Josephine came to us with a request. We were sympathetic because poor little Josephine has had a hard road through life. When she became known to us she had been a pregnant stray, was mangy and terrified of being in an animal shelter. She came here as a foster dog for rest, healing, and sanity.
After working with her for a while we decided that the best thing for her … was to stay here.
Since then, she has met many foster dogs. She really liked some of them.
Fosters are sent away once they are healed and trained. That’s how fostering works. Recently Josie heard us discussing plans for our current foster dogs, became upset, and approached us with an urgent request …
Callie and Rainy had an issue with one another over a plush toy that Marie found. Others got involved as well. Will they be able to resolve it peacefully? Who will be, The Lion Queen?
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I was working a tent at an event one day. A woman came along and stopped to talk with an acquaintance in front of our tent. It was summer, quite warm, and we were set up on asphalt. As their conversation continued I noticed that the senior Boxer the woman had on a leash was “dancing” a bit. I waved to get the woman’s attention and asked if she’d like to move over so she and her dog could cool her feet in the shade of our tent.
“Oh, no: I’m fine.” She responded from under her sun hat.
“Yeah,” I thought, “YOU’RE fine but your dog is suffering.”
I got a bowl and broke out a bottle of water. With the water in the bowl I set it in the shade and asked the woman if she’d let her dog come over to get a drink.
She gave me an exasperated look and said, “I’ll be leaving in just a minute.” but did let out her retractable leash so the Boxer could sidle over to get a drink and cool her feet.
Their conversation dragged on and on, so I stooped there and petted the dog to keep her in the shade.
Finally the woman said to her friend, “Well, I’ve GOT to go.” She shot me a hostile look and called her dog to follow as she left the vicinity.
As they walked away I really hoped she was headed for her car to take that poor Boxer home.
More Common Than You Think
In the summer sun, hard surfaces like concrete and asphalt get hot really fast. Humans don’t notice it because we almost always wear shoes. But your dog’s feet have only minimal protection from this blistering heat.
Heat from asphalt can cause the pads of your dog’s feet to blister and peel. Aside from being painful, this opens the door to infection.
Avoid Torturing Your Dog
You can test the surfaces you will walk on by placing the back of your hand on the surface and hold it there. If you can comfortably hold it there for at least five seconds, your dog should be okay with it too. If it’s too hot, consider alternatives.
Delay your walk
If you can wait and go out when it’s cooler, you will both be more comfortable.
Use protection for feet
There are salves that can be applied to help protect your dog’s feet for short periods. These tend to be less aggravating for a dog than booties, but the boots are far more effective (if designed for use in heat).
Plan a safe path
Plan your walk to avoid asphalt as much as possible. Concrete is a bit cooler, and grass is great! Stay to the more comfortable surfaces to avoid harming your dog.
Other Considerations
Aside from being aware of your dog’s feet, be sure you take a long a small bowl and water for your dog. There are some devices that combine a bowl and bottle in one unit that can hang from a belt loop.
Be sure you find shade and rest periodically. Remember that your four-footed-buddy is wearing a fur coat. Make sure you know and watch for signs of heat stroke in your dog.
Taking along a large umbrella or parasol will provide shade for both of you, even if you only open it when needed.
Of course, if you MUST go out in the heat of the day, and you MUST take your dog with you, and you CANNOT take a safe route, you can always…
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It has been S.S.P. (Standard Sleeping Procedure) forever that Blondie Bear inhabited the snuggle bed at the foot of our bed and Cochise preferred to sleep in the corner by the wall. During times of high stress (heavy rain, thunder, fireworks, hunters on the mountain at night, etc) Blondie would slip around and sleep beside my side of the bed. Here she could prompt me and I could slide an arm over and scratch her head when she needed comforting. Yeah, I know: we’re not supposed to do that, it just encourages fearful behavior. But she’s my “sweetface baby girl” and I am a softie sometimes. Especially where she is concerned.
Blondie’s Safe Sleeping Spot
When Cochise passed away, Blondie began sleeping along side the bed every night. She’ll lounge on her bed until we’re all settled, but once we’re ready to sleep, around she comes. This could be a problem with mobility as I get up at night to tend to dogs clickety-clacking along the hallway — potentially needing to go outside. But I know she’s down there, so I probe gently with my feet as I sit up. Blondie stays real still, letting me discover where she is not so I can find floor and stand up. That’s trust!
I have to think she is still missing her best friend and is seeking solace in staying close to me at night. Most of the time she does not seek skritchies. Once in a while I am awakened by her big square nose poking me gently, but most of the time she is content with being close.
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Foxy has done well in her civilization training, so I gave her a reward. Yesterday I took Foxy with me to run errands. We went to the gas station, the drive-through bank (where she got a big cookie), Western Auto, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Ace Hardware, and Westgate Tire Pros. She went in with me everywhere but the gas station and the bank (because I didn’t go in either).
Everyone was friendly to her. Many loved on her and told her how beautiful she is. She ate up all that attention! She rode well and behaved perfectly in all the stores and with all of the people.
After SIX stores, she’s ZONKED!
I also went to Wilton Springs Hardware, but I dropped Foxy back at home first, that was going to be an extended shopping session and she was getting tired.
Foxy will be leaving us tomorrow: headed out east somewhere. I’m told she has been accepted by a Husky rescue. That is a good thing: they will make sure she gets placed with a home that is aware of and able to accommodate the quirky personalities of Huskies.
They are wonderfully affectionate and entertaining companions, but they are also vocal, brilliant, and have opinions about EVERYTHING. Huskies are energetic dogs who need an active lifestyle. Those who cannot appreciate these qualities will be frustrated by them.
Foxy is a good girl. Beautiful too. I’m sure she will find her forever home quickly.
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Cochise BigDog, also known as Cochise the Amazing Talking Dog passed away on Thursday, May 3rd around 9:30 PM at the age of ten years.
Cochise was a great companion to us for six of those years, an amazing mentor to 63 foster dogs, an effective Guardian of the Realm, and a great ambassador for rescue dogs everywhere, for he too started out abandoned in a shelter, heartworm positive and scheduled for destruction. We saved him then, now it’s time to let him go. Farewell my Bestest Boy, you will be missed.
Callie is a sweet, gentle, lovable gal. She is a Staffie mix after all. She gives us almost no trouble at all and so she has earned the right to be a full-time, free-range house dog — except when we leave the property for an extended period of time. But that’s not Callie’s fault.
Josephine likes to play rowdy. If I’m here I can monitor that and shut it down before anything gets torn up. When I’m not here, she and Blondie sometimes knock into things, moving furniture around a bit, but rarely tear anything up. If Callie gets into the mix, Callie likes to play tug-o-war. Dog beds are handy tug toys because all three can pull on it at once. That leads to tearing. Tearing leads to stuffing poking out. Stuffing poking out gets everyone excited about pulling out all the stuffing. We’ll arrive home again to find an “exploded” dog bed. Not good!
So when Marie and I are both going to be gone a while, Callie gets crated. But she doesn’t mind.
Buddy Beagle is normally a pretty calm little fellow — unless there’s a squirrel outside, then he has to bay and bark and try to get at it. There’s something about squirrels that sets him off. All the other dogs ignore squirrels, but will react similarly to free-ranging cats. Buddy also goes ballistic if I walk out the back door to go into the play yard.
He will throw himself at the bedroom window and make such an excited fuss and racket! Then he goes from window to window along the play yard side of the house to try and get the best view, all the while barooing at the top of his lungs. Sometimes he loses his bladder and leaves a trail of urine. Too much excitement for an old dog to handle!
I was working at my desk late this morning. Josephine came in and did her little eye-batting, butt wiggle, nose whistle thing that she does when she wants me to go with her to accomplish something: open the door so she can go out, come to the dining room because dinner is ready and they’re waiting on me, or look at something she’s trying to tattle-tale about. So I got up and followed her out of the room.
But she went right past the laundry room — where the door to outside is — going straight on. She glanced back over her shoulder with those big eyes of hers to be sure I was still in tow, tail swinging madly when she saw I was. She danced into the kitchen, bore to the right and stopped in front of the stove.
Two trays of fresh-baked dog treats just begging to be sampled!
“They’re cool now Doug. Time for SAMPLES!”
“Right you are darlin, right you are.”
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On Wednesday afternoon Buddy Beagle and Josephine were running around in the yard – more like racing around – and as they passed a corner fence post, Josie knocked into Buddy and “put him in the fence” (as the auto racing folks would say) right here:
That bolt — which is turned around the wrong way — dug into his side and tore a hole in his skin. That’s his fur still clinging to the bolt.
He howled and cried something awful, so I knew he got hurt.
