Poor, poor Bently!

My mom's new rescue dog, that I drove a distance for to rescue from euthanasia, was neutered two days ago, after he had gained some weight and gotten over a nasty case of kennel cough. Bently was advertised as a 10 year old dog, but the vet believes his age his probably half that! I nearly bought him a can of tennis balls to replace the ones he had lost.

But, all in all, he's recovered quite well. I was talking to my mom when he walked up and put my hand in his mouth. When I glanced down at him, he wiggled his tail and gave me a "big brown eyed" look, which I am a sucker for, and he's got a pretty good one going for him. Actually, that's probably the one thing I'll remember about him, long after he's gone and I'm getting long in the tooth myself. When I picked him up from the dog pound, he was curled tightly into a ball. He didn't even stand up, he just raised his head slightly and gazed up sadly with those two big brown eyes.

Now he's gaining about 3 pounds per week, getting way more hugs, scratches, and treats in a day than most dogs get in a month, and quite happily terrorizing my dad's dog, a former princess who still doesn't understand why her daddy hasn't cast out "that filthy mongrel."

After an early lunch today, I was pondering what the heck I could draw when I thought of one feat Merlin the Corgi has not yet attempted - surfing! Now, I was perhaps a bit more ambitious than I had talent, and was clueless about how to create waves crashing. However, after the fact, I think I ended up doing a marvelous job and I still can't believe little ole me drew it! So if you want a really cool surfer corgi t-shirt, well, support a starving artist and buy one of mine. Coming soon - hippie corgi!

So I've been really busy...

Busy designing new stuff, that is! I FINALLY, almost four years later, got the hang of drawing cartoons. So I've been drawing away! I'm trying to do a lot of breed specific stuff, which can be kinda tough, because a lot of breeds look so similar anyway. Add in the genericness of a cartoon, and poof, it COULD be that dog... or it could be another... Anyhow, I've been giving it my best shot. *I* like them, and I suppose that's what matters, right? Merlin our Pembroke Welsh Corgi is the subject of a good many designs... he's so freaking cute, I just can't help it!

I was having some little flashbacks the other day, about working in a pet store. Boy, if you love animals, I don't recommend working in a pet store! At least not a big chain. A smaller one is usually okay (I've done that too). I was reminded of some experiences I had, mostly because I am a huge bird lover. And, of course, I had to make some funny drawings about it. I think that a lot of it is stuff most people don't think about - until they've worked in a pet store.

The dogs are really itchy lately. I've tried, REALLY TRIED to do holistic flea control this year. I honestly think that if we hadn't had such a warm winter that it would have worked. As it is, it's only this month, really, that the dogs have started itching. I can't find a single flea anywhere, though, and nothing's biting me. Even after flea baths, I find nothing. So I'm not convinced it IS fleas, because I've never NOT seen a flea. I've had the humidifier on because that solves a lot of problems (and is GREAT for birds!) but it's not solving this one. Roofus did have some flea dirt on him at his last bath. But again - where are the stupid fleas??? I'm going to buy a couple single doses of Advantix or Frontline Plus and hopefully it's the only time I'll have to use it this year. I am not fond at all of putting powerful chemical pesticides on my pets. Especially when they have warnings all over the box that I have to wash my hands, not touch my pets for a while, etc. Scary!!

Not animal related...

So one of the people i chat occasionally with has some awesome artwork and drawings on sale at Cafepress. My absolute favorite design is this Geisha Girl design. Isn't it FABULOUS? This dood is really talented. I still can't make up my mind whether I want it on a t-shirt, magnet or what, I just know that it's great.

If you want to purchase this Geisha Girl t-shirt, the url to do so is http://www.cafepress.com/brev87/5814657. Of course, he has many great designs including urban wear, dragons, and other fantastic art. I wish I were that talented!

Pit Bull Saves Family from Fire

Dog credited with saving family from burning home

By Norb Franz
Macomb Daily Staff Writer


A bite to Matthew Duda's ankle by his pit bull terrier probably saved his life and the lives of his family.

Duda, 21, was jarred out of his sleep by the pain in his foot and tumbled out of bed early Thursday morning. From the floor, he saw Roxie staring at him - and flames along a wall, part of the ceiling and floor.

The Clinton Township man began yelling "Fire!" to alert his mother, Lori Duda, and his sisters, Amy, 24, and Alicia, 19, who were sleeping. They escaped the burning colonial on Touraine, near Canal and Hayes roads. Matthew let the family's other two dogs into the yard before he ran out - followed the whole time by Roxie.

"If it wasn't for my puppy I probably wouldn't be standing here," he said Friday afternoon in front of their charred home and debris scattered in the front yard.

Matthew, who suffered second-degree burns to his hip, said he didn't fully realize the heroic action of his 10-month-old dog until he was outside and noticed two red dots where he felt pain.
Teeth marks.

"It didn't dawn on me," he said, adding that Roxie doesn't fit the stereotype viciousness of the breed. Matthew figures Roxie was returning a favor; he says he rescued the malnourished puppy earlier this year from an acquaintance of a friend in Detroit.

Amy Duda said she was awakened by her brother's yelling. She grabbed a cell phone, the family's pet Calico cat and fled.

"I think I'm alive because of my brother Matt," she said. "All the firemen said if it wasn't for the dog we wouldn't have woken up."

When she initially heard her son yelling upstairs, Lori Duda didn't realize her family's safety was in jeopardy.

"I thought Matt was dreaming and yelling in his sleep. I went upstairs and saw smoke," she said.

The cause of the fire was an electrical short circuit, linked to a portable fan. The 1,600-square-foot house was destroyed by a combination of flames, smoke and water. The family is insured for their losses, but what remains of most of their belongings now fits into eight plastic storage bins.

The fan was in Lori's bedroom. She had suggested that Matthew sleep there instead of her late Wednesday because he arrived home late and she was still cleaning downstairs to prepare for a visit from out-of-town relatives.

Ironically, Lori initially opposed her son bringing Roxie into the house when he first got the pit bull because of the breed.

The playful pet is very friendly and quiet, although Roxie has ruined several shoes since they got her.

For grateful family members, that's now easily forgiven.

Terrible Car Accident

Popper was involved in a horrendous car accident!!



hehehee! He got the car as his reward for completing the first class of agility at BRAG. Three weeks later, he destroyed it. Easy come, easy go, I guess!

Interesting weekend...

Thursday evening I found an emergency post about a dog about to be euthanized at Muskingum County dog pound simply because he was old and they had to make room for the younger dogs that were more likely to be adopted. That was absolutely appalling to me, to put to sleep a perfectly good animal just because he's got higher mileage.

So I trotted on down there (120 miles round trip) and rescued him.

Then I had a minor panic attack about what to DO with him - I have five dogs of my own, after all!

Well, without going into too much detail, the next day I brought him to my parents' house with me while I went swimming... and he never left there again. :) My mom adores the dog, and he adores her right back. He was a very nonresponsive dog towards EVERYTHING - food, scratches, etc - he just stood there and acknowledged nothing. The first time he saw my mom, he trotted right up to her wagging his tail.

She's named him Bandit, and he is extremely underweight, has kennel cough, and god knows what else, but he's going to the vet to get all checked out and NEUTERED (yeah, pound neglected to mention he had his little friends) after he's recovered from his stay at the pound.

All's well that ends well. :)

Can't wait until one day when I have a lot of land - I'm going to set up a nice kennel area in a heated/ACd barn, and REALLY have my dog rescue going - Senior Scamps - where I'll only take in old dogs. When I was trying to find Bandit a home, rescue after rescue kept turning me down, because "older dogs are hard to move." Like they're merchandise!! So I will ONLY take in the older, the decrepit, the "retiring" pooches. This was my second rescue that I've rescued and rehomed... it's a good feeling. :)