Non-profit for Dogs and the Story of Finnegan

I've mentioned this organization in another post, but, whenever I can, I try to do work for Orthodogs Silver Lining Foundation (OSLF). It's all-volunteer, internet-based and it's a 501(c)(3)non-profit (in other words, donations are tax-deductible). They help rescues and service and companion dog-owners get funding for canine orthopedic medical care. They will also help service dogs get other essential medical funds.

There is a holiday matching fund donation up right now for $2500 so, if you have a small amount you want to donate, now is a great time since it will be doubled!! If you have a little more money, there are a couple of nice OSLF offers with donations for $25 and then $50+ range.

I would like to mention a few of the reasons I love to work with OSLF:
- All the money goes to the dogs - being all volunteer and internet makes so much more possible
- We get to help some wonderful animal rescues when dogs in their care need surgery
- The OSLF board is painstaking in getting a thorough background on all applicants (this, of course, is more about people problems than anything about the pups)
- Although, our emails are usually business related, it's always obvious how much everyone cares about the animals we're helping. There was an off-topic email yesterday - that involved animals - and the responses to it made me feel quite at home. When an OSLF volunteer shared these pictures and story you might have already seen:

A baby squirrel was rescued by a woman (Debby Cantlon) who named it Finnegan.


Finnegan was adopted by Cantlon's pregnant Papillon, Mademoiselle Giselle.



When the pups were born, the squirrel basically became part of the litter.





We all commented. I like the fact I wasn't the only one who was worried about what happened to the squirrel (I looked it up - it lives happily in the wild with other squirrels). I like that someone in the group had always wanted a pet squirrel - and it wasn't me...(although - after seeing these pictures....) Separate from that, I also like that dogs and squirrels can live in harmony - to me, after some of the dogs I've known, that's equal to the lion and the lamb....

non-profit, dogs

If A Pitbull Were a Flower

I think it'd be a Gerbera Daisy


They come in a huge variety of colors, they are physically great representations of their species, they are simple looking and yet they are very beautiful.

Then I started thinking about other dogs:
Golden Retriever - Daffodil
Great Dane - Gladiola
Australian Shepherd - Orchid
Poodle - Rose
Rottweiler - Sunflower
Mastiff - Hydrangea
Chihuahua - Crocus
Dachshund - Snapdragon

I'm working on tulips and peonies. Let me know if you have any ideas.


pitbull, pit bull

Pit Bull Conversation

Honey and I went to Jamba Juice which means I go in and Honey sits outside where I can watch her through the plate glass window. She's really very good, patiently waiting in a sit or down stay for however long it takes. A young girl (16-ish?) asked me if Honey was mine.
-"Yes - that's Honey."
She said "She's really pretty and she's very good."
- "Thank you. She's a great dog."
"I like her coloring - I like it better than when the nose is black."
- "I think she's called a red-nosed pit."
"Oh, that figures I'd like that," the girl said and kind of pointed to her hair. "Of course, I like red things."
I realized then her hair was red. "Yes - that makes sense."

Then, I started to give some of my pit bull ambassador speech. Great dogs, etc.

The girl said to me
"When I was young, they used to say such bad things about pit bulls. But now everyone has one and then you find out that it never was the dogs - it's the owner."

I love that she talked about when she was young as if looking way far back. I love that she thinks everyone has a pit bull. I love that, in her world, the misunderstanding with pit bulls is over.

(Picture of red-nosed pit is from Missouri Pitbull Rescue that I just discoverd. Missouri has a horrible time with puppy mills, bad owners, animal cruelty and these people are doing a fantastic job. The information on their site about pits is some of the best I've read.)

pitbull, pit bull

If You Want to Paint Your Dog's Toenails

If you have friends over on a really relaxed Sunday afternoon, and you decide you want to soften the deceivingly-tough look of a pit bull and everyone convinces you painting her toenails is a good way to do it? You will need to use a fast-drying nail polish like Revlon's Super Top Speed or the dog will smear it all over her coat and pick up dirt and grass in the bargain.

Just saying....