be invaluable. So, we decided to borrow a page from the dog park playbook and install a double gate. I think that our friends who don’t own dogs think we’re weird… but it’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

We had the gate installed so that only one part of the gate can be open at a time, which minimizes the chance that our Houndini can escape and allows us to breathe a little easier when she’s out in the yard.

Bella containment was a factor I considered when looking for a house, and it’s definitely influenced other house decisions as well. Is this something you take into account too, or am I just a crazy dog lady? What steps have you taken to contain your own furry flight risk? Tell me about it in the comments!

(Although this post deals with preventative measures, we’ve also had Bella microchipped and are registered with HomeAgain. I also recommend you check out BlanketID if you’re looking for additional options that will help you recover a lost pet. Better safe than sorry!)

Mother’s Day

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Pup Fan

As I mentioned last year, Mother’s Day is somewhat bittersweet for me. However, I wanted to take a moment to wish a very happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful moms out there and send a big hug to all of those who are missing their moms today. My gift to you? A Bella photo, of course!

Kiss the world

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Pup Fan

It’s Earth Day, so today’s video has a special message for you. But first…

I cannot take credit for today’s punny pet name. It is genius: Piggie Smalls. Also genius and not of my creation: Ol’ Birdy Bastard. However, I will add a few more names to the list: Notorious P.I.G. and Dr. Bray (for a donkey, of course).
You must watch this audition for Britain’s Got Talent. I love this woman. I love her dogs. I love her dog sweater. Love. Her.
Sometimes, you just need to watch cute animals. Pick your poision: the San Diego Zoo’s Pandacam, the Edinburgh Zoo Penguin Cam, or the Shiba Inu Puppy Cam (it’s back!).
If you prefer your cute in photos rather than videos, I give you this slideshow of pets snuggling with stuffed animals (includes bonus Gremlins reference – be still, my beating heart).

As you may or may not know, we celebrated Earth Day last year by turning the blog over to Captain Pug (obviously our hero and obviously going to take pollution down to zero – also, in case you were wondering, he is cuteness magnified, and he is fighting on the planet’s side). I don’t know if I can top that… however, I did want to remind you to show the Earth a little extra love today:

(Hat tip to Subroto Bagchi for inspiring the title of today’s post.)

Interested in learning more about going green or celebrating Earth Day with your pet? Ask and ye shall receive… happy Earth Day!

Bella’s Bunnies

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Pup Fan

First, have you read yesterday’s Blog the Change post about Make Mine Chocolate? As you may know, I’m spreading the word about that cause to advocate giving chocolate bunnies instead of real bunnies for Easter this year. However, there are lots of wonderful bunnies looking for a home – so if you have done your homework and think you’re really ready to become a bunny parent, then today is your lucky day. All Things Dog Blog has gone to the bunnies, and is hosting an Easter Rabbit Adoptathon.

Allow me to introduce you to a few beautiful bunnies (click on their names for more info):

Meet Stella and Natasha in Virginia. Both of these cutie pies may have been handled a bit too much in their previous homes, and can be a little wary or shy around humans. However, they have been making a lot of progress while living with their foster mom. Stella is 4 years old, and is looking for a home with a patient person who will work to earn her trust. Natasha is 2 years old, and is looking for a “loving, patient, permanent home with someone who will let her run and explore and shred some papers and boxes.” (Loved the description, so couldn’t pass up using it.)

Next up, meet Felt in Washington, DC. She’s a 4 year old mini Rex rabbit who loves to be petted. Due to a sinus infection, Felt does have some special needs, but if you have lots of love to give she may be the one for you.

To participate, visit All Things Dog Blog for instructions. To visit other blogs participating in the Adoptathon and see a whole bunch of adorable bunnies, check out the blog hop after the jump…

Blog the Change: Honey Bunnies

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Pup Fan

Easter is right around the corner. So, for this round of Blog the Change, Bella wanted to highlight a bunny-related cause. After all, she did have a bunny cousin – who she tried to lick during their first encounter. In any event…

Today, I (and Bella) want to talk about the Make Mine Chocolate campaign (organized by the Columbus House Rabbit Society). This cause was recently featured on Be the Change for Animals, and it’s a great one. Just as movies like 101 Dalmatians result in lots of children asking their parents for a Dalmatian, Easter has the tendency to result in requests for bunnies. While I’m all for adoption, I’m not in favor of families acquiring the pet of the moment and realizing that perhaps pet ownership was not really for them. If a family is prepared and knows what they are getting into – more power to them. However, the sad reality is that many of these bunnies end up in animal shelters or worse.

The key here is education – before adopting a rabbit, it’s important to know if a rabbit really is the right pet for you. (Sound advice before adopting any animal. Check out the cool Interactive Bun feature at Make Mine Chocolate to see if you’re bunny material. For those who get the Interactive Bun seal of approval, I recommend visiting All Things Dog Blog tomorrow to meet some wonderful bunnies from Petfinder – it’s an Easter Rabbit Adoptathon! Go here for details on how to participate.)

So, this Easter season, spread the word about Make Mine Chocolate. Commit to giving only chocolate (or cute plush) bunnies as gifts. Visit MMC’s website or the Facebook page to learn more. (After using that abbreviation, I momentarily drifted off to think about the Mickey Mouse Club. Anyone else remember The Party? Okay, back to the serious stuff… focus.)

Also, I realize it’s not technically part of the Make Mine Chocolate campaign, but I’d also like to take a moment to discourage giving children chicks and ducklings as well. First, they grow up. Chicks become chickens, and ducklings become ducks. Second, unless you’re Chandler and Joey, it’s just not a good idea.

Interested in participating in Blog the Change? Learn more here. You can find the list of other participating bloggers (and join the blog hop yourself) after the jump.

One year!

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Pup Fan

Today is the first anniversary of I Still Want More Puppies! First, I just want to say a big thank you for reading this blog, commenting on posts, and generally being worthy of the title Galactic President Superstar McAwesomeville. Second, I hope you enjoyed the flashback posts this week – if you haven’t read them yet, I hope you’ll take a moment to relive some of the bloggy highlights from the last year. Normal posting will resume tomorrow. Finally, I leave you with the first photo of Bella ever posted on this blog:

At the time, I said that her future was so bright she’d need to buy some shades specially engineered for dogs. Neither she or I could have predicted how awesome this first year of blogging would be. (Keeping it short & sweet today, but visit my Pet Blogger Challenge post from January if you’re just in the mood for navel gazing today.) Most of all, I just want to thank you for being a friend!

In closing… puppies.

Flashback: To all the dogs (and cats) I’ve loved before

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Pup Fan

It’s almost the first anniversary of I Still Want More Puppies, so
I’m sharing some of my favorite posts with you this week. The post
below originally appeared on November 15, 2010. Hope you enjoy!

With this post, I reach a bit of a milestone – 100 posts! For a while, I was stumped regarding what to blog about for number 100. (I then went on vacation, which resulted in a total post hiatus… more to come on that later.)

While driving earlier, it hit me – the perfect way to commemorate my 100th post. I’ve decided to dedicate this post to all the pets I’ve loved before. (Yes, that’s a nod to the Red Headed Stranger – bonus points if you figure it out without clicking on either of the links.)

Anyway, you obviously know lots about Bella, my current fur child. I’ve also introduced you to some of my past loves – Shadow, Sparkle, Bourbon & Pedro. Today, I’d like you to meet the rest of the pups and cats I shared my house with growing up…

Each of these wonderful animals (as well as the ones above) really deserves their own post. So many stories to share – definitely a topic for future discussion. For now, I’ll just stick with the basics…

I should start at the beginning (a very good place to start). My first pet was – believe it or not – a cat. A white cat that I named Buttercup. (Don’t ask me why… I’d love to ask my three-year-old self the same thing.)

She wasn’t the friendliest of cats to start with, but that’s a story for another day. She was my first love.

Next, I’d like to introduce you to Kandi, a chihuahua that my dad adopted and brought home one day. Note – when she got older, her tongue began to stick out all the time. We used to say that her spring was broken.

Quite the character, that one.

We also had a Norwegian Elkhound named Lady – one of the many dogs that found us over the years.

I loved to cuddle with that gal.

My sister also had a cat – though Tiger joined us when I was much older. She was once our neighbor’s cat, but decided to adopt my sister instead. She even decided to have her kittens in my sister’s lap – I believe my sister was around three at the time. Talk about a surprise!

Last, but by no means least, I must introduce you to the source of my terrier love. When I was ten years old, I met the most wonderful dog. My parents had promised me I could get a new dog that would be officially “my” dog. I considered many breeds, and had my heart set on a Scottish Terrier. However, when I met this girl, that plan went out the window. I’d already settled on the most creative name (sarcasm intentional) for the Scottish Terrier I had convinced myself I was getting. Thus, Scotti the Toy Fox Terrier joined our family.

Take note of the teddy bear in the photo to the right… this is one of the two teddy bears that Scotti adopted and carried everywhere.

Long story short, Scotti was by my side every minute from the time I was 10 until I left for college (as well as every moment I returned home during college and beyond). Definitely a girl’s best friend.

I have tons of wonderful stories about each of these special animals (as well as several other animals who didn’t live in my house but were responsible for some great memories). I’m sure I’ll be sharing them over many nostalgic nights in the future.

For now, I just want to say thanks for reading my blog – the first 100 posts have been fun, and I look forward to many more.

In closing, say hi to your puppy for me… and then give him or her a big hug.

Paws for Japan: How to Help

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Pup Fan

As you know, the images and stories from Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami are haunting and heartbreaking. The tragedy has had a devastating effect on both people and animals. For that reason, I ask you to take a moment today and learn how you can help with animal relief efforts in Japan.

Today has been dubbed Paws for Japan Day.

What can you do? Please visit Pawcurious and BlogPaws Be the Change for Pets for information how you can donate to World Vets to support its animal relief efforts in Japan. Huffington Post also highlighted World Vets in this list of ways to help animals in Japan – there are 5 other organizations mentioned as well if you’d like to learn more.

Adopt a pet… and the Internet!

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Pup Fan

Tomorrow’s a big day… in honor of its 15th birthday, Petfinder is asking all of us to adopt the Internet and spread the word about pet adoption. How can you help?

Add a badge to your site.
Take the Petfinder pledge to tell at least one person about pet adoption.
Donate your Facebook status and photo to an adoptable Petfinder pet. Simply replace your photo with one from the Adopt-the-Internet All-Stars gallery and post one of these messages:

More than 320,000 pets are waiting for homes on Petfinder.com. Help
Petfinder Adopt the Internet today and find forever homes for as many as
possible!
I adopted my pet from Petfinder and now I want to help get this pet
adopted! If you want to help pets in need of forever homes, please
repost this!

Share an adoptable Petfinder pet on Twitter with the hashtag #adopttheinternet.
Add a link to your blog, Facebook or Twitter post to Petfinder’s Adopt the Internet page.

There are also many other cool ways to celebrate Petfinder’s birthday – check them out! Our good friends at Grouchy Puppy, Will My Dog Hate Me, and FIDO Friendly will be holding blogathons, highlighting several adoptable pets throughout the day. Feeling silly? You can even caption Petfinder photos at I Can Has Cheezburger.

I found Ms. Bella on Petfinder, and you know she’s awesome. There are many animals out there that need a home, so if you have love to give… adopt!

Spread the word… happy birthday to Petfinder!

I Still Want More Puppies

If you love puppies and you know it, read this blog

Tag Archives: in which I get serious for a moment