There is a new show on Animal Planet called Last Chance Highway. I watch pretty much all of the rescue shows on animal planet, but this one particularly interests me because it is filmed very close to home. It is about a group of people working together who live around the Memphis area. They rescue animals from Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas, where tens of thousands of animals are killed each year, and transport them up north where animals are more protected by the laws and people are more responsible pet owners. They go to available rescues, or directly to new homes. Little Rock is one of their biggest pick-ups. I have personally had two of my foster pups go on this venture (Little Willie and Little Johnny). The show typically follows a couple different dogs from initial contact to new home. At the end of each show, they film the truck delivering the animals to different cities, after traveling over 1000 miles. (They make that drive every single week, by the way, each time carrying over 100 dogs.) The parking lots are filled with families waiting for their new dogs. They all cheer when the truck pulls in. The are so happy and excited when the dogs are carried off the truck and handed over to them. I cry every time. It's awesome to see.
Anyway, the show really inspires me. Check it out if you like the reality TV scene!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Happy Mutt's Day!
Today is Mutt's day. Some of the best dog's I have ever had the pleasure of knowing are mutts. Although some people (not my kind of people, mind you) will argue that the mutt is a "lesser" animal than a purebred dog, one who has loved a mutt will certainly disagree! Each unique and special, their diversity makes them invaluable. You may never see one prancing proudly around the show ring, but a mutt is every bit as loyal and loving as the most expensive pedigree. So, all mutts, and those who love you....Today is your day. Cheers!
Some of my favorite mutts....
ASIA. (2002-210) My most treasured canine friend. She is at the rainbow bridge.
DIXIE. Our chipmunk chasing, treadmill running, spit fire. She keeps us on our toes.
MISSY. (1993-2010) The best friend of my best (human) friend Bonni. She was also Asia's very first doggy friend. She is at the rainbow bridge.
COOPER. My mom's baby. He was a Christmas gift from Jonathon and I eight years ago.
JERSEY. Emily and Pat's first dog together. Isn't he a handsome boy?
HAPPY MUTT'S DAY!!!!!
Some of my favorite mutts....
ASIA. (2002-210) My most treasured canine friend. She is at the rainbow bridge.
DIXIE. Our chipmunk chasing, treadmill running, spit fire. She keeps us on our toes.
MISSY. (1993-2010) The best friend of my best (human) friend Bonni. She was also Asia's very first doggy friend. She is at the rainbow bridge.
COOPER. My mom's baby. He was a Christmas gift from Jonathon and I eight years ago.
HAPPY MUTT'S DAY!!!!!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The first days...
Tue morning:
We picked up Emily last night, from the Osceola animal shelter. We drove almost six hours round trip and it was intermittently storming the entire time. That sucked.
The lady that met us at the shelter was actually one of the people that responded to the original call when they picked her up. She was a wonderful person who had obviously formed a special bond with Emily, after saving her from certain death. She showed us some other pictures of Emily that were just as awful as you could imagine. She couldn't stand up and had to be carried in a blanket to the truck. When they gave her food and water, she could only throw it up, meaning that her poor body had shut down. It's a miracle that she is alive.
By the time we got home, it was 10:30 and our dogs had been in their kennels, with the exception of about an hour, since 8:00 in the morning. Needless to say, they had some energy. Doggy introductions didn't go as well as I had hoped for. It was late and raining and, well, I could go into details, but this post might get really long so I will some it up. Complete Chaos. I will say that poor Jax was so overwhelmed by the two females that he literally projectile vomitted in the midst of the whole thing. A dog vomitting has never been funny, or cute to me before, but that was both. My poor baby. He just couldn't wrap his innocent little head around what all the fuss was about.
Wed morn:
Yesterday was slightly better with the dogs. Dixie and Jax are very in-your-face kind of dogs. They are extremely high energy and playful. I don't think Emily has ever been socialized with other dogs. She is pretty aloof and indifferent to them on leash, but gets very uneasy if they actually approach her. I wouldn't say she is dog-aggressive, just fearful and overwhelmed, which can lead to acting out. We are working on it by walking as a "pack." She does really well on walks, as she gains confidence walking along side the others. Walks are tough right now though. The temps are well over 100 degrees and the cement is too hot for their paws. I really hope she and Dixie can get along. I don't want to have to send her away.
Other than the dog issues, and a fear of men, Emily is close to perfect! Physically, she has improved drastically and is just a beautiful dog. She has plenty of scars, but they will continue to fade. She is extremely well mannered and respectful. (I am honestly a little embarrassed that this dog is so much more well behaved than either of my own!!) I brought her to work with me. Within minutes, she settled down beside my desk and went to sleep. It's as though she has been coming here for years. She is completely good with our office cats (even JD, who has always HATED dogs, is totally at ease with her). She is potty trained and walks nicely on a leash. She follows me everywhere. She knows sit, come, and, as I just discovered this morning, fetch. It really makes me wonder how she got in her situation. I know I'll never know for sure, but I have a strong feeling that somebody loved and trained this dog once. How did her world get destroyed? I wish she could tell me.
She only has a few issues to overcome. We will continue to work on her with the dogs, and I plan to bring her to work with me everyday. We have an office full of men who will be nice to her. She also needs heartworm treatment and spaying. The vet will determine if she is strong enough for either of them yet when we go in this weekend.
Jonathon leaves tomorrow for a week and I will be on my own with the three of them. I think my "pack leader" skills will be tested to the extreme. I tend to be a little over-protective and nervous. I'll need to be a lot more calm and assertive, as Ceasar would say.
Available soon: One almost perfect dog...any takers?
We picked up Emily last night, from the Osceola animal shelter. We drove almost six hours round trip and it was intermittently storming the entire time. That sucked.
The lady that met us at the shelter was actually one of the people that responded to the original call when they picked her up. She was a wonderful person who had obviously formed a special bond with Emily, after saving her from certain death. She showed us some other pictures of Emily that were just as awful as you could imagine. She couldn't stand up and had to be carried in a blanket to the truck. When they gave her food and water, she could only throw it up, meaning that her poor body had shut down. It's a miracle that she is alive.
By the time we got home, it was 10:30 and our dogs had been in their kennels, with the exception of about an hour, since 8:00 in the morning. Needless to say, they had some energy. Doggy introductions didn't go as well as I had hoped for. It was late and raining and, well, I could go into details, but this post might get really long so I will some it up. Complete Chaos. I will say that poor Jax was so overwhelmed by the two females that he literally projectile vomitted in the midst of the whole thing. A dog vomitting has never been funny, or cute to me before, but that was both. My poor baby. He just couldn't wrap his innocent little head around what all the fuss was about.
Wed morn:
Yesterday was slightly better with the dogs. Dixie and Jax are very in-your-face kind of dogs. They are extremely high energy and playful. I don't think Emily has ever been socialized with other dogs. She is pretty aloof and indifferent to them on leash, but gets very uneasy if they actually approach her. I wouldn't say she is dog-aggressive, just fearful and overwhelmed, which can lead to acting out. We are working on it by walking as a "pack." She does really well on walks, as she gains confidence walking along side the others. Walks are tough right now though. The temps are well over 100 degrees and the cement is too hot for their paws. I really hope she and Dixie can get along. I don't want to have to send her away.
Other than the dog issues, and a fear of men, Emily is close to perfect! Physically, she has improved drastically and is just a beautiful dog. She has plenty of scars, but they will continue to fade. She is extremely well mannered and respectful. (I am honestly a little embarrassed that this dog is so much more well behaved than either of my own!!) I brought her to work with me. Within minutes, she settled down beside my desk and went to sleep. It's as though she has been coming here for years. She is completely good with our office cats (even JD, who has always HATED dogs, is totally at ease with her). She is potty trained and walks nicely on a leash. She follows me everywhere. She knows sit, come, and, as I just discovered this morning, fetch. It really makes me wonder how she got in her situation. I know I'll never know for sure, but I have a strong feeling that somebody loved and trained this dog once. How did her world get destroyed? I wish she could tell me.
She only has a few issues to overcome. We will continue to work on her with the dogs, and I plan to bring her to work with me everyday. We have an office full of men who will be nice to her. She also needs heartworm treatment and spaying. The vet will determine if she is strong enough for either of them yet when we go in this weekend.
Jonathon leaves tomorrow for a week and I will be on my own with the three of them. I think my "pack leader" skills will be tested to the extreme. I tend to be a little over-protective and nervous. I'll need to be a lot more calm and assertive, as Ceasar would say.
Available soon: One almost perfect dog...any takers?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Introducing...Sweet Emily
Well, if you have talked to me lately, you know that I have been miserable with stress. The robbery was just the last straw for me. I feel like I have been a complete crazy person in the recent weeks. So, fine time to add one more thing, right? Probably not, but I just couldn't say no to fostering Sweet Emily. The rescue recently reached out for someone to please take her in, and after I saw her picture, I just couldn't stop thinking about her. My stress, I decided, is nothing compared to what she has been through. She is currently in a shelter near Memphis, where she has been since late June, when she was seized in an animal cruelty case. I know very little about her, other than she is in desperate need of rescue. Oh, and that she is a very "sweet" girl. As you can see by this awful picture (which, as a warning, is quite disturbing) she was in dyer condition when she was taken from the owner. I am told that she was infested with fleas, full of sores from laying on the hard cement, and so weak from malnourishment that she could barely stand. She is doing a little better, according to the shelter (the second picture is her now, almost a month after the first pic) but she is sick, and they can't give her all of the help she needs. Transfer arrangements are being made with them. We will pick her up within the next week or two.
Look into those sad eyes, and you'll know why I just couldn't get her out of my head.
Look into those sad eyes, and you'll know why I just couldn't get her out of my head.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Bark in the Park
The rescue had it's summer picnic fund raiser on Saturday. They had BBQ, games, and a small silent auction. Great idea...if it were in October! It was soooo frickin hot! Although it was at a nice, big, beautiful park, everyone and their dogs were gathered under the pavilion, which made it a pretty tight quarters. We met a couple of people who recognized Jax from the rescue's website, and I recognized a few dogs too. Dixie met a 200+ pound English Mastiff and was, in a word, terrified. She embarrassed me by leaping first over, then under the picnic table all while doing a half whine, half bark. What a commotion. Afterward, a sympathetic woman walked over to us and said to Dixie "I would have done the same thing sweetie. That dog is HUGE" That made me feel a little better. Jax seemed to handle the event pretty well. He took it all in, very curious, but never over-excited or anything. Despite the misting fans, and plenty of water, 103 is just too hot for us. We were there for less than an hour before taking the dogs...and me, home out of the heat! I hope they made some money for the dogs, and maybe even got an adoption or two.
I managed to get one cute picture while we were there.
Jonathon took this one. I guess that hour was a pretty exhausting one! Dixie, Jax and I all crashed on the couch right away, happy to be back in the central air.
I managed to get one cute picture while we were there.
Jonathon took this one. I guess that hour was a pretty exhausting one! Dixie, Jax and I all crashed on the couch right away, happy to be back in the central air.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Forever Home
I am happy to announce that Jax has found his forever home! An application came in on him over the weekend. It was a decision that I struggled with to the point of laying awake at night. I have so enjoyed watching him evolve from a sad, scared, dog that didn't know love, to the happy, confident, loving creature that he is today. My first experience fostering an adult dog was all that I hoped it would be. It is his time, however, to become an official member of a family. I really think that it will be a perfect fit. The couple lives in Little Rock. They have another dog (important to me since he needs a pair of ears), and no kids (just as I had hoped for). They are the kind of family that will spoil him as he deserves to be spoiled, after knowing such pain in his short life. They are aware of all of the extra responsibilities that come with him and are committed to fulfilling them. They know that he will never be able to be an off-leash dog. They know that since he has no pigment, he will have to wear special sunscreen whenever he is outside, for the rest of his life, and that he will need to be checked for skin cancer regularly. They understand that he has special needs, but it doesn't matter to them. Jax will be happy with them, I am confident, for the rest of his life.
Here is a little more information about Jax's family...They are about the coolest people ever! The husband's name is Jonathon. The wife's name is Leslie. The other dog's name is Dixie.
Yes. We are, what they lovingly call in the rescue world, a "foster failure."
This decision was not an easy one to make. I was torn by guilt. I made a committment to save dogs. I can't stop after just one. So, we will continue the foster program. What is one more dog in the house? Right? There was a time that we had 2 ferrets, 2 dogs, 2 birds, and a cat! Now that was a house full! 3 dogs is nothing!
I know that you are all thinking "I knew they couldn't do it." And, it would seem that you are right, but I will disagree. It isn't that we can't do it. I don't think that we will have this experience every time we give up a foster dog. Of course, each one will touch our lives, and hearts, but Jax is special. He came to us at a special time. I didn't think about it then, but I now believe that we, or at least I, needed Jax to come into our lives when he did. I was in the midst of a sadness so deep that I could barely function, grieving Asia. Although two months had gone by, I cried every day. Giving a second chance to a dog in her honor was a small distraction from the pain. I felt proud to be saving a dog, and although I wasn't ready for new dog to join the family, I was happy to have him there. Jax and Dixie were instant friends and she had a renewed happiness that we hadn't witnessed since Asia passed. She needed him too. One experienced foster mom from the rescue advised me that these things don't happen by accident. Maybe she is right. At that time, Jax needed someone to help him, and we needed someone to help. The day after we got him, was his designated "last day." Had we decided to foster any later, he may not be alive. It just all fits.
Or maybe this is just my way of justifying keeping the guy because he is so damn cute! Believe what you will. He is our dog now, and I am confident that we made the right choice.
Here is a little more information about Jax's family...They are about the coolest people ever! The husband's name is Jonathon. The wife's name is Leslie. The other dog's name is Dixie.
Yes. We are, what they lovingly call in the rescue world, a "foster failure."
This decision was not an easy one to make. I was torn by guilt. I made a committment to save dogs. I can't stop after just one. So, we will continue the foster program. What is one more dog in the house? Right? There was a time that we had 2 ferrets, 2 dogs, 2 birds, and a cat! Now that was a house full! 3 dogs is nothing!
I know that you are all thinking "I knew they couldn't do it." And, it would seem that you are right, but I will disagree. It isn't that we can't do it. I don't think that we will have this experience every time we give up a foster dog. Of course, each one will touch our lives, and hearts, but Jax is special. He came to us at a special time. I didn't think about it then, but I now believe that we, or at least I, needed Jax to come into our lives when he did. I was in the midst of a sadness so deep that I could barely function, grieving Asia. Although two months had gone by, I cried every day. Giving a second chance to a dog in her honor was a small distraction from the pain. I felt proud to be saving a dog, and although I wasn't ready for new dog to join the family, I was happy to have him there. Jax and Dixie were instant friends and she had a renewed happiness that we hadn't witnessed since Asia passed. She needed him too. One experienced foster mom from the rescue advised me that these things don't happen by accident. Maybe she is right. At that time, Jax needed someone to help him, and we needed someone to help. The day after we got him, was his designated "last day." Had we decided to foster any later, he may not be alive. It just all fits.
Or maybe this is just my way of justifying keeping the guy because he is so damn cute! Believe what you will. He is our dog now, and I am confident that we made the right choice.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Runaway Jax!
Wow! Has it really been over a month since my last post?! I have two excuses. First, I have been incredibly busy and stressed out. Work has been insane this spring! Second, Jax has become such a "normal" dog now that I don't feel like I have as much to report! I'll do better.
Last week, while Bonni was visiting, Jax took the opportunity to give me something "exciting" to post about. It is a story now, maybe even a little funny if you were an onlooker, but I can assure you, at the time (and Bons will agree) it was a nightmare!
Scenario-
Bons is getting packed up because she is leaving for MN later that afternoon. I am home on lunch break and am taking out recycling, while advising an employee over the phone (damn multi-tasking). I am not out the door but 2 seconds when I hear a beep and the dogs fly past me on the front steps! Jax had opened the door and let them out that quickly! We have known for a while that he has a talent of open the inside doors but he has never opened this one. It's a heavy, outside door that he had to turn the handle and pull toward him at the same time. My heart sinks. One of my worst deaf-dog fears is happening. What followed is somewhat of a blur. Bons is outside almost immediately, as she too heard the security system beep when the door opened. Dixie is interested only in "going bye-bye" and hops willingly into the car. Jax is so excited to be out that he turns and heads down the street. Bons follows him while I run in to grab leashes. I get Dixie on a leash and we run down the street as fast as I can to catch up with Bons and Jax. Poor Bons is running in a sundress and no shoes down the middle of the street. I give her my car keys as I reach her and she runs back home to get the car. I don't know how long we can keep up with him on foot. He is one fast dog, and did I mention it is about 96 degrees outside? My only thought is not to let him out of my sight. If that happens, he is lost. Right now, he is just loose. A lost deaf dog is usually a gone deaf dog. He has no clue that I want him to stop running. He turns around to see us frequently, but has no intention of stopping. There is a moment of hope when he sees a squirrel and chases it up a tree, but I can't get there in time. He is darting back and forth across the street checking out every yard. Luckily, all the yards in my neighborhood have fences so he can't really get into the backyards. I get so close, he and Dixie have touched noses a couple times, but I just can't reach his collar. I am running down the street, red-faced and screaming to him, pleading to him, to come back, but he can't hear me. He has no clue what a dangerous situation he is in. I lose sight of him for a second and a feeling of hopelessness comes over me. Dixie is watching him vigilantly and knows that he has gone behind a shed. Thank god! Bons is back with the car and she is following me down the street. We start running up to people's carports to try to trick him, by making him think we are going into their house. I don't know how much time is passing, but as the two of us and Dixie are on this chase, we are causing quite the stir in the neighborhood. Passing cars are watching us, and every dog in the vicinity is barking wildly. Suddenly, I am in someone's carport and I notice a padlock on the ground. Their gate is unlocked. Without a thought, I open it and Dixie and I walk into the fence yard, motioning for him to join us. He stares at me, hesitating. I am praying that he follows us. Nervously, he walks through the gate and I lock him in! The relief I feel is enormous. He is now extremely worked up, as he can see that we are all scared. There are dogs barking at us from all three connecting fences. Bons takes Dixie to the car and after a couple of minutes, I am finally able to grab him while he stops to pee. The second I have the leash on him, he seems totally content again, oblivious to what all of the fuss was about. We get in the car, all of us panting like crazy!
When we got home, we were hot, sweaty, naseated, and in a bit of shock. I remembered throwing my phone on the ground at some point and I also managed to lose a leash along the way but I didn't care. Jax was safe. Thank god that Bons was there to help us. It wasn't a one person, one dog job! Thanks again Bons! Dixie seemed to know instantly that it was no game and that Jax was in trouble. She was so good. She knows that he is a little different than she is and really compensates for it. Bons and I were very proud of her. She has matured incredibly since he arrived.
This was a total wake up to one of the risks of owning a deaf dog. I let my guard down for one second and that is all it took for a near disaster to happen. You have to be 100% aware all of the time. It's not just like having a hearing dog that you can just call to when they accidentally get out into the yard. The world is a dangerous place for him to be loose in. It would have killed me if anything would have happened to him.
New knobs and locks, and the addition of a screen door on the way!
Last week, while Bonni was visiting, Jax took the opportunity to give me something "exciting" to post about. It is a story now, maybe even a little funny if you were an onlooker, but I can assure you, at the time (and Bons will agree) it was a nightmare!
Scenario-
Bons is getting packed up because she is leaving for MN later that afternoon. I am home on lunch break and am taking out recycling, while advising an employee over the phone (damn multi-tasking). I am not out the door but 2 seconds when I hear a beep and the dogs fly past me on the front steps! Jax had opened the door and let them out that quickly! We have known for a while that he has a talent of open the inside doors but he has never opened this one. It's a heavy, outside door that he had to turn the handle and pull toward him at the same time. My heart sinks. One of my worst deaf-dog fears is happening. What followed is somewhat of a blur. Bons is outside almost immediately, as she too heard the security system beep when the door opened. Dixie is interested only in "going bye-bye" and hops willingly into the car. Jax is so excited to be out that he turns and heads down the street. Bons follows him while I run in to grab leashes. I get Dixie on a leash and we run down the street as fast as I can to catch up with Bons and Jax. Poor Bons is running in a sundress and no shoes down the middle of the street. I give her my car keys as I reach her and she runs back home to get the car. I don't know how long we can keep up with him on foot. He is one fast dog, and did I mention it is about 96 degrees outside? My only thought is not to let him out of my sight. If that happens, he is lost. Right now, he is just loose. A lost deaf dog is usually a gone deaf dog. He has no clue that I want him to stop running. He turns around to see us frequently, but has no intention of stopping. There is a moment of hope when he sees a squirrel and chases it up a tree, but I can't get there in time. He is darting back and forth across the street checking out every yard. Luckily, all the yards in my neighborhood have fences so he can't really get into the backyards. I get so close, he and Dixie have touched noses a couple times, but I just can't reach his collar. I am running down the street, red-faced and screaming to him, pleading to him, to come back, but he can't hear me. He has no clue what a dangerous situation he is in. I lose sight of him for a second and a feeling of hopelessness comes over me. Dixie is watching him vigilantly and knows that he has gone behind a shed. Thank god! Bons is back with the car and she is following me down the street. We start running up to people's carports to try to trick him, by making him think we are going into their house. I don't know how much time is passing, but as the two of us and Dixie are on this chase, we are causing quite the stir in the neighborhood. Passing cars are watching us, and every dog in the vicinity is barking wildly. Suddenly, I am in someone's carport and I notice a padlock on the ground. Their gate is unlocked. Without a thought, I open it and Dixie and I walk into the fence yard, motioning for him to join us. He stares at me, hesitating. I am praying that he follows us. Nervously, he walks through the gate and I lock him in! The relief I feel is enormous. He is now extremely worked up, as he can see that we are all scared. There are dogs barking at us from all three connecting fences. Bons takes Dixie to the car and after a couple of minutes, I am finally able to grab him while he stops to pee. The second I have the leash on him, he seems totally content again, oblivious to what all of the fuss was about. We get in the car, all of us panting like crazy!
When we got home, we were hot, sweaty, naseated, and in a bit of shock. I remembered throwing my phone on the ground at some point and I also managed to lose a leash along the way but I didn't care. Jax was safe. Thank god that Bons was there to help us. It wasn't a one person, one dog job! Thanks again Bons! Dixie seemed to know instantly that it was no game and that Jax was in trouble. She was so good. She knows that he is a little different than she is and really compensates for it. Bons and I were very proud of her. She has matured incredibly since he arrived.
This was a total wake up to one of the risks of owning a deaf dog. I let my guard down for one second and that is all it took for a near disaster to happen. You have to be 100% aware all of the time. It's not just like having a hearing dog that you can just call to when they accidentally get out into the yard. The world is a dangerous place for him to be loose in. It would have killed me if anything would have happened to him.
New knobs and locks, and the addition of a screen door on the way!
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