Dear Abby: Meet Elsie (A Rescued Pet Spotlight)

Dear Friends,

Something very exciting happened this past week!   I met a new friend.  My dear friend Dave (whom I have known since I was one year old) adopted a new pup.  Her name is Elsie.  Dave and Elsie live just 2 miles from me, so I will get to see her often.  We have already had two play dates.  We are just getting used to spending time together, but I am sure we will be good friends!   (And I hear she will be coming over to visit for a longer time when Dave goes out of town.) 

Dave has stopped by the blog to visit today, and to introduce Elsie.  I know you will love her too.

Elsie and Abby

Abby:  What is Elsie's background and how did she end up in rescue? 

Dave: Well, she is 4 now.  Elsie is a terrier mix, according to our vet.  She is mostly rat terrier (we think), and maybe a bit of chihuahua.    She lived with another dog, but her person decided he didn't have the time for her.  She spent her time alone, and in a crate at night.  But whatever her life was like, she was obviously cared for and well trained.  She walks like a little angel on a leash, she is house trained, and doesn't have a mean bone in her body.  She charms everyone she meets.

Her person finally decided he had to surrender her to Paws Atlanta.   She stayed there for two months before I met her.

Abby:  What were Elsie's first days like at her new home? 

Dave:  She walked (actually ran) inside, and all over the house downstairs and upstairs.  Elsie settled in immediately.  The bed is hers, the sofa is hers.  She loves to run around and chase her new toys.  She knew how to fetch from the start.  And when she's tired, she turns it off, and curls up with me.  She has a LOT of energy, but her manners are impeccable.

Elsie loves belly rubs!

Abby: What are a few of Elsie's favorite things?  

Dave: The toys she keeps eviscerating, and I keep taking away.

Abby:  Do you have any tips for people who want to adopt a rescue pet?

Dave: Take your time.  Look at different rescue organizations on line, see who has the kind of dog you're looking for with size, breed, age, whatever is important to you.  Go to the facility, and meet the dogs.  And remember, you will bond with the right dog.  You may meet ones first where you don't click with them, and they don't click with you.  But be patient, and remember you aren't seeing them at their best - they need some time and space to let their personalities come out.  Elsie seemed more quiet and sedate when we met.  We didn't realize she would be so outgoing.

Elsie and Dave

Abby: Is there a rescue group you want to send a shout out to?  

Dave:  Paws Atlanta, they are the best.  They are a no kill shelter with a reputation for taking wonderful care of the cats and dogs they foster.  Jasmin from PAWS helped with the adoption, and she was wonderful! www.pawsatlanta.org

Abby:   Thank you so much, Dave, for visiting today.  This adoption story is near and dear to my heart because I know how kind you always have been to me and to my late brother Barney ... and I know what a wonderful home you have to offer to a pup.   AND I am so happy to make a new friend -- Elsie!

Friends, if you would like to leave a message for Dave, you can do so in the comments.   

Thank you so much for visiting today!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Dear Abby - Remembering Special Pets: Princess Poo

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a wonderful week!  I think spring is coming early here.  I love that, because it means longer walks outside.  

My good friend Angela is visiting today.  Angela is a great dachshund friend.  She runs the Doxieposse on Facebook and Twitter.  She has visited before, to introduce my buddy Gizmo and his family, and also to mourn the loss of Gizmo's brother Teddy.

Abby:  Thanks for stopping by!  What pet would you like to remember at my blog today? 

Angela:  The pet I want to mention is Princess Poo. She was around from April/May 2002 until June 2010. She was Gizmo's mom, she was half JRT and half dachshund. 

Abby:  What are some happy memories of Princess Poo? 

Angela:  Princess was full of spunk and energy. She always loved to do zoomies around the yard and house. She was Gizmo's best friend for the 4 years they spent together before her passing. When she was just a puppy, I would lay on the floor on my stomach and she would get in the nook between my legs and fall asleep. I felt bad when I needed to move, but that was her favorite spot. She also loved jumping on our trampoline. I would  put her on the trampoline and she would do zoomies on that and grab hold of my pants and bounce. Sometimes we would just lay on the trampoline and stare at the sky. She was always by my side. 

Abby:  Do you have any funny anecdotes? 

Angela:  This one may be a little bad, but it still makes me laugh to this day. My brother was living at home while Princess was around. He didn't like her climbing in the bed with him and would make her leave his room. One morning, I was standing in the doorway talking to my brother while he was at his closet. Princess had ran past me and hopped in his bed. She proceeded to climb on top of his pillow and take a poo. I couldn't stop laughing. She was glaring at my brother the entire time. She had got her revenge on him. I will never forget the look on her face, it was priceless. That would teach my brother to kick her out of his bedroom. It should be noted, they became really close years later and the poo incident was forgiven. 

Abby:  I enjoyed visiting with you today.  Is there anything else about Princess Poo you would like to share? 

Angela:  Princess was a special girl. I loved her dearly. I missed her while I was at college. She was one of the main reasons I would come back home to visit. Though she is no longer around, part of her lives on in her boy Gizmo. He reminds me of her everyday. The short time I had with her was some of the happiest times. She could make you laugh and was a great cuddle buddy. She ran the house and is still talked about almost daily, even 7 years after her passing. 

Abby:  Angela, thank you so much for visiting and sharing your memories of Princess Poo.  I loved the description of her playing on the trampoline.  I can just picture that!  She sounded so sweet and cuddly too.

Friends, if you would like to leave a comment for Angela, you can do that in the comments below.

If you would like to remember a special pet here, please leave a note with your email in the comments too.  Thanks!

Wishing you a good weekend.

Love,
Abby xoxoxo

  

Dear Abby - Remembering Special Pets: Mackie

Dear Friends,

Welcome to my very first Remembering Special Pets feature.  Today my Momma's dear cousin Mary has stopped by the blog to visit.  (Momma said that makes her my cousin, too!)

Mary has some wonderful photos and stories to share about her much loved German Shepherd, Mackie (2006 - 2012)

Abby:  What are some happy memories of Mackie? 

Mary:  Mackie loved going to bed at night.  If we watched TV too late at night, Mackie would leave us when he got tired and would go upstairs to bed without us.  The first time he did this, when we were ready to go to bed we began looking for him and calling his name.  We couldn’t find him anywhere, so we went upstairs to bed and he was already sound asleep in his own bed.  After that time, it was a regular occurrence. 

He also loved to ride in the car.  I have a small compact car, and he would sit in the passenger’s seat and look out the window.  He always got lots of smiles and waves, and occasionally another dog would bark at him as we passed.  Mackie seemed to love the attention he got as long as people kept their distance and respected his space. 

Mackie was such a well-behaved boy I was able to take him with me on bike rides through the neighborhood.  I would attach his leash to the bike handlebars and Mackie walked along beside me at a leisurely pace while I huffed and puffed on the bike.  On one of these outings, a large cat decided it didn’t like Mackie on his street and began chasing us.  Mackie was so scared he began running so fast that he pulled me along on the bike and we made it back home in half the time it normally took. 

Mackie and his special toy squirrel

Abby:  Do you have any funny anecdotes?

Mary:  During rainy weather Mackie would not go outside to potty unless I went with him and used the umbrella.  He always made sure he stayed dry, and if anyone got wet—it was me!   

Mackie with his doggie pacifier toy

Abby:  I enjoyed visiting with you today.  Is there anything else about Mackie you would like to share?

Mary:  My husband and I have wonderful memories of Mackie and we will always be thankful for the love and joy he gave us. 

Mary, thank you so much for visiting!  I loved seeing the photos of Mackie and hearing more about his life here.  Readers, you can leave comments for Mary in the comments section, below.

If you have a special pet or pets that you would like to share stories about, I would love to interview you!  Please leave your email in the comments if you are interested.  Thanks!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

 

Happy 4th of July: In Praise of Thundershirts

Happy 4th of July!   I hope you have a fun day (and a great long holiday weekend).  

I'm looking forward to a fun, relaxing weekend.  I'll plan to be home in the evenings because of fireworks.  Fireworks are legal in Atlanta, and you can see stands in shopping center parking lots;  the local grocery store even sells fireworks.  

My youngest dog, Abby (a 4 year old Dachshund/Jack Russell mix) is terrified of fireworks, thunder, and loud noises in general.  I always plan to be home on fireworks holidays so I can put Abby in her Thundershirt and comfort her.  The Thundershirt is a wonderful invention;  it really helps Abby with loud noises.   It is made of stretchy fabric, and wrapped snugly with velcro.  Effectively, it snuggles against a dog who wears it because he or she is afraid of noise.

Whatever you have planned, I hope you have lots of fun!  What are you up to this long weekend?   If you have dogs or cats, how do they do with the noise of summer holidays (fireworks)?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Vintage Dog Postcards at Birdhouse Books

Hi all!

I just added some fabulous vintage dog postcards to my store, and wanted to share a few with you.  You'll find all these cards, and many more, at Birdhouse Books - vintage dog postcards.   They make great stocking stuffer gifts, and also are lovely framed!

West Highland Terrier dogs - RPPC Christmas postcard:

Alaskan Malamute dog team - another RPPC (Real Photo Postcard):

Jack Russell Terrier dogs transfixed by their reflection in a mirror:

 Another RPPC featuring an Airedale, Beagle, Cocker Spaniel, and a dog who looks like he could be a Collie - Terrier mix:

 Skye Terrier dogs:

 A Cabinet card featuring a Wirehair Fox Terrier - a real beauty:

Big Lots of Vintage Playing Cards - Single Swap Cards

I had so much fun putting these lots of vintage single swap playing cards together!  They are great for a collector, a dog lover, or anyone who loves vintage graphics and illustrations.   At Birdhouse Books I currently have a number of vintage playing card lots (click here to see!).

They include:

• Scenthounds - Dachshunds, Beagles, and Basset Hounds
• Terrier Dogs
• Sporting Dogs - Retrievers, Pointers, and Setters
• Transportation - Trains, Ships, Cars, and Travel
• Animals - Bears, Ducks, Horses, Deer, and more
• and a huge lot with a bit of everything!  (87 cards) - Coca Cola, advertisements, art, retro pop culture

Hope you'll pop by and visit - vintage playing cards at Birdhouse Books.

More Pairs of Vintage Dog Playing Cards

I've had so much fun with vintage dog playing cards this week!   These cards are among my favorite things to list.   Dogs and ephemera together -- a perfect combination!    Here are a few more pairs of vintage dog cards from Birdhouse Books.

Jack Russell Terrier dogs popping up from a crate labeled Special Handling:

West Highland Terrier dog and doghouse - 1930's to 1940's vintage, especially nice:

Wirehair Fox Terrier dog peeking out of a ship porthole:

Puppy dog playing in a hat box:

Dachshund dog - three views - really nice:

1960's vintage Terrier dog illustration - would look great framed!

Again, all these cards and many more are at Birdhouse Books on eBay.

Vintage Dachshund Playing Cards

Have I mentioned how much I love vintage single swap playing cards featuring dogs?   The illustrations and photos are so sweet, they look great framed, and they make a thoughtful gift tucked inside a greeting card.  My favorites are usually 1950's to 1960's vintage -- I love that style of illustrations and photos.  (This is true of children's book illustrations and magazine ads for me too!)   These cute playing cards feature Dachshunds -- and I have more of them at Birdhouse Books.

Vintage Dog Postcards at Birdhouse Books

I'm delighted to add these vintage dog postcards to my store, Birdhouse Books.   Just wanted to share some great vintage dog images with you!


A beautiful Wirehair Fox Terrier dog resting in a horseshoe - illustration by Taylor - 1940.

A Patient Playmate - a beautiful Jack Russell dog meets a cat peacefully.  1910 postmark.

A Dachshund wraps himself around a palm tree - unusual Art Deco design card.

An English Springer Spaniel dog watches some beautiful cats drink milk.  

A hound dog watches a romantic couple kiss in silhouette.  1911 postmark.  Illustration by F.R. Morgan.  

You'll find these vintage dog postcards, and more, at Birdhouse Books - just click here!

Dog-Gone Cute: Tips for Listing Vintage Dog Ephemera

One of my favorite collecting - and selling - areas is vintage ephemera. I particularly love vintage dog ephemera.

I collect vintage Dachshund ephemera (especially Valentines and Christmas cards) but that is another blog entry - or perhaps a whole separate blog!

I love the cute, often whimsical vintage dog illustrations, of course. But it is also fun to peek into another time and see people with their pets.

My axiom as an eBay seller has always been: if it has a dog, mention the dog. Prominently. In the title and in the description.

I also recommend being as specific as possible -- not just Cute Dog Card, but Cute Poodle Card, or better yet, Cute BLACK STANDARD POODLE Card.

Although I started on line selling vintage children's books (and that will always be my first love), over time I've also come to really enjoy vintage ephemera. I have a big box of it here waiting to be listed (perhaps 400 - 500 pieces). It's a little like a treasure hunt; you never know what goodies you will find!

I certainly hope there are more vintage dogs waiting for me in my ephemera box.

A few of the dog postcards, Valentines and greeting cards I have listed online:

http://search.stores.ebay.com/Birdhouse-Books_dog-cocker-beagle-poodle-puppy-puppies-dogs-card-valentine-postcard_W0QQfcdZ2QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ3QQfromZR10QQfsnZBirdhouseQ20BooksQQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsaselZ81052548QQsatitleZQ28dogQ2ccockerQ2cbeagleQ2cpoodleQ2cpuppyQ2cpuppiesQ2cdogsQ29Q20Q28cardQ2cvalentineQ2aQ2cpostcardQ29QQsbrsrtZdQQsofpZ0