Cyber Saturday

This week, BlogPaws put up two great and very helpful posts:  the first was another list of blog prompts - great ideas to get you inspired for the whole month of July!  My personal favorite?  Describe your house from your pet's perspective - so fun!  The second was called "Five Ways Your Pet Blog Can Soar".  Very motivating, as usual!

(Photo from here)

BarkPost featured a great little list of stores that are pet-friendly, featuring the always adorable Instagram pups, Henry and Penny.  Some of the stores were surprising - for example, did you know Bed Bath & Beyond allows dogs?  I sure didn't!!

(Photo from here)

I LOVE the Monday Miracles feature on Dogster, and this week's superstar was Nubbles!  Nubbles is a chihuahua born with only two legs; he sometimes uses a wheelchair, but he often just hops around on his back legs!  I just love him; Nubbles seems to live a normal life despite the missing limbs - what an inspiration!

Dogster also posted an article all about how to combat seasonal allergies.  Riley has environmental allergies, and his paws are constantly pink due to all his licking and nibbling.  I always feel so bad for the poor guy, so these tips were much appreciated!

(Photo from here)

Dog Milk is one of my favorite sites, and this week, they introduced me to Jesse Freidin, a doggie photographer who has turned his camera on something new...shelter volunteers!  His photos strive to show off the special relationship between volunteers and shelter animals.  Being a volunteer myself, I absolutely love this - and I'm pretty sure I need that "Rescue is the new black" tee! :)

Have an amazing weekend!

Walking Dogs to Lose Weight

For the past 6 months or so, I have been the biggest couch potato you've ever seen.  I'm not kidding.  Don't get me wrong - I do things in between all the Netflix and Internet-surfing.  I write (I am currently working on a novel, though I realize it's kind of a long shot), volunteer, and blog.  Blogging eats up quite a bit of my time.  There's just so much involved in it:  writing your posts, planning your posts, promoting your posts, commenting and promoting others' posts, reading and researching other blogs, and the list goes on.  Though it's quite a bit of work, it's work that's primarily done sitting down.

Throughout these months, I have been slowly but steadily gaining weight...and so has my dog.  Plenty of research shows that how you care for yourself is basically the same way you care for your dog, and the habits that I am forcing Riley into are not healthy.  I reward myself for finishing a project with treats; I reward Riley after going potty with treats.  I am lazy; therefore, Riley is lazy too.  Our lifestyle needs to change.  Besides changing my own diet and trying to cut back on treats for the both of us, I want to get outside and exercise together!

"Seriously, Mom?  The Kardashians can wait until after our walk!"

I am terribly, horribly out of shape.  I was a cheerleader/dancer in college, but haven't done much in the way of exercise since (awful, I know).  Though I generally dislike exercise, I love walking...and I love dogs.  So what better way to get exercise than sticking to a schedule of walking Riley and volunteering at various shelters?  Here's how I plan to do this:

Get checkups!  Before getting into a more intense walking schedule, I'd like to get both myself and Riley to the doctor.  I have a heart condition that can cause me to pass out frequently, so I want to see what my cardiologist has to say.  Riley, at 8 years old, is considered a senior dog, so it's important to make sure that everything is in tip-top shape.

"C'mon, Mom, I wanna go pee on that mailbox!"

Make a schedule!  I'm thinking at least an hour spent walking with Riley daily, plus three days a week walking shelter dogs and playing fetch.  What do my readers think?  Is there an app for keeping track of this?

Check with neighbors and see if they'd like Fido walked!  We live in a small town that is absolutely full of dogs, and besides one very energetic Beagle, they very rarely get walked.  I'd love to at least offer!

Be smart and safe!  I hate to say it, but just like his Mama, Riley is very out of shape as well and gets tired fast.  Cold water will be a necessity on these walks, as will a harness for Riley and comfy shoes for me.

I'd also like to direct you to this website, which is a great movement all about the importance of walking shelter dogs.  It's an easy, fun way to get exercise, and the dogs appreciate it more than we know.  In some shelters, the only time those dogs get outside is when a volunteer walks them.  There really is nothing more rewarding than seeing the "grin" on a shelter pup's face after you've walked them!

Shelter dogs like Tipper LOVE to play fetch! :)

Are there any bloggers that would like to challenge themselves along with me?  I need to make some changes, and I'd love to be able to give one another encouragement and support, as well as hold each other accountable! :)  Let me know in the comments!

National Geographic's Dogtown

I'm sure I am years behind on this, but have you guys seen the show Dogtown?!  It was a pretty short-lived documentary series (2008-2010) on National Geographic, featuring the stories of dogs in need at Utah's Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.  Since reading an issue of the Best Friends magazine a year ago and checking out the Dogtown book from the library - which was an amazing read, by the way - the show has been on my Amazon Wishlist.

Well, as you all know, I celebrated my birthday last weekend, and without realizing it, my husband gave me ALL animal-related gifts!  The Diagram of Dogs I have been wanting, a gorgeous pit bull print by Dean Russo, Tiny Confessions (a cute little coffee-table-type book), Dancing Dogs (a book of stories which I reviewed back when the blog first started), and a DVD set of Dogtown!  Sneaky Jared must have spotted it on my wishlist and decided to surprise me with it!

(Photo from here)

The show films at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which is deep in the heart of the Utah canyons.  Generally, three dogs and their stories are featured per episode - including some of the Michael Vick dogs, a Bloodhound with a history of aggression, and a Shih Tzu with multiple health problems due to her life in a puppy mill.  The trainers and staff at Best Friends make it their goal to make the dog adoptable; this includes daily training and socialization, various tests, vet work, and fostering...and if, in the end, the dog is unable to find a forever home, it will still live a long, happy life at Dogtown.

That's the best thing about Best Friends:  the many dogs, cats, birds, farm animals, and "pocket pets" all have a home for life once they've arrived.  Even if they are deemed unadoptable, as some of the Michael Vick dogs were, they are still cared for and doted upon by staff members.  In my eyes, if animal shelters could be a bit more like Best Friends, the world would be a better place.

Jared and I cannot wait to make a trip to the sanctuary one day - the scenery is gorgeous, they always welcome volunteers, and there are multiple cabins in the area for guests to stay in.  Get this:  you can also take a dog or cat on a "sleepover," bringing them to your cabin to spend the night.  Not only is this a treat for you and the animal, it's also super helpful to the staff members, as you can update them on the animal's behavior and reactions to things.  There are several other things that make Best Friends seem like an incredible place:  their Guardian Angels program for special needs animals, the amazing adoption promotions, and Angels Rest, the final resting place for hundreds of animals who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  

The gates leading into this very special place (photo from here)

So far, I have tried to keep myself from binge-watching the entire series.  We have watched three episodes, and each was as heart-wrenching and inspiring as the last.  (Yeah, you need tissues to watch this show, but it's definitely worth it!)  The story that really broke my heart was the story of Aristotle, a terrier mix with the worst skin condition I have ever seen.  Happily, though, Aristotle has since found his forever home! :)

This is Aristotle after treatment (photo from here)

For more information about Dogtown, visit the Best Friends website.  Have any of my readers visited the Best Friends Sanctuary?  Leave me a comment; I'd love to hear about it!  Thanks for reading :)

Peek!: (Mostly) Wordless Wednesdays

"I always feel like...somebody's watchin' me..."

I have dreamed of owning a cat since I was a little girl.  Now, I consider myself equal parts dog and cat lover, but back then, I was cat-obsessed.  However...I got myself hitched to a man with terrible allergies AND asthma to boot!  So I now must get my kitty fix by making frequent visits to the shelter and friends' houses.  A few weeks ago, a friend was out of town, so Jared and I stopped by to feed his cat.  This guy wasn't much of a snuggler, but he creeped on me like this for a good 20 minutes!  :D  Gotta love that unblinking feline stare!

Tuesday's Tails: Where Are They Now? Part 2

Last week, I decided to update readers on animals that had been previously featured and up for adoption.  Today I will be continuing the updates - and I won't lie to you, many of them are not about these animals finding their forever homes.  However, I tend to mainly feature the shelter dogs and cats who have had a difficult time getting adopted; it would be miraculous if all the animals I had shared with you found their homes in the past few months.

I do not mean for these updates to be depressing.  It isn't my intention to bum you out.  But being involved in rescue is not always easy and uplifting.  When you take one step forward, you take another two steps back - when one cat is adopted out, two more cats (and probably a pregnant mom and a handful of kittens) come in.  There is the rise and the fall - you cry tears of joy as a difficult, fearful chihuahua finds his happy home after over a year...and then you cry in frustration and anger when an owner ties a pit bull to a tree outside the shelter and abandons it.

In rescue, there are happy endings, but there are even more sad stories.  We can't change this.  There will always be animals in need who break your heart with every wag of their tail.  But we can share these animals with the world, and we can hope that in doing so, their sad story will end up having a happy ending.

Do you remember Zima?  I featured him back in early June.  He is around 5 years old, and the biggest snuggle-bug ever.  Zima has now been at the HSNI for over a year, which means his adoption fee has been reduced to just $50.  I can't believe he's still at the shelter!  Every time I hear anyone is looking for a cat to adopt, I talk this guy up like crazy!  If you're interested, please contact the HSNI!

Photo courtesy of Southern Belle Photography

How could you forget this gorgeous face and those blue eyes?!  This is sweet Brielle, who was ADOPTED only a few days after I posted about her!  I hear she went to a fabulous family, and I'm so glad - I'm always especially thankful to those who choose to adopt senior cats (this girl's a little older than 8).  Yay, Brielle!!

Photo courtesy of Love & Luck Photography

Roxie, a beautiful American Bulldog/pit bull mix, was featured on the blog in April.  Sadly, she is still at the PAWS Humane Society, waiting for her person.  She has been there for quite some time, and it just doesn't make sense - Roxie is rambunctious (at only 2 years old) but incredibly sweet.  She is my favorite gal in the shelter, and she would make someone a wonderful pet.  If you think that someone is you, please contact the PAWS Humane Society!

Photo courtesy of Tyler Trenhaile and the HSNI

This is Midge, the oversize beauty with those unique eyes that I featured last month.  Only a week or two after my post, she has found a lap to call her own!  Happily, this girl is no longer up for adoption - about time!  Have an amazing life, sweet girl.

Photo courtesy of Love & Luck Photography

Rico, Rico, Rico!  This 3-year-old Jack Russell found himself in the shelter twice, and this time, he's been there for close to a year.  I featured Rico in April, and he is still up for adoption.  This guy gets passed by time and time again because of his screeches for attention; however, once he gets out of his kennel, he is sweeter than candy - he's all talk! :)  Submissive and quirky, I love hanging out with this goofball; his grins and nudges for attention make me laugh so much!  Rico is well-behaved, even when getting pampered in the bathtub, and he reeeally deserves a loving home.  If you're interested, please contact the HSNI!

If any of my readers are considering adoption, please keep these sweethearts in mind! <3

Hope everyone had an amazing 4th of July weekend!

Happy 4th of July!!

This year, we are celebrating Independence Day as we always do: with a family get-together over at my parents' house.  My birthday is on the 5th, and my mom's follows on the 6th, so we have one giant party, setting off bottle rockets and eating burgers off the grill!

I'll be taking the weekend off to just relax and spend some time with my family.  Jared told me we could do anything I wanted on my birthday, so he is taking me to an animal shelter an hour away to do some volunteering.  We visit shelters a lot, but Jared is usually in a hurry and doesn't let me stay for too long - men, I tell ya! ;)  But Saturday, we get to walk dogs and play with kitties all day!  It'll be a great birthday. :)

Here's what Riley will be wearing on the 4th:

Doesn't he look dapper and handsome?!  We got this polka-dot bowtie collar from the Usagiteam Etsy shop when we adopted Riley last year.  Their business is run out of San Francisco, and we can't say enough great things about it!  Profits from the shop go to various shelters around the country - we approve!!  Not only do they sell these bowtie collars (look at this adorable argyle one!), they also sell matching leashes and bandanas.  The fabrics are awesome and hand-picked, in various colors and patterns ranging from seersucker to plaid!  If you're looking for a spiffy new look for your furry friend, Usagi is highly recommended!  (A bowtie is also quite the attention-getter when taking your pooch for a walk!)

Don't forget to keep your pets safe this Friday - try to keep them inside in case the fireworks spook them!  Thankfully, Riley doesn't seem to even notice fireworks or thunderstorms - the only thing that freaks him out is the ice maker!  Do you have any special plans for the 4th??  Have a great weekend :)

All in the Family: (Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

I am very lucky to have such a dog-loving family!  Here's a few of the family pets:

Bella (left back) and Oscar (right front) are Shih-Tzu mixes who live with my in-laws.  They are total goofballs and partners in crime!

Roxie is an Aussie mix who belongs to my grandparents-in-law...she weighs somewhere between 40-60 pounds but thinks she is a little lap dog! :)

Happy Wordless Wednesday!