Flashback Photo ~ Bandit ~ Winter 2017     "Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough."    ~Emily Dickinson     We just had our first accumulation of snow and it made me think of how much my FiveSibes loved snow zoomies! Now they all loved to run through it, naturally, but Bandit really loved it. The deeper the snow, the bigger her smile! She was a power house of a dog and lightning fast. When it snowed, it was always a joy to see my FiveSibes in their element, and in this Flashback photo and the video where I slowed it down to show her powerfully strong strides, Bandit's pure joy shines through. I still cannot believe she is not here. She was so strong and healthy...until the beast named hemangiosarcoma took her down.   I love to think of her having her wild snow zoomies with that beautiful smile on her face along with Harley, Gibson, and Chloe north of the Rainbow Bridge, a place reserved just for our happy snow dogs, like our Bee.     The Linky t

Gibson: My Forever 💜 Dog, K9 Hero, and Epi-Star!   As November and (Canine Epilepsy Awareness Month comes to a close, I must highlight my Epi-Star, Gibson. Gibson was not only my heart dog, but he was the poster dog for enjoying life, even with Canine Epilepsy. Diganosed with idiopathic epilepsy shortly after his third birthday back in 2009, he and I embarked upon a journey that brought us to becoming ambassadors for epilepsy awareness. Along the way we met so many amazing people and Epidogs. I am honored to know expert veterinarians in the field, as well as directors of Canine Epilepsy organizations that help Epidogs. Through my journey with Gibson, I learned to take my lead from him as he embraced life with zest. He did not let epilepsy stop him! He was one of the happiest, silliest, most beautiful soulful dogs I have ever known.    Gibson with the illustrated book about him, his epilepsy, and the FiveSibes!       And below is a video from the day Gibson and I received these books f

Do You Know About The Wally Foundation? The Wally Foundation~Canine Epilepsy (TWF) is a non-profit organization based in Delaware that commenced operations in 2013. TWF offers possible financial assistance to families and rescues caring for dogs diagnosed with idiopathic Canine Epilepsy so that a family with an Epidog (dog with Canine Epilepsy) did not have to choose between getting medication for their dog or euthanization. In order to bring you the most current information on what this wonderful organization is doing, I recently interviewed Rick Selwood, Founder and Executive Director of the organization named after his beloved Epidog, Wally. To date, they have assisted 217 families with medications or cash assistance to care for their Epi-dogs!  "FIVESIBESMOM" DOROTHY WILLS-RAFTERY (DWR): The Wally Foundation  is now a nonprofit charity organization. When did TWF get granted the status, and what does this mean for the work you do?   RICK SELWOOD (RS): TWF was granted its

  We sure hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Wolfie here enjoyed some roasted turkey and plain sweet potato! With it being the day after Turkey Day, I thought it would be nice to relfect back on a past Thanksgiving with the Sibes! So below for today's #FlashbackFriday, we are strolling down Memory Lane to Thanksgiving 2018! Hey, that turkey looks familiar! Here it is posing with Wolfie's twin sister, Chloe. She was always my go-to model! What's Thanksgiving without some tasty turkey treats? Here are Chloe, Bandit, and Harley with their favorite handmade cookies from Sassy's Goodies!   One of my favorites was Thanksgiving morning photo when they all were waiting as I put the stuffed bird into the oven and returned to the living room to these looks...I just could imagine what they were thinking. BOL! What wonderful memories. So thankful I was their FiveSibesMom.    "Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."    ~Lionel Hampto

Buckle Up before you hit the road!   “To a dog, motoring isn't just a way of getting from here to there,  it's also a thrill and an adventure .~ Jon Winokur   This holiday season, or any time, if you are planning on packing your car and traveling over the river and through the woods, or city, to visit grandma or any relatives and friends, there’s no better time than now to get that checklist ready for a  safe, clean, and comfortable drive for both you and your beloved canine companions.   This post contains some Amazon affiliate links for products we used. If you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive a tiny commission *at no extra cost* to you. Thank you!    Before you begin your trip, is your dog used to traveling in the car? If not, be sure to prep for your holiday journey by taking some smaller rides to get your dog ready for the trip ahead. And please, for safety’s sake, never let your dog ride loose in a vehicle. Once your dog i