Operation Santa Paws

Your help is needed.  During the holiday season, extra help is needed for the thousands of abandoned and abused animals in local animal shelters and rescues all over the world.  One grassroots organization from Long Beach, California, "Operation Santa Paws," is helping by spearheading a canine/feline toy/treat drive to benefit less-fortunate pets this season.

Operation Santa Paws was established in 2001 by Justin Rudd.  From there it has quickly spread to communities across the country.  Animal lovers are encouraged to purchase a new dog or cat toy, treat or supply to drop-off/donate at their local  animal shelter or rescue in time for Christmas.

Operation Santa Paws seeks donated pet toys for shelters and rescues to improve the health and demeanor of those pets while reducing their stress to increase the animals' chances of being adopted. The simplest toys can make the animals much more comfortable. Cats enjoy rolling toys, such as small plastic balls or other "batting" toys that can be hung from cage doors, while dogs tend to prefer items like the heavy-duty Kong rubber chew toy.

Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia currently host an Operation Santa Paws toy/treat drive.  If your community doesn't participate, 2014 is a great year to start!  It's really easy.  Simply place collection boxes in key locations.  Encourage all animal lovers to donate a toy by dropping it in one of the collection boxes.  At the end of the drive, deliver the toys/treats to your local shelter or rescue.  You can even get help from the original Operation Santa Paws organization.  They will supply you with downloadable posters, "wish lists," and will list information about your drive on their website. 

I'm lucky. I have a wonderful Mom and Dad.  I have other dogs to play with.  I even have a cat of my very own.  We all get good food and care and lots of love.  Once we come to our new home, we get to stay until we are old and cross over the Rainbow Bridge like Bob.  And on holidays, we get special treats and toys.  But not all animals are as lucky at I am.  They don't know love or security.  And toys or treats are a rarity.  Will you collect toys, treats, food and supplies for local shelter dogs and cats?  Let's give every shelter dog and cat a special day this holiday season.  Wouldn't it be great if there was a drive in your home town?  Let's make it happen!  Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Shopping Reminder

Hello!  My name is Austin!  I am a 6-year old Yorkshire Terrier.  I live with my Mom and Dad in a big house in the country.  You probably know my Mom and Dad because they were also Bob's Mom and Dad.

Bob crossed the Rainbow Bridge several weeks ago.  We all miss him a lot.  He was my friend.  We slept together in the sun in the summer and shared a soft warm bed in the winter.  Some nights he would let me share Mom's lap with him.  Mostly he would snap at me until I got down.  Bob didn't like to share Mom much.

Mom has said that I can take over Bob's old blog.  I know I can never be as good as Bob.  Bob was one of a kind.  But I will try to honor his memory while telling my own stories here.  I don't think I will travel as much as Bob did.  But you never know.  Mom and Dad are looking at RVs so there may be some travel in my future!  Meanwhile I will spend some time doing what Bob loved best - working to be sure every dog, cat, rabbit, bird, guinea pig, horse, or other pet has the best life possible.  Which is why I'm writing this story today!

It's only a month before Christmas!  I know many of you have gotten much of your Christmas shopping done.  And those of you that haven't have a list ready for something that Mom calls "Black" Friday.  I'm not sure exactly what that is.  I know that Mom hates it!  She says there are too many people all acting crazy!  But Dad says he always finds good prices at the stores and I know that is important when shopping. 

Since there are such great prices on this black day, I want to give everyone a shopping reminder.  When you are out getting presents for you Moms and Dads, your children, your aunts and uncles - don't forget your pets.  We are family too!  And if you could - maybe get an extra gift or two for a shelter pet.  They would like to know that someone cares about them too, especially at Christmas.

If you don't know what to get us, I have a list!  Whether these gifts are for your own furry family members or for shelter pets, we would all love any of these!

1.  Durable toys.  Think Kong.  One of my favorites is the Extreme Treat-Dispensing Dog Toy!  It gives treats when you play with it!  And all of our cats love the furry mice Mom gets them every year.

2.  Speaking of treats - they make great gifts.  Milk Bones, jerky treats, beef sticks.  My favorite is Pup-a-roni.  And the cats like the little treats in the pouch that Mom gives them.  But mostly she makes us eat treats that are good for our teeth.  But that's okay because they still taste good!

3.  New food and water bowls.  Mom has a bunch of them in her store!

4.  Brushes and combs.  Nothing feels better than a good brushing!  I hate when my fur is all matted and tangled!

5.  Blankets or beds for us to sleep on.  We like to be warm and comfortable too!

6.  Exercise toys.  New leashes and collars.  I love going for walks with my Mom and a leash makes sure she doesn't get lost.  Balls for cats to chase.  Wheels for hamsters to run on.  Anything that gets us up and moving and keeps us engaged.

7.  Cat scratching posts.  Mom does not like them clawing on the furniture.  A scratching post is the perfect solution.

8.  Peanut butter!  I know I already listed treats but peanut butter is my favorite thing ever!  All of us have special treats we like.  The cats like cheese.  The fish like dried shrimp.  Our special treats make the perfect gift.

9.  ID tags.  Just in case Mom gets off the leash and gets lost, an ID tag will help me find her!  Or better yet - a microchip!

10.  Of course, the best present is spending time with us.  If you have pets, please remember we are members of the family.  If you don't have a pet yet, now would be the perfect time to give the best give ever to a shelter pet - a forever home!

Older Pets in Need of Forever Homes

It's been three weeks since Bob passed over the Rainbow Bridge.  I have missed him - especially in the evenings.  Evenings were our special time together.  And I have given much thought as to whether to continue his projects such as this blog.  At first, I just couldn't see what direction it could take without him.  I don't travel as much as I used to and when I do, Austin is not inclined to go with me.  But then I realized that Bob's story was about more than his adventures on the road.  It was about our love for all God's creatures.  Austin shares that love I think.  Watching him play with our foster dogs or the cats  and seeing his fascination with a little chipmunk that got in the house reminded me so much of Bob, I almost cried.  And so I think Austin and I will continue this blog but perhaps from a new perspective.


I was reminded yesterday that November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month.  Normally, Bob would post a story about the joy of owning a senior dog.  However, Austin is only 6 years old, which doesn't quite qualify for senior citizen status.  So, I have decided to repost one of Bob's earlier stories.  Enjoy - and then adopt a senior pet!

"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 A LOT, 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 an 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. 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
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 design in my CafePress shop celebrating senior pet adoption.  And for every 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!"

Memories of Bob

It has been a couple of days now since Bob crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.  I still miss his greeting me when I come home.  It feels strange to sit in "our" chair and not feel him in my lap.  And it is very hard to sleep at night without him curled up in the middle of the bed.

It has been almost a year since we wrote about our last adventure.  Bob was getting older and it was becoming more difficult for him to travel.  He was almost 20 years old when he passed!  That's an old pup!  We have spent the time since then sitting in the sun on the porch, working to help other shelter dogs find homes, serving as fosters for a steady stream of dogs and cats that were waiting to find their forever homes.  He kept me company when my husband was away.  He offered comfort when I was sick.  He was a warm, loving presence when my husband was in the hospital.  He chased cats off our chair and birds out of the cat's bowls.  And he was always quick to announce when something strange was going on outside - strange cars, strange kids, strange animals, even the occasional strange leaf skittering across the porch.

Bob made lots of friends during our adventures.  Pixel and Aspen were his favorites.  But he had many others.  Many of them are featured in stories right here on this blog.  And he did finally grow to appreciate "the rat", Austin.  And he was a friend to other animals too - cats, rabbits, horses, guinea pigs.  Bob loved them all.  We championed many of their causes right here on this blog.

Although we cared him and spoiled him rotten, nothing lives forever and old age finally did catch up to my boy.  A nasty tumor in his jaw and an enlarged heart combined to finally end his time here.  He passed peacefully with his family and his favorite vet, Dr. Karen, around him.  I know many of you will not understand how we grieve for a little ball of fur with a sometimes snappy temper.  To you he is just a dog.  To me, he was a friend, a traveling companion, a comforter, a playmate, and yes - even a business partner.  (His CafePress shop does very well, thank you!).  He was unconditional love with four legs and a tail.  I will miss him.

And so we come to a close.  From the little bit of a mutt we brought home twenty years ago.  To the night at a jvAlert event that this blog was started (thanks to some inspiration from Ronda Del Boccio).  The first t-shirt in our store (who knew a bug on a leash could launch a business?).  The many trips we took, the friends we met, the fun we had. 

I do not know where we will go from here.  The travels stopped as Bob got older.  Austin was willing to go but somehow it wasn't the same.  I still do not know whether my heart is in continuing this without my boy.  The CafePress shop will remain since most of the proceeds go to help animal shelters and rescues.  He would want that, I think.  As for the launch of "It Should Be A Dog's World" - I am still unsure of that as well.  That was our project.  I love Austin dearly.  But Bob was special.  I will see where my heart takes me.

Many of you have sent messages of condolence at Bob's passing.  My thanks to all of you.  Now go do something in his honor.  Go adopt a little fur ball of your own.  Bob would like that.

 

Dogs Appreciate Air Conditioning!

Mom has a book she reads a lot.  Something about what she calls "quirky holidays."  She is ALWAYS looking stuff up in it. 

Today she said she was looking for inspiration for her blog.  She said her brain was mush and she was out of ideas.  I don't know if she found anything to help her, but I learned something new.  It's Air Conditioning Appreciation Days!

Now I don't know about you, but I love our air conditioning.  We live in Arkansas and it gets HOT here in the summer!  Sometimes it gets over 100 degrees!  I wouldn't want to be outside in that.  OUCH!  Thankfully, I don't have to be.  Mom let's us stay in the house - with the air conditioner!  It keeps me cool and comfy no matter how hot it is outside.  Mom said they also make air conditioners for dog houses.  And I said "They make houses for dogs? Awesome!"

Not all dogs can live in air conditioned dog houses.  But there are some things you can do to help your dog cope with the summer heat.

1.  Your dog needs a place to get out of the heat and sun in the summer time.  Mom has a doggie door in the garage so we can get in and out on our own when she is not home.  If your dogs don't have a way to get in the house, then provide a dog house or other source of shade.

2. Don't leave your dog in the car. You know I go almost everywhere Mom goes. But not now. It's just too hot. Mom said that on 100 degree days, her car can reach 120 degrees or more inside. That's like an oven! Even if you are only planning to leave your dog for a few minutes, don't. Leave them at home.

3. Don't let your dog sunbathe. Our dog Beauty was a sunbather. She loved nothing more than laying out in the warm summer sun. But dogs can sunburn just like people. Mom did not know this when we first moved here. And so Beauty was left to enjoy her sunshine. Only Jack Russell's don't have thick fur and she got a nasty sunburn. I have seen Mom wince when she had one so I can imagine it was just as painful for poor Beauty. Beauty is gone now, but Mom learned the lesson. If we are going to be outside for a long time, she puts sunscreen on our most vulnerable areas, just like she does Carter, Morgan, and Reid. In fact, we use the same sunscreen. I guess if it's good enough for the dogs, it's okay for the grandkids. Mom puts it on our ears and on the bridge of our noses and around our eyes. Sometimes she even puts it on our tummies, but that usually means we are going to be outside for a LONG time.

4. Provide plenty of fresh, cool water. Mom has several big jugs she fills with water and then turns them upside down in our water bowls. Automatic waterers, I think she calls them. These hold enough water for me, Austin and Oscar, and the cats for the whole day. Nothing tastes better than cool water on a hot day!

5. If you must take your dog outside for exercise, avoid the hottest part of the day. Mom and I go for walks or out in the garden either early in the morning or later in the evening after she has fed Dad. Stay out of the midday sun.

6. Consider giving your dog a haircut. I am a short haired boy so I don't have a problem. But Austin is a Yorkshire Terrier and has lots of long hair. In the summer, to help keep him cool, he gets what Mom calls his "puppy cut". (That means she cuts his hair short like mine. He looks a little funny but he sure seems happier - and cooler).

7. Watch where we walk. You wear shoes. We don't. Have you ever burned the bottom of your feet? It hurts! Don't make us walk on hot sidewalks, driveways, or sand.

Summer is here. That means lots of BBQs and trips to the beach and days out in the boat. We want to share it with you. Just follow these simple tips and we can enjoy the "dog days" so summer too!

Oh, and Mom said the book she looks at all the time is called the Quirky Marketing Calendar and you can get one here!

PAWS of Coronado

Not only is San Diego host to the Loews Coronado Bay Surf Dog Competition, but the people of San Diego really care about animals.  That's why they have places like PAWS of Coronado.

PAWS of Coronado was founded in 2003 as a non-profit animal welfare organization. They believe that “Saving the life of one animal will not change the world, but for that one animal the world will change forever!”  I know this is true.  Being adopted is the best thing that ever happened.  My life has never been the same. 


PAWS of Coronado works with the Coronado Animal Care Facility (ACF) to provide shelter and find homes for the orphaned cats and dogs of Coronado. These animals include those that have been surrendered by their humans, are stray or abandoned, or have been rescued from abuse or neglect.

PAWS and the ACF are committed to 100 percent placement of adoptable animals.  They hope that someday every friendly, healthy, homeless animal can be cared for until their forever family is found. 

One of the best things about PAWS is their socialization programs.  They have both cat-petting and dog-walking programs.  Because they animals at PAWS are relaxed and trust people, they have a much better chance of being adopted.
Come find a forever friend of your very own. You can come meet the cats and dogs daily from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. Tell them Bob sent you!

Help Animals Get Adopted

I was lucky.  I found the best forever home.  So did Iris and Oscar and Bitty Kitty.  Puck and Peasebottom.  JoyBelle.  But Mom can't adopt every shelter pet.  There is only so much room at our house!  So for every one of us there is another dog or cat (or guinea pig or horse or rabbit or who knows what) that is still in a cage.  At best they will live in the shelter forever where good volunteers will give them some care and affection.  At worst, they will stay there until they are declared "unadoptable" and put to sleep.

Every pet deserves a forever family of their own.  Help them get adopted!  You can help an animal find his forever home.

Are you a Twitter addict like my Mom?  Spread the word about adoptable pets at your local shelter!  You can do the same on Facebook and Pinterest.  In fact you can share info about adoptable pets on any social media site.  Encourage your friends to repost and retweet and soon everyone will know about these animals.  And if your local shelter has a Facebook page, make sure you stop by and "like" their page.  I'm not sure exactly what that means, but Mom says it's a good thing.

Volunteer to help train and socialize pets at your local shelter.  Dogs with knowledge of basic commands like sit and stay get adopted faster.  Cats that aren't afraid of people have an easier time finding a home.

Check out GoodSearch.com.  Every time you search, they donate a penny to your charity.  Choose an animal adoption organization or a program like the Petfinder Foundation.

Be a foster home.  It's a great way to have a "temporary" pet.  If you can't, help your local shelter host a foster home campaign to encourage others to foster an animal in need.

Add a signature to your email with a quick to about animal adoption.  Mom's even has a picture of a cat.  I don't know about that!  But it also includes a link to our local shelter's website.  She sends lots of email and she spreads the word about our shelter with every one she sends!

Help your shelter organize a pet adoption campaign.  Make flyers.  Take pictures of available pets.  Write press releases.