My girl is sick

Holding on to hope here, but Miss Zoe is not on the up and up. Poor girl had a seizure Monday morning and hasn't been anywhere near herself since. I'm wishing (hard) for some kind of recovery. I can't let her go just yet.

All Zoe fans please point your thoughts our way!

Back to two

Oliver is doing well in his new foster/forever home so we're back to normal here at the house. While Zoe is generally indifferent to the comings and goings of dogs (as long as they are male), I think Lucas was happy to see the puppy go. It's not that Lucas didn't like Oliver, he just didn't like having to share my attention with two other dogs.

He is, however, more than happy to share the futon with Zoe.

Lucas officially a Glazener

Lucas' adoption was finalized on the 5th. The adoption coordinator always takes a photo of the dog with his/her new family on the day of the finalization so here's our new family portrait! Zoe and I are happy to officially have him as a part of our family.

Zoe dog

The famous Zoe-roll. She is the most famous of snugglers.

Rusty or not?

Deciding between keeping a foster dog you love and letting that dog go (to a successful adoption) has become the subject of excruciating debate for me. I introduced Rusty on this blog a while ago and quit posting anything about him here because I created a separate blog for him, but anyone reading that blog would know I just love him. So does Zoe.

Since Zoe has never really loved anyone but me, seeing her play with Rusty is just amazing. I wonder if she'd ever accept another playmate as she has Rusty.

Zoe liked Bailey, but Bailey tolerated anything. It was not a mutual camaraderie. Zoe and Rusty are actual playmates. Of course Zoe wears the pants - which makes said friendship even more adorable to watch - but they both very obviously enjoy each other's company.

If I keep Rusty I can't foster any more dogs as I can only comfortably and appropriately care for two - and there are SO many homeless pets out there desperately in need of a temporary place to land.

But Zoe and I genuinely love Rusty and he honestly seems to return the sentiment.

What to do?!

Quote of the day

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

-Mark Twain

Zoe meets the front loader

I had a new energy star front loading washing machine delivered this morning, and Zoe doesn't know what to make of this new contraption.

I wish I'd had my camera on hand when I started the wash cycle because her behavior was far more hilarious then than in the video below. She was putting her nose right up to the machine, but as soon as it started moving again she'd skitter backwards. She did that three or four times before I got the camera.

My favorite parts are at about :21 when she hears the bead on the end of my sweatpants hit the front door and at :28 when she jumps at the water flowing in.

Wish I could keep her

But Zoe will certainly not allow it. BOO.

How cute is this girl?! Nevermind that her name is Willow - one of my brother's favorite names for his daughter who is now Abby.

Jack Russell mix in a balled up combination of cuteness!

To know a pit bull...

I received this shirt in the mail yesterday from the fabulous Jess at Jasmine's House. I will be wearing it to work (with pride!) today. I absolutely love it.

If you're not already familiar with the famous Sports Illustrated cover model, Sweet Jasmine, please visit Jasmine's House online, and/or read The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant. Jasmine will surely capture your heart!

Skittering

Not quite as bad, but the following video represents the action during my recent nightly walk with Zoe.



Complete with dizzy head shakes and looks that indicate, "What the EFF?!"

Hot spot

As I've mentioned before, my house is quite cold in the winter. My heat is currently set at 61 degrees and has been for weeks. Zoe is not a fan. Therefore, she parks herself in front of the space heater or fire place whenever either is in use. On Sunday night I had the gas fire place set at full throttle and she backed herself up to it so closely that I had to move her (more than once) to ease my mind. I don't fancy a deep-fried Zoe in my near future.

Gotta love that tongue though!

Zoe's new fashion

After many emails including pictures, measurements and guestimates, I purchased this super cute harness for Zoe from Doodlebug Duds on Etsy. I absolutely love it and it fits Zoe perfectly so I guess all those emails were worth it in the end.

My only minor gripe is that the d-rings at the end (the ones that come together and where the leash is attached) are really tiny. I'm hoping the fabric might relax a bit after use and make attaching Zoe's leash not so difficult (she is an extremely energetic wiggle worm!)

But I should also clarify that Zoe is a tiny girl, so this harness is an x-small, meaning that the rings on larger-sized harnesses would also be larger and less irritatingly tiny!

If you have a furry canine in your life I recommend swinging by Doodlebug Duds on Etsy. They make a ton of other stuff for four-legged friends of all sizes.

Frigid Terrier

I am beyond cheap when it comes to heating my home, but I've recently noticed my tiny terrier shivering regularly. Therefore I dug out Zoe's many sweaters. Some of them I knitted myself, some of them I purchased. This pink one was purchased at PetSmart. Zoe doesn't love wearing "clothes," but when she is wearing a sweater there is a noticeable lack of a doggie "chill".

A child's memory of Bailey & Zoe

Abby brought me this drawing on Saturday. It means a lot to me that she still thinks of Bailey so much. He is missed more than anything in my world.

Dog Town preview

A preview of the episode of Dog Town I mentioned in my post about "The Lost Dogs."

John Garcia, co-manager of Dogtown at Best Friends in Utah is amazing. His love and compassion for those broken and abused dogs is inspiring.

The Lost Dogs

I began crying on page 2; but by page 20 I was weeping so hard that I couldn't see through my tears and page 20 did not hold the most brutal details.

I'm not sorry I'm reading this book, but I know that some of my fellow dog-loving friends will not be able to stomach it. The only way I can really express my overwhelming anger and despair is to say that while I realize my soul will suffer, I wish I could throw Michael Vick and his accomplices into a pit of blood-lusting dogs who would rip them to shreds. Beat them to death. Strangle the life from them in the same way they felt it was okay to shove their "underperforming" dogs into a bucket of water until they suffocated or were nailed to a tree to hang. Or for that one little red dog, to be repeatedly pounded into the ground until she died.

What's more disturbing is what Gorant reveals in his introduction - that many complaints sent to Sports Illustrated after the 12/29/08 issue featuring a sweet-faced pit bull with the title, "The Good News out of the Bad Newz Kennels," revolved around the following sentiment, "Why does it matter, they're just dogs?" For that thought to pass among intelligent human beings makes me sick to my stomach. I am beyond disgusted.

I could go into a crazed diatribe about how wrong that statement is - for so many reasons - but that shouldn't be necessary. Anyone who has ever owned and loved a pet knows that the aforementioned sentiment is absolutely ridiculous and could only be uttered by a heartless person.

I recently lost a beloved pet, a Norwegian Elkound named Bailey, and I miss him more than anything I've ever lost in my life. I was shocked to learn that the Norwegian Elkhound garners the #21 spot in the list of most dangerous canines. Anyone who knew Bailey knows that is beyond ridiculous, which just goes to show that a dog, just like a human, should be innocent until proven guilty.

Losing Bailey was a huge blow, and my family has been amazing, but I am still reeling and no one can really help me with that. Reading about these dogs who were forced to suffer so much brings it all to the forefront. Not because Bailey suffered, because I really don't think he did, but because I mourn for the happiness those puppies could've had - the happiness I know my Bailey enjoyed.

National Geographic's Dog Town admirably covered the extensive efforts to rehabilitate the most aggressive of the "Vick dogs" and truly provided an outsider with a tender look into those poor dogs who were trained to fight - something most dog lovers/advocates know is AGAINST their nature. I recommend viewing it - available on iTunes.

Mophead

I was out of the country on our company's annual Mystery Trip from the 22nd through the 25th, and upon my return came down with a nasty flu-like sickness. The trip was to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and I will post the minimal photos I managed to take as soon as I can. The trip was amazing - perhaps even too much fun given my current health.

In the meantime, Zoe says hi. She's sporting her mophead look here and holding on tight to one of her rawhide bones.

She was ridiculously excited to see me when I picked her up from Caroline's on Tuesday. Thanks to the Masons for taking such good care of her!

Tiny dog defender

The scenario that Zoe and I encountered moments ago was not a first time occurrence, but I remain impressed with her ability to deter others from doing harm.

I'm a night owl, so my late night dog walks are my own fault, but I don't see that as an open invitation for outsiders to violate me or my home. Neither does Zoe.

As we walked just outside the perimeter of our neighborhood, we were approached by two men who refused to heed my warnings that Zoe would strike to bite if they didn't move to the side. They bated her and she lunged (frighteningly with bared teeth, despite her disadvantage regarding teeth), but I was able to restrain her. Thankfully they were scared or put off enough to move on without incident.

Had she bitten one of them I would've fought to the death to prove she was trying to protect me. There's nothing I wouldn't do to prove she was right.

Zoe clips

Zoe's new haircut, a la mom.





Tongue photo - always a necessity.

All guarded on the Western front

Shortly after Bailey passed, Zoe dutifully took over guard duty at the back of the house. She spends hours under that curtain keeping watch on the sidewalk close by. I try not to scold her too much when she scares the crap out of me with a barking fit since I know I'm better off with a little doggie alarm.



It's very hard to catch Zoe under the curtain because she has bat ears - another great trait in truth. Here she is having caught me trying to catch her on guard duty.



This is what I usually see - just her hiney and fluffy tail. She's a superb watch dog!