MalteseOnly News August 1998 Issue No: 002 (Second Edition) Welcome to MalteseOnly News! MalteseOnly went online in May of 1996. Created by Jay and Bev Bianco of Mt. Morris, PA. Today over 1,000 visitors daily find themselves at this website. The MalteseOnly site provides a multitude of information on the health, care and training of a Maltese. The Discussion Forum is the #1 Dog Discussion on the Internet. MalteseOnly has the most dedicated fans on the Internet. This MalteseOnly News is dedicated to them. ************************************************************* MALTESE RESCUES Jay and Bev Bianco - (724)324-9401 Mt. Morris, PA Beverly Passe - (253)858-9266 (referral only) Gig Harbor, WA DEDICATED TO PEOPLE IN RESCUE Alone Again Submitted by MarilynR I wish someone would tell me what it is, that I have done wrong, Why I have to stay chained up and left alone so long. They seemed so glad to have me when I came here as a pup, There were so many things we'd do while I was growing up. They couldn't wait to train me as a companion and a friend, And told me how they'd never fear being left alone again. The children said they'd feed me and brush me every day, They'd play with me and walk me if I could only stay. But now the family "Hasn't Time", they often say I shed, They do not want me in the house not even to be fed. The children never walk me, they always say "Not Now!", I wish that I could please them, won't someone tell me how? All I had, you see, was love. I wish they could explain why they said they wanted me, Then left me on a chain? (This was a poem from the SPCA, Humane Society) 1998 AMA NATIONAL SPECIALTY The American Maltese Association is scheduled to hold its 1998 National Specialty show on August 19 - 21, 1998 at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East in Harrisburg, PA. For events schedule check out the web site at: www.americanmaltese.org MALTESE HOROSCOPE Submitted by Chrisy Leo Dog (July 22 - August 22) The Leo Dog is powerful and faithful. They are enthusiastic and full of energy. Leo dogs head pell mell into every activity, from running to fetching. They even sleep with gusto and elan. Leo dogs are convinced they are the masters of all they survey and while they are generous and warm-hearted, they are the boss. Above all, Leo dogs are faithful and loyal to their owners, except where cats might be involved. Dogs Have Rights Too! Submitted by Chrisy Be kind and I will do my best to please you. Be generous with your praise. It is the best reward I can have. Be fair. Tell me what you want before you correct me, then praise me when I do it right. Be patient. I can absorb just so much at a time. Be consistent so I can learn right from wrong. Give your commands clearly and make your signals distinct, so that I won't be confused. Give me confidence and security. Don't lose your temper and hit me in anger. Your voice and collar correction will tell me I have done something wrong. Don't grab mycoat or pinch my skin. Don't snap your fingers at me or point a finger in my face. I get bored easy, so vary the routine of training. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER call me to you and then punish me. Would you come the second time if you knew your reward was a punch in the nose? MOST OF ALL....keep me happy, play with me. I am always ready for a game! AUGUST BIRTHDAYS Happy Birthday from MalteseOnly Faye's PJ 8/1 Carla's Natasha 8/97 Bianco's What A Mug Muggs 8/8 Judka's Chloe 8/10 LindaP's Truffles 8/15 Katie's Shelby and Chloe 8/23 KathyS's C&M's Hello Dolly 8/19 Annie's Chloe 8/97 Happy Belated Birthday Kathy's Tilly 7/4. Angela's Socks 7/24 Sera's Snowy 7/22 POOL SAFETY! It's summer; and our dogs love to go swimming. Here are some pool safety tips to follow: 1. Your dog should wear a Doggy Life Preserver. (This applies to taking your dog out on a boat also) 2. Make sure your dog can get out of the pool. 3. Show him/her where the pool is 4. Show him/her where the pool steps are so that he/she can easily get out 5. Fence in around the pool to keep your dog out. Remember! Pool covers don't work. Your dog or cat can fall in and get stuck under the cover. So practice water safety not only with your human kids but your four legged ones too. POISONOUS PLANTS Submitted by EvaJ A dog or especially a puppies way of inspecting things on the ground is to sniff it, put it in their mouth to taste it, and swallow it if it tastes good to them, and if it really tastes good, then they try to find more to eat. Some of us have a green thumb and enjoys puttering around in the yard or garden growing all sorts of plants. Here is a short list of the most common types of plants that can be harmful to your pets so that you can take precautions to keep your fur babies safe while still enjoying the beauty or bounty of these plants. PLANTS POISONOUS TO PETS Common Yard Flowers and Foliage Caladium - All parts. Chrysanthemum - Leaves and stems. Climbing Lily - All parts extremely poisonous especially tubers. Delphinium - All parts. Elephant Ears - All parts. Four O 'clocks - All parts. Foxglove - All parts can be fatal. Hydrangea. Whole plant. Impatiens - All parts. Ivy (All Forms) - All parts. Lily of the Valley - All parts Lobelia - All parts. Lupine - All parts especially pods and seeds. Magnolia - Flowers. Marigold - Young leaves and stems especially poisonous. Moccasin flower (Lady Slipper) - All parts. Morning Glory - All parts. Peony - All parts. Periwinkle - All parts. Pinks (Sweet William, Carnation) - All parts. Poppy (except California) - All parts. Snapdragon - All parts. Sweet Pea - All parts. Especially seeds. Verbena - Foliage and flowers. Wisteria - All parts. Seeds and pods. Common Shrubs Azaleas - A shrub. All parts are fatal. English Holly - Berries may be fatal. Evening Trumpet Flower - A shrub. Hibiscus - a shrub Oleander - All parts. Foliage. Rhododendron - All parts are fatal especially leaves. A shrub. Yellow Oleander - All parts. Especially kernels of the fruit. A shrub. Garden Plants Asparagus - Berries and eating green shoots raw may cause dermatitis. Eggplant - All but fruit. Elderberry - All parts. Fava Bean - Raw or half cooked beans. Horse Bean - Raw or half cooked beans. Potato Foliage - Eyes and sprouts can be fatal. A shrub Lima Bean (Java Bean) - Uncooked bean. Rhubarb - Leaves and uncooked stems. Rosemary - Leaves in some species. Sage - Leaves in some species Tomato Plant - Leaves and vines. Wild Onion - (also cultivated onion) - All parts especially once they begin to decay. Wild Parsnip - Underground roots and foliage Fruit and Nut Trees Angel Trumpet Tree - Flowers, leaves juice and seeds. Apple - Seeds, leaves and bark. Apricot Pits - Inner seed Avocado, (Alligator Pear) - Leaves, bark seeds, pit, unripe fruit and stems. Balsam Pear - Seeds, outer rind of fruit. Black Walnut - Hulls and bark. Buckeye Horse - Chestnut Buds, nuts, leaves, bark, seedlings, and honey. Blackthorn - Fruit and bark. Cashew - Shells contain a poisonous oil Cherry (Wild and Cultivated) - Twigs, leaves, seed pits. Fig (Ficus) - Milky sap in leaves and fruit. Nectarine - Seed Inner pit only. Oak Trees - Leaves and acorns. Peach - Inner seed, leaves and bark. Pear - Seeds, leaves and bark. Plums - Leaves, inner seeds and bark. Red Oak Buds - (fall) young shoots (early spring) sprouts and acorns. Sorghum - All parts. Walnut - Outer green hulls. Wild Black Cherry (Choke Cherry, Rum Cherry) - All parts. Withered leaves are very poisonous. Some plants are known by different names. If you are ever in doubt, you should check with your local nursery. This information and a more complete list can be obtained from the following web site courtesy of : Jon-An's Yorkshire Terriers http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/Banjo03/aapoison.htm Thank you Cookie Rogan for the use of this list. QUOTES Submitted by Linda R "Dogs are not our whole lives,but they make our lives whole." (Roger Caras) Submitted by Chrisy Our Friend, The Dog "Recollect that the Almighty, who gave the dog to be companion of our pleasures and toils, hath invested him with a nature noble and incapable of deceit." (Sir Walter Scott) Submitted by Chrisy "In a dog-eat-dog world, it is the dogmatic domain of dog lovers to offer dogdom a dog's chance to rise above the dog days for a doggone good time." (AKC Gazette, 8/91) NEW ADDITIONS TO PHOTO ALBUM For July 1998 Submitted by Jay Bianco Jays been busy again! Buster Johnson, Badal's Tiffany, Geneva-Aspen-Chanel, Rhonda's Diamond Lily, Dilbert, Sweet Pea Lamb, Chardonnay, Buddy Jeeter, Polgara, Shelby & Chloe, Chandler, Bing, Aspen, Hollybelles Marissa "Cheyenne", TNT's Dreamin A Little Dream, Annie, Sammy, Cream Cheese, Binky, Archie & Zoe, Jack, Leo, Jack Frost & LuLu, Bailey, Tanner, Chloe, Snoopy, Bogart of Madison Square, BoBo, Mickey, Max, Peaches, Cubbie. (Special Note: If your photo has not been posted please be patient. Jay has received an overwhelming amount of photos either by snail mail or e-mail. Your babys picture will get posted. Your patience is greatly appreciated.) CHATROOM SCHEDULE HOSTS: Libby & Buster Special Chats Saturday, August 1, 1998 8:00 p.m.EST Anne Hudson MalteseOnly's very own AnneH will provide effective, easy training tips for your Maltese Saturday, August 8, 1998 8:00 p.m. est. Dr. Margaret Muns, DVM Topic: Pet Health and Behavior Saturday, August 22, 1998 8:00 p.m. est. Larry Stanberry, Divine Maltese Topic: To be announced Note: The MalteseOnly Chatroom is hosted every night, Saturday thru Thursday from 8:00 pm until 10:00 pm. EST (No Fridays) Our very own Sharon Kaye (Puppy John) is a guest host on the PetsForum group on the 15th of every month at 9pm EDT. It is a new chat group and just getting started. Sharon advises and counsels people on house training and paper training. Lets show our support for Sharon and join her at http://www.petsforum.com Money will buy a pretty good dog but not a wag of its tail - Josh Billings-1870 DOES YOUR DOG OWN YOU? Submitted by Chrisy See how many of these statements apply to you and your Maltese: You believe every dog is a lap dog. If you are cold, you put a sweater on your dog. You have a picture of your dog in your wallet, but not one of your kids. You often claim that it was love at first sight with you and your dog. You have your dog talk to your friends on the phone. You can't fully enjoy yourself without your dog. No matter how large your bed is, it is not large enough for you and your dog(s). You spent more on clothes and food for your dog than you do for yourself. You have no reservations about kissing your dog on the lips, even when you know where his lips have been. You believe it is your duty to talk to, pat, and even feed every dog in the neighborhood; you know their names. You let the neighbor dog sleep over. You believe there is no such thing as a naughty dog. Your vet and grooming bills exceed your rent. When you need someone to talk to, your dog is your first choice. You sit on the floor if the dog got in the chair first. You talk to your dog when you are driving. He answers. Your dog taught you to fetch and roll over. NEW ADDITIONS TO THE FAMILY! Congratulations to Judy and her new baby girl Lexie Congratulations to Teri and her baby boy Flip Congratulations to Mary and her new baby girl Samantha Congratulations to Sherry & Fancy Boy and her new baby boy Ozzie Congratulations to Stacey who's wonderful boyfriend brought home Sara Lee for her Birthday. What a guy! Congratulations to Tina and her new baby Cricket A re-congratulations to Isabel who instead of adopting Ahzsa has adopted Ahzsie. Congratulations to Clay & Anna on their new baby boy Baxter Congratulations to JudyS and her 2 new babies, Archie & Zoe Congratulations to Yensan & Alfred on their baby Snoopy Congratulations to MarcyP on her baby Max DENTAL NEWS Submitted by Dr. Dr. Jan Bellows, DVM www.dentalvet.com Periodontal Disease FAQ 1. What is periodontal disease? Periodontal disease is inflammation of some or all of the tooth's support. When compared to gingivitis, periodontitis indicated bone loss. If left untreated periodontitis may cause loose painful teeth as well as internal disease. 2. What causes periodontal disease? Periodontal disease is caused by plaque (bacteria). Bacteria is attracted to the tooth surface within hours of a teeth cleaning. Within days, the plaque becomes mineralized producing calculus. As plaque ages and gingivitis develops into periodontitis (bone loss). 3. What are the signs? Halitosis or bad breath is the primary sign of periodontal disease. Dogs and cats' breath should not have a disagreeable odor. When periodontal disease advances, inability to chew hard food as well as excessive drooling with or without blood may occur. 4. How is periodontal disease diagnosed? Bone loss from periodontal disease occurs below the gumline. In order to evaluate the stage of disease as well as the best treatment, your pet must be examined under general anesthesia. In addition to a visual examination, x-rays and instruments to measure bone loss are used. 5. How is periodontal disease treated? Treatment depends on the severity of disease. Grade one and two gingivitis can be treated by teeth cleaning, polishing, and the application of fluoride to help plaque accumulation. Grade three disease will require deep scaling. Once grade four disease occurs, surgery is necessary to treat the affected teeth. Medication may be dispensed to use after the teeth cleaning to treat and help prevent periodontal disease progression. Daily tooth brushing is the key to help prevent plaque build up. Special foods are also available to help control calculus. 6. What is the prognosis for periodontal disease? Gingivitis is treatable and curable with daily tooth brushing. Periodontal disease is not curable once bone loss occurs, but is controllable once treated and followed up with strict home care. Top 20 Reasons Dogs Don't Use Computers Submitted by Chrisy 20. Can't stick their heads out of windows '98 19. Fetch command not available on all platforms 18. Hard to read the monitor with your head cocked to one side 17. Too difficult to "mark" every website they visit 16. Can't help attacking the screen when they hear "You've Got Mail" 15. Fire hydrant icon simply frustrating 14. Involuntary tail wagging is dead a giveaway they're surfing instead of working 13. Keep bruising noses trying to catch that JPEG frisbee 12. Not at all fooled by Dogmore Screen Saver 11. Still trying to come up with an "emoticon" that signifies tail-wagging 10. Oh, but they WILL.... with the introduction of the Microsoft Opposable Thumb 9. Three words: Carpal Paw Syndrome 8. 'Cause dogs ain't GEEKS! Now, cats, on the other hand.... 7. Barking in next cube keeps activating YOUR voice recognition software 6. SmellU-SmellMe still in beta test 5. SIT and STAY were hard enough, GREP and AWK are out of the question! 4. Saliva-coated mouse gets mighty difficult to maneuver 3. Annoyed by lack of newsgroup, alt.pictures.master's.leg 2. Butt-sniffing more direct and less deceiving than online chat rooms and the Number 1 Reason Dogs Don't Use Computers.... TrO{gO DsA[M,bN HyAqR4tDc TgrOo TgYPmE WeIjTyH P;AzWqS,. (Check out the capital letter!!) DOES YOUR MALTESE HAVE GARBAGECANITUS? Does your Maltese love to root through the garbage can? The Garbage can carries lots of bacteria and foreign bodies that are dangerous for your dog to eat. Please! Put the trashcan under the cabinet, or on the counter. If that is not possible then please empty the trash every day. Keep it out of your Malts reach. SPECIAL LINKS 1. Woof On-Line Auctions: A place where you can auction or buy any dog related items (no dogs of course). Consigners needed! If you have something you would like to get rid of and its dog related such as a collectible, figurine, jewelry, etc. Put it on the Woof auction. You are able to set an optional reserve price to protect your investment. Check out the auction. New items are added daily. http://www.malteseonly.com/auction/ 2. American Maltese Association: http://www.americanmaltese.org/amamain.htm 3. Delta Society - National Service Dog Center: http://www.petsforum.com/deltasociety/dsb000.htm 4. Three Dog Bakery: http:// www.threedog.com A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MALTESE MOM (2) by Lori Ann Richards - owned by Lily 5:59am (the alarm is almost ready to ring...) Mommie is sleeping deeply but Lily knows it's almost time for that noisy thing to go off and then Mommie can PLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! 6:00am RING!!!!!!!!!!!! Mommie leaps up and tries to quickly turn the alarm off and falls back on the pillow wishing for one more minute of slumber.... (poke, poke with a cold wet nose) "Why doesn't Mommie open her eyes??" (poke, poke) (low, deep, woooof) Mommie rolls over and tries to remember where she was in that dream....(cold, wet nose snuffling into Mommie's ear) "shhhhrhrrrrrfffffffffffff" (lick, lick, lick) "Geez, COME ON MOMMIE....wake up!!!!!" 6:01am Lily is completely awake and wants Mommie to be awake too... 6:02am Mommie, still mostly asleep, starts to open her eyes..... "AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Lily is less than one inch from Mommie's nose, waiting for some indication of life....and Mommie is scared to death when she see's that big black spot right there! 6:03am Mommie is now FULLY awake after that jolt and gleefully accepts Lily's morning kisses - all over her eyes, her forehead, cheeks, up her nose (yuk), in her ear (wet willie Lily!!) - but Mommie loves the morning wake up routine! 6:05am After a big stretch and yawn from both Lily and Mommie, it's time for morning exercise! kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, zooooooooooooooooom, Sproing! (now the other way!) kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, zooooooooooooooooom, Sproing!! (now back the other way!) kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, kchk, zooooooooooooooooom, Sproing! (now back again!) This routine from the kitchen to the living room and back again lasts until Mommie is dizzy and Lily is pooped out... 6:10am Mommie, with her coffee made and newspaper in hand, settles down on the floor in the living room to quietly and calmly read the paper. 6:11am. Page 3. Lily has plopped herself right down in the middle of the spread out newspaper. "Lily - please move." (wag, wag,little tongue hanging out, pant pant) "Lily, I can't read through you!" (Lily hops up and licks Mommie on the nose and wags her little butt!) "Ok, here, get in Mommie's lap." 6:12 am (lick, lick, lick, lick, fidget, wag, wag, crawling all over Mommie.) 6:14am Page 4 of the paper..."Lily - NO - don't pee THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!" 6:15am Mommie gives up on the paper and figures she'll watch CNN... 6:16am Mommie and Lily happily continue their morning cuddle and Lily is so happy to have Mommie all to herself again.... TO BE CONTINUED...... POEMS Submitted by Chrisy Poem Your Maltese is like a shining star, Following you wherever you are. When the darkness is all there to greet you, Your Maltese will be there always to lead you. Shining the way for you to see, The path you need forever to be. So when the darkness falls before you, Your Maltese will be there, just look right beside you. A Dog Owner's Prayer Submitted by Chrisy O Lord don't let me once forget, How I love my trusty pet- Help me learn to disregard, Canine craters in my yard. Show me how to be a buddy, Even when my sofa's muddy. Don't allow my pooch to munch, Postal carriers for lunch. Shirld my neighbor's cat from view, Guide my steps around the doo. Train me not to curse and scowl, When it's puppy's time to howl. Grant I shan't awake in fear, With a cold nose in my ear. Give me patience without end- Help me be "A Dog's Best Friend!" (Unknown Author) Submitted by Chrisy I love my dogs this is their home, From which I hope they'll never roam. They're faithful friends I love them best, This is their home you are the guest. If dogs to you are just a peeve, Then by all means feel free to leave. Maltese Rule Submitted by Chrisy Maltese rule our lives, No doubt of that. For who would disagree? They're always near to snuggle up, To lick our plates and clean our cups. Pray, what is wrong with that? Yes, what is wrong with that? We love them, we love our Maltese, Our Maltese so dear! (Author Unknown) "True Colors" Submitted by Karen & the C-dog People stop by on my street, Cooing, "Oh, look at how sweet!" They simply don't know, Behind that pink bow, Five Great Danes I could challenge - and beat! "Stupid Shows..." Lay off the topknot, shut up 'bout the bow, You think it was my choice to be in this show? If it were up to me, I'd be runnin' free, Chasin' some rabbits and doe! "I'm gorgeous and I know it!!" Long flowing coat, silky hair, I get spectators to look and to stare, Coat of pure white, Gait like I'll take off in flight, And somehow I have extra flare. All written by me, Karen Smith - inspired by Clover. A PLEA FROM YOUR FUR BABY (My book) Submitted by Chrisy Our unique intimacy has, in my opinion, resulted in an appalling deterioration of manners. When "nature" calls, the following rules should be strictly observed. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE! We do not appreciate crowding! KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! When the law requires you to clean up after us, I see no need for comments of any kind. No one else is listening anyway. KEEP IT DOWN! If you're with a friend, and you must continue your conversation, please speak softly --- this is a delicate affair. WHAT'S YOUR RUSH? Do we knock on the bathroom door while you are indisposed? You may want to carry reading material. PLASTIC NOT PAPER! When it comes to "collection", for obvious reasons, I urge you to set aside environmental concerns. STAY ON THE GRASS! Take the extra five minutes to find a patch of lawn. The sidewalk is rough, hard and cold. IT'S NONE OF YOUR BEESWAX! You needn't stare --- you'll know we're through when you feel a tug on the leash. MALTESE BILL OF RIGHTS Submitted by Kathy I have the right to... - give and receive unconditional love. - a right to a life that is beyond mere survival. - be trained that I do not become a prisoner of my own behavior. - adequate food and medical care. - fresh air and occasional green grass. - special time with my people. - to be allowed to breed responsibly (if at all). - to be foolish to evoke laughter. - to earn trust and be trusted in return. - to be forgiven. - to die with dignity. - to be remembered with love. I TRULY BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE THE BIBLE OF EVERY RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER AND I KNOW I WILL LIVE EACH DAY MAKING SURE WE LIVE UP TO EVERYTHING ON THIS LIST... SUGGESTED READING The Rainbow Bridge: by Paul C. Dahm (can be purchased thru the Advertisement Section on the MalteseOnly Directory) Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul: by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Marty Becker, DVM & Carol Kline (can be purchased at any bookstore, Petsmart or Petco) Canine Nutrition: by William Cusick, The Animal Advocate (can be purchased at any bookstore) Dogs Do Not Lie About Love: by Jeffrey Masson (can be purchased at any bookstore) HELPFUL PHONE NUMBERS Poison Control - (800)548-2323 INTRODUCING A NEW PRODUCT! The Safe Living Smart Cord is the world's only cord with built in sensors that detect a hazard and shuts off the power before a fire can start. It will even shut off if your Maltese or family pet tries to chew on it! Conventional extension cords are a major cause of residential electrical fires. The Smart Cord will save lives and prevent property damage. This product can be found at the following web site: www.safeliving.com/home.html or call 1 (800)230-7445. ***MALTESE WINNERS CIRCLE!*** CH Ta-Jon's Tickle Me Silly is now the top winning Maltese in history. As of July 12th, 1998 she has won 83 BIS 's to break the record. "The more I learn about people, the more I love my dogs." Prince Ludwig of Bavaria TOP DOG Submitted by ShelleyJ It is very important to let your dog know where they stand in the Pack, but think about their prospective. You teach your dog you are Head of the Pack, but you follow him around with a plastic bag and pick up after him. Try and get someone to do that for you. You teach your dog you are Head of the Pack, but who gets their meals prepared and served first? You teach your dog you are head of the Pack, but who gets the choice spot to sleep on YOUR bed? You teach your dog you are Head of the Pack, but if it starts to rain who gets picked up and carried in the house so their little feet don't get wet? You teach your dog you are head of the Pack, but who gets to lay around all day and sleep? You teach your dog you are head of the Pack, but who is the last one you kiss good night? You teach your dog you are head of the Pack, but if they decide they want to go outside you drop everything and take them out. You teach your dog you are head of the Pack, but you make sure they have a good view to the outside world even if you have to move furniture or construct a special viewing area. Surely they know you are Head of the Pack, but they also know they own us. We should all see ourselves here, right? FOR OUR MALTESE FRIENDS WHO ARE ILL OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO GLORIA, DICKIE, QUIGLEY AND OF COURSE, SPANKY. If you wish to contribute to the Spanky Fund please make checks payable to: Spanky's Fund Be sure to include Account Number on Check: #0040300366 Mail to: Peoples First, Box 446, Benton, KY 42025-0446 Our thoughts and prayers also go out to Art, Laurie and Powder. At last post and talk in the Chatroom, Powder was holding his own. Licks and wags go out from the entire MalteseOnly gang! Special Note-In Memory: Beth has lost her 7 year old Maltese, Murphy. Ruthe has lost her Maltese, Boo Boo Patti has lost her 2 1/2 yr old Maltese, Buster Special Note: Here is a poem I made up for our dear Buster: Submitted by Patti Ek In Memory There was a little dog with fur as white as snow everywhere the family went Buster was sure to go We'll remember the songs we made up for you and they way you would dance when we sang them to you He was loved very much He couldn't have been loved more We'll miss what we called the BusterBell when someone came to the door He was smart and funny and could really make you smile We'll miss you Buster for a long, long, while Buster Bailey 10/1/95 - 7/17/98 SPECIAL POEM FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GONE TO "RAINBOW BRIDGE" Submitted by Judy (in memory of Cara) Into your life they come, To wonder who chose who? This gift..from the animal world, to share your everyday, your every year, your every loss. To be more than a pet, a soulmate, of the fur kind. This four legged child, A constant companion A joy, And possibly your greatest of loves. To share a time, to leave on your heart the pawprints Of a forever cherished ...friend. Pam Reinke Note: If you are having trouble dealing with the loss of your Maltese or any other pet please visit the following internet sites: www.petloss.com or www.bestfriends.com. There are several support groups who can help in dealing with this loss. EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA! Introducing a new feature on the MalteseOnly News! My Question to you is: "What is the most important thing in life your Maltese gives to you?" Answer: Unconditional love, companionship and support. I want to hear the most memorable stories you have regarding your Maltese. Something really special. This section will be called "Smiles From Our White Fur Babies". Title by Donna and Gracie. SMILES FROM OUR WHITE FUR BABIES Isabel thought this was a good story to share. (This post was taken from the MalteseOnly Discussion Forum.) Wow. Talk about God's master plan, Eva...as you all know I've been crying constantly for Maya. One day not long ago, early in the morning, I was talking to God through my tears, telling Him He just didn't know how I felt. On the train taking my new little boy home, wondering what I should call him, I got into a conversation with 2 women. One of them looked at him and said very clearly that I should use a derivative of Ahzsa -- Ahzsie. I wasn't sure about that, and so I have been trying out calling him by different names. "Bubba" got a mild response. But it somehow didn't seem right. Then Rita and Deanna and Belle and Charlotte reflected what the woman on the train said. So today, I decided to try it out. When I said "Ahzsie!" my little one came alive and ran to me and smothered me with kisses. Like he was saying "Yes! I can live with that!" So this afternoon, I took Ahzsie with me to buy a treat. On the way back home, I stopped by the Korean grocer, the one that burst out crying when she heard that Maya was killed. She was the very first to see him yesterday when I brought him home. She asked if I had thought of a name yet. I told her that it might be "Ahzsie". She asked me if it had a meaning and I told her not that I knew of. She said it had a meaning in Korean. The "Ah" means "me" and the "zsia" has to do with intelligence. So I said "Oh, you mean like "I'm smart"?" And she said not exactly. It's more like "I know." At first I thought that's kind a strange meaning for a name...until I remembered that conversation with God. Barbara, you said it was a match made in heaven. Maybe that's truer than we know. And all our little babies are truly God's way of speaking with us directly. Isabel 07-16-98 Libby, One of my most memorable stories about dear little Buster, was one day we were invited to a pool party. We packed our bag, threw in the beach towels, and bathing suits. My Mother lives on a lake and has a Maltese named Duffy, well Buster and Duffy were best buddies, and Buster ALWAYS went to the lake with us. When Buster saw the bag with the towels, suits all packed and ready to go he thought oh good... a trip to the lake, I'm ready! We'll we said "No Buster you can't go, we'll be back soon." He looked at us like we were nuts! He slowly slinked away, and when he thought we weren't looking, he came back to the bag, (the zipper was partially open) pried the zipper open enough so he could climb inside, and then tucked himself in the bag, with only the little dome of his head showing through the opening in the zipper. We were laughing so hard, as he thought he was invisible. We said "Buster, get out of there!" He didn't move a muscle. He thought if I can't see them, they can't see me. I know this bag is going, and by golly, so am I! He was so smart! I'll always love these memories! Patti 7/23/98 1999 MALTESE CALENDAR BY BROWNTROUT PUBLISHING Mary Stabile has agreed to donate $3.00 to our National Maltese Rescue Fund for every calendar sold through this special offer. Mary's Maltese is featured on the cover. This is a wall calendar and measures 12" X 12". The monthly photos of the Maltese are of extremely nice color quality. To get yours you can send a check or money order for $10.95 + $2.25 shipping for a total of $13.20 (NJ residents add 6% sales tax) to: Mary Stabile 6 Massing Place Milltown, NJ 08550 (Please allow 3-6 weeks delivery time) I've got mine and it's really nice! WEBSITE SPONSORS A special thanks goes out to the Sponsors of MalteseOnly: Woof Online Auctions - http://malteseonly.com/auction Surfree ISP - http://www.surfree.com Dogtoys.com - http://www.dogtoys.com _____________________________________________ Maltese Only Newsletter 1998c All Rights Reserved