August 26, 2013 · 7:12 am

Smiling for the Camera

I adopted Cleveland from a rescue group. I had gone to get dog food at the pet store and so many happy, excited dogs except my boy.  He was scared of the noise, shy and huddled in the back of his cage.  I visited with him and took him home that day.

I always take my time naming my family members.  If they already have a name they know and respond to I won’t change the name.  Cleveland had been a stray and the rescue group had saved him from  euthanasia (killing due to over crowding) from a city shelter.

Cleveland suffered from separation anxiety and it took almost a year for him to become confident. He had thyroid and liver problems. And he got pretty fat – more to love. 

Cleveland would always smile for the camera. He let me put visors and hats on him and would sit a pose with a smile. I wish I still had the picture of him wearing a Hawaiian shirt and visor. Sadly my computer with my treasured photos (and better photos than these) is gone and so are most of my pictures of the dogs.

If I took my boy’s collar off he would jump up and whine for me to put it back on. I believe he thought this was a token of being a member of the family.

Not all of my dogs will pose, Jax runs when he sees the camera and I haven’t a clue why. But Cleveland always posed and was the only one that smiled, always. 

Cleveland and Tansy

Do your dogs smile? Doesn’t it make your heart happy?
 

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August 24, 2013 · 6:23 pm

Don’t Be an Owner


A different way to see the world and our animals.

Don’t be an Owner.

You are a Guardian.

Animals are not ours.

They are not belongings.

They are not things or commodities.

If we all change the way we think and be more humane, start by replacing the word owner with Guardian.

A Guardian shows respect.

A Guardian recognizes the responsibility we have to care for our animal companions.

More than Human

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August 23, 2013 · 9:00 pm

Puppy Mill Rescue

One of my darling girl dogs is my foster Pippa. The rescue group calls her by a different name but as she never had a name …. Well Pippa is her name.

Pip is considered a hospice dog because she has a collapsing trachea. Everything about Pippa is a victory. She was a puppy mill rescue. I am her only foster but the veterinarian clinic that works with the pug rescue staff is marvelous. They told me how to care for her health issues and that she was skittish.

Yes, this girl had never been socialized nor had any loving human contact. Her feet are splayed because of her life in a cage. She doesn’t have any teeth.

I know the vet gave good medical care and was patient with her, but the psychological damage is what a foster or adopter need to manager.

Rescues cases are all different. On a great blog I follow http://caninepsychologyschool.wordpress.com/ by lisatenzindolma gives an update on a rescue Living with a Feral Dog: Charlie, 6 Months On Her blog and her excellent work are worthy of a look.

Just like people animals will have emotional, psychological scars. Learning to live in a house with a human and other dogs has taken time. She had no concept of what to expect or what was expected. Every step and everyday is a victory.

Pippa has been adaptable and skittishly loving. Now she knows I am her family and has come so very far. I believe she feels safe and loved.

Pippa takes joy in her new life. An example, when she saw one of the boy dogs scuffing his feet behind him after eliminating, she immediately copied. That girl will scuff and scuff and look so pleased.

Pippa’s collapsing trachea is getting worse even though she is on medicine. She has trouble breathing, she hacks and struggles. Seeing her struggle is painful. And my job is to love her and try to keep her calm. Anxiety makes her breathing problem worse, she gets scared because she can’t breathe – it is a vicious cycle.

I wouldn’t trade a minute of my time with Pippa.

If you are thinking of fostering, rescue please know that many of these animals have had a life of despair and heartache. You must be willing to make a commitment. And as with any animal in your care they are a lifetime responsibility. Be kind and patient and loving.

Joy will come to you multiplied.

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August 21, 2013 · 2:43 pm

What the Animal Family Had to Say This Morning.

The glow fish said, “mmm food.”  One goldfish said “Hey person that feeds me, feed me already!” The more koi than goldfish said, ” I am getting big here so can I have a place of my own?”

The parakeets said, “Love the kiwi covered millet hanging from our space. More please.”
Pippa & Jelly – Good Morning.

Doggie P said, “Even though I am coughing like honking goose I want to eat, now, now and more! I like the special cheese treat but stop with that syringe stuff already.” (collapsing trachea – more on next post).

Doggie J said, “Please pick me up and carry me to the water bowl. And then I will waddle over to you and  wait for a treat.”

Doggie M said, “Why do you always pay attention to the others? Here I am, here I am. How come they get cheese.”

Doggie J said, “Look at this pretty toy I have in my mouth.  Isn’t great? Isn’t it great! Hey are you giving P and A cheese again? I want some.”

Doggie A said, “Give me my pill in cheese please. Get those idiot dogs away from me.”

Doggie C said, “Please lock me in the pantry so I can eat in peace.”

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August 20, 2013 · 12:30 am

In Memory of Sophie

    In memory of my sweet Sophie.

One year ago yesterday I had to take Sophie to the vet and let her go. Having to say goodbye to your loved one is always torturous and painful. I am crying as I write this post. I miss my Sophie.

Sophie came to me through DFW Pug Rescue.  I volunteered several years ago to be a foster. I am glad to care for dogs that have special needs. I will foster the hospice dogs so they can have someone love them, care for them and won’t be alone in their final days.

Fostering hospice dogs is both wonderful and painful. It is a pleasure to have these dogs in my life. To be able to love and be loved by them. They have been abandoned and deserve better. The pain of losing your cherished family member is the most difficult thing you can go through. But I foster anyway because these dogs are all worthy of love and compassion and care.

Sophie was what we call a ‘foster failure’. Sometimes rescue groups must make difficult decisions concerning where money is best spent.  So I adopted Sophie.

Sophie had so many challenges. She was missing an eye, she had a club foot and luxating patellas. She didn’t have any teeth and shortly after she came to my home she had to had eye flap surgery for an eye ulcer.

Sophie was a trooper. She was joyful and loving. When she got excited she would spin in circles because her club foot acted like a paddle. Through all these challenges she was sweet, loving, accepting and carried on.  Sophie didn’t think she was a hospice dog or a special needs dog. She was with me for almost three years.

Then Sophie started limping, keeping weight off her one good leg.  I looked for stickers and bites, she didn’t respond to me feeling her leg.  So off to the vet. After exams and an x-ray he said she had a fracture at her shoulder joint.  Next we went to a surgery specialist.

The specialist did not have good news.  Sophie had a cancer in her lungs and bones. This was inoperable. Her pain was increasing at a fast rate.  So I took Sophie home with pain pills and kept her as comfortable as possible.

It is difficult to make the choice that ‘now’ is the time to let the dog die, euthanasia. I knew I had to let Soph go when she would take her cheese covered pain pill. I put it in her mouth a said please.  I could see her struggle to swallow for me. Still being the wonderful girl.

I wish my dogs could tell me, “I’m ready now, please let me go.” But the burden is mine as their caregiver. They are my family and my responsibility.

In memory of Sophie, I started this blog to share the joys of animals, the emotional life of animals and to bring light to animal rights and causes.

And To Honor Sophie and all the dogs I have loved and lost.

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