SpayArkansas' 5th Annual Silent Auction

Hello Friends of the Furried Ones!

Please mark your calendars on Sunday November 25 for SpayArkansas' 5th Annual Silent Auction 1 to 4 pm, at Arsaga's on Crossover & Mission, Fayetteville, AR. Music and wine and fun! Get your holiday shopping done early and know that all of your money goes to a good cause! They have done over 6000 surgeries so far, thanks to YOUR support!

There are lots of great donated items this year, including a guitar, some hand made hardwood bowls, some cool jewelry, all kinds of stuff and services...

Come join the party!

Welcome to Hannibal, Missouri!

I've been so busy sharing about Adopt a Senior Pet Month and Adopt a Shelter Dog Month that I have not had time to share our trip to Hannibal, MO.  It's actually been a couple of months since we went but Mom and I have been so busy, I am just now getting a chance to tell about it. 

We stayed at the Quality Inn and Suites.  It was a very nice hotel except that Mom did not like that they only allowed pets in smoking rooms.  Mom and Dad do not smoke.  But since we were already there, we just stayed.  Dad said we could look for another hotel, but Mom was tired.  The free breakfast made up for it as far as I was concerned because Mom was able to bring me back some bacon in the morning.  And it was very quiet so I was able to sleep all night and so was Mom.

It was late when we got there so we just settled in for the night.  There aren't any outdoor restaurants in Hannibal where I could go so Mom fed me (I always travel with my own food) and then she and Dad went out to eat.  They went somewhere for pizza because Mom brought me back a pizza crust.  I love pizza crust! 

The next morning we had breakfast (BACON!) and then we went to the Mark Twain Cave and Campground.  Dogs are not allowed in the cave but there was plenty to look at in the park and campground.  As always, I had to put Mom on her leash.  But I don't mind.  At least I know she can't get lost.

We spent a little time walking through the campground area.  Then dad had a surprise for Mom.  He had booked a trip on the Mark Twain Riverboat.  This unique riverboat has been offering excursions for over 20 years. I was hoping it was a dinner cruise but dogs are only allowed on board on the sightseeing cruises. Still it was fun.  Mom enjoyed listening the tour guide and I enjoyed the sandwich I shared with Dad from the snack stand!

After the cruise, we were supposed to go back to the room and spend another night.  But Mom just did not want to spend another night in a smoking room.  So we loaded up and headed home.  It was not as much fun as some trips I have been on.  But at least I had bacon and pizza so it wasn't all bad!

Support Your Local Animal Shelter

This week is National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week - a good time to support local shelters and rescue organizations.  Plus maybe a little extra for those in the northeast that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

Mom did some research and she found that there are approximately 3500 animal shelters in the U.S.  Together with local rescue groups, they provide safety and care for approximately 8 million homeless animals each year.  That means each shelter serves approximately 2200 homeless animals per year!

Many cats, dogs and other animals end up in shelters when their families can't afford to properly care for them, when families relocate and can't take their pets or when someone in the family is allergic, leaving animals of all breeds and ages without homes. If only given another chance, these animals could make grateful and loving pets.

Animal shelters and rescue groups not only provide care for animals that need homes, but many also assist in emergencies like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.  They need your support to be able to provide these programs. 

There are lots of ways you can support your local animal shelter! 
1. Adopt!  Give a pet a forever home and encourage your friends, relatives and neighbors to save lives by adopting pets.

2. Volunteer!  Most shelters and rescue groups have volunteer programs.  They can always use an extra hand. 
3. Give!  Donate funds or supplies. Shelters and rescue groups always need food, towels, blankets, rugs, toys and other supplies for animals.

4. Spread the word!  Tell your family, friends, and neighbors how they can help support their local animal shelter.

For more information about National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week, visit www.humanesociety.org/sheltersrock.

Facebook? Pinterest? Help Me Choose!

I have my own Twitter page.  Bet you didn't know that!  And I'm not the only one.  Many of my friends have one too.  Stinky Tinky Cat, Pixel, Brewskie Butt, and Woofie are just some of the ones I follow.  And Austin and I have a board on Mom's Pinterest page.

Mom also is on Twitter - and Facebook and Pinterest and LinkedIn and Digg and StumbleUpon - and many, many others. In fact, she is on so many of these sites I'm not sure she even remembers them all.  But I have noticed she seems to focus on a select few. 

I have been asking Mom if I should expand my networking also.  I like Twitter and have met lots of friends there, both of the 4-legged and the 2-legged variety.  But I would like to meet more.  I'm just not sure where to start.  I was sitting quietly during a meeting of Mom's mastermind group recently.  I was just quietly listening when the subject of social media came up.  It seems all Mom's friends have a favorite.  Mom is a huge Twitter fan. Linda loves Facebook. Jessie's new passion is Pinterest. And Mike prefers LinkedIn and something called Google+.  None of them are dogs though, so I'm not sure what works for them will be good for me.

So, here goes: Which social media site do you focus on and why? Is there a particular site you would like to see me on?  Answer by leaving a comment. Maybe you can help teach an old dog another new trick!  And if you aren't already, come follow me on Twitter. 

You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!

After many months of trying, I have taught my Mom a new trick!  She has learned to dance with me.  I like to dance  on my hind legs a bit when Reid is here dancing and Mom has FINALLY learned to dance with us.  Just goes to show you are never too old to learn a new trick!

I am a senior citizen. In dog years, I am older than my Baby Boomer Mom. I admit, that's a bit weird at times. But it's nice to know she's still young enough to take care of me!

Now that I am a bit older, I admit there are some things I cannot do as well as when I was a puppy. Mom needs to help me get up in my chair sometimes. And I sleep more now than I used to.  But there are some advantages to being older.  Mom seems to enjoy my company more now. She laughs at Austin's antics and likes to play with him outside and take him for walks. But in the evenings, she likes to sit in our chair and read or watch TV and I will curl up in her lap and just be with her. She will scratch my ears or sometimes give me a belly rub. It's pleasant to just spend quiet time together. Austin is constantly jumping up and down and Mom finally gets tired of it and tells him to stay down. But she seems to really enjoy having me laying quietly in her lap.

Now that it's getting colder at night, she often lets me sleep with her. We lay quietly next to each other snuggled under the quilt. Sometimes Dad's snoring wakes me up, but Mom will nudge him and he quiets right down. And sometimes Austin will try to squirm his way in. But he can't ever lay still long enough so Mom makes him sleep at the food of the bed or he would keep all of us (Mom, Dad, and me) awake all night.

I remember my puppy years. There was so much to learn. How to go outside so I didn't mess in the house. What toys I could chew on and some things (like shoes) are not chew toys. Mom was often stern with me while I struggled to learn the rules. Now I watch Austin going through the same thing and I am glad that I am old enough to know all the rules. I'm done teething so Mom and I don't have any differences of opinion over what makes an appropriate chew toy. And while Austin needs to run and play ALOT, I'm content to walk quietly with Mom or just sit in the sun on the porch with her or in our comfy chair. Being a older dog is much less stressful than being a puppy!

There are lots of senior pets in shelters all over the country that would welcome the chance to share their golden years with a special Mom and Dad. And there are lots of advantages to owning a senior dog. We are already grown so you know exactly how big we are going to be. We are done teething so you don't have to worry about us chewing up your favorite slippers - or the rockers on your antique rocking chair (sorry Mom!). Most of us have been housebroken already so once we know where we are supposed to go, there aren't the usual puppy messes to clean up. Some of us have even been trained to do other things. When Ginger came to live with us, she soon showed us that she had been trained to herd. She used that training to round up everything from grandkids to cats for Mom. Our older cats have years of experience hunting. So while neighbors complain of mice coming in their houses for the winter or finding snakes in their yard, Mom relaxes knowing that her four-legged mouse traps and snake deterrents are on the job. (I don't have any special tricks or skills, except dancing. I guess it's a good thing I'm so cute!)

At shelters, older dogs are often the last to be adopted and the first to be put to sleep. When you save the life of one of us senior dogs, you will be rewarded with unconditional love and devotion every day. If you don't believe we can know and express gratitude, just talk to someone who has adopted a senior pet.

Ready for some good senior pet companionship? Check out these programs that specialize in senior pet adoption.

Berkeley East Bay Humane Society
H.A.R.T. (Humane Animal Rescue Team),
Muttville
Peace of Mind Dog Rescue
Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends (AARF)
The Hinsdale Humane Society
Indiana Petite Paws Rescue Angels, Inc
St. Louis Senior Dogs Project
Senior Dogs 4 Seniors
Posh Pets Rescue
North Shore Animal League
Warwick Valley Humane Society
The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs (SSD)
Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon

Mom has said I can do something to help these adoption programs for senior pets!  How exciting!  We have a new design in my CafePress shop celebrating senior pet adoption.  And for item purchased we will make a donation to one of the shelters listed above.  Check out our Senior Pet Adoption design and let the world know that you can teach an old dog new tricks!

I'm Not The Only One

I am not the only dog with a blog of my own.  Lots of my friends have blogs too.  I love reading them with Mom.  I know you will too.  Here are some of my favorite blogs by and about dogs and other critters.

Take Paws: The official pet travel blog of GoPetFriendly.com.  Their latest post is announcing their weekly Friday Pet Photo Challenge.

Healthy Pet Food Guide:  Written by my friend Paul at Nature's Select Pet Food.  Mom and I read their latest post on Dogs and Thunder.  I HATE thunderstorms and we get a lot of them here in Arkansas. 

Best Bully Sticks Healthy Dog Blog: Best Bully Sticks are some of my favorite treats.  And I love their blog.  This week, they introduced a new treat that I can't wait to try - Pet Greens Snacks.  Yum!

Just Meowin':  Written by my friend Brewskie Butt, who is a cat, but I love him anyway.  His latest post is one of my favorites because it talks about an issue very important to me and Mom - pet adoption.  Stop by and read "It Really Sucks Being an Only Pet."

4PawsforAbility:  4 Paws for Ability is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to place quality service dogs with children with disabilities and veterans who have lost use of limbs or hearing; help with animal rescue, and educate the public regarding use of service dogs in public places.  Their blog keeps you up to date with all of their programs - like their 7 day cruise for 4 Paws families.

Aspen the Yorkie:  Aspen is a Yorkshire Terrier, just like Austin.  She writes a great blog with pet care tips and advice.  We loved her recent post on the Calm and Happy Cat Pheromone because anything that keeps our cats calm is a good thing!

The Critter Connection:  I discovered guinea pigs this year and absolutely love them.  I wish Mom would adopt one but she says 4 dogs, 9 cats, 2 raccoons, 1 possum and an aquarium full of fish are enough.  So I have to get my guinea pig fix by reading this blog.  Their latest post about what mites can do to a guinea pig almost made me cry.

Kansas Humane Society Blog:  Meet Ember. And Peaches.  And Grace and Martha.  And all the others looking for forever families at the Kansas Humane Society.

A Humane Nation:  Few are in a position to speak for the animals like Wayne Pacelle.  His most recent post is about the campaign against gestation crates.  I'm not sure what they are exactly, but I know I don't like being in my crate.  When Mom explained these to me, it sounded BAD. 





 

There's No Place Like Home

I want to tell you a story about a little dog. This dog was a good little dog. Yes, he chewed on shoes and piddled on the floor. But he didn't mean it. He was just a puppy after all. He wanted to be good. But the man and the woman who lived with him and his 4-legged mom said they had too many dogs already and that the little dog was too much trouble. So they took him to the animal shelter. The little dog was put in a small cage with no friends to play with and no one to pet him. He had food and water and sometimes he got to go outside and walk around, but most of the time he was in the cage - alone. It was very scary! Sometimes the people who worked at the shelter would come and get a dog for a walk - and the dog would never come back. The little dog heard that they were put to sleep. Sleep was good, but somehow sleeping and never coming back didn't seem right. The little dog worried that might happen to him and he was afraid. Sometimes, people would come in to the shelter and take a dog from the cage. These dogs also never came back. But the little dog heard that this was different. These dogs were going to new homes where they would be loved and be part of a family. The little dog wished every night that someone would take him home.

One day a man and woman came in to the shelter. They stopped at the little dog's cage and talked to him. The little dog sniffed at the woman's fingers as she reached through the cage. She asked if she could hold the little dog. When she picked him up, the little dog reached up and kissed her on the chin to say thank you for taking him out of the cage. The woman cuddled the little dog, looked at the man, and said, "I want him." That's was all it took! The little dog couldn't believe it. Someone was going to take him home.

In case you haven't figured it out, the little dog was me and the story is how my Mom and Dad found me at the shelter. I was lucky. I have lived here for 15 years and I am loved and cared for every day. I have food, and a bed, and toys, and playmates - I even have a cat. Mom helps me write this blog and holds me and takes me for walks and plays with me. I have a great life. But there are thousands of dogs and cats who aren't so lucky.

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.  So this month, I am asking you to think about adding a furry friend to your home.  If you have room in your house and your heart for one more thing to love, please visit your local animal shelter and adopt a dog.  Go to your local shelter, find the perfect dog for your family and give another little dog a forever home. 

In honor of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Mom has helped me with a new design for my store.  And if you purchase one this month, we will donate 10% of the price to local animal shelters.  Visit http://www.cafepress.com/travelwithbob/9405409