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Let's go CRAZY!

Rosie, German Shepherd, missing in Columbus, Ohio

If you are in COLUMBUS, OHIO or know anyone there, please forward this info! My pup pal Rosie, a German Shepherd is missing. She is mostly black with a pink collar.

Rosie is an adult, female, German Shepherd with a very black colored face. AC saw her at North Star and Northwest Blvd. at 10:00 AM this morning but couldn't catch her. If you find her or think you've seen her please call 614-297-8380 or 614-787-1405. She is normally a friendly dog but was very scared when she was last sighted and took off running. Please let us know if you see her.

Rosie was wearing a pink gingham collar, she has all her tags on.

Please help me spread the word to anyone you know who lives in the Columbus area. Share this message on Facebook and retweet on Twitter.

We are worried sick for Rosie's safety.

Please read more: http://ohiolostdog.blogspot.com/

FREE SCRAPPY!

If I had a dollar for every time someone I met while walking my human said I looked like a wolf, I'd be a rich doggie. Seriously, I'd eat steak every day! I am ashamed to admit this but here goes.

Though I am 100% Canadian Rocky Mountain Timber Wolf on the inside, I am 95% domestic dog on the outside. In comparison to dogs, wolves have narrow chests, proportionally large feet and teeth, and longer legs. I have a somewhat wide chest, little cat-like feet, normal size teeth, and short legs. I'm not Corgi short, but *gulp* I am shorter than the average medium-sized dog. Drives me nuts.

When wolf pups are about ten days of age, their eyes first open. Their eyes are a deep murky blue, but by about three weeks of age the pups eyes have turned a bright blue. Around six to eight weeks of age the pups eyes will turn green and finally will reach their adult color which can be anything from pale yellow, to amber or even orange or brown. Adult wolves do not have blue eyes like can be seen in some dogs such as Siberian huskies. My eyes are bright blue. That's right, like a little baby wolf. I'm certainly not a baby.

The inside of wolf ears are well furred and never flop. Well, there's one I can claim! My ears are perfectly un-floppy. On the other paw, so some Chihuahuas. Wolves' tails, while they may be held down or up, never have a curl to them. I carry my tail over my back in a graceful sickle curve .

I would like nothing more than to claim wild woof status. But with all the facts in front of me, I really can't. I hang on to the knowledge though that somewhere in all our doggie pasts, there is a wolf ancestor. A tiny point-two-percent is the difference between domestic dog DNA and grey wolf DNA.

It seems that many people have an idea in their head of what wolves look like. Maybe because huskies sometimes have acting roles in movies as wolves. Now there's a job I would like!

Now here's the issue I was getting to with all this woofing about my own looks. Here in Des Moines, an 8-year-old Husky dog named Scrappy escaped her yard one night and went for a run. Read my last diary entry, that's the #1 goal of any husky-ish pup! I say good for Scrappy. Scrappy isn't a digger or a climber, but erosion from the rain carved an opening under the fence. She had a chance for freedom, and she took it! Scrappy got picked up by the scary animal control truck, and ended up at the Animal Rescue League. The following day, Scrappy's mom went to pick her up. She paid the fees and everything to bust Scrappy out of jail. But on the way Des Moines' chief humane officer stopped them. He said she was a wolf, and that she was staying. Scrappy likes belly rubs and kids and dogs and hasn't tried to bite a person or anything like that - she doesn't have that kind of character.

Scrappy spent 3-months in doggie jail. She turned 9. Scrappy's still in jail, but she's now living with a trainer on 10 acres in the country. I've been to this place lots, and I'd say Scrappy is much better off there than in jail! But I'm sure she'd like to go home. Her people visit her every day. Scrappy's family is going back to court on September 25.



Info on what you can do to help here

Takoda's Guide to Gift Giving

August is birthday season in the Takoda household. Lena, Loki and Catori. It's like, here we go again in this crazy month of wishes and expectations and pressure to give—and spend your doggie dollars until you wish you hadn't. In addition to all this mindless gift giving, a lack of socialization and exercise is one of the toughest issues plaguing canines today.

On August 1st my 2 sisters turned 3. That's 21 in human years - they were due for a PAWTY!! Instead of buying expensive department store dog toys that squeak and giggle (I personally dislike these things anyway) or silly Bedazzled dog clothes, I felt it would be more beneficial to give the girls an off-leash run. With Mom gone to work, and Dad busy with home maintenance chores, I knew no amount of nose poking, kissing, and stares would make this happen.

Throughout the day I watched Dad closely as he painted the exterior of our home. Periodically he entered and exited the outside gate, sometimes with his hands full. I laid in the sun on the deck with one eye half open, strategically facing the gate. Around 6 pm, just as Mom was unknowingly preparing to leave work and come home for the day, a golden opportunity presented itself.

Dad had left the gate open. When this happens, doggies, waste no time and run through it! Ask questions later! On August 1st, I did, and my furry golden sisters followed.

I sprinted down the street, a tri-colored blur followed by a golden double dog blur. It felt good. In my younger years I flew out open doors, gates, and holes in the fence now and then. A few times my pawrents, who are a little slow, decided to join me a little late and came in the car. They also gave me lots of hugs and cried a little. One time the nice dog loving neighbor returned me to my door. Now middle-aged, it felt like I was reclaiming my youth and my freedom. My pawrents now excel at preventing such breaches and the random chance to run free rarely presents itself.

Meanwhile back at the homestead, Dad noticed his entourage was lacking a few tails. Catori was behind a doggie gate, and silly Vegas was oblivious to the whole thing. Truth is, the boy is totally whipped and fails to see an open gate as an opportunity.

I ran my birthday girls towards McDonald's. Last year I had a McCheeseburger for my birthday, and I thought this would be a great birthday treat for Lena and Loki.

Then things took a turn. A turn for home - what?! Lena and Loki were running the OTHER way. I followed thinking maybe they had caught scent of deer or bunnies. Too late a realized the girls were hightailing it for home! Just in case I followed anyway. Did they NOT want freedom and cheeseburgers?

I was running so fast, I didn't see my dad's truck zoom by! Dad passed us and was happy to see the girls were bringing me home.

The girls sprinted right back into our fenced backyard. I was a bit behind them, still wondering why they bailed on me and went home. Dad stopped his truck sideways in our driveway and grabbed me as I attempted to pass on by and continue my run solo. He held me and kissed me, it was so weird.

Then I was returned to my jail-like backyard, and Lena and Loki gave me a fiesty little talking to. I guess they didn't appreciate the best gift ever, or maybe they were angry that they never did get the McCheeseburgers.

Mom and dad spent the night talking about heart attack feelings and discussing double gating the yard and being even more cautious.

Sunday the 16th was my furbrother Catori's 6th birthday. By now I felt that my meaningful gifts were not all that appreciated. Instead, I accompanied Catori on a LEASHED nature walk along with Mom and Grandma. We ate a cheesewurst sausage and saw a dog on a bike in a basket. Atleast we think the little barky thing was a dog! Then we went to Grandma's and ate chicken, napped, and wrestled. A good day and the humans didn't cry or get excessively huggy.

I'll keep the really good gifts for myself from now on!