Hard to believe, but Jack turns 4 on Saturday, April 30th.

My bratty, bossy, shark of a puppy has grown into my second-in-command, and he knows it.  He's the house-guarder and schedule-keeper, finder of lost toys and keeper of the peace, inventor of games and official greeter.  

And so a happy, happy birthday to Jack, the bestest dog anyone could hope to have!  He'll have scrambled eggs at breakfast and sardines at dinner, and a brand new fluffy toy to shred…

Maddie passed her therapy dog test in September of last year, but our first visit was today.  When she went for the vet paperwork to get her final certification, her stool sample was positive for coccidia.  The vet said it rarely causes illness in adults and not treating was an acceptable option, but he could not sign off on a clear fecal when, frankly, the fecal wasn't clear.  So I sighed and gave her a round of Albon (it's only a few bucks, but I do hate treating when a dog is not sick.…

Periodically, I check Petfinder to see if there are any Corgis in kill shelters in my area.  I am happy to report that in several years of looking, I have not seen any.  I have seen some puppy-mill rescues or owner surrenders in no-kill shelters within a few hundred miles of here, but that's about it.

I do see a TON of "Corgi mixes."

There are almost no Corgi breeders anywhere near me, and all the pets I've ever met (there aren't many) are neutered.  In other…