Dogs of Our Lives (in Arizona)

The Dogs Have Moved!!!

2009-03-02T13:43:00.006-07:00

Hey Readers! I decided to move this blog over to another blogging service because I'm better able to track stats and do some other things over there. I'll be closing down all comments for this site.

Come on over to the new digs. Its still being remodeled so bear with me as I update.

Thanks for stopping by. See you over at the new dog park!

Velvet Says....

2009-01-27T14:03:00.006-07:00

....ADOPT ME! NOW!!

How can you possibly refuse? I met Miss Velvet this past weekend, and let me just say, she is a real love. And even better, she's available for adoption and just waiting for you to find her and be her forever home.

Velvet is 8 years young. She currently shares a room with another cat and does quite well. She hasn't spent much time around dogs though, so I'm not sure how she would do in a home with one. A RESCUE Matchmaker might be able to give you more information on that. She's a quiet and friendly gal who will be happy to grace the sunny spots in your home.

Velvet went through a rough patch in life. She was adopted out but returned due to her family moving. Initially she was scared and confused, but she has since blossomed and learned to trust people again. She loves attention and isn't afraid to ask for it. Her space at our cat facility looks out into the entrance area. I was greeted by her when I came in the door. She let out a little meow and then reached out a paw to me. And when I decided to stop scratching her head before she'd had enough lovin', she let me know about it. :D

If you're interested in Velvet, or know someone who might be, check our her profile on our website. Then fill out a Matchmaker form.

Thanks for stopping by. See you at the dog park.

Quick Update

2008-12-30T14:24:00.015-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season this December. We sure did. Marie happily received a new chewy toy, Neika got a new cat-nip filled crinkly pillow toy, and Reggie got a new red sweater (we shaved some mats off back in September, but the fur never grew back fully, so he's a little bald in spots, and gets chilly at night). Marie spent the week chewing, Neika spent it kicking around her little pillow (usually just as we were trying to fall asleep), and Reggie adjusted nicely to wearing something more than just his collar. He was less than thrilled with the whole situation, but I think he feels better at night now.

Other than Reggie walking into the tree every now and again (hey, you move things around on your blind cat and chances are good they'll run into stuff now and again as they get used to the new set up), we all had a nice Christmas.

We took some time off from fostering. Marie and our last foster, Diamond (a Queensland Heeler), didn't get along so well. There was an incident involving just who got to use the small crate, and neither girl wanted to back down. Yes, I said small crate, and yes, Diamond is a Heeler. No idea how, but she actually managed to fit in a small crate and liked it that way. So, needless to say, we decided we all needed a break.

And it was for the best, as Reggie has gotten worse these last couple of months. For your review, Reggie is a 15 year old Maine Coon cat. He suffers from hyperthyroidism, kidney damage (from the HT, requiring daily sub-q fluids), high blood pressure and arrhythmia. He is also blind. Add to that now having an infection in his mouth and you have one grumpy cat. The mouth infection begs for removal of teeth. He's actually already lost one on its own. Problem is, he's a 15 year old cat with an arrhythmia. Our vet feels that surgery is just too risky, and the chances of losing him there on the table are too high. So we're treating that infection with a round of antibiotics every couple of weeks. He's been having problems getting to his litter box in time the last couple of weeks, so we've come home to some pretty foul messes on the tile in the kitchen and dining room (at least he keeps it on the tile I guess). He has his good days and his bad days when it comes to eating (the last few days have been bad days unfortunately). So we've had some fun in the House of L lately. We just felt that adding a new dog to the mix probably wasn't such a good idea.

So that's all that's been happening around here. I'm hoping to be able to post a bit more often after the New Year. I don't know where 2008 went, but it sure went by quickly. Hope you all have a great rest of 2008 and wonderful New Year!

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

I'm in Love....

2008-12-09T12:52:00.014-07:00

...with a boy named Tad.

I got the joy of spending some time with Tad a couple of Saturdays ago. And I have fallen hard for this adorable little guy. I posted a picture of him from his rescue day back in May. Little did I know that the sad little face belonged to the sweetest little dog.

We list Tad as a Chihuahua, though he reminds a little of my Min Pin (and it's not just the markings). He could have a little crazy pinscher in him, who knows.

He has soulful eyes, a soft smooth coat, and a funny little "collar" of fur that sticks out a bit on his neck. He loves to sit in your lap and give you soft little puppy kisses. He's a quiet little guy who is content to just "be." He has wonderful manners in public and walks well on the leash. He also appears to be mostly housebroken (we were at Noble Beast in Phoenix, and he let me know he needed to go outside while we were there).

Tad enjoys spending time with his canine companions, and while he would probably be fine as an only dog, he would also do well with a sibling. Because he's a small, calm dog, he doesn't require a large amount of exercise beyond daily walks and romps across your living room. He'd make an excellent apartment or condo dweller.

Tad also looks quite stunning in a sweater, as you can see from the photo. ;D

Do you have a space in your pond for this little Tad-pole? If you do, hop on over to our website and fill out a Matchmaker Form.

And until he finds his forever home, I will continue to pine for the little guy.

Thanks for stopping by! See you at the dog park!

Help RESCUE Win $10,000!!!

2008-09-29T11:13:00.008-07:00

All you have to do is vote! Its that easy.

Click on the "Go Now" button above and vote. To browse for RESCUE, select Arizona for the state, then scroll down until you see the Phoenix listing. Click on RESCUE and vote! We have 183 votes as of this posting. We'll need a whole lot more to win, so start voting!! You can even send it on to everyone in your email address book to help spread the word.

Thanks for voting. See you at the dog park!

Meet Gracie!

2008-09-18T18:11:00.011-07:00

Meet our foster Gracie!

She has been with us since August 25th, but I just haven't had a chance to post about this sweet and goofy girl. Gracie came down with pneumonia a few days after coming to stay with us, and she started out a meager 19lbs. But she's recovered from that is now a crazy, silly, energetic puppy. And she's put on a pound or two.

Gracie is a Whippet/Dalmatian mix (we think). She's a medium sized dog, coming about to the knees. But she's all legs!! She is so not a graceful dog. Its part of her charm though.

Gracie loves a good toy. Whether you throw it for her or if she pounces on the toy and sends it flying herself, she loves to fetch. And if a toy squeaks, its good times in the House of L. Right now as I type this, she is raiding the doggie toy box. Not sure what she's trying to pull out, but I think it might be the ball that lights up.

She is a young dog, and exhibits many puppy behaviors. She's mouthy, but does not chew inappropriately. She is housebroken, but sometimes she'll be so focused on playing with a toy that she'll forget to go outside and just tinkles in the house, then goes on playing. We have to make sure to make her take breaks to go potty. She is high energy and it is a must that she go to a home with another playful pup. She isn't the best on a leash yet, but she's a smart dog and will learn quickly. She has already learned "sit" though she's not always consistent with it yet. She'll sit when we stop and wait for her to before placing her food bowl on the floor. She's also started to crate up on command.

Gracie has been an absolute joy to have around. But tomorrow, she'll be going over to the dog daycare where we board some the RESCUE dogs. She'll be much happier there because she'll have lots of playful friends (both four-legged and two legged) to keep her busy. She's getting a little bored here, since the old lady (the Min Pin) and the grouchy cats won't play with her. I try, but I just can't over the feeling of fluff in my mouth when I'm carrying around the squeaky stuff toy. Oh well. We've had a lot of fun with her and can't wait to see her find her forever home. Now that she's up on the website and available for adoption, I don't think she'll be with RESCUE much longer. :D

Tomorrow I pick up a new foster. He's a 3lb Chihuahua named Jalen. I'll post more about him soon.

Bowl-a-rama Was a Success!!!

2008-08-04T13:14:00.003-07:00

Wow! We had an initial goal of $45,000 for this fundraiser. At the beginning of last week we were only up to about $31,000 and so dropped that goal to $35,000 for a final total. Well, we surpassed that, and while we didn't quite meet the original goal, we did raise a whopping $43,000!!!! I don't know if any of those donations came from my 2 readers, but if it did, thank you very much!!

We also had a blast bowling on Saturday morning. People came dressed in their best '50s attire and we bowled our little hearts out. The dogs beat the cats, ahem. You can see some video footage on RESCUE's Facebook page. Check it out! And check out some of our other videos and photo albums while you're there. You can get your morning dose of cuteness from all the dogs and cats.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Bowl-a-Rama Fundraiser: Three Days Left!!

2008-07-30T09:20:00.005-07:00

Well, we have three days left until Phoenix-area shelters converge and take over a bowling alley this coming weekend!!

RESCUE has a goal of $45,000. This will help cover most of our expenses for the rest of the year. $1500 a month covers our dog boarding costs. But we also have cats in boarding, medical expenses (we recently had to have all the teeth pulled from one of our little dogs, man was the expensive) and various other expenses that come with any business (even non-profits have bills to pay). But with only three days left, it looks like we won't quite meet that goal, which is unfortunate.

However, the volunteers have all worked really, really hard to raise the money we have so far. We now hope to raise at least $35,000 before the end of the week. We're about $1000 short of this goal!! If you haven't made a donation yet, please take a moment to go over to the website and make a secure, tax-deductible donation. Every little bit helps, even a donation as small as $5 will help make a difference.

Already made a donation? Please pass the link on to the animal lovers in your life and encourage them to make a donation as well.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park.

Rocky was Adopted!

2008-07-30T09:04:00.004-07:00

Well, little man Rocky is now in his forever home with new dad Jerry. Rocky and Jerry met on Sunday. Rocky is a little unsure about new people, particularly when they try to pick him up. So Jerry took a seat on the couch and let Rocky come to him. Rocky obliged and share his squeaky toy with Jerry while sitting in his lap. Hopefully Rocky has adjusted and warmed up to his new dad by now.

We'll miss the little guy, that's for sure. He was a joy to have around, and we would have had no problem if he had had to stay with us longer. But I know he'll be loved and spoiled in his new home where he'll be the only dog for a while (which means no sharing the lap with another pooch).

Good luck Rocky! We'll miss you!

We'll be cat sitting in about a week, and the kitties will be staying with us for almost two weeks, so we'll be taking a little break from dog fostering. We should have a new pup by the end of August though, and I'll be sure to post all about the lucky dog.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park.

Etsy Has Gone to the Dogs!

2008-07-23T14:10:00.018-07:00

I'm a crafty gal in my spare time and I have my own Etsy shop where I sell a few items. I've been meaning to post about this for some time now, but just have not had the time. I want to spotlight pet related Etsy sellers from time to time.

Now, you might be asking "What is Etsy?" Excellent question. Etsy is a site where crafty and creative people can sell their handmade goodies.

Today I wanted to spotlight one of my favorite shops, and two more that caught my eye when I was surfing around this morning.

The first shop is Art4MilkBones. She makes the cutest wooden signs and leash holders, along with other small bits and bobs. I have actually purchased a number of her signs. They are well done, quality work. I wish I had a reason to buy more from her!! (I'm sure I'll find some)

Pets Welcome Sign

Recycle Love - Rescue Pet Sign

Paw Print Leash Holder

Gift Tags

She has so many other great items, so be sure to check out her entire shop!!

The next shop I found today is Acme Couture. This shop sells handmade doggie apparel.
I have not purchased from this shop yet.

Rooin' in the Rain Coat
The Sherlock Holmes Coat (what all the best dressed doggie sleuths are wearing)

And the best part about shopping there, 15% of the sale goes to a greyhound rescue!!

And the third shop I'd like to spotlight is Boo Dog Mugs.

Adorable Min Pin Mug
Siberian Husky Mug
Bull Dog Mug

So run over to Etsy and check out these great sellers. And while you're there, search around. You'll find plenty more where that came from!! Have an Etsy shop that sells pet related items? Or know of a favorite? Leave me a comment and I'll try to spotlight that shop in a future post!

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Meet Paisley!

2008-07-23T11:56:00.010-07:00

Today I wanted to break from the dog world and step briefly into Kitty Kat Land. Now, I don't get to spend much time with the cats of RESCUE personally, but I do like to check in and see how my favorites are doing. Every now and again I get the chance to swing by our cat boarding facility to pick up or drop off supplies.

Last year, I was picking up the tent for an event. I was greeted in the lobby by a rather curvaceous kitty name Paisley.

Paisley is a 10 year old, female, tortie (tortoise-shell). She's a full-bodied gal, but it just adds to her feminine allure. She is a gorgeous cat with a short-medium length coat, and stunning eyes. Her photos just don't her justice though. Paisley will greet you with a meow and will then proceed to tell you all about her day. She's a talkative one. After that she'll often flop over for tummy rubs and lots of petting, or give you little head-butts. She's a sweet and mellow girl, who still likes to play with toys. She doesn't know she's supposed to be an "old" cat.

Unfortunately, due to her age, and the fact that the tortie coat never really photographs well, she is often overlooked by potential adopters. It's such a shame because she is a wonderful, sweet, loving cat, just looking for a forever home where she can spend her golden years.

You can now view a video of Miss Paisley over on RESCUE's Facebook page. Check it out!!

Do you know of someone who might be interested in Paisley? Pass on the link to her bio! If you're interested in her yourself, you can fill out an application online.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Rocky Has An Adoption Appointment!!

2008-07-23T11:30:00.004-07:00

Ah, the good life, the life of a foster dog in our household. Yep, that's the same Rocky you see in the earlier post. But now he's clean, comfortable, and happy. We have had the little guy for just over a month now and he has been an absolute joy. He was housebroken that first weekend and has adjusted to our work schedule beautifully and is able to hold it while we're at work. No accidents. He gets along with our Min Pin and he's polite to the cats. Okay, he's mostly terrified of the cats and avoids them at all costs. But he has started to show some interest, if only he could get close enough for a sniff.

Rocky is a quiet and well behaved little guy, and he has "cool hair" as my husband would say. (See the picture below from his rescue day). He has learned to sit before I put down his food bowl, to sit when it's time to come back in from a romp in the back yard, and he crates up when we tell him to. Gotta love that. We were only able to train one other foster dog to crate up on command, and it took him longer than a month. Rocky had that down in about two weeks. He's a smart little guy.

Rocky also discovered the joy of a good squeaky toy and it's now non-stop squeakage at the House of L.

But this may just be our last week with this wonderful little pup. We received an application for him earlier this week and are now in the process of finalizing an appointment for Sunday. His potential adopter is a single man, who is home more than away and has no other pets. He owned a Min Pin and a Yorkie previously (how ironic) so he's used to the small breeds, particularly the small terriers. He has a lifestyle that will allow him to devote plenty of time, love and attention to little Rocky, and that's exactly what we want for our little buddy.

So keep your fingers crossed for us and I'll be sure to post an update next week!!

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Bowl-a-rama Time!

2008-07-01T08:57:00.009-07:00

It's that time of year again, time for Bowl-a-rama!

Bowl-a-rama?!

Yes, Bowl-a-rama!

Bowl-a-rama is a fundraising event sponsored by PACC911. Animal shelters and rescue organizations from around the Valley participate in this fun event. From May through the end of July groups make a big push to raise as much money as they can. Then, on the first Saturday in August, the groups take over a local bowling alley for the entire day (and I mean take over, it's crazy animal lovers as far as the eye can see) and have a great time bowling, wearing goofy costumes, and belting out creative cheers. There are also raffle prizes and a silent auction going on that day. The bowling day itself is just for the rescue groups. Prizes are also awarded to the groups for best costumes and best cheers, and for raising the most funds.

RESCUE has a goal of $45,000. This will help see us through the remainder of the year. We have two teams working to meet that goal: The Leader of the Pack (the dog team) and the Rockin' Bowlin' Felines (the cat team, obviously). So far we've raised almost $20,000, so we are close to that half-way mark. But there's only one month left to raise money.

I am on the Leader of the Pack team, go figure. Each team member has an individual goal of $1,500. $1,500 will help cover one month worth of boarding costs. Or it could help cover medical costs for a dog or two. Am I anywhere near that? No. But you can help me out!!

All you have to do is make a donation using our secure donation page: http://azrescue.org/servlet/sponsor02?bowl=1

Every little bit helps, whether it's as small as $5 or $25 or larger donations of $50 or more. It's tax deductible as well. I know the economy is tough right now, gas prices are through the roof, food costs are going up, people are losing their homes. But the dogs and cats still need your help, maybe now more than ever before. But if we don't have the funds, we can't help as many of them as we need to.

Home foreclosures are at an all time high. People are finding themselves in situations where they feel they can no longer keep their pets. The number of pets ending up at shelters has grown considerably in the past year. People are turning in pets at a higher rate and the city and county shelters find themselves at capacity. They are also abandoning animals in the homes when they have been foreclosed. There are just so many animals out there in need of new homes. Smaller groups take in what they can, and that includes RESCUE. We managed to rescue five new dogs two weeks ago (Rocky was one of them). But we can't do this without your financial help.

Maybe you can't adopt one yourself, and maybe money is tight for you, but maybe you can find a way to spare $5 or $10 this month and make that donation to RESCUE. Tell a friend, or ten friends. Take up a collection within your carpool, at your work, from your family and friends. Every little bit adds up.

And it's so easy. Just click the link I posted above. This will take you to our donation page. Select a bowler (Leader of the Pack in this case ;D), type in a quicky message to encourage us, indicate the dollar amount of your donation, and you can put me down as the Referrer (AZ Dog Mom) so I know it came from a reader. Didn't I tell you that would be easy?

So please, head on over to the site this month and make a donation. Then tell everyone you know about it and ask them to make a small donation. With your help, we can reach our goal of $45,000.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Meet Our New Foster Rocky!

2008-06-16T09:14:00.012-07:00

This is little Rocky. He's a terrier mix (Yorkie/Cairn perhaps?), or as I like to say, "He's a little scruffy dog!" He's has cute little round brown eyes that just stare up at you, giving him a sad little face. And his hair sticks up all over, much like Einstein's did. Its quite endearing really.

Rocky was sprung from the joint on Friday, June 13th. Being the day that he was rescued from the kill list, and given a second chance at life, it should have been a pretty lucky day for the little guy. But ended up being a pretty rough one instead. That evening we went to a fundraiser event, "Yappy Hour" at a resort in Scottsdale. The first hour went well, he got lots of attention from folks. But then I put him down to get a drink of water. The water bowls were near a door to the patio. One of the guests came in with her dog. The dog sniffed at Rocky and then turned to walk away. Suddenly it turned back and chomped down on little Rocky, picked him up and started off with him, shaking him and all that, as if Rocky were a toy (and maybe that's what the dog thought he was....). I was of course yelling and screaming. When you're in a situation like that, you're not always thinking, you're just reacting. Luckily, someone else did have their wits about them and dumped a large pitcher of cold water on the dog's head. It let Rocky go and I scooped him up and backed off quick. Rocky let out the scream that little dogs scream when they're frightened out their tiny little skulls, which of course scared everyone present, even more so than we already were. We rushed him out of that room into a quiet office to look him over. He has a little sore on one of his front legs, but its minor and should heal up quick. No other punctures, though he did bite his tongue, but it only bled a little bit.

He's come out of it sore, and a little nervous of everything in general, but I don't think there's any lasting physical damage. He was a rather happy-go-lucky pup when I picked him up, but not so much right now. I'm hoping that after a week or two in quiet, stress-free, safe and loving environment, that he'll perk up and be back to normal. I came out of it with rug burn on the top of one foot, bruises on my knees, and nasty sore on the inside of one knuckle (I think the leash ripped the skin when he was pulled from me).

But now its time to tell you a little about Rocky. He's a quiet little guy who loves some lap time. He's a bit of a circus dog in that he'll get up on his hind legs and walk a bit if he thinks there's something up high of interest. He has jumped up onto our dining room chairs in order to get high enough for me to pay attention to him (hey, it worked didn't it?). He enjoys looking out the front window, and even more so if the office chair is pushed up close to it so he can sit rather than stand as he watched the street. Rocky also enjoys the large dog bed we have. All the little guys love it. He spent about an hour yesterday passed out on his back, head to the side, legs up in the air. Here's a picture that I took of the little guy. (**Note: This photo has been censored, as this is a family friendly blog. ;D)

So far, he has not shown much interest in toys or playing, but new fosters often don't until they have been with us for a bit and are more comfortable. He does not try to get Marie to play with him, but he has tried to sniff her a few times. The cats absolutely terrify him and he avoids them at all costs. Even if it means taking the long way around the dining room table.

Rocky enjoys being picked up and held. He likes to be close. He also likes to curl up for his naps in safe little spots such as under the dining room chairs, between the bar stools at our kitchen island, in the little space between the recliner/end table/sofa, under my worktable, etc. He actually briefly went into his crate when I was working in that room yesterday.

He does okay in the crate when we leave or at night. He'll bark for a while, but then quiets down.
Overall, so far he's been a good little guy. He's only had a few accidents in the house, but they were really "marking" more than anything. He's not yet neutered, so its to be expected. There are plenty of other fosters that marked those same places, so he's just letting future fosters know he was there. Think of it as doggie graffiti.

Well, that's about all I can tell you about this sweet little guy for now. As we get to know him better, I'll be sure to post some updates and of course some great new photos.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Thursday Thirteen!

2008-06-04T15:33:00.029-07:00

I've never tried the whole "Thursday Thirteen" type of post, but I want to try to post more often here, figured I'd take advantage of this. So here it is, my first attempt at a Random Doggie Thursday 13! (And I'll throw in some cat stuff too)

1. If you have a peach tree in your backyard, birds will indeed flock to it. And proceed to feast on the peaches you have not yet picked. And make a big mess, in more ways than one. The ground beneath said tree will soon be sporting many sticky peach-pits. Your dog will discover these long before you do and is likely to pick them up and carry them around the yard, and attempt to chew them. Bad, very bad. Lesson to be learned, do a daily peach-pit check BEFORE you let the dogs out.

2. When you take a brief break from fostering, your own dog will love you more, and then become bored because she has no one to steal toys from or snap at. And you will once again see the elusive scaredy cat on a more regular basis, outside of her feline sanctuary. But you will find you miss having another little four-legged one around.

3. My cat spends way to much time near the water bowl. Chest and neck mats are a real pain to comb out. Much comb-biting is involved.

4. When you have so many leashes hanging on the leash hooks that they start to fall off if you brush by too close, you have too many leashes. Especially considering there are never more than two dogs in the house at one time.

5. Its can be frightening to find clumps of fur in the back of the coat closet. Especially when that fur is from a dog that you fostered over a year ago.....maybe I need to vacuum out the closets more often.

6. Dog + Moth = Me laughing hysterically through the patio door. Good times were had by all, well except for maybe the moth.

7. There's this great new alarm clock out. Its called the Reggie-Clock. At 6am, every morning, it marches into the bedroom and lets out a LOUD and startling "MUR-ROWR!" Trust me, you'll jump so high you won't be able to go back to sleep. And there's no snooze button. (Who knew a 15 year cat could be so loud and demanding)

8. RESCUE is working one of our biggest fundraisers of the year right now. We have until the beginning of August to raise as much money as we can for the Bowl-a-rama fundraiser. This is an event sponsored by PACC911 and rescue groups and shelters all over the Valley will be joining in. RESCUE has a goal of $45,000 and we need all the help we can get!!! So take a moment to visit the website and maybe even make a small donation. You'll be helping to fund our efforts to give homeless dogs and cats a second chance at life and a new forever home. I will be doing a separate post about this soon (I'm on the Leader of the Pack team).

9. When you own dogs and/or cats, you can take them with you wherever you go. Just take a look down at your shirt or pants. You'll see, they're always with you, whether you want them to be or not. Where's that lint-roller?

10. A dog can make your day. No matter how bad your day at work was, you can't help but smile, laugh, and feel calm when you have a warm, furry friend sitting on your lap loving you unconditionally (though a treat won't be turned away). I love my Min Pin.

11. Cats are not always graceful or sure-footed. Neika, our Siamese, is the poster child for the graceless cat. When she's not catching a foot on the top of the baby-gate as she jumps over, or trying to balance on the bars of the clothes hamper cart only to fall into one of the hamper baskets, she's sitting on the bed in a most unlady-like position. A position that compels us to ask her if she'd like a beer. Use your imagination. I came out of the bathroom this morning only to see her lounging on the bed in one of these lovely positions. Really, its a wonderful way to start the day.

12. Could there be a more sad little face than this?

This little guy is Tad. No, he's not my new foster, but he is new to RESCUE. And he just looks so little and sad and scared. Tad is a chihuahua, about one year old and sweet as can be. He's not quite ready for adoption, but watch for him, he'll be up on the website real soon.

13. "Anyone who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog." -- Franklin P. Jones (And Saturday, I will once again get to taste the sweet elixir of clean, as I give Marie a much-needed bath)

Wow, that was tougher than I thought to come up with 13 things. But, there you have it, 13 random thoughts from yours truly.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

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RESCUE is The Best!

2008-05-18T14:28:00.005-07:00

Well, RESCUE won The Best contest at AZ Central!

If you voted for us, thank you so much!

Thanks for reading. See you at the Dog Park!

Meet Our New Foster Toby!

2008-05-09T14:30:00.002-07:00

Time to meet our new foster dog, Toby! Toby has been with RESCUE (and us) since April 2nd. Why he's still with us, I don't know. Just look at that face!!!

(This picture was taken on his rescue day, so he was a little unsure of himself at the time.)

Toby is a small (around 8lbs) brown and white chihuahua. He's friendly and fairly outgoing, and seems to have a soft spot for men. He does well with dogs and cats. He's quite the playful little guy and loves all his toys. Including the big-dog toys, many of which are as big if not bigger than he is. He's a bit "toy ADD" in that he'll start playing with one, spot another one out of the corner of his eye, abandon current toy and take up new toy. Thirty seconds later, he sees yet another toy that must be played with. And so and so on until every toy has had a chance to be gnawed on that hour. But he's a sweet and goofy little guy (my favorite puppy personality) and you just can't help but smile at him.

Toby has a slightly twisted muzzle, his nose is a little off center (that's not just a weird camera angle, his nose is really slightly off to the side like that). But it doesn't faze him, and since he hasn't hit his teens yet, he's not constantly worrying about his looks. So he is blissfully unaware of his imperfections, as it should be. It makes him all the more endearing, don't you agree? He also has a slightly crooked tail, that appears like it may have been broken before. It add to his overall charm.

When Toby is worried or unsure of a situation, he will wrinkle up his little forehead (see photo) and look up at you with his big, sad, brown eyes and you just have to melt right then and there. I don't care who you are, he has the magic to melt.

Toby loves lap time and wants nothing more than to be snuggled up to his person while he naps.
He is also a nibbler (that's one of his nicknames now, Nibbler). He loves to nibble on fingers and toes (especially when the toes are attached to feet that are trying to move around the house). He never bites hard, just softly nibbles. Its very sweet.

So if you or someone you know is looking for a small, calm, sweet little pup to spoil and love, check out Toby. You might just be his forever home.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Romeo's Adoption!

2008-05-09T13:40:00.007-07:00

I never got a chance to write a post about Romeo, the white boxer (mix?) we fostered earlier this year. But I now have some great pictures from his adoption day so I just wanted to share.

Here is a shot from Romeo's rescue day:

And here are some shots of him and new brother, Mickey Blue Eyes, having a jolly good time playing and wrestling (something I'm sure is an everyday occurrence in their home now):

And here is a great shot of Romeo with his new forever proud papa.

We loved having Romeo around. He was a sweet and goofy dog that made us smile every day. His temperament was a dream, he was smart, great on the leash, and even learned a few commands. He was a great foster that we were sad to see go, but we know he has found the perfect forever home with a mom and dad who will love him and treat him like the wonderful dog that his is. And he now has a canine brother who is matched to him in play style and temperament, so we know he'll have fun every day and get all the activity he needs.

Good luck Romeo! We'll miss you!

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

RESCUE - The BEST in Phoenix?

2008-03-16T16:51:00.016-07:00

RESCUE has been nominated to be the "Best" in Phoenix for animal shelters/rescue groups!

The "Best" is hosted by azcentral.com . This is their second year for this and it is a Reader's Choice poll. Readers nominate their favorite local businesses from a number of categories. These include favorite people, recreation areas and activities, Valley attractions, arts and entertainment, food and dining, various services, and even pets! The top ten are selected for each category and then readers can vote on their favorite from that list of 10.

The winners for each category will receive plenty of media exposure and then of course they will be awarded the title – THE BEST for 2008!!!

Voting is simple. Head on over to the azcentral.com Best website and then click on Pets. A new window will pop up which asks you to enter the characters you see (this is just a security check). Then you will be taken to the poll page. The default category will be Best Animal Shelter (on the left side of the screen). You can also choose other categories by clicking on them, which will then open a new list of nominees. Click the radio button next to RESCUE to select us, then click Vote down at the bottom of the list. That will tabulate the votes to date and show you the current results.

You can vote once a day from now until April 17th. So please tell a friend (or 10)! And be sure to log on every day to cast your vote. You can help RESCUE with your vote by giving us a chance to show the community who we are and what we do to help homeless dogs and cats in Maricopa County.

Thanks for reading. See you at the Dog Park!

Should I Stay or Should I Go? (The Poo Chronicles)

2008-03-05T14:38:00.011-07:00

Well, its all about the poo this week at the house of L. Yes, I said poo. Its something you get frighteningly comfortable with when you have a multi-pet household with critters of all ages.

Really, that goes for all pet messes. For example, on our wedding day, one of our cats had thrown up on the living room carpet (guess he wanted to let us know how he felt about missing out on cake). When we got home that night I was seen on my hands and knees cleaning it up, still in my wedding gown. If that's not commitment to one's animals, I don't know what is.

But I digress. Our elderly cat, Reggie, has been suffering from bouts of constipation. We have special medication to give him for this problem. Its supposed to taste like chicken. If the smell is anything to go by, that's a chicken I do not want to eat. He hates it, and I don't really blame him. But he tolerates it well enough, considering. Our nightly ritual now involves wrapping him in a towel (to keep my husband's hands safe from the talons-of-death), I hold Reggie like a baby, my husband fills up the syringe and then squirts it into Reggie's mouth. Yes, we do end up wearing some of it. Then we get out the pillow and some cat food, and he gets his sub-Q fluids. I've become quite tolerant of sticking a one inch long 18 gauge needle into my cat, and it disturbs me slightly. But it part of owning an elderly cat with hyperthyroidism and damaged kidneys I guess. Oh, he also suffers from a slight heart murmur, has high blood pressue, and his vision is diminishing day by day. My cat is on more prescriptions (including his food) than I am. And his cost more. But he's still an affectionate cat who can hold his own with a large, enthusiastic, young dog (and in our household, that's a valuable trait).

Back to the whole constipation issue. He's backed up. But we had poo on Monday night, which I announced to the entire household. I had to hold myself back from rushing on here and annoucing it then. So its getting better.

We have a new foster right now, and I will tell you much more about him in another post. His name is Romeo and he is a boxer (mix?). Anywho, he was only supposed to be with us over the weekend (our boarding facility was going to be closed and we had an adoption event, so I took him in so he could be at the event), but he'll be sticking around for a bit. He had some diarrhea last weekend I'm told. We noticed on Friday night when I got him home, that he still had some intestinal issues. By Saturday evening, it was worse. He was quite lethargic as well. He woke us up in the early morning hours on Sunday, twice, needing to go out. He repeated this Monday and Tuesday mornings. Its very pretty outside at 3am. You can see lots of stars from our backyard. This morning however, he only got me up around 5am. I do so appreciate that. The poor guy though, he held it until we heard him whimpering and let him out. He's such a good dog!!

Turns out that our little (well, not too little, he is boxer afterall) guy has a bacterial infection. I picked up some meds for him yesterday. He gets them three days this week, then we wait seven days and give it to him for three more days. We already noticed a difference this morning. I was out in the backyard with both him and our Min Pin, Marie. He tried to get her to play, though she's not having it. He gave her a couple of enthusiastic play bows, let out a few goofy grrrs, jumped around, ran to the grass and back to the patio. She just turned her back. But I was laughing at him. And happy to see he is starting to get back some energy. When we got back inside, he actually tried to get Reggie to play with him (which is saying something, seeing as how his basically terrified of Reggie). He play bowed, then pawed at Reggie. Then Reggie swatted him, and poor Romeo cowered and crawled backwards to hide behind me. ;D

He's lost some weight from all the runs (and I don't mean around the block), so we'll be working to get some meat on him on the next week or so. Eggs and rice (with some medication hidden in it) along with Wellness dry dog food should help.

Well, thanks for reading (despite the topic). See you at the dog park!

Beauty to the RESCUE!

2008-02-13T10:55:00.007-07:00

Its that time of year again, time for the annual Beauty to the RESCUE fundraiser event!

This event takes place on Sunday, March 9th, from 9am-3pm at the Mane Attraction Salon in Phoenix. The address is 3156 E. Camelback Road.

The beauty of this event isn't just the customers after a service, but also in the fact that Mane Attraction is open on a day it would normally be closed. They also donate all the proceeds from the day to RESCUE. How great is that?!

The event will include beauty time, food from Seven's Heaven, items for auction, dog grooming services by Animal Attractions, and of course, the lovely dogs of RESCUE. You can partake in all of this as you rock out to the musical stylings of Sistah Blue.

And to top off the festivities, we will have be holding a raffle drawing at the end of the day for a $1000 grand prize. You can purchase raffle tickets for only $5 from the RESCUE website. And you do not need to be present to win!

So hurry over to the site, buy your tickets and then go mark you calendar for Beauty to the RESCUE!

Thanks for reading. See you at the Dog Park!

A Min Pin's New Years Resolutions

2008-01-20T15:38:00.001-07:00

My Min Pin Marie finally wrote down her 2008 New Year's Resolutions. Since she can't type (or turn on the computer), she asked me to share them with you all. She thinks that maybe, if she puts them out there on the internet for all to see, this will give her some accountability and might just help her keep them. So, here they are, in no particular order.

Marie's New Years Resolutions for 2008

Be nicer to my foster brothers and sisters

Try not to destroy my stuffed toys (that way Mom won't take them away from me when she spots my stashes of stuffing all over the house)

Try to eat slower so I don't choke

Lose 3 pounds (Mom says I'm becoming a little fatty)

Convince my Siamese cat sister Neika that I'm a nice dog who really wants nothing to do with her anyway and that she doesn't need to hiss at me and run every time she sees me. (I'm not one of my nosy foster siblings after all.)

Figure out a way to get into the cats' litter closet so I can raid that litter box.

Convince Mom to put the giant stuffed dog on the floor so I can gnaw on it and tell it who is boss.

Be much more sneaky when I get up to Mom's workbench to steal anything that smells good. (I really enjoyed that last spool of thread).

Continue to sit on the floor and stare up at Dad when he's eating in the hopes that he'll either drop a tasty morsel, or he'll break down and share with me. (Sharing is the nice thing to do after all, its so rude to eat in front of others.)

Well, there you have it. I'm not sure if I approve of some of those, but I do agree, she needs to lose a couple of pounds.

Well, that's all for this time. Thanks for reading. See you at the Dog Park!

Pet Podcast Reviews Part 1 - Dog Cast Radio

2007-12-27T16:02:00.001-07:00

I am a podcast addict (the first step is to admit you have problem, right?). I listen to a huge variety of podcasts and have found a number of great pet podcasts that I just have to share! I plan to make this a regular feature of the blog as I discover more great podcasts to share. If you know of any, be sure to share them with me. I'll check them out and review them here. Same goes for get pet blogs!

Today I'd like to highlight my new favorite podcast, Dog Cast Radio. If you use iTunes to subscribe (and you don't need to have a Mac or an iPod to use iTunes, speaking from experience), search for Dog Cast Radio. There should be 56 episodes in there. But they don't go in any particular order, so you can start with the newest one, or be anal like me and go all the way back to the first episode and listen to them all. If you prefer to download them manually, or you use some other feed, you can find them at the Dog Cast Radio website.

Now, I'm only somewhere in the teens with this one (like I said, I love to go back and listen to podcasts from the very beginning), but I love, love, LOVE this podcast! Its a UK based cast and the host has a truly wonderful accent. And she says "Smashing!", which just makes me smile. The show is quite professional sounding in format and style, and something you might think could be syndicated and picked up by NPR. They do news from the pet world, short stories and poems, interviews, and even have a kids' segment called "Puppy Playtime" (love that). Some of the interviews have included folks at the Crufts dog show, breeders, dog trainers and behaviorists, shelter/rescue group workers, authors, dog owners and more. Its interesting to listen to the UK perspective on issues such as training, shelters and rescue, breeding, showing, etc. She does talk with folks from the US and Canada as well, but it predominantly UK. They also include great internet resources for you to look into as well.

One of the best segments that they do each episode is the excerpt from Buddy's Diary. Buddy is their black lab and he has a lovely perspective on life.

New episodes come out on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. They're usually about 45 minutes long (give or take). The format flows well and makes for a nice listen. And its definitely a family friendly podcast that anyone can enjoy.

So, if you're a dog lover (and you likely are if you're bothering to read my blog), this is one podcast you need to listen to.

Thanks for reading. See you at the Dog Park! (And we can discuss the latest episode of Dog Cast Radio while we're there)

Meet Kyle!

2007-12-26T12:19:00.001-07:00

We have a new foster in the house. His name is Kyle and he is a Cocker Spaniel.

Kyle is a sweet, lovable little guy. He's about a year old and weighs under 20 lbs. He is very much a puppy still in that he is playful, mouths a bit, and is not completely house trained yet. But we're really working with him on that last one.

Kyle loves a good tummy rub. If you get just the right spot, you have the joy of watching him move that back leg at top speed. And sometimes, you'll get both back legs going!

He's an amiable pooch. He warms up quickly and seems to like everyone he meets. He gets a little over excited sometimes with new people, and sometimes he'll piddle a bit (but that's not overly unusual for Cocker Spaniels). He does fine with other dogs, but he's really all about the people and would therefore do fine in a home as the only dog. He is cat-safe as well. He is interested in cats, he'll sniff them and try to check them out, but if they let him know they don't want his attentions, he'll back right off.

How would Kyle do with kids you ask? I'd say he'd be great with kids! I wouldn't recommend him with children under 7, only because he needs consistent training and in a household with real young children, that may not always be possible. But he allows you to handle every inch of him without a care. You can play with his stub of a tail, flop his floppy ears, play with his muzzle and mouth, hold his paws and even pull at his fur! So he's a kid-friendly dog.

Kyle loves a good stuffed toy to play with. He enjoys chewing on it, making it squeak, and rolling around with it. He also loves to play with his people and have a gentle little "wrestling match" on the floor. Afterwards, he's happy to curl with his people on the couch and take a snooze. (We even took a nap together on the couch over the weekend.)

Kyle is a quiet soul for the most part. He doesn't bark at every sound or movement or falling leaf. But he did bark at our neighbor's dog when it was out in its own backyard. And when my husband was bringing the trash can back in through the back gate, Kyle barked at him until he realized who it was. So he can be a good little guard dog when the situation calls for it. Though I'm sure if an intruder came into the house, that Kyle would happily direct him towards the television in exchange for a good belly rub. ;D

Kyle does need some training. And a very patient adopter. He does not know any commands, at all. He is starting to learn our command for no (we make an "eh-eh" sound rather than saying "No") and he does at least know his name. I believe he can learn, but it will take time and patience. But what he lacks in smarts he more than makes up for with his utter cuteness. He is getting better about being constantly under foot, but he still wants to be right near his people, so his adopters will need to be aware that he might be snoozing at your feet when you're cooking dinner. He also needs a little work still on leash, but he's not bad. I think he may not have had much training in his previous home. But he obviously did receive a lot of interaction with people and is well socialized. He's just never had any sort of training whether it be potty training or leash manners.

Kyle is not yet completely housebroken, but we've made some progress in that department and managed to have an accident free weekend. Kyle has only been with us for a week now, so I'd say that's pretty darn good progress.

He's not a picky eater at all, and eats very well. He enjoys both dry and canned foods and loves the Mother Hubbard peanut butter treats.

Bath-time with Kyle is a joy. I've had fosters that whine, growl and struggle at bath time. And unfortunately, a bath is often called for when they first come to stay. Kyle has a tendency to pee on his front legs sometimes when he does his business. So his legs smelled less than sweet when we brought him home. I gave him a bath and he did beautifully! He acted like it was an every day occurrence for him. No whining, no struggling, no growling, and no fear of the faucet or the shower head! He just stood still and let me shampoo him and rinse him and then wring him out. And he loved, absolutely loved, the drying process. He charged into the towel I was holding and rolled and grrr'd and rolled some more. He was having too much fun being towel-dried.

Kyle is not yet available to the public. He still needs to be neutered. But he has his appointment for later this week so he should be visible on the website this coming weekend or early next week. If you're interested in Kyle, you can look for him this weekend at our website and fill out an application for him.

Thanks for reading. See you at the Dog Park!

Become a RESCUE Volunteer!

2007-12-03T16:36:00.001-07:00

Later this month I hope to post an entry on becoming a volunteer and how to choose the organization that's right for you. But I just wanted to let any interested readers know that this Thursday, December 6th, RESCUE will be having a New Volunteer Orientation session. (Follow the link for more details)

This will be a general info session so you can learn more about RESCUE, what we do, don't do, and the volunteer opportunities available. Can't make the orientation but interested in becoming a volunteer? Then let us know at VolunteerMatch. Just put in your zip code and look for RESCUE under the Organization Name column. We have plenty of opportunities available, whether it be as a RESCUE Ambassador who speaks to the public, walking dogs during the week, taking dogs on outings on the weekend, or working with our cats. So go and check that out. When you submit your information, a volunteer coordinator will be contacting you in a couple of days.

Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

National Pet Idol!!

2007-11-04T15:14:00.002-07:00

RESCUE is hosting a National Pet Idol contest as a fundraising project!

Entries have closed, but voting has begun! Its just $1 to cast your vote, and all the proceeds go directly to RESCUE. So click on the button below, cast your votes (you can indeed vote more than once), and help RESCUE!

Thanks for reading. See you at the Dog Park!

Meet Our New Foster, Simon!

2007-10-03T11:45:00.001-07:00

Monday afternoon I got the call that a new dog was available for us to foster. He's a Boston Terrier/Corgi mix named Simon. Not sure yet if he likes to do "drarwings" ;D . (I probably just totally dated myself with that comment, eh?)

Here is a pictures of him from the day he was rescued.

Isn't he absolutely adorable? His little white stripe makes me think of a skunk. Too bad it doesn't extend down his back. He has a little white patch on his chest and his toes have some white on them too.

So far, he's been a quiet and well behaved little guy. He seems to be housebroken (when we pay attention to his signals), is fine with our dog (they don't interact, but exist together fine), and seems to good with cats (or at least indifferent to them).

Today is only his third day with us, so we really don't know much more about him. As we learn more, I'll be sure to post. We did get some really cute pictures of him sleeping last night, but we still need to download those.

This Saturday RESCUE is having a car wash from 9am to 1pm. We'll be at the Burger King on the southeast corner of 48th Street and Warner Road in Ahwatukee (south Phoenix). We'll wash you car for a donation (it never hurts to be generous you know) and we'll also have some RESCUE Wear available for sale (shirts, hat, stickers, license plate covers, key chains, etc with our logo on them). In addition to that, some of our available dogs will be hanging out there. So if you are interested in meeting some of our dogs, and in getting your car washed for a good cause, stop on by. And be sure to tell anyone you know to come by as well!

We have an on-going national fundraiser . The "National Pet Idol" contest is a contest where, for just $1, you can post a picture of your pet and some information about them. Then for just $1, you and anyone else can then vote for their favorite animal. And this isn't just for dogs or cats, its for all pets! So far, its mostly cats and dogs, but there is on chinchilla entered. All the proceeds go to benefit RESCUE. Its being sponsored by Animal Wellness Magazine and the Only Natural Pet Store (by the way, if you purchase from them by using the link on the RESCUE home page, they'll donate a percentage of your sale to RESCUE!). The voting begins October 24th, 2007, so hurry up and post your pets! Which reminds me, I need to get my fur-babies up there.

Well, that's about it for this post. Thanks for reading. See you at the dog park!

Jimmy is Home!

2007-10-01T09:28:00.001-07:00

Its official, Jimmy is now in his forever home! By the end of last weekend he and his new sister were playing like they'd been friends from the start. He even got to sleep with his new family at night and is settling in well. We're looking forward to seeing some pictures of him and hope they all come to the Adopters Picnic later this month.

No new foster yet. They went to Animal Control last week but only came away with a few new cats, no dogs. We've had three adoptions over the past week!! I'll be sure to post when we do get our next foster.

Until then, thanks for checking in. See you at the dog park!

Foster Update September 21st, 2007: Jimmy

2007-09-21T09:04:00.001-07:00

"Little Jimmy Jimmy won't go home..."

Oh wait, yes he will, and hopefully it will be this weekend! Last weekend Jimmy had a Meet & Greet with A and D and their adorable little pup named Lily. They have a very dog-friendly home: tile and wood floors which make it easy to clean up accidents, a set of steps to help small dogs get up on the bed, and toys in just about every room! And I don't mean just one or two toys, I mean a pile-o-toys! Jimmy picked out one or two while he was there even.

A and D of course loved Jimmy from the moment we walked into the house. Lily, not so much. She really wanted nothing to do with him, and made that pretty clear. But Jimmy is a very respectful little guy, and when she snubbed him, he took it all in stride and found other things to capture his attention. She never snapped at him, but she did growl a bit and mostly just "avoided" him by turning away from him.

Jimmy did warm up to A and D after about an hour. He's slow to warm up to strangers because he's still a bit apprehensive. But they were very understanding of this and most of the Meet & Greet was spent sitting on the floor and letting Jimmy come to them when he was ready. Of course, when he did, he snuggled close and gave sweet little puppy kisses. :D

After two hours they wanted to move forward with it but they wanted to be sure that Lily and Jimmy would be fine together, they want to be sure the dogs are a match. So Jimmy will be going over there this evening and will spend the weekend with them. That way A and D can have some bonding time with him, and Lily will get a chance to show if she'll get used to him or if she'd rather he just wasn't around. She reminds me of our min pin. Marie is all growl and no bite, and after a week or two, accepts the fact that the new dog is sticking around. Its usually not long before she's initiating wrestling matches even. So keep your fingers crossed for them and I will post next week to let you know if it was a match and Jimmy has found his new forever home!

See you at the dog park!

The Joys of Being a Dog Foster

2007-08-28T12:56:00.001-07:00

Today I wanted to post about the importance of being a dog (or cat) foster and about how rewarding it can be.

I have been volunteering with RESCUE since February 2001. Over the years I've volunteered as a Dog Walker, a Dog Caretaker/Chaperone, a Cat Foster (once...), a Dog Foster, and the coordinator of the Dog Caretakers. My favorite role has and is still that of a Dog Foster parent. I've fostered more than 15 dogs since 2001. I managed to pass Dog Fostering 101 (meaning I didn't adopt that first foster myself). But,there have been three foster dogs that I wish I could have adopted. The first was an 85 lb brindle coat pit bull named Mikey. He was the biggest baby ever. Then there was Guido, a little red Chihuahua/Min Pin mix. He was the one foster that my Min Pin truly loved. The two would play non-stop and even liked to share a crate. And the third was Tango, a Queensland Heeler mix. We had him for two years and came very close to making him permanent, but then his forever mommy found him and gave him a new home. He was the most rewarding foster. He started out a bit of a problem child, but with lots of patience and work, we helped him become a great dog.

Now, there are many animal rescue organizations in the Phoenix area, and all across the country. Most are for dogs and cats, some also include horses and livestock, small animals, and even reptiles. The one thing all these groups have in common, besides a love for animals, is the need for volunteers. Most shelters and rescue groups work on limited funds. And many are non-profit, and rely soley on donations and the occassional grant (which are hard to come by). Without volunteers, most shelters and rescue organizations would not be able to do the work that they do, which is helping abandoned animals get a second chance at life. Volunteers are the lifeblood of organizations like RESCUE.

Most shelters and rescue organizations will gladly accept your monetary donations as well as your donations of bedding, food, and other supplies. But they also really need volunteers. They need people to give a little bit of their time to help clean cages and dog runs, to transport the animals to vet appointments and events, to help groom and take care of the animals, to give the animals attention, and exercise, and public exposure. But one type of volunteer that these groups really need is that of foster homes. Some organizations do not have a facility of their own and must rely on the generosity of vets and boarding facilities that are willing to give them a few runs or cages. But what they really have to rely on is foster homes. Even the groups that have their own shelter facilities need fosters. There will always be animals that are too sick to be in boarding, too scared to be in boarding, that need extra love and attention and care. There will be animals that don't do well with other animals. There will be animals that will just deteriorate behaviorally the longer they spend in boarding. People who are willing to open their doors (and their hearts) to these special animals, foster parents, are the answer to these animals' prayers.

What does it take to be a foster? Part of that will depend on what a specific group may require. But that is something you can check into depending on what rescue organization you'd like to volunteer with (RESCUE is always looking for more fosters ;D). In general though, what is needed first of all is a real love and passion for the animals. Second, patience and understanding, and a bathtub.

Many of these dogs (and cats or other animals) are coming to your home from a kennel environment, and sometimes directly from the pound. They're scared, nervous, disorientated, unsure of their surroundings, maybe a little distrustful of humans, and in need of a lot of TLC. And to be frank, they're often pretty dirty and smelly too. That's where the bathtub comes in. Patience and understanding will come the first time they have an accident in the house or mark your favorite recliner. It will come when they destroy a shoe you carelessly left out. It will come when they get into the kitchen trash while you step out to get the mail. It will come when they roll in something stinky in the backyard and then jump up on your lap. It will come when you tell them no and they ignore you. But eventually, that all pays off as your foster learns the ropes of living in a house and living with others. It pays off when they learn some basic commands, listen to you, and walk by your side on leash. It pays off when you see them transform from a shy, skittish, unsure dog to a happy, playful and confident dog. It pays off when they meet a potential adopter and wow them with all they've learned and all they can do, and that adopter becomes their new forever home.

Now, most of what I've just mentioned applies more to dogs, but the same general idea can be applied to any type of animal you open your home to.

Becoming a dog, cat, or other animal foster, is one of the most rewarding ways you can help a shelter or rescue organization. You can see first hand the fruits of your labor and time with these animals. You get to be there every step of the way as these animals grow and become the dog or cat they were meant to be. You can reap the rewards when the day comes and you hand them off to their new forever home, wave good-bye, wipe away a tear or two, and prepare to open your home to the next animal in need.

Thanks for reading, and see you at the dog park (hopefully with your new foster dog)!

Jade Was Adopted! And We Have a New Foster!

2007-08-27T11:29:00.001-07:00

Yes, Jadey-girl was adopted this weekend by a wonderful family that includes a canine sister for Jade! Congratulations Jade, we'll miss you!

Now, Jade left our home a few weeks back to spend some time at the doggie daycare where we board some of our dogs. She did great there and enjoyed all the puppy playmates she had all day, everyday. It was a great environment for one so playful. So while she was gone, we got a new foster.

Meet Jimmy!

This picture was taken on the day he came from Animal Care and Control (aka. The Pound), Friday August 10, 2007. He was a little shy, nervous, and scared that day, as you can see from his face. He was also quite skinny. He's put on an ounce or two since then ;D. We hope to have some new pictures of him soon.

Let me tell you a little bit more about Jimmy-Jimmy, as we call him. Jimmy is about 9 months old, and still quite the puppy. He's a chihuahua, and he's tiny and barely weighs anything. He loves stuffed squeaky toys. We bought him a little one, its about 2.5-3 inches tall. Its a ducky. He loves it. But he surprised us and started to play with one of the "Big-Dog" stuffed toys, a stuffed bone with rope hanging off each end. He just loves to chew on the stuffed part. He'll even throw the little ducky around a bit. He does like to nibble on fingers, pillows, carpet, and wires, so we do have to keep an eye on him and keep stuffed toys handy to distract and redirect him. But he listens when we tell him no, so that's a good thing.

Jimmy may be small (probably about 5 or 6 lbs) but he has no problem getting up onto the couch or the bed. He just takes a flying leap and up he goes. He loves to snuggle close, whether it be in your lap, or next to you with him muzzle under your arm or behind your back. He often buries his muzzle under things besides us, including pillows and between couch cushions. He's so sweet and adorable though! He loves to be held and he loves his belly to be rubbed. He is a bit submissive overall, he'll flop over onto his back and give you his belly regularly. He'll also give us the nervous grin, but we're seeing that less and less as he gets more comfortable.

Jimmy is still a little bit skittish and will start if you move towards him too quickly. He also is nervous while eating. He'll take a mouthful and carry it to a "safe spot", eat it, then return for more. But he eats well despite this. We just make sure none of our other animals are around him while eating. He seems to prefer kibble to soft food though. Usually, its the other way around.

Jimmy does great with our Min Pin. He doesn't bug her to play with him nor does he seem to mind her being around. They basically exist in the same household, but don't interact much. We do see them playing in the back yard now and again when we've let them out to potty, but otherwise, the two stick to themselves. Jimmy is much more interested in his humans. So he could definitely live with another dog, but he'd also do just fine by himself. I'm sure if our Min Pin was more the playful sort, that the two would play together more. But he respects her and doesn't push her. He also is great with our two cats. He was curious about the bigger cat (our Maine Coon), and did get in a few sniffs, but as our bigger cat weighs almost three times as much, and is almost twice as tall as Jimmy, so he pretty much ignores the cats.

Jimmy needs work on the leash, I'm fairly certain he's never been on one, or at the very least, its been a while.

He also is NOT housebroken. He does fine while in the crate now, no accidents in there, but he's proving to be a little more difficult to housebreak than our average foster. Most of our fosters have been adult dogs, and they're just plain easier to housebreak. Its the reason I really don't ever want a puppy, I'd prefer the next dog we adopt to be an adult.

But overall, Jimmy is a wonderful sweet little puppy. He needs a little bit more work, he needs some time to grow up, but he'll make a wonderful addition to a home.

And last night, our Min Pin proved she is the Great Black-and-Tan hunter. She's proven time and again that she is an excellent fly hunter, a not-so-great bee hunter (we are thankful for that), a fabulous cricket hunter, and a fair lizard hunter (though we try to discourage that one, eww). But now we can add "toad hunter" to her illustrious list. Last night, I went to let the dogs back in after their pre-bed potty time. Jimmy came in but no Min Pin. I called her but she didn't come running. Concerned, I went outside to look around the yard for her. Then I heard her bark. She was on the side of the house near the gate. I went down to the end of the walk and she starting pouncing on something on the ground. To me, it looked like a chunk of rock or concrete. Jade had found a few of these in our yard and had spread them around. I figured it must be one we missed. Then it moved. Turned out to be a toad, or more specifically a Couch's Spadefoot Toad. Cute and fat little thing. Scared out of its mind. I picked Marie up, carried her into the house and then we humans went back outside with a flashlight. We escorted said toad out the gate and into the front yard, hopefully sending her on her way to another yard. Don't really want the Pinscher playing with toads.

Other than that, its been pretty quiet in our zoo. See you at the dog park!

Adoption Appointment!

2007-06-29T12:06:00.002-07:00

Miss Jade has an adoption appointment this coming weekend, on Sunday. She did an informal meet and greet with the human family member last weekend. Of course, she won him over instantly with her sweet personality and gorgeous looks. Now she needs to meet the four-legged family member, to be sure the two will get along.

Keep your fingers (and toes) crossed for her. I will post another update early next week to let you know!

See you at the dog park!

RESCUE Bowl-a-rama Fundraising Event

2007-06-18T16:09:00.001-07:00

August 4, 2007 is the date for the 5th Annual Bowl-a-rama. This event is huge fundraiser for RESCUE. We have a goal of $50,000 this year for this event.

To quote our website:

"Organized by local animal-loving businesswoman Eileen Proctor, top dog of It's A Ruff Life!, in conjunction with Pets911, this event is part of their continued mission to lend a paw to animals that are currently living a "rough" life. The Bowl-A-Rama brings together over 60 animal organizations to participate in this fifth annual fun-filled day to help the animals.
All pledges raised by RESCUE will go directly to our mission of providing a second chance at life for dogs and cats who through no fault of their own are spending their final days at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control."

Basically, we try to raise as much money as we can between now and August 4th. On the 4th, all the animal rescue organizations come together and take over a local bowling alley and bowl, cheer each other on, parade around in crazy costumes, and all around have fun. The organization with the best costumes wins a prize as does the organization that raises the most funds. RESCUE wants to be the latter in that. We did it last year and we want to do it again this year.

So how can you help? Easy! You can make a pledge to one of our teams. Its a secure online transaction which is tax deductible (you'll receive a receipt in the mail), and only takes a minute!

I'm on the "Hot Doggies" team this year. We're the dog team. There is also a cat team. But of course, you want to support the dog team. Its all about the dog team. Don't forget, its the dog team you want to support. Got that? D-O-G T-E-A-M. So when you head on over to the website to make your donation, you'll want to be sure to indicate the "Hot Doggies" team. We have a little internal competition amongst the RESCUE volunteers: Cat Team vs Dog Team. The dog teams have always raised more than the cat teams, and we want to keep it that way. ;D (But the Cat Team is determined to make it a close second.) When the form asks for a referrer, you can just put this blog or my blog name (AZ Dog Mom).

So scoot on over there before you head out to the dog park and make that donation! We need all the funds we can get, every little bit helps.

Jade Updates

2007-06-18T15:42:00.001-07:00

Well, Jade is making herself quite at home in our household. She's adjusted to the household schedule quite nicely. She now crates up when we tell her to (with a little cookie motivation of course) and she knows how to tell us she needs to go outside to go potty. So she's finally housebroken, which is so nice.

Jade still needs some work on the leash, she pulls and meanders, but she'll learn. She's gets regular walks and will continue to need that in her new home. Dog park visits would be a good thing for her too, to continue to keep her socialized.

She's eating great and has put on some weight. She'll be going to the vet on Wednesday to be spayed, and I'll ask them to weigh her then so we can see how much she's gained.

She got a bath last weekend and boy is her coat shiny. I took her picture using the Sepia-tone setting on the camera:

Isn't she gorgeous? I call her our sexy super-model. She's tall, leggy, thin, has great teeth, and she's gorgeous!

Here's another shot of her just hanging out on the couch:

Jade loves to play, but she's still a puppy for the most part, so she's a little rough and rude in her play. She needs a doggie mentor in her adoptive home, another dog who can show her the ropes and teach her how to be a little more polite in her play. She is fine with our Min Pin and she's getting better with our cats. Again, she just tries to play with them (and they don't want to play) and she can be a little rough with them as well. She is cat safe, but the cat will need to be a confident cat that can put her in her place and let her know what the boundaries are.

We think Jade would be good with children. Granted, they'll need to be "sturdy" children, big enough that she won't be able to easily knock them over if she were jump on them or whack them with that crazy Lab tail. ;D She has a great temperament though. We can lay our head on her like a pillow, play with those ears and tail, finger her soft velvety jowls, dance with her, hold her paws, rub her belly, and more. And she just eats up the love. She does mouth a little if you waggle fingers in front of her mouth, but she does not bite down with any pressure, just lots of Lab spit.

She loves to carry around tennis balls and enjoys a good chew toy. She also loves treats.

She is learning a number of new commands. She came to us already knowing how to "hi-five". If you put your hand in front of her, palm towards her, she'll put her paw up to your palm. We have taught her to sit (using an up-turned palm signal) and we're working on stay and lay down. She'll come when called, sort of. She also responds well to "No" and will redirect easily if she's doing something she's not supposed to.

Jade loves her people and loves to be near them. She's always at our feet or right up next to us on the couch. And when she gets too warm, she'll roll over onto her back, legs stretched out to the limits, head turned to the side, belly to the sky. Crazy girl.

She'll be available for adoption by the end of this week. If you know of anyone interested in a sweet female lab mix, send them over to the RESCUE website later this week and check her out!!

See you at the dog park!

Welcome to the Dogs of Our Lives!

2007-05-31T12:09:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone and welcome to the first posting of the Dogs of Our Lives.

I started this blog because I wanted an additional outlet to plug the dogs we foster for RESCUE. I have a hobby blog, but I didn't want to detract from that too much by constantly posting about our foster dogs or other RESCUE dogs and events. Of course, I will continue to shamelessly promote there when I feel I can, but I thought that having a special blog set up just for the dogs would be a good idea. And who doesn't like to read about dogs?!

I will be picking up our newest foster dog this afternoon. Her name is Jade and she is a lovely Black Lab Mix. She's young, possibly just a little over a year old. She's recently had puppies so she's quite thin. But don't worry, we'll get her fattened up in foster care (but not too fat). She has a great temperament and is good with other dogs, large and small. Her biography is not yet up on the RESCUE website, but I will add some updates here later this week so you can read more about her. Until then, here are some adorable pictures!! These were all taken yesterday, when she was rescued.

"I'm cute and I'm sweet. Wanna play?"

"Look at me, I'm sittin' pretty!"

"Gimme a kiss!"
Awww, look at that face!!!

Look for more updates later this week on sweet little Miss Jade!

See you at the dog park!