Aye, Aye, Aye! My dog is so bad!!!

If I had a dime for every time I said, "Aspen! No!" I'd be one rich chick. I'm serious you guys! She's really bad! I love her dearly, but, she makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes! She's the greatest companion and a dear friend, but she's also very, very mischievous. Take her potty training for example. She knows it's a no-no to go indoors, but she will sit outside on her cable and hold it until she comes inside. As soon as she comes in the house, she tinkles. I wake up every morning to a wonderful pile of unmentionables in front of the living room door in the mornings. She refuses to use the puppy pad. We're going to get a kennel for her to stay in a night but that's a couple of weeks down the road. Ugh, why won't she get it? Don't get me started on the way she steals the kid's food. I have to put her outside when the kids eat or she will find a way to get their food. Trust me, she'll find a way. I am always getting on to her for eating the cat food and going in the laundry room. The litter boxes are in the laundry room and I certainly don't want her in there chowing down on the cat's waste. But, for some reason, she finds this a tasty meal. Gross. When she plays with the kids she gets way too rough. She's trying to be playful, but she winds up hurting them instead of playing. I hate to get onto her for that, but I can't have her hurting my babies. It's one thing after another with her. This is one journey I won't soon forget. I'm thinking of obedience school for her, but I'm not sure about it. Anyone got any tips?

Gardening for my Pets

I adore gardening. Aside from my family and animals, gardening is one of my greatest passions. I enjoy that feeling of accomplishment I get when I plant a seed and watch it grow into a beautiful flower. It's an amazing feeling. I'm not the only one who loves my garden. Aspen loves it too. We have had to move her outside cable (which she is only on for a small amount of time each time) to a different place in the yard. She keeps eating my plants! Apparently she believes I plant these seeds for her to enjoy in her tummy at a later time. Aspen isn't the only one either. I've caught my cat, Lady, outside numerous amounts of times smelling the flowers and rubbing up against them. He loves my garden, but he's not destructive towards it like Aspen is.

I was really proud of my daffodil that grew. It's amazing that this beauty was only a bulb when I planted it. I had planted 4 of them. One of them I chose not to plant in my flowerbed. Instead, I planted it near the Dogwood in my front yard. My 8 year old son, Jacob, decided that it was the most beautiful flower he had ever seen and he picked it for me. After my initiative anger was over, I hugged him, explained to him not to pick my flowers, and put the flower in some water to enjoy it for as long as I could. It was a sweet gesture, but a major no-no.






This is part of my fruit and vegetable garden. Here you are looking at my corn that is growing. I'm so excited! It's white corn which is my favorite. I can't wait until it's ready to harvest. You can also see my carrots to the right. I also have broccoli, and cantaloupe planted too. *Sigh* Gardening is a way to get my mind off of the daily problems we all face. It relaxes me, makes me feel at peace, and gives me that amazing sense of accomplishment. Now, if only I could teach the pets to garden imagine what I could accomplish.

Stop Animal Cruelty!!!

It's obvious I love my pets and would never intentionally hurt them, but sadly, that is not the case with many pet owners. Animals in your neighborhood could be suffering right now. Many animals are neglected or beaten and need help now. There are steps you can take to help. The ASPCA has listed the top 10 ways to prevent animal cruelty in your neighborhood. Take a look at them and learn to watch for signs of abused or neglected animals. Just following these steps can save millions of animal lives yearly! And think about it! You can help! :) You know I think you're all heroes. If you weren't, then I wouldn't be asking for your help today. Just take a look at the site and learn how you can be a hero in your neighborhood. Thanks!

ID Your Pet

A friend of mine asked me to mention the importance of having an ID tag on your pet. I happily agreed because I understand the importance of this matter. Most of us have felt the pain of having a lost pet, and many of us have also felt the loss of not having that pet returned.When we adopted our puppy from our local shelter we were introduced to a program called the American Pet Association. We were given a free one year subscription with a free identification tag. When we called to activate the tag we found out some really awesome facts about the organization. First of all, no personal information is given out when the pet is reported found. The way it works is the tag has a phone number to the organization. The finder of the pet will call out the ID tag number and will be given instructions to bring the pet to the local shelter. The local shelter will contact you to pick up your pet safe and sound. I really liked the idea because I'm not too keen on the idea of my personal info such as address and phone number being addressed to the public. Another cool fact about this organization was that if your pet is on meds, the organization will ship out the meds, free of charge, to the finder of lost the pet until they can get to a shelter. Also, once your pet is reported missing, they will send out free fliers and posters for you to post in your neighborhood. The organization will also call all the local shelters and vet offices to make them aware of the missing pet. It's a really great program that is really worth the money for your precious pet. If you're interested in becoming a member, it's $22.95 per year or a 1 time lifetime membership fee of $49.95. You can call 1-800-272-7387 to set up a membership.

It's such an important part of your pet's life to have an identification tag, no matter what kind it is. I'm not saying you have to go with the American Pet Association. I am simply recommending them because of the great program they offer. We have it on our pet and we feel so secure knowing that she is taken care of. No matter what type of identification tag you choose, remember, it's for your baby. It will help your baby to find his way home. :)

Baby Bird in Our Backyard

Check out these cool pics of a baby bird we found in our backyard. We're watching him carefully to make sure the mama comes back for him before sunset. If she doesn't, I guess we'll see what we can do to care for him.

He's so cute!

Tigers in Crisis

Hey guys! I found this amazing website about endangered tigers. Follow this link and check it out!

There's A Storm Brewing

There's a thunderstorm brewing outside of my house right now. It's thundering, but no rain. The rain is coming though. I smell it. I am glad I decided to take Aspen on an early walk today. I usually wait until late afternoon, but I decided to take her earlier today because I was just in the mood to see the neighborhood. We live in a nice neighborhood that makes it easy to walk the dog in. There are sidewalks on the street and the sidewalks are lined with beautiful trees of all varieties. Aspen loves her walks. She loves to get out and explore the neighborhood and, on occasion, meet new people. She's a people dog. She never meets a stranger. Today we took a different route than what we usually take. It's a longer route but it was something different for both of us. We walked down an alley just to see what was down there. The alley split between back yards of different houses and there was at least one dog in every fence. Aspen is a bit apprehensive of other dogs so I was in a hurry to get her down the alley and back on the sidewalk. We came up to a home with privacy fence in the back yard. The privacy fence was a bit higher than most privacy fences I see and I thought nothing of it at the time. Then I found out why. I looked to my right when I heard vicious barking only to see the head of a HUGE German Shepard attempting to jump the fence. The fence was too high for the Shepard to jump, but nonetheless, Aspen and I were both scared. We quickly scurried down the alley and back onto the sidewalk. I had no trouble getting Aspen to hurry. She and I were on the same page. Let's get the heck out of here before that monster jumps the fence. Aside from that, it was a nice walk.

The house has somewhat of a somber feeling to it right now. The cats are snoozing, the kids are playing quietly, the hubby is watching TV, and I'm blogging as usual. Aspen is afraid of storms. She doesn't like the thunder. It makes her nervous. She usually tucks herself away behind the chair during a thunderstorm. I'm surprised she doesn't cry. For some odd reason, I think the cats enjoy a good thunderstorm. They start to come out from hiding for the day and become more loving during the storm. They're my calm during the storm. Buttons has been unusually loving today. He's always affectionate, but today, he has not left me alone. He's demanded loving all day. That's strange for any of my cats. Perhaps he just needs the comfort of his mom during the unstable atmosphere he must smell outside. I've heard that animals can predict a storm coming. You know me. If I'm curious about something I'm bound to research. According to this site, animals can, indeed, predict the weather. I found that site quite an interesting read. You should check it out too.

Just in case you're interested, you may wish to visit this site or this one for more informative reads on animals predicting weather.

Dominance vs Playtime

I am constantly fighting for the position of pack leader in my home. My cat, Lady, seems to believe that he is the pack leader. He bullies the dog and the other cats and is constantly trying to prove his dominance. However, he has yet to prove the dominance over me. I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth this morning and, as usual, Emmys was at my feet waiting on me to finish. When Lady walked into the bathroom, Emmys immediately lowered down and slowly backed out of the bathroom before being swatted at by Lady. She knows Lady is the dominant one. All of my cats are aware of this dominance.

Aspen, however, finds Lady's dominance somewhat humoring. When Aspen passes Lady, Lady will growl and hiss at her as if to say, "step another step closer and you'll be eating claws for lunch!" Aspen will not listen though. When she sees Lady in this type of mood, Aspen will playfully lie down on the floor, wag her tail, and begin barking at her. Lady's so-called dominance over Aspen is nothing but mere play time to her.

Aspen understands that, hands down, I'm the pack leader. Therefore, Lady trying to be dominant over Aspen has no effect on her. Aspen will jump around Lady and bark as if to say, "OK! You wanna wrestle? Then lets wrestle!" This frustrates Lady to no end. Lady becomes even more aggressive after a while, but Aspen still will not listen. Aspen knows I'm the pack leader and she knows there's no way Lady is going to win that position. It's funny watching the two of them go back and forth. There's never any actual injuries. It's all threats. However, seeing Aspen view this as playtime is very humorous.

I can't help but wonder what Lady's reaction will be when she realizes she cannot dominate Aspen. Hmmm, maybe that's a blog for another day...

Thanks to the Readers!

I can't remember the last time I had a quiet moment in my house. Between the children, the dog, and the cats, there's always some type of noise inside. I've learned to tune much of it out; especially while I'm blogging. As a matter of fact, at this very moment I hear children in the background threatening to tattle on one another, Boo is playing with some piece of paper on the floor, the dog is barking to come inside, and my husband is sitting on the couch watching The New Adventures of Old Christine. Yet, somehow, I am still managing to concentrate on what I'm typing. How is this accomplished one may ask? Who knows? It could be that certain "mommy" selective hearing that was placed into my brain when my first son was born. Or, perhaps it's my sheer love for blogging about animals. I just lose myself as I type about my passion.

I've had many readers on my blog over the past month and I am so grateful for all of you. I've had many wonderful comments and many messages from you telling me how much you love to read my blog. Thank you all so much! You're all so wonderful! It's not a special blog. It's simply me writing about what I love. Through this blog I've managed to reach out to many people about animal rights, adoption, and even going vegetarian. I've received many messages from people who are curious about how they can help an animal in need and how they can make the transition to going vegetarian easier. I'm so proud of all of you! You're all, truly, heroes.

I can't wait until I start to receive your stories about your pets. There's nothing better than exchanging a good story about your pets. I've read many heartwarming stories over the Internet about animals. Some were sad, some were happy, some were funny, but they all touched my heart in some way. I don't want my blog to be just about my pets. I want my readers involved too! :)

On a side note, I've got to stop blogging so much and start to focus on that bridal shower I'm supposed to be throwing for my sister in law. We've became best friends over the past few weeks and it made me so happy to get to be throwing it for her. I just hope I don't screw it up. I want it to be fun, but suit her style at the same time. But goodness! I just love blogging about animals!

Anyway, thank you all again for reading! I hope you enjoy my blogs as much as I enjoy writing them. Who knew blogging could be so much fun?!

Meet My Babies

As an extreme animal lover, it's only obvious that I have quite a few of them now. I want to take this opportunity and introduce them to you!

Name: Buttons
Nickname: Mr. B
Birthday: May, 2008
Likes: Consistent Schedules, Sleeping with Me, Being Brushed, and Cheese.
Dislikes: Kids, Dirty Litter Boxes, and Baths
Odd Fact: Likes Strawberry Jello

This is one of my favorite cats. He's very affectionate and outgoing. He's an indoor kitty and has been neutered. He sleeps at the foot of the bed by my feet each night. When I'm not in bed by the time he's ready, he lets me know he's ready for bed by coming to me and rubbing my legs. He gets along well with new kittens. He even bathed the last litter one of my cats had before she was spayed. He's very odd as a male as he doesn't show many of the male qualities most males show. He's not dominant for his space and gets along well with the other cats. He's good on car rides to the vet and doesn't cry in the car. He doesn't require a pet carrier for car trips. Buttons also runs to the kitchen each time he hears the refrigerator door open. He is spoiled with pats of butter and cheese when I'm in the kitchen.

Name: Emily
Nickname: Emmys
Birthday: May, 2008
Likes: Sleeping On My Hip, Biscuits, Showing Affection, Purring, And Sleeping In The Windowsill
Dislikes: Kids, Baths, Dogs, and Outdoors
Odd Fact: She Once Cared For Kittens Who Were Not Hers

Emmys is one of the sweetest cats you will meet. She's very affectionate and demands to be pet much of the time. She's a talker. She loves to talk to people, especially when she is being pet. She is the sister of Buttons. She once gave birth to a single kitten who, unfortunately, did not make it. Afterwards, she was spayed. She loves sleeping in the windowsill when we are not in bed. She follows me to the bathroom each time I go and cries at the bathroom door when I shower. She also has a fascination with watching the toilet flush. Emmys cries in the car and requires a pet carrier when we take her places. She does not like the outdoors. She was once put outside for being naughty and cried the entire time to come back in. This cured her curiosity for the outdoors and she never again tried to get outside.

Name: Lady
Nickname: Ladybug
Birthday: November, 2007
Likes: The Outdoors, Sleeping In The Recliner, Tons of Affection, And Cuddling
Dislikes: Dogs, Kittens, Sleeping Indoors At Night, And Being Loved On By Other Cats
Odd Fact: Lady is, in fact, a male cat. He was mistaken for a female and by the time we found the mistake, he was too used to his name to change it.

Lady is by far one of my grumpier pets. Although he is highly affectionate for humans, he is easily angered. He has not been neutered, which I believe is where much of his frustration is coming from. He dislikes our puppy and is constantly growling and hissing at her. He is very trusting of people and although he has made the occasional growl at me, he has yet to scratch me. He enjoys napping in my lap and loves to rub his face on mine. He has a very loud purr. When he is frustrated by the other animals he demands to go outside. He asks to go out by going to the back door and crying. He is not a good car rider and MUST have a carrier for vet trips. Despite his grumpiness, he's another one of my favorites.

Name: Isabelle
Nickname: Izzy
Birthday: April, 2008
Likes: Independence, Being A Mommy, Sleeping By The Water Bowl, And Ladybug.
Dislikes: Being Held, Aspen, Car Trips, and Baths
Odd Fact: Isabelle purred and became loving while giving birth to her kittens.

Izzy is the most independent pet we own. She's not very affectionate, although she has her moments when she enjoys being loved. She loves being a mommy and is by far one of the best pet moms I've seen. She is now spayed and cannot have any more kittens. She will not sleep on the bed with us, but will occasionally acknowledge our presence by rubbing our legs and talking to us. She loves to beg for food. She loves Ladybug and will wait at the door until he comes inside in the mornings. When he comes inside, she runs right beside him and stays at his side until he chases her away. She is not aggressive at all but requires a carrier for pet visits.

Name: Boo
Nickname: Booster
Birthday: March 20th, 2009
Likes: Being Mischievous, Pouncing The Covers In The Bed, Playing With Human Feet, Aspen, And Buttons
Dislikes: Being Locked In A Room, Being Pushed Away By His Mother, And Being Chased By The Dog
Odd Fact: We were not originally going to keep him, but he was so different from the rest of the litter. He was determined to get out of his box and explore the world and was the first of the bunch to eat cat food and drink water.

Boo is our newest addition to the family, and for now, the last. He's a highly affectionate kitten and is very, very playful. He loves to play with your feet when you are washing dishes or in the kitchen. He will jump in your lap when you least expect it. He gets along well with the other animals in the house and, surprisingly, was accepted by every animal here with no effort at all. He has a deformity at the end of his tail. His tail is crooked but it adds to his charm.

Name: Mopsy
Nickname: Floppy Mopsy
Birthday: January, 2009
Likes: Spinach, Lettuce, Cuddling, Cats, Buttons, Snoozing On The Couch, And Running Around The House
Dislikes: Carrots, Being Chased By The Dog, Our Ferret, Being Alone, And Kids
Odd Fact: Mopsy was a gift for our family from a friend. He's a very outgoing bunny and really enjoys affection.

Mopsy is most certainly one of our more original pets. He's got full run of the house for several hours a day but cannot be out of his cage while the dog is in the house. He cannot be out of his cage at the same time as my ferret is either. Mopsy enjoys cuddling to you. He hops on the bed and will hop up to your face. He nuzzles himself between your shoulder and your neck and will sleep like that. He's never bitten and has only been aggressive towards another pet only once in self defense. Mopsy receives a lot of attention from visitors because of his outgoing personality. He's well loved and easily accepted by most of our pets.

Name: Nibbles
Nickname: Nibs
Birthday: 2007
Likes: Playing, Cats, Aspen, Going Outside, Trying To Get Out The Dryer Vent, And Hiding In Hard To Reach Places
Dislikes: Being In His Cage
Odd Fact: Most of the time if he's missing in the house, you will find him in my underwear drawer in our bedroom.

Nibbles is a very fun pet. He's probably one of our most fun ones. He's very nosey, but unlike most ferrets, doesn't steal things to keep for himself. He gets along with all of the pets except for Mopsy. He is litter box trained. He was a gift to me from my sister. One of his favorite games is chase. He loves for you to tag him and then to chase you to tag you. He also loves having a blanket thrown over him and finding his way out. He's famous for doing his war dance each time he's out to play. He's an escape artist from the house and must be closely supervised when he's out of his cage. He once got out of the house without us knowing. He explored the world for a while and came home. He scratched on the door to come back in. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door and it was Nibbles! His best friend is Aspen. They can play nonstop for hours together.

Name: Aspen
Nickname: Aspenie Spin
Birthday: March 5th, 2009
Likes: Anything She Isn't Supposed To Have, Aggravating The Cats, Belly Rubs, Walks, And Going Jogging With Me
Dislikes: Baths, Being Alone, Discipline, Being Disturbed During Sleep, And Not Getting Her Way
Odd Fact: We once had an underground fence in the yard to prevent her from leaving the yard. We had to return the fence because the static shock in the collar did not affect her. The fence was useless for Aspen.

Aspen is our little trouble maker. Read my blog on our puppy adventure to find out about the troubles we have with her. She's very affectionate, but you cannot love her for long before she becomes playful. She will not chase anything you throw for her. Instead, she enjoys tug of war. She is hard headed and refuses to listen only when you are very firm with her. She will continue to do bad when you turn your back on her. She's given us more trouble than any pet we've ever had, but she's by far one of our favorites. She's got a great personality and is an excellent exercise companion.

Believe it or not, I'm finished. I have introduced you to each and every pet in our mini petting zoo. I hope you enjoyed learning about them as much as I enjoyed telling you about them! We do have a lot of pets. We have no plans for any future pets. Although we do have plenty of pets, each of them receive proper vet care and tons of love and care.

Good For Your Garden, Bad For Your Dog

After doing my daily round of pooper scooping in the yard today I noticed a very disturbing detail in my puppy's stool. A long worm. Yuck. I was both disgusted and intrigued at the same time because we had her wormed when we got her. Now I know what you're thinking. The last thing you want me to blog about is my puppy's poo but hear me out. Why would she get worms a month after worming at the vet? I was in awe! It was weired. I scooped up the poo and threw it away. I came in the house, scrubbed down my hands with antibacterial soap and very hot water and immediately hit the net and began searching for information on puppy worms. I found out that puppies can get worms at any time; even after worming so it's important to keep an eye on their fecal matter. I learned that puppies get worms from fleas (I was unaware she had fleas at all because I have yet to see one on her and she doesn't scratch). But, I guess the experts know best.

While searching for more information on the net, (this next part may make you nauseous so don't read if you have a weak stomach) my puppy puked in my living room floor. I got up to clean it up and there it was. A worm in her puke and what appeared to be larvae. Now I was REALLY intrigued! I knew the worms would come out in her stool, but I had no idea she could vomit them up! I cleaned up the mess, thoroughly mopped the floor, washed my hands yet again in very hot water with antibacterial soap, and hit the net yet again. Not only did I find out that this was normal, but I also found out that humans can contract worms from dogs. Um. Gross. Yet. Interesting. And disturbing.

As a mommy of 2 boys, when I found this information out, I immediately called the vet. She goes next week to have the worms taken care of. For now we have to take extra precautions such as keeping her from licking the boys (not sure if you can get the worms this way but I'm paranoid), keeping the yard scooped, and watching her closely for any vomiting or diarrhea.

Yes, you've done it again Aspen. You've given us more trouble and, yet, we love you even more. Bad puppy, bad! :)

For more information on worms in your puppy this site was great for me! It offers TONS of helpful information!

Happy Mother's Day

Being a mom doesn't just mean you're a mom to your children. You're also a mom to your pets! Everyday is mother's day to your pets too! If your pets are anything like mine, they love and appreciate each and everything you do every single day. My puppy Aspen is always there for me. When I woke up at 1 A.M. after having a tooth pulled the previous day I was in extreme pain. She must have known because instead of getting up to play with me, she got up, curled up at my feet, and began licking my feet. It's like she was trying to say, "I know you're hurting mama. I'm sorry." Each and every night my cats jump up on the bed with me and love on me before going to bed as if to say, "thanks for a great day mom. We love you!" Even my bunny will snuggle up to my face and cuddle to me to show me he loves me. With the right care and love everyday, your pets will adore you each and everyday. They will return that love as well. They know when you're hurting, when you're sick, when you're sad, or when you've had a bad day and they care! So make sure you return their affection by remembering them on holidays too. You're not just their owners; you're their parents! :)

300 Stray Dogs Turn to Cannibalism

This story broke my heart. I wonder if there were other methods of getting rid of the dogs. I'm not sure of the laws Malaysia but I'm hoping they reach out to help these poor animals. Read the story here and see if you can come up with ideas on how to help.

Why Care?

I have been asked over and over again why I care so much for animals. The truth is, I'm not sure why I care so much. I have compassion for animals. I always have. I don't want to see a person suffer nor do I want to see an animal suffer. But, the difference is, most people can tell you how much it hurts. Most people can tell you to stop. Most people can tell you they don't want to be treated badly. Animals, however, cannot. If no one steps in and says it's unethical to hang a bunny up by it's feet and slit it's throat so you can have a fur coat, how will we stop it? If no one brings attention about how badly animals are treated on factory farms, how will the animals find peace?

I have learned that animals not only have feelings, they also have emotions and connections with certain individuals. Animals love their babies just as we do. Animals cry like we do. Animals have fears like we do. Animals bleed red, just like we do.

In a sense, we are animals. We hunt, build our shelters, take care of our young, and live to survive. Animals do the same things. But because we are stronger with our weapons, we take advantage and abuse those smaller than we are. Can anyone tell me why you need to kill a leopard in the wild to stuff him and have him in your living room? Why should the leopard die because you have poor taste in home decor? Why should rabbits be bred so you can have a tacky fur coat? It simply is not fair. We are supposed to take care of the animals. Not use them for decorations.

Would you wear your dog? Probably not. Why? Because you love your dog and don't think it's fair for them to die for such a petty desire. Think about that and put your dog in the place of other animals.

Europe takes a stand for the seals!

Way to go Europe! They are banning the sale of seal products! Check it out and continue your efforts! They are paying off!

Ask Canada to Stop the Seal Slaughter

Hey guys! Go here to ask Canada to stop the seal slaughter! Thanks for the support! You're all heroes!

Rescue Me

There's a reason pets retrieved from animal shelters are called rescues. Because any owner who gets their pets from a shelter is a hero. The American Humane Association has released information that approximately 9.6 million animals are euthanized in the United States every year. That's a huge number. These animals would not have to die if there were more people willing to adopt them.
The big problem lies in many false beliefs about animal shelters. Many people believe that shelter dogs are going to be problem dogs. The reason for this belief is that some shelter dogs come from abusive situations. Although this is the case with some shelter cases, it is not the case with all of them. This can be easily avoided by questioning the shelter about your potential pet to find out what type of situation this pet was in when it was brought to the shelter. Most of the cases in animal shelters are simply strays or pets that were given up by the owner due to certain circumstances such as a pet having babies or having to move and not being able to bring the pet along.
Another false belief that many hold is that they will not be able to find pure breeds at a shelter. This is not true. There are pure breeds at shelters, however, you may have to search for them. Try looking for a pet online. Many shelters have pictures of their pets online. Try Pet Finder.
Another problem many shelters face is adoption fees. While I understand that adoption fees are expensive, it is important for one to understand why these fees are so high. First of all, your shelter pet will be "fixed". In other words, your shelter pet will be spayed or neutered. Your shelter pet will also be up to date on their shots. Some shelters will only give rabies shots so it is important that you know what vaccinations your pet will receive before adoption. It may be up to you to take your new family member to the vet to catch up on the rest of their shots.
Finally, it is important for you to remember that if you purchase a pet from a breeder, you are taking away the chance for a shelter animal to find a home.
Next time you decide to get a new pet, please go to a shelter. You will be a true hero in the eyes of your new pet. You will also share a bond that no one else in the world will have with you.

Our Puppy Adventure

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." ~ Bern Williams ~

I've been a mommy for 8 years now. I've been through scraped knees, sicknesses, hurt feelings, and plenty of scraps with my boys and more recently a broken arm of my 8 year old. So when we made the decision to adopt a puppy I was certain I was ready. After all, I'm a mommy of two boys! A puppy would be no trouble at all! I imagined my boys running around the yard with the puppy behind them. I imagined lying in my bed with the puppy curled up beside me dreaming away. I imagined watching a movie with my family with my puppy at our feet. Oh, having a puppy was going to be wonderful! What I didn't take into consideration was an eye opener from the start.
The drive to pick out our puppy was such an exciting one. It seemed like it took forever to get there. When we got there we looked around. We saw one puppy that we took into consideration until I saw her. Aspen. I looked at her and she looked so afraid. She looked helpless. She looked at me with those big blue puppy eyes and it was love at first sight. We all agreed that she was the one and after filling out the proper paper work and handing over our fees along with our left arms and legs, we were the proud owners of a new puppy. She was so good on the way home. We stopped by the pet store and purchased some products to care for her. We picked up the basics: dog food, a brush, some doggie treats, a toy, a chew bone, another toy, food and water bowls, another toy, a few bows for her fur, a leash, a collar, and even more toys. Then the fun began as soon as we got her home. Potty training was the worst. At first it was cute watching my little puppy running around sniffing and turning circles. That cuteness would soon wear off after constant cleaning up of messes. The morning times were nothing like I had imagined. I had imagined waking up in the mornings and feeding my excited little puppy her food and watching her gobble it up with greed. The mornings are sort of like that, but instead of watching her greet me and wait patiently on her breakfast I drag her down the hall while she holds on to my pajama pants, shake her off long enough to get her food in the bowl, scream in pain when she accidentally grabs my ankle instead of the pajama pants, and then watch her gobble up her food greedly and messily.
The first few nights were long as we listened to her cry. She's a crier. She cries over everything. When she's hungry, she cries. When she wants back inside, she cries. When she wants a treat, she cries. When she gets woken up, she cries. When she wants to get in the front seat of the car, she cries. We took her and put her in the bed with us but that didn't last long as she associated bed time with play time. I was awoken very early to a puppy biting my hair and jumping on my head. Getting up at 3 am to let her go potty was no walk in the park either. In short, I felt as though I had a newborn baby in the house again.
As the days went on she began to become more and more mischievious. She preferred my shoes over her toys, preferred the cat food over her food, and preferred the carpet to go potty on instead of her puppy pad. We would sit down to dinner only to have Aspen at our feet crying for a bite.
It didn't take long to figure out she was a selective hearer. She refused to hear the word "no" but always heard the refridgerator door opening. She would listen to her name being called when we had a toy in our hands ready to play but not when it was time to come in. She was going to do what she wanted to do and there was no way around that.
Even though she is mischievious, we love her. We have enjoyed every part of becoming new parents to her. It's been a journey, but she's learning as are we. Not only has she learned from us, we've learned from her. We've learned to put our shoes up when we come inside. We've learned to keep a baby gate up to prevent her from going on carpeted areas. We've learned to pick the cat food up before we go to bed. We've learned to put food away when we're not eating it. We've learned to close the bathroom door when we're finished inside. We've learned to always keep her on a leash when we're outside. We've learned to grab a towel before she comes in after the rain. But most importantly, we've learned to love even more.

Ways to Get Active

So you want to make a difference but you're not quite sure about where to start. Not to worry! I've got plenty of tips to help you make a difference in an animal's life.

Sign Petitions

Everyday there are animals who are abused and mistreated. You can make a difference by taking just a moment to sign a petition for a cause you deem worthy. Not sure where to find any petitions? You can find plenty here or here! Signing petitions and taking a moment to send a quick email about how you feel about animal cruelty can make a big difference! :)

Go Veg

Factory farms are one of today's largest meat suppliers to grocery stores all over the world. In factory farms animals are abused and mistreated all of the time. If you need help with going vegetarian or vegan check out this great site. This site offers great tips on making the transition and offers some great recipes! If you want to know more about factory farming and the abuse that goes on there please visit this site on factory farming.

Leave Literature

Purchase a pack of pamphlets from PETA literature and leave them in different places you go. Try a service station or a grocery store or simply give one to people you meet on the street. Opening the eyes of people everywhere will help to stop animal abuse that takes place all over the world.

Set up a Table at a Local Event

Contact your city hall and ask about setting up a table at a local event in your area. Make sure you get permission! Purchase literature about your cause and educate the public about your cause. Make sure you dress for the part! If you're vegan, you want to make sure you're not wearing leather or fur or chowing down on a hamburger. Educate the public on why you made your decision and how they can make the transition easier on themselves. Give tips on what helped you to make the transition. Remember, not everyone is going to agree with you so don't waste time on those who don't. We're trying to make a difference not trying to get arrested. :)

For more ideas on how to get active please visit the PETA action center. Remember, it's all about making a difference. Have fun with it and get creative!

A true animal lover at heart!

With all of the hustle and bustle about animal rights in my home, my children have learned a few things as well. Sometimes we often forget that the smallest ears hear the best! My 8 year old son, Jacob, has been paying close attention to the animal talk in our house and he's joined in on the fight to save them! He's been educating his classmates at school about animal cruelty and has even drawn pictures to send home to the parents in order to educate them too! He's raised awareness in our neighborhood by posting signs on the trees in the front yard to stop animal cruelty and to go vegan! He's brought more awareness to our neighborhood than I had even dreamed! Sometimes small hands are the best at reaching out and Jacob's efforts have paid off. Remember, with help we can all reach out to a numerous amount of people. All it takes is a little action! Congratulations Jacob on your efforts! You are a true hero!

The Canadian Seal Slaughter

Help Stop The Canadian Seal Slaughter!

Every year thousands of seals are brutally slaughtered for their skins. These seals are killed with wooden clubs, hakapiks, and guns. These seals are often beat over and over again as they fight for their lives in a pool of their own blood. To find out more information and to help put an end to this bloody massacre please visit this site. Thank you for your help!