This Sunday is Father’s Day. A good dad is one who truly loves his kids, furry ones, too. And he spends time with them, taking care of them, training and having fun. We are inspired by these three dog dads.
Here are our top 3 picks for awesome dog daddies.
Roo Yori
Running to the rescue, Andrew Yori made man’s best friend proud! #K9Ninja#AmericanNinjaWarrior Cici and I were very excited to see Roo on the show. Dog dad to Wallace, world champion frisbee dog and Hector, former Vick dog (both dogs are now over the Rainbow Bridge), Angus, Mindy and founder of a pit bull rescue foundation named after Wallace, Roo just appeared on the TV show American Ninja Warrior and qualified for the next round. He encourages people to adopt dogs from shelters. Wallace was an unwanted shelter dog once upon a time and Roo and Clara took a chance on him and it worked out great.
Cherry, another former Vick dog, was quite traumatized when he was adopted by his parents. And he has absolutely blossomed in their loving care.
What has surprised you most about him?
One of the most surprising things to us is we really thought Cherry would get to a certain point in his rehabilitation and settle in and not change much after that. What we have found is Cherry continuously grows and overcomes the next obstacle in his way. It will be a lifelong journey for him, and he has days where he regresses, but eventually he moves forward. It has been an incredible journey watching him go from a dog who slept with his eyes open to a dog that we can call “normal.” We know that isn’t the most exciting term, but that’s all he wants to be, a normal dog.
The other thing we have found really surprising about Cherry is that stress helps him learn and move forward. We all saw Cherry on “DogTown” and how shutdown he was. We didn’t have a plan of how to handle his fame, but we weren’t going to put him through public events if they didn’t help him. The first event we took him to was a small, kids-only event. He was stressed to the max, and we stayed a couple of hours b
When we got home that night, Cherry took to his normal routine with much more confidence than we had ever seen. He was so full of himself. We thought, “Hmm … maybe this is a tool we can use to help him progress.” We were right!”
Long time pit bull advocate, he even adopted a three-legged dog named Champ. When he did The Daily Show, the office was dog friendly. When he retired from the show, he and his wife Tracey bought a 13 acre farm in New Jersey. They provide homes for formally abused farm animals.
Well, this year has been the year that we will be glad when it is done and it is over, my year started off with breast cancer, then progressed to blood clots on lungs, bashing my head which led to a concussion, a dear friend of 40 years in hospital (serious operation), several friends dead, no home for me and cici to live in. I have been getting sicker and sicker and sicker and on and on and on and on, that has been my year…
so pardon me, if I am not exactly filled with a lot of holiday cheer…
Here are some great gifts for the pooches and pooch owners:
Eco Dog care
Love the fragrance (all natural essential oil ingredients), even washed my own bad self and hair with it and my hair was all soft and good. Cici does not like bathing so the goodness of this shampoo and wash was wasted on her dog self.
If you have a dog, know a dog, want a dog, you have got to get this doggie manual. It is the how-to of canines. (Do doggies come with instructions? Now they do !) It is very easy to navigate and fun to read.
From understanding a dog’s anatomy and those deep-down doggie instincts to training methods and grooming tips, all the information you need to understand your dog is now at your fingertips. Broken up into three sections–behavior, training and care–and easily organized from puppy-hood to old age, you will learn tips on curbing bad habits, teaching basic commands, vacationing with your dog, communicating effectively and much, much more. The Total DogManual’s easy to follow format and step-by-step training methods makes this your foolproof guide to dog care.
Kinn Kleanbowl–a stainless steel frame which fits over compostable refill bowls. Included was the bowl with several inserts, and a package of extra bowls. https://kinninc.com/kleanbowl-challenge/
The Kleanbowl Challenge was created to show a pets preference to eat or drink out of the Kinn Kleanbowl when compared to their average pet bowl. The Kleanbowl reduces health risks to pets with the disposable and germ-free Nourish Pet refills which provide a healthy bowl alternative to regular pet bowls that may be unsanitary and filled with bacteria. To set up for the challenge, pet parents fill both the Kinn Kleanbowl as well as their pet’s regular bowl with the same food or water, place the two side by side and let their pet choose which to eat or drink out of! Kleanbowl Challenge pets are not incentivized or influenced to select the Kinn Kleanbowl.
Santa poop bags: A nice red clip-on-the-leash (collar) carrier for dog poop bags with extra rolls of bags to fit the carrier. The brand is Boty Dogs.
It was a bad spring in my neighborhood for people NOT picking up after their dog. We all stood around complaining about how it gives a bad rap to all dog owners.
We got to talking about what we could do and who always picks up. The
conversation got a little silly and someone suggested Santa Claus
would always pick up, as a result I created the “Picking Up In Good
Company” poop bags with Santa reaching down to a dog who is pooping. Carla
Here is the link to the product on Amazon; http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0147D21HA
Barkworthies, yummy elk antler and 8 oz. of sweet potato chips. “Naturally Healthy, Naturally Happy” All Natural Dog Chews. The sweet potatoes the ONLY ingredient. The website is www.Barkworthies.com.
Sweet potatoes are a canine favorite because of their flavor and are:
– packed with vitamin A, B6 and C, plus minerals manganese, iron, potassium, fiber, and zinc
– great for senior dogs (because they help fight the effects of aging) and puppies (because they’re a high source of calcium)
– natural dental aids, since the chewy texture helps remove built-up tartar and plaque
– vegetarian and vegan friendly
A note from the Elmakis Family: “We love our pets and know that wholesome nutrition is essential to their health and happiness. This is why we started Barkworthies.
“We wanted dog lovers like you to have access to the highest quality chews and treats without additives, preservatives or artificial ingredients.
“Today, we’re proud to offer an exciting line of products that are as nutritious as they are delicious. We source our ingredients globally, selecting only the best for your family. When you choose Barkworthies, you can feel confident you’re giving your canine companions what they need to eat, live and love.”
Pet Safety ID Tags with Links-It
Even the most well trained pet can have a bad day. A frightening noise, natural disaster, car accident or other unexpected event can trigger a dog or cat to run for the hills leaving owners devastated and frantically searching. Unfortunately, while 80 percent of pet owners report that they believe it is either very or extremely important for animals to wear ID tags, only 33 percent report always having ID tags on their pets. While many owners have their pets chipped today, a collar and ID tags are still an important visual signal that a dog or cat is lost from home and not just a stray. Pet IDs with a new technology to help keep them safe.
Many pet owners don¹t keep tags on their animals because it can be hard to get them onto the metal ring without breaking it, pinching a finger or wasting twenty minutes of a day. A new gadget called LINKS-IT solves the problem by eliminating the need for the ring. Made from an ultra-durable polymer, LINKS-IT snaps apart so tags can be slid on and attached to a collar, then snaps and locks in place. LINKS-IT can be used with existing tags or upgraded further with Pawdentify tags which are more durable than metal, virtually silent, and can be custom printed with up to 15 lines of ID information that will never rub or scratch off. They are available in over 100 designs.
Today, we will be discussing this topic not presented here before. A little break from our usual kibble because it is important on a personal level as well as impacts EVERY ONE OF US here in America. And many of us who have dogs.
Somewhere on Facebook, someone asked the question should homeless people have dogs? I was outraged. How in the world is it that people seek to take away every tiny bit left of what a person WHO HAS LOST EVERYTHING HAS??? Yet, this is the attitude all over America.
Homeless people deserve nothing, no dogs, no pets, no homes, no help, no nothing. Because they are lazy, crazy, moochers who do not want a job or a home and besides, it is their own fault. There is something WRONG with those people so let’s punish the heck out of them. Bans, laws, ordinances are EVERYWHERE (See below).
Yet, more than half of the 350+ women over the age of 50 in the Monterey Bay peninsula without homes HAVE dogs and still, in “dog friendly” Carmel, they are told to get rid of their mutts. As if it is the dog’s fault that THERE IS NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING and very LOW WAGES. And 49% of Seniors are Living in Poverty in the USA.
Women live longer than men, make less money than men, and get less Social Security retirement funds. Women also make easy prey for predators. Especially sick and elderly women. But hey, those bag ladies must have DONE SOMETHING WRONG to deserve living on the street. Some jerk on Facebook actually said something to that effect to me, that these people did not save up enough money so it’s their own fault.
Nope, the lazy, drunk, drug addicted, crazy people (it is easy to see how AFTER you lose your home and are treated like a nonexistent go away piece of trash that you THEN become mentally ill and / or start drinking or taking drugs) is a myth and stereotype used by some so that NOTHING NEEDS TO BE DONE OR CHANGED.
Now, women without homes need dogs for protection and companionship. Plus, it has been shown that people without homes will feed their pets BEFORE they feed themselves. People without homes Deserve EVERYTHING YOU DO, a home, a bad, a place to BE, food, health care and a DOG/Pet of their own choice. How DARE anyone tell another person what they should or not have.
I should write 8 reasons why homeless people deserve HOMES …
Just ask Richard Gere the actor what it is like to be homeless. He did a movie Time Out of Mind in New York where he was dressed up as a homeless man.
“I could see people from two blocks away decide to avoid me. Whether they were conscious of it or not, they were like: I know that guy. And they filled in all the other things that one needs to know to have a reaction. They decided, OK, this guy’s gonna be asking me for money, and I don’t really want to give him any money. In fact I don’t want to make any contact with him…”
Now, Pets of the Homeless, a nonprofit organization in Carson City, Nevada has a different attitude and idea. They actually help to Feed the dogs of people without homes, all over America. And help to get vet care, spay and neuter and other care plus support shelters allowing pets. While I DO NOT think that shelters are the Answer to End Homelessness, because warehousing people is NOT an answer. There is NO PRIVACY nor DIGNITY in shelters. Plus, too much money is spent on salaries and buildings and not enough ON THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HOMES.
People should have HOMES. Their OWN HOMES. And some communities are creating tiny home villages and apartments and low income housing for seniors, but not enough to meet demand. And the thing is that taxpayers are paying THREE TIMES MORE per person per year to NOT HOUSE people. That is right. And some states Utah, Oregon, and others are ahead of the curve in providing HOMES and apartments for homeless people.
AND a 9 year old girl in Washington is building tiny homes and growing food and giving them all to the people in her community in need. If she can do this, then why can’t ADULTS with MONEY do the same ????
Now onto the personal aspect of all of this:
In 1996, I went through a divorce, lost a job, three crucial family members passed on leaving me a virtual orphan, was rear ended in a car accident, and then was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and told there was no cure, just grin and bear it (all of the pain and horribleness). Called this my Job experience.
And thought that was the worst year EVER.
Until this one hit and here are just a few of the highlights…
At the beginning of January, I finally had a home to move into, for ten days. Person turned out to be a very scary crackpot, to say the least.
At the end of January, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Not having a home was a bit of a problem (a BIG problem) to having surgery.
But then the newspaper, doggie mamas came through BIG TIME and so did BADRAP and I was given a few weeks breathing space to get through the surgery.
It was crucial for us to have a home after surgery, a place to rest, heal and recover. Instead, I moved into a place with someone with a dog who had an agenda, to steal the Breast Cancer Support Group money that was given to me. We lived there two weeks. Happy recovery, not.
Decided to move back to Carson City, Nevada, because it is cheaper and perhaps I could get a place of my own. Did not really find one so I moved in with a cowgirl and her three Jack Russells. Seemed all very positive, hot springs, Cici learned how to use a doggie door and became part of a dog pack, and then the doggie poop hit the fan when the cow girl decided instead of allowing me time to rest and recover, it was time for me to become her housekeeper with lists of 20 things to do every day. What?
Desperate for rest and my own space and place, I accepted the offer of a very kind and generous doggie donor of a camper for Cici and I to live in. A mobile home on the road. Ok, what did I know about such campers? And with a very light budget, plus a bunch of campers having passed through our paws, we got a popup camper that has to be cranked, unhitched and has caused me to become unhinged hauling it around, decimating bushes and walls and other items in its way. (It really should be mandatory for people to have lessons on how to drive these things BEFORE they buy one).
Not knowing where to go or what to do again, I headed to the 101 from Reno. A little time with the trees, perhaps? Oh yes, there were fires, smoky twisty windy roads, lots of road work, 100+ degree temperatures and 30 minutes with the trees. What a trip. And no place affordable to park the camper.
Back to Monterey, where we were living for five years. And it seems to have become totally worse for people without homes. Bans, ordinances, all terrible decimating peoples rights.
imagine if you were at risk of being thrown into jail every time YOU went to sleep, ate food, went to the bathroom or TRIED TO SURVIVE in hot or cold weather, in the rain, outside in the elements.
What would you do? What would your mother, sister, granny, or aunt do?
It is not only unconstitutional, illegal and/or immoral to have these bans in place all over the USA, but it is cruel and unusual punishment according to the Department of Justice.
But hey, too many cities are still putting these laws on the books. Stealing people’s possessions to the tune of $250,000 in Salinas (why build affordable housing when you can take away what little someone has, charge them to get it back and profit off of their misery?). No overnight parking or camping in Marina (Just because everyone else in the area is jumping off the roof, so the Mayor decided to go ahead and be part of the doggie pack and make it a criminal offense to sleep in his town). Do not sit and lie down in public in Monterey. Yup. You heard me. It is also illegal to FEED people in public in 33 cities across America.
In Carmel. we got a very hard wake-up call there which I will tell you about in a minute.
We went back and forth between Monterey and Paso Robles, where we discovered a few resources, like a place to sleep at night in the Jeep not the camper.
I did not mention the fact that I have tried to sell the camper and got offered half of what was paid for it which would leave me with NOTHING to buy a new camper with. The kind of camper we need is the kind that is easy to manage, that we can pull over by the side of the road, open a door and go to sleep.
Nor that I was robbed, scammed and had to call the police to get the scammer out of the camper (we popped up for three nights at a hot springs in Paso Robles). It is rustic, to say the least. And the hot springs pool itself very good for the healing of the body.
Well, I also did not say anything about the guy who smashed the Jeep and camper into a fire truck.
Need I go on? (How am I still standing????) well, am barely hobbling. My feet hurt so bad.
And just last week, I found out that the dearest person in my life is now in the hospital, just had an operation and is very very ill.
Was in and out of the ER all October where they told me I have blood clots on my lungs. And the doctors take one look at me and dismiss my condition because well, after all, I am fat and without a home, so that makes me a nobody and certainly not a person of worth who deserves health care. Bye bye bye.
Plus, there is more that I cannot even discuss or go into. Remember, I told you ONLY the highlights.
Now onto yesterday…
I woke up from sleeping in my Jeep after too many nights doing the same feeling sicker and sicker. And since the ER doctors have the attitude mentioned above, getting treated with disdain is not exactly what I seek so I just left after the social worker gave me the usual BS.
Banging your head against the wall time and time and time again is not as much fun as it supposed to be.
Well, I was in Carmel and went over to the Starbucks. I could hardly walk my feet felt like burning hot coals and I was barely able to make it to the Jeep, get Cici. I needed help feeding her. I had food and a bowl in the car but could not manage the supplies and her. I let her walk, I could barely walk with her so I sat down. And felt dizzy and like I was going to faint.
I saw someone I had seen there before, who had seemed like a dog friend. And asked her to please help me feed Cici, go to the car, get her food and bowl. She ignored me and walked away. Ok. So then a guy came along and I asked him the same. He kept right on going to his car. As if I did not exist. He heard me but just kept on walking. So then I asked another woman and the same lack of response.
At which point, I lost what little left I had of sanity and started crying and yelling. Of course, these kind folks in doggie paradise went right inside to tell Starbucks on me because they could not ignore me, me and my doggie dilemma had nothing to do with them, was not their problem, and Cici and I were interfering with their coffee time. Someone came out and told me to leave. I told her that I could barely walk. We had a few more choice words and she said that if I did not leave, she would call the police. I told her to please go ahead and call 911 and whoever else. She did.
Then we had a big party.
In the midst of all the chaos of fire rescue, paramedics and police, who were all asking me the same questions making my already dizzy head spin off its axis, the kindness man showed up. He took care of Cici, fed her, walked her and offered to take her for me if / when I went to the hospital.
Ahhh, the light at the end of this very long tunnel. ONE doggie lover left in Carmel.
ONE kind stranger. No, there were two others. A gal from Seattle, who helped me and a worker at Starbucks who was leaving, gave me her breakfast sandwich and told me that they should NEVER have treated me like they did. Well duh. Other people who were very very kind to me recently include the manager of Panera’s Bread in Sand City, the church we held at Starbucks in Pasos Robles with Sandi, Linda and the other gals, and several more who have answered the call to help a ‘friend’ in need.
ANYONE with a brain, eyes to see, and ears to HEAR could SEE that here was a person in CRISIS who was SICK and needed assistance. Well, why be kind to that person when you can deny, ignore, or police and threaten them ???
That is it, America. The sad truth of what is happening EVERY DAY, EVERY HOUR, EVERY MINUTE to 3 million PEOPLE across America. Good, decent, hard working Americans, too.
Like James Worley, Homeless Lives Matter on Facebook and Twitter,
an honest man who found a purse filled with $1,700 and went out of his way, while homeless himself, to return the money to its rightful owner.
Like 82 year old Kelli who lived in her van for three years. Elderly women, single moms with kids, veterans, and hard working people not making enough money to afford the ever increasing rents in every city. People in San Francisco have to make $175,000 to pay $4,500 a month in rent. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Jose have declared emergencies in their respective cities in regard to the overwhelming number of people somehow living without homes.
Yes, our furry friends deserve homes and SO DO THEIR OWNERS and FRIENDS !!!!
Millions of dollars are raised for our doggies and KITTIES and they deserve the Love and Care AND what about the people who are their families??? Do they not deserve HOMES and a Helping Hand Up, so that they can take care of their pets and not have to choose between food and rent or health care and their dog ????
According to AARP, Approximately 19 million low-income 50+ households in America cannot afford their housing costs and/or live in inadequate housing.
According to Medicare, nearly half of all seniors (48%) live in poverty today, especially in: DC (59%); California (56%).
This was the article written about Cici and I in January 2015:
We really need a HOME NOW. And I am asking if you would be willing to help us get the camper / home we need asap? It is imperative, life vs death. Any amount of donation, sharing will help, thanks.
“We all grew up believing that if you worked at a humane society or an SPCA, it was because you loved animals. And we were also told that the killing was a necessary evil and that nobody wanted to do it. And they wouldn’t do it if there was any sort of alternative… But then when the San Francisco SPCA created an alternative model and showed them that, indeed it wasn’t a ’necessary’ evil, it was just evil and we could end it, [the sheltering establishment] didn’t want to hear about it, they didn’t want to know and they felt so tremendously threatened by it that they did everything in their power to try and stop it.” –Jennifer Winograd, No Kill Advocacy Center, in the film Redemption.
“America is two countries now—the country of its narrative and the country of its numbers, with the latter sitting in judgment of the former. In the stories we tell ourselves, we are nearly always too good: too soft on criminals, too easy on terrorists, too lenient with immigrants, too kind to animals. In the stories told by our numbers, we imprison, we drone, we deport, and we euthanize with an easy conscience and an avenging zeal. We have become schizophrenic in that way, and pit bulls hold up the same mirror as the 2.2 million souls in our prisons and jails and the more than 350,000 people we deport every year. Every year, American shelters* kill about 1.2 million dogs. But both pro- and anti-pit-bull organizations estimate that of these, anywhere from 800,000 to nearly 1 million are pit bulls. We kill anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 pit bulls a day. They are rising simultaneously in popularity and disposability, becoming something truly American, a popular dog forever poised on the brink of extermination.”
* the No Kill community would argue that we do not HAVE to kill. Some shelters CHOOSE to do so. Nathan Winograd suggests and has himself implemented the No Kill Equation as the head of a shelter (or two) where he took killing off the table of options and challenged his staff to come up with creative solutions to get pets adopted.
Can fostering pets save more shelter pets?
Rock and Rawhide thinks so.
There is an estimated 3-4million pets euthanized each year in US animal shelters. That’s 10,000 per day on average. There must be a way to curb at least some of this. There is. Fostering.
There is a strong lack of homes willing to open their doors to fostering a shelter pet. Maybe it’s because they assume that a shelter animal is “broken”, or that they think they would never be able to give the animal up to an adopter, it would break their heart. The former could not be further from the truth. And the latter is selfish. Imagine the heart exploding with happiness that the beautiful pet you have supported and loved, has found forever love with a great family.
Many shelter animals are down on their luck, and need a second chance. They have lived in homes before, they have lived with children, other pets, and life was great! But perhaps their human passed away, or maybe they fell on hard times and just couldn’t afford pet care any longer. And now Muffy or Fluffy or Spike or Spot is sitting in a cage wondering what on earth happened. Sure, there are some shelter pets who sadly have never felt love, or the affection of a human before. Some were abused or neglected. But all of them still have hope, they wag their tails, they purr.
One thing they all have in common is the dangerous waiting game. Will they get sick in the shelter? Will they go crazy if they are there too long? Will they gain bad behaviors because they are not receiving the natural love, attention and comforts that a home should provide? Will they make it out alive at all?
How the animals end up in the shelter in the first place is a societal problem that we alone cannot fix. But if people opened their homes to shelter pets we could save a bunch of lives and help animals transition into forever homes much more easily. That at least would be a start till our society puts a higher value on the lives and existence of our furry friends, till the law stands up for our four-legged buddies, till shelters are no longer overflowing with the unwanted.
Fostering is a wonderful experience. As a foster parent, you can set certain guidelines with the rescue group as to what type of animal you prefer. A certain breed, age, sex, temperament, that you think will fit into your home. If you work full time and already have a dog, you can always request a dog-friendly foster pet who is house-trained. You will have the full support of the rescue group. But you must also give them full support in return. You must make a minimum time commitment (some rescues require 3 months, some 6 months).
Your job as a foster is to guide the pet into being the best it can be, to get it ready y for a forever home. That could involve teaching a dog to stay off the couch or walk better on leash, or teaching a cat to welcome other pets or to play, or simply to teach trust and love.
For an adopter, it makes the process a little easier. There is less guessing. We are certainly not suggesting that potential adopters should shy away from shelters when making adoption decisions. We LOVE shelters and wish more people would consider adopting a pet direct from a shelter, instead of using it only as a dumping ground. But for some, they need to know more specifics that a shelter often times cannot provide. When a pet lives in a foster home, it has a better chance of showing its personality, of displaying more natural behaviors. An adoptee can be told if that pet likes children, what commands it knows, how it acts in a dog park, what its favorite game or pasttime is, how it is with car travel, what it acts like when strangers enter the home, whether it needs a home with adults only, etc. Some of these traits can be noted by a shelter, but to many the transition from shelter directly to home is one that results in many adopters returning pets.
A pet needs time to decompress, to learn trust, to “get over” the shelter experience. This may be easy for some pets, and not so easy for others. A patient and loving foster home can help them through this process. Each rescue group is different with the type of support it offers it fosters. Some pay for all medical bills, some even pay for food. But all are ready with any help and advice they can provide. The rescue will promote the pet on social media and it’s website, as well as on sites such as PetFinder.com. If appropriate, the pet would also be part of adoption events where the general public can visit the pet. It is always helpful if the foster also promotes the pet to their contacts. They are the best ambassador for that pet.
One example of a wonderful dog that would flourish in a foster home is Millie. She was on the kill list in NYC and was pulled by A Pathway to Hope Rescue, after Rock & Rawhide advocated for her life. A great dog with so much potential, she is currently staying at A Hotel for Dogs in Middletown NJ, a doggie day care facility. She spent 2.5 months in the shelter, and now almost 1 month at the Hotel, where she is doing great. But it is time for Millie to find a home! Two-years-old, sweet, affectionate, listens to commands, obedient, healthy, loves to play, walks great on leash, and loves the car. Yet she’s just one of hundreds, actually one of thousands of dogs in boarding today. Lucky enough to have their lives saved. Unlucky enough that they are still in limbo….waiting.
Consider fostering. Consider adopting. Consider volunteering at your local animal shelter or rescue group. And always, hug your pets a little tighter, knowing they are the very lucky ones.
About Rock & Rawhide: Rock & Rawhide aims to increase adoptions and quality of life for dogs and cats in shelters, by providing distraction therapy and noise/stress reduction through the donations of toys, tough chew items, Kongs, Nylabones, bones, rawhides, blankets and more. If a dog is chewing, it’s not barking! If a cat is playing, it’s not meowing! Less noise = less stress. In turn, dogs and cats can pass their evaluations at shelters, and show more of their personality, making them more adoptable. We collect items through regular donations, music gigs, visual art shows, culinary events, DJ events, drop box programs, and more.
About A Pathway to Hope Rescue: A Pathway to Hope is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of abandoned dogs and cats, with a special focus on south to north rescue of northern breed dogs, the rescue of stray cats, and community outreach to further the cause of rescue.
About Hotel For Dogs: Dedicated to providing your dog with only the very best in lodging, play, and love. An owner-operated facility, staffed by hard-working, energetic dog lovers. It’s not enough for us to simply provide your dog with a little space while you’re away. We want them wagging their tails, making new friends, and singing doggy farewells when you come to pick them up – because we’re dog owners too and we know how hard it is to leave them.
Some gifts for Cici this holiday season from our friends at Dogbook, a card and a bit of cash… thank you !!!
a lovely wooden tree ornament with her name on it from Marked Moments
and some yummy treats (we are also doing a giveaway for a bag of these)… just send us a photo of your dog in holiday attire (or near a xmas tree) and tell us why they’d love some treats.. (they could beg for their treats, and we will pick a winner by January 2, 2014.
Indigo Smokehouse Strips
made with real, premium cut chicken and bacon that are sourced from the USA. These USDA inspected smoked and cured treats are free of by-products, wheat, corn, and soy as well as, no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives! What’s left is a deliciously meaty snack your pet will love. And indigo Smokehouse Strip are the first meaty treat of its kind that’s vacuum-sealsed for safety and freshness. And brought to you by PetSafe the makers of Lickety Stik!
Chicken: Chicken, Brown Sugar, Natural Liquid Smoke, Water, Condensed Cultured Skim Milk, Sea Salt, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract.
my name is cici… although some people call me the polka dot princess. Am a sweetheart with spots who gives lots of kisses and cuddles, loves to show off my belly to humans and canines, alike. . love to run and play with other dogs and enjoyed meeting some farm animals. Am not a big fan of cats, skateboards or baths. My favorite treats are pizza, cheese, turkey jerky and bones. Am very gentle with children and people in wheelchairs. Am always on board for new adventures, traveling by car or long walks, swimming, surfing or hanging out with motorcyclists! If your family wants a best friend to join in on the fun, from strolling the mall to pet friendly wineries, you might be the perfect match for sweet, goofy Cici!
If I were writing about my sweetness to get her adopted from a shelter, I might write her bio like the one above.
Doesn’t this dog look like my girl Cici???
What catches a potential adopter’s eye as they search for a new pet online? Fabulous photos and the bios that go along with them! A well written bio, complete with details that are specific to that individual dog, sends a message to the public that your organization knows your dogs and can help them find the right match for their family.
Always remember that looking for a pet is a family project for many households. Keep the information you share kid-friendly by skipping scary and graphic details at this stage of the game. Instead focus on each dog’s individual pet qualities and help readers envision the dogs as part of their families. To help make this important task easier for busy shelter staff and volunteers, we’ve got two different fill-in-the-blank formulas that you can use for your bios!
LOVE __________ (ex: some dogs, walks, people)
I HAVE __________ (ex: a gentle disposition, a snoring problem)
I GET ALONG WITH __________ (ex: people but I am selective about my dog friends)
I WOULD RATHER NOT __________ (ex: ever be in the shelter again, as I am struggling here)
I NEED __________ (ex: attention, some basic obedience training, a warm bed to sleep in)
example: I’m Ducky. I love people; especially ones that give me massages, peanut butter, and let me snooze in the sun. I have a favorite spot, right behind my ears, that I like to get rubbed. When that happens, I make a funny sound, because it feels so good! I get along with the dogs and people I have met here, including respectful children of all ages. I would rather not spend my time jogging or wrestling with energetic dogs since I’m a really mellow guy. I need a house full of soft beds, people who like snuggles, and yummy treats!
Here’s one more option:
MEET __________ (name).
HE/SHE IS __________ (what are the best things about this dog? ex: a friend to everyone, an amazing athlete)
A PERFECT DAY FOR (NAME) INCLUDES __________ (ex: playing ball with you, learning a new trick, sleeping at your feet)
(NAME) PREFERS NOT TO __________ (ex: be left home alone all day, share his home with other pets)
IF YOUR FAMILY __________ (ex: loves the outdoors, enjoys quiet time, wants a travel buddy)
THEN YOU MIGHT BE THE PERFECT MATCH FOR __________.
Example: Meet Cindy Lou! She is a ball-catching superstar who loves sports and spending time with friends of all ages, especially if they like to teach her new games. A perfect day for smart Cindy Lou includes going for a jog or playing ball, stopping by a training class, then snuggling up for a nap on your lap. Cindy Lou prefers not share her home with other dogs, but has lived with cats in the past. If your family loves going on adventures and wants a best friend to join in on the fun, from hiking to drive-in movies to Frisbee tournaments, you might be the perfect match for sweet, silly Cindy Lou!
Formulas are helpful, but not necessary as long as you remember to include important information AND help potential adopters envision the dog as part of their families.
Here’s an example of a freestyle bio: Peaches and Cream: This 2 year old spunky, good time girl is looking for a family that loves to have fun! Peaches is intelligent, focused, and enjoys her training sessions here because she learns new tricks quickly. She’s quite the smarty pants and loves to show off her new skills for an audience of friends! Plus, her fun-loving play style has made Peaches popular in the play yard with other dogs. She may love other dogs, but this sweetheart really enjoys the company of people too! Her favorite activities include car rides and long walks (she’s already mastered loose-leash walking). But at the end of the day, Peaches loves nothing more than cuddling with the people that love her. Want to make Peaches a part of your family? Fill out an application!
Instead of saying “Scooter is a nice boy who loves people,” say “Scooter knows how to work a crowd! At a recent adoption event, he showed off his training by sitting and giving highfives to everyone he met!”
Adopt a pet at your local shelter….
Is your local shelter no kill? If not, why not? Help the No Kill Revolution…
You know you want to adopt a pet and maybe you even know which one. But in this digital age, many people are seeking solutions online to help them bring home the pet of their dreams. Petfinder has an app used with smart phones that can make the whole process easier. And the best part, the apps are FREE… You can Find your Match today, read on…
Petfinder iOS and Android Apps Help Prospective Pet Parents On the Go
Petfinder, the top digital destination for adoptable pets and the online leader in responsible pet ownership, announces the release of its new Android app today, on the heels of an updated iOS app. With more than one million downloads of Petfinder’s iPhone app to date, pet lovers are using their smartphones to make smart decisions about adoption when looking to add a furry friend to the fold.
Both apps are free and make searching for adoptable pets a breeze. Users have access to more than 375,000 pets from approximately 14,000 Petfinder member shelters and rescues. Features spanning both the iOS and Android apps include:
· Searchability by type, breed, gender, age, shelter or rescue group and more;
· Easy sharing of pets with friends via email, Facebook and Twitter;
· Ability to save pets as favorites and make notes about individual adoptables;
· Contact information and directions to the rescue group associated with each pet; and
· Touching Happy Tail adoption stories.
Potential adopters and current pet parents also can find out more about the right pet for their family with handy dog and cat breed guides and access Petfinder’s library of video training materials to help ensure a happy, lifelong relationship with their pets.
“We have seen enormous growth in the number of people accessing Petfinder and our resources through mobile devices over the past several years, and we are excited to be able to expand our offerings to consumers,” said Iain Langridge, General Manager of Petfinder. “Petfinder has facilitated more than 20 million adoptions since its founding, and these apps will help us better serve prospective pet parents and our members and, most importantly, to find homes for millions more adoptable pets.”
Both Petfinder apps are currently available on the iTunes App Store and the Android Marketplace.
And before you can say woof woof woof, you and your four legged furry friend will be going to the beach together. Make sure that they have a driver’s license before you let them drive… Happy Adoptions !!!
Yesterday morning, Sally was scheduled to be on KTLA, a local news station in Los Angeles, with two adoptable dogs, Gideon and Franklyn (see Franklyn’s video)
Franklyn’s foster lives an hour away and arrived early to be there.
Prior to the day, the producers of the show asked for descriptions of the dogs and were given them.
When they arrived, one of the show producers came out, looked at Franklyn (who was busy kissing a human admirer) and said, “Oh no. We have an anti Pit-Bull policy.”
I calmly told her that we were not informed of this, and had we been, we would have cancelled our appearance as breed discrimination is not something I tolerate, and more so, is against public policy.*
She stated that I could go on with Gideon but not Franklyn. I told her that if Franklyn was not allowed, I was leaving as well, so she went in to talk to another show producer. 30 minutes later in the freezing cold, she came outside to say that they would not allow Franklyn on the air. I explained that this is also a violation of law and that they would have to find something else to fill the spot since there is no way I would support or be in a show that discriminates.
Gideon, Franklyn, and his foster Sally then left.
* California Food & Ag code Section 31683 states, in relevant part: “Except as provided in Section 122331 of the Health and Safety Code, no program regulating any dog shall be specific as to breed.”
JOIN ME IN TELLING KTLA THAT YOU WILL NOT SUPPORT BREED DISCRIMINATION. KTLA can use some education about pit bulls and could do a show about pit bulls. Be polite and professional. Thanks.
Contact details are below.
Producers for today:
Nancy Cruz
Nancy.Cruz@ktla.com
Sarah Grooters
sarah.grooters@ktla.com and 323.460.5530 (DIRECT)
WALLACE is not technically a Vicktory-dog (former M. Vick dog), his brother Hector is though, and Wallace is a star in his own right… The book about Wallace by Jim Gorant (author of The Lost Dogs book) is a winner. Sadly, Wallace is very ill with cancer. Please see Prayers for Wallace and Angus blog post. thanks.
Cherry Garcia has his own street in Burlington, Vermont (near Ben and Jerry’s store)…
Dogs Deserve Better
“The founder and executive director of Dogs Deserve Better, a chained dog rescue that operates where Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick once owned a dog-fighting compound, is facing animal abuse charges, said Surry County Chief Animal Control Officer Tracy Terry.
“Tamira Thayne, who opened the Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs in June 2011, was charged with one count of inadequate care of animals, a Class 4 misdemeanor, on Aug. 23, said Terry. A hearing on that charge is scheduled for Sept. 25 in Surry General District Court.”
the ten most popular breeds, state by state… thanks to Seattle DogSpot…who posted that state’s most popular dog breeds…
in California and Nevada, American Pit Bull Terriers are the 2nd Most Popular dog breed (as well as other states)… yay… Nevada has Chi’s in the number one spot… and all of the rest of the dogs on California’s list except in different order of popularity… with all of the Chi’s here in California that need homes, and just in my neighborhood, all of the Chi’s running around, I would have thought that they would have made it to the top 10.
Welcome! I'm CeliaSue, a creative California-based freelance writer who wants to help you travel with your pets and enjoy the ride. I provide reliable travel info for California, and the Southwest USA (occasionally the rest of the country), plus lifestyle inspiration about being a doggie mama on the road with a spoiled yet friendly polka dot princess named Cici. I also write about romance, eco friendly, spiritual, healthy and luxury travel for various publications.
CeliaSue Hecht is a third-generation American, originally from New York. She has lived much of her adult life in California and Nevada and is a doggie mama and chocoholic plus a proponent of tiny homes and alternative energy and medicine. In the 70’s and 90’s, she taught personal growth workshops and seminars in Los Angeles and Munich, Germany. In the late 1980’s, she traveled around the world for three years with an international, interfaith, interdenominational, intercessory prayer ministry (Bangladesh, Canada, England, France, Germany, Holland, India, Israel, Singapore, Thailand). She has worked with people with AIDS, fibromyalgia, cancer, people without homes, Holocaust survivors, as well as written about diverse topics such as women’s topics, activism against the Yucca Mountain project in Nevada, alternative health and therapies and travel pieces in numerous magazines and newspapers. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Linkedin. Co-author of five romantic travel guides. Go to Paypal and buy CeliaSue a romantic comedy to read on the beach while munching on a chocolate bar.
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