Not everything is right in the world – particularly if you happen to live near the tornado path in Oklahoma.

But today in Kansas City, the sun is out, the breeze is sweet, and (in spite of some troubles of our own) we have plenty to be thankful for.

This little scene of two smiling dogs in a car will be repeated this morning, as I chauffeur Luke and Scooby to Kennel Creek Pet Resort.

I’m so glad they will be taken care of on a day when my plate at work is sure to be overflowing.

What are you grateful for today?

I have been obsessed with the idea of bottle openers for dog collars for quite a while now.

I first encountered a dog with bottle opener bling on the set of the Pet Pops video.

The notion amused and impressed me so much that I eventually outfitted Luke with a bottle opener.

At your service!

Then, it occurred to me that creating a line of bottle openers intended to be used by dog lovers would be a great way to spread around this fun idea while also supporting my personal projects and raising funds for animal rescue.

Voila! Beer Paws were born.

I officially founded the company with the state of Missouri this week.

The first round of button style bottle openers were a hit at the Cinco de Mayo Chihuahua parade, and I’ve already had some out of state orders.

Shiny collar bling for your dog.

At 2.5 inches, this particular style is a little big for small dog’s collars.

But it works great at the end of a leash, or even attached to your own bag or keys.

Reilly and Willow look good with Beer Paws!

Eventually, I see the Beer Paws brand encompassing a little bit more than just bottle openers. But for now, that’s where I’m starting.

The official Beer Paws website will soon go live. In the meantime, please Like the Beer Paws fan page on Facebook.

Place your orders via the Wayward Dogs shop on Storenvy.

If you’re in Kansas City, you can also buy Beer Paws directly from me or from the following purveyors:

Kennel Creek Pet Resort

GoodDog2Go

I’d love to hear what you all think of this idea. Please share your thoughts in the comments or send me an e-mail!

This pretty little pittie girl used to live in unsavory circumstances in a house full of dogs. Then, she ended up on death row.

Lucky for her, Midwest Adopt-a-Bull recently saved her.

However, her foster home didn’t work out, and now blue Tessa is back to living in a cage.

Until we can find her a new foster or forever home, Tessa is in boarding at A Dog’s Fun Playce, a rescue center and doggy daycare in my neighborhood.

Her accommodations aren’t bad, but she sure was happy to get out over the weekend when I stopped by.

Although we had never met before, Tessa greeted me with a kiss before dragging me out of the shelter.

She’s a pocket pittie at just about 45 pounds, but Tessa is pure muscle, and she’s not yet used to walking on a leash. For the first half an hour, she pulled like a sled dog, but as she got tired, she walked more politely.

I know with more practice, she will be a great walking or jogging companion.

My most important discovery about Tessa is that she’s not afraid of people. In fact, she likes them a lot and even gave kisses to two of my neighbors.

People like Tessa, too. Her silvery blue velvet coat garnered many compliments during my outing with her.

I plan on seeing Tessa again this week.

In the meantime, I am hoping to do some things to improve her current situation, such as bringing her Kongs and bones.

You can help Tessa, too.

Please consider making a donation in her name to Midwest Adopt-a-Bull, whose tiny budget is being stretched to the limit by the cost of her boarding.

If you would like to get something tangible in exchange for your giving, you can also buy a Beer Paws bottle opener from my Storenvy shop.

The front.

The back.

These button style bottle openers look great on your dog’s collar, at the end of a leash or on your own bag or keys. They’re even silver, like Tessa.

Until further notice, at least $1 from each Beer Paws sale will go directly toward Tessa’s care.

Order online today, and I will personally send you a Beer Paw!

Contact me with any questions.

Who’s the real party animal in this picture?

This is the woman who taught me how to love unconditionally and that your baby, no matter how many legs it has or how ill-mannered it can be, should be doted on and cuddled as much as possible.

Case in point: Tori the rat terrier who’s giving the camera the stinkeye.

Today, I’ll be spending a good part of the day with my mom, celebrating our relationship and dining on tasty, locally prepared food.

Our ultimate hope is to get tickets for a  tour of Boulevard Brewery, the internationally renowned craft beer company based in Kansas City.

She better leave that Spuds Mackenzie apron at home, though.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there! Whether your puppies have two legs or four, you deserve some appreciation for a job well done!

Sweet Joe needs someone to pal around with.

This good dog makes friends easily. Now, he needs a family.

Anyone interested in giving this hound dog a good home can call the Cameron shelter at (816) 632-2177.

Every month Wayward Dogs features a story  from the Missouri Puppies for Parole program. You can check out all of the available puppies at P4P’s website!

Scooby the elderpin and I met for the first time at a party, and he has continued to be a social fellow through our six+ years together, zipping underfoot at events I hosted and making the rounds from the crook of my arm during gatherings outside of our home.

Cinco de Mayo, 2009:

Cinco de Mayo, 2009

The occasion: a vegetarian potluck, at my then-friend Zach’s house.

Zach had not yet encountered a certain golden retriever wandering the streets of Kansas City but welcomed my miniature pinscher into his dogless home for the party.

As soon as we arrived, a tiny sombrero was produced, furnished by a neighbor especially for Scooby.

In addition to the dog, I also brought a bowl full of guacamole made from overripe avocados. It wasn’t very good, but the guests pretended not to notice. Meanwhile, I pretended not to hang on my handsome host’s every word.

And Scooby didn’t have a single accident on the floor.

Cinco de Mayo, 2013:

Cinco de Mayo 2013

The occasion: Kansas City’s Cinco de Mayo Chihuahua Parade.

This year, I found myself in good company as a person with a novelty-sized canine.

Although this local attempt to break a world record for number of dogs in costume was open to all breeds, its advertisement as a Chihuahua-centric gathering attracted a preponderance of people with very small dogs of presumably Mexican heritage.

His sombrero long since gone, Scooby (who is often mistaken for a Chihuahua) sported his official KC Pittie Pack hoodie – and for most of the day, a blanket.

It was so unseasonably chilly, that Scooby’s new friend Piper, a teacup Chihuahua of just 2.5 pounds, never even fully emerged from Kennel Creek trainer Diana’s lunchbag pet carrier.

Is that a pup or a peanut?

Despite the cold weather and a turnout not nearly high enough to break the current record of over 1,300 costumed dogs, Scooby and I had a lovely day with friends old and new. For me, it was especially nice to just have fun after our recent slew of sad life happenings.

Instead of thinking about all that, today we walked in the parade. We visited the Good Dog 2 Go food truck for dogs. We helped hand out Kennel Creek leashes.

And we sold the first of a new official Wayward Dogs product that happens to be perfect for people who love dogs and parties!

If you haven’t already seen the teaser photo of this product on the Wayward Dogs Facebook page, you can guess what it might be from this old blog post.

More details to come very soon!

Did you celebrate Cinco de Mayo with your dog?

Big thanks to everyone for your support over the past couple of weeks. It is good to receive kind and empathetic words when the days get dark.

Thanks for putting up with me.

I promise to get back to sharing my late grandfather’s amazing collection of dogtiques very soon.

In the meantime, I need to share something else.

My beloved Uncle Bruce passed away this week.

That’s my dad on the left and his big brother Bruce on the right, circa 2011.

Bruce’s departure from this world was not unexpected. His big, old heart had been failing him for a while.

But it is never easy to say goodbye to someone forever. Bruce’s absence is felt profoundly by the family, his community and beyond. He was a legendary man, much like the son who beat him to heaven.

In the near future, I look forward to sharing a bit more about my dear uncle and his impact on my life.

For now, here’s a picture of his granddog Harv, who brought smiles and comfort in the final days.

A dog in the lap is great therapy.

I will always miss you, Uncle Bruce. 

“The Lost Playmate” by Gustave Henry Mosler

This framed 1902 print of Gustave Henry Mosler‘s painting “The Lost Playmate” originally belonged to my great aunt Vera, a kind and hunchbacked old woman I can barely remember.

Upon her passing, my grandfather acquired this piece of Victorian art and it became a central piece in his collection of old dog prints and figurines.

My grandfather has been gone about a dozen years now, but most of his collection still decorates the house he shared with my grandmother.

“The Lost Playmate” will always be my favorite, but come back tomorrow, and I’ll show you more of his beautiful collection of dogtiques.

The kindness of strangers and friends alike has helped warm my heart over the past few days.

I am still processing the loss of Charlie Machete, as well as other unrelated family matters that I will not go into here.

Yet, even in dark times, there are reasons to rejoice.

A kiss from an old man, the squeeze of a sister’s hand, new life emerging on my doorstep – so much beauty abounds.

Rather than going to a new home, a foster dog turns into a forever dog. Whether he bewitches his temporary peeps or just never gels with new ones, it’s all good. He’s safe, with people who love him.

I wish I had a foster fail story like this. But I don’t.

My foster failure story sucks. It involves intense bonding, intense fear, blind love, sharp teeth and a needle.

If you’ve been following this blog for long, you already know a lot of the story.

Almost two years ago, my boyfriend and I found a black dog.

The big mutt did not want to be caught, but Zach, my hero, managed to loop a leash around the snarling beast’s neck and gain his trust within minutes.

So began our adventures with the dog who came to be known as Charlie Machete, a striking black mongrel with a shovelhead, feathery tail, a lean, wiggly body and no manners.

He tore up our yard, bounced around our house like a “pinbull” and perched on countertops like a semi-domesticated panther.

He also occasionally growled at our friends, and tangled, expensively, with our golden retriever.

But for all the chaos Charlie Machete wrought, he could also be quite charming, trading tricks for treats, jogging tirelessly at my side for miles every day and snuggling close all through the night.

Best. Running. Partner. Ever.

We always knew that, for many reasons, he could not be our dog forever. However, we could see Charlie Machete’s potential. We loved him so much we were sure someone else could fall for him, too.

And they did – twice. But each affair was short-lived, and the second time he came back to us by way of a shelter three hours away.

Back under our care, he seemed a little calmer and a little more fearful. He was accepted into a rescue group but never liked meeting strangers at adoption events. He sometimes peed submissively in the house.

Eventually, Charlie Machete and our golden seemed to have worked out their issues. Charlie Machete even got himself a very tiny girlfriend and joined playgroup a few times at daycare.

But his distrust of most people – even some with whom he interacted regularly – persisted.

And then, recently, his fear came out in a rage against someone who inadvertently approached him in a way that made him uncomfortable. When I yanked on his leash to keep her safe, he redirected his frustration toward me.

No one was hurt, thank goodness, and the dog behaved calmly as soon as I removed him from the situation.

But that moment, the latest in a handful of close calls over the past year and a half, changed everything.

If I could build a bubble around this dog that I love so much, I would do it. But I cannot. And I cannot continue to risk him hurting another person out of misplaced fear.

Tomorrow, the vet will come to my house, and I will give up on my foster dog for good.

It will be the hardest day I have had in a long time.

I’m sorry, Charlie Machete. I know that in ways I have failed you, despite my love for you. Thank you for all you have helped me to learn.