Please No More Snow!

Well we managed to get over a foot of snow here last week, I don't mind snow when its falling but once it starts to look icky I want it gone ;) I can't recall the last time we got this much snow at one time. 5 out of 6 dogs LOVED it! I can't help but laugh when I see dogs running in the snow, I don't know why but it always puts a smile on my face. This picture I took of Hazel cracks me up, I sent it to my mom and dad via email and they said it reminded them of a moose lol I guess her ears flying up do look like moose antlers. 

All of my doxie's love snow, they plow through it like little John Deers. This is Cashew, doing just that, plowing! I will absolutely freeze my tush off taking pictures and watching them run around like this. We got a small amount of snow yesterday and I think they are saying we may get a little more this week, I've had enough of it, when this melts my yard will be a pond as it is now :)

We had a visitor here this past week, her name is Puggit, she is a cute little Pug that we "baby sat" while her foster mom went out of town. I really still can't believe she hasn't found a home, she does have some special needs but truly she is what we call a "easy dog". She was in deplorable condition when she was found at animal control, her eye's were literally nothing but crust, her skin looked awful and stinky. She has chronic dry eye, that went untreated so now she can only see shadows but don't let that fool ya, she is a survivor and she adapts quickly to even new environments. She had a skin yeast infection also but that was completely cleared up with medicine. She also has bilateral luxating patella's that were let go, now there is no surgery to help, she takes a supplement to help with movement and drops in her eye's to help with the dry eye's. She is VERY housebroke, cratetrained and just a all around wonderful, loving girl. Puggit went back to her foster home today, I'm sure she was glad to get back to normal, we kinda miss her Pug head around here ;)

I took Dooley and Puggit to a adoption event on Sunday and seen one of the cutest things EVER!!! We have 3 black Pug puppies in the group looking for new homes. Here is Marco, one of the babies. Pug puppies are SOOOO adorable and rank right up there with Doxie puppies, at least for me anyways. I would be in so much trouble if I had this little booger at my house, I wouldn't get a darn thing done, ever!

You Can Make A Difference

I see a lot of people that have excuses of why they can't help save animals but honestly no matter what, everyone can make a difference in a animals life. I used to be naive in thinking that if I loved my animals that was all that mattered, and really I never thought about all the animals out there that were loosing their lives either in shelters, on the streets, or by cruel humans. It wasn't till the day I come across a ad on Craigslist, that I thought, Hmm maybe I can do this?!? It was a ad looking for a foster to take in a dog from a local animal control facility, that if he wasn't saved he would be euthanized. I talked it over with my husband, and we decided we would give it a try. Well I found out that dog had already been saved but there were plenty more that needed help, so I looked on the board and found a dog that I couldn't take my eye's off of, this is the picture of that dog, we named him Tug . He long ago found his forever home, but he was the start of a new journey for me. Actually Tug reminded me of a dog that I had fallen in love with a long, long time ago. My parents took me to the local Humane Society so we could adopt a dog, I fell in love with a German Shepherd mix that had a bandage on his leg, we were told he was on hold till the next week but they would put our name on him. Well they didn't put our name on him and he was adopted to someone else, or at least that is what we were told. I was heartbroken, I had spent some time with that dog and to this day that dog has a piece a of my heart!  So my journey in fostering started about 2 years ago, but I have always had animals, cats, dogs, chickens, even a horse. Everything I know I have learned from the animals themselves, they can teach you more than you could imagine if you only take the time to pay attention and listen.

Some of the excuses I hear from people "My resident animals won't except a new animal" or "I don't have time" or "I don't have the finances". If you can't take a animal home to foster, there are other things you can do, you could be a non fostering volunteer for a rescue group, these are needed, rescue groups need help in organizing fundraisers, coming to adoption events to help walk the dogs, or maybe just sit and hold a scared puppy. If you can spare 1 hour out of your day, maybe even less, you can still make a difference. Volunteer with your local Humane Society, APA or pound, go in for a hour or less a week and walk a dog or 2.  A lot of these dogs have never received love, or a kind word. I have always heard and I hope its true, a dog lives in the moment, which means if you are giving them love, treats and kindness, they are living in that moment and forgetting about their past and the current situation they are in. I can't stress enough how important it is to these animals that while they are in a "pound" situation, they receive love and a gentle touch, for that one animal it makes ALL the difference. You don't have to financially support your foster dog, rescue's pay for all their medical needs, and most will supply you with food, bowls, crates etc. and even some can help get your foster animal to vet appointments or adoption events.

I have a solution to all the excuses LOL but it comes down to how much you care and if you truly WANT to help. Animals and their rights to humane treatment are very near and dear to my heart, they all deserve love, food and happiness. I want to share a quote that explains my take on animals, and why they are so special to me.

"There are, I know, people who do not love animals, but I think this is because they do not understand them - or because, indeed, they do not really see them. For me, animals have always been a special part of the wonder of nature - the smallest as well as the largest - with their amazing variety, their beautifully contrived shapes and fascinating habits. I am captivated by the spirit of them. I find in them a longing to communicate and a real capacity for love. If sometimes they do not trust but fear man, it is because he has treated them with arrogance and insensitivity." -Pablo Casals

What A Moose!

I'm attempting to type this blog while I have a BIG moose head nudging my arm and laying his head on the keyboard! LOL Its non productive for me but for Dooley its very productive, that's how he gets my attention so I stop everything I'm doing just give him some love. He went to visit the vet yesterday for a check up, he's doing well and as I thought has actually lost a little weight, a couple pounds, only because he was chucked full of intestinal worms. YUCK! The vet said he looks great but wanted him to go on one more round of antibiotics, and for me to use Gold Bond on his feet and belly. That's a new one for me, but he does need something for the pads of his feet, they look SO dry and crusty.

I had to go "rescue" Hazel this morning, Dooley wanted to play SOO bad with her but she wanted nothing to do with playing with his big butt! While he was running around and play bowing to her she was screaming bloody murder and snapping at him. It was actually kind of funny but I felt sorry for Hazel, I guess it was pretty terrifying. Dooley had not one clue that she didn't want to play. She likes to play but not with dogs his size, she thinks they are trying to kill her!

The last couple days have been hectic, I don't know if its because its been so cold outside or what but last night someone had 3 pee accidents in the house, of course I don't know for sure who done it but I have my suspicions ;)  That very morning Dooley came running into the house with poop on his foot :(  Thinking I was going to start today off better, I got up with a positive attitude to only have to chase Izzy around the snow covered yard to get a bird out of her mouth this morning! Its not really the chasing that is the hard work, its getting it out of her mouth, she by no means wanted me to get it from her. If you ever need to be grounded and knocked down out of the clouds, get a pet, they'll humble you in a minutes time :)

Time Has Really Gotten Away From Me!

I have been wanting to blog all week long but there was always something going on and also having computer woe's, I guess it wasn't in the cards till now. I took Dooley today to a adoption event for a couple hours, he amazes me, I don't know how in the world he stays so calm at Petco while the whole place is booming with people, dogs barking and kids running a muck. Honestly I can only handle a couple hours of it, by the time I get home, I am about to pull my hair out if my dogs start barking. Dooley just goes with the flow and doesn't get excited about it all, in fact I think if he had a comfy bed to lay in he would just take a nap.

Last weekend Izzy pulled a real good one! My mom had made me a hand towel surrounded by beautiful gulf shells with a star fish on the front, well Izzy thought the star fish looked or smelled appetizing, unfortunately I caught her AFTER she devoured the WHOLE thing and was licking the crumbs out of the rug! First thing I did was start frantically searching to find out it dried star fish are poison-is to dogs, well their not but it sure did give me a good scare! Every time I look at this picture, I think she is rolling her eye's at me. That's kind of her personality, like "Good grief mom, its not gonna kill me!"

On Wednesday I had to take Cashew and Hazel to the vet for their annual check up and vaccines, that is ALWAYS a experience. These 2 are generally trouble when you take them somewhere together, they get that pack mentality and cause such havoc. This trip was not bad, no blood was shed LOL For being blood sisters they couldn't be more different in personalities. Hazel does not like to ride in the car, actually she prefers to lay under the seat while riding but I won't let her because it makes it too difficult to get her out but once you get her somewhere, she's great! Cashew is cool as a cucumber riding in the car but as soon as you get her out she turns into the vibrating dog. Here they are on the ride back, by then Hazel was exhausted from the ride there and Cashew just wanted to get home!

While we were driving home, I witnessed a beautiful sunset. This picture does not do it justice but all I had was my cell phone to take a picture with. This pink/orangy sunset reminds me of the gorgeous sunsets we see every night at Gulf Shores, when we go on vacation. I could stare at it all day long! 

Do You Know Of Anyone?

It occurred to me the other day that, the person or person's that adopt Dooley are going to have to be extremely special. This dog is more than my words can say, I have deeply fallen in love with this boy, and since I can't adopt yet another of my fosters, I am looking for someone that walks on water. Do you know anyone? I know quite a few people that would fit this category BUT none of them that I know of are looking to add a fur baby to their home. I have to make sure this guy never feels pain or suffering again in his lifetime, all I want for him to feel is love. He deserves it! Honestly he is the perfect dog, housebroken, calm, polite in the house, GREAT with other dogs, knows sit, down and shake. His ONLY issue is he is protective of his home, when you have visitors over you have to either crate him OR keep him on leash close to you, till he realizes the visitors are nice and are not going to hurt anyone. I never blame a dog for being protective, dogs are meant to protect their people and homes, its in their DNA.

He is just a big baby! Check this picture out, he is curled up in the kitchen chair, while my little Piper sits next to him (you can barely see her brindle butt). I missed getting a picture of her crawling on his back to look out the window, he could have cared less. As you can probably tell his butt is pretty much hanging off the edge, he is way to big for that chair! LOL As I've talked about before, fosters are all hard to say goodbye to but some are SO much harder to let go of. Some you bond with immediately, its like you are on same page from the very beginning. I think Dooley and I made a connection through a picture, before we even met.

On The Eve Of A New Year

As most people in this world, this day gets me thinking about what I want to change for the year of 2011. Well there are a lot of things I would like to change but I try to be realistic about what I know I can change. I could say I want to loose weight, or I will quit smoking but I know in my heart that I probably won't follow through with those :) This year I'm thinking more along the lines of just trying to have a little more fun, maybe do a few more things for me. Somehow I do everything for everyone else first and by the time that is all done I'm to exhausted to take a little time to do something for myself. Oh don't get me wrong, part of what I cherish is doing things for other people and animals, it does make me happy but I think I might take a little time to maybe make a trip to Borders Book Store, or enjoy a cup of Starbucks coffee. Just a few small things, that's all I need.

I live in the world of rescue, sometimes its good but there is always bad, I can always look on facebook or in my emails and see how some poor animal has been abused, neglected or abandoned. It makes me sad most of the time, so sometimes I need a little pick me up. It helps looking at my babies here, and knowing they enjoy their life and I give them everything I can but I think I need to do something to get away from it, even if its just a few moments. That's why I think just doing a few things for myself would help me coupe with the rescue world.

The snow we had on Christmas eve and day has melted now, but I did get a few pictures of the dogs in the snow. Here's Hazel, she absolutely loves the snow. I will have to get a picture of the girls after they come in from a romp in the thick snow, their hair attracts snow balls, so they come in with thousands of little snow balls all over their body. Its comical but hard to get off, they've learned to go to the rug and pick them off before getting on the furniture. Thank goodness!

 Here's Cashew, checking things out. I never understood how dogs could hate the rain so much but love the snow. Honestly I could do without both, but I do understand nature needs it, so I guess I will have to tolerate it ;) As you can see the snow in our yard doesn't stay nice and fluffy for long. With 6 dogs romping in it, it gets all printed up quick.

 At last here's a picture of Dooley. If you look real close you can see some snow on his nose.


 Tonight we are having corn beef and cabbage for our New Years dinner, something I haven't had in years. The dogs are getting a meal of kibble and apples. We are hoping for a healthy happy New Year for all :)

What A Wonderful Christmas!!!

This Christmas was wonderful for us. Of course I enjoyed that my mom and dad came home to spend Christmas with us, but something about this Christmas was peaceful. The dogs are set with toys, beds and treats for long time to come, that makes them happy and anything that makes them happy makes me happy. Check out this toy pig my brother and soon to be sister in law got Duncan. Its a soft rubber like material that oinks when you squeeze it. Duncan is actually scared of it but Piper and Dooley LOVE it! I think Dunc might start to like it eventually but its going to take him awhile.

Aunt Gloria got them a big pack of all natural Christmas bones, we haven't opened them yet, they have so many treats I'm trying to use whats opened before I open more, I plan on trying them too once we open them :) Don't they look yummy?

Dooley is doing better and better everyday, he gets medicated baths once a week and his ears cleaned every other day. Yesterday he was kinda limping on his front foot, when I looked at it I realized why. A big hunk of fungus was coming off one of his pads, we got that off and all is well. He of course has made his way into our bed, I don't know how we all sleep. 6 dogs and 2 humans in a king sized bed, especially when one of those dogs weighs 70lbs! He like all my doxie's loves the snow! I was throwing snowballs to then the other day, he would catch them and take off running like he had a real ball in his mouth, then he would try to spit it out and couldn't figure why nothing was there LOL it was quite comical. I love watching dogs run in the snow, it always brings a smile to my face.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and have a great New Year, we plan on celebrating ours at home with the dogs. That's they way we like it :)