Pets

Pets are a funny thing, some people get very attached to their pets and buy them clothes and expensive food. Others keep them outside and barely give them any human contact. Some families never have any pets at all, and yet others are hoarders of pets collecting every living thing they can. And the sad bunch is the group that really want pets, but are allergic to them.

Pets enrich our lives everyday. It could be talking to your goldfish while feeding it in the morning, petting the purring cat on your lap, throwing a ball for your dog, or playing with the hamster outside his cage. I think it is kind of weird that God made some animals so right to be domesticated pets. Do you ever wonder when he was creating the animals, he said "I will make dogs to be man's best friend". Sure they help us hunt and protect our homes, but don't you think it is kind of weird how they were created to help humans?

Pets are also very medical. They help people overcome depression, nerves, and help us to heal. And they never ask for anything in return except food and clean water. We are constantly leaving them, and when we return they are not angry with us for being gone all day, they greet us with wagging tails.

I grew up with pets. We always had a small dog in our home growing up. We also had our array of fish, gerbils, lizards and a hamster. My husband and I even had our two cats the year before we even got married, and got our first dog when we had our first "real" house with a back yard. Our first dog Dot passed away last year, mostly from old age. A month after she passed we adopted Bailey the black lab who was already 7 years old. And we still had Lucy the Collie/chow chow mix that we adopted when she was a puppy 12 years ago. Last month Bailey needed to go in for an emergency surgery for a large mass tumor right below her hip. It seemed to be doing better until a few days ago. And unfortunately we had to put her down this evening as there was nothing more the vet could do to help her.

So that is my thought process for this weekend. Pets touch our lives in so many ways. We only had Bailey for a year, but the house seems so incredible quiet without her. It makes you wonder why we put ourselves through this. We know their life expentcy is like 15 years tops, so why do we put ourselves through this pain? Because they become part of our family instantly. I am the one who talked my husband into getting Bailey. He really didn't want another dog so soon after losing Dot. But on the way home from the vet tonight, he said to me "Can we please get a small dog next time?"

Shameless Begging

Here is my shameless begging for help.

My family and I are walking in the 2009 Animal Humane Society Walk for the Animals on May 2nd. This is one of those "get people to sponsor you" types of walks. We set our goal pretty low at $150.00 that we are trying to raise. I sent the e-mails out to friends and family, but you know how hard times are right now. Sadly, we have only been able to raise $110.

So here is where the begging comes in. If you can support us and the Humane Society, you can click here to my page and donate online. Anything would help us at this point, even a few dollars. All the money goes directly to our 5 local Humane Societys, and I never see a penny of it. It is totally legit and for charity, so it is a tax rite off as well.

If you can't give anything financially, that is totally fine, but will you have us in your thought on Saturday morning May 2nd. I am not a spring chicken anymore, and could stand loose more than a few pounds, and I am just hoping to make it the whole 5 miles, with the new dog and three kids.

I plan on posting pictures, as we are planning on dressing up the new dog, Bailey. We have not tried to put clothes on her yet, so we will see how that goes :) Wish us luck!

Click here to visit my personal page.

Eating My Words.....

Yes, I am going to have to eat my words, but for a good reason. Remember back a month ago, when I told you all about having to put our 14 year old dog, Dot down. She had been with us for 11 years, and was a big part of our family when we were newly married. She grew up with all of our three kids. And remember when I said we were going to wait a couple of years before bringing home a new dog. I even told our closest friends, no more big dogs. Big dogs = Big poop. So in a few years we were going to get a lap dog, probably a puppy. And remember how I said I was going to try to stay out of the Humane Society? You are probably seeing where this is going.

Well, a week and a half ago, we dropped our daughter off at a birthday party, and we had a little time to kill with the boys. I suggested the Humane Society, and my husband actually said yes. He never says yes to things like that. We walked through all the cute cats (we already have one that only comes out at night to eat and play, and sleeps all day), we saw the birds, gerbils and rats. Then we walked into the dog area. Lots of pit bulls, not for our family. Some very cute small dogs, all on hold for other people. Then we saw Bailey. She was a 7 year old black lab with the biggest saddest eyes you have ever seen. She had lived with kids and other dogs before, and was turned in due to the owner moving. We later found out that was her second time there within six months.

We brought her into a visiting room with us and the two boys. She was perfect. She was ours!




Bailey has been living with us for over a week now, and has adjusted real good to our house. She doesn't answer to her name real good, but we have tried every other name we can think of. I guess Bailey it is then. She sits, shakes paws, lays down, rolls over, plays fetch with a tennis ball and walks great on a leash. She gets along with Lucy, our 10 year old collie/chow chow, and is afraid of the cat, which is the way he wants it.

So I guess I will eat my words, but for a great reason. We have had her for a little over a week, and it feels like she has been with us her whole life. She likes to chase the bunnies that live in our bushes, so I am excited to see what she will do with the pheasants and deer in the back, just like Dot used to do.

We Will Miss You Dot

Just a quick note:

We had to put our Rhodesian Ridgeback named Dot down the other day. She was 14 years old, we got her from the Humane Society when she was 3 years old.

She was a great dog, annoying at times, but a good dog. She is being missed everyday by her human family and our other dog Lucy. Dot was our first dog that Jeff & I had together, and our oldest, Ali was just three months old at the time.

We are decoupaging her picture on a rock, so when we get her ashes back we will sprinkle her in our back woods. She would spend hours back there sniffing down the deer and pheasants. I have not told many of my friends about her leaving us, so this was the easiest way, without me looking like a blubbering idiot.

Side note: We are going to try our hardest to stay out of the Humane Society. We want to wait a couple of years before bring home a new dog. We'll see how that goes.

Freebie Friday

Be sure to check out Mom Adivice for her list of Freebies, also check out one of my favorite sites for freebeis-totallyfreecrap. I have received some of the freebies from his site, but not all of them :(

Wal-Mart freebies:

Pantene

Vaseline Lotion for Men

Benefiber

Playtex Glide

On-the-Go Drink Mixes

Frizz-ease

Juicy Juice Tippy Cup (got mine yesterday)

Free sample of Enfamil for 9-24 month olds

Free Johnson & Johnson New Parent’s Pack
Call 1-800-526-3967 , automated call, please press 1, 1, and 1. Leave your name and address and you will receive your free pack in 2 weeks.

Free 10pk DVD-R from Office Depot

6 Free Stress Balls (Companies only)

Free download of Sesame Street Magazine

Free Leap Dog Treat sample

Free Greenies Dog Treat sample

Free bag Healthful Life Cat food (my cat loves this brand)

Free Bio-Spot fleas & tick remover (3 mo supply!)

Free can of Mighty Dog (got mine last week)

Free toy for your pet on their birthday from Pet Smart (sign up under my account & fill out information)

There are alot of free pet treats and food this week. What do you do if you don't have any pets? Order them anyway and either donate them to your local Humane Society, (they ALWAYS need food donations), or make a pet basket for your neighbors dog for Christmas time. Pet food and treats are expensive, and any pet owner would love a basket of different treats and foods to try.

Leave a comment on other things you do with your free pet samples......