What’s Most Important

(Charlie – mesmerized by food)

This post contains a few affiliate links – when you purchase through me it helps me keep the lights on and I love you for it. 

The other day I sat down to write about cookies and I just COULD NOT do it. You know, when things are on your mind and you can’t seem to focus? Well that’s where I was. So I thought I would take this opportunity to share what was on my mind, one of the things that is most important to me: dog rescue!

If you have ever taken a minute to read About Me, you know that we L.O.V.E. dogs. We are the crazy dog people. We text each other photos of what our four-legged friends are up to. We negotiate with them for couch space, and at least once a week I have to fight Gertrude for covers even though she has her own bed. We plan vacations around finding them baby sitters and always shop the dog toy section in any store that has one.

Four is a houseful, but if we had more space, I can definitely say we would have more dogs. All of ours were rescued, and if you have never saved a life this way, you are 100% missing out on the most beautiful kind of thankful, unconditional love.

(Gertrude – extra proud of rolling in all the dirt.)

The reason I was stressed and couldn’t focus was not because a houseful of dogs under the age of 3 is basically like having a houseful of toddlers (too quiet = danger zone and you will never go to the bathroom alone again).

Recently we signed up to volunteer as a foster family with a local rescue organization. It is like a miracle for me to have the support of a local agency because, as you can see from all our permanent residents, I am pro at rescuing but not so pro at finding adoptive families. The nature of being a foster family is this: you get to temporarily love a dog that would otherwise be put down while the rescue organization finds them an amazing and loving new home. It’s pretty fantastic.

Local animal shelters are high risk places for pets, people. Many of them are so over-crowded that they only give each furry friend 48 hours before sending them to meet their makers. Owner-surrenders are at especially high risk. If you drop your dog off at a shelter thinking that it is some kind of magical boarding facility that will find your pet just the right home, you are sadly mistaken (also shame on you). Shelters operate on shoestring budgets and just do not have the resources to keep them all.

That was the source of my stress.

(Lucy – the laziest dog in the universe)

We were in a sort of foster family limbo — waiting for a dog to be placed with us while I followed along with the shelter’s news feed worrying about the babes I couldn’t help.

(Betty — the Queen of Everything)

But ultimately things work out the way they are supposed to because on Tuesday we welcomed a new friend. His name is Sampson and he is WONDERFUL. Chad fondly calls him lab-a-saurus. He makes my 85-pound Charlie look like a small dog. Sampson is gentle and sweet and likes to be wherever you are. He is a great walking companion and is good at making friends with all the other dogs. Sampson is available for adoption through Carolina Big Hearts Big Barks.

(Sampson — our foster love)

All of this brings me to my next topic … bear with me, ya’ll! … BarkBox!!

With all these sweet faces I can’t help but to buy them treats and toys. If you spend any time shopping for your 4-legged friends you know it is pretty easy to blow the bank at the pet supply store. Should we get Lucy the squeaky duck or the fluffy stuffed pig? Is Charlie out of chewies? Bacon treats or peanut butter?

Please tell me you understand my crazy dog mama ways.

Anyway. BarkBox is a subscription service for dog treats and toys. If you have a furry family member it is the coolest way to keep them in toy + treat supply. Every month we get a box full of surprises — the team at BarkBox curates cool seasonal things every month — every box has a theme. Because we have so many (omg so many) I also opt to add an extra treat + toy in every box we get. This month’s theme was Bedtime Story. Lucy’s favorite was the Shooting Star stuffed toy. Betty keeps trying to steal it. Gertrude has been carrying around the Chuck It! Max Glow Ball for a week. There was a chew toy that has also been a big win, and apparently that applied everywhere because they are sold out. Charlie will do anything for the Chewy Sweet Potato Treats.

Probably my favorite thing about BarkBox though? Is that they donate 10% of all profits to rescues all over the U.S. and Canada. Bringing us full circle to? DOG RESCUE.

If you would like to try BarkBox (or give it as a gift — what a great gift!) you can CHECK IT OUT HERE

If you just wanna buy a couple cool toys you can CHECK OUT BARKSHOP HERE

Shopping with these links (or using the code SUGARDISHME) will get you 1 free month on any subscription or 1 free bully stick (best chewies ever) on any purchase over $10

And finally… if you would like to donate to Carolina Big Hearts Big Barks Recsue, you can do so HERE or HERE No amount is too small. Every little bit counts!