snow means frozen paws and new boots

Well we have received about 7 inches of snow yesterday and now the temperature is dropping like a rock. I really don't mind the snow so much but the cold I hate. I dislike it even more for my two babies. They both love going outside but they seem to want to stay out after they have done there business. I have a hard time getting them to come back in anyway no matter if it is hot or cold. I went out this morning to shovel the deck off to give them a path and then I was going to shovel the driveway after that. While cleaning the deck the dogs were playing in the snow which is always cute to watch. I had just finished up and was getting ready to come in and I turned around and Shadow was already in distress. His feet were so cold that I could not get him on the deck. I tried to grab him but he kept turning around and backing up away from me and the deck. I finally got him, but by now he really could not walk, so he just sat down. I know that it does not take long for frost bite to set in and I have heard terrible stories about dogs frozen to the ground. OMG now I am in panic mode. I finally got him to the deck and pushed him up so he was out of the snow. I finally got him in the house and on the rug in the kitchen. As you can see from all of my photos he is not a small dog, he weighs 75 lbs that I can not lift. Kayla I can lift up and carry her in. This does happen every winter when it snows it is either Shadow or Kayla with the cold feet. They stand out there for just a minute to long and then are too cold to walk. They just hold there feet up one at a time. Most of the time I can get them to come to the door and get them in the house. This time was the worst I have ever had happened and now the last. Thank goodness he was alright. After I settled myself down from shear panic, I went out and shoveled the drive well about half of it. I went out later and finished it.

Now it is time for me to act on the frozen paws scare. I was going to go out and buy some doggie boots, but I thought maybe someone had a free pattern on the Internet. Bingo I found a couple of patterns. I gathered my supplies, fleece, ultra suede, Velcro and a few more items and went to work. I was not sure how this was going to go, but I do not think I did too bad for a quick job after all looks did not matter in this time of need. Now the true test was to come "Will he wear them". Lets see with a lot of cookies and praise - Oh yes he did wear them!!!!! I have such a good boy. They do need to be a bit longer and I think a little more stylish LOL but they really worked very well.

Check out the new stylin snow boots Dude!!! Where's mine Mom?

" Please take my picture too!!! I am such a pretty girl".

Kayla was not getting her attention today so she just sat down in front of me while I was taking photos of Shadow.

Look everyone my Mom made me some new snow boots so my feet won't get cold again. I am looking good NOW!!!

Shadow's snow boots made from fleece with ultra suede pad on the bottom. I have found that they do twist a bit when he walks. As you can see on one of his front feet the ultra suede pad is showing. I have found it is how you wrap the Velcro that makes a difference in the twisting. A easy fix.

I have decided to go out to Hobby Lobby tomorrow and get some more fleece and a few more supplies and make him another pair as well as a pair or two for Kayla. I might see if I can find another pattern for dog snow boots. I really think his need to be longer on his legs. I also think that they need two pairs each to change them out. I do know that they do keep his feet quit dry.

All in all they worked for what I needed them for and he is still letting me put them on him to go outside. Success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow it will be Kayla's turn. I am thinking it is going to be a little bit harder with her. She is wanting to take off running with Shadow's while I am putting them on him. That's my girl! LOL Who knows she may just surprise me like Shadow did.

Right!

My little diva girl. :)

If anyone has any other ideas for me to try, please let me know.

Puppy Kisses and Bear Hugs,

Sheryl

* Sale* on Bearpile

Hi all,

I am having a sale on www.gonetothedogsusa.bearpile.com Please stop by and see Takoda, Feathers and Ash as well as a few more of there friends up for sale.

New Year and New Adventures

I want to say Happy New Year all!!!!

I am going to start the new year with new adventures-----------

I am going to start taking better care of me. I am going to get healthy and fit. I mean after all I am no spring chicken but I am not in too bad of shape either, but I do need to loose a little weight. I am going to start the 17 day diet (as seen on the Dr. Phil show) when my book gets here and see how that does. I hope I can do well my fear is that I am such a picky eater that I will not want to eat some of the food suggestions. I will keep an open mind though.

I am also going to get more organized. I am going to clean this house from top to bottom and get rid of the stuff that I do not need or want. I am also going to redo my bedroom. It is one of two rooms that I have left to do. I am going to go for the shabby chic style. I love old things any way so it just sounds like me. I already have a good start with my Grandma's antique iron bed that we painted white when I got it and with a little of the gold color that she had painted it shining through it says shabby chic.

I have also been thinking about giving my website a major face lift. I mean every thing new. Well it was a thought, now it will be a reality. For some strange reason I have lost all of my files in my website program. I mean there is nothing left. Oh don't worry you can still see it it is on my website server, but I will not be updating it until I rebuild it all over again. I know it will be a lot of hours to rebuild. So look for the new and improved Gone to the Dogs USA website coming soon.

I am also going to be reducing prices on some of my items on bear pile. I am going to need to sell to make room for the 2011 Bears and critters. Most will make there debute on the Blooming bears online show in March.

So as you see I have alot of new adventures coming up and more new adventures to come. Keep checking back often as I will be posting more on updates for the new year.

Puppy Kisses and Bear Hugs,
Sheryl

Happy Holidays!

Wishing everyone Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Gone to the dogs USA
Sheryl

One little girl in the Dog house!!!

Well I have been quite busy these days making last minute Christmas gifts for my customers as well as designing a new pattern.
As for the new pattern it is for a new critter which will make his depute in the online Blooming Bear Show in March. But this little guy has a story to tell.
I spent a full day working on this pattern. I finally got it done and cut out my fabric and hand stitched him all up. I was also helping my Dad with his computer over the phone when I heard Kayla up to something in the other room. I went to check and she had taken my new pattern off the coffee table and decided to be my little portable shredding machine and just had a hay day with it. I mean she had it strung out all over the place. I even think she ate some of it as well. I did rescue at least 3 pieces of this cute critter pattern, but that was it. I have to say she has a very bad habit of doing strange things when I am on the phone with anyone just to get my attention. Well needless to say she got my attention as well as my Dad's. I was screaming at her with the phone by my ear. I am surprised that my poor Dad did not loose his hearing.
It was also a good thing that she did not get a hold of the finished critter she would have been in the dog house for sure.
I did redo the pattern and kept the few pieces that she did not get a hold of and He is finished waiting for a new home come March.

So I am saying this now and again in March that this is a true ONE OF A KIND piece there will never be another one like it!!!

I will post a few of the items I am working on for my clay customers. It has been a couple of years since I have made any clay dogs. I must say I am a little out of practice, but it is coming back to me quickly. It is a nice change from the bears. I will get back to them after the first of the new year. I have a few more to do for the Blooming bear show March 12th & 13th. I am really looking forward to the show.

Talk with you all soon,

Sheryl

I have been hiding out!!!!!!!!

It has been quite busy around the old home front here. So now it's time to catch everyone up on the goings on.

Well October was a very busy month as you will see below. I had to take Shadow in for his regular Vet visit. He had all of his shots and blood work done for the year. I am happy to say that he is in good health for being 12 years old.

Lucky's Hurt Paw!!!!

Now last week I had a shock, my cat Lucky is never sick but this time she had a hurt foot. I am still not sure what happened but I think Kayla might have stepped on her foot and her toe nail got caught between Lucky's toes and cut it. It was very swollen for a day and then started to bleed. I took her to the Vets for him to check just to make sure nothing serious was going on. Well I decided while she was there I would have her blood work done since she has not been to the Vets since she was 5 and now she is 17. I know me bad for not taking her all those years. The way I see it she is an indoor cat and she has been doing fine for all these years then why take her in. I am sure a few folks are going to be a little unhappy with me about that. I have had her since she was 5 weeks old when she was left in the middle of a road in a box to fend for herself. She has been spayed and her front claws have been declawed. (I do know if I get another cat in the future I will never have them declawed again). I guess my point is I know how she is and when I need to take them in for a visit I will do so in a heart beat.

Now back to the visit. She did very well at the doctors office she was not scared at all. She purred the whole time and let them touch her foot, take blood and weigh her. She weighed a good 9 pounds.
The doctor gave her some antibiotics and I had him wrap her foot up, so the dogs would not bother her little foot. Well let me tell you, if I knew what a good wrap job the doctor was going to do I would not have had him do it. It took 2 days to get that wrapping off her foot. First I had to take the white tape off the top. I pulled gently as possible, but I still pulled out her hair. OUCH!!
So I then cut as far down on the rest of the wrapping as possible, by now Lucky was a very unhappy cat. I mean she was PO'd. Now on top of that the next day I had to give her the liquid medicine. Right like that was going to happen. That did not work out either. I gave that up for the day and went and got some pills instead. I thought I had a better chance to get them down her. I then began again on the wrapping around her foot. So I cut down some more in the front to ware if she just flipped her foot it would come off. I got it to work and when it came off, again she was not at all happy. another OUCH!! I let her settle down and then gave her her pill. It worked out much better this time.
I took her yesterday for her weeks checkup. The only thing that I was very worried about was that she was not eating very well. Her foot looked good and was healing well. The doctor and I thought it might be the medicine upsetting her tummy so we took her off her medicine and I bought some canned food to see if she would eat that (she eats dry food normally). Well today a success she is eating the canned food and doing very well. All of her blood work tests came back great. She is my normal healthy 17 year old cat.

This is a photo of her foot wrapped in a very pretty green bandage.

Kayla was a little sick with something over the weekend, but she is now back to her crazy little self. I am not sure what her problem was. I am just happy that she is doing great. She goes for her yearly visit to the Vets in December. I will have had all three checked from top to bottom and all three in very good health!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Teddies Worldwide Holiday Online Bear Show

Please visit November 15th for a sneak preview of the first Teddies Worldwide Online Holiday bear show. Now you can check out all of the Artists who will be in the show!!!!!!

Click the banner for a visit.

I am very proud to be a part of this show along with 74 other Artists from around the world. I have been creating and working very hard on all new Bears and new friends just for the show. Please stop by and see all the new creations just for the show. I promise you you will not be disappointed.

What's this in my Window?????

Ok, I know this is a strange photo but I just had to take it and share it with you. I heard a nose in my bedroom and walked in there to see this guy in my upper windows. He was chewing on the wood up there. I tapped on the window with my baseball bat (because I am short and that was the longest item I could find at the time) to scare him away, but instead he just looked in the window. Well I finally got him down from there. A couple of days later he was back up there again. Good grief does he not have any manners. "Please do not chew the wood" Mr. Squirrel!!!!!

I am sure he will be back again.


Trunk or Treat for Halloween

Our neighborhood group and the church across the street from me had a Trunk or Treat this year for the kids on Halloween. Here are a few photos of all the ghost and goblins.

This is the first year for me to decorate my car. This is the back of my car that I made into a scary graveyard. I went shopping the day before to pick up a few more items and then used a few things I already had. Not bad if I have to say so myself.

Again this is the back of my car. I liked the witch flying decoration. It was haft price too. It was fun shopping 2 days before Halloween I got all kinds of discounts. Now that's the way to shop!!!!!!!!!!

This little guy is a dragon. He was cute!!! I just love the little ones.

Here is our neighborhood bumble bee girl!!!

I really had a good time. I do not get many kids that come to my house, because I am so close to the main road. They normally go as far as the church across the street from me and go back down the street. So it was nice to see the trick or treaters. There were about 60 kids or more that came.

I will have to do this again next year. Now how can I improve on my graveyard...........

URSA AWARDS

Just wanted to fill everyone in on the Bears and Bud's URSA awards 2010 from October. I am very proud and excited to say that my Dakota Bear has won 1st place in his category this year. What a very big honor for me to have been apart of this event.

Congrats to all of the other winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope I have caught everyone up on my activities. Please stop by I plan on keeping everyone up to date more often.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Puppy kisses and Bear hugs,

Sheryl

Something COOL on a Hot summer day!!!!!

I'm so excited, my Dakota Bear is one of the URSA 2010 Finalists. I feel so very honored to have won. Thank you to everyone that has voted for him.



Please click on the banner below and go and vote for your favorite. You only have until September 11 to cast your one vote to determine the major best overall award.



Dakota is a very special bear I named him after my wonderful Nephew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you all again for your votes.

Puppy kisses and Bear hugs,

Sheryl