February 21, 2013

I have been rattling this blog around in my head for a couple of days now and it is time to put it to paper so to speak.

Oliver hanging out at Blue River, favorite spot ever, you are not leaving without me!

In a couple of days it will a year of my Oliver passing over the rainbow bridge.  Some days it seems like just yesterday and some days it seems forever and I am forgetting what he looked like. Which is almost impossible as he is my wallpaper on my computer and I have countless pictures of him around the house. He was my perfect big lump of lab.  And yes he was perfect, before we got him someone loved and trained him well.  I know everyone says that their dog is perfect, but Ollie truly was.  He was named after the British Actor Oliver Reed, which not too many people know of.  His last movie was Gladiator, he was the top selling actor in Britain in the 60's and played Bill Sykes in "Oliver!" When he wasn't being the bad guy and drinking his face off in the pubs he was the perfect gentle-man, and that was my Oliver.

Oliver had lots of adventures the short time he was with me, he got to stay at Jasper Park Lodge twice, which not too many people can brag about. He got to go to Blue River and hang out at a hippy dippy pizza joint where he could even sit with mine on the patio while I had my lunch. He went to Tofino and as much as I had visions of him swimming in the ocean, he had his own ideas about that.  I will remember this to the end of my time - he ran up to the water's edge all excited and proceeded to take a big gulp of water. If you don't think a dog can make a face, boy are you wrong. He steered clear of the ocean after that. It wasn't until we got to Powell River about a week later that he ventured to take another drink in a creek!   He was the star of his off leash area and everyone loved him and when something happened they always responded with "that wasn't OUR Oliver" was it!  He was notorious for stealing mitts, sometimes right off your hand, and in a way that you didn't even notice until you saw him running down the path with it in his mouth.

When I lost him I thought that my world would end!  I would actually hear him in the house and would go looking for him.  But things happen in mysterious ways.  In April I went to a SCARS adoption event and met Harry.  What attracted him to me was his little pink nose, which Oliver had. He didn't have a black nose like more yellow labs, except in the summer when it was tanned.  In fact Harry looked a little like a miniature Oliver.  I went home and cried the whole weekend.  My other half on Monday said go and get him, the house is way to quiet without a dog and I can't stand that you crying all the time. Thinking that it was way too early to get another dog I went to his fantastic Foster Parents and fell in love all over with him, and he came home with me.  He hated getting into the car, most SCARS dogs are petrified of cars, that lasted about a week, now he jumps in even if I getting groceries out of the car, he always want to go for a car ride.

Tattoo of Oliver`s actual foot print I got a week before he left us - it is on my left foot which the side your heart is one and now he walks with me forever

We tell Harry about his big brother all the time - "why can't you be more like Oliver", "Oliver never did this". Well he isn't Oliver he is Harry and and puppy, he was 6 months when we got him and Ollie was 5 years when he found me.  I am also convinced that Oliver found Harry for us.  There are pictures that I have that people have to ask whether that is Oliver or Harry.  But we also tell him the good things that he has in common with his big brother - loves to lick the pot of left over mashed potatoes, loves to swim in the creek on a hot summers day, loves his walks (although we are still working on not pulling) and love to have company come over.

And this is my Harry, hanging out in his favorite place,on the couch with his momma

The one big difference is that Harry plays hard and rough and sometimes has a little booboo or a nick, if that was Oliver off to the vet I would go, but having a second dog is like having a second child, the arm has to be hanging off before we go to the doctor!

I miss my Ollie everyday, but Harry adds so much laughter to our lives that I am sure that Oliver approves because he picked him out for us!

February 6, 2013

Hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful early February weather, although we can do without the snow that keeps falling every time it warms up!

Now that the warm weather is here for a while, the off leash is busier then ever.  When it was -30 often it was just Harry and I out and about.  I swear this dog has Teflon paws, he is never cold, and we are home from our walks he just wants to stay outside some more, CRAZY!

Anyway back to the off leash, for the most part everyone in our off leash is great and all the dogs get along just fine.  Then there are those people and some dogs for that matter that just have to be the "hall monitor", you know the type, the dog ones bark at all the dogs that run past them or go up and bark while they are playing....it is quite funny, it is like,,,,you there no running or shouting in the halls!  Then there are the people hall monitors, that not only don't let their dog have any fun what so ever, don't like to see others having fun.  We were down on Saturday and Harry and his best girl Maybelle were playing, she is the best dog, a cute basset hound that just loves Harry.  And they play hard! Harry will roll her, she will grab him and try to role him, they bark and growl at each other, grabbing fur and whatever else they can find.  Well up comes this woman who seems to be appalled at this. Now bear in mind that Maybelle's Dad and I are watching this and laughing so hard we are practically falling down, she dives in the middle of it and tries to separate the two dogs, not matter how much we are telling her it is alright.  Mind your own business, do you think we would intentionally let our dogs at each other if they were hurting each other.  This is the exact same woman who will not let her dog play with the other dogs and if she tries a stop is put to it , not now but right now!

Then there are the people that just love to watch their dogs play with all the others, it is nothing but harmless fun and for the most part everyone comes away in one piece.  Thank goodness Harry has almost grown out of running up to small dogs and puppies and rolling them, great fun for him and the puppy not so much for me and the other owners.  But then the puppies just love it and for the most part come running back for more!

And don't even get me started on those people that bring toys to the off leash and stomp off in a huff when another dog, who shall rename nameless but first name begins with Harry tries to steal the toy.  This is why God invented sticks in the off leash, they belong to no one and everyone is happy playing with them!

January 20, 2013

First Blog of the new year, and it has been a start of a year of firsts! The first one being that after a short Christmas break I go back to my part time job and find that I am being laid off!  Through no ones fault, just working for a not for profit organization is touch and go with the monies, and we had none.  That was a depressing day, but I muddled through it, and it was off set by an awesome home check for the rescue group I volunteer for, that re-homes pit bulls.  This home check wanted to foster dogs until their forever home was found, it was a young couple with a wonderful pit bull and a very cute one year old.  Any dog would be lucky to be placed into foster care at this home.

Then the caca  hit the fan, literally!  We are out on one of our walks and Harry suddenly discovers that frozen coyote poo is the best treat EVER!  He has always sort of liked scarfing up bunny buttons and I didn't worry too much about, because bunnies eat their own poop once and then eliminate it the second time. But with coyote poo it is a completely different story.....worms...not just any worms but tapeworms.  Not only is Harry munching down on it he has taken to rolling in it.  All summer we would come upon it and he would just sniff it and maybe pee on it.  Come winter and there are just tons of frozen treats awaiting him.  And living by a ravine with a healthy population of coyotes you do the math!    After doing some research I called my vet with the news, apparently I have a perfectly normal dog.  A round of de-worming medicine and we are good to go, that is until he finds more to eat.  I am with holding kisses temporary until he grows out of this phase.  I long for the days when he would roll puppies, at least I could control that and get him under control and lead him off with the phrase "he is just a puppy" trailing after me.  I am hoping this is a phrase...

But all in all my Harry is growing up fast, not quite the dog his big brother Oliver was, those are some mighty big paws to fill, but he is growing into his own and in a year or ten he will be the perfect dog. But then having said that who really wants the perfect dog...we just want our dog! And there are no bad dogs just challenging ones!

December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!  This will be my Harry's very first Christmas and the first Christmas without Oliver...
In the paper the other day they were talking about Christmas presents that we just had to have for Christmas or we would jussssst die.  the writer mentioned when he was a child there was a "Johnny Reb Canon" that he had to have.  He did get one, and of course it went the way of all the favorite toys of our childhood, gone and no one seems to know where.  He went on line and found one for a horridly high price.  This got me thinking about the toy I always wanted, a Chatty Cathy doll.  When I was growing up we didn't have a lot of money, not that I knew it back then.  Of all the things I asked for and was lucky enough to get, Chatty Cathy always eluded me, that and an Easy Bake Oven. Credit to my Mom through she always let me bake with her and I even had my own little set of kids baking pans and what not, who needed a teenie tiny oven when I had the real one to use. And I turned out the best cakes ever, there were even little boxes of icing that you could get.

Anyway back to Cathy, no matter how many times I asked for one the answer was always the same, we can't afford it,or it is too much money, which I am sure back in the early sixties it had a dear price tag.  But I did get a Chatty Cathy coloring book and I was almost in seventh heaven. I loved my coloring books.

Well this article got me thinking about the doll, so I went on Ebay to have a look see if they were still around, and low and behold there was Miss Cathy in all her Chatty glory!  What was I thinking, it is the most ugliest doll I have ever seen, she wasn't even cute, let alone pretty.  Was the charm that she could talk by pulling a string.....had to be.  Were our standards of good looking low when we where children, or didn't we care. I suspect we didn't care. But wasn't Barbie the most beautiful of all...  Don't get me started on an Easy Bake Oven, not even looking that one up.

Harry is getting a stocking tomorrow full of goodies, he doesn't suspect a thing, even through he was born in October, he spent the first four months of his little life on the streets, so this is truly his very first Christmas somewhere warm and loved.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

November 27, 2012

Harry and I were out and about this afternoon, just minding our own business when something caught my eye  to the left, in the Victoria Golf Course on River Road, a coyote. Mind you this wasn't dusk or dawn this was 12:30 in the afternoon!  He dashed in front of may car, and thank goodness I was a ways from him, however the SUV on the other side of the road was closer, this is what was racing through my mind... OK I will pullover, put on my flashers, I have a scarf that I can use as a muzzle, but no blanket. There used to be a wonderful Campers Village blanket in my car, but now it is in pieces scattered through out the back seat, thanks to a certain puppy who shall remain nameless,  anyway back to my brain going a hundred miles an hour.  Ok muzzle done, I am wearing a faux shearling fleece, I can wrap the coyote in that, (fashion goes out the window when it comes to animals in distress) I have a cage in the back of my car along with heavy work gloves....don't ask, I volunteer for Wildlife Rehab...all I have to worry about is not getting run over...and then I can go to the emergency vet, oh rats what about Harry, he can ride up front with me for the length of time it takes to get to the vet.  There I have a plan in action.  The coyote thankfully made it across both lanes of traffic without losing a hair, but I was ready.

My spouse says I can't save every animal in the world, my answer to him is "yes I can or at least try!"

I just saw the some idiot left a 10 month old puppy in a car for three days, no food no water and it has been -17 at night these past couple of nights. When police responded he came out and said he didn't do anything wrong, the dog had shelter!  All I can say is he is lucky I didn't find the poor puppy.....thankfully he is now some where warm and safe, the puppy, not the piece of scum that left him there, he can rot in hell with Michael Vick.  What are you thinking, oh pardon me, you weren't. Would you leave your child in a car for three days, yes you probably would....... These are the same people that turn out pets because they are "too  old".  However Karma is a wonderful thing and it will find you eventually.

Thus ends my rant for the day. As I am writing this Harry is curled up safe and sound on my bed snoring his little heart out, just where he should be!

November 19, 2012

I can't believe my last post was in October. When I started this blog I wanted it be a weekly thing, funny how stuff gets in the way.

So Harry and I are enjoying a nice off leash walk the other day and we run into a family, probably grandparents enjoying their grandchild. Keep in mind we are in the off leash area, so this little family out for a nice walk, is pulling their grandchild in a sled, remember still off leash, well Harry does what every dog presented with a eye level child, but runs up, nicely, and wants to get to know the child, perhaps a little kiss! Well the grandfather is trying to push Harry away, puppy vs old man, you can guess who might of won.  He is looking at me like I am the wicked witch of the north east west and south.  Memo to file, this is an off leash park, full of, of  I don't know DOGS!

These people fall into the same category as people on bikes, runners and young parents with strollers ( with the Happy Meal on the tray) that come down to the off leash and are more then upset that there are dogs, but worst yet dogs off leash that seem to like to run after moving objects, or in the case of the full meal deal lick off the residue of those chubby little cheeks at just the right level....what are you thinking. Don't want dogs around go up on the people path.  Then there are the exceptions, the wonderful cyclists that stop and pet all the dogs they encounter, the runners that run with their dogs and stop so the dogs can say hello and maybe have a bit of a run themselves, and the children that giggle like Tickle Me Elmo when anything on four legs approach them, big or small.  Then there is the young family that actually let the dogs actually come right up the the dogs and encourage interaction with them, and if they get knocked down they just get right back up and do it all again!

And then there are the dog owners that get really miffed when my dog wants to play with their dog and maybe gets rolled but keeps coming back for more.  Those that don't know dog language, rolled is when your dog is so happy to see the other dog, he actually rolls the dog on its back, nine time out of ten the dog gets up and wants more, but the humans are mortified that happened to sweet little "Muffin". Harry plays with a select few dogs including a Basset Hound, who by the way can give as good as she gets.  If you didn't know these dogs you would think that they were mortal enemies they way they bare their teeth and grab fur. So thanks to Edith, Max, Lexi, Watson, Jaz and Maebell for playing with Harry and for their parents that encourage the play!

October 29, 2012

Yesterday was my Harry's birthday and he celebrated in style.  First came the gift bag, except he really didn't  know what to do with it at first, which is bizarre because he is the first the have his little pink nose into any bag that comes into the house, from my purse, grocery bags (which I totally get) to my library books.  however this one sort of stumped him. I had to pull out the first toy, which is now just a shadow of it's former self, he wasn't interested in the bags of treats at all, which again can smell and hear the opening of a treat bag in another country!  Then he got to finish off the drops of milk left in Dad's cereal bowl!  Big treat!

Then we were off for walkies. He managed to tell everyone he met that it was his birthday and badgered them into giving him treats if they had any.  The non-treat people, he settled for a pat and a kiss.

And speaking of walkies, the other day we are in the off leash park and this beautiful Staffie comes up and wants to play so bad, however he had a Saskatchewan Rough Riders hoodie on, so far so good. Harry immediately grabs the hood part and flips the poor thing on his back.  The dog got up shook it off and again ran toward Harry, and Harry of course grabbed the hood. This only made the owner more mad, after I got Harry under control, and bare in mind the dogs are still playing, having the time of their lives, she picks up her dog in a huff and storms off. Not easy to do with a Staffie, they are heavy.  I just laughed, memo to file if you  going to dress up your dog don't supply handles! Comments heard were, Oh he mustn't be a Rough riders fan!

Happy Birthday my baby boy!

And check out the newest Pet Rescue Magazine, my Harry is in it!