Adopt a pet… and the Internet!

Petfinder Adopt-the-Internet Day

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!

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A long overdue thank you…

I’ve been slacking a bit… several wonderful bloggers awarded me the Stylish Blogger award recently, and I’ve yet to thank them on this blog.  That changes today!

However, because I’ve been such a slacker, I’ve now received this award from 10 (!) other bloggers.  I’m incredibly humbled and honored that these wonderful bloggers chose to share this honor with me.  So, I’m going to bend the rules juuuuust a little.  The rules of the award require you to: (1) thank the person that gave it to you; (2) share 7 things about yourself; and (3) pass the award on to other bloggers (the number seems to vary from blog to blog).

It’s that third rule I’m going to… modify.  Rather than select new recipients, I’m going to take a cue from Doggie Stylish and tell you a little bit about the bloggers that gave me this award and encourage you to go visit their wonderful blogs.  All this and more, after the jump…

So first, a big thank you to browndogcbr, Pawprints on My Heart, Welcome to Kirby’s World, Banjo & Millie, Life with LuLu, Something Wagging This Way Comes, Grouchy Puppy, Chunyo’s Corner, Kol’s Notes, and under the blanket!  As discussed above, I’ll be telling you more about them at the end of this post.

Second, I have to share 7 things about me.  However, I decided to share 7 things about Bella instead – honestly, she’s probably more interesting anyway.

  1. Bella doesn’t know how to catch.  If you throw a toy her way, she’ll close her eyes and wave her paws in the air.
  2. She also doesn’t know the most efficient way to chew.  She never holds a bone with her paws, but props the bone against a toy in hopes of holding it still.  I suspect Bella missed a lot of days in Being a Dog 101.
  3. Bella also can’t play fetch.  When you throw a toy, she immediately returns it to Toy Corner.  The only way to come close to a game of fetch is to sit in front of Toy Corner and take the toy from her when she returns.
  4. Bella is a creature of habit.  When I turn off the TV, she thinks it’s time to go to bed (even in the middle of the day).  When I close the laptop, she thinks it’s time to go outside.
  5. She would happily spend all day out in the backyard, if I’d let her.
  6. She once did a stint in rehab (aka spent a month with my in-laws).  When we were still living in an apartment, we ended up with some terrible upstairs neighbors.  They managed to shake the ceiling so much that Bella developed noise anxiety and had to go to rehab until we moved.
  7. Before Bella came to live with us, the rescue group called her Sally.

Wow… if you add up the identity change, the fact that she must have been skipping classes (hence the lack of dog skills), and the stint in rehab, Bella sounds like a shady character!  Just kidding…

Finally, I’d like to tell you a little about the wonderful bloggers that gave us this award.  Go visit them and say hi!

The dog behind this blog is Hawk (or Hawkeye – I love a good MASH reference), a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  There’s always great content on the blog – and he’s great at keeping up with his readers.  Hawk spends time in many of his posts answering questions from them.
Dee, the human who maintains this blog, has a menagerie of both children and animals.  She posts wonderful photos and great stories.  I love reading about this big happy family!
Kirby is an adorable little mutt – a terrier mix, in fact.  You know how much I love my terriers!  I always enjoy reading about his adventures as a rescue pup who found his forever home.  He just started rally class, and I can’t wait to hear all about it!
A bit of an odd couple: Banjo is 10 and works as in a prison as a therapy dog, while Millie is 12 weeks old and, as her human puts it, “likes to poop and then play in it.”  Their blog is endlessly entertaining, and there’s even a Millie Cam where you can get your puppy fix!
I love reading about the antics of LuLu and her little brother Wally.  In addition to general cuteness (which they have in spades), they also are dedicated students.  LuLu is a Canine Good Citzen, and Wally has been taking obedience classes.  It’s fun to see them learn and watch videos of their newest tricks and accomplishments.

Something Wagging This Way Comes
Pamela the human writes about a lot of things, including the adventures of her Golden Retriever, Honey.  I especially like what she calls her “Puppiness Project.”  Inspired by Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project (which I loved), Pamela writes about lessons in happiness she’s learned from Honey.  In addition, Honey has been taking classes on K-9 Nose Work, which I’ve enjoyed reading about.

Grouchy Puppy Dog Days
First and foremost, you can’t beat the motto: “don’t judge a book, blog or dog by its cover.”  Genius!  Although the blog is based in San Francisco, my East Coast heart still adores Cleo and her human.  Cute photos and informative posts – this blog has it all!  The Influence Positively interview series highlights amazing animal advocates – I love learning about these inspiring people.

Chunyo’s Corner
I recently discovered this blog, and I’m so glad I did!  Chunyo is an adorable Boston Terrier, and there are plenty of cute photos on the blog. In addition, there is a wealth of information on there.  I look forward to visiting Chunyo and learning even more.

Kol’s Notes
The dog behind this blog is Kolchak Puggle.  (Bella used to have a Puggle nemesis in our old neighborhood, but she doesn’t hold that against Kolchak.)  His human is studying canine nutrition – cool, right?  As you can imagine, I’ve learned a great deal about nutrition from this blog.  However, all of the posts are great – so much personality packed into each one!

under the blanket
I look forward to every post from Cate, the blogger behind this blog.  She finds the cutest and coolest products – items that are unique and (no pun intended) drool-worthy.  If you and your pup want to be the coolest kids on the block, I’d recommend starting here.

I received this award from Park Avenue Chihuahua and SewDoggyStyle back in January too – I thanked them then, but I’d like to say a few quick words about them now too, since I’m all about sharing the bloggy love today…

Awesome name, right?  This blog makes me laugh, it makes me smile… blogger Chihuahua Girl is a dog lover after my own heart.  I guarantee a smile if you visit this blog.
Creativity doesn’t even begin to describe what you’ll find on this blog.  So many unique and awesome projects featured here – complete with handy do-it-yourself instructions.  I mean, where else can you learn to make a Doggy Gaga costume?

So… that’s a wrap!  I’d like to say thanks again to the fabulous bloggers above – I’m honored to be in such fine company.  

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To Bella from To Dog With Love

Apparently Bella and I are on a hot streak.  First, she won a collar from Doggie Stylish.  Then, I won a really cool book called  For the Love of Dogs: an A-to-Z Primer for Dog Lovers of All Ages thanks to the wonderful Cosmo Havanese from To Dog With Love.  (Go ahead and check out that awesome blog… I’ll wait.)  Anyway, To Dog With Love gave away a copy of the book, and I won!  (We should enter the lottery, right?  Third time’s a charm, they say.)

The book, written by Allison Weiss Entrekin, is full of whimsical illustrations by Mark Anderson.  It uses all 26 letters of the alphabet (even X) to present fun facts and wonderful info about our beloved pups.  To give you a little taste, I selected a few letters at random. (As you’ll see, it wasn’t really that random.)

B is for Beagles
E is for English Foxhounds
L is for Labradors
L is still for Labradors
A is for Adoption

C is for Cavaliers
O is for Obedience
S is for Shih Tzus
M is for Mascots
O is still for Obedience

Here are some photos of Bella enjoying her new reading material.

Thanks again to Diane and Cosmo from To Dog With Love!

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And the award goes to…

As you may know, I love awards shows.  Therefore, there could only be one theme to this week’s No Frown Friday: the Academy Awards!

  1. Your punny pet names are based on some of this year’s nominees:  Jesse Eisenbark, Colin Furth, Bark Ruffalo, Catalie Portman, and Helena Bone-ham Carter.
  2. Not sure the Oscars are for you?  There’s always the Dogscars instead.  What do you think are the best dog movies of all time? (You know I like to be inclusive, so here’s a quiz about movie cats and a movie filmed by cats.  Yup, you read that right.)
  3. Speaking of favorite dog movies and favorite dogs in movies, here are a few lists of dog movies to get you started.  Some of my favorites?  Best in Show, Lady and the Tramp, and The Fox and the Hound.  That’s by no means an exhaustive list of my favorites, however.  Put your thinking cap on and  tell me yours in the comments – I’ll meet you there!
  4. There have been some great movies featuring animals over the years.  How much do you know about them?  Take this quiz, and then learn more about animal stars, including shelter animals who ended up in show business.
  5. The American Humane Association makes sure that onscreen animals are kept safe and treated well.  AHA publishes some interesting behind the scenes stories on its website, like this one about the horses on the set of one of this year’s Best Picture nominees, True Grit.  AHA also publishes reviews regarding how each movie performs on AHA’s rating scale.  I looked up two more of this year’s Best Picture nominees, both of which received an outstanding rating: The Fighter and The Social Network.

So, which film do you think should win Best Picture?  I’m pulling for The King’s Speech – I promise it’s not just because there were Corgi cameos throughout.

Interesting note: apparently the AHA was very unhappy that The King’s Speech used its trademarked phrase, “No Animals Were Harmed” because the AHA was not involved in monitoring or rating this British production.  However, the issue was resolved – sounds like the real problem was use of the trademarked phrase, and all animals were treated humanely.

Serious interlude over… let the debate about the best dog movies ever begin!

 

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And now, for something completely different…

In honor of Presidents’ Day, I considered doing a punny version of all 43 Presidents. (Even though Barack Obama is the 44th President, Grover Cleveland made us forever confused by serving non-consecutive terms.)  I’m sure you will be pleased to hear that I rejected that idea.  Anyway, it’s time for this week’s No Frown Friday:

  1. Your non-exhaustive list of presidential punny pet names:  Chester A. Arfur, Rover Cleveland and Dwight D. Eisenbow-wower.
  2. Enjoy a few photos of Bo, the undeniably adorable First Dog.
  3. Did you know that some members of Congress treat every day like it’s Take Your Dog to Work Day?
  4. Apparently pups get involved in politics at the local level too.  Check out this story of a rescue dog who hangs out with his City Council.
  5. Have you heard about Larry the Cat?  He’s moved in as the Prime Minister’s new mouser.

I warn you, I’m about to depart from the theme of today’s post.  The following clip has nothing to do with Presidents.  Or politics.  Or anything, really.



(via Paw Nation)

I have no idea why I decided that you needed that video today.  It just felt right.

Happy Friday!  If you’re one of the lucky folks who have Monday off, enjoy the long weekend.  If you aren’t, just watch the cat above react dramatically to this revelation, and you’ll feel better.  I promise.

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Underdog is here!

I received the cutest card yesterday from my hub.  Even better?  He picked out the card because it celebrates rescue animals.  Does he know me or what?  On the back, there was a short profile of the cover dog, which read:

Underdog: Sabrina
Profile:  Puppy mill survivor.
Special Power:  Professional stress reliever.  She’ll sit quietly on your lap for as long as you need her.

The card was designed by a company called Hooray for the Underdog. (I always loved Underdog – the cartoon, not the recent movie – so I immediately fell a bit in love with this company.)

Hooray for the Underdog is a line by HealyGrisham Studios – a husband and wife team in Dallas.  Their portfolio is full of gorgeous animal photos.  A few years ago, HealyGrisham launched the Hooray for the Underdog line to raise money for rescue groups in North Texas.  They’ve also worked with Dallas Animal Advocates to promote spaying and neutering and have also created bus ads for the SPCA of Texas.  Pretty cool.

Check out the whole line of notecards and other items available from Hooray for the Underdog… they’re pretty awesome!  It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’m a big fan of this one

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How sweet it is

Bella Bowl V is over now… Bella was a good hostess, as usual. By the end of the night, she was rather exhausted from all of her hostessing duties:

Anyway, the party was a success… lots of good friends and good food.  In addition to the usual football fare like buffalo chicken dip and white chicken chili, we offered quite the dessert selection.  Nostalgia ruled the day – the Rice Krispie treats were a big hit, as were the butterscotch haystacks.  (My friend’s mom used to make these and I loved them!  If you’ve never had them, I recommend giving them a try.)

I also ordered cupcakes from Hey Love.  They were both adorable and delicious!  (In addition to yummy sweets, she also provides a host of other design and party services – go visit and say hi!  She even has a puppy connection – her pup Nico came from the same rescue group as Bella – that means they’re related, right?)

Not only did Michelle from Hey Love deliver some fantastic cupcakes, she was also kind enough to come over the night before the big game for a cake pop date!  We took inspiration from Bakerella and made football cake pops.  Unfortunately, while taking the (not yet coated) pops out of the freezer, I managed to drop half of them on the floor.  Luckily there was no puppy nearby to sneak a chocolate treat!

Anyway, below you can see the finished product… they’re not the prettiest, but they were delicious.  I found these tougher to make than the basic pops I made last year.  Oh well, practice makes perfect, right?

What did you guys do for Super Puppy Bowl weekend?

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Name that Bella

It’s finally here… the Magical Mystery Mutt Tour!  Make sure you also visit my co-hosts Edie (of Will My Dog Hate Me) and Peggy (of Peggy’s Pet Place) today and say hi.  Read on, and then join the hop!

Now, time for everyone’s favorite game: Name… That… Breed!  Below, I’ve provided some info about the dog behind the blog, Ms. Bella.  What breed(s) do you think she is?  Leave your best guesses in the comments.

Bella – a dog of very little brain, but a lot of love.  I tend to think she’s a bit out of proportion – low to the ground, but in possession of big ears and an even bigger posterior.  (Seriously… when she sits, her butt is so big that one of her feet often sticks up in the air.)

She weighs approximately 26 pounds and is roughly 24 inches tall (from her toes to the top of her head).  Health quirks?  She’s got a few.  You’ll frequently hear her reverse sneeze, she gets carsick like a champ, and she gets more than her fair share of ear infections.  In addition, she was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

I’ve never heard her howl.  She barks on occasion, mostly at doorbells (including TV doorbells and the chime at the vet’s office).  She has crazy bursts of energy, but they usually flame out fast.  She loves to cuddle, but hates being under a blanket.  She does like to sleep under pieces of furniture, however.  She hops through the snow like a bunny and loves to run around in the backyard.

Finally, a few photos:

For more photos, well… there’s obviously no Bella shortage on this blog. Let the guessing begin!

Have a mutt? We’d love for you to join the tour!  It’s simple:

1. Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below.
(Include on your blog a few pictures of your dog, and specific details to help everyone guess.)

2. Grab our Magical Mystery Mutt Tour Blog Hop Badge and include on your post! (optional)

3. Follow your co-hosts (listed above) and comment on their blogs to let us know you’ve joined the hop!

4. Check out as many of the other blogs on the Linky as you’d like, and guess away!

If you want to put the Linky Tool on your own post, you can get the code on Edie’s blog.

Can’t wait to see your mystery mutt!

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Go Packer Puppies!

I love Super Bowl Sunday.  If I’m being honest, I’m not always that into the game.  However, I am into throwing a party (we host an annual party affectionately known as Bella Bowl – this year it’s Bella Bowl V).  I’m also into watching (and judging) hilarious commercials.  Finally, I’m into the ridiculous cuteness that is the Puppy Bowl.  So you can imagine my glee when I stumbled upon this video from the Wisconsin Humane Society:



Want more?  Watch the Packer Puppies take on the Bears.

I’m not a Packers fan – but I’m not a Steelers fan either.  However, I think this video has convinced me to root for the Packers this weekend.  That many puppies can’t be wrong.

(Oh, and this year I’ve found another reason to love Super Bowl Sunday – it’s also the day of the Super Dog Sunday Blog Hop courtesy of All Things Dog!)

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Coming soon… Magical Mystery Mutt Tour

Photo courtesy of dogtipper.com

Have you ever looked at your pup and wondered what breeds all mixed together to create that furry face?  I know I have… I’d imagine it’s a question many ponder, especially with regard to rescue pups.

Last week, Edie (from Will My Dog Hate Me?) invited her readers to engage in a game of Name That Breed and guess the genetic makeup of the adorable Wilson.  Peggy Frezon (of Peggy’s Pet Place) thought it would be fun to invite reader guesses about the breed of her pup, Kelly.  I loved the idea and thought I’d do the same for Bella.  Then Edie had a brilliant plan – why not make it a blog hop?

Without further ado, it’s my pleasure to announce the Magical Mystery Mutt Tour!  Join Edie, Peggy and me for a blog hop on Friday, February 4 – it’ll be a name-that-breed-a-thon!

Want to play?  It’s simple: write a post about your pup.  Include at least two pictures, provide the pup’s height/weight, and describe any personality characteristics you think might be relevant.  Post it on Friday, February 4, and wait for the guesses to roll in.  (While you’re waiting, you can join the hop and offer your best guess as to the breeds of the other pooches participating!)

There will be a Linky tool available at Will My Dog Hate Me? and Peggy’s Pet Place beginning at 12:01am EST on February 4.  I can’t promise I’ll have the link in my post that early, but I’ll add it once I’m able.

Today’s regularly scheduled No Frown Friday has been canceled due to the fact that I was without power for over 24 hours beginning on Wednesday night.  I’ll make it up to you with some extra posts next week… promise. Until then, here’s a M*A*S*H-inspired punny pet name to tide you over: B. J. Hunnimutt.

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