Sweet Shadow

Shadow, the little Lassie-come-home miracle who had brightened our lives since April of 2006, died on July 29, 2007. Dave and I are bereft.

Shadow was pure joy: Always wanting to engage, flirt and cuddle. Following us from room to room. Never taking seriously her place in the pack (number four of four) .

We grieve Shadow.

The Dogs Have a Yard!

We did it! We bought a ranch-style home with a yard, and now the dogs have their own playground!

Zoe sets the pace. She's the first to dash out the sliding glass door into the yard. Then she engages the others with a series of play bows, snatching up toys in her mouth and daring the others to chase her. Trooper and Shadow are up for the game -- Angel is less interested and prefers to poke around and sniff for a little while and quicklyasks to rejoin the people in the house.

Big upside: Happier and better exercised dogs.
Downsides: Dealing with mud in the house; Dave and I get less exercise because we walk the dogs less frequently.

And Shadow Makes Four

Four dogs in a townhouse!

Shadow joined the pack in April. Dave rescued her from Newark, where she'd been on the streets for a good part of the winter. We fostered her for a week while finding her a "forever" home. Unfortunately for the adoptive couple, "forever" only lasted two days. She got out and turned up on our doorstep the next morning.

We don't know how she found her way back, but since she picked us, we adopted her. It's a Lassie-come-home story.

Shadow was very skittish. You can see the fear in her eyes in this photo taken on the second day she was with us. She has become very cuddly and loving with Dave and me and her circle of trusted dog walkers.

So we've been trying hard to sell our townhouse and buy one with a big yard for the dogs! We're selling it ourselves, so I've used my marketing background to create sales materials. Here's the website: http://www.berkeleyheightstownhome.com I created it using a beta product called Microsoft Live. It was very easy. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a website. Best of all, it's free!

Three dogs in a townhouse? Get ready to walk

We spend a lot of time walking dogs.

We have three dogs and we live in a townhouse without a fenced yard. So anytime the dogs go out, they must be accompanied by at least one human.

We divide dog walks into categories.

Type A: Taking the dogs for a "piddle" (a quick stop outside to empty their bladders) requires just a minute or two, depending on how long it takes for the human to dress for the weather. Piddle walks happen three times a day (first thing in the morning, right before dinner -- as soon as we get home from work, and right before bedtime.)

3 piddle walks x 3 dogs = 9 per day, 63 per week. Assuming 1 minute per walk that's about an hour per week.

Type B: Full walks provide opportunities for exercise and elimination. The dogs get three full walks a day: after breakfast, midday and after lunch. Full walks range in length from 10 to 20 minutes. Each dog is walked solo.

3 full walks x 3 dogs = 9 per day, 63 per week. Assuming 15 minutes per walk, that almost 16 hours a week of dog walking.

But we have some help. Weekdays, our dog walkers are responsible for the midday jaunt. That's almost 4 hours we don't have to do. So it brings the full walk total down to 12 hours per week, and total walking time to 13 hours.

Three to four times per week, two of our dogs run off-leash instead of being walked. It's good for them, but it actually take more time than walking.

Anyway you look at it, we spend a lot of time walking dogs. Even so, I bet our dogs would like more.

New goings-on in dogland

JOY! A photo of my three beloved mutts together, from left to right: Angel, Trooper and Zoe. This is the storybook ending I was hoping for: The three of them together, happy and healthy.

This is the only electronic photo from a recent photo shoot at The Hungry Hound in Somerville. The rest of the output is in print format and is a SURPRISE Christmas gift for my husband. Let me tell you, bathing three dogs on the sly, coming up with an excuse to get them all out of the house for three hours, escorting them in shifts into the storefront and getting them to pose for the photographer was quite the project!

Post photo shoot, things got a bit dicey. Angel is being treated -- again -- for Lyme disease. I got her tested because she was lethargic and seemingly stiff in her back leg. She's taking three weeks of one antibiotic and six weeks of another.

The plates in Trooper's twice-broken front leg are shifting a bit and causing him to limp. He's taking Rimadyl to ease the pain and inflammation. We are waiting for the surgeon to review the new x-rays and let us know what, if anything, can be done. As per the vet's instructions, we trying to keep Trooper resting quietly. It's not easy. Part of Trooper's charm is his tendency to literally bounce through life. So it's wait and see ...

Trooper is settling in

Trooper's casts and bandages are off, and his gait and temperment improve every day!

Here's a photo from a couple of weeks ago, when he still had a cast. I brush his coat everyday, so he looks a lot better than this now.

Trooper update

What's new? Three dogs. We now have three dogs.

Trooper is living with Dave, Angel, Zoe and me. The couple that adopted Trooper returned him to the shelter after two weeks. As it turns out this was their first dog, and they had bitten off more than they could chew.

Back at the shelter for those the 10 straight days of rain earlier this month, Trooper's cast repeatedly soaked through. With 40 dogs to walk and short of staff, the shelter volunteers weren't able to consistently wrap Trooper's cast with plastic before his walks.

So, we took Trooper home for a couple of days, where we could better look after his leg. That was three weeks ago. He's living on the lower level of the house in our office and utility room. For the past week, he has carefully climbed the stairs to the main living level when Dave and I are home. The long-term residents, Angel and Zoe, now accept him.

His leg is still not right. He is favoring the leg and limping badly. The vet removerd the cast yesterday and replaced it with soft bandages. We'll have to wait and see if it will heal.

Three dogs. We now have three dogs.

Dog flu and other new things to worry about

Dog flu is sweeping the media. I've been aware of the problem at greyhound tracks* but the incursion into the general population is new news. So, now I worry. Do I:

• Keep the dogs away from the dog run and other mixing and a-mingling opportunities with fellow canines
• Wear special clothes when I volunteer at the shelter, and discard them afterwards?
• Not volunteer at the shelter or for pet therapy visits at all?

Dave and I need to work out a plan. I do know this: If either Angel or Zoe as much as clear their throats, they're going to the vet!

Add this to the House trying to cut the guts out of the Endangered Species Act, 100 deaths in Iraq in 24 hours, and continued lying, pandering, distorting, and cheating by our elected and non-elected officials, and there's too much to worry about.

We're going to a comedy club tonight. What one can't fix, one can forget about!

* may all greyhound tracks be closed down and the dogs adopted into good homes

Can't Comprehend Katrina

Weeks later, I still can't accept the reality of Katrina. It's too awful.

The people are aware of what's happening and can find out how to get help. It's a terrible tragedy -- they've lost loved ones, homes, jobs and communities. But to me, the dogs and cats are the true innocents -- trying to fend for themselves in a world they don't recognize.

Over the past two weeks, I've written to the government powers to ask them to help -- or at least not impede -- the rescuers as they fight to save animals. Time is running out. If our government officials don't acknowledge the value of animal life, at least we can try to tell them that to those who have nothing, their domestic animals are very important.

In so many ways, New Jersey is a galaxy away from Louisiana and Mississippi. But the Jersey Animal Coalition, where I volunteer, is expecting to receive refugee dogs from New Orleans any day now.

I am holding my own two dogs very close these days.

Trooper Gets Selected!

Looks like Trooper, the dog hit by a car and rescued by my husband Dave, will be going home with a great couple from Maplewood very soon! They saw Trooper's listing on Petfinder, visited him at the Jersey Animal Coalition on Saturday, thought it over, and confirmed their interest yesterday. Seems that this couple were taken with Trooper's "sweet personality" (and my husband's sales abilities) and decided to adopt our miracle dog. So it's happy dance time at our house. We hope we'll still get to see him from time to time.

Compare these photos to the one taken soon after his accident (August 21, 2005 post), and you'll see a whole new dog!

Dogs on Vacation

We take our dogs on vacation with us whenever possible. They've been to Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, New York State and Vermont. Our vacation planning starts with a search for dog-friendly accommodations.

This does limit our range, as you can see. Our dogs are too big to travel in an airplane cabin, and the airline's practice of stowing dogs as cargo is proven unsafe. I'm anxiously monitoring Companion Air and hoping it will begin flying non-charter flights soon. This niche airline has figured out how to allow dogs and their owners to travel together in the cabin.

Vacations are not always quite as peaceful as this photo from July 2005 indicates. Here, the dogs are truly enjoying their morning romp on a rocky Maine beach. Two days into the trip, the dogs came out on the short end of an encounter with a porcupine and required emergency veterinary care.

Once in a while, we do go out West to ski or to the Carribean. In these cases, we get a dog sitter to stay with our dogs in our home rather than boarding them and forcing them to handle both relocation and our absence. As our dog walker always says, dogs do best in their own environment. And I think that's true.

High Tech Dog Tracking: Micro-chipping Angel and Zoe

Angel and Zoe don't know it, but tomorrow is a big day for them. Dave is taking them to Summit Dog and Cat Hospital (their first visit to their new vet). They'll get micro-chips (which I don't think they'll enjoy) and their nails clipped (which I know they hate). It takes two vet techs to cut each dog's nails: one to hold her down as she fights the vet tech, and the other to cut the nails.

Micro-chipping is a way to permanently identify dogs and cats. Read more about it here:

We're switching to the Summit vet because the office has handled the Trooper situation wonderfully. Also, Summit is willing to titer test our dogs, a way of finding out if they need vaccinations, rather than just pumping them full of vaccination chemicals each year. Our former vet was opposed to titers, which is odd, because at this point, it is a mainstream approach. See this article posted on MSNBC, "Still Vaccinating Your Pet Every Year?"

Back at the Jersey Animal Coalition

Trooper was glad to return to his friends at the Jersey Animal Coalition last night. At the Summit Dog and Cat Hospital, he came through the additional surgery well. I saw him yesterday and he seemed to be pain-free and in good spirits.

To ensure the leg heals, Trooper will have to wear the casts for four weeks this time. The vet casted both legs so Trooper wouldn't put too much weight on the still-fragile "good" leg.

Dave and I will see him again this weekend. We volunteer at Jersey Animal Coalition now -- Dave walks dogs and I work the front desk.

Dogs Sans Leashes

Relative freedom! That's the joy of the dog run. Angel and Zoe sniff the perimeter (once they found a rabbit hutch), play ball with Dave and occasionally chase other dogs.

Angel is "addressing the ball" in the photo below. Dave is standing nearby with the blue "chuck-it" ball throwing device. It allows humans to pick up icky tennis balls without touching them and toss them great distances. (Technology even improves the time-worn game of fetch.)

Above, Zoe is on a mission -- she may be heading over to interrupt Angel's play with another dog. Angel is hers, and Zoe's not big on sharing.

Trooper Setback -- Another Operation Today

After four weeks of recuperation, Trooper has to have more surgery. He developed a limp this weekend which worsened. Dave and Mikhail, the manager of the Summit Dog and Cat Hospital, brought Trooper in for x-rays. Turns out one of the plates broke! The surgery on that leg needs to be re-done.

Poor Trooper has to go through all the pain and discomfort of surgery and recuperation all over again! I am so sad for him. Hopefully, Trooper will have the strength to be a trouper again.

Awaiting a Happy Ending to the Story

What's been top of mind for the last five weeks: A dog, likely thrown out of a car on I-78 in Maplewood, NJ. My husband Dave got involved in rescuing the dog from the highway. Now dubbed Trooper, the dog is recovering from two broken front legs.

The Summit Dog and Cat Hospital has treated Trooper at cost. He needed complex surgery involving plates and pins to repair the fractures. Dave and I, along with the co-rescuer, agreed to split the $3000+ bill, but after two articles in local newspapers spurred generous donations, Dave and I are only paying $500. The community's unexpected generosity resulted in excess donations, which will go to Jersey Animal Coalition, where Trooper is convalescing.

Trooper needs a home, and will be ready for adoption shortly. Soft bandages have replaced his casts. Trooper is a male Chow mix, about 35 pounds and four to six years old. He is house-trained and is regaining his trust of people. He loves taking walks and being pet. If you would like to explore the possibility of bringing this miracle dog into your life, please call or email the Jersey Animal Coalition at 973.763.7322 or bowwowmeow.geo@yahoo.com

Tired Dogs Are Good Dogs and the Townhouse Blues

Dave and I live in a townhouse. That means no fenced yard for dog romping. But we can't skimp on exercising them.

I've learned that exercise is important for their health as well as their temperment. They love being outside. And when tired from physical activity, our dogs are less likely to get into trouble. (Zoe in particular is prone to mischief. She has gnawed her way through more shoes, throw pillows, computer bags and plants than I can count.)

So, we've cobbled together a plan to keep them in shape. It's a challenge: our area sports few large, fenced public areas that allow dogs. So we:

1. Take them to Echo Lake Dog Park in Mountainside, NJ, on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It's about 20 minutes from our home. This is usually Dave's job, and he enjoys it. He hangs out and yaps with a cadre of dog owners.)
2. Play fetch at the tennis courts in town twice a week. The trick is to go early in the morning, so we don't interfere with tennis players.
3. Play fetch in the back area of a soccer field near our home. This is a tad illegal: the signs prohibit dogs. We go at 6 a.m., speak softly because it's near a senior condo development, and limit our visits to once a week.
4. Treat them to extra-long walks through the Passaic River Park. It's wooded, and a branch of the Passaic River winds through it. I make this a part of the morning routine twice a week.

In addition, we (or our dog walkers) walk them on leash three times a day.

Sometimes Dave and I peruse the real estate ads and seriously consider buying a single family home with a big yard! Someday, perhaps ...

"American Gothic" style dog photo

Our friends, Roger and Tomo, took this photo of our dogs a couple of years ago. Zoe, the white one, is alert (as always) and sitting still, which is not typical. Angel, the black dog, is true to herself: mellow and compliant.

Both of the dogs are rescues and have been trained in obedience and agility. They've trained me to laugh every day and take walks that include breaks (a dog needs to sniff the ground and hunt small mammals, for god's sake!) .

Dogs and People -- Unshakable Bond

The intense bond between people and dogs cannot be denied. I have two dogs -- Angel and Zoe -- who play a very prominent (some think way too prominent) role in the lives of my husband and me.

Outside of my pure enjoyment of living with these two sweet dogs, they are a great way to reach out to other people. From making "dog friends" (other couples who are into their dogs) to pet therapy (visiting hospitals and nursing homes with Angel, a certified pet therapy dog), our dogs have become a big part of how I relate to people and give back to society.