Newborn Kittens

The newborn kittens are here!!! We are too excited, moved, elated . . . no words, really. They are all beautiful, healthy, and strong. The ex pregnant cat, Farrah, seems absolutely relieved. She's in great health and won't stop purring and taking care of her cute kittens. I'm not going to tell you yet how many they are. I'm going to give you a sneak peak of one kitten though. We need four kitten names. We welcome all suggestions, except for this one. This one is got it's name yesterday, a few hours before his birth. There are too many cute kitten names to chose from, but this one is in honor of our blog friend. This blog is about to be filled with kitten pictures. For now, may I present to you . . . 

Puddles!

Twinkie

Hiking With A Senior Dog And A Three Legged Dog

We met up with our buds, Hank and Sue, the rhodesian ridgeback dogs, the other day and went wild. We went to our local creek to romp, pee, sniff, swim... What a day! Of course, our pack included a senior dog and a three legged dog, we had our limitations. We made sure we didn't go too far in case one of us got suddenly tired.

Senior dog and three legged dog take the lead

"Catch us if you can!"

Our young friends had a ball

They have endless stamina and they're both in great health

The rhodies love to chase us

Good thing three legged dogs can also run fast!

Retaliation

Surprised, huh?

Unfortunately, I had to turn Hank down again

"Find somebody your size, Hanky."

I'm so well adjusted as a three legged dog that I can manage all kinds of terrain

It was a great hike!

After hiking with dogs, we were invited to Hank's for . . . dog treats, slurp

I have to tell you, Hank is one pawesome host

At the end of the day, I was one exhausted three legged chihuahua, so I grabbed a good samaritan ride back home

The chiweenie crashed too

We make the most out of our dog hikes, despite our physical limitations. No senior dog should be punished by being restricted unless it's a necessity. No three legged dog should be restricted ever. As long as we're alive, we'll continue to enjoy our dog hikes and everything our life has to offer. 

Life is beautiful as long as you have a forever home that cares for you. 

Twinkie

Did Somebody Say Dog Treats?

We went on an exquisite hike just the other day with our friends the rhodesian ridgebacks. We were a sight for sore eyes: The senior dog, the two powerful rhodies, the tiny three legged dog, moi, and the crazy chiweenie. After our dog hiking expedition, we were invited back at the rhodies' house for dog treats!

Give us the dog treats you promised!

I will pass out if I don't get my dog chews now!

I don't get what the teacup chihuahua is complaining about

My dog treat, mine

I'm going to hide under those covers until I get my treats

Life is fair, life is good

(please stop drooling over my blog)

There is nothing better in life than a juicy marrow bone. They make awesome treats for dogs of all sizes. If you're a giant breed, you'll enjoy your tongue as a giant scooper, spooning the marrow out. If you're a tiny chihuahua, you'll enjoy sticking your head inside the bone licking all the juicy marrow. It's a win win proposition. We keep our marrow bones frozen for added difficulty and endless enjoyment. And when the marrow's all gone, we use refills from anything from peanut butter to cheese. Those are the easiest homemade dog treats any biped can make to keep us busy for hours, plus they're cost effective. With marrow bones you get dog treats and dog chews in one!

Get your own dog treats!

Twinkie

Pregnant Cat Emergency Foster and Catnip

You've all heard about our other cats and their catnip addiction. We decided to check out the catnip effects on our pregnant cat and the results came in rather quickly.

Not interested

We checked to make sure that catnip use on a pregnant cat is not a problem, and sure enough, it's harmless. It is safe to provide catnip to your pregnant cat. Catnip is just an herb after all. Even when the kittens are born, it is safe to have catnip around because kittens do not react to catnip at all. The only warning I read about was about rBST, the synthetic growth hormone used in dairy farming, but it's very unlikely your cat's catnip may have been treated with it. 

If our case, Farrah, our foster pregnant cat sniffed the catnip and continued on with her day's activities: lounging, rolling, trying to lick herself unsuccessfully and rolling some more, attacking M and Linguini, eating, drinking, and sleeping. We tried to introduce her to a catnip toy as well with the same results. Just not interested, but we'll keep trying to stimulate her in other ways, in our efforts to keep her fit until she delivers the kittens.

Farrah is looking huge! I will be gathering material and will post it periodically for the cat aficionados. We also got a wireless camera so we can get live feed of the "birthing room" as soon as we workout the technology kinks. At this point, we're guessing that the kittens might arrive in the next week or so, but it's really hard to be exact since Farrah was running lose in the streets until recently. I must say, even if you're not fond of cats, it's hard to resist smiling at the sight of any newborn.

Catnip effects on pregnant cat report, over!

Twinkie

Dear Twinkie | A Dog Advice Column

A dog advice column

Martine asked...

Cool HIKE!!!! 
THis might be a question for Tuesday... but do you think Captain is too small for a dog backpack? 
xo martine & the kiddlets

TVT: No, he's just perfect!(chuckle)

See, he fits just fine!

Rudy - The dog with a blog asked...

Awesome advice column - as always!
Since I'm so very young, I don't know much yet, I do have a question for you:
Is it our fault (dogs), or our owner's (humans) fault if we have an accident inside?
I've always wondered that.
Rudy

TVT: Young and wise, I see. Other youngsters would not have questioned the bipeds' shortcomings. You're going to be one awesome guide dog for the blind. It's the humans' fault is the correct answer. Why can't they tell when we need to go potty? What prevents them from opening a door for us every time we get the urge? Rest assured, you've done nothing wrong and my sissy, Frankie the chiweenie, will gladly back me up on this one. Oh, and one more piece of advice, during the following week, feel free to share responsibility for all accidents with Sparkie. 

"Wasn't me"

Fiona, as typed by Dr. Liz asked...

Most excellent advice, as always! (Especially for Mango, the dating-challenged...) *ahem* So, wise one, I have a question for you: why, when it rains, does Mom get all bent out of shape about me wrestling with Abby (the mutant puppy monster) in the mud? What is her problem? Thanks!
*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Mutant Puppy

TVT: To use your own words, "mud, what mud"? BOL It's universal. Moms do get all bent out of shape over silly nuisances, but with proper dog training, they can slowly learn (they are slow learners and that's a fact). I have faith in you and your mutant sister. Mud is readily available after the snow melts and after a rain. That pauses a problem with consistency. Try to create your own mud, seek it everywhere and make sure you always cover yourself in it. Did you know that it's a new trend now that grooming places offer mud baths for dogs? Some people believe that dog mud baths even get rid of fleas. Please have your mom read about therapeutic mud baths, and tell her you're saving her money. She will eventually come around.

Remember: mud baths have hidden benefits

Frankie the Chiweenie asked…

Mom's been too busy lately and all I want is to go hiking with dogs. What's up with that?

TVT: You sweet lil' rude girl, our senior dog needed a rest above all. Now that she's feeling better, we'll get mom to take us on a dog hike. Go bother someone else with your silly questions. Didn't you learn anything at your AKC canine good citizen class?

Hiking with a senior dog needs to be done responsibly

Mr Koda MD asked...

Fantastical advice TVT! 
I have a question... How did you become so knowledgable? You know the answer to everything, is there something like Wikipedia I can use to become even half as smart as you? 
Basking in your glow
Koda

TVT: Tsk tsp, Mr Koda. I'm very concerned about you. I mean, you're the type of dog that when hungry, falls asleep on the hand that feeds you. I must say, I'm a bit at a loss here, and that's rare for me. Okay, I will recommend intense audio-visual therapy here. I believe you need stimulation. I prescribe a minimum of two hours a day of quality web browsing (try ihashotdog.com) and another two hours of quality television show viewing (American Idol, South Park, and Bridezillas). Get back to me in a few days and let me know about your progress.Basking in your beauty.

Case in point

hero asked...

Thanks for all the great advice, Twinkie... you're the wise one indeed.
Q: Each time I go to the park, I can't resist sniffing the butts of all the dogs, my hoomans suggest to sign me up for BSA... Butt Sniffing Anonymous, is there something wrong with that?
Licks, hero

TVT: You lucky dawg, you! Unlike, Nip/Tox, the catnip rehab center, BSA is the place to be if you're a butt sniffer. You get to make tons of friends who are all in the same boat. You all get to meet once a week and form the world famous sniff train (imagine a row of butt sniffers). Your sponsor is also going to be a seasoned and experiences sniffer. Welcome the opportunity and enjoy!

Always trust a sharpei's nose

Dory and the Mama asked...

Hi Miss Twinkie...Great advice as usual!!
Here is my question...why is it that Mama feels like she has to take ME to the dog groomer when she grooms Jacob and Dory at home...?? 
Thank you kisses!
Bilbo

TVT: Dear Bilbo, I am well aware that you wish you were a short haired dog so that you could do away with grooming altogether. Alas, life can be tough at times. My friend, you're only a  seven (almost) month old pup and you have to be patient with yourself. Grooming is not the end of the world, besides, you don't even like the folks at the groomer's. I say you observe Dory and Jacob carefully a few times and then imitate them. I promise, there will be dog treats involved.

Note to Bilbo's mama: I promised Bilbo treats, please deliver. 

Bilbo the way he likes to be remembered, as a younger pup not in need for grooming

Mango asked...

Golly, Twink, thanks for the advice, I think. Are you sure that I can't look at other gals when I am out with Tula? Sob. I will give it a try.
Slobbers,
Mango

TVT: Yes, Mango, I am certain. You cannot look at other gals when out with Tula. Don't forget, you have a reputation too. You're a major flirt and word has spread around blog-land. I mean, I was never sure that there wasn't something going on between you and the fabulous Khyra and her fluffy pantaloons. Having been branded a "player" is definitely not conducive to your relationship with Tula, therefore you have to always focus your attention and affections toward her. 

Resist the urge to follow your nose

Pregnant cat update and a contest

FYI and of course feel free to join the party: I'm doing an informal CONTEST on my facebook  fan page taking guesses as to how many kittens our foster cat is going to have. Free giveaways included. You can click HERE to see the event and HERE for my FB page where you can upload your photo and guesstimate. Farrah is doing great. She's getting bigger all the time and today she can't even groom herself--she rolls over. She's rather anxious and tries to attack all of us including the hand that feeds her. Can't wait for the kittens to come. 

Now, go take on the day!

Twinkie

Dachshund Pictures | P.T. Goes To China

Another glorious day at the horse barn with my rescue dog pals and the horses...Aaah, that's the life. This particular outing, I was rather taken by my friend, P.T.'s digging attempts. Let me share my dachshund pictures with you.

Doxie working hard

What's that red stuff off to the side?

And digging

A doxie's dedication

More red stuff, hmm

The red blur was P.T.'s brother, Nathan the horse

Special guest appearance by Dexter the doxie

supervising his lil' bro

P.T. unperturbed continues with his digging expedition and hopes to reach China sometime soon

Making progress at last!

Welcome back to the United States of America

Passport, license, and registration please

The sad part was that P.T. needed and got a bath after this photo sequence. It's a shame that he didn't learn anything from his brother's dog training tips. 

Twinkie

Product Review: Ultrasonic Bark Control

Stop Barking Dogs

All dogs are irritating when they bark, but small dogs are notoriously annoying. Because we were looking for ultrasonic pet trainer to suit all breeds, small and large, we decided to try a hand held, inexpensive, bark control device. We ordered the PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer that costs $20 plus shipping and handling. You get a bonus nail groomer with your order (which they claim is valued at $19.95). Your other option is to buy PetZoom from Amazon for $16.98 a small saving that does not include the nail groomer, but if you're a Prime member you also don't pay shipping. 

The PetZoom Sonic Pet Trainer claims to be safe, harmless, and effective, a 20 ft. range, and to work on all dogs and cats. 

We tested it on the dogs. The word miracle comes to mind. As with all sonic pet trainers, this one is inaudible by the human ear, so it's really shocking to push a button and have all your dogs instantly stop barking, especially because you don't hear a thing. Our dalmatian-shorthaired pointer mix, stops barking, bows her head slightly, and then resumes what she was doing. The little chiweenie only stops barking showing no other signs of acknowledgment, and the tiny teacup chihuahua instantly stops barking and stares quizzically at the person handling the pet training device. 

This ultrasonic bark control device is a bit bulky, yet still small enough to fit in a pocket. We're trying to come up with a smart contraption to keep it on us at all times (perhaps some super glue and sting so that it can be worn over the neck at all times). 

In brief, ultrasonic bark control devices are intended to halt trying barking by emitting an annoying tone that only your dog can hear. The tone is the deterrent. The effectiveness, based on the reviews we read, debatable for some. 

We checked around and discovered one more ultrasonic bark control device similar to the PetZoom and that is the As Seen on TV BarkOff training aid. The BarkOff costs only $10 plus shipping and handling, half the price of the PetZoom. I should also mention, that you can get BarkOff from Amazon for $9.99 plus shipping. Similarly with the PetZoom, the BarkOff gets both raving reviews and disappointment. We lucked out, all our barking dogs instantly seized, but apparently it does not work on all dogs. For the price, I recommend you give it a shot. It's better than losing your mind or upsetting your neighborhood with your barking dogs when there are dog bark control devices such as these in the market.

We love the fact that this type of sonic pet trainers work on all breeds and were terribly relieved to eliminate the high pitched bark small dogs make, as were our neighbors. We will continue our research and we will test our PetZoom on the cats too. Meanwhile, I suggest you don't wait. You don't have much to lose but you have potentially a lot to gain, as it was in our case. Stop barking dogs. 

Twinkie