We just had a tragedy at our house. On Sunday, January 14, 2007, our beloved Black Lab and my best friend, Amour, passed away. She died lying under her favorite grapefruit tree. The vet said that she had contracted liver disease and she went quite fast. At least she had no pain or suffering and died a very peaceful death. We have written a tribute to her on my website so please, feel free to read it. We will always remember the good times we had with her and the fun and loving companion that she was.

Blizzy and Angel tried one last time to have puppies. Angel went into heat the weekend after New Years so she came and stayed with us for a week. Her and Blizzy finally got together and hopefully we will have puppies sometime the first part of March. Aunt Audry is off of work that week so she should be home (hopefully) around the time of the birth. With Angel being so small, she will need all the help she can get.

Mommy and Daddy went to Palm Springs over New Years so we got taken care of by Aunt Audry. That was fun because we got a lot more treats than normal. Plus Aunt Audry always brings us treats from her place also. And all of them are so good. I guess you gotta say that us dogs are pretty spoiled.

Things are going pretty good here. Mommy is applying for a different job which should pay her about $2.00/hour more than she is making now. That's good because that means more treats for us. She should know in a few days if she gets an interview or not. It's still at UCLA only on upper campus and not in the medical center. Mommy said she really likes her current job but there is not place for advancement. This job is an Administrative Analyst position, which is a step higher than where she is now.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We got some nice treats in our stocking. Amour got some extra rawhide, Blizzy got a new squeaky toy and I got some new purple racquetballs. We must have really been good puppies to get that neat stuff. Our New Years was dampened with Amour's passing, but we will always have wonderful memories of her and she will always remain in our hearts.

At any time, if you would like to see certain things in my newsletter that are not here, make comments or ask me anything, please click here I will try to answer any questions you may have. If I can't, I will research them for you and get back to you with an answer.

Your Friend, Schnooder-Guy

Our economy here in the U.S. is still not doing much better. Gas is bouncing around like a yo-yo, interest rates are increasing again along with the cost of homes. All of that is really hurting the economy because wages are not going up at the same pace as the cost of living is. The Feds. just agreed on raising the minimum wage from $5.15/hour to $7.25/hour. And that still is not a livable wage. A study was done and they said that the minimum wage, based on the rising rate of inflation, should be at $9.50/hour. So even $7.25/hour is not going to support a family of 4 without both parents working full-time.

What has happened to our country? I think one word can sum a lot of it up. GREED! The big oil companies are so greedy and even brag about the huge profits they are making, at the expense of the American people. And when gas and oil prices increase, it affects literally everything else. Grocery store prices increase, clothing prices increase, basically everything increases in price because it all has to be shipped from one place to another by one source or another (rail, truck, air) and when the transportation companies have to pay more to ship the items, they will charge the stores more, who in turn, will charge us more. Oil is the backbone of this country. And until that can get under control and we can stop the dependence on foreign oil, things are not going to change.

1) Perhaps the most common reason pets refuse to eat results from the misconception that pets need as much variety in their diets as humans do. Offering too much variety in pet foods encourages a pet to become a "holdout" to see what will be offered next. When you find a nutritionally complete and balanced diet your pet enjoys, stay with it.

2) Is your dog extremely active, fetching sticks, and chasing balls most of the day? It may seem like just plain fun but it can be pretty strenuous for your dog. For a very lively and playful dog consider a diet that is specially formulated for his active lifestyle.

3) When your pooch gets dirty a bath may be in order. However, if you want to spot clean him between baths, a baby wipe works well. Dogs can suffer from dry skin if bathed too frequently.

4) Be careful about venturing out of your house and yard too soon with your new puppy. Your pup is especially susceptible to contagious conditions in the first 16 weeks of his life. By the time he is 4 months old he should have had 3 Dhlp-parvo and one rabies vaccination, making safer to mingle at the dog park and wander down the street with you.

5) Pets911 is a nationwide Internet and telephone clearing house for emergency information about cats and dogs. By accessing the organizations web site www.1888PETS911.org, or number (888) 738-7911, you can find a lost cat or dog; report finding a lost cat or dog; locate the nearest adoption facility; identify the nearest emergency veterinary clinic; or obtain an assortment of other pet-related information.

Johnson's Pet Store was open daily from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. I woke up early every morning that summer and pedaled my bike as fast as I could to the pet store, praying that the copper and white Cocker Spaniel puppy would still be there waiting for me.

Today was no exception. Or so I thought! As I made a mad dash for the back door, my left foot slipped out from under me and down I went. There I lay on the kitchen floor, my right ankle swelling and the pain getting worse by the second. As my tears started to flow, all I could think about was the poor little puppy and how lonely he would be without me there to comfort him.

My Mom, who was doing dishes at the time, came to my rescue immediately. After she helped me to the sofa and I was somewhat comfortable, she called the doctor. A few minutes later, I was sitting in the emergency room at the hospital. My right ankle was broken and I needed a cast on my foot. Great!

After a couple of hours, we were finally able to leave. As we were driving home, I looked up at my Mom tearfully and said, "That puppy must think I don't love him anymore. Can we stop for just a few minutes to see him?"

Mom replied sorrowfully, "No, Angie. Remember what the doctor said. You have to stay off your foot for at least two weeks."

"But Mom," I pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," answered my Mom sympathetically, "but that is a pretty bad break. You heard what the doctor said."

After we got home, Mom helped me to my room. I crawled into bed and cried myself to sleep.

A couple of hours later, I was awakened by something cold and wet on my face. As I slowly opened my eyes, standing there on my bed staring at me with those huge, loving eyes, was the copper and white Cocker Spaniel puppy.

"We thought you would like a friend to keep you company while you are recuperating," my Dad explained, with a huge grin on his face.

I didn't know what to say. I was speechless. I instantly hugged Copper (that's what I named him), and felt like I was the luckiest person in the whole world. Copper and I became inseparable. I saved him, and in his own way, he saved me.

This was a perfect ending to a not-so-perfect beginning.