Come One, Come all!!!

Celebration Pet Day is fast approaching. I've been busy getting all the last minute details worked out. Tomrrow is food donation pickup day and set up at the Ag Center. If any of you are close enough, please come out and spend the day with us. Here's what's planned:

Program schedule for 2007 Celebration Pet Day, Saturday, September 29 from 10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

10:30 a.m. Official kickoff for Celebration Pet Day by County Mayor Eugene Ray and City Mayor Wallace Cartwright.

10:45 a.m. - Amanda Oliver presents an informational program about Tellington T Touch Therapy for pets.

11:30 a.m. - Pamela Johnson-Bennett from Cat Behavior Associates gives a basic informational program with an audience question and answer session. Afterwards, she will do a book signing.

12:30 p.m. - Equine specialist, Sam Powell, the "Horse Whisperer".

1:00 p.m. - Celebration Pet Day Pet Show

At 11:00 a.m. get ready for the Society of Secret Identities Super Heroes and Villains! Come out and meet Spider Man, Bat Man, Super Girl, Poison Ivy and many others. Be sure to bring your camera!

Kay Allen from Blessed Assurance Farm will be there with the minis all day. She will be giving Donkey Cart driving demos and Coon Jumping demos throughout the day.

Dog Agility demonstrations will be given by the 4H Dog Club led by Regan Mercer.

Jennie Jones from Kindred Spirits Dog Training & Boarding will be giving obedience tips and tricks during the Celebration Pet Day Pet Show.

Tracy Nelson from the Shelbyville Police Department, along with her K9 Remy will be doing demonstrations throughout the day.

Raymond Pimental will be at a special booth giving out information about trail riding and the 7th Annual Strolling Jim Memorial Trail Ride.

There will be LOTS of other activites as well. Come on out and join us!

I'll be out of pocket until next week. I'll try to post LOTS of pictures, when I get back.

Meet Shingo!

C-R-A-Z-Y!!

This week is CRAZY!! My big fundraising event, Celebration Pet Day is this Saturday. I'm just tying up loose ends, but I always feel like I've forgotten something. I'm also taking Friday off too. I have so much stuff to pick up, that it takes all day to do it! Right now, I'm making vendor/rescue booth lists by number and business name, getting the guest programming times lined up, and trying to make sure we have enough volunteers to work all areas. I just know that I'm going to forget something BIG!!!

Forgetful

GAAAAAH!!! Why can't I remember to bring my camera with me! I want to share pictures of the new puppy. BTW, his official name is now Shingo the Dingo, and he's answering to it pretty well. There's a story behind the name Shingo. He's named after Shingo Yamamoto who is my favorite competitor on Ninja Warrior. I have an addiction to that show. Shingo is the only contestant that has competed in every tournament. Shingo is a bouncer, so Shingo the dog is aptly named.

Home Alone

First off, I forgot the camera. AGAIN!!! How can I possibly forget that darn camera every day this week! I keep thinking every night how excited I am to share the new pictures with everyone, and then I sleep. Sleeping makes me forget important things. Things like call and reschedule that appointment or remember to takes Kim's cat carrier back to her, or things like that camera with the pictures of my new, precious puppy!!! GAH! *headdesk*

I am SO happy to report that I DID NOT find my house in shambles upon my return yesterday. Everything was in its proper place. Nothing was destroyed. Nothing was chewed up. There was one flip flop that had been used for entertainment, non-chewed, just used for amusement. I ended up getting home much later than I had planned too! Of all days, yesterday I got caught in some horrible afternoon traffic. I had decided to keep my swim date, so I was nearly 7:30 getting home. It was GREAT that he was without human supervision that long and nothing was destroyed. It was NOT good for his housebreaking routine, but whaddya going to do? Hopefully, over the weekend, I can instill some better potty habits. He just gets SO distracted out in the yard!

So far the vote is leaning towards the name Shingo. He's actually starting to answer to it, so I may be stuck with it. We'll see.

Now, if I can just remember the camera tomorrow!!

New Family Member

I went and picked Digger up on Sunday morning. He is such a happy little thing! I had taken the crate with me, but he's such a good little rider that I didn't even need it. Mom rode with me to be an extra set of hands, and he just settled down in her lap like a little gentleman. Even though I had been told he wasn't leash trained, he did really well with his harness. He walked around like he was old school or something. I let him wander about and inspect the yard, before I took him in to meet the "herd", as we like to call it. When he was ready, we headed in. He walked in just like he had lived there for years. He was great meeting Shiloh, Bear, Fergie, and Trixie (the spare dog). No one raised their tail in dominance or was agressive at all. Everyone was very welcoming to the new tenant. It has been painfully quiet at my house, since Slate passed away. When Digger came home, my house came back to life!

Within twenty minutes, he and Bear were best buddies and were playing. Even Shiloh, who never plays, played with him. Fergie served as referee to break up the ruckus, when it got out of hand. So all of my worries were quite unfounded. Digger spent the day learning his new environment. He didn't offer to pester the cats at all. If he bothers them now, he only wants to play. He's all puppy and on the go all day long. At night, he starts to unwind and relax. He's very respectful of our sleep time and either amuses himself with a toy or sleeps himself. Even though he's like a little bullet, if I pick him up, he's very calm and still.

He's a quick learner too! I've already taught him to sit and to sit up for a treat! He takes corrections really well. I just hope he's as quick to housebreak. It will probably take several months, since he's only six months old. Patience.

Yesterday, he made his first visit to Dr. K. He had all of his vaccinations and was neutered. It didn't stop him for a minute. They said to keep him quiet for the next 10 days. Yeah, right. I'm just trying to watch him to make sure everything's o.k. That's about the best I can do. There's no slowing him down. Dr. K gave him a good once over, mostly for my own piece of mind, and he's completely healthy!! YAY!

He's at home, unsupervised for the day for the very first time. Mom is going to look in on him, but other than that, he's into the normal routine. I tried to puppy proof the house, but we'll see. He's not really a chewer upper. He just likes to pick things up and run around with them in his mouth. I may have a different opinion on that tomorrow though. So far, so good. Everything's just peachy keen, and I'm totally happy with my decision to bring him home. I have new pictures and even a video. In my hurry to get the pet day stuff this morning, I left it at home by mistake. I'll have them tomorrow. Now, if I can just decide on a name. Casey likes Shingo the Dingo. I'm voting for Hopper or Murphy. Which do you guys like?

Coming Home!!!

Digger is coming home first thing tomorrow morning. I'm taking a long weekend to make sure things go well with the other dogs. I'll be back Wednesday with LOADS of pictures, I'm sure. I'M SO EXCITED!!!

View 2

I just realized that I have a second shot of Digger. So here he is:

Visiting

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement for me to adopt Digger. I'm hoping to get back into town early enough today to go and visit him. We stopped at PetsMart yesterday and got him a toy (we call it a "woobie") to keep in the kennel with him. We took the squeaker out, so he won't drive the office staff and other dogs crazy with it. I hope that they'll let him have it. It's made flat with no stuffing. I've only got the one picture of him at the moment, but I'm going to try and take some this afternoon. He's got so much energy and bounce, that it he may make it difficult for me. I'll also try to get some little video clips of him playing. Does anybody have any suggestions for new names?

The Meeting

I didn't think the day would ever end yesterday! By 3:00 p.m., I was so excited. We had told the office that we would be there to meet Digger between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. They have recently added a really nice adoption room, so you can be alone and get to know the dog. They brought Digger in, and let me tell you, he's as cute as a little button!! He's a little younger than we had originally thought. He's between 6 and 8 months. He's a dachshund/chihuahua mix and weighs just under 10 lbs. He's got such a nice personality. Of course he went bonkers at first playing, because he had been in his kennel all day. He likes toys and plays a rough little game of fetch. He would let us roll him over and rub his belly, so he doesn't seem to have any dominance issues. He also likes to cuddle!! I somehow got the details wrong, because he isn't neutered yet. We spent nearly an hour getting to know him, and YES, we are going to take him. He's still there right now, while we work out neutering arrangements and the best time to get him. I wanted to make sure he was neutered, before we bring him home. I want to avoid any issues with Bear. I'm going to go back down tomorrow afternoon and visit him. I'm SO excited. Now Casey and I have to decide, if we want to keep his name or give him a new one. I like those kinds of decisions!

Taking the Plunge

Well, we've decided to go and meet Digger. I really do appreciate all of the encouraging comments! I got most of his details yesterday. He weighs just under 10 lbs. So far, he's very friendly to other dogs and cats. I just hope he's as nice as his picture is. Today's meeting is only preliminary with me and Casey. If everything goes well, I'll take Bear down to meet him. Casey and I have to be at a 6:00 p.m. meeting tonight, so we are just heading straight home after work. I'll give you all the details tomorrow. Cross your fingers......

Should or Shouldn't I?

I'm only into my second week without Slate. Last week, I promised myself that I would take my time to heal. I wouldn't rush out and get a "replacement" dog to fill my emptiness; one would find me in good time. Then I received a picture of a tiny dachshund mix named Digger yesterday to post at my newspaper blog. His picture spoke to me and is still speaking today. He's on borrowed time at the county animal control facility. I've e-mailed my friend that works down there with several of questions. Now I have to decide if I should go meet him. What do you guys think? Should or shouldn't I?????

Digger

Something to Make Me Smile

Now THIS puts a BIG smile on my face. A mama chihuahua adopts a litter of baby squirrels click HERE to watch.

Weird

I'm trying so hard to get back to normal. It seems that I have one good day and one bad day. It's been so hard to blog this week. I just hate going back to the house right now. Slate had such a big spirit that the house just feels so empty. Even the rest of the dogs are acting weird. They just know. Even though Slate was a little dog, it has taken us most of the week to get his little grave ready. The drought sure has made the ground hard. We're supposed to pick him up this afternoon, and I'm dreading it. We decided to wait until today, so we'd have his place ready. My good friend, Elaine, bought me a beautiful stone to mark the spot, and I have his little backyard stepping stone, with his name, that I made years ago. My brother has LOTS of marigold seeds that he's going to plant on top, and they will come back every year. Hopefully, afterwards, I can begin to move on a little bit.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to the most wonderful and the most bestest husband in the whole world!! I love you!!

Goodbye, My Friend

I just wanted you all to know that Slate crossed the bridge on Sunday morning. All last week, his stomach had been swelling. When we dropped him off at Dr. K's on Friday, we asked for a recheck for his stomach. Dr. K had to draw fluid off on both Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. His heart was just giving out. Dr. K called me around 10:00 a.m Sunday morning to give me the news. He said that he'd eaten a good breakfast and gone out to potty. He came back in and just laid down and went to sleep. Dr. K said that he'd planned to meet us Monday afternoon at pickup to let us know that it was time for "the decision", so this was definitely the best way. He said that he didn't suffer, and he wasn't in any pain.

Although I miss him terribly, I'm glad that he did it on his own terms, and didn't suffer at the end. He's at peace now and not sick or suffering. His little spirit was HUGE, and there is a large vacancy at my house right now. I'll always miss his sunny attitude. Hopefully, someday, I'll see him again. Goodbye Slate. You were my faithful friend to end, and you will be missed terribly. I had planned on posting the passage "The Rainbow Bridge", but decided on the following:

The Journey

When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet also test your strength and courage.

If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark.

Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures - jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.

If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information. Your pace may be slower - except when heading home to the food dish - but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field.

Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details - the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig. Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows: that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own.

Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting on a screen, (How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important details slip by.

You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie - with a cat in hot pursuit, all in the name of love.

Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound. You will learn the true measure of love - the steadfast, undying kind that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together." Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race.

And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.

If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be - the one they were proud to call beloved friend.

I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down.

And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet's time on earth is far too short - especially for those that love them. We borrow them, really, just for awhile, and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left.

The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always knew that this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken.

But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead - young and whole once more. "Godspeed, good friend," we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again.

~ Written by Crystal Ward Kent ~