New Year's Resolutions 2007

I, Snickers, resolve:

• to lick the face of every human that crosses my path


• to finish my food as soon as it is put out and always beg for more


• to play every day and make the humans play with me


• that when I am done playing, I will jump in the lap of one of the humans and watch the other one so they don't escape my licks


• to catch Buddy the parakeet


• to search out and catch any bunnies or ground squirrels that run through the yard


• to continue to stalk the cat that lives behind us


• to greet the humans every time they walk in the house as though I haven't seen them for a year


• to keep sneaking up to the pillow end of the bed at night (the humans don't realize I can guard them better from here)


• not to be so frightened of the weird noises at the nursing home when we visit grandma


• to make the humans take me for walks at least four times a week so they get their exercise


• to beg for vegetables so the humans remember to eat right


• to fall asleep in the human laps so they pet me and learn to relax


• that I will remind the humans that love, friendship and kindness are the most important things and the more you share them, the more you get that back

Happy New Year Everyone!

Green Bay Packers

Tonight we are spending New Year's Eve with some close friends watching the Green Bay Packers. They don't have a chance to get in the playoffs, but they are still playing for pride and we get to see one of the best quarterbacks that ever played the game, Brett Favre. And speaking of pride, I'm not so sure Snickers has any left after I made her pose with this Green Bay Packers sweatshirt!

Rescue Me

I found this post on YouTube. It is a short video of a couple going to a shelter to rescue a Jack Russel Rat Terrier Mix. The road looks just like the one we were on when we found Snickers, but her shelter was fenced and allowed the dogs to run free outside. At night, most of the smaller dogs were put in kennels inside. The lady at Snickers shelter told me she needed to be leashed before they brought her in so she wouldn't kill any of the cats. Sometimes it can be a scary experience going to a shelter, but I think you'll agree that the smiles on the new owners faces and the relief you can see on this dog all make the search and rescue worthwhile.

Snickers' paws

It always amazes me when I watch Snickers use her paws to manipulate objects. Maybe she's better at it than other dogs because she only has three legs. I think you'll agree she is pretty amazing.























Notice how she keeps her "baby" nearby?

Ralphie the Bad Boy of Dachshund's

Ralphie got his name from the movie "The Christmas Story". The little boy in the movie is named Ralphie. This is one of my daughter's favorite movies. We got silly and bought her and Craig a Leg Lamp for Christmas. They laughed so hard when they saw it. It will go on a table in front of a window.


















When you see Ralphie snuggled in my daughter's arms, it's hard to understand why Snickers doesn't like him. Don't let the picture fool you. He won't snuggle for long. Then off he runs to find more mischief!

All American Dog

Although Rat Terriers are considered one of the first truly American dog breeds, I think Snickers has some Norwegian in her blood. When my youngest daughter was a Senior in high school, we hosted a Norwegian exchange student for half the year. One of her gifts to us was a cute little Norwegian girl Christmas ornament. Snickers thought it was awfully cute, too. I was able to rescue what was left of it, but I fear it is beyond repair. I'm not sure how she got it off the tree. I thought we had it elevated enough that she wouldn't bother anything. Live and learn. Sorry Birte!

Ralphie and Snickers

That naughty dachshund was visiting again. This time he didn't try to do the deed with Snickers, but she remembered how much he was chasing tail last time he was here. Snickers let Ralphie know right from the start that there would be no funny business! Ralphie was very submissive to Snickers this time, but that didn't stop him from wanting to play. They were a lot of fun to watch, but I don't think Snickers warmed up to him. She gets along with every other dog she has met but still not with Ralphie. He is a good dog and very handsome. Here are Ralphie and Snickers with their human dads; my son-in-law Craig and my husband, Bob.

Doggy Christmas Greetings

Snickers received a gift from Doggy Claus. She was so excited she couldn't stop wagging her tail. Once she got a start opening her gift, she ran to get her baby and brought it over so that it could share the fun. Who knew a stuffed elephant could be such an important part of her little family? Snickers and the little elephant are enjoying their organic doggy treats.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Raccoon Dog

Tell me it ain't so! Items from the new clothing line from P Diddy have a Raccoon Dog trim. Macy's has agreed to pull the clothes from its shelves, but they only did so after DNA testing proved it was from this wild dog. It makes me shudder. This is a Made in China import. Please don't buy these garments. If there is no market for these dog fur items, they won't be made and imported.

Parakeets and Bird Dogs

Snickers is definitely a bird dog. She loves to stalk Buddy and Buddy loves to tease Snickers. Buddy seems to know enough to stay away from Snickers, but Snickers is pretty good at waiting for the right moment to jump and snap. I've put my hand in those "powerful" jaws more than once to save Buddy. We keep a very close watch on the two of them when Buddy is out for her fly around.

New Dog Toy

We have a wonderful lady that helps us with our house. This year she gave us Christmas basket with treats, and one of them was a Christmas Dragon for Snickers. She loved it. She couldn't wait to sink her teeth into it and begin shaking and chewing it to pieces. She pulled and tugged and bit to hear the squeaker squeak. Then, because it wouldn't stop squeaking, she shook it by the head until the eyes popped off. Then she shook some more until the antennae had been opened up and were shedding stuffing. The toy is mostly intact, still squeaks, but is now deaf and blind. I'll bet it is instinct to go after the head first. It sure is a fun toy, and so colorful! I think Snickers will keep us up half the night as she chews on it.

Rat Terrier's Love Christmas

You will enjoy this clip of a Rat Terrier enjoying the new family Christmas ornament. This is the personality that makes us love Snickers so much. You really enjoy a good laugh around them, they are so full of spunk, yet are sweet loving pets.

Secret Santa Strikes Again!

My Secret Santa wrapped up a really cute pair of Snowman salt and pepper shakers for me. When she wrapped it up, she stuck a big bone treat on the outside with a big bow for Snickers. I know who my Santa is and she told me that she had a hard time getting out of the house with this package. She has some really sweet dogs that love treats. They couldn't understand why mom was leaving the house with treats that ought to go to them! Oh well. Snickers sure did enjoy this little morsel.

Dog Sitter

Because we have elderly relatives, we occasionally need to call on family to care for Snickers on short notice. Thanks to my wonderful niece for watching Snickers. She loves you as much as you love her.

Rat Terriers Hunt

I found a video of rat terriers in action. I thought you would enjoy seeing this little dog at work.

Christmas Tag

Tag Tag Tag !! Christmas Tag !!
We have been tagged by Ben Benjamin:

The Rules:
The player of this game starts with "3 things he/ she would love to get for Christmas" and also has to list "3 things he/ she definitely does not want to get for Christmas". Then he/she tags 5 friends and list their names. The ones who get tagged need to write on their blogs about their Christmas wishes, as well as state this rule clearly, then tag 5 more victims. And the one who tags need to leave a comment that says "you've been Christmas tagged!" in their comments and tell them to read your blog.


Dear Santa,
I'm a good girl, B4, currently & in the future too. I am extra good all the time. My parents rescued me and I want to stay here forever. I only have three legs, but I do everything better then a four legged dog (at least I think so).
So, I would love to have:
1) Everybody in the world as my plaything
2) Always sleep snuggled as tight as possible between mom and dad
3) Help my humans wash their faces whenever I see them. It is very important to lick every inch of their faces and necks to get that soapy smell and cologne off that they love to lob on.

I hate:
1) Being on a leash outside, I want to get busy chasing critters!
2) When the humans are asleep and I want to play. I bring all my toys and pile them around their faces
3) Not having a plate at the dinner table. Now this just ain't right. Am I a part of the family or aren't I?

You have been Christmas tagged!!
Boo, Cubby, Carina, Isabella, Lola, Robert

Friday Fish Fry

Bob and I love to get fish fry on Friday night. This is typical in the Midwest around the Great Lakes. But for Snickers, she'll stick with chasing her hamburger squeaky toy up and down the stairs. It is great exercise on a wet, cool evening.

Dog Christmas Ornament

We received a Christmas gift today. Of course, I can never wait to open presents. Look at this beautiful glass ornament. Do you think it looks just like Snickers? It is really pretty on our tree. Thank you!!

Crazy Animals!

Snickers is getting excited about Christmas. We have our tree up and decorated, the gifts are wrapped and under the tree. Snickers seems a little more playful. Buddy the parakeet is enjoying playing inside the cardboard tubes the wrapping paper is sold on. But Snickers also watches Buddy play and looks for opportunities to try to catch her. She is becoming a handful during the holiday season.

Opossum Visits

We had an unexpected visitor! An opossum was hiding under the car. It is quite by luck that we saw her. She hissed at us when we bent over to look at her. She must have come looking for a warm place to hide that offered some shelter. It is quite surprising to find a nocturnal animal in early in the evening. It gets dark by 4:30 pm this time of year, so the animal doesn't know the difference. Good thing Snickers didn't notice her. We left her alone and when we returned, she had decided her hiding place wasn't so good after all. Check out the opossum link for more information on this unusual creature.

Cottontail Rabbit

We have many Cottontail rabbits in this area. You will recognize them by their brown fur and fuzzy white tail. They love to nest under our deck and amongst the many shrubs I have in our gardens. In the springtime I find much damage to the bark of the shrubs. Some of the shrubs seem to be quite tolerant of the chewing, like the Pussy Willow. But the evergreen juniper shrubs are beginning to die. I have had these shrubs for about 10 years and they offer wonderful warm cover for whatever critter wants to escape the cold. I don't completely blame the bunnies for damaging these shrubs. There have been burrows of about 4-6 inches in diameter that I have found around the root systems of these shrubs. Perhaps a woodchuck created these burrows but the rabbits like to get in and use this lower ground and evergreen cover to escape the wind and snow. I don't blame them. Some of the nests I have found have been lined with leaves and grass. Occasionally, I'll find a headless bunny in the yard that a wild cat killed. Gross. Now that I have Snickers, she keeps the cats out. We also have coyotes that roam the area. I don't let Snickers out at night without standing by the door. These animals have been known to take down small dogs. Snickers would be a good target because of the missing leg. I think she would give a good fight, though.

Rabbit Nest

Snickers found a rabbit nest right near the front door. Fortunately for the rabbits, they weren't in the nest at the time. Much of the snow from the blizzard has melted, leaving enough to cover the ground, but not so much that Snickers can't walk in it. She was using her nose to follow the bunny trail through the yard. Rat Terriers are known to be excellent hunters and will kill their prey if they get hold of them. If you introduce them into a household with existing pets, you need to keep a close watch on the animals to be sure your new Rat Terrier is a good match in your household. We have a little parakeet named Buddy that loves to tease Snickers by dive bombing over her. One of these days, I fear Snickers may catch her.

Snickers Likes Southwestern Rollups

Snickers loves to help in the kitchen. She serves as clean up crew. Nothing that hits the floor will remain there for more than three seconds. There is a ten second rule that allows anything that hits the floor to be eaten if it hasn't been there for more than ten seconds. But for Snickers, it is like a race. If nothing hits the floor, Snickers is a world champion beggar. We have learned not to reward this behavior, but rather to ignore it. I collect my low fat scraps and add some pepper and other vegetables. Then I put everything in a measuring cup so I know how much Snickers will receive as a treat. Often I find that her "treats" are really what she would normally receive as a meal. I can understand how easy it becomes to overfeed a dog. We need to be especially careful so Snickers maintains the agility she currently enjoys as a three legged dog.

Southwestern Roll Ups

• 8 flour tortillas


• 16 oz nonfat cream cheese


• 2 cups of a mix of chopped: green onion, black or green olives, red and green peppers

Blend the cream cheese to soften
Stir in the remainder of the chopped ingredients. Divide evenly between the tortillas. Spread to cover the tortilla. Roll tightly. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Cut the rolls at an angle to serve. Place the roll ups around a dish of salsa to serve. Very pretty and colorful.

Accident

We had an exciting day. I was rear ended while at a stop light when I was coming home from work. I had to call the sheriff so it took a while for them to come and write up the accident report. We are so lucky that we have such good law enforcement and that everything is done in an orderly manner.
I had left work a little early, so Snickers didn't have to wait too long for me to get home.

Dogs and Humans Exercise

There is no question that exercise is an important part of the daily routine. It is especially important for Snickers so she maintains the strength in her three good legs and is important for me to maintain my muscle tone and bone density as I age. I recently bought a Nordic Track on eBay for a minimal amount of money and set it up in my sewing room. I tried it out today for the first time and was able to go for a half hour with no problem. I didn't use my arms, because I need to get used to the balance of the machine. Snickers saw me exercising and decided it was time for her to get busy, too. She has a built in Nordic Track in her tail. It won't stop chasing her. She was very busy catching it and when it would slip away, she needed to chase it down again. When she tired of that, she ran off and found her stuffed animals and threw them around the house, shook them, and ran from room to room with them. What a good dog, making sure her babies exercise, too.

The Love of Family

I want to share a story. Snickers favorite rug is handmade. I made this rug from a pattern and backing fabric that my "Busia" (grandma) gave me. She was a young girl when she immigrated to this country from Poland. She told me that every weekend she would go downtown to do the shopping while my "Jzajza" (grandpa) would watch the kids. They were married when she was about 15 and had nine children. She bought the backing fabric and pattern on sale at Goldman's. Goldman's was THE place to shop for a good deal and they are in business to this day. My friend is a firefighter and they stop at Goldman's after a run for the fresh candies that are sold there. I still have the original price tag pinned on the back. I loved my Grandmother and learned many lessons from her. These lessons include dignity, perseverance, and love. I can understand why Snickers chose this rug as her favorite. It is my favorite, too.

Who Says Three Legged Dogs Can't Jump?

We exchanged names to be each other's Secret Santa at work. Whoever has my name is someone that I work closely with. They have disguised their penmanship on the name tag. Plus they gave me DentaBones for Snickers along with a Christmas ornament. I couldn't wait to get home to give Snickers a treat. As soon as she saw the package, she knew what she was in for and couldn't wait to get at it. Here she is on her favorite rug. She hides here whenever she has something she doesn't want to share with anyone.

Fudge

This is the time of year for baking and making candy. Bob took Snickers to visit his mother and sister, so I am using the time to make fudge. I have the best recipe. A lady I work with shared it with all of us. It never fails and you don't need a candy thermometer.

Fudge

• 4 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 can evaporated milk(12 oz)
• 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 15 oz milk chocolate broken into bits
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 oz jar marshmallow fluff
• 1-2 cup nuts (optional)

Put chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, salt, and marshmallow fluff into a large bowl. Set aside.

Cook milk and sugar together in large sauce pan until boiling. Boil for exactly 4 1/2 minutes. Pour 1/2 of hot solution over chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour in the other half. Finish mixing. Add vanilla and nuts. Pour into a 9 x 16 inch pan and refrigerate overnight. Cut before the fudge is set.

You can play with other flavorings; mint extract, almond extract, peppermint extract, etc. Try stirring in toffee bits instead of nuts.

Physics Lesson

The best way that I found to shovel snow is to try to let the sun do the work. I only shoveled what I had to the night of the blizzard. The next day, I shoveled strips into the remainder of the driveway and went inside to let the sun do its work. After a couple of hours, I went back out to finish the job. The snow had loosened from the driveway and begun to melt. It was much easier to get the shovel under the snow and not have a layer of ice underneath. This helps to eliminate the need for salt. This is better for the environment and Snickers feet.

Too much snow.

Snickers didn't really know what to do with all the snow. She isn't a very big dog and so can't go running through it when it becomes too deep. It was hard for me, too, because there was so much snow to shovel away, that I made snow piles along the walkways. I then had to move back a snow pile so Snickers would have a place to do her business. It took me two days, but we got 'er done. This weekend, it was all about girl power with Snickers and me.