Peaceabull

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Best Friends-Volunteering

At last!  Time to volunteer.  We signed up for three shifts, the afternoon of arrival and both shifts the following day and planned as well to do sleepovers both nights.  As it turned out, knowing we wouldn’t be able to check into our hotel in Las Vegas for the final leg of the trip until late in the afternoon I was able to grab one last shift on Sunday morning, which became yet another highlight of the trip.

Friday

After lunch, we drove to Dogtown headquarters in time for our first volunteer shift.

Pictures of Lucas hang in the Dogtown lobby.

Pictures of Lucas hang in the Dogtown lobby.

 

Since we were first time volunteers there, were offered three different “octagon” areas of Dogtown Heights; The Fairway, The Garden or Old Friends.  Puppies?  No thanks.  Young adults?  Eh, we’ll pass.  Older but bolder?  Yes!  Old Friends was definitely an area we wanted to be in so we proceeded to the octagon buildings named Homer and Dolores after some very generous donors and after meeting the two dog caretakers there, set off walking some pooches and doing some general tasks in between.

There are set paths outside of Old Friends and the dogs definitely know their way around.  There’s a junction and you can take the shortest, the longest or the one in between but all are pretty clearly marked and trod, so you won’t loose your way.  When you return, you wait outside until the caretakers see you and they retrieve the dog from you and bring you another one.  It’s pretty simple and relatively taken for granted that making sure each dog is walked is the first priority.  All dogs in this area are “green collars” and for the most part really easy to walk.

 

Saturday Morning 

Upon arrival at Dogtown Headquarters on Saturday morning, I requested Conrad and Leopold’s in Old Dogtown because I especially wanted to meet one of the dog caregivers in that area.  Old Dogtown differs from Dogtown Heights in that it’s larger and also older.  In Dogtown Heights there are actually 4 octagon areas consisting of two octagons each.  The three listed previously house all “green collar” dogs-the dogs who can be handled by anyone.  In Old Dogtown, there are purple collars which can be handled by anyone over 18 and red collars which are staff -only in addition to green collars.  Conrad and Leopold’s was a total blast!  Not only did we get to take dogs on regular trail walks but we got to take Sydney to Tara’s Run which you might recognize from the Dogtown Series as the training facility and we got to help with a training walk.  This area was not only hands on but just more challenging in the best possible way.  I loved it!

Sydney and Kevin

Sydney and Kevin

Saturday Afternoon 

This was also spent in Old Dogtown in the octagons called “3 and 4” though they actually had real names as well.  Hermosa’s Hideaway was one name but the other escapes me.  For this shift, Kevin decided he would rather do an “outing” so he and Bolt went back to the Cottage to hang and chill.  Bolt is a tripod and you almost want to say “thank goodness.”  If Bolt had four legs there might not be a human who could keep up with him.

This area was similar in that the caregivers brought me a dog to walk on the trails with after giving me the run-down on any particulars or triggers.   Upon completing the walk we would wait on a bench within view to have the dog retrieved.  This area seemed pretty busy and I didn’t walk too many dogs, but I did get to see a “celebrity.”

Meryl was one of the (only) two Vick dogs court ordered to live out their lives at Best Friends; Lucas was the other one. Today rather than be a victim of her past and circumstances, Meryl shares a run with another dog, Buddy Arnold. Meryl will remain at the Sanctuary not because she is dangerous, but for her own protection as her value as a “trophy” is still thought to be very high.

 

Sunday Morning 

Scheduled to leave that morning, I convinced Kevin that I really needed to take one more shift and he agreed to finish the packing, loading and checking out while I worked.  Boy was it worth it.  I asked for and was assigned “The Clubhouse.”  Although The Clubhouse is in Dogtown Heights, it is run and feels more like Old Dogtown in that there are red, purple and green collar dogs.  I met the caregiver outside and we chatted about what the needs would be for the morning.  Breakfast had been fed, so bowls needed to be washed, dogs needed to be walked and Sunday was deep clean day at Amra, one of the two octagons.  I mentioned that I had requested The Clubhouse knowing that Mya and Curly were there and the caregiver worked an interaction into our schedule.  That morning after washing breakfast dishes, I walked a few dogs and this time actually accompanied the caregiver into the runs to collect my walking buddy.  Upon returning, it was again to a waiting bench, but this time waiting was minimal.  We swept and mopped kennels and then finally I got my chance to see Mya and Curly up close and personal.  Well, as up close and personal as was possible with them.  I’ll tell you more about it later this week, so be sure to stop back.

Things I was pleased to have: comfy jeans and wellies!  The terrain is very sandy and a bit hilly, so comfortable (close toe) footwear is a must.  Since I knew the temps would vary from the 30’s to the 50’s I was happy to have my boots.  Good traction and sand resistance was a must.  Layering the tops with a lightweight jacket was a good idea as well.  One of the things I forgot, much to my chagrin, is that I forgot to activate my Walk for a Dog app.  I’m sure I racked up some serious mileage because I actually was able to pull a pair of jeans off without undoing them by the end of the week.  WOOT!

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Best Friends-The Tour

Whenever I thought about this trip and to the (very few) people I discussed the plans with, I couldn’t help but get emotional.  Volunteering is a huge part of who I am.  It’s how I contribute and how I find peace, so whenever I thought about or talked about volunteering at Best Friends, I welled up.  It was a dream come true to be able to go and to lend a bit of time and dare I say, talent to an organization and a cause that I hold dear.  Many of you guessed it, and some of you knew it, but unless you go, it’s difficult to fully explain the experience.  I won’t say it was amazing, because I certainly expected the experience to be just so.  I will  say that it was inspiring, energizing, uplifting and fulfilling.  You could see the emotions on the faces of the volunteers and on the whole, everyone on site was so friendly.

Preparation 

Being the control freak detail oriented person that I am, it was a bit of a challenge to me to wrap my head around the process.  Luckily for me, I happened upon a comment on one of the Vicktory dog pages by a Facebook user who had volunteered and was gracious enough to answer questions, then I also beseiged our own Emily from Adventures of a Dog Mom, who had spent time there, with even more questions.  Everything from what footwear to where to eat to what to see and how is it set up was asked and answered.  I still had fears that I was missing something and that we would show up only to be told I had done everything incorrectly, however that didn’t happen.

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You sign up to be a volunteer, complete a profile and sign up for volunteer shifts in your preferred area after first signing up for a check-in.  Check-in for first thing in the morning is 8:00-8:15 and the first volunteer shift begins at 8:15 and goes till 11:30 so how could we get to Dogtown that quickly? We opted for the first check-in time but the afternoon volunteer shift which would be 1:15-4:00 and should allow us to get our bearings.  For the time in the morning we joined the 2 hour Sanctuary tour.

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The Sanctuary

If you’re ever in the area, even to just drive through, I highly recommend a tour.  The tours range from Sanctuary wide (2 hours), to Dogtown only (2 hours), to mini tours of specific areas.  Knowing we’d be working in Dogtown, we opted for the full Sanctuary tour.

Barn leftover from a movie.

Barn leftover from a movie.

We saw all manner of animals whether they were at the Sanctuary for permanent stays or being prepped for adoption an, of course, the awe inspiring landscape.

"Turtle Rock"

“Turtle Rock”

As well as places for silence and reflection.

Angels Rest

Angels Rest

We saw kitties who had been the victims of unfortunate breeding but still getting around like champs in their posh digs.

Kitty with paw deformity

Kitty with paw deformity

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After the tour we set out for Angel Village for a hearty and inexpensive all you can eat vegetarian lunch buffet where we encountered a special surprise.

The view at lunch.

The view at lunch.

Stay tuned all week as we recap more of our visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

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The Big Trip-Anticipation

It was a “bucket list” item that I thought I’d never get to experience.  Actually, in the back of my mind, I thought there was a better chance that most of my list would go un-accomplished.  I’m like that.  Plus, in the nearly 15 years that the hubby and I have been married, we haven’t traveled together to another state unless it bordered our home state.  We’re homebodies, so when I began broaching the subject that I really, really wanted to do this and that I was going to do it regardless, I think we were both surprised when he agreed to accompany me.

I began planning for real in October.  I began making plans, scouring sites for hotel and airfare rates and making lists.  And keeping secrets.  Deep in my heart I believed that this trip would be derailed in an epic manner.  Our prepaid flight would be cancelled because of a snowstorm the likes of which no one had ever seen before.  Our volunteer slots would be filled and we wouldn’t be able to visit.  Something would happen here at home to prevent us from leaving.  You name the scary scenario and I lived it in the depths of my psyche.  I loaded the weather for every city we’d be visiting and checked the forecast every day.  Surprisingly, the night before our flight I slept like a rock.  No bad dreams chased me and I calmly boarded a plane that I knew wouldn’t fly.  Not until we landed did I begin to think this trip, #TheBigTrip, would happen.  The nerves really and truly didn’t dissipate until we arrived on morning two of the trip at my ultimate happy place destination.  The night before that was riddled with nightmares of too many adoptable animals and missing shifts, but the morning dawned bright with all the promise of the fulfillment of so many of my dreams and the chance to make an impact and to give back.

This trip was so packed with bucket list items, that the recap will take several days and I’ve decided to break it down into digestible chunks, so I hope you’ll check back for all of the adventures.

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Dogs as Art

While I do have some dog-centric art in our home, I don’t feel like there’s too much or even enough yet. (The hubby might disagree). The thing is, until recently I had lots of photos of other dogs in our home.

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Recognize any of them? This is a portion of a collection I’ve gathered from participating in fundraisers, whether it’s been for Handsome Dan or Strut Your Mutt or even smaller fund raisers for blog dogs.

Well, I finally found some frames I like and made some prints of the Peaceabull boys to adorn my shelves and will be planning to commission some more art this year.

Hmmm…is this post s hint of some sort?

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Sleep Away

I love, love, love watching Julius “nest.” He curls his lanky body into a tight little ball and snuggles deep into the pillows. He has learned to burrow his snout into the warmth of blankets and he loves to have his his nose or sometimes the top of his head pressed against his humans.

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I like to imagine that being that close and breathing in our scent makes him feel secure. My little man, who lived outside and was running the streets now luxuriates in creature comforts and is not above stealing a pillow out from beneath a resting head.

Julius actually has his own full sized pillows -(two of them!) that he sleeps with and these accompany him to whichever bed he happens to be sleeping in, usually. It gives me such a huge feeling of satisfaction when I see him enjoying these small comforts. I know that he knows how much he is loved.

Within the next week, I’m going to need to remind myself just this exact feeling. The hubby and I will be embarking on a huge adventure that just the anticipation of makes me emotional. I’ll believe it when I live it but in the meantime, Ray will help the girls hold down the Fort and Julius will pack his pillows, bed, blanket, bowls and toys for a week at “sleep-away camp” aka his happy place, Paw’s-n-Claw’s Pet Care Palace.

Wish us all luck!

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The Difference in Inches

IMG_1914Here is where I might cop to doing a bit of online shopping occasionally from work various devices and I often find it both annoying and challenging to get something ordered for the dogs if I don’t have them nearby.  I might be perusing a site or reading a blog recommendation and decide that the boys absolutely can’t live without whatever the item du jour is but be foiled by a lack of handy measurements.  Then like a lightbulb or a flash I read about one of my blog buddies making up a spread sheet of her dogs’ measurements to always have handy.  (I could swear it was Hannah, but I can’t find the specific post.) 

Well, I immediately stole her idea copied her sheet and made a few modifications then when I got home I set out to measure my beasts.  Only I struggle with it.  I usually buy them martingale collars, so if the measurements are a bit off, it’s ok but ordering buckle collars has become a bit of a huge fail.  I can measure those boys over and over and still come up with different measurements.  And how can Ray be 2-3 inches longer than Julius?  Why are their necks an inch or two different when they can wear the same collar?  And if they are standing or looking ahead or down that seems to affect the neck measurement by several inches.  If I measure wrong will their collars strangle them?  Ugh! What am I missing?

Via

Via

 

So after a bit of searching, I found this nice handy visual to use for when I remeasure for the next round of purchases. (Honey, avert your eyes.) So now all I need to do is remember to load the measurements in all of my devices or at least my dropbox.

Do you ever have issues with inconsistent sizing?

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Totally Stolen Christmas Cookie Recipe

Sometime last week, Maggie from Oh My Dog! promised that she’d be sharing a recipe  for Christmas cookies for dogs that was super easy, so I was on pins and needles with anticipation to read it.  I knew it would be healthy and was hoping that it would be as easy as advertised and I wasn’t disappointed on either front.

Despite the fact that I have been super-stressed-busy these past few weeks, I really wanted to add more to my plate make some nice healthy treats for the dogs and if they were good, Julius expressed an interest in gifting some to the other pooches in The Bully Collective.  The recipe did turn out to be super easy and Julius, who is a super picky treat eater, gave them two paws up.

You can find Maggie’s original recipe in the link above, but here is how we did ours.

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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter (smooth, crunchy, doesn’t matter)
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 2 “squeezes” of honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or you can coat them in a light layer of olive oil if you don’t have parchment on hand.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: the flour and baking powder, and any other seeds or seasoning you decide to throw in.

Then, drop in the peanut butter, add the hot water, and stir. You want the dough to be sort of like bread dough and you can adjust water or flour to your needs.  Mine was a smidge moist, but after flouring my rolling surface and the rolling pin with more rice flour, it was good to go.  Cut out shapes and bake for 20 minutes.  I rolled to just about a 1/4 inch thickness which worked out pretty well.

Julius notoriously acts like I’m trying to poison him when I give him new things to try but he really, really liked these cookies, so I think they are winners.

Many, many thanks to Maggie for sharing what will be a staple in our household.

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Intolerance-Tolerance

No Haters

No Haters

A bit of a rant.

Chances are that if you’re reading this you’re pretty much an internet user of some sort, right? I mean after all, there is very little these days that can’t be accessed through the illuminated glow of a computer (tablet or phone) screen. My own dear hubby likes to poke fun at friends who still rely on the paper version of a newspaper to get their updates of current affairs, although he is of an age group (as am I) of the “remember-whens.”

Although I do remember when we played outside unsupervised till dusk and drank from the garden hose, I also remember getting candy-jacked on Halloween and receiving a slew of “obscene” phone calls to our home. Those were the good old days, weren’t they? The caller was eventually caught, but because he was an “upstanding citizen” (a teacher!) in our community, his punishment was that neither my sister nor myself could ever be in one of his classes. My point is not to dredge up old business but to reiterate that even the “good old days” have some tarnish and things just can’t beblack and white when there are so many wonderful shades of gray.

As an engaged user of the webs, I’ve found it pretty easy to pick my battles. I don’t “unfriend” people for differing viewpoints but I do “unfollow” a constant stream of negativity. The fact is that in roughly the past five years or so, I’ve unfriended one person, blocked one person and unfollowed two. That’s it. I fully expect that some of my friends don’t want to see “dogs all day” so they surely have unfollowed me as well? I can dig it.

What really rankles me, though are the “Haters for Christ.” The latest to hit my periphery is that I’ve learned that God hates pit bulls. I’m confused. Granted, I will admit that I have not read much of The Good Book, so there may be a passage about pit bulls or a few pasages about how it’s okay to single out specific groups or colors or individuals that we don’t know or understand for the purposes of spreading God’s Hate. How are these unfortunate sinners to know that they are “bad” unless someone “good” can come and judge them? Well, as a pit bull owner, sitting in my single wide crack den (I’ve learned that we are all trailer trash, drug dealers), I’ve learned that I don’t need to engage in online battles and I don’t need to justify myself or my dogs. I prefer to surround myself with other simple “sinners” who look for the good in others, who help those in their hour of need without question, who give without conditions and love without boundaries.

I’ll take that any day of the week.

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Happy Birthday, Baby!

For some reason, the day always creeps up on me faster than I realize and this year was no exception. I guess it’s because it was so close to Thanksgiving this year and yet so appropriate, because I am  thankful.

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Three years ago today this little family entered my life.  To help a pregnant mama dog get shelter and be present while she gives birth was amazing.  That one of those puppies became mine is wonderous, and having two of the others still in our lives is incredible.

Ray has taught me so much about dog ownership and forced me to become a different person.  After having volunteered for this long, I can safely say he was one of the “worst” puppies I’ve ever met:  He was smart and challenging and high strung and high maintenance and loving and clingy but all mine.  Mama’s boy.

Life with Ray has been a crazy ride and the last year and a half or so has been so rewarding just to be able to see how far we’ve come as a team and to mark our progress with another passing year.  So to  my little heart dog, I say “Happy Birthday.”

Birthday Boy!

Birthday Boy!