Ludde - a big, fluffy friend!

Today's blog post is about one of my first newfies, Ludde. He has since long passed the rainbow bridge, but oh boy, do I miss him! He was certainly a BIG dog (probably was about 160 pounds or so, can't remember exactly).

I bought Ludde as a friend to my very first newfie. No one would let their dogs play with my first newf. Even though most newfies are gentle giants, they are definitely big dogs. I guess those people weren't too familiar with the awesomeness of the newfie breed...  They would all say he was too big, oh no, we can't let our dog play with him (this would hold true for dogs as big as labrador retrievers too, I'm not talking about chihuahuas here). So, I saved up and bought Ludde.

Recognize this dog from some of my artwork? Yep, the Newfoundland dog 32 portrait is a portrait I made from an old photograph of my beautiful, handsome Ludde.

What a cute dog he was, and my newfies were such good friends. When I take Cleo (my current newf) for walks now in the fall weather I see leaves blowing all over the place. Cleo, she doesn't care too much, she just looks at the leaves (although she does love to play mind you, just she isn't so interested in leaves blowing around). Whenever I see those leaves flying all over the place I think of my newfy boys and I miss them. Lots. They used to be so interested in these leaves, and I would have to hold on to the leash with all my force as they took me for leaf runs on occasions! I remember it with a smile now, it was less than fun sometimes but I never lost the leash. They would just pull me with them, let's play!!!

I would take them for walks separetely, but also together for walks so that would make for eventful fall walks sometime...

~ Gunilla Wachtel - Kanweienea Kreations

Gunilla Wachtel is a professional artist currently residing in PA. Her artwork is collected throughout the U.S. as well as internationally. She loves all kinds of animals, especially horses and Newfoundland dogs. Gunilla supports animal rescues, including different horse rescue organizations and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. For original artwork and prints from Gunilla Wachtel, check out Gunilla's Artfire Studio Kanweienea Kreations - fine art by Gunilla Wachtel.

Comfort in Time of Need....by Debra of Sleepy Cat Designs

Losing a loved one (human or animal) can be devastating on so many levels, as we all know. And comfort from other loved ones is essential for recovery. Our pets often are among those loved ones who provide comfort and support during grief and sadness. I learned this well from a painful personal experience.

Carmen and Jonathan (top row)
Dave, Kathy and Preston (bottom row)

On March 9, 1997, my sister, her husband, my niece, and my two nephews were all killed in a horrible accident when a train collided with their van in Ohio. I have no other siblings and my sister’s children were loved by me as if they were my own, and we were very close, especially because I have no children myself. Needless to say, this tragedy cannot be described well in terms of how devastating it was to me. I was alone when I received the news as far as human companionship; I had two cats at that time, Twinkles and Chelsea.

Twinkles (left) and Chelsea

My cat, Twinkles, who was 4 years old at this time, had never in his entire life slept next to me on the bed at any time since I rescued him at the age of 4 weeks. He always wanted to jump on the bed and sleep near my feet but never near enough to me so that I could pet him and never up close to any part of my body while sleeping.

But in the early morning hours after the police came to inform me of this horrific tragedy, something almost miraculous happened. I was lying on my bed crying, sobbing to be exact. I could not process this loss in a calm way. The grief was enormously overwhelming, and my tears and sobs continued off and on for several hours.

Within a few minutes of me lying down, Twinkles jumped up on the bed and immediately and unhesitatingly came to my side and smelled my face and licked a few tears off my cheek. He then turned around several times in a circle and finally settled down right up close to my tummy and chest, as close as he could get. And he let me pet him and hold him snuggled up tightly while I sobbed and moaned. He never tried to move away or get away from my grasp. And he purred constantly. We stayed like that for at least 3 hours. I was finally able to calm down somewhat, in part due to his loud purring and rhythmic breathing. And eventually I was able to get up and start facing the new day, going through the motions of daily life as I started to deal with things related to this life-altering news.

I was so glad my cats were there, now demanding food and a clean litter box. Those little chores kept me sane during an insane time. I kept thinking of what Twinkles had done for me. I cannot describe the comfort and love I felt coming from that warm little body and the soothing nature of his loud, rhythmic purrs. Amazingly, he really knew what to do in order to help me cope and endure the beginning nightmare of dealing with such a severe loss in my life.

Taking a break from play time!

Twinkles lived another 7 years, dying at age 11 of cancer. He was the most special pet I’ve ever had in many ways, and he gave me countless hours of joy and happiness because he was a funny cat, very unique and endearing. He was my little clown, always doing something to make me laugh, seemingly on purpose! He loved chocolate pudding and would fight me for it! And he was truly a Southern kitty (we lived in Georgia), because he liked sweet tea, too!

Drinking sweet tea on my desk!

I already knew how smart and special he was, but on that occasion, he proved it in such an astonishing way, providing just what I needed so desperately at just the right time in a specific situation. Somehow he knew that he had to help me, and he did it, even though it was not something he would normally do. And he never did anything like that ever again.

But that is okay. My Twinkles was there exactly when I needed him the most. And I'll be forever grateful.

Self-explanatory!

Written by: Debra of Sleepy Cat Designs where she sells her original handmade cat safety collars made out of all sorts of cute cotton fabrics. Her love of cats and all animals inspires her to create many types of useful and affordable creations for people and their pets. She also works as a volunteer with the Crafting for Animals Guild along with many other talented animal-loving artisans from ArtFire.

We Are So Thankful…………………………by Pam Todd

There are so many things for which we can express thanks on a daily basis, not just at Thanksgiving.  But, for this blog, I just want to say how thankful I am for the animals of the world…….for the knowledge that has been gained through research, study, and for the videos and films that enable us to see the creatures of the earth from the comfort of our recliners and sofas, for the zoos and aquariums and museums that allow us to visit and see animals up close and personal, and for books, magazines,  other written publications, and the internet from which we can learn about animal habitats, their habits, and whether they are in danger of becoming extinct. 
When I was teaching, I loved using Zoo Books in my classroom as a basis for units that included reading, writing, poetry, art, and music about so many non-domesticated animals. Following are the lyrics to a song I wrote and which my class performed for other classes in my elementary school.  (Not a candidate for any Music Awards, of course, but it was lots of fun!) At the end of that school year, one of the mothers typed the lyrics, decorated the paper with butterflies, and put it in a gold-colored frame as a gift to me.  The same class also gave me a butterfly bush as an end-of-the-year gift.  I think my butterfly bush is about 15 years old now and gorgeous every summer!

Butterflies, butterflies, butterflies, butterflies. On the rocks and on the ground. Butterflies, butterflies, butterflies, butterflies. Here and there and all around. Flitting, flying, soaring high.  Colors streaking through the sky.   Such a beautiful sight to see. Sitting in the apple tree.  Butterfly, you fly like a kite.  Little blue, you're small as a mite.  Butterflies red and butterflies bright.  You fly in the day but not at night.

And closer to home, there are our pets…….mostly dogs and cats, though some may have rabbits, birds, gerbils, hamsters, and fish in a bowl.  Some even have snakes and tarantulas.  But, for us, our dogs are just part of our family, and a very important part.  Daisy, who was almost 12 years old when she passed away October 28, 2010, was so smart.  She loved to go outside and catch the frisbee in mid-air after we threw it, and then bring it back to us and play tug-of-war as we tried to get the frisbee to throw it again.  She was a great mole hunter…….no traps, no pellets in our yard….just Daisy.  She followed my husband everywhere he went, and on her very last day, when she was so weak that she could barely stand, she walked off the porch to follow him into the yard.  We cried just thinking about the love she had for Bob.  After a year, we can smile and talk about her without crying…..most of the time.

Eddie is the baby of the family now, if you can call about six years old a baby!  He is the most affectionate, fun Boston Terrier that could every be!  He loves hugs and kisses and snuggling up.  Eddie is a big guy for a Boston, weighing about  40 pounds (and trying to lose a few at the advice of his vet).  He likes it outside when the weather is just right…..not too hot and not too cold.  And he likes basking on the sun on the blacktop drive.  Did you know that his normal temperature is about 103 degrees?  No wonder he is sooo warm! He loves to ride in the car and has become quite the traveler on trips to Oklahoma and Florida to visit other members of his family. He is a sweetheart!

We are so thankful for the pets we have had throughout our lives.  They have brought laughter, joy, fun, and tears when we have had to let them go, but memories will always be at our beck and call when we think of them and the love we have for our four-footed family members. At Thanksgiving and every day, we appreciate the animals in our lives.

LiveJournal Tags: Thanksgiving,thankfulness,dogs,pets,animals,cats,CFA,Crafting4Animals Guild,domestic animals,wild animals

This post written by Pam Todd, a member of the Crafting for Animals Guild on ArtFire, and whose shop http://www.bagsandmorebypam.artfire.com/ features hand-crocheted items for pets, people, and homes.  Pam  loves learning about animals of all kinds, and especially appreciates the fur babies that are and have been part of her family throughout the years.

Must...Herd...Cats!

 Must....Herd....Cats!

Dusty came to us because my son in the Army was told that he could only take one dog to his new duty station!  Dusty was just a few days short of being 3 years old, and a beautiful red merle Aussie/Labrador mix with ice blue eyes.  Their other dog was an 11 year old cocker spaniel, and we all agreed that she would have more trouble adjusting to a change of home. Dusty was closer in size to the other dogs in our pack, so he joined us!

Having had an Australian Shepherd before, I was prepared for the possibility of a very high energy dog that needed to be kept busy every waking moment.  Dusty had the Labrador’s laid back temperament, along with the short lab coat, and settled in quickly.  He had the Aussie’s sharp mind, and learned the ropes of the new house quickly.

At the time, I owned a dog boutique in the downtown district of Manteo, and Dusty was a great companion.  He enjoyed meeting other people and dogs, and absolutely ate up the attention he got for being so handsome.

Downtown has a lot of community cats, ones that may have had homes elsewhere, but panhandled from shop keepers and visitors for tidbits.  This was the one thing that brought out the Aussie instincts in Dusty.  He was absolutely convinced that the cats needed his organizational abilities! Needless to say, they were a hard sell, LOL!

Once he discovered that the shop door opened out, he would wait until I was busy with a customer to slide out the door.  He wasn’t mean, and didn’t try to harm the cats, he was just irresistibly drawn to alphabetize, organize and sort them!  When they got tired of him trying to boss them around, they would scratch his nose, and he would sulk back to the store.

I tried everything I could think of to distract him when he wanted to be with the cats, but I think that they would tease him, walking slowly by my door, and rubbing against the glass.  Poor Dusty’s eyes would glaze over, as his brain went, “Must...Herd...Cats!”

This story was submitted by Lisa Penosky of OBXPuparazzi on Artfire and OBXPuparazzi on Etsy.
Lisa is a retired nurse, and loves to sew. She enjoys creating dog bandanas and dog themed goodies for their people. She does craft shows and other dog related events.

NEW PUPPY? Some Helpful Tips.....by Debra of Sleepy Cat Designs

Hopefully a lot of puppies and dogs of all ages were adopted during National Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog month in October all over the country. For those who adopted a puppy recently, here are some helpful tips directly from the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Website (http://www.hillspet.com/index.html):

Puppy Proofing Your Home - Playful and intelligent, puppies investigate objects by touching, chewing and tasting them. Growing puppies love to explore, but need protection from household items that are dangerous if swallowed.

Dangerous Items to Keep Away From Your Puppy:

String, ribbon, yarn, sewing supplies and other small household items.

Paper clips, erasers, staples, rubber bands, plastic bags and twist ties.

Coins, small board game pieces, fragile keepsakes and ornaments.

Medication, vitamins, pill bottles, dental floss, razors and cotton balls.

Household and automotive chemicals ("pet-safe" antifreeze is available).

Toxic houseplants, including philodendron, mistletoe and poinsettia.

Toxic garden plants, including lily, azalea, daffodil, tomato and hydrangea.

More Ways to Keep Your Puppy Safe:

Provide pet-safe puppy toys to keep your puppy occupied.

Use covered trashcans in your house and garage.

Keep kitchen countertops clean and clear of food items to reduce temptation.

Store household chemicals and poisons in a locked cabinet.

Keep toilet lids down so your puppy can't fall in or drink from the bowl.

Keep electrical cords and wires out of sight or secured to walls.

Secure dangling blind and curtain cords out of reach.

In winter, rinse your dog's paws with warm water and towel-dry after outings to rinse off snow and melting chemicals that irritate the footpads and mouth.

Keep your dog indoors and safe from extreme weather conditions year-round.

Submitted by Debra of Sleepy Cat Designs, an online shop dedicated to all things feline, especially fabric safety collars which are comfortable, unique, and  affordable.