Josie's Grooming Garage

04/16/2025

Tazi is officially in her terrible two's! She got to spend several days with her best friend, Cedar, and even got a special gift from Grandma. 🦆
Happy Birthday, Tazi! 🎂

04/11/2025

Have you ever seen something so beautiful?! 🥲
Fuzzy Butt Pet Photography never ceases to amaze me. Jess's artistic talent extends beyond gorgeous photos in to these amazing, personalized pet portraits.
Right now they are 50% off, too!! Get one for yourself or they'd make a phenomenal gift for a pet lover. I absolutely cherish this one of Kaeto. 💖
https://www.fuzzybuttpetphotos.com/artstore/p/hand-illustrated-folk-art-pet-commissions?fbclid=IwY2xjawJlTVxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrKhvAXmWX_OdYLhZEokgrwS00gbbyqaDOGWMiS-56gW4FRgA9I0J4JSvD1g_aem_-7WygCLerr3FFI0xR2yZMw

Credit: Fuzzy Butt Pet Photography

04/04/2025

DOG EVENTS:
The season of fun, dog friendly events is beginning! I will keep this post pinned. If you know of other events please let me know and I will add them to the list. Get out there and have some fun with your furry friend (most events support nonprofits or small businesses, too!).

🌸April 13; Fort Vancouver, WA: Cherry Blossom Mini Sessions with Fuzzy Butt Pet Photography. If you haven't had photos done with Fuzzy Butt do it now! Her talent is unmatched! https://www.fuzzybuttpetphotos.com/minis/cherry-blossom-mini-sessions

🎨April 19; Vancouver, WA: Dog Paint Party- Paint with your pup! https://www.facebook.com/events/2328600617524252/2328600617524252/?onload_action=open_invite_flow

🌷April 26; Woodburn, OR: Muddy Paws Fun Run- 3k run/walk thru the tulip fields. Benefiting the American Cancer Society. They aren't joking when they say muddy paws! https://aftontickets.com/event/buyticket/1o91dz6m9e/tulip-festival/2025-04-26

🚶May 3; Vancouver, WA: Walk/Run for the Animals. Benefiting Humane Society for Southwest Washington https://southwesthumane.org/engage/events/walkrun-for-the-animals

❤️‍🩹 May 3; Olympia, WA: Paws 4 a Cause. Fun run benefiting the Animal Cancer Foundation. Such a worthy cause. https://www.olypaws4acause.com/

🏃‍♀️May 10; Portland, OR: Doggie Dash-Run/walk and festival. Benefiting the Oregon Humane Society. Join our team! https://secure.oregonhumane.org/doggiedash/Member/MyPage/7858728/Josie-Benfield

🍷May 17; Newberg, OR: Wine & Whiskers Benefit. Buffet and auction benefiting Newberg Animal Shelter. There will be an online auction as well! https://event.auctria.com/357fe560-e4b5-43f8-baca-e711e5ebce5e/

🌳May 18; Eugene, OR: Bark in the Park. 2,5, & 10k run/walk & park party benefiting Greenhill Humane Society. https://secure3.convio.net/ghs/site/TR/BarkinthePark/General?pg=entry&fr_id=1170

🏃 June 14; Salem, OR: Doggie Dash Salem-Run/walk and festival. Benefiting the Oregon Humane Society. https://secure.oregonhumane.org/doggiedash/Static/salem

🐾August 9; Woodburn, OR: Mud, Sweat & Blooms: A dog friendly obstacle course benefiting Woodburn Rotary Foundation . https://mudsweatbbq.com/mud-run/

👢August 10; Portland, OR: Boots & Bling Benefit. Auction, dinner & drinks all benefits Fences For Fido. Go bid on some of our donation baskets there! https://f4fido.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2025Gala/Registration/tabid/1515172/Default.aspx

💵 September 19-24; McMinnville, OR: Paws for a Celebration. Online auction benefiting Homeward Bound Pets Humane Society. We will have prize baskets here too! https://hbpets.org/event/pfc-6-donor-info/

Paws For a Celebration 2025 Virtual Auction Information This year is our 6th(!) annual virtual fundraiser - but we can't do it without the support of our incredible donors and sponsors! Please refer to the pledge sheet below or click the

03/21/2025

Thank you to all who sent cards, flowers, messages, gifts, and were so understanding of my changing schedule. The outpouring of love and support is so much appreciated! I am thankful to all of you, my employer, Cory and his employer, and all my friends & family.

To say that I miss my boy doesn't even begin to explain the aching emptiness I feel deep in my soul... I bought this house ten years ago this month and I haven't spent a day here without Kaeto. Not just in the house with me, but by my side in every aspect. When I would groom he would wait next to the door the whole time and then come perform janitorial work cleaning up the floor (of treats). When cooking he was in the kitchen with me; he had his own spot. Everywhere I went, he was there.... Without him it just doesn't feel like home.

03/20/2025

🌤🌷Today is the first day of Spring! Blu is here to tell everyone, "Happy Spring!".🌷🌤

03/18/2025

🍀💚Happy St. Patrick's Day! Hope everyone had a safe weekend.💚🍀

03/13/2025

My sweet Kaeto...

I don't have words yet. 💔

03/05/2025

Such an amazing resource for veterinary services. Now they are open seven days a week. Please pass along to those in need!

Starting March 30, 2025, hours at OHS' Community Veterinary Hospital will expand, offering appointments seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

03/04/2025

It's already March! 🤯 Hope everyone has a happy and lucky month. 🍀

02/23/2025

If you happen to have Walmart+ already, you can get free access to Pawp (see description in photos). I haven't talked to a vet thru their service yet but did all the setup and it's pretty easy to navigate and access care. Plus, if it's free then why not?! They do have a paid option for $19 per month. It grants you $3000 a year in emergency care if needed. You can also add up to 6 pets.

If anyone has used their service before I would love your feedback. Since I already had Walmart+ I just started the free membership.

Here's 1 month FREE of Pawp, instant and unlimited pet care 🐶👩‍⚕️🐱 https://link.pawp.com/hbwe/referral

02/20/2025

🩵Together, we go on to fight another day🩵

We had an in-home hospice appointment with acupuncture. It helped both of us; My soul and his body.

Hearing over and over again, "there is nothing we can do" is disheartening and makes one feel even more hopeless. However, Blue Pearl Pet Hospital's Care Team approaches things so much different... They care for pet and owner. Although we will never cure this ugly, ugly disease, there IS something we can do to ensure he is as healthy and happy as possible.

The vet was kind, caring, and informative. She is very satisfied with his current quality of life. Entering this stage of his life has been much harder on me than it has on him... With an in-home team on our side they are able to objectively assess everything. It is worth its weight in gold! Balancing the feeling of giving up too soon and avoiding any suffering is a fine, hellish line. I am thankful to have the expertise, insight, and reassurance.

He is still happy (and hungry) as ever! We make every moment (and snack) count... Having a caring, experienced team supporting us through this phase is what I needed.

Thank you all who have been so understanding of everything and my ups and downs. The hardest is yet to come... I know this. But, I feel better equipped facing this fight now.

02/17/2025

I don't know how I am ever going to schedule that "final appointment"...
It has been on my mind.
How do you plan a goodbye that lasts so long? His spirit is still so bright. I feel like I am betraying him as much as his body is. I hope with all my heart we have more time. But, I know there will never be enough time together. 💔

02/13/2025

02/12/2025

REMINDER:
Make sure your dog's microchip information is up to date! If your pup isn't microchipped I highly recommend doing so. I don't believe this microchip company was too popular (that I know of at least) but it is always a good idea to double check your registered information is correct.

https://www.kptv.com/2025/02/11/pet-owners-urged-re-register-pets-asap-after-microchip-company-closes-leaving-pets-untraceable/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIZny9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTxN9i42Tve8f8kRYUTyzV5Y5oaVndvGeqxp7O_l13LRGHylYiE9PYxFmA_aem_LaMy5lKtraJ2ykxyiPVdYA

A microchip company has abruptly gone out of business, affecting pet owners nationwide.

02/04/2025

🥹 Now these are the kinds of people I could be friends with...

Send a message to learn more

02/04/2025

🥗🥘Meal Prep Mondays🥘🥗

I can't say feeding fresh is all that easy but it isn't as hard as you'd think. Using a food processor drastically reduces prep time. I can't feed raw... I can't even cook a turkey at Thanksgiving because I can't handle carcasses like that 🤢 but, thanks to mom (Carolyn Steiner Ryan) for handling that this week, I have a few meals pre-made now!

As you can see from Kaeto's expression, he is stoked about this change. Been implementing some in to the other dogs food when I can. None of them were fans of fruit 🍎 (like me!) but, I have been cooking them in with the meat and they enjoy them now.

🍗Most all of the meat used in these meals were freezer burnt and potentially going to be disposed of. If you have some freezer burnt meat in the back of the fridge you don't plan on using, we would be happy to put it to use. Thank you to all that have donated their unwanted freezer items. Reducing food waste and feeding dogs. Win-win!

01/31/2025

Okay, guys- I *promise* I am not all doom and gloom! But, I have to share a cautionary tale with you... (2025 is just starting off weird!)

If your dogs roughhouse with each other REMOVE THEIR COLLARS. My dogs are normally naked when we are home. I used to go back and forth on if it was better having their collars on for identification purposes or not but, if they roughhouse they are off for sure.

Last weekend we had furry house guests here. Tazi's best friend, Cedar, was staying over. First thing in the morning they started wrestling in the spare room when their was a big commotion. We jumped up and attended them immediately thinking they may have got in a scuffle but it was worse! Tazi's lower jaw was stuck in Cedar's collar. It was wrapped so tightly we couldn't even unbuckle it. In the chaos I was bit (not bad) and the dogs were panicked. Cory held Tazi as I held Cedar until things were a little calmed down and I could get a knife. We cut the collar off and assessed any wounds. Very thankfully the dogs were totally unharmed, just confused. The bite was very much so unintentional.

Moral of the story: Remove collars during play time!

01/29/2025

❤️ Teddy & Rue ❤️