Mommy's little G.I. Joe

Malibu, the wiener dog, has many names.... Malibu, Bu, My Little Sweet Bu, Cammie, etc., etc. She is Mommy's baby. {Yes, Freddy the wiener dog is Top Dog, The Divia, Freddy Baby, but he prefers Daddy to Mommy. But, Malibu is all Mommy's little girl {except when she's Freddy's girlfriend}.

Recently, Mommy started calling Malibu "G.I. Joe," mostly "Joe." Malibu took to this name right away. She responds more quickly to "Joe" than she does to "Malibu" or "Bu." Mommy thinks it's very cute that when she yells "Joe," Malibu comes flying around the corner, or wherever she's coming from. Joe is also the name that Mommy uses she chases Bu around the house or outside. That may be why Malibu likes Joe so much.

So, Mommy finally has her little camouflaged G.I. Joe.

Update at The Toddler House

Luna protecting her toy.

Freddy, the wiener dog, and his girls have not enjoyed the last two weeks. Mommy has been helping in the band room at Eric's middle school. This leaves Freddy and the girls alone for most of the day. They are very unhappy with Mommy. But, Mommy stayed home all weekend and made them feel better.

Freddy is getting a massage. Oh, yeah, he's a Diva.

Luna is chewing on plastic, and Malibu wants to take the plastic away from Luna. {The remnants of the old chewed up plastic vitamin bottle.} Every now and then, there's a brief scuffle, but Luna refuses to let Malibu win. Oh, girlfriend!! Mommy gave Malibu a big water bottle to destroy. Malibu put on a big show in front of Luna, but it didn't work. Luna didn't want the big water bottle; she kept the chewed up plastic. {Oh, Luna just buried her chewed up plastic in a blanket and laid on top of it. She even refused doggie treats because she doesn't want to leave her nasty old plastic.}

All is normal at The Toddler House...... 

Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act

Kahn

The military classifies military working dogs as “equipment”. Last spring, Rep. Walter Jones and Rep. Richard Blumenthal introduced H.R. 4103 (Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act) that elevates these dogs to the status of soldier. H.R. 4103 and its Senate counterpart S.2134 now languish in committee. This bill uses no federal funds, but facilitates the adoption and veterinary care of retired military working dogs. It also authorizes the Secretary of Defense to recognize and decorate dogs who are killed in service or “perform an exceptionally meritorious or courageous act in service to the United States.” These military working dogs walk beside our soldiers, save their lives and provide comfort to them. They are not equipment and if the human handler wants to bring his canine companion back to the States after their tour is over, we should do everything possible to reduce the cost of that adoption. If you agree, please take the time to write your Congressional Representative and Senator and ask them to pass the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act.

In the picture, a U.S. soldier with the 10th Special Forces Group and his dog leap off the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during water training over the Gulf of Mexico as part of exercise Emerald Warrior on March 1. 

Contact your Congressmen to let them know that you want the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act passed! http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Celebrating Nana's 74th birthday.

Old Man Spotty

Freddy, the wiener dog, his girls and their humans went to Miss Julie's house for Nana's 74th birthday celebration. You may know from earlier bogs that Miss Julie has an old doggie. His name is Spotty. He's 17 years old, nearly blind, deaf, and has difficulty walking. In the past, the doggies have always ignored Spotty. This was Luna's first time meeting Spotty. It didn't go so well.

Luna disliked Spotty from the second she saw him. She not only barked at him, but she charged at him...trying to bite his rear-end. Of course, pack rules so Freddy and Malibu ran to back Luna up. Luna wanted to growl, bark, and chase Spotty all evening. Survival of the Fittest, I guess. We finally had to keep the dogs separated so Luna would leave Spotty alone.

Mommy was so surprised. Luna has always been so friendly to other dogs in the neighborhood. She may run up and bark for a second, but she wants to make friends. Not with Spotty.

Bu.....Bu......BU!!!!!

That'a-my-Bu... That'a my Bu...
That'a my Buuuuuuu!!

Malibu, the wiener dog, had a very scary day. Tuesday, when Malibu's humans were eating dinner, Malibu ran outside {after frogs, no doubt}. She came right back in.....barely able to walk, violently trembling, pupils fixed and dilated, very shallow breathing, and unresponsive. How did Malibu crawl from outside?

Mommy picked up Malibu and called her name. Unresponsive. Mommy couldn't hear any breathing and couldn't see Malibu's tummy moving. Mommy stuck her finger down Malibu's throat; nothing there. Thankfully, Malibu gagged on the finger and spit it back - she was getting air! The entire time Mommy was calling Bu's name over and over and over, trying to get some sort of response. Nothing.

Of course, Mommy's screaming brought Daddy and the boys. Daddy couldn't figure out what was wrong either, and the boys were freaked! Steven was so upset that he ran to another room. Mommy and Daddy thought perhaps Malibu had gotten a wasp or spider bite and that Bu was in anaphylactic shock.  But, there wasn't any swelling, lump or bloody spot. Mommy and Daddy ran out the door with Malibu, but our vet's office was closed. By the time we reached his office Malibu was still trembling, but it wasn't as badly as before. Malibu's pupils were no longer completely dilated. There was slight movement when Mommy moved her fingers back and forth in front of Malibu's eyes. Bu's eyes were responsive to Mommy's voice at this point. Because the trembling was subsiding and Malibu seemed to be "returning to normal," Mommy and Daddy decided not to run Malibu across town to the emergency vet's office.

Relaxing on the patio
with a chewed vitamin bottle.

Once back home, Malibu and Mommy curled up in bed together. Luna came onto the bed and curled up along side Mommy and Bu. Luna didn't even bring her tiger or try to get Mommy's attention. She just laid next to Bu. Freddy also came onto the bed. He gave Malibu a quick sniffing and then he licked her face 5-6 times. {It was so cute!} Then, Freddy also laid on the bed near her. For an hour afterward she seemed exhausted and disoriented. Later, she was romping about as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

The next day Mommy and Daddy took Bu to her vet. He performed a thorough exam, of course. He even took blood for a workup. {Results back on Friday.} The vet's initial thoughts are that Malibu had a seizure, perhaps caused by hyperthyroidism. Hopefully there's good news tomorrow. Mommy doesn't want her baby girl to do that again.


8/17/12 Update: Bu's bloodwork came back absolutely normal. The vet said, "It's exactly the way it should be." So, Mommy and Daddy will keep an eye on Bu and hopefully this won't happen again..... Maybe she picked up a really nasty toad.

Subdued little doggies......

Freddy, the wiener dog, and his girls are not happy that school has started again. They have been subdued and sullen all day. Of course, they're every happy when the boys come home. But then, the doggies have to run from room to room keeping track of everybody....and don't even think about closing a door.

They're going to be even unhappier today because Mommy is assisting the middle school band teacher. My goodness, there's a lot to keep track of soooooooo many students.

Freddy was impossible in car-line. He started barking before Mommy picked him up and put him in the car, and he didn't stop barking until he got home. One of the neighbors was laughing because she heard Mommy say, "Okay, Freddy. The whole world can hear you barking!"

Bathtime!

Freddy, the wiener dog, got a bath tonight. He wasn't happy about it, but he was s-t-i-n-k-y! Then, when we wetted him down, he got even stinkier!! Phew! Lately, we haven't been able to stop Freddy's itchy manly-manly chest. We tried yet another shampoo. Mommy actually got it at the hair salon. If this doesn't work, then there's another to try from Amazon. It was requested by a rescue group, so maybe it will be mild, gentle yet helpful to Freddy's itchy skin. Of course, Freddy's always been high maintenance. Diva's always are.

Bu also received a bath tonight. She wasn't stinky but she had stuff stuck to her legs and chest, probably from all that dirt digging and frog chasing. Giving Freddy a bath makes him hide under a blanket. Giving Bu a bath makes her...hum, well...insane. She's has been running super-speedy circles around the house....jumping on and off furniture...stealing Luna's tiger...........

The Truth About Butchie

Butchie - vetted, neutered,
microchipped, house-trained,
escape artist if left alone in yard.

I have been trying to help Claudia help find a home for Butchie since last fall. Not one person has called on him. Maybe it is his brindle coloring that makes him look a little scary, but he is a loving dog with lots of energy. She rescued him from being tied by his back legs to a tree. She can't keep him any longer as he doesn't do well in the house alone and she works very long hours. Please can everyone rally for Butch! Read his biographical sketch below. He is a character. 
-- 
Kathy
My Animals Rock, Inc., 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation
PO BOX 630729 MIAMI,FL 33163
305 401 4693
www.myanimalsrock.org
klcremer@aol.com  
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/22092877

While walking my two dogs last fall I came across this strange hyena-looking puppy inexplicably tied to a fence by his back legs. Naturally I couldn’t leave him there, so when I liberated him, surprise, surprise, he trotted home after me. The rest is history.
I figure he’s a little over a year old now. Bigger than a pure-breed, he weighs about 38 lbs. – all muscle. He has been neutered, micro-chipped, and is up-to-date on his shots.

Basenji Mix: An adoptable dog
in Hollywood, FL

It took many a Google search to figure out his primary breed, but when I discovered the Basenji sites, the images and temperament descriptions struck me as uncannily accurate. Except that Butch barks occasionally but not too often, generally it is if someone unfamiliar comes onto the property, or if he spots a small furry animal – his bark can be pretty intimidating. To be fair, he also balances it with some cute and funny sounds for different needs. I think he’s one of the smartest dogs I’ve known. He is also quite the non-conformist, following basic commands insofar as it gets him treats, but he’s really not that into it. He’d rather be off exploring. He’s a hunter through and through – and a climber, a digger and a chewer. I’ll venture to say the worst is over, he has mellowed considerably as he continues to outgrow puppyhood.

Butch is also a very loyal and affectionate guy. When I’m settled at home he’s usually pretty angelic, contented to snooze at my feet or play endlessly with his siblings or squeaky toys. At the risk of anthropomorphizing, I would definitely say he has a high emotional IQ. He’s sensitive to moods, and empathetic. He’s actually quite the people-pleaser.

Butch is good with other dogs, bad with cats. I haven’t seen him with small children. I think his ideal home would be with someone who can spend a lot of time with him, perhaps (a) retiree(s) or someone who works at home. I’d say he really needs a secure yard to romp in, as he’s very curious and has lots of energy. He also needs an owner who is able to set boundaries for him and be consistent.

If I were not gone so much of the time, didn’t have two other dogs, a tiny house, 3 cats that Butch terrorizes such that I’ve had to keep them incarcerated in my bedroom since he came, and if my neighbors weren’t angry at me for the times he’s escaped from the yard, I’d keep Butch in a heartbeat. If you think this wonderful companion may be a fit with your lifestyle, please contact Claudia at 305-742-7277 or cewald@bellsouth.net.

Luna is begging for forgiveness.

Luna, the wiener dog, was caught peeing on the new dining room tile. Mommy caught her in the act! Mommy just had the doggies outside for a pee break, for quite a while. Yet, Luna waited until she came back inside. And, this wasn't a little "oops" pee. This was an oh-yeah-release-my-full-bladder pee.

This is why Mommy wants tile through out the house. Between dirty boys, pool water, and peeing dogs, Mommy needs a surface that will stand up to all that.

Luna got a scolding even as she hid behind Mommy's bedroom door. Since then, Luna has been sitting underneath Mommy's office chair...begging for forgiveness. Mommy has petted Luna, given her treats, and cooed at Luna, but Luna still looks dismayed that Mommy was upset with her.

But, Lu Lu....Mommy's not upset anymore.

First Lennox...now Dre. Please help another Pittie!

Dre ("Dray") has been in quarantine for more than a week and is facing possible euthanasia On July 26, the 6-year-old pit bull along with another other family dog, a Doberman, escaped from their home in Brighton. Someone called animal control and 911. The Doberman was released back to the family when the dogs were captured, but Dre was taken to the animal shelter.

The entire police report was not released to 9NEWS Monday and police wouldn't comment, citing that this incident is now an "active court case." However, the incident report states it was a "vicious animal running at large."

Marj Fredrick lives two doors down from the O'Briens. She says she knew they had two dogs but says there have never been any issues. She's shocked by what's going on. "I just couldn't believe it," Fredrick said. "It's a fairly quite friendly neighborhood. I have never heard anything bad about the dogs around here."

The O'Brien's have since hired a lawyer and couldn't comment Monday, but Mary O'Brien sent 9NEWS the following statement: "Dre is a wonderful dog with my children. I have [a] 2-year-old, 4-year-old and 12-year-old girls, and Dre has been a great pet to them. I just want him back with our family. My children miss him so much."

Pit bulls have been banned in several cities including Denver and Aurora. However, Brighton does not have the same policy. Dre remains in an animal shelter in Adams County. He's been there for almost two weeks. Dre has a new court date of August 10th at 8:30 a.m. Both a police officer and an animal control officer are going to court to plea with the judge to have "the dog" destroyed.

Please sign this petition and show Brighton, CO that falsely labeling a dog who has hurt no one will NOT be accepted! If you live locally, please consider coming to the court and showing your support. Brighton Municipal Court, 3401 E Bromley Lane. Brighton, Colorado plans to destroy Dre, even though he has never harmed anyone. Please help us save his life.

UPDATE 8/9/12: Dre's trial for 8/10 has been canceled. He will have a pre-trial hearing on 8/21/12. If you are local, please consider coming out and showing your support in the court room. Please continue to spread the word about Dre. He needs all the support he can get, as does his family. Please keep checking back for updates and for the time of his court case. Watch a video that his family put together of him here: http://bit.ly/Mm4YCw. Thank you.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/366/919/230/save-dre-a-pit-bull-in-brighton-co-who-has-never-hurt-anyone/

http://www.snotfaceandtwiggy.com/2012/07/help-needed-asap-dre-pit-bull-is-a-family-dog.html

http://www.9news.com/news/article/281645/339/Family-fights-for-pit-bull-facing-euthanasia

Tiinkerbell's Update

July 2012

Many of Freddy's readers have been following the story of Tiinkerbell, a pit bull was found on a street in Jacksonville, Fla. She was rescued by the Pit Sisters on June 20th. At that time, Tiinkerbell weighed 25 lbs. (11.3 kg).

Tiinkerbell is getting better. She was released from the vet's care to a foster home. Although we're still waiting for a picture with happiness in her eyes, Tiinkerbell is flourishing! She now weighs 39 lbs. (17.7 kg)!! Tiinkerbell wears a doggie size large, and her most recent measurements are:

Neck to tail base: 18.5 inches

Ankle to shoulder: 12 inches

Neck around: 12.5-13ish inches 

Chest: 7 inches

Her teeth were previously filed down {why?!} so she needs soft treats. Shampoo needs to be gentle and aloe is the best lotion for her. Care packages can be sent to 14286-19 #234 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32250.

June 2012

You can follow her progress at https://www.facebook.com/TiinkerbellsTime.

As always, this rescue group needs financial assistance for Tiinkerbell and their other pittie rescues. Donations can be made by visiting www.pitsisters.org and specify Tiinkerbell in the notes. Or, make a donation to: Lakewood-San Jose Animal Hospital, 5315 Saint Augustine Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32207; (904) 737-2011 {Call between noon-2:00 p.m. (EDT)}. Please specify "Tiinkerbell" or "Pit Sisters." Thank you!!    

P.S. Pit Sisters Rescue has a wish list on Amazon.com. This would make it easier to select items that they need. http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/E37V8FMZOX72/?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwpitsisters-20&linkCode=ur2&visitor-view=1&camp=1789&creative=390957&reveal=

Yay! Luna is swimming!!!

Luna, the wiener dog, is terrified of the swimming pool. She hates when her family gets into the pool. She runs around the pool, checking on each person...over and over and over again. Mommy has carried Luna around the pool several times, and Luna was s-c-a-r-e-d! She was stiff as a board and breathing hard. But, that has changed!!

Daddy was swimming back and forth across the pool, and Luna ran back and forth following him. When Daddy asked Luna if she wanted to get into the pool, Luna wagged her tail. So, Daddy picked her up. Daddy held onto Luna and trotted around the shallow end of the pool. Then, he took her to the stairs {to show her the way out}. Instead of climbing out of the pool, Luna would wait for Daddy to pick her up again. After a few times, Luna started swimming to Daddy!! She conquered her fear to be with her family! Finally, one of the little doggies will get in the pool. Woohoo!!

"Freddy! You're going to get your head bitten off!!"

Freddy, the wiener dog, is going to get his head bitten off one day. He's so bold and aggressive about other dogs that he's going to meet his match one day.

Today, Mommy pulled into the garage after running errands. Yes, she still had the garage door open. Yes, she said it was okay for the doggies to come outside. Yes, she didn't notice the two big doggies on the sidewalk across the street. The first time Mommy realized that there were other doggies on the street was when Freddy was upon them! That little doggie runs really fast. To her credit, the young teenager who had the two big doggies was doing her best to pull them back. She did a good job, but Freddy kept advancing. And, what barking and snapping...from Freddy!! Of course, Malibu and Luna backed him up - by barking and staying on their side of the street.

Freddy came back as soon as Mommy called him. Well, sort of. He came back to his driveway but kept wanting to run back across the street. Freddy didn't go back inside when Mommy told him to. Steven was there too and Freddy wasn't listening to his deep voice either. It wasn't until Mommy stomped down the driveway toward Freddy that he decided to behave and run back inside, quickly.

Naturally, this all happened in seconds. But, Mommy was shocked at how fast Freddy made it across the street. Mommy keeps telling Freddy that he's going to get his head bitten off one day, but he just won't listen.