Cowboy #17

#17 is Cowboy, his other name that was given to him by our son is "Doobie" after the Doobie brothers....but after he came to live with us over two years ago we began calling him the Cowboy from Texas....and since our son was a fan of the Texas Longhorns and an OSU Cowboy himself the name Cowboy fit him better.  To this sweet big oversized pup who is a mix of husky and shepherd we have given our hearts to.....he is such a sweet boy and one that loves and thrives on attention.  Very seldom does he bark but when we take the other dogs for walks (he usually gets to go first) we can hear his howl for blocks.  It is one of the most pitiful things i have ever heard. 

Like I said, he was our son's dog....he got him right before he met Grace.  Time went by and Chad and Grace became a couple and were expecting our first grandchild.  Cowboy who is huge and a big baby himself required too much attention and after offering numerous times to take Cowboy for a little while Chad finally relented and said they needed to let him come live with us.  Our precious granddaughter Hailey was 6 months old and Cowboy was too much dog to be around such a wee one. 

Our son, one of the biggest animal lovers that i know hated to give up his boy but he also loved his daughter and knew that it was for the best.  Always in the back of his mind he thought he would take him back after they moved into a new home.  But a few months have passed and he is still here, and it is just as well, i am not sure i could say goodbye to this dog who has become my boy. 

He has been a work in progress the last two years.....many times bringing tears to my eyes because i knew he someday was going to get it....he is very sweet in the house and minds pretty well....it is on his walk that he is quite the mess.....I have been using a halti collar on him for the past 4 months and it has worked pretty well....but you have to stay consistent with rewarding him for his good behavior. 

He loves people and he has become good freinds with a sweet couple - Rueben and Maria.  They live in the apartments near our house.  We see them everyone morning.  They always stop and give Cowboy attention and he LOVES it!  it's like they have known each other forever.  He is kinda antsy until we see them each morning then after getting some good morning petting and hugs and what a good boy Cowboy - he settles down.  It's like he is searching for them each morning....they are not the only ones he loves to visit with Don and Manny and others he has met along his path.  His journey is to be a good dog and he is getting closer and closer....he already has the special part down.

....I need to say that there is also a very special bond with another little doggy here in Loftinland....#16...Eddi aka pigpen and digger....Cowboy and Eddi are inseparable....I'm glad they found each other here in Loftinland - here is a video of them doing what they love....playing together!.....

Hot temps = hitting the pavement early!

June is typically not a month of over 100 degrees....but this year has been different.....today the high was 104....so it was a good thing we got up early to walk.  Rick has been walking with me so we can get all the pups walked before it gets too hot.  Guess who gets to walk Cowboy?  ME of course!  Because i am the one consistent with his training and he does well with a consistent program of walking!  He has been doing very well wtih the halti collar still.  I am proud of him every morning that he conquers a walk with not too many scoldings....i try to do the rewarding with hugs for him, as he is a hugger!  He  also LOVES people.  There is a couple that walk early that we see almost every morning, they have become his friends....Rueben and Maria, they live in the apartments near us and they are religious about their early morning walks as we are.  Cowboy looks forward to seeing them everyone morning...Rueben usually jogs ahead of Maria, but he stops to stay good morning to Cowboy.  Cowboy makes sure I know he wants to say good morning too.  And then not far behind is Maria and he gets another good morning greeting.  They seem to adore him as much as he adores them.  I am grateful to this sweet little couple that help my Cowboy be the best boy he can be!  I kinda like them too!  They have great energy!  They are people I like being around...even if it is just for a few minutes....what a great way to start the day!

Misbehaving Tomato Loving Dogs...

The boys are normally good boys....as good as boys can be, even dog boys!  But when my tomato patch starts getting ripe tomatoes - they go berserk.....there is nothing more important to Grizzly Bear and Russ than trying to eat the tomatoes!  Cowboy and Eddi's main activity is still guarding Loftinland for squirrels....I mean we wouldn't want a squirrel infestation would we?  Even though those little squirrels are soooo adorable when I look at them eating all that "expensive" seed I put out for the birds....I know they are hungry too!  However, they are only at the feeders when the dogs are in....I try to warn them by banging on the storm door before I let the boys out! 

Bear and Russ are all about eating, Bear loves eggs and he also love tomatoes.  They know when I am making tuna (boiling the eggs) and chopping tomatoes....they know they'll get those little end pieces of the tomatoes (the big ones) when I slice them.  So in my small kitchen, which I have just enough room to turn around in, there is Griz Bear splayed out like a "bear rug"....and Russ beggin.  It is no different outside when the tomatoes turn red on the vine.  I am sure if I did not go out with  them Bear would eat all the tomatoes that he could reach, not sure if would share with Russ (probably not)....this video shows them telling me all about it....Bear doesn't usually show his Bear Growl but I guess he is pretty serious when it comes to tomatoes!  Cowboy and Eddi could just care less!
Watch the video for a glimpse of some of the fun I have in Loftinland!

#1 My Very First Angel and Dog!

When it all began for me, my love of dogs.....she was a grey poodle that I spent my childhood days with - in the backyard with my brothers....inside with the family.  She was good at being a good dog for kids....all the neighborhood kids loved her too.  At 6 years of age, I had to say goodbye to her as my family was moving from Texas to California.  Leaving her behind broke my heart.  So much that I know I would never ever leave such a treasure behind.  I know my parents did the best they could....finding a home for Angel with a co-worker of my Dad's.  But it really didn't help my 6 year old heart....I left a lot behind, my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and this sweet Angel.  She was the first of three Angel's I have had.  I am sure she is not the last.  While we had her she had a litter of pups under the house....all found homes and later when we were back in Texas....my Dad visited his co-worker on a business trip, and in the middle of the night he brought home #4 another offspring of Angel's ....Candy....another blog.....

Still, to this day I can almost feel the sweet nuzzles of this precious dog and I feel her beside me sometimes.  She has long left this world but I know she lives on...perhaps she was Angel #7 and Angel #14....maybe that means #21 will be my Angel again......I could only hope!

Eddi #16

I've got a lot to say about #16....maybe too much for a blog.  First of all, he is number 16 in the 17 dogs we've had - or i've had from childhood to now.  He wasn't planned - as most Loftinland dogs are not - he just kinda showed up like the rest of them. At the school our daughter is employed at as a dietician, she learned that one of her cafeteria ladie's was going to toss the dog to the side of the road because well, it just didn't work out, one too many mouths to feed, and as we learned maybe a few bad habits as well.  However, those are not reasons to toss a dog to the side of the road ever...there are other more humane ways of addressing a situation like this.....even taking a dog to the pound is much more kinder than leaving it to die of starvation or be hit by a car.  Of course taking a dog to the pound would be a last resort....the best thing would be keeping it because you got a dog in the first place and you owe it to the dog to give it a good home if you can.  I can't judge here, as there are all kinds of situations but the solution is NEVER to just let it go and fend for itself.   Luckily the little dog found it's way into our home and our hearts.  He came with a lot of bad habits, but to me that is just a challenge to make a good little dog even better.  At first glance i knew he had it in him.  And after 2 years I can say yes he did.  I just wonder where in the world all the corners of my cream colored quilt really went....there are actual bite "chunks" on every corner.  I haven't replaced it though, I don't know why, it is kinda of a "unique" quilt now, right. =)  Besides he may get hungry again.  He is SOOOOO many things it is hard to say just what about him tugs right at your heart.  Is it that he just doesn't really care that you don't want him to do things, or is it that he is a dog at heart.  He loves to dig and I swear he must be digging to China - so much effort he puts into it....Rick said we probably should have named him "Digger".  He and his best bud - #17 (that's for another blog) have the best of times chasing each other in the backyard.  Just this morning when I was walking him, he stopped and looked back at me, and I swear he smiled and told me he loved me, then continued on his way with a little giggle in his wiggle! His contribution to Loftinland is that no matter what kind of day you are having he makes it much brighter! 

I guess we're lucky it's not -10 degrees

This heat is ridiculous....high 90's and often hitting 100 is a bit unusual for the first part of June, what is to be in July and August!?  I have to get out the door early (hopefully by 6:30 am) to walk the dogs....totally dripping wet when i get through at 9am!  However, that is okay, i'm glad to be back to walking dogs.  Our trip to Texas and visiting the little Loftin family was wonderful....hide and seek in Hailey's BIG house was FUN FUN FUN.  Love how she is totally in the moment and not looking ahead or looking back, it was nice to be in that time zone with her just enjoying life as it comes.  She even loves naptime and bedtime, who wouldn't in her big new bed!  Then again, she just might take after her jiji a bit. 

Back in Loftinland....it's been catchup time, gardening, and like i said walking dogs....and housework, does that ever end?  We are missing Dino, a little chihuahua we helped get adopted for my mom and Dean.  We only fostered him for a few days before taking him to them while we were in Texas.  I got so used to thinking about him and taking care of him (like having a baby around)  that there is a void of his sweetness - all 7 1/2 lbs. of him. 

Just now relaxing after a full day already of being busy, eating some fried green tomatoes (from my garden) and now getting sleepy....must be naptime in Lofinland.