LocksleyDog

Time for school

2012-01-30T09:50:00.000-05:00

My lady is starting classes again for Spring. Even though that means a lot of her time gets taking up doing NON fun dog things, I like being around to help her out.

Starting with organizing some of her art stuff! I'm a pro at this, obviously.

First Snow!

2012-01-21T21:45:00.000-05:00

We got our first snow of the winter! I wasn't very much, but it was still pretty fun. Most of the snow happened in the middle of the night, but I watched some of it fall from my bed by the window in the morning.

We went on our morning walk as usual which was super fun! I wanted to sniff everything and run around but my lady didn't want to slip and fall on the ice. Unlike me, she doesn't have claws to help dig in to the snow and ice to keep her steady. Too bad!I did get to run around a bunch when we got to the field, though. I was still on the leash of course, but I found some bunny (and fox?!) tracks so I had to run around sniffing it. It was pretty exciting.

Otherwise, the field was peaceful!

When we got back inside I was still pretty excited, so I played with my pony toy.

I would have liked to take my toy outside and play in the snow more, but staring outside with the toy in my mouth imagining had to do.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-01T14:17:00.001-05:00

I like it when my people and their friends all get together. This weekend I got to go to two parties with our pals!

To ring in the New Year we were invited to Carmen's people's house. The cats stayed in an upstairs bedroom so they wouldn't be stressed out, but Carmen and I had run of the house. There were people and food everywhere so Carmen and I were on the look-out for tasty bits.

Whatcha havin' there?

My favorite part was running around in the backyard with Carmen. It was dark so there are no pictures but rest assured--we ran around like crazy and even dug some holes! The people were all having a good time, and so were we.

It kept getting later and later and later. Carmen was getting really snoozy...

And soon her people carried her upstairs so she could sleep in the bedroom while everyone else stayed downstairs to par-tay.

I stayed up with the people to watch the ball drop, but I was pretty tired too.

We went home a little bit after midnight which was good because I was sleepy and my lady was all partied out.

Busy Christmas

2011-12-27T18:54:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a great holiday! It was a busy one for me and my family. Here are a bunch of pictures!!

Getting ready for Christmas:

I got Christmas cards, address to me specifically! This one is from my pal Emily.

I also got a BATH so I could be good smelling for my extended family.

I also chewed a little on the Christmas Tree. I didn't eat any needles this year, but this little branch was fair game! My lady didn't let me have it for too long.

I also helped wrap some presents. A little bit of me is in every gift because my fur gets in to everything. Haha!

Toys for the cats!

The first part of Christmas we spent in Maryland with my fella's family. The people went to church but later we went to the house and exchanged gifts.

Here's my reindeer toy! I also got lots of TREATS!

The cat got some toys too. He was a big fan of the catnip ones.

The cat and I got along great! I think it helped that the cat was so pleased by his Christmas presents.

After Christmas in Maryland we drove all the way down to North Carolina. It was a pretty quick ride on Christmas Day because there weren't a lot of cars on the road. It was nice to get to my lady's family's house with some time to spare.

I got to get settled in the house including checking out the crazy things they have hanging on their walls!

whaaaaaat!!

I also got to go on a walk before the people went to have their private Christmas celebrations.

The lake!

Christmas lights!

The next day I got to visit the Early Learning Center that my lady's family owns and operates. There are lots of great things there including some play equipment.

King of the castle!

Can I slide down this?

There are also some chickens and ducks at the Center. My lady was playing with them and her family said I could come over and meet the animals, too.

What's going on over there?

First I met the chickens! They were a lot of them and they were all very chatty. One even crowed at me!

Fox in the coop?

Nah! We're cool, right chickens?

My lady went in the coop and found an egg that the chickens laid. Just one, though! She let me sniff and check it out.

I didn't go in to see the chickens, but I DID go in to check out where the ducks live.

Oh boy! This will be cool!

I sniffed all around and found one of the spots that the ducks use for a nest. There weren't any eggs in it, though.

They also had a little pond area, a place to eat, and something like a dog house to live in. They were a little nervous about me visiting, but I was pretty well behaved.

No big deal, ducks!

Before we left my lady's family packed a cooler full of meat for us to take home. My people don't eat a lot of meat, but they always take the stuff from my lady's family. Her step father, Mr. Tim, is a hunter so it's all deer from their very own woods.

All the meat!

It was a great Christmas visit all around. I hope everyone else had a good holiday, too!

Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men (and Cats!)

2011-12-23T17:30:00.000-05:00

This year all of the staff at Alley Cat Allies participated in a food drive for local people, caregivers, and cats in need. The goal was to donate 100lbs of human food and 100lbs of cat food to those who needed it. So, over the course of a couple weeks, we all brought in cans, bags, and boxes of food for our fellow humans and animals.

My lady and I contributed a bag of cat food and a couple of cans of human food. They went in their designated boxes, that lived by the front desk of the office.

Oh my gosh! Look how full these are already!

We had so many people contributing food that the boxes had to be emptied every so often to make room for more food. We had all kinds of things coming in--but for the humans it was all vegetarian.

Not for cats, tho! I think I smell some fish!

The humans did their part by bringing the food in, and we office animals did our part by inspecting what they brought it. Office Cat Jared was the best and most thorough at this job. He was so dedicated, that he jumped into the food boxes several times.

"Hm.. we could use more quinoa!"

When it was time to take the final tally, we were all glad to hear that we reached and exceeded our goal. The final count was 116lbs of food for humans, and 108lbs of food for cats. Way to go, everyone!

Santa, I've been a very good dog this year

2011-12-21T22:33:00.000-05:00

Today I got my own stocking! I usually get Christmas presents, but this year is the first time I've got my own stocking hanging by the tree. I can tell there are already things in it--so I come by to visit it and sniff it and try to guess what's inside.

But even though I've been a very good dog this year, I still can't open any of my presents yet. Fortunately I still have a lot of stuff from last year to keep me company.

Plus, some pretty silly reindeer antlers.

Hurry up, Christmas!

Building a Feral Cat Shelter

2011-12-18T14:43:00.000-05:00

We built a feral cat shelter this weekend!

It all started when my lady spotted some black bowls around our apartment complex. She was pretty sure they weren't litter, and one evening she saw a black cat eating from one of the bowls! She wrote a note on her business card and taped it to the inside of the empty bowl.

The next day she got a very nice email from the person who was feeding the cat. We asked if we could help and she said yes! She had no idea that other people cared for outdoor cats, just like her. My lady told her all about Alley Cat Allies, and our new friend was so relieved to know she wasn't alone.

We told her we could help improve the life of this outdoor cat by getting him neutered. The lady was also worried about the cold winter coming, so we offered to build a shelter. That was our project this weekend!

Fortunately Alley Cat Allies has lots of shelter ideas and guidelines on their website. We picked one of the shelter options that looked like it would fit out needs best and got to work.

First we needed two bins, a big bin for the outside shell and a little bin just big enough for a cat to curl up and be cozy in.

Big bin, meet little bin!

We cut a 7" hole on one of the short sides of the big bin a few inches from the bottom. That would be the entrance for the cat. That size hole should be big enough for our tom cat, but should still keep out other critters like possums and raccoons. Next step was to cut a piece of insulating foam for the bottom of the big bin. That way any cold from the ground won't get in to make our cat chilly. Then we put the little bin inside the big bin.

Next step was to make a tunnel from the hole in the big bin through to the little bin. The instructions we read said to use some corrugated tubing, but we couldn't find one that was a big enough diameter, so we cut the bottom off a plastic pot. It worked great! When we put the pot through the hole in the big bin, we could measure how big we needed to make the hole in the little bin. When we cut everything, all the parts fit together perfectly and snugly.

You guys look GREAT together.

The next part was the messiest and MY favorite. My lady bought a big bale of straw and started shoving a bunch of it in all the open spaces. My fella also suggested we put some left over foam bits on the side. Straw was everywhere on our little apartment balcony!

Straw also went inside the little bin. That's where our cat will go to stay dry and warm. We put the lid on the little bin, and then put more straw on top and all over it before finally putting the top to the big bin on.

Looks cozy...

You can see the complete instructions for making a shelter like this on Spay and Stay's website. It wasn't too hard to make, and cost under $30. Pretty nifty, right?

After our shelter was built, we had to put it some place the cat could use it. The exact location is TOP SECRET so no one messes with it, but it's somewhere in the woods so it won't bother property management.

The field and woods by our apartment, lookin' down right wintery.

Ready for a cat to move in!

It may take our cat a little while to decide that the shelter we made is safe, and/or a better place to stay dry and warm than where he usually goes. We'll just have to keep an eye on it and see!

Gross Treat / Delicious Treat

2011-12-13T21:36:00.001-05:00

Any pooch will tell you, the best treats are the GROSSEST treats. Today one of my pals gave me a duck foot and it was exactly like it sounds. Most of the humans I know are vegetarian, so they'd never eat treats like that, but they do give them to me when they're from a store that specializes in humane, sustainable stuff. My lady didn't take a picture of the duck feet, but she DID take a picture of another treat we got from The Big Bad Woof:

Buffalo shank fillet - small.

I don't even KNOW what part of a buffalo this is, but it was a really different experience than the other treats that I've had. Some bits were chewy, some were soft, and some were kind of crunchy. It was like three treats in one!

And it wasn't too messy, which my lady appreciated. Treats don't last long around me--even ones for strong chewers!--and this treat was no exception. Definitely recommend it!

Welcome back, Christmas Tree!!

2011-12-05T21:36:00.000-05:00

Remember when I had a Christmas Tree last year? Well guess what, it's BACK!Okay, so it's not the exact some one, but I do really like it when an outside tree comes to live inside for a while. My favorite thing is sleeping right next to it. My people moved my bed there, just for that reason.

Someone put the Yule Log on TV!

This is a good time of year. I get lots of treats and toys, but best of all I get to visit family with my people and share in the good holiday spirit.

Does this mean I get a visit from Santa, too?

Oh hey, Firemen

2011-12-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the fire alarm goes off in our apartment building even though there's no fire! But the firemen always come and turn that annoying alarm off. I like when they come to visit because they're always nice to me, even though they've got a serious job to do.

Thanks, Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department! And all you firemen (and women!) out there!

A Big Walk Around Greenbelt Lake

2011-11-26T17:44:00.001-05:00

When I use to live in Greenbelt, my favorite thing was going for big long walks in the woods. There are lots of trees and nature in the old neighborhood. This weekend the people decided to take me on a big walk around the lake near where we use to live, so I could see and sniff some of the old familiar territory. Since we don't live in Greenbelt anymore, we had to drive to the park. When we got there I knew right where I was.

Plus, there was a sign.There were dogs and people out walking around the lake, but not too many. It was pretty nice out too! I wanted to stop and sniff all the things. But some things were off limits.

No peeing on this tree! It's protected.

But for the most part, the park was all for me! I could sniff the path, the grass, the rocks, the lake, other dogs, some people--it was basically sniffing and walking paradise.

We met a couple of dogs out on the path, but like the sign says, we were all on our leashes. That's not always the case when we're walking in the woods by our house. Of course, Greenbelt Lake Park is much bigger than our little park.

The path around Greenbelt Lake is something like two miles around, and we walked the whole thing. There was lots of stuff to check out on the way. There was event a few spots where we could stop and look out over the water.

Hellooooo Geese!

The paths were covered with little tiny rocks, but they were covered with leaves that had fallen from all the trees. It was very quiet in the those woods, walking on the soft leaves.

Everywhere we went there was nature, nature, nature. There's the big lake, and the smaller lake were things are extra smell-filled. I looked for ducks and turtles and beavers but I didn't see any.

On the big lake though there were plenty of things too look at along the walk. Not only were there other people and dogs walking, but there were squirrels and lots of different kinds of water birds.

It was a long morning walk, but it was really nice and peaceful. I didn't chase any of the animals, but I did try to play with some of the other dogs on their walks. It was a lot of good exercise, and fortunately there was a little water fountain on the trail that had a special spot for a dog bowl.

We only went once around the lake, but that was enough for me! After my drink of water we got back in the car and went home so I could snooze the rest of the day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-25T17:10:00.000-05:00

I'm going to skip ahead to the most important part of this story: I DIDN'T run all over Delaware this year! As you may remember, every Thanksgiving the people and I drive out to Delaware where my fella's giant family comes to celebrate. And almost every year a door gets left open and I RUN AWAY to gallop all over the golf course, fields, well manicured lawns, and other scenic features of Delaware. But this year my people were set on not letting that happen again!

After our big long drive to Delaware the first thing my lady did was take me on a walk around the neighborhood. Okay, actually the first thing I did was say hi to Maggie--the black lab that belongs to one of my fella's aunts. THEN I went on a walk. It was quite nice outside and the sun was at just the right part of the sky to make my shadow look big.

We walked around the neighborhood so I could see where everything was, and so I'd be a little tuckered out when I finally got into the house where all the action was. When we came back to where the people were there was a lot of greeting and hugging and chatting, but the thing I was mostly interested in was all the food!

There were three dogs total at the house: me, the black lab Maggie, and my fella's grandparents' dog Lucy, the spaniel. We all get along really great and we're all on the same page when it comes to Thanksgiving: look cute so you get scraps!

My fella's dad is the best one when it comes to giving scraps. When all the adults are getting food ready, he is usually cutting up the meat. So all we dogs have to do is be patient, and be in the right spot at the right time!

There are lots of things going on in the house for Thanksgiving. There's lots of food, and dogs, and grown-ups and KIDS! My favorite group are the younger girls who are about my height. They're always good for giving belly rubs. When they weren't giving me some scritches, they were busy playing--like doing art projects.

Helen, Maggie, and Rachel.

I was pretty busy, too. My lady was certain to take me on lots of walks so I wouldn't try to go out on a walk on my own. They have a big yard in Delaware, and behind it is a golf course and a playground. We went out to visit it several times so I could sniff the tall grass and look for critters.

Of course, being inside was just as busy as being outside! There are 10 aunts and uncles and lots of their children to go with them. So the house is always full of moving and chatting and all kinds of activity.

Me and Helen, scoping out the food situation in the kitchen.

My people kept my leash on the whole time so they could be sure where I was. That also meant I had to convince them to take me into the kitchen a lot, so I could supervise the food making. Whenever it was time to cut some meat, I was there to be the clean up crew in case anything was dropped (or thrown!)

When dinner was ready for the people, everyone found a place at the various tables set up around the house. Everyone had their plate of food. And my hero of the night, Uncle Alex, gave me me a big ol ham bone to nom on while everyone was eating.

It took me a while to chew all the good bits off the bone. I ate it next to my fella and lady, my fella's parents, and Uncle Alex and his family. After I was done my bone I came over to hang out with Helen who was getting some dinner from her parents--Uncle Alex and Aunt Sally. While the people weren't looking, Helen would hand me bits of food she didn't want to eat. Her fingers taste delicious!

My lady soon discovered out dinnertime arrangement, though. She gave Helen a napkin to wipe her hands off on, and Helen used the napkin to wipe my mouth for me afterward. She's a pretty considerate little girl!

After dinner there was desert, but I was too tuckered out to even notice. I had my REAL dog-food dinner and spent some time chilling out on the rug at the foot of the steps. But that time it was dark out, which made me feel even sleepier!

I think the people were starting to feel tired too, because before I knew it we were getting back in the car for the ride home. As soon as the door shut behind me I was curled up asleep in a little ball. I didn't stir the whole ride back, and when we got back to our apartment in Maryland we went to bed early. It was a good time, for sure.

Thanksgiving is the best time of year for being full and tired and happy!

Pumpkin OMNOMNOM

2011-11-19T20:30:00.001-05:00

There are a lot of pumpkin layin' around the office, so my lady though she'd see if I'd like to play with one. We took a video, so check out the results:

Featuring: Me, a pumpkin, some great grippy paw action, and wiggly eyebrows.

Autumn Walks

2011-11-05T12:44:00.000-04:00

I like walks anytime of the year, but especially in autumn. Nose to the ground, all the way!

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T13:54:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone has a great Halloween full of good Tricks and Treats!

Trick-or-Treat at the Office

2011-10-27T22:01:00.000-04:00

Today fellow Office Dog Baron and I came to work in our Halloween costumes! It's not Halloween quite yet, but we wanted to make sure that we both could trick-or-treat our office pals. Plus everyone's been working really hard, and it was time for a silly little break. That's the most important part of being an Office Dog--comedic relief!

For Halloween I am the Headless Horseman's mount. The headless horseman is sitting on a saddle on my back, ready to throw a pumpkin. I'm channeling my pony pal Gobie!

Plus I get to wear a sweet mohawk.

For Halloween Baron is Darth Vader. His person made his costume, which include a pocket for her ipod that played the imperial march as Baron walked around the office. It was pretty awesome!

Darth Vader? Try Dog Vader!

When Baron and I first saw each other in our costumes we lost our minds for a minute barking and chasing the other around. We could smell that we were still the same dogs, but the weird costumes made us feel pretty silly.

Just checkin' to make sure it's you, buddy!

What are you wearing, dude?

Once we settled down a little bit we got down to the important business of parading our costumed selves around the office for a little trick-or-treating!

C'mon Baron!

Let's get some treeeeeeeats!

Everyone came out of their cubicles to comes see how great we looked in our outfits. And Baron and I visited each person to see if they had any treats. Of course we get treats every day but this time we were workin' for it.

Oh hey, everybody!

We're pretty much professional treat solicitors, so Halloween is right up our alley. Check out how focused we are:

Trick-or-Treat!

We got treats all over the office. My favorite stop was to Donna's office. Baron and I both lined up by her desk and waited patiently. We were being soooo good.

Trick-or-treat, Donna!

Once we made the rounds it was back to work as usual. But that was fine by me because Trick-or-Treating is fun, but hard work.

Gooooood night!

EDIT: now you can feel like you were ACTUALLY THERE by watching this video!

Work It Work It Work It!

2011-10-20T20:12:00.000-04:00

I like to think of myself as a hands-on kind of dog. I like to read stuff on the internet for sure, but I also like getting in there and doing stuff. When it comes to learning about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return it's helpful to be able to see things in person, get some hands-on advice, and meet folks face-to-face who also care about helping cats. And guess what? There are workshops to help with that! They're called Helping Community Cats Workshops and they happen a couple times a month in lots of different cities. If there isn't one near you, Alley Cat Allies teaches you how to start your own complete with an outline, videos, and materials.

Recently I got to sit in on a couple Helping Community Cats Workshops in our office in Bethesda, MD. I learned a whole lot!

Everyone who came to the workshop got a bunch of materials to take home. There was an agenda of the workshop, door hangers to tell neighbors about Trap-Neuter-Return, brochures on how to get involved, a step-by-step Trap-Neuter-Return guide and other good stuff.

Plus a pen for taking notes!

Before all of our guests started showing up, I checked out the trap that was going to be used in the demonstration. I've seen a humane trap lots of times before, but every time I want to sniff them and check 'em out. The Office Cats are equally interested in these traps too!

So that's where the cats go, hm?

My pal Amanda was speaking as one of our Trap-Neuter-Return experts. She let me check out the examples of bait options: regular canned cat food, and stinky sardines. Office Cat Oliver had to check it out, too.

"Which bait do you like?" "The one that you open!"

Soon it was time for all of our visitors to show up. The Office Cats and I were the welcoming committee!

Oh hey you guys. Come on in!

Our first workshop was pretty small, but our second workshop had a lot of people show up! The cats and I were all very helpful.

Me and the cats hanging out.

Part of the workshop included watching some videos. The first video was Helping Community Cats, which is a good overview of what feral cats are and how you can help. The second video was How to Trap an Entire Colony which shows from start to finish the whole Trap-Neuter-Return process. And the last one was Community Relations, which talks about the very important job of communicating with neighbors about the cats. You can watch all of those videos online!

The ladies from Alley Cat Allies National Cat Help Desk were great presenters. Laura told everyone about Community Relations, and how it's important to talk to everyone in the community about the cats in the neighborhood. That's so you can coordinator efforts with the people who feed the cats, and help the cats be good neighbors to those folks who don't. That includes talking about humane deterrents--ways to keep cats out of areas where they aren't wanted.

Laura, explaining how to use deterrents, while Office Cat Oliver helps.

Amanda is one of our Trap-Neuter-Return experts, so she talked about how you plan for and carry out TNR. She demonstrated how to set a trap, using our pink TruCatch box trap.

First you put the paper in, then you put the bait in, then you set the trap and wait for cats! Right?

A lot of things were covered in the workshop, but the best thing about some in-person instruction is the Question and Answer session afterward. It's a great time to get some individual advice and attention about the cats that matter most to you--the ones in your neighborhood!There were lots of questions after the workshop was done.

But not from me! I was all tuckered out.

If you ever have a chance to get to a Helping Community Cats workshop you should go! They're really informative and a lot of fun.

Happy National Feral Cat Day!

2011-10-16T21:17:00.000-04:00

National Feral Cat Day is October 16 and every year it's celebrated as a time to bring awareness to feral cats, the issues that face them, and the millions of Americans that care for and about these special cats!

This year for National Feral Cat Day I shared information with my community as usual, but I also got to do something really special! For the first time ever, Alley Cat Allies hosted an Open House at their headquarters in Bethesda, MD, and because I'm and Office Dog there I got to come along!

On our way in to the office we saw one of the ways we got the word out about National Feral Cat Day this year: chalk stencils!

Follow that cat!

The stencils were all over the sidewalks by our office, and in a couple neighborhoods in the DC Metro area.

But the SURE way people knew they were in the right area for the Open House? Alley Cat Allies' mascot, Frank the Feral was out on the streets to greet them!

My what big FEET you have!

I have to tell you guys, the first time I saw Frank in our office I LOST MY MIND barking! I was pretty sure it was all up to me to protect everyone from this giant furry creature. But it turns out he was super nice and not going to eat everyone, so we become pals.

Inside the office there were delicious noms waiting for our guests. And because we're not just cat advocates at Alley Cat Allies, we're animal advocates, the food was all vegan so no animals were hurt.

I'll leave the food for the guests. I've got a treat stash!

A lot of people showed up! It was pretty great meeting everyone. I got to mill around and check everything out, and say hi to all the people. I even helped supervise some cat inspired doodling.

Make the tail longer!

I got to meet my twitter pal, Deena. She asked especially if I was going to be at the Open House! We got a picture together and I got some pretty sweet bellyrubs, too.

Yeah!! Bellyrubs!!

Did you know I'm pretty good about making small talk? It was pretty easy, though, because all of our visitors had really interesting things to say. The people talked about our work at Alley Cat Allies, the issues facing cats, tips about trapping and caregiving, and best of all, stories about the cats they care about.

Topic of discussion: What do you think about my fluffy butt-tufts?

You can see more photos taken at the Open House, including all of our sweet t-shirts, awards wall, and other stuff on Alley Cat Allies' Facebook photo album. It was a fun day of hanging out with our supporters celebrating National Feral Cat Day!

I have to admit, it was a pretty exciting day and I was tuckered out by the end of it. But I can't wait to do it again soon sometime.

G'night!

Mini Walk

2011-10-09T19:05:00.000-04:00

Today we went to HorseNet Horse Rescue's Mini Walk-A-Thon! HorseNet is a horse rescue in Maryland. They take in horses and ponies who have been abused or neglected or whose people can no long keep them. My person sometimes volunteers at the rescue, and that's where she met and adopted our rescue pony, Gobie!

The Mini Walk-A-Thon was at Watkins Park in Mt. Airy. The idea is you get people to sponsor you to walk a mile and a half and the money goes to helping the horses at the rescue. Plus, it's a lot of fun! I liked that people could bring their dogs to walk with the humans and the miniature horses.

When you walk, you also get a nifty t-shirt!

When we arrived at the park there was a horse trailer in the lot. We came over to sniff around and I could tell there were ponies in there. But mostly I was interested in trying to eat some of the hay sticking out of the bottom.

Can I come in you guys?

Once the ponies were out the trailer we came to where everyone was waiting for the walk to begin. My people let me meet the minis. I don't know if you remember or not, but when I met our pony Gobie it was PRETTY SCARY. I'm still pretty sure that horses are people and dog eating monsters of some kind. I was barking my head off, but soon the mini Pumpkin and I were bonding over something we have in common:

Eating GRASS!

Pumpkin was pretty patient with all the humans (even the very small ones) but she was not taking any guff from me. She not-so-politely told me to stop barking by swinging her butt in my direction! I got the hint!

Little kid meeting Pumpkin.

Once everyone was there and ready we went on our walk around the park. I figured out where we were going and started to lead the way.

Follow me, ponies.

There were two miniature ponies on the Walk-A-Thon: Pumpkin and Triumph. And there were three of us dogs!

We match! One golden brown dog, and pony. One dark brown dog, and pony.

In our travels we came across a dog park. It looked really nice! There weren't any other dogs in there, though, and we were on a mission so we kept right on walking.

Maybe we'll visit again one day?

We also came across a groundhog in the grass! He was really close to us, and just quietly watched all the dogs and humans and horses passed by.

Oh hey.

We passed a soccer field where a bunch of children were playing a game. A bunch of them ran up to greet the ponies and even some of us dogs. One kid who ran up to say hi was actually part of the soccer team, and had to rush back when it was her turn to play!

Come say hi, we're friendly!

Some of the kids were very tiny, and all the horses were very patient with them and their parents. It must be nice to meet a horse that's more your size. I know it made me less nervous for sure.

A wee person from the field petting Pumpkin.

Soon we were done with the walk and were back at our starting point at the picnic area. It was time to relax and get some lunch. I had some bits of cheese, and the people had some other stuff.

All smiles after the walk!

Mostly I wanted a big drink, and I got it thanks to my pal Juneau the dog and her person Amber. We had brought some water, but thank goodness they had a travel bowl. We took turns getting water, and spilling it on the floor.

AfterI got better acquainted with the other pony, Triumph. He and Pumpkin share a place at the bar in New Windsor. They're pretty cool pals. I'm still not sure about horses, but Triumph and I calmly checked each other out.

Triumph having a peek.

After lunch more people came up to say hi. This was a whole family of folks who wanted to know all about the horses. They were pretty excited to see them, and even took some pictures.

Pumpkin, loving the attention.

By the end of it we were all pretty tired, but also really happy. We raised some money to help the horses have more hay over the winter, and we let all kinds of new people see and learn about the horses and the rescue.

A job well done!

The people piled me into the car and I settled down happily for a looooong nap on the drive home. Tired naps are the best naps.

Goodnight!

Even if you missed the Mini Walk-A-Thon you can still get involved with the HorseNet Horse Rescue fun! They're having a Fall Festival on October 22nd at their barn in Mt. Airy. There will be ponies and pumpkins and things to eat and an auction and the whole bit. You should come!

Picture Day with Baron

2011-10-07T20:37:00.005-04:00

It was picture day at the office last Wednesday! Every so often we take some pictures of the staff, and other interesting things, in case we need to use them on the website or on printed materials. And also to get glamor shots of the Office Animals!

Naturally, I had to get a bath before picture day. It has been a while since I've had one, but my lady says I smell good always. I don't mind taking a bath either way, because I always get lots of treats. I also like drying off, because it means lots of pets.

And rubbing my face on the carpet!

My hair gets really crimpy when it's wet, and when I dry out after the bath my fur is very fluffy and soft.

Freshly bathed I was all ready to come in to the office for pictures. When we arrived I saw a big black dog a couple cubes down from us! It was Baron, one of the other Office Dogs! There are three Office Dogs at Alley Cat Allies right now: me, Tingy, and Baron. I had met Tingy already, but not Baron so this was a big day.

When I first saw him I barked at him! It was a surprise to see him there, even though my person had told me about him, because I haven't seen another big dog in the office since my pal Stackhouse. Our people took us out into the carpeted hallway so we could get acquainted without disturbing anyone.

Baron was really talkative out in the hallway, barking and trying to get me to play by bounding around and bowing. But I got pretty shy, and even though we ran around together a little it was soon back inside and down to business! After all, I have a pretty strict morning routine.

Once we were back in the office we were quiet and well behaved like two good dogs. Our people gave us some treats, and we both roamed around the office saying hi to everyone as usual.

Tingy was also in the office, and Baron had never met HER either. She and Baron went in the hallway like we had, but their meeting didn't go so well! Tingy went a little nuts and they both really noisy so I hightailed it outta there! The people decided that Tingy and Baron would have to say apart, but Baron and I could hang out no problem.

The rest of the day included the people running around like crazy getting pictures taken. Baron and Tingy and I even got a couple pictures taken, too! But we won't know how everything came out for a while.

Fortunately, my lady took a couple of pictures of Baron and me to tide you over!

We are good boys! Sitting for a treat.

Hanging out, like it's no big deal.

I'm not usually so comfortable having a dog lay down so close to me. But Baron and I are basically best friends now, so I didn't mind at all. I hope we get to hang out together again soon!

Birthday, SURPRISE!

2011-09-27T19:42:00.007-04:00

My birthday is September 26, and this year I turned 4 years-old!

On Monday I stayed home and snoozed on the couch, but Tuesday is a work day so I came in as usual. Even though the weather was kind of rainy and dreary, I was super excited and energetic--after all it was my first whole day of being 4!

After I had my breakfast, made the usual treat-rounds, and went on my morning walk, Ron the Office Manager came by my person's cube with a package. And guess what? It had MY NAME ON IT!

I LOVE getting mail!

It was really cool getting mail at the office. Everyone wanted to know what it was and who it was from. I knew right away--it was from my RainbowCats pals! I couldn't wait to open the package and see what they sent me, but I needed help from my person.

Open it open it open it!

The package smelled sooo interesting, I could tell that my cat pals from California had helped their person wrap it. Everyone stood around me as we pulled...

Presents! and a card!

My person read the card outloud. I was totally right! The presents were from my friends: RainbowCats Annie, Julie, Chin, Rocket, Zhaan, Daisy, Pom, and Freddie--plus Calliope and Orion the box turtles. I tried helping myself to opening the presents. They were wrapped in colorful firehouse dog wrapping paper.

I know what this is...

The present I opened was the BIGGEST BULLY STICK I had ever seen! It was huuuuuge you guys. I let my person open the second present because it had secret notes on it.

It says, "Yea Locks! Par-tay! Some to Share!"

Guess what? It was more treats! Three braided bully sticks that I can share with my pals at work. And who do you think showed up to check out all of my most excellent birthday excitement? Office Cat Jared!

He says, "Nice card. I heard these treats are for sharing."

You probably can tell that this was pretty much the best birthday OF ALL TIME. My person let me have my GINORMOUS bully stick at work. I took it right to my bed and started noming on it right there.

omnomnomnom

Thank you RainbowCats, box turtles, and people for such an excellent birthday surprise!

Hanging out with Carmen

2011-09-11T23:44:00.003-04:00

Carmen came over late Thursday Night because her people had to go to a wedding out of town. That's fine by me of course--I looove it when Carmen comes over! Carmen recently had surgery and she still has to wear a CONE so she won't bother her stitches. But her people like her a lot and got her a soft cone and she almost doesn't have to wear it anymore! Only when she's unsupervised. Anyway, we pretty much went right to bed after she arrived.

The next morning the people took us for a walk before going to work. We conspired against them and had NO POOPS! When we got back Carmen had to wear her cone and the people were PRETTY SURE by the time they came home she would be out of it. But guess what? We were both good ALL DAY.

On our evening walk we met some dogs off leash: Barney and Casper! I've met them before and they're off leash ALL the time. That's not something I endorse--it can be dangerous! Even if the dog off leash is friendly, they might get distracted, or meet another animal who is not friendly. But these dogs were friendly and Carmen and I are friendly, so we had a good sniffin' session.

Saturday morning we woke the people up because it was time for action! We had out breakfast and went for a good long walk. The people had some place to go, so Carmen and I partied with all our toys while they were out. They were back in no time, so we went on another walk.

I think they probably felt bad about leaving us home because we went to the best place of all time--the dog park!

There were even some dogs there, which was a big treat. Not just some dogs, a bunch of dogs! It was pretty busy and Carmen and I had a good time. There was even a policeman there with his dog! Going to the dog park is a pretty great end to the day, but there was more fun in store for us because next we went to The Big Bad Woof!

We'll just help ourselves!

The treats here never end!

We picked out a couple of treats to take home, plus some wet food for me. When we got back home it was time for dinner. Carmen has been eating a new kind of food since her recent visit to the vet. She wasn't real crazy about eating it at our house, probably because my food smelled SO AWESOME. Haha. But the people had the brilliant idea of mixing a little bit of my wet food in to Carmen's food.

Mine's on the left, her's is on the right!

With our bellies FULL OF FOOD it was time for bed. When Carmen first coming over over sleep overs she would sleep just outside the bedroom door. Then she started sleeping in the bedroom with us! Well guess what? This time she slept right next to me!

Best Friends, GOODNIGHT!

We let the people sleep in a little bit on Sunday, but when it was time to wake up we let them know about it.

It's MORNING!!

Wake up you guuuys!

Sunday was kind of a lazy day since we did all the things on Saturday. It was pretty nice outside so Carmen and I spent a lot of time hanging out on the porch.

Of course we also lazed around inside, too. Carmen and I are professionals at that! Also the best thing about being super good friends is that you don't have to be in each other's business all the time.

Me time, eating my foot!

Carmen time, cleaning her face like a cat!

We did do lots of playing! And we're a great team. We event went to the big field next to the apartment to look for bunnies and deer. We didn't find any, but we did search the place thoroughly!

Nothing over here! Let's keep looking!

Sunday evening Carmen's people came back to pick her up. She was glad to see her people and did a little dance! I walked them to the door when it was time for them to go, but then I ran to the balcony to watch them pile in the car for home. I was sad that Carmen was gone, but my people gave me lots of bellyrubs and that was pretty good too. Beside I know it's never long before I hang out with Carmen again!

National Feral Cat Day--in the mail!

2011-09-06T10:40:00.002-04:00

It finally arrived you guys! My National Feral Cat Day Starter Kit is here!

When you register an event for National Feral Cat Day you get a starter kit delivered in the mail. Since I work at Alley Cat Allies, all we had to do was check out mailbox at the office for our package.

A little help here?

We waited until we got home to open it, though. Even though it didn't technically have my name on it, my person let me do the honors.

I know this is for me, anyway!

There was a lot of stuff in the packet! Which is great because there's a lot of work to be done for educating people about stray and feral cats.

Makes sure everything is out of the envelope with a good SNIFF!

ALL THE THINGS!

Here were all the things included in the starter kit:

A letter from Alley Cat Allies President, Becky Robinson.
Merchandise Order Form
NFCD Art Poster
NFCD Event Poster
I Heart Feral Cats Buttons
National Feral Cat Day T-Shirt
Don't Call Animal Control Doorhangers
Get Involved Brochures
Feral Friends Card - be a resource or request a list
NFCD Stickers
Trap-Neuter-Return Truth Cards
Feral Cats Truth Cards
How to Live with Cats in Your Neighborhood Brochure

The great thing about these materials is that there are enough to share. So if you're planning on visiting your local community centers, libraries, pet shops, and other places where people go you'll have enough stuff to display and give out.

Some of the stuff in the starter kit you can buy online. But some things, like the National Feral Cat Day stickers, you can only get in the starter kit!

Very funny. Get that sticker off my head!

My favorite thing in the kit--besides the education materials of course--was the t-shirt! Technically this is a HUMAN shirt, but I think it fits me pretty well.

Pretty cool, you guys.

You can see the event I registered for National Feral Cat Day, here. Since I'm planning on giving materials to my vet, community center, library, and local pet stores all of this material is sure to come in handy. I can't wait for October 16th!

Let's go save some cats right now!

Hurricane Weekend

2011-08-28T21:54:00.007-04:00

This weekend Hurricane Irene wooshed up the East Coast of the United States, including over our house in Maryland! The News made a big deal about being prepared for a catastrophic event, but fortunately (for us at least) it was no big deal! There was flooding and lots of damages in other states but here it wasn't too bad. Here are some photo of my Hurricane weekend:

Saturday afternoon we stayed inside to wait for the Hurricane to come. I took a nap!

To prepare for the storm my people too everything off the balcony. That's my favorite hang-out spot so I was pretty sad to see it looking so naked.

It started to rain, but it was pretty quiet until it was night time. Then the rain and wind REALLY started pick up.

There are no pictures of the actual hurricane because it was DARK out. My people fed me early and took me out for a walk, but I was sad I couldn't go outside at my usual time (7pm!) because it was raining buckets. I convinced them to take me outside in the hurricane but then we came right back in because I realized it was crazy out there!

I usually get a little nervous in thunder and lightning storms, so my people were prepared and gave me a bone to stay busy with. I barely needed it, though because this storm wasn't scary to me at all.

I'll take a bone any time, whatever the weather!

We went to bed but woke up around 1am because the power was out. We knew because the noisy air conditioning shut off. From 1 to about 4 in the morning the power turned off and then back on and then off again over and over and over. It was pretty annoying especially because all the electronics and the alarm system for the apartment would all beep. It finally decided to STAY OFF at about 4am.

In the morning everything was quiet again and the storm was over. The first thing I did was go take a snooze on the balcony.

I missed you, balcony.

But something wasn't quiet right. Then my people put all the stuff back on the balcony and things were perfect!

Yea! this is more like it!

It was still pretty windy, but not rainy in the morning so we decided to go check things out and see if there was any damage around our apartment complex.

We didn't go in the woods, because it was still windy and we were sure there would be some fallen trees.

Instead we walked around the complex. Come on this way! Don't let those clouds frighten you!

We found a couple shingles from the roofs...

a bunch of leaves and branches and even some balloons...

But the craziest thing was a tree that had fallen on one of the cars in the parking lot!

Bummer!

It had just fallen on the one car, and actually it didn't look like it did too much damage--just broke off a side view mirror.

Since we had no power we decided to go on an adventure to a place that DID: The Big Bad Woof! There were some traffic lights out along the road, but my fella person navigated them expertly. When we got to the pet store I was happy to see all of my usual Woof friends.

I even talked my person into buying me those freeze dried treats that I sniff at every time we go in:

When we got home after our adventure I tried them out and they were very bit as delicious as I thought they were!

Gimme! Please?

By this time it wasn't windy at all so we decided to check out the woods behind our apartment. Just as we suspected there were leaves and branches and trees down everywhere!

Yikes!

Even so we got off pretty easily as far as hurricanes go. Even Gobie the pony was unfazed by the weather. We also heard that the Atlantic City Boardwalk Cats were okay, too! Other people (and animals) didn't have it so easy, but we're grateful that Irene was gentle on us at least.

Emergency Schmergency

2011-08-26T20:22:00.002-04:00

It's been an exciting week where I live in Maryland. On Tuesday we had an earthquake, which is usual for our area. And this weekend we're in the path of Hurricane Irene. That's a lot of severe weather and crazy nature for just seven days!

Before crazy things happen, it's important for every family--people and animals included--to have an emergency response plan. That way you're prepared to keep everyone safe no matter what the challenge is.

Here are some good emergency plan information...

My person was home with me when the earthquake hit, and even though it was a 5.8 magnitude neither of us were scared. My lady lived in San Francisco for a while and had been in an earthquake before! It didn't seem to last very long and our building is pretty new and sturdy. Nothing fell or broke or anything. We did go outside, though and got in the car which was away from anything that could fall on us. When it was all clear we went back inside.

We're not expecting too much from the hurricane this weekend, either, though we are prepared. We're far enough in land that we'll probably only get some rain and windiness. Even so, there's always the possibility of a power outage and things out of the ordinary can be stressful for humans and animals alike!

That's why we're thinking of things that will help keep us happy and calm, like:

Being prepared. Nothing keeps you less worried than being prepared! We've got food, water, non-electric lighting, important documents, and other stuff ready to go--just in case.
Favorite treats. My people like things like almonds and rice cakes and cookies. But I like things like freeze-dried cubes, duck strips, and kelp bits.
Something to keep you busy. For the people this means stuff like books and drawing and telling stories. For me this means plush toys or ropes, bones to chew on, and peanut butter in hollow toys.
Familiar comforts. We all like blankets, pillows, and stuff that smells like us!
Lots of attention. There's nothing more comforting that knowing we're all in this together. So that means there will be lots of cuddling and hanging out, and if we go anywhere it will be with each other!

I hear some people (and even animals!) have medicine to help them stay anxiety free. I've also read that some smells can help calm--from aroma therapies like lavender, to hormone collars like the one my pal Zelda wears. There are even some specific products for dogs who are nervous during stressful situations like thunderstorms.

What kind of comforts help you?

I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend!

Locksley's Treat Review

2011-08-24T20:38:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've done one of these, so I thought we were about due. Once again I'm doing the hard work of trying out some delicious treats, and reporting back to you on how good they are.

For this treat review I'm going two talk about two meat-free treats: Fruitables and Max and Ruffy's; and two meat-full treats: Pro-Treat Raw Naturals and Wolverine Tendon Chew.

1. Fruitables

The Fruitables flavor I had was Pumpkin and Cranberry, but they also come in pumpkin and blueberry, pumpkin and apple, pumpkin and banana, and sweet potato and pecan. This was one of our meat-free treats, something that my person is happy to share with me guilt-free. It's also a low calorie treat, which means my person is even MORE liberal in giving them. She's also a big fan of pumpkin and buys pretty much anything that has pumpkin in it. haha!

Fruitables don't contain stuff like wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors or preservatives. What they do contain is DELICIOUSNESS. My pumpkin and cranberry Fruitables contained only delicious things: pumpkin, organic oatmeal, pearled barley, potatoes, oat fiber, canola oil, brown sugar, cranberries, cinnamon and vanilla. It also has lots of vitamin A, beta carotene, and antioxidents.

The verdict: Fruitables is my favorite! I could eat these treats all day long. My person will even hide them in a toy so I can sniff them out and chow down which makes it extra fun. These are also our go-to treats when I'm learning new tricks.

2. Max and Ruffy's Butternut Squash and Kelp

These treats are really unique! I mean how often do you come across such a fascinating combination like butternut squash and kelp? Max and Ruffy also have other really interesting flavors like sweet potato and alfalfa, quinoa and pumpkin, and pizza, just to name a few.

These kelp treats have buckwheat flour, butternut squash, extra virgin olive oil, dried kelp and parsley.

This is another treat that my person gives me freely. For one, they're pretty tiny! And two, they're vegan so no animals were harmed in the making of these treats. They're also grain free, made from organic, human-grade ingredients, have no artificial coloring, additives or harmful preservatives AND they come in environmentally friendly packaging.

Gimme that bite-sized nom!

The verdict: I never turn them down, and I'm looking forward to trying some of their other flavors.

Now on to the meat treats!

3. Pro-Treat Raw Naturals Real Beef

You guys I like NEVER get treats that have beef in it unless it's some kind of chew. But these looked pretty good so we figured we'd try them. First of all, I'm a big fan of freeze-dried treats in general. They usually have very few ingredients which makes them extra tasty. They also turn to mush in your mouth which is a lot of fun!

These freeze-dried treats actually DO have more than one ingredient in them. The flavor I tried had beef, blueberries, cranberries, broccoli, salmon oil, ginger, and parsley. But they also have a chicken, and turkey flavors with other stuff in it. They've also got antioxidants and omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, but no fillers or artificial ingredients. They're also MADE IN THE USA.

The verdict: Love them!! They're a big hit with the other office dogs, too. My person actually did a taste test where she laid out four different treats for me to choose from and I picked this treat first! My person is bummed out that they're not organic, or made from happy cows, but now that we know I like these a lot we are going to shop around for some more animal and health conscious varieties.

4. Wolverine Tendon Chew

WHOA right? What a name! We got this from a trip to The Big Bad Woof. It's not actually from a wolverine--I think it's a tendon from a cow. We're always on the look out for a chew that will keep me busy for longer than two seconds and this looked like a pretty good bet.

When I first saw it I new I wanted it! And when my person finally gave it to me I snuck off with it, so I could eat it in my den underneath the work table.

Going in for the nom!

The verdict: It was delicious but it didn't last me any longer than any of the other chews I've tried. What can I say, I'm super efficient (and kind of a piggy). The texture was novel, and I'd definitely like to have it again!

The end! I hope you found this treat review helpful and run out to try some of these yummy noms yourself.

The Cats of Kabul

2011-08-17T19:40:00.002-04:00

You guys, I'm pretty proud of Alley Cat Allies. We do good work every day to help improve the lives of cats everywhere. But I'm especially proud of what we're doing for cats in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Recently the Washington Post had an article about some issues the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan was facing. It wasn't about the war, it was about cats! Like many places all over the world the Embassy has outdoor cats that live right along side humans, just as cats have done for 10,000 years. These cats aren't indoor pets, but they do provide a lot of comfort to the people who work at the Embassy. Imagine being hundreds of thousands of miles away from home, in a strange and stressful environment, and having one small familiar solace: the company of a cat.

That's what it's like for the people at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. And the problem facing the authorities there is what to do about the cats. Some people worry the cats are a public health concern. There have been talks of relocating, or even exterminating the cats.

But Alley Cat Allies contacted the U.S. Embassy with their expert information! You can read the press release about it. Including scientific information about how cats who live outdoors don't pose a public health risk, and the effective, humane approach of Trap-Neuter-Return.

There are lots of scientific, logical reasons to keep the cats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. But I think the most convincing argument lies in the important bond between the cats and the humans who care for them. If you're not convinced, look at these super cute photos of soldiers and cats. My favorites:

A New Woof!

2011-08-13T16:20:00.000-04:00

Exciting news everyone! We just checked out a new pet store in our neighborhood. You may remember that visiting pet stores is one of my favorite things because a) I like going anywhere with my people b) there are usually people and other animals to play with c) there are a zillion interesting things to sniff and d) I usually get something pretty great!

Anyway, our friend had told us about this place called The Big Bad Woof, but we never went because it was all the way in Takoma Park. BUT a new one just moved practically down the street from us. So we had to check it out, of course!

The first thing you should probably know is that their motto is: Essentials for the Socially Conscious Pet. That means it's full of stuff that is organic, recyclable, and not tested on animals.

The second thing you should know is that there's a red hydrant in front of their store!

That's how you know you're here! (I didn't pee on it, either)

They are just opening so all the shelves weren't stocked, but even so there was a lot of stuff in there! It was a big store. And there was a big bathtub full of toys! My people took me around the whole store so I could sniff things before we got down to the business of BUYING stuff.

Our first stop was the food section, which is my favorite. They had lots of bags and cans of dog food and even freezers full of frozen raw meat. It was pretty impressive! There were also loads of treats all over the place.

I tried picking out my own treat by knocking stuff off the pegs. But my people put them back. Booooo...

When we were done checking out the food stuff I got a chance to check out the rest of the store: nice smelly shampoo, vitamins and other supplements, toys and toys, beds, and collars and leashes.

Sniff sniff sniff sniff!!

Not only were there so many things there, but there were a lot of people around too! I got lots of attention from the store clerks and from the other customers.

Oh man! Pets and pets!

Not only did I get lots of pets, but I also got treats, too. There were cookies at the register, but I got snacks from some of people in the store. Pretty much confirming that this was going to be my new favorite place.

It wasn't all just sniffing and petting and complimentary treats! We actually came to the store to get some stuff. I've been super itchy lately, so my people wanted to find something gentle and natural that could help. So we got:

Pal Dog Daily Formula Freshen-Up Spray
Go! Natural Salmon and Oatmeal dry dog food
Wolverine Tendon Chews

Okay so that last one isn't for itchiness! It something for me to chew on. We had never seen one before so we thought we'd better give it a try.

The Freshen-Up Spray is for the itchiness, though. We were looking for some kind of leave-in conditioner and this is what we ended up with. It's got water, aloe, calendula, chamomile, sweet almond and white tea extracts, rice and oat proteins, pro-vitamin B5, lavender and rosemary essential oils and NO parabens or alcohol. It's also cruelty free!

The shop clerk also recommended giving me new food. We're pretty sure the problem is dry skin, but they offered a free sample so we said SURE! The new food is salmon and is supposed to be super good because it have novel protein, essential omega oils, and tasty stuff.

I can wait to try all of our new stuff! But I also can't wait to go back again for more pets, sniffs, and treats.

Saving Cats!

2011-08-11T20:52:00.000-04:00

You guys, I'm really proud of all the work we do at Alley Cat Allies. We've been doing a lot of work in a town called Monessen in Pennsylvania. Like too many cities in the United States, Monessen decided that trap-and-kill was the way to address the feral cats in their community. Despite public outcry, the town went ahead with passing an ordinance that was bad for cats.

Fortunately Alley Cat Allies was able to come in and help the resident people and felines. This weekend some of our staff went to Monessen to help conduct a Trap-Neuter-Return effort! Before they left, I got to help pack the van full of stuff they would need.

I'm a great supervisor!

There were a bunch of of people making sure we had everything we needed: traps, blankets, educational materials and more! If you look closely, you can see that President Becky Robinson was helping load traps into the van. Talk about hands-on! haha!

It was pretty interesting watching everyone do what they do, and work together. I wanted to get in on the helping, too.

Is there room for me?

I thought they might let me got help trap cats in Monessen if I jumped in the van, but they said I had to stay in the office. Maybe next time!

You can see pictures from Alley Cat Allies' trips to Monessen (including this one!) on Facebook.

Happy Birthday, Frank and Bella!

2011-07-31T11:13:00.001-04:00

Last night my people went to a birthday party for Frank and Bella, Stackhouse's cat friends. I didn't go, but it sounded like it was a super fun time with lots of noms within stealing range. It's a good thing Stackhouse is such a good dog--he didn't steal any food! I would've given myself a bellyache.

Happy Birthday Frank and Bella!

Even though I didn't get to go, Stackhouse's person Elizabeth thought of me. She's so nice! She made a party goodie bag so I could feel part of the fun. My people got home pretty late, but I stayed up to wait for them an instantly knew that bag was for me.

Can I open it, please?

There's something good in here, I can tell!!

You guys, there were treats in there! Some chicken strips that have special things in them that are good for your hips and joints, and a chew-a-bull bone.

These look delicious!

Of course I wanted to eat these yummy treats RIGHT THERE but my person said it was time for bed and I'd have to wait to eat them in the morning.

AW come OooOoN!

Don't worry, you'll be relieved to know that I did get a treat this morning as promised and they were every bit as good as I remember. Now that Elizabeth and Stackhouse don't work at the office anymore I miss them a bunch, but I'm really glad they're still my friends :)

It's a Celebration!

2011-07-27T22:17:00.000-04:00

Good new everyone! Samson is officially ADOPTED by our friends Corrine and Paul. To celebrate we went to Fat Boy's Crab shack for lunch and then to the Dog Beach at Downs Park.

Samson gets lots of attentions where ever he goes, and the crab shack was no exception. We got a bowl of ice water, and the people even dropped some stuff for us to eat! It was pretty great but soon we were ready for the main event: The Dog Beach!

It's this way, I'm pretty sure.

We've never been to this dog beach before, but Samson and his people have. So we just followed them there.

Plus, they had these handy dog prints on the trail.

The dog beach was awesome! We got a spot in the shade under a tree. There were a bunch of other dogs there, too. After I sniffed around a little, I jumped right in the water!

You roll up your shorts, I'll go for a swim!

Okay, so I was actually casing the place for an escape route. If you recall, I'm pretty good at running away. I'm always looking for an exit, you guys! And that's why my people don't let me go off leash. So while I was at the dog beach my lovely leash holder and assist was my lady person:

Thank you, Vanna White!

Samson, on the other hand, is a mellow dude who's happy to hang out with the people in the shade. That's classic Newfoundland! But what's not classic Newfie? Samson didn't seem to care that much about the water. He went in a couple times...

See? He got his feet wet. Now back to the shore!

But that's cool. Because the best thing about coming in from a swim in the epic shake-off that comes after!

Drool everywhere!

Me too, dude!

Another great thing about the beach? There were things on the ground everywhere! Rocks and driftwood and the most interesting thing ever: a dead crab.

Truly, a great find.

My person found the dead crab in the beach grass and knew I'd appreciate it so she gave it to me by the shore. The other dogs were interested in it too and we all regarded it with excited caution. Should we try to touch it? Would it bite us?! Can we vanquish the evil shore monster?!

Eee! I don't know but it's fun!

We pretty much took care of the crab and realized that playing with other dogs was way better. After all, that's what a dog park is for, right?

A circle of dog fun!

Even Samson got in on the playtime. He chased some of the other dogs around and made sure no one was getting picked on. He also tried to play with some of the smaller dogs, who were a little unsure about his massiveness.

I'm super nice, I promise!

Some of the dogs would play fetch. Their people would toss some drift wood in the water, and they would swim out and get it. Some dogs just played chase on the beach. But we all enjoyed laying down in the cool sand.

haha! And rolling in it? Amateurs!

But I liked hanging out with Samson the most. After all, we're pretty good buddies like that.

Let's go get sand on your lady!

When I wasn't playing on the beach, I was taking a swim and doing my very best impersonation of the Loch Ness Monster.

Mysterious! Legendary! Locksley Dog!!

I also tried to climb on the rocks. Some of them were totally underwater, so when I stood on them it looked like I was magically hovering. But most of them were out of the water, building up the beach. My lady person was a little nervous about me climbing on them...

Whatever! This is perfectly safe.

But that's okay. Swimming was super fun, but so was lazing around on the beach. Samson is a pro at that.

I got this. I'm a professional.

Me, on the other hand, I had to make sure I got good and tuckered out before settling down. But some butt scratches helped.

Butt scratches, for the win!

After a little while we finally started to get tired. And that was cool, because we had that great spot under the tree in the shade.

Plus, we're crashing Corinne and Paul's schmooping party!

It was such a nice day we could have stayed at the doggie beach all day. The weather was perfect, the other dogs were friendly and fun, and our human company was excellent. But soon we had to go home, wet paws and all.

Can you guess which prints are mine and which are Samson's?

Bye!!

It was a great visit to the doggie beach and a fitting celebration of Samson's adoption. I'm glad that he's now officially part of the family, but we felt like he was right from the beginning.

Sleep-over with Carmen

2011-07-26T20:36:00.000-04:00

My people like going on vacation with me, but recently they decided to do an overnight trip to Philadelphia by themselves. Since they got me, they've only been on vacation without me one other time, and that was their Honeymoon! So this was the first time in a long time that they would be on their own, without me to keep them company.

I got to have a sleep-over with Carmen while they were away and it was super fun! As you know, Carmen has hung out at my house a bunch. So it was pretty cool to go to her house.

My lady got me ready for the sleep-over. She packed my food, including treats to share, and some other goodies like my favorite toys.

A complete overnight bag, wouldn't you say?

I knew something was up immediately and danced by the door until we were ready to go see Carmen and her people.

I'm ready! Let's go!

When we got there, Carmen and I were so excited to see each other! Carmen even danced around on her hind feet like a circus dog. The people chatted about what they brought (including my bed from home!) and their vacation. Before they left for their journey, my people gave Carmen and me each a treat.

Om nom nom! See ya later, people! Come back safe!

I'm not going to lie, I did miss my people a little bit. But I had lots to do at Carmen's house:

Carmen and I played chase in the yard.
Zelda the cat gave me the evil eye!
I met a bunch of the neighborhood dogs and wanted to play with EVERYBODY.
I protected the house by barking my head off when the mail man put mail thru the door slot.
I met Carmen's lady person's grandmother.
Watching TEEN MOM and other quality TV.

And of course there was lots of relaxing.

Yeeeaaahh bellyrubs!

Watching TV, being photogenic.

And Carmen, relaxing by trying out my bed.

You can probably tell I had a pretty great time. When my people came to pick me up I was glad to see them, though. Carmen was too! When my lady person sat down Carmen put her paws on her knees and stared deeply and sincerely in her eyes. She said, "Can you please leave and come back a little later? We're not quite done playing yet."

Fortunately, my people decided to hang out for a little bit so we had a few more minutes of hang-out time. Even so, when I got my leash on to go, Carmen sat right down on the other end so I couldn't go anywhere! All the people agreed that we'd have to spend time together again, soon.

Taking Action for Animals 2011

2011-07-20T18:49:00.000-04:00

Last weekend my person went to the Taking Action for Animals 2011 Conference in Washington, DC. I like conferences, especially when they're about how you can help animals. I couldn't go, but she told me all about it and brought home some goodies for me to check out!

Check out all my cool stuff you guys.

Taking Action For Animals is a conference put on by The Humane Society of the United States to help inform and educate people who work in the animal advocacy sector. There's workshops, speakers, and an exhibit hall full of groups representing their causes.

Alley Cat Allies was there:

Which is where I work as Office Dog and advocate for stray and feral cats. In fact, we're the ONLY national organization dedicated to the protection and humane care of cats. So representing cats at conferences like these is important work--even though we obviously have a good time at it!

My pals from the American Anti-Vivisection Society were there too:

Their important work includes working to end testing on animals and oppose all forms of animal cruelty. You may be surprised to know that dogs, cats, rats and lots of other animals are used for experiments when better, humane alternatives exist. They also support compassionate shopping through the Leaping Bunny program. We donate to AAVS when Nooches died, and we make sure to check our purchases for the Leaping Bunny logo!

You know who else was there? Animals and Society Institute:

We love ASI because they're smarties. They promote the study of human-animal relationships, figure out ways to stop the cycle of violence between animal cruelty and human abuse, and promote animal protection laws. Thank goodness they're around to figure this stuff out!

My person was pretty impressed with all the horsey stuff at this conference, too. The Humane Society had its own horse issue booth:

And several of the workshops talked about horse-related stuff. Ponies are near and dear to my family since we adopted Gobie, the rescue pony. In fact, our pals from HorseNet Horse Rescue were there as attendees! Conferences like these are great ways for nonprofits and rescues to learn and network.

There's HorseNet's business card on the message board!

All that learning and networking is great, ff course, but what's a conference without great swag? This conference had plenty!!

There were bumper stickers and buttons...

This one was my favorite. Though I may need a "Real DOGS advocate for cats" one...

bags, t-shirts and magnets...

delicious vegan noms...

and books. Like this one, geared toward teaching compassion for animals to children:

We're going to buy a bunch for my person's mom, who owns and operates an early learning center!

When my person came home from the conference I was super excited to check out all the cool things she picked up.

All of this looks great!

She told me all about the workshops she went to about social media, Facebook advocacy, and outreach to under-served communities. She also told me there were some dogs there and I was SUPER jealous. I wish I could've gone with her!

Oh hey! I found some Alley Cat Allies materials in here!

But she did pick up some vegan dog food for me as a consolation. Dogs are naturally omnivores, meaning we eat all kinds of stuff including both meat and vegetables (and paper towels, and yogurt lids, and seat belts...) but V-Dog makes vegan dog food.

That means there are NO animal products in it.

This isn't the first time I've had vegan dog food. My person brought some back to me after the Animal Rights Conference last year. I sniffed it out right away and wanted to eat some!

Using hypnosis to compel her to give it to me...

I gobbled it up right away and was looking for more. I'm a fan of this treat, especially since no animals were hurt to make it.

And that's the whole point of animal advocacy. Making things better for animals--whether they're furred, feathered, scaled, hooved, or whatever! I'm glad so many people are looking out for us because there's a lot to be done for animal rights, advocacy and protect.

National Feral Cat Day is October 16!

2011-07-18T15:33:00.000-04:00

National Feral Cat Day is October 16! It's the perfect time of year to really get out there and help stray and feral cats. There are lots of ways to help cats, all you have to do is pick one and do it!

This year I'm going to be promoting the issues affecting stray and feral cats by blogging and social networking as usual. But I'm also going to visit my local library, boutique pet stores, vet office and community centers to share information on feral cats and how to help.

If you need some inspiration on what to do for National Feral Cat Day this year, visit Alley Cat Allies' website. They have lots of ideas and the materials to get you started including how to conduct a Trap-Neuter-Return effort, plans for posting an educational cat-themed movie night, and more. You can also show your support by wearing National Feral Cat Day stuff.

Then be sure to register your event! That way everyone will know what you are doing to help cats all across the nation.

The goal this year is to have events for cats in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. With your help, I know we'll make it!

You can help improve the lives of cats!

2011-07-15T17:30:00.000-04:00

Guess what? You can do something to help improve the lives of cats today. Like RIGHT NOW!

If there are stray or feral cats where you live you can:
Conduct Trap-Neuter-Return.
Become a colony caregiver by providing food, shelter, and water.
Help cats and people co-exist through community relations.

If you don't know any outdoor cats you can:
Learn about issues facing feral cats at http://www.alleycat.org.
Write an editorial for your local paper.
Distribute educational materials in your community.
Advocate on behalf of cats.
Promote feline friendly practices at your local pound or shelter.

You can also stay in the loop about feral cat issues by following Alley Cat Allies on Facebook or Twitter and support their work by donating.

Together we can make the world a better place to live, for cats, people and all animals!

And don't we all deserve to be SO HAPPY?

What's best for outdoor cats (and the communities where they live!)

2011-07-14T16:43:00.000-04:00

You guys, some people don't like cats. I know it's pretty impossible to imagine. After all, who hasn't chuckled at a LOLcat? or who couldn't say "awww!" to this?:

But it's true. And what's even weirder, is that some people like pet cats but not feral cats. I like to think it's not because these people are big meanies, but it's because they don't understand that stray and feral cats need a different kind of care.

So what's best for outdoor cats AND the communities where they live? First thing's first:

NOT pounds or shelters.
Whaaaat?! That sounds crazy, right? After all pounds and shelters say they're there to protect cats and dogs. But most pounds and shelters don't live up to that message. I hate to tell you this, but every day dogs and cats are killed at pounds and shelters. And it's not because there are "too many" of us. It's because the system is wrong.

It's especially hard on cats. Did you know that 70% of cats that enter our nation's pounds and shelters are killed? That's a LOT. And what's even worse is nearly ALL feral cats that end up in shelters are killed because they are considered "unadoptable" since they're unsocialized to humans. These healthy cats aren't euthanized, they're killed for no good reason. Even shelters that say they are "no kill" will sometimes kill feral cats because they are unadoptable.

Trap-Neuter-Return is the humane, effective approach to feral cats.
Fortunately, there is a way to save the lives of feral cats. It's called Trap-Neuter-Return and it's been going on in Europe for decades and is also proving effective here in the US. The name tells you how it works:

Trap.
Outdoor cats are trapped in humane box traps.
Neuter.
The trapped cats are taken to a vet where they are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped.
Return.
Once they've recovered from surgery the cats are returned to their outdoor homes.

See for yourself:

Alley Cat Allies has a step-by-step guide on How to Conduct Trap-Neuter-Return.

Once cats have been TNR'd, people who care for the cats can continue feeding them and monitoring the colony. This works so well because it keeps cats from reproducing, and unlike removing the cats, keeps from creating a void in the environment and inviting other--possibly un-neutered--cats from filling the vacuum.

Cats that are cared for make good neighbors.
How is all of this good for the communities where cats live? Trap-Neuter-Return reduces annoying behaviors associated with mating like yowling, fighting and spraying. It also makes sure no new kittens are born, which means the population of cats already in the community will stabilize. Trap-Neuter-Return is also more effective than catching and removing or killing the cats, because of The Vacuum Effect.

People who care for cats can be great neighbors, too. They can share humane deterrent ideas for keeping cats out of areas where they're not wanted. And as the cats' PR firm, they can help with community relations.

When you get right down to it, being compassionate towards cats is good for the animals and for the people. Neighborhoods can be brought together--banding together to find humane approaches to cats, and improving their community while they're at it. And fortunately Alley Cat Allies is there to help along the way.

What's a feral cat?

2011-07-13T15:51:00.000-04:00

You guys, I'm not a cat expert. In fact, I find cats are pretty mysterious creatures. I try to understand them but some of their behavior is pretty baffling. Like why do they get all puffy when they see me? How come Office Cat Charles likes to beat me up for no good reason? And why won't they ever let me sniff their butts?

But I DO know some things about cats at live outdoors. I've learned a lot about them since coming to work at Alley Cat Allies.

Cats having been living along side humans for thousands of years.
About 10,000 years ago cats decided that living near human beings was a pretty good idea. We know this because the skeleton of cats have been found next to the skeletons of humans way back when. The theory is that when humans started growing and storing food it attracted mice and that attracted cats. So early on cats thought, "oh hey, if I hang out near people there's a supply of food." Cats came and went as they pleased. Then humans probably realized that cats were pretty helpful, and super cute, and their relationship blossomed from eating mice to getting ear scritches to sleeping on beds.

It's okay. I'm pretty sure she's only sleeping.

Cats started living indoors only recently.
Cats continued to be helpful to people and soon the most people-friendly cats were sharing close quarters with people. But they still were independent, hanging out indoors with people but going outdoors whenever they liked. It wasn't until they invented kitty litter in the 1950s that cats could be kept indoors full-time.

Ye olden time litter.

Feral cats live healthy lives in their outdoor homes.
Because they've been a part of the outdoor landscape all over the world, feral cats live healthy lives outdoors. They aren't any more likely to get sick or carry diseases than cats who live indoors. What's more, humans aren't in danger of getting sick from outdoor cats, either. In fact, you're more likely to catch a cold from someone standing in the grocery line than a cat who lives outside.

Looks like this healthy cat could bench press a thousand!

Cats who live outdoors aren't abandoned pets.
It's true that some cats who you might see outdoors are pet cats out for a stroll, or cats that have been abandoned by their previous owners. But there is a whole population of cats who have been living outdoors their WHOLE LIVES. There are even cats who were born to parents who had live outside their whole lives, too. Generations, and generations of cats who--although they're part of the domestic cat species--have never lived with or have been socialized to humans. It's pretty amazing to think about!

Feral cats are unsocialized to humans. That means they want nothing to do with people, even though they may live close to where humans are. See what makes feral cats different from stray and pet cats:

If you can touch a cat that your see outdoors, it's NOT a feral cat. If a feral cat sees a human, they usually high-tail it outta there! A stray cat may be interested in you and stick around, and with some time, it may even come up to you and rub around your legs. It can be a little tricky figuring out whether a cat outdoors is stray or feral, but Alley Cat Allies has an illustrated guide to help you figure it out.

Regardless of how socialized a cat is humans, they all deserve to live out their lives peacefully. Just because an animal doesn't want to be around humans, doesn't mean it deserves to die. Unfortunately that's what happens to feral cats when they are trapped and taken to the shelter. They can be perfectly healthy but killed because they are considered unadoptable. That's no way to treat an animal that's had such a close relationship to humans for thousands of years!

Alley Cat Allies on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart!

2011-07-12T19:49:00.000-04:00

Exciting news, everyone! Alley Cat Allies was on a Daily Show segment on Monday night. Way back in June they came to our office to film. It was great having guests, and I tried to make friends with all of our new visitors.

The story was about birds and cats, and I think we did a good job of telling people that humans--not cats--are responsible for wildlife decline.

While I didn't get any camera time, Office Cat Jared did! I wonder if now that he's a big TV star he'll start asking for caviar?

Watch the segment below!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Sophie's Choice - Cats Vs. Birds

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Learn more about cats, wildlife and the environment.

This Dog's for Cats!

2011-07-11T18:47:00.000-04:00

I know, it's a little weird--you'd think that if a dog were going to advocate for something it would be a cause strictly "for the dogs." But not me, you guys. I'm a dog that works for cats!

It all started when my person came to work at Alley Cat Allies. She makes the internet for them! And lucky for me I get to come to work with her whenever I want. If you follow me on Twitter you know my regular go-to-work days are Tuesday and Thursday. The rest of the time I stay home and sleep on the couch. haha!

However, I take going to work pretty seriously. I perform valuable services for my co-workers like:

Making sure they take much needed breaks by sneaking into their workspaces for pets, or soliciting bellyrubs in the hallway.
Graciously letting the office cats sleep on my bed
Serving as the hallway "speed bump" by sleeping in the middle of the floor
Alerting everyone when a package is dropped off (also known as the 4pm bark)
Giving valuable input during meetings ("arf!" "yaaaaawn" "itchitchitchitch")
Keeping the meeting rooms well ventilated by asking to go out, and then come back (repeat as necessary)
Helping the Office Cats clean their plates if the kitchen door is left open or if a bowl of food is on the floor
Providing psychological services, such as secret keeping, cuddling, and private council sessions
...etc!

And I also help directly advocate for cats by:

Having my face on our mugs and t-shirts
Getting the word out about stray and feral cat issues on social media networks
Appearing in our weekly LOLcats
Generally serving as a furry ambassador for cats

But it's just not the great workplace and committed person that keeps me advocating for stray cats. Not only was I once a stray myself, but stray and feral cats especially get a really bad rap. For instance, some say cats are okay, but only if they're indoors. Nevermind the sobering statistic that 70% of all cats who enter US pounds and shelters are killed, and that nearly ALL feral cats are killed. I believe if we can make things better for stray and feral cats--one of the most maligned and misunderstood animals around--we make things better for all animals. And humans, too!

That's why this week I'll be talking all about cats. Hopefully I'll be able to clear up some misconceptions about cats outdoors, and together we can help improve the lives of cats everywhere!

Carmen comes for a visit

2011-07-10T11:20:00.000-04:00

This weekend my best friend Carmen came for a visit! Her person Sandy is in Las Vegas for a wedding and her other person Chris is working TOO MUCH so Carmen came to sleep over my house. We're always glad when Carmen gets to stay over because she's the beeeeeeest!!!

When her person came to drop her off he brought her blanket and toy and food. Usually Carmen brings a bed but she says BEDS are OUT and blankies are IN! I had to play with her stuff to make sure they were okay.

You're right, blankets ARE pretty great!

Carmen found my long-lost bone to play with while I was checking our her stuff. We're pretty great at sharing.

Om nom nom!

I was so glad Carmen was here for a visit I had to roll over on my back and wiggling around making crazy noises.

Yaaaay!!!

It was a pretty exciting evening so soon Carmen and I were both conked out right next to each other.

Good night!

In the morning we used teamwork to wake the people up. We stared at them from the foot of the bed until we saw their eyes open a little. Then Carmen bugged my fella, and I bugged my lady on either side of the bed until they got up.

Carmen was so excited they were up and going to give us breakfast that she was jumping up and twirling in the air! It was pretty impressive.

After our morning noms we went to the dog park. There were two dogs there, but then they left so Carmen and I had the place to ourselves:

This is mostly what we do at the park: SNIFFIN'

LOTS OF SNIFFIN'

Carmen loves under the bench.

I can't fit under the bench. Harumph!

But, true love isn't separated by benches OR fences! Right, Carmen?

We were pretty lazy at the park though because it was hot. The people brought us water to drink, but there was also tree shade and cool dirt.

And a nice breeze!

Carmen dug a little hole in the dirt so she could lie down. That's her favorite! What isn't her favorite? Too many pictures!

Givin' the stink eye.

Fortunately, she has a heroic dog like me around. I tried to keep the people from taking too many photos of her while she relaxed in the dirt.

I'll shield you from photos, Carmen.

After we were done with the dog park we took a visit to Petsmart. My favorite employee, Miss Lucy, was there. The people got some duck treats and new kind of treat and when we checked out Miss Lucy gave me and Carmen some milk bone snacks!

Back at home we lazed around the house in the air conditioning until it was time for dinner. We usually eat diner right next to each other. Some dogs don't like that but we're best friends and aren't worried about the other stealing our food.

Om nom nom!!

Before you knew it, it was time for the evening walk! We went to the park behind our apartment to walk in the woods. Carmen and I are both big fans of the woods because there are so many interesting things to smell. Sometimes Carmen catches a wiff of a deer or a bunny and goes into crazy Roo'ing mode, but this time she didn't.

We walked side by side like a team!

At bed time Carmen usually sleeps just outside of the bed room door. But last night she slept at the foot of the bed and I slept on the floor on my lady's side of the bed. We were one big pack!

In the morning I had a good cuddle with my people on the bed. When they were ready to get up they said "Good morning!" to Carmen and she yawned and whine-woofed a Good Morning back! She was super excited to get the day started so we gobbled our breakfast up.

On the morning walk we conspired against the people and had no poops! Instead, we just enjoyed the walk around the woods and peed on everything.

It was even hotter today than it was yesterday so back in the house we alternated sleeping on the balcony, and snoozing in the air conditioning.

Smoochin' on the balcony!

Lazy times in the air conditioning!

It was pretty exciting when Carmen's fella came to pick her up. I was barking my head off and Carmen was dancing around. I sat right in front of the door because I was pretty sure that Carmen was going to go someplace without me. But my people gave me a consolation treat when she left and promised that we'd get to hang out again soon.

The Fourth of July is about Freedom, Right?

2011-07-04T21:49:00.000-04:00

We visited my fella person's grandparents for The Fourth of July. They live in Delaware and although the car trip there is kind of long, I like going because there are always lots of food and kids who will give me belly rubs!

There are also lots of other dogs there. Not everyone feels the same way about dogs, so it's really nice to have a family that likes having you around! My fella's grandparents have a black-and-white spaniel named Lucy. She's kind of old and was a rescue dog. And one of my fella's many cousins have a dog named Maggie. She's younger and a black lab mix and she always tries to get me to play.

She's like, "C'mon you lazy dog!"

I've been pretty good about being off leash for small amounts of time in controlled situations, so my people let me drag my leash around in the backyard even though it wasn't fenced. I was happy to stay close by because they were cooking dinner. I could smell all the good food, and there were lots of people hanging out in the yard, and also Maggie is very good about playing off leash but staying close. I was a good boy!

Freedom is great!

We ate dinner inside and I got some scraps. Someone let Lucy out in the front yard to pee and let me out with her. The food was gone and I thought the people could use some exercise. You might remember that I have a good history of escaping the house and going for a run all over Delaware! And guess what? That's what I did this time! After all, the Fourth of July is about celebrating freedom, right? And let me tell you, there's nothing more free than feeling your butt-tufts flap in the breeze as you run over the green hill of a golf course!

My people went out after me with my lady person hot on my tail! I ran alllllll the way down to the end of the street and stood on someone's front porch to be let inside. It was hot out and I wanted some water and air conditioning. My person saw me there and caught my eye, so I hightailed it behind the house under some trees and waited.

She found me there! and as I turned to run away she said "acht!!" so I stopped. Then she said, "C'mere good boy!" and so I did! The exercise was over!

My fella and his mom picked us up in the car since I had taken us kind of far from the house. Back inside I drank a bunch of water and sat right in front of the air vent. There are some good things about being inside!

I bet my people appreciated me making the Fourth of July so exciting! We didn't see any fireworks, but I think my people found Independence Day thrilling enough, thanks to me.

Happy Adoption Day to me!!

2011-06-26T21:58:00.000-04:00

Today is the anniversary of my adoption! Three years ago my people adopted me from the pound. The picture on the left was pretty soon after they brought me home, and the other one was taken way after :) You can tell that my people have taken good care of me.

I'm glad to be with my people everyday but especially on the anniversary of my adoption <3

Office Cat Jared and Me

2011-06-17T14:46:00.000-04:00

I really like coming to work at Alley Cat Allies and helping my human and animal co-workers. Getting along with the Office Cats is an important job for the Office Dogs and while I don't always understand the Office Cats, I try to at least stay out of their way!

Office Cat Jared and I have a pretty good relationship. He's sort of the boss of the office. He saunters down the hallways and isn't afraid to give the people a firm tap on the shoulder when he wants attention or some treats. The other cats know Jared's the guy to listen to, too!

Here Jared's like, "Go away, Charles! Me and the dog are having a moment."

I usually eat my breakfast as soon as I come in to the office and lately Jared has been getting a treat with me at the same time. We each have our own bowl and we eat side by side.

I have a lot of respect for Jared so I know to keep my distance. But I think Jared appreciates that about me (especially when I bow before him--haha!) Also, I get to clean up his crumbs when he's done with his snacks.

You can learn more about Jared by reading his biography.
You can also check out me and the other Office Cats in Alley Cat Allies' LOLcats.

I'm a helper

2011-06-12T11:14:00.000-04:00

I don't know if you know this or not, but I'm a pretty helpful dog. Not only do I help advocate for cats at work, and make sure people take much needed breaks, but at home I do some pretty important jobs too.

This is one of my favorites:

When the people eat their yogurt, I help by finishing the leavings in the container so we can recycle it. I'm extremely thorough!

Also in this video you can see me eating my foot as dessert. I have looooong fur in between my toes, and sometimes I like to chew on them.

It's Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T10:41:00.000-04:00

And it's HOT out so I'm staying inside! Summer is tough when you're wearing a fur coat.

You know what's also tough? The hard work the people (and animals!) do to make sure our country stays safe. That's what Memorial Day is all about--recognizing and saying thanks to their hard work and sacrifices.

So our family is donating to these nonprofits:

Military Working Dog Foundation

Did you know that there are specially trained dogs that help soldiers do their jobs? It's true! They go on secret missions, sniff out bombs and more. They also help keep the people company while they're away from their families. When these dogs in the military can no longer perform their military jobs, though, the Military Working Dog Foundation helps them find new homes.

Military Families United

The mission of Military Families United is to Honor the Fallen, Support Those Who Fight, and Serve Their Families. They help kids understand their parent's deployments, foster supportive communities for families in the military, and make sure that no one forgets the lives of those who served our country.

Pets for Patriots

What's better than an organization that supports veterans or pets? An organization that supports veterans AND pets! Pets for Patriots bring animals that need homes together with veterans that could use some furry companionship. Talk about loyalty and love!

If you're able to donate to your favorite nonprofit that supports our troops then today is a great day to do it. And don't forget to give your family members in the armed services a hug, and a lick on the cheek from me!

Surprise in the woods!

2011-05-28T12:05:00.001-04:00

We go for walks in the woods behind our apartment all the time. The woods are pretty much my favorite place ever! This morning on our walk we came upon a surprise:

Can you see it?

I almost missed it, you guys! Good thing my lady person has a good eye for nature. It was a snapping turtle!

She was digging a nest! My person made sure I didn't get too close to her. We didn't want to disturb what she was doing. Plus, you don't want to be on the angry end of a snapping turtle.

Diggin' a hole! I like to do that, too.

She was very patient with us and even let my people take a video of her laying eggs. Maybe we'll have baby turtles in a couple of months!

A New Pal at the Office!

2011-05-27T17:09:00.001-04:00

We've been getting lots of new human friends at the office, but today I got to meet our first new animal pal!

This is Tingy!

She's a two year old Boston Terrier and she belongs to our new Community Engagement Manager. If Tingy and her person like her coming to the office maybe she'll be a new official Office Dog!

Most of the times when you meet Tingy this is what you'll see:

Soo friendly! Up close and personal!

Tingy and I first met out in the carpeted hallway so we could sniff and run around. At first she barked at me because I'm much bigger and she wanted to let me know that she could TAKE CARE OF HERSELF THANKYOUVERYMUCH. The second thing I learned about Tingy is that she has a lot of energy and LOVES to play! Soon she was showing me all of her toys and playing fetch with her person.

Tingy LOVES playing with toys. That's good, because so do the people and we have quiet a few dog and cat toys laying around the office.

Play tug-o-war with meee!

We discovered something magical about Tingy! She's actually small enough to fit through the cat doors to the kitchen and the litter room! I'm too big to fit, so usually all we have to do is close those doors and I have run of the office. But, since Tingy can sneak into the kitchen where the cat food is and the litter room where the treasure is Tingy has to hang out in her person's office behind a gate.

It's okay Tingy, I'll keep you company.

But don't worry! She doesn't have to spend all day in the office, just when she's unsupervised. We got plenty of play time in. I even got some licks on my face!

This picture is blurry because she's so quick!

Also, Tingy's got a super sniffer and found out where the treat drawer was right away. She was trying to get in it all by herself!

You break into the treat drawer and I'll stand guard! haha!

It was a pretty busy day for us and the people! I hope Tingy gets to visit the office regularly. Maybe she'll even get her face on a mug. Welcome to the office Tingy!

A visit with Samson

2011-05-21T23:53:00.000-04:00

Today we visited Samson and his people because Corrine passed her EMT exam! That means she can save people's lives. I hope she learned doggy CPR, too!

I really like going to visit because there's always delicious people food there. And sometimes, they give it to me so I don't even have to steal it off the counter. They also have a deck and if you've never been on a deck it's basically the best thing ever. You get to be outside, with the nice breeze, and get lots of food tossed your way.

It's a big ol deck!

Samson seems to be adjusting really well to living with Paul and Corrine. In fact, he got neutered on Monday. Hooray for Samson! He also had a hotspot on his head that they got treated and now it's all healed up. It's pretty great how being with some responsible, loving people can improve your life.

A pretty great life for a dog.

They also have a yard which is pretty awesome. We don't have a yard because we live in an apartment, so I really like being able to run around and pee on anything I want and sniff all the plants. Samson and I were also trying to play with each other, but to be honest I was a little nervous that he would start jumping on me. Maybe we'll work up to being able to play chase!

For dinner we had hotdogs and cheeseburgers and succotash! Samson is an expert food catcher, but his people give him food by hand too just to make sure he doesn't get too gobbley! He didn't think the lima beans were food, but I sure did!

After dinner we went for a walk around the neighborhood. It was finally cool enough so we wouldn't get too tired.

Walking with the fellas!

Samson got a lot of attention on our walk! The neighborhood kids wanted to pet him and the grown-ups wanted to know what kind of dog he was. He's pretty much the size of a little bear, so I can understand why everyone is so curious about him.

After our walk we settled down to watch TV and have dessert. Another great thing about their house is they've got a big old chair that's kind of like a giant dog bed! I like to sit on it with Paul.

haha! My tongue is hanging out the side of my mouth.

It was a warm day so Samson wanted to sleep in the kitchen where the tiles were nice and cool. When it got darker out he though he heard something outside and started barking his head off. It was a big surprise and I started parking MY head off too. I bet the people really appreciated that we were trying SAVE THEIR LIVES.

The people were so grateful that Paul got Samson to sit on the big chair with him.

This chair is big enough for two.

I had to sniff Samson's mouth, just to check to see where that big barking was coming from. Soon everything was calm again and I got to sit by my people on the couch.

It was a pretty exciting visit, you guys!

On the balcony with Dorsia

2011-05-19T19:11:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things is hanging out on the balcony of our apartment! Sometimes our parakeet Dorsia comes out, too. Check it out!

This video is mostly of Dorsia, not me--but don't you think she's pretty cute, chirping to all the wild birds in the woods around our house?

Good things about ponys

2011-05-14T17:13:00.000-04:00

I'm learning there are some pretty good things about ponys! The other day our new pony Gobie had his feet trimmed. I wasn't there to watch, but my person was thinking of me and brought home a piece of Gobie's trimmed hoof.

Up close and personal!

These are apparently special farm dog delicacies! As the horses were getting trimmed the corgis, Furby and Belle, were underfoot snatching up the trimmings to chew on. My person didn't want me to miss out on THAT so I got one of my very own.

Om nom nom!

It was really stinky and chewy and was pretty awesome! My person only let me have a little bit, though. My other person thought it was totally gross. Haha!

Another good thing about ponys? They're pretty fun to play with--as TOYS I mean! My people found this toy at a local petstore and thought it looked just like Gobie so they got it for me to play with.

This pony I don't have to bark at.

It's pretty soft and floppy and have FIVE squeakers in it. One for each foot, and a big one for the belly.

Yoink! I'll take that, thanks!

In addition to being pretty fun to play with, it's also pretty comfy for sleeping on.

Good night!

Meet Samson!

2011-05-12T14:01:00.000-04:00

Paul and Corrine are fostering a dog! I bet Lola would be proud of them taking care of a dog who really needs a home. I could tell they missed Lola and having a dog around the house. So it's good that now they have one to look after!

As soon as my people heard they were fostering a dog they wanted to come over and see him.

His name is Samson!

Samson's people could no longer take care of him, so they contacted a Newfoundland Rescue that had Paul and Corrine's name on file as a good foster home. So, now Samson lives with Paul and Corrine until he finds a permanent home (or maybe Paul and Corrine will adopt him).

Samson is a Newfoundland just like Lola. Only he's a BOY and 4 years old. He isn't neutered yet, but he will be soon! We had a good first meeting.

Sniffing circle!

Samson is a really calm dude. We walked around the yard together, and hung out on the deck enjoying the weather.

This is the life, am I right, Samson?

Samson's got a big ol head! He weight only a little big more than Lola did, but he sure looks different.

That's quite a melon you've got there, Samson!

I always like visiting Paul and Corrine's house. There's always lots of food and people to pet you.

Also, tasty bones.

I bet once he starts warming up to the place, Samson will really like it too. Since we visited on his first day, he was kind of tuckered out from all the excitement. I remember when I first came home from the shelter it was really exciting but then I was also pretty tired.

I'm pretty sure Samson and I are going to be great friends. After all, we both like sleeping with our leg stuck out:

Practically twins!

When we were done with being outside, we took plopped down in the kitchen. It was nice having a buddy to just hang out around and snooze with.

Welcome to the family, Samson!

I met a pony!

2011-05-09T20:27:00.000-04:00

When I visited the horse farm I not only met the super friendly corgis that live there, but of course the whole point was to meet my people's new pony!

As soon as I got out of the car I saw the horses in the fenced in area. I scampered right on over and started barking my head off! You guys, horses are HUGE! I bark at deer all the time and these are SO MUCH BIGGER THAN DEER. So of course, I had to increase my barking.

I think you'll agree, I'm even handsome barking.

The horses didn't seem to mind my barking at all, probably because they know all about dogs from the Corgis. A couple of the horses, including our pony, came up to the fence to say hey.

Belle tried to coach me on how to be a good farm dog.

For a while, I stood outside of the fence and just watched the people and the horses hang out. I'm not going to lie, I was a little worried for my lady person. Who knows what that big clompy horse would do!

Excited and worried at the SAME TIME!

After a while the people decided I was calm enough to actually go in the paddock and meet the new horse. It took a lot of encouragement from my person to help me be brave about it.

The pony wasn't too sure about me either. But the people gave him lots of pets and he was very careful to stand still and just watch.

He's like, "I'm not sure about you, dog..."

Of course I was super unsure about him, too. I was barking up a storm and wanted to run around and sniff him like crazy. But I was on a leash and the people didn't want me getting too close to him.

You're the BIGGEST DOG I'VE EVER SEEN! Oh, right. You're a HORSE.

After a little bit we were both starting to get use to each other. It was kind of hard, though. I don't know if you know this or not, but horses are pretty tall.

You're too tall to sniff, mister!

But the people also helped us smell each other. My person would pet me, and then let the horse smell. Then she'd pet the horse and then let me smell. It was a good way to get to know each other without getting too close.

We're both like, "You do smell weird!"

Before you knew it, we were both hanging out together rather calmly. The people were both really proud of how well we were doing.

No big deal, guys.

Safe to say it was a pretty busy visit to the horse farm! I really enjoyed it and I hope I get to come back for a visit sometime soon.

P.S. Thanks, Jason and Elizabeth for all the great photos! And Thanks Molly for helping!

My first visit to the horse farm

2011-05-07T15:48:00.001-04:00

Today was my very first visit to a horse farm! Well, to be most accurate, it's not really a farm. It's a lady's house where she keeps her horses and the horses of other people, including my person! That's right--she bought a pony!

At first when we all got in the car this morning I thought I was going to work. But no, we were picking up our pal Molly who lives BY our work. It was a long drive, but we finally got to where the ponies were.

As soon as I got out of the car and saw the horses I started barking my head off! They were BIG! And clip-clompy! I've never seen a horse before so I was pretty sure they were like the deer that I bark at, or maybe really big dogs, but most definitely dog-eating monsters.

Fortunately there were two other dogs there that showed up to show me that the horses weren't SO scary. Belle and Furby are two little Corgis and they were happy to say hi to me.

Furby says hi!

Our pals Elizabeth and Jason also showed up. Most of the people went in to mill around in the paddock with the horses. My fella took me on a walk around the other paddocks where there weren't horses. Belle and Furby came along, too.

What do you think, Belle?

I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous seeing my person in there with those horses! But she seemed to be doing okay. I liked sniffing around the muddy paddocks with my other person, and trying to eat horse poo.

I'm not sure about horses, but their paddocks sure are cool!

Finally I got the courage to watch the people and the horses by the fence. And then I even went in with the horses to check them out. I was still pretty excited, trying to run around and bark at the ponies. But they were all pretty patient and just kind of milled around and sometimes tried to sniff me. I wanted to sniff them too but they were kind of too tall! I tried play bowing at couple of times but the horse was like, "whaaa?"

Elizabeth and Jason took like a million pictures so maybe I'll get to show them to you!

As we were leaving I could tell it was just as an exciting day for the horses as it was for me--one of the ponies laid down and started rolling around!

I do this sometimes, too!

Back in the car on the way home I was SO TIRED I just snoozed the whole time. What an exciting day, right?

Zzzzz!

Apple snack!

2011-05-03T23:39:00.000-04:00

At work my person usually share pieces of the apple she brings for lunch with me. Here's a video of me crunchin' on an apple!

om nom nom nom!

Carmen's People got Married!

2011-05-01T02:30:00.000-04:00

First thing's first: Congratulations to Carmen's people, Chris and Sandy! They got MARRIED today!

What a great family, right?

I don't know if you know this or not, but people getting married is kind of a big deal. And because people get very busy with all of that, Carmen got to spend a couple days with us!

Basically, we went to the dog park and went on walks and even visited Petsmart! Plus there was lots of naps and pets and playing with toys. Here are some photo highlights:

Carmen came over Friday night late, so we went straight to bed. But the next day...

Breakfast together! Om nom nom!

Carmen loves the balcony as much as I do!

We went on a walk in the morning in the woods which was lots of fun. But soon we had convinced the people that we should go to the dog park.

We played follow the leader.

And we were totally snubbing the people. hehe!

There were some other dogs there, but they were old and didn't really want to play.

That's cool because we chased each other around a little!

Back at home it back to loafing around the house! Around 3pm the people left to go to Chris and Sandy's wedding. We were left HOME ALONE and it was great. We threw a BIG PARTY! Just kidding. We just slept on the couch. Haha!

Carmen was sunbathing, but she's like "no pictures!"

The next day we were back to the dog park for more fun. This time there were NO other dogs there so the people had to play with us.

Carmen's in a leg sandwich! I never let my people do this to me. She's so patient with them!

Once we were done with the dog park we visited Petsmart. We made friends with everyone there and we even got some treats from the cashier. I got some treats for work, and Carmen got an crocheted eggplant toy!

She had a good time playing with it! Arrrr!

Soon Carmen's people started missing her SO MUCH that they just had to come and bring her home. She was really happy when she saw her fella person, even though she had a great time playing at my house. He seemed like he was really glad to see her too! After all, what's a family without the dog?

Spring time at the Dog Park

2011-04-21T22:47:00.000-04:00

Going to the dog park is one of my very favorite things! There's a great one in Greenbelt that we always go to. We've got a lot of regular friends that go there. Every once in a while, though, no one else is there and I have the place to myself.

The other weekend no other dogs were there despite the fact that it was BEAUTIFUL OUT! I had the time to sniff around every part of the dog park.

Walking the fence!

Since it's Spring now there were all kinds of little birds playing in the grass, and flowers blooming all over the place.

Dandelions!

Whatever these purple things are!

And also some puddles!

The grass was long and tall and crazy just the way I like it. I'm a big fan of eating grass. Some people think that dogs who eat grass have upset bellys, but that's not the case for me. I just like eating it! Probably because I work in a vegetarian office.

Maybe I'll eat this grass, right here!

I like cruising around the park. I'm not a big fan of playing with dogs at the dog park, but I do like running around and sniffing everything. There are also big yellow tubes that some dogs run through. But I just pee on 'em!

Just strutting around the park, you guys!

It's hard work being so handsome, walking around the dog park.

O wait. Let me stop and inspect this grass.

Sometimes I have to make a stop and take a poo. I'm even handsome while pooping, if you can believe that.

what?

And after I'm done, I RUN AWAY. My people call this "fleeing the scene of the crime." My people are very diligent about keeping the park clean.

Thanks guys! If I had thumbs, I'd do it.

Anyways! The dog park is when when I'm there all by myself OR if there are other dogs to play with. I'm glad that it's finally Spring and I hope there are a lot more lovely dog park days to come.

Rest in Peace, Lola

2011-04-12T19:27:00.000-04:00

I'm sad to tell you guys that today Lola was put to rest.

We were hoping to have more time with her after having surgery to remove a lump on her face. But we know now that the lump was a rare, aggressive cancer. Although her lump was removed, another lump started growing on her gums and was effecting her quality of life. Her people made the hard decision to have her put to sleep.

I'm glad that we got to spend time with Lola, and that we've got so many great memories together. It will be hard not having her big furry face around, but I'm glad that she had a good life with her people though it was too short.

We'll miss you Lola bean.

Gourmet Deer Burger, anyone?

2011-04-11T19:27:00.000-04:00

We get deer from my person's stepfather a couple times a year. It works out so well we almost never have to get meat at the grocery store (the humans don't eat a lot of it as it is). Tonight the people noticed we only had a little bit of it left, so they decided to make some deer burgers on this unseasonably warm and pleasant day.

And they even cooked me me a mini burger!

My people are pretty thoughtful and like to include me in on fun stuff. I was really glad to be included in on this for sure.

I think they might have gone a little overboard, though. They put my little cheeseburger on a white square plate. I think that means it's gourmet.

Plus, it was garnished with a bone treat.

I was very polite in receiving my special, nom. I said a little grace prayer before I got it.

Dear Lord, thanks for noms and nice people!

As soon as my person put the plate down I gobbled up the the little cheeseburger and moved on to the bone in short order.

OMNOMNOMNOM!

It was so good I made sure to lick the plate totally clean.

I like being thorough!

Ahh! It was great! And then we went out for a walk in the woods. A great treat for a great day!

Lola, Love and Lasagna!

2011-04-09T14:35:00.000-04:00

Last night my people and Lola's people got together for dinner. Lola was really happy to see us! She doesn't have the energy to jump all over the place like she use to, but she was wagging her tail and giving kisses and even chased me around for a little while.

It was pouring rain out, but that didn't keep Lola and I from going out on the porch and running around in the wet. In fact, Lola really liked the rain and wanted to sleep out in it in the porch!

The people were pretty good about convincing us to come hang out inside, though.

When we came in from the rain we got dried off with big beach towels. And then we wore them around the house like big capes! It was pretty great.

The people were making lasagna for dinner and when one of the pans came out it was TOO HOT and got dropped on the floor. Some of it slooshed out on to the floor, but when it cooled off a little bit Lola and I helped clean it up.

Thank goodness we're here to save the day.

The people did a lot of talking, but Lola and I did a lot of playing and hanging out. The doctors figured out what kind of lump Lola had--a pretty rare kind of neoplasial sarcoma. It's 95% fatal but we're glad that Lola is still feeling pretty okay.

Hanging out with Lola and her people was a good reminder than although things may not be so nice in the future, right NOW we're all together. We're going to make the time we've got together the happiest and best that we can!

Hugs!!

Thank you!

2011-04-06T21:34:00.000-04:00

You did it, you did it, you did it!!!

Thanks to you, we've made it to our goal of helping to pay Lola's surgery bill! You are the best!

Lola's vet called today and said they sent her information to an oncologist. They're hoping a cancer expert can figure out what kind of cancer she has. Hopefully knowing more about what she has will mean a better understanding of what treatment options are possible.

Lola isn't giving up, and neither are we!

Sad News

2011-04-05T18:29:00.000-04:00

Lola went in for a check-up today and I have some sad news: she's been diagnosed with untreatable malignant sarcoma.

The doctors aren't able to say how long she'll be comfortable and happy, but we are hoping to have as much time with her as we can.

Please keep Lola and her people in your thoughts.

P.S. Lola's ChipIn page will still be available until April 10.

We are ALMOST there!!

2011-04-02T15:20:00.000-04:00

Thanks to you all, we are almost there! We've only got a couple more hundred dollars to go before totally covering Lola's surgery bill.

We got a great boost last night from Kevin Pereira, host of G4's awesome program Attack of the Show!

He's SO nice! (and also handsome)

His pup Penny Apple had to go to the vet recently, too. It must have been her sympathetic puppydog eyes peeping out from her cone that inspired him to help out Lola!

We're so grateful to have people and fellow puppy dogs who care!

Please continue to share Lola's story, get updates, and read the great comments left for Lola on her ChipIn page.

Inconclusive!

2011-04-01T22:09:00.000-04:00

Lola is doing okay--she's on steroids and puppy pain killers. They make her pretty hungry, so she's getting as much noms as she likes! The doctors say having a big appetite is better than having no appetite.

The vets say that the biopsy on Lola's lump is inconclusive. But they're going to test the other half of the lump (eeeeeww!) and hope to get the results on Monday.

Meanwhile, we're getting sooo close to covering Lola's surgery bill! You guys are so great! Maybe you know someone that's able to donate and get us that much closer to reaching our goal? Please share Lola's story!

Lola has a Check-up

2011-03-31T18:50:00.000-04:00

Today Lola went in for a check-up at the vet. Her people were worried because they felt a lump on her neck. Turns out, the lump was a swollen lymph node.

The vet prescribed steroids for four days. If they help, that's good! If they don't help, that's bad. It may be an indication that cancer is spreading.

We're still waiting to hear about the results of Lola's biopsy. Thanks everyone for the good thoughts and kind words! We're still trying to help pay for Lola's surgery, and every little bit helps!

Recovering

2011-03-29T21:44:00.000-04:00

As you might have guessed, that plastic cone didn't stay around Lola's neck for very long! What a naughtie bean!

I hate those cones, too, Lola!

Lola's first day back from surgery is going great. She's gotten plenty of rest, and even a visit from her dog friend/sort of sibling, Riley. And her people said she seemed really happy about it!

We're all counting down the days to when we get the biopsy results back. Meanwhile, if you're able to donate or share Lola's story with you friends we'd really appreciate it!

Lola's Surgery Day

2011-03-28T18:09:00.000-04:00

Today Lola went in to surgery at 8am to get her mystery lump removed. She had a good nap in the morning and was all rested up for her visit to the vet.

ZzzZzz!

She was a good girl on the car on the way to her appointment.

Don't be worried, Lola!

She was at the vet ALL DAY. Around 4pm we got an update on how she was doing.

The vets successfully removed the lump from Lola's face. It's being sent off to be biopsied, but the official results won't be back for another 7-10 days. However, the vet's initial reaction isn't good. While the lump under Lola's arm is no big deal, they think the lump that was removed from Lola's face is a malignant tumor.

We are holding out hope that the biopsy results say different, but it looks like Lola will have a longer road ahead of her. If you can donate to help Lola, please, please do.

Lola is coming home from the vet around 8pm tonight. We'll let you know how her recovery from surgery is going! And we'll let you know what the official results from her biopsy is about a week from now. Other than that, we'll be taking things day by day.

Please send Lola and her people lots of love!

Feel better, Lola!

UPDATE: Lola is home! She's got one of those plastic cones around her head, and is kind of wobbly, but I sure am glad to see her feeling okay!

We're half way there!

2011-03-27T21:07:00.001-04:00

Lola goes in for surgery tomorrow at 8am and today we made it to the half-way mark for our ChipIn fund! Horray!! You all are amazing!

WhoOoOoAa We're Half-Way TheEere! WHOOoAa! Livin' on a Prayer!

(Listen to this and imagine me and Lola howling along!)

This is a great milestone, but remember: we still need help! Please share Lola's story with your friends!

We really appreciate all your support, and we'll be sure to update you on how it goes for Lola tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, enjoy some Lola photo favorites:

Lola bear hugging her fella person.

Lola's first swim/fall in a pool!

Lola and I hanging out, waiting for someone to drop some food!

Looking a little messy, but still adorable!

Pretty pup!

More LOLA!

2011-03-26T22:31:00.000-04:00

Good memories with Lola! I hope she's better in time for Summer so we can go to the beach together again!

Lola being read a book by her lady person.

Playing with her dragon toy at the beach house.

And then with my boiled fish toy!

Contemplating life on the beach!

Don't forget: You can help Lola get the surgery she needs by donating here!

Lola's getting closer...

2011-03-25T22:25:00.000-04:00

Little by little we're getting closer to helping Lola and her people to afford the surgery that she needs to remove a lump on her poor puppy nose! But we're still a ways off. Please continue to help Lola by donating, and sharing her story with your friends!

I thought you might enjoy seeing some of my favorite pictures of Lola while we work to help her out! So let the cuteness begin:

Lola goes in for surgery on MONDAY

2011-03-24T19:33:00.000-04:00

First thing's first: THANK YOU EVERYONE for contributing to help Lola! You're amazing!

Lola's people have scheduled her surgery for MONDAY March 28th at 8am! Please think warm and fuzzy thoughts for Lola then. I know I hate going to the vet, so I'm going to try to send her lots of good vibes so everything goes okay!

It's a good thing Lola's going in, too, because her people found another lump. The new one is under her arm. Now Lola needs our help more than ever!

So pretty please keep the donations coming!

And be sure to check back 'cause I'll be posting loads of pictures of Lola for the next couple of days :)

Lola the Newfie pup needs our help!

2011-03-23T23:50:00.000-04:00

You remember my pal Lola the Newfie pup, right? Our people are great friends so Lola and I have gone on lots of adventures together. She hung out with me for a weekend, we've been to the beach together, and we've had lots of backyard BBQs! Well, now Lola needs help and I'm hoping that everyone can come to her rescue!

A couple weeks ago Lola developed a lump on the side of her face. Right on on her big ol' puppy schnoz! Her people took her to the vet and after lots of test and second (and third!) opinions they still don't know what it is. Lola's mystery lump is getting expensive and now the vets are recommending surgery.

As you might imagine, all of these trips to the vet are expensive, nevermind the fact that now she needs surgery. Lola's been a trooper through it all! Her people have been troopers, too! They are committed to getting her all the medical care she needs, but [I want to help them and Lola out].

Will you help me, help Lola? Even $5 could help! I'd really appreciate it!

Pretty please consider donating to help Lola!

(Lola says thanks!)

I am the smartest dog

2011-01-10T19:25:00.000-05:00

I don't mean to brag, but I'm a pretty smart dog. At least that's what my people tell me practically EVERY DAY.

Mostly I'm smart because I try to understand things. People talk to me a lot and I always try to figure out what they're telling me. People tell you a lot of things with their face and their bodies, and sometimes their words mean stuff too.

I know a couple of words really well:

"Outside"
When people say this it means I'm going for a walk!
"This way!"
When we're on the walk, "this way" means I need to go the opposite way I'm going, or to pay better attention to where my person is going.
"Dog Park"
I just figured out what this means! My people say it the other day in conversation and I knew to immediately run to the door where my leash is and to get excited.
"Treats"
When my people say this I know to run into the kitchen where my treats are, so I can wait for them to catch up and get me some.

And of course I know words that are for tricks and commands. You know the ones: sit, lie down, up (this is used for a lot of things: standing up from a lie down, jumping up on my people, jumping into the car), off (usually the couch), move (usually away from the door), paw (ambidextrous shake!), wait and that kind of stuff.

I know a lot of cool tricks that my people taught me. They have a long dowel rod that I jump over like a pony, for instance! I can even turn the lights off by flailing wildly at the light switch. But my favorite trick is "shut the door". This is how it goes:

We have a balcony and I like to sleep on it and hang out all the time. When I stand by the door the people open it so I can go out. They usually shut it behind me, especially when it's cold out.
When I'm ready to come back in I paw on the door until it opens and I come back inside.
Then the people tell me "shut the door!" So I turn around and jump up on the door until it closes all the way.
Then I get treats for it!

I'm pretty smart for doing that trick so well, but I'm super smart because when I want treats, I ask the people to open the door just so I close it again. haha!

When it's yucky outside--dark or too cold or two hot or whatever--it's good to have people who will teach you tricks. It's good inside exercise! Today my people were teaching me "speak".

The people would hold a treat up and say "speak"
I would bark!
They would give me the treat.

Of course, it didn't work like that the first time it tried. I tried to steal the treat out of my person's hand! And sneak around his back to where the treat bag was. But he's smart too, and protected the treats. So I started making all kinds of whiny noises. It wasn't until I barked once--big and loud!--that I got the treat. After a couple more tries (in about 10 minutes) I started getting the hang of it. I tried barking once without my person saying saying "speak" to see if I would get a treat, but no luck. It was a good test -- I think I know the rules now! I can't wait till we get to practice this trick again.

My people are pretty lucky that I'm so brilliant! But I'm pretty lucky that they're patient and take the time to teach me these fun things, too.

Here's a video of my "Shut the door" trick:

(This was taken almost a year ago--I'm way better at it now.)

Christmas Plays and Noms

2010-12-31T16:24:00.000-05:00

For Christmas I got lots of great things:

Chamomile shampoo by Martha Stewart. It's paraben, SLS and colorant free. It's also specially formulated for a dog's pH, but best of all it's cruelty free!
Harvest Moon collar and leash set by Funky Mutt.
Fruitables Pumpkin and Cranberry treats. All natural, Made in the USA & free of wheat, corn, soy, by-products, and artificial ingredients/preservatives.
Baa! Free-Rang Lamb Trotters. Organic, free-range, with no hormones, antibiotics or animal by-products.

I also got a NEW toy! It's a Gingerbread House interactive toy by Kyjen:

Winter Wonderland!

2010-12-31T16:17:00.001-05:00

When we were down in North Carolina celebrating Christmas it snowed lots and lots! I'm a big fan of snow, so I got to romp around in the play area. Check it out:

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-27T20:49:00.001-05:00

I am a super lucky dog. Not only do my people involve me in Christmas, but I get to having Christmas at least twice! That's because we usually celebrate Christmas EVE with my fella person's family, and Christmas DAY with my lady person's family.

My fella person's family leave near us. So after the people went to Christmas Eve Mass, they came by get me so I could hang out for Christmas dinner. I'm a big fan of any kind of dinner, but Christmas dinner is special.

There were also presents! I didn't get to open my own, but I was excited to get some special treats! In fact, I had extra help getting my present opened because the cat helped chew the wrapping paper open.

This is Cat.

Cat came to live with my fella person's mom and dad because he showed up on their doorstep one day meowing for food. They took him to the vet, and have been taking good care of him. He decided he was going to stay, and refused to go back outside.

We all settled down to watch a movie and hang out after dinner. Cat and I were not at all sure about each other, even though we've met before. But, the people brought out a comfy blanket and I decided it was safe to take a nap.

Good night!

Soon, Cat decided it was okay to take a nap, too.

G'night, Cat.

The next morning we piled all of our stuff into the car to make the long trip down to North Carolina to spend Christmas Day with my lady person's family. Although it was snowing in Maryland when we left, we made it down to North Carolina in record time with no bad weather!

We were quick to settle in. My favorite place in the house is the kitchen -- there's always good stuff getting cooked up in there.

I'll just snooze here, it's cozy.

Just my luck, there was a cat at this house, too. He was a black cat as well. But it wasn't the same cat. I've met this guy before, too, but this was the first time we actually hung out in the house together.

This is House, the cat.

We ignored each other, mostly. House is a mostly OUTDOOR cat, but he comes in at night and in bad weather. He had a present to open for Christmas. It was some fancy canned food from my person!

I had a bunch of presents, also! This one was from my lady person's sister, her husband and their dog Melbourne.

Will you help me open this?

Their package was sooo pretty. I needed help opening it. Fortunately, I have people for that!

I look amazing, don't you think?

It was a collar! With orange circles. My person was very pleased, and everyone said I looked super handsome. It was pretty comfy to wear, too.

I also got some cruelty free chamomile shampoo from Martha Stewart, pumpkin and cranberry treats, and a hide-away gingerbread toy. The toy with the treats hidden inside was my favorite. I played with it like crazy.

This cat was givin' me the stink-eye the WHOLE TIME.

After we were done opening presents with my lady person's mom and step-father, I stayed in a bedroom while they went to visit my lady person's grandparents for MORE CHRISTMAS.

And guess what? I got a present from my favorite Aunt Laura, too! The wrapping was SO COOL with a great drawing of ME right on the tag.

What a great likeness!

My fella person opened this gift for me BY PROXY. It was a DVD of a dog who is THE HERO OF CHRISTMAS. Just like me, pretty much.

After the people were done, they FINALLY came home. I missed them! And it was starting to snow outside.

Come on to bed, you guys.

When we woke up the next morning there was snow EVERYWHERE! I'm serious. It was like a foot of snow, at least. But, too bad for us, the power went out in the house. So we decided to go on a big ol' walk to visit my lady person's mom's daycare business.

There is a lot of snow here!

I got to run around the daycare and smell all the good stuff. There wasn't anyone there, and the cleaning ladies were coming before the center was going to open again so it was okay. I have met lots of babies -- they're loads of fun. I was a little sad there wasn't any here to play with, but it was fun anyway.

I played like crazy in the snow! Until I was tuckered out.

I. Love. Snow.

Fortunately for us, we didn't have to walk back home. We all got a ride in the car instead. Back at home we got all cozy and settled in for the rest of the night. And the power came back which made the people happy.

I don't need electricity. Just people, and nice cozy fire.

Mm..fire. Zzz.

The next day we left to come back home. We waited for a little later in the day so the roads were better, but then we were off!

We got home after a zillion hours. When the people got in they decided Christmas was OVER so they took all the ornaments off OUR tree and chucked it outside.

I'll miss you, tree!

Christmas was great! I can't wait for it to happen NEXT year.

SNoW!

2010-12-16T22:20:00.000-05:00

It snowed, you guys! It wasn't nearly as much as last winter, but it was kind of nice! We were at work when it started.

It's okay guys, I'll make sure this snow doesn't come in.

Christmas with Carmen

2010-12-12T17:03:00.000-05:00

Today my pal Carmen came over to play. I was really glad because I haven't seen Carmen for like a MONTH and she is my very best friend.

Our house is all decked out for Christmas and Carmen's people are in the middle of moving, so we got to have a little bit of Christmas festivities with her at our house. I even had a Christmas present for Carmen ready!

What could it be?

My people wrapped it in tissue paper, but I helped by putting my grubby paws all over the paper. Tissue paper is the best for wrapping presents for dogs, because sometimes we can open them ourselves!

There's something good in here for sure!

The people helped Carmen open this one, though. There was a reindeer toy, and some rawhide candy canes. Carmen let me have one of her candy cane treats.

She's so nice! And this is delicious!

We got to eat our candy canes together because we're pretty much the best pals ever. I wolfed mine down pretty fast, but Carmen too her time.

Such a dainty eater!

After we had our Christmas treats, we hung out while the people talked. I think Carmen liked sitting in front of the tree with all the presents. That's one of my favorite spots, too.

Merry Christmas, Carmen!

I met Santa!

2010-12-12T14:16:00.000-05:00

We went to Petsmart today to pick up a few things, and you'll never believe who was there. SANTA!! And they were even letting you take pictures with him. So of course, we had to!

Pretty great, right?

Christmastime

2010-12-08T23:31:00.000-05:00

You guys! There is a tree inside the house again. That's right! it's Christmastime again.

I love this time of year. The people are in a pretty great mood, there are lots of new smells and things to look at, I get a tree inside the house, and we visit lots of family and friends.

Plus, sleeping in front of the Christmas Tree is pretty much the best spot.

All of the presents by our tree are for other people. I helped wrapped some of them. You'll be able to tell which ones I helped with by all the dog fur stuck to the tape.

I am so helpful!

Hanging out by the Christmas Tree is a lot of fun. It's where all the good stuff is! I'm pretty sure some of these presents might be mine.

Also, did you know I'm pretty handsome?

I'm also pretty sure that there are delicious treats in the presents for my cousin-dog Melbourne and my step-brother-dog Roscoe's presents. But I'm not allowed to eat them. Pretty much the only thing about Christmas is that the people make me wear silly things sometimes.

Reindeer antlers? Really?