Pups of the Week: Paco, Smoochy, Hannah Banana, Bella, Hattie Mae, Rabbit and Whitley

I am asking for prayers for some friends.  I am among an army of angels waiting to fly these prayers up to the Big Guy so pitch in with prayers for the following friends.

 

You should know Paco by now:  My dear Italian friend.  Last week I wrote about Kiera whose name, thanks to Angel Apollo, disappeared from my list of new Bridge members.  Paco’s name has not appeared on my list because Paco fights every day to keep his name off that list.

He has been suffering from serious respiratory attacks.  Poor Paco has gone through several of these in the last month.  With each attack his Mom becomes more concerned that she is witnessing his final breaths.  She treats him with Lasix which has stopped the attacks.  She just wants more time with her little man, and that is not too much to ask.  A little more time.  Please say a prayer that gets lots more days in the Italian sunshine.

This week we received a terrible shock.  Our friend Smoochy has bone cancer in his leg.  He is a big boy and the doctor does not think it is advisable to remove the leg.  So now his beloved Mom Kay must “keep him comfortable.”  She loves Smoochy so much.  (Everyone who has ever Smoochy feels the same way.  He is the Sweetest boy.)  

I hate the term “Keep him comfortable.”  A parent always keeps us comfortable.  And no parent needs to be told to love their beloved pet every day, or to count every day as precious.  The doctor needs to say “go home and pray for many more comfortable days” and I ask you to do the same.  Pray for many more comfortable days for Smoochy.  His family and friends would have a hole ripped in their hearts if anything happened to him.  He  is one precious pup

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Last night I found out that our dear friend Hannah Banana has to have a mass removed.  I don’t know where it is located, how big it is, or how serious it is.  I just know I hate to hear “has to have a mass removed” as much as “keep him comfortable.”  Hannah helps her Mom run the http://www.iloveyourdog.net/ page where you can buy, or gift, reasonably priced pet toys and home made treats and where Hannah and her Momma Kim give part of their profits to unrescued dogs.  She is the most special best friend in the world, warm and giving, and we need prayers that she comes through the operation safely and all tests come back negative.

Our wonderful friend Bella, who does such good work visiting the elderly every week and has so many humans who count on her companionship, is going through stomach problems again.  Last year she had to have emergency surgery because, after weeks of tests, the vet discovered that Bella had a bit of stuff bunny stuck in her intestines.  So far all her tests have come back clear but Bella is showing the same symptoms she showed this time last year and Mama Susan is very concerned about her baby and she would greatly appreciate your prayers, as would I.

 

Speaking of tummy troubles our great friend, advisor, fashion designer, seamstress and inspiration Hattie Mae has had tummy problems this week.  Her Mommy is hoping that it is just a food problem but whenever Hattie isn’t feeling well we put on extra angels because we know we are going to be overwhelmed with prayer requests and we encourage them.  We want Hattie to be 100 percent OK.  

Angel Apollo’s newest rescue, a puppy named Rabbit, might have Parvo.  He has been with Apollo’s pack less than a week.  Once Apollo’s Momma Kim fosters a dog that pup becomes part of her family so Apollo needs prayers for a new family member.  I know you will come through.

Finally we must mention our friend Whitley from the Whitley Westie blog (http://whitleywestie.blogspot.com/)  Like many of our friends she has had problems with her legs lately, first her back, and now her front.  Her Mom had her outside to do her business.  She was wearing her sling.  While she was there a man drove by and saw her then viciously informed Whitley’s Mom that she should do Whitley a favor and put her out of her misery.   You can imagine how much that hurt Whitley and her Mom.   It makes us howling mad.  Whitley’s Mom shot back what she called some HBO words and good for her.  We need you all to send some hugs Whitley’s and some prayers that her legs get healthy enough that she runs down that man and gives him a good bite on the butt.

Ask Aunt Foley

Dear Aunt Foley: Bestie, this is my question. Okay, I heard mom talking to auntie Beth (I think) She said she was living vicariously through me with my Halloween costumes. See, first time I was a Playboy bunny, then a flapper girl, then a harem girl and this year it's going to be way out there but it is cute and I do like the ears. So my question is.... what does living vicariously mean and WHY does she need ME? Come on I can take the truth. Thanks Angel Foley. Love you - Hannah Banana

Dear Bestie Hannah Banana:  What your Auntie Beth means is that your Mommy is not comfortable enough to dress up as a Playboy bunny, a flapper girl, a harem girl, and whatever out there thing with the ears she has in mind so she dresses you up in the costumes instead.

So what she is saying is that she can’t do what she wants to do so she has you do them instead.  She would like to do so many things you do but she can’t because she is afraid she would look silly. Like going outside and peeing on the lawn.  She’s been dying to do that, but can’t, so she experiences the joy through you.

Other things she would like to do is going out in the sun, taking off all her clothes, and rolling around on her back in the sun.  That’s a big one on her list but she can’t do that either.  And licking her nether regions.  She would like to do that but all she can do is watch you with envy.

This isn’t just true of your Mom.  All our parents would change places with us in a second.  No work, no responsibilities except for rules about biting and bathroom etiquette.  Sleeping when we want to sleep, having someone walk behind us and clean up our droppings.  I tell you we are living the dream.

All our parents live their lives vicariously through us.  Secretly they would love to have our lives, which is why sometimes they take us to trainers so they can pretend to control our lives to make themselves feel better.  But secretly they wish we were the ones holding the leash pulling them while they smell something stinky on the ground.

So take it as a compliment Hannah, and, if you ever feel like you want to be like your Mom, just realize she wants to trade places with you all the time.  And if there is any Freaky Friday thing that offers you the chance to switch don’t do it:  You will regret it

Hannah Banana is our May, 8, 2011 pup of the week

Pocket and I were sitting up in bed last night discussing what would happen if we did not name Hannah Banana Pup of the Week.  We imagined a group of dogs outside with pitchforks and torches calling for our pointy ears.  We shuddered and took a look out the window.  Paco was there, with his pitch fork and torch, because it was already Sunday in Italy.

Hannah Banana is one of the most popular pups in cyberspace.  A great friend, the first to be there when someone is in need, an ear to listen, or a paw to cry on.  From Doggyspace to the Tanner Brigade and all sites in between no one has a bad bark to aarf about Hannah.  So this week, when Hannah took sick, and was unable to walk, the Internet quaked stronger than after Bin Laden's death.  Hannah could not walk, one of the strongest dogs we know unable to move.  It would be like me not able to crack wise about some silly situation.

Hannah had to be rushed to the dogtors and they put her on steroids.  Pocket said this would be great for the Furminators but I shushed her.  The next day our friend was up but was moving around like me after a few bowls of Foleytinis.  The Dogtor said the steroids were making the swelling go down so apparently they work differently then they do on Jose Canseco's head.

Sadly Hannah had to be kept at the dogspital and her Mommy couldn't fit in the crate to stay with her so they had to be apart.   Oh is there are worse part about being sick then being away from your Mom?   OK, the Cone of Shame, but being away from your Mom that's a close second.

Thankfully it was only for a couple of nights.   She was a wobbly baby when she came home but in her heart she knew she was where she belonged.
The dogtor said no physical activity for two weeks, which, for a lap dog like me, means any two week period of my life, but for Hannah is impossible.

So Hannah has to be kept in a crate so she does not get excited.  You're in the crate to be kept calm, let out to pee, then back in your crate, what a frustrating lifestyle.  Isn't that what laps are for?  But I guess Miss Connie would need an awful big lap to have Hannah curled up on it.  Shortness had it's privileges
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Miss Connie spent a lot of time trying to think of things she could put in the crate to keep Hannah busy so she wouldn't get bored.  I would offer my whirlpool bath, pool table, and Nintendo Woof but don't know if they fit in Hannah's crate or if it would be too much activity for her.

Also Hannah had to be on Prednisone.  I don't know what that is but Miss Connie said she had  to be weaned off of it.  The word wean just makes me miss my birth Mom.

Hannah won't be able to run with the moped anymore or pull the sled.  Like m,e our friend is getting older.  I am no longer able to leap on the bed or jump from chair to chair.  It's tough getting older but I think it is harder on our parents watching us.

The dogtor doesn't even want Miss Connie to socialize with Hannah which must be so hard, but she knows Hannah cannot get excited so Miss Connie has to fight the temptation to snuzzle her baby.  She also hired pupsitters to make sure Hannah was not left alone and did not start trouble in her crate  I hope Miss Connie did not pay a lot of money for the pet sitter because if you're sitting for a dog in a crate you're basically babysitting for an ottoman.

Miss Connie will know more about Hannah come Monday so all pups everywhere need to say a prayer for our friend.  She is still a pup at heart and has the desire to play like one so let's put in a word to The Big Dogs that she will be as close to herself as a dog her age can be.  And let her know if she needs to stay overnight all us dogs will find our way to the dogspital, sit in the waiting room, watch TV and stick our tongues out at Caeser Milan.

Get well soon Hannah, we love you, we love your Mom, and we love the two of you together.

We sure hope you will be able to run and chase butterflies in the backyard soon.

Hannah Banana is our February 27, 2011 pup of the week

Today, February 27,  our good friend Hannah Banana took part in the third day of the International Cluster of Dogs Show.  First of all I do not know what a cluster of dogs is, never mind one from every country in the world, but that is the task our friend Hannah is facing this weekend.  And she is being very successful.

Hannah started out like gangbusters scoring 182 out of 200 and qualifying in the first leg to the title in Novice A Obendience event, finishing fourth.  That's our girl Hannah.  During the second leg on Saturday Hannah improved to the final round upping her score to 185.  If she had completed her third leg on Sunday she would have been given a Companion Dog title.  Mommy said she saw on her Mom's Facebook page that things may not have worked out as well as possible on Sunday, but that's Hannah's story to tell.  But to all of us here there is no greater companion then Hannah Banana.  

And she is our pup of the week, not just because she is a show dog, where the rest of us are no dogs ("no, don't do this, no don't do that, no, don't ever do that"), but because she took time out of her busy schedule to come to our dag park and visit.


Hannah was a huge part of our lives when we were on Doggyspace.  She was one of the dogs that seemed to be the thread that kept us all together.  When we began this site many wonderful pups from DS joined us, but we never thought a dog as brilliant and talented as Hannah Banana would be here.  But one day I put on my dog news television station and there was Hannah announcing she was taking her talents to the Tanner Brigade.   When we were on DS and there was a conversation about who owned DS a dog barked that they thought Hannah owned the site.  Oh, if only that was true.   


So,  because of her wonderful performance in Chicago where she made us all proud, for being such a great dog friend, and for making time in life for us here at the Tanner Brigade we recognize Hannah as our Pup of the Week.


Since the last word we would use to describe Hannah is selfish we are asking her to share part of this award to are other new members who have joined us from Doggyspace:  Clint, Silvie, Cassie, Samoa and Jemima, Buck, and the others who have recently graced us with their wonderful personalities  We can only hope the site lives up to their expectations.  


So here is to new friends, and the wonderful Hannah Banana, our pup of the week.