Please, Do Not Disturb

Happy Friday/Saturday everyone!!

You probably don't know this about me yet...but I really hate being cold! So, I have officially gone into hibernation mode for the winter!!

Here are some key points when starting the hibernation process:

1. Sometimes you should hibernate with your stuffies, like Loliphant, or toys, like Squeakers!

2. Other times, you should hibernate with or on top of your Mommas or Daddies, like Domeek!

3. But, what's really required for hibernation is an awesomely warm blanket, bed/sofa, and perhaps even a pillow!! ;-)

Ok, that's enough wake time...gotta get back to hibernating!!

Night Night Everyone!! See you in the Spring...

or maybe just tomorrow!

Treasure Thursday

Happy Thursday Everyone!!! :-D

Finally, the weather is starting to feel like Fall, we're expected to get a load of rain in the next couple of days, so I'm trying to convince everyone to get outside as much as possible!! ;-) Sadly, all of my East Coast friends are in the middle of a snow storm right now, so stay as warm and as dry as possible guys!!

Before I begin Treasure Thursday, I wanted to pass along a wonderful BlogHop that will be happening next week in conjunction with Blog Paws and Iams! As we all know, we are in the middle of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, so in support of this awesome week Iams, Blog Paws, and P&G are asking everyone to do something great for your local shelter!

All you need to do is check out your local, participating Home 4 The Holidays shelter, do something awesome for them, then write a blog post on what you did! Sounds easy, right? You can choose to check out their wishlist and while you're grocery shopping next week, pick them up a couple of items...if possible, you can give them a donation...or you can even write about one of their pets in need! Simple! :-)

If we can get 100 or more bloggers involved, look at all these wonderful things that will happen!

1. Blog Paws will donate $1000 to Rescue Ink, a rescue devastated by Hurricane Sandy.
2. Blog Paws will also donate $1000 to one of the shelters featured in the Blog Hop.
3. The Blog Paws team and Dr. V over at Pawcurious (we love her) will pick one post to be featured on the Iams Facebook wall between now and December. 

The only thing you have to remember is that in order to be eligible for this prize, the post must feature a shelter participating in the Home 4 the Holidays campaign. 

So please consider dedicating a post next week to this amazing cause! :-D

Well, it's been a couple of weeks...so I need to get back into the swing of things and do one of my Treasure Thursday posts!!

Updates: 

• I am ecstatic to tell you that the awesome Buster Brown, from  Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Middle, Tennessee, has been adopted...woohoo!!! Congratulations Buster, here's to an amazing forever home and family!! 
• Blackie, from the Humane Society of Forsyth County in Cumming, Georgia, is still available if you are interested!
• Dixie, from the Delaware Humane Association in Wilmington, Delaware, is also still available for adoption! Please check her out if you are interested! 

© 2012 Patrick McDonnell

Since it is National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week, I decided to find all of my awesome featured pups and rescue groups through their search engine!

My first featured pup's name is Ferguson, who is being fostered with NorCal GSP Rescue in Menlo Park, CA! NorCal GSP Rescue is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to placing unwanted and abandoned German Shorthaired Pointers in northern California into new homes.

If you are interested in learning or seeing more photos of the gorgeous Ferguson, please check out his PetFinder profile! If you would like to check out the other available dogs that NorCal GSP Rescue, please feel free to visit their other available dogs!

My second featured pup's name is Lona, who is a fun loving dog from Furry FriendZy in Dallas, Texas! Furry FriendZy acts as a shepherd for animals in need of help: to care for and find loving homes for unwanted, abandoned, neglected and abused animals.

If you are interested in learning more about Lona, or seeing more of her beautiful photos, please take a look at her PetFinder profile! If you would like to take a look at all the other amazing dogs and cats (and they do have quite a few - 56!!) please check out their available animals page!

My final featured dog's name is Token, who is a goofy and fun pup from All Shepherd's Rescue in Baltimore, Maryland! All Shepherd Rescue finds adoptable, lovable and in need Shepherds for your family. All of ASR’s dogs are in foster homes learning manners and what the good life means! ASR believes in connecting the right dog to the right family. We will do our best to find your next best friend.

If you are interested in learning more about the awesome Token, please feel free to take a look at his PetFinder profile or his personal page! If you would like to see all of the available dogs that All Shepherd's Rescue has, please take a look at their available's page!

Thanks always for stopping by Treasure Thursday and remember about next week's Blog Hop!!!

Have a great day everyone!!

Wordless Wednesday - My Buddy, My Buddy and Me

My Buddy...my buddy...wherever you go, I want to go! My Buddy, my buddy, my buddy and me!!!

Happy Wednesday everyone! :-D

Since I haven't been leaving the house for the last week, I've formed a really close bond with my buddies, Baby and Baby's sibling!! Domeek couldn't catch it, but every morning when I go out, I give Baby a hug!

Have a great day everyone!!

Oh, and if you remember my support for the "No on Measure F" campaign (aka Save Our Park), I just found out that we won!!! 68% voted against Measure F!! WooHoo!!!

November - National Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Happy Monday and Tuesday Everyone!!! :-D

So, I was browsing the internet this afternoon when I discovered that November is the official National Pet Cancer Awareness month! Did you know this? I had no clue!

Unfortunately, almost all of us (humans included) will be effected by cancer sometime during our lifetime! :-( Apparently cancer accounts for nearly 50% of all disease-related pet deaths each year and sadly one in four dogs will get cancer sometime during their lives...those are some icky numbers, huh?

Two of my cousins crossed the rainbow bridge due to cancer! My Auntie Nilla lost her chow chow, Dot in 2009 and then her brother, Wakko, passed on two years later to cancer as well!

Wasn't Wakko gorgeous? :-D I wish I could have met him!!

My Domeek's favorite childhood kitty, Biscuit, sadly passed away from cancer of the tummy. Fortunately, she lived a very long and happy life beforehand though!!! :-D

Ignore the strangulation of Biscuit, apparently she thought that cameras could steal her soul, so really didn't like her photo being taken! Hehehe!

So, the real question is: What can I do about this whole evil pet cancer thing??!

Good question! :-) Let's see...primarily, all you pet Mommas and Daddies should keep a close eye on your fur-children! If they start to act differently or strangely, that is your first clue that something isn't right! If a bump or a lump appears anywhere on their body, you should certainly get your little one to the vet to make sure it isn't something serious!

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, here are the Top 10 Early Warning Signs of Cancer!

1. Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
2. Sores that do not heal
3. Weight loss
4. Loss of appetite
5. Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
6. Offensive odor
7. Difficulty eating or swallowing
8. Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
9. Persistent lameness or stiffness
10. Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating

Just like with humans, getting a cancer diagnosis isn't necessarily a life sentence, luckily there are a lot of medical/veterinary groups that are working tirelessly on cancer treatments and prevention techniques!! Phew! Thank goodness!!

Two of these organizations include: the Animal Cancer Foundation, funds and develops research focused on the biologic similarity of cancer in pets and people that will expedite therapeutic and preventive benefits for both, and then The National Canine Cancer Foundation that is dedicated to eliminating Cancer as a major health issue in dogs by funding grants directly to Cancer researchers who are working to save dogs lives by finding cures, better treatments and accurate, cost effective diagnostic methods in dealing with canine Cancer. Amazing both of these groups will assist thousands of animals each year!!

Another thing that we can really do is help out and participate in events that organizations like these put on! :-D If you can't donate or buy merchandise that they create, then no worries! How about walking in one of the many marches and 5k's that they produce?! Or if you can't do that, then why not write a Facebook or blog post on how pet cancer has effected you?!

Knowledge and awareness will always be key in fighting any kind of disease, but especially a disease that will effect so many people and animals that you know!!!

With the leaps and bounds that human cancer treatment is taking, perhaps, with all of our help, we might see a cure for both pet and human cancer in our life times?!!

Have a wonderful day everyone!!! :-D Professor Goose out! ;-)

Dona Nobis Pacem

I've decided to join my friends: Ruby and Susie & Sidebite and hundreds of other bloggers for this year's BlogBlast for Peace! :-D

Six years ago, a wonderful blogger asked all of their followers to come together, across the planet, and express their desire for a peaceful world on one specific day! "A pledge. A signature. A symbolic promise. It was an invitation for all nationalities, creeds, tribes and religions to converge upon one page."

The title of this blog post, along with almost everyone participating, is Dona Nobis Pacem, which is Latin for Grant Us Peace! 

Because I am so young, the word "peace" has become almost a magical term...one which I have seen small glimpses of, but never seen the full glamorous effect! Unfortunately the world is not a peaceful place, not even in our own country, state, or city! There are constant arguments, fear, tattling, and anger brewing wherever you live...but, I wonder why we can't just get over all of these issues?! 

Alright, it is human (or canine) to have problems within life; I know I have temper tantrums and barking episodes if I don't understand something, but the difference between me and a ton of other people is that I let it all out and then move on! I might hold a grudge for a few minutes, but then I get over it...voila, back to the happy and content Freckles! So, why can't the rest of humanity do the same?

Why can't we just growl and bark...then, agree to move on and be at ease?!

I've experienced many issues at various dog parks with a ton of different types of dogs and do you know what? We've all managed to come up with solutions to our differences and had blasts at the park together without someone coming away in a cone! ;-) I live with three cat brothers (and three outside feral kitties) and no one has ever had to be taken away in the vet ambulance...why? Because, us animals, can get over our problems and live together (essentially) in peace!

Just like my picture above, I believe that you need to start within...in order to be at peace with the World, one needs to be at peace in yourself and the way you see life! That Buddha was certainly a smart human! 

Well, I hope that all of our posts help you, at least, think about how you can become a more peaceful person (kitty/pup) or how you can help the rest of humanity discover peace! :-D As the BlogBlast for Peace's motto claims: If words are powerful....then this matters. 

Happy Sunday my friends!
 
 

Catch-Up And A Blog Award

Happy Weekend My Friends!!!

I'm still here, hanging out as Nurse Goose! It's a tough job, let me tell you, but Domeek thinks that I might have a future career in the medical care field! ;-)

Domeek had knee surgery on Wednesday, so for the next six weeks she has to wear this really funky knee brace and use crutches! I was pretty scared of the crutches for the first couple of days, especially since they make such weird noises, but I think that I'm used to them now, and don't think that they're demonic! ;-)

Yesterday, I even decided to share my Zombie Dog with Domeek's knee...so we hung out and played (ok, really I lay on her lap and chewed Zombie Dog)! Hehe, but it was fun nevertheless!

My friends over at Dogs And Pawz and All Things Collie bestowed upon me such an awesome blog award!

It's called the Super Sweet Blogging Award!! :-D Aw, you guys think that I'm super sweet?! Hehe, I really try and I think that you are all totally super sweet!!

So, the rules of the award:

• Give credit to the blog which nominated you.
• Answer the “Super Sweet” Questions.
• Pass award on to a baker’s dozen. 

Super Sweet Questions (ok, since these are all nummy related, I'm going to let Domeek tell you her answers...cause she's mean and doesn't share delicious treats with me):

1. Cookies or Cake?   Um, definitely cookies for both Freckles and I!!
2. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate in my edible treats and vanilla in my drink treats!
3. What is your favorite sweet treat? I adore anything with alcohol infused in it! ;-) But one of my favorites is my Irish mint brownies!! 
4. When do you crave sweet things? I have a major sweet tooth, so pretty much anytime I can get my hands on sweet things! ;-) Same with Freckles though...he apparently got that from me!
5. If you had a sweet nickname what would it be? My real nickname is Sweet Pea, so I guess that's sweet enough! 

My deserving baker's dozen buds are:

• 2 Punk Dogs
• Basset Momma
• Big Stinky Dog 
• Cotton's Candy 
• Dachshund Nola 
• Four Legged Views 
• Gospel of Goose 
• Life Blessings 
• Murphy & Stanley 
• My Girlz Got Paws 
• Susie and Sidebite 
• Murray's Mouth 
• Ruby the Airedale 

Thank you so much to All Things Collie and Dogs and Pawz, you both totally rock! Congrats as well to all my friends, you all deserve it!

Have a great Sunday!

Freckles...Now A Piece Of Art!

Wowee, even though I didn't comment on all of your Halloween posts, I was very impressed with everyone's costumes and pumpkins! :-D I hope that you all enjoyed the day!

Personally, I was incredibly disappointed with our neighborhood; according to Domeek, last year there were about 50 trick or treaters that came to the house, so my expectations were really high. Do you know how many kids turned up? Five!!! I kept looking out of the window...but no one was walking about or even looking down our street! :-( We have no clue where they were and why they weren't at our house! It's just sad!

So, all the candy that we bought is now going to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford, a couple days late, but I'm sure the kiddie winks will still enjoy it. This is a great organization that houses and assists families with children who are going through life-threatening illnesses and procedures at Stanford! :-) They are always appreciative of any donation, last Christmas Domeek's work sent about 50 chocolate advent calendars over to them, the kids' faces were priceless!

Today I wanted to introduce you all to an amazing artist and animal lover, Lili Chin, with Doggie Drawings! I know that I've posted about her amazing doggie training illustrations before, but I wanted to focus on her custom pet portraits this time! :-)

Copyright 2012 Lili Chin

Domeek claims that she wanted to get a custom portrait done for my Christmas gift, however, I'm pretty sure that it was really for her! ;-) So, when she saw that Lili was going away for the Holidays and was only finishing projects before the end of November, she jumped on the chance to order one!

Lili has been an artist and animator in Southern California for over 15 years, but thanks to her love of Boston Terriers and her own rescue, Boogie, she started Doggie Drawings in 2008! Fantastically enough, she donates a percentage of all her proceeds to various dog rescue organizations. :-) Yep, we love her already!

I urge you to take a look at her website, two Zazzle sites (1, training posters, and 2, Boogie inspired goodies), Society 6, and the American Boston Terrier Rescue's CafePress site for all of her services and artistry!

So, first of all...the Big Reveal!!!

Created by Lili Chin

Doesn't the picture look just like me??! Hehehe! I absolutely love it! :-D

If you are interested in ordering your own portrait (which I totally recommend), all you have to do is: email Lili a bunch of photos (or send her a link to them) in various positions, close-ups, sides, ect..., tell her what color background you would prefer (I chose my favorite color, green), any accessories that you want added (you all know my love of balls and my bunny), and then let her know if you are using the image for personal or commercial use!

What I love about Doggie Drawings, is that Lili doesn't mind if you post her images on Facebook or your blog, as long as you give her credit (duh!) and link her back! If you plan on using her images to make money, then you need to let her know it's for commercial use, honestly, not a bad policy!

Via Doggie Drawings

It literally took me less than a week to get a response from Lili, receive a proof, and then get the final digital image and pdf (and she's already put the final image in the mail to me)!

I seriously have nothing negative to say about the entire process! From her website to her communication to her talents...everything was fantastic! :-D

If you want to see more of her custom portraits and some of her commercial projects, please take a look at either her Facebook page or Flickr account (mine is the last image)!

And remember, if you are interested in getting a portrait completed for the Holidays, perhaps the perfect Holiday gift for an animal lover?, contact Lili sooner rather than later to get on her schedule! :-)

This review is completely personal...no one asked me to do it and I didn't receive anything in return for it! ;-)

I always love reading about other people's experiences with different companies and services, most of the time this is how Domeek makes her purchasing decisions, which is why I choose to impart my knowledge on all of you! If you have any questions, just comment below and I'll happily answer!

Have a great Friday everyone!! :-D