EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - ANOTHER TRAGEDY!

A trip to PetSmart for grooming turned deadly for Lily the Yorkshire terrier when employees put her too close to a heater, the dog's owner claims in Madison County Arbitration Court.

Haley Nelson said she dropped off Lily at 1 p.m. on Feb. 22 and PetSmart employees negligently put the dog in a kennel next to a heater. Trapped, Lily's body temperature rose and PetSmart workers failed to recognize that she was extremely ill. Lily died of heat stroke and cardiac arrest and still had a body temperature of 106.2 degrees when Nelson picked her up that day at 6 p.m., according to the complaint.

Nelson seeks damages for medical bills, another dog, loss of companionship, pain and suffering and emotional distress.She is represented by Christopher Donohoo of Wood River, Ill.

PETSMART really needs to do something about this. I wouldn't take my dog there if THEY PAID ME!

I took my first big road trip last week, across country!What a long ride that was! WHEW!3 days on the road, Chicago down to Florida.But my Gramma Pat spends winters in Florida, so we droveher down and got her settled in.

On the way down, we stopped in Ohio, Kentucky,

Tennessee, and Georgia! I slept a lot in the car.

I laid by the window a lot and enjoyed the sun. It was 90

degrees a couple days and much too hot for me!

On the way home, I rode in a plane! That was kind of scarey.

They made me ride in a bag and the nasty stewardess

on Continental wouldn't let me get on the seat with my dad.

That airlines is NOT very pet friendly.

Sure, they take your money, and make you ride under seat!

$125 EACH WAY mind you! Meanwhile on our flight,

a screaming baby, got to ride for FREE on his mothers lap.

I would call that DOG DISCRIMINATION!

I am glad to be home in Chicago -

but it's getting cold here.....

I think I will curl up in a ball and dream about Florida....

I really AM NOT trying to bash PET SMART, but since our first article on a pet death at Pet Smart, SO MANYemployees and customers have come forward with their comments, we feel it is important to share this information with our thousands of monthly readers. This came in today - I worked for PetSmart for over 6 years. I quit a year and a half ago because I cannot work for a company such as theirs any longer. I do not agree with the principles that they have set for themselves and the company in the last 5 years. If you think that it is just the animals they do not care about then remember this, they care even less about their employees. Oh, they have a survey they conduct every year where you get to say some of what you think, but little, if any of it, is heeded. Their goal is now to make money. To sell worthless training classes, to make money, to sell grooming services, and...to make money.I happened to see documents, (these were real!), stating how many dogs groomers are expected to do in an 8 hour shift. Each groomer is expected to groom up to 11 dogs or more. If they do not meet this quota, they are hauled into the office and questioned why they are not grooming enough, and what are their plans to do more? Mind you now, this is 11 dogs to bathe, dry and groom in 8 hours, with a half hour lunch break, and two 15 minute breaks which are required by law, and to cover their own butts, they expect you to take them. So, this is 7 hours grooming time. I ask you this then, HOW can any groomer SAFELY do this many dogs in this type of time frame? The pressure is on these people to sell, sell, sell. Not only grooming, but overpriced services like shampoo, tooth brushing, clogne, and other worthless crap you don't need or want.In the store I worked in, they automatically tacked this on to your bill without asking, all so they could meet the quota that corporate expected, so they did not get yelled at for failing to meet it!At the end of every day, if a groomer does not meet his quota, he, or she, has to fill out a report stating how they are going to meet their requirements for the nest day, and the rest of the week. Still think they care most about your pet??The mission of this company USED to be about people and pets. However I watched this focus completetly change over the years. If you knew what it is like to work for this company, and what really goes on behind the scenes, you would not shop there.I will say though that in the store I worked at, the small animals and fish department was very well maintained, and high levels of quality were a requirement. That was due to the knowledge of the employees and manager of that department. However, now, with a new store director who is more concerned about climbing the corporate ladder, than providing a good working enviornment, I believe the whole store is failing dreadfully in employee morale. This also seems to be the new way to run the company as a whole, since this was not the only store where this type of thing goes on.Two years before I quit, a statement was made to me, by someone rather high up in the company, who should not have said to me probably. "The time is now to get out of PetSmart. Changes are in the wind, and it is not going to be a good place for any one to work any longer. Don't believe me? Give it two years!"He was right. I watched store directors quit, district managers quit, and others who truly cared about the employees were fired, and replaced with what they now have. These people let you know, you are expendable, plain and blunt.This is not a good place to work, it's not a good place to shop, and certainly, NOT a good place to take your pet for grooming! Since I quit, I have never looked back, and I have never returned with my pets for any services they have to offer!

If you read this site, you know who SCHMITTY AND PUDGE are!2 of my BEST YORKIE FRIENDS in the whole world!SCHMITTY is FAMOUS! I hope I can be that famous some day!I wanted you to be the first to know - Schmitty's Healthy Do's and Don'ts 2010 calendar is here!I'm so excited I could just pee! With fun pics and tips, Schmitty's Healthy Do's and Don'ts is the perfect holiday gift for that special pet parent to help them help their dogs live a happy and healthy life. AND GET THIS! A bonus for our readers!if you order by November 1st, 2010, you get a really cool SCHMITTY leashe - FREE! Yup, a free leash valued at $11.99! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Is your YORKIE dressing up for Halloween?!My little Yorkie, used to like clothes - as she gets oldershe really DOES NOT!#2 is not a Yorkie, of course, but the costumewas so great, I thought, what a cool idea!If you do choose to dress up your little boy or girl, make sure the outfit does not constrain your pet. Your pet needs to remain comfortable.“Whether or not dogs like to be dressed up depends on the dog,’’ says Debrah Schnackenberg, vice president of the Animal Protection Division for the American Humane Association. “While the American Humane Association does not encourage dressing dogs, as long as it doesn’t pose any safety risk and the dog seems to enjoy wearing the latest fashions,there’s no harm in dressing your pet.’’However - “I’ve interviewed dogs about clothing, and most do not like clothes,’’ pet psychic Bridget Pilloud told me. “They think clothes are silly, and that they cause people to see them as cute instead of seeing their true nature.’’Happy Halloween!

This past weekend was my 2nd Big Birthday!And my 2 dad's were in Atlantic City, so I got to staywith my favorite friends Jeff and Andi.So they treated me to a special birthday partyand friends came to wish me well. IT WAS BIG FUN! (PS - Jeff has a dog book coming outcalled Codi Pup! Get a sneak peak!) yorkiesminiature yorkshire terrieryorkie photosOnline tag generator

WOW - Summer just flew by didn't it?I was so happy that this summer I got to spend some timewith Coco Chanel - the Original Yorkie that helped start this blog! She lives in Michigan (in an amazing home!) and is about 14 now, and not doing real well these days.Her cataracts bother her a little, she has started having little seizures, and at times, gets very aggitated and will SNAP! But I was glad I got to meet her, even though she didn't want to botherwith me much! She is the matriarch! my idol! and a grand dame! The last few weeks here in Chicago we had some great weatherand I was able to get out the the beach a few times!I LOVE the beach! Especially meeting all the people.Weather here got very cool this past weekend - So I think our beach days may be done :( Talk soon! Trixie Lee

We talked about Scooter and other tiny dogs just a few weeks ago here.Scooter, the world's tiniest dog who weighed less than a pound, died at the age of just 6 months after breaking a leg this week.He will be greatly missed.

It amazes me everyday how much my little sitehere generates from Yorkie Lovers around the World. Last month we had about 15,000 readers from over144 countries. And thanks to all the photos you are sending in! So many cuties! This site was started by Coco Chanel, who now resides in Michiganand is about 14 years old, and not doing so well these days.Her cataracts has gotten worse, she has started having little seizures, and sometimes I think she is disoriented and snaps at people -she NEVER did that before. Anyway, last week, I payed her visit. And we'll publish some of thosephotos next week. Thanks to all of our fans out there! Trixie Lee.

I just heard Dr. Nancy Kay speak on NPR public radio. Dr. Kay has a book (and a blog) called SPEAKING FOR SPOT.Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needsto Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life Speaking for Spot was a labor of love for Dr. Nancy Kay, fueled by her passion to teach people how to be effective medical advocates for their four-legged best friends. Gone are the days of simply following doc’s orders-today’s dog lovers are confronted with health-care decision-making on many levels. Perhaps you’ve wondered:How do I find a vet that feels just right for me and my dog?How will I be able to afford my dog’s health care? Is pet insurance the way to go?Does my dog truly need all those vaccines listed on the reminder postcard?Does my dog really need the surgery orprocedure that has been recommended?When is it appropriate to get a second opinion?Where should I go to get one and how can I avoid offending my vet?Should I take my dog to see a specialist?Should I consider treating my dog’s cancer?Am I doing the right thing? Am I doing this for him or for me?Is my dog ready to say goodbye? Am I ready to let him go? What are my choiceswhen it comes to the euthanasia process? It's a great book - and you check out the Speaking for Spot blog as well!

A cowardly bank robber turned tail and fled when he came face to face with a post office guard dog - a tiny Yorkshire Terrier.The man had been ransacking the tills at gunpoint in Modling, Austria, until he woke six-inch high Cica from her basket under the counter.Witnesses said the dog leapt up and started growling and barking and the startled robber put down his gun, turned and ran."When she realised he was threatening me she began barking like mad and jumped at him. She didn't bite him, just scared him. He was petrified," said proud postmistress Gabriella Dreyer."Cica never let's me out of her sight and we can be a bit inseparable at times. She is a real hero and I think robbers will think twice about coming in here after they hear what happened."Who Says Yorkies Are Not Good Watch Dogs?!

Was having sort of a blue mondayand needed cheering up....I found this little Video on YOU TUBE...Hopefully it will brighten your day up!Give your dog a big too!

How much do you love your dog?WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Mandy, a Wheaton terrier, and her owner, David Grounds, are together again. Both are still shaken up and recovering from an alligator attack Saturday.Grounds had let Mandy out in the back yard of his West Palm Beach home. The gator grabbed the dog while she was walking along the edge of a pond. "My first thought was, 'I've got to pry his mouth apart to keep him from, you know, killing her,'" David Grounds told WPBF News 25's Alexis Rivera from his home Tuesday. Grounds said he poked the gator's eye and managed to pry his jaw open in time for Mandy to get away. She suffered a few cuts on her back and belly. However, Grounds wasn't as lucky. The reptile bit off one finger and part of another."She's likes a child -- my child, you know," Grounds said of Mandy. "I have four sons and if one of them had been attacked, you'd have to see what you can do -- and the same with her."A trapper later removed the 7-foot gator from the pond behind Grounds' home. It was euthanized. Grounds told Rivera he'd do it all over again if he had to."I'd trade these two fingers for her, for sure, without a doubt," he said. I read an article last week where a doctor suggested, you never put your own life and limbs at risk, if your dog is in danger. MOST pet owners would disagree! They are just like our children! Of course, I am going to try to save them!

There was a time when being the runt of the litter was considered a bad thing. (Wilbur, the pig co-star of the title spider character in "Charlotte's Web," was almost killed for being a runt, as any children's literature fan will remember.) But nowadays, tiny dogs are fashionable -- as evidenced by the hotly contested Guinness World Records for smallest dog by height and smallest dog by length.Scooter, above, is a 6-month-old Maltese whose owner, Cheryl McKnight of New Zealand, believes will one day hold the title of smallest dog by height. Scooter is just over 3 inches tall, measured from his feet to the top of his shoulder blade. Although he's still a puppy, McKnight says he hasn't grown at all since he was 2 months old, and she believes he won't grow any taller -- certainly no taller than the current recordholder, an American Chihuahua. These tiny dogs are unquestionably cute -- but does cute come with a price? The increase in popularity of "teacup" dogs -- extra-small poodles, Yorkshire terriers, Chihuahuas and the like -- has undoubtedly helped boost profits for puppy mills that churn them out as if they were products on an assembly line. And what of their health? Scooter "weighs less than a block of butter at 400 grams -- and that is while he is wearing clothes," according to the New Zealand Herald. He wears a brightly-colored sock as a shirt to make him stand out, presumably to prevent the inevitable injury that would result if his owner were to make a wrong step. Tom Thumb "can fit inside a teacup and cannot reach his mum to feed when she is standing up," the Daily Mail reports. According to Petside.com, as humans breed smaller and smaller dogs, "the dogs' teeth don't keep pace as well and many small breeds are troubled by teeth that are too big for their mouths." Tiny bones can break easily as well -- although it's also true that small dogs, on average, live longer lives than large ones. We're sure many teacup pups are in fine health and enjoy the attention they get for being cute, traveling about in purses and the like -- still, we can't help but wonder if we're doing them a disservice in the long run by making them just too small for their own good.READ MORE AT LA TIMES.

It's a dog's life for Jackie Irvine but she's loving every minute of it, playing mum to a litter of puppies whose mother died eight days after giving birth.Jackie bottle feeds the tiny three-week-old Yorkshire Terrier pups six times a day, acting as their surrogate mother, after seven-year-old Amber died.She said: "When Amber died it was such a shock – even when I picked her up I didn't think she was dead because she was still hot and her eyes were open."But when you are left with five little faces looking up at you, you just have to take over."I was feeding them through a syringe but I got a bottle from the vet with a teet on it and we feed them with that now."It's quite humorous to see them because as they get bigger, they want more."They feed six times a day, I am up through the night feeding them and if I go out it's not for more than an hour-and-a-half."Jacie said she will probably keep one of the pups – which have been named Lucky, Fudge, Madonna, Robert the Bruce and Lulu – and give the others away once they are six- or seven-weeks-old.Lucky was given her name because she was the first puppy to be born and was cold and lifeless, but she and her husband Bill managed to revive her.

Two famous Yorkies, Schmitty and Pudge, invite you to tour New York City. Follow the adventures of these delightful dogs as they visit all of New York City's famous landmarks. Starting at Grant's Tomb in Harlem, they head south to visit the Seinfeld gang's favorite restaurant and then rest their tired paws with a carriage ride through Central Park.After a hot dog at Gray's Papaya the pooches bump into Regis on their way down to Times Square to meet the Naked Cowboy before catching a matinee on Broadway. Then it's off to the Empire State Building for a dog's eye view of Manhattan. A taxi to Tiffany's for a little retail therapy is the perfect prelude to an afternoon massage. Nothing caps off a day in NYC better than sitting in Battery Park watching the sunset over the Statue of Liberty.So when you come to visit NYC keep an eye out for Schmitty and Pudge.SEE THE VIDEO and Follow the further adventures of Schmitty and Pudge at Gotta Visit NYC!

It is the first week of June, and it is 52 degrees today in Chicago!What happened to Global Warming?! In May, I did get out to the Chicago beach a couple times,but now I can't go to the beach until after Labor Day. Well, this past weekend was nice and warm and sunny, and my dad's took me out to their favorite pub and restaurant ROSCOES. They have a patio in the summer and I can go there and sit with adults. The weather was nice, but today it's darn right cold again! I am from Missouri!

Yorkshire terrier Sammy is 23-years-old which makes him twoyears older than the current canine world record holder.The pensioner pooch has had half his teeth out and can barely see or hear.But owner Doug Percival, 73, has only had to take him to the vetsONCE since he got him as a two-year-old pup. He puts his longevity down to them looking after each other andtwice-weekly treats from the fish and chip shop.READ ABOUT THIS CUTE YORKIEAT THE SUN!

Every Spring, emails start circulating making claims that cocoa mulch, which contains the chemical theobromine, can be lethal to dogs and cats.This is NOT an Urban Myth, and while only a few reported cases have ever been reported, the warning should not be taken lightly."Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk .Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly."Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats. Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.' This Snopes site gives the following information: Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Target, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine'. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of th eobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine. "

Someone sent these photos today of a kitten and a parakeet playingtogether! How cute is that?! Our cat was 12 when Little Trixie came along. The Yorkie ADORES the cat and wants to play so badly, but the cat has always ran from her. A couple months ago, the catallowed Trixie to catch her. And now the cat is amused by Trixieand will sometimes play with her. Hopefully, as Trixie calms down a bit, I hope they will come to love each otherand sleep together like best buddies!

OK - So All Dogs Rule!Check this out - Everyone’s heard a zany pampered-pet story: The dog who only eats home-delivered organic meals, the cat who gets an $18,000 kidney transplants, the pet-sitter who draws a six-figure salary thanks to a neighborhood full of obsessed pet owners. But what does all of this mean, and why is it happening now? Americans spend over $40 billion a year on pets, twice what they did a decade earlier. But the dollars are only one small part of the vast changes in America’s pet kingdom: Dogs have moved from backyard doghouses to their owners’ beds; veterinary practices have evolved from neutering and de-worming factories to corporate medical chains that offer arthroscopic surgeries and prescribe animal antidepressants; simple tennis-ball chew toys have given way to high-tech learning gadgets that promise to entertain a nation of latch-key pets. Man’s best friend has become America’s ersatz child. One Nation Under Dog is a voyage through this new world of American pet-keeping—the absurd, the touching, the horrifying, and the comic. I visited with a Chihuahua social networking group in New York, reported on pitched political battles over dog-friendly laws in San Francisco, watched lawyers wrangle over pet lawsuits in Chicago and sat in on pet-loss bereavement sessions in Philadelphia. It turns out the pet boom is about more than plain old over-the-top consumerism. Take a peek at how your pet’s life has changed and you’ll find the modern history of our society—one that covers everything from our ideas about family to our growing social stratification to our long commutes to our endless technological wizardry. Not to mention culture wars, nutritional neuroses, and the rise of globalism. And, okay, some over-the-top consumerism, too. One Nation Under Dog shows just how contemporary pets explain contemporary America. And with tail-wagging guides like Jade the Rottweiler, Ben the Beagle, and Murphy the Saint Bernard, the journey through modern society is also a lot of fun.Author Michael Schaffer has a great website I recommend everyone to visit, there you'll find a link to purchase his book, "One Nation Under Dog," read his own blog, or post your own pet story. You can even upload a picture of your pet and share it with the world. http://www.michaelschaffer.net/ One Nation Under Dog facebook page

Last year, our cat was having issues with her glands not expressing properly. We took her to vet, who charged us $150.One month later, same problem. But not as severe. $100.The next month, we took her in before the problem occured and paid $35. And we did the same for 2 months following. Cha-Ching. Cha-Ching. We asked the vet, what we could do? The vet offered no real answers. She said if we didn't want to bring the cat in every month, there was a surgey for $1500 they could perform!A few weeks later I met a vet in a social setting who was visiting from another country. He suggested giving the cat some wheat chex to her diet - he said the tiny amount of fiber should keep her glans fine. And guess what? It worked! So now she gets a few little wheat chex every day and she loves them! Why didn't my vet suggest this simple soultion?Because most doctors and vets, I believe, are all about making money. Why should they suggest a do-it-yourself fix for a couple dollars, when they can make money off you?!Anyway, fast foward 1 year. We got Trixie! She loves Wheat Chex too, and keeps snatching them from the cat's bowl. So now she too, gets a few of the little treats each day in her food. Both animals have had no problems and enjoy them!

Kyle MacLachlan may be famous for his roles in Twin Peaks, Sex and The City and Desperate Housewives, but on the web it's the actor's canine companions who lap up the limelight.The thespian's two tail waggers-- a 9-year-old Jack Russell Terrier and a 6-year-old exotic Yorkshire Terrier/Chihuahua (is that a Chorkie?)-- are the stars of The Adventures of Mookie and Sam, a website which offers a glimpse into the lives of the pair of "pup"arazzi magnets.

DON'T SMOKE!