Must Read!

I just read "A Dog's Will to Another Dog" at the the Australian Shepherd Rescue of Southern California site. www.aussierescuesocal.com (Sorry, I'm still not able to give you hot links in posts, although I'll add this link to the rescues on the right side of the screen.) I have never read a more beautiful, powerful expression of what I want to say to people who have just lost a canine companion. Give yourself the time you need to heal, but never say you don't have room in your heart and home for another needy dog. Now. Go read that wonderful post.

When Will They Ever Learn?

Our daughter lives in a pretty residential area of a city in another Western state. She has a Yellow Lab, Georgia, whom she walks regularly. Yesterday, they encountered an off-leash Golden Retriever. What seemed to be an uneventful doggie meet and greet ended when the Retriever attacked Georgia. The Retriever's owner was shocked and distressed and has paid the vet bills. But we have a traumatized dog and human who will never again feel quite safe on their walks.

I hope that the Retriever's owner has learned NEVER to let her dog off leash unless she is in a dedicated off leash area.

I hope.

Unbelievable!

Today, slate.com has an article on The Crisis in American Walking! I. Kid. You. Not. (I would love to give you a hot link to the article, but I continue to have technical problems with hot links in text.)

So now, we will be deluged with nannies pushing us to get out and walk. Well. Nearly every morning, I get up between 5 and 5:30 am and take Bingley and Magic for a walk. Our route goes up a rather steep hill. Tomorrow, being Wednesday, Bingley, Magic, and I will meet Marilyn, Franklin, Hattie and Odie at a park and walk around for about an hour.

There are some pretty impressive studies that confirm that people who walk dogs are more likely to stick with their walking regimen than people who walk alone or with a human companion.

If this doesn't make sense to you, you've never gotten into a routine of dog walking. A friend of mine wanted to know how I managed to be so faithful in my walking of Bingley and Magic. Simple, I told her. Walk your dog three days in a row at the same time of day. (Actually, she could do with two days in a row. Her dog is an Aussie, and herding breeds are notoriously brilliant) That's all you have to do. The dog will take it from there. And unless you have a heart of stone, you will not be able to resist the bright, expectant eyes, the wagging tail, and, perhaps, the persistent following of your every step. No matter how busy or tired you are, it will be easier to get on your walking shoes, leash up the dog, and go for a walk.

I promise.

Time Passes

I have mentioned that John and I went through a patch when we lost three relatively young dogs in a relatively short time. The shock and grief was awful.

So when Bingley turned Eight in September, it was a cause for serious celebration. Eight is senior status for a Greyhound. Now, he's more than Eight and a half. And recently, I noticed that his muzzle and face are slowly turning white. Bingley is becoming a Senior Citizen.

He still wants to chase rabbits. He still patrols the back yard for critters. He is still determined to go after small canines, refusing to believe that they are, indeed, dogs. And forget about cats!

But some mornings, he stays in bed all the time I'm dressing, right up to the moment that I open the bedroom door. He still runs a few laps around the living room while I leash and harness Magic, but I think he's slowing down, ever so slightly.

Frequently, I take his head in my hands, look into his soft brown eyes, and remind him that he is to live to be a Very Old Man. I pray he does. Living with a senior dogs is one of the great joys of life.

Greyhound Chic

Through some strange circumstance, I became a subscriber to an upmarket shelter magazine. You know what I'm talking about: a super-glossy magazine that features "favorite things" of celebrities that run to $500.00 notebooks for writing down creative ideas, pages of jewelry for which a potential buyer must contact the jeweler in order to discover the price, AND page upon page of interiors designed for the very, very rich. None of which has a thing to do with the way I live.

A standard practice of some interior designers featured in this magazine is the inclusion of dogs. I have seen many Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers, Boston Terriers, and, of course, the ever popular Standard Poodle. But recently, I have seen TWO Greyhounds featured. I'm wondering if this is the beginning of a trend. If so, it won't be the first time that Greyhounds have been fashion statements.

During the 1920's, Greyhounds were frequently used in advertisements for the spare, unstructured clothing that was called The Flapper Look. When Art Moderne architecture emerged in the 1930's, Greyhounds complemented its clean lines. During the 20's and 30's sculptures and porcelain figurines of Greyhounds of such fine artistic quality were produced, that their prices have held up even in the generally depressed current antiques and collectibles market.

Actually, high end settings are nothing new for Greyhounds. Until the invention of the mechanical rabbit in the first half of the twentieth century, Greyhounds were accustomed to lives of privilege. They were companions of the leisured class. It might sound a little crazy, but sometimes I wonder if they are born with memory of those halcyon days.

I have introduced three ex-racing Greyhounds and one Greyhound/Scottish Deerhound to my home. Every single one of those dogs has immediately let me know that they require full access to sofas and love seats. They drape themselves across cushions in the most elegant poses. They know that this is where they belong.

Welcome Saving Greyce!

I just discovered a blog entirely devoted to the rescue of retired racing Greyhounds: Saving Greyce. You can find the link on the right hand side of the screen. (I am still having problems providing hot links in the text of this blog.)

The proprietress of Saving Greyce is the mom of Molly, a Greyhound placed by Greyhound Adoption Center (see link at right of screen), the alma mater of Zephyr, Portia, Bingley and Magic.

Check in with Saving Greyce, not only to gain insights into life with an ex-racing Greyhound, but also for news about closing down Greyhound racing in the United States. The good news is that tracks are closing and states are outlawing Greyhound racing. The bad news is that every time a track closes, hundreds, sometimes thousands of dogs are displaced and need homes before they are killed. I am not going to say "euthanized". I don't want to sugar-coat the fate of these magnificent creatures.

SOS for Poms

The clock is ticking for three Pomeranians who are in high kill shelters. If you, or someone you know, can foster one or more of these little dogs, please email me:

portiasmom@live.com

Pomeranians are just one of many Toy breeds that have been over-bred by people who are either ignorant or greedy. Sometimes both. The result of this irresponsible behavior is the suffering of many creatures whose only purpose in life is to provide love and companionship for human beings.

I repeat. Do NOT buy a dog or puppy from a pet store. Do NOT buy a dog or puppy from a breeder who is not actively showing the breed in question.

If you want a puppy or a dog, PLEASE consider rescue. You really can choose your breed, and with a little patience, you will find a member of that breed that needs to be rescued.

Unfortunately for Pomeranians, there are many of their breed who need homes, and not enough Pomeranian homes to go around.