Friday August 26th is National Dog Day

Maggie and I want to share some interesting insight on National Dog Day. This fine holiday was founded in 2004 by Colleen Paige, a celebrity pet lifestyle expert and huge animal welfare advocate. Colleen also founded National Cat Day in 2005, 1 year after National Dog Day (what is up with that Colleen, why dogs first)? National Cat Day is celebrated on October 29th, (mark your calendar humans)!

National Dog Day is important because it honors dogs for all the work, loyalty and love they give humans on a daily basis. When needed they rescue, help and guard their friends and family. In other words along with us cats they are the perfect companions!

This day also gives humans the opportunity to give back. It reminds them that there are countless dogs that need a home or need to be rescued from abuse.

For more on this much needed holiday please check out this link National Dog Day. For more information on the amazing animal advocate Colleen, check out this link on Colleen Paige

Don't forget to Hug your Animals,

Maggie & Sammy

The Vet and Sweaty Paws

Sam and I were kidnapped and taken to the vet this Saturday. It was not a pleasant experience at all. Don’t get me wrong the people working there are so nice but who likes to have a stick (thermometer) stuck, you all know where, not me, not Sam? Sam was told he was fat!!! LOL, I like how our humans said he is a Main Coon and big boned. Right he is 4 lbs overweight! Me, well my weight was perfect a little bit on the slender side but I am a girl.

The main reason I wanted to blog today was to let everyone know that when we cats and dogs get nervous we sweat. Our sweat glands are located in the pads of our paws. So when we are being transported to the vet don’t be surprised if we leave wet paw prints on any surface!

It has also come to the attention of Sam and I that some of our Dog friend’s paws are being burned. Their owners are taking them on walks on asphalt here in Arizona when it is hot. Humans please realize that it is starting to get hot as early as 8am and asphalt and concrete retain heat. Before taking your dog or cat with you on a walk take your shoes off and step barefoot on whatever surface you will be taking your pet on, grass, sidewalk, dirt trail, asphalt. If it is too hot for your foot it is too hot for ours!

Remember to Hug your Animals

Maggie and Sam

Starry Smooth-Hound

Check out this relatively un-known Shark Species called the Starry Smooth-Hound which lives off the coast of Ireland. These Sharks are about 3 feet in length and 26 pounds. They are miniature sharks. There is not a lot of data on these neat guys but they seem to be growing in numbers. I wonder are they drinking Guinness?
Sammy
By their name I thought they were a type of dog! For more information check out this link; The Starry Smooth-Hound
Maggie

You Look Different!

There have been many cases where mother dogs adopt other species and raise them as their own. Meet Lisha who has raised more than 30 animals on her own. She has taken care of Hippos, porcupines, tiger and cheetah cubs! What a dog, read more about Lisha. It's great when animals can help one another out. Mags and I are small, but we really try to help others. I rescued a baby quail whose mother had left it to die. I picked it up and dropped into Jill's hand unscathed. Yup I love animals!

Sammy

I tried to give a bunny a bath and it just hopped away. The same thing happened when I tried to hug a squirrel! Oh well, I will just keep trying.

Mags.

Let the Boy Keep his Pig

There are a lot of people in the world that are allergic to cats and dogs. I get it, I have a lot of hair. Truth be told I think I am allergic to people, but back to my orginal statement. People are allergic to dog and cat hair, so sometimes they opt for other pets like fish or pigs. This Little boy in Michigan has a miniature pig, his "best friend in animal life". He is allergic to other animals with fur. The Michigan authorities have stated that it is against the law to have a pig live in people's homes! Please check out this link to read more.

This poor boy needs to get a fish

Sammy

It is a shame about the pig, but there are cats and dogs that people are less allergic to. For instance some good choices for dogs are the West Highland White Terrier, The Bichon Frise or the Schnauzer. Some good choices for cats are the Rex, Siberian or Bengal breeds.

Mags

Working on the Pet of the Month

Maggie and I pulled an all nighter, drawing this month's Pet of Month. Maggie was jealous because she said that last week's pet of the month Niki looked like me. She wanted this month's pet of the month to look like her. Fat chance!!! You decide for yourself. Does August's pet of the month look like me? Really, whose cutest?

Sammy

Come on, Sam even has the same flowers as Niki! Also whose picture is bigger? I just want all our animal friends to know, we don't pick pet's to be pet of the month just because they look like us! All pet of the months are special.

Mags

Remembering

Mags and I just want to take a moment here on Memorial Day and remember all the dogs that served in war through-out U.S. History.

Here are just a few hero's there are many more!

Stubby - Bull Terrier Mix - February 1918 he roused a sleeping sergeant to warn the platoon of a gas attack. The soldiers were able to put on masks, they all survived including Stubby :)

Smoky - 4 pound Yorkie - In WW II disassembled communication wires under a Fighter plane Taxi Strip leading to a protected area. This 3 day job took 5 minutes for this dog to climb through 4 inch piles of sand, and a drainage culvert to take out the wires. Smoky saved the planes from being exposed to bombing.

Thank you, to all the Heroic Dogs that have Saved us all!

Sam & Mags

Could I be a Therapy Cat?

Jill attended Gabriel's Angels breakfast on Friday. Gabriel's Angels is a wonderful organization that brings in therapy dogs to be with abused children. I overheard Jill talking to Paul about it. The dogs really seem to help the children. I want to be a therapy cat. I love to be brushed and i love to have my teeth brushed. These are 2 of the 3 criteria i would have to meet. The 3rd is having to ride in the car and having to wear a harness. I get car sick & i despise harnesses! Humans don't have to wear them, although i have seen a kid on a leash before!

I will have to give this some serious thought, i love kids even if they are human.

Sam

I hate having my teeth brushed, wearing a harness thing and riding in a car. Truthfully i am scared of most humans.

Mags.

Pet of the Month and a Storm

Okay Maggie and I came up with a good Picture for Joey Sampaga. His dogs will be featured in this month's Pet of the Month. They are really good-looking dogs. I love the Boxer, little Pit Bull and Belgium Malnoise they have character, (just like me)!

Sam

It's lightening out and Jill won't let us use the computer. We have to draw the Pet of the Month what are we going to do? Jill says I could get electrocuted and have curly hair. I don't want curly hair Sam already makes fun of me!

Mags

Friend or Foe

Yesterday there was a Lynx in our backyard. He came over to the sliding glass door and stared at Maggie and me. I didn't move I just looked back at him. The scary thought, that I looked like a gigantic oreo cookie to him kept going through my mind.

Sam

Wow, pretty kitty, nice ears. Looks friendly but I couldn't move. Sam and I didn't flinch at all. After what seemed like several hours (2 minutes) the Lynx walked away and left our yard.

Maggie

Animal Trivia

Maggie and I worked today on animal facts for our website. I love dogs, there are so many fascinating things about dogs. For instance do all dogs swim? A thought to ponder, I will find out.

Sam

Hmmmm, I wonder what animal has been here a long time. I mean a really long time, like before the dinosaurs?

Mags

The Idea Wrapped

Okay, I wanted to draw something like a mouse wrapped in plastic wrap (yummy) or something like that. But no Maggie wanted to use another picture we had drawn of our friend Lucy that had unwrapped gifts during the Holidays. My point was that it was unwrapped however Maggie insisted that this is the picture we needed to use to illustrate the word wrapped!

Sam


I love Lucy and wanted to show her off again, whats so wrong with that? Plus the cat was wrapped.

Mags

Illustration Friday

Today Maggie and I must come up with something for Illustration Friday. The subject is "Wrapped". They always pick unique topics.

Sam


Yeah it's time to be creative again. Illustration Friday is where a bunch of artists come together and challenge each other to think of interesting things to draw. It's every week. Sometimes we can't participate because we are drawing peoples animals and ideas for our website and shop!

Maggie

Yummie People Food

Paul and Jill never feed us people food but sometimes we get lucky. Jill was sitting on the couch with Hummus and crackers. I swipped my paw in the Hummus, and it was good. I didn't even mind that Jill pushed me off the couch!

Sam


Jill made a Tuna sandwich (she eats a lot!) She left the pan on the stove and walked away! Left over tuna in the pan yeah, yeah

Mags

A Rainy Day

Woke up this morning and all the animals were in the canoe again. Jill stopped by and patted my head. She called me a silly kitty (I hate that)!

Sam

It's raining outside, neat! I think I am going to think up of things to draw and paint today.

Mags

Day Dreaming

Sixth Day of Abandonment

I think I overdosed on catnip (found a stash in an old toy). Maggie told me her dream of being on a whale and now I am dreaming of being on a whale with a red life Jacket on, and the whale is nice!

Sam

Chased my tail today and rolled in the sunlight. After that I gazed out the window for a really long time watching a bird.

Mags

Where are Jill and Paul?

Fifth Day of Abandonment

I get the feeling that Paul and Jill are up to something. I wonder what they are up to? Are they having an adventure without us? Where are Jill & Paul?

Sam

These days I sleep a lot dreaming of fish, dolphins and whales in the ocean. Sometimes Sam is in my dreams sometimes he isn't!

Mags

Second Day of Abandonment

The lady came through the garage door again today. Her name is Donna, she is really nice. She talked to me, brushed me and made sure I had food and water. I ate today.

Sam

Sam was talking to Donna so I felt more secure and came out of hiding. She gave me great food so I let her pet me. She told me I am pretty!

Mags

Maggie and Sam's Real Home Alone Adventures

August 2, 2009

Paul surprised me for my 4oth Birthday with a trip to Canada (Vancouver)! We had a great time taking in all the beautiful sights of the country. We didn't worry about Maggie & Sam because our wonderful neighbor and friend Donna, said she would be checking on them everyday.
However when we came back Donna had a surprise for us. Apparently Maggie & Sam had been amusing themselves and Donna took notes. The following blogs are short diaries from Maggie & Sam while we were gone!