Puppy Love, Chickens Coming Soon, and Other Pictures

I haven't had much time to sit down at a computer lately, so here is a quick update in pictures!

 It seems like every time Tim and Grant plan to work on the Hen House a storm comes in. Despite the poor weather they have come a long way. In fact, it is almost finished! Can't wait to pick up our hens.

The escape hatch (or hen sized door.)

The cover on the vent. This will stay shut until the weather warms up enough to use it.

Gretchen got plenty of love from everyone this Thanksgiving and throughout the weekend. Luckily we have family that let us take her to their homes. Thanks Teri and Grant, LeAnn and Neil, and Bec and Dave!

She still seems so little, but is growing like a weed. I'm sure one day she'll take up most of this dog bed.

 Getting festive. The wreath is fresh cut (although now that I look closer it is missing some berries!) The holly is from our backyard. I am hoping to add a little more color to it sometime soon.

The Amy Butler Sunday Sling I made for Teri. A lovely bag for a special lady.

 The reversible side.

Tim and Gretchen having fun in the leaves.

 

Gretchen's new favorite spot. She loves to try and do whatever Timber does.

Cuddling.

Over the last two weeks I picked up the cold that seems to be going around town. You know, the one that gets in your chest and lasts anywhere from three to five weeks. Plenty of tea, a humidifier, and lots of cough drops later I am finally feeling almost normal although Tim still cringes when I cough in the morning. Yuck.

We have also been had a great time taking Gretchen to Puppy Class (where she learns manners and tricks) and Puppy Playtime (where she learns to play appropriately with other dogs.) Each lasts approximately an hour once a week, not counting the homework they give. Several people have asked me why I am taking her to class, not to mention paying for it, when I already know the basics of dog training. I figure why not do the best for my puppy when the timing is right. Socialization is key at this age, and it is just as important for her to meet other puppies and learn how to play "nice" as it is for Gretchen to learn how to behave around people. For a small investment we will have a well behaved, fully trained dog in much less time than I could do on my own. I have learned all kinds of new tricks for training and am so impressed with Calling All Dogs and their beautiful facility. Not to mention it is a fun activity to get out of the house and spend some quality time with Tim, who always impresses me with his endless patience with the puppy. He is just as smitten with her as I am, if not more. I'm sure Timber, Lady, Lola, and Charcoal all enjoy a little break from the puppy a few hours each weekend although they are adjusting incredibly well to having her around.

Lemons to Lemonade

One of my passions in life is being an animal advocate and giving a voice to those who don't have one. I know how fortunate I am to be able to help them day to day and have a job that I enjoy instead of the daily grind that some people face.

I am also fortunate to have the companionship of several rescue animals. All of them might have began with what some might have called "lemons." Lady was thrown from an overpass by teenagers. She suffered two broken hips and two broken legs. She had some arthritis the next winter, but after that she never looked back. She loves children and is still excited to take trips to the dog park. She is like a cat that has nine lives and just keeps on surprising us despite a heart that could give out at any minute. Tim fell in love with Lady the moment he met her and has taken special care of her ever since.

Lady and Timber cuddling in the morning. I adore how much the enjoy each other.

Next came Timber, a dog who was going to be euthanized at a young age because the primary owner didn't care for her anymore. I immediately recognized the intelligence in her eyes and it didn't take long before she became my little shadow. She has shown me a loyalty I didn't know was possible.

Lola was a stray cat in heat that figured out in three days that if I could boss around two big dogs so could she. Her nickname is evil princess because she can be the sweetest thing when she likes, or change into a total cranky pants.

 Lola being sweet.

Charcoal was found in a laundry mat and crawled into my sister's lap despite a broken leg. Now he is my second little shadow around the house and loves to cuddle with me anytime I decide to take a nap or get ready for bed. Like Lady, Charcoal also loves children and even spent Halloween night with me at the front door while I passed out candy.

Charcoal napping on Tim's lap.

It gives me piece of mind to know that in a nation where 3 million to 4 million animals that go to shelters are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats)*, I can provide an a home to a few of the companion animals that might have become part of that statistic. Sure it takes time, a fair amount of money, and lots of patience. But the return is more than worth it.

Since becoming a pet owner I have become a healthier person. A yard is not enough for the most dogs. They need walks, socialization with other dogs and people, and places to sniff. A begging look and a wagging tail can be all it takes to get Tim and I out of the house even when we are not in the mood. Most of our best conversations have been with a leash in hand and a dog leading the way. It has also provided a great opportunity to meet the neighborhood and get to know the area we live in. Being a dog owner has giving me the chance to become active in the community by attending town meetings and volunteering in cleaning up and maintenance of the local dog park. It also provides a chance to teach the neighborhood children about properly caring for animals and meeting their needs (things like don't get a puppy if you aren't willing to pick up every single poop it does!) The cats and dogs all give Tim and I an unwavering affection and unconditional love. Knowing that I can return that love and give them my very best until the last of their days is gratifying. Unfortunately, we know that our dogs are getting old and their days are getting numbered.

 We recently had the opportunity to take in another "lemon." A golden retriever puppy named Gretchen that was unsellable and needed a home where the owners could have her heart checked frequently. We carefully weighed the pros and cons and came to the conclusion that she had found the perfect home. She is a sweet, submissive pup that we hope will grow into the perfect family dog. Golden retrievers are known for their kind temperaments and being good with children.There will be a lot of work ahead of us including several puppy training classes so that Gretchen can achieve a Canine Good Citizen status and possibly even become a therapy dog. There will be a year or two of puppy behavior and all the growing pains that come with it (house training, mat training, chewing and learning appropriate toys to gnaw on, socialization,and budgeting money to take care of a puppy and get her fixed.) We know that if she doesn't grow into a well behaved dog that it will most likely be our fault. Turning a puppy into a good dog takes an investment of time and money and Tim and I decided that now is the time to attempted it before children come along and need our time and money. We couldn't be happier about our promising future with our first puppy, Gretchen, and the opportunity to take a "lemon" and make more "lemonade."

 

Gretchen the first day I met her.

Twila, Gretchen's sister.

The sisters sleeping.

 

Cuddling together in their crate.

 

Flying nun ears on Twila. We are baby-sitting her for the weekend when she will be ready to go to her new home.

 

Working on puppy training and socialization. Lucky for us the clinic we got Gretchen from already began training (she can sit, is getting the idea of what it means to go potty outside, and has been well socialized with people and dogs.)

*Statics came from the ASPCA.

A Week of Visitors

Tim's parents were out of town for part of last week so we were lucky enough to dog sit for them. Jake spent a lot of time perched on the back of the couch (Timber's usual spot) making sad faces and watching for them to come back. Lola is hissing at Bear, who she liked to slap in the face and boss around.

Here are Lady and Bear after a walk. I love Bear's happy face!

Yep, definitely missed Teri and Grant.

Timber and Bear relaxing after a walk.

My nephew had been waiting to help out with the Hen House ever since we mentioned building it, so we had him and my niece sleep over Saturday. This is after the first coat of paint. He is a hard little worker.

One of Bear's favorite things in the whole world is a hose. This is a neighbor friend giving him some water. Later Bear laid down next to the hose hoping someone would turn it back on.

Taking a little break from the painting.

Jake hanging out under a table, safe from being stepped on by any big dogs. The weather this weekend couldn't have been more perfect!

Bear wishing someone would turn back on the hose.

We made "Monster Eyes" to pass out to the neighbors. *Thanks Jessi and Ali for teaching me how to make the cake balls :)

Bear stayed up stairs for the entire several days he was here. He was terrified of going down stairs. It was too funny watching him peek his cute face around the corner down at us. Tim and Bear were both exhausted after a day of play here.

Isaac and Dave came over to go to the dog park with us. We had six people, six dogs, and lots of fun.

Putting the second coat on.

We chose "Candy Apple Red"....at first it looks a little pink then dries to a nice bright red.

My nephew loves to help out, so when he found out that Tim needed to mow the lawn he offered to do it.

In the meantime, my cute niece helped me gather leaves from the front garden beds. We took them to the back yard and put them on the lawn to be mowed and put in the compost. Tim and I had so much fun with the kids and love that they had fun helping us with our work.

Now to put on the roof, a few latches and hinges, and we will be all ready for the hens!

Lola discovered the gopher (?) hole. She sniffed around it, tried to reach her claws in and pull something out, than sat for over an hour just waiting to try and catch it.

Every time the door rang with trick-or-treaters Charcoal would run to the door and greet them. They thought he was a great little Halloween cat.

Lola was up to her usual shenanigans, climbing and balancing on things. I put up the baby gate so Timber's bark wouldn't scare off the little kids. Lady slept through most of it. I heard that there weren't a lot of kids last year, so I only bought one bag of candy and a bag of plastic frogs that jump. Within forty-five minutes everything was gone and I had to run to the store for more.