Have you all heard of DOGTV, the new television programming that is taking the nation by storm? As its name suggests, DogTV is a television channel scientifically developed for canine viewers.

DOGTV is cable’s first television network for dogs that is created exclusively for canines, and the humans who love them.

DOGTV’s 24/7 programing helps stimulate, entertain, relax and habituate dogs with shows that expose them to various movements, sounds, objects, experiences and behavior patterns, all from a dog’s point of view.

The network is built around a core team of highly acclaimed pet experts including Victoria Stillwell.

Recently featured in major publications including “TIME Magazine,” “The New York Times,” and “The Huffington Post”; and featured on national news and talk shows such as “NBC Nightly News,” “Ellen,” “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Chelsea Lately,” DogTV is quickly becoming a household name in the US and abroad.

Well the new TV phenomenon has a blog end, too! It’s re-launching soon and it’s called the Alpha Dog Blog. Stay tuned for more on that end!

In the meantime, check out DogTV for a discount that’s special only for you, as ThoughtsFurPaws readers! You’ll find some awesome stories and videos akin to not even major network television – it’s THAT cool!

Currently, DogTV is only offered on TV in the San Diego test market. However, it’s available as a streaming online channel that can be accessed by any pet lover in the world starting now!

And guess what?

I’m offering you a special promotion code that allows you to receive 50% off the online streaming price for the first two months! Hooray!

 Simply type in: FB2M50%01 and you’ll get the 50% discount.

Let me know what you think about DogTV in the comments section!

How To use DOGTV?

As I said before, did you know that an average cat will consume over 173 grams of hair a year?

You can help stop this madness – stop the coughing…, the near-choking…, the lovely hair-filled vomit-like residue that comes up, and that horrible gut-wrenching noise that our kittehs make when they are going through such ill norms of kitty-cat life…

…How?

Amy Smart with REAL Cat Hair!

FURMINATE YOUR CAT!

And celebrate National Hairball Awareness Day with me today and take an oath to regularly brush Fluffy and Muffy.

To celebrate today, I made Amy Smart (the actress) out of cat hair for a group contest (I lost but it’s okay b/c it goes to show how much hair comes off one cat in one SWIPE…) See picture to right of Amy Smart…

I also used her because I got to meet her at an ASPCA event  – see picture to left…

Amy Smart and I at ASPCA Event

Furminator teamed up with a bunch of pet bloggers this year to raise awareness of the importance of brushing your cats. And before I share my story or picture, I want to let you know

I’m GIVING AWAY ONE MEDIUM-SIZED CAT FURMINATOR in honor of today!

How do you win?

Well tell me your cat’s craziest, zaniest hairball story; or submit a pic of the most hair you can get off of him OR a pic of what a hairy mess he currently is to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com (I promise the Furminator will increase that amount of hair…).

Contest runs through NEXT FRIDAY ONLY and entries won’t be accepted after 6 pm EST. ThoughtsFurPaws.com Admins will announce the winner next Friday night around 9 pm EST, maybe a bit earlier! So send us your fur pictures or a picture of the furry mess your cat is in – whatever you think is best. We want to see some cat hair people!!

So anyhow, I ran my own little test with the Furminator tool.

** It increased the hair that I got off Maxwell in one day by half (versus just a joe-average-cat brush bought at PetSmart for $4.99).

Maxwell’s undercoat was coming out with the Furminator, which didn’t happen with the regular brush, and his little behind was SO SO soft after I finished brushing him (which took an hour thank you very much because he kept wanting to bite the tool, or my hand. Finally I subdued him with his Pickle-Tickle toy, which we got courtesy Gracey the Tiniest Tiger – Thanks Grace!)

(Gracey also told us that the #1 condition reported by 35 percent of cat-owning households is hairballs!)

Anyhow, you really gotta see it to believe it so I challenge all of you to purchase your own Furminator.

YOUR CAT WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT.

They are so much lighter, airier, and they breathe easier knowing they’re shedding less and looking better, too!

I swear Mad Maxwell was swaggering around here like a damn cougar after he got brushed – showing off his handsome new self… (even though he almost took my hand off at one point- he LOVED the end result).

Do you know what Maxwell does NOW when he sees the Furminator? He starts his motor up – loud.

And he rubs his face against it and sometimes will start the brushing session FOR me.

Enter the Furminator Giveaway at ThoughtsFurPaws@gmail.com! And don’t forget to brush your kitty to save him from swallowing that unsavory stuff!

Last Monday, Iams announced their AWESOME new Facebook contest: “Play Young, Stay Young!”

Each week, for eight weeks, the team at Iams will pick one cat and one dog winner based on a photo and 100-word essay submission from pet parents. It’s super-simple to enter!

They’re basically looking for pets that essentially refuse to act their age…!

Each winning animal will receive a year’s supply of Iams Senior Plus! They’ll have a total of 16 winners by June 3!

So to help Iams get their contest started, as an official Iams blogger, I wanted to ask you, my devoted readers, for some help.

-  Do you have tips on how to keep YOUR super-senior (11+) pets staying and feeling young? What do you do to ensure the ongoing health of your super-senior pets?

Please read below for the full press release details of the contest; and look forward to more posts from me on Iams throughout April, May and June! Every couple of Saturdays, I’ll be posting the Honorable Mention photo/essay contest winners for you all to see!

“In honor of their newest formula, Senior Plus, today, IAMS is launching a national contest on its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/IAMS) calling all pet parents of dogs and cats age 11 and older to put their animal’s best paw forward for the chance to win a year’s supply of food. With as many as 33 million pets in the U.S. in the double-digit age bracket, IAMS created this contest as a fun and playful way to shine a spot light on those pets who don’t allow age to get in the way of the games they play, while educating consumers about the unique nutritional needs for pets 11 and older.

Starting today through June 3, each week, based on a photo and brief essay, the team at IAMS will select a dog and cat that exemplify how 11+ pets can play young, to stay young. Interested pet parents should visit www.facebook.com/IAMS to enter their cat or dog into the contest. A total of 16 pets (eight dogs and eight cats) will receive a year’s supply of IAMS Senior Plus and be featured on the IAMS Facebook page.

“On the heels of introducing our new Senior Plus formula, we launched the ‘Play Young, Stay Young’ contest to offer pet parents a fun and unique opportunity to celebrate their 11 and older four-legged family members with the chance to win free food for a year,” said Laura Lewis, external relations manager, IAMS. “We’re all looking forward to reading the many entries that bring to life how cats and dogs can really benefit from a proper diet and active lifestyle.”

 Stay Young, Play Young Contest

Iams Senior Pets Photo Montage

Consumers can enter the contest on the IAMS’ Facebook page April 9 through June 3, 2012 by submitting a current photo of their dog or cat and explaining in 100 words or less how their pet refuses to act his or her age. Each week, IAMS will select and announce a winning cat and dog who will receive a free year’s supply of Senior Plus food. At the end of the eight weeks, a total of 16 pets will be featured on the IAMS Facebook page and all will receive food for a year! For more information, including contest rules and regulations, entry form and more, please visit Facebook.com/IAMS.

Finding the Right Formula for 11+ Pets

It’s more important than ever to ensure pet owners make smart nutritional choices throughout every stage of a dog’s and cat’s life. With this in mind, IAMS introduced Senior Plus diets to specifically address the unique needs of pets age 11 and older.

IAMS Senior Plus is available in the brand’s ProActive Health and Premium Protection formulas for cats and small to medium breed dogs age 11 and older, and ProActive Health for large breed dogs age 9 and older, at pet specialty stores, mass retailers and grocers.

To learn more about IAMS Senior Plus, visit www.IAMS.com.

These are some adorable and hilarious cat and dog pictures that I picked up in emails over the last week. Thought I’d show you them in an effort to bring you all some laughter…

Recently, thanks to the kind folks at Fancy Feast^® who provided us with a few samples, we were able to try the Fancy Feast^® Elegant Medleys^™ brand new entrée, Yellowfin Tuna & Shrimp Recipe with Wild Rice in Sauce, months before it arrives on store shelves nationwide!

Our cats are P-I-C-K-Y (although I must mention that Fancy Feast^® (dry) Filet Mignon flavor goes down well in a pinch)… Sasha, Tater and Maxwell – all three — lapped this new stuff up like it was real tuna juice or something. I couldn’t believe it!!

* In fact, the first two ingredients on the label are fish broth and Yellowfin Tuna, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. After that, you get chicken and wild rice within the next three ingredients, so this stuff isn’t “less than” or questionable. I know some of my readers wonder what makes a premium pet food that way, and we’ll get to that later this month; just know that Fancy Feast’s new consumer-inspired entree fits the bill. It has a moisture max of over 80% and is 10% protein with great fiber and some taurine in it too, plus, B- and D-vitamins…

Anyhow, I would recommend that you guys try this formula out when it comes out; HOWEVER, I am giving one lucky reader a chance to win a WHOLE CASE! You read that right!

♦ ♦ Send me your fave picture (just one entry per household per email) of your kitty posed next to a Fancy Feast bag or a can of food – or eating their meals – and you could be chosen to win! Fancy Feast and I will pick the winner and you’ll be mailed a free case of 24 cans directly! ♦

Email one entry to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com please before next Monday, 3/26 at 6 pm EST.

Recently, the Fancy Feast brand announced that the new variety will be introduced on the Fancy Feast brand’s Facebook page.

The Fancy Feast brand originally had consumers join its online community of devoted cat lovers for an opportunity to receive a special first taste of the new Elegant Medleys entrée, Yellowfin Tuna & Shrimp Recipe With Wild Rice in Gravy, months before it arrives on store shelves nationwide, but due to the TON of requests, they ran short on supplies.

You can STILL WIN ON THOUGHTSFURPAWS.COM, though!

Some more info on the recipe: Inspired by the winning entry in the 2011 Fancy Feast^® TasteMakers^™ Contest, the newest Fancy Feast^® Elegant Medleys^™ entrée features an ocean of seafood flavor. The new variety of Fancy Feast^® Elegant Medleys^™ was influenced by the special relationship contest winner Joan Spector shares with her cats – Ginger and Wasabi – and their love of seafood.

To learn more about TasteMakers and Fancy Feast, visit facebook.com/FancyFeast and/or www.fancyfeast.com/TasteMakers. For Official Rules, please visit www.Facebook.com/FancyFeast.

** Fancy Feast^® Elegant Medleys^™ Yellowfin Tuna & Shrimp Recipe With Wild Rice in Gravy will be available in stores nationwide beginning in June 2012.

About Fancy Feast® Gourmet Cat Food

The Fancy Feast Brand makes every day extraordinary with an exquisite selection of gourmet cat food entrees, restaurant-inspired feline cuisine, dry meals, and Fancy Feast Appetizers for cats. Fancy Feast Gourmet Cat Food is manufactured/ distributed by Nestle Purina PetCare Company, a global leader in the pet care industry. Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A. — the world’s largest food company.

The votes are tallied – as of 5 pm EST today the voting was closed and we are ready to announce the winners of the Valentine’s Day Doggie Photo Contest!

Bailey

First, thank you SO SO much to our sponsors: the dog photo and cute story contest was generously sponsored by the following brands: Stella and Chewy’s®, Spring Naturals™ and Lickety Stik® by PetSafe®!

Of course, the ThoughtsFurPaws team is throwing in some additional matching gifts as we:

* had a tie and

* an Honorable Mention in honor of Henry “the Peanut” Dartt-Smith, who passed away last Thursday, February 16th of cancer (please leave your words of comfort for my sister here…)

Calvin

THE WINNERS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1st Place: BAILEY

2nd Place: TIE between CALVIN and CHANCE!

Honorable Mention: HUNTLEY

Chance

** If you see your name, you received a TON of votes – and you have a darn cute pup!**

Please email your full name and address to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com (though I will be contacting you separately as well to get that info.)

Huntley

CONGRATS to all who entered – keep your ears peeled for more contests — a kitty photo/story in April and an any-pet one this summer

♥ Thanks and Congratulations again ♥

We loved every single entry and are so happy to have you all as readers and followers of ThoughtsFurPaws.com

Yesterday our family’s beloved Basset Hound Henry, who just successfully finished the Eukanuba Challenge, had to cross the Rainbow Bridge – he had a huge tumor behind his liver – the size of a golf ball – that was cancerous and inoperable. He would not have made it long.

My sister Ashes (my personal sisters-only nickname for her), Henry’s forever Mu-ther (our family ‘animal word’ for mom), made the world’s hardest decision (or one of them) to put The Peanut down so he would not suffer any pain or discomfort. (He had already been throwing up blood that morning.)

* Ashes, like me with Theodore, had barely been over the passing of Tucky the Pittie mix three years ago. *

** Keep in mind this is at 7 am the morning after our mother had SERIOUS Rotator Cuff surgery; Mom was in the worst condition we both had EVER seen her in in our ENTIRE lives – we were already hysterical at one hospital Wednesday and practically inconsolable. (No one should have to see their mother cry or in that kind of pain.)

Henry in His Fave Chair - Graphic Courtesy Zoolatry

Anyhow, Ashes slept at our house with my Mom Weds night so my Dad could get some rest – she was up all night taking care of her, rubbing her feet, putting lip balm on her, getting her throat lozenges, moisturizing her face, getting water, and everything else you can think of that someone needs in the immediate PAIN after a surgery that serious. She’s naturally caring and giving like that – always worried about everyone else…

◊ Ashes returned home at 7 am Thursday am to find Henry in horrible condition – barely able to move. I had JUST SEEN HIM Wednesday myself while we were waiting for Mom to get into recovery — I chocked his slowness, labored breathing and odd behavior up to typical stubborn Peanut/Basset behavior and/or old age/tiredness/laziness – imagine the uselessness (and mis-education – yes that’s a word) I feel right now (but this is not about me).

Ashes is in horrible condition. I wish I knew how to help my sister. I cannot explain how awful it feels to not be able to do something.

She came over with Franklin, the rescue Basset she saved from Ohio Basset Rescue (thanks to Amy B., who saved him from a puppy mill in Ohio’s Amish Country – the WORST offender), all day yesterday and “Mr. Frank N Beans” wouldn’t leave her side.

He knew something was wrong…. like all animals do when something of this magnitude happens.

Peanut was one of the first animals I wrote about when I started ThoughtsFurPaws — I nicknamed him “Henry the Horrible” because he was comically stubborn, slow, LOUD and obstinate – similar to Marley, the proclaimed World’s Worst Dog!

You could not train it out of him – neither Cesar Milan nor Victoria Stilwell (spelling?) could have… ♥ ! And we loved him for it

Henry inspired me beyond words, and I have many a poem and short story about him that I will slowly share in a series over the next couple months.

♥ ♥ Henry:

Your family will love and cherish you and our blessed memories of your “hilarities” forever. We will always think of you when we see a Hound of any type. You adopted your Mother as much as she adopted you and you will never know how much you gave to her — or how much you enriched all of our lives. I feel at ease knowing you were greeted at the Bridge by your older brother – Ashly’s Tux – plus our family’s Nickodemus and Gibson and my Theodore…. all of whom have passed from cancer.

♥ We also know that all of our pet friends in the blogosphere who have lost a beloved animal to cancer OR ANYTHING are greeting you, sniffing around, letting you follow your nose as you always did, romping and playing, doing your famous squawk, and jumping around like you are 1-year-old again, probably stepping on your own ears like you did on your first few walks (remember — Ashes carried you halfway through Long Beach because you got tired and kept stepping on your ears!) ♥

Henry our “Perpendicular Peanut,” our Rebellious Basset, our first family Hound who started a forever tradition –

♥ ♥ we will forever miss you and can’t wait to see you again ♥ ♥

Ash, my sister in blood and water, love and friendship, and in every other way possible:

I LOVE YOU ALWAYS AND FOREVER, AND WILL DO ANYTHING –

- I WILL MOVE THE HEAVENS, GO TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, OR REACH UP AND GRAB THE MOON AND STARS -

“You want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down”

TO HELP YOU THROUGH THIS HARDEST OF TIMES IN YOUR LIFE…

Here are the most recent entries to the Valentine’s Day Dog Photo Contest on ThoughtsFurPaws.com!

If you do not see an accompanying story, it’s because you did not send one! You are NOT required to, but if you would like to tell voters/readers why to vote for your Valentine-pooch, please do share some info about the picture and/or the pup!

Mr. Beaner

Please remember the rules: the rules for the Valentine’s Day Dog Photo Contest MUST BE followed or you will be disqualified.

1. CONTEST ENDS NOW: NO MORE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED  
2. No more than two votes per person (per email address if you email your vote and per name/email if you “comment in” your vote). *** If you leave a fake email address on your comment and/or otherwise attempt to comment-stuff the voting, your votes will be completely discounted entirely.
3. No more than three persons PER IP ADDRESS – and we HAVE BEEN and WILL CONTINUE TO test emails.
4. Send your readers HERE to vote in their comments; you, of course, are free to post your dog’s featured pic on Facebook, but any votes on Facebook are not counted. Again, votes must be left in comments section on the actual post or emailed to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com.
5. You have until next Monday night at 5 pm EST to vote.

See original Announcement post here…

Benny

See Feb 7^th entrants here...

See Feb. 9^th entrants here...

See last night’s post here...

Mr Beaner: Mr. Beaner will be 8 weeks old on the 20th . He’s a very curious puppy that loves the company of other dogs. “Beaners” is the best Blue Merle Chihuahua out there; I wouldn’t trade him for the world. Happy valentines Day, Beaner and to all you puppies

Benny: THIS IS BENNY. WE PUT A NEW MAILBOX UP IN OUR YARD. THEN TOOK A PICTURE OF HIM IN IT… SPECIAL DELIVERY!

Hi every-doggie! Hooray for puppy love because we have some more wonderful, adorable puppy and dog pictures to show you – some posed just for doggie Valentine cards or Valentine dog photo contests like ours!

We also must immediately give you a MAJOR pup-date as there have been MAJOR pup-dates emerging in the voting for the contest entrants this past 36 or so hours! We wanted to show and tell you who the latest entries are &, respectively, who the leaders are! Right now, here are the current ties and/or leaders:

Calvin/Chance – TIED

1. Sandy

Bailey /Scout  – TIED

Simba – Welcome to the running Simba!!!!!!

*Not in order (or are they?) of the ThoughtsFurPaws Doggie Photo Val Day Contest*

** FYI — there will not be Honorable Mention if the now TWO ties aren’t broken before voting ends.

Here are the most recent entries to the Valentine’s Day Dog Photo Contest on ThoughtsFurPaws.com!

If you do not see an accompanying story, it’s because you did not send one! You are NOT required to, but if you would like to tell voters/readers why to vote for your Valentine-pooch, please do share some info about the picture and/or the pup!

Please remember the rules: the rules for the Valentine’s Day Dog Photo Contest MUST BE followed or you will be disqualified.

1. 

   2. Frankie

   CONTEST RUNS NOW thru Feb. 13th, 6 pm EST. Please send a dog picture accompanied by a brief story about the dog or photo, explaining why he/she should win, why you chose this particular photo, etc. It should obviously be one of your funnier/cuter dog photos ♥

2. No more than two votes per person (per email address if you email your vote and per name/email if you “comment in” your vote). *** If you leave a fake email address on your comment and/or otherwise attempt to comment-stuff the voting, your votes will be completely discounted entirely.
3. No more than three persons PER IP ADDRESS – and we HAVE BEEN and WILL CONTINUE TO test emails. BE HONEST!
4.  YOU MUST ENTER A DOG! (Kitty contest coming this Spring:)
5. Send your readers HERE to vote in their comments; you, of course, are free to post your dog’s featured pic on Facebook, but any votes on Facebook are not counted. Again, votes must be left in comments section on the actual post or emailed to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com.

See original Announcement post here…

See Feb 7^th entrants here...

See Feb. 9^th entrants here...

1. Sandy: Sandy is my Golden-Doodle that has kept me full of life.  She full of personality, like wanting to chase the Volkswagen that drives pass the house beeping.  She has had two litters, each time she pre-warned us by

3. Maddie

walking around with a stuffed toy in her mouth for days prior to us actually realizing that he was pregnant. One of her lovely pups flew all the way to Massachusetts to his new home.  The other ones were part of a Golden-Doodle rescue and flew across the states.  She even had two of her most recent pups get in the local news of Wilmington.  Sandy’s so special, it’s catching.  She like burping after eating, just to get an extra nibble.  Most of all, she a bundle of love, and can’t wait to jump down the stairs and cling to my thighs as she’s doing in the picture.  We love our “Sandy.”

2. Frankie: This is my Yorkie Bishon mix, Frankie.  He is the love of my life. He is a thief… he stole my heart and he will steal yours, too. Here he is on my bed – nestled among the rose pedals, hearts, and roses.  Frankie is a pint-sized Casanova who loves playing with his friends at the dog park, greeting  everyone in the neighborhood (both canine and humans) during his daily walks and snuggling with me…his mommy.  Watch out…Cupid’s arrow has just struck!

3. Maddie: This is a photo I took of my dog, Maddie, to make homemade Valentine’s day cards this year.  I arranged some of my Valentine’s decor for her to sit with.  Maddie always

4. Murphy

makes people smile and lift their spirits if they are sick or having a bad day and I thought taking a photo for the cards would be extra special.

4. Murphy: This is Murphy my Old English Sheep Dog.  This photo was taken when he was 16-weeks-old; he is now 1-year-old.  This is my favorite picture of him because he just looks so sweet and innocent.  Murphy is the most loving and pure-hearted dog I have ever had.  He loves to give kisses and snuggle. He is a true joy!

5. Huntley: Huntley is 14-weeks-old and was adopted from a rescue just one week ago. This is Huntley’s first Valentine’s Day in his forever home! WELCOME HUNTLEY

5. Huntley

Hi all! I know you’re dying to know:

6. Ubi and Kiah

Here are the current leaders before we move on with the Valentine’s Day Dog Contest entrants!

1. Bailey/Chance – MAJOR TIE – we’re talking neck to neck EVERY SINGLE DAY to the point that I had to triple-count and start emailing back voters and commenters — I think these guys are sharing prizes with rescues locally
2. Calvin/Scout – TIE – Don’t forget that Calvin said he is SHARING his “winnings” with other rescue dogs, too, if he places

A close third is Scout….. there will be an Honorable Mention for 2^nd place if the tie for 1^st and 2^nd  isn’t broken before voting ends (see RULES); otherwise we are still having two winners. Don’t forget, there are pet brands generously sponsoring this contest like Spring Naturals, Stella and Chewy’s, etc. Plus I’m throwing toys in and stuff from PetSmart, & a few surprises.

Here are the most recent entries to the Valentine’s Day Dog Photo Contest on ThoughtsFurPaws.com!

If you do not see an accompanying story, it’s because you did not send one! You are NOT required to, but if you would like to tell voters/readers why to vote for your Valentine-pooch, please do share some info about the picture and/or the pup!

Please remember the rules: the rules for the Valentine’s Day Dog Photo Contest MUST BE followed or you will bedisqualified (I’m accusing no one of anything; however,  people HAVE tried to take advantage in the past b/c ThoughtsFurPaws.com is known for its CRAZY-GOOD prizes:))

7. Rusty Riley and Roxy

1. CONTEST RUNS NOW thru Feb. 13th, 6 pm EST. Please send a dog picture accompanied by a brief story about the dog, explaining why he/she should win, why you chose this particular photo, etc. It should obviously be one of your funnier/cuter dog photos ♥
2. No more than two votes per person (per email address if you email your vote and per name/email if you “comment in” your vote). *** If you leave a fake email address on your comment and/or otherwise attempt to comment-stuff the voting process, your votes will be completely discounted entirely.
3. No more than three persons PER IP ADDRESS – and we HAVE BEEN and will CONTINUE TO test emails for replies.
4. NEW RULE: Due to extenuating circumstances over the past 7 days, if you do not just hit reply and say “okay” or “yes”, etc., to our email reply, your email vote may not be counted. People, again, may be trying to “email stuff” the voting.

♥ COME ON GUYS! BE HONEST! ♥

6. YOU MUST ENTER A DOG! (Kitty contest coming this Spring!)

“]

1. Sooby [Sic

7. Send your readers HERE to vote in their comments; you, of course, are free to post your dog’s featured pic on Facebook, but any votes on Facebook are not counted. Again, votes must be left in comments section on the actual post or emailed to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com.

See original Announcement post from a couple days ago here.

♥ Get your entries in fast — contest is ending early next week ♥

1. Sooby [Sic] Doo and Mom: Comment: Not sure if you meant Scooby Doo…!

2. Kate and Viper the Autism Assistance Dog: Kate is 11 and has Autism.  Viper is Kate’s Autism Assistance Dog Guide; he is 2 yrs old.  They have been a team now for 1 year.  Before Kate received Viper… Kate would repeatedly hurt herself when the world around her was too hard to understand.  She would sneak out to play in the middle of the night while others were sleeping.  She would bolt from us towards water and into the roads and was hit by a car. She would jump out of our vehicle at stop signs into the traffic.  She would hide under tables or in SMALL areas under things when noises were too loud.  When people would talk to her she would withdraw, cover her eyes, cover her ears and scream.  She was on the maximum amount of Anti-Psychotic drugs and sleeping pills.  After she received Viper within 3 months all this behavior came to an end. When hurt or upset she seeks Vipers attention calmly.  When noises scare her she seeks Vipers attention.  She is calmed by his presence and is now on the min. amount of drugs and no more sleeping pills.  One night she got out of our house despite having audible alarms on the doors and Viper alerted us to her leaving the house and she was found immediately.  Via a special harness attached to Viper while we are out Viper stopped her multiple times from running in the road as he is trained

2. Viper the Autism Assistance Dog

to lie down when Kate bolts.  Viper has definitely saved Kate’s life and given us our little girl back.  He has helped her come out of her locked in world.

3. Ziggy: This is Ziggy and the picture is titled “I need a hug.” Ziggy is a Lhasa-Poodle mix and we adopted him from PAWS Animal Shelter in Atlanta last August. He was dropped off at PAWS with such long matted hair that he had to be shaved.  We love his short coat and his wonderful personality! This picture was taken after a rain & Ziggy likes to play in the dirt! Needless to say he has had a few baths since he has come to live with us.

3. Ziggy

4. Unnamed Shih-Tzus: My five little Shih Tzu (dogs) are unbelievable in what they will do for me! People can’t believe that the’ll pose like this for photos. I’m not a photographer & I don’t know anything about photo shop [sic]. I just pose, point, and shoot. I love this picture because it shows how willing and patient my “Tzu Kids” are to happily have their photo taken, & how well they have learned to get along with each other. They love to do this, and get real excited when I say we are going to take their picture. They are so much fun, and make life so much better. They are always happy, willing, fun little dogs.

4. Unnamed Shi Tzus

5. Simba: This picture is of Simba with his best ‘stuffed’ friend. He’s in love with this lion and travels everywhere with it! Simba even looks like him!

6. Ubi the Xoloizcuintle and Kiah the Chinese-Crested:My name is Eidel Ricano and I think my picture is perfect for Valentines because it shows [that] LOVE exists everywhere at any time and is shared in the simplest ways which, in the case, is by my dogs during their sleeping time. The black one is Ubi, a Xoloizcuintle, and the white one is Kiah, a Chinese Crested. [The picture] also shows how love has no moment, no race, no gender nor color….it’s for everyone ALL the time. They both are wearing a red robe since they usually get cold because they are hairless, even in Miami, and by accident are creating the shape of the heart with their bodies. Thanks and a have a great day!

5. Simba and Best Friend

7. Rusty, Riley and Roxi: You can hear from these guys at Chasing Squirrels With Rusty, which is hilarious and beloved by many in the doggie blog world!

♥ Good luck to all and everyone get your votes in ♥