Yes, I'm alive!

It's been awhile.

It's not that I haven't had time. Well, I really don't have time, but like I've said before I make time for blogging. It's hard enough trying to organize all the thoughts in my head right now, let alone get them out and on paper so to speak.

Anyhow, where did I leave off here? Well, the end of January saw another Big Fix. We fixed 224 animals this time -- an all-time record for us. I was at intake/discharge as usual with my trusty companions, A and T. What would I do without them? So that was January 29.

The pups and I had a snow day on February 4! The whole town shut down - roads, businesses, everything. I didn't have to go to work - yay! We had about an inch of snow in our backyard, and the dogs played in snow for the first time. It was too cute. Pretty sure we just cuddled on the couch all day.


Snow in Texas!

In other news, my husband got orders to...Hawaii. Nothing we ever expected or planned for. In fact, we thought it was out of the question for him. Apparently not. Anyway, I'm getting the dogs ready for the adventure of their lives. Everyone needs two rabies certificates, a working microchip, a rabies test, and a health certificate. This will be quite a time-consuming and costly process. But they're worth it, of course!

I was bitten pretty badly on Valentine's Day. Not by love, but by a dog while breaking up a big fight outside in the morning. I don't even know who bit me, but all the dogs were ok. There's no nerve damage and no infection, just really gnarly bruising. It looks awful. I called in sick that day, because it was so painful to walk.


OUCH!

Tyler has been pretty ill this week. His appetite is back now, and he's holding his food down. He never had a fever, so I'm not sure what was going on.

Benny is up for adoption and waiting for his forever home. I think Eddie, Clara, and Geneva are going to Hawaii. Suzy is waiting for her forever home; she is with a new foster now, and they love her to bits. Freddie is officially official in his new home. Tyler and Stan should be going to their forever homes in the next month or two.


Ben Rufflisberger AKA "Benny"

Wow, a lot happens in the space of a month...!

Welcome to 2011

Puppies! January 2010.


I am currently down to TEN dogs. Yes, JUST ten dogs. We've not had such a low number in quite awhile. Sad that this is a low number for this house.

Freddie's visit went well; I think it's going to stick and be a fabulous home for him. AND she is very interested in Stanford. It's like a new year's miracle. I literally cried like a baby after that visit out of sheer happiness and relief.

Clara is currently on a trial visit. It could go either way depending on how long they try it out. We really think if someone gives it several days it would work out. But we'll see...

I am basically down to two "cycles" within the pup shuffle - Tyler and then everyone else. Like I've been saying we hope to get Tyler to a better place ASAP. Sigh.

Going from 14 to 10 makes things much more manageable for me. Ha, I remember when 8 was overwhelming! They are starting to seem more like pets/companions and less like a part-time job. Part of me is terrified that all who have gone will come back, and I'll be back at 14 dogs all alone.

Hoping this momentum continues in 2011!

Three Down...

Five to go - fosters, that is. Camilla went to another foster home just before my husband left. Hank is back with his mommy. Suzy went to another foster home tonight.

Freddie has a home visit on Saturday. Fingers crossed! He so deserves a forever home of his own.

Hopefully we can figure out something for Tyler really soon. Then that would just leave Eddie, Clara, & Geneva. I can't even imagine what it would be like to just have our own dogs here. Seems like it would be a walk in the park compared to this!


It's your time to shine, Freddie!

What a Difference a Year Makes

I just went back and re-read my blogs from around this time last year. We had fourteen dogs in the home at the time, and it was a pretty different crowd from who we have now. Some found their forever homes, one went back to his family when they got back on their feet, and one completed her time on this Earth.

When I think of Christmas time last year, I think of all the time spent out at the sanctuary with Tyler during our time off. I think of Teddy, who was rescued from his chain after ten long years at the end of it. I think of little Sammy who we nursed back to health after he died on the operating table while being neutered. Now Tyler lives with us as Adam works on a permanent placement for him. Teddy and Sammy went to great homes.


Tyler

Colby, our own Christmas puppy, turned four today. He has been with us for three years, and he is the most wonderful gentle dog you could hope for. I wished him Happy Birthday, but I don't think he knows what I was saying.


Happy Birthday, ColbyJack!!


Current Roster: Mason, Nala, Keifer, Sid, Colby, Katie, Jill, Spec, and (probably) Stan. That's nine. SNIPSA dogs Eddie, Clara, Freddie, Suzy, and Geneva make fourteen. Tyler the HHS dog makes fifteen, and Hank makes sixteen. Hank will be going back to his mommy soon. Freddie, Suzy, and Geneva will hopefully be going to new fosters soon. And Tyler should be going somewhere where he will be more comfortable in the next couple months.

Other than all that, we are healthy and happy this holiday season. We've got our own routine going now that Adam is gone. Things will only get better and better for all these dogs in 2011!

Spectre Update

Spectre ended up staying at our regular clinic for three days, and her wound was packed three times while she was under anesthesia. On the third day they were able to sew up a little more of the wound, so the improvement was tremendous when I picked her up after work that Monday.

She had a LOT of meds and treatments here at home over the last two weeks. She has been an incredible little patient - very tolerant and easy to care for. She goes in this week to get her stitches out, and then we just wait for a little while for the remainder of the injury to close on it's own.

The other pups are doing well, healthy and happy. We are working on finding better situations for Tyler & Freddie. Hank leaves soon - I think. I have been taking the girls to adoption events. Hoping for some new forever homes soon!


me & my baby

A Cute Picture to Make it Better

Baby Clara!

One of Those Days

Yesterday was "one of those days". Early in the morning I put all the dogs out, then brought them back inside and went to bed. When I woke up for good later, there were accidents everywhere.

Then I noticed there was a dead rat in the backyard. I didn't want the dogs fighting over it or bringing it inside, so I knew I had to dispose of it. I literally went out there four or five times over the course of two hours, and it freaked me out too much. I finally asked the neighbor to come get it. He quickly marched over behind me, scooped it up, and took it away in a bag. Thank goodness.

The afternoon brought the biggest upset. About six dogs were in the kitchen close together and a fight broke out. It was horrible. Freddie got a hold of Spectre and wouldn't let go. She was so frightened there was pee and poop flying everywhere - along with fur, saliva, and blood. Awful. I got bit when I was trying to help her. I had to separate all the dogs and then get things cleaned up while I let them calm down. They're going to have to be separated for awhile now. Sigh. From two shifts in the pup shuffle to four - all because of a fight. Grrr.

And now I think little Eddie is a little bit sick. :( He has a touch of a cough and coughed up a little phlegm/bile in his crate today. Hopefully it's nothing. I would love not to have sick and injured dogs at some point in this six months.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

And I love it! Somewhere in the last few years, Christmas has become this mega-inflated supersize holiday - that's ok with me! I love having the feeling of holiday merriment for well over two months. For me the holidays are about the spirit and the feeling of togetherness, not the stuff.

This first week with my husband gone went just fine. Suzy stayed at the vet's for three days; she is now good as new. Katie is just about done with her antibiotics for her gash from the ghost dog fight I never heard or saw. Our two dogs that went with my husband are also adjusting to apartment living. They were a little lethargic and lacking appetites, but seem to be back to normal this weekend.

This week we had two big events at work; they went off without a hitch. Smashingly, in fact. This coming week is a short work week - just three days. WOOHOO!

Last night I spent some time just window-shopping at the mall with a good friend. Clara, Monkey, and I attended an adoption even today at the farmer's market. As always, it is a good experience in socialization for them, but neither had a lot of serious interest. Sigh. I got a haircut after the event then went and got a replacement fleece for the one Clara tore this week; I also picked up a few groceries for the week and the items I volunteered to bring for Thanksgiving dinner. Not that I think anyone has interest in these mundane details - I'm keeping this blog as a journal for myself, really. But anyone reading is welcome to read!

I'm ready to spend Thanksgiving with good friends and eating good food in just a few short days. Friends are the family you choose for yourself. Aww.

And He's Gone...

He left yesterday at 6:30 am. We had a very fun going-away for him Friday night with all his (work) friends, and Saturday we worked together all day getting the U-Haul and car situated, getting everything packed, etc. He was very calm and organized, which was great. It made for a stress-free day for both of us.

After he left I got the dogs all taken care of then I went to my favorite place for lunch. Then I ran to Petsmart and Walmart to pick up a few things, and after I washed my car and gassed it up before my work week began.

Unfortunately Suzy fell ill late Saturday night; she is currently at the vet's in-home clinic getting treatment. We should find out today what is going on with her. I also must have had a ghost dog fight at the house; I never heard one, but Katie has a nasty gash on her side. So I have one sick dog and one injured dog. Thank goodness I have extremely easy access to the best vet care available. I'm so grateful for the support system I have here.

I feel positive about this situation. Last time we were apart because of the military, I didn't know anyone here. Now we have lots of friends that we are lucky enough to consider as family. We were newly married and new home-owners. Now that we've been married for four years we have experience of dealing with things under our belt, and I'm confident that I can handle any crisis that could come up. Plus, it's not like a deployment; he's safe, access to communication is not an issue, and he's even in the same time zone! This is a wonderful opportunity to advance his career. This six-month training will yield years of possibilities for him.

While he's gone I plan to: take care of myself, take care of the dogs, get the house in order, and spend time with my friends. This will be a period of growth for us as individuals and as a couple. I'm ready.

I'm Gonna be a Single Mom

Camilla, March 2010


My husband got orders to move to Florida for a six-month military training, so as of this Sunday I will be holding down the fort by myself. I can't go along with him because I have a career here, we own a home, and we have all the dogs. So with two weeks' notice we are getting ready to send him off.

He is taking two of our own dogs with him, so that will help me out some. A good friend is taking over foster care for Camilla and possibly Eddie at a later date. Hank's mom will be home from Afghanistan in December, and then hopefully throughout the six months I will be able to adopt out any remaining fosters.

Upon the completion of his training my husband will either be stationed back here or out in the Baltimore/DC area. Hoping he gets Texas so we don't have to sell the house and move all the dogs. We'll see. This will be an interesting six months for sure.

Happy Howl-o-ween!

We had a great holiday here - did lots of things to celebrate. On Saturday we took a few of our fosters to the Howl-o-ween bash over at Park North plaza. SNIPSA was the featured rescue group and adoption event. I got free sweet tea from Bill Miller's, a sammy from the Quizno's table, custard from Freddy's and a free massage from...? Not sure where. :-/ None of our fosters got adopted, but several other SNIPSA dogs found their forever homes that day.

Odds & Ends from Here & There

Reina



Geneva AKA Monkey


It's been awhile since I've blogged. Not because I've been too busy; I make time to do the things I want to do. I just feel the same way and don't really want to think about it.

Since August, Freddie has been adopted and returned. The annual Race for the Rescues was a great event; it raised approximately 50K and had more runners than ever before. We've had a successful Big Fix #7. Big Fix #8 is rapidly approaching. We switched the dogs to grain-free food. Adam brought Suzy Q home over Labor Day weekend. Suzy just got heartworm treatment, and she's coping well.

I believe Bandit is in the process of being re-homed up in the Dallas area. Right now we have a couple leads on both Clara and Suzy. We had inquiries on Tyler and Stan this week. Our dogs are doing well; Adam has been working with everyone's socialization a lot lately. We attended an adoption event today at the Pearl Farmer's Market. No adoptions for us, but good experience and exposure for the pups.

We lost our beloved Reina one year ago. Her memory lives on in our hearts, and we still miss her. Keifer will be having some tissue/bumps removed from her face on Monday, and it will be sent off for evaluation. Hoping and praying everything comes back free and clear of any dangers for her.

Guess that's about it for dog-related updates.

RM

Gridlocked

I feel total despair right now. I am desperate for these fosters to find their own wonderful forever homes. Fostering is supposed to be a temporary situation, and some of these fosters have been not-so temporary fixtures here. My heart is breaking because we have so many it is such an undertaking just to feed, water, and provide basic care for them. They deserve so much more in the way of attention, training, and TLC. They deserve their own loving family where they can be the sole focus. I just feel completely burned out. We have had Stan for going on two years, Camilla for nine months, the two puppies for six months, and Freddie for several months. Now we have Tyler, who has special needs and is a work in progress, as well as Geneva - who knows how long we will have her. She is small and easy, so hopefully someone will snatch her up. Not to mention Hank, who we are babysitting for far longer than anticipated. He's easy too, but he IS another very large dog in the house.

I just can't see the light at the end of the tunnel for these dogs, and it makes me very very sad right now...

The Latest Casualty

On Friday the 13th our beloved new leather couch fell victim to Miss Camilla's teeth. Now, we have probably lost hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of items to the dogs' chewing, and I'm *mostly* to the point where it doesn't bother me anymore. It's part of life with the pack. BUT this destruction was just downright depressing. Sigh.

On this day Stanford also ripped the mattress and box spring in the guest room. Spectre also decided it was time to start pulling up the tiles again and munching on them for a snack. I keep telling myself that "they're just things, they're just things".

101 Posts!

Wow, I didn't realize I had written this many posts until I just logged in, and it said '100 posts on August 5'. How cool. To celebrate - some new doggy pictures!

August Update

Well, Big Fix 6 was a smashing success. I think our team altered, vaccinated, and microchipped over 175 animals that day. It was horribly hot and humid, but so worth it.

Speaking of horribly hot and humid, that's exactly how I would describe the indoor adoption event in July. It actually felt like a sauna, and it made both the dogs and the humans miserable. You actually had to go OUTSIDE to cool off. Not ok.

Fosters available for adoption right now: Camilla, Eduardo, Clara, Freddie, Stanford, Geneva, and Tyler.

Sadly, Tyler's home fell through and even more sad - he tested positive for heartworms tonight. Also, several of the dogs have a cough that seems to be pretty contagious. Sigh. Kinda feels like our dog world is caving in on us right now. We'll get through it, though. We always do.

Upcoming SNIPSA Events

Saturday, July 17
Indoor Adoption Event

Saturday, July 24
Big Fix Spay & Neuter Clinic

More details to follow...

Oh, Teddy Bear...

Teddy had another home visit where he had to pass the test with a cat. Unfortunately, this cat was rather reactive to him, which spurred a prey instinct in him. Needless to say he came back home with us that night. If he finds the perfect home we will place him, but if not he stays out the rest of his years with us. And I think that's just fine with him.

Seven Pounds a Day

...Of dog food, that is. I've calculated that the dogs eat seven pounds of dog food a day. And that's just the regular formula which doesn't include the puppy food and the diet food. So eleven dogs are eating seven pounds of food a day. Can that be right? We just went through a thirty-five pound bag in about five days. Fortunately, we can afford it, and it's a lifestyle we choose.

In other ramblings, I had my first dog fight tonight since Adam's been gone. The dogs were playing in the den and somehow Camilla got caught in the middle; Camilla did not feel like playing. She got cranky with them and four of them jumped her. She has a scrape on her "udder" and a pretty good puncture near her lady bit. Yay for hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and extra antibiotics that we have on hand. There's really nothing you can do but let it heal and try to protect against infection. The things you learn from a house full of rescue dogs.


Cranky Camilla

Summer Splash

Camilla - up for adoption!


We had an adoption event today at the Pearl Farmer's Market. It was super duper hot, and the people were dropping like flies - both the volunteers and the crowds. The dogs were cranky.

Now I'm home relaxing with the doggies. Debating whether I should stay in or go out tonight. I'm getting hungry, so I need to make a decision fast.