Hound Dog finds Heaven

Two Montana artists, Margaret Graziano and Glenn Swanson (very dear friends of mine) live in Columbia Falls Montana and were up in the woods on a cross country skiing adventure. They were going back to their car when they noticed a logging road with the gate left open. They decided to venture up the road. As they started up the road, they came across a female hound dog that had obviously not eaten in a very long while. She appeared to have had babies from the looks of her breasts, so they looked around, but did not see any signs of puppies. They pulled up beside the dog and opened the door and lo and behold the hound dog jumped in the truck. hound dog

They took the dog home with them and immediately had her checked out at the vet. The vet said that it had been quite awhile since she had her puppies. I am sure this put their minds at ease knowing that they had not left little baby hound dogs up in the woods.

They have been checking around to see if anyone is missing a dog and, of course, no one will claim this poor dog. There is no doubt that someone dropped this dog off.

How could you abandon an innocent living creature that depends on you and think that is O.K. Well, it is not. You do not domesticate a dog and think that when you drop it in the middle of the woods that it will be able to fend for itself. This poor dog was probably in the same vicinity that she was dropped thinking that her human would come back. It is heartbreaking! starved hound dog

This story has a happy ending because two people care so deeply for animals.

What on earth has happened to our morals when we can dump man’s best friend in the woods and sleep with a clear conscience?

I am so grateful for people in the world that go the extra mile to help one of God’s creatures.

Samoyeds in the Snow | The Good Life

A friend whom has been living in Atlanta for the last eight years in hopes of returning out West to the landscape that he loves finally achieved his goal. While he was living here he adopted two Samoyed dogs from dog rescues and always looked forward to the day he could return to the mountains with his new buddies. Atlanta is brutal to dogs with thick coats. The summer humidity has to be unbearable for them.

He emailed this picture and it was too precious not to share.snow dogs

The dogs are Dylan on the left and Chako, (whom I like to call Chako-latte), on the right. Notice Dylan’s smile. Have you ever seen a happier dog?

Well, in this down economy it is wonderful to see someone reach their goals and even better to see two ecstatic dogs.

I am grateful that people take a chance on rescue dogs and live happily ever after.

Dog Days of Summer

I woke up yesterday morning to a lukewarm house. It is mid-July in Georgia and my air conditioner has been running non stop until now. Well, it is time for a new air conditioning unit and it can not be installed until tomorrow morning.

Oh, I can tough it out, but I can not bear to see my dogs suffer. I realize that a dog pants to cool itself, but the poor dears look so miserable and it is non stop panting! It is making me a little crazy.

To help us sleep last night, I placed a big shop-style blizzard fan in my bedroom. I already have a ceiling fan, but that is not enough in this humidity.  Well, as hot as it is my dog Scarlett slept right up against me with her thick chow-like fur. Is that the ultimate in devotion?dog in front of fan

It made me think about my poor doggies overheating (which is hardly going to happen with a blizzard fan blowing on them). I am a little extreme in my thought process. 🙂

Tip about heatstroke in dogs:

Dogs do not sweat through their skin like humans – they release heat primarily by panting, and they sweat through the foot pads and nose. If a dog cannot effectively expel heat, the internal body temperature begins to rise. Once the dog’s temperature reaches 106 degrees, damage to the body’s cellular system and organs may become irreversible. Unfortunately, too many dogs succumb to heat stroke when it could have been avoided.

by Jenna Stregowski, RVT, About.com Guide

Just a few days without air conditioner and I realized how lucky I and my furkids are. We think air conditioning is a necessity. No, it is a luxury and we are lucky to have it. There are people living without it.

I shudder to think of those dogs that are left out in the hot summer temperatures.

I am so grateful that my dogs and I are blessed enough to have a cool house on a hot summer day.