"Henry Makes Me Happy"

Some of us spend our entire lives never really finding what makes us happy. Creating art  as a call to action, to educate and  inspire others to help animals is my "happy place". It's strange and sometimes hard to comprehend that there are still people in the World who don't understand why I want to help animals in need. I attend many rescue and pet events where people still ask me "Why rescue?" This is one of the reasons I created Dogs for the PAWS,  so that  people can be educated as to the "why" they should help pets in need. Along with my artwork,  shelter and rescue animals' stories are posted and shared  across social media sites, so that they too may find their "happy place". Dogs for the PAWS is all about pets, rescue, awareness and love. Henry is one of the  sweet dogs that has inspired my art and brings happiness to life.

Henry was found on a busy road as a stray puppy, was rescued by a good samaritan who took him to the local shelter. She couldn't get that sweet puppy out of her mind so went back and adopted him.  The first time I met Henry, I was hooked! He was this long legged little brindle colored cutie with big brown eyes that just melted your heart. I am so fortunate to live close to Henry and his family so I have had the joy of watching this sweet boy grow up. Long before Dogs for the PAWS, I have wanted to paint Henry's portrait. Having the chance to catch his sweet personality and those amazing eyes on paper was a fun challenge.  His eyes grab me every time he looks my way  and steals my heart.  It is so heartwarming to share in his life and see all the fun he brings to all he meets. He never meets a stranger and whenever I see him I love to give him a big hug!  He's my "Sweet Henry"!  The best part is he knows who loves him and he returns that love over and over again.

He enjoys going for  walks, hanging out with his family, rides in the car and has fans from Facebook to Starbucks. He is a Rock Star! He makes you laugh out loud at all his crazy antics and his Mom dresses him up in all kinds of funny gear from hats to big red socks!  All the while Henry is soaking up the attention. Oh yes,  he's a "love magnet". His family says, "Henry has only one of volume of love, all the way up!" He knows nothing but love and shares happiness every day of his life. I am so proud of his family for giving him a "happy furever after" by stopping to help him on that busy road. Henry is the best example of making a difference in a homeless pet's life. And no one could look into those big brown eyes and ever say "No" to Henry!

So if you see a pet on a road, don't just drive past, remember Henry and be the difference for that animal. It will bring you happiness to know you helped.  I am so glad Henry's road led him to be a part of my life as well as my art...the wag of that tail or the way he tilts his head to the side when you talk to him...he melts my heart...Happiness is Henry!  Now go make a difference!

"Welcome to Missy's World"

 You may already know the widely popular and very unique artwork from artist  Annamarie "Missy" Johnson. Her work can be seen during events with local pet rescues in California to media events in Indianapolis. She loves everything to do with animals and is a huge advocate of rescues and shelters across the country. Missy is a graphic designer and illustrator as well as the creative genius behind Dogs for the PAWS, a national pet rescue awareness site that is inspiring pet lovers to rescue, foster, adopt, volunteer and love pets in need. Dogs for the PAWS is an art and education project that started with 80 rescue dogs from all around the country. Missy paints the dogs' portraits and includes their touching stories of rescue and rehabilitation written by their companions and rescuers. 

 Being a full time professional graphic designer by day and the popular artist and pet advocate that everyone knows and loves on Facebook and Twitter in her free time, keeps Missy hopping.  In "Missy's World"  it's all about the animals. From posting about baby elephants in need in Malaysia to painting a 5 foot tall fiberglass turtle for the South Carolina Aquarium's Turtle hospital fundraiser, you will find Missy working and challenging herself to help in her unique way. She believes all animals deserve respect and love as well as awareness to their needs. With her variety of illustration and painting skills, she can speak out across the masses without saying a word. People are drawn to her colorful and creative style which is gaining national attention and creating a niche artist category all her own.  When she puts paint brush to canvas, there are animals in need and Missy is there to help however she can. She and her husband Jim are pet parents to 5 dogs, 4 of which are rescues. They volunteer with the Carolina Basset Hound Rescue. 

...Being an active advocate for pets and rescue/shelters, Missy has made a large group of friends and fans from coast to coast.  Here is an excerpt from a guest blog post Missy's good friend, Ginny Tata-Phillips, author and pet rescuer, provided to Dogs For The Paws...

 

"Missy herself is a work of art (or a piece of work, if you will)!  She is quite pleasant to look at with a cheerful smile and sparkling eyes.  But put a dog in her lap or her arms or next to Missy and an aura seems to surround them.  Wait!  Is that a halo?  Cuz this angel for the animals is beaming!  She exudes a beauty that ain’t just skin deep, my friend.  Put Missy and an animal in the same vicinity and their souls connect.  Missy is stunning and the soul of the formerly neglected or abused animal just merges with hers and shines on through.  Ask Chamberlain.  Ask Nico.  Ask Wyatt Earp, they will tell you about Missy, because they know.  I always used to say I would not let my girls go out with any boy the dogs did not like.  Dogs can see right through a shining exterior to a rotten core.  What do they sense in Missy?   A heart of gold, my friend, a heart of pure shining platinum even! Dogs For The Paws has a message and Missy has a vision.  Her art expresses it and it is all about love.  It is all about hope.  Rock on Miss Annamarie "Missy" Johnson!   YOU are the Rock Star and we are your most fervent fans! "

 Painting the dogs of the "Paws Pack" as they are called, she captured the hope for the future in their eyes. With the World at her fingertips...through Facebook, Twitter and the blog, she can posts to all her local sites, as well as national sites, groups, events, etc... The project was first introduced nationally by DogTipper.com and it continues to gain popularity and fans.  The PAWS PACK families, as they are fondly known, have written and contributed stories and posts to bring more attention to animals in need  and the shelters/rescues that found these animals.  More and more people are networking  and the portraits and designs are becoming very well known across the country. She hopes to build on the different uses that the artwork and project offers through it's message from a Gallery show-Yappy Hour event to offering rescues and other pet groups programs that they can use to promote their animals in need. 

 Challenging herself to get back to painting, Missy had no idea what this special project would do to her heart and World. Nico the Dogo Argentino, captures your heart with his hazel and blue colored eyes. Missy admits she cried for over 8 hours as she painted Nico's portrait.  Then there is Rosie the puppy mill basset hound, Pete the Pitbull who inspired his family to begin their own rescue and Chamberlin, the sweet black dog left tied to a tree and forgotten. Riley the 13 year old Lab mix who spent his entire life at the end of a chain til he broke free and was rescued. All these works of the heart, have become not just loves of their families and rescuers but a part of Missy's life. She jokes that she kept the Kleenex Company in business during the 503 days it took her to finish the original 80 portraits. She displays the paintings on her studio wall where they can keep motivating her to continue painting and working. 

 Dogs for the PAWS and Missy's stunning artwork have been featured in numerous printed and online publications From FIDO Friendly, DogTipper.com, Lowcountry Dog Magazine, Indy Tails, Wadsworth News, and PeoplePets Online. She has been a guest blogger for everyone from BlogPaws to FIDO Friendly. She is a contributing writer for Life+Dog Magazine.  Her passion and love for animals is inspiring to everyone Missy meets. Dogs for the Paws has brought a huge following to her artwork and message of hope for animals in need. She offers affordable design and illustration that rescues and other pet organizations can use for their events, fundraising and social media promotion of animals up for adoption.  Her work helps the groups stand out at events with unique tshirts and ad promotionals that are sold to raise funds. She is proud to say her unique designs, custom painted furniture and painted windows have helped raise thousands of dollars for homeless pets across the country. 

      

Morton Is Keeping Our Paws Safe and Helping Animals In Need!

 We are so excited to bring you some of the great new products available and featuring all the wonderful companies working to make more and more of their products "pet safe".  Morton Salt, yes the Morton Salt, has a brand new product under the Safe-T- Pet line called "Pet Friendly Ice Melt". For our friends who live in the colder climates, we know how dangerous snow and ice can be for humans and their pet companions. Veterinarians across the country are recommending Safe-T-Pet to keep pets' paws safe while keeping walkways, driveways and steps clear of snow and ice.

This is exciting news but the biggest news is that Morton is sponsoring "National Keep Pets Safe in Winter Day" on December 22nd and in support of the ASPCA, Morton is encouraging the country to like their Facebook page and they will donate $1 to the ASPCA to increase winter pet safety awareness and support the message to help all animals in need. We are asking everyone to join us in helping Morton in their project of good will and in return please go and LIKE their Facebook page and help animals in need with just a click.  Let's help this purposeful campaign and continue to raise awareness to keep our fuzzy friends safe during the winter season. With our help, Morton will make a generous donation of $55,000 to our pet friends in need which helps the ASPCA continue their amazing work making a difference for all animals.

Through this campaign we also have the opportunity to win $500 for our cause. When you go and LIKE Morton's Facebook page(link below) please tell them that Dogs for the PAWS sent you so they can keep a tally of all who post and where they are from. We appreciate all your help DFTP Nation and with your help and a click you can make a difference for our homeless fuzzy friends in need too. It's one of the best gifts you can give a shelter pet this holiday season. So tell all you know and let's WOOF out to keep pets safe during the winter season.

Here are some tips to keep your pets safe this winter..

*Use pet-friendly (salt free and chloride free) ice melters such as Morton Safe-T-Pet.

* Make sure pets' identification tags are always current should they become disoriented or lost when familiar surroundings are covered in snow and ice.

* Please limit outdoor time for all pets when temperatures drop below freezing.

* Always check warm spots on cars, such as hoods, where animals might seek shelter from the cold.


 Show your support of Morton, ASPCA and Dogs for the PAWS by clicking the link below and telling Morton that Dogs for the PAWS sent you.

WOOF!

https://www.facebook.com/MortonSalt

"Bissell is Pawsitively Keeping Us Clean!"

It was so exciting when the new Bissell Pawsitively Clean Spiffy Steam Mop arrived at the front door! We have had a few Bissell products that have been staples of keeping our house clean but being a 5 dog family, keeping our floors clean is a constant frustration. But I can honestly say that this is not the case anymore with the Pawsitively Clean Spiffy. We have all hard wood floors as well as linoleum and the Spiffy tackles all my headaches that I had with regular mops. I would vacuum, then mop and still the floors weren't clean so would have to usually mop a few more times to get them clean.

The Spiffy comes unassembled but it only took about 10 minutes to assemble with the provided tools in the box and it was ready for action. It is very easy to put together and begin using immediately with the informative and easy to read instructions. It has a strain reliever handle that even after all the times I have used the  Spiffy my wrist and arm don't ache as they have sometimes from a regular mop. The Spiffy is decked out with all kinds of conveniences and goodies not found in other mops. The steam on demand trigger, removable water tank and the water purification system are all packed into a slim designed shape. It is easy to pick up with the carrying handle and use wherever you need to mop. You can use the mop on all types of floors from marble to sealed hardwood. It isn't for every floor type so Bissell suggests you test it out on a small floor section before use to make sure it will be alright to use.

The best feature of the Spiffy, is that it is completely pet safe as far as there are no chemicals to use with your cleaning, just the steam of the mop. This is very important that I am not having to use a poisonous cleaner on my floors where the dogs walk and lay. Bissell recommends using distilled water in the Spiffy as well which really seems to clean better in my opinion. I also  have some hard to clean areas and corners that I can maneuver the mop easily into.  All of our problem areas I have used the Spiffy on, I have noticed they don't have the odor they did. It's a relief to know whatever messes my dogs will make I can get those areas really clean. 

I have been using the Spiffy for almost a month now and when I don't use it I notice the house just doesn't smell as clean as when I do use it. So it's a big help and a much enjoyed new "family member"! Welcome to the Johnson Pack, Spiffy we are so glad you are here to keep us Pawsitively clean!

We were also excited to receive some extra goodies in our Bissell box. The new "Fur Get It", "Fur & Fuzz" and the very cool "Ruff Roller" are also must haves for your furniture, clothing and home. 

 The Fur Get It is a pet hair sweeper and great for all your furniture and pet bedding. It picks up hair from all furniture and fabrics. It has a plastic cover that captures the hair as you roll it across the area that you want to clean. Once the cover is full just pop it off and empty into trash container. We have always used the vacuum on our furniture but the Fur Get It works so much better getting hair off that we haven't used the vacuum since.

  The Fur & Fuzz is a multi-surface tool that has rubber bristles on one side and a nubby texture on the other. It works great in hard to reach corners where pet hair collects as well as on upholstery and pet beds too. We used it in the car too where we can't pick up all the pet hair in the corners on the floor and under the seats. 

  Lint rollers are a must for all pet families and we think the Ruff Roller is the best one we have had. It will remove hair, lint and dust. It is quick and easy as well as using less refills as other lint rollers. It works great on couch pillows too. 

  We have enjoyed sharing all these great new pet related products from our friends at Bissell. Keeping up with our pooches and maintaining a clean home is our top priority and now with all the Bissell products we can spend less time cleaning and more time with our dogs having fun! 

For more info on these products as well as the entire line of Bissell products click the link below...

www.bissell.com 

  

"We Are WOOFSTRONG Against Canine Cancer"

To show our support to raise awareness of the issues and animals affected with canine cancer, Dogs for the PAWS is going Pink and we are Barking an invitation to all to join us our pledge to be "WOOFSTRONG" Against Canine Cancer! We have quite a few of our PAWS PACK dogs that have suffered from cancer and our boy Nico who is currently fighting 4 different types of cancer in his body. So please join us to help make others aware of this very important cause and go make a difference by donating or helping an animal who is sick. Dog Bless!

"Keepin' it Clean with Purina ProCare"

 My name is Gun Johnson. I am a rescued basset hound from South Carolina. I have 3 fuzzy brudders and 1 fuzzy sister. We are a pretty active family and keep our parents hopping!  Being a Basset Hound, I am always getting into stuff and making a mess so my Mom is always looking for new products that can help keep our house clean and tidy. My Mom met the nice people at Purina and they were telling us about their cool new line of ProCare products which they said we could try and tell them what we think. Well, I was on top of that and volunteered to help my Mom with the review. I love to try new things and my Mom calls me her "Little Helper"

I love to see the mailman and greeted him at the door when he brought the cool red Purina ProCare box!  We opened it and went  to work trying out the items included…Inside we found the new Ultra Dry Training Pads and a big spray bottle of the Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator.

You may not know this but Basset Hounds, now I am not saying me, do not like to go outside when it is raining!  Well, come on there is just something not right with rain and some of us don't like getting wet.  Any woof, Mom put the Training Pads quickly to work right next to our pet door to see how they would do. I gotta tell you, I liked them a lot. I usually can't hold it quick enough to jump through the pet door so to know if I do something on the pad it will catch it all. And I won't be put in doggy time out for making a mess on the floor.  And boy did they  do a grrreat job!!!  It was raining cats and milk bones but we were good to go having the training pads right there to keep the floor clean. I saw my brudder Lake, quickly catch on to using the pads too and all was good.  Who knew we wouldn't get in trouble for a floor accident. WOOF THAT!!!

This is my big bro Wy helping us with the review of the Training Pads

 Now some of you may be wondering if they are Training Pads,  aren't they only for puppies to use? AbsoWOOFley not! They can be used for all types of situations from  old senior doggy beds to under a kitty's litter box. Would be great if you are traveling with your pets too. Really versatile like in our case being used at the pet door since some of us don't go out when it rains. They also have this super leak pawtection and we have even been using them by our back pet door to catch dirt and mud we might track in from the yard.  They also absorb a lot faster than some other products too. And let me tell you, when Mom came home and saw we had used the pads she was so happy! Yeah, I said happy! All she did was pick up the pads and throw them away. No muss, no fuss! 

 We don't have carpet in our house but we do love to lounge on all the furniture. So our friends at Purina ProCare were smart to have created the handy Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator product too.  My brudder Schooner is always leaving paw prints or dirt on the couch so Mom just sprayed some of the Eliminator on the area and it cleaned it right away. Lake had something smelly he rolled in outside and came right in and rolled it all over Mom's chair so with a quick spray of the Eliminator, a little scrub with a paper towel and  the spot as well as the smell were gone. Sometimes, I wish I could spray the Eliminator on Lake and make him go away!!! Just Woofin' with you! Anywoof, another grrreat product that everbuddy should keep on hand for all those misc pet stains and odors.  Works great on carpet, rugs, furniture and floors! 

Hope you enjoyed our Procare review and we sure had  fun trying out these grrrrreat new products from our friends at Purina. Yeah, they are pretty pawsome to think of cool new ways to help pet parents keep their homes odor and stain free.  And with Purina Procare products you won't have to worry about accidents, odors or pet stains so  go and stock up on these must have products. You can find them at your local pet stores. 

Check out their website for more information on the ProCare products...

http://www.purinaprocare.com

"Our 2nd Year Celebration Has Begun...With a Gift"

 It is so crazy to think we are about to celebrate our 2nd year anniversary/birthday! I had the idea in my head the Summer of 2009 and knew I wanted to do some type of rescue/shelter awareness project but had no idea where it would lead or what it would become. Funny to think about how all the random pieces and parts fell together as DFTP began. It took me a little longer than the 80 dog portraits in 80 days but now after almost 2 years I am continuing to paint new dogs and hopefully some other animals as well and watching the blog, Facebook and Twitter fan pages growing
 daily. So is this a dream and I will have to keep pinching myself to make sure it is really happening?

  And now that we are gaining some national attention and growing our social media across the World, we are finding and meeting fans we didn't even know we had. We've met people from Hamiliton Humane Society in Indiana, our friends at the Golden Gate Basset Rescue to people we didn't even know at BlogPaws coming up and saying how they loved our art and message. Thousands are flocking to the blog and our fan pages and are inspiring us to keep moving forward! So we will! But to begin the Big 2nd Year Celebration we have already begun to receive "gifts".

This sweet 'gift" comes from Ginny Tata-Phillips, one of our many great friends and supporters of DFTP and helping animals. She herself is a huge animal advocate and Mama to 5 fuzzies, 4 of which are basset rescues. Ginny is a published author of many books and she is known coast to coast for all of her great work helping homeless bassets and others in need. She sent this wonderful gift of prose about me your DFTP artist and creator. So we send out a BIG WOOF to Ginny and her family at the Basset Plantation for all their love and friendship to myself and Dogs for the PAWS!

Rock On

by

Ginny Tata-Phillips

 My friend, Missy(Annamarie) Johnson calls me a Rock Star.  She is a crazy woman.  I have written a few books, published a few pictures in magazines back in the dark ages.  This Rock Star wants to hitch her wagon to the up and coming Star from Dogs For The Paws.

There is nothing cold and prickly about Missy.   She is all about warm fuzzy feelings.  She is the kind of person you want to befriend.  She is the kind of friend you always want in your corner or on your team.  She is a forever kind of friend.

Missy is all about the animals.  She believes they all deserve loving forever homes, free from fear and hunger.  Just take a peek at her Paws Project to see how she feels about animal abuse.  See, Missy has a God given talent to express what she believe through her art.

Look at the eyes.  Missy captures the hope for the future in the eyes of each of her dog paintings.  Despite the neglect and abuse, the pain and sorrow these animals have suffered, they all have a spark of hope, and Missy captures that spark in her art.

Missy herself is a work of art (or a piece of work, if you will)!  She is quite pleasant to look at with a cheerful smile and sparkling eyes.  But put a dog in her lap or her arms or next to Missy and an aura seems to surround them.  Wait!  Is that a halo?  Cuz this angel for the animals is beaming!  She exudes a beauty that ain’t just skin deep, my friend.  Put Missy and an animal in the same vicinity and their souls connect.  Missy is stunning and the soul of the formerly neglected or abused animal just merges with hers and shines on through.  

                                                                                                                 Photo courtesy of BKW Photography

Ask Chamberlain.  Ask Nico.  Ask Wyatt Earp, they will tell you about Missy, because they know.  I always used to say I would not let my girls go out with any boy the dogs did not like.  Dogs can see right through a shining exterior to a rotten core.  What do they sense in Missy?   A heart of gold, my friend, a heart of pure shining platinum even!

Dogs For The Paws has a message and Missy has a vision.  Her art expresses it and it is all about love.  It is all about hope.  Rock on Miss Annamarie Johnson!   YOU are the Rock Star and we are your most fervent fans!

We love you Missy and Happy 2nd Year to Dogs for the PAWS!!!

              Our great friend, Basset Plantation Mama, and author Ginny Tata-Philips and Missy in Spotsylvania, VA

 From all of us at the Basset Plantation, Ginny and The Colonel, Rudy, Duffy, Hannah Lee Gurl Dawg, Sweet Pete and Bruno Giuseppe!  


 To check out more of Ginny's blog direct from the hub of Spotsylvania, VA,  her great books and publications, as well as all the Basset Plantation's fun...follow her blog and go send her a WOOF on her Facebook page...

http://gspotsylvania.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/my4hounds