Muffin Craver and Balls, TV and Toys

Dear Paws,

Everyone says we should date and hook up. I already talked to him about it, and he said that he just wants to stay friends forever, so nothing would change between us. Still, people nag us about getting together. What do you three think I should do Pupkateers?

-Muffin Craver

Maddie: Date? What's that? Is it like playtime? Why does it matter what other people say? Just have fun when you play. Playtime is great, especially with a ball. I have a ball. Let me get it... Uh Oh... I can't get it, it is under the bed. Get my ball for me, please, please, please please pleasepleaseplease I want my baaaalllll. *Whines*

Murphy: Sorry, can't help. *clunk* Kinda busy now *clunk* there is peanut butter *clunk* in this toy *clunk* and if I can just *clunk* bounce it hard enough *clunk clunk clunk* I can get it! *clunk clunk lick lick lick*

Rogue: Aww, you sound stressed, Muffin Craver, let me help. Here, I will get into your lap and let you pet me, that will help you. Oh, and can you make my show come on now? I will watch it while you pet me.

Poopyfoot and Left Out

Dear Paws,

well. this is a very serious problem. my dog likes to run round the garden with me, and often i take him out late at night when i am in my pyjamas and slipper socks/barefoot. but its kinda hard to keep track of all his poops, so sometimes when im running out with him, i feel a -squelch- and i stand in poop :/ how can i teach my dog to poop in the same place or come tell me when hes pooped so i can pick it up? please help.
Signed Poopyfoot

Maddie: I don't understand what the problem is, it IS his yard, he can poop where he wants.

Murphy: Why do you step in his poop? Can't you smell where you are walking? How do you know where you are going if you aren't sniffing your way around?

Rogue: Ewww, your dog poops outside? In the open? Just anywhere? Get him a nice private box like I have. *Shudders* I can't handle others seeing me poop.

Dear Paws,

Well like every other person, I tendacy to feel left out or maybe lets use a harsher word? Jealous. It all started when we hit school again, last year our class was splitted up thus leaving my friend away from her bestfriend. I was with my friend. Lets call my friend A and her bestfriend R.

I was the only one there she actually hanged out with so during that whole year we were like tight bestfriends. And now this year she doesn't even talk to me that much and is always with her bestfriend. This has been going on for almost this whole year. I let myself wonder about and wait for her to come around cause I get that she might missed her old friend. But A never really came around yet sometimes she came to me to tell me how R was such backstabber ect. But she keeps returning to be her friend, while I can atleast offer better friendship...well maybe more reliable.
Signed Left Out

Maddie: Oh this is easy. Just let her know you want to be friends by bringing her a ball. Or give her belly rubs. Belly rubs are heaven. Mmmm, rub MY belly now *rolls over*

Murphy: Maybe you should try to do fun things with her. Like raiding the garbage can. But I think Maddie is wrong, balls are stupid. Your friend wouldn't like a ball. Maybe you can find something that smells really good and show it to her. Smelling things is way more fun than a stupid ball.

Rogue: Does she ever give you ear scratches? If not, I would say go find a new friend that will scratch your ears. You should have more than one friend to run around with, that way you are guaranteed that one of them will be around when you need ear scratches.

Need Advice? Ask Paws For Thought!

Well, I made the mistake of telling the pets about my blog. They have decided they want to participate. So they came up to me with a demand. They want their own advice column, where they will give answers to people's problems with down to earth advice. Maddie, Murphy and Rogue are now the Paws For Thought advice crew.

So if you need advice or have a question that needs an answer, send it to dearpaws@hotmail.com. The crew will be choosing one or two letters to be answered on Sundays.

I can't guarantee that their advice will be helpful, but it will definitely be coming from an unusual viewpoint.

So send in your questions and make sure to check in on Sundays to see if your question was chosen.

The Paws For Thought Crew:


Maddie
4 yrs old
Lab mix
Hates the rain and wet grass, loves to run, lives for her ball and thinks belly rubs are heaven

Murphy
11 yrs old
Beagle
Hates loud noises, crinkly bags, loves food and getting into the trash, lives to sniff and thinks thunder is evil


Rogue
3 yrs old
Mediumhair Puppycat
Loves ear scratches, likes to nip, thinks wrestling with Maddie is great, loves to freak out and race around the house for no reason, and watch T.V. Favorite show: Planets Funniest Animals

What Do They Want From Me?

If you have a pet or ever had a pet, you know exactly what I mean. As I type, right at this moment, my beagle is sitting nearby, just staring at me. There is a pillow not too far away, where he could lie down comfortably and take a nap. But no, he sits on the hard tile and stares. I can just see him out of the corner of my eye.

After awhile, it starts to bug me. He has food and water in his dishes, he has been outside recently. His needs are all met. Yet, there he sits.... just staring. What does he want? More staring. He just won't stop. Finally, I break down. I look over at him, I meet his eyes. He just stares. His tail wags a little, but he stares.

I wonder what he is thinking. Is he sitting there wondering when he gets more food? Is he hoping he gets an extra trip outside? Oh gods, is he sitting there planning the easiest way to kill me? He stares... I stare back.

I can't take it anymore. I blurt out "What do you want from me?!" He jumps up, tail wagging, runs to me. Ah, I think, he just wants a bit of attention. I reach out to pet him. He runs away and back to me. Maybe he is out of food already. I go and check. He follows.

Nope, still plenty of food and water. I turn to look at him, he isn't in the kitchen. I go back to the main room, and there he is curled up on his pillow... calm, relaxed, dozing off even.

Wondering what the heck that was all about, I sit back down and get back to my essay. A bit later i see something out of the corner of my eye. He is staring at me... again.

I have two dogs and my puppycat. They all do this. Sometimes singly, sometimes together. They just sit and stare. And stare. I just can't figure it out. Maybe you know?

What do they want from me!?

A Dog? A Cat? No, it's a Puppycat!

I have never been much of a cat person. I have always liked dogs. I would study them and read about dogs and wolves and any other canine type. I am good with dogs, I know them very well. But I never really paid attention to cats. Oh sure, I thought some were pretty, and I would pet them if I could. But I never spent any time learning about them. I didn't hate cats, I just never really thought about them. My sister liked cats and so did a few of my friends, and I used to joke around with them when cats came up in discussion. My favorite line was: Cats are great, they are self-propelled dog toys.

Three years ago I was living with my sister. I had a dog, she had a dog and 3 cats. I barely ever noticed the cats, they were just kind of there, no more noticeable to me than before. One day, she brought home this tiny kitten. It was in poor shape and it was not certain it would survive. It had been neglected and was very sick and almost starved to death. Sure, I felt sorry for it, but it didn't really catch my attention. My sis was taking care of it, it was her cat to keep or find a home for if it survived. It was just another rather unnoticeable cat to me.

Until the day I had to go into the room she was keeping it in. This tiny, pathetic kitten struggled to climb up to a high spot. Once it did it looked at me and gave this pitiful little mew. I looked down at this miniature bundle of bones and spoke without realizing it:"Oh Rogue, you are gonna be just fine."

This caught me dead in my tracks. I had just spoken a name for this cat. The only other times that has happened, that I have named an animal, was when it was mine or meant to be mine when it was old enough. "Oh no," I thought, "I think I just got a cat." I went and found my sister and asked her if I could keep it. She thought it over and Rogue became mine 2 days later.

This was the first cat I had ever owned (or been owned by, lol) and I had no clue how to treat a cat. So I treated as I did my dog. My sister's cats spent most of their time outdoors, so this tiny kitten spent most of his time around dogs. Plus, he had me for an owner. Is it any wonder he turned out to be a rather unusual cat?

That is, if he is a cat at all. :) He looks like a cat, he purrs, he uses the litter box. But other than that he is a great dog. He comes when I call him. He sits up pretty for treats. He gives kisses when allowed, he sleeps on the bed, sometimes under the covers. A few times he has barked at loud noises. Well, kind of, he makes a short, abrupt "mrowf! mrowf! Sure comes close to being a bark, lol.

In short, Rogue is a pretty cat, and he is the best dog I have ever owned. He is my Puppycat and I love him with all my heart.