Everyone Needs a Snoopy :)

I'm not really a big Charlie Brown fan, but I have always loved Snoopy and his sidekick bird Woodstock.  For some reason my husband was watching the Peanuts special, "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown" this past weekend and I sat and watched the last half of the show with him.

Here's a little intro from where I picked it up:
The character, Linus has a heart-shaped box of chocolates he wants to give to his teacher, and wants her to be his Valentine.  For some reason in the middle of the classroom's Valentine party, the teacher leaves the building, while Linus tries to catch up to her to give her the candies.  Only to watch his her leave with her boyfriend.

It was the following scene that got me with Linus on the bridge. (Check video clip HERE)
  
The mood was heartbreaking and I found myself begin get a little teary.  Until...they showed Snoopy and Woodstock behind the bush, catching the chocolates and gobbling up all of Linus' anguish.

I busted out laughing as I could truly relate.  How many times have I thrown all my pain and sorrows on my dogs who just lavished it up like chocolates, while transforming my tears into love?  Countless.  I can not tell you how many "Snoopy's" have saved my life and are still doing so today.

So to all of the Snoopy Dogs out there, Happy Valentine's Day!  Think what a better world it would be if we all had a Snoopy!!

 Snoopy times 6   

Monday Memories-Best Buds

Welcome to Monday Memories...our little trip down memory lane. 

Today's memory brought to you by:  Boxer (kitty) and Silver (dog)

(Long before the days of Brut, puppies and the 24 Paws of Love)

Silver and Boxer were best of friends

They both loved to cuddle together

snuggling close

Sometimes a little too close  :)

But isn't that what friends are for??

Mr. Observant

My husband calls from the other room, "Honey come here!"  There is a sense of urgency in his voice and I can't tell whether to be concerned or not, but I hurry to meet him.

 

There's my husband on the toilet holding Blaze's head in his hands.  With this wondrous grin on his face,  he looks at me and says, "Did you know Blaze has these long black hairs above her eye?"

I rushed in here for this?  I roll my eyes and say, "They are part of her eyebrows."

He giggles with his eyes all aglow and replies, " I never noticed them before.  Look!  There are 7 of them!"

 "They all have them,"  And he says I'm the one who'd make a lousy detective!!  

If it took him three years to notice the girl had long, black eyebrow hairs.  3 YEARS!!  Nice going Sherlock!!   Lord knows how many things he's really missed all these years together!!  Can anyone relate??

BOYS!!     

Daddy's Corner

Monday Memories-Would you do it?

Perfect.

Just the way they were on their first day in this world.

About 24 hours after Silver gave birth, I ran her to the vet to make sure she had given birth to all her puppies, par the vet's instructions.  Being a new “Grandma” I had some uncertainties if there were any more pups to be born.  After Silver had her x-ray and all was clear, the receptionist, out of the blue made mention that to in order to have dew claws removed and tails docked, I had a three day window to get it done.  I was shocked by the very thought.  I had never heard of removing the dew claws.  I had ten freshly born, healthy pups and I couldn’t imagine chopping off any parts of them.  The thought was a bit disturbing, to say the least. 

Brut's back dew claw

Both Brut (father) and Fiona (daughter) have a third dew claw on their back right leg, an inherited trait, that Brut must have picked up in the genetic line.  As you can see it hangs looser than a front dew claw and is more susceptible to getting caught on things, though I have never run into that problem.  Our vet mentioned when Brut was young if we wanted to have it removed we could.  It has never crossed my mind. I have always loved the uniqueness. 

Fiona's back dew claw

From my understanding the removal of all dew claws is a preventive measure, because they can snag and tear off.  It is can also be a selling point if the dew claws on puppies are already removed.  Tail docking is considered show standard for particular breeds.

Though I am aware of that these procedures exist and understand the theory, but I personally could not begin to fathom the idea of actually doing them to our little newborns.  Even now as I look back at that precious little bundle, so perfect just the way they were, the thought gives me chills.  I am just not to type that could do that for any reason.

 How do you feel about it?  Could you do it?       

Something Wagging Challenge-Boxer

I could write out a long in depth post about what lead to taking on this challenge with my competitor in question, but simply put; I've had resentments towards Boxer because he isn't my former cat, Sparky and Boxer has resentments, well, because he is a cat!

THIS IS NOT A 'NORMAL' CAT
I was completely disillusioned by Sparky and two previous cats (all whom have passed on) who were mellow, affectionate, and cool as cucumbers and I thought all cats were that way.  Then I got Boxer and suddenly I was dealing with this wild, obnoxious cat who demanded my attention and didn't care how he got it.  And while I would like to blame his behavior on the dogs, he has always been this way.  More dogs just gives him more reasons to be ruthless.

Just let her try to sit down!!

MY LAP WAS OUR BATTLEGROUND
Every night the war would begin with this 16 pound cat, who according to the vet was not overweight, where we would have our battle of wills.  He would stand on my lap, I mean just stand there on my tired-end-of-the-day-legs like dead weight.    Then he would slowly turn around, doing his 'claw dance,' butt in my face all the while jerking and knocking me with head butts that had the force of a miniature ram.  I in turn would hide my arms behind my back, or try to get him to lay down, until my sensitive nerves couldn't take it anymore and I would push him off my lap.  Or I would try to pet him, hoping to calm him and it would only rile him up more.  I almost dreaded our nightly visit and these battles only fueled my angry feelings towards him more.

SPARKY NEVER ACTED LIKE THIS
And there was my struggle.  I'd missed my heart cat so much, I just couldn't accept that Boxer was nothing like him.  I hadn't even realized that I'd had built up these resentments towards Boxer because he wasn't Sparky.  A few months ago I became aware of how much these thoughts and feelings were hurting our relationship and that I needed to change the course we were taking. 

Look deep inside...or else

THE HEALING PROCESS BEGAN
I began by letting go of Sparky and focusing on Boxer.  I started practicing more patience and kindness with Boxer, but we were still struggling with his demands for affection. So when Pamela's Challenge came along, I seized the opportunity to improve our lap time by using simple "ignore and reward" technique.  When he was quiet on my lap and/or being gentle, I would pet him.  When he got too pushy, I hid my hands.  It was simple. And it worked.  Not only did our lap time improve, but our over all relationship took a dramatic turn. We are not having those large uproars on my lap every night.  Now, we are enjoying each others company and I am beginning to see Boxer for more of who he is, rather than who he is not.

I am sure I am not alone when grieving for another animal to misplace those hopes onto a new one.  Boxer was never going to be Sparky and I still missed Sparky more because of it.  Their personalities are almost bipolar to each other and it has been difficult letting go of that, not to mention that these differences created a situation with a type of cat, I'd never dealt with before.  It was frustrating because I have discovered I don't know cats like I do dogs and I didn't know what to do.

Pamela's challenge gave me a way to acknowledge what I started with Boxer and our healing process and helped me to focus on one aspect of our relationship-the time on my lap.  If I accomplish nothing else with Boxer except this, I have conquered everything.  Our evenings together are almost like heaven now and I'm finding myself falling in love with that little booger all over again.      

   

Yep!  I got her back.

I mean seriously, who can resist all this mancat savvy!!

A special thanks to Pamela and her Something Wagging Challenge that gave Boxer and I what we had been missing.  Our relationship.

 It's a DOUBLE BLOG HOP!!  JOIN US!!



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And the Saturday Blog Hop!!  Hosted by Life with Dogs, The Two Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.

That Face

Chance grabbed a hold of Blaze's neck in an attempt to entice her into another round of play.  Blaze looked up at me with those comical eyes as if to say, "Can you believe this guy?"  And for a split second this was who I saw:

Blaze at 3 weeks old

That little diva puppy who terrorized the entire litter with the same cajole and devious attitude who was standing before me.  And it struck me in a way like I had never realized before that my little girl was home.  That I had witnessed her birth and the first 9 weeks of growth and here I was looking right into those same eyes again, forever.

There is no wondering or worrying or missing or hoping to see her again.  She is right here and I couldn't be more blessed.  Regardless of what the circumstances were for her return, she is safe and sound and with us.

If it had been up to my husband, we would have kept every single puppy and if the circumstances would have been ideal, we would have.  And while the thought of having twelve dogs (mom, dad and ten kids) is a bit more than daunting, when Blaze's face flashed before me, I began to understand where my husband was coming from.  I never thought I could love a dog more, until I watch them be born and have that undying willingness do anything for them.

 I would divide the house ten different ways if our puppies needed to come home again.  As it was, I only had to split it in two, so I can spend every day with that puppy dog face that is my Blaze.