The Dog Diet - A Memoir, by Patti Lawson
What my dog taught me about shedding pounds, licking stress and getting a new leash on life

I am loving this book! I just bought another copy to send to a girlfriend who is in denial about depriving herself of some four footed joy ... She says she's too busy, says she travels too much, says this, says that. Truth is she works, works, works and is alone a lot much like the heroine of this true story.

If Patti Lawson - out of the blue - was able to fit Sadie into her life and thrive, so will Mafe.

I laughed and cried and related from page one. This past Monday I propped myself up in bed with Velvet on one side and Kitty nestled on the other. I couldn't put it down. Had some big, unexpected "ah has" about my diet and how I "tug at my leash." Whew. I got changes to make in the NOW!

Click here to order The Dog Diet for yourself. Heck, order two or three. Friend's Day is just around the corner - don't you have a girlfriend who doesn't know how awesome, healthy and fun life is with some 24/7, no-matter-how-you-look or how intelligent you are kind of love?

Me, I have Velvet the dog, Peetie the bird and Gengus Kitty our newest addition. I think Patti needs to adopt a cat next ... There's a bigggggg difference as I've been livin' and learn'.

Fundraiser Idea for Bakesales. Thanks to Melissa Felts of SPCA Fredericksburg!

I'm always trying to find something different for fundraising ideas, and I made these picture cupcakes today, just to see if they would be bakesale worthy. I think they are! I took the photos of the animals for adoption from our website (SPCAFred.org), and printed them on white paper. Then I took the paper to the bakery dept. at Giant (the machine at Simply Sweet was not working) and they printed it for me on edible paper. When I called them, they said it was $9.99 per sheet, but when I went there, it turned out to be $6.00. Then I frosted the cupcakes, cut out the pics, peeled off the backing, and stuck them on the cupcakes. Then I simply did a quick trim around them to cover the edges of the pics. Cute, huh? I hope you all can use this idea for your fundraising efforts, too!

Fundraiser for Dogs, Cats, Horses ...

This is pretty simple. Just go to The Animal Rescue Site and click on the purple box "fund food for animals." This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

There are also some really cool products here ... One that caught my eye is a small plaque that reads "Heaven is where you meet all the dogs you ever loved." I am counting on that.

Help get the word out on this fundraiser! Please add their link above to your website, blog or signature and pass it on to your friends.

Be Prepared to Protect Your Pets During a Disaster

If disaster strikes, would you have a plan in place to protect your pet ... or would you have to leave your pet behind to fend for itself? Being prepared for a disaster ahead of time can save not only your life, but the life of your pet as well. If at all possible, do not leave yourpets behind should you have to evacuate! If it's not safe for you to stay in your area, it's not safe for your pet.

Click here for the rest of the article - very good information from someone who loves her doggie!

Dog Lover Gift and Fundraiser for the SPCA
Introducing The Barker's Dozen Friendship Greeting Card Pack!

Take a break and treat yourself to a belly laugh or two or three. Then, pass it on to a friend, in fact up to 13 of your friends and family.

How?

My brother Richard and I are selling the "Barker's Dozen Friendship Cards" as a fundraiser for our SPCA. Proceeds pay for spaying and neutering pets while promoting adoptions and volunteering ...

Each pack consists of 13 hilarious and heartfelt greeting cards. Each photo and caption is different - get ready to laugh, sigh, snort, chuckle, connect, howl and commiserate. Keep one for yourself on your desk as a reminder to avoid the dog poop in life or to never let them catch you with cookies on your breath ...

You're tired of just getting bills and ads in the mail - so are your friends. These greeting cards with cheer them up and cheer them on. This is a totally awesome birthday gift for anyone. It is an anytime gift for the dog lovers in your life.

Please click here to order your Barker's Dozen Friendship Greeting Card Pack from the SPCA of Fredericksburg (thru eBay.) If you would like to sell these as a fundraiser for yours, just drop me a note at Viveca@FatigueBeGone.com

Finally, please forward this post onto your friends and family. Thanks for helping us get the word out on this fundraiser and thanks for stopping by today ...

The Special Olympics in Delaware has a site called www.waggies.org that makes peanut butter doggie treats. They have 2 bag sizes 24 bone bag for $6.oo, and a 50 count bag for $10.oo. This does 3 things;

1) It supports Special Olympics 2) It beats the prices of every other retailer out there and 3) It makes our pups tails go wiggly wag, waggle wig.

Please pass this to all of your animal loving friends!

Our Valentine's Pup is ready for love ...

Are you?

Happy Valentine's Day, almost!

Pedigree says ...

Help Us Help Dogs.
For every dog that gets adopted, there is one that doesn't.

The Pedigree adoption drive is on. I remember this campaign from last year - they present the situation as it is with joy and sorrow. Yes for every dog that is - one isn't.

Click here for more information about how you can begin a pack or add one more heart on legs into your pack.

I noticed that Pedigree is also giving away free food for a month to anyone who adopts. This company is a class act.

Pets make us healthy and happy. I know you know that but here are a few specifics ...

Would you like stronger bones? This fact will make your purrrrrr. Apparently the sound of a cat’s purr keeps their bones strong AND keeps their owner's bones strong and healthy too.

Want to give your happy hormones a boost? The fact will make you want to pet – the verb. Petting cats or dogs increases feel good hormones, lowers blood pressure and slows the heart rate. In other words, petting is healthy for your heart!

Want to live longer? On average, people who cared for dogs during their lives lived 3 years longer than people who never had a dog.

Want an easy, healthy stress buster? A study shows that watching fish swim can drop your blood pressure about 15 points, about the same as meditating.

Want to get back into shape, in how you feel and look? Dog owners walk 79 percent farther in an average week than non–dog owners.

“Walking is the biggest bang for our buck. Thirty minutes a day of walking will prevent many cases of diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic diseases. Walking is the simplest, easiest way for most people." Richard Carmona, Surgeon General

This is a fun topic to research and along the way I came across a slew of great books on this topic …

What a dog loves is ... about the same thing I love!

Are you up for a litte humor today? Here's an irrestible blonde joke ...

A blonde and her husband are lying in bed listening to the next door neighbor's dog.

It has been in the back yard barking for hours and hours. The blonde jumps up out of bed and says, 'I've had enough of this'. She goes downstairs ...

The blonde finally comes back up to bed and her husband says 'The dog is still barking, what have you been doing?'

The blonde says, 'I put the dog in our backyard, let's see how THEY like it.

There's not a dry eye in the house ...

Last weekend I read Mark Levin's book, Rescuing Sprite. I knew it would be a total tear jerker but I didn't know that I would be teared up from the minute I looked at the cover till I closed the back cover and all over each page in between.

Now, I had different kinds of tears from empathy to joy. I was teared up for Mark, I teared up being reminded about my past loves Candy and Champ and Molly and Vertigo and Angel.

I teared up thinking about Velvet and Bitsey our 12 year old Christmas pups. And their lil sis Hunter and Coco the barbarian, too.

From the minute you bring a pup home the clock starts ticking. Does this make us love them more intensly? I wonder. But I wouldn't have it any other way ...

Someone told me once that the greatest sign of love and thanks we can give to the loves we've lost is to love again. That is what I have been doing which is why there is a long string of dog names. Live long enough, love enough and you will have your own. (You probably do already, eh?)

Anyway what I really want to say right now is Thank You! to Mark Levin for sharing his intimate love story with all of us and to encourage you to order your own copy today at:
http://www.MarkLevinShow.com

Oh, and while you are at, the Barker's Dozen Friendship Cards are now available. Click here for more information and to order your copy at: http://barkersdozennotecards.blogspot.com/