dog rescue – Page 13 – Gardens For Goldens

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

In the garden, opposites attract, like the purple aster against the yellow bush marigold –

and things that are alike complement each other: two different varieties of Gaillardia:

Dogs: not necessarily so. Dogs that don’t want to live with other dogs take a little longer to get home. Like our beloved, Barnaby here.

But dogs that react negatively to other dogs, require dog-savvy humans committed to their training. Their journey can take longer still.

Some dogs have had very troubled pasts, with understandable reactivity to all other dogs. But some, just pick and choose. What is it about a dog that makes it holler at another dog: “Hey, Dude! I really don’t like you!”? (These two are just playing!)

We have four of them right now: the fearless foursome. Dogs that are okay with some dogs…but really don’t like selective dogs.

Finn hates Bear.

Bear hates Jackson.

Jackson hates Finn.

And sweet Gunther isn’t sure he likes any of them.

Because reactivity can seriously limit their adoption chances, we also have devoted dog walkers and trainers who are working with them to help them learn how to co-exist.

They don’t have to like each other…

but take a lesson from the garden, boys:

can’t we all just get along?

Thanks to Rob Kessel, of robanddog.com, for use of the Bear and Finn photos.

UPDATE: All four of our fussy friends have been adopted to loving homes. Happy life, Finn, Bear, Jackson and Gunther. BE GOOD BOYS!

Boy Meets Girl

New “fur-ever” friends. Nothing better.

As Long As There Are Dogs

We have had four full fall seasons since we began our effort of building a Memorial Garden for the dogs and volunteers to enjoy. The garden continues to evolve as foundation plants mature, and the more temperamental succumb to our ongoing drought.

Season One was full of overflowing Zinnia’s and Dahlias.

Season Two was the year of Rudbeckia, huge Mexican Sages and gigantic mums.

Season Three delivered towering Sunflowers and Amaranthus.

Missing this year altogether are the Dahlias, Amaranthus and beautiful purple Basil which never took hold. The Rudbeckia and Zinnias passed through half-heartedly; the Mexican Sage, herb garden and mums are but a shadow of their former selves.

“Despite the gardener’s best intentions, Nature will improvise.” ~Michael P. Garofalo

Still, we have some constants: the roses,

Ina’s magnificent Asters with divides now populating the entire garden,

our faithful Yarrow,

flowing Fountain Grass which somehow survived the winter,

the return of tiny frogs,

Maria’s harvest-inspired decorations…

And dogs. Always dogs.

Going home this weekend: Jenny,

Ginger,

and Marley.

As long as there are dogs that need to go home, there will be a fall garden at Homeward Bound –

in one form or another.

Wordless Wednesday: Lenny

A Heart That Sees

When our entry beds were sketched and planted, it took imagination to see what they would become.

But in that dirt were the seeds of this towering symphony of purple, white, and silver.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” ~ Antoin de St Exupery, The Little Prince

Victor came to us in the fall of 2014 from an area shelter. Surrendered at the age of 10, he was a hot mess of chronic ear infections and flea allergy dermatitis. He had literally scratched and rubbed his coat away from the constant itching.

Most people would have a hard time seeing past his scabs to his sweet personality and the potential he had inside. Barbara, however, sees with her heart and not her eyes. She took Victor home knowing his challenges. Add to the list, Vestibular Disease, which struck about a month later. The disease causes sudden loss of balance and disorientation that might be mistaken for stroke. While symptoms often resolve in a couple of weeks, it can result in permanent head wobbling or tilt. Welcome to Victor’s 45-degree world!

When he came for a visit yesterday, I did not even recognize this furry, fluffy boy. Only the angle of his gaze would give it away.

A garden teaches us to see potential beyond what is visible to the eye. With imagination, work, and love, its shape takes form and its true personality comes to life.

“At the heart of gardening there is a belief in the miraculous.” ~ Mirabel Osler

Victor’s miracle was as simple as one woman with a heart that sees.

Can You Hear Me Now?

“Hey, whatcha got, Gwen?”

“Duh. A ball, Dharma. It’s all mine.”

“But it’s nice to share.”

“I can’t hear you.”

“Can you hear me now, Gwen?”

“Geez, Dharma…get a grip girl!”

Down the Rabbit Hole

I find myself in Wonderland. Down the rabbit hole we go,

where crazy people undertake a kennel remodel with dogs still in residence.

Shuffling dogs from one place to another to accomplish in one week what would take mere mortals at least four.

“I’m not crazy. My reality is just different from yours.” ~ Cheshire Cat

Simultaneously making good on a “Picnic in the Garden” auction item –

“It’s always tea time.” ~ The Mad Hatter

for five human guests and their five canine companions…and expecting everyone to get along?

Alice: “This is impossible.”
The Mad Hatter: “Only if you believe it is.”

Then, just for good measure – add in a Volunteer Appreciation Picnic for 100 and their dogs.

The Mad Hatter: “Have I gone mad?”
Alice: “I believe so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. The best people are.”

We all go a little mad sometimes.
The good news: one week of chaos, and it will all be done!

“Begin at the beginning… and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” ~Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Wish us luck!

It’s All About The Dogs

An Indian Summer drifts begrudgingly into autumn, dragging her last lazy rays behind her.

“Nature bestows her own, richest gifts
And, with lavish hands, she works in shifts.” ~ Gertrude Tooley Buckingham

It’s too hot to garden (much less fly!)…

much better to just enjoy the company of dogs.

I’ve written for years about our rescue – Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary. For those who can’t travel to visit us, I thought you might enjoy a video recently completed and donated by our long-time volunteers Bob Murphy and Carolyn Belz. Regular readers might recognize some of the dogs and their stories. It’s a magical place … because “it’s all about the dogs.”
Click here to view. Enjoy!

Happiness alights

The garden is aflutter with butterflies. The Monarchs…the White Cabbage…and Fiery Skipper…

and the Gulf fritillary or passion butterfly.

Usually these Gulf Frits can be found gorging on the Lantana and verbena…

but this weekend, it’s all about the passion-flower.

This is where they will lay their eggs – because their larva feeds exclusively on the passion-flower vine that covers our arbor.

Before long, there will be spiny caterpillars covering the arbor…the beginning of the transformation from larva to winged beauty.

But more than butterfly transformations are underway here.

Abigale was picked up as a stray on the 4th of July. No one ever claimed her from the shelter, which may have been just as well. Overweight, covered in mats with a brewing infection on her underside, she was likely a neglected outdoor dog.

So frightened was she by her ordeal, we couldn’t even go near her to put on a collar. For her first week, she stayed outside in a covered yard refusing to allow anyone near her.

Gradually, our volunteers made their way to her side, and gradually, she came to trust them. Which is how we learned that she loved balls, and water, and kids, and other dogs. This weekend, Abigale found her way to her forever home…a family that could always be counted on to come looking for her if she ever got lost.

But the most dramatic transformation was in the fortunes of Caitlyn.

Her cauliflower ear and these words in her file: “removed from her home for her own safety” – say it all. She was checked out of the shelter as a boy. But a thorough exam and bath later, we discovered their error. Thus the name Caitlyn.

This malnourished, teddy-bear-faced GIRL had obviously been through a lot. Amazingly, her disposition remained forgiving and loving.

She went home this week as a foster with one of our long-time volunteers.

By all accounts, things are going wonderfully and we are crossing our paws that she will be reclassified soon as a “foster-failure.”

Neither Abigale nor Caitlyn probably ever knew that their new-found happiness was possible.

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

What a joy for us to be a tiny part of it.

“Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine.” ~ Jeffrey Glassberg

Happy sunshine, Abigale and Caitlyn.

Thanks to photographer, Rob Kessel for lending some photos of Abigale and Caitlyn.

Wordless Wednesday: Karaoke Star

More to Love

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, and Peggy’s got to take home a senior tub-o-love.

Peggy – one of the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden volunteers – was out last weekend. She is an excellent gardener, and a long-time member of our rescue family. She also has a well-earned reputation for working miracles with the senior dogs that have either been loved or neglected into obesity.

“All we ever get are the old and fat ones,” says her husband, Steve. (Excuse me?!)

Not exactly correct. Rumor has it that all Peggy picks are the old and ~~fat~~ plump ones. Just more to love.

A week ago, a parade of svelte, fresh arrivals paraded past Peggy as she worked in the garden. Nothing.

Then Mary came waddling through, and from across the adjacent yard where Peggy had moved to prune the roses we heard: “Hey, who’s that?” Peggy has an eye for our butterballs like our dogs have sniffers for cookies! (Did someone say ‘cookies?’)

So guess who returned this weekend to bring Mary home to foster? You guessed it…

with Steve issuing his pretend protests all the while. You can’t take that man seriously…unless you happen to be a tree that needs to be removed. Then watch out!

Mary was one of seven dogs that went home this weekend. Happy life as well to Buffy…

Max and Libby (a twofer!)

Tabby, now Annie – another foster failure we hope!(You rename ’em…you keep ’em!)

Stella…

And our favorite “Not-a-Golden”, Nigel!

Dogs going home…time in the garden…

Makes Monday almost bearable.

Paid in Smiles

My sister, Debra, is involved in rescue of the feline sort. She is part of a group with a well-earned reputation for its effective trap, neuter and release (TNR) program to reduce the feral cat population in her town back East. A much better writer, she blogs about her work with this all-volunteer community effort, and the joy of living and working with animals in general. (Stealing one of her images…I’m pretty sure she’ll forgive me).

Her program had a tough week – the kind where you find the limits of what you can and cannot accomplish or cure.

Every couple of weeks, we put new recruits through a volunteer orientation.

The long-term “stick-around” rate is in the low double digits because they encounter the kind of realities my sister faced this week. Hard work – this rescue stuff. It takes a giant heart that you have to be willing to leave open – while simultaneously protecting, knowing that the work makes an important difference as it did for our Kobe, here.

“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace.” ~ Victor Hugo

I am in awe of the people who remain committed to difficult efforts despite the emotional risk. When I look at these faces, I am so grateful for the humans who return – week after week – to ours. Meet Mary, 12:

And Libby, also 12:

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.” ~ Edward Everett Hale

I nearly forgot to update you … sweet Emma, my first surrender intake, went home just two weeks after she arrived. From fear and trepidation…

to happy and excited to begin her new life – you would not recognize her as the same dog.

“Volunteers are paid in six figures…S-M-I-L-E-S.” ~ Gayla LeMaire

Kasey…all 14 years of him. 🙂 Payment made.