This Memorial Day, please take time to honor our DOGS OF WAR

Please take the time this Memorial Day to remember our dogs of war.

In all previous wars we brought home our highly trained military dogs to retire with their handler or to continue to serve EXCEPT for Vietnam. When our military was ordered out of Nam our dogs were tied to camp poles and left to watch the soldiers they loved and protected walk away and not look back. Those dogs were considered to be excess baggage.

What happened to those dogs? Most starved to death - used for target practice by the Viet Cong or skinned alive and eaten by the Viet Cong who considered them to be a delicacy. Rumor has it that those who weren't tied or confined, ran behind the planes leaving with the troops they loved so dearly or waited patiently beneath helicopters for their orders which never came; and then, when they were completely exhausted, went back to their last camp and held vigil, patiently, for their handler to come back. (If you would like to learn more, click on the War Dog graphic. It will take you to a very sobering site.)

Out of 3,000 Viet Nam era war dogs, about 200 came home.

This Memorial Day let us remember fallen soldiers who lived, and died, for our country and for the soldier at the other end of the leash.

Dogs do not have the option of enlisting in the military. Yet, after they are chosen and trained, they stand next to their handler willing to give their life - without question. When a war dog locates a bomb, or a large cache of weapons and explosives, or even deters an attack, it isn't considered to be out of the ordinary. It isn’t covered on the news, you won’t see it in the newspapers, and chances are you will never know about it. However, the handlers, know. The Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Seamen who had their lives saved by one of these loyal and highly intelligent canine soldiers know. The war dogs also know they did well and usually receive a special meal at the end of a long day.
This blog entry is dedicated to the military dog teams of our great country. Please say an extra prayer and remember not just the dog teams that have given their lives but all dog teams worldwide who continue to be on the front lines. God bless and keep them all.

Please. if you have the time, visit the United States War Dogs K-9 Wall of Honor. You are here because you love dogs. You will leave these pages deeply affected.

A Working Dog
GOD SUMMONED A BEAST FROM THE FIELD...

And he said, Behold man, created in my image. Therefore adore him
You shall protect him in the wilderness, shepherd his flocks,
watch over his children, accompany him wherever he may go;
even unto civilization.

You shall be his companion, his ally, his slave. To do these things,
God said, I endow you with these instincts uncommon
to other beasts: faithfulness, devotion, and understanding
surpassing those of man himself.

Lest it impair your courage, you shall never foresee your death.
Lest it impair your loyalty, you shall be blind to faults of man. Lest it
impair your understanding, you are denied the power of words.

Let no fault of language cleave an accord beyond that of man with
any other beast; or even man with man. Speak to your master only
with your mind and through your honest eyes.

Walk by his side: sleep in his doorway: forage for him, ward
off his enemies, carry his burdens, share his afflictions;
love him and comfort him.

And in return for this, man will fulfill your needs and wants-
which shall be only food, shelter and affection.

So be silent, and be a friend to man. Guide him through the perils
along the way to the land that I have promised him.

This shall be your destiny and your immortality.

So spoke the Lord. And the dog heard and was content.

(Anonymous)

God bless America
God bless our troops

☺ A contest where EVERYONE WINS! How cool is that! ☺

The dog blogging world has lost many of its beloved members over these past weeks. Some of our other members are fighting the good fight for their lives. A lot of sadness has traveled throughout the Universe with buckets, if not rivers, of tears shed in profuse sadness for love lost and love remembered. As we were traveling from blog to blog to offer our condolences, and to hopefully leave words of encouragement, something caught our eye on The Portuguese Water Blog. We made a note that we would come back to it and share the fun with all of our friends when the time was right. Today, we think the time is right and we hope that you do, too. So, dogs, and kitties, too, listen up! You're gonna like this!

The Portuguese Water Blog is having it's Second Annual BANDANNA DAY to be held on June 10th over on their bloggy. Here is some information about how you can 'put your bandanna in the ring' as copied from their site:

Fudge and the others can't wait to see what you all decide to wear. We're looking forward to making lots of new friends again this year. Let's beat last year's record of 73. You can start sending your pictures anytime. I'll save them till the 10th.

Here are the 4 easy steps to play along:

1. Find something red to wear.
2. Have your person take your picture.
3. E-mail your picture to me at wilcoxhall@ymail.com
Include your name, the state or country where you live, and your blog or website so we can link to you.
4. Check in on this blog on June 10 to see all the pictures.

We know that all well dressed dogs (and c*ts) have a bandanna somewhere in the house. If they don't then they need to grab their leash, tell their human being to grab the car keys and go shopping! The color this year is RED and - who doesn't love red or look pretty in red or look handsome in red!

Here's a sneak peek at our arsenal of bandannas but we're not going to show you the photo of our PURRsonal choices because we want you to be surprised on the 10th when those wacky, wild and crazy Portuguese Water Dogs post all of the photos!

So travel on over to The Portuguese Water Blog (no relation to Bo Obama, we don't think☺) and read all about it! Then grab your momma or dadda's camera, put it in their lap, sit pretty and pose with your snazziest bandanna tied around your neck - or heck, loop it around your tail if that is what suits your fancy! Pick out your best pose and shoot it on over to the momma of those fun lovin' Portuguese Water Dogs!

Gotta run. We just found another bandanna we want our momma to iron! I'm tellin' ya, this modeling thing is gettin' to be kinda fun!

Good-bye my darling Maxdog of South Africa, you now belong to the Universe

Today we celebrate the life of darling Maxdog of South Africa. If you judge the impact that a life has made while on earth by the tears shed upon its death, then this dog, this Golden Retriever who lived in South Africa, was a hurricane - an tsunami - a tornado - an earthquake of monumental proportion.

Tonight my precious Max, I will stand under into the midnight sky and will look for the newest, brightest and biggest star in the heavens. I will reach up and touch you - for the first time.

Miss Mona needs the support of the infinite internet Universe...

If you will, dear friends of the infinite internet Universe, please journey over to offer your strength and ♥felt PURRayers for dear Mona who has had surgery to remove a mast cell tumor. There is no way that a face as cute as hers should ever feel sad - nope, not never!

When yer lookin' fur a home - ya gotta do what ya gotta do

Miss Camille Suzanne does Wordless Wednesday

Miss Camille Suzanne does Greta Garbo

I want to be alone...

Make Sale of Crush Videos Illegal Again! Help us fight animal suffering and exploitation. Sign the petition now!

Goal: 30,000 • Progress: 6,285
Sponsored by: ASPCA

On April 20, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in U.S. v. Stevens that the "Crush Act," a 1999 federal law banning the creation, sale and possession of materials depicting genuine acts of animal cruelty, is unconstitutional and over-broad in its scope.

H.R. 5092 will help ensure that the crush video industry is not revitalized in the absence of any enforceable federal law. Add your voice to the cause! Join the ASPCA in urging the U.S. House of Representatives to support legislation that amends the Crush Act. Go here and SIGN NOW!