Why Everyone Should Own a Dog

While mom is deciding where to go for our next trip, I thought I'd share this with you. Someone sent it to mom and she was laughing so hard at the end, I thought it must be pretty funny. And anything that gives people a reason to have a dog has to be worth sharing. So watch and enjoy - and then go to your local shelter and get a dog of your very own so you can get in on the fun!

Bob Has Been Tagged!

Claudia of http://www.workathomegrandmoms.com/ tagged me/us for a blog meme. Oh my oh meme!! Here are the rules:

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1 ) What was I doing 10 years ago? I'm only 10 years old!

2 ) What are five things on your to-do list for today?
chase squirrels
eat
play with mom
eat
get mom to clip my toenails
and did I mention eat?

3 ) What snacks do I enjoy?
jerkey
bacon
cheese
biscuits

4 ) Things I would do if I were a billionaire?
Buy mom a house with an even bigger yard and more squirrels!
Take mom (and dad too) on the vacation of their dreams
Donate to local animal shelters so my fellow canine (and feline) friends can have the same chance to find a good mom that I did

5 ) Three Bad Habits
Eat too much
Sleep too much
Chase cats and squirrels

6 ) 5 places I have lived…
I have only lived with mom in our house in the country

7 ) 5 Jobs I have had
My only job is to provide love and companionship to mom
...and keep the cats on their toes
...and keep the yard free of squirrels
...and bark if anything stray comes near the house (stray people, stray dogs, stray leaves, the wind)

Thank you Claudia! People I have tagged:
Eileen at "Feisty Side of Fifty" http://feistysideoffifty.wordpress.com/
Kathie Thomas at http://vadirectory.net/blog/
Michael Walsh Kaizen Consulting http://business-growth.com/
Beverly at Talk2Bev http://talk2bev.blogspot.com/
Heidi Caswell at http://www.connectsimply.com/blog/

We're Hitting the Road!

I'm excited! It's summer and Mom has decided to take a trip - and I get to go along! She hasn't decided where to go yet. I heard her on that little thing she uses to talk to other humans last night. She was talking about ideas for a vacation. I think she is trying to decide between visiting Aunt Mai Lei in Dallas (okay, but they have an awful lot of cats that don't like to play with me), Christine in Corpus Christi (that might be fun. I can see baby John! I LIKE babies!) or Desiree in Florida (that gets my vote. I love the beach!)

Once she decides, we will have to get ready. That means a trip to see Dr. Karen. That's always fun. I know sometimes I have to get shots and that hurts a little bit. But the ladies at Dr. Karen's are always nice to me. They pet me and cut my toenails for me so I can walk better. And if I have to get a shot, Mom always takes me for a hamburger afterward!

I hear Mom talking to someone on that black box again. She is still not sure where she wants to go. I know! Why don't YOU help her decide. Vote for which trip you think we should take. I'll do my best to convince Mom that's where we need to go. How you ask? Don't worry. I have Mom well-trained! And I'll keep you up to date on all the fun things there are to do for dogs (and cats too I guess) whereever you decide we should go.

Our First Adventure - Fort Smith, Arkansas

I want to tell you about our first trip together. Mom (that's what I call my human!) and I had not been in Arkansas long and we wanted to go exploring. So we decided to take a drive to some other locations in Arkansas. We started with Fort Smith since it's not a long drive from Rogers.

We decided we would stay overnight so we could take our time and really explore the area. Mom called around to find a place that would let me stay with her. There were several to choose from including the Comfort Inn Fort Smith and the Holiday Inn City Center. Mom decided to choose the Holiday Inn since it is Fort Smith’s largest full service Holiday Inn Hotel connected to the Fort Smith Convention Center and conveniently located near: UA Fort Smith, UA Fayetteville, Fort Smith’s National Historic Site, Judge Isaac C. Parker’s Museum / Courtroom, the Fort Smith Trolley Museum and Fort Smith Museum of Natural History. Fortunately, I am under the 20 lb weight limit in the hotel's pet policy and Mom did not mind paying the additional pet fee. We did have to stay on the pet floor, but that was alright with me. It gave me a chance to meet some other traveling pet friends.

We packed our bags. Mom brought my leash and my carrier even though I don't use them at home. She just wants me to be safe so I don't mind. She also brought my favorite food and some bottled water, dishes for me to use, my favorite toy, and my blanket. She also packed a pooper scooper and some carpet deodorizer - just in case! Then she made me wear my collar with the ID tags and we were off! On the way we stopped at Dr. Karen's, my vet, to get a copy of my shot record.

The trip did not take long. When we arrived, we went to our hotel first. Mom let me out to stretch my legs and take care of business. Then we visited our room so I could have a drink of water and look the place over. I decided where I wanted my blanket, explored the rest of the room and then it was time to see the city!

We went first to the Fort Smith Dog Park located at the corner of Massard Road and Louisville Street. This dog-lovers park provides an off-leash experience and socialization opportunity for me and my friends while also offering special events and programs. It even has benches so Mom and I can rest and a pond! We played for a while and Mom chased a ball for me. She looks silly doing it, but it seems to make her happy so I always play along.

I was pretty tired and ready for dinner and a nap but Mom wanted to check out Ben Geren Park located at 7200 South Zero Street. She had heard about the annual Top Dog competition sponsored by the local Alzheimer's Association. It's held in the park each year in conjunction with the annual Memory Walk. She thought it would be a dog-friendly place to just walk around for a bit and she was right. I had a great time and I hope she lets me enter the Top Dog contest this year. I know I can win!

Now it was definitely time to call it a day. Mom stopped at the Wendy's drive through for her dinner and then we went back to the hotel so we could eat together. After dinner, we settled down to watch some television. My favorite Saturday evening lineup was on so Mom let me lay beside her and watch while she read her book. Soon it was time for one last visit outside and then bed time. We have to get up early in the morning so we can head for home!

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Before we set out on our journey, I want to invite all of my fellow pet friends to visit my town. Fayetteville, Arkansas is one of the most welcoming cities around. Even though I live only 30 minutes away, Melodieann often takes me to Fayetteville just so I can enjoy myself. There are plenty of places for us to stay together. Home to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville is a college town nestled in the mountains of northwest Arkansas and offers visitors an array of arts, culture, and natural beauty. Pets and their humans travel from all over to see the area's fall colors and attractions such as the Clinton House Museum, the Arkansas Air Museum, Civil War sites, and the annual Bike Blues and Barbecue. And be sure your human takes you to visit the Fayetteville Farmer's Market on the weekends.

My favorite place to stay is the Courtyard Fayetteville. Located in the heart of Fayetteville, the Courtyard by Marriott offers all of the conveniences necessary for Melodieann and me to be comfortable. The hotel is smoke-free so I don't have to worry about my allergies acting up or getting all that smell of cigarette smoke in my fur. And there are 32" Flat Screen LCD Televisions in every room so we can curl up and watch our favorite shows together after a busy day.

The Courtyard is close to one of my favorite places to walk - Lake Fayetteville Park. There are trails around the lake where Melodieann and I like to take early morning strolls. I do have to let her put my leash on me. There is a city ordinance that requires me to wear it for my own safety. I wouldn't want to get separated from my human and get lost!

Another great place to stay is the Best Western Windsor Suites. The Best Western Windsor Suites is conveniently located off of I-540 with easy access to key area attractions and business locations including the University of Arkansas, Wal-Mart headquarters and lovely downtown Fayetteville. Hotel guests will appreciate a wide variety of options for entertainment and shopping nearby. Each spacious guestroom or suite is equipped with free high-speed Internet access, cable satellite television, free long distance access, toiletries, iron/ironing board, coffee/tea maker and a hairdryer. Suites and mini-suites offer a whirlpool bath, 32-inch flat screen television, refrigerator and microwave. Every day begins with a divine complimentary continental breakfast featuring fruit, biscuits and gravy, waffles, cereals, coffee, and more which Melodieann always shares with me. Other hotel amenities include an exercise facility, business center. Guests may take a dip in the largest indoor swimming pool in Fayetteville. A friendly staff is ready to ensure a comfortable and memorable stay.

Support Adopt a Shelter Cat Month!

I know - dogs and cats don't get along (or so they say). But I'm going to share a secret with you. I have several cat friends. My human adopted them from the same shelter she found me at and I have to admit they are okay. Once I showed them who was in charge, they really became good companions. They share their food with me and they don't complain too much when I chew up their catnip mice. And on cold winter nights they sleep next to me on my blanket and help keep me warm. So I hope you will all encourage your humans to enter this contest and maybe even consider getting a cat of your own!

We all know how special cats are. But let's face it, not everyone gets it. Unlike their canine counterparts, cats don't have a cool slogan like "Dogs are man's best friend." Throughout history, cats have been the victims of superstition and misunderstanding – and even today, cats are in trouble: More than 70% of cats in animal shelters are euthanized (compared to a still-shocking 56% of dogs).

But you can help. June is national Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month and Cat Fancy has teamed up with Petfinder.com, the world's largest online database of adoptable pets, to raise awareness of the crisis facing our feline friends with the Cats Rule! Ad Contest.

Here's our challenge to you: Create a 7" x 10" ad that shows the world the value and importance of cats. Finalists will be posted online for readers to vote for their favorite, and the winning entry will run as a full-page ad in the September issue and be featured on CatFancy.com and Petfinder.com.

CONTEST RULES
Submissions will only be accepted between April 1, 2008 and May 23, 2008.
Your ad campaign should include a one-page print ad (7"x10"), in PDF format with minimum resolution of 300dpi. (If using a bleed, add 5/8" to all four sides.)

The ad should communicate:
Why cats are excellent pets
Why cat lovers should adopt a rescue/shelter cat
All submissions should be e-mailed to CatChannel as .pdf attachments

Do not:
Include any copyrighted material (photos, logos, etc.)
Use inflammatory images or copy
Specifically denigrate any organization, corporation or group

Ads will be judged by Cat Fancy/CatChannel.com and Petfinder.com on:
Overall creativity
Clarity in expressing the message
Technical & artistic execution
In the event of a tie, the entry judged to be the most creative will win.

RELEASE FORM
By submitting an ad, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to the following terms and conditions:

All entrants must be 18 years of age or older. All submissions become the property of Cat Fancy/CatChannel.com and Petfinder.com and will not be returned. Users warrant that their ads are their own original creation, do not violate any law or regulation or infringe upon the rights of any other person or company (including but not limited to copyrights), and do not contain offensive, defamatory, vulgar or profane content, as determined by Cat Fancy. Ads that do not comply with the above shall be rejected. By submitting an ad, each user grants permission, without further compensation, to Cat Fancy/CatChannel.com and Petfinder.com and their agents and licensees to use the entrant's name and the ad itself in any media now known or hereinafter devised including, without limitation, print, Internet, radio and/or television throughout the world and for any purpose, including advertising, promotional or other purposes, with or without charge or cost to end users or other parties. Submission of an entry will constitute the user's representation that user has secured any and all rights, releases and permissions necessary for Cat Fancy/CatChannel.com and Petfinder.com's use hereunder, including without limitation those related to any person, place, music, performance of music, video, photographs, graphics and/or other elements, and upon request, each entrant shall provide proof that such release and permission was obtained and that no further permissions or fees are due for Cat Fancy/CatChannel.com and Petfinder.com's use of the submission or any elements therein. By uploading an ad, each user agrees that if requested, he or she will sign a release and waiver of liability.

Join Me and My Human On our Travels!

Hi! My name is Bob. I live with my human, Melodieann, in a great house in the country. I have lots of companions to play with and Melodieann takes very special care of me. I think I have her very well trained! She buys my favorite food and treats, bathes and brushes me, and buys me toys so we can play together. In return, I let her share my bed and sometimes, if she has been very good to me, I even let her share my favorite chair. Best of all, we both love to travel and I often let her accompany me on my adventures! Travel with us as Melodieann and I show you the very best places for you to take your human. Let's get packed!