Go Fed Ex!

Just got this email and pic from Karen....

"So.....I think being pet friendly is a Fed Ex requirement (unlike the USPS...ahem....).

We have a substitute Fed Ex lady on Tuesdays who loves Cooper....she freaked out one day when she thought I said "he was no longer with us", but I was talking about something else. If she sees him in the office, she literally gets on the concrete floor and rolls around with him. It's the highlight of his day. Anyway, I hadn't seen her in a while and it happened that she came in today. I told her she'd missed Cooper because he'd been in the office the last couple of days. She asked how he was...if he was eating...sleeping, etc. She then unexpectedly dug deep into those god awful Fed Ex pants...and handed me two tiny dog treats! She said they were all natural, real lamb....etc. I took them but didn't have the heart to tell her that Cooper couldn't have them. I wanted to tell her he can only have shredded carrots as a treat, but was afraid she'd pull one out of her pocket the next time around :) "

I'm telling you, there is a reason Fed Ex has that dog on the side of their truck! And a reason why dogs love them!

It's the Evolutionary Story for the Day!

The Labrador Retriever

There are two types of Labradors, the English Labrador and the American Labrador. The English bred lab comes from English bred stock. Their general appearance is different. The English bred labs are heavier, thicker and blockier. The American bred Lab comes from American bred stock and is tall and lanky. The Labrador Retriever is a solid, muscular dog, slightly longer than tall, with a short, hard, easy-care, water-resistant double coat that does not have any waves and comes in solid black, yellow, or chocolate. There is also said to be a rare silver or gray color that is referred to by the AKC as a shade of chocolate. This color is controversial and some claim it is a Weimaraner cross, while others say it is a true mutation. The Labrador has a broad head, thick nose, scissors bite and a pronounced stop. Its muzzle is fairly wide and its neck is powerful. The eyes are chestnut or hazel with an intelligent expression. The medium-sized ears are pendant. The otter tail is strong, thick near the body then tapering, and completely covered with hair. Its limbs have good bone structure. The webbed feet aid in swimming.

The Labrador Retriever is a loving, affectionate, lovable, patient dog. Highly intelligent, loyal, willing, and high-spirited. Lively and good-natured, they love to play, especially in water - for they love to swim. They have an excellent, reliable, temperament and are friendly, superb with children and equable with other dogs. They crave human attention and need to feel as though they are part of the family. Labs are easily trained. Some may be reserved with strangers unless very well socialized as puppies. These dogs are watchdogs, not guard dogs, although some have been known to guard. They can become destructive if left too much to their own devices. Train Labradors early not to pull on the leash, as they have very strong necks. Show lines are generally heavier and easier going than field lines. Field lines tend to be very energetic and high strung. Often the best pets are from combination show/field stock. This breed is very popular. If you are planning to show, buy only from a reputable breeder. Labs are a bit more dominant and independent than the Golden Retriever. Some of their talents include: hunting, tracking, retrieving, watch dogging, police work, narcotics detection, guide for the blind, service dog for the disabled, search and rescue, sledding, carting, agility, and competitive obedience. Labs bred from English lines (English Labs) are more calm and laid back than Labradors bred from American lines. English Labs mature quicker than the American type.

Height: Dogs 22-24 inches (56-61cm.) Bitches 21-23 inches (53-58cm.)Weight: Dogs 60-75 pounds (27-34kg.) Bitches 55-70 pounds (25-32kg.) Some males can grow to 100 pounds (45kg) or more.

Polar Bear SOS

Global warming, caused by the build up of man-made carbon dioxide, is causing Arctic sea ice to melt at an alarming rate Over the past three decades, over a million square miles of sea ice -- an area the size of Norway, Denmark and Sweden combined -- has disappeared. This trend could prove catastrophic for the polar bear. Without protection, the polar bear could become the first mammal to lose 100 percent of its habitat to global warming.

The polar bear is considered a marine mammal -- like walruses, seals and whales -- because its main habitat is sea ice. They need that ice as a platform for hunting, for travel to denning areas to give birth, and for mating. As their sea ice melts and their food sources decline, polar bears are forced to swim further and further to ever-distant ice floes. During these extremely arduous swims, polar bears are increasingly drowning. And scientists predict that as the movement of sea ice increases, some bears will lose contact with a main body of ice and drift into unsuitable habitat, making it impossible to return.

As temperatures increase, scientists also expect that more rain will fall during the Arctic's late winter and spring. Unseasonable rains have already caused the snowy dens that shelter polar bear mothers and their newborn cubs to collapse, killing all the bears inside. What’s more, as a result of the decrease in sea ice, polar bear females may not gain enough weight to reproduce cubs with enough insulating fat, jeopardizing their ability to survive.

In the spring of 2006, three adult female polar bears and one yearling were found dead. Two of these females had no fat stores and apparently starved to death. Even worse, scientists project that by 2012 -- just five years from now -- most female polar bears in Western Hudson Bay may not be able to reach the minimum 417 pounds of body mass needed to successfully reproduce. Some polar bears have even been recorded cannibalizing other bears, including a female polar bear in her maternal den. This extreme behavior has never been observed in decades of polar bear study.

The Bush Administration's proposal to list the polar bear as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act is a crucial first step toward ensuring a future for these magnificent Arctic creatures. Yet the administration's proposal does not designate "critical habitat" for protection, even though melting habitat from global warming is the main threat to the polar bears survival.

Please help take action today by clicking on this link to the NRDC. Fill out the info so you can send a letter to the Bush administration telling them to protect polar bears and their critical habitat. Their goal is 500,000 letters. They are about 3/4 of the way there. Please do your part and please help spread the word.

http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/tell_Bush_to_Protect_Polar_Bears

Meet Mojo....

Remember the 'Glamour Shot' post? Well this is Mojo, the inspiration for that post. I had encouraged his owner, Rachelle, to submit that famous glamour shot and post Mojo's story here. Well, here it is.....

"Mojo is 2 1/2 years old and he was supposed to be a Christmas present for my mom 2 years ago. I was searching the internet for Basset puppies but they were so hard to find. In my searching I came to a website of a Basset breeder and contacted her and asked her if she had any puppies and she said she did but they wouldn't be available for a few months. Christmas came and I decided to tell my mom about my hunt for a Basset puppy for her. She decided to contact the breeder herself and long story short we met all the puppies from Mojo's litter and ended up bringing Mojo home with us. Now I tell people that Mojo is her only child and I'm just her roommate!! My mom also befriended a woman who ended up getting one of Mojo's brothers (Slider) and now whenever they get together they bring "the boys" so they can visit and play!"

Isn't he fabulous?! Have you ever seen a more glamorous Basset Hound? Look at the front paws. It's almost like he's saying "Now, WAIT a minute!"

Are you an Elephant or a Donkey??

I watched the debates this weekend and it got me thinking. Who the heck decided these two animals would be the mascots of the Republican and Democratic parties? I did a little research and here's what I found.....

The now-famous Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass (a donkey), and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous.

Nast invented another famous symbol—the Republican elephant. In a cartoon that appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant, was labeled “The Republican Vote.” That's all it took for the elephant to become associated with the Republican Party.

Democrats today say the donkey is smart and brave, while Republicans say the elephant is strong and dignified.

Whether you are a donkey or an elephant make sure you register to vote if you haven't already. You can pick up forms at your local post office or register online here:

https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/e4/nvra/

or print out the form to mail here:

http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/register.aspx

Hot Bitch of The Week!

Morris the Cat

Morris, the spoiled and pampered spokescat for 9Lives brand cat food, is a commercial legend. Morris was originally played by a cat named Lucky, who deserved his name because he was adopted from the Hinsdale, Illinois Humane Society in 1968 by Bob Martwick, a professional animal trainer, shortly before the cat was scheduled to be put down. Lucky reigned from 1969 until his death in 1975, when he was replaced by Harry the Cat. All cats that play Morris must be rescues, whether they come from an animal shelter or a cat rescue.

In 2006, Morris was shown adopting a kitten from a Los Angeles shelter. This kitten, L'il Mo, was to be the first in his campaign, Morris's Million Cat Rescue.

Morris has been the subject of a book, MORRIS: THE INTIMATE BIOGRAPHY by Mary Daniels (1974) and he has also written three books: THE MORRIS APPROACH, THE MORRIS METHOD, and THE MORRIS PRESCRIPTION. In addition to advertising 9Lives cat food, Morris appears as a spokescat to promote responsible pet adoption, ownership, and animal health. Morris also appeared in the 1973 movie"Shamus," which also starred Burt Reynolds and Dyan Cannon. Morris is voiced by John Irwin, or "He-Men and the Masters of the Universe."

In recent history, a cat was noticed at a Los Angeles shelter. The cat was later adopted and named Sir Gregory. When it was decided that Sir Gregory was the best cat to play Morris, the woman who adopted him was approached. She was willing for her new cat to play Morris, until she realized that meant she would have to give him up! She declined and another cat was eventually found.

The Scoop on Cooper IV

Here's Cooper striking a pose in the "lounge chair" that his aunt Stephanie gave him for Christmas. Karen says she can't believe he stopped dragging it around the house long enough to actually sit in it. This picture will no longer be replicated as he was dragging it around the house at the moment she sent me her email......he kept getting it caught in the door frame, barking for help. Sometimes they just can't tell the difference between what is a toy and what is not!

On the health front........Karen took Cooper for blood work on Friday and his Creatnine keeps rising. That is one thing that can't be controlled with meds. He's sleeping a lot more but otherwise he's doing fine. He's the perfect little companion. Karen just loves him to pieces. Who wouldn't love that face......

Hang in there, Cooper!!

My Little Audrey

When I knew Audrey wasn't going to make it I started to think about what I would do with her 'after'. I dreaded the thought. I kept thinking 'what would she want'? I could have buried her but I don't have a backyard. Just a brick patio. I could have torn up the brick and put her there but ugghhh, what a pain. I could have buried her at my parents house in their backyard along with our four other family dogs and my hamster. Wait....she wouldn't have wanted that. She would want to be close to me. For a moment I considered taxidermy. I could have her frozen in time forever and I could pet her and look at her whenever I wanted. What would Jake make of that? Creepy, I decided. Anyone visiting my home would think I was nuts.

I could not just leave her at the vet. I wanted her with me. A friend suggested cremation. That was the only other option. The vet took care of all of the arrangements. Off she went and in about 10 days I received a box. Inside the box was a little can wrapped in yellow paper. There was a round sticker on the top of the can that said "In Memory of _______. " Audrey's name was written in blue ink on the line. The can was inside a blue velvet bag with a rope tie and engraved on the front in yellow lettering it said "Until we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge."

I put it on my nightstand so she could be close to me every night when I slept. I put one of my favorite pictures of her next to it. I shook the can and wondered what was in it? How did it look? Was it really her? Did a can of ashes really have any meaning? Sometimes I would watch tv and hold it in my lap and talk to her. A couple of nights when I missed her really bad I cried myself to sleep holding it. I would wake up in the morning and it would be laying on the bed next to me.

This summer while I was in Italy I wanted to buy a better 'home' for her remains. I found this great little urn at one of my favorite shops. When I brought it home, I had a little ceremony one night so I could transfer 'the remains'. I nervously opened the can for the first time not quite knowing what to expect. I heard that there would be little bits of bone and teeth in there. It seemed like it when I shook the can. When I finally opened it, the can was about 1/3 of the way full. Just a mound of light grey ashes. No significant smell. No bone bits or teeth. Nothing that reminded me of her in any way. Strange, I thought. This is all that's left. Such a beautiful, vibrant little girl. Now just a mound of grey ash.

I carefully transferred her ashes to the urn and put the can away in a box with all of her other things. Now she sits on my nightstand and I look at her every night before I go to sleep. I can't say that I feel like she is in there. I feel her spirit in my home much more than I feel that she is in that urn. I'm glad I made that choice though. At least from a significance point of view I have her with me. She would have wanted that so I think I gave her her wish. I still miss her so much.

Grey Gardens Sunday

Here's another Grey Gardens remix set to Madonna's "Hung Up".

Queen of Hearts

We have renamed Ginger "Queen of Hearts". Reason??? She has a pink bed with hearts all over it and she just got a new sweater with red and black hearts on it and a fur collar.

Francis Albert Friday!

Frank wasn't just Frank. Nor was he just Francis Albert. We had several nicknames for Frank. Isn't it funny how you always manage to do that with your pets? Here are a few:

Scooby Doo
Mr. P.P.
P.P. Lover
Mr. 4th of July
The Boy
Cute Boy
PP Boy
The Heart
Heart Lover
Sugar Heart
Pappi (Wanda's name for him)
Fransisco Alberto (Wanda's name for him)
Francis Alouicious (Greg's name for him)
Frankie
Mr. Watanabe
Fat F*ck Frank
The Mustang

Then there's a sound that Joe used to make that I don't know how to spell. Simple, fast little sound. That was Frank's sound. And he had a song too. More on that in a later post.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few but these were the main ones that his family used all the time. He knew them all and would proudly answer to any of them.

Life in the Fast Lane....

Now your little one can motor in style. These fabulous doggie beds will set you back about $250 each. I think I see an illegal u-turn up ahead.....

http://trixieandpeanut.com/beds.shtml

You're Fired!

Yesterday Joe and I took Little Edie and Ginger for a walk. We ran into Frank's friend, the Fed Ex guy. He stopped and talked to us for a while. We reminisced about Frank and wondered what made him go so nuts over the truck. Little Edie took a seat on the driver's lap and proceeded to fall asleep. What a way to make a first impression! I don't think they can use her in the Home Delivery department if she's already been caught sleeping on the job.

Its the Evolutionary Story for the Day

The German Shepherd

The German Shepherd is also known as the Alsatian. It is handsome, well proportioned and very strong. The coat most often comes in black with tan, sable or all black, but also can come in blue, liver and white, but those colors are considered a fault according to most standards. White is not an acceptable color for the German Shepherd, however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American White Shepherd. The nose is black most often black but, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but is considered a fault can not be shown. It has a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light but solid bone structure. Its head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little convex. It has a strong scissors bite, ears wide at the base, pointed, upright, and turned forward (the ears of puppies under six months may droop slightly). The eyes are almond-shaped, never protruding, dark, with a lively, intelligent expression. Its bushy tail reaches almost to its hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. Its front legs and shoulders are muscular; its thighs thick and sturdy. It has round feet with very hard soles. There are three varieties of the German Shepherd: rough-coated, long rough-coated, and the long-haired.

Often used as working dogs, German Shepherds are direct and fearless, eager and alert. Bold, cheerful, obedient and eager to learn. Known for their tremendous loyalty and courage. Calmly confident, but not hostile. Serious and almost human in his intelligence. They have a high learning ability. German Shepherds love to be close to their families, but they are very wary of strangers. This breed needs his people and should not be left isolated for long periods of time. They only bark when they feel it is necessary. German Shepherds have a very strong protective instinct, so they should be extensively socialized to prevent over-guarding when they are an adult. Aggression and attacks on people are largely due to poor breeding, handling and training. A well bred, well-adjusted, and trained dog is for the most part generally good with other pets and excellent with children in the family. They must be firmly trained in obedience from an early age. It is extremely important to purchase your German Shepherd from a reputable breeder. Some are timid and skittish and may be prone to fear biting. Research a puppy's lineage carefully. To be successful pets, these dogs should be trained and socialized from an early age with a firm and loving hand. Coercive or angry training does not succeed well with these dogs. To be truly happy, the German Shepherd needs a task in life.

The breed is so intelligent and learns so readily that it has been used as a sheepdog, guard dog, in police work, as a guide for the blind, in search and rescue service, and in the military. The German Shepherd also excels in many other dog activities including schutzhund, tracking, obedience, agility, flyball, and ring sport. His fine nose can sniff out drugs and intruders, and can alert handlers to the presence of underground mines in time to avoid detonation, or gas leaks in a pipes buried 15 feet underground. The German Shepherd is also a popular show and family companion.

Height: Dogs 24-26 inches (60-65cm.) Bitches 22-24 inches (55-60cm.)Weight: 77-85 pounds (35-40kg.)

Year of the Rat...

Happy New Year! Welcome 2008! Wow....... 2007 is behind us now. I'm feeling energized, excited and ready to welcome the energy of a new year. But I need all of the guidance I can get. What does this year have in store for me? For Little Edie? And for Jake? Today is a good day to check all of your horoscopes. Did you know that 2008 is the year of the Rat? Check out what this Chinese Horoscope site says about this year:

鼠

After two Fire years, life may seem calmer during this Earth year. That could be deceptive, however, as the Rat never stops moving -- especially when it comes to mental activity. Unfortunately, Earth has a destructive relationship with the Rat's fixed element, Water. This is not disastrous, but it does mean you should not rely too much on luck this year.

On the other hand, the combination of Earth and Rat means this is extremely positive year for achieving results. The Rat tends to take a lot of risks, while Earth is associated with practicality and stability. This creates balance and can lead to good profits, increased productivity and all other accomplishments. Additionally, under Earth's influence there could be fewer scandals than in other Rat years.

The Rat is the first sign of the Chinese zodiac and signifies new beginnings. That makes this year an appropriate time to start new ventures and break new ground. This includes new ideas, directions and ways of doing things. It is a time to experiment and put plans into action, as there will be plenty of opportunities to achieve success. Remember that things began during this year are likely to have long term consequences, so choose your actions wisely to enrich your life.

This year is also an equally good time for thinking and all manner of intellectual endeavors. Planning, scholarship and research, for example, are favorable activities. It is also an auspicious time for the arts; although, under Earth's influence, applied arts such as design and graphics may do best.

Earth favors those who are tied to the land, do a lot of routine work, deal with practical matters or perform work of a spiritual nature. Based on the characteristics of both Earth and Rat, it could be a very good year for those with careers in business, construction, engineering, academia, planning and the clergy.

There is likely to be a focus on career and self-improvement this year, to the detriment of family. Therefore, you need to be attentive and creative so that the family area of your does not suffer. It is, however, a relatively good time to begin a new romance. Those in a relationship may want to consider raising it to the next level, including marriage.

Since this is an Earth year, those people born in a Metal year will generally fare better than others of their animal sign, while those born in a Water year are likely to do worse than those born in Wood, Fire, and Earth years.

Health issues vary not only by sign, but also by individual. Your best bet is to visit a Chinese doctor to have your balances checked and get personalized advice for the coming year. It is an Earth year, so one thing we can say in general is to get enough exercise and be on the alert for unwanted weight gains. Inactivity could lead to problems.

In closing, 2008 will be a year of possibilities, a time of progress -- although not very spectacular. Those who take the biggest risks could be disappointed. Everyone should, nevertheless, add something new to their life during this year of fruitful new beginnings.

For more info and to find out you and your pets Chinese astrology profile check out:
http://chinese.astrology.com/year/

You can also get your yearly profile here:
http://horoscopes.aol.com/astrology/2008-horoscope

And of course, my favorite, Astrology Zone has your monthly forecast for January:
http://www.astrologyzone.com/forecasts/