Meet the Elite

Dogs on vacation

            Staying at high-end Dog Hotels

Eating gourmet food

            Making sure that, all is well

Carob pancakes for breakfast

            And banana yogurt for lunch

Organic cage-free eggs

            Coconut lettuce, just to munch

Pupcakes, Bits and Pieces

            In Philadelphia downtown

Ingredients all are natural

            Eating like kings in jeweled crowns

Feeding dogs raw diets

            And gourmet meals galore

Plus purified water

            Drinking more and more

Choice of carefully prepared chicken

            Or beef with delicious candied yams

Honey-sweetened peanut butter

            Resulting in just a bark “Hot damn”

Growls and barks show their approval

            In every given way

So off to Downtown Dog Resort

            Another perfect place to stay

                                    Jane Bassler

Pieces of the Sky Fell to the Earth

As a mark of distinction

            The Chows tongue is blue

It was told in this way

            To me and you

Pieces of the sky

            Fell to the earth

As god put the

            Heavenly stars in place

Sky pieces were placed

            On the tongue of the Chow

Filling most every space

            In the beginning

Puppies’ tongues are pink

            In ten weeks

Their tongues are blue

            Sometimes a spot or two

Will be pink

            It seems they most surely do

2000 years ago, the Mongolians

            Hunted with this wonderful dog

Also guarding and drawing loads

            Never creating a stir

These pampered pooches

            Seemed to rule the roost

Enjoying the pleasure and love

            Of their owners boost

                        Jane Bassler

The Sealyham Terrier

Here is a breed of a dog

            Very nearly extinct

Owned and loved

            By the “old school”

To which movie stars

            Were linked

They were pets of Jean Harlow

            And Cary Grant

Bette Davis and Liz Taylor

            Parading the world

                        In one quick glance

This Sealyham Terrier

            Usually Best in Show

Was cute but deadly

            Always on the go

A WINNER, that’s right

            From an endangered breed

And a WONDERFUL COMPANION

            As his papers read

                        Jane Bassler

Being a Friend Who Cares

Each little expression

            Upon your face

Is a signal to your dog

            For understanding

The right side of your face

            Is the most expressive

So it’s there he looks

            To maintain his pace

Dogs gain eye control

            And hold it

They are asking you

            For an answer, for sure

When they set eyes on you

            And won’t look away

They need from you

            Just a bit more

Try to interpret his needs

            So he’ll know soon

The answer WILL BE THERE

            You’ll know when you’ve

Answered the question

Because you dismiss

            His intense stare

A friend in need

            Is a friend indeed

He’ll gladly tag you

            As a friend who CARES

                        Jane Bassler

Pups Do Chew —– Watch Out, Old Shoe!

Chewing is a natural

            For every little pup

If he can find a tasty shoe

            He’ll go after it

                        Til it’s all chewed up

Don’t let him back

            In the closet

Or in the den

            Where the chair leg has been chewed

Take him out

            In the fresh air and sunshine

Where this ‘wanting’

            Isn’t renewed

If he doesn’t begin

            A bad habit

And he has other things

            To think about

Replace the shoe

            With a toy to chew

To shake and drag about

                        Jane Bassler

Afterglow Sugar Daddy

Do you know Sugar Daddy?

            Afterglow is his first name for you

He’s a wonderful Standard Poodle

            And a winner through and through

A very adept performer

            Keen competitor in most circus rings

He;s friendly and fun

            Lots of love and attention

He always seems to bring

            He’s intelligent and most alert

And with the Judges

            A real BLUE RIBBON flirt

                        Jane Bassler

Velvet the Vegetarian

Velvet is our cat

            As soft as she can be

She loves her fruits and vegetables

            As you can plainly see

Asparagus is her favorite

            Wheat grass and catnip, second best

Then all kinds of melons

            She has a fruit fetish, I do not jest

Put everything on the counter

            She can jump so easily there

You may find her eating peaches

            Or perhaps a beautiful pear

Popcorn or potato chips

            Could easily be a choice

With this new choice she’s happy

            With her “mewing’ you can

                        Hear her rejoice

                        Jane Bassler

Pretty Kitty

If Pretty Kitty is biting

            Or scratching on you

She has a problem

            She wants to relate to you

Urinating on your bed

            That’s not hard to explain

This problem needs attention

            She could be sick or in pain

These new strange behaviors

            Are her way to say

“Listen to me”

            You can relieve my dismay

Call your vet

            Explain it all

He’ll treat her kindly

            But next is his “Call”

                        Jane Bassler

For The Cat You Leave Behind

Do you know anything about

            A professional pet sitter?

A cat you have to leave behind

A little research will uncover

            A place who’ll care for your pet

And be so very, very kind.

Some sitters have lots of experience

            And know just what to do

In case of an emergency

            They’ll quickly contact you.

Even pets need to be loved

            And cared for in the proper way

Find a “sitter” who is responsible

            And your cat won’t care

                        How long you stay.

                                    Jane Bassler

A Happy Companion

Let a dog enter your life

            To help you

You will actually live longer

            With his care

He’s an extension of us

            Living together

He’s a treasure and a

            Joy just being there

He’s there to give you

            A need in your life

Even walking together

            Relieves all the struggle and strife

He’s a happy companion

            A worthwhile confidant

                        And an understanding friend

Enjoy him each day

            Doing work or at play

                        Being together til the end

                        Jane Bassler