Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Let's Help the YWCA's Literacy Program!

The past few months have flown by for Belle & Chloe!  The weather was beautiful this Spring and Summer and the girls enjoyed it!  Now, that it is getting cold again, we are back to one of our favorite indoor activities - cuddling up with a good book! 

Reading is one thing that anyone can enjoy and is a free way to escape for a bit.  I know that my library card has been getting used pretty hard the past few weeks, along with my Kindle.  Unfortunately, there are people that cannot partake in this pastime, as they were never taught how to read. 

Fortunately there are programs such as Pottstown YWCA Employment & Literacy Services Program that focus on providing these individuals with the tools they need to learn to read.  Learning how to read opens up doors that these people didn't know existed.  For example, learning how to read can give a person the motivation they need to further educate themselves and graduate from high school or college and earn more money. 

Here is a summary of the program for the YWCA's site:  The YWCA Employment & Literacy Services Program provides education and training to assist individuals in achieving self-sufficiency educationally and economically at no cost. Illiteracy, lack of educational achievement (high school diploma/GED) and lack of employment experience are significant barriers to gainful employment, economic security and advancement, and self-sufficiency. Educational programming (literacy and job readiness training) empowers adults with the knowledge and skills to advance their educational and economic status.

So, how can YOU help?  It's simple:  provide your name and email address here


An annoymous donor has agreed to donate $1 for every name and email address that the Pottstown Mercury's bloggers are able to collect, so this costs you absolutely NOTHING!   This is truly a selfless act and Belle and Chloe appreciate your help! 

Thank you again for your assistance!  Belle and Chloe will be back with more adventures soon!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

WOW! You HAVE to Read About the Latest Donations

Today we took Chloe to Patt Veterinary and were amazed at all of the food in the boxes.  There were 2 bottles of laundry detergent and 33 food items! 

Our next stop was to Pet Valu, which had 1 bottle of laundry detergent and 6 pet items. 

Chloe's favorite stop was Joe Paw's Bakery, as she got to visit with Barkley.  Joe Paws gets 4 paws up from both Chloe and Belle, as they had 77 human items and 8 pet items.  We were amazed at how much food was dropped off since we were there last!

Since the back of our Jeep was full, we dropped off the above items to the Boyertown Multi Service Center.  They were really appreciative, as laundry detergent is much needed. 

Now that we had an empty trunk, we had to fill it up again! 

First stop: Boneyard Joe's.  Jen and Eric have been amazing with their efforts to help us fill the Media Lab, as they offer a discount to customers who donate items.  Today they had 5 human food items and 5 bags of pet food.  However, the best part of picking up here is that it gives me and the hubby an excuse to order from  there.  Boneyard Joe's food is soooooo good and so inexpensive that we cannot resist!  Belle and Chloe double dog dare you to drop an item off there and not order food...because it simply cannot be done!  The food is that good and the people are pretty awesome, too. 

Our last stop today was to Pottstown Roller Mills and we were shocked at how much food they have collected.  There were 92 human items, 22 pet items and 6 bottles of much needed laundry detergent. 

Thanks to the Community's generosity, we have another full trunk of items to donate to the Pottstown Cluster in the morning!  PLEASE keep the donations coming!  There are so many people and their pets that need help and would appreciate any donation you make, no matter how large or small! 

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Update on Chloe

Chloe made it through her spaying like a rock star.  Dr. Singh at Patt Veterinary said she did really well and her vet tech, Rachel, said she was a good girl in her crate until we came to pick her up.  She had the surgery on Thursday and was back to normal on Friday, except for wanting to scratch and lick her stitches.  So far, the cone of shame is only needed at bedtime and when we are not near her.  She is doing a good job of listening when we tell her to leave her stitches alone.  Belle is being a good big sister and not being too rough with her!  I cannot wait until these 10 days are over with and we can go back to the dog park, though! 

Boneyard Joe's Continues to Amaze Belle and Chloe and a New Location to Drop Items Off At!

Eric and Jen, the owners of Boneyard Joe's in Pottstown, contacted me thru this blog when they heard about our Fill the Media Lab food drive because they wanted to help.  When I called Eric, he was enthusiastic and thanked me for letting them be a part of this.  No, Eric, thank YOU for helping!  As the collection efforts have continued, Eric and Jen have been offering discounts to customers for donating items at their location.  As if this wasn't enough, they also asked Clothes to Home to become a collection site for the drive and are offering customers discounts if they come in with a business card to show they were at Clothes to Home to donate items.  In my opinion, these acts of kindness could not be topped, but then Eric and Jen managed to top themselves by donating enough bulk food items for 150 people to enjoy a spaghetti dinner and also some bulk condensed soup that should feed around the same amount of people.  If you read this and happen to stop in to Boneyard Joe's to donate an item (to get the 10% off, say Charlie sent ya!), please thank Eric and Jen for their kindness. 

As I mentioned, Clothes to Home in Bechtelsville is now a dropoff location for our Fill the Media Lab food drive.  You can drop off human or pet food or laundry detergent there.  Their address is:  822B Route 100 in Bechtelsville. It is the shopping center with Dunkin' Donuts and Subway.  I have heard really good things about this business from friends, so drop off some of your dirty clothes while you are there!  Their hours are:

Monday - Friday:  8:30 am  to 6:30 pm
Saturday:  8:30 am to 3pm

As always, thank you so much for your support, as we try to reach 20,000 items to help area Pantries!

Wow! The donations keep coming!

When I dropped Chloe off for her surgery on Thursday morning, I was amazed to see that Patt Veterinary Hospital's boxes were getting full again!  There were 20 cans of much needed cat food,  6 bottles of laundry detergent and 23 food items!  The Boyertown Multi Service Center was very happy to receive all of the items, especially the laundry detergent, as there is a great need for it.  Please consider donating some next time you are in the area.

After Patt, I stopped by Pet Valu and continue to be amazed at the kindness being shown to our furry friends.  There was one extra large bag of dog food, 50 bags of cat and dog treats (including Pill Pockets for sick dogs that need to take medicine!), 4 big bags of dog food and 1 bottle of laundry detergent.  The Pottstown Cluster was really happy for the animal donations, as they are in desperate need of cat food. 

Please continue to donate whatever you can whenever you can, as both people and animals are in need of food.  Belle and Chloe thank you for your support! 

Here are some pictures of the food collected!


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Wish Chloe Good Luck!

Chloe goes in to be spayed tomorrow morning, so please wish her luck by commenting on this status!  In preparation for 10 days of limited activity, we went to the dog park in Birdsboro a few times over the past week.  Here are some pictures for you to enjoy from March 8th! 





The Customers of Boneyard Joe's Come Thru Again!

After dropping off the 125 pounds of food, plus other items that were donated by one of Boneyard Joe's customers to the Pottstown Cluster, I was notified by the owner that another customer made a huge donation due to her couponing skills.  Belle and Chloe give Brianna Hagner four paws up for donating much needed baby food and other items to our Fill the Media Lab drive. 

This pickup at Boneyard Joe's included: 1 bag of cat food, 23 food items, 98 baby food items and 18 toiletries.  I am blown away by the kindness of Boneyard Joe's customers.  Please keep the donations coming to all of Belle and Chloe's donation locations! 

While you are purchasing items to donate, PLEASE consider buying some cat food, as the Pottstown Cluster really needs it.  Even if you donate one can of food, it will help!  Belle and Chloe want there to be happy and healthy cats around town to chase!  :)

Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Fill the Media Lab drive!  Here are pictures of the pickup from Boneyard Joe's! 




Friday, March 9, 2012

Belle and Chloe were blown away by the generosity of one woman!

Boneyard Joe's posted on their Facebook page that one person, Bobbie Kline, filled all three boxes at their location, but I was blown away when I saw just how many items she actually donated.  There were 89 human items (including formula, soap, paper towels, toilet paper, amongst other things), 90 pet food items (including full size bags of Science Diet dog and cat food, plus full cases of canned food) and 5 bottles of laundry detergent.  The owner of Boneyard Joe's said Ms. Kline donated all of these items herself and would not accept a free lunch from them for her generosity.  Hearing this made me wonder how much better the world would be if everyone did good deeds "just because" instead of looking for what they can get in return.  This woman saw that there was a need for items to be donated and quietly came in and supplied them to the cause.  Not many people would step up to the plate like her and many of those who did would want something in return.  I am happy to know that there is still someone out there who will do a good deed "just because".  Actually, this Fill the Media Lab challenge has been going so well that there must be more people like this than we realize.  Here are pictures of the dontation made by Ms. Kline.  I cannot wait to drop it off at the Pottstown Cluster Monday, as they are in need of pet food at the moment.  This one person's kindness will help so many people.  I wish I could have met her and thanked her in person.  Belle and Chloe give her 4 paws up! 

Let's keep the donations coming over the weekend!  My goal is to have to make several trips to the Pottstown Cluster and the Boyertown Area Multi Service Center this week because my collection sites all have overflowing boxes! 




Thursday, March 8, 2012

Four Paws Up to Patt Veterinary, Joe Paws Bakery & Pet Valu!

Belle and Chloe went to check out their locations collecting food for the Boyertown Area Multi Service Center today and could not believe how much food 3 locations collected!

Our first stop was to Patt Veterinary, where we were greeted with a full box of human items!  Patt collected 55 human items, 2 bottles of laundry detergent and 5 animal food products.  Along with the food items, there were donations of toothpaste and other personal care items.  Belle and Chloe knew that the doctors and staff at Patt, along with their clients would come through and help out!  When we donated the items to the Boyertown Area Multi Service Center and told the gentleman there that a lot of the items came from Patt Veterinary, he was not surprised.  Belle and Chloe are proud to be patients of such a caring hospital. 

Our next stop was Pet Valu and we honestly did not know what to expect.  This location gets 4 paws up and some slobbery kisses from Belle and Chloe, as they collect 95 pet items!  The box was overflowing!  We needed a cart to get everything out of the store, as there was a case of canned food and a few large bags of dry food.  The generosity of the employees and customers of Pet Valu showed us how caring people can be when it comes to animals in need.  When I decided to use this blog to collect pet food to help people out that cannot afford their pets, I was worried about not getting donations.  I figured people would think it was silly to collect food for pets when there are people that don't have enough food.  Pet Valu's collection of only pet food proved I made the right decision to ask for these donations.  I hope that we can get even more pet food in the coming weeks and help more families feed the members of the family that are always there and ask for nothing in return. 

After Pet Valu, we went to Joe Paws Bakery and  Belle and Chloe were a bit rambunctious after being in the car running from place to place. The treats were so yummy looking and smelling that Belle kept trying to steal one!  Joe Paws collected 52 items after Belle and Chloe added a few, but the majority came from Joe Paws Bakery clients!  Check out this piece of doggy treat heaven if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed!  Belle and Chloe HIGHLY recommend the beef meatloaf and pizza flavored treats. 

Here are some pictures of the food donations:










Thank you again to everyone who is helping this great cause!  Belle and Chloe received a trip to the dog park in Birdsboro for all of their hard work collecting donations today! 

Monday, March 5, 2012

Boneyard Joe's Get 4 Paws Up & A New Dropoff Point

Belle and Chloe were anxiously waiting for us to return home from checking our boxes today.  Boneyard Joe's and their customers get 4 very big paws up for collecting the most items!  We were amazed at the generosity of their customers.  Here are pictures of the items received.  The Pottstown Cluster will appreciate the 19 dog food items, 5 bottles of laundry detergent, and 32 food items, including 6 boxes of pasta and a 35 pack of water from Belle and Chloe.  The owners (and Charlie) did an amazing job of getting the word out to their customers to drop off items and even offered a discount on Saturday to anyone who donated one item.  While we were there, we ordered dinner from here again.  I was set on getting a Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak when I got there, but the BBQ smelled so good that I ended up with BBQ chicken, mac n cheese and fried apples.  Dirone ordered Cheese Fry Steak.  The food was amazing!  I think this is definitely going to be our new go to place when we order out.  How can you go wrong if the food is excellent, inexpensive and the owners care about helping the Community?  Belle and Chloe want each of their readers to donate an item to this location and try the food and help a local business out! 

Along with picking up donations left over the weekend in our boxes, we dropped off a box for new donations to Perk Valley Pet Eatery in Trappe.  You can find Perk Valley Pet Eatery at 325 West Main Street, Trappe, PA  19426.  Their phone number is: (610) 454-0045.  Their hours are:


Mon - Fri:9:00 am-7:00 pm
Sat:9:00 am-5:00 pm
Sun:11:30 am-4:00 pm

We have shopped at this store for years, as they are very helpful and knowledgable about helping you pick food for pets on special diets.  This month is Raw Food Month and they have a lot of promotions for it.  Stop in and donate food for humans or pets or a bottle of laundry detergent and treat your favorite furry friend to a treat or toy! 

Belle and Chloe would like to ask everyone to remember kitty cats need love, too!  The Pottstown Cluster is almost completely out of cat food and is looking for anything you can donate! 

Thank you for all of your support in our Fill the Media Lab challenge! 




Happy Monday!

Belle and Chloe hope everyone had a great weekend!  The girls were busy visiting local businesses in hopes of obtaining more dropoff points for our Fill the Media Lab challenge and luckily got some "yeses"!  Boxes will be dropped off today and tomorrow, so check back here for details! 

Saturday, March 3, 2012

WOW! Discounted Lunch & A Good Deed!

Belle and Chloe were just on Facebook and saw that Boneyard Joe's is offering 10% off to anyone that brings in a pet or human food donation or laundry detergent towards our Fill the Media Lab challenge!  All you have to do is donate one item and you get 10% off!  Just mention "I'm giving to Charlie's friends!" when you check out to get your 10% off.  My husband and I tried Boneyard Joe's when we dropped off the boxes this week and it was AMAZING!  I highly recommend the rib and chicken combo.  You get 1/2 rack of ribs & a 1/4 chicken with BBQ Sauce or Naked for $11.25.  This comes with 2 sides and their delicious corn bread.  The portions are very generous, plus you get 10% off!  How can you go wrong?   Belle and Chloe also LOVE this place because they have jars where you can pick a dog biscuit to take home to your furry friend!  So, the question is: how can you go wrong if you get a good meal, save 10% and are doing a good deed?   Please let us know what you think of Boneyard Joe's!  It is our new favorite spot!  You can visit Boneyard Joe's at 148 Shoemaker Road behind Comcast.  To get the 10% off, you have to pay in cash.

If you want to do more good this weekend and meet Al Chernoff from Rescue Ink, go to the Pottstown K-Mart at 9am on Sunday to help find Belle, a Chocolate Lab that has been missing for too long.  Her family is devastated and desperately wants to bring her home.  If you cannot join the search effort tomorrow, please check out the Bring Belle Home page on Facebook.  They are meeting in front of the garden center to coordinate the search efforts tomorrow.  Please help if you can! 

Don't forget to donate to any of Belle and Chloe's other dropoff points if you can!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Chloe and Belle Added TWO More Dropoff Sites

Chloe had a big day today, as she got her last puppy shot and became a big girl!  Next stop, the cone of shame in 2 weeks when she gets spayed!

While we were at Chloe's appointment, we asked if they would mind being a dropoff location for our Fill The Media Lab food drive and they made Chloe's day by saying yes!!!  I was not surprised, as they do so much for Bark For Life and other area charities.

Unfortunately, my husband and I have experience with Patt Veterinary Hospital in healthy and sickly times for our pets.  We actually stumbled on this practice when our cocker spaniel, Lily, was having seizures years ago.  Dr. Patt and her staff were kind and more importantly, caring, when it came to finding out how to proceed with treatment of these seizures.  Once a plan was in place, Lily's quality of life improved, for which we will always be thankful to them for. Unfortunately, Lily also had football knee, where her knee would not move correctly and limped and developed Cushing's Disease.  Dr. Patt and her staff were amazing as Lily's health deteriorated.  When Lily was not doing well, we were fit into their schedule on short notice and when we had to make the decision to end Lily's suffering on a Sunday at Metropolitan in Oaks, someone from Patt Veterinary called to tell us they were sorry for our loss when they reopened on Monday.  Dr. Patt and her staff care about not only the pets they treat, but also their owners. 

When Dirone and I adopted Belle as a sickly puppy, Dr. Patt and staff helped treat her Kennel Cough.  Today, Belle is a healthy and happy dog because of this care.  There have been appointments with our pets through the years where the doctors at Patt have noticed a problem starting before us, as the doctors and staff get to know your pet and look for changes us owners may miss when they examine them.  Belle and Chloe actually enjoy going to the vet because everyone there is so kind to them.

There are tons of other reasons why our family continues to use Patt Veterinary Hospital, but why not see how great they are yourself?  Stop in to donate pet or human food and ask them about becoming a new patient.  You will not regret it! 

Patt Veterinary is located at: 239 Oberhotzer Road, Gilbertsville, PA  19525.  Their number is: (610) 367-2572.  There hours are: Monday thru Friday - 8 am to 7 pm
                                    Saturday -                  8 am to 12 pm

Please stop in and donate and tell them Belle and Chloe sent ya!


Chloe also stopped into Pet Valu in Gilbertsville and asked them if they would serve as a dropoff point and they agreed!  While we were there, I was thrilled to see they had the Sock Monkey sweater I have been looking all over for so Chloe can match her big sister!  Not only did they have it, but they had it in Chloe's size and it was on sale!  I will post pics of them in their matching sweaters this weekend.

Pet Valu is a store I do not get to visit often enough and I had never been to the Gilbertsville location, but I loved it.  They had a lot of cute sweaters for your dog and TONS of toys and treats.  Stop in and make a donation for humans or pets there! 

Pet Valu is located at: 1050 East Philadelphia Avenue, Gilbertsville, PA 19525-9517.  Their number is:
Phone: (610) 369-1770.  Their hours are:  Monday thru Saturday: 9 am to 9 pm
                                                                 Sunday:                      10 am to 5 pm
 
Of course, do not forget about Tails of 2 Dogs other locations!  Please donate what you can!  Belle and Chloe thank you for your support!
   
 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Belle and Chloe Added New Donation Dropoff Locations!

Belle and Chloe would like to give everyone that has donated to The Mercury's Fill The Media Lab food drive four paws up!  We are still looking for locations to set up boxes to collect human and pet food, so if you are a business and would like to help, please let us know! 

Today we dropped off boxes to several locations and the hubby and I ordered from Boneyard Joe's.  Let's just say, all of the rumors were true!  We ordered two dinners and a small side of fries and it was under $25 with tax included.  We each got the ribs and chicken dinner that came with 2 sides and cornbread.  I was amazed at how much meat was in the meal.  Normally, you are given large sides and a small order of meat if you go somewhere else.  I could not finish my dinner, as the portions were very generous.  I chose mac and cheese and fried apples for my sides and they were delish.  Belle and Chloe were going bonkers begging because everything smelled and tasted so good!  If you order lunch or dinner when dropping off donations, you will not be disappointed!

Chesmont Storage generously donated boxes for us to fill and allowed us to put 2 boxes at their location. 

Pottstown Roller Mills has also allowed us to leave boxes at their location.

Belle and Chloe are tail-wagging excited that you have so many choices as to where to drop off donations!

Tails of 2 Dogs has donation boxes at the following locations:

  • Chesmont Storage - 1500 Industrial Highway, Pottstown, PA 19464  (610) 323-3660
           Hours of operation: Monday thru Friday: 9 am to 6 pm
                                         Saturday: 9 am to 4 pm
                                         
  • Pottstown Roller Mills - 625 Industrial Highway, Pottstown, PA 19464  (610) 323-8620
          Hours of Operation: Monday thru Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
                                         Saturday: 8 am to 3 pm

  • Boneyard Joe's - 148 Shoemaker Road, Pottstown, PA  19464  (484) 524-8816
          Hours of Operation:  Monday:                     11 am to 8 pm
                                          Tuesday thru Friday:    11 am to 9 pm
                                          Saturday:                     11 am to 9 pm
                                          Sunday:                       11 am to 8 pm

  • Joe Paws Dog Bakery - 18 South Reading Avenue, Boyertown, PA  19512  (610) 369-2523
           Hours of Operation:  Tuesday thru Thursday:  10 am to 6 pm
                                            Friday:                          10 am to 5 pm
                                            Saturday:                      10 am to 3 pm

Also, please do not forget to help Belle and Chloe raise funds for Bark For Life.  Chloe and I are walking together and Dirone and Belle are walking together.  We have a friendly competition going in our house to see who can raise more money.  To support Cristie & Chloe, you can donate here:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/BFLFY11PA?px=19780321&pg=personal&fr_id=41530.  To support Dirone & Belle, you can donate here:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/BFLFY11PA?px=19780440&pg=personal&fr_id=41530.  This is a secure site for Bark for Life, so your information is not shared.  We only see how much you donated and your name if you choose to disclose that.  This is a great cause, so please donate whatever you can!  EVERY dollar counts!  Chloe and I would love to win this challenge and have bragging rights in our house!  We cannot wait to see who wins this challenge!

Belle and Chloe would like to thank each and every person that has taken the time to read our blog and also the people who have chosen to donate food to help pets and humans in need.  There are more people than ever that need a little help and anything you can do is appreciated!


Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Updated Dropoff List for Fill Our Media Lab

WOW!  More than 100 people viewed my blog today!  Thank you for taking the time out of your day to check out this page!

I received a message that Boneyard Joe's (House of Great Sandwiches and BBQ) in Pottstown would like to serve as a collection point for our Fill The Media Lab fundraiser.  You can donate pet food or human food and/or laundry detergent at this location.  They are located at:  148 Shoemaker Road in Pottstown.  This is behind Comcast and across the street from McDonald's.  This dropoff location is super convenient, as you can drop into Walmart, Target,Giant or Weis to pickup items to donate and then drop them off.  Boneyard Joe's hours are:
Mon:11:00 am-8:00 pm
Tue - Fri:11:00 am-9:00 pm
Sat:11:00 am-9:00 am
Sun:11:00 am-8:00 pm


The owners of this company are huge animal lovers, so we are more than happy to connect with them. Since this is a small and local business, PLEASE support them by picking up something to eat when you drop off your donation.

Would any of you be interested if we had a meet and greet with Belle and/or Chloe when you drop off your donations?  I was discussing this with someone who thought this would be a good idea, but am afraid no one will come out to see our girls.  If you would like to meet Chloe and/or Belle when making your donations, please comment!

While we have your attention, I would also like to plead for donations for Bark for Life.  Chloe and I are walking together and Dirone and Belle are walking together.  We have a friendly competition going in our house to see who can raise more money.  To support Cristie & Chloe, you can donate here:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/BFLFY11PA?px=19780321&pg=personal&fr_id=41530.  To support Dirone & Belle, you can donate here:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/BFLFY11PA?px=19780440&pg=personal&fr_id=41530.  This is a secure site for Bark for Life, so your information is not shared.  We only see how much you donated and your name if you choose to disclose that.  This is a great cause, so please donate whatever you can!  EVERY dollar counts!  Chloe and I would love to win this challenge and have bragging rights in our house! 

Thank you again for your support for both of these great causes we are supporting.  We look forward to exceeding The Mercury's goal of 20,000 food items and 1,000 laundry detergents.  We also look forward to raising funds for Bark for Life. 

Belle and Chloe NEED Your Help!

Belle and Chloe are so much more than "just dogs" to my husband and me.  These adorable girls can make either of us smile when we are having a bad day just by being there.  I know many other people feel this way about their pets, as well.  Sadly, many people are being forced to give their beloved family members away because they cannot afford to feed themselves, let alone the pet that has been there for them through their struggles and asked for nothing in return. 

The Pottstown Mercury has challenged their bloggers to "Fill the Media Lab" with food donations to benefit area pantries.  Our goal is to reach 20,000 items and 1,000 bottles of laundry detergent by the start of Passover.  The Pottstown Cluster is in need of pet food donations, so I am challenging each person that reads this blog to donate one bag of food to this great cause.  I cannot imagine being forced to give Belle or Chloe away or one of our two cats, Pumpkin and Daisy, because we don't have enough money to purchase food for them.  We are not asking for top of the line food, a $2 bag of food will last awhile and you will be making someone's life a little brighter no matter how much you spend.  The important thing is to DONATE!!! 

Joe Paws Dog Bakery has given me permission to place two boxes at their location: one for human food and one for pet food donations.  I have heard wonderful things about this Bakery, but have not been there yet, but am looking forward to spoiling Belle and Chloe with some treats when I drop off the boxes.  I have heard dogs cannot resist them and they are very reasonably priced.  This can be dangerous for me, as I love to purchase fresh baked treats for our girls when given the chance.  The Bakery has a website: http://www.joepawsonline.com/ and is open Tuesday - Thursday from 10 to 6; Friday from 10 to 5; and Saturday from 10 to 3.  They closed on Sunday and Monday.  Donations can be dropped off at: 18 South Reading Avenue, Boyertown, PA  19512.  While you are there, reward your pet with a freshly baked treat to show them how much you love them! 

You can also drop off your donations at The Mercury's Offices at Hanover and King Streets in Pottstown. 

There are more people than ever that are struggling to make ends meets, so your help is greatly needed.

Thank you for your support!  Our family appreciates it, but the family your donation allows to keep their beloved family member appreciates it more!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Is It Really February?

What a gorgeous day! The weather was perfect, so we decided to take the girls out and about.  Chloe had her first taste of Rita's Vanilla Custard and loved it! Belle was a regular customer at the Pottstown Rita's last season, so we thought it was time to introduce Chloe to this treat.  We order a child size vanilla custard and request one of the wider clear cups so it is easier for the pups to eat.  I could not believe the manager remembered how I ordered Belle's treat!  Talk about service! Belle and Chloe each had their own cup and loved it.  Chloe didn't know what to do at first, but quickly realized it was a treat.  She looked so cute with custard all over her face after putting her whole face in her cup. Talk about the wrong time to forget a camera! 

After Rita's, we went to Petco and purchased one of those Take Two leash attachments so we can walk both dogs on the same leash.  It has been a challenge taking the girls together, as Chloe wants to walk next to Belle, but gets tangled in her leash when she gets too excited.  This attachment is supposed to make it easy to walk two dogs together, but I am not sure if I like it yet.  I will keep you updated!  The girls still got tangled a little (not as much, though) and Belle drug poor Chloe a little.  We are going to keep experimenting with it, though!  I hope you had as great of a day as we did! 

Monday, February 20, 2012

Another Fun Weekend at the Dog Park!



Belle and Chloe had another fun Saturday afternoon at the Pottstown Dog Park!  We met Patches, their Beagle friend and the girls got wild and crazy!  We really enjoy having a park so close to home.  Does anyone else go to this park?  Here are some pictures of the girls.  Hope you had a great weekend, too!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Belle and Chloe Want Spring NOW!




Anyone with one dog will tell you that their dog goes stir crazy when they can't get out to play during the winter.  Imagine having two high energy dogs!  Belle and Chloe love socializing, but the weather has been too cold and/or wet to get out too much this week.  The girls' activities this week have consisted of chasing our two cats and running laps through our house together.  Unfortunately it looks like we will be spending some more time inside this week, as there is rain in the forecast, which means all of the dog parks we frequent will be too muddy to visit.  Does anyone know of any indoor dog parks that are inexpensive and local?   Wouldn't it be great if Bark for Life could rent out one of these and host a weekly play group?  I know we wouldn't mind donating $5 for an hour or so of play on a cold Saturday morning.  It would be worth it not to have to give our two girls a bath afterwards.  Just think of how much money this amazing charity could make over a winter if they did this!  Not only would our dogs have the chance to get out and socialize, but we could help a wonderful cause, as well!  Belle and Chloe give this idea two paws up! What are your thoughts?  Please comment if you agree!

The pictures were taken of Belle in Rehobeth Beach in April 2011 when she was 7 months old.  She is looking forward to returning this Spring with her new sister, Chloe!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

It seems like every time I talk to someone about taking Belle and Chloe to dog parks, I am asked if there are Pit Bulls there.  It is funny that this is the question that pops into people's heads when I talk about dog parks.  If someone tells me about a new place to take the girls, I usually ask how far away it is, if it is big, muddy, etc., so I do not understand why people jump right to asking about Pit Bulls.

It is a shame that these dogs have such a bad rap.  The aggressive and mean Pit Bulls normally come from abusive homes and are taught to be aggressive towards people and other dogs.  The people who try to do right by this breed are the ones that pay the price for these bad owners, as they are forced to pay higher property taxes (if their insurance will even allow them to have a Pit) or cannot find a place to rent if they are renters.  In turn, they may be forced to give up their beloved pet. 

Anyway, back to Pit Bulls and the dog park!  I have seen a few of them at dog parks when we have been there and they have been as full of energy as Belle.  One time we were at West Chester and a couple came in with a Pit Bull with a harness and sweater on.  In typical dog park tradition, people started to leave when they saw this couple and their dog.  The couple just stood in the middle of the park with their dog on the leash and looked around.  They looked so lost and out of place, so I went over and started talking to them.  They told me that it was their first time there and they were afraid to take their dog off of his leash because people thought he would be aggressive.  They told me their pup was only 16 weeks old, but he was as big as Belle.  I told them he looked like he would be fine, so they took him off of his leash and he flew over to Belle and ran around.  I think that is the most fun Belle had at that particular park, as they chased each other for awhile!  This is a perfect example of how the attitudes of non-Pit owners can affect the attitudes of Pit owners.  This poor couple almost allowed other people's opinions to jeopardize their fun.  Thankfully for Belle, that didn't happen, as she had a great time with her new friend that day!  Chloe slept through it all in her carrier, as she was still too young to play.  

Hopefully, Belle's experience allows you to see that Pit Bulls can be just as much fun for your dog to play with as other breeds!

Dirone and I finally got around to checking out the dog park at Memorial Park in Pottstown this past week.  It is a very large area and does not get too crowded.  We went with our friend and her beagle and the girls had a great time running around!  My only concern is that the park is down a long road that is deserted if no one is at the BMX park.  This is a safety concern, as you do not know if someone would be coming from the park down the road with an unleashed dog or if someone is hanging out there up to no good.

I think Pottstown gave the dogs a great size area to frolic in!  It would be nice if they sectioned it off into two separate areas, though.  It is always nice to have the big and little dogs separated if the park gets full.   It is nice to have somewhere local to take our girls, so we will definitely be back.  If anyone knows of any other parks, please let me know! 

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Dirone and I frequently take Belle and Chloe to area dog parks and have been told to check out the one in Oaks, but never got around to it.  Since today was so Spring-like, we packed the girls up and decided to check it out.  As dog park regulars, we were impressed with our experience.  There were two fenced in areas in use that were across the parking lot from each other.  One side was for big dogs and one was for small dogs.  So, what is a family with one of each to do?  Dog park etiquette would dictate separating our dogs since there were two of us and two of them.  We tried this, but Belle wouldn't play because she was worried about her little sister and Chloe was terrified to be with a dog that was not her sister in the small dog area.  I couldn't stand Chloe's cries and broke down and took her to the big dog area, as it was a calm crew today.  You would have thought they were separated for weeks!  They were so happy to be together and were running around.  Once more dogs started showing up, we moved them to the small area after checking with the other owners to see if it was ok for Belle to be there.  Our girls had such a good time and didn't get too muddy.  All in all we had a great time at this newfound hangout and will definitely be back!   Hopefully, we will see you there, as well! 

The pic above is of the girls settled in after their baths.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

My husband and I are quickly learning that big dogs and little dogs have very different needs.  Both of our dogs have a lot of energy and enjoy wrestling with each other.  However, Belle can be a bit much for little Chloe.  The hardest thing for me has been learning not to run and grab Chloe every time they get rough with each other.  Has anyone else struggled with this urge to protect your little dog and felt guilty for breaking up their play? 

Overall, Belle has been a great big sister!  Surprisingly, she has learned to use her little sister to her advantage.  If Belle has something she is not supposed to and we tell her to "drop it", she will move close to Chloe and drop the item in front of her.  Chloe will then pick the item up and run as fast as her little legs will carry her under a piece of furniture so that we cannot get it.  Belle will go and get the item from her after she thinks we forgot about it.  Does anyone have any stories of their dogs scheming together? 

Meet Belle and Chloe!

Belle and Chloe are the stars of this blog, so let me introduce them! 

My husband and I rescued Belle, a Border Collie mix, in November of 2010.  She was a sickly little thing when we brought her home and it was touch and go for the first few weeks of having her in our lives.  Belle has many Border Collie traits, including an unwavering loyalty, a friendly disposition, and unlimited energy.  She is also the smartest dog we have owned and was very easy to train! 

Belle enjoys watching the neighbors through our windows (we say she is like the lady from Bewitched), going to dog parks, going in the car, chasing our two cats, and playing with Chloe.

Chloe was born in August of 2011 and is a few months old.  She is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and has the sweetest disposition. 

Chloe enjoys snuggling with us or Belle, peanut butter, chasing the cats, going to dog parks, going in the car, and playing with Belle. 

This blog is dedicated to Belle and Chloe's adventures, as we always seem to be doing something with them!  Having a big dog and a little dog has proven to be quite entertaining and I cannot wait to share some of our stories with you!