Want a Puppy for Christmas? Katie says adopt!

It's Post Time

Hi everyone. I want to share some good news with you and also, take the time to ask you to do me a favor this holiday season.

First the good news.

My Papa made me a very warm coat.  I just love it.  My other coat that papa made from one of his sweatshirts is very cool, and I love it,.  But as it got colder outside, I really was starting to get cold in that coat.  I wanted something warmer so I could enjoy our family walks.  So Papa made me a nice warm coat.  I love the diamond pattern and it has two layers of fuzzy material that is very warm.  And it makes me look very pretty.  I'll model it for you. 

What do you think?

And now for something a little more serious...

I know that holidays are a popular time for getting pets for your kids. believe me, I understand how important it is for dogs to have people and for people to have dogs. I get that. But I am going to ask that you adopt a shelter dog, rather than buy one from a puppy mill or a pet store. Please. It is so important. There are millions of unwanted and wonderful dogs out there who just want a home and someone to love. I know. I am one of those dogs. I was bred in a puppy mill for racing dogs, and when showed that I had too much independence and would not run fast just to beat other dogs in a race, I was discarded. I was lucky because I was allowed to go to a shelter. But that shelter was overcrowded, and I was moved to another shelter. I finally met my new parents in a lucky turn of events that doesn't happen to every dog. Most dogs get overlooked, or missed, or ignored. As shelters get over crowded, they kill those dogs who take too long to get adopted so they can make room for others who might. It's an awful experience.

On the other hand, I understand the need for some people to get a puppy who they could raise and train from a a young age. That's all well and good, but all dogs can be trained, at any age. And baby puppies don't know how to go potty outside like already trained, shelter dogs do. So you can eliminate the need for potty training and work exclusively on the obedience training. Now just between you and me, some dogs take to training more than others. I know that I can sometimes be a handful for my daddy and he gets impatient because I don't listen. But it isn't because I am stupid or don't understand. It's that I am stubborn sometimes and forget that I should listen and be good. I want to listen, but sometimes I just don't. But that's just as try for puppies, even more because they don't have the experiences that shelter dogs do. And shelter dogs are so much more grateful.

So please, if you plan on giving a companion animal as a gift this year, please adopt, not buy. It would make a formerly unwanted dog like me, very happy. and you can make them a pretty new coat and they will love you for it forever.

Here's an ad from Peta that makes my point a little sharper!

Well, what did you think? Pretty interesting ad, but the dogs in bags makes me very sad.

Here are a few stories you might want to read about adopting dogs from shelters.

Reasons to Adopt a Dog and Myths About Shelter Adoptions

The Pope, Peta, and Overpopulation - Ingrid Newkirk

Peta's Everyday Dogs Ad to Promote Adopotion

5 Myths About Adopting Shelter Dogs

Puppy Mills from the Humane Society

I hope you read over these stories on the internet and get a better understanding of just how wonderful shelter dogs are.  All we want is a chance to love someone. And sometimes we may need a little extra effort, but you should excuse us for that.  It's not our fault.  We were all abandoned by those we loved unconditionally at one time or another.  That's kind of hard to bear for a little puppy.  So if you're going to get a puppy or a dog from either a shelter or a store, make sure you want it for real.

Well, have a nice holiday season.  I hope you can enjoy the new year with a new companion animal from your local shelter.  It'll be your best holiday ever.  I promise.  And I don't lie.

Keep your tail up and wagging!

-Katie

A Dog Teaches Kids About Fires

It's Post Time

Sparkles, the Wonder dog!  My daddy showed me this story about a rescued dog that is a fireman!  The dog looks a little like my brother, Nicky.  But the point I want to make is that dogs can be valuable and contributing members of our society, if we give them a chance.  All we want is a home and people who love us.  Watch this little movie about Sparkles.  He's my new hero.

To find out more about Sparkles, read the story, Rescued Dog "Sparkles" Teaches Children About Fire Safety on the Huffington Post.

I hope that when you are thinking about getting a companion animal, you'll think about adopting or rescuing a dog.  There are plenty of dogs out there who need good homes and people to love and who will love them.  We're very loyal and we will listen when you tell us what to do.

Keep your tail up and wagging!

-Katie

December 5 on the 5th

It's Post Time

Wow!  It's been two whole months since I wrote something.  My family has been very busy with all kinds of things, so Papa hasn't had a lot of time to help me write any stories for you.  Plus, I have been so busy moving from comfy places on my couches and beds, that I just can't seem to find the time to do anything, let alone write.

from Stephen's Blog: State of the Nation: UK

But I do like to take pictures, so I try to have something on the fifth for pictures.  papa was able to help me reach the higher places, but I was able to choose the pictures I wanted to show you.  This month's theme is faces, I remember.  And Daddy put up some of the holiday trees with all the shiny ornaments.  I decided to share some of the holiday ornaments that had faces on them.  Sometimes I did not understand what I was looking at, but Papa helped me out and told me what they were. 

So here are my 5 pictures of faces on the 5th of December.  Hope you like them.

Here is #1.   I like this ornament the best because it was a little doggy like me.  Papa told me his name is Snoopy.  Papa used to hang Snoopy in his car when he was in school. Snoopy and Papa have been together for a very long time.  Now, he hangs on one of the trees each year for the holidays.

This is #2.  I liked this little man.  He has glasses like Papa and se sort of reminded me of my Papa.  Papa says he's been around for a very long time, too.  He never was hanging in the car, but he has been on the holiday trees for many seasons.

This is #3.  This is a strange little man that Daddy says is called Santa Claus.  Santa brings toys to good girls and boys during the holidays.  If I am a good girl, then Santa will bring me a good present that I can enjoy.  I hope it's a chewy bone, or a new squeaky toy.  I bit all my squeak toys too hard and Papa says that's why they don't make noise anymore.  So I hope I get squeaky toy for Christmas.

This one is #4.  He's a soldier man.  Papa says he's a representation of a nutcracker.  Papa says people can't just bite their nuts open like I can.  They have to use tools to get them open.  I don't know why they don't just bite down really hard.  I can break lots of things if I do that, even nuts.  But Papa says that nuts are too hard for humans.  He says these nutcracker machines are used around the holidays because people serve nuts to guests as a special treat.  I guess nuts were not always as easy to get as they seem to be now.  Daddy even can get them without any shells at all.  So this nutcracker ornament sort of confuses me...just a bit.

For #5, my last picture, I took another picture of Santa.  I chose this one because it's completely different from the other Santa picture I took.  That was strange.  Both Santa's have white fur on their head and face, and that's where the similarities end.  One Santa is very thin, the other is fatter.  This Santa is wearing green, while the other is wearing red.  I don't know how you can tell they are both Santa.  I guess maybe Santa doesn't wear a uniform of some kind.  I used to have to wear a uniform when I raced.  But they weren't always the same colors or numbers on them.  So I guess I understand that you just have to know who Santa is.  You can't tell by his uniform.

Well, that's all the pictures I have for faces.  Maybe I will share one picture of me, so you can see me.  This is one of my favorite places.  I am on my couch in the living room. 

Hope you all have a nice holiday season and get plenty of squeaky toys to play with.

Keep your tail up and wagging!

-Katie