Hello to everyone that has been following this blog. I have been ill, but am now back and healthy. This piece will be on Greyhound adoption. The month of April is "adopt a Greyhound" month. These gentle creatures make fabulous pets. And, it is a myth that they need lots of room. They are mostly couch potatoes that need 5 min. of exercise a day, to be content.
Now, if you are looking for a watchdog, the Greyhound is not it. They are quiet creatures. They can be reserved around strangers, so socializing the young pup or younger dog is essential. But, they have been known to be very protective of their families.
Also, this hound has a high prey drive. So, leashing them when in an open area is a must. If you have a fenced in area, that is secure, then you can let them run. This is very prevalent in ex-racers.
Here are some phone numbers and sites to go to or call, to inquire about adopting a racer.
Nat'l Greyhound Adoption Network - 800-446-8637
Greyhound Pets of America - www.greyhoundpets.org
The Greyhound Project - www.adopt-a-greyhound.org
Greyhound Adoption League of Texas - www.greyhoundadoptiontx.org
Greyhound Friends for Life - www.greyhoundfriendsforlife.org
Greyhounds Galore - www.greyhoundsgalore.com
Greyhound Rescue of Idaho - www.greyhoundrescueofidaho.org
Contact any of these to get info on how to adopt one of this gentle giants.
Kallee and Tamara
A Beautiful Summer Day.
Madam Kallee, CTD, CGC - 1994-2005 - Certified Therapy Dog and a Canine Good Citizen
I am so pretty!
Kallee, T.D.I., CGC - Certified Therapy Dog and a Canine Good Citizen - 1994-2005
I loved to pose for the camera.
Hat Girl.
The things I do for my mom!
Happiness.
Bubby knows how to scratch a tummy.
Best of Friends.
Mine! No, Mine!, No Mine!!!
Whew !
Bubby wears me out!
This is the Life.
Just relaxing with bubby.
Kallee and Mr. Monkey
See Mr. Monkey? Wanna play?
Miss Cool.
I loved to wear my shades.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Duties Of A Dog Groomer.
On my blog called Fighting Dog Abuse, I had a person, anonymously, asked just what does a dog groomer do. Well, I will tell you, as I was a groomer for over 25 yrs. I am a graduate of Nash Academy of Animal Arts in Lexington, KY, and am certified by National Dog Groomers Association of America, and International Dog Groomers, Inc. This means that I have met the strict standards of the elite certification of both the United States and the United Kingdom. Our duties include: When a dog comes into a grooming salon, I would look at the dog, ask the owner what they would like done.
If the owner says I want my dog to look like it should, i.e. a Scottish Terrier, and the dog is not matted, I would cut that dog in the standard as required in the A.K.C. This means it will look like the picture in the A.K.C. dog book. First, I "rough in" the dog. This means I do a rough cut of the coat, cut the head coat, scissor the eyebrows, clean out the stop (between the eyes), scissor any stray hair at the inside corner of the eyes, shave the private area, scissor around the anal area, clean out the pads of the feet, clean the inside of the ears, and cut the toenails.
Then the dog goes to the bath. The anal glands are expressed in the bath for easier clean up. After the bath, it is blown dry, known as fluff drying. Then the dog comes back to me, and I do what is called "the finish." I go back over the coat with the clippers. (Clippers are used for pet dogs, show dogs are hand stripped) I touch up the eyebrows, and the tuffs on the ears, scissor the skirt for evenness.
If the owner wants the dog stripped down, then I take the clippers and use a 5 F or 7F blade, and go over the entire dog. This is called a Kennel Clip. I clean the pads, shave the belly, scissor the anal area, clean ears and cut the nails. We call this "Pads, ears, nails and belly or PENB. In the bath, the anal glands are expressed, too. Most of your pet dogs are done in the Kennel Clip for easy maintenance at home. On pet Lhasa's and Shih Tzu's, Havenese, or any dog that has a long coat, I try to get the owner to let me do a 1/2" clip for summer, or a 1" clip for winter. This leaves some coat and the dog does not look so skinny and bare.
On smooth coated dogs, they usually just get a bath, nails and ears cleaned. The pads of the feet are cleaned, too. On some long-coated breeds that the owner does not want a cut, we just do a bath and brush out, along with the PENB (Pads, ears, nails and belly, including the anal area.)
If the owner says I want my dog to look like it should, i.e. a Scottish Terrier, and the dog is not matted, I would cut that dog in the standard as required in the A.K.C. This means it will look like the picture in the A.K.C. dog book. First, I "rough in" the dog. This means I do a rough cut of the coat, cut the head coat, scissor the eyebrows, clean out the stop (between the eyes), scissor any stray hair at the inside corner of the eyes, shave the private area, scissor around the anal area, clean out the pads of the feet, clean the inside of the ears, and cut the toenails.
Then the dog goes to the bath. The anal glands are expressed in the bath for easier clean up. After the bath, it is blown dry, known as fluff drying. Then the dog comes back to me, and I do what is called "the finish." I go back over the coat with the clippers. (Clippers are used for pet dogs, show dogs are hand stripped) I touch up the eyebrows, and the tuffs on the ears, scissor the skirt for evenness.
If the owner wants the dog stripped down, then I take the clippers and use a 5 F or 7F blade, and go over the entire dog. This is called a Kennel Clip. I clean the pads, shave the belly, scissor the anal area, clean ears and cut the nails. We call this "Pads, ears, nails and belly or PENB. In the bath, the anal glands are expressed, too. Most of your pet dogs are done in the Kennel Clip for easy maintenance at home. On pet Lhasa's and Shih Tzu's, Havenese, or any dog that has a long coat, I try to get the owner to let me do a 1/2" clip for summer, or a 1" clip for winter. This leaves some coat and the dog does not look so skinny and bare.
On smooth coated dogs, they usually just get a bath, nails and ears cleaned. The pads of the feet are cleaned, too. On some long-coated breeds that the owner does not want a cut, we just do a bath and brush out, along with the PENB (Pads, ears, nails and belly, including the anal area.)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Military Dogs In Iraq. Sniffing Out Danger And Saving Lives.
Whether sniffing out bombs or patrolling bases, military working dogs (MWDs) assist their human counterparts in ways that only a canine can. The military has developed other instruments to detect the presence of dangerous chemicals and bomb making substances, “but nothing that compares to a dog,” says Sergeant John Dornstadter Jr. of the Multi-National Division and a Military Working Dog Assistant Program Manager in Baghdad. “The MWDs are typically more productive at finding hidden things because they use their sense of smell alone without the sense of sight, sound or touch. A soldier has no other means while searching an area other than to physically see or touch,” putting them at risk because they must get much closer to something in order to thoroughly investigate.
The best dogs for the job, says Dornstadter, have an excellent sense of smell, a strong play/prey drive, some aggressiveness and the ability to learn. Most MWDs begin training between one to three years of age and after several months of rigorous schooling are paired up with their handler. For Dornstadter and his dog, Benni, who have been together two years now, it was a fairly easy process; a good grooming and a few days of playing fetch. But some have to work a little harder to form that special bond. “I have also seen handlers who have slept outside of their MWD’s kennel just for the dog to become more comfortable and accustomed to them,” says Dornstadter.
Once out in the field the MWDs are eager to put their new skills to use and earn the reward of a job well done, in Benni’s case a rubber chew toy. Most MWDs are rewarded with a toy or play rather than food, as army veterinarians keep them on a strict diet. But what’s makes Benni and other dogs so uniquely suited for this type of work is not just their sense of smell; it’s their ability to react consistently to a stimulus. While human beings judge and react to a situation based on reasoning, what they think it means, a dog will simply react.
A well-trained dog will respond to a particular stimulus the same way each and every time, allowing the handler to know exactly what it senses. The military dogs’ work is invaluable in helping soldiers quickly assess a situation and determine possible dangers. In the field that time can often equate to safety and lives. When it comes down to it, not even the latest in technology can come close to man’s best friend, “There really is no comparison to the amount of time they save,” says Seargent Dornstadter.
The best dogs for the job, says Dornstadter, have an excellent sense of smell, a strong play/prey drive, some aggressiveness and the ability to learn. Most MWDs begin training between one to three years of age and after several months of rigorous schooling are paired up with their handler. For Dornstadter and his dog, Benni, who have been together two years now, it was a fairly easy process; a good grooming and a few days of playing fetch. But some have to work a little harder to form that special bond. “I have also seen handlers who have slept outside of their MWD’s kennel just for the dog to become more comfortable and accustomed to them,” says Dornstadter.
Once out in the field the MWDs are eager to put their new skills to use and earn the reward of a job well done, in Benni’s case a rubber chew toy. Most MWDs are rewarded with a toy or play rather than food, as army veterinarians keep them on a strict diet. But what’s makes Benni and other dogs so uniquely suited for this type of work is not just their sense of smell; it’s their ability to react consistently to a stimulus. While human beings judge and react to a situation based on reasoning, what they think it means, a dog will simply react.
A well-trained dog will respond to a particular stimulus the same way each and every time, allowing the handler to know exactly what it senses. The military dogs’ work is invaluable in helping soldiers quickly assess a situation and determine possible dangers. In the field that time can often equate to safety and lives. When it comes down to it, not even the latest in technology can come close to man’s best friend, “There really is no comparison to the amount of time they save,” says Seargent Dornstadter.
Friday, January 25, 2008
World's Smallest Dog Postponed At Boyd County Public Library.
ASHLAND -- The scheduled visit of Boo Boo, the world's smallest dog, to the Boyd County Public Library has been postponed. Boo Boo and her owner Lana Elswick, of Raceland, Ky., were scheduled to visit Saturday, Jan. 26, but had to rescheduled because of an appearance on today's edition of "The Today Show."
Boo Boo, a four-inch, one-pound and five-ounce Chihuahua, received her "smallest" designation from the Guinness Book of World Records this past fall. The visit to the library will be rescheduled but a date hasn't been set. On a personal note, I saw this little dog in person last summer in KY.
We had stopped at a gas station off the interstate and pulled into the station, stopped at the pumps and shut the vehicle off. I looked over to my right and sitting on the dashboard of this nice Chevy truck, sat this long-haired chihuahua, so darn cute. If it wasn't the world's smallest, it sure came in very, very close second.
source: The Herald-Dispatch.
Boo Boo, a four-inch, one-pound and five-ounce Chihuahua, received her "smallest" designation from the Guinness Book of World Records this past fall. The visit to the library will be rescheduled but a date hasn't been set. On a personal note, I saw this little dog in person last summer in KY.
We had stopped at a gas station off the interstate and pulled into the station, stopped at the pumps and shut the vehicle off. I looked over to my right and sitting on the dashboard of this nice Chevy truck, sat this long-haired chihuahua, so darn cute. If it wasn't the world's smallest, it sure came in very, very close second.
source: The Herald-Dispatch.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Deputy, Service Dog Honored During Emotional Memorial Service.
I just felt compelled to cut/paste this story. I am a former member of the Herald Dispatch Editorial Board in Huntington, WV.
Herald-Dispatch.com
PINEVILLE, Ky. — Sean Pursifull had a simple answer when faced with a challenge on the job as a deputy sheriff in rural southeastern Kentucky: “let’s go.” Often, the Bell County deputy Pursifull was joined by his K-9 service dog King. The two became popular figures at local schools, educating students about the dangers of drug use and making 69 arrests during their three years together. On Sunday the two were laid to rest side-by-side at Fuson Family Cemetery following an emotional service at Bell County High, as hundreds of mourners — many of them fellow law enforcement officers — paid their final respects.
Pursifull and King were killed early Thursday morning when their parked cruiser was struck by a car driven by David Poppiti, 17. Poppiti and Eric Gerren, 16, were trying to elude police after a gas station drive-off. They have been charged with murder and assault of a service animal. The teens pleaded not guilty during their closed arraignment in district court Friday according to head public defender for Bell County Linda West.
Over 900 people packed the high school during the service, hundreds of them law enforcement officials from the tri-state area. A sea of uniform hats filled the gymnasium, while the funeral procession was packed with law-enforcement vehicles.
Herald-Dispatch.com
PINEVILLE, Ky. — Sean Pursifull had a simple answer when faced with a challenge on the job as a deputy sheriff in rural southeastern Kentucky: “let’s go.” Often, the Bell County deputy Pursifull was joined by his K-9 service dog King. The two became popular figures at local schools, educating students about the dangers of drug use and making 69 arrests during their three years together. On Sunday the two were laid to rest side-by-side at Fuson Family Cemetery following an emotional service at Bell County High, as hundreds of mourners — many of them fellow law enforcement officers — paid their final respects.
Pursifull and King were killed early Thursday morning when their parked cruiser was struck by a car driven by David Poppiti, 17. Poppiti and Eric Gerren, 16, were trying to elude police after a gas station drive-off. They have been charged with murder and assault of a service animal. The teens pleaded not guilty during their closed arraignment in district court Friday according to head public defender for Bell County Linda West.
Over 900 people packed the high school during the service, hundreds of them law enforcement officials from the tri-state area. A sea of uniform hats filled the gymnasium, while the funeral procession was packed with law-enforcement vehicles.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Pet Cemeteries.
On May 15th of 2005, my soul-mate, Kallee, passed away in her sleep. She and I had been together for 13 yrs. She died on a Sunday. The man I had been with for close to 15 yrs. was kind enough to let me bury her on his farm. My husband now, went with me to dig her grave and bury her. As I sat with her body, wrapped in her favorite blanket, I looked around. She was being buried along with many other animals that had belonged to his family.
Like me, his family, and him, loved animals and wanted to bury them with dignity and in a familiar surrounding. When I became a member of his family, we purchased a beautiful Rottweiler named Cratty's Von Maxwell, or Max for short. Max was not my first dog, however. My parents loved Dalmations and I grew up with 3 of them.
The female, my father named Taryton, after the cigarette, because she had a black patch over one eye, died in 1982. Kenny,(my ex), buried her in the backyard of his mother's house. In 1983, we purchased Max. Helen, (my mother-in law), deeded the property where she grew up, on Homestead Rd., across from the Jenkins Plantation, in the Powell Wetlands on Rt. 2, Lesage, WV, to Kenny.
Max was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had to be euthenized in 1992. He became the first member of the cemetery. In this private cemetery, there is a Llama, 2 pygmy goats, a miniature horse, another Rottie, named Ralph, and a mix called Mikey. Kallee was the last to be buried there. Burying an animal on your property, as far as I am concerned, is the ultimate last show of love.
Pet cemeteries that offer burial or cremation services are a fabulous idea. This gives people that don't have the property to bury their beloved pet on, a means of showing that last bit of love and respect to their pets. I know many people feel that animals don't need a funeral. To those people I say, "you obviously have never owned a pet. Because if you had, you would not feel that way."
Like me, his family, and him, loved animals and wanted to bury them with dignity and in a familiar surrounding. When I became a member of his family, we purchased a beautiful Rottweiler named Cratty's Von Maxwell, or Max for short. Max was not my first dog, however. My parents loved Dalmations and I grew up with 3 of them.
The female, my father named Taryton, after the cigarette, because she had a black patch over one eye, died in 1982. Kenny,(my ex), buried her in the backyard of his mother's house. In 1983, we purchased Max. Helen, (my mother-in law), deeded the property where she grew up, on Homestead Rd., across from the Jenkins Plantation, in the Powell Wetlands on Rt. 2, Lesage, WV, to Kenny.
Max was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had to be euthenized in 1992. He became the first member of the cemetery. In this private cemetery, there is a Llama, 2 pygmy goats, a miniature horse, another Rottie, named Ralph, and a mix called Mikey. Kallee was the last to be buried there. Burying an animal on your property, as far as I am concerned, is the ultimate last show of love.
Pet cemeteries that offer burial or cremation services are a fabulous idea. This gives people that don't have the property to bury their beloved pet on, a means of showing that last bit of love and respect to their pets. I know many people feel that animals don't need a funeral. To those people I say, "you obviously have never owned a pet. Because if you had, you would not feel that way."
Friday, December 21, 2007
Slain Marine's Dog Adopted By His Family.
ALBANY, Ga. (AP) — A military working dog wounded in Iraq during a rocket attack that killed its Marine handler was adopted Friday by the slain Marine’s family. The adoption of Lex, an 8-year-old German Shepherd, by the family of fallen Marine Cpl. Dustin Lee marked the first time the U.S. military has granted early retirement to a working dog so it could live with a former handler’s family, officials said.
“Nobody can do anything to replace the void in this family,” said Col. Christian Haliday, commander of the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, where Lee and Lex were assigned. “We hope Lex can bring a small piece of his spirit and help maintain his memory.” On hand for the ceremony at the base were the Marine’s parents, Jerome and Rachael Lee, his sister, Mattie, 16, and brother, Cameron, 12, of Quitman, Miss.
“It’s not going to bring back my brother, but it’s something close to it,” said Mattie Lee as she played with Lex after the ceremony. Lee’s family planned to take the bomb-sniffing dog home on Saturday. Military officials initially told the family that Lex had another two years of service before he could be adopted.
But the family lobbied for months — even enlisting the aid of a North Carolina congressman — and the adoption came exactly nine months after the 20-year-old Marine was killed and his dog wounded on March 21 in Iraq’s Anbar Province. 2nd Lt. Caleb Eames, spokesman for the Albany base, said Lee and Lex were sitting outside at a forward operating base in Karmah when they were hit by shrapnel from a 73mm rocket explosion.
“A part of Dustin is in Lex,” said the fallen Marine’s father. “To have Lex at home is a part of having Dustin at home.” Rachael Lee said she believes her son’s spirit will live on through the dog because of their close bond and because they were together during the final moments of her son’s life. “It was blood on blood,” she said. “We can’t get Dustin back, but we have Lex.”
While Marines tried to treat Lee’s wounds, another dog handler was sent to take Lex for treatment, said Staff Sgt. Dana Brown, the regional kennel master for the pair in Iraq. “Lex, from my understanding, was kind of laying on him or near him, protecting him,” Brown said in an interview from the Quantico Marine Base in Virginia. “He just didn’t want to leave him. He knew he belonged there and something was wrong.
Even though he was hurting, he knew he was supposed to stay by his handler.” Brown flew back with Lex to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where the dog’s wounds were treated and she accompanied Lex to Lee’s funeral in April. After 12 weeks of treatment for shrapnel wounds in the shoulder and back, Lex was declared fit for duty and returned to his permanent home at the Albany base.
Brown said Lee and Lex stood out among more than 40 bomb-sniffing dog teams under her supervision, and they performed so well she chose them and one other team to be embedded full-time with specialized units — a Marine reconnaissance unit in Lee’s case. It was Lex’s second tour in Iraq, the first with another handler. “He was cocky,” Brown said of Lee. “He knew he was good and he and his dog were unstoppable.”
Lee joined the Marines after graduating from high school in 2004. His father said his desire to become a dog handler came from the Marine’s mother, who worked with search-and-rescue dogs when Lee was a boy. After completing military police and dog handler training, Lee was assigned to the Albany base in southwestern Georgia. He adopted his first partner, Doenja, and sent him home to Mississippi last year when that 11-year-old dog began losing his sight and had to retire. “Lex is in wonderful shape,” said Eames. “He’s fully operational. His most important mission now is making this wonderful family very happy.”
“Nobody can do anything to replace the void in this family,” said Col. Christian Haliday, commander of the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, where Lee and Lex were assigned. “We hope Lex can bring a small piece of his spirit and help maintain his memory.” On hand for the ceremony at the base were the Marine’s parents, Jerome and Rachael Lee, his sister, Mattie, 16, and brother, Cameron, 12, of Quitman, Miss.
“It’s not going to bring back my brother, but it’s something close to it,” said Mattie Lee as she played with Lex after the ceremony. Lee’s family planned to take the bomb-sniffing dog home on Saturday. Military officials initially told the family that Lex had another two years of service before he could be adopted.
But the family lobbied for months — even enlisting the aid of a North Carolina congressman — and the adoption came exactly nine months after the 20-year-old Marine was killed and his dog wounded on March 21 in Iraq’s Anbar Province. 2nd Lt. Caleb Eames, spokesman for the Albany base, said Lee and Lex were sitting outside at a forward operating base in Karmah when they were hit by shrapnel from a 73mm rocket explosion.
“A part of Dustin is in Lex,” said the fallen Marine’s father. “To have Lex at home is a part of having Dustin at home.” Rachael Lee said she believes her son’s spirit will live on through the dog because of their close bond and because they were together during the final moments of her son’s life. “It was blood on blood,” she said. “We can’t get Dustin back, but we have Lex.”
While Marines tried to treat Lee’s wounds, another dog handler was sent to take Lex for treatment, said Staff Sgt. Dana Brown, the regional kennel master for the pair in Iraq. “Lex, from my understanding, was kind of laying on him or near him, protecting him,” Brown said in an interview from the Quantico Marine Base in Virginia. “He just didn’t want to leave him. He knew he belonged there and something was wrong.
Even though he was hurting, he knew he was supposed to stay by his handler.” Brown flew back with Lex to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where the dog’s wounds were treated and she accompanied Lex to Lee’s funeral in April. After 12 weeks of treatment for shrapnel wounds in the shoulder and back, Lex was declared fit for duty and returned to his permanent home at the Albany base.
Brown said Lee and Lex stood out among more than 40 bomb-sniffing dog teams under her supervision, and they performed so well she chose them and one other team to be embedded full-time with specialized units — a Marine reconnaissance unit in Lee’s case. It was Lex’s second tour in Iraq, the first with another handler. “He was cocky,” Brown said of Lee. “He knew he was good and he and his dog were unstoppable.”
Lee joined the Marines after graduating from high school in 2004. His father said his desire to become a dog handler came from the Marine’s mother, who worked with search-and-rescue dogs when Lee was a boy. After completing military police and dog handler training, Lee was assigned to the Albany base in southwestern Georgia. He adopted his first partner, Doenja, and sent him home to Mississippi last year when that 11-year-old dog began losing his sight and had to retire. “Lex is in wonderful shape,” said Eames. “He’s fully operational. His most important mission now is making this wonderful family very happy.”
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