Bear is our May 13, 2012 Pup of the Week

On March 4, 2012 we recognized a dirty, wet, black dog who was abandoned by his family during a storm and left to die then had to depend on the kindness of strangers to survive. Well now that black dog has a name, Bear, and a new home with those kind neighbors, Sandy, Maggie, Nikki and their wonderful parents.

After his parents returned, over more than two months this beautiful black baby was further mistreated, left alone, left outside, covered in ticks and fleas. Whenever he saw Sandy’s parents he would give them that pleading look, but instead of begging for a treat this poor baby was begging for a home.

Sandy’s Daddy kept knocking on the neighboring door telling the bad parents that they obviously didn’t care for the dog and to just surrender him to a family that would love him and each time they were met with a curt no. Sandy’s Daddy would then sit and pull ticks off the black dog who looked up at him begging for love.

Finally, after watching Bear have one too many close calls while chasing cars Sandy’s Dad gathered all his kibbles together and went next door, threw them at the black dog’s owners and was declared the new owner of the black dog. There was an exchange of paper work too which is a very smart thing to do for humans.

As soon as he was in his proper home he got his name, Bear, after one of our most popular dogs, now at the bridge. He got to play the zoom game running around the yard with Nikki. He got a flea and tick bath to get rid of all those parasites. And he even got to sit on a human’s bed.

Despite some initial diva dog attitude from Nikki Bear settled into his new home, no more fleas, no more ticks, just good loving and a good home. Oh, except for that vet trip.

First came the leash. The newly named Bear had never worn a leash before and when he got attached to it he rolled over on his back and refused to move. His new Mom coaxed him into the car and he finally found out what was in them and that they really weren’t worth all that trouble chasing them.

There were lots of things done that never been done before. Poking, prodding, listening, sticking something where? There? He did have worms, but not serious worms, and got medicine for that, and he did have a skin infection from years of ticks and fleas but outside of that he was one healthy dog.

There will be yucky medicine, and some nipping and fighting, but Bear is no longer the nameless, cold, wet dog. He is Bear. A member of the pack. And he has been saved by a great family. And on this Mother’s Day we should recognize a Mom who has taken in Nikki, and Bear, while providing a great home for Sandy and Maggie. So happy new home Bear and happy Mother’s Day to one of the best Mom dogs in the world.

A scared, wet black dog is our March 4, 2012 Pup of the Week

We are here to honor a wet, scared dog who lives next door to our friends Sandy, Maggie and Nikki and their wonderful parents.

On Friday their home got attacked by the weather demons.  Rain fell in vicious, skin cutting sheets.  Lightning lit up the sky so constantly a minor league baseball game could have been played without a single light bulb..  The wind howled with such intensity that earth bound squirrels took flight.  Hail slammed to the ground like Angry Birds gone mad.  The moon held water and the clouds swirled towards the ground looking to create a destructive path unconcerned with life, limb or property.  The only thing pups and parents could do was to get to the low ground and pray.  Sandy, Maggie, Nikki and their parents were doing exactly that when they noticed their neighbors, who live in a camper, hightailing it out of their wheeled abode.  Then they noticed the fleeing family’s pup abandoned, chasing them down the road.

The poor pup almost gets clipped by other drivers searching for higher ground.  Our terrific trio of pups’ Dad tried to cal the scared dog,, who had retreated to his yard, separated from their yard by a fence.  The scared dog would come to the edge of the fence, peer around, then retreat when brave Daddy took a step towards him.   Then ferocious Mom went out, into the storm.  She sat in the driveway, sweetly calling the scared dog, trying to get him to shelter.   Finally, he recognized what a sweet Mommy was like, and he came around the fence to her.  The scared, wet dog came to the brave, wet woman, and sat between her legs.  Her gave her sweet kisses than laid on his back on the wet driveway to be rubbed.  Once she gained the scared dog’s confidence she put food and water under the porch where she knew he would be safe and the dog climbed underneath happily.

Nikki, Sandy, and Maggie were very proud of their Mom, even though, before this incident, they had sent mutual snaps and growls across the fence.  And everyone knew Angel Bo had been next to the scared dog, softly whispering in its ear, saying it was safe, go to her.  Thankfully everyone was safe from the terrible storm.

When his humans returned the dog went back to his family.   The next day the Mom of Nikki, Sandy and Maggie, now known as Lea, Warrior Princess, went over to confront the owners who left their dog behind.  The dog’s human said that he was more interested in saving his family not his dog.  Lea, Warrior Princess told them that was a terrible attitude.  It then devolved into an argument about if the frightened pup comes into their yard too often starting problems with Nikki, Sandy and Maggie.  The scared pup’s Daddy said “so what if he does?”

We are surrounded by so many great pup owners we forget how many terrible ones there are.  There have been several humans who feel they should rescue this dog from his terrible owners, but these are his humans, and we are dogs, and while we may be mistreated, we still love our humans, because that’s why we’re here.

I do know a little bit about what this dog went through.  Sometimes my Mommy rolls over and takes most of the blankets.  Pocket tells me it’s not the same thing. *Shrugs*  But no matter her blanket hogging tendencies I still love my Mom.  

So this is to Nikki, Maggie, Sandy, Angel Bo and one wet lonely dog.  And to Aunt Lea, Warrior Princes.  You did all Moms proud.

Nikki is our June 19, 2011 Pup of the Week

I am proud to say that Nikki is our June 19, 2011 Pup of the Week.  Or not.  You see, to be a Pup of the Week you need to be a member of the Tanner Brigade.  And to be a member of The Brigade you need to be part of a family.  Nikki's Mom isn't ready to admit that Nikki is part of her pack.

I mean she did bathe him, feed him, play with him, house him, and take him to the vet, but that doesn't mean he is a member of the pack.  And she added his name to Sandy's, Maggie's, and Bo's names on  their page but she still won't commit to him being a member of her pack.  Well, Pocket and I downloaded ourselves to her house, took a DNA sample from Nikki, came home and matched it.  We have news for you Aunt Lea, you are Nikki's Mom, and he is our Pup of the Week.

Here is his story:    At the beginning of June a strange dog showed up at Aunt Lea's home.  He had rolled in horse vick and worse than that he smelled like horse vick.  Sandy's Mom determined that he could be an Akita and was not fixed.  (I have no idea how she determined he was not fixed.  I assume she threw a Pomeranian in heat under the deck and waited to see what happened.)  After that experiment she gave him a bath  to get the horse vick off and fed him.  At that moment Aunt Lea didn't realize that she had just got herself a new dog.

Aunt Lea's husband, Uncle Daddy, went looking for a horse farm that the dog may have come from but could not find it.  In the meanwhile the  dog had taken off and come home covered in vick again meaning two bad things:  one is that he needed another bath, the second is either they have a bunch of wild horses living around them or Daddy is real bad at finding horses.

Newly bathed, Nikki took up residence in the yard.  Pup brother Bo ignored him hoping he would hit the road.  And pup sister Maggie was frightened of this vagabond.  Pup brother Sandy decided to take measure of this invader and charged.  Within seconds they were playing like long lost kin.  Bo, at 10, finally accepted him like he had his siblings and took a nap.  Maggie still was scared of him and we don't blame her.  He was not neutered and hadn't seen a bitch in who knows how long?  She made sure the intruder was properly tied off before she ventured outside.

Where he stayed for two weeks.  He proved himself to be just like us, a'scared of thunder, lightning and gun fire (where did they move to?  Deadwood?.)  Either that or he knew that by acting scared he could finally get in the house,  Smart dog.

Maggie was starting to play with him, another step to being part of the pack.  Since Aunt Lea keeps a clean yard  she watched him and noticed he had loose Vick so she make an appointment with the vet for the dog who she named  Nikki because they don't take dogs without names, or at least that what she says.

When Aunt Lea took Nikki to the vet she took her spot, right on Aunt Lea's lap as she drove down the highway.  When Nikki gets to the vet he was mister charming giving everyone kisses.  The dogtor found out he had hookworms and tapeworms, nasty worms.  He also had a slight fever.

He was a year old.  And there was no trace of any previous owners.  When it was time to leave he did not want to get into the car and Aunt Lea needed some help.  Then they arrived back home, at their home, and Nikki took a long nap before going back in the yard to play. 

Our newest member needs some prayers, but he found his home, and that makes him Our Pup of the Week