Post by volunteer Paige

Recently some foster dogs attended a weekly group exercise intended to help teen mothers learn some parenting techniques, by interacting with the foster pups.  It was a four week commitment for two hours each of the four nights. There were three moms, whom I’ll call the Training Mamas, two Foster Mamas, one certified dog trainer, and the program coordinator. The logistics were a challenge-starting on time, ignoring all the distractions on all sides (we were assembled in the parking lot), keeping the dogs attention, and listening to instructions. But it was so much fun!

Having no knowledge of their backgrounds, or even their current situation (are they in school? Do they have jobs? Did they volunteer to be part of this exercise?), I didn’t really know what to expect. The ladies were at times, typical teens, laughing at each other and the dogs, interrupting the instructors, disregarding requests for participation. There were other times when they were so mature-immediately understanding why a dog might grasp one new command (single task, like ‘sit’), but not another  (complex one like ‘rollover’ which involves more than one movement, and also a submissive posture). They feigned disgust at picking up dog poop, but accepted the task when equated to changing diapers. They didn’t like the dogs. Then they loved the dogs.

Day 1: Aug. 21

I was late. I brought Gopher, my foster (7 months old), as well as Paisle, my young pup (8 months old), because I wasn’t sure there were going to be enough dogs to attend-recent rush of adoptions (yeah!). Sara brought Bowie (6 months old), so there were three puppies, and three teen moms.

The three ladies were afraid of the dogs. Some of their fear, I suspect, was posturing. Some of their fear was maybe just dislike for new people/new situation. But after a brief introduction each lady had a dog. Paisle’s Training Mama had some questions, so I concentrated on helping her to understand what the instructor was suggesting she do with the dog. Bowie’s Training Mama was very unsure of Bowie who is a bit of a jumper. Gopher’s Training Mama had nothing but disdain for the young big boy, telling him he stinks. Looking back on those first few minutes, it was a riot of conflicting conversations, half-hearted participation, and general unease.

I am not really sure when things turned around for all three ladies, but all of a sudden Bowie’s Training Mama had him figured out. She talked to him as a young child misbehaving, instead of just ignoring him. I think learning of Bowie’s trouble hearing might have helped her see him as a youngster, instead of as a threat? Gopher’s Training Mama realized he is just a big baby, and she (with Trainer Jen) taught him how to do “doggie push-ups” (sit/down/sit/down/sit/down). And Paisle’s Training Mama, was just thrilled to learn Paisle could follow hand signals. She exclaimed over and over again, “I love this dog.” Jane interjected comments and questions about what the teams were learning, and how that translates to working with their babies. The day really ended on a high note!

Day 2: Aug. 28

The girls were late. We stood outside in the parking lot waiting for them for about 20 minutes. When they showed, they did not want to partake in any exercises. Two of them pouted, and their body language indicated we were a bother. The third just kept away, but I swear she only did so because of peer pressure. It was hot, and everyone was on the verge of crabbiness.

And again, I am not sure when things turned around, but all of a sudden the Training Mamas were performing the things they’d done with the dogs the week prior. Bowie’s Training Mama had to work out again, how to get Bowie’s attention knowing he cannot hear her. She worked on shining the light as his clicker, and tapping him when his attention was diverted from her. Gopher’s Training Mama lost no time in setting Gopher’s expectation that she was the most important thing to him, and if he wanted any treats he had to pay attention. Paisle’s Training Mama could not remember the hand signals that had thrilled her last week. There was a brief lull, when the dogs and the ladies seemed to lose interest in each other, so Jen switched from Obedience Command training, to tricks. What a hit! Bowie’s T.M. worked with ‘shake.’ Gopher’s T.M. worked on high five, and the big pup got it right away. Paisle’s T.M. struggled with the clicker, the treat, and the leading away with THAT hand, while reaching for the far paw with the OTHER hand. Her assistant (yours truly) struggled with juggling all those things too! Thankfully, G’s T.M. stepped in to help, shaming both P’s T.M. and I by successfully performing the trick with Paisle immediately. There were lots of laughs!

Day 3: Sept. 4

This is our last day. Our trainer, Jen, won’t be here for the 4^th week, so the program is going to concentrate on more parenting skills that last week, without the dogs. Once again, two of the girls are late, and the third is hanging back. A brief reprimand about being on time, and we are off to start training. The suggestions of what to do start out organized, but the mood feels more like high school after exams but before graduation-everyone is assembled but there’s no reason to pay attention as the conclusion is just around the corner. The Training Mama’s take their dogs, put them through some of the commands, some of the tricks. Gopher will not roll over. Bowie struggles to pay attention. Paisle wants food and will take anyone’s, if given the chance. Now the T.M.’s really have to work to gain doggy participation, and after a few false starts they are each focused on their dogs, and the dogs are focused on them.

And just like the previous weeks, everyone is engaged. The T.M.s switch dogs. They try new things with the new dogs. They help each other. Bowie’s Training Mama sits with him, chatting to someone else, while Bowie watches her. Gopher’s Training Mama pays no attention to him, but he is fixated on her. Paisle’s Training Mama occasionally gives her treats for no reason, and Paisle is watching her like a hawk. The ladies don’t want to stop training, and write biographies for the pups. When they finally do sit down to write, each keeps their pup close to her.  Each dog remains focused on obtaining more treats. When they’re done writing, we try for a group photo. We struggle to keep the pups sitting still, so we wing it with some commentary, some hilarity, and lots of partial group photos. It’s time to leave, already? The girls don’t seem too keen on saying goodbye, to either the humans, or the dogs. Instead, they just go inside. Program over.

After such a short time with the teens, it was gratifying to see them so relaxed with the dogs, and willing to work with them. By the end of the last day, I am certain the ladies were more confident of the dogs, than they were of us humans. As for the program, there is room for improvement of attention, respect, and feedback, but what a great beginning! Were I to put myself in the teen mothers’ shoes, I am not so sure I’d warm up to strangers and strange dogs in a big hurry either. I hope we made one or two lasting impressions on the teens;  I am certain they made lasting impressions on us.

Filed under: ARLP Updates, Foster Updates | No Comments »

I feed my beasts a raw diet. I recently learned about Swanson’s Meats in Minneapolis. They have a wonderful program Raws for Paws for people like me to purchase a variety of carnivorous delectables. You can purchase large quantities for a fraction of the price you would pay simply marketing for your dogs. Which - if you start getting lazy can get really expensive.

When I moved away from my beloved Seward Co-op where I was purchasing chicken backs in 40lb cases I started roaming grocery stores for good deals and buying en mass. Things like pork shoulders, turkey necks and backs, chicken necks and backs and ham hocks. To acquire a substantial stash I had a route. And folks when you get too consistent about something people notice. I mean how many times can you tell the cashier at Cub you are purchasing 8 packs of turkey necks for your grandmother? Because yes they start to ask questions. Not to mention the meat department crew who eye you up when you come to clean them out of pork shoulders.

Then I got lazy. Byerley’s is the closest grocery store to my home. So I started supplementing my lapses in full on meaty bone runs with what I could find closer to home. An 8 piece pack of chicken got me through two days of feedings. Boy was that getting expensive! But the dogs were livin’ high on the hog. That’s when I discovered Swanson’s.

I am new to Raws for Paws. So far I have made two purchases. The first purchase was 40 lbs of ground chicken backs. As a vegetarian I must tell you that feeding the beasts raw meat isn’t the most pleasant chore of my day. Feeding raw ground chicken backs - down right disgusting! They love it though and that is what really counts. The 40 lbs of ground goods cost me $33 bucks and lasted 6 weeks! For three dogs! Which works out to be roughly 0.78 a day. Much better for the pocketbook.

This past Wednesday I picked up my second order from Raws. I decided to go back to something with a little more crunchy texture - you know for variety. So I went with 20 lbs of chicken necks and 20 lbs of chicken backs. When I got home with my boxes I was certain I would open them to find the frozen necks and backs nestled neatly within. Ah no. Instead I found large bricks of frozen compressed in appearance chicken parts. Oh boy. It would appear that during the processing process the parts are tossed into a tub where I imagine it gets a little juicy. (gag) Next I am envisioning that the tub is put in a freezer. Orders are placed. The pallet with the tub of frozen parts is moseyed on over to the saw. And presto it is sawed into much easier to deal with igloo-esque bricks for the motley little beasts of the twin cities area.

Try smashing two 20 lb bags of bricked up chicken parts into your refrigerator freezer. Good lord. But man the desire to keep soon to be juicy and moist chicken parts frozen is one hell of an incentive.

I have yet to defrost a brick. We still have a couple days of ground backs to ravage. But it will be interesting and thourghally disgusting I am sure. As feeding raw can be. Like the night I spent dicing beef hearts wearing disposable rubber gloves which I then had to cook because god forbid Debbie eat raw cow heart. Little bitch. Ike was perfectly content to do so. But I digress.

This past order from Raws was only $22. If it lasts 6 weeks the cost will be approximately 0.52 a day. Nice. Mamma’s happy, beasts are happy, chicken parts remain foul.

It is so worth the effort to feed raw. The benefits with regard to health far out weigh the momentary dalliances into the nasty. I highly recommend it to anyone considering it. And if you are considering or already feeding raw visit Raws for Paws. You can purchase, bison, lamb, goat, beef, poultry and your organ meats. Their customer service is fantastic!

As with anything regarding your dog’s health be sure to do your research! I like this lady’s site too.

Hmmm - I wonder how the beasts would like some chicken feet garnishes… something to ponder.

Chi loves him some raw chicken wings

Yum!

Filed under: Random Thoughts | No Comments »

Paco is available for adoption

He is an awesome dog. I have had the pleasure of his company on many an occasion. You couldn’t ask for a bigger lug of love than this. Since the moment I laid eyes on him at Minneapolis Animal Control I knew he deserved a chance at a real home.

Name/Nicknames: Portstar, Port

How did I get to ARLP: ARLP rescued me from animal control after I was found wandering the streets.

Hobbies: My ball!!!! I would chew on my ball 24/7 if my mom let me. She got me these great Orbee balls that take me quite a long time to destroy. I also love to chase the ball when my mom kicks it. My foster sister is my other great hobby. We love to wrestle around in the living room, in the bedroom, in the backyard, even on the couch (while mom is sitting there)! I’m lucky cuz my foster sister lets me be the more dominant one - I might have a couple lessons to learn if I’m around a more assertive dog in the future. But I’m just so happy to have friends!

Tricks/Commands: I know my routine really well. We get up in the morning and go outside. When we’re done I have to drop my ball at the gate before we can go in. I wait at the top of the basement stairs for mom to bring my food up and then I go sit so she will bring it to me. When it’s time to go to sleep I curl up in my kennel. I’ve got sit down pretty well, and we’re working on “leave it” because I never want to let go of my ball! I’ve also learned to kennel up when mom has to leave or when I need to take a time out. I don’t even give my mom the sad eyes anymore when she wants me to go in there! And I always sit for my meals and treats. I think I could be really great at obedience classes! I’m doing really good on the leash too. Mom says it’s easier to walk me than my foster sister!

Crate Trained: I’m awesome at this now. I stay in my crate all day while mom is at work and have never had an accident. I also sleep in my crate at night. Although mom does get mad when I shred the nice beds she buys for me…. I think from now on I’m just going to get an old towel.

Potty Trained: Definitely! I’ve had a couple accidents when I’ve had a LOT to drink and mom hasn’t been paying close attention, but sometimes a dog’s just gotta go! Mom is getting better at noticing when I’m pacing by the back door cuz that’s my signal!

Size in pounds: I think I recently weighed in at about 46 pounds. I’m still a skinny guy and need to grow into my adorable puppy legs! I will probably be about 60-70 pounds when I’m all grown up.

Activity Level: Moderate. I don’t run around nearly as much as my crazy foster sister - that girl never stops moving! I’m much happier to chill in the backyard and just chew on my ball, but every once in a while I get the zoomies and then look out! My foster sister and I tear around the house like crazy and we have so much fun!

Fun things I do: I have the CUTEST underbite according to my mom. She’s always laughing at the funny faces I make - getting my upper lip caught on one of my lower teeth, letting my tongue hang out, looking like a court jester at all times of the day! I love to try to pounce on the vacuum cleaner. I also drool when mom brings my food dish (but only for food, not other times). Mom always laughs at that too. When I play with my ball I make these ridiculous slurping sounds before I drop it on the ground for mom to kick it.

Socialization/who I currently live with: I currently live with my mom, my pittie foster sister Julia, and my two kitty brothers. I love them all! Julia and I play together really well, and I basically leave the cats alone. When mom and I go out for walks I love to meet new dogs, but I like to be introduced to them slowly. I LOVE meeting new people. When people come to the house I sometimes get overexcited, but mom and I are working on that. I just love making new friends!

Wanna see more? Check out some more photos here: Paco’s Photo Album

Interested adopting Paco? Click here to review our Placement Process and to fill out our online application.

Filed under: Foster Updates | No Comments »

ARLP would like to extend the warmest of thank yous to Jen Yackley of Reekoe’s Room

Jen donated her store’s July profits to ARLP which turned out be be a little over $300!

Thank you sooooo much Jen!

Filed under: ARLP Updates | No Comments »

Cross Post: The Chai Story

On Sunday, June 22, 2008 my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws Inc, produces. The toy I’m referencing is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9)

While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released.

Chai was taken to the Animal Medical Center (an emergency care facility in New York City) and was treated by Dr. Nicole Spurlock to have the ball removed. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with care instructions and to be observed overnight for any changes.

By the following morning Chai’s tongue had swollen even more. He was taken to his regular vet, Dr. Timnah Lee, for treatment. He was admitted and kept sedated for a period of three days during which time they were treating his wounds and waiting to determine how much of his tongue could be saved. On June 26, 2008 Chai had his tongue amputated.

He was kept in after-care for an additional three days. On Sunday June 29th I brought Chai home from the vet with a barrage of home care instructions, to last for an additional 7 days. His next visit was to have his mouth re-examined and have the feeding tube in his neck removed.

On the way home from the vet we stopped at Petland Discount where I purchased their product to speak to the manager on duty. Upon meeting Chai and seeing his condition, he removed all of the balls in question from the shelves. He also gave me the customer service number to their corporate headquarters to request that they refuse to continue purchasing all Four Paws products, but I have not called them as of yet.

You can read more about Chai and see video footage here

If you have one of these balls please hold it up to the light to make sure that the smaller hole is indeed a hole. The manufacturer did find a flaw in the mold and is working to recall the product. I visited their website and they have indeed pulled the ball from their site. It appears that they are truly horrified by what happened. A letter to Chai’s owner from Four Paws is posted on the blog I linked to above.

Filed under: In the News | No Comments »

Meet Bowie!

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!

Filed under: Foster Updates | 1 Comment »

Post by Volunteer Amy

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”….

Filed under: Observations & Reflection | 3 Comments »

Post by Volunteer Larry

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!

Filed under: Observations & Reflection | 1 Comment »

Volunteer Meghan throws her biscuit into the ring!

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!

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Volunteer Kellie gives us a peek into her world.

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!

Filed under: Observations & Reflection | 2 Comments »