Family & Holidays

This holiday season I am reminded how wonderful my family is. My Mom & Step Dad drove from Colorado to Wisconsin to visit. I couldn't ask for a better gift. Unfortunately the flu lingered through my household & our visit was cut short because of this. Thankfully we still were able to spend some quality time together. Here are some pictures from our visit & our time together this past week.

 Riley was quite embarrassed by the hat...but so cute!

 Riley loves his Grampa!

 Pictured: My Mom, my son, me, my daughter & my Step Dad.

 The girls making adjustments to the "Naughty & Nice" list.

 Me & Brandee, the best cousin in the world!

I'm so blessed with such an amazing family. I love you all! I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday!

Happy Holidays!

While stopping at a local pet store to pick up a bag of puppy food, Riley got to meet Santa & get his picture taken with him!

Last year I was able to have my cats picture taken with my kids at another local pet store. This year we were unable to do that mainly due to our cat, Sarah, being uncomfortable & ill. I was able to gather my kids & 3 cats at our house for a (somewhat decent) picture.

From my family to yours...have a safe & very happy holiday season!

Unconditional

This is said at the end of the movie Bride Wars...

"Sometimes in life, there really are bonds formed that can never be broken. Sometimes you really can find that one person who will stand by you no matter what. Maybe you'll find it in a spouse & celebrate it with your dream wedding, but there's also the chance that the one person you can count on for a lifetime, the one person that knows you sometimes better than you know yourself is the same person who's been standing beside you all along."

It's cheesy & from a chic flick, but I love it! The first time I saw this movie, I felt very strongly that this was said about best girl friends. It made me think of my best friend of 17 years. That friendship has since dissolved. When I watched this movie again tonight & listened to these words again, I thought of my boyfriend of 4 years. I may have lost my best friend of over a decade, but I do have a best friend & soul mate. He has stood beside me through so much, both good & bad. And I have stood by him. He never gives up on me & I never give up on him.

I miss my old best friend & am sad for this loss, however, when I think of all I do have in my life, I am so happy & so blessed. Mostly, I am so grateful for the unconditional love that surrounds me.

Unemployment Frustration

I want to start out by saying that I am grateful Unemployment pay exists. I am, however, not so grateful that a month ago my Unemployment was extended through 4/2011 yet today I received a letter in the mail that my benefits end in 9 days. Merry Christmas to me! I have truthfully applied to 8-10 employers a week since I've been unemployed, have had 2 interviews & no job offers (well I had one that fell through). This is so frustrating!

So what do I want for Christmas this year? A JOB! I never dreamed I'd be unemployed -EVER- let alone for this long. I have never had an issue finding a job. I just pray every night that something will come my way...SOON!

The Adventures of Midnight

On a Friday my daughter saw a cat while walking home from school. On the following Monday my daughter & I saw the cat while driving to the grocery store. I saw this terribly skinny cat & pulled over. I tried to get him to come to me but he took off. I was able to get a live trap from a good friend the next day. Once the trap was set, the cat was caught by midnight. I was checking the trap every hour because it was so cold out. When I brought him in the house I could see immediately that he was not a feral cat. He was very sweet, but so cold & so hungry. I warmed him up & fed him. Then he curled up in a kennel & slept. When he woke I gave him a warm bath, cut his nails, cleaned his ears, dewormed him & fed him some more. We began to call him Midnight because a) he is a black cat & b) we caught him around midnight.

The next day Glen & I took Midnight to All Creatures Vet so they could scan for a micro chip. Thankfully he was chipped & lived on our block. His name is actually Rusty, but I will keep calling him Midnight. We returned Midnight to his home because we felt it was the right thing to do. In my mind anyone who micro chips their pet & pays the annual fee for that service must love their pet.

3 days later, a neighbor informed me he is outside roaming the neighborhood again. So, I set the live trap again in hopes of catching him again. It's colder now than the day I caught him...around 20 degrees. I fear the worst, but hope & pray some kind soul found him & took him in.

I don't understand why people do this & how they can sleep at night. It's not my cat & I can't sleep at night because I am worried about him. Not only am I an animal lover but I did bond with Midnight while he was at my house. Please, I beg of cat owners to not let them outside. I realize accidents happen & they sneak out occasionally. In this situation, the cat was out for months, returned to his family & back out on the streets in a few days. Not only can cats get hit by a car, but they can catch illnesses such as FIV & Feluk. In Midnight's case he starved, lost a ton of fur & was dehydrated. I did the right thing at that time by having him scanned & then returned him to his family, but now the only thing I'm sure of is that he shouldn't have went back home just to be tossed out again. I've found out that his family is missing another cat that "got out" a few weeks ago. Who is giving these people cats?

If you are unable to care for your cat, please don't toss it out on the streets to fend for itself. Find a home for the pet (use Facebook, newspapers, Craigs List, or at least find a rescue that can take it in). To put your cat out on the street in winter IS animal cruelty!

Here are a few pictures of Midnight. You can see how skinny he is & what rough shape he was in when I found him. Would you do this to your cat? I am a very passionate person & love to help animals in need. I pray that Midnight comes back to the trap I've set for him. I will protect him & keep him safe. This is a promise I make every day to my pets & I make it for those that need me as well.

So Frustrated...

I just don't understand some people...

Last week we caught a cat in my yard that was in rough shape. We took him to the Vet & he had a micro chip. We returned him to his family & now there are reports of sightings of this cat outside AGAIN! Not only is this bad because he was just outside for months, terribly skinny & major hair loss, but it's like 20 degrees outside! Please don't get a pet if you can't provide basic care for them.

Facebook is a social network that most people use to keep in touch with family & friends. Some on the other hand use it to post nasty things/lies about others. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't speak. It is simply childish & it only makes you look bad. So, I ask this of you...when you are reading facebook posts & you notice someone specifically spreading lies, saying nasty things, slandering someone's name/reputation in their posts, please ask them to stop. It's not cool, it's not funny. It just shouldn't happen. You should want to do the right thing & be kind to others.

So, tonight I set a trap for the cat & continue to check it. I pray he will come back to me. This time I promise to protect him better. As for the other issue, I will NOT let it bother me any more. All I can do is pray people like this will grow up. It's frustrating to have this in my life, but it's only in my life as much as I let it be.

I Am Thankful For...

Well, every year on Thanksgiving I reflect on the good things in life & remember what I am thankful for. This year I will share what I am thankful for with you...

1. Nate - such a smart, wonderful, responsible kid. He never complains & is always helpful.
2. Hannah - smart, beautiful, kind to all. Her love for animals is amazing & she takes very good care of her guinea pig & our cats.
3. Glen -  intelligent, gorgeous, kind hearted, selfless man. His strength inspires me. He makes me want to be a better person. I couldn't get through a single day without my best friend!
4. Cats - Ashley, Sarah, Sam. Ashley is healthy & happy. Sarah has had some minor health issues this year, but is turning the corner & over the last week seems healthier & happier. Sam is our new addition to our cat family this year. He is everything I ever wanted in a cat & has fit into our family unit purrfectly!
5. Puppy - Riley has changed our lives in so many ways (all of them for the better). He brings so much laughter & happiness to us all. I share my life more with him than anyone else (animal or person). We are together pretty much 24/7.
6. Parents & Step Parents - I have so much support & guidance from them all. I know I will never go a day in my life without love because of these four amazing parents.
7. Friends - I can count on one hand my true friends. That sounds like a bad thing, but it's not. I have some rather remarkable people in my life that I am so incredibly thankful to call my friends. If there is one thing I've learned this past year, it's that quality trumps quantity EVERY time. Thank you Emily for always being there for me (night or day) & sometimes chatting for hours. Thank you Christine for bringing my family Brian, making every moment I spend with you happy and for being a true friend in every sense of the word. Thank you Danielle for always cheering me up & for your unconditional support. Thank you Brandee for decades of unconditional love, friendship, support & fun times.

With all I've been through this past year, it could be real easy to focus on the negative forces that be. I WILL look at the positive though because of all the family & friends I have sitting next to me, giving me unconditional love & support. I am so very grateful to each & every one of you. Thank you for being so wonderful!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving & many blessing to come!

Love,
Jaime

Dogs 2009-2010

Whether these dogs stayed in my home for just one night or for months, each of these dogs will always hold a special place in my heart.

My Cats

Ashley is our gray tabby cat that we adopted in 2002 at 6 weeks old from Domestic Cat Rescue. The name Ashley was picked by my friend's daughter. She was born at the Greenville Co-op. Ashley spends all her time upstairs with my son, Nate. Ashley's birthday is 4/20/02. 

Brian a Mainecoon cat, whose name was originally Bry Bry, joined our family in either 2003 or 2004. We got him from a friend of a very good friend of mine, who was moving & could not take him along. Brian was such a handsome cat, from his long hair to his mustache & toupee! Brian was not a lap cat, but he slept with me every night. Brian loved baths so much he would stand on the edge of the tub & use his head to turn the bath water on. There were many occasions when I would hear the tub water running & find him rolling around in the water in the bath tub. When he arrived at our home he was 21 pounds. We got him down to a healthy 14.4 pounds. On 4/16/10 we had to say goodbye to our wonderful boy. Although he was given a clean bill of health at his annual Vet visit on 3/09/10, shortly after developed a large mass in his stomach. We didn't know about it until 4/16/10 when we took him in to his Vet because he was very ill & lost a lot of weight in just a few days. Brian had Lymphoma. The cancer spread very quickly & there was nothing that could be done for our poor boy. We miss him terribly. He was 8 years old & just under 9 pounds when he passed.

Sarah was adopted from Saving Paws in 2006 when she was 3-4 years old. My kids & I went to the rescue to adopt a 6 week old Calico kitten, but Sarah chose us. The rescue said Sarah never interacts with people, but she came right to my kids & rolled around on the floor between them. She is considered a special needs kitty because she had some head trauma due to an accident. The rescue thinks she was a feral cat & may have been hit by a tractor.She has a bald & scarred spot behind her right ear from this. She has a cataract in her right eye, leaving her blind in that eye. Aside from occasionally walking into a wall, she has been a very healthy cat. She has primarily bonded with my boyfriend. Sarah always has to be by him, she even sleeps on his pillow!

Sammy, a 3 year old long haired gray & white Mainecoon/Tortie Calico mix, came into my family in June 2010. We got him from a friend of a very good friend. His family was moving & couldn't take him along. To all of our surprise, he looks & acts quite a lot like our beloved cat, Brian. He is a lap cat, as long as it's my lap! Sam is definitely my cat. He likes baths, is very vocal, has to be the center of attention and LOVES dogs! Sam has helped many of the dogs we fostered learn how to socialize with cats. He has been a wonderful addition to our family.

Riley's First Halloween

Today we took our puppy, Riley, to a Halloween party for dogs. When we put on his costume he went right into his kennel, as if to say, "Oh, the humiliation!" Riley does look super cute as a hot dog though!

Here are some pictures of Riley having fun at the party!

Glen did such a good job bringing Riley to each station & tried really hard to get Riley to do some of the fun agility type things. However, Riley was only interested in the other doggies. He has really turned into quite the social dog. He is still shy at times, but not often.

I hope this was a fun first Halloween for my puppy!

My Pup's Nasty Habit

I learn so much from Google. For example, this weekend my puppy, Riley, finally got brave enough to go upstairs by himself. Upstairs he found a buffet table...I mean the cat litter boxes! We caught him upstairs & yelled "Come!" He ran right down by us. I could see cat litter on his face. I was completely shocked that he ate cat poop! We brushed his teeth, got him some water & gave him "a stern talking to." He did this again today! I don't mind brushing my puppies teeth, but I don't want him ingesting cat poop & litter. So I Googled it. I NEED to know how to stop this!


So, on Google I learned this:

Coprophagia literally means the consumption of poop. Why knows why dogs eat poop? They may do it simply because it tastes good to them. However, it's best not to let your dog eat poop because many parasites, including giardia, coccidia, roundworms and whipworms, can be transmitted through dog and cat poop. Additionally, clumping litter can pose a serious health threat to dogs that eat cat poop. Think of what the litter does when a cat urinates in it. Similar things can happen in a dog's stomach if it eats enough of the litter. Dogs are particularly fond of cat poop because cat poop is high in protein.


This is great information. My first thought was "That's gross." But I Googled it & now realize there are potential health risks involved. 


We stopped putting the baby gate up in the living room several weeks ago when Riley learned the commands stay & come, but for now we will have to go back to using the gate. I'd gate off the room where the litter boxes are, but my cat, Sam, is simply too lazy to jump over a gate. Maybe not lazy, but "set in his ways." 


If you're reading this & have any suggestions, please let me know!

Helping A Lost Dog

My daughter & I were sitting down to have dinner tonight when she spotted a large Rottweiler walking down the road. The dog did not have a collar & tags on. I tried to coax her over to me with treats, but she was so scared. Several of the neighbors saw the big dog running loose. No one would help her. Some grabbed their kids & ran inside. Some flat out said "I'm not helping a Rottie." Shocked, I ran home, grabbed a leash & treats and jumped in my car. I immediately spotted the dog sprinting through the busy traffic on Wisconsin Ave. I kept losing sight of her & then spotting her again. She almost got hit by 3 cars at 3 different times. I asked a man sitting on his porch if he saw the dog. He said she just ran past & went through the neighbors yard. I asked if he had seen her before & if he knew where she lived. He said no - turns out the dog lived right next door to this guy! I circled around the block only to find her sitting on a back porch, her back porch.

Now, I didn't know this was her back porch. I tossed treats to her & she came to me, gave me kisses & rubbed up on my legs. She was really sweet, but really scared & hungry. I tried to put a leash on her, but she was so scared. Not knowing this dog, I didn't want to test her limits or stress her further. She was calming down & was staying by me. I gave her the rest of the treats I had. Of course I had called Outagamie Community Service when my daughter first spotted the dog over by our house, to get help catching the dog so she could return home safely.

As I ran out of treats, Community Service called & said they were 5 minutes away. The dog was sitting with me while I petted her, so I didn't think she would take off on me. Just as I finished that thought I heard a car door. I asked if they had a dog. The look of relief on this man's face when I said that was incredible. He said "Yes, we've been looking for my Rott since 10am. Her name is Raj." Well, the dog heard her name & flew past me to her Daddy! I informed him that I followed her for a mile or so & how lucky she is to have not been hit by a car today.

This man was so thankful. He made a comment that will probably stick with me forever. He said "I can't thank you enough. Many people are afraid of her breed & would NOT help. I'm so glad...appreciative for good people like you." He shook my hand & off I went.

Now, I need to admit something...I was afraid of that dog. It's not the breed, it was her size. Bigger dogs do intimidate me every now & then. I helped her not only because it's the right thing to do, but because my fear was not greater than the need to get her out of traffic before she was hit by a car, and ultimately get her home safely. I sincerely hope that Raj will be wearing a collar & ID tags from now on. If there is one thing Raj's owner learned today, I hope it's the importance of leashes, collars & ID tags. Yes, this very smart dog found her way home, but she was missing for 8 hours & almost got hit by 3 cars, that I saw.

If your dog slipped out the door or was outside without a leash, tie-out or fence, an ID tag could get her back to you.

Here is a picture of sweet Raj safely at home!

Please be responsible dog parents! 

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Music makes me happy. I saw Green Day in concert twice & they are amazing! Oh yea, and Billie Joe Armstrong is one of the sexiest men alive!

The most amazing movie ever made, the best love story ever told. I saw this for the first time when I was maybe 6 years old. I'm guessing I've watched this movie hundreds, if not thousands, of times.

The most captivating book I've ever read. Seriously, this book made me look at the world completely different. It is rare that I RE-read a book, but this I have checked out of the library several times over the years.

Quite possibly the best TV show! I laugh so much during this show my cheeks are usually sore!

My favorite breed of dog (of course Mutts are the absolute BEST). Someday I would like to add a Boxer to my family. There is just something about that face that draws me in!

The things that make me the most happy are all under my roof. I love my home, my kids, our pets & Glen more than anything in this world. I feel blessed to have what I was given. I never take that for granted & always am appreciative.

Hannah's new Guinea Pig

Today my daughter & I went to The Dog House in Appleton to bring home her new pet Guinea Pig. She is 6 weeks old & her name is Smores. She is super sweet & we love her already! Everyone at The Dog House was so very helpful & gave us lots of great care information. Here are a few pictures of Smores.

And check out this awesome cage we picked up from Craig's List for only $15. It also came with a bunch of extras. Gotta love Craig's List!

Happy Tail

This is a copy of the email I wrote for the overcrowded shelter in Arkansas that Riley was at before he came to OARS:

From the first moment I saw him, I knew he was a special pup. He was so scared & shy. I went to visit him 2-4 times a week at The Dog House in Appleton while he waited for his furever home. I felt a strong bond with him almost immediately. My family decided that we MUST add him to our family. We adopted him on 7/26. His name was changed by OARS from Mac to Ricky, and we changed his name to Riley. He has mastered the commands sit, down, off, stay, come and shake. Riley barks only to tell us he needs to go potty. He is pretty much potty trained, walks wonderfully on a leash, loves car rides. He loves to sleep in bed with Mom & Dad & one our cats, Sarah. Riley loves the cat-siblings he has. Riley has the sweetest temperament. He has completely come out of his shyness. 

He has been to the Vet for an annual exam, shots and he gets his monthly Heartgard & Revolution. He's 7 months old now & weighs 45 lbs. His Vet said he is a very healthy boy.

This is a picture of Riley with his litter mate, Lucy, and his Daddy.

Riley loves to play outside. We take him to the dog park to play & socialize weekly. Riley has several canine friends that often come over to play or meet us at the dog park. Riley goes everywhere with us. He is a very spoiled pup! He has his own toy box in the living room, his own treat shelf in the kitchen & his very own spot on the couch (between Mom & Dad of course)! We love him so much & can't thank you enough for bringing him to us. He has completed this family & brought us all closer together. We all couldn't be happier!

This picture was taken at the dog park.

Monthly Preventatives For Our Family Dog

First of the month at my house means time to prevent heart worm, fleas & ticks! After breakfast this morning Riley ate his Heartgard & I applied his Revolution. I feel good knowing that I've done my part to keep Riley happy & healthy. I can't stress enough how important this prevention is. It's so easy to do, yet many dogs still don't receive this care.

I have seen a handful of dogs that have tested positive for heart worms. It is sad to see the severity of the symptoms, and even more heart breaking to watch them go through the treatment & 6-8 weeks of recovery. This can be prevented. It baffles me why pet owners still don't provide these preventatives for their dogs.

The symptoms are congestive heart failure, dull coat, lack of energy, coughing, difficulty breathing, perhaps fainting spells and an enlarged abdomen. Adult heartworms are killed by giving injections of Immiticide, a drug containing arsenic.

I don't know about you, but I would much rather have my dog chew a pill (which he thinks is a treat) once a month, than have him subjected to these symptoms & risk him having to go through treatment only because I didn't administer the medicines. Yes, the preventatives are somewhat expensive, however, compared to the cost of the treatment for heart worm it's nothing. Preventatives can be purchased through your Vet for the best price available.

Still not convinced...the picture showing heart worms in this dog's heart should sway you.

PLEASE keep your dogs healthy & happy!

Cutting my puppy's nails

My almost 7 month old puppy, Riley, HATES getting his nails cut! Today I broke down & put a muzzle on him. I was able to get almost all of his nails cut. Although I'm completely exhausted now, I do feel a sense of accomplishment. I was ready to take him to a groomer, which I've done before.

I've had almost 30 foster dogs & have never had a problem doing nails before. Riley squirms, shrieks & nips at the clipper. Today he started nipping at me, hence the muzzle. Safety first! He eventually just gave up, laid on the floor & let me clip away.

The past month I've been clipping 1 or 2 nails at a time in hopes of "getting him used to it."  No such luck!

Riley is happily devouring a Busy Bone in his kennel now (with shorter nails).