Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to our two- and four-legged friends. We hope the day has been a good time spent with loved ones. God bless you from the Dog Farm.

Jasmine Maggie Brandy Pennie Annie

Oreo

On his way through North Platte to visit our parents, Brother George stopped at the shelter to "just look." Now, who can "just look"? Anyway, George stopped, went inside, walked down the row of cages, pondered the future and thought about a dog who might fill the empty spot that dear Sasha's death left. Well, it was meant to be. The timid, lost-looking border collie who was scheduled to be euthanized walked up to George and picked him! Within minutes, the two became best friends. That day became the first day of 11 years of mutual love and devotion. George, Girlfriend Nancy and Oreo became inseparable. Oreo mountain climbed, escorted George on bike rides, hiked the Moab Desert, frolicked in Summit County's snow, white water rafted, hung out at the fire station and traveled hundreds of miles to Mexico on a sail boat. Oreo led a life of adventure. She went from a shelter to all parts of the country. Oreo's life on earth ended Thursday but her afterlife has just begun and there are lots of unexplored clouds in heaven. God bless Oreo.

Our Jasmine went for a check-up yesterday. The vet is amazed at how good Jas looks and how well she acts. Although she is still terminally ill, there's no longer an estimated time frame because Jasmine's responded so well to her medication, pampering and prayer. :)

This and That

Daughter Molly sent a photo of a puppy who is visiting her fire department/911 center. Puppy Julep is in training to become a service dog and she is being given as many social opportunities as possible. I'm going to try to post Julep's photo for you to see. Definitely a ahhhh-picture.

Yesterday, Husband Bob was pleased to announce that Annie had a milestone. Annie stood close enough for Bob to reach down and touch her. Not a pat or pet, but she allowed him to touch her. Bob said it was only a moment before Annie hurried off but the event was important enough that Bob considered it to be good progress. The end of this month marks the one year anniverary since Annie arrived at the Dog Farm.

I wrote Brother Chris about Jasmine getting special treats while she's sick and mentioned that all the dogs appreciated the additional snacks. Chris' response: "Tell the other dogs to enjoy the extra treats but to not look so excited to benefit from the misfortune of their roommate, it makes them look like animals." I love Chris' humor!

The house looks festive with the Christmas decorations up. No gifts under the tree yet - we've learned that the dogs' curiousity gets the best of them and they have to poke around under the Christmas tree and open packages.

A Good Day To Be A Dog

It's cool outside but the weather's nearly perfect for the dogs. A rabbit was in the back yard earlier so its scent has been cause for lots of investigation today. As I've been working on the computer most of the past hour, it's been nice to have the company of Jasmine, Maggie, Brandy, Pennie and Annie in the room with me. Every one's napping now, but if I were to get up it would take only a second for the dogs to be ready to move to their next project of the day - the dog park.

Friday afternoon, King was strolling around enjoying the dog park. Apparently, something startled him and when King jumped it startled Pennie. Pennie snarled at King and King jumped back and fell over. I'm not into violence at all, but it was a little bit funny to see Pennie, the corgi who stretches to a whopping 12" tall, scaring King the 112 lb. dobbie.

Anytime I leave home, I fill the dog's Kongs with treats. It occupies them a few minutes as they gnaw to get the treats out. Jasmine always takes her Kong to the dining room. Maggie goes to the stairway landing. Brandy retreats to the family room. Pennie takes her Kong to the sun room to munch and Annie gets her Kong in her kennel. When I got home last time, Jasmine had rounded up Kongs and four of five were under the dining room table. It was cute to see the collection of Kongs in Jas's secret hiding place.

Life is good.

Vacation Day

I'm off on a vacation day today so life on the Dog Farm has started our wonderfully. The dogs are napping, I'm still in pjs, no schedule to follow; you know how it's suppose to be on a day off work. I'm packaging up treats for the Dog Barkery and getting ready for tomorrow's craft show. The dogs were circling the table like sharks hoping to catch a treat that might fall their way.

Friend Dianne brought dog ice cream to the Farm. Including Granddog Kirby, we had six happy, salivating dogs waiting for ice cream. None of them had this kind of treat before and at first, a couple of them weren't quite sure about the cold stuff. It only took a moment and everyone was totally enjoying the snack. Yummy!

Last Saturday, Daughter Molly's friend Odie travelled to North Platte to teach Dog CPR/First Aid that Paws-itive Partners sponsored. Friend Odie is an excellent instructor and the information was very good. If you have a pet, or know a pet, you should consider finding a class such as this one. You hope you never have to use what you learn but the class gives you confidence to help, if needed. I felt good when Odie said we are Pet Medics - before we were just people who loved pets. Now, we have been trained to help if an animal needs us.

Thank you for your emails and calls about Jasmine. The tumor has grown a bit the past week but Jas doesn't seem effected by it. She acts fine, her appetite is excellent and personality is the same as ever - perfect. Everyone is happy on the Dog Farm. :0p (That symbol is a dog with its tongue hanging out. )

Have a restful weekend.

Jasmine

The next few months, the Dog Farm will live through something it's never been through before. Dear Jasmine's cancer can't be fixed. The vet estimated Jasmine will live one to three months. We will be diligent monitoring her health and making certain Jasmine doesn't have pain. So far, she's given no indication of discomfort and the vet said some cancers don't cause pain until the very end. That is what we are hoping for.

In the meantime, Jasmine has developed quite a taste for sirloin and roasts for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A friend brought cans of tripe dog food (yuk!) that her dogs love and another friend is on the lookout for dog ice cream. Tomorrow we'll be strolling through Cody Park so Jasmine can see the geese, ducks and donkeys - they make her tremble and drool with excitement. From now to however long she has, Jasmine's life will be a big celebration! As Husband Bob and I were indulging Jasmine, we laughed to think if the diagnosis was wrong and Jas would survive, how would we ever get her back to being a normal dog after all this fun!

Last evening, we met a Boston Terrier and two German Shepherds who were first-time visitors to the dog park. There were 17 dogs at the park while we were. Keegan-the-heeler and Drake-the-border-collie are such fun to watch as they run and chase. It seems my pack has become more interested in the smells in the bushes than socializing with other dogs. As they searched, you can practically see them fantisizing finding a squirrel or rabbit!

No Word

To my blog friends who have called and emailed: thank you for asking about Jasmine! Still no word on the biopsy but we hope to hear by Thursday. In the meantime, Jas doesn't show any sign of discomfort and her energy level is the same as always. Jasmine's getting fed like a queen and she thinks she's already gone to heaven! I read that dogs with cancer need lots of protein so over the weekend I crockpotted sirloin steaks, T-bones and a roast. Every meal Jasmine gets lots of meat and gravy. Of course, the rest of the pack is getting special treatment too. :0P

Two Weeks

The past two weeks have been fun and anguishing so I suppose that combination is what's made the time so exhausting.

The beautiful fall weather compliments the daily trips to the Bark Park. Trees and brush at the park are in full color and the cooler weather makes for lots of running. All the dogs get along well and when a new friend arrives quite a few dogs run to the gate as self-appointed greeters.

It was two weeks ago today that Lab Jasmine had a tumor removed from her upper jaw. The University of NE biopsy identified four kinds of malignant cells but couldn't pin-point the kind of cancer. Jasmine's biopsy was forwarded to Colorado State University's oncology department and it will be next week before we hear the diagnosis. Thankfully, Jasmine acts fine and she's given us no indication of pain. It's very concerning that the tumor has begun growing again and we've been told the cancer appears aggressive.

We've had fun on the Dog Farm and with Paws-itive Partners. The softball game last Friday evening was a blast. A great crowd turned out to support Tornadoes and Police/Fire teams as they fought it out on the field. Paws-itive Partners hosted a concession stand that put out the aromas of grilled brats, sloppy joes, fresh popcorn, etc. Lots of hard work, camaraderie and activity for Raising the Woof!

At Wednesday evening's Paws-itive Kids meeting, the group put final touches on cat nip toys they're making. The kids did such a nice job making toys for the animal shelter a few months ago that we put them to work again. This time they assembled and stuffed candy cane cat nip toys that will be sold at the upcoming craft show. Paws-itive Partners is selling homemade dog treats and cat nip toys at the Dog Barkery.

North Platte's Downtown Merchants Association is hosting a kid's walk and dog costume contest on Halloween weekend. Paws-itive Partners will be helping but Maxwell's FCCLA has really stepped up to take charge of the dog contests. With FCCLA in charge, we know it will be a huge success. Last year 1300 kids attended the downtown event!

Thanks, friends and family, for your calls/emails regarding Jasmine. The support and encouragement has been very much appreciated. :)

October

Paws-itive Partners has sponsored all kinds of activities in recent weeks and fund raising for the shelter's quarantine area is progressing. Individuals, organizations, businesses, and now, one of the elementary schools have stepped up to help with the fund drive. We have a long way to earn, but it's coming along and it's gratifying to see the community help.

Besides the work and fun of Paws-itive Partners, the Dog Farm is keeping me busy. It's nice to have Granddog Kirby visiting for a few days. Annie's become very food motivated and she's willing to try new experiences in exchange for treats. Maggie is a continuous wag. Brandy and Pennie spend lots of time fence racing the neighbor dogs. Then, there's Jasmine. Jas is the "gentle soul" of our pack. Thinking they were abcessed, Jasmine had two teeth removed a couple weeks ago. After the swelling went down, the large lump on her cheek was still there. One thing led to the next and we will find out tomorrow if Jas has cancer. She's scheduled for tests at 8:30 in the morning. Of course, we're praying for good health and good news.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Tomorrow Rape and Domestic Abuse Program/Paws-itive Partners will host their second walk against violence. People and their dogs will meet to walk and take a stand against violence toward pets. Saturday will be a good awareness-builder and a nice stroll with our fur friends.

A Hard Days Night

Don't tell Husband Bob he's been caught napping! As you can see by the photo, Bob and Brandy were recharging after a hard weekend at the Dog Farm. Actually, the weekend consisted of taste testing homemade dog treats, trips to the Bark Park, watching the Broncos on TV and other strenuous activities.

For several weeks I've been trying to find a home for a dear cat at the local animal shelter. Friday the shelter said Big Boy and numerous other cats and kittens would be sent to farms later that day because the shelter was full. My desperate, last-second phone call turned out perfectly. As the story was told to me, Friend Laurie called a couple who was hoping to find a long-haired gray cat to fill the void of their cat who died. Big Boy wasn't the cat they wanted but they went to see him just to make Laurie happy. The couple's other cat hadn't liked the man so he didn't expect much from Big Boy either. Arriving at the shelter, the couple sat down on the floor and Big Boy was let out of his cage. Big Boy strolled past the lady, climbed up the man's chest, purred like a song, rubbed on the man's shoulder and looked like, 'What are we waiting for? Let's go home!' The latest report is that everyone is doing great and Big Boy found his forever family!

My next blog I'll have to tell you about a bunch of girls beating up on the police and firefighters!

Baby and Cat

Baby, the Boston terrier, and Cat, the kitten, are best friends. Cat joined the family when she was two months old and Baby was two years old. The first night in her new home, Cat cuddled up next to Baby and started suckling. Baby's never had a litter of puppies but she let Cat suck. This nightly ritual continued several evenings and Baby started producing milk. Picture a kitten nursing on a Boston terrier! That was 10 months ago and every night at bed time you'll find Cat contentedly nursing on Baby. Cat has grown to be bigger than Baby now. Neither the cat or dog knows, or else they don't care, that they aren't the same species. I wouldn't have believed a dog would nurse a cat but my friend has pictures and videos of Baby and Cat. It's precious how much they care about each other and are inseperable friends.

Paws-itive Partners has taken on the challenge to match $15,000 to help the local animal shelter build a quarentine area for cats and dogs arriving sick or injured. Currently, with a lack of kennels, all the animals are housed together so infection, disease and unnecessary trauma is commonplace. If Paws-itive Partners can raise the funds, there will be an area for the cats and dogs needing special care. We're fundraising through soliciting, concession stands and selling T-shirts with the "Raising the Woof" logo. Our friend the animal-loving news reporter is putting together a softball game between his girls team and the police/fire department. I'm not sure on a game date yet, but every night between now and then I'm down on my knees praying the girls can whomp the guys. What an upset and crowd pleaser that would be!

With fall comes a later sun rise so it's dark when I get up. As I'm stirring around in the morning, the dogs give me their best let's-sleep-in-look. Now, what's wrong with this picture: Jo's up and getting ready for work and five dogs are still cozied up in their beds? I suppose someone has to work to support the four-legged family!

Cat Haven

It's been a perfect visit at Sister Robin and Brother-in-law Bob's this week. I've missed the Dog Farm but it's fun to be in the Black Hills with Fransons. All four Franson fur children arrived at their home as rescue cats and they have good lives now. There's unlimited food and water, cat toys and a carpeted cat tree to climb. Sister Robin's house is a haven for the cats charging and chasing each other in their multi-level house.
Just a couple days before I left home, Annie introduced herself to the newest dog at the Mayber home. She didn't much like the intruder and growled and puffed her fur before making peace with the reflection in the mirror!
Annie's shown more interest in going to the Bark Park. Every evening Annie runs to the garage to get ready to go, but nervousness sets in and it's five minutes of coaxing and patience to get her to jump in the Jeep. One evening last week, Husband Bob took the dogs to the Bark Park and stopped at the gas station on the way home. Annie jumped out the Jeep window and took off running! Picture this: Husband Bob (in his dress clothes) chasing Annie down one of North Platte's busiest streets. Bob and two Good Samaritans finally trapped Annie under a parked truck. Bob crawled under the truck to capture terrified Annie. Bob said he's never been so afraid as he was for one of our dog's safety as when Annie was running around traffic. Some of our friends wondered if his real fear was facing me!
Enjoy your final days of summer. :)

Dog Farm Update

Between our critters at home and Paws-itive Partners projects, it seems I've been busy the past couple weeks. It's all good though so I'm not complaining.
I returned a call to a lady who needed Paws-itive Partners' help to spay her dog. Lexy came to them through the animal shelter. The new family is sure they adopted the smartest and most talented dog in North Platte. It might be true - it took only 48 hours to train Lexy to ring the bell on the door knob when she needs to go outside!
Sunday evening we were watching a dog show on the National Geographic channel. All our dogs were in the room sleeping, chewing on a toy or sitting on the couch next to Husband Bob. When the dogs on TV barked three heads popped up and became quite attentive. Brandy cocked her head, Maggie's ears went up and Annie turned around to face the screen. It was so cute to watch the dogs watch the dogs on TV.
A couple days ago Maggie was in the backyard when something caught her eye. She dropped to her belly, crouched level to the ground, her fur stood up on her back and her tail fluffed out. She was very focused on the squirrel 20 feet up in the tree. The squirrel was safe from Maggie so it was fun to watch her showing her retriever instinct.
Annie's spending more time out of her corner. She seems more relaxed and wanting to be with the rest of the pack more. Annie and I still haven't mastered house training but we are trying. We replaced the sun room carpet and have ceramic tile now. Husband Bob asked if I thought we would have an all vinyl and tile house eventually. Bless his patient heart!

Cancer Relay

Last weekend North Platte held it's annual Relay for Life to fight against cancer. Paws-itive Partners members made donations, bought luminaries in honor/in memory of loved ones and some members walked the course to show support for the cause. Although Relay for Life is to help with the fight against cancer in humans, it made me think of the pets who have also had to fight cancer. Just as in people, early detection is critical. Here some early pet cancer warning signs to be aware of:
persistent, abnormal swelling

• sores that do not heal
• loss of weight
• loss of appetite
• bleeding or discharge from any body opening
• offensive odor
• difficulty eating or swollowing
• hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
• persistent lameness or stiffness
• difficulty breathing, urinating or deficating.

Due to improper breeding prcatices certain breeds of dogs are genetically prone to cancer. The high-risk dog list includes Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Boxers. In order to discourage improper breeders, always avoid purchasing animals that have been mass bred in puppy and kitten mills.

Professional Tasters

In November, Paws-itive Partners will have a booth at one of the local Christmas Craft Sales. Ours will be a dog bakery (barkery) with homemade biscuits, doggy donuts, hand-dipped nibblers, etc. We have a few months to prepare but I thought it was a good day to start experimenting with recipes. It's 100 degrees, very humid and the air conditioner is running continuously. Not the smartest day to bake but Jas, Maggie, Brandy, Pennie and Annie are glad. The dogs don't usually go in the kitchen when I'm baking, and they aren't counter surfers, but when I make dog treats they are very alert. There must be something special in the recipes that tip their senses. The Dog Farm has an aroma of whole wheat, cheese, garlic and peanut butter. Each time the oven timer rings the dogs take their position in the kitchen to sample the products. They are my "quality control specialists" and they take their jobs very seriously!

I think Tyler, Thea, the dogs, puppies and crow have moved on from North Platte because I haven't heard from Tyler for several days. Our city's animal control officers were getting calls about them every day and I think those have stopped too. It's nice to know that citizens took time to report their concerns for the animals. Unfortunately, as poor as their accommodations were, the animal's care met city ordinances. After the Tyler-and-Thea-saga and other recent situations in North Platte, my next cause might be to get involved in changing laws. :)

My New Friends

If you live in North Platte then maybe you've seen Tyler and Thea. They're the homeless couple with a crow perched on the handle of their grocery cart, a cardboard box with 10 3-week-old puppies and 4 adult dogs following!!! The family's car broke down in Idaho so they abandoned it and rode the rails to North Platte. Authorities in North Platte removed them from railroad property late Tuesday night.
My last few days have been full of mosquitos, trips to the river banks, searching transient camps, looking in Dumpsters, etc. I've been stared at by passersby and seen more tattoos than in my lifetime.
Tyler and Thea didn't know how Momma Dog Betty got pregnant, but they did knew they didn't want more puppies. That's where Paws-itive Partners came in. I'm happy to report that Leroy the rottie/pitbull, Monkey the coyote/shepherd and Lulu the shepherd-mix are now spayed and neutered.
There have been many conversations with Tyler and Thea to convince them to surrender the dogs, puppies and Merlin the crow. They are adament they won't. There's no question Tyler and Thea love their fur and feather family. All the animals are very sociable -Leroy's even been taught to flash a big smile. :) At times, Tyler and Thea have gone hungry so their pets could eat. They have blankets for the puppies, but not for themselves. I guess I'm okay with the lifestyle Tyler and Thea have chosen for themselves. But, there's not one cell in my body that condones this for the pets! It's very wrong!
The past few days have been interesting and quite a learning experience. God speed to Betty, Leroy, Monkey, Lulu, Merlin, dear puppies and Tyler and Thea!!

48 Hours

Hi Friends,
I've received some emails asking for more details about my last couple days of dogging. Let's say, it's been interesting!!! I hope to blog about the activity this evening or tomorrow.
Thank you for asking. :)
Jo

Summer Time Fun

The pack enjoyed time at the Interstate Lake this afternoon. From the top photo, down:

+ Brandy is on the trail of a rabbit scent.
+ Jasmine swimming.
+ Pennie tuckered out after running and swimming.
+ Maggie and Jas searching in the grass for whatever Brandy was looking for.
+ Granddog Kirby retrieving and swimming.

The dogs had a great time and wore themselves out. Everyone's back home and sacked out on the floor napping. It's certain that no one will ever market a candle aroma named Wet Dog!

The Curse of the 4th

Fireworks went on sale in North Platte yesterday and it sounds as if the town is being bombed. None of our dogs like the noise, but poor little Annie is ultra-sensitive to it. Since Annie came from a puppy mill in the country I'm sure this is her first experience with the noise of fireworks. We started Annie on a mild sedative this morning (vet's suggestion) and hopefully that will make the time to July 4th more tolerable.

Some days are better than others when it comes to Annie's house training. A couple days ago, as Annie started toward the doggy door I thought she had this go-outside-to-potty-thing figured out. Instead, right in front of the door Annie paused, squatted, peed and then out she went!

It was one year ago this week that Corgi Pennie delivered five beautiful puppies at our house. Two weeks earlier she had been turned into the shelter by owners who had been reported for improper care of animals complaints. Pennie was a good mom and the puppies thrived. They had their momma's stubby legs but shorter hair and longer noses. This evening at the Bark Park I got to see one year old Puppy Chipper. He was happy to be at the park and enjoyed running with the other dogs. Looking at Chipper, there's no doubt the father of Pennie's litter was a dachsund. Chipper lives in North Platte with his people Levi and Jenny.

I hear good things about North Platte's second dog park that's opened. There are plans to plant trees and put up gazebos for shade. Our pack hasn't been to the new dog park but we'll plan to visit soon. Dog person Frank said his dogs go to both dog parks and act differently at each. At one, Charlie and Max stroll and sniff and at the other they run around the five acres at break-neck speed. What could be better than being a dog?!

Funny Father's Day

Yesterday Husband Bob and I spent most of the day at the the bark park mowing. The grass, wild flowers and trees look so nice. A couple arrived for their first bark park visit and had just adopted a lab from the animal shelter last week. The Little Miss is just four months old and she ran non-stop with the other dogs and her new family.

I tease that it's quite a spectacle to take the dogs shopping. This year they out did themselves picking out a Father's Day card. I have to quote the card Husband Bob received from Jaz, Maggie, Brandy, Pennie and Annie: "For Father's Day The Top Ten Ways You and I Are Alike: 10. We both like to stick our heads out the car window and bark at other drivers, 9. There's nothing more comforting than napping in front of the TV, 8. Others get impatient waiting for us to finish going potty, 7. We've both been in the doghouse at one time or another, 6. We make furry bed partners, 5. Sometimes we beg for extra scraps, 4. You fix things - I'm a fixed thing, 3. We both like to sit around and scratch ourselves, 2. We whine if we're not let out of the house to play once in awhile, 1. Given the choice, we'd rather just lie around and do nothing but eat and sleep all day!"

Happy belated Father's Day to all the dad's of fur children!

Happy Summer.

Annie Update

Annie's been with us 5 1/2 months now. She's making good progress coming out of her corners in the family room and sun room. As I'm typing this Annie's at my feet sleeping. So are the four other fur babies. When Husbabd Bob and I are home we close the door to the family room so Annie's been forced to be out with us more. I think that's helped her gain confidence that being with us is good.

A couple nights ago Bob and I were getting ready to take the dogs to the dog park. Annie went to the door too and Bob commented that Annie wanted to go with us. I doubted it and said I was sure when we opened the door Annie would run back inside. Wrong!! All the dogs ran to to the Jeep and jumped in. Including Annie! I was speechless except to repeatedly say I couldn't believe what happened. By the time we arrived at the park, a 4-minute drive, Annie had lost all her new-found courage. We carried her into the gate and she did pretty well walking around sniffing and exploring. She was very glad to get back in the Jeep to come home and hasn't wanted to go again but at least she did it once.

Annie's relapsed completely in house training. The past two weeks she's had accidents (they aren't accidents) every day. If anyone has suggestions how to retrain an adult dog I'm very open to suggestions because I've run out of ideas. Bless Bob's heart, he's shampooing the family room, sun room and hallway this afternoon.

May was a busy month for Paws-itive Partners Humane Society's spay/neuter program. We sent out authorization forms for 32 cats and dogs. Our spay/neuter program focuses on helping low to moderate income pet owners pay to have their pets altered. Most of the people we help are referred by veterinary clinics and word-of-mouth but in times past, Paws-itive Partners members have gone door-to-door. We've located lower income neighborhoods with high animal population and have gone to offer help. It's fun to see people's reactions when we say we're giving something away rather than selling it.

Have a good week. :)

Kirby

Granddog Kirby has taken up residency this week while Daughter Molly is away. It's always nice to have Kirby at the Dog Farm. She's a very gentle, affectionate, laid back yellow lab. Sweet Kirby came from humble beginnings nine years ago. A sheriff deputy found a cardboard box in the middle of a county road. Inside the box were four helpless puppies. The deputy saved Kirby and her 3 little brothers and Molly got to adopt Kirby. Molly and Kirby have been the perfect match ever since.

Aspen-the-husky and Jessie-the-mixed-breed have been a nice addition to the Bark Park family. Their person (forgive me, I don't know his name) will be dog sitting Aspen and Jessie the next three years. He also has an older beagle named Annie. I commented what a committment three years of dog sitting is and the man replied "If my son's serving army-duty the least I can serve is dog-duty." How fortunate we are to have men and women making sacrifices to serve the USA.

Here's a bit of good advice: "Bark Less. Wag More!"

Tornado Warnings

The weather's been weird the past week - cooler than usual temperatures, high wind (40 mph) advisories, hail, heavy rain and today it's 90 degrees. A few nights ago, the dogs and Husband Bob and I were comfortably in bed when tornado sirens sounded. And sounded. And sounded. We went to the lowest level of the house which is our family room. After 30-45 minutes of sirens we got lackadaisical and Bob said he was going back to bed. I stayed down stairs but settled in on the couch. As soon as I stretched out, three dogs joined me. Brandy climbed up and laid on my feet. Annie (yes, Annie) laid across my chest and Pennie climbed up by my head. I was trapped. I couldn't move! The couch wasn't big enough for four of us. Brandy, Annie and Pennie seemed content but I was paralyzed with dogs! If I was going to get any rest I was going to have to relocate. Finally, at 1:30 a.m, I disturbed the sleeping dogs and returned to bed.

I put off taking Annie to the vet for her rabies shot because I'm embarrassed she still can't walk on a leash. Today was the day to go and Annie had to be carried in and carried out of the clinic. Other than that the appointment went well. The vet and techs who saw Annie months ago were very complimentary. They said Annie's filled out nicely and her coat is healthy and shiny. The vet and techs said they could tell Annie's become less scared. I felt like a proud parent! Sometimes I get discouraged because Annie hides in her corner for so long or because she still has accidents in the house, but when others notice her big improvements it makes me so happy for Annie. :)

Treasures

The pictures below are of Brandy, Jasmine, Maggie, Pennie and Mystic searching for the elusive treasure at the Bark Park. There must be quite an interesting smell down under because they love digging for it. Before you think we've gotten another fur-child you need to know that Mystic is just a friend. Mystic is a wonderful 1 1/2 year old Bloodhound who visits the dog park everyday too. Her brother, Gage the White German Shepherd, likes to dig too but he was somewhere else when the pictures were taken.

Bob mowed the dog park over the weekend. With the rain and sunshine the past few days the park looks great. Such a fun place to see a variety of dogs and their people.

digging for treasures at the dog park

Kansas Critters

We returned Monday from Kansas where we celebrated Grandaughter Cassy's high school graduation. It was wonderful to see relatives and friends and be together with such great people. In the absence of ours, it was fun to pat and pet on the Kansas critters. There was Dancer the horse, Crue and Max the cocker spaniels and Cesaer the great Great Dane. In the three days we were there, Cat John Smith didn't come out from hiding so we didn't get to see him. Dancer is 19 now so he just hangs out and eats grass. Crue is obsessed with fetching the tennis ball and will carry it around in his mouth for hours until someone tosses it for him. Max is the more laid back cocker and is content just to watch. Cesaer is 9 years old so he's getting on in age. He's eye level to my waist and towered over the toddlers who were at the celebration. It was fun to be with all the people and pets.

While we were in Kansas, Pet Sitters came in to feed Jas, Maggie, Brandy, Pennie and Annie three times a day. But what the girls really enjoyed were Friend Larry and Friend Elke. Larry and Elke loaded the girls into the Clown Car (Daughter Molly's name for our bright red 1989 Jeep) and took them to the Dog Park everyday. I hear they even got their first-ever trip to Maui. Not the real Maui, but North Platte's version of Hawaii. When we arrived home to the Dog Farm last evening the girls were delighted to see us and I was just as happy to see them too.

There's discussion in the media now about creating an animal abuse registration. The list would place convicted felon abusers in a database similar to the national sex offender's registry. The attempt is to reduce risk to animals and people. I haven't looked at it yet but was told that now there's a volunteer pet abuse database at Pet-Abuse.com.

Bark Park

I've mentioned that the dogs love going to North Platte's dog park. Every day, day in and day out, rain or shine or snow we go to the dog park. Lots of other dogs and their people go too and some of the nicest people in North Platte are my bark park friends.



Dog Fancy is a national magazine that features dogs, breeds, rescue, events, etc. Last winter Dog Fancy announced a contest to celebrate the magazine's 40th birthday. They were on the search for the 40 best dog parks in the United states. Entries were scored on the actual land, accomodations, volunteerism and community involvement. The judges liked that the park has been kept in its natural state as much as possible. We were scored high because fencing and installation was earned and done by a committee and that almost of the ongoing upkeep is done by volunteers. In the end, Waggin' Tails didn't place in the top 10 but we are #31 in the USA! Not bad for a handful of dog lovers and progressive-thinking city leaders.



Jazmine and Maggie found a "squirrel tree" at the bark park last week. Everyday since then, they've run full speed to the tree to see if the squirrel is still there. That crazy squirrel sits high in the tree waving his tail and chattering at the dogs. He seems to love provoking them. They whine and bark with pleasure and frustration.



Dogs are a good excuse to get outside and enjoy Spring. Let your dog take you for a walk. If you don't have a dog, how about going to your animal shelter and take one of their dogs for a walk?

Woofstock

After months of preparation, Paws-itive Partners' members were rewarded with beautiful weather and hundreds of dogs and people at Woofstock on Saturday. It was such fun to watch dogs ranging from Lilly-the-three-pound-Chihuahua to Zeus-the-160-pound-bull-mastiff stroll through Memorial Park. Dogs strutted through the park showing off their people on the other end of the leash. Thirty-four dogs participated in contests for Best Bark, Fastest Wag, Most Look-Alike, Best Kisser, etc. All the dogs at Woofstock were winners. People participated in games, BBQ, veternary clinic services, etc. and everyone seemed very happy to be a part of a great event.
Now that Woofstock's 4th year is history, I'll have a few extra hours in my week. With that, I hope to be more considtent in dogblogging.
You've heard of Murphy's Law - the humorous predictions with negative consequences. With Jasmine, Maggie, Brandy, Pennie and Annie in our dog family, I think Murphy has also come to reside with us. Today's Murphy's Law is: If you have your carpets cleaned, one of the dogs will throw up the next day!!!
With that, have a great week. :)

It's Been Awhile

Paws-itive Partners' upcoming Woofstock has taken all my spare time and I've neglected the dog blog. Even though I haven't blogged about it, life on the Dog Farm has been busy and always changing.

Annie is making good progress. She still in her corner most of the time but when she does come out she interacts more with the dogs and me. Annie's taken a liking to Pennie and Pennie is beginning to warm up to the idea of having a friend. Pennie's been our aloof dog and hasn't acted like she needed anybody else. I guess that can be characteristic of corgies. Who would think Annie-the-scare-dog would choose Pennie to befriend.

Last week, I came home to find the underlining of our new couch lying in the middle of the floor in the sunroom! What happened? The mystery was solved: A dog toy rolled under the couch and someone (a four-legged someone because Husband Bob was gone!) clawed and clawed to try to pull the toy out. They didn't get the toy out from under the couch but they sure got the fabric!

Black Lab Maggie hasn't felt very well the past day or two. She wouldn't eat breakfast or lunch today so this afternoon Maggie went to the vet. Maggie's spending the night at the clinic on IV fluids and medication. Xrays showed she doesn't have a blockage but her colon is bleeding and it is bent and twisted (there's a medical term for it but I forgot) and painful. For most dogs, the IVs correct the problem and they return home on medicine and feeling much better. Poor Maggie's use to sleeping on the bed so tonight on the floor at the vet won't be much fun.

Paws-itive Partners' young people's group went on a trash walk last evening. The Paws-itive Kids picked up enough litter along the road to the Bark Park to fill a dumpster. Bless their hearts, the kids worked hard. The area is litter-free and with the grass and trees greening it looks great.

Happy Spring!

Everyone on the Dog Farm is doing well. Annie is still in her corner most of the time but she is also following me around more. Annie approaches Husband Bob anytime he has food and he's been very obliging. Several nights ago, Annie crept into our bedroom and slept beside the bed. She's been there every night since. Jasmine, Maggie, Brandy and Pennie are very accepting of Annie. Annie's trying to figure out how to play - she and Brandy ran together in the backyard and she shared a chew toy with Pennie.

Sunday morning began early with a phone call from Friend Judy. She had seen a dog running late Saturday night but couldn't catch it. Judy contacted the police department and they had a report of a missing dog. The owners lived 75 miles away and lost Sadie that afternoon while visiting North Platte. Judy called the owners and they returned to search for Sadie, but to no avail. Judy asked me to contact my "animal friends" to watch for Sadie. Within two hours, Sadie was located but she was not to be caught! Sadie was frantic with fear and running aimlessly. At one time, Friends Richard, Nancy and Gary, Husband Bob, three little boys, two men and I were trying to get Sadie. After 1 1/2 hours, Sadie was trapped and a couple hours later an exhausted but very, very happy dog was reunited with her family! Richard receives the Good Person Award and he has a bite from Sadie as a trophy.

Bob and Friend Gary sowed wild grass seed at the Bark Park over the weekend. April's showers are forcast to arrive tomorrow so let's hope the showers sprout the grass. The park is getting a lot of use. Out of town visitors to the Bark Park have complimented on it being a great stopping point on their travels.

:)

Hoppy Easter

Easter Day reminds me of the pet rabbits I've had in my life. Lucky arrived when I was in high school and Bailey came when I was just about 40.

Lucky was a beautiful black rabbit who tipped the scale at 20 pounds. He was appropriately named because he was the only bunny in his litter to survive. Lucky was a fun, curious fellow. I missed him when I went off to college so returned home one weekend to get him. Of course, rabbits couldn't live in the dorm so I had to sneak Lucky into High Rise in a suitcase! Once in, Lucky was fine because he was housebroke and we had lots of room to let him roam. Everything went smoothly until Lucky ate my roommate's shamrock. The shamrock plant had been brought to America by my roommate's family who immigrated from Ireland. After eating the shamrock Lucky wasn't welcome to stay and he had to return to my parent's home.

Daughter Molly chose a darling minature lop-earred bunny for her 13th birthday. He was a darling bunny who fit in your palm and grew to only 3 pounds. Bailey was also housebroke so he got to live inside most of the time. Bailey loved teasing our cocker spaniel Tickles. He was able to hop into places Tickles couldn't go and it drove him crazy to be outsmarted by a rodent!

Rabbits make great pets. Rabbits are smart, easily housetrained and personable. They are natural chewers and have to have things to chew in order to keep their teeth filed. They'll chew almost anything so you have to protect rabbits from electrical cords and other hazards. And, spay or neuter pet rabbits or they will reproduce very quickly.

Empty Nest

Oreo is adjusting to his new home and family. His name is Doc now. Doc lives with another dog, a cat and their people. By all accounts (except from Malcolm the cat) Doc is loved. I know he'll have a great life.

After delivering Doc to his new home, I made the return trip in silence and appreciated the time to reminise about Annie and her puppies. I thought about how unacceptible puppy mills are, the excitement of helping with the births of Annie's puppies, the helplessness of losing one of the puppies, watching the puppies grow and play and all the other times the past three months. It was nice to drive down the road and not worry about how I looked with tears streaming down my face. The tears flowed and the nest felt so empty!

Arriving home, I was ready to walk inside and see that my nest really isn't empty. The Welcoming Committee was in full force. Jasmine, Maggie, Brandy, Pennie and Granddog Kirby were delighted to see me. Then, as all the excitement settled down at the front door, here came Annie. She stayed only a few seconds, but Annie was there and she joined in the reunion.

May 1st is Paws-itive Partners' Woofstock event. It's a day-long event beginning with Yappy Hour and continuing into dog contests, a general store and bake sale, cake walks, a BBQ, kid's games and much more. Time for me to get busy making signs, baking and freezing food items and recruiting volunteers to help. I have a blast at Woofstock - visiting with people, seeing the dogs, enjoying the fresh air and the opportunity to share about Paws-itive Partners. Woofstock is a lot of fun and if you live around North Platte I hope you'll plan to make Woofstock part of your May 1st.

It's nice to have Daughter Molly and Granddog Kirby visiting for a few days. Last evening Husband Bob said he knew Annie was here to stay. Molly's my witness. Yes, Bob said the words! :)

Flamingos in March?

What a surprise to wake up to a flock of flamingos in our front yard! Not only do we have dogs and puppies finding their way to our house, but now we have flamingos!!! The local Girl Scout troop is "flocking" as a fund raiser for an upcoming trip to Georgia. If you're flocked, you have to make a donation to have the flamingos removed from your yard. It's all in fun and what an ingenius idea.
The first thing I thought of when I saw the flamingos in our yard was Daughter Molly. Molly and some of her college friends would go by the dark of night and borrow flamingos from yards in Crete. I wasn't ever sure where those flamingos ended up.

You've been flocked!

Sun Day

It's a perfect Sunday to bask in the sunshine. Husband Bob and I have also enjoyed relaxing in the backyard. Jasmine and Maggie are in the photo together and the other photo is of Annie. Annie is fitting in very well with the pack. She's spending more time in the same room as Bob and me and she seems to like our other dogs.

Bob has always been good about picking up after himself so I didn't know why his underwear was scattered here and there. The mystery's been solved - Annie sorted the clothes on the floor in front of the washing machine, selected Bob's and moved them to other parts of the house. Why men's undies?

Yesterday Robyn and Bolt went to their new homes. The puppies are going to do just fine and I feel good about their new people. Oreo's the only puppy left so it's much quieter around here now. Oreo seemed a little lost without his brother and sister yesterday but we've kept him busy today and he's doing fine. Annie has adjusted well to her puppies leaving. She's spending less and less time in her corner.

Remember that one of the puppies was named after The Telegraph reporter who covered the story about the puppy mill where Annie came from? Mark-the-puppy was adopted by Mark-the-reporter and now goes by Junior. Friday Junior came back to visit and it was fun to see him again. Mark-the-reporter is planning a follow-up story about the puppy mill. I hope the story will talk about all the reasons to not buy pets from circumstances a person hasn't investigated thouroughly. We have to put bad breeders out of business! Choose rescue first. :)

Fun in the Sun

Mile High in Denver

Duck and Sprout made the trip to Colorado and as of today they are Denverites. It was so hard telling the sweeties good bye. I hate it when I cry but I can't seem to stiffle my emotions. It's such a good and bad feeling to see the puppies move on. Duck and Sprout were adopted by wonderful people and I'm sure their lives will become so busy they'll forget about us quickly.

I'm spending the rest of the weekend with Daughter Molly in Denver while Husband Bob stayed home to care for the dogs and puppies. Last time we talked, Bob reported that Annie was on a hunger strike. She hasn't come gone out of her corner or eaten since I left. If nothing else works, Bob's going to get a bowl of ice cream, sit on the floor and hope Annie will join him.

The pictures are of the last three puppies we have - Oreo, Robin and Bolt. The puppies are nine weeks old today. Very active and so inquisitive. I want the best people in the dog world to have my puppies.

Bolt, Oreo and Robin - 9 weeks

Update

As the puppies have gotten older my blogs have gotten further apart. I haven't lost interest but I've lost time. It takes a long time to feed, water and change papers three times a day and longer to play with Annie and her puppies, as well as our four dogs. I'm not complaining - it's great living at the Dog Farm.


I've been told that the lady who owned the puppy mill has surrendered the rest of her dogs and puppies. It's been a long 2 1/2 months to make it happen but I'm relieved it's finally over.


The puppies are doing wonderfully! Puppy Mark went to his new home and his new name is Bark. Bark lives with his family of Mark, Traci, their three daughters and their other dogs. It sounds like a very good match. Elke will go to her new home in Callaway Monday and she's going to have a life of lovin' and attention. Sprout and Duck will be moving to Colorado next Saturday. The transition from the nursery to new homes is a happy time so why do I have this darn lump in my throat?


Annie is making good progress. She comes out from her corner more and she approaches Husband Bob more often. For so long, Annie's been too afraid to go outside but now that we pick her up and carry her out she is enjoying the freedom of the backyard. Annie isn't at all house trained so that's a challenge. We've had Annie 2 1/2 months and the vet said it could take 6 months for noticable improvement so we're ahead of schedule. Annie is playing tug of war and she likes chewing on her toys. She's been a wonderful mom to her family.

I can't imagine letting Annie leave. I don't know anyone who would adopt her and work with her fears and uncertainties. That said, I need a big favor from my dogblog friends. My wonderful husband has been unwavering in his support of my love of dogs but he thinks we are maxed out on dogs now. Can you please sign up as a "follower" and vote for Annie staying with us? We need to keep Annie, but Husband Bob hasn't realized it yet. You could help convince him. Pleeeze?


I'll send a few current puppy pictures this weekend. They are squeezably sweet!

Family Pictures

Night Owls

When Sister Robin, Brother Chris, Brother George and I were kids, our parents called us Night Owls when we preferred nighttime over day. Last night there were several Night Owls at our house. The puppies were yipping and yapping into the wee hours with no sign of sleep coming. I woke up again at 2:30 and there were still noisy puppies. Poor Annie, she can't escape the puppies.

When the puppies were first born we made their bed in a plastic pool. At three weeks, the family moved into a 4' x 5' pen and by five weeks they were running all over their 7' x 9' pen. A couple days ago the puppies s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d onto their tippy toes and pull themselves over the top of the pen to freedom. We had to nail a board around the walls of the pen to keep the puppies inside when we aren't home. Dear Bob, it's been 8 weeks since he's been able to park his SUV in the garage and I haven't heard any complaining even though I know he doesn't like scraping windshields and getting into a cold vehicle every morning.

Time's passed quickly since the puppies were born 7 weeks ago. They've become independent and curious and are almost ready to go to their own homes. I caution people that when they come to pick up their puppy not to worry if they see me cry. I try not to, but the tears usually come freely. I'm sorry to let the sweethearts go but it's a happy time to know they are starting their new lives. I think my tears are a combination of joy and sadness.

I look forward to spending more one-on-one time with Annie and I know she's going to progress in socializing and confidence. Things are much better than two months ago but there is a long way to go to get Annie out from her corner. Last night Annie went into the backyard. She was afraid at first but when Jasmine, Maggie, Brandy and Pennie followed, it seemed to help. The vet estimated Annie to be four or five years old and she has a big world ahead to discover.

Yesterday at the dog park Maggie and Jas found the scent of a rabbit. They followed the trail around in the snow and really thought they were onto something. When the tracks took Maggie and Jas to the fence, (I could see where the rabbit had slipped underneath) you could see the disappointment that the wild hunt was over. It didn't last long; off to the next venture - chasing the tennis ball, rolling in the snow, sniffing butts. Oh, it's a dog's life!

Six Weeks

It's been snowing in North Platte since yesterday. Husband Bob was bemoaning that we had to take Jasmine, Maggie, Brandy and Pennie to the dog park when it would be a good day to stay inside. On the way, Bob bet we'd be the only people crazy enough to be at the dog park in the snow. You know the rest...What a great time our four had with the seven other dogs frollicking and playing! I haven't collected on the bet yet.

Pennie, our Corgi loves the snow. She's less than 12" tall at her shoulders so sometimes just about all you see is her head bouncing above the snow. Pennie gets the Snow Plow Award today as she forged trails through the white stuff. Jas and Maggie rolled in the snow and made snow dogs (the canine version of snow angels). I love the dog park. It's such fun to watch the dogs playing, being out in nature and it's been fun to meet other dog-people. Most of us don't know each other by name but we know the dog's names. There's Koda, Shera, Gage, Mystic, Keegan, Maddie, Max, Dawson, Preacher and on and on.

Husband Bob and I have gotten quite use to sitting on the floor talking to Annie to help her get comfortable with us. We visit, drink our morning coffee and speak softly so Annie will come over. Yesterday Annie bravely climbed over my legs to get closer to Bob. He offered her a treat and she took it and ran back to her corner. By the end of coffee time, Annie had gone to Bob four or five times and she was letting him pet her on her head, ears and back. Today, Annie initiated play with me. Great progress!

The puppies had their 6-week check ups and shots Saturday. They're all healthy and growing and weigh from 4.6 lbs to 5.8 lbs. Elke is the only one who is spoken for and now that we've celebrated week six, it's time to get busy and look for good homes. People who get my puppies have to have them for housepets, not outside. Dogs are very sociable and they want to be inside living with their family. My puppies need a fenced yard because I'm very, very opposed to chaining dogs. It's cruelty to have a dog's world only eight feet long. All my puppies have to be spayed and neutered when they are old enough. I believe the only way to stop animal overpopulation and unnecessary euthanizing is by spaying and neutering. Besides not having to reproduce, altered pets live longer lives and there are some cancers they absolutely cannot get.

If any of you blog friends are interested in one of our puppies please let me know. I need help finding good homes and I'd love to visit about the puppies.

Family Pictures

Aren't the photos of Annie's puppies darling? I know I'm bragging but I can't help it! My attempt to get a family portrait was only partially successful. I thought a basket of puppies would be a good picture but after getting two or three puppies in I could see it wasn't large enough for the growing family. Besides the basket picture, the other puppies are Duck, Softie and Robin.

Daughter Molly and Friends Barb and Matt visited for the 3-day weekend. At first I was a bit nervous of what having company would do to Annie, but I shouldn't have worried. Molly, Barb and Matt took extra time to focus on Annie and they spent literally hours sitting on the floor speaking softly to her. In the end, Annie responded. By Sunday afternoon, Annie came out from her corner for a few seconds at a time. There were a few times Annie let Molly pet her. Once she leaned up next to Barb and several times Matt was able to give her a treat from his hand.

Molly said she got so angry every time she looked at Annie. I didn't understand. Molly explained that she didn't know why anyone would treat a dog so badly as to cause the emotional pain Annie's suffered. I agree! It's sickening to think that a person could intentionally harm a living being the way the animals at the dog/puppy mill were.

Neighbors Cathy and Doug brought their family to meet the puppies Sunday. It was fun to see everyone doting over the puppies just like I do. Puppy Elka has found a new home and will be moving in with her new family in two or three weeks. I hadn't met Mary before Sunday but knowing she is a relative of Cathy and Doug's makes me very happy that Elka will be going to her.

fun fluffy times!

Dead Bed

Daughter Molly brought home a nice new bed for the dogs at Christmas time. Clean, fluffy and, oh, so soft. What in the world happened today?! Brandy wasn't alone in her destruction. Corgi Pennie was chewing on the bed too but she's camera shy and ran when I went into the room.

Bliss

I didn't realize others had noticed how hard it's been to see Annie and the puppies struggling with their health problems until a friend told me I looked more rested and happier this week. Yes, I feel more rested and am definitely happier but I didn't know it was so obvious. All the fur-children are thriving! Annie and the puppies have huge appetites and you can almost see the puppies growing by the minute.

Annie is still very timid but we're making progress. This evening I got her to play a brief game of tug-of-war. Her tail was wagging and she seemed to be having fun before she ended the game. As I've been writing this, Annie's come into the family room to see what I'm doing. Her trips in are more frequent now, but she never stays more than 30 seconds or so. This last time in, Annie picked up Brandy's chew toy and took the toy back to her hiding place.

A friend asked the names of our puppies and it occurred to me that I've not listed everyone. The puppies' official names are Duck, Elka, Mark, Robin, Oreo, Sprout, Softie and Bolt. :)

You've probably seen the pictures of litters posed on the park bench or puppies lined up at their dishes eating. How can anyone photograph so many puppies at one time? I've tried and tried to get Annie's babies in one photo and it cannot be done! Eight puppies going in eight different directions. I haven't given up though and my hope is to get a picture of the whole family onto the dogblog.

Four Weeks Today

Annie's puppies were born four weeks ago today. In four weeks, the wee ones have gone from weighing just a few ounces and being totally helpless to weighing 2-3 pounds and becoming inquisitive, active puppies. The puppies are toddling around, climbing and yip-yapping to be held. Annie is spending less time with the puppies and is walking away when they want to nurse. The puppies are drinking formula and their teeth are starting to come in.

Annie and her family has dealt with health problems the past month but I think that is all behind us now. Annie's a wonderful dog and she's a very good mother. She's gained some confidence in herself but there's still a long way to go. Friend Nancy visited Friday and Annie hid the whole time. It was just too scary to come out to meet someone new. Annie's world was very small before she came into ours. I remember that the vet said we might not see noticeable improvement for six months. I think Annie's ahead of schedule.

The pictures you've seen on dogblog the past few days are of Mark, Robin and Sprout. Aren't they adorable?

Growing up!!

Catch Up

Hi,
It's been a few days since I've been able to update about the Dog Farm. Like everyone else, it seems like I don't have enough hours to get everything done.
The puppies and Annie finished one of their medicines today and they have only two days left on antibiotics. At one point, we were giving the litter a total of 24 doses daily. The puppies liked the taste of one of the medications but another was awful and they squirmed and gagged and spit before finally swallowing. Most of the puppies are feeling better but three still cry a lot. It's hard to watch them hurt. The little brown puppy is officially "Robin" now. She's named after Veterinarian Robin who's taken such good care of Annie and the puppies. The added bonus is that my sister and sister-in-law are Robins too. What great namesakes Robin the Puppy has.
We took advantage of the nice weather yesterday and were at the Bark Park early. Others had the same idea and there were lots of happy people and dogs enjoying themselves. There were 14 dogs on the large dog side and three on the small dog side. What a great variety of dogs and people!
Bob is making progress with Annie starting to approach him. Is it the spoonful of ice cream last evening and the piece of steak this evening that's winning her over?

Saturday Night Out

It wasn't a wild night out on the town but we were out and it was night! Husband Bob and I looked in on Annie and her family before bedtime and the little brown puppy was pooping blood. I'll spare the details, but we knew that wasn't good. We called the vet and after just a few questions, Dr. Vinson said to meet her at the clinic. With Little Girl and stool samples from Annie and her in tow, off we went. Tests indicated the puppy doesn't have parvo so that was wonderful! Three week old puppies usually can't survive parvo. Further tests indicated Annie is "saturated" with hook worms and whipworms and the parasites were passed to the babies through nursing. Last night the poor little puppy was poked, prodded, injected and treated for dehydration. The vet said it was good we acted quickly and she's hopeful everyone will come through. Our house has taken on the appearance of a pharmacy - puppy formula, lots of syringes, antibiotics and worming medication for Annie and eight puppies.

The last time I wrote, Husband Bob had brought home a lost lab. What a tornado he turned out to be! Had we had to keep him, his name would have been Chaos! What a sweet, lovable dose of busy!

Today promises to be beautiful weather for the end of January. It will be a perfect day for Jas, Maggie, Brandy and Pennie to run, explore and sniff butts at the dog park.

Husband Bob called and started the conversation with, "You aren't going to be very happy with me but I've become just like you!" What in the world was he was talking about? Bob was on his way from work this evening when he saw a puppy running in and out of traffic at B Street and Willow. Cars were weaving and honking but only one car stopped. Bob was sure the puppy was about to get hit. He stopped and picked the puppy up and drove home. His comments on the phone were: "The puppy's trying to eat my cell phone!...He's climbing on the dash! I'm not making this up!" Bob arrived home safely with a darling black lab puppy that appears to be about 4 - 5 months old! We called the police station and no one has reported him missing. He'll be spending the night here and I hope he will be reunited with his people tomorrow. In the meantime, Big Boy has climbed all over anything taller than the floor, joined Bob at the computer (and pulled the speakers off the desk) and is trying to get the other dogs to play with him.

Annie ventured into the kitchen for the first time today. She was scared but mastered her fear of walking on vinyl. I predict that Annie will become more adventuresome every day - as soon as Big Boy the new puppy goes away!

Three of Annie's puppies have names now and I'm contemplating the others. The new names? Duck, Elka and Mark. The day we got Annie I gave her a stuffed toy that looks like a duck. Annie carried the duck around and kept it with her in her bed. After the puppies were born, she still kept the duck close and at times it was hard to tell the duck from one of the black, brown and white puppies. So, he's Duck. Elka is the girlfriend of Friend Larry and she's very passionate about animals. Elka has jet black hair so of course our blacestk female puppy is now Elka. Mark is our little black puppy with white markings. Mark is named after the Telegraph news reporter who wrote about the puppy mill where Annie was saved from and Mark stayed vigilant in keeping the public interest in the puppy mill.

Life is good!

January 27, 2010

Back at It

Saturday morning our computer died - no warning, no goodbyes. Just dead. I didn't realize how much I would miss the computer until I didn't have it. We're back among the connected now.

Yesterday the puppies started opening their eyes; it's a gradual process that takes a few days. Several of the puppies have progressed to standing on their wobbly legs and taking a few steps. Crawling is still the most reliable transportation though.

Annie had her stitches (Cesarean) removed Saturday. She doesn't walk on a leash so I had to carry her in and out of the vet clinic. The vet, again, said not to expect too much improvement in Annie's emotional state too quickly. We talked about how Annie had moved her puppies around and the vet saidshe was trying to hide and protect them. The trip to the vet must have been really difficult for Annie because she moved her puppies all weekend. I know Annie was stressed, but worrying about and searching for puppies was pretty stressful for me too!!

Annie's new hiding place is behind the freezer. She spent a lot of the weekend hiding there but for some reason this morning Annie acted like a new dog. She jumped up on me when she saw me this morning. She came into the family room for the first time in three days, she tried interacting with the other dogs and she even followed me into the kitchen. After a few seconds she ran back to the puppies but I was really proud of her courage and curiosity.

For those of you who don't know, the woman who had the puppy mill where Annie came from surrendered 10 more dogs and that makes around 90 dogs total. Any dogs still in the poor living conditions of the mill is too many and I'm hopeful that the woman will give up the rest. I've been told that USDA is going stay vigilant and watch her very closely.

It's nice to see the days getting longer. After work, it's a race to get home, change clothes, bundle up to face the cold and wind and get to the Bark Park for a bit of fresh air before dark. The four big dogs (Jasmine, Maggie, Brandy and Pennie) love running and sniffing. Their friends Gage the white German Shepherd, Mystic the Bloodhound and Shera the Husky were at the park to run and chase with this evening. It's so much fun to see the delight of being a dog!

Hello All! This is Molly hacking into my mom's blog...The computer at the Mayber Dog Farm took a dive and is no longer in service. My parents hope to be back on-line sometime Monday. My dad said today that Annie is still trying to hide the pups but all are still doing well.
Thanks so much for reading my mom's blog! It really means a lot to me...Check back in a few days!
Molly

Two Steps Forward One Step Back

The Dog Farm is thriving. The four Mayber dogs are happy because they're getting extra treats - to make up for the attention Annie and her brood have taken from them. Don't feel too badly for Jas, Maggie, Brandy and Pennie. They still get to the dog park every day and get lots of loving, just not so much one-on-one time.

Annie's puppies are a rolly-polly 12-days old now. Everyone is doing great.

When we got Annie from the puppy mill, the veterinarian told us not to overstimulate Annie with new experiences to quickly. Because of that, we've limited Show-and-Tell but last evening a neighbor came to visit the nursery. Annie retreated to under the table and watched from a distance as our friend lovingly held three of the puppies. I don't know if that's what caused today's change in behavior, but oh, dear. Bob went to check on Annie this morning when she started barking. She had taken one of the puppies out of the bed and he was lying on the floor. Bob returned the puppy to the bed and we thought everything was okay. I went to tell Annie bye before I left for work and she had taken another puppy out and he was on the floor. Thank goodness for my understanding Boss Lonnie who let me come home early for lunch to check on the puppies. Of course, the first thing I saw when I walked in was a completely empty dog bed! Where could eight puppies and a momma dog have gone? It was only a minute when I found that Annie had moved her entire family. Two puppies were tangled in a sheet, one was under a blanket and all of them were crying. As I put each puppy back into bed Annie was working just as hard to take them out. Chaos! My determination was greater than Annie's because I won and Annie gave up. All I can think of is that maybe Annie wasn't ready for the neighbor to hold her puppies last evening and maybe she thought she needed to move them away. (I'll check on the family every little bit until I know Annie's okay with things again.)

Last night was Paws-itive Partners' young people's group, Paws-itive Kids. We had twelve kids from age 7 to 16. The kids who attend are there because they love animals so every meeting is animal-themed. Last night we talked about puppy mills and how awful it is to raise dogs and puppies in that environment. I told them a little about Annie. On the less serious side, we had a lesson about wild animals and a wild animal sanctuary three hours from North Platte in Keensburg, Colorado. We had fun activities like animal trivia and snacks, of course. What a smart bunch of kids. I have to work really hard to keep ahead of them!

Friend Pat created a Paws-itive Partners facebook page and asked if I could put my dog blog on the facebook. Remember, I'm the one who didn't know what a blog was until Daughter Molly created this one for me. Unless someone else volunteers to come to my rescue, getting the dog blog on facebook will have to wait until Molly comes home to visit again. It's terrible to be so handicapped at the computer!

Thanks for your interest, comments and emails about life on the Dog Farm. :)

Progress

It's been nice to be off work for the three day weekend. Most of my time has been spent doing dog/puppy things. As you can see in the pictures, momma and babies are doing great! Growing everyday. Annie is a good mom and she's very attentive to the puppies. How do you like the close up picture of the puppy? Don't you just love that cute little baby tongue!

The picture of the brown dog is our Brandy. She's wearing her melancholy face in an attempt to make you feel sorry for her. Brandy had just been told to go lay down. Annie didn't want her so close while she was feeding the puppies. Poor Brandy - rejection hurts.

Bob and I were sitting on the floor near Annie's bed this morning - letting her get use to Bob. Annie got all her courage up and went to Bob to accept a dog treat. Of course, she ran back to her bed to eat the treat. After getting the first treat it got easier and Annie went to Bob three more times for treats. Annie's making progress.

Sunny Side Up

I just went to look at the puppies and Annie. One of the little boys was laying on his back, tummy-side up and basking in the sunshine. It's just the perfect Sunday afternoon activity - napping in the warmth of the sun pouring in through the window. To celebrate their one week birthday yesterday, we had a weigh-in. Most of the puppies have doubled their weight in their week of life. The vet suggested buying a food scale to monitor the puppies' weight - they've already outgrown the 16-ounce scale.

I mentioned previously that Annie's puppies were born by Caesarean but I didn't tell you that I helped with the delivery! The whole thing was so unplanned for a Saturday at the clinic because there was only one veterinarian and two techs working. When Annie needed surgery, the vet asked if we (Friend Levaun was with me) had ever seen a Ceacerean and of course we hadn't. The vet said we were going to help! Suddenly things got very busy and fast paced. The vet explained what I needed to do to aggressively rub/clean the puppies to start curculation and how to shake (literally) breath into them. Quickly. She sedated Annie, prepared her for surgery and we were ready for the puppies. The puppies started coming and coming and coming. At one point, I asked how many there were and the tech said she quit counting at six! Oh, dear, this isn't what Iwanted for rescue puppies! With a litter of rescue puppies, you hope for a small litter because of the difficulty of finding good adoptive homes. Finally, all the puppies had arrived. Nine beautiful, squeaking, squirming puppies! The experience of seeing the surgery, helping with newborn puppies and witnessing the flawlessness of the veterinarian and techs is something I will remember for a long time. It was a privilige to be part of it.

Several people have commented they've enjoyed reading about the dogs and puppies. I asked Husband Bob if he'd read any of my dog blog. He hasn't. Why? "Because I live it everyday!" :)

Growing Fast

Last night was our monthly Paws-itive Partners Humane Society meeting so I didn't have much time with our big dogs or Annie and her puppies. I don't usually like going out once I get home after work, but I always have the enthusiasm for getting to Paws-itive Partners. It's so gratifying to hear about the pets we've been able to help from one month's meeting to the next. I love my friends in PPHS.

Math and statistics weren't ever of much interest to me but for some reason I like to think about the multiples of so many dogs and puppies in our house. We have 13 tails in varying degrees of wag, 26 ears and 52 feet! Our very own canine army.

I don't know why Husband Bob accuses me of spoiling the dogs. It makes sense to me that everyone has their own tastes. The puppies have supplemental formula, Annie has high calorie food, Brandy and Pennie eat sensitive skin food and Jaz and Maggie have to watch their figures with special trim line kibbles. You should see the kitchen counter with all the dishes lined up preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner!

The puppies are getting bigger and stronger everyday. They're creeping faster and their little legs are pushing more. I weighed one of the puppies last evening and Annie had a fit that that I took him away even for the 30 seconds. One of the puppies has developed a brown undercoat and he's looking quite handsome. I think the puppies will have semi-long hair. Their coat's have become very shiny.

In one of the previous blogs I mentioned attempting to engage Annie in dog play. I shouldn't have said anything about it because Robin and Nora sent comments requesting pictures of my butt-in-the-air pose! You can rest assured you won't ever have to be subjected to seeing that. No 8 x 10 glossies of me, thank you very much!

I picked up Little Boy's ashes from the vet clinic today. Even though his time with us was brief, he's back home where he belongs.

Now, if I can figure out the digital camera, I'll send you today's photos of the puppies. :)