Saturday, August 30, 2008

Pup-pup-puppies and more!!

They're here! The sad news is that one died before my mom could get them. The good news is the other two are doing very well. One is black and the other is like a toasted marshmallow (can you see her on the mom's tummy?). My mom believes the mama dog is part rat terrier and part dachshund. Everyone always thinks there's a beagle in the mix. Not this time.
These are some of my mom's cat friends she went to visit last night. Buddy on the left and Leo on the right. Leo is her special cat boy.
Yesterday, before my mom left work, she got a call that Amyzark was rescuing a weimerainer and that the people on Sand Mt had also found a beagle--would she take the beagle? So, of course my mom said yes. Amyzark will pay for everything and do all the advertising on Petfinder so all we have to do is love her.

The people who were bringing her to the rescue swore she was a beagle, a pure beagle, 2 years old. Based on her experience, my mom bet a dinner that it would really be a 7 year old coonhound instead (the people who rescued Zorro (the coonhound) said, oh, yes, he was a beagle, a TALL beagle). So, it was really closer to a beagle this time so she lost the bet.

This is Natalie. My mom figures a beagle/boxer mix (Natalie's profile looks very boxerish), very pretty, very cuddly loving little girl. She also very, very smart. We know she will be a great family dog.

Friday, August 29, 2008

My mom sings me to sleep

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Fay came to visit and we're tired

Fay came to visit us. She was full of wind and rain--5" last night. Everything fell over on the deck. Bitey is in shock and awe.


It wore me out.

It wore us all out. My mom is still kind of tired overall so she hasn't felt much like blogging, sorry!! (yes, the living room is nothing but dog beds bol)

Saturday, August 23, 2008

FLIES!! Why did it have to be FLIES??

It's a cloudy, hot day in Georgia today so we're inside. My mom is working and watching the A-Team. She's on-call for computer problems so she can't go anywhere--she has to be at her computer to go into the network if needed so everyone can keep checking out books. We would not want check-out rage, she says.

Her pain is better today, thank goodness. All the kind posts from our furfriends really helped a lot. It's hard when a dr says, We'll assume it's cancer until proven otherwise. That was ruff but they proved it otherwise. I hope that means we can jump on her stomach again soon. Mousse is so good at that and he really misses it.

Here I am on the Big Chair while my mom is working and what happens?? Suddenly there's a fly! It even makes me fall off the chair at the end! And I STILL didn't catch it!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Good news!! UPDATE: Celebration!!

My mom went back to the dr. today and the results say NO CANCER. She's just OLD. However, she still has some pain so they are going to look further because the biopsy should have removed the source of pain. But, for now, anyways, with what they know, she's okay. So we're going to have CAKE tonight!

UPDATE
Here's what she got so we could celebrate:


Choo-Choo barbecue and fried potatoes

Fresh baked yeast rolls from The Breadbasket

And CAKE! It's strawberry and vanilla (looks chocolate but my mom knows we can't eat that!!) and pumpkin bars also from The Breadbasket.

I love ya, Mom!

I love you, River.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Puppy Teaser!! and an Award!!

That's what I call my mom. She keeps saying we're getting puppies and nothing happens! Puppy teaser!! Problem is, she decided to be smart this time (insert sarcastic beagle snort here) and wait until she gets the news from the dr. rather than yanking the family back and forth between houses. I'm not sure they'd mind as long as they were loved and fed. The rescue, Amyzark Rescue & Adoption is keeping Ruth & her babies until my mom can take her so everyone is comfortable and well. We'll try again this weekend. Amyzark is also part of the community of rescue groups in our area that is helping Clint. In fact, Zorro and Dickens, the coonhounds we took in, were brought in under Amyzark so we could get the vet discounts. Both coonhounds are in New England now having a great life.

As for Clint--donating is good but emotional support is just as priceless to us! Thank you for the pawsitive thoughts sent his way. The rescue groups have had great success in raising money for parvo puppies and broken dogs in the past so we have faith that this will happen for Clint! The drs at UTK are giving us discounts. Everyone is donating time and effort, too, so everything will come together in the end! Here is his website with information on how to donate for the cause: Hips4Clint.

We enjoy reading Khyra, Miss Fluffy Tail's blog so much, esp. the music stuff and going for a walk with her every Wednesday. Today she and her mom gave us an award. Thank you so much! We think you are so nice, too
!

My mom and I would like to award this to Eduardo whose snuggles are powerful and he happily gives them to those in need. He is very nice!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Hips4Clint

The new doggie blog is up! Hips4Clint
Information on how to donate is on his site. Just click on the link above.


For the love of Dogs and Double Dog are working to raise funds for new hips for Clint. He was born with a deformity and the hips must be completely replaced. Each hip will cost $4000 and will be done one in Oct. and one 6 months. Right now we are just aiming for the money for one hip.

We were waiting on the rescue to setup a paypal account and snail mail, etc. so everything is ready now. Sorry, pee-mail won't work for this but feel free to spread the word in that fashion if you wish! I have not met Clint but I am told he is an amazing, sweet boy and everyone is pulling for him. Please help if you can, even $5 would be wonderful. This is done through a non-profit rescue so (in US) you can get a receipt for the IRS.

I will be updating on Clint's site as things happen.

Thank you!

River's mom

Sunday, August 17, 2008

She's back!!

My mom's friends kidnapped her from the hospital and took her home with them on Friday then they came and took care of us. They have FIVE cats and no doggies so mom smells like a cat now.... She finally felt well enough to drive back to us. We're not allowed to jump on her stomach. Mousse is bad about that so he is staying in a crate or outside. The weather has not been too bad--mostly 80s--so we can stay outside for a while.

Here I am showing her what a good boy I am. I know it makes her feel better to rub my tummy so I'm making it very easy for her.

She goes back to the dr on Thursday to find out the results. We're thinking pawsitive about everything! It helps soooooo much to have friends sending prayers, too! Thank you, everyone, human, doggie, kitty and hammie, for your kind thoughts. It's always the scariest time waiting to hear the news.

Meanwhile, my mom had volunteered 2 weeks ago to foster a pregnant beagle. This operation came up so fast--just before the beagle was supposed to come here that the rescue had to hold onto her. It was literally either my mom fostering her or they were going to have to spay and take the puppies.

It is a beagle/doxie mix named Ruth. She looks like a long, short beagle. She has had her puppies--3, I think. If my mom keeps feeling well they will bring the family to her today. Yes, it's a little more work but it's a happy thing and what could be happier than playing with puppies?

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Hospital

Tomorrow my mom goes into the hospital for a procedure. She's not sure how long she'll be away--it might be she'll be back in the evening. Everything and everyone will be taken care of if the worst happens (just because you never know with anesthesia) so we are not worried. This is for a biopsy so there might be more operations or maybe not. Just wanted to let everyone know we might not be reading or writing blogs for a few days. I'll let you all know as soon as she turns the computer on again for me. Thank you to everyone for being so wonderful to us!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

An Award and a Carrot!

Princess Eva awarded us the Gold Card of BFF. My mom said it made her want to cry. I howled my thanks (can you hear it?). Thanks, Eva!! And Thor gave us this award, too. I am very honored! Thanks, Thor!!

I now must give the award to 5 friends. Four of these friends must be dedicated followers of our blog. One should be a new blogger and live in a different part of the world. Each awardee must link back to whomever gave the award.

I give it to my friends:
1.
Bolo -- my mom is so crazy about him she'd like to snuggle for a day with him (then she'd give him back to his mommy of course!). He is a sweet, funny, gold-medal award winning doggie.
2.
Dozer who is also medal award winning. My mom plans to come pick him up one day and bring him home.
3.
Booker who is a smart, handsome Treeing Walker and not a WTF.
4. Gus the one and only Blue man.

5. And finally our new NOMS friends
Socks, Scylla and Charybdis who are kind and caring cats who know how to throw a good party!


Mom tried me out with a carrot. It broke. I didn't want it anymore.


I gave it to Georgia. One carrot. Big deal. She thinks we're engaged now. My mom says we're too young. One more year and I'll be 3. She says I'll be of legal age and can make my own decisions then. I'd better start saving up carrots now!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

River Dancing

This about as good as it gets with me dancing. I danced for someone I love (my mom!) who then gave me a treat for my fabulous hip-hopping. (or maybe it's more LEG hopping then hip...) This was a challenge from Eduardo the Snuggle Puggle who can really dance.

I thought I would tag Bolo and Khyra. If you get a chance to dance you can put this beautiful graphic on your blog. I bet you all would both be great dancers!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

The story of a transport

From River's mom:
River has kindly allowed me to tell the story of the transport today of Hunter the English Setter. His trip started in Georgia and will end at his new furever home in Illinois today.

I thought I would backtrack a little and explain what a transport IS. In short, it's a relay. Volunteer drivers generally drive 60-100 miles and hand a dog or dogs (we've done as many as 30 at a time) to the driver or drivers of the next leg of the relay. Sometimes it's done over days if it's really long but most of the time in one day. Thank dawg for email and cellphones. It's so easy to contact everyone now--not just to arrange the transport but in case of problems along the way. The transport coordinators are people who do nothing but arrange transports. They are almost never located along the route but somewhere in the US or even in Canada arranging US transports. As the dog is handed to the next driver (and you just pray you remember to give them the papers and food and toys that were sent along) the one left behind calls the coordinator. That way, she can contact people further down the route if there's a hold up. That's done with email.

I want to note that fortunately I have NEVER lost a dog although some have been tough to handle nor has anyone else in all the years I've been doing this. I have, however, pulled puppies and a mama off a transport because in my opinion they were in such bad shape they would have died along the way (I fostered until they survived--they had contracted parvo which hit just as they were being transported). And everyone I work with is very passionate about what they do--or you could say crazy like me. It always gives me hope knowing them when you can get so depressed listening to the news and what humans can do to each other and to animals.

So to the transport. I got everyone up at 6am and as River will tell you I'm NOT a morning person. He, however, is as lively and perky at 6am as at noon or midnight. After getting everydog back in and settled in their 'day' places (for instance, Georgia will attack Belle when I'm not supervising so she stays in a crate when I'm gone), I hit the road.

Hunter had been fostered by greyhound rescue just outside Atlanta until he was healthy and ACES (Another Chance for English Setters) had arranged for his adoption. They left home at 7am to meet me at a Cracker Barrel restaurant. I always arrange to meet at Cracker Barrels--lots of grass and I love to eat their food when I'm finished transporting. Yeah, well, it's my favorite junkfood place, too, because it has old time candy like from the 50s & 60s as in last century.

This is a picture of the sky as the sun is coming up. I'm almost at the big highway. It's going to be a sunny day.

Hunter's foster parents were already at the CB and were walking him as I arrived so I got a poop picture (no, I didn't mean to, he did that just as I was pushing the button). We build in 15 minutes at each stop not only to walk the dogs, feed and water as needed but because we all like to visit a little. There are different people driving each time and each weekend there can be as many as 5 or 6 major transports going through our area--all volunteers from the coordinator to the drivers.

And there are also the drivers who do this as a business (not me, maybe when I retire). They charge $125/dog and can take 40 or more dogs at a time in a huge air-conditioned, USDA approved trailer (it's all very regulated). Sometimes we send dogs up north that way if the adopter can afford to pay the fee otherwise, we figure out a free transport. It's great having all these options so as many can go as possible. I'm also darn glad that gas went DOWN 60 cents a gallon this week!
Here is this sweet boy, Hunter. He was the perfect gentleman in the car. He had his tennis balls (almost de-fuzzed) in the back with him and a blanket across the back seat.
See, he immediately settled down in the back. He looked so cute there I had to take a picture.

Here he is sitting up in the back seat. You can see him in the rearview mirror. Most drivers have vans or SUVs with crates. I never could afford one so we do the best we can with my small car. Fortunately, it was very cool, in the 60s, so I had no worries about AC this time.
Here we are zoomzoom heading north to the next stop and the next driver.
Around the curve heading for the mountains.
By then the sun was up and very bright. Here the leash is handed to the next driver who had brought along some of her own dogs in her van. We were both early so we had some time to chat about a local shelter, the horrible conditions, the new county administrator just voted in who was animal friendly so we had hope for positive changes. Then we parted.

Here I am going home to my River just off to the left. And, now that I'm home and it's about noon, I think we're going to go take an AFTERnoon nap lol

Friday, August 8, 2008

Awards!!

Rocky gave me this Kind Blogger award! Thank you so much! It really means a lot because we here at the beagle house think you are one of the kindest creatures we know!

My friend Deefor gave me THREE awards, all at once. I'm doing a Snoopy dance! Thanks, Deefor! We love your 'Dear Deefor' column.


Friendship


And speaking of dances--my friend Eduardo the Snuggle Puggle has tagged me to have myself video-ed dancing for someone I love. We'll try to do something this weekend! And maybe a bonus footage of Dancin' Daisy, too.

Addendum: tomorrow my mom gets up REAL early to transport an English Setter and a white german shepherd. They are going from Georgia to new forever homes in Illinois. She promises to try to do better at getting pictures. Don't talk so much this time, Mom!!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Chewie Fest!

Wow, I stayed out late at the NOMS pawty last night and I'm tired! But my mom insisted (like I had to be LED to the chewie!) that we open the Kapp Pack prize. (We love their new baby Sunshine Meadow--she's all legs!). She made me pose with the box.


What is in this box?


I had to pause to admire this incredible chewie bone.
Then look at all the chewie positions. I'm a chewie gymnast!Then my mom opened the pack of small rawhide chewies and gave one to Bailey:
To Belle: To Georgia:
To Bitey
To Baby with the googly eyes:
To Davoo:
And finally, to Daisy, mom had to chase her all around the house to get a picture:
We had a half hour chewie fest then my mom gathered up the slimey remains, put them up on top of the refrigerator and said time for bed! Thanks, Kapp Pack! You all are the best!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Celebrate NOMS (Not Of My Species) Day 2008!!

Today I am at a picnic at Socks, Scylla and Charybdis' place with everyone from Jan's Funny Farm, Asta and Myrna the Wheelie, Charlie, Sassy, Charlotte, and Momo. I'm not in the picture because I'm up at the house helping to lay out the buffett and stealing hugs and smoochies. This wonderful photo is by Asta.

I have another NOMS friend who could not come (too far away) but she is very special! Her name is Pua and she is an anteater! She is teenytiny, quite smart and sweet even though her favorite food is vinegar. Her life with her dogs, cat and bunny is fascinating.


And I also want to acknowledge my good friend Mr. Hendrix the ManCat who was the first NOMS to visit me when I first started blogging. He is amazing and has survived a lot of stuff.

It is great fun getting know everybody! It's a beautiful day here. After we eat maybe I will mosey on down to the pond to see what everyone's doing...then take a snooze in the grass before going home. You know how hounds love to sleep in the sun!

Many thanks to Karl for creating this wonderful idea!

Monday, August 4, 2008

Interspecies Snorgling

Let's all celebrate interspecies love! Put your appendages up and do the wave across the world while, of course, the background music is, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing. Peace and love.

Come on! We love corny stuff here. My mom's an ooooollllddd hippie.

Visit
Karl at The Cat Realm for more information. I will tell about all my out-of-species friends tomorrow!

Thanks to Jan's Funny Farm for cluing us in to this.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Woodchuck Chuck

Suppose a woodchuck came to visit. Suppose we call him Chuck. Suppose the beagles came to say hi and were stopped by a fence. This is probably what it would look and sound like. Notice our Chuck ain't a bit afraid of those big hounds. WARNING: IT'S LOUD.


Now, suppose the mom heard all the rucus and grabbed her camera thinking this is a great blog moment. And suppose she got a few pictures after she shot the movie. Then suppose Chuck thought she had some food or wanted to say hello and started running toward her. And, finally suppose not understanding that Chuck just wanted to be friendly she ran around the car in terror and up into the house. This is what it would look like.


And very finally suppose Chuck NEVER WENT AWAY but stayed in the front yard mocking us. This is what it would look like in the living room ALL FRIDAY NIGHT.