Aussie Dogs~Up & Over

Not a Day Goes By. . .

2011-11-08T15:41:00.000-05:00

So hard to believe it has been nearly 3 months since we lost our precious boy after an 8 month battle against bone cancer...not a day goes by that our hearts do not ache for you Taff...we miss you so much & will never forget you. How we wish that bump on your cheek a year ago had been just a bump.

Oh How I Treasure Photos. . .

2011-10-03T11:39:00.000-04:00

Taffy would sit outside my window in Sydney until I let him inside…I think after starting out his life either chained to a block or wandering the streets, all he wanted to do was be with you, right by your side.

We Miss You Everyday Taff. . .

2011-09-28T12:01:00.000-04:00

I've been teary the past couple of days as the trees start to change color...we will miss Taffy trudging thru the leaves that will soon line our streets.
There is not a day that goes by that we do not think of you Taff...we love you SO much & miss you more than you can imagine. The only thing that helps remotely, is knowing we will see you again one day in Heaven. Until then, have fun up there & we will try our best to have only smiles when we think of you.

To Honor Taffy's Life, We Rescued Kiah

2011-08-30T15:06:00.000-04:00

Our little gift from God. . .meet Kiah: (youtube video)

A Gift from God. . .

2011-08-28T20:33:00.001-04:00

It's truly amazing how God works in our lives. Just last week I started to think of what breeds would be similar to our beloved Taffy who was a New Zealand Huntaway/Kelpie & I thought of an Australian Cattle Dog. Well within the hour, out of the blue! a facebook friend posted on my wall asking if I would be interested in an Australian Cattle Dog puppy! I had not mentioned to ANYONE that I had been even thinking about getting another dog, much less a Cattle Dog! As it turns out, the puppy was due to go to a family in Portland, but the plans fell through. We weren't planning on getting another dog for some time, but felt this was really meant to be, and then looking at the photo above we were certain. The little puppy, who we have already named Kiah (an Aboriginal name meaning 'the beautiful place') has a rainbow leash in the photo, to us a sure sign from God & Taffy who is waiting at the 'Rainbow Bridge' for us, that this pup is meant to be ours. We are still grieving for Taffy, but before he passed away I told him in honor of his life we would rescue another dog, just like how we rescued him...and now Kiah is on her way to us this Tuesday! We will never, ever forget Taffy & have several photos and the painting I did of him all hanging up in our living room, but we know Kiah will help to mend our broken hearts and provide companionship for Jedha as well. So grateful to God for his compassion & love...we don't always understand why our loved ones are taken from us, but we have to believe there is a reason for everything and one day we will know.

He is gone. . .

2011-08-10T19:20:00.000-04:00

Devastating News...

2011-08-03T16:33:00.002-04:00

Went to the vet today & Taffy's tumor has grown & is now inside his mouth as well as his face. He was given a super strong chemo drug today & we will know this week if it works. If it does he will have 6 treatments in hopes that it saves his life...this is his last chance. Please pray for God's mercy. I haven't prayed harder for anything in my entire life.

God's mercy & compassion...

2011-07-13T14:14:00.002-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:

Painting a Pup a Day:: Summer Commissions & Update on Taffy

2011-07-05T19:37:00.000-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: Summer Commissions & Update on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: What a Difference 24 hours Makes!!

2011-06-20T21:27:00.000-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: What a Difference 24 hours Makes!! :))

Painting a Pup a Day:: A Trip to the ER :(

2011-06-19T12:14:00.000-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: A Trip to the ER :(

Painting a Pup a Day:: He's home...

2011-06-10T12:40:00.001-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: He's home...

Painting a Pup a Day:: Vinny the Schnauzer & an Update on Taffy

2011-05-31T19:19:00.000-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: Vinny the Schnauzer & an Update on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: Westie with Pink Spode & Update on Taffy

2011-05-23T22:07:00.000-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: Westie with Pink Spode & Update on Taffy

A Vintage Touch

2011-05-19T20:24:00.001-04:00

Update on Taffy: A Vintage Touch

Painting a Pup a Day:: Fighting Cancer Isn't Pretty. . .

2011-05-10T13:31:00.001-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: Fighting Cancer Isn't Pretty. . .

Destroying the Tumor & Saving Taffy's Life...

2011-05-04T21:24:00.000-04:00

We went to the Oncologist today & they injected the bone with Neoplasene and the tumor some more...it ruptured this afternoon which is good! It will continue to drain & eventually fall off & only leave healthy tissue behind. Praying his eye will be ok...but praying more that his life will be saved! God, we need a miracle.

We Have Hope!. . .Taffy's Battle with Osteosarcoma

2011-04-27T14:53:00.003-04:00

Back from the Oncologist and feeling SO hopeful! She injected Taffy's tumor with something called Neoplasene which is from a bloodroot plant. It will destroy the cancer cells and leave the good cells alone. Next week she will also implant some into the bone itself, where the cancer originated from. A dog that had worse bone cancer than Taffy survived by using this treatment! You can read the article here: Oral Cancer in Dogs So grateful to Dr. Greear and Advanced Veterinary Care Group for everything they have done in giving Taffy a fighting chance! :))
P.S. You can see how this stuff works here, it's kinda fascinating! : http://www.buckmountainbotanicals.net/pdf/clinical_guide.pdf

In a Fight for His Life. . .

2011-04-15T12:07:00.002-04:00

We met with the Oncologist & we are not going to do surgery, Taffy would lose 1/2 his face, but we are going to try some alternative medicine, supplements, possible chemo, & a real meat diet. If Taffy starts to show other symptoms and/or his pain increases then we know we will have to let him go...but right now we are going to try & give him a fighting chance. ♥
Help spread the news by sharing this widget on your blogs, etc.:http://www.chipin.com/mywidgets/id/6318b47febca590e

Not good news...

2011-04-14T12:56:00.002-04:00

Devastated & heartbroken :(( Taffy has Osteosarcoma an aggressive bone cancer...we are meeting with the Oncologist tomorrow morning, but statistics show even with treatment the prognosis is only a year or less.

Painting a Pup a Day:: Getting a 2nd (3rd/4th?) Opinion on Taffy

2011-04-11T14:24:00.001-04:00

Painting a Pup a Day:: Getting a 2nd (3rd/4th?) Opinion on Taffy

Help Us Save Our Dog Taffy

2011-04-01T18:47:00.000-04:00

Visit Taffy's ChipIn Page

Getting a 2nd Opinion....Still May be Cancer :((

2011-03-29T13:46:00.000-04:00

So the meds have not worked...our Vet is recommending we get a 2nd opinion with the Cancer Center in Canton, MI...he had actually sent the biopsy to a lab in California. He felt the x-rays suggested cancer so we still may have a battle ahead of us. Praying we are not running out of time...hate this roller coaster of emotions :(( ♥

Biopsy Came Back! NO Cancer!! :))

2011-03-22T15:10:00.000-04:00

The results came back! NO cancer! :))...our Vet believes he did a very good biopsy, so we are going to trust that he is right. He wants to put Taffy on a different antibiotic to see if that will stop the growth from growing...if not, we are hoping surgery would be an option. Thank you everyone for your prayers! It feels like we've been given a little bit of a miracle today! ♥

Biopsy today...it looks like Cancer :((

2011-03-16T09:48:00.002-04:00

Taffy had a biopsy today...it looks like cancer :((...we will know for sure early next week as our Vet is sending the biopsy to a cancer specialist. Please pray we can get the money together in time to save his life. If he has cancer I will be starting a fundraiser very soon. I am prepared to sell my wedding ring, camera, whatever it takes to save him...we love him so much. My husband and I do not yet have children...he is our 'boy'. He was rescued off the streets by my husband in Australia, now living here in Michigan with us...he deserves a full life.

Biopsy this Wednesday...Prayers welcome

2011-03-11T17:43:00.000-05:00

Back from the vet with a broken heart...Taffy needs to have a biopsy this Wednesday...that alone could be close to $1000...if it is cancer the surgery could be $3000 plus the cost of chemo...not sure what we will do. All I could try & do is raise funds thru my art....trying to stay positive & hopeful. Taffy is only 7 & has so much life to still live....please God don't take him yet.

Praying it's not Cancer...

2011-03-10T15:43:00.000-05:00

Taffy goes into the vet tomorrow to see if the growth under his left eye (right in the photo) is cancer :((...the antibiotic did nothing. Hoping it is anything other than cancer...I just don't know what we will do if it is.

Infection or Cancer...

2011-02-25T21:07:00.000-05:00

Barely even have had time to grieve for our loss of Pepper & now our Taffy may have cancer :((...praying the lump under his left eye (right eye in the photo) is just an infection. We will know in a couple of days if the antibiotic clears it up.

She is Gone...

2011-02-24T21:39:00.000-05:00

Pepper, my parents Black Lab left to join her sister, Cassie, in Heaven this evening...she will be so greatly missed. We love you Pepper-Pot!

Still Holding Our Breath...

2011-02-24T10:31:00.000-05:00

(Update): Evening 2 of Pepper to the Vet for subcutaneous fluid injections, to rid her kidneys of the toxin. About 20 minutes and then she comes running down the hallway, and 'Let's head home'! One more treatment, then bloodwork to see if the 25% kidney function has improved. I force feed her a couple bites of food a day, along with her meds. I feel so sad for her to have gone 9 days now without eating.

Still Holding On...

2011-02-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

So the latest with Pepper is that my parents are bringing her in for iv fluids the next 2 days (they did yesterday) & trying to feed her tablespoons of food...she did have 4 Tbsp. today & has gone for a walk in the woods so staying cautiously hopeful. Thank you for your continued prayers. ♥

She's Slipping Away From Us....

2011-02-21T11:18:00.000-05:00

The vet called & seemed to be upset that the other vet we saw gave us possibly false hope w/Pepper...my step-dad though is still not ready to give up...he's joined a Canine Kidney group online to see what might still be done to save her (which breaks our hearts even more)...our vet said to decrease some of her meds & see if this helps any...but if she doesn't start eating soon we have to let her go. :(( ♥

Still Holding Our Breath...

2011-02-19T13:44:00.001-05:00

Still Holding Our Breath...

Holding Our Breath...

2011-02-17T11:57:00.000-05:00

Holding our breath for blood work to come back tomorrow...if it comes back normal Pepper has about 6 months before she may not be able to walk any longer...she has an infection but also the worse case of spinal arthritis the vet has ever seen...so it will be a question of 'quality of life' if the blood work is ok. Staying hopeful & prayerful ♥

Not Ready to Say Goodbye...

2011-02-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

My parents Black Lab, Pepper hasn't been eating the past few days & has been getting quite thin. She's been sleeping most of the day as she is 12 now, but I just cannot even 'go there'...none of us are ready to say goodbye to her...we've had her since she was a puppy...I remember the night we got her. She came through the front door like a bullet...so full of life & energy. Our Golden Retriever, Cassie was not at all thrilled that night, but eventually grew to tolerate Pepper & in time they became the best of buddies. We lost Cassie a few years back & our hearts still ache for her...how will we ever let go of our Pepper-pot?...I hate that big dogs don't last as long as the little ones...Small dogs seem to live forever...life just isn't fair. She's been such a good ol' girl.

(from my Mom): As I lay down beside her, our eyes met w/a special understanding of what our time together has meant. A pup, 4x given away, (no one would give her the ♥ & patience she required), to the strong, bright companion I knew she could become...our lives intertwined. I stroked her head, her tail thumped against the floor,& then she placed her outstretched leg on my shoulder & my eyes welled with tears.

Keep Your Friends Close. . .

2011-02-12T17:00:00.000-05:00

Taffy aka 'Top Man' with one of his

6 Ultra Chuck It Balls always nearby.

Dream Big!.... & Carry a Big Stick ;))

2011-02-09T17:25:00.000-05:00

We had lots of snows here in Michigan so I thought I'd share some photos of 'the boys' romping around at 'the cold beach'...remember they are a couple of Aussie boys...to them it's really cold sand! ;)

Meet 'Buck'...the Black Lab

2011-01-23T18:42:00.000-05:00

So thrilled with how this piece turned out & so is the customer so win-win for me! ;)) If you are interested in having a portrait done of your precious pup feel free to contact me or visit my website at studiolara.com

Poodle with Ball...entry for Art Show at the Dog Show 2011

2011-01-14T23:53:00.000-05:00

This is one of 4 paintings I have entered into the upcoming Art Show at the Dog Show 2011 in Kansas. I will know in February if any have been accepted so stay tuned! If you are interested in having a portrait done of your precious pup, feel free to contact me and/or visit my website at www.studiolara.com.

My Review of Five Tier Bookcase in Mahogany

2011-01-14T23:41:00.001-05:00

My Review of Five Tier Bookcase in Mahogany

Dalmation Pup on Red Vintage Suitcase...Entry for the 2011 Upcoming Art Show at the Dog Show

2011-01-12T18:42:00.000-05:00

~Upcoming CSN Stores Product Review & Art Giveaway~

2010-12-15T14:54:00.003-05:00

I have had the pleasure of working with CSN Stores this past year doing some great giveaways as well as some reviews of their wonderful products, so when they asked if I would be interested in doing another review I jumped at the chance!

CSN Stores has over 200+ stores with all sorts of products for your home, fur children, and you, such as stylish leather messenger bags like this one by MacCase:

CSN Stores has other items for your home as well, including furniture, home decor, and cookware. They have lovely holiday dishes as well, just in time for Christmas!:

I will be reviewing one such product soon, so be sure to check back to see what I've chosen to review!
**To enter to win a FREE print from my store on etsy, just leave a comment on THIS POST.
**You can also enter to win by leaving a comment on my other 3 blogs to increase your chances of winning! Good luck! :)
My other blogs:
A Vintage Touch
Painting a Pup a Day
Vintage Dog Designs

**And the WINNER is: Marlene!

Thank you to everyone who entered! ;))

Grreat Gift Idea!...A Pet Portrait by Yours Truly! ;) *New Pricing for 2011!

2010-12-15T12:40:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for a grreat gift, look no further! Commission a pet portrait by me! New pricing is below...feel free to contact me if you would like a special piece done for you!

6"x6" ~ $125.00

8"x10" ~ $200.00

11"x14" ~ $275.00

16"x20" ~ $350.00

18"x24" ~ $475.00

20"x30" ~ $600.00

24"x30" ~ $850.00

24"x36" ~$1,200.00

30"x40" ~$1,600.00

36"x48" ~$2,000.00

My Review of Sarasota Wall Mount Fireplace in Copper

2010-11-17T18:18:00.001-05:00

My Review of Sarasota Wall Mount Fireplace in Copper

~Upcoming CSN Stores Product Review & Art Giveaway~

2010-11-03T12:48:00.005-04:00

I have had the pleasure of working with CSN Stores this past year doing some great giveaways as well as some reviews of their wonderful products, so when they asked if I would be interested in doing another review I jumped at the chance!

CSN Stores has over 200+ stores with all sorts of products for your home, such as this stylish briefcase, perfect for the woman who loves red!
My personal favorite is this one by McKlein:

CSN Stores has other items for your home as well, including furniture, home decor, and cookware.
And of course they have many pet products as well, such as this pet carrier by Sleepypod:

I will be reviewing one such product soon, so be sure to check back to see what I've chosen to review!

*Also! Visit CSN Stores & leave a comment on this post telling me one of your favorite products from their site...you will be entered to win a FREE art print from my store on etsy! ;)

Winner will be announced Friday, Nov. 12 @ 9pm EST.

Grreat News from the Art Show at the Dog Show!

2010-03-03T14:27:00.000-05:00

Some grreat news to share! I found out today that my "WBRK Westie Radio," painting above won for Best Entry Depicting a Dog From the Terrier Group at the 2010 Art Show at the Dog Show! This piece may still be available for purchase by contacting the Art Show office. It is 11"x14", framed oil on canvas panel, $425. I also have prints available of this piece in my store on etsy. If you are looking to have a portrait done of your precious pup, feel free to contact me or visit my website at Studio Lara, or my blog: Painting a Pup a Day.

Wishing Everyone a Truly Blessed, Family Filled Christmas!

2009-12-24T09:09:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone has a holiday filled with family, fun, and lots of laughter! Thank you for your support & encouragement throughout this year and for your friendship! God bless!~Lara

Our Jedha Bug-Bear is Gonna Be Ok :)

2009-12-09T18:10:00.001-05:00

Thank you to everyone for their kind words and prayers for our Jedha! We are hoping to be able to schedule his surgery sometime in January at the latest. A special thank you to those who have booked in portraits as this will truly help in covering the cost of having this growth removed. It's not that large, but to be safe they have to take wide margins and go underneath as well to be sure they get all the cancer cells. Praying he will have no other lumps & bumps develop! We love our Jedha Bug Bear to pieces and want him around for as long as possible! God bless! :)

Our Jedha has Cancer...

2009-12-03T12:26:00.000-05:00

Our Jedha went to the Cancer Specialist today and has a cancerous growth that will need to be removed...to read more click here.
*When in doubt, get it checked out!

Deer Encounters with Jedha Bug Bear...

2009-11-10T17:12:00.000-05:00

Deer is something new to this Aussie pup. He was introduced to his beloved squirrels last year, and a baby skunk last summer (he didn't like that one so much, nor the subsequent bath which followed), but this fall he has come to know deer, and a love/hate relationship has begun. I only wish I had a better camera as this little doe came so close to Jedha, and had he not started growling I think she would've come straight up to him! She would move a little closer, stomp her hoof to see if Jedha was scared (which he probably was), and then move a little closer. But alas, Jedha spoiled the fun with his grizzly bear growl and off she went, back into the woods!

Aussie Beach Boys...Summer Memories with Taffy & Jedha Continued

2009-10-31T23:02:00.002-04:00

You can take the Aussie dogs out of Australia, but you can't take away their love of the beach! This past summer Taffy & Jedha discovered the beautiful beaches of Michigan....true in September it was a bit chilly on the shores of Lake Michigan but it didn't stop the boys from catching some waves, sun, & sand!

They didn't venture out too far cuz Mom said there were no lifeguards...

We had plenty of fun playing in the surf,

chasing the ball, and each other!

Jedha Bug Bear really loved Michigan's

sandy beaches, can you tell?

It was a bit on the windy side as is evident from Jedha's ears...thankfully he didn't lift off the shoreline!

I think this shot says it all...what a grreat day at the beach!

Summer Memories...Our Trip Up North!

2009-10-26T16:46:00.002-04:00

Sorry for neglecting Jedha & Taffy's blog, I get so busy with painting, blogging, tweeting, facebooking, etc. etc. that other things tend to take a back seat. Anyway, we took oodles of photos on our end of summer trip back in September to Cheboygan, Michigan so I will probably spread them out in a few posts....here we go!

This was where we stayed (on the left), nothing fancy, but the right cottagy feel in the woods that we were after so it worked...

The boys had NO idea the place had a beach...here they are

checkin out the new digs, completely unaware

of what lie only feet ahead of them, ah yes...

Of course Taffy is the 1st to spot the lake! CHARGE!!!

I like to call this shot, 'On Golden Lake'...

And of course with playing in the water all day

it was soon time to take a Bug-Bear nap....

So, there you have it, the first installment of Jedha & Taffy's adventures Up North...to be continued! :)

Give a Dog a Bath...

2009-07-04T13:48:00.003-04:00

Jedha literally a few hours after a much needed bath...

...questioning 'why all the concern'?

After all, it's only a little bit of dirt right?...

Which reminds me...back in Sydney Jedha Bug-Bear was a bit of a 'digger'...we had thought Jedha was just soaking up the sun all the while in the backyard, chasing an occasional cockatiel, but truth be told he had been spending his afternoons under the house digging a cubby hole that could fit a small vehicle! Not sure where he thought he was going, but thankfully the hole was discovered before he made it to China!

My Mom keeps nudging me that we need to have kids, and again I say
'why have kids when I already have 2 fur-children'? :o)

What's Yours is Mine...A Love Story?

2009-06-18T17:13:00.006-04:00

I think photos can really tell stories so well, but for a bit of background,
Jedha is not really big on balls...this is actually 1 of Taffy's 6 Ultra-Chuck It balls....

....but, of course, like children Jedha figures 'what's yours is mine'.

It's not that he really wants to play with the ball...he just doesn't want Taffy to have it.

Taffy manages to get the ball back momentarily...only to lose it a few moments later.

...and being a bit of a brat, Jedha taunts Taffy with the ball in his face & tempts him to 'just try and get the ball from me'!...

...just look at that face!

A brief squabble erupts and then Taffy quickly recovers his faithful friend.

Nothing like sibling rivalry! :o)

A Park in Our Own Backyard!!

2009-06-06T18:25:00.002-04:00

If you only had seen their faces...me included! I probably should've gone around to the back and took a photo of their faces as they discovered that they have a 'park' of their very own in their backyard as we just moved a week ago today.But even from behind they still looked like a couple of kids seeing Disney World for the first time...all the possibilities, squirrels, rabbits, things to smell, places to explore! When I get a chance I will have to take some more pictures of the 'boys' exploring their new digs and neighborhood...it is just so grreat to see them so happy! :o)

Packing & the BBQ Thief...

2009-05-26T19:40:00.003-04:00

So, as you can see from the photos above, Taffy (and Jedha) have been contributing quite a lot to our packing this week as we prepare to move this weekend....

...and they even helped Dad prepare steak & chicken

for the 'barbe' (BBQ in Australian)

...but a funny thing happened in the end, apparently the steak and chicken was a bit too tempting to one someone of the 'canine persuasion'...so as Dad was talking with a neighbor, someone of the 'canine persuasion' carefully removed a steak from the plate next to the BBQ... Well, if you haven't guessed who the culprit was, I'll give you a hint, he's large, yellow and furry...yep, Jedha Bug-Bear helped himself to a steak, medium rare, just how he likes it. Dad was a bit upset to say the least, but he cooled down after Mom reminded him that Jedha is a dog and if you are gonna turn your back on a steak, well....

I'm just happy Jedha was so careful as to not break my plate!That's my boy! ;o)

Comfy?

2009-05-11T23:33:00.003-04:00

I have to laugh at our Taffy boy...he usually sleeps in our bed despite the fact that we bought him this wonderfully comfy bed for him, but lately he has wanted to sleep on his own bed. But the funniest thing is about nine times outta ten I find him like this, lying with his head and sometimes upper torso on the floor. How this is comfortable for him I have no idea but he seems to enjoy sleeping this way. We treat him like a king considering his former owners neglected him and more than likely abused him...my husband rescued him when he arrived on his doorstep in the pouring rain of the wet season in Cairns, Australia...every rib showing, afraid to come in, yet longing to have someone show him love...he found his forever home that day, and has a forever home in our hearts!

Ahhh Spring at Last!....

2009-04-19T10:23:00.005-04:00

Keeping a watchful eye on Jedha-Bug Bear
from my studio window....

Warm weather = Jedha doesn't want to eat,
just wants to get back outside....

Jedha thinking about all the squirrels he's missing out on
because Mom wants him to eat his food...

Refusing to eat anymore....Mom will have to hand feed me,
of which she on rare occasion will do....

Finally! Back outside in the yard...now don't make me come in! Pleeeez!
Yep, my Mom keeps telling us we need to have children,
and to that I say, heck we already have two!

Snowy Walk in April?

2009-04-09T18:38:00.005-04:00

Taffy & Jedha getting their Spiderman Red & Superman Blue
coats on for a walk in the Michigan snow of April??

...if you could bottle the ENERGY they have before departure!

Mom had to take a photo because we still
look SO cute as a bug's nose in our coats....yeah whatever Mom.

FINALLY! I thought we'd never get out to survey the neighborhood...

And of course Taffy is in the lead as per usual...if Jedha only realized
he outweighs Taffy by at least 15lbs!

Thankfully the snow has melted now and maybe, just maybe
Spring will begin here in Michigan!

Twitter Friend Gives Us Tweets :o)

2009-03-13T20:14:00.003-04:00

So this week Mom has been investigating Twitter and wouldn't you know it she made some new friends!LabsRus sent us some yummy dog food samples and some super yummy treats!How good is that?! And she even discovered some fellow Aussies on Twitter like Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and a young singer named Hayley Legg. You can twitter with our Mom at PaintingaPupDay, she's really friendly and never bites!;o) And if you'd like her to paint your pup, check out www.paintingapupaday.blogspot.com, or drop her an email at Loveall4Him@aol.com!

Jedha & Taffy Help Cook a Turkey...

2009-03-08T16:37:00.004-04:00

No need to adjust your screen, we haven't lost our minds here in Michigan and thought it was November, but we had a frozen turkey from my Aunt so we thought why not have Thanksgiving in March? As you can see Jedha and Taffy are helping me with cooking the bird...here they are telling me where I should baste it. Earlier today they dined on the liver and heart (sorry for those faint of heart)...they enjoyed it thoroughly....oh and I forgot, before that they dined on the neck, a delicacy in dogland. So, anyway, I just had to share these pics with you because every hour I have to check on the bird, or as we call it the 'chicky chicky' (even thought it's turkey), and there are my boys, right there with me, directing me where to aim my turkey baster.

Where is Spring Already?

2009-02-20T17:23:00.004-05:00

So I want to try and be better about posting more goings on of our two Aussie dogs, Taffy and Jedha, but here in Michigan not a great deal has been going on except for grey skies and cold, blistering wind. We did have a scare earlier in the week when we were up at the park. We were playing ball, chasing the occasional squirrel, and then decided to start back on our walk. Well, as we rounded the corner to our horror we came face to face with not one, but TWO loose pitbulls, oh yes, and one was pregnant! I immediately tried to tell myself, 'remain calm & assertive, what would Cesar Millan want me to do right now?'....but that pretty much went out the window as each pitbull went after each one of our dogs. All I could think about was 'bloody hell the white one is pregnant and the grey one is gonna defend her to the death'! Both our dogs would've started a fight in a heartbeat, especially Taffy who was rescued from the streets and is quite dog aggressive....so in panic mode I pulled with all my might and managed to get all 75 plus pounds of Jedha safely across the park and away from the pitbulls. Thankfully my husband was with me and was able to get Taffy across the park as well. In the meantime, the dog catcher tried in vain to wrangle the two pitbulls. He was actually going to have to get an officer to shoot the dogs if he could not find a way to capture them as each time he tried, they would try to attack him! I certainly didn't want for that to happen, and again, thankfully we heard yesterday that they were finally able to catch the loose pitbulls and bring them to the Humane Society... Definitely got the ol' heart rate going let me tell you, but at least all is well once again and we are able to play at the park without any fear of attack...although we will be more aware of our surroundings from now on!(I chose some of my favorite shots of the boys to share here.... love the one of Taffy at the beach in Cairns...he is such a handsome boy:o)

Some fun shots of Taffy & Jedha :o)

2009-02-11T14:16:00.003-05:00

I've neglected Taffy & Jedha's blog a bit as I have been busy with a new project I started at the beginning of this year called, Painting a Pup a Day in which I try my best to paint a dog each day, or every few days and donate 10% to one of the many dog rescue groups I currently work with. It has definitely kept me busy as I now have groups on both Facebook and Flickr following along on my year-long journey in addition to my Painting a Pup a Day Blog. Keeps me busy, but it has been such a joy combining two things I love the most, dogs and painting! If you are interested in following along on my journey, feel free to subscribe to my Painting a Pup a Day blog, or join my group on Facebook or Flickr! And of course if you are interested in having your dog's portrait done feel free to contact me at Loveall4Him@aol.com and I can send you my current price list for 2009 and put you on the waiting list!

Aussie Dogs LOVE the CCCold Beach!

2008-12-19T17:19:00.008-05:00

Taffy & Jedha finally experience snow up to their knees...

here they are jumping thru it like snow bunnies!

Taffy plays in it like he is at the beach back in Australia!

Jedha eating the snow like it's Edy's french vanilla ice cream!

Dad with his boys in the morning snow

Michigan Winter Wonderland!

Taffy on the attack! Jedha seeking refuge with Mom :o)

The boys watching Dad shovel the steps and porch....waiting ever so patiently for their walk to the park where Jedha almost caught a squirrel slowed down by the 6-8inches of snow we've gotten so far today!...Granted I think even if Jedha had caught the poor fella, he would've just wanted to make friends...however, knowing what happened to our Golden Retriever, Cassie, a few years back, I think the squirrel would've had quite a painful surprise in store for Jedha's big, black nose!

Aussie Dogs LOVE Michigan Snow!

2008-12-17T23:22:00.004-05:00

Jedha enjoying the quiet stillness of a Michigan Winter....

In awe of the softly falling white stuff from the sky....

The boys discover you can eat the cold white stuff! Now they think it is ice cream as they eat it off of everything and everywhere....yes, we have discovered that eating too much snow does not work too well with a dog's 'system' but how do we tell them no?....

Taffy playing with his ball like he did back home at the beach....boy this is cold sand here!

Jedha and Taffy's 1st Autumn & Winter in Michigan!

2008-12-17T23:03:00.006-05:00

Can you tell I've neglected Jedha and Taffy's blog a bit? Well as you can see they have enjoyed the leaves of fall and now are enjoying the discoveries Winter has in store for them....as you can see from the photos they were wondering what this cold white stuff was falling from the sky?? More snow photos to follow!...

Taffy Gets a New Doggy Coat :o)

2008-11-07T15:17:00.004-05:00

Ok, is there anything cuter than a dog in a coat??.....

"...that's what friends are for...."

Taffo and his ball.....

Taffo very rarely allows himself to be photographed doing anything too 'silly',

but I was able to capture this shot as he slipped off to dreamland....

....simply entitled, "Jedha's Lip" :o)

...I have to be sure to keep up on this blog because I know our friends back in Australia want to be sure we are doing ok over here in America, especially our Grandpa Harris who took such good care of us until we were able to fly across from Sydney to Michigan to be with Mom & Dad. Grandpa if you are reading this, we are doing really good over here in America, getting walks everyday, special treats when we are good, and trying not to chase so many squirrels! And we are staying far away from those 'smelly kitty cats' too!

Fun at Kensington...our Favorite Park!

2008-09-12T18:29:00.003-04:00

Is there anything more to say with these photos??! Taffy is FIERCE and FEARLESS! Jedha on the other hand would run down the launch pad, but stop juuust short of the water and then go running back down the dock and go in the safe (sissy) way....they both LOVE the water, even as cccold as it is here in Michigan!

Jedha Meets a 'Very Smelly Kitty'....

2008-08-13T13:56:00.003-04:00

So last night I let out the dogs and of course Jedha, our Lab Mix wanted to stay outside just a little bit longer, so Taffy and I went inside without him. On our way in Taffy suddenly stopped and put his nose in the air, looked up, and at the front gate, but I didn't see, hear, or smell anything, so we both continued on inside. Well in just a few minutes I could hear the jingle of Jedha's collar so I figured the knucklehead now was ready to come in. So, I open the side door and to my horror I see a baby skunk staring at me only about some 15 feet away! I grabbed Jedha, although in hindsight probably really didn't need to as he just wanted to get IN! and away from that REALLY smelly 'kitty cat'...see in Australia they don't have skunks, boy are they missing out huh?! Anyway, the smell was horrendous, although luckily? for Jedha it was a baby and either had bad aim or maybe the stream doesn't go that high when they are young, regardless he was mainly hit on his chest, not his head. I called up the vet and they said to mix 1 quart of peroxide, 1/4c. baking soda, and 1 tsp. dish soap and leave that on for about 15 minutes. So, I made the mixture and scrubbed it all over Jedha Boy's fur and we waited...he whimpered a bit, but after 15 minutes we washed it off and he did seem to not smell as much. I know from experience though that the stinkiness will last, oh probably a good 2-3 months, as this is what happened with our 1st Golden Retriever years ago when she had a run-in with a skunk. Anyway, we are really thankful all is well now and that it was a baby smelly 'kitty-cat' Jedha met and not the Mommy smelly 'kitty-cat' because I have a feeling the outcome would've been heaps worse! Welcome to America Jedha-Boy!

You Can Take the Dog Out of Australia....

2008-08-09T10:04:00.004-04:00

....but you surely cannot take 'Australia' out of an Aussie dog! Here is Jedha catching wind of the neighbor's BBQ, or 'Bar-Be' as they'd say in the land down under...

....moving closer

....I've had to call him in already a few times as once he smells something cookin he expects an invite nonetheless! He'll start his typical 'whinging' as we call it, just like a typical 5 year old, he starts his high-pitched 'mmn-mmn-mmn' as if to say, 'please, please, please can I have some, please?'

...hard to resist this face, but he has to be given boundaries....

( yeah right!)

Learning How to Navigate Stairs...

2008-08-09T09:49:00.004-04:00

So another thing we neglected to consider in bringing our 2 nuggets from Australia was the fact that they each had very little experience with stairs. We found this out straightaway as we opened the door to let them into their new home, only to have Taffy go flying down the basement steps, so much so that he basically had to jump off the steps to the floor below to avoid falling into a wall at the bottom....so yeah, this was our first 'a-ha moment' concerning the dogs and stairs. It was pretty nerve-racking the first week or so, mainly for us, fearing that the dogs would surely break their necks going down the stairs, but they have learned to go s-l-o-w-l-y down them, well most of the time! And wouldn't you know it, Taffo seems to fall up the stairs on occasion...ah, ya gotta love em!

Visiting PetSmart :o)

2008-08-03T14:08:00.008-04:00

Whoo-hoo! We're here!...

We can actually go inside Taffy?!....

Look at all the goodies Jedha!....God bless America!

Oy! these look pretty good!...

Ok, deadset this is MY FAVORITE aisle!....

This is MY FAVORITE!....

....and this one's pretty good too! We LOVE PetSmart! :o)

SQUIRREL PATROL!!!

2008-08-03T12:48:00.002-04:00

Well, let's just say I did not anticipate just how much our 2 Aussie dogs would LOVE squirrels (they don't have them in Australia)! Each morning, as they step, or should I say LAUNCH out the door!, they run to the back fence where they saw a neighborhood squirrel, oh about 2 weeks ago now...but of course they think it has to still be there. I wish I had photos of the very first squirrel Jedha saw. I watched him from the kitchen window as this friendly yet cautious little squirrel came slowly walking down the side fence. Jedha had been napping on his Coolaroo bed( from Australia I might add! purchased here at PetSmart), and spotted this furry creature making it's way closer and closer to his proximity and then it just stopped. The squirrel started clicking and flipping it's tail as if to see if he could entice Jedha to do something...well a couple steps later down the fence and he got his wish! Jedha SPRANG off his Coolaroo bed and flew towards the squirrel, who in turn first tried turning and going the other direction down the fence, then backtracked, nearly fell, until finally he decided he better make a leap for it and jumped off the fence and onto the safety of a nearby tree! It was just so amazing to watch...one moment, calm, peaceful serenity, a split second later flying fur at 100mph! Welcome to America Jedha Boy!

Jedha & Taffy~2 Aussie Dogs Take On America!

2008-08-03T12:31:00.000-04:00

This is the story about two Australian dogs, rescued from the streets, and their adventures here in America! I thought it would be fun for family, friends, & fellow dog lovers to share this journey with us. Taffy, a Kelpie/New Zealand Hunterway Mix, pictured first, was rescued by my Aussie husband, Jonathan, off the streets of Cairns in Australia about 5 years ago. He appeared literally on his front doorstep in the pouring rain of the wet season, every rib showing, hungry for food and for affection. Jedha, our Yellow Lab/Red Healer Mix, was rescued by my husband from the local animal shelter in Cairns after he was found wandering the streets at only 2 months old. Now, fast forward a bit as we were living in Australia after our marriage in 2006, but decided to take on America in 2008! There was no way we would be leaving our furry nuggets behind, and so on July 2, Taffy and Jedha made the long journey from Sydney, Australia, to join us here in Michigan!