Adopt-a-Bill: Blake

Blake's rescue in New Jersey has the following to say about him:


"Blake is a three year old American Bulldog/Pit Bull Terrier mix, who looks more like a cow than a dog. He was found as a stray in Manhattan and brought to the shelter, and we were contacted when this poor boy was showing signs of depression after being in his cage for about a month.


Blake is an AWESOME dog! He is fun, playful, and obedient. He can sit and give you his paw, and he adores toys. Be prepared to buy strong toys, though, because he loves to rip them apart in about 5 seconds flat. Blake is a big mush - he loves to crawl into his foster mom's lap and sleep under the covers on her bed. He happily gives kisses to everyone that comes into the house! Although he is gentle he is very strong and therefore we would not recommend a home with small children. Blake loves the other dogs in his foster home and plays wonderfully with them. His foster mom gave him a much needed bath and he was very stoic - he didn't seem to like it too much but he constantly reassured her that he was OK by licking her face throughout the whole ordeal.

Blake weighs about 55 pounds, but he is VERY thin and you can actually see his hip bones and back bone in his pictures. He should probably weigh about 70 pounds, and his foster family is feeding him three times a day to fatten him up. He has a gorgeous white coat with black spots and the most beautiful eyes we have ever seen. Blake his housetrained, crate trained, up to date on all his shots, neutered, and microchipped. All he needs now is a family to call his own!"

It sounds like all this guy needs is a snuggly bed and some extra kibble. If you're interested in learning more visit the Shelter Survivors Website or email sheltersurvivors@live.com.


The Adopt-a-Bill series highlights adoptable dogs from across the country that look like our very own Bilbo. Unless otherwise noted I have no personal experience with any of the rescue organizations featured. Always do your own research to ensure you go through a reputable rescue when searching for the perfect new family member.

Puppytalk

Photo: Life With Alfred

Seven wanted me to hand over the blog to her for Puppytalk but I suggested she might find it a bit tricky to type with her front paws. She's agreed to let me write today's post as long as she can chip in from time to time.

Photo: Life With Alfred

If you follow our facebook page then you already know that she and Billy hit it off straight away. For all his quirks, I'm always very proud of the way he deals with our fosters. Whether they're shy or rambunctious, he usually hits the right tone with them. In this case, he tumble plays without getting too rough and shows plenty of patience if little shark teeth latch onto his jowls when he's trying to snooze. ["Ha ha, didya see! My whole head fits in the big goober's mouth" - Seven]

Photo: Life With Alfred

I've never had a puppy in the house before so I have to keep my wits about me ["Mom is so mean, she wants to keep all the chewy toys to herself - even the really nommy ones like shooos and computer why-ers" - Seven]. Luckily puppy kisses and hilarious Billy-Seven playtimes make up for the extra work and 'accidents' in the house.

Photo: Life With Alfred

The biggest challenge is trying to balance play with keeping her restricted. It would be great to take her out and about to socialize her, or let her tumble around with Billy until they're both worn out. However,  she needs to take it easy so as not to exacerbate the problems with her front legs. ["Okay, these silly peoples just don't understand. I mean, I feel sorry for the big one having four boring matching paws but seriously, I can beat him up the stairs if foster-momma would just put me down" - Seven]

Photo: Life With Alfred

She has an appointment scheduled this week to meet with a specialist so we'll soon know more about the next steps to making life a little easier for her.

If you'd like to support Seven-Five's rehabilitation, please consider donating to Dutch's Fund, One Tail at a Time's fund for dogs with special medical needs. Click HERE for more information and to donate now.

Big News!

It's been a year of rather significant changes around here and quite a wild ride at times. Now the dust has settled I'm so thrilled to share my 2012 developments.

1. My new office mate

You may have noticed me mentioning working from home on and off for some months now, but it wasn't until early this year that I made the conscious decision not to take another full-time arts position and to continue consulting. It was a scary step in some ways but it opened me up to all sort of new possibilities - see below - and I'm enjoying the flexibility to try new projects, not to mention having a cuddly office mate. I'll be posting pics of my new office soon too - the result of the painting project I hinted at a couple of weeks ago.

2. My new venture

Taking some time off from the frantic grind that is arts administration enabled me to rediscover my creativity, albeit in an unfamiliar outlet. I blogged a little about this in my handmade holiday series before Christmas, but I didn't want crafty ramblings to overtake the doggy theme of this blog so you can hop over to Daisy Aslett to read about my new creative adventures. I'd love it if you'd join me there from time to time, though I've got some dog-related crafts coming up which I'll share here too. It's in the early stages yet, but my Etsy store is up and running too, and you'll hear more about that when I post the designs that I'm currently working on (of course, if you like my Daisy Aslett facebook page you'll get early notice!).

3. My most exciting news...

I saved the best for last!!!!!! Yes, it is definitely worthy of six exclamation points. I'm beyond thrilled to announce that I'll soon be starting a new part-time position as Development Director for One Tail at a Time. If you've read more than a couple of posts on this blog then you already know how much this organization means to me and can guess at how excited I am. I can't wait to tell you more so please check back next week when I'll tell you all about my journey to getting involved with OTAT.

P.S. The Puppy has arrived! There's a video on my facebook page but I think this is more than enough exciting news for today so you'll just have to wait until next week for puppy blog updates.

Adopt-a-Bill: Gemma

After a bit of a rough time, the beautiful Gemma is still working to put on weight to get up to her ideal of around 55lbs. However that doesn't hold her back and she's an active girl who loves a bit of snuggle downtime too. Gemma is great with kids and it sounds like she hasn't met a person she didn't adore.

You really have to look twice to see that it isn't Bilbo in this picture!

Gemma is available through The Buster Foundation in Michigan where she's taking obedience classes while waiting for her forever family.

The Adopt-a-Bill series highlights adoptable dogs from across the country that look like our very own Bilbo. Unless otherwise noted I have no personal experience with any of the rescue organizations featured. Always do your own research to ensure you go through a reputable rescue when searching for the perfect new family member.

I can haz puppy?

Disclaimer: In Black & White is not responsible for any crazy behavior resulting from cute puppy overload. Readers proceed at their own risk.

There I was on Sunday morning, totally exhausted and mildly grumpy about having to get up so early for work when all of a sudden these two cute puppy pictures pop up on my phone!

It was "Big Pull" day and the super-duper Alive/ One Tail at a Time tag team was spending the day at Animal Welfare League's intake facility and CACC saving dogs in memory of rescue advocate Josh Bouton.

Photo by Sparenga Photography

With Nala-Bean's paperwork all finalized, Bill and I were open for business again and I'd already committed us to taking a foster as soon as a suitable match popped up in intake. Knowing that I was probably going to be taking a Big Pull dog, Billy's favorite Aunt started dangling tantalizing puppy pics in front of me and I was smitten.

Photo by Sparenga Photography

I'm pretty sure that K had already earmarked this little peanut for our house but just in case I sent a text of my own to the intake coordinator so she knew that I was willing to take the puppy if, you know, I absolutely had to.

Photo by Sparenga Photography

I'm thrilled to introduce our newest foster, Seven-Five! As you can see, the little nugget has severely deformed front legs and will almost certainly need extensive surgery and rehab but Fifty and his momma managed to inspire the crew at One Tail at a Time to give her a chance.

Photo by Sparenga Photograpy

All in all, EIGHTEEN dogs were pulled into rescue on Sunday. I'd call that a pretty fantastic day's work - thank you One Tail at a Time and Alive Rescue!!!!

If you'd like to support Seven-Five's rehabilitation, please consider donating to Dutch's Fund, One Tail at a Time's fund for dogs with special medical needs. Click HERE for more information and to donate now.

Prepping for Visitors

With a few fosters and various visitors under our belt, I'm starting to develop a handy checklist for making sure everything runs smoothly with an ever-shifting pack. These all came into play this week when Bruce Wayne came to stay. If you're thinking about fostering for the first time, or would like to have more canine visitors, here are some preparations that have proven useful in our house:

1. Know Your Dog

If your visitor is just going to be temporary then you're not looking for the perfect fit but still keep your dog's preferences in mind when deciding who you're going to foster, dogsit or even invite to a playdate. I have a weakness for big-headed lugs but Billy often finds them intimidating and it's much easier to introduce him to smaller dogs which is why we foster the small fry. He does love to play rough so he gets to spend time with bigger dogs in more manageable small bursts of play time with friends that we trust. Of course, at 60lbs, his best buddy Buster broke the small dog rule, so never forget that each dog is an individual and let your own pup guide you to what he/she is most comfortable with.

2. Do a House Check

I have a Billy-proofing checklist when I leave him alone in the house but revisit your set up when you're adding another dog. If I have a puppy mill escapee on the way I always lift up the rug for the first week, and whenever a strange dog is coming to the house I get down on my hands and knees to look for things that Billy ignores but that could be irresistible to another dog. Knowing that Bruce has a penchant for paper, I moved a couple of files out of reach in the room that he'd be staying in. 

3. Plan for Smooth Introductions

I always make sure that Billy has a good long walk before he meets a new dog. He's not territorial and tends to get less excited meeting dogs in his own backyard than out in the street so we'll occasionally do intros there but best practice is generally to meet on neutral ground. Before expecting them to settle down in the house I always go for a walk with the dogs to give them time to get bored by each other. Billy already knows Bruce but, since it was easy to organize, we did a walk earlier in the week as well to make sure his arrival at the weekend wasn't too exciting.

4. Create Space

Perhaps your initial dog-to-dog meeting goes so smoothly it should be in a textbook. That's no guarantee that the dogs won't have a difference of opinion at some point so I always make sure that I have a way to separate them when I'm not around - even if I'm just leaving them in the apartment for a minute while I answer the front door. A crate can be your best friend but if you don't have any concerns about potty training or destructive behaviors you can also just use separate rooms. Bruce gets to hang out on the daybed in the spare room, which is also a bit quieter so that he doesn't get too wound-up by all the activity on the front street. When I'm in the apartment the scene is usually pretty snuggly but I'll use time-outs if things get a little too exciting.

5. Make Exercise Your Friend

We all know that a tired dog is a good dog - that's twice as true when you double the dogs! If you want peace and quiet in the house, don't skimp on the walks.

6. Remember: not everyone likes to share

You'll have seen plenty of photos like this on my blog but I NEVER assume that any dog that comes into our home is going to be willing to share. I always start off feeding the dogs separately and I reduce or completely remove the toys and chews that might be lying around the house. I'm lucky that Billy has no resource guarding issues (yep, he let the chihuahua steal his bone) but that doesn't mean that I don't keep an eye on the situation whenever high value resources are in play. That goes for attention too, so don't forget that you yourself are a resource, and a potential problem, where dogs are concerned.

What tips and tricks have worked for you when opening your home to other dogs?

Adopt-a-Bill: Kilo

Those puppy-dog eyes just make me want to feed Kilo an endless stream of treats.

Adopt-a-Stray Rescue is looking for a foster or forever home for this Bilbo doppelganger. He is described as dog-friendly, house-trained and very loving. I can speak from experience that his 70lb size is just perfect for snuggling, though it can be a bit squishy when they decide they're lapdogs!

If you're in the Boston area, email kelley.aasr@gmail.com to make this guy a temporary or permanent member of your home.

The Adopt-a-Bill series highlights adoptable dogs from across the country that look like our very own Bilbo. Unless otherwise noted I have no personal experience with any of the rescue organizations featured. Always do your own research to ensure you go through a reputable rescue when searching for the perfect new family member.

Adopt-a-Bill: Penelope

I realize it must be hard seeing all these smooshable photos of the handsome Billydog and knowing that the only way you could ever get your paws on him is to pry him out of my cold, dead fingers (and even then...). So, I've decided to save you a bit of legwork and find you your own Billy lookalikes available for adoption.

Check out Penelope! Oh my, this lovely 53lb girl is quite the catch.  She loves to play, gives great hugs and kisses and even has a talent for languages.

She's looking for a home without other pets but it looks like she'd be just fine with human siblings.

Penelope is available for adoption from Animal House Shelter in Huntley Illinois (which, coincidentally is the same shelter that my greatly-missed Buster boy came from).

Honoring Josh

You won't be hearing much from us for another week or so for many reasons, some of which are exciting (well, for me anyway!) and some of which look a bit like this:

Don't worry, he's still just black and white, I banished him from the room as soon as I opened the paint can!

However, I did want to make sure that all the Chicagoans added a date to their diary. One Tail at a Time and Alive Rescue will be going to Animal Welfare League's intake facility on March 18th to rescue as many dogs as possible in honor of Joshua Bouton. Prior to the rescue, there's going to be a party to raise funds and you're all invited!

Thursday, March 15, 7pm
Delilah's, 2771 N Lincoln Ave

I'll share more details as everything is finalized (including special guests, maybe even a certain 2-legged pitbull?). If you can't come but would still like to contribute, you can donate here and here. Just add a note to say that it's for the Big Pull.

Goodbye Josh

Within three minutes of meeting him, I knew what kind of a man Josh was. Billy adored him instantly. The sound of his voice at the front door could raise Billy from the deepest sleep. He would throw himself across the sidewalk to slobber all over Josh if we met in the street. No dog, no human could hold Billy's interest if Josh came through the door when we were visiting downstairs.

Josh, you were the guy who would jump into Lake Michigan in January to raise money for homeless dogs, who would help to rescue a stinky, starved little pittie from a drunken, abusive man. You were the guy who enjoyed the kind of Billy greeting that only the biggest heart could tolerate. I will remember you as I last saw you, accepting the love you inspired from a black and white blur who hurled himself down the stairs to greet you.

Joshua Bouton (1984 - 2012)

Josh's family, friends and the wonderful girl who loved him are hurting more than words can say right now. Please keep them in your thoughts and in your hearts.

A Letter to Nala Bean

Dear Nala Bean,

Didn't I tell you this morning, when you didn't want to get out of bed, that today was going to be a special day? You tried very hard to convince Bilbo and I to snuggle back under the covers - the Yorkie kisses attack you launched on us both was a smart tactical move.

This afternoon you didn't think much of my plan to have a nice long walk. You weren't impressed when I revealed that it was important for you to stretch your legs before we took a little ride. When I said that the three of us should have a good walk together you and Billy both tried to persuade me to hide inside until the cold white stuff stopped blowing in your faces. But we couldn't wait until tomorrow and you both enjoyed your ramble in the end.

You were pretty darn brave on your first bus ride and even the noisy El train didn't scare you. Is this the same little lady who was terrified by stairs when she first arrived? The journey was worth it when you met the lovely people at the other end. I know you thought that home was with Billy and I, but such a special girl deserves a lot more love. You clearly caught on quickly to the advantages of multiple laps as you clambered between each of them, making sure everyone knew what a sweetheart you are. Your new friend Boo was excited to welcome you into her house and she showed you some of her best play moves. I know you love your big foster brother but it's a whole lot easier to give doggy kisses when you don't have to wait for your friend to lie down so you can reach. You took full advantage of that!

Try to be on your very best behavior for the next two weeks. Be a good girl for Boo. She'd like to be your sister and teach you how her people helped her to be less scared of the world. Don't worry, if you two decide you don't want to be buddies Billy and I will be here for you. I have a sneaking suspicion that you won't need us though.

That doesn't mean we won't miss you. I've said many times that the hardest foster to let go would be the one that Billy loved as much as me. He's always been a good foster brother but you were the first girl that he developed a soft spot for. When I got home tonight he stood in the corner where the crates stand and barked at me, wanting to know where I'd hidden you and why I wasn't letting you out to play. I know I pretended that it wasn't a big deal when I left you in the nice big house but the emptiness of your carrier hurt. On the way home I had to fill it with that special grape juice and chocolate that I never let you taste.

You see Bean, there are a lot more girls like you waiting for their first experience of a warm, soft bed. I know there are hungry, scared, sick little ladies who still need our help. How can I convince others that they can foster too if I don't keep opening my heart and my home? I know you're going to be safe and happy so tonight I'll shed some tears but soon Billy and I have to be ready for the next girl who needs us.

Scruffy dog and stuffy dog

Despite a little trimming (I couldn't get her medicine around her giant whiskers!), Nala still has a pretty wild fraggle hair do.

Even so, I found it a little cheeky when one of the folks in my neighborhood asked if I'd found her on the street. I mean, she's had a couple of baths and a brush!

Although we're getting lots of wiggly bottom and even a couple of playbows out of the wee lass, she's still working out what is involved in this "play" lark. Billy is failing in his big brother duties and instead of showing her what toys are for, he wandered off with her stuffed cow and has made it all his own.

I'm guessing that he reckons the white and black cow spots destined it for him, so this is what he greets me at the door with when I come home. He even brings it outside when we take Nala for her post-crate potty break.

Twenty-two Teeth

Considerable neglect and irresponsible breeding means that it is sadly very common for puppy mill dogs to have problems with their teeth. We knew that Nala was going to need a lot of work and scheduled her for surgery as soon as she'd been taken into the program. She was a very good girl for the vet but they had to do an awful lot of work. In total she had 22 teeth removed and her right upper canine was so diseased that she had an oral to nasal fistula - essentially a cavity that went all the way through to her nose. The vet took before and after photos for us, so look away if you're a little squeamish:

It's hardly a wonder that she hasn't been keen on eating much since we arrived. I don't mean to be downbeat but I do worry so about the little lady at the moment. She detests her medication, of which there are three variations: two different tablets and an orally administered syringe. I wish I could explain to her that she'll feel so much better for it and that I'm just doing the best I can for her but of course that kind of logic is of no use.

In the meantime I feel like each dose of medicine dismantles hours of work in gaining her trust and bringing her out of her shell. At the moment she's lying in the kitchen by the bathroom door with a sad scowl on her face. Billy and I sat near her for half an hour and she eventually came over for a head scratch and gave me some kisses but she doesn't want to come and sit with us in the living room yet. It's difficult to get any food into her and she's suspicious even of cheese, which she's been very interested in before, so there's no question of hiding medication in her dinner. After her distress over tonight's dose of liquid antibiotics and the way she's shutting down, I've decided that forcing her to take another painkiller as well is more traumatic than risking some discomfort overnight. However, I know she feels better for it and that's the best way to get her feeling well enough to eat, which she sorely needs.

I've left a little food in her crate and hidden the tablet inside in the hopes that she might get hungry enough to eat it at some point. Tomorrow I'll be going to the store to see what I can add to my barrage of dog-friendly foods - especially as Billy managed to steal a giant chunk of cheese when my back was turned. Yip, he'll be waking me up in the middle of the night for sure!

The progress of Nala-Bean

One of the most rewarding aspects of fostering any dog is seeing the way they adapt and grow in a home environment. Nala is my second puppy mill dog and it seems that this is doubly true of these little troopers. While I'm not immune to the pathos of her condition, my overwhelming sense in spending time with Nala is not of pity for her past but of joy for each small step she makes. My enthusiasm for these moments is a little incomprehensible to some of my audience. My mom, for example, did not need a step-by-step account of Nala's potty training progress.

I, on the other hand, could not have been more thrilled when she copied her foster brother and did her business straight away on our first walk. Yesterday afternoon she worked out how to run up and down the back stairs without slow coaxing. This evening, I didn't even have a chance to leash her up when I let her out of her crate, before she scampered towards the back door for her post-crating potty break (to help minimize accidents, we go to the yard whenever she comes out of her crate, even if it's only been an hour since her last trip). Nala has already progressed from tentatively extending a paw or two up to the couch to bouncing up to my leg to insist on being lifted up to her favorite spot. She no longer flinches when I stand up, and, although she'd rather not be pet on the head, she's been experimenting with backing into my lap for a back scratch. She's fearless with Billy, snoozing beside him happily on the couch or wandering up to say hi and give him a quick smooch. She's irrepressibly curious on walks, checking out every smell, sight and sound, and she recovers quickly from any alarming moments.

Loud car! Quick, hide between foster brother's legs!

She was spayed last week so she had a very slow, careful bath today to de-stinkify her a little bit. Afterwards, she experimented with hairstyling techniques - after all, a girl has to look her best for potential adopters.

Although One Tail at a Time provides everything their foster homes could possibly need, its fun nevertheless to go shopping for a special treat or accessory. Often this is the first opportunity the dog has had to be spoiled rotten! Unfortunately, my finances at the moment don't allow for frivolous shopping trips so I looked at the chilly little bean and decided that I'd make her something cosy instead. Sewing is my strength so I initially looked through my stash of flannel and fleece but was feeling woefully uninspired. I couldn't quite keep my eyes off the leftover yarn from my Christmas wreaths. 

I decided to knit her a sweater. Then I remembered my limited selection of knitting needles (one pair giant, one pair very small) and, more importantly, just how bad I am at knitting. This was clearly beyond me. So instead I got out my crochet hook. I looked for an easy pattern online but got too impatient so, once I had the general idea, I just made it up as I went along.

I think she could do with a few more rows on the back so I'll add those after the weekend. Using such a thin yarn meant that it took forever, and I had to make it a little big since there was less stretch in it for pulling it over her head. However, I think I learnt enough to try again and improve on the "pattern" (if you can call guesswork and waving a tape measure around, a "pattern"). I love the colors on her and you can't beat free as far as price goes.

Now that she no longer smells like a public toilet on a wet day I've noticed just how grotty her breath is. Luckily, she's already booked in to the vet for some major dental work tomorrow and I'm anticipating that will make her much more comfortable than she is right now. I'm not used to a dog that doesn't devour every last whiff of food!

P.S. If you're on the hunt for some cold-weather doggy wear and don't want to struggle with the knitting needles, check out these posts from Two Pitties in the City and Two Kitties, One Pittie for some great inspiration. Bilbo, Nala and I hung out with Snug-A-Bulls creator, Angela, yesterday and got a sneak peek at the cosy new pet scarves for her Etsy store too.

P.P.S. Loooong post today - thanks for making it this far!

Don't forget to follow us on facebook for daily Nala-Bean updates and Bilbo photos.

Staying positive

I was reading a post on Peace, Love & Fostering this morning and my comment in response was becoming so long I realized it probably deserved it's own post.

The title of the post was"The power of being positive" and it made the excellent point that the perceived history of a rescue dog is far less important than talking about what you actually know about the dog, and of course dwelling on the positive rather than the sob story. Do please go and read her excellent original post, as that's a rather poor paraphrasing job. Besides which you have to meet her lovely foster Baxter - and if you're in their area, he's an absolute gem of a dog waiting for a lucky forever home.

I used to pass a billboard for a local shelter on my train home from work. Those prime advertising spots are pretty expensive and every time I passed it I would feel frustrated by the missed opportunity. The picture was of a fluffy little thing with the saddest puppy eyes and as it gazed mournfully at the commuters all I could think about was getting home for a slobbery welcome from my bouncy dog. I always wondered how much more effective the ad would have been if it had reminded all the weary commuters that they could pick up the best welcome home ever at the local shelter!

People can be wonderfully compassionate but they're also inherently a bit selfish - I believe that most decide to take on the responsibility of a pet because of what they believe that will add to their life. While many of us are willing to take on a challenging dog if they happen to come our way, does anyone actually trawl the internet looking for the saddest sob story? Or do they at least start by looking for a dog with the kind of characteristics that suit their lifestyle - whether that be a bouncing athlete, a laid-back snugglebug or a come-with social butterfly?

If you're currently fostering, think about everything you love about your dog and make sure that's the first thing you're communicating to potential adopters. After all, her forever family will probably fall in love for the same reasons.

Although I was going to wait until tomorrow to post about our new arrival, I can't quite contain my excitement, so meet Nala:

She arrived just two hours ago and is a bit too tired out by all the excitement to pose for  a photo tonight. So far she's discovered that couches are a fantastic invention and giant foster brothers wear themselves out pretty quickly and pass out on the bed after first introductions. I'm looking forward to introducing her to baths in a few days, once her spay stitches have had some time to heal, but in the meantime she has the most beautiful, trusting little eyes. She promises to bat her eyelashes for some photos tomorrow.

Eve

The weather was colder than I'd dressed for and I was dashing back from the train station to get cosy and warm at home. As I crossed the street this face stopped me in my tracks:

Can any of you claim that you'd have been able to walk past this lady without giving her a cuddle? Eve is the snuggliest, most loving gentle giant of a mastiff, I was so glad I didn't just zoom by. I fell into conversation with her foster mom who is caring for this lady through  Great Lakes Mastiff Rescue. She's dog friendly, loves meeting new people and just needs a nice soft bed to snooze on in a forever home.

When I was looking for a dog, I almost applied for some mastiffs but decided in the end to go with a smaller breed. They do make great apartment dogs though and I certainly envied the nice leisurely pace that Eve was setting for their afternoon walk. When it gets that cold, Bilbo likes to hurl himself (and me) around the streets as if we're racing for the last chicken on earth.

Happy Birthday to Us

A year ago today I started this little blog, and what a year it's been. I've so enjoyed becoming part of the blogging community, receiving all your support, advice and encouragement and learning about other people's pups in return. Thank you for reading!

I considered doing a numbers round up of the past year but realized that totting up the vet bills would just get a bit depressing so instead, in no particular order, a year in the life of In Black & White photo-style:

It wouldn't be a birthday celebration without presents so here are a couple of little reader appreciation gifts for you:

1. I've got two handmade stuffed bones to give away. Just leave a comment on this post to enter and two winners will be picked at random. If you're a no-reply commenter don't forget to include an email address in your comment. (Giveaway will close on January 25)

2. If your dogs have been drooling over the stash of treats Billy received last week and you fancy trying out MrChewy.com, use checkout code BWPA908 for 10% off your first order. They'll also make an additional $10 donation to Best Friends Animal Society.

You may remember that beagle foster Lucy came to us through Best Friends' Pup-My-Ride program. She was one of 43 dogs that Best Friends liberated from a puppy mill in missouri and transported to rescues in Chicago.

Hmmm, puppy mill dogs, could that be a neat little segue to an upcoming announcement? I'll let you know in a week or so. If you haven't already liked our facebook page don't forget to do so as I might post a sneak peek.