My Collection

I've been collecting dog figurines for quite a while, so since it is a collection of dogs, I thought I would show you all. 


Most of the dog figurines I have I find in antique stores, but I also have some that I got as gifts, etc. I think I have 37 figurines so far.

This little gold dog was my first figurine, and started my collection.

This one is a bookend.

This one is my smallest figurine. As you can see it is pretty small!

Left are my hounds, right are the huskies, and below are a bunch of terrier figurines

This figurine is one of my favorites. It is a Chinese Crested Dog.

The above two are matching, but I found them at different antique stores.

Yes, these three are the same. They all came with some tea.

This one is a bobble-head. 

This glass dog is my favorite. I have seen one in almost every antique store I have ever been in. I did some research and found out it was once a candy jar. The inside is hollow and there used to be a paper cover on the bottom to hold the candy inside.

And... I have started a bunny figurine collection:

Updates

I haven't done any shelter updates or updates about my pets recently so here are a bunch of updates:


Updates on my pets:


Munchkin is his usual happy self. Last week I took him outside for the first time ever (he was on a secure safe leash of course!) and he loved it. I took some videos of him outside so I will be uploading those soon. 


Pipsqueak is her usual self too. I slightly changed her cage, but only slightly: she now has a "roll-a-nest" in the bottom of her cage (it is a round grass hut) and she loves it, and she also has less tubes on her lower level (because I broke one!). I might do a video tour of the way it looks now soon.


Squirt has been doing quite well. I have had him for around two months now. He had some fin rot problems for a while, but he seems to be past that now. I have discovered that he is a pooping machine!!!! Which was probably contributing to his fin rot, so I have been doing extra frequent tank cleanings. I have discovered that he sometimes has SBD (swim bladder disorder) which is basically when the fish gets constipated which causes their swim bladder to sort of bloat, so they end up floating too much, having difficulty staying upright, and some side-ways swimming. Fortunately all that is required is a day of fasting and he is back to normal. Apparently bettas with Squirt's fin type are prone to SBD and it doesn't help that he will only eat the dry pellet food. I spread out his meals which seems to help but he still has episodes every now and then. Like today. Poor thing.

The dogs, Lacey and Sheba, are doing good too. They are enjoying the cool weather today because they love having the windows open. Lacey spends a lot of her time just sitting by the window and sniffing.


The cat up to today has been a very happy cat, playing with her cat nip toys and her catnip blanket that I made her. She has been enjoying sunny afternoons on the porch. However she is quite upset today because she will be going to the vet. So she had to stay inside today, which she greatly disliked. And once we bring out the carrier and get in the car she will be really upset. But other than dealing with a regular vet check up she is her usual self. 


So that is all of my pet updates, so here are the shelter updates:




Baby bunnies are up for adoption!!!!! I believe four of the babies are boys and three are girls, (although it may be vice versa, I can't remember!) 


One guinea pig was adopted! 


Other than the one guinea pig, adoptions have been slow in the pocket pet department. There are currently ten rabbits, six guinea pigs, four ferrets, and nine rats. Basically everywhere you turn there are cages! And it takes forever to clean them all! Fortunately a rabbit rescue is taking a bunch of the rabbits so that will lessen the load a little. Especially since the baby bunnies eat a lot!!! 


Cat wise things are pretty normal, and I think the amount of kittens is starting to slow down just a little. The cats are all enjoying my toys, I think so far I have brought in about thirty catnip toys that I made. 


Right now at the shelter we have quite a few dogs, including a bunch of little dogs. My favorite dog right now is a black lab/ basset hound mix named Orson. He is very funny looking and he loves to sit on the window sill in his kennel and look down on the world below. It is the cutest thing. My other favorite is a GORGEOUS pitbull whose name I can't remember. Every time I go I check what his name is but I still always forget!




So that's all for updates!


A new shelter profile will be coming soon!

Oops!

This is a correction for my recent Critter Crafts post. I actually use 8 by 8 inch squares not 6 by 6. This way the ties are 2 inches and the pouch ends up being 4 by 4r inches at the end. I have no idea why I though 6 by 6. (you can use a 6 by 6, but the finished pouch will only be 2 by 2 inches). Also for the smaller pouch, I use 7 by 7 inch squares, not 5 by 5! Sorry for the error. 


( I also fixed this in my post!)

Critter Crafts!

So, you all voted for what you wanted the next critter crafts to be, and the winner is:

No-Sew Catnip Pouches!

I have made a few of these for the shelter cats and I have made one for my own cat, Agatha. They all give them two paws up! The cats have discovered that not only are they great for playing with, but they also make good pillows for catnaps!

What you will need:

Fleece

Ruler or measuring tape

Masking tape

Scissors (fabric scissors work best)

Catnip

Spoon

Step 1:

Take your fleece and your masking tape. Make a six inch by six inch square with the tape.


OOPS!!! It should be an 8 by 8 inch square! (you can use a six by six inch square, it will just make the pouch smaller)

Step 2:

Now cut out the square:

Step 3:

Take the strips of tape off and place them two inches away from the edge, and cut off the squares the tape makes in the corners.

Your project should now look like this:

Step 4:

Make the ties. Cut 4 one-inch wide and two-inch long strips on each edge of your square.

Now remove the tape.

Your project should now look like this:

Step 5:

Set your finished piece aside. Go back to your fleece and repeat all the above steps to make a second square. 

Step 6:

Once both pieces are finished, match up the sides and start tying the ties into double knots. However make sure to leave at least one side open!

Step 7:

Take your catnip and put 3 to 4 spoonfuls inside your fleece pouch

Step 8:

Finish tying all the rest of the knots, and you are finished! (You can also trim the edges of the ties once they are double-knotted if you wish)

Your finished project should look like this:

Note:

These instruction are for my large size catnip pouch. I also make a smaller size. 

To make the smaller size start out with a five by five inch square in the first step, and make three ties on each side (still one inch wide and two inches long) instead of four.

Correction: for my smaller size I use a seven inch by seven inch square not five by five!

Next time on Critter Crafts:

It's a surprise! (because I haven't decided yet!)

I may try to do the next one as a video!

New video!!

Videos!

Here are a bunch of videos of Munchkin being silly!

Critter Crafts!

No- Sew Double Decker Hammock:

What you will need:

Fleece

Scissors (fabric scissors are best)

Masking Tape

Ruler or Measuring Tape

First lay out your fleece on a flat surface such as a table or the floor

Step 1:

Make a 15 by 24 inch rectangle by placing masking tape on the fleece.

Step 2:

 Cut out the rectangle. Your project should now look like this:

Step 3:

Make the ties:

Take the tape off of the two smaller sides of the rectangle. Now place that tape two inches away from the edge of the fleece

Now cut 15 one inch strips on each side:

Making sure to cut right up to the edge of the tape: 

Your project should now look like this:

 Step 4:

Now remove the tape:

Step 5:

Make another rectangle, this one measuring 12 by 15 inches and cut out:

Step 6:

Make the ties:

Take the tape off the fifteen inch long sides and place two inches away from the edge. 

Now repeat what you did in step 3 and make fifteen one-inch wide ties on both edges. Then remove all the tape.

Your project now look likes this:

Important: Make sure that the ties are on the fifteen-inch long sides!

 Step 7:

Take both pieces and match up the ties:

Then tie each pair of ties in double knots:

Each side should look like this:

Repeat to the other side

Voila! All done! Your finished project should look like this:

To hang the hammock take the ties on each corner and tie them to your pet's cage bars.

Note:

This sized hammock is suitable for ferrets and chinchillas. The kittens at the shelter like these too! It is great for rats too, but you can make it smaller for the rats if you like.

For rats I generally use rectangles of about 14 by 18 inches and 14 by 9 inches. If you do this make sure to keep the ties one inch wide and two inches long.

Next time on Critter Crafts....

You choose! What do you want the next critter craft to be? Vote for the craft you want on the poll to the right!