It's Opie's Barkday!

Hi Dawgs!

First, dogmom says I have to tell everydog that Floyd is doing fine after his bout with pancreatitis. We have to watch him, cuz he eats a whole lot but isn't gaining weight. I think it's because I chase him around the apartment. Dogmom says that wouldn't account for the calories he's eating. Whatever.

Anypaws, today's the day we celebrate my barkday. 'Course, we're not sure really when my barkday is... or at least I've not told dogmom... but the guestimate when I invaded Gomer's heart and dogmom's house back in 2001 was that I was born around this day. Dogmom says I'm 9 years old today (or is it 10?), hmmm. I'm not tellin' !

So, me thinks that everyone should do three things in honor of my barkday today...

• Lick your human on the face and tell them you love 'em. 'Cuz they're kinda forgetful and might not know it today.
• Click on the animal rescue site button on our blog (or someone else's) and donate a bowl of food to a shelter pet. Better yet, buy some of your Christmas gifts there and donate even more.
• Run and play, beg for treats, take a nap and relish the fact that you have a great home. Oh yeah, and say your prayers that a lot more dogs, cats, puppies and kittens find a forever home this season.

Chase ya later!
Opie

Floyd is Sick

Yo Dawgs!

Before you tease me about caring about the cat... you have to understand a couple of things, ok?

When Gomer crossed the rainbow bridge a couple of months ago, Floyd would let me chase him around the apartment. And Floyd would let me eat his food sometimes. And I could chase him around the apartment. And I could kiss him in the face when it smelled like tuna. And I could chase him around the apartment.

Anypaws, Floyd wasn't feeling too good when dogmom came back from her conference late Monday night. And he vomited breakfast on Tuesday. And he vomited breakfast on Wednesday. When dogmom came home for lunch and saw that Floyd didn't eat his breakfast but vomited anyways... she took him to Pet Crossing Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic in Bloomington.

Floyd doesn't like Pet Crossing as much as Gomer did and I do. He's a cat. He likes everything to always be the same. Dogmom says that's why she thinks I'm part cat... but Floyd's worse than me about learning about new things and new places.

Anypaws, I was scared that Floyd wouldn't come home. You know, like Gomer didn't come home when he was sick. So dogmom brought Floyd home last night; but, he has to go back to the hospital today.

Dr. Roth says that Floyd has pancreatitis, likely due to the stress of being away from me while dogmom was at the conference. He's dehydrated and he lost almost a pound in the past week. And his liver enzyme is raised a bit.

Anypaws, put your paws together and say your puppy prayers that Floyd is ok soon. I miss chasing him around the apartment.

Chase Ya Later!
Opie

It's DogMom's BarkDay!

I've got lots of stuff planned!

First, she's going to take me outside to the little off-leash area in the apartment complex so I can do my business and get ready for the day.

Then, she's gonna feed me breakfast. (And, maybe Floyd can have some breakfast, too.)

Then, she's going to give herself a rainy bath so she can take me on a walk around the preserve trail.

Then, she's gonna come back in and snuggle with me since it's kinda cold and drizzly outside. Once I'm all warm and toasty, maybe I'll let her give me a massage.

Then, we'll both take a nap... although usually when I take a nap is when she plays with Floyd and moves stuff around in the kitchen and makes the dishes have no taste and stuff.

Oh well... gotta get going!
Chase Ya Later - Opie

Yucky White Stuff...

Yo Dawgs!

It's back. I mean, I'm so flustered about it that I don't know what to do. I thought Gomey and I chased it away for good. But, alas! It showed up again last night while I was sleeping.

I'm not sure what to do. Gomey always helped me out with this. DogMom is trying... but it's just not the same at all.

Anybody know what I can do to make the wet, cold, fluffy white stuff to get off my grass so I can go potty?

I mean... well, it's not so bad right now. It's more just like a blanket on top of the grass and you can see bits of grass peeking through the holes in the blanket. But, remember, it seems to always want to go get its friends and then, before we know it, there is tons of the stuff piled all over.

Help me!
Chase ya later... but I'm gonna go hide under a blanket now.
Opie

Wow! Yard Sale Results!

Hi Dawgs!

So, DogMom sat outside in the rain all day on Saturday (after being sick for three days... stupid human) so that she could help with the yard sale for pets needing veterinary care... (see previous post).

I guess I can forgive her for not spending the day with me. I mean, well, it was raining anypaws... so I didn't really want to walk around the preserve and get all wet.

Anypaws, Pet Crossing raised more than $1200 !!! for the animals!

Chase ya later!

Opie

Got Stuff? ... Need Stuff?

Hi Dawgs!

Sneaking in a post while dogmom is staring at the big paper brick again. She's been looking at the same two for a few weeks now. I don't get it... she tries to read them out loud to me, but she sounds a lot like the Charlie Brown parents when she does. Something about farmokologee and something about pearosites called neematoads and cestoads. I don't see any toads or farms anywhere near here. I think she's gone totally bonkers since Gomer's gone.

Anypaws... I don't have much time before she sees me on the laptop. So the point is this... Pet Crossing Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic is hosting a yard sale next Saturday, October 3rd from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All the proceeds will benefit the homeless pets that live at the clinic while their moms and hooman kids are in the domestic abuse shelter. The animals get tons of TLC, a safe place to stay, a soft place to sleep, and food and water thanks to the wonderful employees that work with dogmom. But some of them need a lot more care... like dental surgery and expensive medications for their arthritis and kidneys and livers and stuff.

So, the staff are hosting a yard sale to raise money for the pets. Over the course of a year, the employees and the hospital spend about $75k on the pets that need homes and care. Can you help just a little bit?

You could help if ...

• you "Got Stuff" that you don't need (and you live in the Minneapolis area) or you want to donate - please take it to Pet Crossing before next Thursday, October 1st.
• you "Need Stuff" - then please stop by Pet Crossing next Saturday, October 3rd, and buy something or make a donation.
• you have a web site where you could post this information.
• you have friends in the Minneapolis/Bloomington area that you could email with this information.
  

Thanks in advance for your help!
Chase Ya Later! - Opie


Post info:
YARD SALE FOR PETS IN NEED
Saturday, Oct 3 - 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
at Pet Crossing Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic, Bloomington, MN
FREE EVENT - Items for sale benefit homeless pets
Age Suitability - All Ages
Tags: benefit, pets, donations, yard sale, homeless pets, Pet Crossing

Got Stuff? Pet Crossing Animal Hospital is hosting a yard sale on Saturday, Oct. 3rd, to benefit homeless pets in need of veterinary care. We're accepting items/donations through Oct. 1st; please drop items at the clinic (10861 Bloomington Ferry Road, Bloomington, MN) during regular business hours.

Don't Got Stuff? Come to the clinic on Oct. 3rd (8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) and see if you can find something you gotta have.

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT HOMELESS PETS IN NEED OF VETERINARY CARE.

Happy Hump Day!

Yo Dawgs! Dopey Opie here...

So, dogmom has been hogging the computer again. Something about more classes and some family stuff. I think she's just playing games online or something. She said that she's not and that one of her cousins in Michigan died so she's looking up information. I never heard about any cousins in Michigan before... and what is a Michigan, anyways?

Anypaws... she laughed when she saw my notes for this post because she says I've been trying to hump Floyd the cat ever since Gomer crossed the rainbow bridge. You'd think she'd be glad... at least I'm not trying to gum him to death and swallow him like Gomer always did when he saw Floyd the cat.

By the way, I took some pictures of the preserve (since inquiring collies Essex and Deacon wanted to know), but dogmom misplaced the wire that connects the camera to the computer so I can't show them to you yet. I'll get on her (a.k.a. threaten to hump her to death) to find it soon.

Gotta run. Chase ya later.

Hi Dawgs, It's Opie!

Yo dawgs! Dopey Opie here.

This will be a short post... mostly because the dogmom is taking the good-smelling clothes down the hallway to make them stink again. What is it about humans that makes them want their stuff to smell funny... like flowers and ocean breezes and stuff like that?

Tomorrow will be three weeks since Gomer crossed the rainbow bridge. Dogmom really misses him, I think. It's kind of a mixed blessing for me, though... cuz she wants more cuddle time and she seems to pay more attention to whether my teeth need brushing and my nails need trimming. She even threatened the dreaded water bath to make me smell like her clothes. Yuck.

I kinda miss him too... but I'm relieved that I don't have to be naughty to take the pressure off of him.

Anyways... dogmom's back now and she said something about walking to the preserve again.

Chase Ya Later...
Opie

Gomer Has Crossed The Rainbow Bridge

Last night, at 7:15 p.m., I held Gomer's head as he quietly walked across the rainbow bridge.

He noticeably hadn't felt well for about a week, which I attributed to the stress of moving to a new place, then leaving on vacation, then bringing back a puppy from Ohio to live with us for a week. But, when he wouldn't eat at all, I noted that he was severly jaundiced and rushed him into the vet at Pet Crossing Animal Hospital. The bloodwork, of course showed very high liver values.

I tried very hard to ignore his pleas to let him go; I wanted the analytical me to win. To run all the tests and get all the information before making the ultimate decision. But, after five hours of treatments and IV fluids, I looked into his eyes and he asked me to please let him go. It was one of the most difficult things I've had to do. But I know in my heart that I did the right thing. Maybe not for me, but for him.

I miss him horribly and expect that I will for a very long time. I take comfort in knowing that I am a much better person for having accepted the scared little dumpster dog into my home, my life and my heart.

To steal a post idea from Hercules' dad when Herc crossed the rainbow bridge, here's a short list of things that I learned from Gomer. As those who knew him will understand, he taught me so much more than the items listed below... but these are the things I remember today.

Things I learned from Gomer...

• This world is a scary, dangerous place. But, with the right people to watch your back, everything will turn out ok. That... and a lot of the things that we fear the most aren't really all that scary once we understand them.
• Every single being, no matter what their faults and how mean they can be, has value. Even the guy who threw Gomer in the dumpster had value… if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have had Gomer as a part of my life for the past nine years.
• With the right encouragement and acceptance, every single one of us can excel at fulfilling our purpose in life. Gomer’s first evaluation was that he’d always be feral and never be a good pet. Luckily, enough of us believed more in him than in the opinions of the “experts.”
• Don’t always act in the way that someone else believes is appropriate. Sometimes you need to run around like a crazy person and release pent up energy. And, sometimes you just need to lie down and let someone who loves you rub your belly.
• Life is what you make it. You can be scared, dissatisfied and blame others for your problems… or you can accept what it is and hold onto the hope that the rewards and treats will always come later.
• If your people can’t hear your words, talk to them with your eyes, your paws and your tail. And keep communicating how much you love them until they understand.

Opie and I are doing fine, all things considered. Thank you for listening with your eyes today.

Dogmom