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Beat This Caption

Oh my God!  I think I just had a baby!

Monday Question

Do you wear anything on your feet, or put anything on your paw pads to help with the winter cold and ice, Our answer?  Nope, not us.  My parents tried in on Foley once.  They put boots on her feet and she pranced around like a pony.  They never tried again. 

Petey Finds His Mom a Lily-Rose

 My dear friend Petey lived with his mom for more than 20 years.  They were a perfect pair. Petey had his special ways. He could be aloof with strangers.  Living two decades does that to a dog. But to his mom, he was perfect. When Petey passed to the Bridge a year ago, we didn’t know if his sweet mom would ever get another dog.  She and Petey were like peas and carrots; they went together perfectly. Finding a pup who measured up to Petey was going to be hard.  Petey began searching for a new pup for his mom soon after he arrived at the Bridge, but he never found a dog who met his criteria.  He used the Goldilock standard. He was searching for a dog neither too sweet or too mean, too hard, or too soft.   This dog would also need to have the proper attitude.  Petey knew after 20 years together; it would take a long time for his mom to let another dog into her heart.  So much of the joy in her life was triggered by specific things Petey did. No dog could do the same and if they did

Soup Goes to Jail

My friend Soup had quite a week.  He got lost, then he went to prison, and later he got paroled.  Here is his story.  I couldn't find him anywhere, and then I saw a mile from where he ran off the Alabama State prison. He couldn't possibly have gone to jail.  Regardless, I decided to check. There in the middle of inmates playing basketball was Soup barking and dancing around, delighting the men.   When he was done frolicking, he was given a place to lie down and some food.  Soup curled up and went to sleep after a hard day's play. I went into his dreams and told him his family was frantically looking for him.  He was excited to hear this but didn’t want to leave his new friends. He asked me if his pals could visit him at home. I told him it was possible, in about five to ten.   I made sure, through a dream visit, that Soup’s parents discovered he was doing time at the state pen, where he was very popular.  The inmates loved playing with the rambunctious dog. He bro

Pocket Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and the World Will Never Be the Same

I know it is essential that we go to sleep on Christmas Eve and not see Santa. This Christmas, I saw him by accident and inadvertently caused the biggest Christmas controversy since Rudolph and the lamb.  I was tucked in bed, snuggled between Daddy and River Song when I heard Mommy giggle.  I am a naturally curious animal, so I got down and walked into the living room to see what was so amusing.  That is when I witnessed Mommy kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe. I decided to go back to bed and pretend it was a dream.   The next day I tried to keep it a secret, but that was impossible.  I had seen Santa! I wanted to bark it from the rooftop. Finally, I broke down and told River, but she didn’t believe me.  “I did it!” I insisted. “Mommy was kissing him under the mistletoe last night!” “How’s that?” Daddy said.   Of all the times for him to start listening to me, it had to be now.  Daddy looked at Mommy. “Pocket says she saw you kissing Santa Claus last night.” 

Wordless Wednesday

Beat This Caption

I am telling you the little on the left touched my butt!

Monday Question

What do you want to find under the Christmas tree this year? Pocket:  Something warm and soft like Mommy's lap so I can lie on it all day long River Song: A chicken

Suzy and the Christmas Miracle

  It is officially the Christmas season when magic appears, and what was impossible becomes possible.  It is a time to take chances, no matter the odds.  Few things in the world face longer odds than a starving abandoned dog.   I got a fragile prayer request from one roaming the streets of Philadelphia. I flew down and found the depressed pup taking her last breaths.  She had given up so many heartbeats to combat the cold and hunger she had very few remaining.  I had determined to sit with her on the cold sidewalk and wait for the dark angels to come when I saw, in the distance, a sliver of light.  I walked closer, and there was a pretty house where someone had left the door open a crack. usually, I would have ignored it. Little good can come from a strange dog wandering enter a house unwelcome. But it was Christmas, the time for miracles.   I told the dog to go in the house.  “It is warm in there, and there might be food and water.”  The dog told me she could not break into a

Foley Explains How Dogs Will Take Over the World

The time has come for we dog to stand up and assert ourselves.  For years we have only aided the humans in our family. But the Guild of Dogs has decided we need to help our communities.  Soon a single dog will be assisting humans worldwide. The timeline has been accelerated because we have seen what humans have done to the planet, and we know we have to take over before Earth is destroyed.  We are starting small, and that means with children.  They are open to the possibility that pups are good for more than playing and companionship.  When we demonstrate how we can help them cope with the world now, they will seek our guidance as they navigate through the complications caused by adulthood. \ We decided that rural America would be the best place to begin our ascent.  Adults don’t pay much attention to these areas. If a city can’t host a Real Housewives show, then it is ignored.   One of these places is Muskegon County, on the west coast of Lake Michigan.  Buddy, a Maltese/Shih T

River Suffers More Abuse at the Groomers

This week after dieting for almost two months, I  returned to the groomer who, on my last visit, called me chunky and inspired my parents to put me on a kibble green beans and carrot diet.  I was anxiously looking forward to the visit like a human who went on a diet before their class reunions and wants to show off her new body.  The Fates attempted to stop me from my triumphant return.  For two days before my appointment, it did nothing but rain.  The good news is that the snow was washed away. I am a delicate Floridian by birth.  I hate doing my business in the snow. I checked on my iPaw and saw there was no wintry precipitation in the forecast, then went to bed with a smile on my face anticipating my victorious groomer visit and green grass to poop on.   When I woke up, I was stunned to find two inches of snow on the ground, and it still falling rapidly. Daddy had to dig us out so we could get on the road,  While he shoveled I nervously waited inside. What if my appointment w

Wordless Wednesday

Beat This Caption

All those years you thought Santa had left coal in your stocking.   Now you know it wasn't coal and it was not left by Santa

Monday Question

Do you have a Christmas disaster story? Pocket::  Several.  We are having one right now.  We ordered 60 cards from SnapFish.  We began addressing them today and discovered they only sent 43.  (I looked down River's throat, and she had not eaten them.)  I called the number on Snapfish's website, answered a preliminary question, and good news!  I was getting a new Life Alert bracelet.  I called the number again and bad news! I am getting a second Life Alert bracelet.  Unless I am reborn, the second bracelet seems superfluous.  I finally contacted someone online, and they said they would send out the missing cards, and they will get here...December 23.  We will try to get the missing cards out that day, but don't be upset if they arrive in your mailbox after Christmas and never buy your cards from a fish.  

Lost and Found: Bishop and Keno's Bad Weekend by Foley Monster

The scariest, most upsetting thing happened this past weekend that caused every angel at Doggyspace to search for two of their favorite mortal dogs, Bishop and Keno.  Their brother Apollo is a great and well-respected angel.  He was one of my first Doggyspace friends who went to the Bridge.  When I was mortal and Apollo, an angel, he helped me immensely, as he would do again when I became an angel.  Apollo’s momma Kimberli has devoted her life to dogs.  She always has foster pups in her house; she travels hundreds of miles to find homeless dogs and then trains them to be family pets.   Once they are ready, she finds good homes for them, often taking the dogs to stores for adoption events.  Momma Kimberli has had neighbor problems.  A decade ago, a nearby resident had tried to poison Apollo.  Thankfully they were unsuccessful. This weekend her pack again suffered because of the ignorance of foolish neighbors.  On Saturday, Momma Kimberli had taken two of her rescues, Harper a

Sam and the Rainbow Bridge Reunion by Foley Monster

Sometimes, a parent’s passing can be as hard to accept for a dog as it is who is for a parent when they lose a dog. I got to know a dog named Sam, from Bethel Acres Oklahoma, last February when he frantically began praying when his dad didn’t wake up. I immediately flew down to see why his Dad was not responding. Sadly, I found that her dad had passed to the Bridge.  I told Sam that her dad was gone, but the sad dog did not accept it. I left him alone with his parents. He needed more time to understand that he, an only dog, who had only one parent, was alone.  Sam stayed on the bed, fervently trying to wake up her dad.  I stopped by a neighbor’s house like a ghost and whispered to her that she had not seen Sam or his dad all day, and she should call the authorities to find out why.  When the first responders arrived, they had to physically remove Sam from the bed before they could tend to the body. The responders called a dog rescue: The One Day ranch, to take Sam. The loyal

River Tries to Finally Broker a Peace Deal with the Cat Under the House

Sometimes, it takes a Griffon to stop endless wars.   Since I arrived at our house six years ago, I have undertaken a ceaseless battle with the feral cat who lives under the porch. There was the battle of the air conditioner duct,  the litter of kitties skirmish, the building of the indestructible wall, the destruction of the indestructible wall, and the great slat struggle. While Pocket and I suffered defeat at each of these junctions, we still claimed victory because we have access to a computer. Those with a keyboard write history.   We were gleefully expecting a pussy free winter.   I personally inspected the outside of the house. The brick wall around the HVAC unit was impenetrable.  The slats were tight except in one area, by the Silcock where Private Daddy had separated them to reach under the house and turn off the water.  He could not get the pieces, one an original 30-year-old slat which was partially under the steps and suffering the ill-effects of many winters exposed

Wordless Wednesday

Beat this Caption

Hey, baby!  Wanna check out my ornaments?

Monday Question

Do you have a special Christmas ornament or decoration?

Thor the Police Dog Arrives at Rainbow Bridge

Every dog who comes to the Bridge is unique, but some dogs are more special than others.   We angels have tremendous respect for dogs who have served the public. While we were curled up on laps or laid by the fireplace, they are outside in horrible weather, putting their lives on the line to protect us.  This week we had one of these remarkable dogs join us at Rainbow Bridge: District Four.    Thor served as a member of the North Yorkshire Police, along with his handler, Officer Martin Gayles.  Last year he retired to live out his days in his adoptive family home peacefully. Unfortunately, it was not for long.  Thor only patrolled the Earth for seven short years. For nearly half a decade, tranquil Yorkshire was protected by Thor, who assisted in arrests, used his nose to locate property and suspects, and missing people of all ages. Noble causes all.  For 80 minutes, Thor pursued a subject who had smashed a restaurant's windows.   The man grew fatigued and was apprehended b

Stonewall Fought a Vacuum and the Vacuum Won

 Dogs have insisted for years that vacuum cleaners are the enemy.  We know, if given a chance, the vacuum will attack us. Our parents think it is cute when we bark at the vacuum.  Little do they know they are operating a puppy attacking machine.   Stonewall, a 14-year-old Shih Tzu lives in Ballwin Missouri.  His days of being a rambunctious little boy zooming around the house are over.  He spends the majority of the time laying on the floor and remembering the sweet summer days of his youth.  When he was young, he barked at the vacuum, warning it not to trifle with him. He had never had a problem since.   He had been confident that the loud machine would not attack him because his mother was operating it. Then something happened that would change him in a deep and profound way. His parents got a robot vacuum which is no different than having a driverless car in the house.  It is simply dangerous. I could see having a robot do the cooking, cleaning, or dusting, but not vacuuming.

River Doesn't Like the new Christmas Tree and Other Holiday Thoughts

It’s back:  The big, green, lighted and decorated tree is in our living room, and I hate it. I think it is a replacement tree because it is bigger and fuller than last year, and the chances are slim that would occur in the shed.  Also, a week before my parents brought a big, long box, that barely fit in their compact car, onto the porch. It smelled like fake pine. Also, I had heard Mommy saying she wanted a bigger tree this year.  I surmise they went to the artificial tree forest, where the stuffed squirrels and garden gnomes came to maturity and found one they liked.  This is the first time since I have been living with my parents that they have a new tree. Rumor is the Daddy’s Mommy was someone who could never find an artificial tree she liked and kept buying ner ones until she had an artificial tree farm in the basement.   I am glad we have an artificial tree.  Real trees make me sad. They remind me of when humans are told to bring a loved one home to die.  Within a month,

Wordless Wednesday

Beat This Caption

I'm sorry, didn't you say you wanted to transplant this shrub?  I dog a new hold and everything.  

Monday Question

What is your favorite treat?

Duncan's Long Way Home by Foley Monster

Helping dogs can be hard, especially when they are scared.  I had a heck of a time trying to get a fearful dog back with his family after he ran off at the veterinarian's. The dog’s name is Duncan.   He was purchased by a family who wanted a beagle.  It wasn’t until they brought him to the vet that they found out he was a foxhound.  I first became aware of Duncan through my sister Blake, the patron angel of seizure dogs.  One morning Duncan had a seizure. His parents brought him to the doctor’s, where he has a second one in the parking lot.  When he recovered from that episode, he was disorientated and scared. He pulled so hard on the leash he broke his collar. He ran away and didn’t stop. Duncan had been a couch potato with no survival skills.  Confused and scared, he took solace in a place where people have gone to escape their troubles:  The mall.   Duncan’s family was desperate to find him.  They put flooded the area with flyers and created a Facebook page. Soon the cal

Foley Take Exception to the New Way a Dog's Age is Calculated

 I read another study by people who know nothing about dogs but pretend they are experts. This one had the most scurrilous claims ever made against nature's most perfect creature.  The report pontificates that dog's age much faster than people realize. In fact, when dogs turn two, they are actually 40 in human years. I know why these researchers have advanced this convoluted argument.  Humans have a completely different view of aging than dogs do. We don't pay any attention to the calendar.  Worrying about time passing is wasting time, and we don't have time for that. Humans mark off each day like they are completing a prison sentence.  Dogs only measure time by meals. We consider the space between eating as an entire day, especially since we spend so much time sleeping.  When we bother our parents to feed us, we are telling them the alarm didn't go off, and they are LATE. We are worried about their missing work or an appointment.  It's not that we are jus

Pocket Recounts Her Parents' Thanksgiving from Long Ago

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.  This is my lucky thirteenth turkey day, and with each one, I find more reasons to be thankful. When I was a young pup, Foley and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house.  It was filled with family and the best of all babies. Oh, how Foley and I loved babies!   They are humans in the purest form. Everything we do delights them. Their small, soft hands are perfect for petting.  And, they always dropped delicious food on the floor, which we happily scoffed up.   When mommy had her knee surgeries, the grown children decided to rotate the holidays at their houses.  That was the death knell for the big family get-together. Once Thanksgiving is held at the kids’ homes, they began to wonder why they had to invite their brothers, sisters, and their obnoxious kids.  Gradually the holiday becomes just the immediate family until the mom can’t cook any longer, and then it gets split up between their children’s houses, and the pattern begins again. Years after the

Wordless Wednesday

Beat This Caption

Oh no!  I just went Brexit on my pillow

Monday Question

What are your chances of getting some turkey Thanksgiving? POCKET:  We might get some deli turkey but my parents are going to my skin sister's so no food on the floor

Bentley Sir Licks a Lot Comes to Rainbow Bridge

Earlier this month, a little white fuzzball full of kisses came bounding across Rainbow Bridge with tears in his eyes.  His name is Bently, but to his family, he is Sir Licks A Lot. The Bridge had finally claimed him after years of trying. By the time Bently surrendered to the dark angels, his body was spent.  He had given every ounce of his devotion. His parents had seen him rally remarkably from the brink of passing before, but we only can recover so many times before the deficit becomes too steep to mount.   When he was eight years old, Bentley suffered paralysis.  His doctor told his mom there was no hope. The vet suggested that Bently be sent to the Bridge.  When his mom looked at her dear boy, she saw a dog that was not ready to give up. She took Bently home and became his physical therapist.  Within six months, through determination and love, Bently was running again. Bently would become paralyzed when his body failed again.  Once more, love and determination would triu

Foley, Conan, and Canine Seal Heroes

As you are well aware, all dogs are heroes, and we save lives. Occasionally, a dogs’ bravery will be publicized, and the country revels in their achievement.  That happened in October when a dog helped the military capture one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, Abi Bakr al Baghdadi, known to his Isis friends as Kirk,  and throughout Syria as the host of the game show: The Qirsh is s_ˈɪ_ɹ_ɪ__É™.   I am not a political dog.  Politics is frowned upon at the Bridge.  It is the hobgoblin of mortal minds, and we angels don't need it.  We are free, as long as we don't break the Big Guy's commandments. If we do, we are turned into minions and forced to do manual labor until we are back to thinking correctly.  The United States is still months away from establishing that type of order.  I do take exception to the President, stating that Baghdadi died like a dog.  I had an image of US special forces entering Baghdadi's home and ordering him to stand, only to find he was

The Cats Attack Again

I am old enough to remember when Mommy and Daddy used to both get up at 5:30.  They had little time for Foley or me as they prepared for work. After we were fed, I was put in my crate and Foley on her red blanket, where we patiently waited for eight hours until Mommy got home.   When we heard the door open and smelled her, I barked my head off until I was let out of the crate. Foley laid on her blanket, not looking at Mommy until she was ready. Foley was the coolest.  In 2011 Mommy retired, and a short time later, Daddy stopped working full time.  We rarely got up early again, but when we did, we knew it was trouble. Doctors always do bad things to people right after breakfast.  They like to be done with their torture before lunch. Last Wednesday, we were up early.  I knew something was wrong when Mommy didn’t linger under the covers with River as I slowly, and thoroughly, did my outside business.  She showered quickly and without getting her hair wet. My parents skipped breakfast