Endless Bliss | Happy Lifestyle Blog: dogs

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9 Things My Dogs Have Taught Me.

1// GREET EVERYONE LIKE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM IN YEARS I love coming home to my dogs, because it doesn't matter if I stepped outside for 10 minutes or I've been out of town for two weeks, they always greet me like they haven't seen me in a million years. That's definitely a personality trait that I'd like to adapt.
2// NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO NAP If there was an Olympic sport for dogs that was all about napping, my dogs would take the gold. Actually, Molly would take the gold and Farah would take silver because she's always so alert. I think we all regret complaining about kindergarten nap time. I used to take naps all the time in college, but now I can't remember the last time I took one. Naps are great rejuvenators and motivators.

Sleepyhead.

A photo posted by Tiffany Khyla White (@tiffanykhyla) on Aug 3, 2014 at 6:07pm PDT

3// FORGIVE AND FORGET When my dogs do something wrong, I unfortunately have to punish them. Even though it breaks my heart, I love knowing that in 30 seconds they'll forget about it and start loving on me. While 30 seconds may be a stretch for people to forgive and forget, it's a good practice to calm down, think rationally, and just let things go. Holding anger in your heart gets pretty exhausting.
4// ALWAYS STAY LOYAL TO THOSE WHO ARE THERE FOR YOU Friends come and go, but dogs will always be there for you. Why not adopt this practice and be loyal to your friends? Stand up for them when people are saying horrible things. Be there for them when they need you most. Just be a friend.

Day 39: I'm sure gonna miss this sweet puppy of mine #100happydays

A photo posted by Tiffany Khyla White (@tiffanykhyla) on Jun 21, 2014 at 10:20am PDT

5// THERE'S NEVER A BAD TIME TO BE SILLY Laughter is the best medicine, and my dogs never fail to make me laugh. Whether it's them jumping around because they're excited about who knows what or they're rolling around on the floor or the bed for a reason no one knows or making noises in their sleep, my dogs always seem to keep me laughing. Take a lesson from my pups and never be afraid to be silly and free.
6// ALWAYS STAND UP FOR YOURSELF When Farah is doing something that Molly doesn't like, she doesn't hesitate to let her know, even though she's smaller. Molly is always so great at standing up for herself, and Farah never allows another dog to get more attention than she does. If you're really passionate about something, don't be afraid to speak your mind and stand up for yourself.

7// NEVER HESITATE TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS The great thing about dogs is that they never hesitate to run up to anyone (or anything) and greet them like they're already best friends. Take a lesson from my dogs and take the time to meet new people and make a new friend.
8// PERSISTENCE WILL LEAD TO GREAT REWARDS Whether it's a pathetic face or endless begging, my dogs always seem to get what they want. One of my dogs' favorite treats are Blue Bones Natural Dental Chews from Chewy.com. What I love about these treats are that they're not only delicious for the pups, they also help keep their teeth healthy and their breath fresh. Molly seems to inhale the treats as soon as I give them to her, but Farah likes to take her time with each bite.

It really just goes to show that if you keep at it, you can get what you want. Dreams do come true (especially if your dream is getting a ~~treat~~ cupcake).
9// LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY No matter what happens, my dogs always love me. It doesn't matter if I'm mad at them or disappointed in something they've done, they always seem to know exactly what to do to make me cuddle them and give them kisses. This is a lesson that everyone should learn. Love is better than hate, judgement, fear, sadness, everything.
Disclaimer: I received two complimentary bags of Natural Dental Chews from Chewy.com for review. All opinions are 100% mine.
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My Dog and I Have the Same Personality.

When I adopted Molly, I chose her for two main reasons 1) she was a weiner dog, which is my favorite dog, and 2) she was freaking adorable. I had been wanting to adopt a dog of my own for so long, and one of my co-workers finally talked me into it.
I had no idea that Molly and I were actually meant to be together. Unless you're a dog person, you don't understand how amazing dogs are and how each of their personalities differ so much. After a few months of us getting to know each other, we learned that we actually have a lot in common.
WE HAVE SELECTIVE HEARING Jon can tell you best. I only hear things when I want to. Sometimes, he'll be talking for a good while, and in the middle of the story, I'll realize that I wasn't listening to him. It's not on purpose ~~all the time~~. I just get distracted pretty easily. Molly is the same way, in a sense. When she's wandering around and I want her to come keep me company, I'll call her name a few times before she pays attention to me. I know what you're thinking, "maybe she's deaf," but no. About the fourth or fifth time, she'll stop whatever she's doing, give me the side eye, and then go back to her business while I continue to call her name. So maybe I'm needy for her attention, which brings me to my next point...
WE'RE NEEDY When I'm just sitting on the couch watching TV, Molly will jump up there with me. Sometimes she'll sit right in my lap. Other times, she'll place her snout under my hand and knock it up a few times so that I'll pet her. When I'm blogging, she'll jump up and try to make me give her attention. Even right now, she's staring at me. I'm needy in that I'm lazy, and I hope that Jon will do everything for me instead of making me do it myself. Also, when he's playing his games, I like to bother him and act like I'm starved for attention.

Her "pay attention to me" face

WE PEE FAST When I go to the bathroom, particularly in public, I'm not trying to spend any sort of excessive time in there. I go in, do my business, and get out as soon as possible. Sometimes, Molly likes to take her time and wander around the yard so she can mark her territory in various places, but for the most part, she just goes out there, does her business and comes back to the door. She's not playing around.
WE'RE SASSY Remember that side eye I told you about? Yea, Molly is a total sass. She even walks sassy. I don't know if that should count because her body is so long, but either way, she is a such a sass. I've been called a sass a time or two in my life too.

Her "I can't even" face

WE'RE INDECISIVE When I'm lying on the couch and I'm calling Molly's name to try to get her to jump up with me, she'll put her front legs on the couch, then put them back down and sit on the floor and stare at me. I can imagine the wheels turning in her head - "I gotta get up there. But that's a long jump up. It'll be nice just to cuddle though. Do I really want to use that much energy?" It's only when I give up on her that she decides to actually jump up there with me, and that's not even all the time.
You can ask anyone in my life, and they'll tell you that I'm indecisive. It takes me the longest time to make the simplest of decisions. Never ask me where I want to eat, because you'll starve until you have no stomach because it would have eaten itself.
WE TIRE EASILY I am so out of shape; it's pathetic. I can't even go up a flight of stairs without tiring myself out. Molly is the same way in that when I get home from work, she's so excited to see me that she'll run around in circles and do other crazy acrobatics, and then she'll stop suddenly and just sit there panting because she's already tired herself out.

Tired or sunbathing?

WE'RE HIGH MAINTENANCE Jon calls me high maintenance all the time. I'm not high maintenance in that I want the best and most expensive of everything; it's more that when I do want something, like a record player which I just bought, I'm obsessed with the idea of having it, and I convince Jon to let me buy it (since we're at that stage in our lives where we're sharing finances and whatnot). I'm high maintenance in other ways too, but we'll just stick with that for now.
Molly is super high maintenance as well. She's eats the most expensive dog food. She's too mature to play with toys. She doesn't sleep on the floor; she has to sleep on one of her three beds - an actual dog bed, a palette made of an old comforter, and a giant stuffed animal. She has her own insurance plan for the vet. When it comes to high maintenance pets, she pretty much takes the cake. She's a princess, and she's so worth it.

It's so weird how much my dog and I have in common, and Jon points out our similarities all the time. I love her dearly, and I'm so happy that my precious pup takes after her mom.
Do you have a dog? What do you love about your dog?
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Adopting a Rescue Dog.

Whether you're adopting a dog from a shelter, a breeder or a friend, you shouldn't take the task lightly. I know people that just want to get a dog to get a dog. They just think they're cute or want a cuddle buddy. Adopting a dog is a huge responsibility, and there's a ton of things you should consider before bringing one into your home.

BEFORE ADOPTION ONE // ANALYZE YOUR FINANCES Adopting a dog isn't cheap. On top of the adoption fees, you have vet check-ups, dog food and treats, toys, bowls, cage, bed, leash, etc. There are a ton of things you have to purchase in order to fully welcome your dog into your home. If you don't think you'll be able to support a dog financially, then you should either reanalyze your decision or start budgeting to be financially ready for a dog in the future. TWO // DO YOUR RESEARCH There are several things you need to know before adopting a dog. For instance, most people know that dogs can't eat chocolate, but did you know that onions are also bad for them? You also need to think about what kind of dog food you give your dog. Changing a dog off of their regular food is a process. Some people don't know that you can't just feed a dog whatever they want. Dogs require a lot of training, including bowl training and leash training, teaching your dog not to jump on the furniture or growl or bite people. THREE // LEARN THE HISTORY OF YOUR DOG Just like you have a past, so does your dog. The shelter may know a few things about the dog you're interested in adopting, but they may not. When I adopted my dog, all they knew about her was that her owner died in a tragic accident. She had been at the shelter for the last two years. They said that any training she had would most likely be out the window. I went in knowing that I would have to put a lot of work into making my dog comfortable. You also need to collect their shot records. Come prepared with questions. Just like you should do research about dogs in general, you should also learn as much as you can about your dog's past.

AFTER ADOPTION THREE // BE PATIENT Not all dogs will love you immediately. It took my dog a few weeks before she let me pick her up without growling. If you're serious about getting a dog, you need to make sure that you have the patience for them to fall in love with you. You may be ready to love your dog with all of your heart, but it may take a little while for your dog to put all of their trust into you. They have to get used to a completely different environment with strangers. If your new ball of fur doesn't take to you immediately, don't get discouraged. Just be patient. FOUR // START TRAINING Establish rules and boundaries from your very first day. Show your dog where they'll be sleeping. Take them for a walk to show them where they'll be using the bathroom. Show them where their food and water bowl will be. If you think moving into a new place is stressful, it's even more so for your dog.

FIVE // FIND A GOOD VET You should start researching veterinarians before you bring your dog home. Once you've found the perfect one, bring your dog to their new vet for a check-up and to catch them up on shots. It's not going to be cheap, so make sure you're ready for the investment. SIX // JUST LOVE Your new pup will require a lot of love and attention, not just in the beginning, but forever. I just adopted my dog in January, and I can't imagine life without her. Don't settle for just any dog. Find the perfect match for both of you!

Have you adopted a shelter dog before? Are you a dog owner? P.S. If you love books, you should join in on the Summer Book Swap! It's an easy way to make friends and discover new books. For more info, click here! And happy reading!

Molly: Dog with a Blog.

Hey guys! Molly here. Tiffany, aka mom, made the mistake of leaving her computer signed in, so I snuck in to see what's she's been up to. I've only been living with mom for a month and a half, but we decided that it wasn't too early for me to start calling her "mom." I started off calling her "Tiffany," but she insisted that that was too casual. I tried out "owner," but that didn't go over well. When I started calling her "master," she let that ride for a little while. She said it made her feel powerful or something. I tested the waters with "mom," and she was like "That's it. You can call me nothing else."
Mom leaves me at home for eight hours a day, and I can't believe this is the first time that I've been on here. I'm so embarrassed by all of the pictures she's been posting of me. If you think that's obnoxious, get a load of all of these selfies:

And that's just the beginning. I guess you can say she's obsessed, but that's okay because I'm obsessed too. Not so long ago I was just one of many dogs in the shelter, and now I'm the only one, and she loves me more than I've ever been loved before. And even though she makes me watch these weird shows on Netflix with her and keeps telling me that I take up too much of the bed (That's so not true, by the way), I love her.

See? There's so much room left.

So here's what you need to know about me:
-- I'm the cutest dog that ever was. I only say this because mom tells me that about 100 times a day. I never get tired of hearing it though.

-- I don't play with toys. Mom keeps trying to shove them in my face, but I just don't get it. I'm too old for that.
-- I hate getting dressed up. Too bad mom hasn't figured that out yet. I've already heard talk about matching Halloween costumes.

-- I'm a stubborn eater. She keeps trying to get me on a schedule, but I just want to eat when I want, okay? Just give me lots of treats. It's the same thing.
-- I love sleeping. That's what I should be doing right now. That's what I will be doing when I'm done writing this.

-- Being outside is pure bliss. It doesn't matter what the weather is like. I just looooove being outside. I wasn't a big fan of slipping all over that ice last month though.
-- I love to lick things. I don't know why. Fetish maybe? I just need to know what everything tastes like!

-- I don't do tricks. Tricks are for kids.
That's pretty much it. I'm gonna go roll around on ~~mom's~~ my bed until I fall asleep now. Until next time!

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I'm definitely obsessed with "Counting Stars" by One Republic. They play it on the radio so much, but I still love it!

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Everything. Seriously, everything about the world intertwines - the past, the present, the future all connect; and that is precisely what makes each of us unique.

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Can I just talk about my dog all day?

So this past weekend, I got a dog. I know I typed that out like all casual like, but really I'm freaking out about it. I'm sure my co-workers are sick of hearing about her, but I refuse to stop talking about her, because I'm absolutely obsessed, which I'm sure those of you who follow me on Instagram and Twitter have already noticed. Growing up, I always had a dog. Up until I was 15 and moved in with my mom. We adopted a puppy for about 2 months, and then gave him away because he was tearing up the house. Tragic, really.

This is a picture of Molly at the shelter. Her eyes look so sad because she was waiting for me to come save her!

Anyway, I adopted my dog, Molly, from a no kill shelter here called Pet Savers. Molly is the name they used for her at the shelter, and I chose not to change it since she was probably used to it. She doesn't actually answer to her name though. We'll get there. She's an adult dog, but they don't really know anything else about her, other than her previous owner died in a tragic industrial accident a few years back. She's been in the shelter ever since. She's a dachshund mix, but they're not sure what she's mixed with. She looks part beagle. I'm taking her to the vet soon, so hopefully he can tell me what she's mixed with and how ~~old~~ young she is.
I went on the Pet Savers website on a whim at work one day, and I saw Molly and fell in love. The next day, I went to the shelter to visit her, and I fell even more in love. I had to have her. I paid the deposit that day, and the next day, I drove up to get her.
At the shelter, they told me that she will probably be timid, depressed and skittish at first. She doesn't really like people that much. They said that any prior leash training and potty training would be out the door because she's been in the shelter for so long. All of that proved to be untrue. She took to me almost immediately. She licked my hand and jumped on me. When I took her on her first walk, she was brilliant on the leash, and she has yet to use the bathroom inside. It took her awhile to start eating, but she's finally doing that regularly as of Monday. Sometimes she growls at me when I try to pick her up, but she's slowly but surely beginning to trust me. She definitely recognizes me as her mother.

She was perfect on the leash. Though I did have her collar a little too loose and she escaped, not that she ran far.

Our first picture together. We're in love.

Officially official. She's all mine.

Perfect selfie partner. She never says no, and she loves giving me kisses.

I'm just absolutely obsessed with Molly, and I think we were just meant to be. She's the perfect dog, and I just love her so much! It was a pretty rash decision, but it's the best rash decision I've ever made, and now I can cross this off of my 30 before 30 list!