I am a fiction writer trying to learn how to write memoir, in small manageable bites. My dog, Cricket, is small and she bites, so I thought she could help.
Cricket is a fourteen pound Cockapoo (cocker spaniel/poodle mix), born on July 13th 2007. She has a strong grasp of the english language, when she wants to. But, most important, she is my social bridge. In the real world, she drags me outside to meet my neighbors, and random strangers with dogs who smell interesting. I’m hoping she can act as my social bridge online, as well, despite the lack of obvious smell.
update: We added Butterfly to the family on November 20th 2012. She was rescued from a puppy mill at eight years old and has added years to the life of this blog.
Butterfly before her bath
update: Miss Butterfly died at age 12 and 3/4, after almost five years of wonderfulness. It took us a year to find a new dog to keep Cricket company, but I’m pretty sure Butterfly found Ellie for us. Ellie came to us in July of 2018, a five year old Havanese, recently retired from a breeder.
I recently self published my first novel, Yeshiva Girl, with Amazon. Please check it out!
You can reach me at: cricketpages@earthlink.net
rachelmankowitz 
Hi Rachel, thanks so much for following Sawyer’s adventures, I really appreciate it! And I love your blog, looking forward to reading more! ~Uschi
Sawyer is a beautiful dog! Thanks for coming by!
I really like your blog. Your dogs are so cute! Oh, and thanks for visiting my blog.
Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a like. Best wishes on your blogging. And as any writer knows all you have to do is Write On!
Thank you!
I so relate to this!
Monty is adorable!
Cricket and Butterfly are divine! Monty would love to play with them!!
Thank you very much for the like. That’s very encouraging. Terry
You’re very welcome.
I can’t wait to read more! LOVE Cricket.
Thank you so much! She loves to be loved.
Thank you for the like. It’s very encouraging. Terry (understanding Your Dog)
You’re very welcome.
Hi Rachel, great blog page and what wonderful stories. It’s wonderful stories like yours that made me set up http://www.fortheloveofgeorgie.wordpress.com. I would love people to share with others what makes their dog special to them, how had your dog changed your life. It would be wonderful if you could send me your story for he blog page. Please email to fortheloveofgeorgie@gamil.com. I look forward to hearing from you, and please pass onto others. Thanks Heather and Georgie
Thanks for coming by!
Hi Rachel! Thanks for dropping by and liking my blog about The Dog Who’s Not Our Dog! I’m on a steep learning curve about modern dog~ownership so it’s interesting to read your posts. I just have to schedule in time for my writing (and other interests) between the settling and grooming, walking and feeding and buying equipment and toys!! 🙂
Be careful with the buying toys part; that can get addictive. When I first got Cricket i wanted EVERYTHING in the dog store. Now, I’d settle for half.
Aww your dogs are just sumptuous!! I’ve never heard of a Cockapoo XD
Good luck with everything.
Lorna xx
Thank you!
HI, Rachel! Love your dogs. I have one too a MinPin, she is called Pepsi. What a handful. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Cricket met a miniature Pinscher in her puppy class way back when. She was very happy to meet someone her own size. The Black lab and the German Shepherd freaked her out. Thanks for coming by!
Glad you liked my blog, “Sam and the Grandparents.” Love you little dog.
Sam is beautiful, and I hope the grandparents come back many times, with many belly rubs!
Hi Rachel, thank you for reading my dog Jack’s blog and liking it. I’m new to the blogosphere and have much to learn. Reading about your sweet dogs in your blog has guided me. I can see that Cricket and Butterfly have been an inspiration for you as Jack has been for me. They make great muses, don’t they? Happy writing!
Welcome! The girls inspire me everyday. Thanks for coming by!
Hi Rachel, and thanks for visiting my blog! Your pups are adorable, and I applaud you for rescuing sweet little Butterfly. I’ve also found our Havachon Daisy to be a great social bridge online, we’ve met so many wonderful people through her little adventures. 🙂
Your Daisy is adorable! I knew a golden named Daisy and she was full of sunshine and sweetness. I can’t hear the name without smiling.
Hi Rachel, thanks for visiting my blog..your babies are cute. We do love our dogs, don’t we.
Yes we do!
Awwww they look like Charley…lovely!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for stopping by.
You’re so welcome!
Aw-w-w-w . . . what an adorable baby you have! (By the way, Hi!) Thank you for your support of my “About” page today! Also, I’m glad to know about your services and sure would like one of your price lists – as, obviously, I write, too! Sure hope you’ll come check-out my blog at http://www.PittyCityDogBlog.wordpress.com! (My e-mail address is Attrayo@gmail.com) ~JC Eberhart
Hi! Thanks for coming by.
Hi Rachael — thank you so much for reading my blog. I love your dogs — Cricket and Butterfly — real cuties. Good luck with your memoir. Linda of muttshappeningnow.wordpress.com
Thank you so much!
Your dogs are so cute! I’m so happy you opened your doors to a rescue dog too!
I feel so lucky!
Hi Rachel, Thanks so much for visiting my blog and liking my drawing/post of Jet the Dog. I hope you come back–I will continue posting pet drawings as I make them. You have a wonderful blog. I love the photos of your dogs and your stories.– Nancy
Thanks for the return visit!
Hi, Rachel! Thanks for liking MyPositiveDogTrainingBlog. Cricket and Butterfly are adorable and I love the names. My love is a 108 lb. black Lab/St. Bernard cross named Max (not very original). I look forward to reading more of your posts – I’ve read a couple and they are delightful. If I’m not teaching, talking, or writing about dogs I am reading about them. (By the way, I call the eye goop “boogers” – but I can relate.)
108 pounds of dog! Wow. I used to have a forty five pound lab mix and she could drag me all the way down the street, road rash included. And then she would stretch out across the bed, with her head on my knee. Hard to argue with that.
Hi Rachel, thanks for passing by and liking my post. Your dogs are very cute, I’m sure that my Copo and Lilly would love to make friends with them, since they love playing with small dogs!
Here’s hoping by “playing” you don’t mean tossing in the air like a chew toy. Thanks for the return visit!
Thanks for returning to my blog and liking my latest dog drawing, “Hope.” (And here I am back at your blog.). I need to take a break from my drawing this weekend and catch up on my work that actually pays. I have an editing project due Monday.
Good Luck!
Nice reading about you.
Thanks. For visiting my blog Ajaytao2010@wordpress.com. Browse through the category sections, I feel you may definitely find something of your interest.
Love your blog. Thanks for the like and I will be back!
Thank you, again!
Hi Rachael,
Thanks for taking a look at my blog if only because it’s led me to your wonderful stories. My dog Phoebe is a puppy mill dog. My husband used to say she was broken, and maybe she was but we didn’t care. I’ve had her for three years and she’s just loveable and has enriched our lives. I especially love your story about Abraham the pony your parents got before you were born. Kisses to Cricket and Butterfly. Look forward to reading more. Wonderful.
Thank you so much! I was worried that “puppy mill dog” would mean inability to attach, but Butterfly has been learning really quickly. She still likes to spend time alone more than Cricket does (Cricket is like velcro), but when she’s out on the lawn and misses me she comes running with her smiley face right at me. It’s been wonderful.
Thanks for stopping by my site. This is a fun blog!
Thank you!
Your dogs are adorable! Thank you for sharing their stories. I will also thank you for reading my blog. Reading things like this remind me that although my Cyrus, small jack russel, is being difficult I love him more than most could imagine. I would love for him to stop “angry peeing” and I do not know what he ate yesterday to upset his stomach, but I adore my little dog!
Cricket was choking big time yesterday and I had to massage her throat and pat her back and whatever else I could think of, and minutes later she was happy and fluffy again. these guys offer new life lessons every day. Sometimes I wish they’d slow down the learning curve just a little bit.
I completely understand where you are coming from! I lost my Cyrus to liver failure and I am on an entirely new learning curve with a year old puppy!
I am sorry that it has taken me so long to reply. I have just figured out how to see the full comments that people have made. I am VERY new to blogging and there is a learning curve to this as well! I am glad that your cricket did not choke. It is TERRIFYING when a person or an animal is choking!
gorgeous photos Rachel xx
Thank you!
I am about to subscribe to your particular sparkle! Thanks for liking my page and hope you subscribe or come back for more!
Ooh, I sparkle?! Why thank you!
Hi Rachel! Thanks so much for visiting ‘A View From My Summerhouse’ and liking my recent post! I hope you will be back. Your dogs are so cute, great blog! All the best with your writing and your memoir, I too am working on a ‘moment-in-time’ memoir (courtesy of a writing assignment for my creative writing course but am soooooo behind….!) as well as keeping up with my new blog. I am leaving for a trip to California in a few days time but when back I will revist here and look forward to reading more! Have a great day.
Good luck with all of your writing!
Award for you if you like! http://yaussiechick.wordpress.com/
Thank you!
Thanks so much for the ‘Like’ on my poem For the Love of a Dog at ‘Where Do I Go From Here?’
I live on a farm and over the years have accumulated a raggle-taggle assortment of cats, dogs, and horses. I find that they are a never ending source of writing inspiration and entertainment. (Not to mention pets, purrs, nickers, snuffles, barks and tongue-hanging-out-the-side-of-the-face laughs!) I love every single one of them and wonder how I would ever make it through life without them.
Thanks again, Vickie
I wish I could have more animals around, especially a horse, just to brush her hair all day. Is that strange?
Hello Rachel,
Thanks for stopping by at my blog again. That’s really appreciated. Your dogs are adorable and are fortuante to have ended up wth you! I love your fresh and witty style of writing. I am looking forward to see more of it. have a great weekend, Johanna.
Thank you! I just had a bad critique of my writing style from someone close to me, so this came at a great time.
Hello from the Philippines! Thanks for visiting my blog. Your fur-babies are cute!!!
Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a like. Best wishes on your blogging. And as any writer knows all you have to do is Write On!
Thank you!
Just logged onto your blog after seeing you, very kindly, “liked” mine. Your dogs are simply gorgeous and my Boy Dog is very taken with Butterfly and would like to ask her for the next dance! Love your writing too and am now a follower, just as soon as I can get WordPress to recognise my email address.
Lily
Butterfly loves to socialize with other dogs, no matter what shape or size, boy or girl. Her only request is that they don’t step on her toes. Her toes are very sensitive.
Hi! Thank you for stopping by my blog, and for the “like” on my recent post. I am happy you enjoyed it, and I appreciate your visit to my site.
Your blog is such fun! I enjoyed reading about both of your dogs. They are such cuties! I wanted to reach through my computer screen and give them each a cuddly hug.
Thank you again for visiting my blog! 🙂
Thank you! When you reach through for the hug, just be sure to wear your protective gear. Cricket is in a MOOD today.
Hello my dear! I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award! There are a few rules, so zip to my blog and get started—wink! http://tinkerbellproject.com Your post about your dear ones just takes my breath away…wonderful!
Thank you! I’m honored.
Hi there, I think your blog is awesome. I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. http://newbloggycat.com/2013/04/12/versatile-blogger/
Thank you so much!
Hi Rachel. THanks so much for visiting my blog and liking a post. I appreciate both. Please visit again soon!
Your little Cricket is a cutie!
Blessings, Robyn
Thank you!
Thank you for visiting my page- not been on here long. Best wishes to you, Cricket and Butterfly!
Thank you for coming by!
Hi! I’m enjoying your blog. Your pups are adorable! Thanks for stopping by and liking Butter’s Ode to Dinner!
You’re so welcome, and thanks for the return visit!
Hi Rachel! I’ve really been enjoying your pups so I’ve nominated you for the Reality Blog Award. I hope that more people will find your blog from the link on mine so they can enjoy it too. You can check out the award at http://animalpalooza.wordpress.com/awards/. Thanks for all your wonderful posts!!
Thank you so much!
Hi Rachel. Enjoyed your dogs and blog. Thanks for following my blog. Look forward to sharing puppy dog stories:)
Thanks for coming by!
Hi Rachel, thanks for visiting my blog! I’m putting you on my reading list right now!
Thank you!
Your dogs are adorable! Thanks for visiting my blog — I’m following yours back! 🙂
Thank you! And thanks for the return visit!
I love your site and it gives me great pleasure to tell you that I have linked you in my latest post as a part of my WordPress Family:
http://lifebeam.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/0308-post-1/
I hope you have a great day!
Amy – LifeBeam
Thank you!