Jolene the ninja

Jolene doesn't like people to know, but she is a gifted and talented dog of many faces. Here, with a hidden camera, Jolene was caught in the act of being a ninja. Please don't let her know that it's on the web. She likes to use her super powers anonymously except when she's in the house. In this never-seen-before picture, you can see that she easily handled 4 trained attack dogs and came out without a scratch.

Can't we all just get along? The dog, cat and rat

Three Little Boys

On Saturday, February 23, Ellie Mae surprised us with an early delivery of 3 beautiful baby boys. She was so large and producing so much milk, we were guessing that she had 6 in there, but we were wrong. They were a very nice size coming out and full of life and vigor. Getting the first one out was hard for her and we nearly called the vet, but then it came at 7:30, then another at 8:30, then the final one at 9:30 and then I stayed awake till 12:30 watching her... just in case.

The boys went to the vet at 3 days old and got their dew claws removed. That was almost a huge mistake because when I made the appointment for dew claw removal, they wrote down to also dock the tails!! ACK!! I double-checked when we got there and made them change it to dew claws only. It was a new girl at the counter, but it was too close a call to be comfortable! Momma and the boys received checkups from head to toe with positive feedback. They are snorty, snarfly and already think they're more mobile than they are, trying to crawl around and investigate before their eyes are even open!

Ellie's first litter didn't think much of being on their backs, no matter how much we worked with them. But this litter is different. From day 1, they have settled into my hands quite comfortably and don't mind being on their backs. Same father, same mother, makes you wonder why so different. The only thing I can figure is that Ellie is a more relaxed mother this time and knows that no harm will come to her babies in my care. I don't handle them much, just enough to check them from head to toe once a day to make sure all is well.

The little black boy is already showing some spunk and attitude. When I have him on his back, he will lift first one lip, then the other. In other words, he does a great Elvis impersonation. Cracks me up. Then he'll yawn and snuggle down and relax.

We do puppy development exercises with all of our litters and today I put them through the paces. Days 3-15 involve very light stimulation, not much time spent away from Mom, but enough to react to the stimuli to help stimulate brain and reflex action. Studies of these exercises have shown to increase critical thinking, increase ease of adjusting to situations, and other side benefits and was first put into play on an organized basis by the military when raising and training their dogs. Part of the process is to put the pup down on a wet washcloth for 3-5 seconds. Just enough time for the body to register an unpleasant sensation and move away from it. They are never left there long! I usually sit them at the edge of the washcloth so that when the cold registers, with one swoop they can be off of it themselves. So today, all 3 recognized the cold sensation very quickly and were off of that washcloth in a heartbeat. But the black pup, he scooted off and then wondered what that was and came back and put his head on the washcloth. I've never seen a pup do that before!! To be this curious this quickly?? Very interesting.

I also caught the darker fawn boy dreaming on day 2. He was trying to suckle, making sucking noises with his mouth and moving his paws back and forth. Too cute.

We're having a poll to give the boys temporary names that you can see on the right. please vote!

We're very busy these days and are spending all our spare time with the dogs and the puppies, but we'll try to keep you posted with news as it arrives!

The Laundry Detergent Bucket

I went to Sam's Club and stocked up on some of the necessities. Because we go through a lot of laundry, I got two of those big pastic buckets of laundry detergent, but only have room for one of them beside the washing machine. So the other one ended up in the middle of the kitchen and seems to get kicked around from place to place since we're both burning the candle on both ends and haven't taken time to find it a home till it gets used.

The dogs love it, though. It has made a really cool pedestal that one pug at a time can sit on and beg while someone is fixing food. And if they catch your eye as you pass by them and tilt their head *just right* then they might even get a tidbit of your yummies.

Well, that bucket made its way over near the stove. I was home at lunch and busily preparing a sandwich. I opened my bread on the stove, put some mustard on and went over to the sink to grab a knife. That little stinker Rizzo climbed up on the detergent box, stretched her little body as faaaaaar as she possibly could and with the edge of one of her toenails, she barely snagged the crusty edge of the bread. But it was enough! Down came the bread and she was the temporary hero of the day according to the other pugs who helped her scarf it down. I would have given her some MEAT if she would have been a good dog. They don't need bread, but try telling them that with their mouths full of contraband!

So I shook my head and kicked the bucket away from the stove, not realizing it landed near the 33 gallon trash can. Until the next night. When I heard... noises. And I heard a yell from the kitchen, "Get out of there!" Fabio had taken the opportunity to jump up onto the bucket and somehow managed to jump up from there into that trashcan. How, exactly, I have no idea. I'm not sure even he knew because he was good and stuck. All for a bit of macaroni he could smell from the floor. I hope it was worth it!!

USDA Forces Dog Lovers to Foot the Bill of Rabies Study

http://www.newstarget.com/022525.html

A revealing article by News Target

NewsTarget.com printable article
Originally published January 22 2008
USDA Forces Dog Lovers to Foot the Bill of Rabies Study
by Christine Agro

(NewsTarget) When you go to the Rabies Challenge Fund website and click on the “Challenge Fund Team” page you don’t see pictures of people, you see pictures of their dogs. You see Meadow who developed a malignant mass cell tumor, directly on the site of his rabies vaccination and Izzy who, after receiving a rabies vaccination, began experiencing a variety of life-long autoimmune issues. You’ll also find Woofit, Chi, Willie, Argyle and Velvet.

The Rabies Challenge Fund is a testament to the power of the people and to the love and concern people show for their dogs. For years, the issue and implications of over vaccination have been at the forefront of concerned animal guardians’ minds. A handful of Veterinarians such as Dr. W. Jean Dodds who is Co-trustee of the Rabies Challenge Fund and Dr. Ronald Schultz, who has both donated and dedicated 7 years of his life to conduct the challenge study have been speaking out about the adverse reactions to the rabies vaccine since the 1970s.

At the heart of the issue is this question, “how long does a rabies vaccine provide immunity?" Why this is at the heart of the issue is how the Rabies Challenge Fund Trust came into existence. When drug manufacturers create a vaccine, they are only required to meet criteria set out by the USDA in order to receive licensing. That criteria does not mandate testing for maximum duration of immunity. If the drug company can complete its testing in a year, the vaccine is labeled as ‘vaccinate every year’. That does not mean that immunity only lasts for one year. There is nothing scientific about the current vaccination schedule for American domestic animals. The schedule is directed by the research, or lack of research done by the drug companies.

In turn 70 million domestic dogs and 90 million domestic cats throughout the United States are subjected to unscientific vaccination protocols; rabies laws are dictated by drug manufacturers' labels and dedicated animal guardians are paying for something that not only is unnecessary, but carries many harmful side effects (1). The rabies vaccine is the most potent of the veterinary vaccines and has been linked to adverse reactions such as autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy and fibrosarcomas at injection sites.

In 1992 Michel Aubert and his research team conducted a French Rabies Challenge Study, demonstrating that dogs were immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination, while Dr. Schultz has demonstrated through serological studies that immunity is conferred up to 7 years post-vaccination.

The USDA will not accept foreign studies and does not consider serological studies to provide definitive proof of immunity, and they do not require vaccine manufacturers to provide long-term duration of immunity studies documenting effectiveness when licensing products. According to Kris Christine, founder and co-trustee of The Rabies Challenge Fund Trust, “Concerned dog owners have contributed the money to fund this research themselves. We want to ensure that rabies immunization laws are based upon independent, long-term scientific data.”

The Rabies Challenge Fund recently met its goal of $177,000 to fund the study's first year budget. Contributions have come from dog owners, canine groups, trainers, veterinarians and small businesses. The Rabies Challenge is a seven-year study that requires an additional $150,000 be raised annually.

Dr. Dodds states, “This is the first time in my 43 years of involvement in veterinary issues that what started as a grass-roots effort to change an outmoded regulation affecting animals will be addressed scientifically by an acknowledged expert to benefit all canine in the future.”

The total cost of this study is over $1 million and that doesn’t factor in the fact that the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison, where the study will be conducted, has waived its 48% overhead expense or that Dr. Schultz, who will over see the Challenge Study, has donated 7 years of his service.

Instead of the drug companies footing this bill, it is concerned dog lovers who are digging deep to ensure that this study is completed and that the health and wellness of their companions are protected.

Laurynn Simpson, concerned guardian of Velvet and Rabies Challenge Fund member, hits the nail on the head when she writes “To say nothing...to do nothing...stops nothing."

Sources:
1) American Pet Products Manufacturers Association 2005-2006 National Pet Owners Survey
Press Release: Canine Rabies Challenge Study Beings
(http://www.rabieschallengefund.org)



About the author
Christine Agro is a Clairvoyant Natural Healer with a unique approach to animal health, wellness and Spiritual understanding. Trained to work with people at the School of Natural Medicine in Boulder Co, Christine's clients began bringing her their animals when conventional methods were not helping. Christine soon realized that conventional veterinary medicine dis-empowers animals and disconnects their natural healing ability. After working with thousands of animals Christine has become an advocate for the healing rights of animals; supporting their natural healing abilities, speaking on their behalf, conveying their needs, wishes and desires.
Christine has written for Animal Wellness Magazine, Nature's Corner Magazine, has been seen on Animal Planet and is the host of Conscious Animal Radio (www.consciousanimalradio.com), a live internet call-in show. She is also the founder of Healingdog.com. Christine lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, son and their senior adopted cat Christopher.
Listen to Conscious Animal Radio live every Monday at 12 Noon EST. Access the "listen live" link at http://www.consciousanimalradio.com Shows are archived and available as a podcast.
Listen to the November 26, 2007 Conscious Animal Radio show interview with Dr. James Busby, DVM and author of "How To Afford Veterinary Care Without Mortgaging The Kids."

http://cdagro.audioacrobat.com/download/consciousanimal_nov26_jbusby_ahurst.mp3
Listen to the September 17th Conscious Animal Radio interview with Kris Christine from the Rabies Challenge Fund Trust - http://cdagro.audioacrobat.com/download/consciousanimalradio_Kris_Christine.mp3

My Dogs Live Here

My dogs live here, they're here to stay.
You don't like pets, be on your way.
They share my home, my food, my space.
This is their home, this is their place.

You will find dog hair on the floor,
they will alert you're at the door.
They may request a little pat,
a simple 'no' will settle that.

It gripes me when I hear you say
'Just how is it you live this way?
They smell, they shed, they're in the way.'
WHO ASKED YOU? is all I can say.

They love me more than anyone,
my voice is like the rising sun.
They merely have to hear me say
'C'mon, time to go and play.'

Then tails wag and faces grin,
they bounce and hop and make a din.
They never say 'no time for you,'
they're always there, to GO and DO.

And if I'm sad? They're by my side,
and if I'm mad, they circle wide,
and if I laugh, they laugh with me,
they understand, they always see.

So once again, I say to you
come visit me, but know this too...

My dogs live here, they're here to stay.
You don't like pets, be on your way.
They share my home, my food, my space.
This is their home, this is their place.

------------
by ~ Katy ~

Winter has arrived

Winter, the cat, that is. A couple of days before Christmas, someone creating very bad karma for themselves dropped off a young (approx 8 mo) pure white cat in town and dumped her because she was pregnant. She found her way to my porch and meowed at me, pleading. When she tried to come into the house despite the presence of the dogs, I knew she needed some help. Because she arrived near Christmas and she is snow white, her temporary name is Winter.

She is now comfortably established upstairs with the black cat and they are finding their way around each other. We will be looking for good homes for the kittens and the mom once they are all ready to leave the nest. I'm guessing that she's about 4 weeks away from delivery, but it's hard to tell for sure. She seems to be a very sweet girl.

Anyone willing to help socialize little kittens in preparation for their new home, let me know!!

Walking in a Doggie Wonderland

WALKING IN A DOGGIE WONDERLAND
Sing along!
- author unknown

Dog tags ring, are you listenin?
In the lane, snow is glistenin,
It's yellow, NOT white,-I've been here tonight,
Marking up my winter wonderland.

Smell that tree? That's my fragrance,
It's a sign for wand'ring vagrants,
Avoid where I pee, It's MY pro-per-ty,
Marked up as my winter wonderland.

In the meadow dad will build a snowman,
Following the classical design,
Then I'll lift my leg and let it go man,
So all the world will see It's mine -mine-mine.

Straight from me to the fencepost,
Flows my natural incense boast,
Stay off my TURF, this small piece of earth,
I mark it as my winter wonderland.

Here we go round in circles

Rizzo takes her food very seriously. As it turns out, she has exposed my disfunctional habit of eating at the computer desk. Because when I have food in my hand, she will run past my feet and launch her body into the office chair full speed ahead, causing it to spin in circles. But she is very adept. Her little body counter-circles at the same rate of speed and she manages to continue to keep an eye on both me and my food!!

The other night when I got home from work, everyone was trying to greet me, but I was trying to change out of my work clothes into something more comfortable. With the snow outside preventing any desires of leaving the house the rest of the night, flannel jammies seemed like the perfect solution. Once I got changed, I reclined on the bed to wrestle with the dogs a bit. Petunia jumped up on my chest and started licking my face like I was a 2 year old who just ate ice cream. The paw in my throat cutting off my breath made me gently push her rear end over so that she would step off my body. In her excitement, her body continued to walk, all the way around my head and back up onto my chest while she was still licking my face in the same spot. Talented! There's no lack of love in this house!

Pug Movie Preview

Forgotten Dog's Christmas

Forgotten Dog’s Christmas
Although there are an untold number of great reasons to wish for a companion, everyone in the family should agree as to the proper treatment before one is brought home. This poem is a good reminder of an unfortunate circumstance that happens all to often.

~~Forgotten Dog's Christmas~~

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
With no thought of the dog filling their head

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap
Knew he was cold, but didn't care about that

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter

Away to the window I flew like a flash
Figuring the dog was free of his chain and into the trash

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear
But Santa Claus - with eyes full of tears

He un-chained the dog, once so lively and quick
Last year's Christmas present, now painfully thin and sick

More rapid than eagles he called the dog's name
And the dog ran to him, despite all his pain

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Let's find this dog a home where he'll be loved by all."

I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year
For Santa Claus had made one thing quite clear

The gift of a dog is not just for the season
We had gotten the pup for all the wrong reasons

In our haste to think of the kids a gift
There was one important thing that we missed

A dog should be family, and cared for the same
You don't give a gift, then put it on a chain

And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight
"You weren't given a gift! You were given a LIFE!"

Author Unknown

General Updates

Our little miss perky pants Jolene the show pug got evaluated by her breeder/handler recently and we're very sorry to say that right now, it looks like she won't make the cut for the show ring. What a shame, because she's a beauty! She has a sweet, positive disposition. She is bright and happy. She has a gorgeous diamond on her forehead and she's sooooo tiny you could tuck her into a jacket and take her everywhere! This little girl is destined for diamond studded collars, gourmet dinner on silver platters and the comfiest of pillows. So if you know of a perfect home for her, please have them contact us.

Also, our friends have a bassett hound that they are fostering and hoping to find a good home for, and we have a springer spaniel field-trained bird dog possibly available to the right home.

We heard from Gypsy's mom today, one of the pups from Ellie Mae x Cooter. She told us several times about Gypsy loving the water, but I figured that was just because it was summer. No, here we are in the winter and miss Gypsy jumped back into the bathtub after her bath 3 times before her mom could get her dry and out the bathroom door safely. What a goof! She also sent me a pic of her in her halloween costume and is she ever so cute!

We hear from others occasionally and always welcome stories and pictures!

As to this household, many of you might know from my other posts that little Fa Zhou has taken the german shepherd as his best friend. Together they monitor the activities in the neighborhood, patrol the yard, and keep the house safe. With the girls starting to come into season, we got Fa Zhou neutered, but the studs in the house are unsure whether he is a threat or not for their female attention. Well, the german shepherd is making sure that everyone is minding their own business. I went to find out why the dogs hadn't come back in from going potty and she was keeping the boys segregated - each had their own spot in the yard. lol... she's a great dog and a shepherd with a job that she loves. She's such a gentle soul with the pugs and a great guardian.

Video - adult lion kisses rescuer

How sweet!

Should parents go to jail for not vaccinating kids?

Excuse me? With autism running rampant, deaths from the new papilloma vaccine, and many other adverse reactions, there are some out there who are trying to send parents to jail for refusing vaccinations for their children. And social services has taken children away for the same. What kind of country is this when pharmaceutical companies can dictate criminal policy??? Vote here

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21839794/_

Speaking at the Speed of Light

Author: Kathy Coachpike

Life seems to be moving at the speed of light. I try to bring a grounded presence into every aspect of my daily life. However a fast paced world can often pull me out of my authentic self. Our culture is based on high-speed everything. Speed is becoming a value. The faster something can work or go the more desirable it is. The
element of speed brings many good things, and it may also be taking away just as much.

During EELC programs I drop into `horse time' a spacious place where the breath is deep, the mind reflects, and the pacing is slow. Years ago I would have resisted this. I thought that my quick mind and lightening fast ability to ask questions, solve problems, and jump to future scenarios for possible applications, was one of the most valuable assets of my being. Once I started to work with horses I
saw how this very behavior was not based on my authentic nature, but instead a hyperactive, over functioning performance behavior based on proving to myself, and others, that I was `smart' and that I was `right.' I was living in fear, not in my power. My behavior gave me a false send of safety and security.

This highly mental approach to communications and relationships was detrimental to my success. A heady and often defensive approach took me out of my heart. My breath would become shallow. My lightening speed communication style often over-lapped other people's sentences, cutting them off in mid-thought. Too busy in my own mind finding my next comment, reply or question I failed to hear others.

The last four years horses have taught me to let go of this `false' part of myself. When I attempt to create connection and train horses in this `false' state of being, the horses do not respond well. It takes us twice the amount of energy and time to achieve something together. They turn their hinds, move away, become agitated, or
simply tune out. This is my clue that my breath is short, my mind is full of racing thoughts, and I am trying to achieve through my head and my head alone. One can only imagine the discomfort this false heady approach creates for a sensitive creature.

To be authentic one must learn to distinguish what is real and what is false about the self. High-speed head based means of communication are false. All heart connections start from the heart, not the head. When a person cannot feel their heart it is difficult to create the heart connections.

Those who want to have more companionship (both with horse and humans) must learn the art of a heart-based communications. Heart-based communication occurs when a person is aware of their own heart space, breathing deeply into their body, and adjusting their style (timing, rhythm, and intensity) of communication so another can hear them. They must be willing to sit in a silent pause, not needing to fill it with words. They must be willing to reflect and listen deeply to the communications another is offering them. They must also be sensitive to the energy of those around them. In essence they must learn how to `graze' with inner peace to honor those around them. When two beings are heart based their hearts become synchronized and in essence they begin to see and feel the world in harmony, even if their views differ.

What might shift in your relations if you were to take a breath and pause after someone spoke and before you offered your next thought or question? When do you feel heart connections with others? What is false and what is genuine in your communications with others? Where do you spend most of your time, in your head or in your heart? How do your horses respond to you when you are breathing deeply into your heart space?

Can't get enough of pugs?

Check out the links to other cool blogs. We've added some of our friends and their pug blogs. Gotta love em!

You're the One That I Want Dance Video

Proper Pug Grooming (video)

Ellie Mae & Jolene at the Reservoir

What beautiful days we've been having! Inspired by pictures of dogs in leaves, after work we went to the reservoir knowing there would be tons of leaves to have in pictures. Not to mention the beautiful water in the background. We searched and searched and they must do a really good job of keeping the reservoir picnic areas clean. Or maybe the wind had blown all the loose leaves into the woods. But either way, we had no luck with the leaves. The setting sun was gorgeous. Ellie Mae decided she wanted to play some fetch. Jolene kept tossing her head over her shoulder and barking at the BBQ pit on a pole. It stayed right where it was, too! She must really sound ferocious to inanimate objects.

As hard as I tried to keep them on the side of me where the sun was shining on them, not behind them, they still kept going to the other side. And the props I had with me were cute, the reservoir was gorgeous, but no.... the best shot was with their heads in the Walgreen's plastic bag. Go figure. You'll see the abandoned fuzzy rabbit toy in the background.

As a perfect end to a perfect evening, in the midst of acres of perfect grass, Jolene peed on my jacket laying on the ground. They're a litte bit too trained with the puppy pad.

A Note From a Rescue

Cross posted from some different boards - original source unknown.

We don't get the elegantly coiffed, classically beautiful, completely trained, perfectly behaved dog. We get the leftovers. Dogs that other people have incompetently bred, inadequately socialized, ineffectively "trained," and badly treated. Most Rescue dogs have had it. They've been pushed from one lousy situation to another. They've never had proper veterinary care, kind and consistent training, or sufficient company. They've lived outside, in a crate, or in the basement. They're scared, depressed and anxious. Some are angry. Some are sick. Some have given up.

But we are Rescue and we don't give up. We never give up on a dog. We know that a dog is a living being, with a spirit and a heart and feelings. Our dogs are not commodities, things, or garbage. They are part of sacred creation and they deserve as much love and care and respect as the next Westminster champion. So please, please don't come to rescue in the hopes of getting a "bargain," or indeed of "getting" anything. Come to Rescue to give, to love, to save a life -- and to mend your own spirit. For Rescue will reward you in ways you never thought possible. I can promise you this -- a rescue dog will make you a better person.