He was named so because of his optical similarities to another two toned man.

Bowie is currently available for adoption

Name/Nicknames: Bing, Badabing, and bing bong

How did I get to ARLP: Sprung from Saint Paul Animal Control!

Hobbies: I looooooove bones. I love them so much that I can eat them in minutes. I also LOVE to run around the yard with my big, four-legged foster brother.

Tricks/Commands: Well, I know sit.. it’s not a solid sit without a treat but if you’ve got something yummy, I’ll sit for it. Right now we’re working on walking nicely on a leash. My foster Mom says that I’m taking cues from Remy (my foster brother) and that I’ll be a gentleman on the leash in no time. We’re also working on going into my crate nicely. I don’t like this one so much. Mostly my foster Mom has to push me in. It’s a work in progress. Oh, and I’m learning not to jump up on people. My foster Mom says I need some manners!

Crate Trained: Mostly. I fuss for a little bit but soon enough I’ll calm down and fall asleep. I made it through the first night without any accidents which my foster Mom was really happy about.

Potty Trained: Mostly. I know that I should go potty outside but my foster Mom keeps me on a leash in the house so she can keep her eye on me. I have what she calls a “routine” as I don’t know any warning signs to give before it’s too late.

Size in pounds: 37 lbs. I might look big in pictures but I’m just a little guy.

Activity Level: Medium to High. I have have a lot of energy and love to play but I can calm down when asked to.

Fun things I do: I love being outside, playing with my foster Brother. I love going on walks around the neighborhood and showing off how well I walk on a leash. I also really love bones.

Socialization/who I currently live with: Currently I live with my foster Mom, four-legged foster brother, Remy, and a KITTY named Stella.

View video footage of Bowie here, here, here and yes here

You can view more pictures of Bowie by visiting his photo album

Interested in adopting Bowie? Fill out an application!

Magnum, Ora & Henna

The beginning
I never really thought of myself as a “dog” person. We never had one growing up, although not for lack of asking. But, with seven children plus a daycare business in the home, my mom felt she had enough chaos to deal with. When we “older siblings” moved out, one of my uncle’s surprised the family with a Miniature Dachshund for Christmas. (Folks at home, NEVER surprise ANYONE with an animal of any kind - that should be in the rule book somewhere) Anyway, everyone in the house loved Jordan (R.I.P. my sweet buddy) but nobody really bonded with him like I did. This was a little odd and awkward, being that I didn’t live there anymore. But, I still visited daily and took over the main care of Jordan for several years - until the “younger sibling” were old enough to take on the responsibility on their own.

That’s where is started. The love of dogs. Well, the love of small dogs. I always said that when I moved to a place where I could have animals that I was going to get a little dog of my very own to love. I kept this intention even after I met me husband, Larry, who was in love with Rottweilers. He had recently lost his male Rottie, Loki, to cancer. He informed me that he was going to get another soon after we got our house. I said, “Fine. You can have a Rottweiler as long as I get to pick a small dog for our family, too.” He agreed, even though he never really liked carpet buffaloes. What’s fair is fair. So, we looked for a Rottie puppy, and after doing what we thought was our due diligence found a litter of pups ready to go.

Who can relate to love at fist site? That was my baby boy Magnum! I cant express the joy he brought into our lives. Not knowing much about the breed, I started researching and soaking up anything Rottie related. Of course, it was a total shock to me when my cute little bear cub kept growing. Was he ever going to stop? He was close to 100 lbs when he turned a year old, and we knew that even with our training and rules, he was lacking something fundamental - doggie socialization. Ok, so we started out fostering a little on the selfish side. We thought it would be great to get Magnum a friend, find out for ourselves what it would be like living in a two-dog household, and if we helped a dog in need - all the better.

Rescue
Since we knew Rottweilers, we looked for a Rottie in need at a local rescue. He and Magnum didn’t hit it off, but they had another little guy in need of a foster home. Along came Charlie. He was a cute little shepherd mix, and our first foster experience. Well, I guess you can say we caught the bug. We had Charlie for a couple of weeks, until he was adopted. Unfortunately, he was “returned” - a story for another day - and we gladly took him back to help him on his journey. We fostered three more times for that rescue, two Rotties and an Akita/Chow mix. Can you see how the little dogs were going to the wayside? It was a very rewarding experience for us, and Magnum was becoming more and more confident with each dog that was paraded through the house.

ARLP
Of course in my research of local Rottweiler rescues, I came across A Rotta Love Plus. I loved what they were doing and the message they were spreading, so we offered to start fostering Rottweilers for them. I must say I was a bit surprised when asked if we wanted to foster a Pit Bull. We were expecting another mellow Rott in the house for a bit - and what we got was Ora.

Oh, Ora! She was part of a large animal control seizure two years ago. She had no manners (typical shelter animal) health issues, and on top of all that she didnt really like other dogs. Well, she liked Magnum, but come on - who doesnt like Magnum. Even with all that, we were dedicated to her. With time, patience, tears, and training, Ora became a wonderful little girl and found a home. Again, our beloved foster dog was “returned” - yuck, I have too many of those stories. We were all over ourselves to take her back. This time, she wouldn’t be leaving. We decided to adopt Ora from ARLP last summer, and couldnt be happier!

The Other dogs
We were pretty much sure our fostering days were over with Ora’s bitchy attitude toward many other dogs. Don’t get the wrong idea, she has many doggie friends, it just takes her a couple days to a week to warm up to some dogs. Not to mention, two big dogs in the house is a lot. But, that didnt stop me from screaming “Yes!” when the rescue asked if we were willing to take in a puppy. To back track, we fostered Zander the Rottie puppy, in between Ora’s placement. With such a cute Rott puppy face, he was adopted out to a wonderful family very soon.

Sidenote: Oh, I love puppies - puppies are my thang. So sad that someone would “throw away” such innocent little babies. I love to spoil them with all the love and attention thay need, and at the same time prepare them for their forever home. Plus, Ora finds puppies less threatening to her Diva Status.

We had a sprinkling of short term foster Pit Bulls and Rotts after that. Last fall, we had Pit Bull Puppy Pandemonium in our house. We took in Henna and Wonky, then Wonky and Brodie, then Henna and Brodie in a series of foster house switches - all puppies around 8-9 weeks. That’s when my friends and family proclaimed I had gone over the edge. I just like to think of Larry and I as dedicated dog enthusiasts.

Henna was our last permanent foster dog to leave a couple months ago. I still miss my little mischievous baby! Since then, we have had foster “guests” in the house for shorter durations. When we counted, around 18 dogs have come through our house in the past four years. Whew! Um, I guess I can see where people would think we are crazy. But, the truth of it is, working with the dogs has really kept us sane.

Letting Go
It is always hard to let the dogs go. It’s the only part of fostering I dont like. (ok, besides cleaning carpets after puppy accidents) I think it is natural to feel a loss when you have have loved something so much. Truth be told, I cry for several days. Often cry myself to sleep at night wondering if they are ok. Do they miss us? Are they being good? Did I remember to tell their new parents about that cute little thing they do? But, just getting an update telling us how much love and joy the pup is bringing to the new family makes it all worth it. We often get updates on dogs that have passed through, and I cherish every one!

So the tears dry up, I take a breath, and say, “Yes, we have room for another dog”….

Anyone who has been around dogs for any length of time has probably heard
the saying, “A tired dog is a happy dog”. Sometimes it can be difficult in
today’s hectic society to find time to do everything we want and need to do
and it’s all too common that we see dogs that are “out of control”. Today,
there is an epidemic of dogs in shelters because their owners can’t control
them. Just about any day of the week you can turn on the TV and find a show
with the likes of Victoria Stilwell or Cesar Millan dealing with a dog that
is “out of control”.

One of the common denominators among these “out of control” dogs is that
they simply don’t get enough exercise. Now sure, there are many dogs
content to simply lie around, but truth be told exercise and mental
stimulation are required for a happy and healthy dog.

A lot of people use the excuse that they simply don’t have time or the
energy after a long day at work to give their dog ample exercise or they
claim they take their dog on a walk around the block every night and its
still “out o control”. Dogs and their ancestors are predators, plain and
simple, and chasing down and killing prey is genetically ingrained in them.
A walk around the block, for most dogs, is comparable to you getting up
from your lazy boy and getting a bowl of ice cream.

We should all strive to spend some quality time every day exercising our
dogs and if you can throw in additional mental stimulation to boot that
makes it that much better. Just like we humans can come home from a day job
exhausted by doing nothing but sitting on the phone and answering e-mails,
mental stimulation for our dogs in the form of learning new tricks and
commands can go a long way towards tiring your dog out and making them a
much happier and content animal. The real and often untalked about benefit
however is the bond that is built. Dog sports like lure coursing, agility,
Frisbee, weight pull, dock diving are great ways to get involved with your
dog and build a bond. My personal favorites are activities that involve a
lot of dog/handler interaction because they add a whole new dimension to
the human dog relationship where your dog doesn’t just see you as a pack
leader and a conduit for food but also a conduit for fun.

Now get out there and play with your dogs!

My arrival into Crazy Dog Lady status has been gradual, although clear signs of this conclusion presented themselves earlier in life.

BACK IN THE DAY:

For as long as I can remember I had wanted a dog. I relentlessly pressured my parents into adopting our first dog when I was in third grade. I made promises of walking the dog everyday before school, taking him to obedience classes and cleaning up after him. I was even made to sign an agreement that said as much. I picked a fluffy black and white pup, a Border Collie mix from the local Humane society, and named him Diamond. Man that dog was cute! In the end, my parents ended up with most of these duties, although I was enrolled in community ed. obedience classes with an unruly dog and a mean old lady. As you can probably imagine putting an 8 yr old child in charge of his obedience was a huge mistake.

Diamond was a great dog. He was a challenge because his breed instincts (herding) were constantly thwarted by a small yard in the city and a make shift tie out/pulley system. He ran back and forth barking at people, cars, bushes etc…trying to herd anything in sight. Looking back, we, as a family, did not know how to help him. He didn’t get the leadership or exercise that he needed. Unfortunately Diamond’s life ended in a bad car herding episode.

Against my suggestions, my family decided not to replace Diamond with another dog, instead rescuing a cat. Sly soon became part of the family and when I moved out, my desire to live with pets quickly produced two rescue cats of my own. So you see before I was a Crazy Dog Lady I was a Crazy Cat Lady.

RECENT HISTORY

Even as I was broadening my home to cats, I never forgot about my love of dogs. My many housing situations simply were not conducive to large canines and I have never been interested in a small dog-just not my preference. When my husband and I bought our first house all of that changed.

I frankly do not remember how or why I started researching Pit bull’s. I have always wanted a large dog, and I knew that I would rescue a dog vs. going to a breeder, there are just too many needy dogs out there.

If I am honest with myself I can say that I like to challenge the status quo. I champion the underdog and I love to prove people wrong. These thoughts were in my head when deciding on this breed. I took a “what type of dog would be good for you” quiz online. I was hoping ABPT would be listed as a compatible breed. Once they were, I was online all day looking at local pit bull rescues.

At first, I was dedicated to giving an adult dog a good home, my husband wanted a puppy. My concern was the cats. I needed to make sure I found a dog that could live in harmony, or at least co-existence. After many heated discussions, I relented and we decided to look for a puppy. We found Dauber online at another local rescue, he was the most adorable pit mix and has grown into a quite a handsome dog.

BEGINNING OF THE END

My journey towards Crazy lady status has significantly accelerated since we adopted Dauber.

He has taught me so much and brought so much joy into my life. Determined not to let another dog go through life wild and untrained, I committed to learning as much about his breed as I could. In my research I came across A Rotta Love.

I can’t tell you how much this connection has helped me. I have learned so much about general dog behavior, breed specific info, and training. The best part has been the support given by fellow ARLP Crazies.

In true fashion, I wanted more. My desire to help an older dog never left me. Naturally I began fostering.

My first foster, Reese, taught me what a real rescue dog was all about.

Reese was a big pile of pit and one extremely lovable girl. Clearly she had never had much attention and once she experienced it she wasn’t going to let it go again. She was the biggest lap dog ever. She taught Dauber important dog manners and she taught me more about behavior and breed specific characteristics than I could have asked for. When she found her forever home I was elated, but also sad that our journey was over.

I had caught the fostering bug.

Next came Nino, who we had so briefly that we were basically just babysitting him. He found his forever family in a flash and is well on his way to being an breed ambassador.

Then came Joey.

Joey was meant to be a temporary foster. “Sure we can take him for a few days.” Well days turned to weeks, which turned into months. Then one day Joey got an Adoption Application. Well my heart sank! I felt my self holding him closer. The prospect of him actually leaving the house was too much, so Joey became a permanent fixture in our house.

OFFICIALLY CRAZY

When I look back in all I have learned in the last year, I am amazed! The challenge that I was looking for has proved so much more than I could have imagined. The reality of owning a dog that many people deem dangerous is so much more difficult that I would have thought. Although I cherish the opportunity to change just one person’s mind, Having to explain that my family members (which they are) are lovable dogs and not man-eaters takes its toll.

How could I not become a Crazy Dog Lady when I have to explain to strangers, co-workers, even family, that my dog… yes, the one you just let lick your face… yes, the one you just said was so well behaved… yes, the one that never did anything remotely close to hurting anyone, is now under serious attack and could be eliminated based on a few dogs with really bad owners?

So yes I am a Crazy Dog Lady, and I am damn proud of it. I will continue to be a Crazy Dog Lady, I will continue to try and help those dogs that need it. I will continue to stand up to anyone, anything or any system that challenges my family. I will be patient. I will be supportive. I will work to educate others, and If I can help save one more dogs life, or turn one more skeptic into a lover it will be all worth it.

I will work towards my goal of utter PANDEMONIUM!

What about you? Are you a crazy dog person too? Let us know! Email Lara at lara@madelineandi.com how you became a crazy dog person and what your definition of a crazy dog person is!

I just had to continue Lara’s Crazy Dog Lady blog as I find this topic terribly interesting and often wonder…how did I go from never having a pet of my own (well besides a Brazilian Rainbow Boa), to BAM! crazy dog lady?!?!

I just might be a crazy dog lady, but not by the number of dogs I have had at one time (a mere 4) rather by the amount of time I devote to dog related causes, training, and activities. I think this definition is also defined by the thoughts of my boyfriend, friends, and family as well. For example, when your mother states, “Have these dogs taken the place of any possibility of me getting grandchildren?” Or the boyfriend sternly retorts, “Can we have a conversation without dogs?” I guess this might be evidence that I am in fact a crazy dog person!

It really isn’t my fault! I never woke up one morning thinking…I am going to devote all of my free time to dogs. Actually B.D. (or before dogs) I tried to watch the movie “Best In Show,” but couldn’t stomach it. I simply couldn’t stand watching these crazy people prune, prod, and dote their entire lives on a silly animal. Back in 2005 the boyfriend and I thought about getting a dog. Neither one of us had ever had our own dog, but we both grew up with family dogs. These family dogs were not the ideals of obedience and came from the Humane Society or what I know now as a backyard breeder. As soon as the boyfriend’s mother heard about our interest she spent her free time perusing Petfinder.com. Suddenly she told us about this beautiful litter of puppies that a rescue had posted. We filled out an application, and set a time to see the pups. We happened to visit the litter only a day before their 8 week birthday when they would be allowed to go home to their new adoptive homes. At that time 3 of the 6 puppies were claimed, which was fine by me because I had my eye on a spunky little girl who seemed independent, yet fearless, and was relentlessly tormenting her mother by chewing on her back leg. We passed all of the tests the rescue dealt out to us and we took our little Marri home the next day.

Bring on the crazy dog lady. Having read about a pit bull’s tendency to become dog selective or dog aggressive I made sure to do everything in my power to get this little pup around other dogs…all of the time. Soon I connected with other dog owners from the rescue asking lots of questions and just hanging out to let Marri play with their dogs. The founder of the rescue was also just starting her own dog training, so Marri was quickly enrolled into puppy kindergarten. I soon found my work days filled with the anticipation of going home to play with the little pup and the weekends filled with doggy playdates and training. Suddenly the change was taking place. Marri was hyper and we lived in a townhouse without a yard, so we began fostering. Marri’s first foster sister was named Tilly. Tilly was a little girl who was so malnourished that she could not straighten her back legs. It looked as though she had lived the first few months of her life in a small little box not able to stand, stretch, or exercise. During the month that we had little Tilly I began to learn what it often means to be a pit bull- misunderstood, misjudged, neglected, abused, and thrown away. My enthusiasm for my new little dog turned into a social plight wanting to help change minds, educate, and advocate for pit bulls in general.

Now it is official- I am a crazy dog lady. Fast forward to today, I play on a softball team made up of fellow ARLP volunteers; I have made livelong friendships; I have fostered dogs; I wear rescue t-shirts and other clothing as part of my weekend attire; I fill my weekend with training, doggy playdates, and rescue education or fundraising events; I coordinate the rescue’s Dog Safety program; and I have plans to incorporate my schooling and career into one that involves both children and dogs. Oh and the boyfriend is rethinking his ability to maintain a relationship with a crazy dog lady! J

Crazy? Naw! I prefer Dedicated Dog Lover!

What about you? Are you a crazy dog person too? Let us know! Email Lara at lara@madelineandi.com how you became a crazy dog person and what your definition of a crazy dog person is!

I have become a crazy dog lady. And I imagine it may only get worse.

I have always been a lover of dogs.

It started innocently enough. There was Mala. She was the pit Boxer mix I had with my ex. We rescued her from a not so pleasant home. Then we (the ex and I) added Freeway. Freeway was a Collie Shepard mix we found exiting onto Interstate 94 from Radio Dr. in Woodbury.

When my ex and I ended I was not able to take the dogs with me. An extremely sore and bitter spot. So, finding myself out on my own again, I adopted Ike my Greyhound Pointer mix from the Ramsey County Humane Society.

For a long time it was Ike and me. Then it was Ike, Mala and me. Then it was back to Ike and me (another one of those better left alone bitter and crusty spots). Without Mala something was missing. Enter Debbie. The seemingly well adjusted (albeit with some bad manners) American Staffordshire I adopted from another metro area animal rescue.

As Debbie settled into our lives it became grossly apparent that the little lady had some major issues. She was four years old when she came into our lives and while it is merely speculation on my part I am fairly certain they weren’t the best four years. Her body bore the evidence of several litters and her front legs and chest the markings of battle. As her aggression toward other dogs grew so did my doubts that Debbie was the right fit for our family.

After several pretty scary events (for which I still suffer residual PTSD) I made the decision that Debbie would be better suited in a home where she could be better managed. It was a difficult admission to make. That I - dog person extraordinaire - could not save this one. I agonized over my firm belief that taking an animal into one’s home is a life commitment. For better or worse. I felt like a failure. But Debbie’s problems were severe. I made the call to the rescue that I adopted her from.

They asked me a question. “If we were to help you get the training you would need to manage Debbie more effectively would you consider keeping her?”

I looked at Debbie lying peacefully on the floor at my feet. I looked at the palms of my hands - they had been shredded when I tried foolishly to hold on to a cord flexi as Debbie charged to attack a neighbor’s dog.

I looked back at Debbie. I hemmed and hawed. “If the change can be dramatic, I am willing.”

That was that. It was boot camp for Debbie and it was boot camp for me.

The road was not easy. The changes were not overnight. There were tears. But there was love. The kind of love you develop when you have to fight for something with your entire being. Debbie taught me rescue in it truest and purest form.

When this motley little beast and I reached a tranquil life of stability and peace I knew I wanted to work with rescued pits. Finally I was able to purchase my own home. I swear my fence hadn’t been in place more than two weeks before I was contacting pit rescues to volunteer. That brought ARLP and Bug into my life. My very first foster.

The following Spring, for whatever reason, I felt there was room to foster another. A small dog wouldn’t take up much room and really how much more work was one more going to be? I still had the Bugger mind you. Enter Chi. As in Chihuahua. Chi came from a puppy mill in Ohio. Official tally, four dogs in the home. Much to the chagrin and bewilderment of family and friends I was a failure at small dog rescue. I couldn’t even admit it for months. I had adopted the damn Chihuahua.

So my life, for much of the last twelve years, has been dogcentric. For the last three years borderline obsessive - but only to those who don’t understand this love of mine. Sitting here typing I am marveling at the brood of five dogs currently living with me. Marveling at the stupid amounts of joy they bring me even as they exhaust me. And let me tell you after a little over a week of taking care of five dogs I am exhausted. (see five dogs here - the last 6 pics on the page are of Sugga & Ora not my current brood)

But alas this is my life. The life of a crazy dog lady. I see the looks as I discuss manning booths at dog events, attending rallys, fighting breed specific legislation at the capital, going to pit bull conferences, proudly parading about in my ARLP gear, arranging doggie play dates, discussing pooh and other ailments, ahh-ing and ooh-ing over the latest photos posted on the rescue’s forum, and I even met my damn SO through rescue.

I never cease to amaze myself by my capacity to discuss dogs. I love these damn beasts! So ya - I may be a crazy dog lady but I am not alone.

All y’all ARLP-ers you be crazy too. And thank god!

Let that freak flag fly people!

Please share your crazy dog lady/ dude story and e-mail it to lara@madelineandi.com and send a picture. I would love to “out” some more of you on the blog.

A bunch of us recently got together for a bring your dogs to play get together. A lot of people showed up. And you know what that means. Yup - lotsa dogs!

Managing a large group of dogs takes a lot of work. And the day prompted a lot of discussion around doggie play dates in general. Volunteer and dog handler extraordinaries Larry & Brit came up with the following nuggets of wisdom and guidance.

The following was written and put together by Larry & Brit

The term “Play Date” is a bit of a misnomer. I generally think of “fun” when I hear the word “play” and truth be told doggie “play dates” can be very stressful for humans and dogs alike.

Here are some basic guidelines:

1) Know your dog! Know what they like and dislike. Know what behaviours and environments are triggers or cause high stress. Also know how your dog treats other dogs. What does it do that other dogs don’t care for?

Our goal is to try and create an environment for our dog that is safe and stress free. At the same time we also want to reduce the stress our dogs may cause others. To do this we have to know our dogs.

2) Watch your dog! If you haven’t watched your dog and I mean really watched them, then there is no way you will really know them. And even if you know your dog you cannot prevent problems if you are not paying attention.

Pibbles in particular can be very hard to read and very quick to react. Couple that with the breeds’ reputation we need to extra diligent in keeping them out of trouble.

3) Keep things calm. No running, screaming or horseplay. Different dogs have different thresholds. They feed off and thrive on the excitement around them.

When they go over threshold they stop “thinking” and start reacting. As pack leaders, we humans set the tone. Our dogs look to use for leadership. If we start to get excited that’s a queue for the pack to follow suit. Things can get out of control in the blink of an eye when this happens.

Pay close attention to the “pack” as whole and if the focus shifts to a single animal and energy levels build (ie they all start running after a single dog) redirect the packs attention and bring the energy level back down.

I’m sure we have all seen at the dog park when one animal is singled out and the pack begins to chase. The dog usually runs to its owner looking for protection. More often than not the owner is talking away and ignores their dog’s plight.

If we fail to lower energy levels and/or come to the aid of the dog in need we are setting the dog up to fail. It will either defend itself which can lead to a fight or become more cautious and fearful of future encounters.

Additionally it can damage the relationship you have with your dog since they came to you for help and you ignored them.

4) No toys. This goes hand in hand with number 3.

We all like to use toys to play with our dogs but toys and other possessions can pose problems even within a small family pack (ie just your dogs and you at home). Add the complexity of a brood of new dogs and these issues can compound greatly. Dogs that may not guard in the home may start in a strange environment because they feel the need to re-establish their place in the “new” (albeit temporary) pack dynamic. Simply put toys greatly increase the probability of problems.

5) A successful “play date” begins long before the dogs show up. Every person needs to have control of their dog. All the best laid out plans can be thrown out the window when “a rebel” shows up.

This is where it gets a bit sticky. What constitutes control? Just because your dog will sit for you and comes when called at home, doesn’t mean that you have control of your dog. If you’re going to a play date you should have complete verbal control of your dog. You should be able to stop whatever your dog is doing at any given time by the sound of your voice alone.

6) So you’re at a play date and your dog has gotten snarky with another dog. What do you do? For me and every dog savvy person that I respect, we are conclusive about having a zero tolerance policy.

I’m not going to go into how the offending dog should be dealt with. That is a topic that can elicit more controversy than this blog needs. Whatever is done, it needs to be immediate, proportionate and successful at discouraging the inappropriate behaviour.

If the dog reoffends the initial punishment obviously didn’t leave enough of an impression. Dogs are not stupid and pitties are not delicate beings. They all need tough love from time to time. And when it’s dog on dog issues, it needs to be a zero tolerance with swift punishment that leaves an impression the first time.

As far as what to actual watch for, the actual signs to look for are pretty well documented. You can find posts on the ARLP forum here and here. Dog “talk” (body language) happens quickly.

Of course these are just guidelines and things vary from dog to dog, owner to owner and “play date” to “play date”. A group of dogs that don’t live together but spend a LOT of time together generally require a lot less supervision than a group of dogs that have never met. Also the larger the group the closer it should be watched.

Thanks Larry & Brit!!

And while we all know

Let’s make sure they don’t literally!

]]> http://www.arottalove.org/blog/2008/07/30/would-the-person-in-charge-please-stand-up/feed http://www.arottalove.org/blog/2008/07/30/arlp-the-saint-paul-saints-sunday-august-3 http://www.arottalove.org/blog/2008/07/30/arlp-the-saint-paul-saints-sunday-august-3#comments Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:45:40 +0000 Lara http://www.arottalove.org/blog/?p=195 ARLP & the Saint Paul Saints - Sunday, August 3 - 1:05 pm

Take yourself out to a ball game!

This was such a fun and exciting event last summer that we’re delighted to be chosen again as a non-profit recipient of the generosity of the St. Paul Saints!

For just $15 (a $23 value) you will receive:

• One general admission ticket
• Hot Dog and a Soda
• Saints hat

Download the flyer and follow the instruction provided and a portion of your package price will be donated to A Rotta Love Plus. Feel free to pass along the flyer, and the savings, to your friends and loved ones.

~ Still from Verizon’s tasteless television spot ~

Dear Lara,

You signed the petition, Make Verizon Accountable. Can They Hear Us Now?, on Jul 16, 2008. The petition received 5083 signatures. The petition author, R. Brace and the ASPCA online community, has now closed the petition and posted the results:

Message from the petition author, R. Brace and the ASPCA online community:

I have just spoken with Steve Schwartzman, Executive Coordinator, who told me that the offensive ad has been pulled in all markets. Thank you to all who signed this petition and made the calls! Mr. Schwartzman was very understanding of our feelings, and admitted that they have received quite a bit of heat over this commercial.

Each and every one of you made the difference.

Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Renee Brace and the ASPCA Online Community

While I have had nothing but a positive experience with Verizon up to this point I am still deriving pleasure from the fact that I canceled my Verizon Wireless service. Verizon knows why I left and my new provider knows why they have a new customer.

I am in no way saying this is the route every pbully luvin’ Verizon customer should have taken. But my satisfaction is immense. And the ad was pulled! Which Verizon initially said it had no intention of doing. I would love to know how many customers they lost. I know from trolling the net and forums there were A LOT of us.

It is my hope that other companies learn a valuable lesson from Verizon. You will lose customers when you advertise in poor taste.

Mess with the bully you get the horns!

Corporate Star

Today I got to go to work with Auntie Rachel.

Hello ~ whadya need?