ACSPCA

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Poppy

I once read an article or something where in the course of filming A League of their Own, Rosie O’Donnell wondered what’s so great about Geena Davis; she doesn’t do anything.  Then  when viewing the scenes later she said, “Oh, I get it.”  (This is all from memory, so forgive me if it is somewhat inaccurate.)  Geena Davis in her stillness is regal and commands attention. 

That is Poppy.

While it is quite well known that I am dog-selective and prefer the block-heads to the pointy-snout crew, the moment I saw her gliding through the kennel area my jaw dropped to the floor. 

Throughout our moving and settling in process, we’ve had so many people in and out of our home and we heard quite frequently that our dogs look intimidating.  That is invariably followed by a comment of how sweet and well behaved they actually are.  I guess to those who aren’t familiar with these types of clowns they can look like large oafs ready to bum rush you. 

Terrifying!

When I entered Poppy’s kennel, she stood stock still and didn’t react.  Her stance and posture did not make me feel that she was on high alert, but rather more like an aware/alert.  Like she was taking in everything.  I stroked her neck and her back, rubbed her ears and when I dropped my hand to my side, she asked for more attention by sliding her head under my hand.  I leashed her up.  She was absolutely a dream as we trotted out to the back yard.  The yard is sectioned in three areas and I took her to one of the back and E took Cindy, a young, exuberant boxer mix to the front area where we could chat through the fence and see if the dogs would play. 

Poppy wandered around and was finally not immune to Cindy’s charms and they trotted back and forth along the fence a bit so I picked up a tennis ball and Poppy chased it down and trotted around with it in her mouth a bit.  Glimpses of the ability and desire to have some fun, which was a welcomed sign.  She’s bony-skinny though not emaciated as if she was once well loved and tended to but maybe had fallen on hard times. 

The second day I spent with her, I was greeted with a nub wiggle!  True to her Geena Davis channeling self, it was a controlled wag but oh-so-rewarding to me.  I took her out quickly for a potty break but since she was shivering so much, we went inside and played, petted and cuddled in her kennel.  When it was her turn to get a bath, I helped and then dried her off extra well in her kennel, wrapped her in some warm blankets and stroked her head till her shivering subsided and she fell asleep. 

I sat with her for well over an hour and when I finally moved, she stayed wrapped in her warm cocoon, as I hoped she would. 

This girl is about four years old and just the most regal and loving dog.  I had brief visions of her in our home and somehow see something like Snow White and the two dwarfs or a queen and her two court jesters. 

I know there are some Dobie lovers out there and she will be adopted soon, so I’m just going to network her and enjoy any brief time we might share. 

If you know someone who will cherish this regal beauty, send them to the Allen County SPCA.

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Adopt a Senior

As we close out November, which was Adopt a Senior month, I’d like to highlight these two sweet treats who are currently at the Allen County SPCA. They are a bonded pair, which I can certainly attest to. I walked each of them the other day and was told by other volunteers that they each were quite upset when the other was gone. The other thing I can attest to? They are puppies in senior clothing. They were both eager are ready to chase squirrels, leaves, air, etc. and had a wonderful time on their walk.

Because they are an older bonded pair, the shelter staff hope they can stay together and have listed them with a single adoption fee.

Please share.


Chocolate and Vanilla, seniors in age, pups in spirit.



I leave you with this poem that is making it’s way around Blogville:

One by One, they pass by my cage. Too old, too worn, too broken, no way.
Way past his time, he can’t run and play.
Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way.

A little old man, arthritic and sore, It seems I am not wanted anymore.
I once had a home, I once had a bed, A place that was warm, and where I was fed.
Now my muzzle is grey, and my eyes slowly fail. Who wants a dog so old and so frail? My family decided I didn’t belong, I got in their way, my attitude was wrong.
Whatever excuse they made in their head, Can’t justify how they left me for dead. Now I sit in this cage, where day after day, The younger dogs get adopted and driven away.
When I had almost come to the end of my rope, You saw my face, and I finally had hope. You saw thru the grey, and the legs bent with age, And felt I still had life beyond this cage.
You took me home, gave me food and a bed, And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head. We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low, You love me so dearly, you want me to know.
I may have lived most of my life with another, But you outshine them with a love so much stronger. And I promise to return all the love I can give, To you, my dear person, as long as I live.
I may be with you for a week, or for years, We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears. And when the time comes that God deems I must leave, I know you will cry and your heart, it will grieve.
And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new, My thoughts and my heart will still be with you. And I will brag to all who will hear, Of the person who made my last days so dear.
– Author Unknown

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Gray Muzzles

I didn’t even give her picture a second glance.  Typically, before I head to the shelter, I look at their website to see who is currently available.  Being that  I go on my lunch, it kind of helps me plan my visit.  I usually pick out a few that I want to visit with (and yeah, it’s usually some type of Pit bull or “bully” breed).  Sometimes it’s a puppy or one who needs a little TLC due to stress in the environment.  This day was no different.  I saw a few Pit Bull mixes that I wanted to visit with.  I saw a familiar face attached to an unfamiliar name and my eyes wandered right over her.  In fact when I saw her, I didn’t even know she was a “her.”

I visited with some puppies, threw a ball in the yard with my Lily-Rumor bug for a while, took another sweet faced gal out for a pottie break and then I saw her.  In fact, I had walked by her kennel at least six times already before casting a glance her way.  Her silver muzzle was striking below her kind brown eyes.  I read her kennel card:  Eight years young and unable to move with her family, so she was surrendered.  I immediately burst into tears and took her out for a walk. 

Who does that?  I know that plenty of people do, but who does that?  Ten years ago we moved to this general area and although we had a list of requirements for the house, our nearly top priority was the ablilty to fence the yard for our Chow-Chow.  We discarded many viable options based on that single criteria.  I know  not everyone has that option and sometimes circumstances are beyond our control but who does that? 

Jazz is calm, happy, loving and gentle.  She is smart and agreeable and has many good great years left. 

With November being adopt a senior month, I am going to ask that you share her or any other senior that you know of who is presently in a shelter waiting for their final forever home. 

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Connections

As we continue nesting, we had a big adjustment to make in regards to heating. Our former home had radiant ceiling heat and therefore, no vents and ductwork. Since we now have a furnace and our new home had been vacant then redone, we decided it would be prudent to have the furnace and all of the ductwork cleaned.

One of the challenges when having work done in the home is making sure workers are not intimidated or fearful of my boys. Maybe I’m naïve, biased, or just a loving dog mommy, but how could anyone be intimidated or fearful of these faces? Ray’s nutmeg eyes are always so open and earnest while Juli’s onyx orbs are open and eager for love.

Anyhow, the worker showed up recently to clean the ducts and as is Kevin’s nature, he began finding out all there is to know about this person, namely not only was he a dog lover, he adopts and his wife wants to foster. As a result, Kevin called me to say his new friend adopted a Pit bull type from the shelter a couple of months ago. I said I would have to have met her, because I knew all of the pit bulls that came through there in the last year. Haley, he said her name was, a brindle girl. The only pit bull that was there around August was Rapunzel, who I was walking when I met Julius. “Are you sure they didn’t adopt from ACC,” I asked Kevin?

No, he said she was transferred from ACC to SPCA and that’s where they adopted her from. This sent me back to my photos in my phone. What Pit bulls would I have been walking around that time? Why couldn’t I remember Haley?

I sent Kevin a picture of Rapunzel and got a message back. “That’s her. She was called Rapunzel in the shelter, they call her Haley now.”

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If You Name the Puppy

I was out for a walk with one of my current favorites from the shelter recently when I encountered a big surprise.  Rapunzel and had stopped briefly for some poochie smoochies when all of a sudden I glanced up to see another dog running toward us.  He looked quite happy and sweet, but like with any off leash dog (without a collar) I felt a flash of apprehension.  He turned out to be just a dog of the neighborhood, about 5-6 months old and looking for some fun.  He was also somewhat dirty, had thin hair and a huge open sore on his ear. 

Had to Check
I had to make sure that whatever was wrong with this little guy’s ear wasn’t contagious and secondly that he wasn’t a stray roaming the streets so with the the help of some neighborhood folks and a loaned belt as a makeshift slip lead, I got them both back to the shelter.  Once in the intake kennel, this little guy started collecting hearts with his sweet demeanor and soulful eyes and I soon found myself sitting on the floor with fellow volunteer, E, making over this sweet pup.

A Dime a Dozen
Unfortunately our kennels were full so I soon discovered that Animal Care and Control was called to come pick up our little stray.  Being that he was clearly under a year old, I knew he had no chance of entering the Pit Bull ambassador program that AC&C offers so unless he was pulled by a rescue, his chances were slim and despite his winning personality, dogs who look like him are a dime a dozen in our area.

My buddy volunteer, E, began brainstorming.  E is at his city limit (5 dogs) but could take him home as a foster if he was in a program but that wasn’t guaranteed either.  I couldn’t let him go but knew I was possibly jumping into something by following my heart rather than my head.  I would take him to the vet to make sure the sore was not contagious and that the thinness of the hair was not mange.  We wondered what his name was or what we would call him.  I told E I had an idea, but “once you name the puppy, the puppy is yours” so we held off.

One of the great staff at the Shelter found a collar and leash we could use so E and I walked Puppy to the vet clinic for a check up where the entire staff of the clinic quickly became smitten.  He didn’t have mange and the sore on his ear is from fly bites.  Ick.  Dr. R said a topical antibiotic like neosporin would clear it up and since it looked like he’d be coming home with me, I had him wormed and vaccinated.  I nearly said his ‘secret’ name out loud, but I held strong.

Walking back to the shelter, we decided that E would take Puppy home until I got off work when a car came screeching up behind us and the driver said “HEY!” then glared at us.  The lady in the passenger seat got out and said, “That’s my dog.”

I asked her where she lived, and the street was the same as where I found him and she said he didn’t have a collar because he was playing with the other dog and it came off.  She said his name was Smokey and that he was the last of a litter that her dog, Onyx, had.  Because it was clearly her dog, with a heavy heart I handed him over with his new collar, a rabies tag, and a heartworm tablet.  We introduced ourselves and G took her dog away, saying he’d already had his vaccinations and this would be his second rabies tag.

About an hour later, I was surprised to get a call from E.  He actually sounded just as surprised as me, when he said G had returned to the shelter and decided that I might be able to provide a better home for “Smokey” and if I wanted him, I could come get him!

Tune in tomorrow for what happend next.

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Setting Up For…

Failure.

Recognizing your weaknesses.  Acknowledging your prejudices.  Knowing your limits.

Every Thursday throughout the summer we have Lunch on the Square, where a local musician plays music, the food trucks descend and people fill the square and enjoy lunch al fresco.  We also bring a couple of adoptable dogs from the SPCA to strut their adoptable stuff and hopefully find a home.  After one near fiasco with a dog who didn’t do well in crowds, we stuck to the best of the best, so to speak.  We brought some true ambassadors for the shelter and by that same token, heard some valuable feedback.  People sought us out to see the star of the week and we heard more than one surprised person say that they had no idea such awesome dogs were available.  Too often the public’s perception is that of the broken and abused dog who will need so much work.  People don’t realize pets make their way to the shelter for a multitude of reasons and some of the most wonderful companions are waiting for their second or third chance.

Recently during some extreme heat, I decided to sign up at the last minute for a Lunch date and showed up to collect my date.  I knew it was probably a bad idea because of the heat.  I knew there were several dogs that I wanted to spend some time with and if I went to Lunch I would forego their company. 

I was paired with a long haired small dog who pancakes when being taken out of the kennel but is a happy little wiggle butt when outside.  I had my doubts.  I felt apprehensive.  This dog walked in swirly little circles in front of me.  This dog jumped at noises. 

We arrived at a parking garage and had to park on the uppermost level.  This dog doesn’t do stairs or elevators so we walked down the ramp to the street level.  She sat for a few pets then hid under the park bench and quivered so I knew that since neither of us were having fun, we should head back. 

I felt horrible because this dog is literally one of the sweetest little gals ever, but in my breed specific prejudice, she started out with a strike, in my mind.  The hot day and my disappointment at not being with one of my big-heads made me small and mean spirited, but also taught me a little bit more about myself.  I knew this wasn’t a good idea with the heat and a slightly hesitant dog, so I should have felt confident enough to express myself.  I should have acknowledged that staying close to the shelter and going for short walks would have been the best option for all involved.

A lesson learned.

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Question

Has your heart grown fonder?  Because we have been absent for over two weeks and really have no excuse.  Well, no good excuse.  We’ve been doing a lot of this:

…and a lot of this:

….while always still making time for this:

We’ve missed being here and do have some posts planned, so thanks for hanging in there with us!

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Behind the Glamorous Facade

Despite the fact that Glamour has at her pawtips an extensive wardrobe of Sirius collars and accessories, Dog Gone Cute decorations,  and also some Lamae tutus at her disposal, these are all borrowed items to help her find a home and not her own belongings.  Her borrowed collar is frayed from repeated use by former residents of the shelter as is her leash and other items. 

Glamour, while I’m sure, is grateful for her stay at the shelter and the excellent care she receives, does not like it there.  A home of her own is what this girl wants and needs.  She showed me that she has pretty good house manners.

She helps with the sweeping and floor cleaning without judging my housekeeping skills.

She helps supervise the laundry without grabbing all undies and socks in sight. (ahem, Ray)  While she was not in her crate, she saw our kitties and had absolutely zero interest in them.  When she was crated, she did bark at Miko when he entered her room, but it was a brief shout out to him.  When Asia reentered the house, Glamour gave one bark as well.  Just one and she was good.  A drawback may be her size.  This lady is musclebound, but she is a “pocket pittie.”  Potential adopters looking for a small dog will overlook her as a “muscle-bound pit bull” and Pit Bull type people may overlook her because she is small.

Girlfriend is selective.  She doesn’t like all people all the time, she doesn’t like a hand coming at her head (who does, really?)  and we are still finding out what all of her triggers might be.  Shelter stress really has to be a big factor.  The morning before I took her back, we sat by the pool and just chilled.  Her tail wags so hard that it beats each of her sides as her booty wiggles back and forth.  She climbs in my lap and gets out and repeats, until she finds a nice spot in front of my to receive some back and shoulder rubs. 

I’ve heard and read how adopted dogs are so grateful, but since I adopted Ray at only seven weeks, he really accepts everything as his due.  That morning, I could feel the stress leave and the calm enter her.  I could just feel Glamour’s appreciation. 

If you know anyone who would be interested in receiving the love and gratitude that only Glamour can give, please have them contact me or the Allen County SPCA to find out more about the Glamour Girl.

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Not the Mama

But I worry about them just the same.  While I celebrate every adoption, a small part of me feels sad, envious, worried, frustrated for those not chosen, or the last ones picked, the ones overlooked, the long-term residents, my babies. 

My Glamour girl is a handful, make no mistake.  There were days when even I didn’t feel up to visiting her knowing that I’d have to keep her from jumping and the first 5 minutes or so of the walk will be an exercise in pulling. Because of that, sometimes her walks were shorter than they should be but on the other hand when things are going well, her walks were longer than many of the others.

Lately, though, I see her getting “small” when she comes to the kennel door and when I enter, she knows to go to her bed and sit or I won’t put her collar on her.  Once the collar is on, there’s a fair amount of twirly-whirls which often involve a bounce or two off the wall.  She has spirit!

Our shelter usually doesn’t have dogs in house very long.  Adoption rates are really good, so when a dog is there for over a month or more they usually get to become office dogs to help break up the monotony and keep up the socialization.  Glamour got a turn in one of the offices until she learned to jump the cubicle walls and ended up back in a kennel.  This week, due to some great adoption numbers, she finds herself in the front office area for awhile just as I am able to furlough her for a few evenings for even more of a break.

On the first particular evening, the stars aligned so that only Asia and I (and Ray) were home, so we orchestrated a little crate and rotate until we discovered that Glamour’s surname is probably Houdini.  Yep, she busted slithered out of the crate and made her way downstairs where she and Ray met face to face.  Since it was just a sniff and wiggle fest, Asia and I got a hold of a dog each and I parked Glamour out in the garage until I could come in and talk with Asia about a game plan. 

They had met, so we decided to take them out on leashes and see if they were socially inclined.  It was completely outside the original game plan of Glamour and Ray not meeting, but it actually turned out well.  Really well.  All twenty-five pounds of muscle gal, matched up really well with my Big’un and for short little bursts they played, they  bowed, and had a great time.  My pride in both of them knew no bounds.

Because we wanted to keep it on a very positive note, they only played for two very short sessions before I took Glamour back out the gate and around to the front, up the stairs and into her temporary abode.

Before darkness fell, I found Ray’s old harness and Glamour and I went out for a nice long bedtime walk where she explored nature, did her nightly toilette  and got nicely tired out before retiring with a drink of water and some soothing classical music.

Everyone settled in nicely for the evening and when that rude alarm sounded, I slipped out of bed, showered and woke Glamour from a sound sleep.  She unfurled herself from the nest of thick comforters and we headed down the stairs and out the back door for her morning relief.  She spent a few leisurely minutes reexploring the back yard off leash and then wiggled back to me for some pets. We sat by the pool and I rubbed her back and shoulders while she really seemed to be appreciative of her reprieve from the kennels.  She was so relaxed and calm and just …. peaceabull.