The Snow Dogs Are Our December 15, 2013 Pups of the week

Here at Rainbow Bridge it doesn’t snow   We do have mountains  where we can climb then play in the snow, go sledding, and partake in snowball fights, while Huskies and their ilk have wonderful fun romping and rolling.  But we don’t have any of those cold, windy, icy, snowy days that we hate.

This week, on the mortal side of the Bridge, all across the country, many friends got slammed with snow, ice, wind, and downed power lines.    When they went to do their business they got snow covered paws, icy and damp fur, and the dreaded toweling off.

Thankfully no one was lost in the big cold fluffy.  All our parents survived. As I sit up here on the green banks looking in the River of Life I must admit I don’t miss sticking my who who in the freezing snow to melt a little with my pee, and I was able to muffle a snicker when Pocket went to settle into a squat and ended up spread eagle on the ice.

When I was a youngster Mommy, Daddy, Blake and I would go walking in the early evening at the state mental institution, through the snow, and I would scoot my bottom on the cold.  This got both my parents very upset, and they took me to the vet, who found nothing wrong.  But there was something wrong:  I thought it was a bad idea to be walking at the state mental institution at night and my scooting got them to reconsider their fallacy.

Let’s see how some of our friends soldiered through the storm.

Snow can’t keep our friend Leo from looking regal and proud.

Meika has already formed her opinion and is done with the snow for the year.

Scooby and Odie pose for a picture despite cold paws.

Molly is done with the cold and wants in now!

Toby, Maggie and Pokey make the best of a cold situation.

It looks like this is going to be the start of a long winter with plenty of snowy pictures.  So here is to the snow dogs:  May they always have a safe and warm place to hide from the cold.

Pokey and Maggie are our January 22, 2012 Pups of the Week

We have chosen to honor our wonderful friends Pokey and Maggie not for their many achievements in advancing the cause of dogs, but to recognize their wonderful Mom, Auntie Laura Lunn, whom fate has once again struck down with a non life threatening but still big pain in the ass injury.

Aunt Laura does not let people know of the obstacles she has faced in her lie, obstacles that would make a lesser Mommy hide in their home. But she is the most adventurous Mom I know. And she has the perfect attitude for a dog’s Mom to have. When we arrived for our visit she made us feel at home and told us that is was a dog’s house. It is awful nice of Pokey and Maggie to let her sleep inside.

As many of you know, two summers ago, Aunt Laura had a terrible tragedy happen at home when a dog she had recently adopted, that had undisclosed anger issues, attacked her while she was petting him. The poor dog, who did not know what it was doing, ripped off most of Aunt Laura’s muscle on her forearm. She left that aggressive dog at home, and while bleeding a great deal, scooped up Pokey, made sure he had a safe place with a friend and drove herself to the hospital. What followed was months of painful operations and home confinement.

Despite having a bad experience adopting a dog Aunt Laura did not turn her backs on those pups who have not found their humans yet. First she adopted Maggie and except for a few things chewed up that shouldn’t have been, a few holes in the lawn, and one daring but ill advised prison break, she, Auntie Laura and Pokey have gone together like peas and carrots, and, um, more carrots.

And not only did she adopt another dog but she became an advocate for dogs who haven’t found their parents yet. Every week it seems like she is taking time to drive dogs searching for their forever humans for one point to the other, like a conductor on the underground puppy railroad.

But she injured her foot, and for us dogs in New England Aunt Linda hurting her foot is like Rob Gronkowski hurting his foot. Without Aunt Linda the dog transporting machine just don’t work.

For such a wonderful woman, she has had more than her share of problems, but she never lets it get her down. She always has pleasant comments and good advice for everyone, although it is rumored that she is a bit of a shark at Friends With Words. Her play of Zat got Alec Baldwin thrown off a plane.

Aunt Laura is an inspiration to dog parents everywhere. If they could all handle their pups’ digressions, their pups’ personality quirks, their pups’ great escapes, as well as their own medical problems with a smile and nary a complaint then they will surely be a woman my pup!

Get well soon Aunt Laura. We love you.

Maggie is our August 8. 2010 pup of the week with an assist from Ms. Laura and Pokey

Lots of times our Pup of the Week has as much to do with their Mom and family as it does with the pup, and this week is a perfect example.

Yes our new friend Maggie deserves a lot of recognition. This poor kid has been through many tribulations in her short life. All she wanted was a good home. But the Rainbow Bridge angels looked down at this lollipop and decided they weren't satisfied with a good home, they wanted the best home. They set the wheels of fate in motion, and controlled circumstances long enough for the wonderful Ms. Laura and Maggie to meet

We all know Ms. Laura's sad song. On New Year's Day she opened her heart and home to another sweet rescue, Cooper. But Cooper had things going on that no dog could understand. One night the silicon switch inside his head was turned to overload and he attacked his poor Mommy, sending him to the bridge and causing her to undergo months of painful recovery.

No one would blame sweet Ms. Laura if she never rescued another dog. The people who surrendered Cooper were not truthful about his problems. Their lack of truth, while keeping Cooper from being put down for being aggressive, came close to costing both Ms. Laura and Pokey their lives. Some would consider it wise for her to only deal with new born puppies and leave it to the unscarred to do the rescuing.

Bur not Ms. Laura. Despite months of pain she adhered to her belief in rescuing dogs. She went back to the island of unwanted pups and with a little help from the Bridge Angels she found Maggie, and brought her home.

And a tip of the tail to our good friend Pokey. Having a strange dog come in your house, befriend it, play with it, go on long walks with it, then watch it attack your Mom is more stress then most pups could handle. But the Pokster opened up his heart and welcomed Maggie in like a long lost sister.

Additionally, Maggie's addition to The Brigade has started an era of good feeling for all our members. It inspired a wonderful Ms. Connie drawing our girls, and today we had a rocking good induction party for Maggie.

Maggie is our August 8, 2010 pup of the week because she has a wonderful Mom who took in another lost dog after her first experience with a lost dog ended in unspeakable tragedy; because her brother, the wonderful Pokey, welcomed her with open paws and the two have become brother and sister and best buds; and, because Pocket and I have a good sense for these things, and Maggie is one rock star of a dog.

So congratulations to Pokey, Ms Laura and Maggie, or August 8 family of the week,and Maggie, or Pup of the week.