The summer's off to a good start...warm days, cool nights and lots of visitors! As you can see from the pictures, my friends come in all shapes and sizes.
From the super-sized Aboo:
To my little pug friend, Yeti:
Now I just need Norman, my childhood sweetheart, to come back for a visit and it'll be the best summer ever!
xoxo - Bella
Today I'm going to do a little product plug, which I only do if I think something's really cool. The makers of K9 KlearUp sent me a sample in the mail of their all-natural balm which helps clear up problems like hotspots, cuts, scratches and bug bites. My Mom's been rubbing it onto the tips of my floppy ears, which tend to get small tears on them and they've been healing really nicely. And, I don't mind when she does it which is no small feat, since I usually hate having anything near my ears. But, this stuff goes on soft and smooth and doesn't have any bad smells. That's because the balm, which is made in Vancouver, Canada, has zero chemicals and only 3 simple ingredients...my favorite being "tepezcohuite" which is a tree in Central America. The ancient Mayans used it to treat skin problems and people are starting to rediscover that the best stuff really does come from nature (hint to humans: save the trees!!).
To read more about the product and its story, visit http://www.k9klearup.com/
xoxo - Bella
Well, Mom and Dad made good on their threat to pull the plug on cable television which means NO MORE T.V.!! Now that the shock has worn off, I have to admit that I don't miss it very much. The morning and evening news, especially, were always filled with doom and gloom.
So, with a little more time on my hands, I decided to look for some "good news" stories instead. That's why last week I did an interview with Corinne Dowling, who is the founder of Give a Dog a Bone (GADAB). GADAB is quality of life program for long-term shelter dogs that are being held at San Francisco's Animal Care & Control (i.e., the city's municipal shelter). Corinne has been at it for the last 10 years, and since then she and her volunteers have helped over 2,400 dogs have a better life while they are in the shelter. Some of them, unfortunately, are there for up to a year, while their owners sort out all types of legal issues. It's really emotional work, and the recession has made it harder than ever to raise funds, so I'm trying to get the word out to all my dog friends and blogging buddies.
You also have to check out GADAB's "Dog Tails" blog. There are lots of personal stories about the dogs in the program (like this little cutie, Pacino, a Chihuahua who was found wandering the streets with a rubber band around his muzzle. Fortunately, Pacino's story has a happy ending).
So check it out!
xoxo - Bella
...on my side of the fence!
That said, my hope is that ALL dogs have green grass to enjoy. Starting today, 85 American Eskimo dogs (out of 400) rescued from a huge puppy mill operation in Kennewick, Washington, are available for adoption at the Oregon Humane Society. Click here to read more about this case, and then celebrate the news that the Oregon State Senate passed the Puppy Protection Act (HB 2470) which makes this type of operation illegal here in Oregon (where the grass is always very, very green!).
xoxo - Bella
A quick shout to my fellow Oregonians: Help push the Oregon puppy mill bill across the finish line by calling and e-mailing your state senator today.
It's easy: just clicking on this link from the Humane Society of the United States.
Muchas Gracias!!
xoxo - Bella
What a great weekend, there was lots of sunshine and I saw dozens of boxers at the Oregon Humane Society's Doggie Dash. Here's a picture of me and my Dad:
The picture was taken while he was still in a good mood, 'cuz when we got to the finish line they had run out of pancakes and the pancake ladies weren't very friendly so Dad was kind of cranky. Lesson #1: Always make sure you have enough pancakes!!
We also didn't get our doggie bags 'cuz there was one person handing them out and hundreds of people standing in line to get them which made Mom kind of cranky. Lesson #2: Always make sure you have enough people handing out the doggie bags!!
With two cranky humans on my hands, I suggested that we high-tail it out of there and head to a nice outdoor breakfast spot instead. Mom got a biscuit-and-egg sandwhich, while Dad munched on a raspberry-rhubarb scone, and I got to scavenge for crumbs under the picnic table. I guess you can say that I saved the day, because after that everybody was happy:
xoxo - Bella
Hey Everybody,
It's not too late to register for this Saturday's Doggie Dash (you can join my team or kick in a few bucks here to help the Oregon Humane Society find homes for 10,000 animals in 2009). And guess what? The S-U-N is supposed to make an appearance, too! Woo-hoo!
Organizers are expecting more than 3,000 dogs at the event, and twice as many two-legged creatures. Here's a list of the top ten things to do at the event:
I hope to see some of my friends there. I'll also be taking lots of pictures that I'll share.
xoxo - Bella
Happy Earth Day, Everybody! Mom and I have been sorting our plastics this week, planting native shrubs in the garden, and recycling some of our old dog toys so that other pups can enjoy them.
I've also been driving Mom a little crazy by snacking on the compost that she put all around the rose bushes. She thinks it's gross, I think it's a delicacy. It just proves that some things never change, since I've loved dirt and compost since I was a puppy.
So, as a tribute to Mother Earth and DIRT, GLORIOUS DIRT, I thought I'd do a little photo tribute.
Here I am, just 10 weeks old, nibbling on the fresh and delicious buds of Mom's rose bushes:
Yumm, those tulips taste great, too:
Wow, a whole bag of dirt! I can't wait to stick my whole head into this bag of potting soil:
Look at me!! I'm Queen of the Dirt Pile, and this is my throne:
The worst thing about dirt? It's having to take a bath afterwards - ARGHHHHHHH:
Okay, that's my Earth Day tribute to dirt. Have a green (and dirty) day!!
xoxo - Bella
Okay, I'm just a dog....but even I know that if the Associated Press is quoting a lame Bon Jovi song to describe the mysterious circumstances surrounding dying dolphins, good journalism is dead.
Jeez, I'm a dog and I can write better crap than this:
Seriously, is this a joke? To quote another "serious" news outlet, the National Enquirer, "Enquiring boxers need to know....."
xoxo - Bella
Hey y'all...the Oregon Humane Society's annual Doggie Dash is coming up soon (Saturday, May 9th), so I hope to see you there. If you don't already have a team, come join me! I'll be racing with Team Hand's Happy Hounds, which includes my pals Desi, Lucy, Zippy and Zoe. But don't worry, you don't actually have to race if you don't want to. You can walk or stroll, or you can just show up for the post-race pancake breakfast (yummmmmmm, pancakes). The goal is to help the Oregon Humane Society raise money so that it can meet its goal of finding homes for 10,000 animals in 2009.
See you there!
xoxo - Bella
I just read that the Multnomah County animal shelter may have to go from being open four days a week instead of six, which means that fewer animals will be adopted or returned to their owners. It’s a bummer, but it’s the only way the shelter will have enough money in its budget to keep other services going, like its accredited animal hospital and an on-site veterinarian that is there to help injured strays 24 hours a day.
What really bugs me is that most dog & cat owners in Multnomah County ignore the annual pet registration fee—which ranges from $8 a year (for a fixed cat) to $30 a year (for an unfixed dog). Only 25% of the county’s dogs and 7% of the county’s cats are registered. That’s a joke, especially considering that Portland and its environs are known as one of the most “pet-friendly” cities in the country. Too bad that pet owners aren’t paying their fair share for important animal services.
Want 8 good reasons to license your pet? Click here to find out why. Heck, it’s even free for the first 60 days!!
xoxo - Bella
Happy Easter, Everyone!
I'm pretty excited because my Mom came back from Ecuador a few days ago. She was REALLY happy to see me (and Dad, too). She said that the animals in the Galapagos Islands were really amazing, but none of them were as soft and cuddly as I am. I guess it's not as much fun to snuggle with a tortoise or a marine iguana as it is with a warm-blooded boxer. Take a look at these pictures, and you'll see why:
In the meantime, Dad held down the fort and diligently gave me my medicine. Did I tell you that I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism?! Well, it turns out that I have a sluggish thyroid, which might explain why I was sleeping 23 hours a day and was starting to lose some of my furs. Seriously, I had little bald patches on my butt! I shudder to think that I might have turned into that ugly little marine iguana.
Anyway, now that I'm taking a little purple pill twice a day I've got tons of energy and my hair's growing back. That's good, because I need to be able to strut my stuff at the Oregon Humane Society's Doggie Dash on May 9th. This is a fundraiser to help OHS meet its goal of finding homes for 10,000 abandoned and abused animals in 2009. If you're in Portland and are participating, let me know. It would be fun to meet nose-to-nose.
xoxo - Bella
Sigh. I just can't compete. Last year, my parents left me behind to hang out with penguins in Antarctica. Tomorrow, my Mom is leaving on a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands, home of the blue-footed boobies.
What's a blue-footed booby? Here's a picture:
What's up with all the stoopid birds? I mean, look at those freaky feet! At least I get to hang out at home with Dad, since he's not going on this trip. That means I'll be getting LOTS (and I mean LOTS) of extra snackies (Shhh. Don't tell him that I told you this, but he's a real pushover. I just have to put on my best "sad" face and he gives me a little treat.)
Sayonara, Mom. Have fun with the boobies.
xoxo - Bella
My tummy started acting up again recently and I felt reeeeaaaallly bad. I don't know about you, but when I get sick I need lots of extra loving. When I was a puppy, I'd curl up into a ball on Mom's lap. Now that I'm bigger, I build a fort with my blankets and hide out until I feel better. Here's a picture of me with my stuffie, Mr. Monkey:
Having Mr. Monkey around made me feel a lot better, which is why I'm going to try to get certified as one of Delta Society's Pet Partners (along with my Mom, 'cuz somebody needs to hold the leash). That way, we can go to places like hospitals and nursing homes and make people feel better. Mom just went to one of their informational sessions and they're trying to grow the program, especially here in the Portland area (which is where the program started; how cool is that?).
If you're interested, Mom wants you to know that there are two information sessions coming up again soon (on April 9 and May 14). You'll get to meet some of the other pet partner teams and hear their warm and fuzzy stories.
Click on this link to get the details or send an email to JenniferM@DeltaSociety.org.
xoxo - Bella
One of Mom's favorite memories when she was a kid is when her father mistakenly ate some hamster food that was left out on the kitchen counter. He thought they were little Hershey's kisses, but they were hamster food! He went "Hack, hack, hack. These things are stale!" and spit them out again. He doesn't think it's such a funny story, but everybody else does.
We just got a sample of these new DogToids in the mail and I've been leaving the tin on Dad's desk because I think it would be hilarious if he ate one by mistake. He's pretty smart, though, and he might get the hint when he sees that they come in cute little bone-shapes. If that doesn't tip him off, then I'm sure the "tasty flavor combination of beef, liver and fish" might cause a little gag reflex.
I sure like them, though!
xoxo - Bella
