Generated image

BannerFans.com
BannerFans.com
create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!

Monday, January 31, 2011

Almost Home Dogs - Episode 4: Cabernet, The Survivor!

Hi everyone! Welcome to the feature of this blog where we interview a different dog from Almost Home Foundation each week. This past Saturday, our Mama was volunteering at the adoption show, and she was told to go pick up a dog named Cabernet from the groomer! She went back there and saw a handsome young terrier sitting nicely while a groomer finished clipping around his ears. When the groomer handed Cabernet to our Mama, he jumped up on her and said, "Lets get outta here!" Mama hung out with him all day. By the end of the day, she knew he was the one we needed to interview for the week! So everyone, lets welcome Cabernet, the four year old terrier!


C(Cabernet): "Hi, thanks for having me!"


TLS(us): "Whats new, Cabernet?"


C: " I just got groomed the other day! Do you want to see my before and after pictures?"


TLS: "Sure we do!"


C: "Okay. This is me before I got groomed."


C: "And this is me after I got groomed!"


TLS: "Whoa, thats a big difference!"


C: "Yes, I feel much lighter now! And I'm a lot softer! Some of my friends say they thought I looked cuter with all my fur. But it will grow back... and hopefully it won't be as wild! I looked like a mountain man before!"


TLS: "We think you look nice either way."


C: "Oh, thanks! You're so nice!"


TLS:: "So. Cabernet. You have kind of a wild story, don't you? Do you want to tell us how you came to Almost Home Foundation?"


C: "Sure. Its kind of a disturbing story. You see, for the first four and a half years of my life, my sister and I had a home. I don't remember much about it though. It seems like years ago since I was there. But it was really only a few weeks ago that my owners put my sister and I in a dog crate together, and took us for a ride in the car. And then, you know what they did? THEY THREW US OUT THE DOOR OF THE CAR!!!! While it was still moving!"


TLS: "Oh no! Thats a terrible thing to do!"


C: "I know, right? We were so scared. The crate went BUMP BUMP BUMP and me and my sister bounced around and around. And our owners drove away and never looked back."


TLS: "Holy moly. Then what happened?"

C: "Well, some nice people saw what happened, and they stopped their car and came to see if there was anyone in the dog crate that had been chucked out of the car ahead of them. And they found me and my sister! They took us to the vet. We got checked out, and luckily, neither of us was hurt."

TLS: "Thats like a miracle!"


C: "Yup, it was a miracle alright! We could have been killed! We were safe. But not quite safe enough, yet. We were turned over to a local high-kill shelter."


TLS: "Uh-oh. Thats not good!"


C: "Not good at all. My sis and I had ten days to find new home, before it would be lights out for us! Well, it was our eighth day, and things didn't seem to be going our way. And then... some volunteers from Almost Home Foundation saw us! They rescued us! They took us from the high kill shelter, and found foster homes for us!"


TLS: "Hurray! We were getting scared, there, for a minute!"


C: "The story gets better. My sister had a happy ending. See, she was in a foster home, and the foster family took her to the vet to get her shots and everything. A worker at the vet's office fell in love with her! So right away, my sis got her forever home. She lives in a house with a bunch of cats. They changed her name to Josie. Like Josie And The Pussycats!"


TLS: "LOL! Thats awesome! But what about you?"


C: "I have a great foster home. But I'm still looking for my forever family."


TLS: "You seem like a great dog."

C: "I think I am! I love people. I love to cuddle. If you hug me, I just lean into you and get all quiet and happy and cozy. I like to cuddle on people's laps, and I love to be petted! I give kisses, too!"


TLS: "Do you get along with other dogs?"


C: "I'm undecided. I get along with some dogs really well right away. Other dogs, I get off on the wrong foot with, and I bark at them. But I think I could get along with any dog if I had some time with them... instead of just, like, passing them on a walk or something."


TLS: "How about kids? Do you get along with them?"


C: "Yeah, kids are great! They're super cuddly!"


TLS: "Now for the most awkward question: Are you house trained?"


C: "Yes I am! I'm also crate trained. So if you work during the day, or you don't want me in your room at night, I'll be fine in a crate."


TLS: "What are you looking for in a home?"


C: "Oh, I'm not picky. I just want someone who will love me. Someone who will snuggle me and pet me and really appreciate me for the loving dog I am. I am really happy that my sister got her happy ending. Now I'm really hoping that I'll get one too!"


TLS: "It'll happen for you, Cabernet!"


C: "Thanks, I really hope so!" 


If you would like to meet Cabernet, all you have to do is get in touch with Almost Home Foundation. Email dogs@almosthomefoundation.org, or call (630) 582-3738 to find out more about him.


Good luck, Cabernet! 

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Smarty Sunday: Human Medications Are Dangerous For Pets!

Hi! Its me, Sammy-Joe, with brand new feature for the blog! My doggie sisters and I had a meeting the other day, and we thought we'd like to bring just a little bit education to the blog. So, every Sunday will be Smarty Sunday, where I, Sammy-Joe, will share some smarties with you! I might write about a pet-related news story,  review a pet-related book, or point you towards pet-related website. You never know what you're gonna get on Smarty Sunday! 


Today I wanted to tell all the pets out there about something very important.. A lot of humans take medications... whether it is something they have to take every day, or just a pain killer when they have a headache. Have you ever been in the room when your human was opening a bottle of medicine, and they dropped it, and the pills rolled all over the place? Or maybe they took just one out of the bottle, and it slipped from their fingers, and they couldn't find it? That happens to a lot of people. It has happened to my Mama a whole bunch of times. But the bad news is, if you're a pet, and you snatch one of the pills and swallow it, that can be very dangerous!  We can get really sick from human medications. 


 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASCPA) has a list of the top ten things that are poisonous to animals. They get this list from counting actual incidents of animals being poisoned. For the past few years, human medications have been at the top of the list. On their website, the ASPCA lists some of the most dangerous medications to pets. Here are a few examples of what we pets need to stay away from! 


1. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) (my Mama helped me spell that!) Thats a type of medicine that a lot of people take as a mild pain killer or fever reducer. The ones you probably have in your house include asprin, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Toradol or Celebrex. Taking even one pill can be really bad for pets, and can cause things like ulcers and kidney damage.


2. Antidepressants. A lot of humans take these. But if a pet takes one, it can cause all sorts of problems, including throwing up, diarrhea, problems with heart rate and blood pressure, seizures, and even comas! 


3. Acetaminophen. This is another pain killer. Your humans probably call it something like Tylenol or Excedrin. There are also a lot of cold, flu and allergy medications that have acetaminophen in them. Some humans actually think it is okay to give a dog or cat acetaminophen, or a children's version, when they're in pain. Tell your humans NO WAY! 


4. Methylphenidate. This is a medication for ADHD. If your humans use it, they probably call it something like Ritalin, Concerta, or Focalin. This can cause pets seizures, tremors, elevated heart rates, and more! Stay away, pets!


5. Pseudoephedrine. This is used for humans with stuffy noses. Sudafed is one name for it. A lot of other cold or flu medicines have it in them, too. If you are a pet, this medicine will make you really hyper. It can also raise your blood pressure and heart rate, and make you have a seizure. 


6. Diabetes Medications. This can cause a pet's blood sugar level to drop really fast, causing them to become uncoordinated and confused, and possibly to have a seizure. 


7. Vitamin D pills. These pills have tons of calcium in them. Too much calcium is bad! It can even cause kidney failure. 


These are just a few examples of medications that can make pets very sick, or even kill us. So pets, tell your humans to be extremely careful about their medications! Humans should keep medications high up, where we can't reach them. The medicine cabinet is a good place for them, or on a shelf in a closet! Some humans might leave pills out on the counter so they remember to take them... but we might get to them first! Humans should not leave medications, especially loose medications or medications wrapped in a plastic bag or something, in purses or bags where we nosey pets can find them. They should also not throw medications away in the garbage can, because we might get into the garbage! And humans should never, ever, ever try to treat their pet with a human medication, without talking to the vet first. 


If a pet does accidentally take a human medication, humans can call the ASPCA Poison Control Hotline, which is (888) 426-4435. They'll charge you $65 for this service. (I think thats kinda not fair to charge humans. What if they don't have a credit card or something? The human poison control hotline is free! I'm just saying!) It is also always a good idea to have the number of your veterinarian, and the number of a 24/7 veterinarian, in a place where humans can easily find it in case of an emergency. 


So what have we learned today? Pets + Human Medication = BAD NEWS! 
/ b l u r



Friday, January 28, 2011

This is just a test

=))

/hihi

Thanks For The Cool Box, Sherry!

Hi everyone! We wanted to thank Sherry from The Farm House for sending us this cool decoupage box she made! We really like it and so does Mama. She put it on her dresser so she can keep little nick-nacks in there. Mama has a lot of nick-nacks! We thought it would also be a great box to put our treats in, but Mama said then it would get all stinky and smell like treats, and she wanted to keep it nice.

Our Mama loves to do arts and crafts too, but she's never tried decoupage. After seeing this cool box, she said, this is something she'd like to try someday! How do you do it, Sherry?



Oh yeah and a big congratulations to Mayzie, who got 421 comments from her commentathon yesterday! That was actually 21 more comments than her goal, and she will be donating $105.21 of her hard-earned dollars to Second Chance, the rescue organization that helped her find her family. On Monday, Mayzie will also be drawing a winner from the commenters, who will be able to make a matching donation to a rescue organization of their choice. Good dog, Mayzie! 

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Lily's Better Half

Okay, now its my turn to find my Better Half for Norwood's Contest! It took Trixie forever and ever and ever to find someone. But I found someone really quickly! I found Donkey!

Donkey is only nine months old, but we have a lot in common! He is part poodle and part chihuahua (but I'm also rat terrier and maltese!) He loves to play, especially with stuffed animals. He is nervous around strangers until he gets to known him, just like me. Like me, he is less nervous around strangers if his owner isn't around! (I bark a lot more at strangers when Mama is with me. I gotta protect her, right?)
Do you think he looks like me? Here's me.

Donkey, I hope you find a good home soon!
Do you want to see Trixie's better half and Sammy-Joe's better half too?


Now I'm going over to Mayzie's Dog Blog to make a comment for her Commentathon! She's raising money for the shelter that rescued her!  

Trixie's Better Half!

Hey, its me, Trixie! I've been trying to find my Better Half for Norwood's Find Your Better Half contest. Sammy-Joe found his better half pretty quickly, but it was a lot harder for me... remember, I have identity issues!

I looked and looked and looked, and I think I found a little guy who looks kinda like me. So, meet Diego!













He lives in a foster home in Griffith, IN. The website says someone found him as a stray dog... just like me! I think he's probably smaller than me... it says he's a wirehaired terrier/chihuahua mix. But his face looks a lot mine, don't you think?











Now lets see if Lily can find her better half!


Make sure to go over to Mayzie's Dog Blog and make a comment, okay? 

Sammy-Joe's Better Half

Hi everyone! We heard about Norwood's Find Your Better Half contest. The contest is, you're supposed to go on Petfinder.com and look for a pet who could be your twin... but the opposite gender! We really wanted to try this!


Trixie and Lily thought I should go first. I'm a Russian Blue, so they figured all I'd need to do is do a search for a Russian Blue cat, and I'd find my match! 
So I found... December!


Does she look like me?


December lives at the TAPS No-Kill Animal Shelter in Pekin, IL. She was actually adopted once before. But then she got lost, and someone brought her to Animal Control. When the people there called her owners, they decided they didn't want her back! So now December is looking for a home again. The website says she's very affectionate and loves attention... just like me! My Mama says if we didn't live with Gramma and Grampa, who say NO MORE FURRIES, maybe we would get her... but I'm not sure I would get along with another cat just now, anyway. I hope she finds a great home with someone, though! 


So thats my Better Half! And now, it's Trixie's turn! 


Make sure to go over to Mayzie's Dog Blog and make a comment for her Commentathon, okay? 



Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - This Is How Lily Relaxes!

PS... Lily wants you to know that she's not the only one who lays like that! Look at Middy Sue!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Trixie Announces The Winner Of The Dog Toy Giveaway!

 ANNOUNCEMENT: Some people have been saying they've had weird things happening with pop-ups on this blog. Our Mama says she thinks she figured out the problem and fixed it... but please let us know if you see more pop-ups, or if strange websites just suddenly appear on your screen. We only want banner ads to quietly exist on our site! We don't want to force anyone to look at pop-ups and stuff.Thanks for your help!


Hi, everyone! Its me, Trixie. Yesterday at 5:00 pm Central, I used the Random Name Generator to pick a winner for the Pogo Plush toy from Premier Pet Products! And the winner is...
Myspace Comments

That is kinda weird, really, because we won a giveaway from Cooper And Lola last week! Lily won some boots frm them. We swear we didn't set it up this way though... we used the Random Name Picker! Anyways,c
ongratulations! Please email us at dupagekids@gmail.com with your mailing information, and we will forward it to the people at Premier so they can send you your prize!

In case anyone is wondering, our Pogo Plush bunny is still going strong! Even though my little sister Lily picks it up and shakes it with all her might and runs around with it and jumps up and down on it and does everythiing else tiny, hyper doggies like to do! There are no holes in it, and the squeaker still works! Not bad, for a toy we've had for almost two weeks! If you didn't win, and you'd like to get a Pogo Plush, a Doorway Dangli, or another Premier pet toy, you can check out their store locator. Premier products are sold at Petco, Petsmart, and Menards, as well as a lot of smaller local pet supply places. 

Thanks so much, Premier, for sending us our toys and letting us give some away to our friends!

We also want you to know that we're having a BIG Valentine's Day giveaway. Its going to start on Saturday, February 1. Okay, its not a huge giveaway like a car or anything like that... Its actually several small giveaways in one day. Its a Valentine's Day giveaway, but we're going to end it on February 9th so the winners can actually get their prizes by Valentine's Day. What do you think of that?

Oh and I almost forgot. You know Mayzie? Beautiful, brindle doggie with big, sweet brown eyes? Thursday is her Blogoversary! She and her Mom are planning a Commentathon. For every comment made, they'll donate 25 cents to the animal rescue organization that rescued Mayzie from her really rotten old life, where she was tied up in someone's backyard all the time, and helped her find her new Mom and Dad who love her to bits! And if thats not cool enough, they're also going to randomly draw a name from the commentators, and that person will get to make a matching donation to an animal shelter of their choice! So on Thursday, make sure to go over to Mayzie's Dog Blog and make a comment, okay? 

Alright. My Mama is eating a cookie right now. I can see her over there munching on it! I am going to go beg her for a piece. See ya later!







Monday, January 24, 2011

Sammy-Joe Needs A Costume!

First of all, don't forget about the doggie toy giveaway that is still going on! Today is the LAST day to enter, doggies! Today at 5 pm Central, I will pick a winner! The winner will be announced tomorrow morning as soon as Mama gets her lazy butt outta bed to help me type. 


So... Its not really my turn to write in the blog today. Its supposed to be Trixie's turn. But she said we could switch, because I have an important question! I've been invited to an online costume contest, hosted by Baby Rocket Dog And Hootie.
They specifically asked me to be in it, and not my doggie sisters, because they are short on cats. They begged me! 

I have two problems. First, I don't own a costume. Second, Mama doesn't have any money right now to get me a costume or even to get things to make a costume.  And third, I am not quite sure i will let Mama put a costume on me! (Oops, I guess that is three problems, isn't it!)

Mama did come up with one idea. I have a red bandanna that I used to sometimes wear, until Gramma made me take it off cuz she thought it was a choking hazard. Mama thinks she can make me a cowboy costume. She'll get some cardboard and tin foil and make me a little badge to stick to my bandana, so I look like a cowboy sheriff! 

We wanted to ask you, do you have any other ideas for easy costumes that could be quickly put onto a cat like me? Remember, I am a strong cat. I'm like a panther. So it has to be something easy. Something Mama could make with the junk around the house. Or, if anyone has a costume they could mail to me before February that I could use, that they think Mama could get me into without me clawing her eyeballs out, that would be good...  she'd mail it back to you, of course! The costume contest deadline is February 6.

What do you think? Cowboy costume? Or your idea?

Oh yeah, if you want to enter the costume contest too, I know that would make Baby Rocket Dog and Hootie really happy. The information for it is here.

Let me know what you think, everyone! I'll be waiting to hear your ideas!
#1 cat site for cats & bipeds!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Almost Home Foundation - Episode 3: Awesome Lawson!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Don't forget about the doggie toy giveaway that is still going on! The last day to enter will be Monday at 5 pm Central.

H everyone! Welcome back to the feature of this blog where we interview a dog from Almost Home Foundation who is looking for a home. Yesterday our Mama had the pleasure of meeting Lawson, a big, happy retriever/lab mix. Lawson is almost two years old, and loves people! Our Mama said she was petting Lawson, and when she stopped, he grabbed her arm with his big paws and groaned, trying to say, "KEEP PETTING ME PLEASE!" Mama knew then that she wanted us to interview Lawson. So, everyone say hello to our new buddy!

TLS(us): So, Lawson, hows it going?

L(Lawson): Not so good. Its been a rough week!

TLS: Really? Why?

L: Last week some people came to the adoption show to meet me. They even brought their dog! We all got along great. The people decided they wanted me. They brought me home with them. I thought I had a family!

TLS: But then what happened, Lawson?

L: They brought me back. They didn't want me after all.

TLS: Oh, poor Lawson! How could they not want you?

L: Well, they said something about having allergies. Maybe I did something wrong? I don't know what it could have been, though! I was a good dog! I liked playing with their dog! I was happy with them!

TLS: We're so sorry that happened. We hpe you'll find another family soon.

L: Me too. I live in a foster home now. But its just not the same as having a place you can call your home forever.

TLS: Our Mama says you're a really friendly dog!

L: I am! I am! I love people! I love to be petted and cuddled. When I see people, I get so happy! I like dogs, too! I always want to play! And I really love to make people happy. I like being trained, because I get a chance to show off how smart I am!

TLS: Do you know any tricks?

L: I can sit, lay down, and give paw. You can teach me more! I would love to learn! I'm also great at going for walks. I'm a very obedient dog.

TLS: And for the awkward question we always hate to ask... are you housetrained?

L: Of course I am! I told you, I'm a very smart dog!

TLS: What would you like your new home to be like?

L: Mostly I just want some people who will pet me and play with me and love me. It would be fun to have someone who would work on training me some more. I really like pleasing people, so I can be taught a lot! I want someone who loves big dogs and won't get mad when I'm clumsy. My tail has a mind of its own, you know! I would like a yard where I can run. I think my yard should have a fence around it. Otherwise, when I'm running, I might run too far, and get lost! That would be scary. I wouldn't want to lose my new home.

TLS: Is there anything else you'd like?

L: I would like for people to scratch my rear end. Your Mama scratched my rear end today! It felt so good, I groaned and stomped my feet and wiggled my butt! Oh, I loved it!

TLS: Yeah, we know what you mean!

L: I would like someone who doesn't have allergies... or if they do, they are willing to do things to deal with the allergies, like have me groomed often and use a special vacuum cleaner. I wouldn't want someone to bring me back again because of their allergies.

TLS: We think you will be the perfect doggie for someone.

L: You really think so?

TLS: Of course! We know you'll find a great home, soon.

L: Thanks, guys!

TLS: Thanks for talking with us!

If you'd like to meet the awesome Lawson, get in touch with Almost Home Foundation! You can call 630-582-3738 or email dogs@almosthomefoundation.org to find out more about him. There are also lots more wonderful dogs and cats... including Bermuda and Sushi, who are still looking for homes!

Good luck, Lawson!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

National Answer Your Cat's Questions Day



Hi everyone! We wanted to remind you, first of all, that there is still a giveaway for a dog toy going on until Monday at 5 pm. Don't forget to sign up! 

So... today is National Answer Your Cat's Questions Day! It really is! We didn't believe it either, at first. But it is a real holiday. So, today, the dogs among us decided we would answer all of Sammy-Joe's questions! Sammy-Joe, do you have any questions?


Sammy-Joe: Yes, lots of questions, actually. Here is one. Why do we need all of these dogs? 

Trixie: Thats not nice. Besides, you had a dog before us, didn't you?

Sammy-Joe: Yes. I had Chopper. But she was here before me. Besides, she was my friend. When she went to the Rainbow Bridge, I thought I was going to have some seniority around here. But noooo. You dogs had to come! 

Trixie: Thats not even a question, Sammy-Joe!

Sammy-Joe. Fine. Here's a question. Why do you eat my poop? 

Trixie: I don't do that anymore! That was when I was a young pup. I don't know why. I kinda got in the habit of eating poop when I had my puppies. I had to lick their butts to keep them clean!

Sammy-Joe: Eeeeew! 

Trixie: Well, how else was I supposed to keep them clean? Dogs like to clean up after themselves. Also, cats don't completely digest their food all that well. So, your poop tastes a lot like your cat food... which is pretty tasty! 

Sammy-Joe: I cannot look at you ever again.

Trixie: I said I don't do it anymore! That was years ago! Why don't you ask Lily a question?

Sammy-Joe: Okay. Lily, why do you bark so much? You are the littlest dog I ever met, but you are so loud!

Lily: I know! Its my way of protecting the family! I don't have much of a bite, but I have a BIG BARK! 

Sammy-Joe: Why do you bark at the vacuum cleaner? Are you protecting the family from that?

Lily: Yes! That thing is dangerous! It could suck us all up!

Sammy-Joe: Uh-huh. I see. Where do you dogs go when you leave the house a million times a day?

Trixie: Just in the yard, usually. Or around the block. Why don't you come with?

Sammy-Joe: Too cold for me! Besides, those noisy dogs next door make me nervous.

Trixie: Do you have any other questions?

 Sammy-Joe: Lily, why do you sneak into my fort? 

Lily: It has a little door. I am a little dog. The door is just my size! And there is delicious cat food in there!

Sammy-Joe: That is my food! I am a cat! Can't you read the sign that says NO DOGS ALLOWED?

Lily: Oh, thats what it says! I thought it said LILY. 

Sammy-Joe: Ugh!

Trixie: Any more questions?

Sammy-Joe: I guess not.

Trixie: I have a question for you. Why don't you come out and hang out with us more?

Sammy-Joe: I would, but Lily always barks at me!

Trixie: Just ignore her! You're bigger than her! 

Sammy-Joe: Well, maybe someday. This is getting boring. I'm going to go look at my catnip mouse for a while. Bye!

Trixie: Hmm. That was weird. What do you wanna do now?

Lily: Want to jump around on the carpet and try to bite each other?

Trixie: Sure, lets go! Bye, everyone!


Friday, January 21, 2011

Question About The New Ads

Hi everyone! We wanted to ask you a question.
Our Mama put some ads on our blog. She says, if we can get paid for ads on our blog, we can save up money to go to BlogPaws. (By we, she means her, and maybe Lily. Trixie and Sammy-Joe are not good traveling partners.) We think the ads on the bottom of the page are cool. They're not bothering anyone. But we are not sure about the ads that are right here in the blog posts. Do you see them? The double underlined words? They are links that we did not put there. When you roll your mouse over them, they show you ads. You can tell them apart from the real links that we put there, because the real links have only one underline and are a different color. 
Do you like them? Or do you think they are really annoying? We want you to take a vote. 
Mama says if you don't like them, and if you think you won't come to this blog because of them, she will take them away. 
As for the ads at the bottom of this page... underneath the map... we want you to click on them! If you can. We get paid for you clicking on them! And if Mama can get enough money from those ads, she can go to BlogPaws.
Please tell us your vote about the in-text ad thingies. Should they stay or should they go? Do you like them, hate them, or don't care? 
Okay. That is all.
We also wanted to tell you that our Mama was hungry for sugar cookies, but she didn't have enough ingredients. So she just mixed some flour, butter and sugar in a bowl and started eating it. She said it was gross, and she threw it away... but now she has a tummy ache.
Weird Mama. Right? 
Bye!

Sammy-Joe Announces The Winner Of The Giveaway!

Hi everyone! Last night at 5:00 Central, I used the Random Name Generator to pick a winner for the FunKitty Doorway Dangli.

I'm so excited! But I want everyone to know... if you didn't win, don't feel bad. There will be more giveaways coming up. (The only problem is, Mama says most of the companies she's talked to are sending
dog things. Thats great for Trixie and Lily, but I want more cat things!

Okay. Here it goes. The winner is...

Myspace Comments
Myspace Comments

I could not be happier with the winner! Its not that I don't love the rest of you. But, you see, Sammie and Avalon are actually doggies, and they were entering for their sister Ozzie, who is a cat. Ozzie just recently went through a horrible ordeal.

She was an indoor/outdoor cat. She came and went from the house as she pleased, having her own kitty adventures. But then last week, her family noticed she was missing. They searched and searched for days!

They were beginning to think that Ozzie was really lost. Then they heard from the Humane Society. A strange woman had called them and asked them to pick up a cat that she's been keeping in her garage for four days. The cat had a badly hurt leg.

Nobody knows why the woman kept the injured kitty in her garage for so long. And really... does it matter? Its pretty much a miracle that the lady did end up calling the Humane Society, and that they realized this was the same cat who had been reported missing.

The sad news? Poor Ozzie's leg was so badly injured. In fact, the veterinarian explained that it was "shattered like crystal." The leg had to be amputated.

So now, Ozzie is a three-legged cat. She is also going to be an indoor-only cat from now on. Ozzie is now at home, recovering, and getting used to being three-legged. (Animals usually handle the loss of a leg pretty well. Our Mama had a roommate with a three-legged cat who still lived as an outdoor cat and held his own with the neighborhood strays! That cat's name was Boo Radley!)

So. I am very happy that the FunKitty Doorway Dangli is going to the brave, beautiful Ozzie kitty!

Sammie and Avalon, please ask your parents to email us at dupagekids@gmail.com and tell us your address, and we will send your information to the people at Premier Pet Products. Then they will get your prize out to you right away!

If you are a dog, remember, you still have until Monday at 5 pm Central to enter the dog toy giveaway. Good luck!

#1 cat site for cats & bipeds!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Lily's Baby Pictures

Hi everyone! I told you I would share some baby pictures with you, after the Pet Blogger Network Babyface Parade

But first, remember, there are two giveaways going on on our blog...... a cat toy here, and a dog toy here. Today will be the LAST day to enter for the cat toy! Sammy-Joe will pick a winner at 5:00 pm Central time, and he will announce it tomorrow morning in his blog post! Good luck on that, everyone! 
 
So, here you go...

I was born on Mother's Day Night, 2009. I had seven brothers and sisters. One of them didn't survive. She looked just like me and she was called Muffin. She was very sick when she was born. Mama said a lot of times, when there is a big litter of puppies, one doesn't survive. Muffin is waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge! Anyway, when I was born, I was so little, Mama could fit me in the palm of her hand!

I am about a week or two old in this picture.

Getting older. Mama's friends didn't know which puppy they would keep and which they would give away. Mama hoped they would keep me, because my fur color and my pink nose reminded me of Trixie!

When we were first learning how to eat solid food, we all ate off of the same plate! The humans mixed puppy kibble with water and heated it up in the microwave for us! I am the one that someone is holding onto. I kept wandering away!
After we ate, we would all run around and play in the living room. Then we'd get tired, and we'd crawl into Mama's lap to rest. I don't know which one I am in this picture. One of these puppies is me, and one is my brother Biggie! He looked just like me... but bigger.
Mama thought I had the cutest paw pads! She thought it would be fun to put my foot on a stamp pad, because my paws were so perfect. She actually tried it once, but she used paint instead of a stamp pad, and I made a big mess! Maybe she should have tried it when I was asleep, like this?
Mama brought me to Gramma's house. We didn't live here yet. We were visiting. I loved it here! I especially loved chewing on Trixie's bone. It was kinda big for me!

And here I am now... cute as ever, right?
Thanks for looking at my puppy pictures, everyone! I love you!
#1 dog site for dogs & bipeds!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Pride and Prejudice, Chapters 1 -15

Hi everyone! First of all we wanted to remind you, there are two giveaways going on on our blog...... a cat toy here, and a dog toy here. Tomorrow will be the LAST day to enter for the cat toy! A winner will be announced on Friday morning! Aren't you excited? We are!

Now, back to business. 

We've signed up to be part of the Anipal Book Club, where we will be studying the classics! Recently, we started reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  Today is our first scheduled blog entry about it!

We're supposed to have read chapters 1 through 15... which, amazingly, we managed! We thought we'd be lagging behind. But Mama read to us at night when she couldn't sleep, and we got caught up.

Today, we thought we'd tell you a little about the characters we've met in the book so far. 

The main characters are the Bennet family, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five daughters. (We think its funny that the husband and wife call each other Mr. and Mrs!) Their daughters are all teenagers or older, and Mrs. Bennet is starting to get obsessed with marrying them off. Mr. Bennet is more good natured, and likes to tease his wife and daughters. For instance, in the beginning of the book, when Mrs. Bennet begs him to go meet a new neighbor who is an eligible bachelor that would make a good prospective husband for one of the daughters, Mr. Bennet pretends he is not going to go... and then he does go, but keeps on pretending he hasn't, until the last minute, just to torment his wife! 

The daughters are Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Catherine (Kitty), and Lydia. Elizabeth and Jane are the ones that are the most important in the story. They are the oldest, and the ones who need to get married first. They are very close to each other and are usually with each other.  Both have very sweet temperaments. Elizabeth points out that Jane is very kind and never has a bad word to say about anyone, and that she sees the good in everyone, almost to a fault. Elizabeth is a little more cynical. She is still nice, but she doesn't mind getting into arguments or standing up for what she believes in. 

Lydia and Catherine are only about 15 and 16 years old, and they're obsessed with trying to befriend the soldiers who are staying in the town. They are not in the story yet very often. Neither is Mary, the middle sister, who has some sort of Middle Child Syndrome. She barely exists in the story! When she is mentioned, she's described as being sort of plain, not particularly smart although she reads a lot, and wanting for attention. 

Mr. Bingley is the new bachelor who has moved into the estate called Netherfield. He's brought with him his two sisters, a brother-in-law, and a friend named Mr. Darcy. When he first moves in, he and his family attend a ball, where they meet all of the neighbors. Mr. Bingley has a great time at the ball, and dances with all of the ladies, but he particularly likes Jane.

Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, is not that nice of a guy. He is grouchy and refuses to dance with anyone at the ball. When Bingley points out that Elizabeth isn't dancing with anyone, Darcy says that she is just "tolerable" and not worth his attention. Later on in the story he will start to change his mind, but Elizabeth will stay pretty mad at him for that comment. 

Bingley's sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, are kind of mean. They are always gossiping about the Bennet family. They look down on the Bennets. They are always very nice to the Bennets to their faces, but as soon as the family members are gone, they start talking rudely about them. They think Mrs. Bennet and the younger sisters talk too much, and that Elizabeth is a little weird. They do seem to be friends with Jane, though!

Later on in the story, one more character appears... Mr. Collins. He is a cousin of Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet do not like him that much because he is supposed to be inheriting the house that they live in, and someday he will be able to throw them all out if he wants to. Mr. Collins comes, and he says he wants to be friends with them and get along, although they have a feeling he is inspecting the house and furniture because he knows it will be his someday. 

The weirdest thing that happens, in Chapter 15, is that Mr. Collins announces that he would like to marry one of the Bennet girls. He thinks this would be a good way of making up for the fact that he is going to inherit their home. At first he thinks he'd like to marry Jane, but since Mrs. Bennet assumes Jane might marry Mr. Bingley, she says he'll have to marry Elizabeth. He is fine with this. We think this is really weird because they are cousins! Well, first cousins once removed, but still. 

Anyway, that's as far as we've read.  So far, we think its very interesting to read about how humans acted back in those days. There sure was a lot of pressure for girls to get married! It was as if their lives, and their families' lives, depended on it! Poor Elizabeth is going to be pressured to marry her own cousin, who is her father's age, just to keep the family going! We're glad things are not like that anymore. We wouldn't want our Mama being told she had to marry some random guy. What if he didn't like animals???

If you'd like to read this book, you can actually get it in e-book version for free! We got our copy at Project Gutenburg.  You can download it for an e-reader, or for your regular computer. 

Happy reading!  

Pets Blog Roll Pub

Map