The Dog Blog

Lolly's surgery!

2010-06-23T05:20:00.000-07:00

8:20a - Dropped Lolly off at Animal Medical Center for her spay, teeth cleaning and microchip. Big day for a little dog. Good luck, Lolly!

10:30a - Clinic called, and Lolly is finished with everything! She will be ready to go home between 3 and 5 :oD

10:30p - Just home from work and David has informed me that Lolly has been up and about and is coming around again. She still looks a little loopy.

Fin's Healthcare

2010-06-22T09:34:00.001-07:00

As many of my friends and family are aware, Fin has had several health issues growing up. Fin is a year and 3 months old, and around 8-9 months old he developed a persistent limp in his front right leg. Fin has had several blood work tests done, been x-rayed and put on an antibiotic therapy. Although the x-rays showed mild hip dysplasia and blood work showed presence of rocky mountain spotted fever antibodies, his front end limp goes on unexplained. He will be getting x-rays taken of his neck and back in the next few weeks. Fin is on 100mg rimadyl and glucosamine supplements daily. A week or so ago, Fin was wrestling like normal with his friend, Nero, and when he got up, couldn't put weight on the back left and front left legs. He is quite a mystery. My veterinarian is completely awesome, and she is working hard to find an answer for us. Although Fin goes through frequent aches and pains, he is in good spirits. I think he is a very happy dog despite the health problems.

Conway (aka Fenway)

2010-06-21T22:17:00.001-07:00

This gorgeous dog is located in a wonderful foster home in North Florida. Conway's foster dad says he is a sweet boy and is going to make a great pet for someone! I was very interested in Conway for the past few months before I got Tallulah. There is a woman trying to get Conway shipped to Arizona. She has had some complications that I'm not too sure on the details of, but it's not looking good for Conway. He is a handsome blue tick hound originally from Kentucky I believe. Take a look at this boy and maybe find it in your heart to take him in. He will need an active owner that knows the needs of a hunting style dog which basically entails A LOT of exercise. I want him, but three is my limit!

Fort Cooper State Park, 3100 S Old Floral City Road

2010-06-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Fort Cooper is a fascinating park with quite a bit of history behind it as it is located where the second Seminole Indian War took place. The park has about five miles of trails that leashed pets are welcome on. I would not recommend this park for dog lovers however. While there is a nice sandy beach, dogs are not permitted there. Fin and I took a hike around the park and found it to be filled with bugs like horse flies and ticks, ticks and more ticks. There is a good amount of wildlife in the forest. We encountered a deer just minutes after arriving. Although the park itself is beautiful, and I'm sure great for families, it was not what we had anticipated.

Pine Island Park, Weeki Wachee

2010-06-21T20:22:00.001-07:00

During the slow months for tourists, Pine Island Park is opened up for "soggie doggie days". Every other Saturday from September through March, the park is open to dogs and their owners from 8-10am. The cost to enter the park is $5, and like any county or state park, dogs must have current county and rabies tags. I have taken both Fin, who LOVES water, and Lolly, who in intolerant of water, and they have both enjoyed the beach. There is a children's playground at the center of the park. Vending machines, a rinse station and restrooms are available. There are two dog potty depots with plastic bags located on either side of the park for quick clean-ups. People are respectful of others for the most part, and there are many attendants to keep an eye on things. This is one of the few opportunities to let your dog run free off of the leash. If you have a dog who likes to run away from you though, it's not a good idea to bring him. There are residences in a close proximity to the beach, and the park is not fully enclosed due to the low water level. I have seen dolphins swimming here several times, and although the water is not the nicest, the wildlife and canine interactions certainly make up for it.

Honeymoon Island Dog Beach, One Causeway Blvd

2010-06-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

The dog beach at Honeymoon Island Park is every bit as romantic as it sounds. The water is beautiful washing over a gray sandy beach. Some areas are covered in broken shells and fiddler crabs. The dogs and I have never had a bad time at this location. You have to walk just over a mile to reach the beach, but when you do, it is well worth the scenic stroll. In the spring time, the walk gets pretty mucky. I've lost a sandal or two earlier in the year. By the summer, it dries up considerably, so I would recommend the summer time to check it out.

Anclote Key State Park, North Anclote Bar off of Bailey's Bluff

2010-06-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful little walk for you and your pet. Dogs must be kept on a leash six feet or shorter. The park offers a few trails in the woods. There is a canal running down one trail where you see people fishing and enjoying the sun. We have visited this park a hand full of times and each have been very pleasant. The people are friendly, and you won't pick up ticks in the forest areas. Once you walk down the trails for about a mile, it opens up into a nice sandy beach. There are many kinds of gulf birds and crustaceans. Often there are so few people that I let Fin and Lolly off the leash to run in the water which is not too deep. I have yet to see an attendant on the pet beach :) There is a short tower to climb in order to get a nice glimpse of the entire bar that you just walked. All and all, two paws up.

Rotary Centennial Dog Park, 10375 Sandlor Street

2010-06-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Fin and Lolly have been enjoying our local Rotary Centennial Dog Park since June 2009. The park has remained, for the most part, sanitary and well stocked on clean-up bags throughout the past year. Both dogs have made some great friends and some no-so-great acquaintances as well. Restrooms and a water fountain are located just across the parking lot from the enclosed play areas. The park offers well-lit picnic tables in each of the enclosures as well as automatic fill drinking bowls for the pooches. The grass has receded due to activities such as digging and running, so much of the terrain is just loose sand. There is a yard for large dogs over 32 pounds and one for small dogs under 32 pounds. The third fenced area has always been somewhat of a question mark to regular park-goers. It is for service dogs and dogs under 15 pounds. For those of us who regular the park, we know that there are almost no service dogs ever present. Some people with small dogs like to make use of the area every now and then, but that area is basically a wasted space. My friend Kim and I would take our four dogs, who range in sizes from six to sixty-five pounds, to the third enclosure to play. We knew our dogs got along very well, and in order to avoid some of the problem dogs or problem owners I should say, we kept to ourselves in that area. That didn't last too long, because people started complaining maybe in part because we didn't fit the description on the gate. It's a sad tale to tell, but several complaints were made by people with nothing better to do I guess. Aside from some ignorant and derogatory comments made by people unappreciative of my part pit bull, Fin, I have had a rather pleasant experience at the dog park. Unfortunately, although the community in Spring Hill waited four and a half years for this park to open, there is news that the park may be closing.

***Update: There was a county meeting today at the court house regarding the fate of the dog park. I did not attend. There will be another meeting held tomorrow morning at 9am! {fingers crossed} Kim and I did notice today that a big tunnel that was located in the small dog area had been removed...an omen of things to come?..

Obedience

2010-06-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

July 10th is getting closer! Fin & I will be starting doggy elementary school by DogGone Solutions in Spring Hill. We hope to learn some basic commands to expand Fin's already developed vocabulary. Reinforcing "leave it" and "come" are my main goals. My friend, Kim, and one of her two beautimous dogs, Nero, will be in class as well. If our dogs don't cause any ruckus together, it'll be a miracle. Counting down the days....20.... Yah!

http://www.doggonesolutions.com/Home.html

Sublime

2010-06-19T18:16:00.001-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tallulah

2010-06-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

A few months back I began looking for a companion dog for Fin. Lolly is small and grumpy, and Fin really needed a little more dog to play with. I found many suitable friends for Fin on petfinder.com and online rescue organizations. I almost got a blue tick hound originally from Kentucky, but someone else really wanted him so I stepped aside. I couldn't be happier with Tallulah now though. When I picked her up, I brought Fin with to help choose the best fit. He really picked Tallulah (he and my best friend, Keith, who decided to narrate with sad puppy voices like "oh, pick me" and "over here"). While she is adorable, she is also full of you-know-what and vinegar. Tallulah enjoys many activities such as chewing on toys (and fingers and Fin), peeing on things, eating EVERYTHING and running rampant. Obedience school here we come! This little girl came from S.O.A.R. (starting over animal refuge) in Ocala, Florida working with the SNAP program where the puppies are surrendered to the rescue and put up for adoption and the parents get spayed and neutered at no cost to the owner. It was a large litter, and there are more pups left. The others were black and tan mostly. If you want one, BEWARE they will be large dogs one day. Tallulah is 3/4 Rottweiler and 1/4 Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/FL750.html

These photos were taken just minutes after leaving the refuge.

She may look similar to this one day....

Fin

2010-06-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

Fin is my best friend and dedicated companion. He loves to join me in running errands around town, dog parking and trips to see friends. It's amazing when you can see love in an animal's eyes. My late dog, Snowy, may she rest in peace, is the only other dog that I've been so attached to. I got Fin by chance really. I had been looking for a dog for about six months at the time. Snowy had passed away three years earlier, and I hadn't really wanted another dog until then. Lolly had found us, and I wasn't ready for her but had no choice in that matter (refer to "Lolly" blog). I have always been fond of the German Shepherd dog and was planning to get one. I wasn't keen to the shelter dog movement at the time and had researched GSD breeders.
Thank the Lord that afternoon I picked up my niece, Brittany, to hang out as I had promised her. We really had no solid plans, so I decided we could check out the local animal shelter in Sumter County where she lived. Brittany loves animals, and I thought it couldn't hurt to see if they had any German Shepherds. We walked through the pound and visited many dogs. I had never been in a shelter before, and the wake up call was powerful. It really broke my heart. There were so many beautiful faces looking back at us. Some of the dogs were only $8, because they had been paid for and returned.
When we completed the tour, I told the animal control officer that I was really looking for a dog under one-year-old. I wouldn't have minded a dog a few years old, but my husband wouldn't have been happy. With that, she led Brittany and I to the other section of the shelter where I saw two puppies in a wire pen. One was a golden retriever who looked like just a ball of fuzz, and the other a pitiful, emaciated pit bull pup. The golden was on hold for someone. I didn't think much of Fin when I saw him. He was so weak and covered in ticks and fleas, he couldn't even muster a tail wag. It would be days before he started to lick me to show happiness. One of the dogs that Brittany and I passed on our walk was Fin's mother -a beautiful red-nose pit that I didn't think twice about my safety to reach in and pet. She was gentle and sweet. The officer told me she would hold the male red nose for 24 hours until I had time to discuss it with my husband. When I discussed the young puppy with David, he wanted me to go pick him up. I was very pleased. I made arrangements with Brittany's mother, Terri, who happily agreed to pay the $60 for our boy as I could not make the trip down the next day.
I considered many names. I knew I wanted it to be three letters whatever it was. I am a big fan of the movie "Fool's Gold" and Matthew McConaughey's character was Finn. I shortened it to "Fin" to fit my three letter rule. I picked up Brittany two days after our tour, to go back to the pound and take Fin home. We had to wait that afternoon for the neuter commuter shuttle to return with my newly altered dog. I saw the animal control officer take Fin out of the van. He latched onto her like a toddler would grab his mom (arms tossed around her neck).
I was fortunate enough to see Fin's bright red brother, Swamp Thing, stroll in the door tail wagging. When they brought Fin in, he was crumpled like a piece of paper. Night and day those two.
On the ride home, Brittany held Fin in her arms. We got the first taste of Fin's car sickness on the way. I dropped Brittany at her grandma's, and Fin popped up to the window and cried when she shut the door. Fin is still madly in love with Brittany. I had to pull over with Fin in my lap on the way back, because it was storming so badly. Fin got car sick for about six or seven months after this. I can only imagine what he had gone through. The first ride he went on that I know of was in the animal catcher van. The second was to be neutered. And the third, we were washed off the road by a storm. Poor guy. When we finally arrived at our destination, Fin loosened up and was introduced to Lolly. He was excited to see another furry face.
I am so proud of Fin today. He has matured into a gorgeous, loving dog. He has had some health issues and was diagnosed with hip dysplasia just after turning one-year-old. Even though he has some pains and troubles, he still loves the beach, swimming and rolling in grass. I look forward to many adventures with Fin in the future.

Lolly

2010-06-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

Lolly is our five-year-old chorky (chihuahua/ yorkie). She came to us four years ago while we were living in Bushnell, Florida with my roommate at the time, Melinda. For several weeks, every time we would open our front door this little speedy dog would seemingly fly into our home. She belonged to our next door neighbors. At first I thought very little about the frequency of her visits. I would just take her back to their house and hand her over. It wasn't until one afternoon that I knew something was very wrong. I was pulling in the driveway and witnessed her owners' children tossing her around in their pool like they would a water toy. Days later, they left her out over night. Lolly is almost seven pounds now, and its the most she has ever weighed. Back then, she must have been between 4 and 5 pounds. I remember it was a cold November night. My husband would always ask if we could keep her when she ran to us, and I always replied with "No, you don't take someones dog". When he asked me that night, I said yes. I gave her a flea bath and clipped her nails. David got to do the fun part of cuddling with her afterwards, and that has set the standard for our relationships. Lolly loves David and merely tolerates me!

Setting the Scene

2010-06-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

My husband, David, and I have three rescue dogs Fin, Lolly and Tallulah. Each one has a unique story that deserves to be told. I stand fascinated by each of my pooches daily. What a blessing it truly is to be a part of their lives! I love my dogs and rescue work. One day, I will have a large refuge, so I can share my passion for saving the unwanted and abused with others who may have otherwise remained unaware of the growing number of displaced animals.