Crazy Dog Lady

Sundae

2012-11-04T10:53:00.002-08:00

Happy Sunday! Last night I went over to my good friend Blake's house, and he did my nails. Take a gander at these...

I think they are cute! It took us a long time to get it right, but we watched a few YouTube videos and finally got it down pat! I can't wait to do it with Christmas colors.

Also, Thursday night I did spray tan for the first time. I remember when I was in high school and people would do it and it looked SO orange, and it would cake up on their hands and toes. Well, it's evolved quite a bit since then. I totally look like I've been on the tanning bed. They give you lotion to rub into your hands and feet so it doesn't cake up, and it worked. It's kinda like how I'm now wearing fake lashes everyday thanks to my sister, I will never be able to not wear lashes, and I feel like I can never go back to not doing spray tan. I hope this doesn't make me a diva. I could be perfectly fine wearing sweat pants and no makeup for the rest of my life, I just wana have pretty lashes and a fake tan while I'm doing it!
Last Friday I had an interview at Barnes and Noble, and I seriously walked outta that place thinking "This will be such a fun job! I wonder how soon I will start?" We'll, guess what? They never called me. That bugs the crap out of me! Why? I want to call them and ask them why they haven't called me, but is that rude? I know it sounds like I'm being dramatic, but I interviewed with two women, and both interviews we just talked each others heads off and they seemed very impressed with me and seemed to genuinely like me. I know how conceited this sounds, but it seemed to go so awesome that its hard for me to believe that they found someone they liked better than me. I hate having that feeling! What did that other person do that I didn't? And why did I walk out of there so confident, having the vibe that everything went amazing, if it really didn't? It's a total reality check, like, maybe I'm not as in tune with people as I thought I am. If I'm not careful, I completely start second guessing myself and doing some over analizing. It just bugs me. I'm sure other people have gone through the same thing...I was just so pumped to work there! Maybe they will call me Monday...gotta be optimistic! :)
I'm supposed to go to a singles small group at a local church tonight at five. I went last week, and there were only three of us there. Isn't that sad? But im hoping more people will find out about it and come check it out! It would be nice to meet a guy, but it's actually just nice to meet with other people over the age of 25 that are single...male OR female. It's nice to talk about your experiences and get another persons point of view, and discuss ways to nip things in the bud before they ever become problems. I think I will learn a lot!

Have a good 'un!

Halloween

2012-11-01T09:38:00.002-07:00

I hope everyone had an awesomely fun Halloween! Yesterday morning my mom had surgery. They had to put stints in both of the arteries coming out of her kidneys. Everything went perfectly, and she even got to come home yesterday afternoon! I am so thankful to God that everything went so well. I couldn't ask for more!
Last night I worked at the mall, because that's where I work. They had a mall trick or treating extravaganza. OMG. I bet I handed out five million pieces of candy. It was a lot of fun but my back was killing me from bending over five million times because none of the kids would actually hold their bag up...they just let it drag on the ground...and I had to bend alllllllll the way down to get the candy in there. Have I ever told you I dislike other people's children? I'm a mean person. Anyways, I saw so many cute costumes, but I also saw some really sad, pitiful costumes. Honestly, it was an eye opener. I know that sounds silly, but hear me out.
I saw a kid, probably around eighteen months old, in an Easter bunny costume. And it wasn't because they thought it would be funny or cute, sometimes you can just tell...and I could tell, that it was all they had. I'm torn over this because it's sad, but then again....it makes me mad because its absolutely ridiculous. I saw soooooo many kids that their "bag" was a pillow case and they were literally wearing street clothes, probably whatever they wore to school that day. This angers me. It angers me because honestly, not all, but most of the kids I saw like this had parents that looked like they could have done more. Whatever happened to being creative? Let me tell ya something...I have NO money. If I had a kid right now, I would have no money for a costume. But that's why I would have been thinking about this three months ago and I would have been looking at every website I can find, trying to find something that I can spend next to nothing on and guess what? My kid would have had an adorable costume. I guess it's possible that the kid didn't want to dress up, and in that case I would have said....if you are too old to dress up, you are too old to go.
I loved Halloween when I was a kid! I just remember coming home with amazing amounts of candy. Sometimes we just went on my street, sometimes mom took me to other neighborhoods, sometimes I went with a friend. It was the most fun night of the year, except for Christmas Eve :).
So guess what? It's November! Not only is Christmas fast approaching, but my graduation is coming up. I can't even tell you how excited I am. I'm also so stressed out about it that I make myself sick, so that's all I'm going to say about it for now.
So, I'm going to try and post on here every day this month something that I am thankful for. Today I am thankful that I am a Christian. I know that is cheesy, but I'm serious. I can't imagine never knowing or having a relationship with God. I don't feel like I could live without that hope, faith, and guidance. I feel for anyone that doesn't have a relationship with God and I pray for those people as well. Can you imagine how much weight you would have on your shoulders if you didn't have God to lighten that burden? The earth supposedly weighs about 6 septillion kilograms....you figure it out.
Happy November 1st!

Nothing

2012-10-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

That is what I have done for two days y'all. Nothing. And it's been awesome. I can't even say I'm ashamed.
I'm so tired here lately! I think my sleep schedule is out of whack. It's just so hard for me to get in bed at a decent hour. Probably because I'm not doing much of anything! It's a vicious cycle.
I'm going to try and get off the couch tonight and go walking, hopefully with a friend! I really, really want to get in better shape. I have a lot of pounds to lose. Isn't it amazing how a bad relationship ends up being weight on your body? Its crazy! I totally let myself go. Oh well, you live, you learn. I won't ever do that again. Hopefully my future husband doesn't like to fry everything he cooks.

I wonder if there is anything natural I can take to help my thyroid? I'm convinced that I have a thyroid problem. My mom and my sisters both do, and I just think I do, too.
Speaking of my mom, she is having her long awaited surgery in the morning. I'm so ready for that to be over with and I know she is as well. The doctor will be putting stints in her kidneys, so everyone say a prayer that everything goes okay. Can't live without my mama, y'all!
Is it bad that I have my Christmas tree up already? I haven't decorated it yet, but it's up and I've been enjoying just having a lighted tree up, it's so pretty!
Btw, I'm watching Paula Dean grill pineapple and it looks sooooo yummy.
I really want a new crockpot, mine is orange because it's that old...it was made when orange was cool the first time.
And also, I watched a video the other night about how meat companies use glue to bind bits and pieces of meat together and it ends up looking like a steak. Even a butcher couldn't tell the difference between it, and a real piece of steak. Disgusting! I'm pretty sure I am becoming a vegetarian. I just can't handle not knowing what goes into our bodies. I think that is the cause of a lot of the diseases people have nowadays.
Also, anyone else watched any videos about the illuminati? I've been watching videos on YouTube and looking stuff up. I'm totally fascinated by it!

Whatever happened to Tom Green?

2012-10-27T22:16:00.001-07:00

Well, do you know? I wish I did. He is so freaking hilarious to me. Remember watching the Tom Green Show? I remember one time he put a piece of poop on the microphone and went out on the street to " interview " people, and he would stick it right in their face. It was a hoot.

I really needed to read for school today, but after about five or six pages I would get soooo sleepy, so I would find things to do. What I found to do was laundry, and clean out my fridge. It was pretty bad. The positive to this pitiful story is that I cleaned out about fifteen glass jars...pickle jars, horseradish jars, relish jars, jelly jars...my counter is full of them! I soaked them to get the labels off and washed them out and I'm going to save them. Maybe I can store things in them, or find something neat and crafty on Pinterest. Maybe I can paint them and use them for flower holders when I get married. Have to find a boyfriend first though, at least I'm planning ahead. He will be so proud of me! Glass jars are just such a waste to me, I can't hardly throw them out! I'm turning into my mother.

See! I'm proud of mah glass jars.

By the way, anybody else as upset as I am about Martha Stewart's show being cancelled? It's really upsetting to me!

Holidays and British Actors

2012-10-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how in every single British t.v. show or movie, you always see the same actors? It's kind of comical to me. Maybe it's just because they are a small country and so they only have so many really amazing actors and actresses, and they get all the good jobs. Don't get me wrong, anyone who knows me knows that I'm obsessed with all things British, and because these actors and actresses are British, I love every single one of them. I guess to me it's just kind of...cute.

I can't believe the holidays are coming up so fast! Why do we say that every year? I mean, I literally say that every single year, and so do you. Halloween this year will be not fun to me, my mom is having surgery that morning, and then I have to work! Bummer. I was totally looking forward to handing out candy.

Yesterday I went to the plasma place in Jonesboro to donate plasma. Why you ask? Because they pay you! Ha! I got a coupon in the mail saying if I brought it in, for my first four times donating I would get an extra ten dollars on top of what they normally pay. So my broke butt went straight there after getting fitted for my cap and gown. First of all, I was there for about four hours. Wasn't expecting that. I got there at a bad time-when all the nurses were at lunch, so I had to wait for that. I had a lot of stuff to read and fill out and blah blah blah. I finally get back there, and guess what? My blood is too thick, it keeps clotting in the tube thingy sticking out of my arm. So, they stick my other arm, and guess what? My blood is too thick and keeps clotting in the tube thingy sticking out of my arm. They said they could strip me, which would take a while (still don't know what that means) or they could just let me go. I explained to the girl that I was ready to go, since I had been there four hours, I would really like to get my thirty bucks. She made it happen and I went on my way. She said next time I go back I should drink plenty of water the day before and day of, and maybe even take a couple of aspirin before I come. If it happens again, it's just not meant to be. Well, It better happen because I'm going back tomorrow, I want some money!

Is it wrong that I'm doing that for money? I should probably be doing it out of the goodness of my heart, but it's not free money. It really hurts getting those huge needles stuck in your arm, if only for a second. And it isn't much fun to have to wait all that time. It totally reminds me of the health department. Basically I'm trying to convince you that I worked for that thirty bucks.

Confession time: I don't know why, but it always works out that I ever have money at Christmas time. For the last eight years, I have normally worked part time and went to school. I haven't gone to school every semester full time, sometimes I went part time, some semesters I didn't go at all. But it just so happens that at Christmas time, I'm broke. I hate it! I want so badly to get everyone I know a gift for Christmas because that's just the kind of gal I am. And I've decided this year that no matter what, my friends and family will be getting SOMETHING, if my life depends on it! So I'm sure most of you know what that means.....Pinterest.

Ya know what's funny to me? All these gift ideas say this is homemade, and this is do it yourself, and so on. But guess what? That wreath, or that whatever, may cost half the price of buying it, and it may be super cheap...but when I say I'm broke, I mean I'm BROKE. I don't mean that that costs thirty bucks, and I only have fifteen, so I can buy the stuff to do it myself. I mean I don't have fifteen bucks and if I did I would have to put gas in my car. Seriously people! Am I getting too personal? It's okay. I'm not ashamed of being broke. I still look good.

Can you tell I'm a late night writer?

2012-10-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

It should be obvious by now. This is when I do my best studying, too. Kate desperately wants in my lap, Mikey is spinning around making himself comfy in my lap, and just laid down and rested his head on my hand as I'm typing. And Jordan is on the sofa doing her own thing. These guys have so made the transition from girl that lives with her boyfriend to being 27 and living alone so much easier than I assume it would have been without them. I honestly don't know what I would have done if I didn't have three little furry bodies anxiously waiting for me to wake up ever morning, and come home everyday from wherever.
With that being said, I have learned a lot about myself in the last two weeks since I've been officially living alone for the first time ever.
1. I'm really a pretty clean and organized person...aka, it wasn't me that made the mess around here! My apartment has stayed clean for two weeks! I don't even think I've turned my stove on!
2. Toilet paper lasts a lot longer when I'm the only one using it.
3. It is so nice, let me emphasize that...IT IS SO NICE, to be able to watch whatever I want on tv. I'm not going to lie, I enjoy watching tv, I probably watch more than I should, and some of it (most of it) may or may not be pure smut. I don't have to share my tv with anyone, and for those of you that don't know, well, there isn't a nice way to say this-the ex was a tv hog.
4. I've learned that moving in with a guy was (one of) the stupidest things I've ever decided to do. I will not live with another guy until I am married!

I'm sure I've learned some other crap, too. I'm torn between going all out on here, spilling my guts, and telling everyone that might possibly be nosey just what it's been like for the last three years all of my business, or not doing that. Should I? Well, for the sake of your boredom and time, I will sum it up.
I fell for the wrong guy. Wrong in every way you can imagine. He has a serious problem with alcohol, he cheated, he lied, he wouldn't work, he lied, he drank, he cheated, he lied. Did I mention that he is incapable of telling the truth? It totally sounds like I'm bashing him. Maybe I am. I'm not being emotional, just stating facts. In case you don't know, I can be a tad stubborn. I don't think I'm as bad as I used to be, but man, I used to be. And everyone said I shouldn't move to Oklahoma City for this guy, so that's exactly what I did.
And I didn't know about all his less desirable qualities at first. I found out little by little over the last three years. I knew one day I would have enough, but I'm sure everyone else thought I'd just stay with him forever. Well, I had enough back in September.
So. Here I am. Single, again! But it's okay. I have never felt more sure that God is going to send me THE perfect guy. I already know what he will be like, I'm just waiting for God to introduce us. I know that God knows what I need and what I want, and I truly believe that he will bless me with the love of my life.
Did you know that God can't bless you unless you let him? That is the biggest lesson I have ever learned.
God could not bring me Mr. Right when Mr. Wrong was sitting on my couch. Why would he? I kept praying for three years, begging God to tell me what to do, tell me if I'm doing the right thing. Should I be with him? Is this a sign? Well, he let me figure that out on my own, and now I fully believe that He is excited to give me what I've always wanted...a soul mate.
I think it's beautiful when people get married young, but lemme tell ya something. As a 27 year old lady who is single, no kids, and has had one bad relationship after another, I believe that I will appreciate my husband in a way that people that haven't gone through all of that will never understand. Almost like a woman who has had miscarriage after miscarriage appreciates her babies, EVERY mom does, but when you've lost one, its just different. That may be a bad example, but it's all I've got.
So if you have a cute, smart, funny guy friend/brother/cousin/son/dad that is single, you have my permission to set us up.
I'm kidding about the dad part. Unless he's rich.
Ha!

2012-10-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

Does anyone watch Downton Abbey? I am absolutely obsessed with that show. It's almost like reading a good book, it completely takes me to another place, like I'm in a different world.

My foster dog Lily went to her home tonight. It was a really stressful situation and I'm glad that she is finally in a home that can give her the attention that she needs and deserves. And my dogs are glad to have the baby gate gone so they can go into the kitchen...that gave them half their home back!

School is stressing me out. My Spanish teacher is a lunatic. I want to graduate in December so bad I can taste it. I feel like I've been in school for SO long.
Oh, wait....I HAVE been in school for SO long. I first started college in January 2005, and I have gone off and on ever since. I have not gone every semester, and sometimes when I did I didn't go full time, thus the reason I am graduating seven years later. I was so immature. Boy, I really thought I was sooooo smart, but I wasn't! I couldn't decide what I wanted to do, and it wasn't important to me, so I goofed off, took out loans I will never be able to repay, and now I have a degree that I will be lucky to find a job where I can actually use it. If I can find the job I want, using my degree, I will feel extremely blessed.

I really need to shampoo my carpet. It's nasty. But I just don't want to do it alone! Plus I have no clue what I'm doing, so that doesn't help.

I'm so sick of hearing about the election. Whoever it is, whatever. I don't even have anything clever to say. I like neither of them. Whoever will pay off my student loans is who I want to win. The end.

This was just a big cluster of crap, wasn't it?

Oh well.

I'm still alive.

2012-10-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

My friend Anne started a new blog today, and it reminded me that one time last year, I started a blog. I'm not sure why I ever quit writing on here. Maybe it's the fear that nobody reads it. Maybe I felt like it was a waste of time. So here is what I've decided to do:
Stop caring if anybody reads it.
Write no matter what.

Do you remember in the movie The Notebook, when Ali tells Noah, after they reunited, that she doesn't paint anymore? She always loved painting. That's how I feel about writing. When I was a little kid, you couldn't hardly get my nose out of whatever book I was reading. I used to dream about writing a book, and used to make up stories and then hide them because I was terrified someone would find it and make fun of me. Why did I ever stop writing? I by no means think that I'm a great writer, and for anybody who IS a great writer and they read my blog, well...they may be cringing as we speak.
But I don't care.
I'm going to write, and hopefully the two people on this planet that enjoy reading about my life will not get bored with it.
Here is what has happened in the past year...
Me and Jimmy broke up. I'm almost finished with school. I've fostered two dogs and had two totally different experiences.
But the most important thing that has happened this year is the fact that I've grown up. Yep. I no longer feel like a little kid that's playing grown ups. I'm actually an adult, and I feel like one. I've had a lot of life experiences, and I'm proud to say that I've grown from them. I really have! I will be writing more about some of the crap I've learned. Life is hard!
And FYI, I will still be writing about my dogs. They are still entertaining and funny. Here is just a sneak peak of the kind of stuff you are in store for: today Mikey ate one of my panty liners out of the trash. He swallowed it whole, and then vomited it up, whole. It was amazing.

"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." -Edward Hoagland

2011-12-07T01:04:00.001-08:00

For some reason, I can not convince myself that this is the last week of school and I need to study. There are several reasons for this:

1. It's the end of the semester, and I'm burnt out.
2. There is always something really interesting on t.v.
3. If I'm not sitting around thinking about my own problems, I'm sitting around thinking about my friends problems.

Anytime I think about complaining about my life, whether out loud or to myself, I think about what other people are going through. If my friends have heard me say it once, they've heard me say it a million times..."it could always be worse". And it could. I know it could. I'm tired of being in college. I'm tired of worrying about what kind of job I'll get with my "liberal arts" degree (History), and I'm tired of wondering what the next step is that God wants me to take. I'm a pretty laid back person, I'm not a worrier like a lot of other people are. I know that God is 100% in control, and although I don't always show it, and even though sometimes I catch myself not trusting Him, I know that He IS in control and I believe this helps me have a pretty calm demeanor and helps me to not stress about things like other people do. I'm pretty thankful that I have this mindset. I try and stay positive and find a balance between taking it one day at a time, and also planning for the future. There are certain things that will happen in our life that we have ZERO control over, so why worry about it? Sometimes, every once in a while, I lose my mind, and usually my boyfriend Jimmy is the recipient of this craziness. He doesn't handle it very well (sorry Jimmy), BUT, he always, always, always forgives me. All I have to say is "I'm sorry" and he instantly forgives me and he never brings it up again. Why can't I do that? We should all do that.
The doggies are all doing good. They keep me sane! Their daddy has introduced them to a new snack: mini marshmellows. They go CRAZY over them! I know, I know...they aren't good for them. But fried chicken strips, french fries, and milkshakes aren't good for me either. We only live once. I love seein' those wittle bitty tales wag over marshymelloths!
BTW, Kate is still perfect.
Does anybody know of any good wedding websites other than theknot? I have informed Jimmy I think we should get married next December. We'll see!
Also...for anybody who likes to do bible study, try these out:
www.shepherdschapel.com you can watch videos on your computer of his bible study he does each day.
www.biblestudysite.com this guys teachings go along with Dr Arnold Murray.
Peace nga!

It's been a while...

2011-11-27T20:46:00.000-08:00

It's been forever! As always, life gets in the way of taking time to write about my puppy dogs, and other things.
The dogs are doing great. Kate is undoubtedly the BEST dog in the WHOLE world. She is absolutely perfect. We did have a situation not long after she got out of "jail" where we were outside, and she saw someone across the road that had a dog, and she decided to take off after them. I had to chase her, and the ground was wet because there was dew on the grass and I slipped out of my flip flops as I was running. She really felt bad afterwards, and now as soon as I do the "kissy noise" she hauls butt to come back to me no matter what she is doing. Other than THAT, she is a princess. She doesn't get on my furniture without asking, she doesn't bark, etc, etc. I just LOVE her. She and the poodles don't play yet, but they all like to snuggle together which I think is just precious.
Is it sad that I dream about the day that I can have my OWN house, so that I can put ceramic tile and/or hardwood floor throughout the WHOLE house so that not only will it be easier to clean, but I will be able to get more dogs without feeling bad...? =D Hehehehe
I can't wait for school to be out. I'm totally stressing out about graduating next year because I need to find a real job asap. Last night at work I had not one, but TWO perverts call me and try to get me to talk about my personal life. Wtc? (Ok, if Kate were wearing pants, I would swear that she just crapped in them, holy moly, she is S-T-I-N-K-Y).
Also, I want to post a link to a website that I found that goes along with the bible studying that I've been doing. God gave us a brain people, he wants us to use it.

www.biblestudysite.com

Human v. Dog

2011-09-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

Ok...I havn't posted in ten years. Sue me. School started and I've been busy. Really busy. What is the deal with school getting harder the closer you get to getting out? It's like they WANT you to fail. I'm so close I can taste it, and they are REALLY pushing me! Ug!
Anyways, guess what? Kate got out of jail! Last weekend to be exact. I would take some pictures and post them, but my camera died. Grr.
Kate is an absolute angel. She sleeps with me every night. She lays her head on my pillow and I put the cover over her and wrap my arms around her and it's like having a little furry body to snuggle with. Isn't that the best? She hasn't pottied in the house ONE time folks. I absolutely love her to pieces and I can't imagine why anyone could do that to her. Can you? People are mean. I think about it every single day.
The poodles are really getting along with her. I knew they would. She has even started trying to play with Mikey...not Jordan, only Mikey. He kinda looks at her like she is crazy...I don't think he knows how to play with any other dog except his sister. But he will learn.
And another thing that is on my mind...human babys v. dog babys. What is your opinion on this? I'm about to tell you what my opinion is about it, in case you were worried. Here it goes...
I know that we as humans are more valuable to God than a dog. I know that when you have a baby, you are filled with an immense love that you never experience unless you HAVE a baby...I don't have to have a baby to know this and/or understand it. What gets me is why do so many people have a baby and all of a sudden the dogs are kicked to the curb? Are your dogs THAT much trouble? Mine aren't. They go pee and poop outside, I feed them once a day. Once a month I give them heartworm and flea and tick preventitive, and once a year they go to the vet and have a check up. They are obviously worth it to me. I know that everybody is different, we all have different ways of going about things and of living our life. But if I hear one more person tell me that basically my dogs won't mean crap to me once I have REAL kids, I think I'll scream. Just because YOU don't have enough room in your heart to love your dogs AND your kids, doesn't mean that I won't. I have sooo many friends that have a baby and get rid of their dog, and I'm not talking about illness related (ie your kid is allergic to your dog, because that's a different story). That's fine if that is the choice they make. But I also have lots and lots and lots of friends that have five dogs and have their first child, and they do perfectly fine. I will ALWAYS love my child and take care of my child, and I will ALWAYS love my dogs and take care of them as well. We will be one big happy family. It make take some getting used to, but it would never occur to me to get rid of one baby to make room for another. Just sayin :)

Hot Dog!

2011-08-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

I went to the library today to see my mom. She said that earlier in the day, a lady came in all in a tizzy and said that someone had a little dog out in the car, and the car was NOT running. Mom and a co-worker went outside and saw the dog in the car, and of course it was panting like crazy. The thought they knew who it was, so they stuck their head into the room where the dvd's are and asked if anyone had a dog in their car. A woman looking at movies said it was her car, and her dog. The lady that originally came in and "tattled" confronted the lady, and the lady with the dog said "Well, I left the sunroof open for him! He goes with me to pick up my grandson from school all the time and sits with me in the car!" The confrontation ended with some really nasty language and that lady being asked to leave the library, more or less.
So, what the hell? Are people seriously stupid? Yes, they are. It was over a hundred degrees outside this afternoon.
What is the deal with people that leave their dogs in a car that IS NOT RUNNING!? Uggggggggggg!!!!!!!! Lemme tell ya something, if I EVER get the opportunity to confront someone that has left a dog in a car when it's hot, OR cold, they will wish they'd never been born :)
Anyways, Kate is doing really well! She is so sweet, and all the neighbors love her. She gets to get out of jail on September 11th, and I can't wait.
The only thing that bothers me is that she has started going to the bathroom in her house. My mom said she may have..."jet lag" in a way. Like, she is so lost as far as time and everything else because she is locked up 24/7 that she has just quit trying to hold it all together. I'm really hoping that she will go back to being housebroken once she is free. I think she will be.
I still havn't heard her bark!
That's okay though...her little sister Jordan barks enough for all three dogs! Any suggestions on getting a dog to quit barking so much? She is such a brat!

It's hot.

2011-08-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

Holy moly, it's SUPER hot out here. Ya know, I lived in Oklahoma City for a bit, and it was pretty hot there. It's funny though, because nobody there belived me when I said it was hotter in Arkansas. Well, I don't know what the temperature is there, but it feels way more humid here then it ever did there. I got off work today and the temp was 107!!! It's absolutely unbearable and I feel so much pity for any person that has to work outside. Can you imagine working in a factory right now? Those people are better than I am, I just don't know if I could do it.
Kate has gone outside one time today, but I'm not going to take her out again until after the sun goes down. She has been acting a tad more hyper here lately. I can't decide if it's because she feels better, or because she is going stir crazy being locked in the bathroom. I wish so bad that I could ask her. I also wish so bad that I could find out where she came from. Then again, maybe I don't want to know. I secretly check craigslist almost every day to see if anybody has posted a "Lost Dog in Paragould" notice. It scares me! I've never had a dog that wasn't 100% mine. I mean, Kate IS 100% mine, but she didn't start out that way, which makes me anxious. I'd hate to fight somebody, but I totally would if I had to.
I've thought about getting a new tattoo. I only have two, and they are small...I'm not THAT kind of girl. But, considering the fact that dogs are pretty much my life, I really would like to get a tattoo that is dog related. Any suggestions? I thought about getting the silhouette of a poodle...but what about Kate? She isn't a poodle (shhhh, she THINKS she is). And what about Carley, my miniature dachshund and the first love of my life who currently lives with her grandparents? I'm going to really think hard before I ink my body, but I'd love some feedback.

Whats yo dawg eatin?

2011-07-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Today, I have dog food on the brain. Let me tell ya a little story. I worked at a store that sold dog food. They sold other stuff too, but dog food is what brought a lot of our customers in. We sold several different kinds of dog food. It was so much more expensive than what I had always bought for my dogs at Wal Mart, and at first I was extremely skeptical. But, after they educated me on what I was selling, and after I began doing research of my own, well, let's just say I've never looked back. Good dog food is so important. And there are SO SO SO many bad kinds out there. Why is is that we obsessively look at the labels on our food, but we never look at the label on our dog food bag? I never had before.

Go to Wal Mart, Target, or any grocery store, and pick up a bag of dog food. Seriously, I double dog dare you to do it. What is the first ingredient? What are the top 5 ingredients? I bet anything, in no particular order, the first five ingredients will include corn, chicken or animal by-product, and wheat. And possibly some kind of gluten something or other. I even dare you to pick up a bag of...SCIENCE DIET!! Yes, yes, I know. Veterinarians sell it, so it HAS to be good. Guess what folks? That's just not true. Vet's get a kick back from Science Diet for selling it in their clinics, and that's the truth. Veterinarians are not nutritionist, and believe it or not they actually don't know THAT much about nutrition, so they don't always know what is good and what isn't. Science diet isn't any better than Ole Roy. (The only exception is if your vet prescribes a prescription science diet food for your dog, and I would still be leery).

Now, does this sound good to you? Do you know what chicken by-product is? It's basically what it says it is: the by product of the chicken. It's everything BUT the nutritious meat. It's beaks, feathers, feet, organs, etc. If beaks and feet are so healthy and filling then why aren't they in more of OUR foods? (McDonald's chicken nuggets being an exception. Hahaha, sorry!) And do you know how much nutritional value that corn has in it? Well, it's not much if any. Corn is a cheap filler, bottom line. The dog foods in these big "box" stores, even stores like Petco, all have preservatives in them. They sit in a warehouse for 6 months before they are on the shelf. They are filled with all this junk, and then most of us feed it to our dogs. WHY?! We want to eat healthy, don't we want our doggies to eat healthy, be healthy, and live a long life?

Let me tell you some of the biggest things that I noticed after I switched to a quality food. Yes, it's more expensive, but it's more FILLING, so they literally eat about half as much as they would normally eat. They go potty less. I don't know about you, but I am more regular when I eat nutritious foods then when I eat fast food two times a day. Their "waste" doesn't smell as bad. Honestly, it doesn't. And their hair or coat will look so much differently!

Having said all this, I know that depending on where you live, some of these good doggie foods can be really hard to find. Google it. There is a place in Jonesboro that sells some really great dog food. Hollywood Feed. They just opened not to long ago and I'm soooooo glad they did. Even some of the feed stores sell some really great food. It's worth looking into :)

Kate

2011-07-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

Today when I got home, I heard Kate upstairs, scratching on the door of the bathroom. She heard me and wanted out! It made my heart happy. It also made me super sad that she is locked up. Kate goes back to the doctor tomorrow for her second round of heartworm treatment. So far, everything is going good. She hasn't had any weird side effects, and she actually doesn't act like anything is bothering her. I can't wait until this ordeal is over!
It's just been in the past few days that my mind has actually wondered "Is this going to work out? Did I make the right decision?" I mean, Kate is precious and behaves perfectly, but I based my decision on keeping her on her being perfect for ONE day. This makes me laugh at myself for so many reasons. I pride myself on not being rash, on thinking things through. I can't imagine something happening that would make me not want to keep Kate, and I'm the type of person (as I believe all people should be, for the most part) that when I decide to keep a dog, I'm keeping the dog, no matter what.
And I'm actually watching Toddlers and Tiaras right now. This also got me thinking about how people that don't have kids, like myself, do the same thing to their dog that these parents are doing to their child. I used to work at an upscale dog boutique, and I've seen people drop some major moolah on their four legged friend. I've also heard those same people talk about how they keep their dog in the laundry room 24/7 because of the hair or because they aren't housebroken. I clean my house whether there is dog hair everywhere or not, don't you?
Guess what folks? Some dogs shed. If a dog isn't housebroken, it's because you didn't housebreak him/her. Trust me, I would love to spend all kinds of money on my dogs, I'd much rather buy cool stuff for them then for myself. But bottom line is that I want them to be a DOG. They have the right to act like a dog, think like a dog, smell like a dog, and behave like a dog. There is freedom in that. My dogs may not have a bed that costs $200, but they get nine kinds of attention from me, and hugs, and belly rubs, and I kiss them until their furry little cheeks can't take it anymore. We play and do exciting things and go for car rides, and they are happy.

No, he can't have CHOCOLATE!!!!!

2011-07-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

Dogs are allergic to chocolate. How many times have you heard this? I've heard it over and over again my whole life. People just absolutely freak out if they think you are about to give a dog ANYTHING that has even the tiniest amount of chocolate in it.
The truth is, chocolate IS dangerous to dogs, in large amounts. If your dog eats one m&m, chances are he/she will be fine. If he eats a whole bag, then he might get sick.
What we do NOT hear is how many other foods are extremely poisonous to our furry friends. Chocolate is not the only food that they don't need to eat. Did you know that onions are toxic to dogs? What about grapes and raisins, stems from a tomatoe, the eye of a potatoe, and sometimes lunchmeat?
One night my boyfriend was making something using avacado. One tiny sliver of avacado fell in the kitchen floor and my toy poodle, Jordan, ate it before we could even think about picking it up! She pretty much projectile vomited four about two hours afterwards. Obviously, she was fine afterwards. But when I did a little bit of research I found that avacados are toxic to dogs, and her reaction was totally normal.
Lunchmeat seems to be a favorite of dogs, and its pretty easy to pick off of your sandwhich when you have those big puppy dog eyes staring at you. It can have bad, bad consuquences. One tiny piece of lunchmeat can cause your dog to have a bacterial infection, which nobody wants.
There are lots of things that are dogs shouldn't eat, besides just chocolate. I'm a firm believer that whether your dog gets human food is your preference, but some things are okay and some things are not. If you just can't say no to your baby, then do a little research so you know what to say yes to.

Heartworms

2011-07-15T23:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's Sunday night, and I just left my parents house. I'm pretty excited to see my two poodles, Mikey and Jordan.
I pull into my parking space and low and behold...I see a dog.
Yup, there is a dog running around in the yard, a little dog with white hair, and from my car he/she looks pretty stinkin' cute.
I get out of my car and head towards my door. I stop and watch her. She has made herself at home two porches down. I know she doesn't belong to the people that live there becuase I'm outside fifteen times a day with the poodles, and I would have seen this dog. I make that funny noise, ya know, the one that you make when you want a dog to come to you (I don't know how to spell that particular noise). She comes to me and I melt.
It looks as though she has been sleeping under a car, as she is covered with oil. Her leg hair is all matted up, and someone has shaved her body all the way down to the skin. So close that she has what looks like razor burn. I talk to her and she seems sweet, but a little shy. I decide that if she is still there in the morning, I'll take her in and at least give her a bath...
Well, guess what people...she was still there in the morning. In the exact same place that she was when I left her the night before. I pick her up and take her upstairs and give her the best bath that I can. I give her some food and water, and I leave her in the bathroom.
What in the heck am I gonna do with this dog?
She is sooooo sweet, might I add. She didn't move a muscle the whole time I was bathing her. She let the poodles smell her all over, and she smelled them back. I can see it in her eyes that she is a good girl.
I have to take her to the vet and see if she is healthy. In my heart, I know she won't be. But I keep telling everyone, my mom, my sister, my boss, my boyfriend, that if she has anything seriously wrong with her, something that will cost hundreds of dollars to fix, I'll call one of the rescue places and see if they can take her.
Yea....right.
I took her to the vet on Tuesday morning. Guess what? She has heartworms, some other intestinal worm that I think the vet called "whip worms", ear mites, and a skin infection from being shaved so close.
And as I'm sitting in the examination room listening to the vet tell me everything that is wrong with her, she looks up at me and just barely licks my nose.
So, she started heartworm treatment on Thursday. Lemme' tell ya, it's very sad. She has to be completely confined for 60 days. She has to take a medicinal cocktail everyday. She can't play, or basically have a life of any kind. This is the first dog I've ever had that has had heartworms. For some reason, hearing other people talk about it doesn't do it justice. It's horrible to watch her be so lonesome and not feeling well. I can't even find one fault in this dog. She doesn't bark, cry, or jump. She doesn't get car sick, she isn't food aggressive, and she likes the poodles. She isn't hyper, she doesn't tear thing up, and she is housebroken.
How on earth can someone do this to an animal? How could anyone do this to HER?
I've never let myself stop and pick up a dog off the side of the road, I know that would turn into a real bad habit. But, I feel as though she was basically delivered by the stork to my doorstep. Everyone thinks I am crazy for paying seven hundred dollars to treat a "stray" dog for heartworms.
But she isn't a stray, she is Kate, and she is my newest furry child.