I'm still here...just not barking...

I know even in doggie years that it's been forever since I last barked in my diary. So long so, that I don't know where to start so I'll just jump right in.
The BSL is still effecting us. I know although Mommy never says it out loud to me, she thinks it same as I do and that's will the fight against the ban be over in my life time.
I have NO FRIENDS that I play with anymore. They have all moved away and my muzzle doesn't help to make new ones. My only friend is Enok, but felines don't count the same...besides the fact that he's me bro and his love is unconditional, but...he's just not a dog that I can run and play with the same.
Now when I do see one of my kind, I get too excited and with my muzzle on my loud 'hi' to them sounds like I'm angry. My motions are quick and my wiggle butt looks like I'm ready to pounce on them. Mom says I'm scaring them off, but I hardly ever see another doggy except when I'm working.
I get one fun thing to do with Mom and that's what we call 'Puppy Watching'.
Mom takes me out on nice days and I sit and watch as other moms or dads take their dogs out to do their business. Mom sits on the grass beside me and points them out to me if I don't see them first.
We don't go up to them. We just sit and yes, Mom always says first, 'Sit, watch and no bark.'
It's not much of a social life, but better than nothing. I see the tears in Mom's eyes sometimes knowing I need much more, but her hands are tied with this crazy ban.
This is just a short entry because I have to go real bad but I won't stay away so long.
I PROMISE!

*puppy love* Shasta

Until we meet again dear friend.

I came onto Dogster today and went to visit one of my pals pages.
Normally, Viva Los Vagas would be playing in the back ground with a bright and colourful page full of funny things...just like my pal, Duncan.
But today I was stunned to learn my dear friend had passed on to Rainbow Bridge.
I went thru his page to find out why? how? when? Almost like I must be on the wrong page and it couldn't have been MY Duncan. As I read his diary the story of what happened was sad, yet enlightened by all the endearing poems that other friends of his wrote for him and his family, both fur and skin.
They liften me up and brought me out of the shock and grief I was feeling and I was able to see my funny friend again creating such laughter in Rainbow Bridge with this wonderful, spirited, comical friend of mine there. I wouldn't doubt if Duncan can get the angels to play Viva Las Vagas on their harps so listen closely through the hush of night and see if you can hear them play.
It's funny, but on March 28th, 2007, Duncan gave me a forever star. In it he barked, "Thank you for being such a loyal pal. I hope we will get to meet some day. Vuv, Duncan." Little did we know then that that day will come and it will be at the Rainbow Bridge.
Duncan, I love you and happy memories will always stay with me as you continue to make me bark out loud every time I think about you.

With love to my forever friend,
Shasta

Evidence removed!

Anyone that happened to come to my page right up to today, may have seen my Valentines pic was still up. I looked up some of my buddies pages and they have Easter Bunnies and then I realized, I've been taking care of Mommy too long and becoming as forgetful as her. Maybe it's contagious, you think?
Well, I didn't put up an Easter pic, but I did add a few pictures to my album.
Mommy's been cold and shivering even when humans tell her it's nice out, so we haven't been out unless it's for doctors or dentist appointments. After that, she's so tired that she needs a nap, so I cuddle in right beside her and become her heating pad. I don't mind one bit though because as soon as she's better we'll be out and about all the time.
The last couple of times we were out, first it was just a little chilly, but not enough for my snowsuit, so I wore my boots (it was wet and muddy) and jogging suit. The last time since Mommy only needed to wear a sweater, she only put on a t-shirt on me. It's kinda snug becuz it was Mr. Monkey's t-shirt before he outgrew it (which he says he didn't when he saw me wearing it). But since it's a kids shirt and not a canine shirt, course it's not going to fit me exactly. It's the one...and I have a picture of him wearing it in my album, of the I (BIG RED (HEART for love) Pit bulls. BOL
Not much to bark about, except I HOPE my Uncle Bill brings me another BIG raw cow bone for Easter! My last visit one is pretty much done with hardly any grizzel left to naw out of it.

*puppy luv* Shasta

Happy Valentines

Although I haven't been barking much for a loooong while, I've been taking good care of Mommy. She just came out of a Chronic Fatigue flare, but the way her body feels, she thinks she may be going into a fibromyalgia flare. She says she hurts ALL over, but her mind is alert and all the hazy, fogginess is finally gone.
She hasn't been sick this whole while that I've been away from Dogster and my pals. That only happened like it always does after she pushes her body trying to get everything done for Christmas. Somehow her determination gets everything done, but she has t pay the price afterwards and that's when I take on the role of Nurse Shasta.
Before that Mommy's computer went. She had to send in her tower to Hewlet Packerd and they got it working like new. The only problem was Mommy was trying to back everything up just before it broke down and the DVD's she backed them on to ended up being blank. Figure that one out???
She's using her external back-up drive so that doesn't happen again. *paws crossed*
Needless to say, she had to reinstall everything from scratch again, but did have an old backup disk, so she didn't lose everything completely. Thank DOG!
In my new Valentine's pic you should know that NO...we did not get another brother for me. The black feline is Marcus, my Gramma's cat that comes to visit. He's like family since he comes here and we go there.
I always feel like the odd one when he's around though. Enok plays with him and basically ignores me the whole time Marcus is here. Maybe it's for the best because when the two of them wait until Mommy goes to sleep, you know within 5 minutes things are going to be crashing down and all rules will be broken. Me laying by Mommy's side is a sure sign I'm not going to get in trouble.
When everyone wakes up, the pair of them try to look SO innocent.
In late October, early November Mommy decided her old furniture was just too shabby to keep anymore. The same night Mommy was throwing it out, we got a new next door neighbour who only had 2 outdoor patio chairs in his apartment. Mommy wished she could have given it to him, but it wasn't worth giving to anybody no matter how badly they needed it. She appologized to him as she felt terrible. He could only see it in the dark, so naturally it didn't show the bad condition it was in. We did see 2 guys take away the mini upright freezer the next morning though. They're going to have a pain having to defrost it all the time and the handle was off with a screw sticking out that was always catching somene and scratching them.
Mommy did get an Occupational Therapist and through her, the management allowed Mommy to get in a plumber to hook up her condo washer in the apartment since the laundy room is on the 2nd floor and she can't take stairs. She also got some safety handles for inside of the bathtub so she doesn't have to worry about her balance anymore when taking a shower.
There's a bunch of things she was suppose to go for 2 quotes of everything, but then Christmas was coming and she never did find the time to go to the different places...then of course the flare hit.
Even with Mommy being in the flare, our place always looks nice except for maybe lack of dusting or vacuuming some days...and sometimes dishes go unwashed for a day or two or three... BOL
Enok isn't allowed on the furniture anymore and it took him awhile to learn that, but finally he followed Mommy's new rules. That is...until lately... He's been sneaking up on the ktchen table to take a nap. When Mommy see's him he knows he better run. What a brat cat!
The new furniture will be better for Mommy's allergies. She's gone for all leather in cream colour and the coffee table, end table and even the condo table is all in glass with chrome legs. Our dinette chairs are see through with chrome legs, so now those little munchkins, my skin nephews can't get away with kicking each other under the table without Mommy seeing who the real culpret is. BOL It's sort of like having Xray vision that you see EVEYTHING!!!
During her waking hours (maybe 3 at the longest), Mommy took old picture frames and plant pots and spray painted them all to the colours that go with the new colour sceme. Friends ask her when she went out and bought all those, but she loves using her creativity to make old things look new.
Her big project will be her huge above the couch abstract. It just doesn't fit in with the colours it is, so she's going to repaint it herself since she says she already has a nice canvess to paint on. She's going for a cleaner, open look with some bright colours rather than pastels this time and the property manager says they are going to paint our apartment, so she's going to let them, then paint over it to the colours she wants. That way they do all the hard work like sanding, priming and giving her a fresh coat to paint on. Smart huh?! She was just so glad they weren't doing it while she was in her flare, but now she's ready anytime.
I can't remember the last time we went out except for Mommy taking me out back to do my duty. But then of course this has been a really harsh winter that started off in the fall and never quit snowing ever since. FINALLY we are having warmer days and some of the snow is melting and we've had a day or two of rain until it turns into snow again. brrrr...
My skin brother got a new puppy. I haven't seen him yet, but his name is Norcol and he'd be almost 8 weeks old by now. Mommy and I can't wait for him to come visit. It'll be nice having a little cousin again... that is, until he grows bigger than me. He's a black lab mix that Michael bought from the Humane Society. He just couldn't bring himself to getting another Bullie and having the fear that owning a Bullie takes, plus he wanted to start from scratch again raising it the way he wanted rather than taking on the problems other people have created since him and his fiance work a lot, but the pup has the kids to look after him when they aren't there.
Well, I think I must have barked your ears off and brought you up to date.
Have a loving Valentines and plenty of wet kisses to your skin families.

*puppy luv* Shasta

We were Mommy, Shasta and Enok Napped!

Yes, you heard right...we were kidnapped and it was exactly what Mommy needed.

We were gone for 2 months and Uncle Bill and Gramma decided it would be the best thing for Mommy to get away from all reponsibility because she just wasn't getting better. Naturally, they knew Mommy wouldn't go without me and even Enok.

The first week we went to Burlington (Ontario) and it took Mommy a good week to realize she could relax. That first week, it hard for her to get everything out of her system, but by the end of the week, we all could see the change in her.

Enok and Gramma's feline, Marcus played together. I got left out with Enok wanting to play with me and you would think with all the visits Marcus has made to our place, he'd start playing with me, but nope! He's not scared of me. He just hasn't learnt how to play doggy style like Enok does when Marcus isn't around.

Enok has lost his name as Brat Cat and Marcus is now Brat Cat. They wait until everyone goes to bed and then they play so much that things go flying and one of us will wake up to crashed. Naturally, both of them are laying down looking very innocent as if you imaged it all. BOL

I found out that quite a few of Gramma's neighbours that had doggies all went outside between 7 - 7:30 pm and met in the back of the building with their dogs. They didn't know me at first, but we kept going out that I made quite a few friends. The sad part was I always had to be leashed and muzzled and on the humid, hot days it was hard to breath, especially when I got excited seeing my new buddies.

After a week, we got all our camping gear into Uncle Bill's car and Gramma, Mommy and Uncle Bill got us all set in, even Enok and Marcus in their cat carriers and away we drove to Restoulle Provincial Park.

It was quite a long drive, so we kept making what Mommy and Uncle Bill called Pit Stops. Mommy would take me to see if I had to go to the washroom, then she'd put on my service vest and we'd meet them in Tim Horton's or where ever they stopped at. Mommy would get me an ice water to go and once outside, she'd give it to me to lap up.

A couple of times they brought Enok and Marcus out to see if they would go, but they were too used to using a litter box to know how to go in the dirt area's there.

Once we got there and found ourselves a nice site, Uncle Bill and Gramma started to put up their tent while Mommy set up ours. Although I had a long lead, I still had plenty of room to go around our site and a bit in the woods, but not too far in. I used the wooded area as my toilet, even though Mommy still cleaned up my number 2's in a doggy bag. I sometimes had to show her where they were with all the fallen leaves on the ground the same colour.

The only me she put my muzzle and vest on was if we went off of our campground property or into the small towns around there by car.

She visited with a couple of people that owned a store close by (but still a car ride away) at she had met years ago and she was surprised that that the man recognized her and called her by name. It had been many years since she was last there, but she knew them as she had gone there a lot before she moved on her own.

We were so lucky as it had rained so much, but for that week, we had plenty of sun. Only one night did it rain and it wasn't a normal rain. Mommy said maywe ought to build and Ark it was so heavy.

By morning, it had stopped raining, but mommy could see that she needed to seal all of her seams with silicone before next year. Everything that was on the floor of the tent was drenched and she had to hang them outside to dry.

We so got visited with raccoons. TONS OF THEM! We counted about 12 of them at a campsite across from us. They had forgotten to put their foods away and these raccoons were massive. Mommy nor Uncle Bill had ever seen so many, so big and all together like that.

One night, Gramma went to bed earlier and Uncle Bill and Mommy were sitting around the campfire late at night. I was tired and asked to go in the tent to sleep with Enok. The raccoons were so brave that even with them right there, the raccoons came out and walking so close to them without any fear.

A lot of people must have complained because the next day we saw the rangers driving in with a huge trailer of wire cages and by they night they were all gone. It was kind of strange not having to scare them away from our tent. It was Enok the were smelling and thumping on our tent and Mommy quickly put him into his crate and moved the crate to the center of the tent away from the side. Mommy laughed that I just lay their trying to sleep rather than trying to chase them. If they had come inside and tried to hurt Enok, that would have been another story, but they were only making racket outside the tent, so I didn't care.

Mommy had the ligon in the tent when suddenly she looked out the vent that she was sitting next to and there was a raccoon lookingt her only inches away. Her first instinct was to say 'Hi' to it, but suddenly remembered they were pounding on the tent, so she poked the tent and told it to shoo. BOL

Meanwhile, Uncle Bill yelled from his tent and asked what all the thunping was going on? She told him that they were sniffing out Enok, but he was safe in his crate and no worrys. He said they were coming from our tent to his and then fighting and back and forth like that. Mommy told him to make sure Marcus was in his crate too, but Uncle Bill's tent had a tent inside of a tent for added protection, so they were leaving his tent alone.

A couple of nights without the raccoons, late one night we heard one lone raccoon calling for his buddies with no answer back. Mommy hoped that he at least found one or two of them.

The park rangers told them that they transport them to a different area and let them loose. Mommy was glad to hear that. She didn't want any harm come to any of them...afterall, we WERE in THEIR territory.

We saw deer and other wild life too. Enok liked the chipmonks and woodpeckers the most as she had him sitting on a low tree branch with his harness and leash on. He thought it was the greatest as this was his first time out where as Marcus was more accustomed to being outside with his harness and leash and even walks like a dog on it with Gramma or Uncle Bill.

My favorite day was the first time I ever went in a motor boat. First I wasn't so sure, but soon liked the wind blowing into my face and me on the seat with Mommy. It got hot when they were fishing though, so Mommy soaked a cloth for me to lay in on the bottond got me wet along with a drink. That felt much better.

Gramma couldn't believe how beautiful the shoreline was. There was no wind and not a ripple in the water. The shoreline reflected into the water like a mirror and Gramma believed that the original natives had painted all the rocks with geoaphics symbols. Uncle Bill and Mommy laughed and exlai it was only because the water was so calm.

As we drove faster which caused the water to make waves, Gramma noticed that what they had said was true.

Mommy as Uncle Bill to stop on the shore of one of the deserted islands. Once the boat stopped, Mommy called me out without a leash or muzzle. I couldn't believe it and I went running, but never to far to not have Mommy in my sight.My mouth was open and I was having a great time that I even ran into the lake and got wet. It was the best part of the trip and Mommy had Uncle Bill stop the boat just for me. That was the best part of the trip EVER!

Finally, Uncle Bill said we had to leave or we would never make it back to the dock before it got too dark. He was hoping Mommy would catch a big Northern Musky, but watching me have fun made up for not catching fish. She's hoping next year we can stay on an island so I can go free the whole time. We would have, but he wasn't sure how Gramma would handle it if a bear was around. Uncle Bill and Mommy are used to that kind of camping, but not Gramma.

The last day they were all packing up all their gear and setting it into Uncle Bill's car. Once we got started down the highway, my stomach became upset and Mommy saw I neededto get out of the car. Uncle Bill pulled over and I vomited and had diahrea. We had to make many sto like that for the same reason.

Once we finally made it back home, I couldn't eat and barely drank water and the diahrea and vomiting continued. Mommy got very worried. So didcle Bill and Gramma, but didn't want to say anything to Mommy as she was worried enough and staying up with me all night as I lay there getting weaker. Mommy wanted to take me to a vet but afraid to take me on the bus ause I had the hardest time holding myself from both ends, so Gramma phoned her vet and asd if they would take me.

The next day I was on medication, cooked ground beef and brown rice and Imodium. Mommy was to feed me small portions of the ground beef, rice mixture 4 times daily without my other food. I loved it, but suddenly I needed to go outside and not sure if I could hold myself down the elevator 15 floors down and out. During that time only, Gramma told Mommy to alllow me to go on the baconyand we could clean it right up afterwards. I never did a pee out there thought and that was strictly for outside only.

The vet I had digested something while camping. I know I was eatting a lot of long grass and drinking the water straight from the lake at the docks. Mommy said it had gas or oil mixed in it from all the boats coming in and out of there. It could have been I ate some grass where the raccoons did their business and that's posionous for dogs. I lost a bunch of weight, but with the change in food, the medication and the Imodium, did start to feel better finally. The vomiting stopped and about a week later, my stools were becoming more solid.

I must say, I wasn't so happy once Mommy started to wean off of the ground beef and rice and now was adding my regular food in a seperate bowl for me to eat. I figured if I didn't eat my regular food, she'd start giving me more ground beef and rice, but she's pretty stubborn and determined I'd finally go to my regular food once I n't filling up with the mixure. She was right, of course and I slowly began to gain some of my weight back.

A week had passed in Burlington and now it was time for Gramma's Mr. Monkey to come up for 2 weeks. He had a blast there and naturally missed not seeing Mommy and the rest of us. It rained a lot while he was there so we couldn't do much, but he didn't care.

When Mommy took me out, she brought Julian too and she'd take us down to the playgound and I had a chance to do my duty before we got there. H's a real monkey on the monkey bars even though they were really high for him. Mommy kept him in training and said if he kept it up he could go pro. He even grew callouses on his little hands from working out so much.

Since Uncle Bill was back at work, it was h for him to take us places, but a couple times after work he took us to the pier and they went fishing. Julian did really good casting and catching small fish that were throw aways. He caught a nice perch, but because it came from Lake Ontario, he threw it back in.

2 weeks went by really fast and now it was time for Julian to go back hom and for Jonathan to come up for a week. Jonathan had fun too, but he likes be entertained more. I told him with Uncle Bill working, it was hard for uso go anywhere. Gramma, Mommy and I took him o Ikea a couple of times so he could play in the play area that he enjoyed, but he wasn't as thrilled with the playground like Julian was. Even so, he still asked if he could come up for 2 weeks next year.

Now it was time to come home, but now Gramma was going to stay at our place with Marcus for 2 weeks. She ended up staying for 3 weeks and it felt so nice having her stay.

When Uncle Bill finally came to get her, it felt strange being home all alone again. Mommy slept the next full day away to her surprise. The next few days, she took it easy and now she finally is beginning to to one big job a day. Her Occupation Therapist told her she had conserve energy and only do piorty things first, but only to the point she don't push herself.

After what happened to her last time, she's watching herself that she doesn't push her body beyond her limit and become Super Woman again. She had taken me to my vet herebout my ear and I received ear drops that she gives me twice daily. My ear feels much better and so does my health.

I HOPE we get people/dog & cat napped again next year. That was a barking blast that made us ALL feel better!

*puppy hugs* Shasta

I've got a toilet!!!

Well by dog, who would have thought that Mommy would buy me what no other doggy around here has got. Yuppers! She bought me an outside doggy toilet.
Now maybe those doggies in the states might understand what I'm talking about, because Mommy had to order it from the states, but here where I live when she tells them she gets really strange laughing questions, like, 'So now Shasta has to use a toilet outside?', while they howl with laughter...or 'How do you plan on getting her to learn to sit on it?' More laughing.
Mommy just shakes her head smirking and tells them, 'Shasta does her regular duties the same as she does now. It's a special type of sewage system that you dig into the ground and it comes with digester/nutralizer that breaks it all down, goes into the ground and is inviroment friendly. The big plus is no more plastic bags and no smell.' Mommy's so smart and she cares about the envirement same as she does everything else. This will take a lot of wear and tear off of her once she has to take out the garbage too. I mean, com'mon...we all KNOW how smelly it gets once you open the trash can to put in another bag in the heat of the summer. PHEEEEEEEUUU! Then Mommy runs for some air freshener so everyone else doesn't hae to be grossed out by the smell.
So, the basis of this unit it you add about a gallon of warm water to it, just enough to reach the two reservires inside. Each day, but Mommy does it each time, you take the long handled rake/scooper that comes with it, step on the lid handle to lift the lid and drop it in. You can add a TBSP a week or about a 1/2 tsp each day with more warm water each day. Close the lid and she's done.
It liquidfy's it and at the same time digests and nutralizes it and into the ground it goes.
To me, it wasn't really a big deal when I saw it, but I did wag my tail as I saw her all excited. Anything to please my Mommy and if she's happy, well so am !
The family and some of Mommy's friends call her Mama Gadget. She LOVES gadgets! She has things that make life a little easier, but things that most people don't think about.
Do you remember me barking about my poor sick feline bro, Petu that finally went to Rainbow Bridge? He had the hardest time controlling his stools and we went from a 2 litter box family to 5 or 6, just for him.
That was a lot of playing in the sandboxes for Mommy each day and a lot of plastic bags. Finally Mommy spotted this Kitty Litter Keeper. It comes with one round thing that holds a giant thin plastic in it. You knot one side and pull it down into this gadget that has like a plastic two prong thing that you put the knot in the middle and outside of it on both sides are handles (shaped round) and she twists them one full round until it clicks. Now it's secure and she scoops like normal, but puts it all in there. Once done, she gives that cirle thing a full round again to hear it click and now if you look, you can't see or smell the litter.
Since it's just Enok now, it lasts a lot longer. Maybe 6 months before she has to renew a new roll bag. Naturally, once it gets hard to twist, she opens it, the wheel thingy with the prongs pulls up a rolled up bag and Mommy cuts the end and ties it up and it's ready for the garbage. Then she knots the bag at the bottom again, gives it a twist and away it is already for another couple of months.
Oh, I should mention, we've gone back to being a 1 litter box family again.

*puppy love* Shasta

NEW APPEAL COMING UP! *WOOF* *WOOF*

I'm excited to bark that our appeal for the Constitutional Challenge of Bill 132 in Ontario, will be heard on Mon Sept 15 and Tues Sept 16 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St. West in Toronto. Room to be determined the Friday before.

We just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has stepped up to the plate and supported the Legal Challenge of one of the most significant threats to dog ownership in Canada.
The response to the CKC fund-raising initiative has been overwhelming!

As we move forward into the home stretch, funds are still desperately needed to continue.
Everything is greatly appreciated!

This came in from the Banned Aid Coalition at http://www.bannedaid.com

*puppy love* Shasta

A MAJOR VICTORY for me!!!

Because I haven't barked in such a long while, there is so much to tell that I just couldn't keep up with. Well wait until you hear this!!!
Remember the frustration that Mommy had at City Hall the year before last fighting for the city to file me as a Certified service dog, rather than a Legalized, Restricted Pit bull?
Well she wasn't going to have none of that again at the end of last year as she went for my annual license. This time though she was totally sick and really looking dog awful, but sometimes that's a good thing because she gets more determined.
Anyway, the two of us went into ACC, me in my vest taking care of her.
Though we didn't leave it until the very last, the room was still full and a whole circle of humans lined the room because humans that own any of the Pit bull breeds have to apply in person. Not all we're Bullie owners though and we could tell by the distance they kept from me. BOL I mean, what was I gonna do? I had to wear my muzzle like the law says, plus leashed, so was Mommy so silly that she would bring me to a place most dangerous for me if I were to attack or bite someone or a dog?! This is exactly the place they bring doggies like me that they say do bad things and ...well, I don't think I have to explain to you again what they do to our kind. It's just too sad.
It took us a long time to finally get to our turn. At least an hour or more and the longer Mommy stood, the worse I could see she was getting and harder for her to stand. She got down on her haunches a lot and rested her head on me, but then it was hard for her to get back up again.
Finally at the front desk, just like last year, they tried to get her to pay the Pit bull fee for my license, only this time Mommy said, 'NO! I pay for the cat tag only! Shasta is a certified service dog and a Guide dog and Service dog with certification is FREE!' She pointed to the part of the form that said so, plus again she brought in all my papers same as she did last year.
Just like last year, the clerk said, she didn't know how to handle that, but this time Mommy took charge and told her it was quite easy. Put on Shasta's records that she is a certified service dog because I'm not going to go months and have to fight City Hall all over again and I'm not leaving until it is!'
Wow Mommy, I was so proud of her and even a bit surprised with her so sick. I knew that if the lady didn't listen to Mommy, she would be placed in the corner like me when I was younger and not listening and not come out until told to.
The lady seeing Mommy was determined and not about going to go away and didn't care if this took all week if need be, we would stay there until Mommy got action.
The lady excused herself and said she had to talk to somebody higher up and went into another room. This time a more elderly lady came out that looked kind of familiar and she seeing Mommy, asked if she could bring her a chair. I sat right there watching Mommy the whole time because she sure didn't look good at all and I was worried about her.
Another clerk came and asked Mommy if she could pat me and Mommy said it was fine, but I didn't look at the lady because Mommy was in a real bad way and I could feel it. My concern was for Mommy only and the clerk said right out loud, so the other people could hear, 'I can't believe how well mannered and calm she is with only you as her focus!' Mommy said it was because I was in working mode.
Mommy was glad to hear that comment though because it showed those humans that were afraid of me because of my breed what a good worker I was and not to be feared.
Shortly later, the older woman came out with my file showing Mommy and telling her that she will never have this problem ever again. There on my file was Certified Service/Guide Dog! I was finally recognized for my work rather than for my breed.
Yes, I must still abide by the Pit bull Law of Ontario and be leashed and muzzled at all times in public, but this recognition was too long waiting for. Mommy doesn't have to pay for my license just like all the other working dogs and our Bullie hating city has finally acknowledged it.
That 6 hour ordeal was worth the wait, because it's our last wait ever.

*puppy love* Shasta

OH MY DOG!!!

Mommy has been in a bad flare ever since October and has just come out of the chronic fatigue as of a few weeks ago and straightinto a fibro flare. I've been taking good care of her, but we haven't realized how long ago time has passed. She couldn't even put up a Christmas tree or clean the apartment for Easter. I couldn't help her in that department so it was nice when Gramma came to London and got the place looking nice again again.
Yesterday Mommy finally went outside and cleaned up all my poohs that gathered under the snow and today we were out and she even raked up a pile of leaves until she could really start to feel it, so she quit not wanting to push herself back down.
I had fun with her because she put my leash around her ankle while she raked and told me to roll in the leaves. Then she started throwing some at me and that made me roll even more. I had so much fun except Mommy forgot and found me a nice stick to chew on, but I couldn't open my mouth to take it because of my muzzle.
She says that once she gets a bit better, we're going to try to ride with the bike together again. We haven't done that for years because of the high humidity during the summer and her breathing problems, so right now the weather would be perfect and we could start to build up muscle again before the summer. But she will have to buy me a new muzzle so I can open my mouth and pant. They look horrible on and I guess it makes me look kind of scary, but I won't be able to enjoy myself without one like that.
I don't want to get to much ahead of ourselves just because she's had two good days now, but I'm keeping my paws crossed that this is pretty much the end of the flare...or, maybe for her to be out of the house and in the fresh air has been good for her after missing all of winter.
I couldn't believe the last entry I barked in my diary and how long ago it was, but October was when Mommy went right down and into her flare.
When not asleep, she played a lot of computer games. She says it helps to keep your mind active.
Oh, and we got a brand new computer in October too only now Mommy doesn't know how to get into her website to keep it updated. We went from Windows ME to Vista, so she used to use something called Frontpage before and it won't work on the Vista.
There's no real news about the ban other than the other people involved are still doing fund raisers for the Legal Fund and Mommy is playing a game of Survival Island and the winner gets $1000.00. Mommy says if she wins, she's donating 100% to the Legal Defence Fund, so I guess in a very small way, she's still trying to help as much as she can right now.
Well it's late and I better go out to do my business before Mommy goes to bed, so hopefullyI will get on here often again and bark to all my pals.
DOG!!!! Did I ever miss you all!

*woof* Shasta

All our fun put Mommy into a flare...but she says it was all- worth it!

I've never seen mommy so happy mind wise when she goes into such a bad flare, but she said if she had the chance to change anything, she'd do it exactly the way we did.
First we went to Toronto for the Co-op Pit bull Walk all dressed up in costumes and got nothing but positive reactions by passer bys. They even stopped to ask why we were all together (about 25 of us) and we told them it was for Pit bull awareness.
It was so much fun for both mommy and I even though it was a lengthy ride sitting in the vehicle to Toronto and back, along with the walk. Mmmy was losing her breath and having a hard time keeping up, so she's take her puffers and the group would wait until we caught up.
The next day was Mr. Monkey's birthday and we went to my human sisters place and partied. Julian turned 5 just like I did the day before.
The next day for mommies birthday, she thought she would sleep and try to rest from all the excitement, but my skin bother and his girlfriend invited us to their place and I got to play with Spanky unmuzzled and unleashed. We got home late and mommy put on her pj's and has had them on since.
She watches the dishes piling up, but has no stamina to even attempt to wash them. She needs to make an appointment with her doctor, but knows she does have the strength for us to get there.
Still, all in all, she knows the flare will pass and she will be feeling better one of these days or weeks.
To make the news even better, I don't know if any of you know the pup named Daisy that was taken away from Tammy and her family so man months ago. It seems like a lifetime and Daisy was close to being put down.
Thnks to MANY people who didn't give up on Daisy and made an arrangement to have her taken ut of Ontario if allowed.
Now, they have dismissed the fact that she could be a Pit bull and is acknowledging she is an American Bull dog cross. She was suppose to have a TT (temperment test), but mommy believes the staff at the Humane Society found out just how sweet and loving she is.
Mommy cried tears of joy yesterday as she learnt that Daisy will be released bck to Tammy and her family.
Mommy prayed every day and I kept my paws crossed for Daisy's release and hopefully back to Tammy and it finally came true. To think she was so close to being murderd because of the breed ban in Ontario, and though a large group got together ready for ttansportation if she was allowed out of Canada, plus they set up a Save Daisy Fund.
They had the best lawyers in Ontario helping them that were familiar with the Pit bull laws in Ontario. I think her lovable matter won the hearts of the HS the way us Bullies do. BOL
So though mommy's body is a hurting unit and she sleeps a lot, her brain and heart are as happy as can be and not even the pain and fatigue can take that away from herWhen mommy cried happy tears yesterday, I KNEW she was happy...NO! ESTATIC! I got so excited to and with my tail wagging, I crawled up on her lap and wiped away all her happy tears.
Mommy said the weight of me on her lap didn't help the pain any,but honestly, she didn't care. She hugged me all the same and our celebration was with Tammy, her family and Daisy and nothing could spoil that!
See how when tings look bad, there is always a silver lining if you just look for it. You might not see it at the time, but it will come and that's what mommy calls hidden blessings.
Mommy has so many things she needs to get done, like finding out how to get m a mobility harness that ODSP (Ontario Disibility Support Program) wants a letter fromher doctor, plus a couple of different appraisals so they can pay for it.
She did go for a foot screening and she needs a light show with Orthopedic insoles that she is suppose to wear from the time she wakes up right until she goes to bed. This should help her keep her balance better too and hopefully break her curse of breaking a body or two a year. But that will have to wait until her brain allows her to keep thinking straight and can keep all her information straight even though she always writes things down. It's making others understand what she's asking as she can completely confuse people when she's like this. BOL
Well that's all my happy news. I'm not sure if mommy will have the time to make me a Halloween costume this year, but if feeling better, I don't mind being a stinking cat (a skunk) like last year again.
Happy Halloween to all my pals and anyone reading this.

*woof* Shasta