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!