Monday M(C)uteness

It's here again isn't it? That.... Monday. 

So you go to work, why do I need to get out of bed?

Don't we all love Mondays ? No. Well, they will pass like every other bad phase. Good luck to all of you who have Finals this week!

Please see some of Mariah's stunning captures of yesterday's Pittie Party organized by our marvelous Katelyn of Pitbull Worldwide! Remember, most of the pups pictured are up for adoption! Contact Last Hope Rescue FL to adopt them.

Ok, so it wasn't exactly a Mute post. But I had to mention all this adoptable cuteness! So the point is Muoote.

I don't like this dog anymore

I hate that sentence. Yes, I am talking about owner surrender. And this post will be pretty preachy so I apologize in advance.  I do hope that you will not only listen but also help fend off the ignorance.

I am angry, and disappointed in humans who come up with the stupidest of reasons to 'give back' their dogs. This particular bout of anger stems from a recent story a friend told me about how she came in contact with these 'surrenderrers' and what their attitude was like - toward the dog and then toward her for trying to help. I don't wish to shame them in this post but I do want to highlight a few things one must do before they decide that 'the dog is bad'.

1. The dog is never bad. You just need to teach them what to do and what not to do. A simple Internet search on "Positive Reinforcement" is what you need. Dogs never do anything to intentionally anger you. You just need to tell them what does and what doesn't.

2. They need to expend energy. If they chewed up the sofa while you were gone, you should probably have exercised them before you left and left them a stuffed Kong to be busy with while you were away. They were bored, probably even anxious about you leaving, and they had energy to expend. Tiring them out and keeping them distracted discourages this boredom and anxiety.  If they chew in your presence, one firm NO in a low voice like a growl, is enough. No screaming, no shouting, no drama. If you have an explosive temper, learn to control it. It's part of growing up. (Gosh I am angry today, aren't I ? )

3. You need obedience training. Yes, you, not the dog.  It is really more for you. For you to understand how to train them. I learned through my first behavioral training to make my dog take me seriously when I need him to. The biggest problem I faced as a new parent was to not speak to him as a person. "Kahlua.. please could you not chew on the comforter.. i love you .. " .. Wrong! Sharp "NO". Job done. He even comes over to say sorry. The classes will teach you how to use the pup's food or play motivation to teach them commands like "Sit" or "Stay" .. or even "Give me a hug!"

4. Regular checkups - I cannot stress this enough. Annual (atleast) for adults and as and when puppy shots are needed, for the little ones. A stitch in time, does save nine.

5. Heartworm Meds - this is not optional. Heartworms may be treatable but they are the quintessential example for prevention is better than cure. One monthly pill. That is all. It could save his life.

6. Flea and Tick Meds - would you like to be constantly itchy? Would you like the possibility of  having a disease transmitted to you every time you went for a walk in the woods? I thought so. Get the meds.

7. Too many kids & too less time & now a puppy ? This is a tough one, but not impossible. Remember, you chose to bring the puppy into your life. If you did so for your kid, you should have read the fine print that you would need to do all the work. It is true. And it is not anyone's fault. But, you should know what you are walking into when you do this. Anyway, Two year old ? Teach them to put food in the dog's bowl. Eight year old - they can let him out in the yard to conduct business. Twelve and above - short walks can be their responsibility and the Sixteen year old can even drive him to the park and take the Thirteen year old along (please check your local dog park's minimum entry age- yes, they do have them).  I don't claim that this is easy. I admire you for doing this if you do. But all I am saying is the dog is a responsibility too - one that you chose to have. So let him be part of the pack. If you can't, don't dump him at the shelter. He will be put to sleep. Find him a good home, and keep him with you and happy until then. It does not take too much.

8. This dog is much too large and I can't handle him anymore. Really? Did you not know what he was when you got him? No. I adopted him. Not an excuse. The shelter will give you some approximation of what the dog is, and usually a Chiuwawa will not grow into a Great Dane. Yes, 8-10 lbs might fluctuate either way but you know what range of size you are bringing home. Did you look at the paws when he was a puppy? That should give you a clue. So suck it up and treat it like the joy it really is. Further most larger dogs are calmer, less talkative and need less bathroom trips.

9. You will not believe I have actually heard this. "He poops too much". Noone said to expect little silver pellets. Grow up. Get a bag and pick it up.

All they need is a little devotion, a little time, a little love and a little training. If you think you cannot financially, emotionally, or mentally provide this, do not get ahead of yourself and bite off more than you can chew.

Cutie Cannoli

Cannoli (singular Cannolo) usually have a creamy sweet center and their outside is a pastry crust. But this little Cannoli is creamy and sweet through and through. Look !

A 10 week old baby puppy (yes, I say 'baby puppy') abandoned along with his two siblings,  is now being fostered by my friend. The universe does work in miraculous ways :) But Cannoli still needs his forever home!

What kind of dog is he, you say? I really don't know! A cute one fore sure. When I cuddled, kissed and hugged met him, he seemed to have a lab face with doxin legs but really I am no expert whatsoever. I actually think he is mixed with a little Yoda. Look at those ears!

To see Cannoli's siblings please see a fellow rescue advocate's account of a Doggie Wash event this past Saturday.

You know what the most remarkable thing about this pup was ? It was literally his first day interacting with other dogs and he was so brave amidst two very energized labradanes!


The one (hyphenated) word that comes to mind when I think of him is "chilled-out". He just wanted to nap on the couch. The other two were not behaving their age playful and kept waking the poor baby. Even then, he didn't care, he just watched,  poised on the couch or on one of our laps. There were moments where he sought solace in one of our warm embraces or hid under the table, but wouldn't you too,  if two unknown someones, the size of Shaquille O'Neal were being very prancy around you? (No offense to him, I actually really like him in the Buick ads :) ) Cannoli was well enroute to being very social among these massive beings is all I am trying to convey.

My friend says from what it looks like he has sort of house trained himself. No accidents in the first two days that she has had him. And he seems to be all bladder inside that cuteness since he doesn't really wake her at the crack of dawn even. (A little after maybe..but for a pup of 10 weeks, that is remarkable!)

So hey, you want him? He would complete your family perfectly don't you think ? To give him the perfect permanent home he deserves, please email Last Hope Rescue at lasthoperescuefl@gmail.com.

A Dachshund Afraid of Human Touch

I received this in an email from the ASPCA. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am a strong supporter of the ASPCA. Please help rescue dogs by reading below, donating if you will, and spreading the word. Or, read about another ASPCA related effort here.


 














Most dogs love a belly rub or scratch behind the ears—but for Pepper the Mini Dachshund, being touched is utter agony.

When a behaviorist reaches for him, he is gripped with terror. He tucks his tail, widens his eyes and tries to become as small as possible while tensing every muscle in his tiny body. Pepper is a spirited little guy, and he wants so much to be social with people. He just can't—yet.

Earlier this year, the ASPCA rescued Pepper from a hoarding situation where he lived with nearly 50 other dogs. Human touch—much like going outside, using stairs or wearing a leash—is completely new and very scary to him. But thanks to the brand-new ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center for dogs, there's hope for Pepper.

At the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center, located at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey, we're treating dogs like Pepper who are rescued from puppy mills, hoarding situations and other cruelty. This new, first-of-its-kind facility is giving them the time and intensive support they need but can't get anywhere else.

As part of the inaugural class at the brand-new rehab center, Pepper is receiving the attention and rigorous treatment he needs to learn to trust. And he's already progressing.

As you read this, Pepper is learning that an outstretched human hand means only good things. When Pepper graduates from the program, he'll be placed for adoption. We can't wait to see his happy ending—and we're also thrilled that what we learn rehabilitating Pepper will be part of a study that will help so many more dogs.

"The fact that we're able to help Pepper here is wonderful," says Kristen Collins, ASPCA Director of Anti-Cruelty Behavior Rehabilitation, "and what we learn will help us improve the lives—and even save the lives—of countless other dogs across the country."

We're thrilled to launch this groundbreaking initiative—and so grateful we can count on your support to change animals' lives. Please consider making a gift to the ASPCA today. Together we can do great things for animals like Pepper.  
 

Tails of a (Boarded) House Puppy

[(P)update on the two labs featured in this post; They are low HW positive. WCAC is accepting donations to help treat them so a rescue will pull them!  Donations can be taken over the phone at Crawfordville Animal Hospital. (850) 926-2089!]

Kahlua is a house elf  puppy. And there are times I need to board him. *Sigh* Yes, I know you feel my pain. Let's chat about pet boarding now, shall we ? I read a fellow rescue advocate's post about A Sleepover and the consequent light-bulb led to this post. We all have interesting boarding stories. I would love to tell some of mine (because god knows I talk so much) and I would love to hear some of yours (hey.. I can listen too, just not as well as Kahlua can. But I might tilt my head if that makes you smile.)

Special shout out to my close friend and roommate Nadine who was the best co -pet-parent /Sibling/Aunt to Kahlua  in the world (yeah, talk to those two if you want to figure their relationship out!)! Pupzilla and I miss you!

I honestly do not know of many pet boarding facilities out there, but I toured one of them way back when, and loved them. With each separation my faith in them has just been more and more reinforced.

Adoptable 3 year old lab mix - Louise

During the first separation, I called them every couple of hours. Kahlua wasn't eating. I was panicking. But the owner of the facility would entertain my endless worry over the phone with immense patience. She would also remove him from the facility into her own office and have dinner with him so that he would have some peace and quiet to eat. She augmented his dry food with beef bouillon or eggs or rice to make it a more attractive prospect (because, let's face it,  he is a bit of a diva, and he was missing his mother.). I was so grateful for this personal care and love that they showed him. When I saw him again, he had shed a few pounds but was happy and healthy!

I apologized to the owner for my incessant calls.  Her answer was what makes me keep going back to them:  "Shalini, it's the parents who don't call I sort of worry about." This is not to say that she thinks that those who don't call, don't care. But the fact that she saw that I needed her reassurance at that point, showed me she understands the value of the babies she and her crew are watching over.

I don't know what Kahlua was thinking because when we got home he pranced around the entire apartment and sometimes appeared to be checking if all of it was still..there. He jumped from couch to couch, checked for his toys and then went and settled in for a good long sleep.
 
Subsequent  separations got easier and my phonecalls less frequent. He took about three visits to actually befriend the doggie pool and when he did, they promptly called me to check the doggie cam if I could. And sure enough the lab in him had come out to play!

The best phonecall I've received so far was to ask me this: "Shalini - you do know your dog has a little bit of a wild child in him ?" I cracked up. He had been playing in the pool like crazy and refused to be kenneled at the end of playtime. Every time one of  the playgroup humans came to get him, he'd jump in the pool to escape them. They would eventually need to wade in to grab him.

So he has a blast when he is boarded. But it's still rough for me. I feel guilty for leaving him, even if it's just for two days. The last time I dropped him off  there, I left but watched through the window. (Don't ever do this, it's stupid.) He was refusing to go into the facility from the reception area.  He just sat there, looking lost. Finally one of the crew  gently picked him up and took him in. I was crying as I drove away feeling like the worst mother in the world. But hey, two hours later I got the wild child phonecall!

Adoptable 4 year old Lab mix - Thelma

What do you feel when you leave your fur kid behind ? Do you have any fun boarding stories ? Do you prefer that someone house-sits for you ? Please share your thoughts with me via comments! They will undergo moderation so don't be disappointed if you don't see your comment immediately :)

Both dogs in this post are adoptable through Wakulla County Animal Control. There is a special place in my heart for black dogs because they're often not adopted or often treated poorly due to their color. There is also a special place in hell for the humans who do that to these beauties. Please email FriendsOfWCAC@gmail.com to adopt either one. If you can't adopt, email anyway to see how you can help. Please share this information with your friends and family too. Visit their FB page  to see more adoptable dogs and cats.  You may just save a life!

Puppies of the Humankind

This is all over the internet, but I still don't think it's talked about enough, so I decided to write about it. And I have been meaning to for a while but I guess the topic found it's way into the depths of my subconscious until a little girl, with outstretched arms, and all the love in the world to offer, came charging toward Kahlua yesterday bellowing "Puppppyyyyyyyy". Hmm.. familiar much ?

Kahlua believes, that the solution to all things scary is to hide behind Mom. This makes me one of the more fortunate fur parents. Do you have a dog that would react differently ? How do you deal with such situations?

Children maybe God's gift to mankind, or God in disguise, or little angels or whatever..but the truth is they move unpredictably, at high speeds,  emit loud sounds and are often found zooming around on these loud, strangely shaped monsters with wheels. Heck, they scare me, why wouldn't they scare a dog ?

If you are a parent (the non fur kind), I request you, please, teach your children to respect a dog's space. I know some parents who do a wonderful job of this. Their kids come up to me and say "May I pet the puppy?" first. We take it from there and these kids never, ever, enter his personal space. They even understand that shelter puppies often have fears that we as humans cannot comprehend. I've met kids who time and again have tried to befriend my baby but they do it in baby steps. They accept when he chooses to hide under a table when he sees them. They even feel a little bad, but they still understand. They understand because either they have dogs of their own, or their parents explained  to them to approach with caution, if they must indeed approach and always ask the human first.

On the other hand, I've encountered kids who notice that their bike or the little scooter that they so confidently whizz by on, is scaring my pup, and they choose to come closer and at higher speeds, to gain some sort of silly thrill out of a poor creature's fear. This is when I need to step in and request the child to please wait while we leave the scene and go the opposite way. Who is raising these kids like this ? And why ? (The problem in this situation, in my opinion, is bigger than 'just' thriving on the 'pleasure' of scaring an already scared puppy.)

My point is that an animal's space needs to be respected as much as a human's. Just because we are human does not mean we have some sort of natural right of way. Infact, we have the more complex emotions in place to actually 'yield' right of way to those more in need. Unfortunately, not many people actually think like this and then accidents happen. What would you do if I sat by you, for an hour, and kept jabbing you with a pencil. You'd go Hulk on me, correct ? What would you do if some unfamiliar person came charging at you screaming unintelligible words? That's exactly how a dog feels when his/her personal space is invaded. Let's break the notion that all dogs are natural nannies. We need to recognize that it is not true and children and dogs need to be introduced to each other in a positive environment. The dog needs to associate the child with happiness, and not fear. We respect that there are humans who are scared of dogs. Why can't it be accepted that it can be the other way round too ?


I don't mean to blame anyone or sound like some self righteous animal freak. These are things that I did not know before I adopted Kahlua. So I understand that some people and some kids don't know that they are scaring the dog. And if they did, they would check their actions. Hence the post. I want to talk about this more. I want this to be spoken about more. I want to spread this message as far and as wide as I can. So please help me.. please use the share buttons below this post.. you might just be preventing yet another puppy of the human kind from being hurt, and a puppy of the puppy kind from suffering the consequences.

 

 

Image Credit: http://sassystickers.com/images/yin-yang-pawprint-handprint.jpg

Serene Sunday- Kahlua says Happy St. Pa(w)trick's Day!

 

Alright everyone, Mom is a little busy today so I'm doing the responsible thing and updating you all on her behalf. Tell me - why is everyday not Sunday? 

Mom and I went on the most wonderful hike today. It was not very long, but look how lovely!

 

 

  Today is St. Pa(w)trick's day and I would like to wish you a happy one! Be green, enjoy yourself but also be safe, ok ? Many happy tails depend on you.

I am SO pretty in green! I'm all set to go out and celebrate, but hey look at the beautiful guy below! Don't you want him to find a safe home on this special day ? Did you know, the animal shelter is waiving all adoption fees for Pitbulls today ? Mom says Pitbulls have the most beautiful smiles. I feel a little green when she says that, but you know what? I secretly agree.  Some of my closest friends are Pits! Go get yourself one, and complete your family today!

Friday Fleatles: How can I help ?

Today's title is based on one of the Text From Dog jokes. Here it is -

Thank God it's the Fleatles!

Anyway, let's ignore my poor sense of humor for the better of all mankind, and get to talking about today's topic: What are the different ways to help the cause of Rescue ? What can I do ?

The first and most obvious thing is - adopt! But I won't go into detail about this because there are lots avenues where you can get this information. The local animal shelter, rescues in your area, your local radio station are just a few.

The second thing that you probably already know of,  is to foster. I have a lot of acquaintances who do foster and who write about their experiences too. Fostering is great and really means you're saving lives, making space at the shelter, rejuvenating a dog's life (and yours). It is a very selfless deed. Another advantage to fostering, specially for novice pet parents like myself is that it actually allows you to experience the joy of having an animal, and also the responsibility associated with it, without actually making a lifelong commitment. Before some heckles are raised let me make my statement crystal clear - I am not saying fostering is not a commitment. It is a means to allow yourself to actually find out if you are a good pet parent, and if this is what is really good for you and the dog; without there being a case of owner surrender, and all the negative implications it has. In the event that you do actually figure out, that it's not for you, the responsible and adult thing to do is dedicate yourself to finding that forever home (a great one) or a better foster home, and accept gracefully that the time is not right for you.

So now what ? You still want to help the cause, your heart is in the right place - what do you do ? Lots ! Here goes -

Take your time... and give it to them.
Visit your local animal shelter's website and fill out their volunteer application. There is a need for all types of people with all kinds of callings. If you are not really experienced with animals, but are a people's person, you can be a 'greeter'. Are you a great event organizer ? You're needed at adoption events. There is a plethora of options on the website. Usually, the shelter interviews you and takes you through an orientation process. If you factor  even a few hours each week into your routine, you are helping the cause. You're helping the animals find homes.  Time is essential and the clock is ticking, specially for shelter animals. Donating your time, is helping save lives.

Sit Happens
Are you experienced with animals ? Did you do a behavioral training class with your own pup? Can you teach basics like "Sit", "Down", Stay, "Heel" ? Use that knowledge to train a shelter dog. Knowing basic commands will help the dog become more adoptable and find it's home. Show off the dog's skills at adoption events you take it to.You might just be able to find that forever home!

Love that Lens?
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. It is not unheard of, that a great picture has resulted in an adoption. My inspiration behind writing this is Betsy Sasnett. Betsy is a talented photographer who donates huge amounts of time and effort to the cause. She goes out to shelters in the area to photograph adoptable animals and showcases them on her website. You will see Betsy at adoption events, tirelessly taking pictures of people and their pups and donating her proceeds to rescues in need. You can do the same. Check with your local shelter if they need their animals photographed. With today's World Wide Wildfire and the power of the FB Share, you may just save a life!

Do you dabble ?
In web programming? Know a little http ? You can help maintain your shelter's website.

Is your pen mightier than your sword ?
Do you have a way with words? Help write up descriptions of the dogs you help train or simply  those that catch your eye at the shelter. Did they do anything particularly cute?(they always do!) .. write it up with a couple of catchy sentences and unleash it on Facebook.


"Girls I'm going to Harvard!"
"You mean like on vacay ?? Let's all go..ROADTRIP!!"
[I originally just wanted to title this "Roadtrip", but it's my third coffee of the day and a scene from one of my favorite movies "Legally Blonde" popped into my head.. so you had to bear the brunt of the combination. Also, I ain't going to Harvard just yet. *sigh*]
I'm talking about transport. Today, geographical separation is no deterrent (The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman). Rescues can pull urgent dogs from across the country and adoptions can cross state boundaries. You can help get pups from shelter to safety. It's easy! Each trip is divided into multiple legs and each leg is on an average 80 miles long each way. Take a couple of friends (depending on how much four legged cuteness you need to transport).. make a day of it! You get to meet some really nice people.
One place to start is the Compassionate Animal Rescue Team.
Here is some of my precious cargo from some of my trips with my bestie Nandita who shares my craze for canines!

Money for something, and your tax for free
I should stop with the bad titles and the coffee. But hey - donate! All shelters will give you a receipt for that time of year. Itemize it under tax free donations. Most rescues and shelters have wishlists on Amazon or on their website. Put a smile on someone's face and make a few tails wag by shipping a bag of dog food or flea and tick meds. Spring time is puppy time - so keep this in mind. Many shelters will be having some sort of "stuff the crib" type donation now. Contribute!

Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shop to help! Can it get any better than this ? Look for websites that donate part of their proceeds to animal rescue. One such website is the Animal Rescue Website. They have stuff from all over the world. Trust me, if I had a dollar for the number of times something "Made in India" turned up at my doorstep and I laughed (because hey.. i'm Indian.. I don't just laugh at a whole country.), some rescue would be getting a few bags of food today!
Order checks and address labels from the ASPCA. Looking for a Car ? Get a Subaru! They donate part of their proceeds to the ASPCA. All the dogs on their advertisements are adoptables/rescues.

And last but probably the most important
Are you resourceful? Can you network? Can you recognize that someone's need is someone else's superpower? Connect the people. Your strongest resource is the people you know, their strengths and their abilities - you never know when someone can help your cause. Talk to people at events, network, tell them about rescues you've touched upon, share contacts, introduce people to people. Never rule out a person or a possibility. The grapevine is more powerful than you know.


Let me zip it now, but not before I bring to your notice a business, with wonderful people who have several times  helped the cause:

Out U Go
Need a professional and trust worthy pet sitting service ? Reach out to the Elizabeths at Out u Go!  Yes there are two of them, and I'd trust Kahlua's life with them.

Tick-Free Tuesday - End Dog Fighting.

I received this in an email from the ASPCA. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am a strong supporter of the ASPCA. Please help end dog fighting by reading below, donating if you will, and spreading the word.

 

Young puppies bred for fighting are often forced into lives of abuse and neglect. Tethered to short, heavy chains or locked away in tiny cages, they often receive inadequate care and little socialization. They can go for days without food or clean water. They never experience unconditional love. When dog fighting dogs are old enough to fight, many die of blood loss, shock and exhaustion. Others are unceremoniously killed for losing a fight. Even when they’re lucky enough to be rescued, dog fighting victims face a difficult path to recovery. Despite the best efforts of expert rehabilitators, not all dogs rescued from fighting make it. From the very beginning, these dogs are fighting for their lives.

But with your support, we can put an end to dog fighting. The entire ASPCA is deeply committed to saving dogs from fighting. The Blood Sports Unit of our Field Investigations and Response Team helps carry out criminal investigations, providing expertise in large-scale rescues and raids including the Michael Vick case and a Bronx bust less than a year ago.

Our experts provide critical training to animal control officers, police officers and veterinarians across the country to empower them to take action against dog fighters. Behind the scenes, our legal team works to ensure dog fighters face tough consequences, and our government relations staff is pushing hard for tougher dog fighting laws. With your help, the ASPCA can remain a leader in the battle against dog fighting, working to rescue animal victims and prosecute offenders. Help us in our fight to stop this barbaric form of cruelty and all others. Together we can save countless animals from lives of abuse.

Weekend Wags: Another pup? I guess not.

First off let me thank you for reading my posts and humoring my thoughts and all that good stuff. I am elated because Google Analytics shows me I have 250 page views already.

Next, allow me to clarify the title of this post. I want another pup. I want many another pups. But today my Kahlua put his paw down.

We had the most wonderful afternoon at my friend Sheila's house. Sheila is a wonderful human being and a rather brave one, because she is fostering an 11 week old puppy. Her personal dog is a beautiful, wonderful, calm and very affectionate Great Dane named Shadow.

Beautiful, shadow all puppied out!

I say she is brave because an 11 week old puppy is a LOT of work and it's no mean feat fostering one.


Meet Esme, a bundle of love and happiness who was found abandoned alone, and now is being fostered by my lovely friend. She is up for adoption through Last Hope Rescue Florida.

Gosh Kahlua, go home already so I can sleep!

She is one lucky pup to have found such a great foster family, but remember, she wants her forever family. Do you want to be her forever home?

Loving foster mom Sheila, and sweet Esme.

Kahlua & Esme. Esme is great with other dogs, of all shapes and sizes!

Auntie Sheila, I love you!

Esme goes outside to do her business. She is very play motivated. Food and play motivation automatically makes a pup very trainable.

Can you see anything, Shadow? Is she having more fun than us ?

Puppies are addictive. Puppies are little love bundles. So ofcourse I was all over Esme. Now I feel like I was cheating on Kahlua, but come on.. he is affectionate toward other humans too! Sometimes he even forgets about me .. and that is (not) ok.

Look Kahlua, your mom loves ME now! muhahahah!

So, Kahlua's reaction to this puppy love phase of mine, was a loud whine and a very puppy puppy-face. My boy was actually, well I don't really like the word 'jealous' .. let's say.. possessive.

I do honestly believe that pups go through all these emotions just like we do. And how do you explain to them that you love them, unconditionally, even if you can love another pup?  I am not sure you can! Which is why I've reached the conclusion that I probably cannot adopt another pup. (I had an inkling about this when I briefly fostered a dog, but that's a story for another post.) Maybe in the future there can be a family dog, but another dog who is solely mine, like Kahlua is, is probably a ship that has sailed.

And I am ok with that! Why shouldn't he feel this way ? I am the only family he has ever known! I'm the only thing he has to call his own.

Ma, you are obnoxiously embarrasing.

His happiness is way more important to me than my desire to adopt again anytime soon. And who knows, maybe will grow out of it ? (Do they ever grow up?)

Rest Insured

Pet Health Insurance - Should I ? Shouldn't I ? He's just a puppy so he is healthy. Maybe later when he's older and health problems start creeping in.

Yes, all those thoughts crossed my mind too. But in my opinion pet insurance is a must, and the sooner you start, the better. Why ? It is easier to have a decent plan at a decent premium for a healthy pup with no existing issues. Note, Obamacare does not apply to puppies.

I looked into a multitude of options and decided on ASPCA. I pay $20 a month for a $100 deductible and accident and illness coverage.  The per incident limit its $1500 and annual limit is $8000. So, for $240 a year paid monthly, we are insured for upto $8000.   There are options for wellness coverage too, but when I calculated the cost of Kahlua's annual and semiannual exams against the cost of the premiums for that plan, I did not find it beneficial. I urge you to do your own calculation based on what the quote shows for your baby's age, size and general health situation.

ASPCA has been good to us so far. I am a strong supporter of ASPCA. What do you do when you get an envelope in the mailbox with a sad and VERY cute puppy picture inside, equipped with a business reply envelope ? You put a check in it, and send it right across. (It disturbs me that when it is for a human, I don't exactly have the same speedy response.)

She does, she puts checks in them. And puts return address labels with puppy pictures. She does.

Back to insurance. The ease of claim submission, the response time, and the fact that they do not screw you over like my dental insurance did me (rage), make them a good choice. I simply scan and email them the claim with the itemized invoice the vet gave me. In a few weeks, I have an email explaining what they covered, and a check in the mail. (Which, I photograph with my bank's fancay shmancay app, and volia .. chaching on my end!).

It's not 100% coverage, but it is something. I agree that bad incidents happen, and can go upwards from $1500. My paws are crossed that nothing bad happens to my Kahlua, but in the unfortunate event that we do have such an incident, we will be grateful for even that much coverage (for which we paid much less in premiums).

By the grace of the universe, we have not had any major mishaps thus far (please knock on wood for us?).

Please ?

 But my baby is a baby and yes he will come home from daycare with a cough every once in a while, or a puncture wound, or get into something at the park and get a stomach bug.

Expenses add up. Quoting one of those insurance ads on TV, "Chances are, you're not made of money". It's easier to factor $20 into a monthly expense than say $500 as a sudden expense (that will not be reimbursed.. ever) It maybe hard to front that cost but you can beg, borrow (and not steal) and arrange it somehow and pay it back later with the insurance money.

So, do the math, and make the choice!

Mom thinks Angry Bird bandages are a good idea. Is she normal?

Mom, you are awful to take pictures at this painful time in my life.

Weekend Wags:Mistakes of an Instant Mother

You know that giant switch you have, buried deep in your gut? Wait, you do? Because I didn't know I had one. Until a small, furry, 10 week old labradane came along and took charge of my 'motherboard'. (Sorry, the bad jokes are a result of being a nerd for way too long now. Can't teach an old dog new tricks. Or can you ? hmm.. #FuturePostMaterial).

I did not grow  up with any petst5  (pets - sorry, Kahlua just threw his Kong at my keyboard.). I knew nothing about Dogs. To the shameful extent, that I did not even know chocolate was bad for them. (Don't worry, nothing bad happened.) But that's my point - everyday you learn something new.

However there are days, when you look back and say - I will do this differently with my next one! #InstantMother And I think, today is one such day.

When Kahlua came home, it took me but a few days to realize, he was a different puppy. He was not your typical, launch yourself at anything strange that runs and chase it, puppy. He was a scared puppy, and I was a clueless new mom. Yes, I had some very wonderful, experienced, helpful people around who guided me and I am ever so thankful for them. (Karan- My strongest support system, Sambuddha - grew up with what 10-12 Fox Terriers in India, Nadine - had Jenny Dog in Germany, Angela- my magic horse woman. I had not discovered my other wonderful magic woman - Michelle of Doggie Dayz just yet).

My natural course of action was to protect him, from everything. #InstantMother. The only times we went out - were to do business. I was very lucky when it came to house training - he trained himself. I had nothing to do with it. We did not really go to the park. I provided him with no stimulating experiences. This was my first major mistake with him. He stayed in his shell. I stayed feeling like the worst mother ever. To the extent, that I'd  started doubting whether the life I was giving him was in anyway better than what he had at Best Friend's Dog Rescue (the rescue where I adopted him from).  I seriously felt that at the shelter, the poor pup atleast had an open space to run around in, and his sisters for company, rather than being in an apartment with us.


One day I decided - a trip to the dog park was in order - it was a disaster. But, it was a disaster in my mind. It was a stride of progress for Kahlua. He witnessed other dogs playing, other people with their dogs and just outdoors in general. However, he mostly stayed under the park bench. Or hid behind me. I hugged him and cuddled him. In my mind, I was comforting him, telling him it was ok. All would be well.  #InstantMother. This was my next major mistake with him.

When we walked outside the apartment, he shied away from everyone. I failed to understand. People loved the new little black puppy. But he wanted nothing to do with them. He peeked at them from behind me, worried. If he did not want to go in a particular direction, would sit stubbornly, in his tracks. He even quivered with fear. I had no idea what to do. Bewildered, I would just pick him up, and carry him around like a baby. #InstantMother. Huge mistake. He was going to grow into a massive dog! But we would deal with that later, right ? Even bigger mistake.

Every pup is different. It was my misconception that puppy equals always playful and crazy. It was my misconception that all puppies rather be outside than inside the house. It was my misconception that all puppies are rambunctious and will chase after everything. Usually, the problem is at our end of the leash.

Kahlua is one of the most intelligent people I know. He is smarter than most human beings I know. He is cautious, and honestly, I am grateful that he doesn't chase after anything and everything that moves, launch himself into poisonous plants, eat suspicious things outdoors (indoors? different story). I am even grateful he is wary of strange people. Outdoors, he will approach with caution, or not approach at all.  (indoors? different story)

It took me a long time to accept that my pup, is an introvert. And I don't know why, because I myself am almost exactly like this. He is absolutely happy with people he knows and loves, but takes time to warm up to new people. It is important to overcome one's misconceptions, and accept your pup for who they are. Just like you would, a child. This does not mean I did not love him then, and I do now. Absolutely not! This means, I was upset, thinking that I was doing a bad job, and my baby was unhappy. I was upset he didn't play freely like other dogs I knew. But this was my problem. I realized in time,  that we can find our own fun stuff to do. Yes, we need to get over our fear of all things outdoors, but we are happier playing indoors, there is nothing wrong with that. If we want to just hang out with each other at the dog park on certain days, and play with the other puppies on other days, that is fine too. There are no rules to happiness. This is our life together. There are no rules for fun!

What would I have done differently ?  exposed him to many more new experiences than I did at the puppy stage. Brought him everywhere with me like I almost always do now. Taken him to friends' places. Taken him on trails. Taken him to daycare. Taken him to parks (dog and human) to play fetch. Just.. anything that would be new and stimulating!

What else ?

When he showed fear, the right thing to do,  would have been, just to ignore it . Give him time. Walk around the park and let him follow me around. Let him sniff around, and let him realize, that this is all good. Everything is ok. I should not have pawositively reinforced the fear that he was already feeling. Not only at the park, but in all 'walks' of his life (quite literally).

When he parked his obstinate behind, as a puppy, I should have kept going in the direction I had originally intended. Me stopping, talking to him, picking him up was a signal to him that:

1.  He could control me. He was the pack leader.
2.  That there was indeed something to be scared about (if he was doing it out of fear).

Almost two years have passed now, and he is much much more confident, and his fear almost gone. He does like going to the park a lot, chase other dogs who are chasing tennis balls and distract them, walk on trails, go to restaurants and to the beach. He loves going with us to parks where there are large open spaces and play fetch. God knows he LOVES playing fetch inside the house (we don't encourage this for the sake of our neighbors), chasing the laser pointer in the patio etc. He runs confidently off leash alongside his human, and very well on leash too. He absolutely loves going to day care. At one of the boarding places, they tell me he loves playing in the pool. I try and expose him to as many new experiences as possible.

My fur baby is a smart, loving, playful pup. He used to live in a shell just after I rescued him. But just as soon as I learned to be at ease with myself, he started crawling out of it and turning into a pure goofball - and that's a great thing.  As long as he is healthy,  happy and well behaved, everything is a good thing.