Will I See My Dog in Heaven | Dog song Saturday

Today's Dog Song Saturday special music video is dedicated to all dog lovers who have lost a special friend.

Will I See My Dog in Heaven comes to us from Jan Hughes a Christian counselor in Tyler, Texas.  Shortly after her own beloved dog died, Hughes shares she felt God compell her to make this music video.  Believing she'll see her pets in Heaven gave her help in working through her grief.

Sit. Stay. Find comfort in Will I See My Dog in Heaven.  Then fetch some more genuine dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  You'll be surprised at how many we've collected over the past few years.

Missing my Hairy Boy Jeffie

It took me about a month to run the vacuum.  I couldn't bear to vanquish all the stray Jeffie hair.

There's still a spot that hasn't seen the vac.  Just a little slice between the bed and the window wall in my office.  It's where Jeffie liked to nap stretched out.  There he could easily keep an eye on me, yet be handy to the window and his security duties.  

I'd often glance over and see him watching me.  If something upset me while I was working, he'd immediately come over, put a paw on my knee and rest his head against my arm. After comforting me or making me laugh, he'd head back to his spot.

It's full of Jeffie hair.  On the carpet. Stuck to the wall. Clinging to the bed's dust ruffle.

Today marks 6 months since Jeffie died in my arms.from Leptospirosis.

  

When I awake each morning there is no longer a soft furry head sharing my pillow.  

As I head to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee there is no doggy head pressed on the outside of my right knee.

As I dish up the dogs' breakfast, there is no longer a pup who can't contain a little woof of excitement.

In fact, there is a whole lot of silence in my house. No one barks at the UPS and FedEx guys. No longer does anyone care that the trash service is stealing our trash.  Coyotes in the pasture? The current crew just watches.

Not only is there a hole in my heart, but there is a very large hole in my life where Jeffie used to be.  By my side and with me like an extra limb.

I know.  I know.  I cannot collect enough of the fur Jeffie left behind ...  but sometimes wild hope, though bittersweet, can be a joyful thing.


[Click the arrow in the upper left to listen]

Rudy Enjoying Spring | Wordless Wednesday

Rudy's enjoying a rare spring afternoon with no thunderstorms.

Dr Google by Kelsey Beth Carpenter | Dog Song Saturday

We've all done it: headed to Google to check medical symptoms. And now, thanks to Kelsey Beth Carpenter, we've got a song about it!

Today's feature at Dog Song Saturday is Dr. Google and it's a barking good original dog song!  

Carpenter is a Registered Veterinary Technician, a singer/songwriter, and the creator of the clever mime series Things Heard at an Animal Hospital.  She's at home in California with her soulmate, a 6 pound Chihuahua mix named Birdie.

Though the song is a bit silly and a lot funny, Carpenter notes:

Did you know that many animal hospitals have advice lines? Veterinary hospitals like the one I work at allow you to call and speak with a technician with any questions or concerns you may have. Not sure if your pet is experiencing a medical emergency? Call the vet! Wondering if you should use the alternative treatment your friend recommended? Call the vet! Heard a certain pet food was better than another? Call the vet! I think you're getting the idea... We want you to ask questions, to have discussions, and to do research. The more you understand about the problems your pet is experiencing, the more you can be a part of the solution. However, not all advice is good advice, and Google can be a dangerous place when it comes to medical information. We just ask that you check with your vet before making any major decisions about how to care for your pet! :)

Sit. Stay. Relax and get ready to laugh as you enjoy Dr. Google by Kelsey Beth Carpenter.  We've provided the lyrics just in case you'd like to sing along.  Then fetch some more genuine dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  You'll be surprised at how many we've collected over the past few years.

Dr. Google Lyrics ©Kelsey Beth Carpenter

My breeder told me
Not to vaccinate
My neighbor said that
We should never spay
My groomer doesn't
Recommend flea meds
She read about them
On the Interwebs

You didn't go to Vet School
Nobody even asked you
It's too bad you don't have to
Take a test to have pets
Cause you're giving out advice
But maybe you should think twice
Cause we're dealing with real lives
Just ask your Vet, don't search the web with

Doctor Google, Doc Doctor Google

Down at the pet store
They were telling me
Not to feed byproducts
And always choose grain free
Then my dog trainer
Warned me not to buy
Treats made in China
Or else my dog would die

You didn't go to Vet School
Nobody even asked you
It's too bad you don't have to
Take a test to have pets
Cause you're giving out advice
But maybe you should think twice
Cause we're dealing with real lives
Just ask your Vet, don't search the web with

Doctor Google, Doc Doctor Google

Would you trust
The Internet
To perform surgery
On your beloved pet
I didn't think so
But didn't you know
That you can call us on the phone
To verify what you've been told

You didn't go to Vet School
Nobody even asked you
It's too bad you don't have to
Take a test to have pets
Cause you're giving out advice
But maybe you should think twice
Cause we're dealing with real lives
Just ask your Vet, don't search the web with

Doctor Google, Doc Doctor Google

Laissez les bon temps rouler with Blue Buffalo Bayou Biscuits #ChewyInfluencer

I bet you didn't know that Rosie dreams of taking a trip to the Louisiana bayou.  Yep.  Especially because she thinks alligator and catfish sound pretty tasty.

Well, Rudy must have told her pals at Chewy because they sent her just what she needed! A bag of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Bayou Biscuits.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!  (Let's get this party started!)  Click to play some party music. It's sure to get you in the mood.




Rudy was glad Rosie shared her Blue Buffalo Wilderness Bayou Biscuits with Alligator and Catfish Grain-Free Dog Treats because they're good! 

Your pup can fais do do with with the exotic flavors of the bayou with Blue Buffalo Wilderness Bayou Biscuits with Alligator and Catfish Grain-Free Dog Treats, too. These crunchy baked biscuits will satisfy their love of meat and natural chewing instincts with the taste of real alligator, a nutritious high-quality protein.  

For a truly complete bayou blend, these treats are also loaded with catfish and shrimp. They’re 100% grain-free and full of protein for a uniquely healthy treat.

Key Benefits

• Delicious real alligator, catfish and shrimp
• Filled with high-quality unique proteins
• 100% grain-free and gluten-free
• Crunchy baked biscuits
• Made with the finest natural ingredients
• No artificial preservatives, colors or flavors
• No corn, wheat, soy or chicken/poultry by-product meals

Ingredients
Alligator, shrimp meal, potatoes, chicken fat, flaxseed (source of mega 3 and 6 fatty acids), catfish, salt calcium carbonate, preserved with citric acid and mixed tocopherols, oil of rosemary.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein  17% min
Crude Fat  13% min
Crude Fiber  5% max
Moisture  11% max

Calorie Content: 3,400 Kcals/kg;  One biscuit = 28 Kcals 


All paws up for Blue Buffalo Bayou Biscuits! 

So, Bon ami, head over to Chewy and pick up some of these tasty treats!  An 8 oz bag at Chewy is regularly $6.99, but on sale now for $4.79.

Ca c'est bon!

There are lots of reasons we love Chewy.com

• Fast shipping to our front door (free if our order is over $49)
• Hundreds if brands to choose from in pet food, treats, and supplies
• Great prices and frequent sales
• Easy to navigate web site and terrific customer service
• Chewy.com gives back via their Shelter and Rescue Network

* We were given one 8 oz bag of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Bayou Biscuits for dogs from Chewy in exchange for our honest opinion.  We only share information like this that we think you'll appreciate.

* Music credit: Jambalaya by The Mudbugs Cajun and Zydeco Band ©Carter Green/Greenjeans Studios

Elsa's Lullaby by NEeMA | Dog Song Saturday

For today's feature on Dog Song Saturday at Talking Dogs, we've got a lullaby.
Elsa's Lullaby to be exact.

Folk / pop singer songwriter NEeMA was on tour in Canada - with her dog Elsa - when a young fan gushed: "You must have so many songs about your dog!"   At the time NEeMA had none and decided to do something about that.

The result is Elsa's Lullaby which the musical artist describes as a song about love, a woman, and a dog.  You'll find it on her Watching You Think album which was released in 2010. 

Add Elsa's Lullaby to your dog music playlist with a purchase from iTunes, Amazon,  and other popular music outlets.

Sit. Stay. Relax and enjoy Elsa's Lullaby by NEeMA. Then fetch more dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  You'll be surprised at how many we've collected over the past few years!

Happy Mother's Day to Dog and Cat Moms | Dog Song Saturday

Tomorrow is a very special day and we've got a special Dog Song Saturday here at Talking Dogs to celebrate ... drum roll please... Mother's Day!

The song Happy Mother's Day was written by Boris Berlin aka Dude with a Dog.  The video was made by Paws and Snout and features Prince the Pibble and Zoe the Tuxedo Cat.  Berlin dedicates this song to all human and animal moms.

Sit. Stay. Relax and enjoy Happy Mother's Day. Then fetch more dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  You'll be surprised at how many we've collected over the past few years!  

Puppy Mill Action Week - Horrible Hundred 2016 - Missouri Hall of Shame

Each year researchers at the Humane Society of the United States gather data from state and federal inspection reports, investigator's photographs, and enforcement records received from the Freedom of Information Act to create the Horrible Hundred Report to highlight some of the most troubling problems in this industry.

The Horrible Hundred 2016 focuses on problem puppy mills in 16 states. Findings included underweight dogs, injured dogs who had not been taken to a veterinarian, puppies left outside to freeze in frigid temperatures, animal living in filthy conditions with feces in their food bowls and fur, and unlicensed dealers offering to ship puppies sight unseen on websites without the required USDA license.

Missouri again topped the list with 30 of the 100 worst facilities, followed by Iowa (15), Kansas (14), Ohio (9), Nebraska (5) and Pennsylvania (5). Just over half of these dealers are repeat offenders.  15 appear in the Horrible Hundred for the third time;  11 for the fourth.  75 of the 100 are USDA licensed.

An AKC "Breeder of Merit" where underweight and injured dogs were found in unsanitary conditions, appears in this year's report, as do 6 dog breeders who supplies puppies to one of the largest providers of puppies to pet stores.

Talking Dogs blog is located in Missouri and it with great sadness, disgust and anger, here is the 2016 Missouri Hall of Shame:

• Pamela Baldwin, Samples Creek Kennel, Edgar Springs, MO (repeat offender)  Severely matted dogs, injured dogs, walls smeared with feces and extremely filthy conditions.
• Kevin Beauchamp, Beauchamp's Puppy World, Lebanon, MO   USDA filed an official complaint after licensee repeatedly failed to allow inspectors in; failed to provide adequate veterinary care to dogs.
• Craig and Angela Burns, Burns Cuddly Canines, Exeter, MO   Puppies were matted with feces; underweight dogs had not been treated by a vet.
• Kay Butler, High Point Kennel, Montgomery City, MO (repeat offender)  Dogs with bloddy lesions;  underweight dog; puppies with loose stools.
• Kimberly Coleman, TLC Kennels, Clinton, MO (repeat offender)  Puppy found entrapped in wire flooring;  white dogs appeared brown due to soiling with mud and feces.
• Leroy Detweiler, Sunset Ridge Kennel, Princeton, MO (repeat offender)  Emaciated dog and dogs with open lesions found;  received official warning from the USDA.
• Mary Foster and Cathy Griesbauer, Country Pets, Montgomery City, MO (repeat offender)  Massive puppy mill with more than 900 dogs had license for one property, but found operating second unlicensed facilty.
• Caryl Freeman, Freema Frenchies, Seneca, MO   Nine puppies found "lethargic, squinting;" offers puppies for sale on Facebook and puppyfind.com but has no federal license.
• Jeffrey and Judy Gray, G & P Kennel, Rothville, MO (repeat offender)  Multiple sick or injured dogs;  fined $9,500 by USDA for repeat violations.
• Beverly Hargis, Hargis' Sunshines Kennel, Hallsville, MO (repeat offender)  So many feces that the dogs had trouble walking without stepping in it.
• Wilma Jinson, Jinson Kennel, Stella, MO  (repeat offender)  Sick and dying puppies found year after year; wounded and suffering animals did not have adequate veterinary care; fourth time in Horrible Hundred report for grossly inadequate care.
• Toni and Wendy Jones, TJ's Kennel, Alton, MO   Failed to get sick or injured animals treated promptly by a vet; sick or injured dogs found by staate inspectors three years in a row.
• Monta Lou and Mural Beckett, Soo Big Kennel, Joplin, MO  Puppies found living in darkness;  Bichon had mass the size of a gold ball; Maltese was found "lethargic and unstable;" another was matted with feces.
• Eva and Isaac Martin, Cedar Line Kennel, Fortuna, MO (repeat offender)  5 week old puppies found in outdoor pen surrounded by flies and feces.
• Catherine Mast, C and C Kennel, Bogard, MO  Emaciated dog and dog with explosive diarrhea for 3 week had not been treated by a vet.
• Janice and Kenneth Nelson, Exeter, MO  Dog had "golf ball sized mass;" 4 other dogs had lumps or masses; 42 dogs in need of dental car.
• Barbara Neubert, Barb's Pups (formerly Neubert Kennel and Farms), Vienna, MO  (repeat offender)  Limping boxer with swollen leg had not been treated by a vet; unsanitary conditions; USDA violations for 6 years in a row.
• Jimmy Doyle Powell, Jimmy's Hilltop Kennels, West Plains, MO  Nursing mother dogs were underweight with hip and rib bones protruding; others had fleas and lesions.
• Mikhail Raylyanu, Marshfield, MO  Received official USDA warning for failure to provie veterinary care to underweight dogs, dogs with wounds and hair loss.
• John and Linda Reichel, Reichel Farms, McGirk, MO  Dogs had feces in their food and water; injured dogs found; puppies kept outside in the cold.
• Debra Ritter, Cornerstone Farms, Curryville, MO (repeat offender)  Puppies with bloody stools; excessive feces and underweight/sick dogs found year after year.
• Ellen Roberts, Rocky Top K-9s, West Plains, MO (repeat offender)  Sick or injured dogs found 4 years in a row.
• Donald Schrage, Rabbit Ridge Kennel, Edina, MO (repeat offender)  Violations have spanned 2 decades.
• Angela L. Smith, Family Lane Pets, Elkland, MO  Received official warning from USDA for bulldog with open wounds, puppies with loose stools and vomiting bulldog.
• Josh L. Souza, Chevorlet Ranch [sic], Phillipsburg, MO (repeat offender)  Dog went months without vet care even after owner was advised to get her treatment; violations found at 22 different USDA inspections.
• Allen Strenke and Jerry McClure, Jerrens Kennel, Grant City, MO (repeat offender)  Small dog died after dilapidated cages allowed dogs to mix and fight.
• Donna Taber, Jet Kennels, Wasola, MO  Underweight Bichon had "easily palpable" ribs; other dogs had paw injury, dental and eye disease.
• Joyce Walters, Select Pets, Anderson, MO  Dog without water stood on hind legs and paw at enclosure door as water was carried over, then drank profusely.
• Deborah Warren, Misty Dew Kennels, Pierce City, MO  One puppy found motionless and one deceased; received official warning from USDA for lask of adequate veterinary care.
• Marilyn Williams (aka Marilyn Shepard), Williams Kennel, Ava, MO  Underweight, sick and/or injured dogs found by state inspectors 4 years in a row.

What you can do to stop the cruelty and put an end to puppy mills:

1. Do not buy puppies from pet stores, online or at flea markets. Instead, visit the dog breeder and see the parents and the conditions in which they live.  Or adopt from an animal shelter or rescue. 
2. Do not shop at pet stores that sell puppies supplied by puppy mills.
3. Support legislation that regulates and reduces breeding of animals.
4. Educated yourself about puppy mills and spread the word.
5. Sign the HSUS pledge.

Adopt Lyla a #CatahoulaLeopardDog mix dog @WaysideWaifs in #KCMO

This gorgeous girl is Lyla.  She's a 5 year old Catahoula Leopard Dog mix.  Lyla is looking for a forever home where she can be the only dog.   She's love a simply and laidback life with a consistent routine.  

Hi there! I'm Lyla. I'm a sweet, somewhat shy, simple sort of dog who just wants a quiet and calm home where I can enjoy life with my family. That's it. I'm well behaved, easygoing, sweet natured, and sort of independent. I won't ask for much, and I'll try my best to follow all of your rules. It makes me sad that I'm homeless yet again, but I understand. I'll get through this and my life will be better than ever!

I'm a stunning, 56 pound, already housebroken and crate trained, Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. Have you heard of my breed? We're unique and special, frequently with one blue eye and one brown eye, which I have and I like to show off. I'm also true to my breed in that I'm loyal, protective, and athletic. I've had sort of a rough go of it though. I found myself homeless a couple years back, living at the shelter in Clinton, MO. I was transferred to Wayside, where I was adopted by a nice family. Things didn't work out for me there though. My family loved me very much and had lots of great things to say about me. But I liked to pick fights with my dog brother over all sorts of silly things. My dad was afraid that the 4 year old little girl who lived with us would get caught in the middle of things, so he decided that I would be better off with a new family. I didn't mean to cause any trouble, but I'm grateful that I'm back at Wayside, so that I can find you. And now we know that I'm looking for a home where I can be the only animal. No other dogs or cats for me, please.

I'm a quiet and super sweet dog who doesn't really like to be the center of attention. Oh, with my family and close friends, I bond deeply and am very affectionate. But I'm shy and reserved around strangers. I'm looking for a new home with a quiet and calm energy, so that I can just relax and be myself. I'm happy at home and I don't need lots of adventure in my life to keep things exciting. A nice night curled up next to you on the couch is all the excitement I need. I do enjoy going for a walk or run and I'll be a great exercise partner for you. I do very well on my leash. And while I don't particularly like other dogs, I'm not reactive at all when I see them during walks, as long as they keep their distance. I'm not the sort of dog who will enjoy trips to the dog park though. Outdoor play in my own backyard is fine with me!


I'm a smart gal and I've already had lots of training, so I can't wait to show you everything I know. I love treats and toys and it makes me so happy when you praise me, so I'm an easy dog to train. Please just be patient with me as I get acclimated to my new home, and remember that I'll pick up on things quickly. If you give me praise when I'm a good girl, I will quickly learn what you expect and will be sure to repeat my good behavior. Knowing I am making you happy will build my confidence, too. I'd like to meet the whole family before we all go home together. I lived with a 4 year old, but I might be happiest in a home with older kids, since I can be shy and I like people in my space on my own terms. And again, I need a home without any other animals.

I long for a home and a family to belong to and hang out with. I'd love a simple and laidback life with a consistent routine. And I will make a wonderful, loyal companion for you! That's my purpose in life...to be your dog and to make your life happier, just by having me in it. I will be so good at that! Please come out to meet me and give me the chance to shine!
Love, Lyla

For more information about Lyla, 

contact Wayside Waifs at  816-761-8151. 

Lyla's adoption ID number is 20678836. 

Wayside Waifs is Kansas City’s largest no-kill animal shelter.   They are an independent, 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit humane society and animal welfare organization established in 1944.  Wayside Waifs is committed to finding homes for all adoptable pets. Wayside is the largest pet adoption center in Kansas City, placing over 5,400 animals each year in loving forever homes. Wayside does not euthanize adoptable animals, and there are no time limits for animals in our care. Only animals suffering from significant medical issues or those that pose a danger are humanely euthanized. Wayside Waifs is proud to be a part of Kansas City's no-kill community. 

Talking Dogs blog is participating in the Tuesday's Tails blog hop hosted by Dogs N Pawz and Talking Dogs. This is the blog hop that features shelter pets.  Find a pet at your local animal shelter or rescue and join us! 

But hurry!  This is the final Tuesday's Tails Blog Hop.