I Stole Your Dog Today

I  stole your dog today. No, I didn't set a foot on
your property, but from the condition of your dog, I
can imagine what it looks like…the word "junkyard"
comes to mind.

I found her along a road, with a heavy chain wrapped
around her neck, still attached to rotten boards from
her doghouse, with rusty six-penny nails protruding.
Not only did I know that most of the town had already
ignored her, judging by where I found her, but I knew
that if she had gotten into the woods the "cross" that
she dragged behind her would have wrapped around a
tree until starvation or thirst killed her. The local
populace is usually deaf to the sound or blind to the
sight of an animal in need, unless they decide to
shoot one for trespassing.

That her ribs showed, that her ears were filthy, that
her overall condition was poor and that her coat and
eyes were dull, were good indications that you didn't
deserve her. But just to make sure, I checked with the
local authorities for a report of a missing
(unlicensed) dog matching her description and to see
if you'd placed a "lost dog" advertisement in the
local newspaper. You hadn't, which I can only surmise
means that you do not miss her. That's rather
convenient, because the fact that she is not spayed,
probably unvaccinated, and possibly heartworm positive
means that restoring her health could cost me around a
thousand dollars.

Perhaps it may be some small comfort to know that she
doesn't miss you. In fact, her very act of escape made
it clear that she'd had enough of your brand of pet
guardianship. It took her about a day to realize that
I'm not you, that I won't hurt her, that despite our
brief acquaintanceship, I love her. It took two days for her
to realize that the other animals who live here accept
her and that one of the joys she has been missing has
been the companionship of other dogs. It took three
days for her to appreciate the ecstasy of a home
cooked meal and that a couch is meant to be reclined
on, and that she no longer has to sleep outside - in fact,
when the thunder starts, she'll get a hug and her ears
rubbed, and I'll make a fool of myself with baby talk.

She has a beautiful name now. Already in the first
week she has come to look more like she should. Her
eyes sparkle and she has learned to wag her tail in
greeting. She has stopped flinching when I make a
sudden movement, because she knows now that I won't
beat her, in fact, she rarely leaves my side. She's
even become brave enough to bark at a cat and today I
watched from the window as she initiated play with the
other dogs. No, it's clear she does not miss you or
her former life of neglect on a chain.

Of all the things that have become apparent from my
brief relationship with her - such as the forgiving
nature of the dog, their wonderful ability to heal and
to trust, the fact that love can work miracles - one
of the most apparent is what a fool you are. She was
possibly the most trusting, loyal and loving being in
your life, and you consigned her to a life of filth and
loneliness until she made the best choice she's ever
made when she broke free. Perhaps her guardian angel
helped her escape. Lest anyone should mistake me for
an angel, I will admit that one day I hope to be as
good as she; I believe she forgave you within the
first twenty-four hours of her new life for the about
four years of her previous "life," while I still
wrestle with the part of me that hopes that one day
you will burn in Hell.

It's not clear yet whether she'll remain here or
whether I'll find her a loving home where she can
count on more individual attention than I can give
her, but one thing is certain, this is one bit of
stolen "property" who is never returning to you. So
sue me, prosecute me, plead with
the courts that she is rightfully yours…I'm

convinced this is the best "crime" I've ever

committed. Hardly anything has pleased me more than
the day I stole your dog. I need only look into her
beautiful brown eyes to know that she'd defend my
decision with her life. If we have one prayer, it is
that you will not replace her, and if we have one
special day to commemorate together, it is the day I
stole your dog and the day she stole my heart.

Too bad we can't pass this along to the hate group
people who accuse rescuers of *stealing* dogs just
like this one..

Hundreds of shelter dogs get new beds

By;  MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Jackson didn't know quite what to make of his new bed and blanket, seconds after the items were set down Saturday in his kennel at the OC Animal Shelter.

The 7-month-old short-hair Chihuahua mix sniffed around the bed – fashioned out of fabric and raised about six inches off the ground – scooted away, and came back and sniffed around some more.

Jackson's new furnishing was among the 200 beds the shelter received Saturday, thanks to the efforts of Stella's Hope, a Costa Mesa-based dog rescue group. Close to 50 volunteers assembled the beds on a makeshift assembly line adjacent to the kennels.

Prior to getting the beds, many of the dogs had to sleep on heated concrete.

Two terrier-mix puppies – so new at the shelter that they hadn't been named yet – seemed appreciative, curling up into little fur balls and snuggling on the blankets on top of their new bed.

Founded by Holli Griggs of Garden Grove, the main mission of Stella's Hope is to save dogs at the shelter slated for euthanasia.

She places the pets in foster homes and, eventually, permanent homes. Griggs has saved 75 dogs so far this year at the shelter, shelter spokeswoman Tammy Osborn said.

Griggs' goal is to provide beds for all 382 kennels at the shelter, and then do the same at other shelters in Southern California.

"The reality is that a lot of the dogs will never leave here," Griggs said. "My goal is to provide them with some sort of dignity before they die."

To gather support for Saturday's effort, Griggs and other dog rescue groups got word out on their websites and Facebook pages. The drive started about a month ago.

Visitors to Stellashope.org could order Kuranda beds – ranging from $66 to $132 – and have them delivered from the manufacturer directly to Griggs. Those who couldn't afford that amount could donate smaller amounts of money or blankets.

But Pamela Myles, 16, built her own beds for the cause – 25 of them.

The Mater Dei junior adopted her dog Pom-pom from the shelter nine years ago and wanted to help.

Myles spent hours cutting the canvas and PVC pipes to craft the beds as part of a Girl Scout award project

"I feel like I could give some of my time instead of shopping or sleeping," Myles said. "Then I know (the dogs) will feel better at night ... they will be warm and cozy."

 

A HOMELESS DOG'S CHRISTMAS WISH

Everywhere - Children dream of stockings packed with goodies and big boxes filled with the latest and greatest toys. A homeless dog dreams of one thing - being loved.

That sentiment is what drives animal rescuers to find homes for the thousands of shelter pets across the nation. We want simply and beautifully, the obvious - what every dog lover knows in their heart, to end the suffering and homeless of dogs throughout the US. Dogs want to be loved. They want to be scratched behind the ears, taken for walks, or sitting by the side of the person that they love.

Every dog sitting behind the bars of a kennel door wants the very same thing - the simple pleasure and comfort of being loved. This holiday season, consider donating to your local shelter or rescue.

Tis' the season of giving. Don't forget those less fortunate this time of year; Especially our furry friends.

The Top 20 Reasons Dogs Don't Use Computers

20. Can't stick their heads out of Windows '95.

19. Fetch command not available on all platforms.

18. Hard to read the monitor with your head
cocked to one side.

17. Too difficult to "mark" every website they visit.

16. Can't help attacking the screen when they hear
"You've Got Mail."

15. Fire hydrant icon simply frustrating.

14. Involuntary tail wagging is dead giveaway they're
browsing www.pethouse.com instead of working.

13. Keep bruising noses trying to catch that JPEG frisbee.

12. Not at all fooled by Dogmore Screen Saver.

11. Still trying to come up with an "emoticon" that
signifies tail-wagging.

10. Oh, but they WILL... with the introduction of the
Microsoft OpposableThumb.

9. Three words: Carpal Paw Syndrome

8. 'Cause dogs ain't GEEKS! Now, cats, on the other hand...

7. Barking in next cube keeps activating YOUR voice
recognition software.

6. SmellU-SmellMe still in beta test.

5 SIT and STAY were hard enough, GREP and AWK
are out of the question!

4. Saliva-coated mouse gets mighty difficult to manuever.

3. Annoyed by lack of newsgroup, alt.pictures.master's.leg.

2. Butt-sniffing more direct and less deceiving than
online chat rooms.

and the Number 1 Reason Dogs Don't Use Computers...

1. TrO{gO DsA[M,bN HyAqR4tDc TgrOo TgYPmE
WeIjTyH P;AzWqS,. *

(source: David Letterman Show) 

The Journey

When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet also test your strength and courage.

If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark. Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures - jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.

If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information. Your pace may be slower - except when heading home to the food dish - but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field.

Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details - the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig. Once we walk as a dog does, we see a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows: that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own.

Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting on a screen. (How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important details slip by.

You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie - with a cat in hot pursuit - all in the name of love.

Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound.

You will learn the true measure of love - the steadfast, undying kind that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together." Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race.

And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.

If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be - the one they were proud to call beloved friend.

I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down.

And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet's time on earth is far too short - especially for those that love them. We borrow them, really, just for a while, and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left.

The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always knew that journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken.

But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead - young and whole once more. "Godspeed, good friend," we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again. 

How to Photograph a New Puppy

How To Photograph A New Puppy 

1. Remove film from box and load camera

2. Remove film box from puppy's mouth and throw in trash

3. Remove puppy from trash and brush coffee grounds
from muzzle

4. Choose a suitable background for photo

5. Mount camera on tripod and focus

6. Find puppy and take dirty sock from mouth

7. Place puppy in pre-focused spot and return to camera

8. Forget about spot and crawl after puppy on knees

9. Focus with one hand and fend off puppy with other hand

10. Get tissue and clean nose print from lens

11. Take flash cube from puppy's mouth and throw in trash

12. Put cat outside and put peroxide on the scratch on
puppy's nose

13. Put magazines back on coffee table

14. Try to get puppy's attention by squeaking toy over your head.

15. Replace your glasses and check camera for damage

16. Jump up in time to grab puppy by scruff of neck and say,
"No, outside! No, outside!"

17. Call spouse to clean up mess

18. Fix a drink

19. Sit back in Lazy Boy with drink and resolve to teach puppy
"sit/stand" and "stay" the first thing in the morning

20. Consider buying "older, trained" dog 

Personally, I stick to the basics.  Either adopt a puppy who knows how absolutely adorable she is and will pose for a photo shoot at the drop of a hat~

Or, photograph them while they're sleeping!

♥☆¨´`'*°☆.¸.☆¨´`'*°☆.
(: ․☆´`'*¸.☆¨´`'*°☆.․:)
`☆.. ♥♥ HUGS ♥♥~ ¸☆
․ ․`'☆.¨´¸☆¨¸.¸.☆¨
․ ․ ․ ․ `'*☆.¸.☆puppy kisses! ♥