Making new friends!   Today I went to meet a potential client and while talking to her person I reminisced why I started boarding dogs in my home. For our pets, being away from their family is stressful enough, compound on that having to go live at a kennel for an extended stay with new sounds and lot’s of other dogs and that can be overwhelming.  Younger dogs if exposed early on, can get used to the experience and in a lot of cases, enjoy themselves.  Our geriatric companions though, have enough to deal with as they age, continuity or feeling at home goes along when they are separated from family.   In the past when we have taken a vacation and our pets are not able to tag along, I find someone to come to live in our home to avoid having to take them to a kennel.  For us, that has always worked perfectly as the animals are in their space and the only adjustment they have to make is getting used to a different person responsible for their care.  We did run into trouble back when we lived in Thunder Bay after we had adopted a second dog, when we would go to Southern Ontario to visit with family, the person we stayed with wasn’t interested in my bringing two dogs.  For the first time with my pets, I decided to board my adopted dog Nishka in a kennel, thinking if I had her near by I could go walk her during the days so she could still see us.  No matter how lovely the establishment was where I would board her, when she would come back home with us, she always depleted and under the weather for about a week or two afterwards.  Nishka was a senior dog,  it was very evident the experience was too stressful, I think partly because she was an older and partly she was a free spirit and being in a kennel went against her nature.  After several failed attempts, we found a suitable person to come live in our home so she didn’t have to struggle.  With Lucas, we recognized that after loosing his family and living  at the pound for two weeks, being in a kennel or unfamiliar living situation was more than he could deal with, we respect what he has experienced and we find someone to come live with him or he goes to live with his buddy Harley.  The reason why I started offering people the opportunity to board their pets in my home was so that everyone had peace of mind.  For your canine companion, they are at a home away from home.  They live as part of our family, sure it isn’t their regular surroundings and things are unfamiliar and different, but it isn’t a huge change from what they are used to as they are adopted into the fold.  I have yet to meet a guest who hasn’t thrived with us when their humans are on vacation.  I was saying to the lovely woman and her beautiful girl that I was lucky to meet today, that for me there are so many perks to boarding other people’s furry friends in my home, one being that both my pets are male,  it’s awesome to have a girl around to remind me what’s it like to have a shadow.  It’s awesome making new friends!

 

 

 

 

“You’ll pay for that!”  We have all been there, where you perceive you have been wronged and you feel you need to drive that point home to the one whom has mistreated you!   The best example I can think of in my own life, my girls were but mere babes in arms.  My spouse got the opportunity to travel from Hay River (and for those of you who are saying, “Where’s that?”  It’s eleven hours north of Edmonton in the wonderful Northwest Territories) to Vernon, British Columbia for a work related conference.   It was the second night of my hubby’s escape, my youngest was a few months old and might I point out, nursed every twenty minutes, she basically was like a leech.   My oldest was just over three and unfortunately had a habit of getting severe ear infections.  After a day of doing daycare of 5 children all under the age of 3 and caring for my own I realized my poor child needed to make a trip over to the E.R.   I called a girl friend, she came over to take care of my screaming infant while I took her wailing sister to the hospital.  I returned two hours later, got the girls settled into bed and the phone rang.   What a surprise, it was their Dad calling to check in.   The youngest was connected to my breast, and I was feeling rather exhausted and haired and made the mistake of asking my spouse what he was doing, he proceeded to share with me that he was sitting outside in a hot tub, drinking a beer and he was bored.  I think I might have shared a few expletives and felt had an overwhelming urge to end our conversation immediately.  When he got back from his wonderfully relaxing work trip he got a bit of the cold shoulder, it took me a few days to get over my anger and I admit the thought may have crossed my mind to scrub the toilet with his toothbrush as punishment  for having the opportunity to unwind.   I was realizing today that I think that is what my cat Romeo does when I decide to go away for a night or two.   I think he feels so annoyed that I got a break and he wasn’t included that he has to make me pay for a few days.   During the daylight hours he is rather chilly with me and I am ignored,  he avoids being in the same room with me, he shoots me looks when I talk to him and he moves his head away when I attempt to give him a kiss.  At night he is restless and makes sleeping next to impossible so that when I get up in the morning I am dragging myself around the house.  After a few days though, he’s back to purring at my feet when I step out of the shower and cuddling up to me as I slumber,  he is full of love and we fall back into our routine, all is forgiven!

 

 

 

the idea of paying for pissing off you spouse….pissing off the cat…retribution…

When I wake up in the morning, you are there.  We eat breakfast together and then we go out for a walk.  When I come home you are there waiting for me by the door.  During the day you sit at my feet as I work away at my desk.  When I vacuum or wash the dishes you are never far away.  In the evenings when I finally decide to sit and read or watch a show on the television, you are cuddled up beside me.  When I go to bed at night you are right there at my side, every night!  You are my best friend, my companion in life and you love me unconditionally, why is it then that people are so confused when I grieve at your loss?  Why is it that you question when I find it hard to go to work the next day or smile like nothing has changed, because a member of my family is gone?   Why is it when I am struggling several months later, there are those who are  confused and think I am strange for not being able to instantly move forward?   For some people the one that they spend the majority of their days and nights with are covered in fur.  They may not converse, they may not help pay the rent or contribute when the chores need to be done, but the gift they give far outweighs any thing that can be quantified or adequately put into words.  Love is love, friendship is friendship and no one should underestimate or undermine the bonds we have with our animal family members!   As I watch my dog aging, as he sleeps more and slows down on our walks I try and brace myself for what lies around what I hope is a distant corner.  Ultimately I know nothing will prepare me for the eventuality that one day he will no longer be standing at the door with his stuffie in his mouth waiting to greet me,in that moment I find myself remembering all my other friends whom I continue to miss on any given day and honour the place they hold in my heart!

I am searching to find an answer to my conundrum.  There are lot’s of people who feel comfortable walking their dog off leash, I myself over the years have allowed a few of our dogs to walk along a trail with us untethered.   My girls were my shadows, they wouldn’t leave my side and if we encountered another dog they were so nervous they would hide behind my legs for protection.  When hiking with Lucas, I rarely ever let him loose, it is not that I feel that he would take off and I would never see him again, for me it is I am not sure how he will react to other dogs that he encounters that are unrestrained,  for his protection I keep him safe and secured.  The other day I was in the park with a pair of my clients, both of the dogs are on the small side, and the one can be aggressive in situations when she is uncertain.  As we  rounded the corner in one of the parks I like to walk in I realized there was a cute dog, similar in stature running around sniffing with no leash on.  I quickly tried to move out of the way and as I did so and his pooch be lined for us.   I  warned the young man that one of the dogs could be aggressive, I think he didn’t really believe me, and the result was the dogs got into a tousle.  The long and the short of it,  as I was trying to make sure the situation didn’t go poorly,  my clients dog got out of her harness and I had to drop on her to prevent her from getting away and nearly let go of the lead of the other dog.  My heart was racing and I hurt my knee and back.  The thing I struggle with, I appreciate people feeling they know their pets and their  confidence in letting them run free, but if you are in a public park, where it clearly states that all dogs must be leashed then you should have your animal restrained!  Thankfully the young man’s dog wasn’t injured, I was grateful that my clients were unscathed and after a few visits to the Chiropractor I shall be good as new.  What irritated me though, later that afternoon when I was walking another set of dogs, I felt forced to walk along the streets in the heat, avoiding the cool shady paths in the park, for the simple reason that I knew there would be too many dogs off lead at that time.   Everyone should be able to use the park, if we all follow the guidelines and keep our pets on a leash it helps the public enjoy their park experience, cyclists, children, and people who are out walking.  Maybe I sound like a jerk, or perhaps a person who needs to take some obedience classes, but none of those are the case…I don’t take my girl friend to a place where dogs are allowed to be running a muck, as that’s not her scene, I take her to a public park where she should be able to enjoy the shaded gravel paths and I can safely help her navigate her way while she is able to release some energy and enjoy the fresh air,  because as the sign clearly states, “YOUR DOG MUST BE ON A LEASH”.

Oh, to be Canadian eh!  Yesterday I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and wishing I had a tank top on, as I was over heating.  After looking out the window it seemed in good order this morning to don a pair of jean capri pants, a t-shirt and a warm hoodie.  I was not too warm and might I say I had my hands thrust into my pockets, wishing I had a pair of dollar store finger mitts!   What I will say about the sudden drop of the thermometer, it was great fun this morning to explore neighbourhoods we have been avoiding as they were too far and we would have had to walk out in the direct sun and bear the heat and humidity.   Fall is rapidly approaching!  As I write, the  sun is trying to make a reappearance, but it is definitely not 21 degrees as promised by my radio hosts this morning.  With the change from intense heat to crisp mornings where a jacket is definitely needed and zipped up as one tries to acclimate to the onset of Autumn, I am embracing the idea of the changing colour of the sugar maples and the return of green grass.  Before we know it, it will be time for those heavy boots, parkas and layered glovess to keep my fingers from turning blue!  Me and my canine friends will carpe diem and embrace the onset of fall and walk with  enthusiasm!

The Bruce Peninsula has lot’s of snakes, I have to admit just looking at a picture of one makes me shudder.  I feel bad that I am predisposed to feeling empathy for things with fur, but run faster than the wind when I see a serpent.  When we decided to take our vacation it was the one thing that created reluctance for me when hitting the hiking trails.  The whole week I was hyper vigilant, any sound of movement off to the side, like a rustle of leaves would raise the hair on the back of my neck.  I felt a state of bliss on the drive back to Waterloo that not one limbless little reptile made it self known to me.  Today has been a beautiful one, I was out walking with Mattie and Pud, we strolled through our neighbourhood  and I was getting back into the groove of our routine.  I decided since it wasn’t as stinking hot as it has been for the last few weeks that we would deviate from hugging the shade to embracing the blue skies and do a longer route.  The sun had ducked behind a cloud as we headed down a gravel path in one of the parks I like, Mattie startled and I looked down and holy crap, it was a freaking Garter snake!  My first thought, “Are you serious?”   Am I back up North?  I let out a little shriek, which honestly is progress for me, normally I go into a full on panic, and scream and sprint away.  Instead I looked down and watched this wee little creature slither over towards the long grass and was truly grateful one of the dogs didn’t get a hold of it, it was safe.    The other cool thing, as we progressed onwards I wasn’t completely bent out of shape, I enjoyed the remainder of my time with Mattie and Pud.  I would be lying to say when I head back that way this evening with the boys that I won’t have my eyes peeled, but I am really working on loving all creatures!!

 

 

Vacation mode….what a good mode to be in!  Or maybe not?  It’s September and summer is coming to an end and people’s routines are returning to normal with work and school life.  I decided to take a wee bit of a break last week and booked a cottage.  I didn’t have a total change of pace, as the Grand Puppy came along and we were walking him twice a day, but it was nice to take a bit more of a lackadaisical approach.  I left my younger daughter in charge of the homestead for a week, which meant she was taking care of our dog and the two cats and she took over a few of my dog walks too. I returned home Sunday  and by the time Monday morning hit I was wishing I was up North again!   The cats decided that I needed to be punished for leaving them behind and kept me up all night!  One cat was wanting to be fed constantly and was swacking at the dishes making a tremendous amount of noise, whilst my boy Romeo laid on the head board jumping up and down every so often.  When one is sleep deprived it is rather daunting to be mindful enough to dodge a 20 pound cat from landing on ones face for over two hours.  By five a.m. I had totally lost any sense of calm or ability to make light of the situation and evicted the two felines, ejected might have been a more apt sentiment, but I showed restraint.  As I laid in bed trying to resume my REM state or heck, any state of peacefulness, the cats were out in the hallway making sure I knew they were displeased with me by meowing loudly, which disturbed the somewhat deaf dog.  Lucas was miffed by the closed doorway, as he usually skulks up to my room in the mornings, part of a charade he puts on as he thinks I don’t know he prefers to sleep on my daughters bed, he decided he should join the protest and began pacing and snuffing outside the door.  Forty-five minutes later I was on my feet and resigned to be awake. Night two wasn’t quite as nuts, but my dear Romeo was removed once again around 5:30  when his antics became more than I could tolerate.   Today I am left with trying to decide whether it’s better to forgo the concept of a vacation and stick with routine.  What I do know, sleep is not underrated!!

There is an old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.  Or another saying “Stubborn as a mule.”  I am beginning to think that my friend Diesel is more equine like than canine!  I am trying to reconcile myself to why he will eat his kibbles out of a bowl that looks and is made out of the exact same material as his water dish, and yet he refuses to drink out of it.  His people tell me he once got his collar caught in his former set of dishes, since then he is terrified to drink water from any sort of container.  Let me tell you, this poses a problem for my wee friend, unless there is a faucet with running water, hose or a babbling brook, that dog will not take a drink!  This is a constant worry to me.  He will lick the dew off the morning grass, he might lap at a puddle, but he refuses water and we have been having a summer that is down right hot!  I am trying to figure out how to change his mind about where he gets a drink from.  His people and I have tried ceramic, plastic and metal receptacles all to no avail…he can be white lipped and he will hold out until he has a tap to drink out of!   I am no quitter though, and I can be just as inflexible and iron-willed as he is.   He doesn’t have to acquiesce and use a bowl, but gosh darn it, I will figure out a way to get that headstrong little pup to drink up with enthusiasm!

What do you mean I am not a water dog?   Typically when we think of dogs that love the water we think  Labrador’s, Setter’s Retriever’s, Spaniel’s, Vizsla’s, Portuguese Water Dogs, NewFoundlander’s …but we don’t often think of German Shepherd’s or Boxer like breeds.   Often we make assumptions because of breed that they enjoy or dislike certain activities,  that bias can do a disservice to our canine friends!  When we agreed to foster Lucas we were not used to having a Shepherd mix, so we had to do some reading on the breed and what to expect, and what we learned is that as a breed they are highly trainable and intelligent but need a lot of exercise to combat boredom.  There was a park in Thunder Bay we loved walking our former pooches at called Boulevard Lake,  it was natural when we agreed to take care of Lucas that we take him there as it was a good 5km trek.   Our normal routine was to walk the trail around the Lake and then load up in the car and go home.  There was this one particular day it was rather warm out and the park was very busy, we walked our new friend down to the water’s edge to avoid some of the traffic on the path.   Lucas dipped his toes into the Lake and began picking up sticks, he would look up at us and then drop them.  I am not sure what made us decide to throw the stick into the water, but we did…Lucas went nuts!  For the next half hour that dog ran in and out of the water fetching the sticks, but the other thing he did that astounded us was  he did laps back and forth for long stretches enjoying the water.   We realized that although he wasn’t a dog that one would typically think would be a swimmer, our muscled, brawny buddy was!  Now that we have clued in to the fact that our boy is an avid swimmer we take him to the river or a lake as often as we can so he can enjoy himself!  I often think how sad it would have been if we had never discovered Lucas’ affection for the water.  The lesson we learned was not to assume, as my Mother always said “it makes an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me’, we should expose our canine friends to as many different situations as possible, you never know when that Shetland Sheepdog will enjoy running along side a bike, without trying to knock you over… you just never know what activities might unleash your friends inner pup!

My name is Smokey!  I am a lovely boy who has unexpectedly found myself in need of a new life partner!  I am an  eight year old Russian Blue and have a lovely temperament.  I need someone to love me and I want someone to love, if you think you would like to share your blanket with me on a cold winters evening, if you think you would enjoy me rubbing your feet while you make a tuna sandwich, I am your guy!  If you have lost someone, then you have experienced what it is like to feel adrift, that is how I am feeling right now.   Hopefully you know someone as special as the lovely Lady whom I loved and has gone to live with the angels and would be willing  to share their days with me.   If you know of a promising individual please get in touch with Andrea as she knows how to get in touch with my people.