BOO!

Posing For Pancakes

Hi Everybuddy -

Despite a rainy start, the weekend turned out very well. That guy named Jack (a.k.a. Jack Frost) chased summer (summer with a small "s", not Summer with the capital "s") away and now Fall is here for awhile. Our girl decided it was a great time to make some pancakes. Pancakes are one of my favorites so I made myself very available to help out.

"Yep - that's looks to be just about perfect"

Here's a closer look at the work in progress. Doesn't that look yummy??:

Note my strategic positioning so that if she takes a couple steps back she'll trip and I'll have to rescue a flying flapjack. Clever huh? :

"Now just a couple steps back...that's it...."

Here I am teaching Shyla one of my techniques to getting what I want. Cute huh? :

"Please may I have some now?"

My strategy worked! We all enjoyed the fruits of her labor and got some pancake pieces . It's always beneficial when there's a couple that don't come out quite right. Shyla can't have wheat but she was able to enjoy some scrambled eggs. Mmmmm! It was a great day!

Frost On Our PA Pumpkins!

Hi Everybuddy -

Oh my Dogness! Look what came in Mom's email!!

...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 9 AM EDT MONDAY...UNDER A MOSTLY CLEAR SKY WITH A DIMINISHING WIND, TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE 30S LATE TONIGHT IN MUCH OF SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, DELAWARE AND NORTHEASTERN MARYLAND. AS A RESULT, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FROST ADVISORY FOR LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING.

Whoa! Do you see that phrase - FROST ADVISORY ??? That's almost SNOW! Taking into consideration the fact that it's been a gazillion degrees way beyond when it should be, I'll take it! Mom said that somebuddy named Jack will put frost on our pumpkins. Sorta like this:

That might be a bit extreme but you get the idea. He's not a happy fella but he doesn't have a bewootfiful Siberian coat like we do. HEY! Maybe Mom can scoop up some of our spare husky hair that's rolling around the house (literally) and help him out a bit. All's I can say is "Thanks Jack!". There's hope that we'll be romping in the white stuff real soon! I leave you with the following photo of Meeka so that we can all dream of what may not be too far away after all:

"Hello little snowflake!

Friday Fun

Hi Everybuddy -

Since it's a dreary, damp Friday and Mom found something fun, we have to share. Give Halloween Hangman a try. But be careful - it's addictive! *

For your viewing pleasure here's a picture of Shyla demonstrating what's on her agenda for this dreary and wet fall day. We thought it was appropriate to decorate with her today since she's a bewootiful pumpkin color:

Happy Friday!

*Echo will not be responsible for any reprimands received at work for playing games on company time.

Gotcha!

Hi Everybuddy -

Ah yes. Revenge - sweet revenge. You recall my horrible nail clipping incident on Saturday. Did Mom not think I'd get even? I'm pretty proud of myself. Take a look:

TAKE THAT MOM!

Taste Tested

Hi Everybuddy -

I want to report on our taste test of a new canned food. It was YUMMY! By Nature - who makes some great treats that we like alot also makes a line of wet and dry organic dog and cat foods. Trappe Feed recently began to carry it so we gave it a try. We had the Organic Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Peas. Two paws up from us! Tell your Moms to look for it and see for yourself.

Check out my new poll. In light of my horrific nail clipping this past weekend, Mom got curious.

I Was Duped!

Hi Everybuddy -

Whew! Whatta day! I'm dictating this to Mom because I'm resting. You recall that today was a MaPaw Meet and Greet at our most favorite food and treat store - Trappe Feed. The weather was great and the sun was shining. We were off and running early. It was Meeka's turn to visit the V-E-T. Nothing serious - just a visit to make sure he was doing okay and to get his shots which Mom claims keeps us healthy. He tested out a brand new vet today and he gives the practice two paws up. It's my turn next month so I'll have to see for myself. After that Mom said it was my turn to go for a ride. Woo! That meant I was going to the Meet and Greet! Meeka didn't mind because he wanted to nap. I hopped into the Jeep and away we went. Dad made the remark that I'm the kid that constantly says "Are we there yet are we there yet are we there yet??". I don't know what his point is on that. Finally we arrived! There were people everywhere. What a great turnout. Mom promises to post pictures on that tomorrow. Today, I'd like to tell you how I was tricked! Yep.....I sure was. We walked around and visited for awhile. I licked some faces and sniffed some butts like any good doggie should. After that Dad told me it was time to stand in line. Stand in line for what I wondered. I could see treats everywhere so I figured it was definately for something yummy! People pet me as I was in line so it wasn't too bad. I was as patient as a Siberian could be. I could just taste those treats! Finally we arrived at the front of the line. Guess what I saw!??? A nail clipping station! OH NO WAY! I cannot believe they are doing this to me! This is just wrong. Look:

"Surely there must be a law against this!"

"I see you Mom. Remember those new slippers you bought?"

"Yeah yeah - I'm cute. Can I have my paw back please??"

"Find a happy place....find a happy place....."

Oh my dogness was I ever glad to get down off that table! What were they thinkin? The moral to this story is be aware, be VERY aware of which line you're standing in. That's okay though because I gave Mom the evil Siberian eye and guess what? Look:

"Woo! Look at those! One fell Mom."

So I survived the evil nail clipping and was rewarded by the way - I got some yummy frosted cookies with sprinkles on them. I shared them with the others when I got home. And we got all the other treats and our favorite canned food. Life is good.

Tune in tomorrow for more pictures of our wonderful day at the Meet & Greet!

Meet & Greet!

Hi Everybuddy -

The weekend is quickly approaching and Mom said we get to have some fun on Saturday! Our most favorite food and treat store is having their first annual Barktoberfest. Doesn't that sound great? They're located in Trappe which is in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. You can get directions here. Their website isn't quite ready yet so they have a temporary site set up with hours, directions, and basic information. Mom just LOVES going to this store. They have a wide selection of natural and holistic pet foods and treats and tons of cool toys that don't have lead (whatever that is). There will be lots of fun events on Saturday - a costume contest, raffles for cool baskets with all proceeds benefiting the rescues that are there (like MaPaw), holistic and natural food reps, and much more. Including (and I really, really wish Mom hadn't seen this) free nailclipping. That's right folks. Guess what that means? Echo (that would be me) gets to have his nails clipped. Oh yippee. That's okay though cause Mom promised we can shop afterwards if I don't fuss and do the Siberian-Scream-Of-Death. I'll also get to say hello to Rocky Pup and Maverick who will be there at the MaPaw tent. You can see the flyer for the Barktoberfest in the sidebar of this blog.

So come on out and say hello! I hope to see you there!

Website Wednesday

It's Wednesday again! That means I get to share an interesting website with all of my friends. There are some nice people who are on a mission to make it a complaint free world. Woo! We think that's a pretty ambitious task. In theory they're right. The world would be a much better place if we would stop complaining so much. But is this even possible?? Mom admits she's guilty of griping alot but she prefers to think of it as "constructive criticism". (Okay Mom - if it makes you feel better to give it a better name - go for it!). Kind of a self imposed therapy for her. Besides, she usually does it when nobuddy is around and only we hear it. Does that count?

It works like this. You order one of these nifty purple bracelets:

This is how they explain the process:

Begin to wear the bracelet, on either wrist.When you catch yourself complaining, gossiping or criticizing (it’s ok, everyone does) move the bracelet to the other arm and begin again. If you hear someone else who is wearing a bracelet complain, you may point out their need to switch the bracelet to the other arm; BUT if you’re going to do this, you must move your bracelet first! Stay with it. It may take many months but when you reach 21 days you will find that your entire life is happier, more loving and more enjoyable.

Ummm...yeah. It would take Mom WAY longer than 21 days to meet that requirement! At least she's honest. Anywoo, we give the people that started this trend two paws up. Certainly nothing comes easily but we could all use a few reminders to stop complaining so much and appreciate the world around us a bit more. Follow my example. Does this face look as if it complains?? Pfft! Life is good.

Siberian Tools and Siberian Help

Hi Everybuddy -

Whew! Am I ever glad this weekend is over! We worked very hard. Dad had a new project and we needed to help him. It's a good thing he has us to help otherwise he may not have ever gotten done. It took two weekends. Of course it also helped that he was using official Siberian tools. Take a look:

Good thinking Dad! There's nothing better than that to get the job done right. Here I am helping him choose just the right tool for the job:

"Yup! That's the one!"

Then we needed to get some other supplies together:

"Here ya go Dad!"

Next we measured:

"Steady now.....be careful!"

Then it was time for us to be sure Dad did it right:

"Just a minute Dad - measure twice - cut once is what they say."

Finally, we were finished. That was alot of work! Tomorrow the floor guy comes again to measure for the laminate we helped Mom choose for the living room and dining room. Stay tuned for more on that this week. Oh my dogness - they're lucky we're here. I don't know what they'd do without us!

Something Worth Sharing

Hi Everybuddy -

Mom received this story in her email and thought it was quite worthy of sharing.

I hadn't been in rescue very long and I was reading a story about Lexi, looking at her sweet golden face in the picture. Apparently, she had been rescued as a pup from a shelter. However, in this instance, the word "rescue" seemed to have been used merely to assuage the guilt of her human mother who was now looking to find a new home for Lexi. How else could one justify finding a new home for a family member? Lexi's mom had two toddlers and other excuses for now wanting to find "the very best" home for the dog she'd raised for the past 10-11 years. Her family of four was moving to a new subdivision, and between the toddlers and the upcoming move, along with working, she had no time for Lexi. I didn't understand this reasoning then and still don't understand it. The dog was part of the family. Yes, we all have lifestyle changes. We have kids. We move. We work. We become preoccupied with our children's schedules as well as our own. We don't think we have enough time. Well, I had done all those things and never once thought of finding a home for any of my dogs -- they were part of my family. How could she do this to this sweet girl? I made arrangements to pick up Lexi, who was living in a very nice, gated subdivision, not far from ours. We introduced ourselves to Lexi's mom and were taken to see Lexi. The garage door opened and there was this sweet dog, in a large wire kennel where she'd obviously been living, with a small fan on her, in Houston, in September. Lexi had been digging in the backyard and they couldn't have that -- not with their house for sale. She gave me a brief history of Lexi, concluding that Lexi would probably look for her by waiting at the door at night. I took Lexi, who jumped in the back seat of our truck and never looked back. From that moment on, she was my dog and she never left my side, nor did she ever fail to thank me daily with her eyes and utmost devotion. Of all the dogs I'd ever had and loved, this one was most special. She was my first rescue. We took Lexi home to our family of four other dogs and, after proper sniffing and various other forms of introduction, all dogs took their places in our lives. Lexi never left my side. She could be found sleeping at my beside and when Rick got up early and let the dogs outside on weekends, Lexi wouldn't go until I got up. What a wonderful old girl she was. We moved to the bay in June of 2004. Lexi was getting visibly older and was slowing down. She had free rein of the house and could always be found at my side, whether that be at the side of the bed or the foot of the couch. I never left her outside. She had spent enough time in the heat, in a cage. She was 15 years old this past January. She had numerous tumors on her body and in her eyes and, although she ate like a horse, was skinny as a rail. I prayed that she would go to sleep on her own, and not leave me to make that decision for her. I finally had to make that appointment, and she went to sleep in my arms. She took a piece of my heart with her and I know she now waits at the Bridge, playing and waiting with my Huskies. I write this, not just to honor her memory, but hopefully so that another young mother, with toddlers, who thinks she has no time and needs to rehome her dog, will read it. Lexi was lucky -- she found me. Other senior dogs, and cats, are not as fortunate. If a home can't be found, they are dropped at a shelter to a certain death because they are deemed unadoptable by the shelter. It's not the shelters fault. Over crowding due to a glut of abandoned pets leaves no room for an older dog or cat. I hope that the young mother who reads this will think twice and realize that the pet she has raised loves her, whether she has as much time today as she had yesterday. I hope the young mother who reads this will think about what she will be teaching her children if she gives her old pet away. Instead of teaching them that a pet is a responsibility for all of its life, she will be teaching them that a pet is disposable. I hope she will read this and look into her pet's eyes and see the love and the life still devoted to her. I hope that she'll have many long years with her pet after her toddlers grow up and, in that way, she will have taught her children how to love, care for and be responsible for a pet -- for all of his or her life.

Website Wednesday

Hi Everybuddy -

It's that time again.....it's Website Wednesday! Today we're going to have a little fun. Those who know Mom are aware that she has a real soft spot in her heart for the mutts of the world. She LOVES the mixed breed dogs and there sure are alot of em! Oh yeah - she adores us too but how much perfection can one live with? There has to be SOME unpredictability in life right? Throw caution to the wind and live dangerously - make your own mutt. Visit Animal Planet's Mutt Maker and have some fun!

Happy Wednesday!

P.S. At the risk of speaking too soon, I think summer got blown away in Pennsylvania last night. Oh....not Summer with the capital S - summer with the small s.

Oh.....and before I go I must wish Mom & Dad a very happy Anniwoosery! Today they've been married more than a quarter of a century. WOO! Mom said she'd marry Dad all over again. I see that getting married involves CAKE. They could have at least waited for me to have a big cake like that. Hmmph.

National Fire Prevention Week

Hi Everybuddy -

Did you all know that this is an important week? It's National Fire Prevention Week! It's a week set aside to remind us to do some things around our homes to keep us all safe from fire. This is also a good time to send a huge THANK WOO to all of those that work at Fire Departments, who dedicate their lives to keep us all safe. Did you know that my Canine Mommy - Sissy - owns a very special Fireman? This is a picture of Sissy. She's testing the landscaping in this photo. See:

Her Dad's name is Dave and this is a good week to not only thank him for giving my Mom a great home, but for teaching so many other people how to be good firemen and women. That's a very important job! In honor of Dave, we'd like everyone to think about things they can do to make their homes safer. One thing we should all do is design an escape plan in case there's a fire on our home, and practice it frequently so everyone knows exactly what their job is. Escaping is a Siberian specialty so we can most certainly lend a paw in that department! There are also special window stickers available to alert firefighters that there are furry family members inside that also need to be rescued in case no one is home to tell them. This website has many tips and suggestions for fire drills, safety routes, and other helpful facts.

Happy Fire Prevention Week and Thank Woo to all who keep us safe!

Pumpkin Heads

Hi Everybuddy -

My good buddy Thrawn and his pack at Five Happy Hounds found something that's alot of fun! We can all be pumpkin heads! Check out their clever pumpkins on their Blog. It's easy - just visit the Pumpkinizer website and upload your picture. See:

Handsome (and Humble!) me

Meeka

Shadow

Shyla

That's just too cool! Thanks for sharing that guys! And while you're visiting their Blog to see their pumpkins, don't forget to check out their cool store. Mom's been admiring the holiday collars and we think she's going to get that plastic card out very soon.

Stay tuned for an exciting announcement about two very special MaPaw guests. It's been a busy, busy weekend. More on that coming soon!

Home Again Microchips

We would like to encourage everyone that uses Home Again for their pet's microchip to check your online information . When Mom logged on to check our account, she discovered that there were numerous errors including incorrect phone numbers, Meeka was listed under both his ID number and mine, and our breed was incorrect. If this is the contact information Home Again had intended to use, Mom might not have been contacted in the event we were missing and were located in a shelter if somehow we had lost our collars and tags. This is a good example of why our owners need to have ID tags on us rather than relying on just the microchips. We were hoping it was an isolated case but we are now learning that we are not the only ones finding inaccurate contact information on our accounts. We did not initially enter the information into the account....it was information provided on the form we were given to mail or fax to Home Again after we were chipped. For peace of mind, please log on to your accounts and verify that all of your contact information was entered correctly. You can also upload a photo of us on each account for identification. To log on you'll need your microchip number.