Blind Dog Rescue

We've been researching blind dog rescues for a few weeks to see if we can place our 3 blind foster dogs in the care of experienced and blind only foster homes or groups. I contacted Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary a couple weeks ago. I had been informed that they were moving from Montana to NH and I anxiously kept an eye on their blog and noted the progress being made of transporting all equipment and animals. When they were just about completely here, I couldn't wait any longer and asked if they would be able to take our 3 dogs in. Anxiously, we waited for a reply. Unfortunately, it was not to be, there was no more room at the Inn.....ah, Ranch ;-)

It was disheartening but one of our foster moms, Kathy, diligently went about contacting any blind dog rescue that she could find information on. Yesterday, she heard back from Colleen Little, who is the Vice President and Adoption Coordinator for Blind Dog Rescue Alliance. She called from Nova Scotia. They have foster homes throughout the US and she is interested in taking the three girls, any blind dogs from shelters have first dibs, but she is interested. This is very good news as it opens up space for other foster dogs to come into our homes. The girls have been with us for 7 months and there will probably not be an adoption for any of them for quite some time. They need some continued socialization work and not many people want to adopt a dog with any medical issues.

This news made me happy and sad. See, I've grown a little attached to Miss Lucy over here (as she sits quietly on my lap as I type, hoping that she might get a little taste of the toast, fruit or yogurt she can smell.) I've seen her baby steps of progress. The fact that she is on my lap not trying to jump off from fear, or that she is not shaking nervously...is huge in my book. I have seriously considered keeping her, and would have had her here permanently if no rescue or no person was interested in her. But now she may be moving along to her next mode of care. She's a sweet, quirky girl that can show a little attitude if you're an obnoxious foster dog getting too close. I know that if this comes to fruition, when I hand her over, I will not be able to stop myself from bawling my eyes out. I hate not having that emotional control.

As I sit here with Miss Lucy, I'm feeling tiny drips of fluid on my arm -- the poor girl is salivating!!! I just fed her, but being a typical Schnauzer, food is desired at any time, whether super hungry or totally full. OK, second set of eye drops have been administered, she was given some banana.....mmmmm, she can now nap in peace.

Now, to fill out the required forms to get this ball rolling....

PA Puppy Mills News Release

It is from one of these places that Lucy, Astro and two female siblings my SPR partner is fostering, came from. If you read the article and watch the Youtube video, it's the last sentence spoken by the newscaster that hits home with me.

Lucy and Astro are the first two puppy mill dogs I have cared for. Astro was fortunate in that he was not as scarred emotionally and I was able to adopt him out, but the new owner had some work to do to acclimate him to family life. My fear is that Lucy will not be able to recover from the emotional trauma...and that breaks my heart.

Read the news, watch the video, just to give yourself a little bit of information on how careless puppy mill owners are and how unfortunate it is for the dogs.

Good Schnauzer News

this is Angel-One-Eye 

(OK, that was my nickname for her, her adoptive owners just call her Angel)

We've finally been approved for non-profit 501(3)(c) status....yeyyyyyyy!!!!! now all donations and adoption fees are tax deductible.

Papier Mache

I was perusing papier mache artists and found these cute critters by Rhea Giffen....

this guy gives me my hare/rabbit fix....

Walking on Sunshine

gotta love this -- incredible dog training -- I'm particularly fond of the black and silver Schnauzer and the poodle...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=pkPNa4DBFHI

2 New Boys

A few days ago two new boys came in to my home (Frito and Fonzie) and brought a whirling energy of boyness with them! I've never had two get along so quickly. They came in one day apart and not too long after, starting wrestling, twirling, gnawing, humping and chasing each other...with sound....always right under foot or when I'm on the phone. If I try to go to another room or outside, they are right there with me! I've had to close the door between me and them so I could hear! LOL

So, we have Frito, Fonzie and my Hanzie...yeah, if I don't get tongue tied with that! Hanzie thinks I'm calling him when I'm calling Fonzie and vice versa...and Frito, I keep wanting to call him Bristol, Frito just doesn't roll off my tongue for him.

Look at Hanzie's face, think he's saying, 

"Mom? pleeeeeaaaaase make 'em stop"

Frito is a 1.5 year old that has been taught very little. He knows sit...if you have him on a leash. He came with longer hair that made him 'oh so cute' but there were clumps of matting throughout so he needed to have a shave. Normally I'll do this but he wanted no part of it, so off to the groomer's he went.

Frito before:

Frito after:

Pretty darn cute in his new 'do' and I think he knows it. He has a cute little trot when he walks and has a wonderful happy spirit about him. He will be visited tomorrow by a woman that is hoping he will be fine with her very alpha Giant Schnauzer, because if Elly doesn't like him, he stays here, plus, he has to show off some moves if he's got them because she wants to use him for agility...he balance himself on his hind legs and twirls for a treat, that's gotta win some points, no?

Fonzie is a 4.5 year old slim and trim, pensive thinking good looking boy.

He's been trained very well and is used to being home with his mom so there is a little separation anxiety going on when I am outside in the garden or am leaving...we have been working on it and he seems better. But, the lucky boy is being met tomorrow by a family where the mom works at home and loves to have her dog by her side in the house and outside the house while gardening, taking walks, etc. So, if they like each other, he'll be going to a home where he'll receive all the attention he wants -- with no other dogs to take the attention away from him.

He's a thinker and a bit of a worrier.....

Lucy will be very happy when they leave, their energy is too much for her, I think especially the carrying on when I leave the house. Since talking with the animal communicator a couple weeks ago, she hasn't eaten anything she's not supposed to and she hadn't shred anything. 2 days ago she started shredding and yesterday and today she started hoarding again...she's a little stressed I'd say and it's understandable because it's pretty darn quiet around here until you get some new blood and they happen to be of the excitable energetic type.

The Dash

I've been having some poignant conversations with a friend via email...Foster dogs and their effect, stories of chaos, terminal illness, emotional trauma, clutter -- you know,
all the crap we try to weed out while we're adults?

She opened an email a friend sent her, and how appropriate that it was this:

THE DASH

Music and photos together always make me teary, whether it's happy or sad....if you're the same -- get the tissues...

Ugh!

I didn't check out someone prior to publishing their comment...mistake made once, won't make it again. If you're going to comment just to advertise a product selling site...don't bother...I won't be so naive next time.

Late for a tag sale

I've have just spent too much time checking out some new blogs. Here are a couple new favorites:

http://dottieangel.blogspot.com/

I'm very drawn to her style and energy and if you check out her flickr page you'll see a vintage Ford truck (love) and an Airstream Camper (love love love) -- found her via Pink Picket Fence

http://anelephantwithapen.wordpress.com/

I like the quirky sense of humor and simple illustrations.

Now, off to the tag sale and resisting traveling about 20 minutes to a Mid Century Estate Sale! 

Four Dogs and a Car

Well, we came back unscathed from the 'dog pack' camping adventure. I was determined to not be stressed for the few days beforehand knowing I'd have 4 dogs with me that might not quite behave themselves. Well, 3 dogs, I knew Lucy would because she's a scaredy cat. Saturday morning there began a little stress due to my two dogs whining...whining and ...whining. I really dislike dog whining. I was almost over the edge when we discovered.....the CAR! I plopped them both in the car and they settled in, took naps, didn't bark at anyone passing by...and didn't WHINE!! Hallelujah! I found the answer. So, that's where they spent a lot of the weekend, especially Weezie. If Hanz was out with us he perched himself on the front step to the camper and kept a close watch on passers by, even though most often it was Mr. Chippy who seems to like the rock wall for the fire pit, the wood pile and oh, yeah, most importantly...to torment Hanz. 


As I ran around like a maniac to the grocery store, the liquor store, CVS and the gas station -- I saw this beautiful machine.

One thing I love about warm weather is that the vintage cars come out to play. I appreciate just about all of them from before 1975 and have many favorites, too, and that Chevy Impala is a beauty! The driver was still in the car and on his cell phone so I figured I wouldn't get caught taking pictures. Not that he probably would have minded and if you drive around in that type of vehicle you know you'll get cameras pointing, people waving and stopping to talk. I used to have one of these:

A 1973 VW Karmann Ghia. The last year they were made.

I loved driving around in this car. Especially with it being a convertible, you just felt good. My license plate was GHIA PET (remember the Chia Pet?) It was great when on the highway and someone 'got it' and honked at me yelling "love the car and license plate!"

I often heard peoples' fond memories of when they were younger and it was their first car, or how a family member had one, or how they should never have gotten rid of it. The thing drove hard, it really wasn't the most comfortable ride, but it was fun. It's been 4 years since I sold it and this is the first time I've felt a real ping of not having it anymore. To due it justice, it needed to have some restoration done...it looked great, paint will hide sins...and it deserved a garage. 


Anyway...enough nostalgia...I'm talking about camp. 


Lucy did great!! 

I was sooooooooo happy. She did find her spot in the camper in the back corner, hidden, but would roam a little when no one was in there...or if she thought she heard the food dish. I was so worried about putting her on a leash and trying to get her to do her duties. The first time she was a little worried and scattered, understandably, but then she got the hang of it and by the time the weekend was over, I think she was actually enjoying it. 

I just let her lead, if she wanted to walk, we walked, if she wanted to go back to the camper, we went back. 


She certainly did know where the camper door was! LOL I tried to keep her tied up outside with the other dogs for a bit but she got stressed out, so in she went. She was such a good girl. I was so proud. 


Another reason for a dog-sitting car? Bears. See, at night, Weezie and sometimes Hanz would get me up to take them out. I was always a little nervous not knowing what creatures were out there in the dark ready to eat the furry beings and attack me. Nothing ever happened, I'm just not real good with dark in the woods. Well, this year, my anxiety was a little higher, maybe because the signs that were posted everywhere seemed more urgent this year. You know, the ones about the bears that will eat your children. After discovering the car as sitter, I decided I'd try them there for the nighttime hours as well. Voila!! they slept through the night. There were no accidents (I had them in their crates just in case) and no complaints. The best part? I got some sleep. I was able to sleep through the night, do you know how amazing that is???? OK, so Sunday night I woke up in the middle of the night for no reason, then heard crinkling and couldn't fall back to sleep, but at least I couldn't blame it on the dogs! It was probably one of those pesky bears because even R. heard the crinkling of leaves behind us. 


On Saturday we actually witnessed two bears. They apparently were hungry. I was sitting up at a friend's site having a cocktail and R. had the dogs down at our site and I hear "BEER BEER BEER clang clang clang" I'm thinking "oh, someone's getting ready for partying this weekend!" it was later in the afternoon and it was cocktail hour after all. Then I hear "it's a BEAR!" Ahhhhhhhhh, DING! "BEARS! BEARS! BEARS!" and the clanging of pots was to scare them away! Well, they headed to the garbage shed which is about 20 yards upwind from our site but downwind from where I was. We all come running from our relaxed positions down to where the bears are. Some people were getting a little too close for my comfort, I stayed just far enough away ...you know...just in case. Well, due to their sizes we figured it was a male and female. The female actually got into the garbage shed after much banging and creating a little damage and stole a bag of trash. There must have been some super good smelling stuff in that bag for her to want it so badly. As I'm watching this, I can see R. at our site keeping an eye, I didn't see any dogs so I figured they were in the camper (they were) R. scooted them in real fast when he first caught site of the bears which were at first much closer to him when they traveled through the neighboring site to the garbage. The female chomped away at the bag of garbage as the male just sat close by watching. Then, he walked into the road oblivious to about 15 onlookers, plopped himself down, and waited. I wish I had pictures. Many pulled out their camera phones and cameras, my friend just made sure she had her glass of wine with her. If she was going down, it would be with cocktail in hand! 


It was funny to watch everyone that was closer to them freak out when they started to move. What? did they think they were just going to lounge around there all day? The owners of the campsite came up and let off some firecrackers so they went running down into the woods. Then you heard the dogs barking and people scurrying...yup, other sites are down there. The male was tagged in his ear with a red marker which means he was visiting from CT. Hey, he was gettin' some lovin' from some sweet girl in the Berkshires, he was willing to travel.