December 4, 2012

My Little Animal Rescuer

What a hellaciously crazy chaotic morning WE just had.  All was going smoothly minus the fact that Hannah, the Foster Wonderpup, was going crazy at the other dogs out for their poop walks this morning. 

All was manageable until we saw.... the dog.

At the end of our back street there was a BIG 90 something pounds of dark brown big headed dog staring at us.  Thankfully, Boomer and the Wonderpup didn't notice, but they DID notice the man walking towards us to go down and look at the dog.  All hell broke loose with Boomer booming and Hannah snorting and snarling.  All the while I'm trying to get Miracle to NOT go down to the end of the street in case the dog was not friendly.  Oh, but because I'm dealing with the dogs straining their leashes and the man wanting them to sniff his hand I lost sight of Miracle.

The last thing I saw as I was corralling MY dogs into the back gate was her black boot in mid-air running after the dog through the middle sidewalk and into our front courtyard.  Yes, just the boot and no body dressed in a pink polka dotted Hello Kitty dress that no one could miss seeing for miles!  Just the boot.  It was sort of surreal.

So I get them in the gate and run around to the front and she's nowhere to be seen.  I'm calling and running... yeah, I don't run, but I did!  I didn't hear screaming or yelling or barking so I was ASSUMING she wasn't being attacked by that big brown creature.  I found her and the sniffing hand man down at the end of the parking drive with our neighbor lady.  Come to find out he's a very friendly, UN-NEUTERED Chocolate Lab with a huge head. 

So we tried and tried to get the dog to just stop walking.  He wasn't running or trotting, but merrily walking and sniffing and slobbering.  Thankfully, another neighbor came up in his truck to say he could put the dog in his back patio.  GREAT!  But, I had to catch him and leash him... Oh, yeah, no collar.  DUH!  Un-neutered dog, no collar, probably not chipped either.  YAY ME!

We could not get the dog to just stop long enough to loop a leash on his neck until lo and behold....  the mini-lab whisperer walked up and put her arms around his neck where he stayed so I could leash him.

PHEW!!!

Now the fun begins!  To post posters, call Avid, call Animal control, knock door-to-door....  but, I'm so glad I had my little partner with me to get that big galoot safe and away from the chance of being hit by a car.

Kudos to my little rescuer's heart!

December 3, 2012

Talking animals

As almost anyone I know knows I am obsessed with animals and the welfare of such creatures.  I, do, however have such a fascination with the "talking" animals, mainly dogs.  I can sit and replay a video of a Husky talking... over and over and over.  I just think it's the funniest thing.  Today I was graced with the below video and thought I would share it along with two more of THEE funniest ones I've seen.

#1 Husky sings with baby:


#2 Oh Long Johnson


#3  Ultimate Dog Tease (absolute favorite)


#4  Cat Playing "I Spy"



Have fun!!!

October 16, 2012

I Am Grateful

I am so grateful for a child that is trying to do her best even at her worst. I'm grateful that we can giggle about it later. I'm grateful that I have the means to have a home that we can giggle about it later IN. I'm grateful that I can feed that said child and that she has not had to go hungry even when I have felt despair at the thinning means to do so. I am grateful and thankful for the people in my life, far and near, for each one has taught me so much along the way.

I am so grateful for being given the opportunity to give back of myself to help others.  It gives ME pleasure to help when I can, to give where I can, to make pain go away with the tools I've been given and learned to use.  I am not on a self-gratifying mission in this life.  But, at the same time, it IS self-gratifying.  I LOVE to do it. 

I am grateful for my sight.  Without it, where would I be?  How would I survive without something that I've taken for granted my ENTIRE life?  Right now I struggle to see WITH glasses.  I can not imagine struggling in complete darkness with only sounds, smells and touch to help guide my way.  I see others so CONFIDENTLY walking with their sight sticks or assistance companion dogs and think how grateful I am that I am not them.  But, in reality...  they DO see the world differently and maybe a bit more intensely with their other senses so sharpened.  They don't take anything for granted.  I will no longer do so myself.

I am actually deep down grateful for my struggles.  I've struggled in the past few years with where my life has gone.  It is definitely not where I thought I would be.  I've struggled financially, emotionally, mentally...  and, why???  I wasn't here two years ago, but I AM in a better place than two years ago... or five years ago.  I'm grateful for those five years that have made me a much stronger person, even when I don't realize it.  Even when I don't FEEL it.  In the end, I've gotten through everything that has come my way.  It's time to stop.  Recharge my engine and move forward with the strength that has been gathering.  I can feel it.  I know it's there.

This life is such a gift (and I've been talking about life gifts a lot lately) that I can not waste and take for granted.  I can no longer think of just getting through one more day to the next.  When one does that, there is no enjoying the road you are traveling on.  It  just becomes "trudgery" (Yes, I made up that word.  Not that it hasn't been said before, I'm sure. Yay me!).      
Be grateful.  Be honest. Be kind. 

October 5, 2012

Brody the Hell Hound

Well, I thought I would attempt to get a little creative on our evening walk and video tape it. As you will see our set up to exit went pretty well and SHE did what she was supposed to do. I, on the other hand, did not. I broke one of the training Master the Walk rules in there somewhere since I was the one that was distracted with the camera upon exiting ourselves from the house.

Our neighbor’s dog, Brody, is a rescue from the streets of Compton so he is a legit BAD ASS! I love him, however, and have never met outside his home. From the sound of him, you will know why. Over the years when we pass by I always speak to him and he has grown accustomed to the sound of my flip flops, Boomer’s smell and the sound from his collar. He likes us too, I’d like to think. He is forever behind his black security door in the dark and I’ve not really seen him until two days ago… for the first time. All I saw was a hunched up brindle creature with its head low to the ground and BIG WHITE TEETH in this gaping yelling mouth. All I could think of was pity for him. I’m not sure how often he gets out… probably entirely not enough.

We always know when someone is walking my out front because the first thing you hear is Brody, followed by a yell and then an expletive in one loud form or another.

In my humble, most amateur video the first sound you hear is Brody. Yes, that is a DOG. He is then followed by Hannah yelling back and me scrambling to get a grip to calm her down all the while trying to “stay calm and assertive”. Uh… yeah, right.

#FOSTERDOGMOMMASTERTHEWALKFAIL !!!

Even with this little hiccup in our walk, we had a very good walk thereafter.  Hannah did really well!


September 29, 2012

The Chronicles of Hannah... the Wonderpup - Part 2

My crazy Miracle
So Hannah came to live with us on Friday, July 24, 2012.  Mona brought her to our home and it was oddly reminiscent of the times we had the foster kids come to live with us.  It was such a familiar feeling having someone on their way to drop off a little package to remain in my care...  A little package to love unconditionally.

Miracle and I were waiting in such anticipation.  The last time a foster creature came to live with me was nine years ago!  That creature has never left.  I wonder what will become of this new creature that is now named Hannah...?

Hannah being as feral as she was (and to some extent still is), had not had the experience of being able to lie on a couch or sleep on someone's bed.  It was and is still so obvious to me that this little girl was not shown any kind of unconditional love... at least that stuck with her in her memory.

Mr. Boomer Bo Dingo
When Mona got to our home we went for a walk together to see how she would be with Boomer.  Now... Boomer is an interesting soul.  We adopted him from the shelter at six months old so he rather knows the ropes around here being the ripe olddog teen at 7 1/2.  He is also a very stable unstable dog.  He loves other dogs, mostly, but some people, not so much.  I think that's the negative side of having Boomer as my Hannah dog rehabilitator.  But, that's okay.  He has really stepped in to help Hannah become a DOG!!  But, I digressed.

Holly
Once we went on our walk we took Hannah inside.  It was very plain to see that she'd most likely never set foot on hard flooring.  Her poor little paws just didn't know what to do!  After slipping and sliding around a bit, she was able to get her bearings and explore her new digs.  She quickly seemed to relax.  She even didn't seem to mind being around the cat.  The cat, however, had a difference of opinion.  She was not too thrilled to have another four legs in our place.  AT ALL!


Night 1
That first night seemed so easy.  All was really going well...  She felt comfortable enough to hop on the couch... albeit as far away from Boomer as possible in the beginning.  By the end of the night when it was time to go to bed, she didn't hesitate jumping on the foot of the bed where she seemed to have a homing device planted prior.  She curled up and fell asleep, snoring all night long.  No crying, no whining, no scratching at the door to get to the freedom of the dark, quiet night world that she was so used to before.  To this day, two months later, she has yet to make one mess in the house.

Was she REALLY found as a stray in a truck stop?  Seriously, this girl came house trained!







September 10, 2012

The Chronicles of Hannah... the Wonderpup - Part 1

Below is the video and the post I saw of this cute, little honey colored pup that completely captured my heart.  I'm not sure how I was even drawn to the video posted on Facebook or to the person that posted it.  The person is Mona Chaichi.  She works tirelessly (well, maybe she is actually always tired as she works, is a student and rescues as many as she can on her own).
 
I use a Facebook page for my dog, Boomer Beau Dingo, to network, share and post about stray animals, rescue organizations and animal stories in the news and around the web.

 
I began networking for some of Mona's rescues and donated to her efforts.  That video of that little dog kept tugging at my heart.  I knew Mona was trying to catch her and had been for months along with Hannah's partner, another little GSD pup.  They were both living in a truck center for about a year I found out later.  


That little pup, who Mona named Hannah, has made it into our home and has snuggled into our hearts.  I can't believe I am actually fostering her!  My former rescue life has come full circle to me.  I'm unable to be out there as I used to actually doing the physical work of rescuing so fostering Hannah satisfies that yearning... for now!  

Please read about Hannah and go to Mona's Facebook page from the link above.  If you live in Orange County or the Los Angeles area, please consider donating, fostering or adopting any of the great pups she has needing a caring, safe, loving home.  

Hopeless In The Blazing Sun to Becoming The Sunshine Herself!
By Mona Chaichi of "DogTag: You're It Independent Rescue
dogtagyoureit@gmail.com
July 7, 2012

Hannah's first video

Southern California/Local Adoption Only 
Can you provide a loving forever home for this sweet girl? Her name is Hannah and she has finally been rescued after having lived for months on end in the blazing sun in a truck lot, roaming in between trucks, and hiding in the field for shelter. 

We first noticed Hannah about 5 months ago in this desolate area in a truck lot. In our attempts to rescue one dog that day, we spotted her in an enclosed area with fencing all around. When we drove close the first thing we noticed was that her head seemed twice the size of her body -- that's because of how severely underweight she had been on our first sighting. When we drove a little closer, she was already long gone and out of sight. 

We've gone back to the area for several other rescues and hadn't seen her until two weeks ago.  We went back a few times including 4th of July but we failed at catching her. Good Samaritans who work on the lot had been feeding her for awhile so she had put on a good amount of weight but still underweight. With the heat approaching the high 90s we were scared for her, knowing how easily she was dehydrated and could easily overheat and suffer a heatstroke so we needed to see her that day. Thankfully we spotted her on July 9th desperately laying on the concrete in the hot sun exhausted and dehydrated. 

What seemed like an eternity to bring her to safety... we finally had our sweet girl. What we know about Hannah is that she is approximately 18 months and weights 37.01 lbs and is an absolute sweetheart who hasn't seen real love and affection. Please help in providing Hannah a loving forever home where she can feel safe and loved. She will be completely up to date with all needed medical on Tuesday, including vaccines, spay procedure, dental polishing, fecal test, heartworm test, and of course microchipped. 

You may contact us via dogtagyoureit@gmail.com if interested in adopting Hannah. 

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150888074136134 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150923163761134.417423.638111133&type=3 

Thank you, Mona & Sara 

August 22, 2012

The Rescue Bug...

Where did this all start?  My obsession with animals and rescuing and liberation and behaviors... and, oh my!!  I don't know why, but I've started questioning it as of late and then stepped back to take a look at my life and how I got here.  What a journey it has been too!

In actuality, I haven't had that much of a variety of pets in my life, but they ALL have been rescues in one form or another.  Beyond the miscellaneous bugs and lizard creatures my brothers brought home from the vegetable farms across the street, it really began with our childhood dog, Shamus.  Born on St. Patrick's day in 1976, he lived to be 17 years old.  Poor Shamus had gotten out of the back yard and was picked up by Animal Control about three miles or so away from home.  I think he was on his last travels to find his own resting place away from the family so we wouldn't have to suffer in finding him.  At that time we had to make that tough decision to end his misery and help him cross that great Rainbow Bridge. 

Shamus was the runt of his littermates.  His mom was a purebred Husky and his dad was a purebred German Shepherd.  Talk about two very primal breeds mixing!  Shamus had the coloring of the GSD, but the coat and curled tail of the Husky.  He was a durable dog that LOVED to play rough and was extremely loyal and protective.  My older brother had a paper route in the neighborhood and the owners were giving away their pups (very careless compared to today's standards of adopting out).  But, those were definitely different times.  People actually cared for and loved their pets.  Nowadays, those people are in the minority it seems.  But, I digress.

Shamus went everywhere with us.  We used to go dirtbiking in the desert and one time, at a good distance away from camp, I saw this black shape out the corner of my eye.  It was Shamus running at full speed to keep up with us. Needless to say, after that long romp, he refused to leave his blanket back at camp.  His pads were so tender and sore.

Shamus had his ups and downs and his goods and bads.   He was poisoned along with a few other dogs on our street.  One very early morning I kept hearing a banging outside my window.  My dad went out to see Shamus convulsing on the ground.  We rushed him to the vet where they were able to stabilize him and he recovered.  We were fortunate to have caught it in time and he was saved by his size... a mere 45 pounds.  The miniature Collie nextdoor was, unfortunately, not as lucky.  His name was Happy and his mate was Lucky.  Hmmm, ironic.  The other neighbor nextdoor had a beautiful Doberman along with young children.  They found a sausage in the backyard laced with poison.  Scary to think it could have been one of their children.  We all suspected it was the gardeners that maintained the house behind us.  They used to harass Shamus over the wall and most likely did the same to the other dogs as well.

I am so blessed with so many good memories of Shamus.  I never thought I would have another dog let alone one as good as he was.  I've been proven wrong.  I've been blessed with an equally good dog... just not as feisty!! 

My rescue adventures to be continued...




July 18, 2012

Sleep talk... Sleep Walk... Sleep Punch... Sleep Kick...

... bruises abound!

I read a post the other day about how this guy's wife sleep talks.  He's noticed it since they got married.  HA!!  I can up you by about 110%, buddy!  After my story you'll be thanking your wife for JUST sleep talking.

Going back to when I was a spry youngster, I remember my parents telling me a short quippy story about how my younger brother, Greg, and I sleep talked.  Not only did we sleep talk, but we sleep conversed!!  I can't remember any specific conversations we had, but I do remember my parents saying how we would converse in the hotel rooms we stayed at while traveling or laying in our sleeping bags camping.

I've always thought my brother and I are twins three years removed.

When my ex-husband and I adopted Miracle we noticed -- or moreover I noticed because I was the one always awakening every two hours to feed her, but I digress! -- that she began having minor night terrors very early on.  I think that was the fallout of her three and a half week stay at the hospital on constant ventilators immediately after birth... but... I digress!

As she grew, she continued to have night terrors where she would be lying in bed then bolt upright as if she were possessed by the devil himself... yelling or crying or telling someone not to open the cupboard or wanting her cousin to stop and go the other way or cooing and oohing at Boomer, the dog....  Sometimes she would pound her fist repeatedly into her pillow mumbling something about something.  In all honesty, there have been so many instances over the years that there are too many to count and remember.

There was one time whilst lying on my back oh so comfortably (or so I thought because I was SOUND asleep), when I was RUDELY awakened by a fist connecting to my NOSE!!  Oh... just another night terror!

There have been numerous times that I've had my shins kicked and scraped and little arms and legs trying to borough themselves DEEPLY under my own appendages, side and back. 

But, I digress!

All these fond memories were brought back to my attention when my brother came down to visit and stayed in Miracle's room for a few nights.  He said he was awakened repeatedly throughout the night between Miracle's shout outs to the air followed my by soothings of "oh, it's okay.  yeah, yeah. go back to sleep."

Hmmm, the sleep talk curse seems to have come full circle!







June 28, 2012

A day at the beach... Real vs Virtual

So, yeah....  I'm in my... ahem 40s now and I dare say that I really hate going to the beach.  I've been so very blessed with a girl that LOVES the beach.  LOVES the water.  LOVES swimming.  But...

REAL...

I hate the heat.  I hate the never-ending blaring sun with no shade.  I HATE, no ABHOR, the sand and it's wily little sharp edges that wedge into everything you bring and creates icky, crunchy sandwiches.  I hate having to be the mom pack mule that I am and have to carry everything down to the very farthest edge of the sand that connects our toes to the vast wonder of the ocean.  I LOVE the ocean, however, and all the amazing creatures held within its mysterious depths.  ::sigh::

What has happened to me in my old age?  I used to love going to the beach and couldn't get enough of it.  We would ride our bikes or take the bus it seemed the MINUTE school was let out.  We may as well have invested in beachfront property because that's where we lived.  We, obviously, frequented Main Street when Main Street really was the cool place to hang out.  Main Street was really alive when the old-style storefronts were around and The Golden Bear was pumpin' out the music.  There was a certain feeling being down there growing up that just isn't there now.

Don't get me wrong, Downtown Huntington Beach is nice, but it sure doesn't have the old surftown charm it had in the past.  They've really done up the storefronts and added the stage by the pier.  These are all nicely added new charms that bring in more revenue... and way more people.

Getting me into a bathing suit is a definite no-go... hell no!  So, yes, if I'm brave, I will put on the long mumu-ish swim tankini bathing suit top thingy and some board shorts.  Yeah, nothing that's going to be saying, "Heeeaaaayyyyeeee!   I'm super sexayyyyy!!"  But, I don't give a shit!  If it gets me out in the water with my Little Miracle Mermaid, then so be it.  And if I'm not sexaayyy and you think I'm uggllaayyyy... I don't give a shit!  Just don't make any beached whale jokes and all will be copacetic!

VIRTUAL...

My dream day at the beach would go something like this.

Miracle and I (being a very slender bikini clad rockin' hot mommy) would go down to the beach where we would have front row parking.  We get out of our car and step right onto our very own, personal conveyor that will take us -- yes, hot-sand-free -- to the edge of the ocean where we will lounge on our own cool hot-sand-free, shaded pad that is already set up for us with misters, towels, water -- a cool fruity umbrella ladened drink for me --  and all the fresh juicy fruit we can eat.

This is the reality...                              ... and this is the virtual...


June 16, 2012

A bark park fiasco...

Last night was our play date with our good puppy friend, Lulu.  We anticipated a night of dog romping, running, barking, tail wagging fun.  Sadly, we just didn't have the intended experience. 

For some reason my Boomer was on edge the moment we arrived, after we went in and through the end of the night until we got home.  He entered the park with the prominent ridge standing on edge along his back.  His tail was curled high at alert attention the whole time.  I didn't think anything of it too much as he does that when Miracle is with us and he is in "protect mode". 

However....  At one point I had my back turned talking to one of the nice doggy parents and in the back of my mind I heard his bark, far away and rather faint.  Then it hit me that he was REALLY barking!!  I spun around to see his haunches low to the ground, ridge at full attention with his head back and high.  For this dog, whose normal demeanor is submissive and usually quiet, he was putting on quite the show of fear holding his stance and NOT MOVING an inch.

He was showing this display in front of a man that had entered the park.  The man stood his ground to Boomer as well, but there was just something off.  Not right.  I think Boomer had sensed it.  I immediately ran over to him to pull him away, but Boomer wasn't having it.  I tried to work with him to calm him down, but to no avail.  The man was saying that he wasn't afraid of Boomer.  Well, okay, good for you, but there's something off. Not right. 

As Boomer was continuing to bark, the man wanted to try and console him.  He thought by talking nice to him, bending down and getting into his face... will somehow help.  Um, no... don't do that Mr. Man that thinks he's a dog whisperer.

Boomer, with his head low, tail high, swooped behind the man to get a quick sniff and went into high Boom Bark mode once again.  Okay, we're done here...  I took him to another part of the park where Boomer contined to track the man visually and bark in his direction. 

Lo and behold...  I started to do the same, thinking that My Boom is trying to tell me something.  I could not recall seeing the man with a dog when Boomer had him stationed nor could I see him with one when I removed ourselves from the situation.  A completely uneasy feeling crept up inside me.  Maybe it was the fears and concerns of my past working in animal rescue that brought up the feelings of maybe he was there to scope out the dog park... to take a dog to sell to a laboratory.  Yes, that does happen... it is NOT an urban legend. 

Boomer refused to calm down after all this.  His ridge was up constantly and he was beginning to see others as adversaries for the just in case factor.  I'm not sure, but we unfortunately left the park to go wait for our little Lulu.  She hadn't arrived to the park at this point.  What an ordeal!!

So Miss Lulu arrived and we go back into the park.  Looking back, I think the air was muddled with some sort of negative energy because both dogs were just a little off... between Boomer's ordeal and both thinking they need to protect Miracle, we need to leave once again. 

But that's okay and all good.  We walked to the park where Miracle played for a bit then we went for ice cream and frozen yogurt.  OKAY, what can possibly happen that is not easily fixed with some relaxation, frozen yogurt and ice cream???  Hollah!!!

Boomer and Lulu got to play a little bit together outside the stores and I think I realized that Boomer found his play match.  He is such a verbal little soul and Lulu can handle it.  I think it's a bit vice versa as well.  He felt so much more comfortable romping around with her and that made me feel much more comfortable as well. 
The only other dog that Boomer feels comfortable playing ALL OUT with is his little Chug cousin, Abbey Rose.  SHE is a GINORMOUS dog in a tiny dog body and kicks some Boomer butt!!!

June 11, 2012

Waking to the sounds of life...

So rarely do I have mornings where I just casually and slowly awaken without the sound of "Moooommmmm???"...

The wee child stays the night at her dad's house on Saturday.  I love the Sunday mornings when I wake up in the early hours when it's still so nice and cool. It's quiet outside and I feel the cool breezes coming in through the window. They tickle my face.

As I lay there and the time passes, I hear the birds awakening and merrily chirping. Then I begin to hear the boulevard come to life off in the distance. I hear the sounds of the wakening world... the smells of breakfast in the kitchens upwind, the kids that have escaped the confines of their homes to gleefully play in the early hours. Yes, believe it or not, they escape that early.

I love to lay there and listen to the orchestra of life on those early weekend mornings.

February 9, 2012

It's a Pinkalicious Rainy Day... and a walk with the dog.

Miracle absolutely, like ALL kids, loves to run through puddles on a rainy day.  It was so nice outside so we decided to do such a thing... or, really, she did and Boomer and I tagged along.

I felt it necessary to do a documentary... um, yeah, that's it.  Fun times, fun times!  Needless to say she was soaked from ankle to waist!!



We really had a fun time doing our little rainy day "documentary".  Our other cute video is too large to upload so here is the link.  Fun, fun, fun times!!