Reuben's Rescue Dog Pals

Recently, for approximately 3 months, I provided direct care services to a young adult man with developmental disabilities. In this case, he worked as a volunteer for 4 hours a day, at a local animal shelter, a job he totally loved. My job was to supervise this young man, which meant, I also got to socialize with the cats and walk the dogs and do all the important tasks volunteers are asked to do.

During this time period, a litter of 4 puppies was brought into the shelter and put-up for adoption. The first day they were in residence, I walked over and peered into the low walled puppy enclosure. There they were, the 4 of them,(all males)looking-up at me with big brown eyes and wagging tails! Then the apparent leader of this little pack, cocked his little head and said grrruphh.

It was Reuben, and it was love at first sight. It was an encounter which was meant to be and I immediately put in my adoption application for him.

Now, 6 months later and 60 pounds heavier, I have the biggest sweetest black and tan coonhound mix puppy ever. And boy is he smart. He has been my total Squidoo inspiration since day 1 and I'll bet there's many more just like him out there looking for a home.

gmarlett, Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

My Dog Won't Stop Peeing in the House!

The saying, adopt a dog, save a life has never embodied a more urgent a plea. Across the fruited plain, in cities, towns and hamlets, upscale, downscale and no scale communities, dogs are being abandoned and too often forgotten. Confused and frightened, dogs and puppies are simply left alone without food or water in foreclosed homes. Others are dropped off on lonely roads, in parks and woodlands. The lucky ones have been given to new homes and families, to dog rescues or no kill dog shelters for later adoption.

Revealing just how the severe the crisis is, Sharon L. Peters of USA Today writes, " They're arriving by the thousands every month, homeless, hapless victims of foreclosure...are landing in...(dog) shelters in large numbers in some parts of the country.

And this is not an isolated occurrence "We're seeing more and more cases of people leaving their homes and dropping the dog off at the shelter and.... in the local park," says Michael Mountain, president of Best Friends Animal Society. "Sometimes they even just tie the dog up outside and drive off."

Eileen Drennen of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution brought it all home in with an actual case history "One abandoned dog Lt. Mary Lou Respess can't get out of her mind is a Chihuahua. He'd been tied up so long, said the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter manager, his collar had gotten embedded in his skin and had to be surgically removed. He's one of hundreds whose owners have left them behind.

Small enough to fit in a shoe box, this Chihuahua's guardians saw fit to abuse and desert their tiny dog.

While we are sympathetic to the plight of folks who are suffering as a result of the economic and mortgage meltdown we have zero tolerance for cruelty and neglect as demonstrated here.

And this abject cruelty and neglect extends across dog breeds and sizes as well.

In Stockton, California, Evelyn Nieves of the Associated Press wrote, "The house was ravaged by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull.

The dog found by workers was too far gone to save ..."

So what can be done?

Here's a few suggestions:

- The ASPCA suggests that you try to find someone to foster or adopt your dog. Check with your family, neighbors, friends, and coworkers.

- Make the effort to find a no-kill shelter. It's extra work but it is your responsibility. There is no excuse for taking the easy way out when your dog's life is at stake.

- Contact local dog rescue organizations to see if they can help you find a home.

- Advertise your adoptable dog in a dog-specific classified ad listing. Screen potential adopters carefully. Rescue groups can help you with a set of questions such as: where the dog will live and what would be a reason for them to get rid of a dog . Do not advertise "free dog" in your ad as there are unscrupulous people who will take free dogs with little regard for their well being and some have even sold family pets to animal testing labs.

- Contact your veterinarian. He/she may also be able to find a new home or temporary guardian for your dog. Never drop your dog off in a crate or box on the veterinarian's doorstep as this can be unsafe. He might escape or suffer from a lack of water or temperature fluctuation before help arrives.

- Contact your local animal shelter or animal control facility to see whether it will accept your dog and assist in finding it a new home .

- Support legislation in your area:

California, one the of states hit hardest by the sub-mortgage meltdown is considering Assembly Bill 2949, which would allow bank representatives to immediately seek potentially life-saving help for animals abandoned at foreclosed properties. The bill is supported by the ASPCA and the California Animal Association.

It is never OK to leave the family pet to fend for himself. There are options and we should all be compassionately vigilant to help educate those facing economic hardship that will tear them from their home and split up their family. Many people will welcome the help at a time when they simply don't know where to turn or what to do.

Others, sadly, will not be responsive to help and will continue to take the easy way out by abandoning their dogs. That's where all of us have a responsibility to work within our own communities, with dog rescues, veterinarians and dog shelters to help re-home man's best friend, when his family, in an act of inexcusable cruelty, forecloses on his love and loyalty and he is left behind.

Make a difference for a dog abandoned in a foreclosed home or whose family must give up their best friend. For information and resources on dog adoption and rescue visit us at Dogs 4 Life : http://www.dogs-4life.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Bruno http://EzineArticles.com/?Foreclosure-Dogs-Need-Your-Help&id=1252623

My Dog Won't Stop Chewing!

Tigger, the little fluff ball Pomeranian, is 8 years old and was purchased from a local breeder as a puppy. At the time, my daughter had insisted upon getting a Pomeranian puppy after meeting one at a local horse stable. She had some money left over from a trip to Athens Georgia, where she and her middle school team had represented the State of Maine at the Future Problem Solvers national competition.

Anyway, we searched the local papers for a pomeranian puppy, at a price which she could afford with her remaining funds. Finally, we found one and went to visit. Now we live in rural Maine and there doesn't happen to be a lot of dog breeders, although there does happen to be a lot of rural poverty.

Pulling up to the ramshackled trailers, I was a little hesitant. There were actually 2 trailers, one for people and the 2nd smaller one, was made into a kennel of sorts.Pulling into the driveway, there were 2 large rottweilers chained outside and barking. In the fenced-in area next to the small trailer were 4 or 5 rottweiler puppies and 1 pomeranian pup.

A pleasant young woman soon appeared and showed us her one remaining pomeranian pup. He was very personable and a little pathetic. We also got to see the pup's sire. Anyway, after some discussion and receipt of shot records and paperwork, our business was concluded and we left for home with our tiny "tigger" pup.

He is my constant shadow and companion, since my daughter was too busy with her horses to do much with him. He is everything you'd expect of a pomeranian. Smart, cunning, extremely bossy and a confirmed yapper. He bosses Reuben around and generally makes life miserable for him. You can see Tigger smiling about it in his attached picture.

gmarlett, Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

My Dog Won't Stop Barking!

My daughter rescued Reese (as in "Reeses Pieces")2 years ago when she was a working student at a horse stable in South Carolina. He had been abandoned along with his litter mates and had been hand raised by a woman who had found the pups at a vacant neighboring horse facility.

Catahoulas are very unique dogs in many ways and Reese is very special!

gmarlett, Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

My Dog Won't Stop Jumping on People!

Yes, Reuben your favorite Coon Hound rescue will soon be starting his first obedience training class. He invites you to come along and join him for class pictures and updates on his progress. Inspired by his friend Johann,Reuben would like to pursue a career. Join him on his adventure and help support dog and animal rescue everywhere!

(Reuben puppy picture - courtesy of Reuben)

gmarlett, Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

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