Junie and The Oldest Girl Again

I had a wonderful Christmas full of new clothes (seriously, does a dog need a bathrobe and a flamenco dress?) and turkey and tons of love.  I hope yours was wonderful too!

I thought today we'd focus on other animals who maybe did not have such a wonderful Christmas - or maybe they did.  Hopefully some were saved!

SPCA: Protect your pets, please - A plea to take care of your pets during the winter.
Man who shot dog pleads guilty, faces up to two years in jail - Good!
Man jailed, accused of trying to marinate his cat - huh???
Sellers must disclose animal info - Love that they have to disclose breeder info.  Take a swing buy.  See if your pet came from a mill.
Wildlife attacks blamed on pet owners - ALL pet owners should watch their animals.  It IS irresponsible not to.
Goat found hog-tied in trunk of Nissan You would think by the headline that they make this stuff up. They don't.
Rescue Ink is searching for the killer of the two vacuumed kittens  Serial killer in the making here.
Hysterical, Grieving Mother Pulls Her Murdered Pups from Water That is heart breaking.
50-pound python survives box-cutter attack, recovering at Monkey Island - Yay! He was saved.
Animal hoarding: When pet owners lose control - It always starts out with good intentions, then swings out of control.
N.M. officials say animals ate woman's toes another one that made me say huh? That's actually sad. :(
Five Best States for Animal Abusers in 2010 - Not a proud moment to live in Iowa.
Puppy Mill Euthanizes 1,200 Dogs After Virus Outbreak Down with puppy mills!
Shetland Pony dragged behind car Another moment of what is wrong with people.  At least he was saved!  Now someone go drag them behind a car.
Tell the Makers of Lipton Tea to Stop Torturing Animals - Who would have thunk it?  Lipton?


That's it from me today!  Stay happy, healthy, and warm.  And remember they all need saved!

Junie says to check out - Inside Animal Hoarding: The Case of Barbara Erickson and her 552 Dogs

Merry Christmas From Junie Bee

Pardon the blurriness, Junie was too excited for Christmas!

Merry Christmas from me and my family to you!  May it be full of happiness, joy, and many many blessings to you and yours!

Stay safe, stay warm, and please watch out for your pets!

Make sure if you live in a cold climate like I do that you don't leave your animals outside too long.  Or follow these safety tips to keep them warm if they are outdoor animals.  My mom always stands outside with me when she takes me out.  I go out, do my thing, and jet back in to where it's warm and I have lots of fleece blankets waiting for me.

Follow these holiday safety tips to keep your animals safe inside.

And here are some holiday food/leftover tips for your furry (or not so furry in my case) one.  My mom gives me a little turkey with their holiday meal.  It's my favorite part of family get togethers. Well, besides my pretty dresses my mom puts me in when we go.  (Mom told me to say that.  I really don't care for the clothes that much.  I much prefer to be naked and free as God intended me to be.)

If you can afford to help a rescue group, please do.  They can always use the extra food, toys, money for vet bills, etc.  It's a great time to help them, then continue the tradition all year long.  I'm going to assume the holiday times get busy for rescues with everyone buying a pet for their children then finding out they aren't compatible, someone is allergic, the animal is more work then they expected, etc.  They could really use the extra help.  If you can't afford to give money, volunteer at a shelter, volunteer to foster animals for a rescue.  They can always use the hands on deck also.

I hope you have a beautiful Christmas, a happy holiday, or whatever you might celebrate may it be joyous and wonderful!

Junie says Merry Christmas in her own very
excitable way!

Stay safe and warm and I'll be back after Christmas!

Junie Says To Check Out:  Casual Canine Snowsuit Xxl Royal Blue

Mama Got Me Some New Clothes

Junie In Her New Poncho

I heard I have a bunch of new clothes under the Christmas tree, but mom won't let me wear them yet.  She said since I don't eat treats and a chicken breast would go bad under the tree after a few hours, that she got me clothes.  She did open up my poncho for me the other day.  I'm wearing it the picture.  Mom said I seem to like it more than my sweaters.  I agree. I always try to chew my sweaters off but the poncho gives me room to breathe.  Since I can't show off my new dresses yet, I thought I'd share some clothes that mom had custom made for me.  She found a lady on Ebay that makes dog clothes.  (Don't laugh, I'm a naked dog, remember, I need warmth!)  She won 3 dresses (under the tree) and the poncho I'm styling in in the picture.  She loves the way the poncho fits me.  See, I'm small (6 lbs) but I'm long.  Small clothes a lot of the time are just too short in length for me and medium clothes are too big.  I get my feet all tangled up in them.  The clothes this lady makes are perfect for me.

Mom asked her if she would custom make me some more clothes and she said absolutely!  Want to see what is in it's way?

Junie's New clothes

Oh yes, I will be styling.  My mom makes me into such a girly dog.  Pink and purple everything, unless it's laundry day, then I wear blue, orange, and/or black.  Seriously, she makes me laugh.  I don't care what I have on as long as I'm warm, but she likes to spoil me.  I think we'll keep letting her do it.  I get chicken breast and cheese in my food when she spoils me.  Let her do it.

If you want to check out that Ebay seller, her user ID is BSN 2007.  Keep an eye on her.  She doesn't have a lot listed right now, but when she does list, they are so cute...and warm!

Junie Says To Check Out: Doggles Dog Harness Dress, Pink, Small

What Is This White Stuff?

Junie And The Oldest Girl

Mom says that it's snow.  I don't think I have ever stepped in snow before. (Puppy mill dog, remember?  Lived in a cage for years.)  It snowed for the first time the other day.  Real snow.  Not just the flurries that wetted down the grass and made me not want to step in it.  A whole bunch of it that covered the grass, covered the porch, covered everywhere I like to go when I go outside.  So not thrilled.

Mom shoveled a spot on the porch and put a puppy pad out there so I wouldn't have to go out into the snow to do my thing but I didn't like that either for the first few days.  I snuck off to the girls' room and did it in there.  Mom was persistent though and kept taking me out and putting me on the puppy pad.  She kept a good eye on me, saying Junie.....every time she saw me heading to the girls' room.  I can't help myself, when she says my name I have to stop what I'm doing and go to her.  It's a trick I tell you.  She says my name then she would scoop me up and put me on that puppy pad outside.  It was so cold out.  It still is.  I finally gave in and started using the puppy pad.  Then I started sneaking off behind the grill to go in the rocks on the porch.  She'd stop me by just saying my name again and I'd head back to the pad.

After a few days of this, I did start investigating that cold white stuff.

Junie investigating the snow for the first time

I'm not saying I like it but I found it it was safe to run around in for a few seconds to get a little exercise.  Then I jet towards the door and hope someone opens it quickly so I don't have to sit around in the cold and wait for them to open it.  I have found it's safe to go out in it after it's been packed down by the kids running around in it.  If I venture out into the fluffier stuff, I sink.

Sinking is not cool.  It makes my tummy cold and wet.  I don't like to be cold and wet.

I also found a new sleeping spot at night.  My bed is right beside my mom's bed, but she finally moved it after I insisted on sleeping up against this long white thing that blows out hot air in her room.  She moved my bed in front of it so I could sleep near the hot air but not against it.  She said she was worried it would be too hot for me.  She checked it multiple times and it doesn't get so hot that it burns you, but she still worries about me being right up against it.

It feels so good though.  It's enough to have my bed up next to it.  I stay warm all night long.  I'd be warmer if she'd let me sleep in her bed next to her but she says that's too dangerous.  The youngest boy sleeps in bed with mom and dad and he flails a lot at night.  She's afraid he would kick me.

We're supposed to get more of that white stuff in the next couple of days. I think I'll just lay in my bed up against that white thing and hibernate like the bears do.  Mom said she is all for it.

Junie Says To Check Out: Earth Friendly Products Ice Melt (because it's safe for dogs)

Mama Learned A New Trick

Junie in her new sweater. She is so cute in purple.

Mom has been mixing in Blue Buffalo Stews with my dry dog food.  When she picked up new food, she grabbed some new varieties including Blue Buffalo Wilderness Canned Dog Food, Salmon Recipe.  When she opened the can, she was mighty surprised to see it wasn't stew, it was, well, kind of mush.  Like what you would expect canned dog food to be.

She dished it out for me in my bowl and sat it down.  I sniffed at it.  Then I started licking at it but I couldn't get my teeth around it.  If you haven't followed my story from the beginning, it is here, but the short story is, my jaw was broke at the puppy mill.  No one got it fixed.  My teeth don't line up at all.  In order for me to get food in my mouth, I have to be able to pick it up with my tongue and move towards the back.  I couldn't get this food up.  I was trying so hard.

Mom looked at me struggling and her heart broke.  She thought about it.  She was wondering what she could do to make it easier for me.  Light bulb moment She got out a small plate and put my food all on that.  She's brilliant.  Without the sides of the bowl in my way, I could maneuver around to get the food in my mouth.  She said she is going to get me one of those plates for babies, the ones with the suction cups on the bottom, because even on the rug, the plate moved around on me as I was trying to get the food into my mouth.

She loves me.

She is also gradually switching me from the Blue Buffalo Longevity Dry Food for Adult Dogs to the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dry Food for Small Breed Dogs.  She is hoping since the pieces are a little bit smaller that I won't have as much trouble chewing them.  She knows that when switching dog food brands that you have to go slowly, but she wasn't sure if the same holds true if your just switching formulas within the same brand. She said she would rather be safe than sorry with my tummy.

She's not even sure if I actually NEED the dry dog food.  She thought I did, to help clean my teeth, but is it absolutely necessary?  If she brushes my teeth twice a day (which I HATE by the way and I guarantee you she is not getting them very clean when she does it because I do not open my mouth for her), would it be ok to just give me the stew and the soft food?  I mean, there are dogs out there that only eat food their humans prepare for them.  Isn't that kind of the same thing?

Any dog experts out there want to weigh in because I don't know.

She also talked to another vet yesterday about getting my teeth cleaned really good.  This vet has a health plan for dogs.  It covers all of my shots, my check ups, blood work (I don't like the sound of that - that has to do with that band aid thing they put on me at the vet last time doesn't it?).  It also gives her 15% off of my medicines, like my heart worm and flea pills.  This vet is at a pet store, but this pet store doesn't sell dogs and cats.  They work with a rescue to adopt the rescued animals out.  It bothers her though that they sell other animals, like hamster, guinea pigs, and birds.  The vet at this pet store though, tried so hard to save her gerbil when she had a stroke.  No one else that my mom called would see a gerbil.  She called the vet at this pet store and they said, yes we see rodents.  Bring her right in and we'll get her checked.  People laughed when they heard my mom took her sick gerbil to the vet, but that's just how my mom is.  The vet there wasn't sure if the gerbil had a respiratory infection or if she had had a stroke, but she did everything she could within reason to save the little gerbil.  My mom tried giving the gerbil her antibiotics, she tried giving her fluids with an eye dropper.  All she could do was keep her warm.  It turned out she had had a stroke and she died later that evening, wrapped in a blanket with my mom and the kids with her.

This was before my time here, but I heard mom talking to the kids about it yesterday, reminding them of who this vet was.  This family sure does love their pets, even the small ones that most people wouldn't take the time to take them to the vet if they are sick.

The oldest boy asked mom if he could get a mouse yet.  Mom said no.  She gets so attached to these little critters and they are gone too soon.  They had a dwarf hamster that lived almost 4 years.  Mom (and everyone else) was amazed he lived that long. Their life expectancy is 2-3 years. He died of old age.  He died in front of the Oldest Boy and the Oldest Girl a few years ago.  He was climbing up the bars of his cage, stopped, and just fell to the bottom.  Just like that he was gone.

I am going to live to a ripe old dog age.  That's what my mama says.  She says she's always right. :)

Junie Says To Check Out:  The Healthy Dog Cookbook: 50 Nutritious & Delicious Recipes Your Dog Will Love

Some News About Animals

Junie, burying into the blankets this morning.

Since it's a whole 11 degrees out and I won't do anything but stay snuggled into my blanket on my furry bean bag in my warm sweater, mom said we should post about some more animals who have been saved or need to be saved today.  I love sharing stories of those who have been saved and though I hate the stories of cruelty, they need to be out there too, so let's get going!

Dismembered cat, starving dogs found in Brooksville home The poor cat....but the dogs were saved.  They all need saved.
Hard Work Continues For Inspector My heart still breaks for this puppy who had his ears cut off with scissors.  At least they saved him from further damage.
Kathmandu founder in $2m farm cruelty fight - YAY! That will save some!
Animal refuges face huge bills for abandoned pets in big freeze - It's a horrible time of year for unwanted pets.
Holiday Cruelty: WSPA Investigation Exposes Harsh Reality of Reindeer Slaughter - poor reindeer
The New Veterinarian's Oath - What was it before?
Tell Nomura to Stop Funding HLS Animal Abuse - The details in the letter make me sick.
Will China’s anti-animal cruelty law crush this fetish?  - I don't get this at all.  People are sick sick sick.
Sven Koppler Arrested for Sending Hundreds of Tarantulas to the US By Post - Who does this?
Several think WSLS promoted animal abuse through turkey bowling story Stupid and a waste of food - unless they ate them after they bowled with them, but abuse?  I don't think it is...they weren't using live turkeys.  That would be abuse.
Dog set on fire, left to die spurs necessary change - change is definitely needed.
The Long Suffering Bull - Mom (and I) hates bull fighting
Once emaciated puppy mill dog now a hilarious part of family - yay! Dody was saved!
Martinsville veterinarian gives tips in identifying puppy mills - Good tips!  I say get a rescued dog instead though. :)
Workers at Ballito mall kick mongoose to death - again, people are sick.
Farm animal rescue group gives horse a second chance - YAY!  The horse was saved!
Champ ready for public debut as owner pleads not guilty - another horse saved!
No More Leniency For Gothic Kitten Abuser - I agree with the blog author.
Aurora-area man with history of animal cruelty is charged again - and he is allowed to have animals why?

Keep fighting for the animals who can't fight for themselves.  They all need saved!

And remember, we are still looking for guest bloggers to help out.  This blog isn't all about us. It's about all of the animals.  See about guest blogging here.

Junie Says To Check Out:  Rescued by a Horse: True Stories of Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Healing

We Don't Need A Groomer!

Junie the other day, pre-hair cut

I don't know what I did to deserve this.  I really don't.  Dad decided the boys' hair was getting too long last night so he cut their hair.

Mom said she had an appointment set up to get me groomed (didn't know what that was) on December 15th, her birthday, who wants to celebrate their birthday doing that (now that I know what it is)?  I guess mom does.  Mom was nervous because she doesn't think I've ever been groomed before and she was worried it would scare me.  It probably would if it involved people I don't know.

Dad said why are you going to pay someone to do it?  I can do it.  I used to help my mom groom the poodles.  She said, but you have to be very careful.  She already has a scar in her eye from God knows what at the puppy mill.  I don't want her to jump and you to nick her.

I had no idea what they were talking about until I was in this position.

Dad grooming Junie

That was incredibly strange.  I would like to know who in the world thinks it is ok to shave a dog's hair off?  I liked my hair.

He used that strange machine on me to get the long hair off, then he used scissors to do the rest.  Mom was flinching every time.  I'm not sure why.  He wasn't hurting me.  And I sat really still.

When it came time to do my legs, mom held me in her arms and told me what a good girl I was while dad  trimmed the hair.  I have to say, I didn't mind that part at all.  I love being petted and told how wonderful I am.

When it was all done, mom went and got me some of the chicken breast that they made for supper.  That made it all worth it!  Chicken breast is my favorite!  The kids had already sneaked me quite a bit of it (they think mom doesn't know) but I was up for more.

Dad said if mom wants it cut closer in the traditional Chinese Crested cut that they are going to have get a beard trimmer.  He said it's a smaller version of the machine he was using in the picture above.  That was in too big to get a good nice close shave on a little thing like me.

Mom keeps giggling every time she looks at me now.  Then she says, oh Junie, you're so cute!

Junie's face after her trim - she can see now!

I have to admit, it is nice to be able to see now.  I had these hairs that kept popping in front of my eyes before.  That piece that hangs down over my nose in the picture is what mom calls my cowlick.    She told dad to leave it because it can be pulled back in a pony tail when she puts my hair up.  I think he should just cut it off if that means she won't pull my hair up ever again.

All in all, it wasn't too bad.  I'd rather have my family doing that to me than a stranger I don't know.  Strangers make me nervous and I shake so much.

Junie Says To Check Out: Andis 21420 Pro-Animal Detachable Ceramic Blade Clipper Kit