Tag: dog rescue

Our Village

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

A plane buzzed to signal a special event today at Homeward Bound – the annual Volunteer Picnic. This is the one time during the year when all volunteers come together to an afternoon of appreciation, and connection.

And of course – they were accompanied by their honored guests: the Goldens; almost all of them (like Libby and Jasmine below) rescued from Homeward Bound.

The saying goes, “it takes a village” – and that couldn’t be more evident than today’s gathering. In this all-volunteer organization, each person contributes their unique talents putting in long hours, at, and away from, the ranch. Many times, their paths do not cross except at a couple of events each year. There are transporters, feeders, walkers, groomers, trainers, placement experts, foster families, community representatives and more in addition to the volunteer staff.

They are the lifeblood of the organization, and the reason why Homeward Bound is able to take dogs that other shelters find challenging to place, and create miracle, happily-ever-afters for hundreds of dogs each year.

In all the hubbub, we did still manage to get some gardening in. It is, after all, prime fall planting season, and both Ina and Maria are expanding beds in the Memorial Garden.

Ina plans a California natives garden to frame the garden’s entry. We spent about six hours pick-axing old roots, uncovering archeological treasure,

gigantic weeds,

and laying the groundwork for her next amazing creation.

Having just doubled the size of the Herb Garden,


Maria is now planning to convert the Container Garden into a Fragrant Garden.

By next spring, St. Francis will be surrounded by the smells of orange blossoms, star jasmine, rosemary, lavender, thyme and gardenias.

So many plans – so little time. Hope to see you in the Garden.

Surrender

When a plant fails to thrive, is over-run with bugs, or becomes a thug to others, we do our best to nurture, mend or tame it in the Memorial Garden.

One of our volunteer gardeners, Ina, is famously tough on her problem plants. She literally tells them to toughen up and get it together, or they are out of here!

And they will be, if they don’t respond. But plants are not animals.

When you see so many dogs come through a rescue organization like Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary, it is easy to fall into judging those who have given up their pups. This is Sammy. He was surrendered this week.

Recently, I met a woman in the garden who made me rethink my judging. She had come to the ranch, accompanied by her young son, in hopes of learning the fate of an older Golden she had given up.

She explained to me that her family lived in a very rural area at the time. Her dog was very much a beloved member of her large family which included a foster child, and was used to having room to run in the great outdoors. Life changed on a dime, however, when her husband passed away unexpectedly. Forced to move from the country to the city and a small apartment, she became a single, working mother practically overnight.  She was beyond overwhelmed just trying to keep herself and her children together. The complication of caring for their older dog in a tiny space was beyond her capacity.

You could see that it broke her heart, and her son’s to surrender their dog.  She didn’t know what she could learn, if anything, when she visited the Sanctuary – but she was hoping for closure.

When you surrender a dog, you give up all rights to it. Still, she was able to learn that her dog was successfully adopted, and now lives in an area with the wide open spaces it was accustomed to. She was greatly relieved – and sad as well. Tears welled up in her eyes as she told me about her pup and her heartbreaking decision.

My dogs are part of my family, and I consider them a lifetime commitment. I can’t imagine a circumstance that would ever force me to give them up. But I have never been faced with difficult choice this woman faced. To seek out Homeward Bound – an organization dedicated to rescue, no matter what the dog’s age or health, gave her dog the best chance for a good home and happy ending.

Too often, people give up on their animals without a second thought.

Shelters are filled with the pets of people who regard them as an inconvenience, an expense, or too much trouble.  Worse, are those who simply drop a dog off on a road somewhere.  If you would give up your dog because “he’s un-trainable”, or “he has (name-the-ailment)”, or simply “he was a lot smaller and cuter as a puppy” – please stick with Goldfish (nothing against Goldfish!) That wasn’t the case here. And many times, surrender is the last option of people who have lost their loved ones, their homes, and more. It was an important reminder to me to count my blessings and pray that I will never have to face the decision this woman did.

Rescue. Adopt. Foster. And if you must surrender – do it with responsible care.

Shelby’s Homecoming

Regular readers will remember the story of Shelby, one of Homeward Bound’s more difficult rescues.
Not because she was sick, or old, or broken – at least not physically.

But there was something very broken about her ability to relate to people, other dogs, or even a human touch. You can read about her here.

Maybe that’s why Chris – one of Homeward Bound’s talented trainers – took such a loving to her. Over the course of a year, she and her husband patiently worked with Shelby. In the same amount of time it took for the Memorial Garden to take shape – Shelby blossomed too.

Last weekend -Shelby was finally able to go home. Happy girl.

It is not the end of her story. Shelby may always need special attention to feel safe and secure. But she has found her fur-ever home, and a family devoted to her healing. And that is cause for special celebration. Happy homecoming, Shelby! Come back and visit us in the Garden. 🙂

Still Planting. Still Rescuing.

I thought our gardening plans were ruined, it was so dark and dreary (and early) when I got up. Even the pups had to be dragged out of bed today. But then, the crown of the tree across the street turned golden – and the day in the garden was saved. A little cold. But saved.

Next week, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary is recognizing its volunteers in a special annual event. Our Maria insists that the Memorial Garden must look its best. So, while my garden and photographer blogger friends showcase the fading season, we’re still busy planting. The benefits of California gardening.

I finally attacked the merging of the Hummingbird and Grandma’s Garden beds. Maybe it’s Grandma’s Hummingbird garden now. The rosemary, lavender and sage were spread throughout;

While this amazing Blue/Black Sage found its way to the Perennial Garden.

The petunias were pulled up as their season was over, and they were replaced with more seasonal Snapdragons, Iceland Poppies and Pansies.

Maria finished expanding the Herb Garden which now includes winter veggies; Ornamental Kale, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Red Chard and Artichoke. We’ll see if those are planted for our enjoyment – or the bunnies!

She filled the box behind it with Sages: Pineapple, Autumn, and Genetian (love that blue!)

Pat and Penny (she’s the one resting) dead-headed the roses…yes, still in bloom!

Meanwhile, Ina’s Asters are putting on a magnificent show –

appreciated by all.

Most appreciated, of course, are our visitors. This weekend’s hit parade includes more pairs (we’re seeing so many of them now) including Robbie and Nina,

and Ginger and Rusty.

There’s Dusty;

Goldie;

Sunny (recovering from a recent surgery);

Ollie;

and Pancho.

Bart;

Bogey (who is blind – and the sweetest boy ever!);

Little Scout (who is going to school to learn how to be a dog-loving dog);

and…Moe. As in Curley and Moe. As in – not even close to a Golden Retriever.

What can I tell you? We rescue.

Time For A Change

Next month marks a year of chronicling the progress of the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden on this blog. Though it wasn’t part of the original plan, capturing the progress of the dogs has become as much a part of the storytelling.

The season is changing,

so it seems an appropriate time to change the blog format to something that better shows the blend of our passions: gardens and Goldens.

Pardon my tweaking as I figure things out. And thanks to all who have followed along this first year. There is much more to come in the garden, and undoubtedly, many more pup stories to tell. I hope you will visit often.

A Good Day For Gardens and Goldens

Some days are too good to be true.
First, it feels like the night before Christmas at the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden. Today we met to finish prepping for the path installation which is scheduled to begin very early tomorrow morning. We’re so excited that the day is finally here!

The weeds have been beaten back and the ground leveled on our well-trodden garden paths. While they look manageable for the moment, they have been a constant battle of spring mud and summer weeds since we began this project.

By burying them in three inches of walk-on mulch, we will dramatically cut down on our weekly maintenance, while making the garden more dog, and dog-walker friendly.

Brutus and Sierra say that they whole-heartedly approve.

Can you guess which one is Brutus?

And which is sweet Sierra?

In the pen next door, I met Leslie and Tiffany, two Animal Behavior College (ABC) students who were doing their required “extern-ships.”

Tiffany was working with Scooby. She has always loved working with animals and would like to become a trainer herself.

She has completed most of the stages of the program, and was at Homeward Bound to put her new skills to the test.

Leslie has a special connection to Homeward Bound. Today, she was working with Buster – you’ve read about him here before.

But her first love was Rusty, adopted from Homeward Bound in 2009. Rusty helped her through some tough challenges; and she helped Rusty on his journey over the Rainbow Bridge. To honor him, she wants to gain experience as a trainer so she is equipped to foster, and provide the best possible preparation for, other dogs in search of their “fur-ever” homes.

As luck would have it, both of their pupils had very big days. Scooby caught the eye of a family with young boys; and we just received word that Buster was adopted late today as well. Buster’s adoption would not have been possible without the hard work and effort of the trainers, walkers, feeders and countless others who helped him to focus on people instead of a ball.

Here’s another one who is making great progress: Huck.

A couple of weeks ago, he wouldn’t even sit still for a picture – and now look.

Great gardens require preparation, care and continual feeding. Great pups need the same, and they receive these at Homeward Bound.

If there’s hope for Scooby and Buster, there’s hope for Huck. Not to mention these two near-identical beauties; Luni…

and Angel.

Another step forward for the garden – and the pups. It does not get much better than this.

What’s In A Name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.” – Shakespeare

Hundreds of dogs come through Homeward Bound each year. Some arrive with names; some are given to them. And sometimes – it seems – they just get it wrong!

Flowers names are pretty true to form. Sunflower…

Black-Eyed Susan…

Coneflower.

Simple enough. This beautiful boy arrived as ‘Hank’. Does he look like a Hank to you?

Since there were other Hanks in residence, he was named Hank Spoon. It is a ridiculous name.

Rationale #1: “He has a tongue like a spoon.”

He does not.
Rationale #2: “ He’s like that character in Lonesome Dove.”

That would be Jake Spoon – a lazy gambler and drinker. Hank’s not lazy, but he may drink, and if he did gamble, he’d be taking points – betting the underdog. He may also be a bit of a wise guy. Which may be why he is now “Hank, The Spoon.”

On the other hand, the name Hank means ‘ruler of the home’ in German and Dutch. And that may be closer to the truth. Maybe the name ‘Hank’ really was astute…

but I prefer ‘Misunderstood’.

Where Friends Gather

“Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.”- Rudyard Kipling

Maria lost no time today prepping the garden paths for our installation project, only a week away now. She removed buried rock, the few remaining weeds and leveled some hardened clay bumps and lumps.

Meanwhile, I set about expanding the Hummingbird Garden, giving the plants a little more breathing room, as the Russian Sage continues its skyward march.


Nothing gives us greater joy than seeing that the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden has become such a gathering place for friends – of all kinds. Today, in addition to walkers and trainers, we played host to frogs,

butterflies –

and our newest volunteer gardener; Pat’s newly adopted Penny.


If you’re a regular reader, you may remember her as Blossom. She’s a beauty – and great company in the garden.

The Hummingbirds returned,

this time displaying an amazing courtship ritual of aerial acrobatics. While the female sat on the wire playing hard-to-get;

the male rocketed high into the sky,

and then dive-bombed back to earth and to her…over and over and over again.

Some honored guests shared photos with us of the garden when it was nothing but a field of mud and weeds. We have come a long, long way.

The best friend visits of all, of course, are the dogs. Today’s line-up included Sanctuary pups Bebe and Veronica,


Hank Spoon…now Hank, The Spoon (more on that in another post),

Eastman,

Goldie,

Denver,

Susie and Hope,

Brittany,

and two extra-special friends. This little girl was found by one of our trainers on the side of a country road.

There’s not a stitch of Golden in her – except her obvious affection for people –

so we’ll have to craft a rescue plan for her. We call her Sanka – for her coffee-colored spots.

But the most heart-warming moment of the day belonged to Snuffy.

You saw him here a few weeks ago; shaved and obviously in need of adding a few pounds.

We watched him, hopefully, visiting the garden with a family considering fostering –

then saw them leaving together a short time later. That people can see beyond Snuffy’s missing coat and temporary rat-tail to see the adoring dog within, makes all efforts worthwhile.

Make a volunteer gardener’s day: adopt, foster, rescue. Who knows? We might even plant something in your honor.

End of September Update

The humans were a little sluggish this morning at Homeward Bound. I’m not sure if it was the late-into-the-evening fundraiser for the organization, or the weatherman’s promise of 100-degree temperatures…on September 30th. Enough already! While we pounded coffee, the dogs and creatures were up and at ’em. Bees…

butterflies…

frogs…

and even the Hummingbird made its appearance!

We created a garden bed just for this fellow, but he has eluded us all summer – until now. More in another blog about how I almost blew his photo, and the interesting Photoshop save and results.

The only thing not moving was this Crawdad that must have made its way from the draining rice fields. The yards have been full of them, but this one was strangely silent.

Not to be shown up, Maria, Pat and I got busy dead-heading and preparing for the paths that will be installed in two weeks. Here’s Pat hard at work!

With the weeds beaten back, we can’t wait to cover this uneven baked clay earth in three inches of walk-on mulch which will show off the beds beautifully.

Once the paths are in, the goal is to expand the beds. Ina will extend the Cottage Garden across the length of the front entrance,

we’ll create some needed space in the over-grown Hummingbird garden,

Sue and Jeff have planned beds of pansies under the trees (once the weather cools!), and Maria was so inspired by the removal of the blackberries, that she has already begun the task of doubling the size of the Herb Garden.


Across the way she dressed the St. Francis bed for fall.

Goldie gave it the once over, and her approval.

And with that, the parade was on! This is Hank Spoon.

A terrible name for a sweetheart of a boy. Maybe someone will adopt him and change it to something more befitting.

Brutus and Sierra came in search of refreshment. They are still looking for their ‘fur-ever’ home together.

Goldie, number two. A beauty with, what look like, Collie ears.

Scout and Huck are new arrivals. Scout is part Golden and part Corgi. One of our gardeners already has her eye on him. Occupational hazard? Or master plan? I’ll keep you posted.

Huck is a people-loving little thing, who will do well with someone dedicated to his training and who can match his obvious enthusiasm!

Bones helped himself to another apple from the tree. He can’t hear, but he can see and smell! (Remember not to let them eat the cores!)

Bo-Bo and Hershey are not available for adoption, so they can call the garden ‘home’.

And finally, Wedo. This sweet pup has led a ‘sheltered’ life and needs someone who will be devoted to helping him discover life beyond. In exchange, you will be the recipient of this adoring gaze!

There is a lot more to catch you up on, but it is late, and I promised to bake triple chocolate cranberry cookies for work tomorrow…so off I go! See you back here soon.

Bringing Out The Best in Buster

As we tackled the blackberries last weekend we uncovered hidden treasure.

To some, this represents a fun game of play;

but to pups like Buster – something more worrying. Buster is one of a few dogs that arrive at Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary completely, utterly and totally ball-obsessed.

Lots of dogs enjoy a game of ball, but in some cases it moves from play to something much more. When a dog focuses on the ball to the exclusion of every other kind of human or canine interaction, the obsession lessens their quality of life.

A garden succeeds with variety – of shape, texture, color and contrast.

Too much of a good thing results in sameness.

The magic occurs in mixing things up and uncovering surprises.

Dogs are social beings. They need interaction and variety too, or they can become compulsive, neurotic, or worse. The trainers at Homeward Bound are well-practiced in turning around these pups, to give them a chance at adoption and a happy, healthy life.

There is a must-read success story posted to the website about Chester – now Rudy – who arrived at Homeward Bound very much like Buster. You can read it here.

With the training and dedication, Rudy has found a whole new life beyond the ball.

Buster is still a work in progress – but the progress is really good. It begins with a cleared pen, free of all balls, so he can begin to focus his attention on the trainer. Each look is rewarded with treats and praise.

New activities are introduced, with the ball becoming the reward – instead of the object of the exercise. A look in the eyes is cause for celebration;

a kiss means it’s time to throw a parade!

Buster is well on his way. You can see the change in his face…from a few weeks ago…

to now.

He is so lucky to have the team at Homeward Bound on his side. And it truly takes a team! Trainers, feeders, walkers – all reinforcing the same steps will, with any luck, help the placement team connect him to a waiting family;

someone who will see the golden in him, the way Art and Amy saw the promise in Rudy. Is that you?

Catching Up

Ina sends this note from the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden today:
“As of today, the bramble has had a complete ‘ectomy’ in both beds. Very satisfying work for a gardener with attitude! Onward!”

And no photo – so we are left to wonder just what gift she has left us. For those of you new to this blog, look back at the history of Ina’s Cottage Garden to understand her talent – and her ambition.

Since I cannot share a garden update just yet, I should catch you up our weekend visitors – lest they think they were overlooked!

Sunday was apparently homecoming day in the garden. School was in session just as soon as those pesky puppies cleared out, and we had plenty of alumni returning for additional training. There’s Stella, with Jody. (Jody is the one in the dog-shirt…big surprise!)

Thor and Loki – named after the gods of Thunder and Mischief respectively. Guess which one is Thor.

Henry – a beautiful combination of Golden Retriever and Afghan Hound. Just look at that coat!

Henry is one of those “failed fosters” – which means he went home with one of our gardeners, and they decided to adopt each other.

Hopper and Cinnamon are two of the newest arrivals. Another pair to, hopefully, be placed together. (Update: Another couple, Mosh and Marie who were featured last week, are now in foster care…together!)

Snuffy. This sweet pup is now receiving the TLC and medical treatments he so obviously needed and is on the road to recovery and a full coat again. He would like you to know that he gets along with cats and likes other dogs. And that he has a lot of love to give.

Bones. You may have seen him here before. He may not be able to hear,

but he sure speaks “Debbie” the dog-walker!

There is one more pup to tell you about, but you’ll have to return for that one. I promise you it is a special read in honor of National Dog Week. (Really…there is such a thing!) Hope to see you back here soon.

Shelby: The Flower Within

“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
― A.A. Milne

When things pop up in places we don’t expect, we call them weeds. “Weeds are bad; flowers are good” – or so we say. Not because weeds don’t possess beauty,

but because we have not uncovered it yet.

If you can move beyond the thorns,

you often uncover the beautiful flower.

Shelby was labeled a bit of a weed.

She had all kinds of thorny behaviors that popped up where they weren’t expected or wanted. She was a girl with a record when she arrived at Homeward Bound.

Yet, Chris – one of the organization’s dedicated volunteer trainers– saw a flower in her.

Shelby can’t tell us all that created her thorny side, but she made clear when she arrived that she was not to be touched, groomed, or trusted.

She had given up on people; but Chris would not give up on her.

Over the course of nearly a year they worked together. “Shake” for a treat turned into permission to touch her paws.

That led to petting, and eventually even to brushing.

Distances between dog greetings gradually closed, until Shelby could find herself walking with other pups.

“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another” – Walter Elliott

Small victories; occasional set-backs; a stubborn belief in the flower within.

There’s still work to be done. For dogs like Shelby, the work is never really over. But if all goes well, Shelby will soon be leaving for her forever home with Chris and family.

A weed no more; a flower in its place.