Lost, Strayed or Just a Runner?

This dog came to me when someone found him on the back road.  The people were concerned because it was so thin and indeed it was.  I had it pegged for a boxer X Hound.  he was here for four days and was so exuberant and starved for affection he became a pain in the butt and eventually I could not let my own dogs out with out supervision.  My old Keeper dog is now 18 and I tend to protect her as much as possible. 

Having put the dog on fb and contacting the SPCA in nelson as well as KAAP I hoped I would have him placed by the weekend when some paying boarders were coming in and I would need my back yard again.  Finally I got a phone call from a fellow named Shawn and he said it was his dog and he would pick it up at 1:00.  I waited all afternoon but no show.  Once again I fed the dog and waited some more. At about 7:00 I went out to mow the lawn and no dog!  I thought it strange that after four days the dog would jump the fence as he seemed happy enough in the yard until then.  Later I found my chain collar on the front step , so that told me the owner had come for him.  That was fine but I could not help but be disappointed in the owner in that he could not even offer me a thank-you or even the decency to ring the bell and let me know he was there for the dog.  This guy is a chicken shit for sure and I can only hope he tries a little harder with the dog as he does not deserve this dogs love.  On the phone Shawn said he was "going" to take the dog to the vet to find out why he was so thin as he is feeding him lots and that he was also going to have him fixed.  Well gonna and doing are two different things sometimes. He also said he would like to give this dog away as his other dog does not get along with it.  Maybe the other dog is getting all the food?  He also told me this dog is supposed to be a split-nosed pit bull.  Upon looking this up on the Internet there is no such breed but there are dogs with a split nose. Whoopdedoo.  What this dog needs is a good owner and some vet attention as well. And hopefully a new owner!! Someone who has time to spend with him and do some training as well.  The dogs manners are not great and this makes people stay away from him although really is just a big suck.  And so ends another saga and even though this was not a happy incident I will continue to give dogs a safe haven while I find their owners for them.  They deserve it and this dog was not a "runner" as I first thought but just another dog looking for love.  I wish him well and a new owner and a happy life somewhere else! 

Different dogs-Different Days

Hi All. I am back after a lengthy pause.  I had a nice break from pet sitting from the 4-10th.Nice timing as my Bro came visiting and we were able to have a very nice visit without any extras in the house.  Even so my two seemed always to be underfoot and my bro figures I shuffle around because of them.  Could be-I dunno. We had one more incident with Teko going in the creek and can only surmise it looks flat to him.  We fished him out easily enough and he does swim although he had a foot thru the chain in his collar.  He also floats well because of all his hair and actually could have gotten out on his own this time I think, as the water is not so high and swift. He will have to be on leash from now on I think.
On the 10th things picked up again and Charlie came for a few days (Old English Sheepdog) and then Inga returned for a day and a new one a little JR named Stella came for the day as well.  She was a pleasure and even slept with me on the couch.  Bold and brassy and made herself to home right away.AND listened well! Easy dog to have around.
However on the weekend I got a not-so-nice one.  I guess my luck ran out.  Friends from out of town had booked with me for the weekend. We visited for a bit and the dog seemed fine but once they left things changed drastically and Skip would not settle down.  He stayed in the back yard yarking until finally I put him in the kennel in the porch and he shut up.  That is until 1:00a.m.  But he went back to sleep and the next day was no longer trying to chew the wire gate etc.  But come nightfall when I put him in the crate again he kicked up a huge fuss.  I couldn't have him in the house as he was not good with Mr.Peaches.  So I let him into the porch to see if that will help.  He shut up but spent the night ripping apart my screen door.  He even bent the scrolling up!  I suppose this was in an attempt to get into the house but I had really had the biscuit with him by that time and went to town looking for his owners.  This took awhile, but eventually after buying me brekkie we returned to the house to get Skips belongings and they screwed the door back together and gave me $20 extra and left.  I suppose excuse makers would put it down to "Separation Anxiety". I call it not a balanced and  happy dog!  Most dogs that come here are happy but once in awhile I get a sulker who simply doesn't want to be happy and there is little I can do about that.
   I have come up with a minimum charge of $20 for day timers(dogs that only come for the day).  Although it may only be for a few hours it still causes some upset for the dogs that are here already and a bit of stress for me as well.  Plus you never know which dog is going to be a problem,  Such was the border collie that came yesterday.  Tobey seemed a nice dog and listened so had some training .  Training always goes a long way to a nice stay.  However Tobey was a prime candidate for the old "Separation Anxiety" and after inspecting the house and the yard would stand by the door and yark!  Quite a shrill sound and made me jump the first time.  This continued for his entire stay until it grew late in the afternoon and he somehow figured out his owners were coming soon.  For a break I took all three dogs out on the front lawn, but found Tobey would not stick around so put him on a leash.  Our road his little traffic but still it would not do to have him get in trouble.And so it goes, you cannot always just have good and fun dogs that come to stay although I have been most fortunate before this.
  Presently there are only two dogs booked for the long weekend.  A Labradoodle on the 4th for a day and a night and a German Shepherd on the 5th, that sounds like it needs the whole back yard on its own as does not like other dogs sniffing her butt! (Isn't that what dogs do?) go figure. So my dogs and the doodle will have to use the front door and the front yard and leave the Shepherd to herself.  A bit unusual but what the heck? We can be flexible.  So that's the plan for the moment and I am sad to add that Mr.Peaches escaped and never came home.  I cannot believe how much I miss him, at night I am sure I can feel him jump on the bed but it's only my imagination and he has been gone for two weeks now and not likely to return I don't think.This has happened to my other cats and why I kept him in for two years but with Teko and Keeper so slow to go in and out I wasn't fast enough to stop a clever cat from whisking out the door. I think I can blame coyotes because if he was near humans they could read his tatoo and return him to me. life is rather slow for us here at Miracle House while I wait for my bum back to get better.  Soon I hope.

Crazy Days

Sunday was a crazy day.  I woke up far too early and then by about 8:00 got really tired and laid down for a bit and fell asleep of course.  Was three-quarters of an our late to meet good friend for brekkie in the Hotel. I felt really bad and when I finally got her message on the phone(she had left when I got there) she sounded very disappointed and I felt like a real ditz to say the least.  Also had to go to Nelson and that had not been really planned into my schedule.  I got in a flap and phoned Nelson as I was running late and foolishly left my phone in the porch.  My neighbour Laura always lets my dogs out when I am away and to make matters easier for her I put Bella and Mr.P in the porch and took off.  Bella has a never ending bladder and I knew she would be fine and is not great with strangers so it seemed easier that way. My responsibility to these dogs and clients is starting to tell on me and I am getting a bit exhausted by it all and this has been since May really. When I left my friends house to do my shopping, in Nelson, it was absolutely pouring and the storm drains were going nuts. There must have been a blockage or something and water was bubbling out of the storm drains! At the light to turn into the Mall, they had a guy standing on the drain in hi-vis clothing to stop people from hitting the drain which looked like it had popped up more than a foot into the air.  I was glad to finish my shopping and head for home.
  All seemed well with the dogs when I got home but Bella had eaten my phone! My fault really for leaving it out.  She doesn't do change well and I guess I cannot whine about it.   But I really  did like having two phones that were portable.  As soon as I could I took the dogs for a run and on my way home ended up with an impromptu invite for pizza.  Time was marching on and Bella's owner came by twice to get her before I finally got home around 9:00.  Bella was most pleased to see owner and vice-versa.  Nice to see.  So Bella left and it seems Mr.P was jealous and had peed on her bed!  What a bad bugger! So although it 'seemed"my animals had been adjusting very well to all the changes in dogs maybe not?
  So...no more Bella and for the most part she was a very easy dog to have around.  Then Monday morning Borgo returned.  it just seems to go on and on and of course I always need the money so I don't refuse anyone.   My brother may be coming on Friday and Borgo goes home Thursday morning so hopefully I will get a break for a bit to visit with Bro?  Hope the rain takes a break also.  In between times I have been dunging out the spare room and hope to get rid of an old chair that has been in there for a year and a half that is not mine.
  Then its Keepers B-day on Wed. and I must make a cake today sometime.  Silly in a way but what the hell?
 Oh! Teko almost had a near-death experience yesterday. We were at the park and I was walking over to a fellow with a dog to ask if his dog was friendly wnough for me to let Borgo run and Teko fell in the creek-right by the culvert! As always these things seem to happen in a second.  Well the fellow was a real hero and dropped his dogs leash and bailed in after Teko and heaved him out on dry land and it was all over.Thank-you stranger named Ray!(?) I imagine the culvert emptied into the lake but with all the debris etc. one small Chihuahua might have had a helluva time getting out again and definitely would have been under totally for a few minutes!  Silly little bugger has cataracts and may have misjudged the distance-I don't know.  I had my expensive shoes on and also Borgo on leash and would never have been able to react as quickly as this Ray guy did.  And as always although it seemed longer was all over in a couple of minutes really.The dogs played around for a bit and then would you believe Keeper decided to go for a short swim?  I could only hope she was smart enough not to go far but of course Borgo thought he would get in on it and was almost preventing her return to land. So I grabbed him and took him away and she made it safely in.  Don't know as I swim well enough to save any dogs really so will have to be more careful in the future.
Being here seems to be old hat to Borgo this time and he has been a bit bad.Finding all sorts of things to chew up and then did the same when I put  him in the porch.  In the night there was a big clunk and I got up but think he maybe fell off the couch or something?
  Then on Wed, Inga is returning and so it goes! Can only roll with it and do my best.  My clients must be happy anyway if they keep returning and that is a good sign.  Inga is only here for the day and I will have to kennel Borgo and keep her in the porch for Keepers party I think as smaller dogs are intimidated by the larger ones and don't need any scuffles.  Just have to hang onto my old motto of "It will all work out int he end"!
Back to work today and everyone will come with me and tomorrow there will be four in the dogmobile.  Again I am grateful to have the van and also flexible working hours.  it all works if yo keep on your toes.
Uh-oh feeding time in Miracle House so must get going. Also have the Seniors bingo today so a bit busier than a regular day. Thassall Folks!

Bella the Quiet One

 I have to say Bella is the most Quiet dog I have ever met. She is of course very shy as well and not very confident but man you hardly know she is here!  She stays on her bed and could care less when the other two go out the back door.  She does like "going" out in the dogmobile but when you get her out of the vehicle, she is just as likely to try and jump back in.  She is ready and willing to go out first thing in the morning but again is just as likely to come back in if the door is open too long.  It takes Keeper and Teko a few minutes to both get out the door.  Today for the first time she came to me as I sat at my computer and I gave her pets and attention and then let her out a second time. She stayed out for awhile and when I checked on her she was laying on the grass in the drizzle of rain.  She is a very relaxed dog and maybe I have had so many boisterous, lively ones of late that it really makes quiet stand out? I really think this is just her personality as she does not seem worried or unhappy really. I think she was a rescue dog but am not sure and her present owners really lucked out as she is a low maintenance dog for sure. she did bark when someone came to the door but not excessively and just how good can one dog be? She spends most of the day on her bed and is more like an ornament than having a dog around.  Super mellow lady she is!( Can't you tell I can hardly stand it?)
   Yesterday we delivered a half culvert tunnel to Max as an agility present as his owner could not find a wind tunnel for him in Nelson. I think you can get them at "Mountain Baby" if I have the name right of the store on Baker Street.
  So Wednesday is Keepers 18th birthday and all friends are invited to come for cake and coffee and hopefully a few of her dog friends as well.  Last year Bea even ordered a cake and Robert in the Bakery made her a dog-bone shaped one! This year we will have to make do with one I make and that's that.  My goodness I have had her around for longer than some people have their kids!  But as I watch her totter and fall sometimes I know the writing is on the wall and her time is limited. So-- we make sure we enjoy every day as much as we can.  For now her health seems good and I am so glad of that. She is basically healthy and still can get around on her own steam.  Lying down and getting up again is difficult for her at times and there is a definite weakness in her hips but she continues on and doesn't seem to be in a lot of pain.  I know her hearing is poor and now I think her eyesight is not great either.  Yesterday she stepped in Bellas' water bowl(that usually is not there) and the water ran all over the floor and soaked into the carpet but hey it all dries in the end and its a small price to pay to have my buddy still with me.  I well remember the careful dog she once was and it used to bother her to knock things over and she would never have stepped in a water bowl in her heyday.  Dogs seem much more accepting of old age coming down on them than humans are.  When she falls down upon rising and cannot get a grip on the slick floor, she simply waits until she feels stronger and then tries again.   It breaks my heart to remember the racing daredevil she once was and one of my favorite "memory images" is of her racing through the bush bravely jumping downed trees and underbrush as she kept up to us on the ATV.  Another one is of her doing agility way ahead of me and yarking in happiness and excitement.  Then too there were the million and one throws of the Frisbee throughout the years.  She did love her Frizbee and taught her boyfriend Teddy how to do it.  We still see Teddy on ocassion and although their "romance" seems to have gone out they are still good friends.  We hope he comes to the party. I don't think I am "boarding" any dogs at that time and Teddy sometimes has issues with dogs he doesn't know but it would be nice to have him.  We are also hoping for an outdoor party so hopefully the weather will give us a break?  If not,  its inside for us and I think this place is just one big doghouse anyway so no matter.  All in all Keeper has had rather a long and good life and I can't complain that her time is running out.  None of us gets out alive anyway and I know she will be waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge and will be all young and energetic again?  She has been a wonderful and faithful companion to me for all these years and I will never forget her.  One special dog for sure!

A Good and Working Relationship

Yesterday when Borgos' owner arrived he of course kicked up a fuss and barked etc.  But that is to be expected. I'm afraid I started in right away discussing my opinion on what he now needs. Both owner and her Mother were most impressed with the results of the pinch collar.  As a matter of fact I lent it to them in hopes his training will continue.  He may be returning soon as they are going to the states and hope to pick up one of the collars and two for me as well. It seems to me I lent out a pinch collar some time ago and never did get it back.  I had thought not to do that again but guess I always "keep the faith" in my fellow man regardless of the results.  And it is all for a good cause anyway and both collars were given to me so...what goes around comes around?  Still. that leaves me with no pinch collars at all! Guess I will manage.  Bella is so good and sensitive that she only needs a tug on the training collar and that is good enough. think her owners just have not pushed it much nor insisted she heel nicely.  Although Bella probably came with a gentle nature, she shows that her owners are gentle as well.  She is an easy dog to have around and must be shy about "doing her business" as I have yet to see her do anything!  she seems to be able to hold her business for some time but then I have two dogs that need to go out a lot more than usual.  Bella loves her food and somehow knows exactly when I have filled her bowl and am bringing it out to her and meets me part way. She is eating well again and only refused to eat the first night so she has adjusted quickly and well.  She knows to go in the second back seat and all is well around here.
   I had a nice surprise when a friend phoned to tell me my business cards were in.  I had wanted ones with a certain photo on and she could not get that done so improvised and they look lovely!  They have young Max on them and its even a photo I took myself!Along with a whole box of cards she also ordered address labels AND a mousepad.  All with Max on them! One of the best parts was the comment on the bottom of the card that says " I am now Jack Russell tolerant."  I have never been intolerant of these energetic little dogs but disliked how the owners never bothered training them.  It makes all the difference to know they can be trained and can learn to listen and they really are very loveable.  I hope none of my clients ever cause me to pick up their dog (as an Animal Control Officer) as I would feel terrible about it.  Still as I have maintained from the time I started my job as ACO, if the owners do their job and keep their dogs  under control, I won't have to do mine.
  When I was at the Post Office I could not help myself but to speak to a fellow about how his training would go a lot better if he used a training collar.  Next thing I knew I was demonstrating and once gain lent out another collar!  I do expect these people to purchase their own and return mine and we shall see what happens.  If the weather ever clears up I think it is time for another dog class to happen. maybe Max's owner will let me use him as a demo dog although he has much to learn yet.  Its something to think about anyway. It would be great to do agility with him but I wonder if I could keep up at all?  Just about the time I have given up on agility ever taking off in Kaslo there seems to be some interest.  But you just never know how its gonna go.  I have been fortunate in that I have not had to put a lot of money out for the agility obstacles etc. Both my tunnels were given to me and the rest was built by Ed or scrounged from the dump.   I always hope to have a series of dogs that will do agility for May Days and think that would be a lot of fun but don't even have a suitable candidate myself right now.  One of the first dogs I used to "show" agility was Timmy, guess what? A Jack Russell!  Timmy was so fast and his owner so worried I would lose him I had to tie two leashes on him in order to catch him after I sent him through the tunnel.  But it worked and he quite loved doing the stuff.  You just have to figure out different ways sometimes.  A border collie named Russell loved doing agility as well but I think we have never had more than three dogs to "show".  Maybe that can change in the future?  Now I use the term "show" very loosely here as there had never been an actual competition, we just brought our dogs up and did a demo.
   The thought has occurred to me that owners not doing any training at all deprive their dogs of a lot of joy.  They are robbed of the confidence they might gain and the whole praise thing for a job well done.  Most dogs enjoy pleasing their owners and the owners should enjoy that too.  Its nice to be proud of your dog and the work you have done with him.  As with horses, every rider needs to be a trainer.  And so it is with dog owners they too need to be trainers.  It really is wonderful to have a dog know what you want before you are even aware of it and they are all clever and as stated "Love to Please You"!  And guess what else? In later years of your dogs life it will matter a lot!  That's why Keeper and I can still communicate as her faculties start to leave her.  A good relationship(training) with your dog is a wonderful thing--the rewards and results are certainly worth the time involved.

Borgos Day

Without a bunch of rain to deal with we had a pretty good day yesterday. Down at the park Borgo swam and got sticks and ran a lot and generally had a great time.  I kept Keeper on leash as didn't want him tipping her over. Teko hustled around trying to pee on and mark as many things as he could and cared less where I was but he is always at the dogmobile when its time to go.
  Bella arrived as arranged and turned out to be just the opposite of Borgo. she is a small LabX and quite shy and very quiet.  I did try and see if they would make friends but she is terrified of him and so he didn't get a playmate.  Bella is very laid back and quiet in the house and although she showed a bit of distress when her owner left she got over it quickly. she did not eat last night but seemed happy when I made her a bed with her towel on it and there she stayed!  She also tends to pull on leash but a small correction on her regular training collar is all she needs.( choke collar but I dislike the term)
  I spent some time in the yard throwing plastic lids for Borgo and he knows to give nicely once you get ahold of it but then wanted to chew them up so I gave him a metal lid and that wasn't half so chewable. he doesn't bring them back every time so I had three on the go and that kind of worked.  One on one attention anyway,  It really is time for him to grow up and receive some discipline as he is too big to "baby" any more.  Needs some manners bigtime! but his owner phoned and will be picking him up at ten today so that's it for this go round. He tries to be good just hasn't been guided in the basics.The pinch collar made a big difference with him and he would come around in no time I think with some perseverance and consistency.  Will mention my opinions to owner today.  I can only try and help,as a matter of fact I am probably too adamant about it all but life could be so much easier for all involved for him and he would appreciate it in the end too. He's looking for some guidelines and not getting them.  and of course he will always be a big gallomping dog-no getting past that!
  Anyway its all interesting and I continue to learn from the different personalities etc.  Funny to see Bella slept on the couch last night but got off when I got up.
  Borgo even got Keeper thinking she could play with him yesterday and got tipped over right away and decided she would go back in the house and practise being an elder again.  Teko just went around growling at him all the time. And then Teko had the audacity to try and take over Borgos' food dish!   I guess all his life any dish on the floor was his and he still thinks that.  Not so and I put the dish up and put him inside.
  Well it past brekkie time so no more bloggin' for today. So very nice to see the sunshine and blue sky all that rain makes one appreciate it a lot more.
p.s. I found out "Borgo" was a Rum that owners hubby enjoyed somewhere.

Speaking too Soon

Well there you go, just when I was talking about how nice and calm most of my boarders are - Borgo arrived!  His owner wasn't even in the door and he bounced in with exuberance and scared Mr.P who tipped over a small table with a bunch of stuff on it and started hissing from the couch.  Thank goodness owner held on tight and Mr.P escaped to the bedroom. His owner simply said "and so it begins"  I popped the dog out in the back yard where he proceeded to protest his banishment just when things were looking exciting. Owner very good about saying if I couldn't handle him put him in kennel and she liked the size of the kennel in the porch.  I was all upside down writing on my blog and losing track of time and had been rushing about getting dressed. so it was a hectic few moments.  Having large dogs is not easy and this fellow doesn't seem to be built for speed and chasing down balls so harder to exercise him.  Tuesdays I call bingo for the inmates at the hospital so next thing we were off in the dogmobile.  I put a pinch collar on Borgo and he quit pulling and did a quicky lesson on how to walk nice and popped him into the back of the van. Thank goodness he is quiet in there as had to leave the dogs in the car while I did bingo.At home I let him run around to do his thing and he does come back which is very nice and then with all the rain he spent most of the day in the front porch. The dogs certainly like sleeping on the swing seat in there and it wasn't until nighttime that he discovered he could look through the window into the dining room ans watch me on the computer. Last call pee was the quickest I have ever seen and am not sure he did anything actually but run down and back again. Big boobie still pees like a puppy and looks so funny doing it.Hopefully it won't rain as much today and we can all go for a walk but yesterday was a tad ridiculous and I was happy to stay indoors.  Borgo should be able to be in the yard at least for a time but he seems to not like being by himself and who can blame him? He is just so big and boisterous and with the cat etc. I am not in a hurry to have him indoors although he just might settle down quickly-who knows? In any case he hasn't gotten into any trouble in the porch except for whipping my plants with his tail and they will just have to toughen up. He isn't unhappy or crying or anything so I presume all is well by him. As stated today should be a better day for him. Also I have learned Bella is coming in around 4:00 so hopefully they will get along and play themselves to sleep. The first half hour is always the most difficult as the dogs  come in a bit excited.
  Well I see the spell check has given up working and I wonder why that happens? Oh well will just have to do it the old-fashioned way to correct mistakes. In any case it looks like another interesting day with the dogs and I am glad to have this week off again.  it seems to come just in time-days off I mean. We are all coping with the water restrictions and it isn't so bad as I though it might be. I had visions of getting water from the lake but so far so good.  Thank goodness for those Village employees out there in the rain and the muck making some water available to us.  it seems ridiculous to be restricted on water with so much coming down on us.  I guess we will survive but yesterday i felt like we were about to be wiped off the map entirely.No point evenin discussing the weather as we have no control over it.apparently a bit of sunshine tomorrow maybe?? Hope so!