Foxy Lady’s Graduation

Posted on: May 17, 2018 by: Doug

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.

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.

If you enjoy our updates, Doggy Tales, and educational articles consider subscribing for notices when new pieces are posted. It’s painless and you can unsubscribe any time you want. Your e-mail address is used ONLY to deliver these notices.

[email-subscribers namefield=”YES” desc=”” group=”Public”]

All Hail the Chief

Posted on: May 4, 2018 by: Doug Comments: 1 Comment

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.

Cochise Is Declared “Unusual” Once Again

Posted on: May 2, 2018 by: DougB

Last week Cochise went to Cedarwood for his annual inspection — I mean examination, shots, blood tests, and a good, thorough poking all over. He had an unusual lump on his leg that raised some concerns.

In the end, what they found was described as “the most unusual thing we’ve ever seen.” – which is becoming a recurring theme with Cochise.

Bed Check

Posted on: March 19, 2018 by: Doug

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 and Going Ballistic

Posted on: March 16, 2018 by: Doug

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!

Josie says, “Come with me, come with me!”

Posted on: March 15, 2018 by: Doug

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.”

[email-subscribers namefield=”YES” desc=”” group=”Public”]

Buddy Goes Into The Wall

Posted on: March 8, 2018 by: Doug

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:
vicious fence post
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.

Buddy Beagle: Protector of Toys

Posted on: March 7, 2018 by: Doug

Buddy Beagle is a sensitive, caring soul. Gaze into his eyes and you can see that. He is a beagle who has come through a horrible experience of his own. He came here from Cedarwood Animal Hospital for a lengthy recovery and we just let him stay. Now he takes on the roll of household protector.

For the most part he is a good little guy who is devoted to his people (especially Marie) and gets along well with his siblings. But make a toy cry and you’ll feel his wrath!

Cochise vs the Dump Truck

Posted on: February 1, 2018 by: Doug

Today we had some driveway work done. The driveway up to my workshop is a MESS! All washed out and badly rutted. I bent a rim on Marie’s Subaru by taking it up this driveway. It’s time to dig deep into the pockets and get repairs done or it will just keep getting worse.

Cochise insisted on going out to chase the tractor and the dump truck and hurl heinous threats at everyone. He stayed on his side of the fencing, they stayed on theirs. He got so worked up early on that he leapt up against the fencing, bounced back, and did a back flip!

After a half hour of these intense aerobics, I went out with a lead to bring him back to the house. He offered no resistance at all. His tongue was hanging so low he was tripping on it!

We got half way up the hill to the house and he just flopped over on his side and panted, “I can’t go any farther, carry me!”

The Running of the Beaglicious 300

Posted on: January 27, 2018 by: Doug

Marie and I are NASCAR race fans, so it’s only natural that when I see a group of dogs racing around the yard in close formation, I think of auto racing.

We currently have three dogs who are various types of Beagle mixes. All get along splendidly in pairs: Josephine and Buddy play well together, Buddy and Angel have a blast together, Angel and Josie Bean recently started playing together as well. I have been hesitant to let all three out together because the “odd man out” factor often rears its head and causes spats of jealousy if two pair up and ignore the third. But eventually I have to try it. Would they play together as a trio, or start sniping at one another?

What broke out was the First Annual Running of the Beaglicious 300.