Happy Birthday Maddie May

It's been one year since we brought this scruffy mutt into our home and our lives. 

It's now HER home, and she allows us to share it with HER!

Maddie May ...

somewhere around 4 years old today!

Dog & Horse Time

I had time for my own dog today.

We took a short walk 

and then after the barn chores

we tossed the purple Frisbee

before heading for the shade.

The flies have been really bad here this summer.

Maybe it's because of the humidity and heat.

Poor old Rhettly horse has really been bothered

but even with all the bumbs and itching

he has managed to remain cheerful.

Here's the new rescued pup.

It's taken two days of transporting

veterinarian visits

and finding a foster home

but just look at this cute face.

I think he's going to make somebody a great little dog!

Rescued, Fostered & Home Again

It's been a month since my last post and even then the posts were few and far between.  
I have been volunteering much of my time helping one of our local humane societies. I believe that saving just one dog will not change the world, but it will change the world for that dog. I have taken on the task of answering calls from people who can no longer keep their dog, have found a dog, or have lost their dog.  Believe me when I say that all my dog calls, and all the stories I hear, do not have happy endings.  Those stories, I will not talk about.  Instead I would like you to meet the faces of the dogs that have recently been rescued, found foster homes, and finally found a new permanent home.  All very happy ending stories, and today, with all the turmoil in our lives and in this world, we can certainly use a story,or eight, with a happy ending.

Sally

Rex

Cedar

PeeWee

Duke

Sampson

Bear

and last, 

but not least,

Penny

 

Flag Day, June 14th

Maddie sporting her colors!

The Big Fuzzy Wet Blur

Two big surprises on our hike today.  1.) The cows have arrived for their summer grazing, and 2.) we (Maddie) ran into a shocked Dachshund.  I've never seen a dog with short little legs run so fast, and all Maddie wanted to do was say HI! Unfortunately, in my trying to get on with our hike I didn't not stop to take photos of either new encounter.

This has been the hike that we have been taking since the weather has turned for the better here in SW Colorado.  It is a great hot-weather hike because of the irrigation ditch that meanders through the forest.  It's a good source for a dog that likes water to cool her shaggy body in, and then that same dog takes huge pleasure in shaking all over the person who is with her ... me.  Very refreshing indeed!

Here is a small sampling of our many water crossings this morning.

Maddie is in constant motion and she loves to run and move very fast! Here she's getting ready to dive into the irrigation ditch.  The routine also calls for her to then run past me at lightening speed just to make sure that I know how cold the water is this time of year.  (snow melt cold)

Bridges are for sissies!

I tried to take a photo of her crossing this little foot bridge, but she jumped it.  See her tail feathers in the bottom right hand corner and no wet paw prints on the bridge?

Here's the Big Fuzzy Wet Blur blazing the trail (or blazing up the trail - I'm not really sure).

A brief moment of almost stillness, and believe me when I say that, it's practically killing her.  Too much to see and sniff to just be sitting here to get her Big Fuzzy Wet photo taken.

This is Maddie checking to make sure I'm coming.  It's not exactly like I'm a slow walker, but no way was I designed to keep up with the Big Fuzzy Wet Blur!

They say it with their EYES.

NO WORDS NECESSARY!

Walking the Dog

One country block.  A little over 4 miles.

It's a fairly straight-forward loop ...  At a good walking pace that is,

but in the eyes and the ears of a dog, there's just too much to see and do!

 Who came to visit?

Here's the sum of the pieces ...

Our big neighbor Bert.

And we can NEVER pass a good gopher hole ...

 

Okay, so he wasn't home!  Better luck next time.

 Maddie getting the evil-eye from the neighborhood girls.

Here's our valley looking north toward the La Plata Mts.

See the red roofs between the two trees?

That's home!

We're half way there.

And even with ALL the stopping to smell the gophers,

it only took us an extra 15 minutes!!!!

Wordless Wednesday Woofs

BIG WOOFS

Just Chuckit

A few photos taken of my friends here at MANCOS MULE!

 Rhett & Polly

 Sharing Tuesday morning turnout and breakfast.

 Mad Maddie May

 Learning to play with the chuck-it stick and her Chuck-it BALL.

 Then taking a break on the last of the melting snow.
 ALL brand-new experiences for the silly dog!

Adopt A Shelter Animal

I know that I'm singing to the choir here, 

but today is Adopt the Internet Day

and NOTHING melts my heartstrings like the face of a shelter dog !

 

Here is just

ONE Shelter 

MANY faces ago

and ALL were looking for a New Home.

Rub-a-dub-dub

A dog in a tub...

Spiffing up and 

hoping to smell good

for YOU ??

Adopting one animal will NOT change the world,

But it will change the world for that animal!

ADOPT A SHELTER ANIMAL