Our Christmas/holiday wish

The "old lady" as I have recently nicknamed her is getting up there in years. Sure Lena Malik is agile, full of life and as trusting & appreciative of life and experiences as she was in her youth to the point people still ask "how old is your pup"?
They don't know she's started to have more accidents or adopted strange new habits like barking and pushing her food bowl around or whipping around to chase a ghost squirrel or rabbit. The slight misstep or aching feet and bones after a long hike. I start to honestly freak out...getting somber at what the supposed "golden years" hold, all the people I have tried to support through a loss and darkest times. I don't do morbid well but I prepare because of slight nuances I see in my beloved pup and reality catching up with us.

What I have learned through my dog and relations with others who have strong & cherished bonds with their pets is, their lives are simplified which in turn reminds us the basic golden rules to attain.

To wake up each day appreciative of living and with an open heart to possible adventures, experiences and delights. To be as loyal as you can be to those you hold dear and most importantly to be grateful, kind and trusting in the possibilities no matter what you have been through.

We are a good pack of two...Lena Malik & I
We wish everyone the warmest hugs and comfort this holiday season no matter how high or low the emotions flow.
We relish the times we have and yet my heart aches for those friends we lost and their humans who bear an empty & aching place in their hearts.

The best all of us can do is keep pressing forward with what time & resources we have to ensure our pets and their peers are protected, honored & recognized. That means continuations of cross postings, petitions, donations of time & money because we are not only their voice but those who are not lucky enough to have a human or family to look to or call home.

Everyone at dogster & catster obviously has much more so let's try to take a step beyond.

Blessed wished & happy holidays from Lena Malik & Sasha

Investing emotions has a price & take their toll, but it's- worth it

Tribute to all my friends who have truly left their mark.

So many paws have veered off on another path/journey here at dogster and at home.
Glancing sideways, expecting to see their familiar faces and easy banter that comes with friendships grown over time, all the milestones...celebrations, holidays and even the dark hours when we would pick each other up and start again.
We with paws know it's just a matter of time til we converge and continue where we left off, with each other and of course our humans but they sometimes ignore or try to forget their journeys are longer and more intricate than ours even though deep in their heart they know we wait patiently beyond.
The reason why we exist is to provide companionship and an unconditional loyalty, to try to be daily reminders to humans that if you simplify your life and realize what is important, you have much more time & heart to attend to really appreciating the opportunity to LIVE and not just breathe....we often teach give them lessons or reminders how to treat other humans no less.

We lost our friends here in Minnesota, Bailey & Sarge recently to cancer the past few months and our mind and thoughts are here with harleyboy & Campeche and their families.
Poking my nose around I see many more who have crossed recently like Juneau, Jazz and Smiley, and even through time the edge hasn't softened in missing my friends QUANNAH and ELVIS and I just found out my friend Molly sought out the bridge as well...

I worry about mom 'cause I find her mind wander over there, to rainbow bridge since I guess I can officially be classified as an old lady or at least a few husky toes into senior citizenship. She scrutinizes over the added white hairs to my muzzle which you can hardly notice if you don't know me that well and because of my coloring. I like to throw a wrench into her thoughts & notions by still being as spirited in gait to the point people still ask her how old of a "pup" am I, when she tells them, their voices drop an octave and the Ohs" come out as the reminder of time and mortality cannot be ignored.

As I lay here in good health and give her the same loyalty and joy I have provided these past nine years, in the emotional nest of comfort & support, her heart goes out to my friends and most of all their humans, she can relate to.

(message from humom Sasha)

We invest in relationships, whether human or pets to take that leap of faith that our rewards will far surpass the sacrifices, sorrows and pain that feeling so deeply can bring.
People who don't have pets, especially dogs like to think or label us as crazy or eccentric at times but I take pity on them, those who have never experienced the joy of a beloved pet or being as simply, truly loved & adored as in the eyes of our pups here and now, beyond, forever.
We write this for all of you and know someday actually the message will ring the same for us. Know that there are others out there that have bearded similar grief, have experienced or are experiencing the bittersweet joy of walking down memory lane and that would do it all again to have known you and call you family.

THE harleyboy

Dogster is a highway, full of pups coming & going, an endless parade of dogs & humans with so little time to choose who you meet & get to know.
Some of us gather by region or breed or by other common interests. Many meet by chance and from those a few make a lasting impressions and perhaps a friendship or two.

harleyboy was truly an original...his looks made many of us fawn and coo because truly he was a looker, combined with the charms of his spokesman human, he left a trail or curious, interested and at times broken hearts because being social & extremely charming was natural to him.
But for a stingy gal like me, more is needed to impress and what really welcomed my heart was his love & zest for life...the endless curiosity and joy he found in LIVING. So many of us dogs are lucky to have a home and human guardian to care for us but there's a few who really excel at showing what a truly contented dog can share.

I cannot bring myself to look at harleydog's videos right now, the same ones that brought me such joy & laughter are remembrances of a one in a million special pup and it's hard to glance at that missed spirit.

harleydog for me was synonymous with dogster along with a handful of others and one of the pillars/cornerstones & fine ambassador of this site is now gone.

The hardest part to deal with is that harleydog exemplified life, joy & spirit. With him gone I feel dust in my lungs & breath, the continuous wave of energy is not complete down here, he was the one who tried to make you smile or laugh when you were crying inside so where do I turn to now?

All I know is somewhere up there at the Rainbow Bridge, it just got a whole light brighter...harleydog is lighting it up, I know it to my bones & husky paws. My friend sure knew how to live & liven up wherever he went and I am certain he is bringing a whole new ray of sunshine & energy beyond us.
The tears flood the vision of the keyboard and it's hard to type, but thank you friend for being such a light, a gift to those who crossed your path, til we meet again, love LM.

The most majestic omega

I cannot rest tonight without adding a small tribute entry for one of the grandest wolves which my humom was lucky enough to meet.
Her name was Lakota and she was the omega of the original ambassador wolf pack at the IWC/International Wolf Center in Ely MN founded by "Dr. Wolf" himself David Mech.
She was the reason humom enlisted in volunteering for IWC and for wolf orgs across the country. The reason she got more steadily involved in wildlife conservation, rescue and naturally in animal rescue.
In human society Lakota would of ruled...she was not only gorgeous & photogenic, she was a larger wolf, largest in her litter but in wolf society, larger doesn't always equate to alpha status and she never had the attitude nor the drive/will to achieve it. She witnessed a younger , beta birth sister die at a young age and she also outlived her brother the alpha male Lucas and MacKenzie the alpha female.
I have a youtube dedication clip on my page, take the time to view and witness the wonder of Lakota... there is a shot that breaks my heart of Lakota on the defensive and frenzied surrounded by four other wolves...much of her life was this yet she played a key part in the dichotomy of the pack, even when you least expected...when a wolf was brave enough to challenge authority & alpha and the wrestling became dark, Lakota would scoot in and break the ice and become the sole victim of torment, no contest when the omega was around but most other lowly wolf members would try to find a safe corner or lick the alpha's face in submission, Lakota would break up scuffles and sacrifice herself to ensure peace in her pack.
A most amazing wolf, a beautiful creature whom humom would of loved nothing more than to coddle and to love but we recognize and respect what is wild.
I am proud to share lineage with such an amazing creature and a noble being.

Rest in peace and in knowing your spirit truly lives on in us runts,underdogs & omegas.

Like curling up in an old familiar spot

So much to share I don't know where to begin so I think it's best to start at the present, and I mean very present.
Humom came home a few hours ago and greeted me with funny smells...as in funny OTHER dog smells. I leaped around and did the husky butt wiggle, acting like I hadn't seen her in a million years and yet I smelled the weirdness. BUT as a mature 8 yr. old, confident pup I got over it (actually I recognized the smells, my girlfriends down the block Mischa, a husky lab mix & Ellie a white shepherd husky mix, both we're trying to enlist onto dogster, so if you gals are visiting my page, get on it!) Both my galfriends are rescues like me and I love how we are all living the high life now and ruling the neighborhood...yes we do gossip about the strange boy pups strutting on our territory but we are definitely a handful as a collection (a blonde, a strawberry blonde & a redhead BOL!) but none would ever hold a candle to my *Bandit*, seriously, how many male pups appreciate morning glories yet possess a stare & glare a wolf would pause at ?!!!, and a poet's heart...sigh.

Anyways, I currently have such challenging duties to attend to such as being chili taster last night and helping humom maintain the garden and greeting friends and neighbors, picking out treats and toys at the store for rescue groups and hauling firewood & equipment when we are out of town. but humom mentioned dogster and I woofed it's about fricking time! I miss my friends, I miss the camaraderie and most importantly I know there is always work to be done and never enough hands and paws to meet the requests & demands.

Now the tricky thing about dogster is love, friendship,all the paths offered and tempting, time consuming little threads, perks and whatnot and so little time. Last night we spent over 4 hours simply saying howllo and trying to catch up a little. It hurt to only be able to glimpse a friend's page for a couple moments, perhaps leaving a message or a gift because everyone has so much going on in their lives and some are major that racked us emotionally, others who had such wondrous reasons to celebrate...all that left us feeling guilty and saddened not to have witnessed or be there in the times of greatest joys and deepest sorrows.
For this I want to apologize friends because I do know how much it means to have friends who truly are compassionate and will be there to be your strength when you need it and also are sincerely happy and joyful in celebrations.

So for now I will leave you with a little something to think on,
we will pass through, come and go in so many various degrees and places but our sole duty and purpose as pups is to be there as companions and the unconditional love & loyalty humans need and have not managed to generally possess like us. We are there at first dawn and in the darkest times of unsettled rest and moments for our humans, through all of it. We were also the reason they found their way to dogster, the reason why they stay or come back after absences...through it all we are always there and it's the humans that may need to take a step back or tend to other things but friends, I have always been here, my spirit, my concern & love but I know you understand this too and are constantly taking care of your humans as well and that makes me sleep well at night. Still it's good to be back.

What I learned from an "enemy", Simon/Simone the squirrel- taught me well

We lost my wild furkin Simon/Simone to a hawk 6 weeks ago but that tragic tale is for another time.
My squirrel friend (too premature to designate it's sex, thus the duel names) taught both my humom and I many lessons in it's brief life and on this morning it may have saved one of it's kind it's owns precious little life.
Humom has had an ongoing turf war with the squirrels and her garden the past 8 years, heated enough for her to acquire a slingshot (she has wicked aim but only goes for the thickest part of the body as a reminder we have territory we're willing to defend). Finally this year she forewent the numerous tomato and other vegetable plants...gardening should be a pleasure, not a basis of so much stress,strife and combat. We got very little sympathy from friends when Simon/Simone came into our lives after years of complaint but it was the sole littler mate of "little squirrel boy" that mom tried to save and we mentioned in a previous diary entry, this squirrel I am confident in proclaiming was one in a million and will never be forgotten and forever missed.

I have been patiently waiting for winter, yes at times the Minnesota cool air plays tricks on us all but isolated snowflakes here and there makes me grumble since snow is one of my favorite things in life and the true sign ushering in winter. So the first thing I liked to do after the morning potty duty walk is to be let outside on the back deck which I have taken over, especially a very famous chaise lounge that Lindsey Lohan sat on in the movie "A Prairie Home Companion". My poppa worked on the movie and purchased it from the set for my humom but once I lounged on the chaise, it became mine. Every morning I jump up on the chaise and circle 5 or 6 times and curl up into the expected husky ball and enjoy the cool mornings. This morning the temp was about 20 degrees but my winter coat has been in place for a few weeks and I set about dreaming of snow, the last great race and what humom might cook for dinner. She can see me out of her bedroom window and catches me occasionally lift my head to sniff some exotic aroma passing me by. Just now this morning, out of the corner of her eye she saw a tiny, flashing gray movement on the deck floor. It was one of the tiny baby squirrels, of the very late litter born the end of this summer. Humom has been worried they may not make it for they are so tardy in producing their winter coat and insulation, not to mention all the bullying neighbor squirrels. I think this one braved exploring our deck because there are some seeds and pods left from our garden that humom is waiting to dry out for harvest. Needless to say, being the wildlife chaser and warrior I am she was a little frazzled when it ventured to the end of my throne/chaise and hiked up on it's back legs to peek up. I lifted my head, sniffed the air which led me to see the little one about two husky tails length away. I don't know if it was the naivety or pure fear & horror that made the little one freeze and Sasha/humom gasp. She ran to the deck door and by then the little one had scampered a safe distance away and humom threw out some stale sesame crackers and called me in. I had to remind her that I learned in the brief and blessed time we knew Simon/Simone I could defer what was acceptable and welcomed and what wasn't...even when my humom changed her mind so often in regards to those gray entities. It truly wasn't some twist of fate nor fancy trick that I would recognize our friend and let it wander into our kitchen if we were late with snacks or treats. Nor was it acceptable for the others to bully it around in circles leading it to safety of our deck or Sasha's voice. Numerous times she witnessed me chasing every gray tail except Simone/Simone because it was willing to take a chance on us like I did with my human early in our own personal venture. Sometimes going against the grain or nature reaps the biggest rewards and now humom keeps a vigilant eye on the tiny, tardy squirrel babes and she knows I join her as a champion to ensure they get a chance....those others can risk my bad side/innate wild hunting skills or humom's wrath but Simon/Simone recognized a kin in the underdog role we respect and are drawn to and took a leap of faith which in turn taught us well. For her ( human and all) it may be more expected or recognized but I am constantly proving to her (even being the husky dog) I can and am on the same wavelength at the moments when it truly counts.
I learned my lesson well, I know Simon/Simone along with sibling little squirrel boy witnessed all of this somewhere up there and are proud of us and perhaps guiding those in the gray tribe that need an extra hand to deal, exist and survive in this world full of so many challenges...that a human and more surprisingly a dog may be listening for and hear the call and rise to the unusual challenges that may come our way.

RIP squirrel boy and beloved Simon/Simone.

Come and sit for a moment, it's worth our time & lives

Presently I am celebrating two major events.
First is the glorious life encumbered by love and devotion of my friend QUANNAH You may read more about this amazing soul on his page and get a glimpse of the wonderful life he had, special humans and his valiant battle with
I
M
H
A
Like some of my brave friends, his humans are still fighting, in honor and dedication for loved ones lost by this terribly devastating disease. PLEASE, just look into your pups eyes for a second and you will realize how important it is to educate yourself on this horror with a moment as quick and easy as answering your phone or feeding us pups...IMHA is not picky, no breed , sex or age deters it. One of the biggest champions in battling IMHA is our friend Angel Mica-the wonderpup Mica's diary explains more of the situation and also how your humans can get involved....act instead of react!
Back to my friend QHANNAH. He set off for the Rainbow Bridge a year ago today. I remember last year at this time, everyone was abuzz, getting ready for the holidays and to give thanks when this news crashed our world. I remember being so delighted and proud that he had recently passed his AKC Good Citizen trials and what a long way he had come from his humble and tragic beginnings. I would glimpse at his pictures and know secretly behind that strong, stoic stature laid an open, trusting heart of gold. He like way too many left us too soon but it comforts me to know his humans opened their hearts even wider in a time of grief to a loving and needy pup QUANNAH's pack kin ELI. They share a wonderful fursis MOLLY MAE Rest in peace dear friend and our hearts,paws and arms stretch out to your family & pack.

I also want to mention my utterly gorgeous (even with mud on her face) and noble friend Oakley is celebrating her woofday tomorrow, Sunday. She's still just a kid/young pup compared to me but her poise and wisdom perks my ears to listen whenever she utters a woof or sound and if there is ever a true and kind friend around, she is one of those gems at the helm.

Life, death, life. The endless circle, the never ending tributes and celebrations.
I wish everyone health & happiness and the true gumption for our humans to act, prepare instead of waiting and reacting when forced to for the love of us dogs.

In your hands humans, the politics & hope of merit

Us pups have it simplified. We come as told (hopefully), follow our humans lead with 100% trust. We do not placate nor judge on a whim and accept what is and try to find a place in it and some semblance and balance.
What though of these humans, guardians of our care? Emotions and thoughts too intricate, complicated for us pups to comprehend.
Whether it's on dogster, the politcos or human social circles, humans.... take a moment, breathe and learn from your pups because there is an irony in the juxtaposition of us pups and our humans at times. We get it and some of our humans don't.
Us pups greet and love without regards to lineage, affiliations and superficial merits. Have you ever seen one of us turn away from a new, chance meet & greet because one of us was a mutt, or less educated or a complete stranger?
What happens when one of us actually feels offended? We may voice or show our frustrations for a moment and then we get over it. If the other party doesn't, we move on and find those who don't carry a chip on their shoulder and when they finally drop that chip, we greet them like a long lost family member or friend, it's in the past, here we are, let's live...let's play!

How better the humans would fare if they recognized all the lessons we could teach them.
We know we are cute & cuddly, handsome, beautiful and more...the constant heartbeat and steadfast devotion of our humans. So then how does it come to be that our guardians possess this empathy and love, yet develop such unnecessary strife amongst themselves?

This is a reminder to my humom and her fellow humans, I may follow you blindly off a cliff, in that fact you should remember and perhaps take heed of the power of your emotions, words and actions.
Try to treat the other humans as I treat you and my fellow pups.
Life is hard, it is truly challenging. We need to have as many to lean on through all the ups and downs and not circle each other in frivolous and trite banter or situations.
We are at a time when our country will see some major changes, only by challenging ourselves as our newly elected leader has done can we truly be a part of it

Think of it humans, if each of you met your full potential in your lives as our president elect has done, what could be accomplished or attained in this country, on this planet?

Let's get going and shed the strife, silliness and inane drama and meet our own personal challenges. Us pups love you unconditionally but only because we have full confidence and faith in you, it's time to earn it from your fellow humans and stop waiting in hopes that others will do the work.

Mother of all diary entries, forgive me but I'm 8 yrs. old- and been absent, BOL!

I would like to say howllo, to all the pups & catster friends, so many I haven't been able to keep in touch with lately. I am just going to assume by the grace of your humans, your lives continue to be the best they may possibly be and even those in trying times or afflictions are armed with a massive support group, love and support. of family and friends.

Thank you all for the wonderful woofday wishes, sincere thoughts and messages. Even though humom is sick, I managed to have quite the wonderful woofday including fresh Lake Trout and toys that I fear will be donated to our favorite shelter since I somehow gravitate to nature's toys of rocks, sticks, pine cones, etc.

We have been very busy ladies with humom canvassing and I am officially a bark for Barack pup. No matter what your party affiliations are or who you choose to support, it is of utmost importance to exercise your right to vote. Funny, one of mom's dearest friends is not barking for Barack but since they are good friends and value each other's friendship, politics will never get in the way and I hope this sentiment is shared with others. We will be continuing our mission til the election so we'll probably won't be able to come back to dogster much until after Nov. 4th.

Awhile ago humom wrote about squirrel boy. Well we befriended it's litter mate originally dubbed Simon as in simple Simon because he was oh so trusting and/or not so bright but one day humom saw it and thought it might of been a girl so it was renamed Simon/Simone. It got used to humom's voice and within a couple weeks was eating out of her hand. So very special because of it's sweet demeanor, ears that stuck out a bit and narrow face with a rather pointy top like mine which you can't see under all my fur. Simon/Simone would come visit us every morning at sunrise, throughout the day if we were home and the last brush of twilight before turning in. Endless stories I hope humom will share in the future of this special squirrel. She has been missing for a week today. Humom wonder's if it's her fault since there has been a stray cat wondering around that she first noticed the eve of her last sighting. Did we get Simon/Simone to trust too much? You see, I even figured out who it was amongst the other squirrels that would come visit our deck and chase the others away, all the while letting her explore our plants and trees, even wondering into the kitchen to demand it's peanut butter cookie. there have been ravens and even a hawk sighting recently, we don't what has happened but we're both rather in a somber mood. Humom did manage to take some pictures and as soon as she uses up the roll of film and develops them we will post a couple. It is especially disheartening because this was the kin of little squirrel boy and we saw Simon/Simone having to learn the ways of the world by itself. Chasing itself amongst the tree limbs, getting harassed by the other groups of squirrels and quietly looking for acceptance and company in the big wild world after it got kicked out of it's nest.

I refuse to leave this entry on a down note though so I would like to mention I hope everyone has been watching Dogtown from our super friends at Best Friends. The show airs on National Geographic on Friday evening 8:oo pm central, if you miss it they re air and also have updates on their site and Dogtown's own website; http://www.bestfriends.org/dogtown/

It feels good to be eight, I think of all those pups who never reach my age or half my age and most recently because of the economic crisis and foreclosures how many never see their first, second, third, fourth woofdays. And the ones who have loyally been a part of their family for years and yet forced to be separated or abandoned without any understanding. This is why my friends and comrades we must cherish our lives and continue to be the best pups we can be, live our lives honorably and as well as we possibly can for all those that don't have the opportunity and if luck and grace knocks on our doors, to step up and try to help those that need us desperately...someone's life could depend on it.

We wuv you all and keep you close to our hearts and in our minds throughout the absence of many days and long stretches of time, even so with the best wishes we can send in spirit , admiration and love with fond memories and beautiful/crazy mental images dancing in our minds of all of you. Lena Malik & Sasha

Angels, imps and lovebirds

My good angel friend Mica the wonder pup is Dog of the Week!!! The honor bestowed couldn't of gone to a more deserving and noble friend. If you have not met her acquaintance and her little fursis Mirra, please do! You can also find her on the dogster homepage for Dog of the Week. Also I have their badges on my page and a live link under one of my favorite pictures...us visiting together with other dear friends. Mica is a most determined and inspired champion of IMHA. If one more person and pup learn each day and in turn share awareness of this tragic disease, this blessing in disguise would truly be the reward Mica , her family and friends are striving for. So please take the time to read, learn, ask and support in any way possible.

I would like to thank you all for your notes of encouragement & gifts of support in regards to my pork chop fiasco. I have to admit ....it was NOT worth the pain on both ends, BOL! But still having humom read such notes of concern and well wishes reminds her that I am not perfect, just a pup who couldn't pass up a golden opportunity!

My friend Lucy's humom is getting married this weekend out of state and humom just informed me I will not be attending. Although this comes as a shock I will be hanging out with my poppa and empathizing with Lucy because I believe she will be a part of the ceremony but not invited to the Pawrty, imagine that!
So cheers to the soon to be newly weds and lovely Lucy!

Hopefully I will be able to write again before this weekend, if not, I would like to say how much I look forward to catching up with old friends and new alike. It is taking furever for us to get back in the swing of things on planet dogster, emails, friends' lives and such but seeing your faces and reading little notes from you all makes us smile and feel like we have been gifted each day with a little extra sunshine and kindess. Thank you and many husky hugs!