Molly's Follies - Adventures of a Rescued Pooch

GoodSearch Offers Easy (and Free) Way to Help Rescued Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:13:00 +0000

These days money is tight for everyone and, unthinkable as it might be, many are even giving up their family pets because they can't afford to keep them. At our house, we are thankful that we can still enjoy our quality dog food and treats (most important!) and, although we don't enjoy this as much - visits to the vet. Organizations which rescue pets are also hurting as fewer people can afford to donate.

There is one easy way to help rescue pets, though, that doesn't cost you anything to do every day.

A couple of years ago, Joan saw an animal shelter in north Texas that was going to have to euthanize all the dogs and cats there because it couldn't afford to feed them. People stepped up and donated tons of food and money to keep them going. However, these needs are ongoing. About that time she discovered GoodSearch and Good Shop where your searches and purchases result in donations to the charity of your choice.

The way it works is that you go to the search or shop page and search for a charity. You can search by state or by cause, such as animals. Once you make your selection, you can also click to see how much has been raised through Good Shop and Good Search.

Joan chose the Henderson County Humane Society in Athens, Texas because that is the one she saw on the news. Also, our family has purchased 10 acres of land nearby for Joan and Ted's retirement home and so Leo and I have room to run around.

Each search you do through Good Search results in a penny donated. If you go to Good Shop and shop for online purchases through them, a portion of the proceeds are donated. Major retailers like Amazon.com are available to purchase through and Joan orders a lot of things from them! If you add the GoodSearch tool bar you won't forget to use it and the pennies build up for your animal rescue cause.

If you are a volunteer or member of a rescue group, you can also add your own cause to the list so people can do searches and shopping for your cause as well.

Other ways to help rescue pets through Good Search are to put their banners and logos on your blog or facebook page or let your friends who love animals know through email.

Even in these times when many people are short of money, thousands search the internet or buy things online. Make your searches and purchases count for rescue animals.

Help Rescue Animals with a Click!

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:19:00 +0000

One of our favorite ways to help rescue animals is The Animal Rescue Site If you click every day, they donate money to feed shelter pets. It's totally free to use.

On the Animal Rescue Site you can also buy gifts for people and part of the proceeds go toward helping shelter pets as well. We have purchased gifts for the family here and the quality and service are great!

You can also find the Animal Rescue Site on Facebook and they send a reminder to your wall every day so you can easily click to help the shelter pets.

Other Rescued Pets in the Family

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:02:00 +0000

Where are those darn birds anyway?

All of the cats and dogs in our home are rescued from someplace. I came from the animal shelter. Leo came from a litter of pups being given away. Fat Max was thrown from a car into a ditch and still has a broken tail after that traumatic experience. Tatem the cat was in a box at the supermarket and Lucy was abandoned in icy January weather as a kitten.

These are just the group that make up our family at present. In the past there were other various cats and dogs, given a good home after being tossed away by someone else. One cat, Tommy, was rescued from a median on a super busy highway . He wouldn't have lasted long out there, I can tell you. Charlie was left in a house near us in Oregon when his owners moved away and on and on.

Tater - Waiting to Pounce on the Unsuspecting

We might not have started out int he best of circumstances but we're a happy group now - well all except Tatem, AKA Tater, who has been in perpetually bad humor for the past 14 years!

Lazy Cats

Fat Max - Need I say more?

Leo and I, being the dogs in the family, naturally rule the roost, no matter what the cats think about it. Lucy, the newest member of our little tribe, sleeps in he window most days, helping me guard the house. She also loves to play hide and seek on the stairs for some reason.

Lucy playing and seek

Lucy was originally rescued by Joan and Ted's daughter but her husband is allergic to cats and Lucy was pretty much forced to spend the winter outside. So, of course, Joan brought Lucy over here to live, on a "trial basis" which turned out to be permanent. Lucy didn't care for the other cats at first and they really didn't like her but now we only have the occasional cat skirmish- Leo and I stir clear of that!

Overall, life is pretty exciting at Joan and Ted's house - at least we try to keep it hopping!

Molly's Dog Blog - A Full Day in My Life

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:24:00 +0000

This is me - keeping watch and protecting the family.

Since I'm part Australian Shepard, I need a job to do and living with Joan and Ted, I have quite a few important jobs to take care of during the day. They're lucky to have me around, I can tell you that.

One of my main jobs is protecting Joan from various delivery men who come to the door during the day and all the people and dogs who walk by our house. I sit in the window quite a bit of the day and keep watch. If someone goes by, or a delivery truck stops, I set off the alarm, which is greatly appreciated, I know.

I'm a terrific guard dog - unless the vacuum cleaner comes out. If I see that noisy monster, all bets are off - I have to abandon my post. Or if it looks like bath time - I hate that! When I see the dog towels, I know immediately what's up and I try to hide out under the bed. This never did much good, but I keep trying.

Another job I have is keeping Joan company and keeping watch while she works at the computer all day. I might take a little snooze now and then but if she gets up to go downstairs, I'm right behind her in a flash. She might be going to the kitchen to get me a treat!

I have to be in the lead when we walk.

We have some other important events on our daily calendar too. Eating breakfast and going for our morning walk - which is at the park if we're lucky! When it's cooler, we go for a walk in the evening too and Ted comes. In this 105 degree heat, though, we've been skipping the evening walk. I wouldn't mind going in the heat but Leo can't make it very far.

Somewhere during the day, Leo and I have to fit in our regular 5 or 6 naps too.

Leo and I love evenings when Ted and Joan sit down to watch TV. Ted always gives us belly rubs and Leo and I take turns sitting by his chair. That Leo! When she thinks it's her turn, she just barges in and pushes me out of arms reach.

Here's me enjoying my nightly belly rub!

Every evening too, we have to let Joan know when 8 o'clock comes - we always know exactly what time it is, I can tell you. At 8 o'clock, Joan takes us outside to go potty for the last time at night and we get a treat that's good for our teeth when we come in. We could go out alone anytime - we do have a pet door - but hey, we have our routines and we need Joan to go so she can give us the treat afterward!

Leo's undignified when she gets her belly rub

Pretty soon it's bedtime. I'm the first dog Ted has ever let sleep in the bed but I hate sleeping with people. Due to my animal shelter "issues" I like my own space. I lay on the bed until Ted gets in, then I retire to my own. That is, if Leo hasn't messed it up. She loves to push her nose into my dog blankets and mess up my bed. She doesn't do it to her own bed, mind you, just mine. Probably due to some "issues" of her own.

All ready for a much needed night's sleep.

We all need a good nights sleep as morning comes very early and we get up and do it all again.

It's sure a dog's life!

Raw Food Diet - Green Smoothie Recipes for Your Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:42:00 +0000

We're waiting for our green smoothie!

My human parents, Joan and Ted, are very health conscious, for themselves and for Leo and I. A few months ago, they started drinking green smoothies so naturally we wanted in on it too. If you'd like to try making a green smoothie for your dog, or making a homemade dog food recipe, remember to start slowly and watch for signs of allergy to any new foods or diarrhea. If I eat something I'm allergic too, I itch terribly!

Raw foods have lots of digestive enzymes, something Leo can benefit from since she's getting older. Green smoothies offer a great supplement to your dog's diet to improve health and vitality.
Just like people, dogs need variety in their diet too. Joan came up with 4 great green smoothie recipes for dogs and a couple of days a week, we get it in the morning in place of our regular homemade dog food.

Me and my Green Smoothie - Yum!

Here is our favorite green smoothie recipe for dogs:
1/2 banana
1/2 apple
2 Tablespoon flaxseed
3 Tablespoons Homemade Kefir for digestive enzymes (It's easy to make kefir at home!)
1 4oz canned salmon or sardines (with bones included for calcium)
1/2 cooked sweet potato
All this is blended in a Vitamix until smooth. Delicious!
Remember, your dog should never eat these foods:

Chocolate
Onions
Raisins
Macadamia nuts
Fruit pits (cherries, apricots, peaches, plums)
Grapes in large quantities - or more than 9 oz.
Avocado
Animal Fat and fried food - dogs can get clogged arteries too!
Nutmeg
Raw eggs - these can contain salmonella
Bones like chicken bones, which can splinter and break
Watch the salt - dogs shouldn't have too much

Click on this link to find more information on making your own dog food and green smoothies. Go to "Your health" in the top menu, then click on Pet Food. There is some good information here too about how your dogs can benefit from more whole foods in their diet. A handy link to any current dog food recalls is there too.
If you don't have a Vitamix of your own, use on this link to get free shipping and free gifts, courtesy of Molly's Follies.

Molly's Favorite Dog Treat Recipes - Beef Jerkey

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:20:00 +0000

Leo and I perk up our ears for this dog treat recipe - Beef Jerky!

Dog treat recipes are pretty easy to make and, let's face it, dog treats are an important part of my day! My mom, Joan, used to buy some chicken jerky treats for dogs at Costco and then she read the ingredients list and saw some very unhealthy stuff. Plus they were made in China and after that food recall a while back on dog food with Chinese ingredients, we decided it was better to eat homemade dog food recipes.

Obesity in dogs is as big a problem as obesity in people - in fact, Leo has a little trouble in that direction! It's important to give your dogs a diet of healthy, nutritious food free of fillers, additives and byproducts. This dog treat recipe of beef jerky is made of just pure beef and nothing else.

Healthy Dog Treat Recipe - Beef Jerky

We bought a nice roast beef at the store on sale so for $5 we got nearly 3 pounds of beef. If you've checked the price of quality dogs treats lately, you know this is a bargain!

$5 of beef makes a lot of dog treat recipe

First slice the beef very thin, against the grain. One tip we read about was to freeze the beef first to make it easier to slice so you can try that if you have trouble.

Place the beef slices in a large zip loc bag and add 1/2 cup beef bouillon. If you want to be really healthy,

(commercial beef bouillon contains additives, preservatives and lots of salt) make your own bouillon by throwing some of the small pieces you cut off the beef into a cup of water and simmer it until the meat is done. Cool the broth and add it to the sliced beef in the bag.

Your dog doesn't need any seasoning and too much salt can be bad for your dog so don't add any spices. You can add a little Italian seasoning if you want to, but your dog won't really care.

Marinate the beef overnight, then put in on a cookie sheet and heat in the oven to 160 degrees. We read that jerky made in a dehydrator doesn't heat it up enough to kill all the bacteria so we cooked ours just 20 minutes in the oven at 160, which does kill the bacteria.

After that, Joan put the beef strips into the food dehydrator (we've used the Nesco American Harvest FD-61 Snackmaster Encore Dehydrator and Jerky Maker for years for all our food dehydrating and love it) at 145 for about 5 hours and we were done! Delicious beef jerky treats for dogs.

If you don't have a food dehydrator, you can also use your oven. To do this put the beef strips on a greased cookie sheet and place in the oven at 160 degrees for about 2 hours. Be sure to check frequently to see if it's done. Your oven might take more or less time than 2 hours.

Allow this tasty dog treat to cool, then cut into bite size pieces. The jerky should come out a little chewy, not crunchy.

You can store your dog's jerky in a zip loc plastic bag for about 3 weeks - but it probably won't last that long!

400 Tasty Dog Treat Recipes-try them all! Your pup will love you for it.

More information on the importance of whole food nutrition for you and your dog.

Here's some more pet food recipes. We haven't tried all of these but we'll be posting our favorite dog treat recipes, homemade dog food recipes and other foods we enjoy.

Pet Adoption - How to Choose a Puppy

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:18:00 +0000

That's me when I came home from the Shelter

When a puppy is sitting in a kennel at a pet adoption center or in a cardboard box outside the local supermarket, all they want is a loving home. Unfortunately, they are at the mercy of whoever adopts them. Will their new pet parents make them part of the family or will they end up chained to a tree as a 'watch dog" or perhaps alone and forgotten in the back yard when their new family can't deal with behavior problems or gets too busy?

I was lucky! As dog adoptions go, I couldn't have asked for better human parents but lots of dogs aren't so lucky. It's hard to believe but 3 to 4 million dogs and cats are put to death each year in shelters across the country. Thousands more suffer cruelty at the hands of humans.

Adopting a puppy or full grown dog is a great way to help rescue a dog but it's important to consider all aspects of a pet adoption to it will be successful and happy for both you and your dog. It's better not to adopt at all than to get a dog and discover you don't have the time or patience to handle behavior problems or even daily care of your dog.

If you'd like to adopt a pet consider this first:

Leo's an old dog now and needs thyroid meds

Dogs can live for 15 or more years if well cared for. Are you and your entire family willing to commit to taking care of a dog that long? When dogs get older, they often have health issues which need to be taken care of as well.
There's no such thing as a "free dog" even if you get one from that cardboard box at the market. Dogs need to be spayed or neutered, they need food, shots, vet visits, licenses, heart worm prevention and many other things that cost money.
Are you willing to take your dog to puppy classes or some sort of obedience training? Or at least read up on puppy training so you can teach your dog how to behave? When my mom volunteered at the animal shelter, she saw many dogs turned in for behavior problems that could easily have been fixed if the owners were willing to find out how to do it.
Do you have a place to keep a dog where they can be warm in winter and cool in summer? If you plan to keep your dog mainly in the back yard, are you willing to have the dog in the house with you during adverse weather conditions? Here in north Texas, we have huge thunderstorms, which I personally am very afraid of. My mom has some herbal essential oils she puts under my chin and I certainly don't have to go outside. It can snow here and it can reach 105 degrees so I'm lucky to only have to go outside once in a while if it's like that. There are people around here, though, who leave their dogs out all the time, no matter what the weather. Would you be one of those?
Are you willing to spend the time it takes to make sure your dog is fed and walked or exercised each day?

All of these things are important for a successful dog adoption. If you decide your family would like to rescue a dog, here are some other things to consider so that you can get the right dog for your family.

How to Chose a Puppy

All puppies are cute, let's face it but they do grow up. Once you decide to adopt a dog, think about the size and breed that would be best for you.

Do you live in a house or apartment? How big a dog can your family handle? I only weigh 50 pounds and I'm not a big dog myself. Leo is a Labrador retriever but she's a mutt like me and not a big lab. If you don't have room for a dog to run int he back yard, or you aren't willing to take your dog on long walks, get a smaller dog. Also consider that large dogs eat more and will be more expensive that way.
Choosing a dog breed is important. Huskies love to run and need lots and lots of exercise. Australian Shepard's like me are working dogs so we need a job. My job is to herd grandchildren and sit in the front window and be the family watch dog. My pet parents are planning a great retirement place int he country though, where I'll have some animals to herd as well. Some dogs need a very active life or they'll be chewing furniture and some dogs are lazy and love to lay around all day and sleep. Do a little research to see what kind of dog would best fit into your family.
Ask the folks at the pet adoption center for recommendations. They spend their days with the different dogs and cats and know their temperaments. The people at the shelter want the pet adoptions to be successful and many times they can give you recommendations about which dog might be the best for your and your family.

Choosing an Older Dog to Adopt

This was Charlie-110 lbs of teddy bear!

Puppies are cute but older dogs need homes too and might make the best pet for you. Some older dogs in shelters already have obedience training and, let's face it, puppies like to chew and most aren't potty trained either. If you look at older dogs, shelter staff can tell you what their temperament is - if they would be good with kids or if they need lots of attention or whatever.

Lastly, if you're going to adopt a dog, please consider a pet rescue adoption first before purchasing a dog. Obviously, if you want a dog you can take to dog shows, you'll need a pure bred dog, but rescue mutts have a lot to offer and you're saving a life too.

Some people think shelters charge too much for dogs but most are spayed or neutered, have their shots and have been screened for behavior problems like biting. The price for the spay/neuter often makes the cost of shelter adoption worthwhile. Many shelters, if they don't offer the spay/neuter there, will give you a rebate on the cost when you bring back proof that you've had it done at a Vet of your choice.

PetFinder offers more great tips to consider before adopting a rescue dog.

OK, Its HOT! Tips for Keeping Your Dog Cool in Hot Weather

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:35:00 +0000

Just the spot for a hot summer day!

When I lived at the Animal Shelter, it was a very hot summer. At least we did have a cool concrete floor in there and a door to an outside kennel so we could get fresh air. I was glad to get out of there though and find a home where there was a good A/C. I was happy to camp out in the house, except for playtime or walk time outdoors.

A hot summer in Oregon, however, is nothing compared to a hot summer in Texas, where we moved when I was a year old. Right now, it's 103 degrees outside and with the heat index, it's supposed to be close to 108! Way too hot for a dog to be sitting outdoors.

To keep cool right now, my mom takes us walking at 630 am (I know it interrupts one of my early morning naps but it's better than going later and cooking). We also get lots of cool water to drink and we don't have to go outside through the pet door unless we want to.

I sure wish it would snow right now!

It really upsets me to know that there are dogs out there, tied or chained to trees in this heat or put into an outside kennel with very little protection from the hot air. And people who take their dogs out in the car and leave them while they run into the store - don't even get me started!

When it's as hot as this, dogs can get dehydrated and have heat stroke, just like people. The temperature in a car, even with the windows down a little bit, can become like a blast furnace on a hot day-in just a few minutes.

Here are some tips for taking care of your dog in hot weather:

Don't overexercise in the heat. Go for walks early in the morning or in the evening - although in Texas it can be hot 24 hours a day!
Give your dogs plenty of fresh, cool water to drink. When we get back from walks, my mom gives me and Leo a fresh bowl of water and makes sure we drink it, although we do have about 3 other water bowls around the kitchen too.
If your dogs starts excessive panting or drooling, cool him or her off immediately!
If your dog is old or overweight, or if they have a heart or lung problem, don't take them out in the heat at all. Leo is 10 years old now and, let's face it, a little on the heavy side so she gets shorter walks than I do.
If your dog has really long or thick hair, you can get them a hair cut down to about an inch long.
Watch out for sunburn on the nose - (no, really!)
Don't leave your dogs around a pool unsupervised. I'd never do this but some dogs jump right in and can't even swim. The chemicals don't do much for the digestion either.

Remember, if you think your dog or cat is suffering from a heat stroke, get them to the vet as soon as possible!

Summer can be a great time for dogs, especially if pet parents take care to follow my tips for taking care of pets in hot weather.

If you'd like to know more about caring for your dog, this is a great book! The Holistic Dog Book: Canine Care for the 21st Century

Here's some more hot weather tips for pets from the ASPCA

Coming Home From the Shelter

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:41:00 +0000

Leo getting the best of me!

When I first came to my new home from the county shelter, I didn't know what to think. Suddenly there were humans hugging me all the time (I wasn't sure I liked it yet) and two rather large dogs who sometimes played with me and sometimes seemed to think I should leave.

When I first met my new dad, he thought I should leave too but I soon grew on him. Even though he was a little cool at first, the next thing I knew he was out buying me toys and a new bed!

My first playmates in my new home were Charlie and Leo. Charlie was really big but he was nice. I still miss ol Charlie. He died after we moved to Texas, being an old guy at the time but he was adopted like me so he had a great home while he was in the family.

Leo is still my buddy, although she's getting older too now. She liked to play with me right from the start.

Leo, me and Charlie

I came to live with my new family in August, just after the last human child had gone off to college. My mom always says I replaced the youngest child and became the new baby. One thing I've learned is that if your parents don't have any human kids around, you get to be spoiled.

Tired at the end of the day

One of the first things I had to do was go to puppy classes so I could learn to be obedient (who needs that, I thought!) I learned a lot there but I sure didn't like those other puppies. They tried to invade my space over and over again so I had to growl at them. The teacher said that some dogs like more space than others so if I didn't want to love those cute little runts, I didn't have to.

Learn more about puppy training and how important it is to get off to a good start with this book PuppyPerfect: The user-friendly guide to puppy parenting (Howell Dog Book of Distinction)

A Dog's Tail - Life Behind Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Joan the Texas Cook) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Me Behind Bars at the Animal Shelter

Yes, that's me, alone and lonely in the animal shelter. Pathetic isn't it? When they talk about a dog's life, I don't think this is what they meant!

When I started my life's journey, I had 5 brothers and sisters. I guess my doggie mother never got spayed so when she had puppies, her parents couldn't keep all of us so they took us to the county shelter, hoping a nice family would take us.

Me and my siblings were two months old when we went to the county shelter in Southern Oregon. That was already one strike against us. Most people want tiny puppies and the older we got, the less anyone wanted us. Every day we sat on the cold concrete floor, watching people come through, looking us over but choosing other dogs.

The noise was terrible in there. Every time a human walked by, all the dogs barked very loudly for attention. I also had to fight 5 greedy brothers and sisters for the food we got-which wasn't great as it was, but hey, it was better than starving.

Me with some of my Siblings - We don't look much alike do we?

One by one, though my siblings all got adopted.

What was wrong with me, anyway! Couldn't they see my potential as a brave watchdog and faithful companion? Of course, there was that little wall eyed thing I had going on, but surely someone could see the beautiful dog behind that one eye that looked off to the side.

As luck would have it, my future mother was watching my siblings and I, sitting in that cold, lonely kennel. She came to the shelter each week to volunteer, walking the dogs and taking photos to put them on a website, helping lots of us to get adopted.

I didn't know it then, but my time was getting short. Every Friday, a guy came to sent some of us off to the "big sleep." Whenever there were too many puppies, or if dogs had been there too long with potential pet parents passing them by, their name made the black list and off they went. It was pitiful. Their tails wagged all the way to the death house since they didn't know what was in store.

Me in my new home - Dig the fancy collar!

Before I had to take that walk, my future mom got me out of the kennel one day and took me into the office. She held me on her lap and petted me while she talked to some of the workers at the Shelter. Was she going to take me home with her? I could tell she wanted a snuggler so I snuggled for all I was worth.

I heard her say that her husband didn't want any more dogs! There were already two at home. But maybe she could take me home just for a weekend so that I could get some time with a real family (and maybe her husband and the other two dogs would fall in love with me in the process!)

Well, I lucked out and that was the first day of my new life. That day had started out just like any other, cooped up in a cold kennel alone in the county animal shelter and longing for a family. But it ended up with me ADOPTED and RESCUED by the nicest family in the world.

By the way, I totally outgrew the eye thing - Had to throw that in.