One Of Those Moods

My mood is easily explained by this picture of Cashew, this is her death stare and you can gaurentee that she is getting ready to snap when you see this look in her eye's. This is exately how I feel.....its been a awful last couple days and there is still nothing resolved. One of the few things that keeps me going is the dogs, they are a constant for me, they never let me down. In this picture she is staring at Dooley, just waiting for him to make one wrong mood. I always say that when she gets crabby like this she can't stand herself, I'm totally relating to her lately.

I did manage to take Dooley to a adoption event on Sunday, there we met a very nice couple that was interested in getting a another dog as company for their current lab mix. They didn't like the idea of crating Dooley when visitors come over so he won't be a good match for them but we have several in the group that will be, hopfully we'll come up with a good match. Here is his regal self, wearing a party collar I made a few months back. I don't think were going to a event this weekend, I'm just not in the mood. Who knows we might stop by 1 on Saturday and Sunday briefly, really I just want to go to bed for a couple days ;)

Just thought I would share a picture of Hazel and Piper, these 2 have bonded very tightly, very quickly. They are each others best friend, you should see them run and play in the yard, they remind me of rabbits, hopping and jumping around.

Its Electric!

I get such a good laugh out of the girls after they have been rolling and rooting around and when they look up their hair on their ears is sticking straight out. LOL Here is a pic of Cashew looking ELECTRIC! Someone needs to invent a photo editor specifically for animals. Animals don't usually get the "general" red eye that most programs are set for, they'll get a whitish, or green or even blue glare. For me I take many more pictures of animals than people. We are thoroughly enjoying this wonderful weather we are having and are hoping it sticks around so we can declare this winter over with! Its been a rough winter, we got a ton more snow and ice than usual for us.

I am ready to spend some time out in the yard doing some work and playing with the dogs. The last few days its been in the 70's and we have been able to open the windows and enjoy the fresh air. Here's a picture of Dooley scoping out the yard from the kitchen window. We'll be attending a adoption event on Sunday, maybe we'll meet some good potential adopters. I would really like to see Dooley get in his new home soon. He has become WAY to attached to me and our home. Its really sad but it takes so much longer to place bigger dogs than it usually takes to place smaller ones. These big guys really tend to be more grounded than the smaller ones, most smaller dogs feel like they have something to prove. Trust me I've got a house full of little doxie's and they can be a whole lot of attitude in a little body.

Here's Izzy and Piper looking out the other window in the kitchen. You can see Piper's colic up the back of her neck in this picture lol it certainly gives her character. We're going through a hard time with Piper right now, since she came here about 5 months ago she proved to be house broken, this past month she has been pottying in the house and we can't really figure out why. Its not the weather, she loves the snow and the cold doesn't seem to bother her much. There is not blood in her urine, I actually think the problem is she is so busy playing around when she goes outside she forgets to do her business. I'm considering taking her to the vet JUST to be sure its not a urinary issue but I really don't think it is. I guess the thing that bothers me the most is that there is always puppy pads down and available but she never uses them, she chooses to use a rug or carpet. We'll get it figured out, unfortunately now when we leave for longer periods of time she is going to have to be crated till we can get this issue under control. I know potty issues can be too much for people to handle, infact there are a lot of people that give up their pet because of it but I truly believe you can potty train any pet, with just a little time and patience. That doesn't mean they will always be 100% all the time but you have to be able to compromise, no body is perfect 100% of the time.

Bubble Baths & Beds

I was thinking today that my dogs have the life I can only dream of. Their meals are prepared for them, they get to nap when they want, go outside when they want, get love when they want, well you get the idea......These last few weeks I could have used some pampering, I fell down the stairs 1 day last week and OH buddy do I hurt! Thats why I haven't blogged in a while, all I could think about was pain LOL

Dooley had his first bubble bath last night, he really wasn't too certain of it, I think he was prepared to be drowned or something. He had this true look of worry... you know the one where they pull up at least one of their feet and look down like OMG its getting deeper! He has had plently of baths, but not the bubble bath kind and man was he ever glad to get out of there lol He looked especially handsome today for the adoption event with his Valentine party collar on and smellin good. There were a few people that looked at him but no serious inquires, oh well his day will come, that I am sure of.

Now this is Piper trying out the new doggie bed......I think she likes it. We need another dog bed in this house like I need to fall down the steps again! I think my husband might be right, I might be a dog bed hoarder or at least obcessed with them. So this is what brought me to the thought that I could only dream of being treated like my dogs, I know I could have really used a luxuarious bubble bath and a new bed too, especially these last couple weeks but hey that's life right?

Just Surviving.....

My hopes for no more snow were crushed. Yesterday we got a whole lot of sleet/ice with a little snow, and more snow today. Thankfully we haven't lost power, which is my worst nightmare, since in 2006 we lost power for a week. Its bitterly cold and windy right now so we are just surviving, wishing and hoping for spring to come very soon! Here's a 3 pile of wieners, Piper, Isabelle and Cashew. The other 3 were piled on the sofa, their picture below :) Mine all like the snow except Duncan, he doesn't hate it he just prefers 80 degree days, I can't say I blame him!

There's Hazel in the middle, flanked by Duncan and Dooley, she's no dumby, she knows those big dogs put off some serious body heat! I hope to have some more doggie snow pictures for you soon but since I fell down the stairs the other day, I haven't felt much like wondering out into the Winter Wonderland lol. I took Dooley to a adoption event this past Sunday, and he actually struck some interest but I haven't heard back from them yet, course it could have something to do with this wintery mess! Cashew our persnickety doxie has actually started liking Dooley, its interesting to see because she has only really liked 1 other foster dog and never a BIG foster. She is still intimidated by his size but little does she know, he wouldn't harm a hair on her picky little head. I'll leave you with this photo below, a picture of Cashew and Dooley taking a nap together!

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 :)