WISDOM FROM DUKE

“Even those who have been abused deserve to be loved, as you loved me. You didn’t care I had been abused. That simply made you love me more... Our hearts connect because you don’t shy away from us, but embrace us with your loving heart.”

HOMELESS DOGS CAN STILL BE COOL!

SHELTERS HAVE COOL DOGS!
(These are three of my former foster dogs.)

Homeless dogs own a big piece of my heart. All of my current pack came to me because they needed a home. While most were rescues or strays who found their way to the local shelter, one was a beloved companion whose family was facing a major health crisis.

So it’s easy for me to give a big paws up to International Homeless Animals’ Day. Established in 1992 by the International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) this special day is intended to draw attention to pet overpopulation and promote spaying/neutering. Since its beginnings, International Homeless Animals’ Day has grown to include celebrations all across the United States as well as in fifty countries on six continents. According to the ISAR web site, celebrations include candlelight vigils, spay/neuter clinics, adopt-a-thons and much more.

Most of my support for homeless dogs has been the hands-on kind. I fell in love every day for the year and a half I worked at Willamette Humane Society, celebrating as each dog found a new forever family. I also tried fostering for awhile, but ended up adopting most of them. Some are still with me, and others are now doggie angels who shared my life for a time and claimed a piece of my heart. 

Here’s a bonus: if you’re a bargain hunter in the Salem, Oregon area who wants to help support homeless animals, WHS is celebrating International Homeless Animals’ Day on September 2-3 with a special 50% off sale on many items at their Thrift Store (548 High Street NE, Salem, OR 97301).

And remember, if you want to adopt a homeless pet, cool dogs can be found at shelters!

MEET DUKE: AUGUST'S DOGGIE HOST

August’s doggie host on the Quantum Canines blog is Duke.

I received this message from Duke as I was writing the book, I Want to Have the Heart of a Dog: “I want you to remember the joy you felt when you first saw me. Another Collie–the love of your heart, your special messengers just as Tippy told you we would be. I came as a reminder we were still with you. We would always be with you.”

ANOTHER COLLIE TO LOVE

Many years ago after my beloved Lady transitioned, we rented a house. Our apartment was nice, but I’m happiest in a house, preferably one I own. A rental was one step closer to having our own house again and space for a dog.

The dog showed up first. My parents found Duke wandering on the road on the Fourth of July. Mistreated, from the look of scars on his muzzle and his actions.

Another Collie and I fell in love instantly. After several months, my kids and I found another house to buy, built a fence, and brought Duke home with us.

TEDDY BEARS' PICNIC DAY

© photo

According to the Fun Holidays web site, today is Teddy Bears' Picnic Day!

However, the web site also says, “…the origins of this unofficial holiday are unknown. It is also unclear what the holiday aims to achieve.”

Maybe it’s just for fun!

JULY’S DOGGIE HOST: LADY WILLOUGHBY

The only brown puppy in the litter
became my adored Lady Willoughby.

If anybody needed a dog, this girl did. Fresh out of high school. Fresh off the farm. This girl was trying to be an adult, but she had so much to learn! Unfortunately, she had set some goals she was determined to meet that blinded her to what would have been better choices. I tried to show her a better way, but she didn’t want to see.

At least she knew she needed a dog.

“After high school, I moved to the city to claim a job and my own life…I also quickly rediscovered my life wasn’t complete without a canine companion. When I moved into a house…a litter of puppies next door brought another furbaby into my life.” 

--from I WANT TO HAVE THE HEART OF A DOG

www.GenieGabriel.com

PAWS DOWN FOR FIREWORKS

“Almost all humans with canines in the U.S. declare this day [the 4th of July] the worst day of the year for their dogs,” states a guest post on dog trainer Victoria Stilwell’s blog.

Humane societies report more dogs are found wandering loose on July 4th than any other day of the year in the U.S.

Unfortunately, I have my own story about this, with ANOTHER COLLIE TO LOVE—THAT WE ALMOST LOST.

My parents found Duke wandering on the road on the Fourth of July…Now a single mother, I bought another house and built a fence so Duke could stay with my kids and me. It was then we found out how frightened he was by fireworks.

Duke was out in our now fenced backyard as dusk fell one summer evening in early July. I didn’t think much about it until I heard him fussing. I looked out the upstairs window and saw him running back and forth across the yard. I called for him before making a dash for the stairs, but he didn’t hear me over his terror.

He crashed through the fence and was gone before I made it downstairs. Then it hit me: my parents found him wandering in the road on the Fourth of July. I should have known fireworks would terrify him.

Beating myself up for not making the connection earlier, we searched frantically for him. No one nearby had seen him, so we finally came home.

I feared we wouldn’t see him again, but filed a lost dog report at the local humane society, contacted dog control, and posted an ad in the local paper.

That ad paid off.

A woman called and said she might have our dog…Her house was a couple miles away. I didn’t think he would run so far–more lessons for me. She said she found him lying on her porch, obviously sensing he would find safety with this kind woman. She also said he hadn’t made a sound in the few days he had been with her. Until he heard our voices.

Filled with gratitude, we took him home–definitely wiser. No more dogs out on the evenings when fireworks might be going off, and all our fencing would be reinforced.

Nowadays, my favorite way to spend the 4th of July is tucked safely at home with my dogs.

However, for those who are planning to celebrate and leave their canines at home, this blog post is an older one, but still offers some helpful suggestions.