Posts
Something Special
4 months ago
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Wordless Wednesday. Ralph out cold.
(I know it's "wordless" but suffer; no he's not dead, just a super full belly, and yes, all the pups have names now. And yes, I changed the sheet right after his picture.)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Eight is enough.
Don't get me wrong, I would have accepted more, but eight is plenty. This also makes for the second litter of eight in the rescue, the other is 6 weeks old today.
Right now it's easy, I just change out bedding and keep Maya supplied with water and kibble. I'm sure this place will be a nut house once they're mobile. In fact, I know.
I think I've decided on names for all of them, just going to wait a bit before I decide who is who and announcing them all. That, and I need to be able to distinguish them all from each other, right now they're really just 4 white and 4 black pups. Bonus points because both girls are black.
As for the birthing process, Maya was a champ, super attentive, conscientious of her feet when moving, and she did everything herself. All I really did was offer water, rub down pups, and figure out who had what for body parts.
Every once in a while, I'll check in and a pup is wedged in behind her, blissfully sleeping. But everyone appears heathy and is happy. Least until one of my dogs dares to look through the baby gate at her or the pups. Then Maya is all curled lips and bared teeth. Normal, I know.
One day old, July 2, 2012.
Right now it's easy, I just change out bedding and keep Maya supplied with water and kibble. I'm sure this place will be a nut house once they're mobile. In fact, I know.
I think I've decided on names for all of them, just going to wait a bit before I decide who is who and announcing them all. That, and I need to be able to distinguish them all from each other, right now they're really just 4 white and 4 black pups. Bonus points because both girls are black.
As for the birthing process, Maya was a champ, super attentive, conscientious of her feet when moving, and she did everything herself. All I really did was offer water, rub down pups, and figure out who had what for body parts.
Every once in a while, I'll check in and a pup is wedged in behind her, blissfully sleeping. But everyone appears heathy and is happy. Least until one of my dogs dares to look through the baby gate at her or the pups. Then Maya is all curled lips and bared teeth. Normal, I know.
One day old, July 2, 2012.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Puppies!
Maya delivered 6 boys and 2 girls this morning in less than 4 hours. More information later, please enjoy your gratuitous puppy pic for now.
Caturday Roo Feets - 47 minutes late.
It's all about the angles.
Shiva had her spay nearly two months ago, her belly is taking its sweet time growing back in giving her the look of a victim of some sort.
Shiva had her spay nearly two months ago, her belly is taking its sweet time growing back in giving her the look of a victim of some sort.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Maya
June 18th, with my current house guest, I made an 8 hour round trip drive to get a dog. Said guest was quite the sport, even tho Maya is "just a dog" (her words, not mine).
Maya is another cattle dog, from Blue Ridge, GA, near the TN border. I am fostering her through Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Association. Tuesday we had an appointment to confirm the suspicions of her being pregnant.
In the week since she came here, maya has proved to be a sweet dog, house broken, happy to see you, an attention lover, and a gem in the car. Anyone would be lucky to have her.
Which makes me wonder why anyone would dump her. Theory is probably because she turned up pregnant. 6 weeks is about the time fit females start to show, and the pups are palpable.
Today, June 25, was her appointment for a radiograph for a head count. 7 to 8 is the verdict. I have made the floor of my step in master closet her whelping box, she seems to approve of it. Nothing else to do now but wait on her.
Maya is another cattle dog, from Blue Ridge, GA, near the TN border. I am fostering her through Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Association. Tuesday we had an appointment to confirm the suspicions of her being pregnant.
In the week since she came here, maya has proved to be a sweet dog, house broken, happy to see you, an attention lover, and a gem in the car. Anyone would be lucky to have her.
Which makes me wonder why anyone would dump her. Theory is probably because she turned up pregnant. 6 weeks is about the time fit females start to show, and the pups are palpable.
Today, June 25, was her appointment for a radiograph for a head count. 7 to 8 is the verdict. I have made the floor of my step in master closet her whelping box, she seems to approve of it. Nothing else to do now but wait on her.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Caturday Night Special.
We have a new foster in the house, she came with a few surprises, like giant ticks, lots of little scabs, fly strike, and others. I'm working on a post about her story for later next week. But for now I give you Shiva on my favorite new anchor sheets. 
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Inaugural Caturday Post.
Yes, we here at The Colbert Report were adopted by a cat.
No really, she came up on the front porch like she owned the place Easter weekend. Referred to as Jolene for a few days, she earned her name of Shiva (the destroyer, in Hindu teachings), quickly.
She is fearless when it comes to the dogs. And readily makes biscuits on your lap as soon as you sit down to do something. You know, in true cat fashion.
Completely black and all of 7 pounds, the vet guesses she's about 10 months old, give or take. Fitting for a cat to be a Virgo don't you think?
No really, she came up on the front porch like she owned the place Easter weekend. Referred to as Jolene for a few days, she earned her name of Shiva (the destroyer, in Hindu teachings), quickly.
She is fearless when it comes to the dogs. And readily makes biscuits on your lap as soon as you sit down to do something. You know, in true cat fashion.
Completely black and all of 7 pounds, the vet guesses she's about 10 months old, give or take. Fitting for a cat to be a Virgo don't you think?
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Do not give up hope.
I realize that it has been a while.
We are all settled in our new house. The furniture is arranged, the art is on the walls, and a schedule has been developed.
For those not in the know, the sailor is at a separate duty station for a short while due to the navy, we are mucking through. I live alone with five dogs in a town where I know practically no one. There have been 3 visits tween the 7 of us since he left in January. Two when he came to us, and one when I drove with the whole crew up to him in VA, I will be making this trip again in a few days. Hopefully without a repeat of the same events.
We had left them with D's roommate, who also happened to be our dog sitter in SC, while we went on a day date to the aquarium. For whatever single or collection of reasons: cat, squirrel, jet plane, thunder, loud neighbors, something, Buela bolted.
If any of them were to have run off and gotten lost, Buela would have been my last pick.
After 2 nights away from home we got a break while from one of the fliers his roommate had put up for us. She'd been hanging out at an apartment complex across the highway. After a few sightings, traipsing through peoples back yards, running, yelling "Buela" at the top of our lungs, we gave it a rest in the heat of the day. When D got home from work, the three of us went out again, walking slowly through the area she had last been seen, jangling my keys, and hoping. First his roommate saw her coming up through some brush, not running at full tilt like she had been all morning, but she went the opposite direction. Towards the same road D and I had started walking down, she emerged at a half trot from behind a greenhouse, and because she wasn't in full flight mode, she actually looked at and registered us.
Probably the happiest moment of my life.
Buela being held tightly by her Papa, walking along the line of green houses back to the truck.
Below is an article I wrote for Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Association's June newsletter. It has tips and information on what to do when you lose your dog. Once it is posted to ACDRA.org, I will post a direct link to it.
--
Help! I’ve lost my dog!
That was my nightmare last month while on vacation 600 miles from home visiting my husband at his current naval duty station.
Fortunately for us, we found her, but not after a weekend of tears, worry, and searching in the rain.
I received lots of help from the rescue community, for which I will always be grateful. My pay back is sharing with you the numerous tips that were given to me as to how best find your lost pup.
First, not so happy part, know that your dog will be scared and confused. However, be rest assured that most dogs are found within a 2 mile radius of where they were lost.
The most important thing is to not panic. Canvas the area where your dog was last seen with posters. List your phone number, email address, if there is a reward, your dog’s name, and most importantly for these velcro dogs, “Do Not Chase”. Make sure you have a good photo of your dog from the front and at least one side, preferably both, Also list if your dog has markings that will make them stand out. From an ACD point of view, because not many know of the breed you may have to generalize. My own Buela became a small black and tan dog with a tan face. As you can see from the photo that isn’t exactly it, but often people do not notice, or sadly, even care, until they know the dog is being looked for. Another saving grace was mentioning the dog from ”Mad Max” series, as cheesy as it sounds, it definitely gave people an idea of what kind of dog we were looking for.
While you are posting signs, talk to everyone you see, especially local businesses, schools, apartment complexes, mail carriers, and delivery services, these are the people who are in the area every day and would even hopefully notice a dog that doesn’t belong. Our big break came when we went into a leasing office for an apartment complex to let the agents and groundskeeper know she was missing. They had seen her twice that day.
Mornings and evenings will most likely be the time for the most activity of your pet, and your best chance to find them, especially in the heat of summer. If your pet will recognize your vehicle, park it near where they were last seen, leave a door open if you think they will hop in, and leave an article of clothing or blanket near the vehicle. Anything that will have the ‘family scent’ on it. We used the blanket that we cover the seat with. Walk the area carefully, your pet may be holed up somewhere where they can see you, but you cannot see them. If available, bring something unique with you that they will recognize the sound of, we used my car keys due the particular sound the dog tags on them make. Items like squeaky balls are not specific, and may even cause more anxiety. If you have another dog your missing dog is bonded to, bring them along for the walk. If it comes to it contact your local Animal Control to see if they loan out Havahart style traps large enough for your pet. Bait it with more of your dirty laundry, dirty carries more of your scent than clean, and food. I know of several people who have camped overnight in sighting hot spots, I would have too if we hadn’t finally found her.
If you see your dog, and they do not immediately come to you, do not, as much as you may want to, be upset. We saw Buela several times before we actually got her to come to us. She was in full on flight mode, at one point she looked right at me and didn’t even slow down. It hurt, a lot. The point is, to try to keep the tone of your voice happy and upbeat, your dog will know your cadence and tones. If you are upset and calling their name, it’s less likely they will come to you, thinking they are in trouble.
When not out physically looking for your dog, alert the local Animal Control Officers (ACO), and check the intake kennels at the local shelter. If your pet has one, have their microchip flagged, even if your contract has expired, you can often renew it for a nominal fee. Buela is chipped with Home Again, they marked her as missing and then sent notices to all participating veterinary offices, I did nothing but call in with her chip number and my information.
Do not forget to use the many resources on the internet to find them. Post your pet to Craigslist in both the Lost & Found and Pets section. Check facebook for a Lost and Found dogs page, many states have them, as well as area ASPCA’s and county shelters. Also use area rescues, kennel clubs, and fancier groups to network your pet. There are also services such as Pet Amber Alert, Lost My Pooch, Lost and Found Pets America and several others.
Finally, do not give up hope.
--
W
We are all settled in our new house. The furniture is arranged, the art is on the walls, and a schedule has been developed.
For those not in the know, the sailor is at a separate duty station for a short while due to the navy, we are mucking through. I live alone with five dogs in a town where I know practically no one. There have been 3 visits tween the 7 of us since he left in January. Two when he came to us, and one when I drove with the whole crew up to him in VA, I will be making this trip again in a few days. Hopefully without a repeat of the same events.
We had left them with D's roommate, who also happened to be our dog sitter in SC, while we went on a day date to the aquarium. For whatever single or collection of reasons: cat, squirrel, jet plane, thunder, loud neighbors, something, Buela bolted.
If any of them were to have run off and gotten lost, Buela would have been my last pick.
After 2 nights away from home we got a break while from one of the fliers his roommate had put up for us. She'd been hanging out at an apartment complex across the highway. After a few sightings, traipsing through peoples back yards, running, yelling "Buela" at the top of our lungs, we gave it a rest in the heat of the day. When D got home from work, the three of us went out again, walking slowly through the area she had last been seen, jangling my keys, and hoping. First his roommate saw her coming up through some brush, not running at full tilt like she had been all morning, but she went the opposite direction. Towards the same road D and I had started walking down, she emerged at a half trot from behind a greenhouse, and because she wasn't in full flight mode, she actually looked at and registered us.
Probably the happiest moment of my life.
Buela being held tightly by her Papa, walking along the line of green houses back to the truck.
Below is an article I wrote for Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Association's June newsletter. It has tips and information on what to do when you lose your dog. Once it is posted to ACDRA.org, I will post a direct link to it.
--
Help! I’ve lost my dog!
That was my nightmare last month while on vacation 600 miles from home visiting my husband at his current naval duty station.
Fortunately for us, we found her, but not after a weekend of tears, worry, and searching in the rain.
I received lots of help from the rescue community, for which I will always be grateful. My pay back is sharing with you the numerous tips that were given to me as to how best find your lost pup.
First, not so happy part, know that your dog will be scared and confused. However, be rest assured that most dogs are found within a 2 mile radius of where they were lost.
The most important thing is to not panic. Canvas the area where your dog was last seen with posters. List your phone number, email address, if there is a reward, your dog’s name, and most importantly for these velcro dogs, “Do Not Chase”. Make sure you have a good photo of your dog from the front and at least one side, preferably both, Also list if your dog has markings that will make them stand out. From an ACD point of view, because not many know of the breed you may have to generalize. My own Buela became a small black and tan dog with a tan face. As you can see from the photo that isn’t exactly it, but often people do not notice, or sadly, even care, until they know the dog is being looked for. Another saving grace was mentioning the dog from ”Mad Max” series, as cheesy as it sounds, it definitely gave people an idea of what kind of dog we were looking for.
While you are posting signs, talk to everyone you see, especially local businesses, schools, apartment complexes, mail carriers, and delivery services, these are the people who are in the area every day and would even hopefully notice a dog that doesn’t belong. Our big break came when we went into a leasing office for an apartment complex to let the agents and groundskeeper know she was missing. They had seen her twice that day.
Mornings and evenings will most likely be the time for the most activity of your pet, and your best chance to find them, especially in the heat of summer. If your pet will recognize your vehicle, park it near where they were last seen, leave a door open if you think they will hop in, and leave an article of clothing or blanket near the vehicle. Anything that will have the ‘family scent’ on it. We used the blanket that we cover the seat with. Walk the area carefully, your pet may be holed up somewhere where they can see you, but you cannot see them. If available, bring something unique with you that they will recognize the sound of, we used my car keys due the particular sound the dog tags on them make. Items like squeaky balls are not specific, and may even cause more anxiety. If you have another dog your missing dog is bonded to, bring them along for the walk. If it comes to it contact your local Animal Control to see if they loan out Havahart style traps large enough for your pet. Bait it with more of your dirty laundry, dirty carries more of your scent than clean, and food. I know of several people who have camped overnight in sighting hot spots, I would have too if we hadn’t finally found her.
If you see your dog, and they do not immediately come to you, do not, as much as you may want to, be upset. We saw Buela several times before we actually got her to come to us. She was in full on flight mode, at one point she looked right at me and didn’t even slow down. It hurt, a lot. The point is, to try to keep the tone of your voice happy and upbeat, your dog will know your cadence and tones. If you are upset and calling their name, it’s less likely they will come to you, thinking they are in trouble.
When not out physically looking for your dog, alert the local Animal Control Officers (ACO), and check the intake kennels at the local shelter. If your pet has one, have their microchip flagged, even if your contract has expired, you can often renew it for a nominal fee. Buela is chipped with Home Again, they marked her as missing and then sent notices to all participating veterinary offices, I did nothing but call in with her chip number and my information.
Do not forget to use the many resources on the internet to find them. Post your pet to Craigslist in both the Lost & Found and Pets section. Check facebook for a Lost and Found dogs page, many states have them, as well as area ASPCA’s and county shelters. Also use area rescues, kennel clubs, and fancier groups to network your pet. There are also services such as Pet Amber Alert, Lost My Pooch, Lost and Found Pets America and several others.
Finally, do not give up hope.
--
W
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