Panda has a boyfriend!!!

His name is Finn McCool and he is extremely handsome!!!

I have got to organize my photos so I can post some pictures....
Finn is another Border Collie, right around Pandas age.... another rescue that used to be "reactive" to other dogs....

We met at the local state park, started talking and have been walking together ever since about twice a week.

When we met, Finn was laying down while his owner was talking to someone.... As we joined there was no barking or negative interaction, so I asked Finns mom if she would mind if we walked with them....

We have been walking and playing ever since....

For our first 3 hikes Panda stayed on the leash, but then I started letting her off for brief periods. First playing in the water, which they both love!!! Now they can even play in the field with their own balls!!!!
When Finn accidentally ran into Panda a few days ago, she literally didn't even react! This was huge!!!!!!

The other day, when we initially met at the park.... Panda didn't pass Finn to meet his owner first (as she had been), but touched noses with Finn and then went to meet the human!!!!

Finn did get attacked by another dog a couple of weeks ago. Although there was no injury.... Finn has regressed a little bit and Panda seems to be a little more reactive towards him having interactions with other dogs....
Finn is one of those super-cool old canine-souls . We are so lucky to have met him.... his mom is pretty cool, too!
She did find the perfect description for Panda.... "She is a pushy broad..."

Panda has a boyfriend!!!!

He is a beautiful BC-rescue we met at the State-Park about 2 weeks ago.

We met up for a second date about 4 days later and went for the 3-mile walk together!!!
My mom says that next time she will bring my ball to throw for me and maybe even let me off the leash in the field where it is ok!

"Fynn" likes all the things I like, too!!!!

A Blog I wrote on myspace, about my canine friends...

Thursday, November 13, 2008

A woman and her dog...
Category: Pets and Animals
...share a special bond.

Billie was my first dog.
For my 16th birthday, I finally got the dog I had been asking Santa for as long as I could remember.

My first choice was a Doberman Pinscher, but although this breed would have been a good match for me I was mature enough to realize that the rest of the family would have difficulties handling this kind of dog.
I toyed with the old English sheepdog, the Tibetan terrier and finally arrived at the Sheltie.
I had never seen one, only read that it was basically a small version of the collie. This breed I knew well and I guess there just isn't anything negative you can say about them.

To make a long story short, my mother found a breeder about 6 hours away that had a 13 week old female puppy. For my sixteenth birthday, I got something incredible....


Billie was as easy as she was pretty. If I called her she would come. Anything was really just a matter of communication. She was pure joy.

When I moved to the US, I left her behind. It was the biggest sacrifice I ever made.
She was better off with my family, but I missed her every single day....

After I had been here for about two-and-a-half years, I picked up a stray Doberman. She was a lovely dog, but too big for my family and our house. However, this was how I met the local dog-officer. She found a great home for the Dobie and called me a couple of months later to meet a dog, she thought might be a good match.


Heidi was neither as easy, nor as pretty as my Billie.
When my husband first saw her, he said: " It's ugly, bring it back"
Well, Heidi was with me for almost 16 years. I only kept the husband for another 5 ( and that is only due to my endless patience! ).
As I said, she wasn't easy but she made friends where ever she appeared.

I miss my girls!!

Due to my current situation, I can't take on another dog.
It tears me appart, though!!!

I'm not sure if my next canine friend will be easy or tough, big or small, whether she will be pure-bred or a "canine-cocktail", she may end up being a he....
What I do know for sure is that s/he will bring joy to my life.
The kind of joy that can only come on four legs, wagging a tail.....

This blog has been work-in-progress.....
So, I just wanted to add another thought....

I know some of you out there, are simply too busy to take on the full responsibility for a dog.
If you do ,however have the financial means please consider this:
Due to the massive foreclosures and the lack of rentals that allow pets, the pounds are suffucating with pets.
If they don't get adopted, they will be put to sleep!

Sponsor a local business!
Put your new companion into doggie-day-care!

If you can afford the vet-bills and the food and you love animals..., please go and adopt!!!

Bad start, great day!

So, even though yesterday started out with a possible trip to the doggie emergency room, it ended up being a great day after all!

Well, first my mom got that bone off my jaw and then we went to visit a friend of hers. They have 2 older male Basset hounds. Man, they were loud and lazy! But I like them.... I'll go back there as long as my mom sprays water from the hose into my face again!! That was so much fun!
She said something about getting a sprinkler for me. I don't know what a sprinkler is, but it sounds like fun!

My mom said she was really proud of how well I behaved on the visit and that this was a good experience to improve my social skills.

I wonder what we will do on Wednesday.... my mom is really looking forward to it because we are visiting one of her friends on a horse-farm....

The marrow-bone incident...

Wow, am I ever glad my mom has thumbs!

This morning, I was chewing on a small bone my mom gave me yesterday. I love those things!!! So I'm chewing away when all of the sudden, I couldn't get it off my lower jaw!! It was sort of shaped like a D and fit perfectly right behind my canines..... At first I was embarrassed and didn't want my mom to know, but she watches me pretty carefully. Well, good thing she does, now I know why she won't let me take any t0ys into my crate with me, when she goes off to work.

So, when my mom tried to pull it off I got a little scared and shook my head and moved my mouth a lot..... mom said I wasn't helping but not to be scared. "If it got on, it can come off...... don't worry".

I was worried a lot though and I didn't like my mom trying to hold me down.... so I wiggled and wiggled my way out...
Then my mom put on my harness and leash and when I was facing her, I wasn't so worried and even opened my mouth when my mom was moving the bone around saying something about a "chinese puzzle". I don't know what that is, but it was stuck around my lower jaw!!!!

So, mom turned it this way and that way..... and suddenly it was off!!! Wheew, was I ever glad!!

My mom said : "No more"small" bones for you!"

And that is just fine with me!!!