Silly Holiday Pictures

We hosted a holiday party the Friday before Christmas. It's called a Sparkle Party because we want everyone to get all snazzied up. And of course our animals needed to be festive too...

I think Jackson hated this picture; he looks a bit uncomfortable. I obviously loved it!

Bronx is just worried about what his friends are doing. He does look quite snazzy in his bow tie, though.

I rescued a human today

I stumbled across this a while ago and I loved it so much. Well I just found it again and I wanted to share it. For those who have rescued an animal, big or small, you've made a difference...

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels.  I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.  I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage.  I didn't want her to know  I hadn't been walked today.  Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped she wouldn't feel sad about my past.  I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.  I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.

A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her all would be well.  Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright I instantly jumped into her arms.  I would promise to keep her safe.  I would promise to always be by her side.

I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.  I was so fortunate she came down my corridor.  So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors.  So many more to be saved.  At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

Rescue dog thoughts

I'm currently watching a marathon of the show Pitbulls and Parolees and having a snugglefest with Jackson. The episode I'm watching right now is highlighting some of the most challenging dog rescues  that the Villalobos Rescue group has done in the past. After each challenging story, the group is showing pictures of where the dogs are now. So basically I'm snuggling Jackson because every time I see those darn happy doggy faces in their forever homes I start tearing up! I love seeing these stories and the hardworking rescuers who have saved, trained and helped these dogs find such good homes.

The woman who runs the Villalobos Rescue (her name is Tia) said two things during this episode that stuck with me:

The first is, "We hear this phrase all the time 'rescue'. I rescued a dog. Well, maybe instead this dog rescued me." I whole-heartedly agree with that statement. And I am so thankful that Jackson picked me to be his owner. I have no idea what happened to him before me, what trauma or neglect he may have faced but just knowing that he will never experience that again makes me smile. As ridiculous and quirky as he is, I would never change anything about him because that's what makes him. 

The last is a question not a statement, "How many thousands of dogs sit in animal shelters across the country overcome with grief and depression because their owner abandoned them?" Tia said this after reuniting a dog with her owner after a year and a half or more. The dog was super aggressive and not responding to any training. She showed no emotion towards anyone. Then the rescue group received a letter from the original owner who wanted the dog back. Turns out the owner got arrested and the dog got left in a hotel room and then who knows what happened to her. The owner had her life back together and was now sober for a year - she wanted a second chance with the dog. Tia decided to give the owner another chance. They showed the reunion. It was as if the dog had been with the owner that morning; she acted as if little or no time had passed! It was amazing (I was definitely bawling!). 

Just some things to think about. 

...And a little rescue dog promotion. 

Two things

1st: I'll share this funny first because I feel like poor Bronx might be getting a bad rap. So last night after my wicked long day, I came home around 11:30 walked into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. So I'm staring in the mirror putting my hair up and I hear this weird crinkling sound. I look around and neither animal is in the bathroom. The sound continues and it seems to be coming from the tub. I pull open the shower curtain hoping that there isn't a mouse or something in there (given what happened on Saturday night). And what did I find? Bronx. Sitting in the bathtub. Licking the shower curtain. This kid loves plastic more than snuggling. I don't get it - is it the sound? Is it the taste? I wish I had my phone to take a picture of his little self sitting in the tub staring up at me with this look of "What? Don't you lick the curtain every once and a while too?"

2nd: And here's the other funny I stumbled across on FB today.
This is Jackson's existence. He could be sound asleep in another room but the second you open any box, plastic bag, bottle, etc. he's right next to you. Seriously! He lays under the table during dinner hoping-waiting-praying for a tiny crumb or nibblet to fall so he can lunge at it as if it was a porterhouse steak. He also strategically positions himself nearest to the person who is the messiest. That dog knows what's up. But this little meme made me chuckle and envision Jackson's face photo-shopped into the picture.

Needless to say, at least BOTH kids are weird but hilarious.

Dear Saturday Night, Can We Have a Redo?

I have nothing else to say except this:

Just kidding, that's not true. But THAT was how I spent my Saturday night. OY! Bronx, Bronx, Bronx...what are we going to do with you? I mean, don't get me wrong I am thankful that I have a cat who actually takes care of these kind of situations. Unlike Jackson who, in the past, just stands there and barks at the mouse (at least he's barking at something instead of the usual nothing..).

Maybe cats are part of a secret kitty mafia. Bronx definitely snuffed this little critter out. And then not only did he enjoy killing the little bugger, but he definitely had fun doing and was a bit creative. I'm just saying, there are some similarities between the way the mob deals with "dirty rats" and the way cats deal with "the meeces".

Follow us on Twitter!

Take a look on the right-hand side of the blog...

WE ARE ON TWITTER! Woohoo!

So you should totally follow us @barkversusmeow and tweet about us to all your friends. All. Of. Your. Friends.

#pleaseohplease

How can you say no to these faces?

Holiday cat update

This is our Christmas tree..ta da! I love love love it! So because it's finally up and decorated, I just thought I'd share an update on the Bronx vs. Tree situation.


So far (knock on wood) Bronx has been fine with the Christmas tree. I've seen him creepily sitting behind it, not doing anything but sitting, which isn't that unusual because he creepily sits lots of places and stares off into kitty-land. He might be drinking the water out of the stand but I haven't seen him doing it so I can't quite tell. I think Jackson is a little to big to get under the tree unnoticed and quietly or without knocking the damn thing over. There are some branches that have been kitty ninja-chopped but they're tiny and not a huge deal.

Thank goodness we don't have a situation like this on our hands: (I really just love Christmas Vacation so much, I was looking for any excuse to share a video..)

And because the internet has everything, I thought that this would be worth a chuckle:

Sometimes when I'm bored...

...I look up combinations of what Jackson could be in hopes of stumbling across a mix that will explain him.

Based on his fur and coloring, I'm pretty confident that he's part German Sheperd, but what the heck is he mixed with!? The issue is really how petite he is. Jackson has short legs and those cute little ears! Who knows..


I haven't found a perfect match yet but here are some close ones.

Lab-German Shepherd Mix



Golden Retriever-German Shepherd Mix


Golden Retriever - Pit Bull Mix


German Shepherd - Pitbull Mix

Holidays with animals

My dog is a sweater-wearer. I'm one of those people. Sometimes I feel like I have to make that statement like it's an addictive problem...

Hello. My name is Cara...
Hi Cara! (in unison)
... and I have a problem. I put my dog in sweaters.

I swear he loves that sweater, though. So I'm expanding his wardrobe to include a holiday sweater (we all want to be a little festive around the holidays, right?). It's the best - argyle red sweater with green, white and gold threading and a couple gold buttons. I don't want to ruin the surprise by showing it off too early...a little suspense never hurt anyone!

On the other hand, Bronx would probably eat the sweater if I tried to put him in one - despite the fact that I think he'd look ADORABLE! So what's the alternative to not wearing a sweater? A bow tie.

Just wait til the holiday pics start rolling in - you're going to love them!

 BTW I'm totally okay being one of those people. :)

On an unrelated note, we're attempting to get a real Christmas tree this year. Jackson I know will be fine. As for Bronx...I have a feeling this is going to happen:

Weird cat things

Saw this on Facebook today and thought I'd mention that Bronx does this all the time. I don't get it. What is it about plastic bags that is appealing to cats - Is it the sound? Or the weird taste?

On another note, last night I went to get Jackson dog food and the store was out of our regular kind so I had to get a different blend (I just crossed my fingers that it didn't make him sick!). Needless to say, Jackson was starving by the time I got home so he immediately started eating the new food. Jackson doesn't just eat at the bowl, though, he takes a mouthful of food and runs to the living room, spits it all back out (unchewed) and then munches on the nibblets a little at a time. Why? I have no idea but this is just how he eats. So last night, Jackson did just that and while he was eating in the living room Bronx, who has completely ignored the other dog food, went right up to the bowl and started eating the dog food. AND when I tried to get him away from it, he HISSED. AT. ME! Crazy cat - you're mad at me and yet you're the one eating DOG FOOD!

#sillyanimals

Dog in a sweater

Jackson, despite the fact that he is covered in fur (and usually I am too because of him) gets cold. Seems ridiculous but it happens and when it happens all he wants to do is literally sit on you so that you can keep him warm. (Seems a little backwards right?) He should be keeping me warm!

So to help alleviate this situation, Jackson has a sweater. Yup, we are those people. Dog-wearing-a-sweater people. But ya know what? I don't care. He loves that damn sweater. So. Much. And he looks so stinkin' cute when he wears it. Don't judge me. 

XOXO

P.S. I'm searching for a picture of that little fluffball wearing the sweater. I know one exists. (let's be real, I'm sure that more than one exists...I take a lot of pictures of Jackson!)

Update: Found it! I knew I had one..

My 6-year old snuggle-bug. #oldmanJackson

Cat barf

Just posing a question that I'm too lazy to google myself, why do cats have hairballs?

And furthermore, why can't they just figure out a way to clean up said hairball on their own?

XOXO
#totallygrossedout

Update: A [gross but funny] conversation from the other day...
Me: UGH! I think Bronx barfed AND left a turd in the spare bedroom!
J: Oh no!
J: Hmm, I don't think that's a turd...just a hair ball.
Me: Really? I think it's a turd - it's log-shaped!
Me: If that's a hair ball I'm going to be really impressed that Bronx can barf into shapes..

#welcometoourlife

Warning: Chilly snugglebug on premises

It's starting to get chillier here and that makes me so excited! I LOVE fall! October is my birthday month (yay!), plus I get to wear boots, scarves, sweaters and eat/drink lots and lots of pumpkiny things! As the weather gets cooler, Jackson becomes an uber snugglebug. He doesn't like to be cold (just like he doesn't like the rain or the dishwasher) which means he wants to be snuggled up next to anyone who will have him. He also wears a sweater (don't judge me! - and btw I'm probably going to buy him another one). Just a warning to anyone who ever comes over: you will be snuggled by this cute little furry face. #dealwithit #youbetterlikedogs

Funny update: Since it's gotten A LOT cooler the past couple days, we turned our heat on. Jackson, of course, barked at the sound coming out of the old radiators. Is anyone surprised? Nope, didn't think so.

Creepy cat

Sometimes Bronx sits up straight in pitch dark rooms all by himself. Usually I don't notice until I see his eyes reflect the light as I walk by. It's creepy. Extra creepy. Almost as creepy as the basement...almost. 

NPR Article: The Latest In Scientific Field Equipment? Fido's Nose

As I'm sure you're aware, I love my dog (pretty apparent, right?). Not only do I love him, I love dogs in general. I find them fascinating - their history, the science behind why they do things, all of it. Today I stumbled upon this great article about dogs' sense of smell. The article focuses on how biologists and other scientists are turning to dogs to help do some work that is challenging for people (i.e. searching for endangered and exotic species for education or conservation purposes). How cool is that?!

Working Dogs for Conservation is one of the groups highlighted in the article. It's a group of biologists and dogs that travel around the world studying rare, endangered and invasive species. Pretty amazing! But that's not even the coolest part - "Many of the dogs employed at Working Dogs for Conservation aren't bred for detection work; they come from the pound. 'The reason these dogs are in shelters is because they would make really poor pets,' Parker says. 'They're obsessed by a toy to sometimes an incredible extent — like, they will jump through a plate-glass window to get to a ball outside.' That incredible 'toy drive' means they have the focus and motivation to work a full day." I can't stand how awesome this is. And there is even a newly formed organization called the "International Conservation Detection Dog Association" whose mission is to be a forum for detection dogs in the conservation field.

If you have time (and you're interested) you should totally check out the full article, it's quite interesting. I'm not surprised that the animal kingdom continues to inspire our scientific investigations and efforts.

Read the full article here: http://www.npr.org/2013/09/03/192798179/the-latest-in-scientific-field-equipment-fidos-nose

Letters to the animals

Dear Bronx,

Please stop leaving me dead mice presents. I know you love to give gifts but these ones (just like the random turd that one time) really gross me out, especially when you chew them up a bit. You are more than welcome to continue to catch the mice (we all know Jackson's not going to do it...) and leave them for your dad, but let's just make sure he finds them first. Sound good? Good.

Love,
Cara

--------------------------------------------

Dear Jackson,

It'd be really wonderful if you could figure out a way to cut or file your own nails. We all know that you and hardwoods are an interesting combination since you never have any footing. Buuuut when I'm sleeping and you decide to tap dance around the house just because you're not tired anymore...that's not awesome. Night time is quite time, okay?

Love,
Cara

My dog is disgusting

Let's be real here - animals can be gross.

The other day I received a text while I was at work that read: "So Jackson keeps taking my used, dirty tissues out of the bedroom garbage and shredding them all over the floor. I kept telling him no but he didn't listen so I had to put him in his crate. I feel bad but he just I wasn't listening." Whoopsie. I forgot to mention that Jackson is gross and attracted to snotty tissues. He loves to steal them out of the garbage and then shred the bejeezus out of them around the house. While we're on the subject, he also likes to pull dirty underwear out of the laundry piles and distribute them around the house. I laughed a little (or a lot) after reading the text. It's totally gross but still kind of funny in an I-don't-have-to-deal-with-it kind of way.

But know what's not funny? Dogs snacking on kitty poo.  I'm pretty confident that what I found Jackson trying to eat the other day was indeed a cat turd. Yes, you heard me... A. CAT. TURD. I found him nibbling on something or at least trying to. I immediately grabbed a handful of tissues and threw it away. Here's the thing, Jackson can't get into the room with the litter box because it has a gate in front of it. Which means Bronx must have left a little turdly present somewhere in the house, Jackson probably found it and decided it must be snack time. Barf. 

Like I said before, animals can be gross. Especially mine. 

It's too quiet..

Bronx is so funny sometimes. There are times when all he wants to do is sleep on the couch or in the spare bedroom as far away from any other person or animal in the house. Then there are other times when he stands near you (not too close, let's be serious..) and just cries and meows and cries until you (or I) finally realize that he actually wants some attention (i.e. wants to be pet). 

I'm learning that Bronx's unending cries and meows usually means "I want food" or "I'm allowing you to come near me for a moment". On the other side of that, when I don't hear sounds from Bronx I usually have no idea where he is nor can I normally find him in the house. Many times he blends into the couch or is sleeping under the bed or in the closet - I freak out every time I can't find him. Every time. Even when I know he has to be in the house. When I don't hear sounds from Jackson I usually get concerned that he's gotten into something (like the garbage or the dirty laundry) or up to something in another room but I always know where he is or can find him. 

Jackson and Bronx are managing to live together. Or let me rephrase, Bronx is managing to live with Jackson. On the other hand, I think Jackson sometimes forgets Bronx exists - except for scenarios like this morning when he catches Bronx slurping out of his water bowl and just suspiciously watched Bronx's every move.  

At least they're BOTH weird, right?

Jackson, being a lazy, toy-loving fool.

Bronx, being his creepy self.

Furry kids, showing off their cute and weird.

Man-up, kid!

Just kidding, I would never say that to a kid. My dog? Yes. A kid? No. So why should Jackson "man-up"? He's being bullied by a cat.

You must be thinking? How is a dog (who is bigger in size) being bullied by a cat? Bronx likes to chase after Jackson and karate chop Jackson's backside with his little kitty ninja paws. And what does Jackson do? He runs away...well maybe "runs" isn't the best word. Jackson skids away while trying to get his bearings together and a hold on his footing (dog + hardwoods = scooby doo exits).

It's funny because it seems as if Bronx is trying to live up to his name, trying to pretend that he's this rough-and-tumble kitty from NYC. Except, newsflash - he's not. He's an adorable, snuggly, house kitty from Rochester.

xoxo

Things I've learned about cats... (so far)

Like I said before, I've never owed or taken care of a cat before so I have no real reference point for what life with a cat is like. I'm learning as we go! Here's what I've learned so far (these are all based on Bronx):

1. Cats like to "play" on their own time. And by "play", they mean "grace you with their presence".
2. Dogs play fetch. Cats do not.
3. Dogs make sounds (barking, crying, etc.) to alert you of something. Cats meow for the fun of it. If it means something, I definitely haven't caught onto the pattern yet.
4. Dogs chew on toys (ropes, kongs, bones) for fun. Cats lick plastic bags and attack your feet under the covers for fun.

 

Presents

So we went out of town for the weekend - packed up the car and headed to Brooklyn for a wedding. People with pets know that you can never just "up and leave", accommodations have to be made for the pets - who's watching the dog/cat, who's feeding the fish, etc.

I made arrangements for Jackson to sleepover a friends house (Yes, I do realize we're talking about dogs here..) - a.k.a. stay at one of my bests house with her adorable pooch Ava (Jackson's girlfriend). He got dropped off on our way out of town Friday morning - crate, bowls, dog food, and all. I'm sure he forgot about us as soon as we closed the door. Ava is pretty awesome and they love each other so much that I'm confident he had tons of fun playing and snuggling all weekend.

Bronx on the other hand can stay home by himself so long as someone checks on him. Our landlord lives upstairs and her daughters lo-o-ove him so they don't mind popping in to make sure he has enough food and water and sneak in some playtime.

We got home pretty late Sunday night because we decided to spend the day at the Bronx Zoo. We unloaded the car and came inside to crash. Jackson wasn't getting picked up until Monday so Bronx was the only one inside. He seemed pretty happy to have us back home...I think. He is hard to read. We went through the house turning lights back on and opening windows and just as I was about to put my bag down in the middle room I looked down to see it...a dead mouse. I'm pretty sure my words were "oh good, a dead mouse!" lol. Yes, I am aware that cats bring the mice they catch and leave them as presents. But ya know what? I think I can live without cat presents. Thanks but no thanks, Bronx.


xoxo

dog + cat = ?

This is my dog. His name is Jackson. Things to know about him - he loves to snuggle, he's friendly, he likes other dogs (of all sizes!), he likes to go for walks, hates being in the car, loves vegetables (huh?), is a complete attention whore, is afraid of inanimate objects (i.e. curtains), and he will be your best friend forever if you pet him (no kidding).

 

Jackson is a rescue dog; I got him from a local animal shelter when he was about a year old. Being a rescue dog means that there are a lot of question marks around Jackson - where did he come from? what happened to him? was he abused/neglected/etc.? how did he get to the pound? Sometimes the shelter has answers and sometimes they don't. In Jackson's case - they didn't. All I know is that he was "trapped" somewhere and then brought to the shelter covered in fleas (gross, right?). Don't worry, he's been flea-free for quite some time now and he's been living the high life ever since his cute little snuggleface hopped into my car. Seriously, this kid has it go-o-o-od.

Now some information about me and what the heck I'm going to write about! My name is Cara and I live in western New York (Rochester to be exact!). I work at a nonprofit providing professional development to families and educators using resources from public media (PBS and more!). I am an elementary/reading teacher by training, I love running, beer, random facts, science that makes my head hurt, my family, my friends and obviously, my dog. 

Like I said, I'm a teacher and just like many of the teachers I know, I process things best by reflecting on scenarios, experience, thoughts, etc. (Here's where you get to find out why I'm starting this blog!) I'm currently in the process of merging households (a.k.a. moving in!) with my boyfriend - we're going through everything deciding which furniture will fit, who's this-and-that we're keeping or goodwill-ing, etc. Lots of decision-making! So far, it's been great (knock-on-wood) - very easy and no disasters. However, in addition to merging all of our "stuff", we're also introducing our animals - dog meet cat, cat meet dog. Jackson had never met a cat before this one and Bronx (the cat) had only briefly met another dog - so this is brand new territory for them both. Needless to say there are LOTS of stories about their current interactions and I'm sure there will be many more. Hence, the blog :)

I'm a dog person through and through. My boyfriend is a cat person. I'm actually allergic to cats (thankfully and oddly not this one! Weird?) and he's never had a dog. So the stories that I write about will be our adventure in figuring out life with a cat AND a dog. Should be fun!

Here's hoping you enjoy my dog versus cat ramblings. Some of them are guaranteed to be quite funny! And others? Well, I might need some help sorting through. 

xoxo