Furbee and Sophie in snuggle-zone modes

Mr. Furball's hair is relatively short so he has to make extra effort to cuddle himself into a comfortable snuggle-zone, and that spot is sometimes located in the spot Papa likes to occupy. If one were to take things at face-value - an incorrect conclusion might be drawn - that Furbee wants to be alone; he doesn't. Cuddling up into Papa's snuggle-zone is a great way for Furbee to communicate that he wants love, and he gets it every time!

Another cute and wonderful aspect of Furbee's personality is that he sticks his tongue out of his mouth as he sleeps, and it stays stuck out when he wakes up from his naps (as shown above).

Sophie likes to baste in the Sun's rays early in the morning, but during Wintertime - overcast prevents that from happening - so she quietly hops out of bed and lays her furry body under the warmth of the 1000-watt High Pressure Sodium lamp keeping Mama's indoor, organic, vegetable garden growing.

Mr. Furball Enjoys Newman's Own Organics Premium Treat

"I actually wanted you to film him playing with it, but he didn't play (very) long." Furbee's mama said after eat a whole Newman's Own Organics Premium Turkey & Sweet Potato dog treat to himself. Sophie had come to inspect the 'premium' dog treat for herself, but rejected it for reasons only she knows. Mama and Papa joke that she doesn't like to eat anything that wasn't previously bleeding or breathing.

Newman's Own Organics Premium dog treats were purchased because Sophie's taste is so picky and we're motivated to make Daughter happy. PetSmart's customer satisfaction guarantee assisted in creating confidence for the purchasing decision; they guarantee that if you or your pet are not completely satisfied with a purchase - return the (reasonably) unused portion for an exchange or refund if no alternatively satisfying options are available. Sophie was completely uninterested, and Furbee was playful about not sharing. When Mr. Furball shakes his tail in approval of treats - tail-wagging is not always acknowledgement of greedy behavior; it means "I'm eating it! It's good!" Unlike other dog breeds - this representative is not aggressive when reaching towards his food and he definitely never bites, but he does increase the pace of his eating to inhaling speeds leaving no crumbs in sight. The one time you will hear Furbee growl is right before he eats the treat - sometimes he pretends he's attacking a small animal by mouthing the treat and growling at it before breaking it into smaller, edible, bite-sized pieces.

Sophie's Lip Heals!

It's a miracle, Neem Oil has healed Sophie's lip inflammation back to normal - restoring her skin pigmentation, too! Applied 2 to 3 times daily, the Organic Neem Oil used was originally intended as a natural and safe foliage treatment for the indoor/outdoor gardens. In addition, as the Winter weather disappeared - so did Sophie's stress over the falling roof snow disappear. Her appetite improved under some circumstances, but life isn't perfect; however, she isn't fazed much - she's more interested in what is or is not happening right now.

Dogs are excellent communicators that use their eyes and ears to speak to us. In this picture, Sophie's chin (Nickname/aka: "Chin Rester") rests on a roll of toilet paper. The paper roll is in front of a computer that is distracting Mama's attention from Sophie so she places herself between Mama and the  paper roll. Sophie is so smart; she displays the patience of a hunter.
Enjoy this picture of our beautiful, naturally-smokey-eyed, shih-tzu daughter, Sophie Garcia, being cute on the bed.

Potentially Cancerous Growth on Canine Lip Identified and Treated

The potentially cancerous growth on Sophie's lip has been identified as ugly, but not unnatural based on the small amount of food she's been eating and the amount of household stress from new visitors and weather she's experienced. Snow falling off the roof and thunder make her shiver and hide in the bathrub sometimes. A violent, bloody biopsy was not performed on Sophie because I wouldn't do that for myself; a simple web search with graphic photos was helpful enough to identify homeopathic solutions for treating potentially cancerous or warty skin growths on dogs, and per chance I could be wrong - I consulted the veterinary clinic in Sunriver and learned that Neem Oil, Tea Tree Oil, and something else that I forgot, but may have been hydrogen peroxide.

Research showed that Sophie's condition may have been contributed-to by stress and poor diet, but also poor hygiene. Before this picture was taken, Sophie's facial and body hair were significantly longer. She was shaved with a very short hair-trimming clip attachment (1/4", or 0.25 inches), followed by a nice shampoo-shower which  conserves more water than a bath might.

Various methods of treatment were applied to reduce the swelling and source of Sophie's facial discomfort, including; baking soda and water paste, followed by Castor Oil, and another natural homemade oil extract being researched for its cancer-fighting capabilities in not only humans, but in pets  including small dogs as well. A wise quote says something like, "If you cannot help - do not harm." Although Hydrogen Peroxide was used, it should not have been because it appeared to damage some beneficial flesh, but not quite beyond repair. Garlic and olive oil were experimented-with since they helped Sophie's mama's mastectomy infection heal overnight. Sophie is a fan of natural medicine, has never been surgically invaded, and is willing to eat other animals that once lived in order for herself to thrive.

The day Sophie is cured of her condition, the world will be made known and she will be a mascot for herself. As of lately, the growth appears to have stopped growing and reduced in size!