Of a Sweater ...

Petsmart had a 50% off sale on sweaters and jackets. I wish I had bought more!

Smiles and Snows

Love and Loyalty

After a morning spent playing sled dog with Sadie and Chester, Kevin and I picked up coffee, donuts and a Sunday paper. Then, we settled in on the couch to get warm and read the latest in Kansas City.

Kevin stumbled upon the latest column by John Grogan in Parade magazine. Grogan wrote Marley and Me and always hits a soft spot in my heart because of Sadie's similarities to Marley.

This column was no different. By the end of it, even Kevin was crying.

Grab a box of tissues and read it here.

Happy "birthday" Sadie girl!

Yep, I have officially had Sadie a year now.

And our lives really have changed in the past year. We haven't had a back yard since last January, she has a boyfriend and a brother and she gets to play in the snow.

She really has calmed down a lot too from the poop-slinging pup I brought from the pound.

Of course, I write that as she disembowels a stuff frog in order to annihilate the squeaker ...

She started out as a foster dog, but I just can't imagine giving her up. Sure, there are days when I remember what life was like pre-Sadie. Cleaner, quieter and less chaotic. However, that life also didn't have nearly as much joy, companionship, or unconditional love.

To dew or not to dew

How many nails does your dog have on her front paws? Sadie and Eddie only have four, but Chester has five. Often, Sadie licks and moans at a red scar on either front paw. Tonight, I did a bit of research and found out why.

She is having phantom pains!

Apparently, most dogs are born with these front dew claws. Often, breeders will clip them off when the dog is only days old. Other times, if the dew claw is growing awkwardly or getting caught on things, the dog's owners will elect to have them removed.

That's what happened to Sadie. And, like most amputees, Sadie suffers from phantom pains!

There is an ongoing debate behind whether dew claw removal should be done ... and after seeing Sadie's pain, I would vote no. However, many say it is better to have them removed than for a dog to get the dew claw caught on something and it tear off (ouch!).

What is your take on this issue?

My Boxer

Sadie has taken to sleeping in the box of my summer clothes. It takes up a lot of space in the bedroom, but she's just so darn cute! And, thankfully, this is the first "dog" bed the cats haven't peed on - they like sleeping in it too!

Yo Quiero

Maybe she is part Chihuahua!!!