… for the holidays and some updates. Some sorely needed updates. Anyhoo, to start us off, this needs no explanation … and thanks to Kathy R. for sharing it with us!
Edie — Ambassador for the Breed
On September 18, 2011, I attended the “Bark in the “Park†expo sponsored by the Arapaho Kennel Club at the beautiful Exposition Park in Aurora. Dante’s co-owner/breeder came down with two of her dogs who had the very important assignment of being breed ambassadors. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day in Colorado!
While there, we did an intake on a puppy being surrendered to rescue. Notable in the fact it was a puppy — we rarely get puppies in rescue — and this marked our 40th foster dog. Doesn’t seem like 40 fosters but it is when counting them down. Of those 40, 37 have gone on to new homes. Unfortunately, three of our fosters were euthanized while in foster care … two for unprovoked biting issues and one for medical issues. That’s probably the hardest part of rescue [euthanasia]  because “rescue†isn’t supposed to end that way.Â
Sang-Po … a happy boy!
In any event, meet our newest foster … Sang-Po!! Given a Tibetan name in homage to his ancient origins, it means “kind and gentle.â€Â That describes this boy to a “Tâ€. He’s a very loving dog and would like nothing better than to sit in one’s lap. His ideal home would be one with a dog in residence — a dog that likes to play and is willing to put up some puppy antics. A home where the new owner will follow through on the crate training and finish up his house training (he’s working diligently on the house training but he’s still a puppy and will need an owner that can provide routine and consistency).Â
He’s still in the assessment/training phase of foster care and will not be placed in a home until the end of October. However, we are accepting applications at this time.
Make sure you get my good side … and my pearlies
What exactly does that mean … “pure bred versus well bredâ€? In my many years of involvement with rescue, I’ve had countless “pure bred†Apsos with “papers.â€Â Papers being a document saying the dog was registered with the AKC (or any of the other questionable registries which have sprung up to circumvent AKC’s DNA requirements). However, having “papers†in hand does not mean the dogs in question were “well bred.â€Â “Well bred†meaning they had the qualities and characteristics that make an Apso “an Apsoâ€Â … a dog possessing breed type. “Well bred†meaning the breeder strived to produce a dog that could, on any given day, survive at altitude in its native homeland of Tibet (this link contains an excellent article on what makes a Lhasa Apso). “Well bred†meaning the breeder could document at least five generations of dogs and the health of those dogs. Dogs whose pedigrees reflect a multitude of champion relatives — not just one or two champions in five generations. Dogs whose breeders stand behind what they produce for the life of the dog.
Next question is … where does one find a well-bred dog? Certainly not from a pet store as supplied by the puppy mills. Or a “backyard†breeder (“BYBâ€) who has thrown a couple of dogs together for a quick profit. Despite the broad brush used by the animal rights movement to paint all breeders, the majority of show (hobby) breeders strive to produce sound, healthy dogs. Hobby breeders cannot keep every dog they breed and maintain a breeding line — much like rescue can’t keep every dog that arrives in foster care. These breeders often have retired champions, young adult show prospects that didn’t turn out as well as anticipated, or pet-quality puppies available for placement … well-bred dogs that need homes of their own. And for much less than what you’d pay for a puppy produced in the mills and sold by a pet store.Â
Always an advocate for rescue, I also believe in providing prospective families with options other than the petstore or BYBs. A sad fact is 100% of my rescues have come from either pet stores or backyard breeders. So even though one is obtaining a “rescue,†they were produced for profit with little thought given to their health and breed type.Â
Remind your family and friends what breeding does: Every kitten or puppy born is a death sentence to a shelter cat or dog waiting to be adopted.
Vinnie: retired champion, on the larger size, about six-years old. Very loving dog; great with adults, never been around children; teens would be okay. Needy in that he wants to be right with you on the couch, etc. Would need to be neutered. Located in New Mexico.
Zach: retired champion, almost two-years old. Still in full coat. Quite loving and a lap dog; enjoys sitting in the recliner with my husband and will do so for hours. A real people dog. Needs a home where he is an only dog or could live with a female dog. Located in Wisconsin.
Big Boy – He was 1 year on Aug. 30. I gave him a haircut yesterday; he has a wonderful coat. His markings aren’t as red as his brothers. I don’t think that he will be hard to housetrain as it was going good until I got sick. The brother didn’t have any accidents. He is very playful, gets along good with other dogs and kids. He is very sweet!!!  Located in Minnesota.Oreo and Ready – retired champions (4-5 years old). Fully housetrained, would be spayed/neutered prior to placement. Oreo is very outgoing, wags her tail at everyone, never met a stranger. Ready is more of a “got-to-get-to-know-you†type; probably do best in a home with no other males. Located in Utah.
Gracie – red/white parti-color female, 10-weeks old. Dew claws removed, dewormed, tattooed (ID), vet checked, first vaccs. She loves to have attention and is very playful. She loves toys and actively plays with her brothers. She loves people and has had lots of interaction as she was born and raised in my family room. Located in British Columbia… I can. And I love this photo!!! A shot of Bella and PippyDo in their new home in Texas with friend Mazzi …
Bella & PippyDo resting after a hard day of play …
These two bonded in foster care and, thankfully, met up with Mazzi who just had to have them both. While I normally do not do female/female placements, these two are the exception. And exceptionally cute … enjoy!
The house remodel continues. Mostly at a snail’s place it seems. While we are moved back into the kitchen, the rest of the house is yet to follow. Appears we’ll be moving furniture in next weekend … finally!
I came across this saying from another rescue group, one that helps find foster homes and permanent homes for dogs in rural areas, coming from high-kill shelters …
“When you adopt a rescue pet, you help save TWO lives: the one you bring home and the one that takes its place.â€
Sharing a bed … Leo (l), Jody (r)
There’s always a period of adjustment for the foster placed in a new home. However, with consistency, patience and a set routine, it isn’t long before the “new dog†(literally and figuratively) just shines.
Our latest foster, Leo, is no exception. The first couple days in his new home were a little rocky for all involved. Jody, f/k/a Jasper and previously adopted from our group, definitely wasn’t happy with the prospect of a new roomie (not entirely unexpected). Leo wasn’t sure what was going on. Joan and Rich were left scrambling to come up with ways to integrate the two that didn’t include Jody growling (we have links and articles just for this scenario). Days three and four saw “the boys†almost joined at the hip. While they weren’t playing together, they were following each other around the house. If one moved, so did the other and vice versa. Yesterday I got word that Jody and Leo were, indeed, playing together and racing through the house. Given what I knew of the two dogs, I didn’t think it would take too long before the canine bond was established between these two.
Joan, Leo & Rich
Here’s to Leo’s new life with Joan, Rich and Jody! Many thanks to Debra and Mark of Berthoud for fostering this boy.
Leo isn’t the only winner with this adoption.  Rich and Joan have volunteered to help out in their area once they get moved and settled into the Canon City area. Likewise, Tootsie’s new family — Jane and Jerry — have also stepped up in southern Wyoming for transports, pulls and home visits. “Local†is a relative term out here in the west and can mean 30 minutes to three hours for driving time. Having volunteers along the Front Range means rescue can be more effective. Our sincere thanks to Leo and Tootsie’s families for their involvement … welcome to rescue!
Long a native of the Tibetan Plateau – some say thousands of years — the Apso is a relative newcomer to the Western Hemisphere. The first Apsos arrived in the United States in 1933, a gift to C. Suydam and Helen Cutting of Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, New Jersey from the 13th Dalai Lama,Thubten Gyatso. As part of the Newark Museum’s â€Centennial Celebration of the Tibet Collection,â€Â Nancy Plunkett of Tabu Lhasa Apsos was recently invited to the to speak on the history of the Lhasa Apso with special emphasis on the Cuttings’ contribution to the breed through Hamilton Farm. C. Suydam Cutting of Hamilton Farm provided many of the artifacts to the museum’s extensive “Tibet Collection;â€Â Helen Cutting was a trustee of the museum until her death in 1961. Today’s offering explores early breed history and its foundation under the “Hamilton†prefix. ["Prefix" denotes a specific line of dogs bred under a certain kennel name.]
Clicking on the graphic below will take you to a .pdf file of the Newark Museum presentation which can be navigated by clicking on your computer’s right arrow button (>). If you do not have a .pdf viewer, one can be downloaded (free) at this link … Adobe Reader.
Our thanks to Nancy for sharing this rich and visually beautiful presentation. Her historical research punctuated by the detailed photos and artwork captures the heart and soul of the breed. Only by appreciating the past can we carry the breed forward into the future …
Lhasa Apso … Bearded Lion Dog of Tibet
Today
“It’s hard to describe the bond between Biscuit and me….we are so in tune with each other. He is the most perfect dog and we couldn’t have a better life. I still think it was a miracle finding him sitting at that booth, after falling in love with him on the internet, thinking he was probably already adopted. I had never been over to the animal house and certainly didn’t know you would be there. It was divine providence and we needed each other so much.
He is spoiled rotten but is still very much the little gentleman. He is doing well physically, thinks he’s a pup, albeit a couch-potato pup, and it’s comical how we communicate. I talk to him like I would anybody and he knows just what I’m telling him. He cocks his head and stares at me and he listens and he just knows. That took a while and I love it! We seniors get along just fine! He is always close to me, even comes down to the basement when I practice clarinet. That’s true love!
I have seen the recent pictures of dogs you have placed in homes and God bless you for your work. These dogs have so much affection and companionship to share and it’s your work and dedication that saves them. Hope you are keeping cool in this humid weather. We are doing as little as possible. Try it, it works. Love and best wishes, Maryâ€
What a delight to hear that he’s doing so well. And I’m sure he believes Mary set the moon and stars just for him! Given his condition when he arrived at the shelter, it was obvious he had long been neglected. Golden years for the golden boy.
Biscuit is, no doubt, having a better summer than our household. Still in the midst of the home update, I’ve decided that as long as I have: a shower, a toilet, and some place to wash my clothes, everything else is just white noise. Seriously. As with most major home projects, we’ve had some unexpected issues crop up. Like a leak in the pipes underneath the sink and going down an exterior wall. Which means we’re without water in the kitchen or a dishwasher until it’s repaired … sometime next week. In any event, I’m keeping my sights set on Labor Day to be moved back in. Or at least moving back in.
The dogs have been troopers throughout the whole ordeal … watching the furniture disappear … seeing all the carpet in the house walk out the door … moving into the unfinished basement … moving into the brother-in-law’s house for eight days while the floors were being sanded/sealed … moving back in. With still no furniture on the main floor. Given that both Frankers and Dante are crate trained, they settle in wherever we happen to land, finding “normal†in the familiar. Having a crate handy — and a dog that willing goes into his crate — is also a boon when it comes to the various workmen traipsing throughout the house. Keeps the dogs calm (read that “quietâ€) and out of the way … definitely appreciated by all involved!
On the Prowl
One of the joys of living in Colorado is the diversity of wildlife, be it on a mountain or in town. Just never know what’s going to turn up. Even birdwatching, we’ll find a surprise in a flash of yellow, blue or orange. I just watched a Western Tanager visit our fountain, a bright spot on an overcast evening. Last week, it was a yellow parakeet that caught my eye. And I’m hoping that someone caught the ‘keet so it could be returned home.
We have a natural area about 10 miles northwest as the crow flies, Bobcat Ridge. The City of Fort Collins has set up a camera project on some of the trails to see what wildlife uses the area. Some surprises in the photos, even for me living in the West most of my life … Wildlife camera: City of Fort Collins. Enjoy!!
Tootsie, Jane & Jerry
Tootsie had the good fortune to find her forever home in late June. Jane and Jerry from Cheyenne made a special trip down to meet Tootsie at our rescue booth at the Fort Collins Fire Hydrant 5k … it was love at first sight!! Ten days later, she was on her way to Cheyenne. I have no doubt that Tootsie is loving her new home and being a part of a family. Whether she’s ever had that in the past, we’ll never know … but it is certainly her life now. She’s settled in and is doing quite well … and probably getting a bit spoiled, if the truth be known lol.
You’ll note the background in the photo is a change up from our usual “family photos.â€Â That’s because our house is down for the count for the time being. We’re in the midst of a home update which included taking out all the carpet and putting in hardwood throughout the house. Between the carpet’s age, all the dogs, and the pukin’ cat, it was either replace it or go to hard surface. We chose hard surface and haven’t looked back … most likely because there isn’t anything to look back on. To get to hardwood, we had to completely move everything off the main floor. With the exception of what’s in the kitchen cabinets, literally everything is either in a box in the basement or sitting in the garage, covered with a sheet. Even my “kitchen†is in the garage, making cooking a real challenge as it’s either microwave, grill or crockpot. Today, all the sinks in the house come out as the new counters will be installed on Monday. Alan keeps reminding me I should be thankful we at least have one functioning sink … in the garage.    :::sigh:::   Obviously, his morning routine to get ready for work doesn’t include a sink being handy!
… to be a dog in Colorado! That was the theme for our rescue booth at the Larimer Humane Society’s Fire Hydrant 5k in Fort Collins on June 11th. We had a beautiful Colorado day for the event — bright blue skies and light breeze. Our fosters, Tootsie and Leo, were in attendance putting their best paw forward.Our thanks to the foster families who brought them up for the day! Deb and Elle brought Leo and then participated in the 5k which is a fund-raiser for the Larimer Humane Society. Kay and Dave were in attendance with Tootsie.
As it turns out, Tootsie met her soon-to-be family at this event … Jane and Jerry who made a special trip down from Cheyenne, WY just to meet Tootsie. We’ll be posting more on that later!
I received a special treat for the day … Jaime who came up from Denver just so we could visit with her and Mae-Mae! She’s done well in her new home and is, how shall we say … just a tad bit spoiled lol. Some more photos from the day …
Leo, Tootsie and Kay
Dave, Kirby (f/k/a Ruffy) and Alan
Leo … lookin’ for love!
Leo is a 3-year old neutered male who would do best in a home where he had no exposure to small children or grandchildren — older teenagers would be fine. He is current on vaccinations, tested negative for heartworms, is on a HW preventative, had a rear dewclaw removed, and a microchip implanted. Leo gets along with dogs and cats alike. His ideal home would be where he had a canine friend that likes to play. Leo is also crate trained and house trained.
If interested in Leo, please contact:Â ApsoRescue@aol.com.
Fire Hydrant 5 Event Information
 Join us for the 21st annual Fire Hydrant 5, the county’s largest family- and canine-friendly 5K pledge walk/run of the season.
Prior to and following the walk/run, join in the fun of the Pet Expo featuring over 40 pet- and family-friendly booths, Fido photos, paw painting, and more!
Fire Hydrant 5 is looking to be bigger and better than ever this year! New this year is Paul and Kama’s Dog Show Mix-Up! Enter your dog in a host of fun contests – both silly and serious – from best pet/person look-a-like, best pet trick, best doggie kiss, best singing duo and more!
Register as an individual or form a team! Your participation and the additional money you raise through pledges will help us care for the nearly 12,000 animals that come to Larimer Humane Society each year.
Event Day Schedule
| 7:30-8:15 am    | Event-day Registration Open |
| 8:00 am-Noon | Pet Expo |
| 8:30 am | 5K Run start, walkers to proceed behind antique fire truck following run start |
| 9:00-10:00 am  | T-shirt Exchange at Registration Tent; come trade for your perfect size! |
| 10:00-10:30 am | 5K Top Finisher awards presentation |
| 10:30-11:30 am | Paul & Kama’s Dog Show Mix-Up |
How Do I Register?
General Pre-registration (through June 9th) – $ 30/person
Event-day registration $ 35/person
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The first 500 participants will receive a Fire Hydrant 5 goodie bag, and the first 700 participants are guaranteed an event t-shirt.
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Team-Up!
Gather your friends, family and co-workers! Special team pricing of $ 20/person is available for groups of six or more. Teams do not have to stay together on the course—walker/runner combos are welcome! Teams may register online or via the event brochure. If you are a team captain, you may invite team members through your online team website, or feel free to download the shortened registration form for hand-out to potential team members. All team members must complete a registration form. For more information about team registration, email our development team today.
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Cat Nap
Are you unable to participate on event day? Register to Cat Nap! Cat Nappers may register online or using the downloadable event brochure, and will enjoy all the benefits of an event-day participant including the ability to raise pledges and form and/or join an event team. Cat nappers will also receive the commemorative 21st Annual Fire Hydrant 5 t-shirt for their support!
Can I Bring My Dog?
- They must be leashed at all times
- They must be current on all required vaccinations and licensing
- Please use a 6-foot or shorter, non-retractable leash
- Poop bags will be available; please make sure to pick up after your dog
- Aggressive dogs are kindly asked to stay at home
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Look for the prayer flags on our canopy!! We’ll have our two fosters, Tootsie and Leo, in attendance and … just maybe … they’ll have the same success as Jackson did in 2009.  He found his new family at this event!
Tootsie
As my former rescue partner can attest, it never fails that rescue emergencies arise when we’re out of town or getting ready to leave town … my recent trip to San Antonio was no exception. In day four of the trip, I get an email about an Apso mix in the Canon City shelter who needs to be transported to a rescue NOW or face euthanasia. A flurry of emails and phone calls ensues; she’s being transported on Thursday to Denver for pick-up at 12:30 p.m. Great. My first day back at work and there’s no freakin’ way I can meet the transport at that time. Recalling Kirby’s family said, “If there’s anything we can do …â€, I make a call with fingers crossed. Kay, ever so gracious, interrupts me pleading my case by saying, “We can go get her!â€Â Not only did they go get her, but they also set about to get her cleaned up with a bath upon their return home. And then offered to foster her when it became readily apparent she was a very sweet girl. What a blessing for both “Tootsie†and rescue!
Tootsie actually arrived with the name of “Stubbie†… she’s missing her left front paw. Given what I know of anatomy and as confirmed by Doc Sherry, the missing paw is genetic in nature. In any event, she gets around quite easily and even navigates the doggy door in the foster home. After much discussion between two vets and two groomers, we’ve come to the conclusion she’s an Apso-Yorkie mix. From her transfer paperwork and the various emails with the shelter in Canon City, it appears she was a transfer in from a shelter in New Mexico. Quite the traveled little dog!
She underwent a spay about ten days ago and is healing up quite nicely. We opted for the laser treatment on the incision — something new at the clinic — which was touted as promoting faster healing. By all accounts, it is doing just that. Anything that can help them heal faster is definitely worth the extra $ 15.
The day after her spay, we got an email saying that one of the other dogs on the transport had come down with parvo. Definitely not someplace we want to go! Although Tootsie had a parvo vacc at the shelter in April (probably her first ever in her short life), we scrambled and got her in for a quick booster per Doc Sherry’s recommendation.Â
Tootsie is a sweet little dog. She is very much attached to her foster family and plays with the other dogs in the house. A quick study, she’s picking up very quickly on the housetraining and sleeps the night through in her crate with nary a peep. She would probably do best in a home with adults and one other dog. If interested or would like more information on her, please contact me at: ApsoRescue@aol.com.
Tootsie is about as loving and low-key as they come … just a great little dog. In a phone conversation with Kay, she mentioned that while one initially feels sorry for Tootsie and her obvious disability with the missing paw, one quickly realizes that she has known nothing else so her life is “normal†… she gets along just fine, thank you, and does everything that a dog with four paws can.
Our thanks to Kay and Dave for stepping up to the plate to help rescue when Tootsie desperately needed a ride to a new life. Angels come in many forms …
… and trying to get everyone up to speed. Lots of things going on in the past month, including a trip to San Antonio to escort Pip to her new home and a major home renovation just getting underway. I have a feeling that “caught up†will be elusive at best and a return to “normal†will be greatly wished for about day three of the hardwood install. Never mind the paint and tile work afterwards.
Bella, Mazzi and PippyDo
I flew little Pip to her new home in Texas with Mazzi and Bella as well as meeting up with long-time Shuh Tzu cyberfriends. Seven of us have been corresponding for years (some for over a decade) and we meet up whenever the opportunity presents itself. This is the first time so many of us have gathered in one place and it was great to finally meet everyone. Bella was ecstatic to see her little friend again and a good romp was the first order of business.
Dave with Ruffy, Max and Maggie (l-r)
Just before I headed to Texas, Ruffy (n/k/a “Kirbyâ€) went to his new home with David and Kay in Loveland. He joins two other Apsos — Maggie and Max — and settled in quite nicely. Long the queen of the house, Maggie decided Kirby is a little prince and allows him special privileges. Like sitting on the back of the couch and watching out the same window. And playing with her toys. Life is good!!
To top it all off, we have a new rescue coming in this afternoon … Leo … a 3-year old male that doesn’t appreciate  the 3-year old human in the house. More on him later as we get him vetted and settled into rescue.
American Lhasa Apso Club Rescue – Colorado Gets Grant to Vaccinate Dogs for InfluenzaPetfinder.com Foundation furnishes funds to protect rescue dogs from canine flu.
TUCSON, April 2, 2011 – American Lhasa Apso Club Rescue – Colorado now has help in protecting dogs against canine influenza virus (CIV), a highly contagious disease that spreads easily from dog to dog, especially those in close proximity. The rescue received a grant for the vaccines as part of a Petfinder.com Foundation program to build community immunity against this respiratory infection. The foundation partnered with Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, a global animal health company and makers of the NOBIVAC(r) Canine Flu H3N8 vaccine, to fund the grant.
Because CIV is relatively new, most dogs have not built up immunity to the disease. Dogs can get the disease by being exposed to those that have it, as well as playing with toys or drinking from bowls used by other dogs. People can also unwittingly spread the germ if they come in contact with infected dogs.
“Shelters and rescue organizations are often the first places that new diseases already in the community become evident. Dogs come in from the community and are released back into it, and often move to and from states with confirmed cases,†said Liz Neuschatz, director of the Petfinder.com Foundation. “Canine flu can be a real problem for shelters, where one sick dog can cause an outbreak through an entire facility. We are pleased to be part of this effort to help protect the community by providing canine flu vaccine to American Lhasa Apso Club Rescue – Colorado.â€
Dog flu is a growing problem throughout the U.S. It has been confirmed in 35 states so far, but tracking the disease is hard because it is so difficult to diagnose. Dogs are contagious before they show any symptoms. By the time the dog starts coughing, it’s too late. Virtually all dogs exposed to the virus will become infected, and some will get more serious infections, such as pneumonia, which can be fatal. Dogs that go to doggie daycare, boarding facilities, groomers and shows and are vaccinated for canine cough (Bordetella) are also at risk for canine flu. Information about canine flu is available at www.doginfluenza.com.
The grant for Building Community Immunity seeks to protect all at-risk dogs in the community, including those in close proximity with other dogs, as is the case with shelters and rescue facilities. It also provides greater assurance to adopting families that their new pets will be healthier and much less likely to be sick or get more serious, and sometimes fatal, infections. The grant further links Petfinder.com member shelter and rescue grant recipients with local veterinarians to protect all adoptable dogs in their care. The program promotes veterinary visits for wellness exams and, when appropriate, the second dose administration of Nobivac Canine Flu vaccine.
About Petfinder.com Foundation:
The Petfinder.com Foundation was created in 2003 to respond to needs of its Petfinder member shelters and rescue groups and to assist them in ensuring that no pet is euthanized for lack of a home. The vaccine grant will help keep dogs healthy and adoptable.Â
About Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health:
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, is focused on the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of animal health products. The company offers customers one of the broadest, most innovative animal health portfolios, spanning products to support performance and to prevent, treat and control disease in all major farm and companion animal species. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health; subsidiaries of Merck & Co. Inc., Whitehouse Station NJ, USA. For more information, visit www.intervet.com.
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… dogs. Seems like every time I pick up the phone, it is someone wanting to relinquish a dog. Unfortunately, we just don’t have enough foster homes to get them all into rescue. We were able, however, to take these three in … Pip, Bella and Ruffy. Pip has been here a while; Bella arrived the 26th of February and Ruffy, March 18th. Their stories echo the many who have passed through previously. Pip was a stray; Bella and Ruffy both came from households with small children where there weren’t enough hours in the day to meet all the needs of the little ones … be they two-legged or four.
Pip (l) and Bella (r)
Tomorrow, Bella leaves for her new home … Texas!! While we normally do not take part in out-of-state adoptions, Bella’s placement is with a very dear friend (Mazzi) and I know she’ll have a great home. Pip is equally fortunate. I’ll fly her down to San Antonio later where she’ll take up residence with Bella. These two get along fabulously and I’m sure Bella will be apsolutely delighted with Pip’s arrival.
If you’re looking for a young, handsome guy, you’re in luck! Available for placement now, is this boy … Ruffy. At 16-months old, he’s a real charmer and would make a great addition to any family. He’s neutered, working very hard on his housetraining, and gets along with dogs and cats alike. If interested in Ruffy, please contact me directly at: ApsoRescue@aol.com. And thanks to our newest foster parents — Debra and Mark — for taking him in!
Ruffy
… to a new star in the heavens tonight. A beautiful, shining red star. It is, indeed, fitting that we raise a glass of red wine to honor her memory. Or, perhaps, to drown our sorrow at her passing. What she added to our lives cannot be measured except by the heart.Â
… when it’s time to let a beloved companion go? As pet owners, we must all face this difficult decision if we are to keep the promises made long years ago. To keep them safe, to keep them warm, to keep their best interest at heart no matter how difficult. Whether it’s the first time or the fifth time, it never gets any easier.
Today’s post is more for me than anything else. We’re struggling with the question of euthanasia for our old girl, Ali. She has severe OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) that’s bordering on self mutilation. She’s always had some element of OCD but it has become markedly worse in the past year. Nothing we’ve tried in the past or the present has helped to a great degree.  The current medication as prescribed by a behaviorist from CSU is losing its efficacy. She’s miserable — we’re miserable. As a self-admitted control freak, it is exceedingly difficult for me to concede that I can’t “fix†this.  No matter what happens, I do not want to look back on this time and say, “I waited too longâ€Â as that means the dog has suffered. Needlessly.Â
My beloved Ali …
The time has come to pony up and repay Ali for all the years of joy and unconditional love. To take her pain and make it my own, freeing her from the ravages of time and a deteriorating mind and body. I do not make this decision lightly … and I weep with the knowledge she will soon be gone, no longer my little red shadow. Ali holds a special place in my heart as it was through her that my involvement with the breed became a journey of education into what truly makes an Apso “an Apso.â€
Many years back I saved the following article and, from time to time, have pulled it out to share with friends struggling with the same issue. Or to prepare myself for what was to come with a foster so badly damaged it was beyond my best efforts. This day, it soothes the angst of impending personal loss …Â
How Do You Know When It’s Time?Â
I don’t subscribe to the idea that dogs “will let us know when it’s time,†at least not in any conscious sense on their part. For one thing, I’ve found in my years of counseling folks who have ill pets and often accompanying them through the euthanasia process, that this notion is often interpreted in a way that puts a lot of pressure on people when they’re already stressed and grief-stricken. “What if I miss the signs? He looked miserable yesterday but not today. What if I act too soon or not soon enough? How could he ever let on that he wants it to end? But maybe I’m deluding myself that he feels better than he does.â€
Dogs are not people. We lovingly anthropomorphize our dogs during our time together and there’s no harm in that, even quite a bit of reward for both them and us. But the bottom line is that they are not people and they don’t think in the way people think. (Many of us would argue that that speaks to the superiority of dogs.) These amazing beings love us and trust us implicitly. It just isn’t part of their awareness that they should need to telegraph anything to us in order for their needs to be met or their well-being ensured. They are quite sure that we, as their pack leaders, operate only in their best interest at all times. Emotional selfishness is not a concept in dogdom and they don’t know how hard we sometimes have to fight against it ourselves.
Dogs also have no mindset for emotional surrender or giving up. They have no awareness of the inevitability of death as we do and they have no fear of it. It is fear that so often influences and aggravates our perceptions when we are sick or dying and it becomes impossible to separate the fear out from the actual illness after a while. But that’s not the case with dogs. Whatever we observe to be wrong with our sick dogs, it’s all illness. And we don’t even see the full impact of that until it’s at a very advanced point, because it’s a dog’s nature to endure and to sustain the norm at all costs. If that includes pain, then that’s the way it is. Unlike us, they have never learned that letting pain show, or reporting on it, may generate relief or aid. So they endure, assuming in their deepest doggy subconscious that whatever we abide for them is what is to be abided.
If there is a “look in the eye†or an indication of giving up that we think we see from our beloved dogs, it isn’t a conscious attitude on their part or a decision to communicate something to us. It’s just an indication of how tired and depleted they are. But they don’t know there’s any option other than struggling on, so that’s what they do. We must assume that the discomfort we see is much less than the discomfort they really feel. And we do know of other options and it is entirely our obligation to always offer them the best option for that moment … be it further intervention, or none, or the gift of rest.
From the moment we embrace these animals when they first grace our lives, every day is one day closer to the day they must abandon their very temporary and faulty bodies and return to the state of total perfection and rapture they have always deserved. We march along one day at a time, watching and weighing and continuing to embrace and respect each stage as it comes. Today is a good day. Perhaps tomorrow will be, too, and perhaps next week and the weeks or months after. But there will eventually be a winding down. And we must not let that part of the cycle become our enemy.
When I am faced with the ultimate decision about how I can best serve the animal I love so much, I try to set aside all the complications and rationales of what I may or may not understand medically and I try to clear my mind of any of the confusions and ups and downs that are so much a part of caring for a terminally ill pet. This is hard to do, because for months and often years we have been in this mode of weighing hard data, labs, food, how many ounces did he drink, should he have his rabies shot or not, etc. But at some point it’s time to put all of that in the academic folder and open the spiritual folder instead. At that point we are wise to ask ourselves the question: “Does he want to be here today, to experience this day in this way, as much as I want him to?â€
Remember, dogs are not afraid, they are not carrying anxiety and fear of the unknown. So for them it’s only about whether this day holds enough companionship and ease and routine so that they would choose to have those things more than anything else and that they are able to focus on those things beyond any discomfort or pain or frustration they may feel. How great is his burden of illness this day, and does he want/need to live through this day with this burden of illness as much as I want/need him to? If I honestly believe that his condition is such, his pleasures sufficient, that he would choose to persevere, then that’s the answer and we press on.
If, on the other hand, I can look honestly and bravely at the situation and admit that he, with none of the fear or sadness that cripples me, would choose instead to rest, then my obligation is clear. Because he needs to know in his giant heart, beyond any doubt, that I will have the courage to make the hard decisions on his behalf, that I will always put his peace before my own, and that I am able to love him as unselfishly as he has loved me.
After many years, and so very many loved ones now living on joyously in their forever home in my heart, this is the view I take. As my veterinarian, who is a good and loving friend, injects my precious one with that freedom elixir, I always place my hand on top of his hand that holds the syringe. He has chosen a life of healing animals and I know how terribly hard it is for him to give up on one. So I want to shoulder that burden with him so he’s not alone. The law of my state says the veterinarian is the one licensed to administer the shot, not me. But a much higher law says this is my ultimate gift to my dog and the responsibility that I undertook on the day I welcomed that dog into my life forever. ~ Hilary Brown    Reprinted by permission of the author
Today’s submission comes from Sue Seaton, our long-time volunteer in Centennial, Colorado. If you’ve had a home visit done in the metro Denver area, you’ve most likely met Sue and her husband, Roy! We’re ever grateful to them for covering the Denver area all these years.Â
Roy and Carmen
Several years ago, my sister’s family put their family dog down at an old age. She had been a great dog. My sister Karen was very sad and quickly realized she needed another dog. She began searching on line, all over the country for the “right dogâ€, a dog that needed her as much as she needed her. Â
My sister lives in Michigan and found a dog in a rescue in Kentucky. She had been rescued from a breeding facility that was really just a dirty old barn. She spoke to the foster mom and was convinced this was the right dog, that they needed each other.  Two days later they made the long trip to Kentucky. When they met “Carmenâ€, it was love at first sight. They brought her home immediately and Carmen became a princess. She traveled everywhere with them. She never met a stranger and was a wonderful dog. She was loved at the seniors’ home where my mom resides. As much as the ladies loved her, she loved them.Â
On February 1st, she was diagnosed with cancer and within a few days it was confirmed as Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. There is little to no treatment for this horrible disease in dogs. Karen was devastated. Carmen was her pet and her friend. She was terrified at the thought of being without a dog for any length of time. She began searching on line for a dog.  She searched multiple times per day looking for a dog that needed her and would love to have a new home. She spoke with many rescue facilities but many of the dogs that seemed suitable would disappear before she could even investigate.   Carmen had no symptoms other than swollen glands. As luck and timing would have it, we have a cruise planned from 3/7 through 3/18. We were all worried that Carmen would become gravely ill while we were gone, possibly leaving my niece to euthanize her and spend a great deal of time alone as well. The family got her ice cream and burgers to eat, took her everywhere in the car and generally spoiled her all they could. Â
Carmen stayed relatively fine until two days ago. She developed a large ulcer in her mouth and stopped eating.  On Wednesday, Karen received a call from a rescue in Kentucky. They had a dog that they thought would be perfect for her. We didn’t know what to do. It seemed that Carmen might be waiting so her family would not be alone. On Thursday morning, Carmen stopped eating and declared that she was ready. Although the timing may seem strange to you, it didn’t to me. I knew that it was God. He had answered my prayers that Carmen would not suffer, that my sister could begin giving her love to a new dog and that my niece would not be left home alone, to experience solitary grief. Carmen is pictured above, having fun teasing her Uncle Roy.Â
Today, Karen and her family again made the long trip to Kentucky, filled with grief and sadness at the loss of their beloved dog, Carmen. When they got to Kentucky, they met Lily Bell, pictured below.  She immediately began bonding with the family. Within a short time, they packed up the car and made the 6 hour drive back home. Please meet Lily Bell, pictured below. She is not Carmen, but she just oozes a gentle confidence that could only come from receiving the baton from the one that passed before her. Have faith.Â
When a door closes, a window opens. Embrace it! Breathe deeply!        ~~ Sue  Â
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Lily Bell
This photo was sent to me by Emma’s adoptive family … awwwww, aren’t they sweet?!?
Emma (on the right) was surrendered to us as a one-year old. She had never been housetrained and was basically living her life as a yard dog during the day and crated from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.  Adopted by Michelle, Emma now resides in Texas.
Elle is settling in to her new home with little fanfare. Their resident cat, however, may have a different opinion of her new “roomie.â€Â
Here’s what Deb and Mark had to say about Elle’s first week …
Hi Vickie, Elle has been here a week. She has been a good dog. She and Debra have bonded and she follows her around like Debra wanted. She goes outside but is subtle about wanting out. We take her out often. We have found two bad habits of hers. One she would be a car chaser. When cars go by she runs across the back yard like she is chasing.  But she never goes out alone and can’t leave the yard so it is not a problem. She doesn’t do it while on a leash. The other bad habit is she is a beggar. She begs at the dinner table. We have not given her anything but she has to be scolded when she stands up. The crate is going much better. She still whimpers but for a very short time. She figures she is going to spend the night in there.  When we leave she will still howl. You can hear her in the garage.  Other than that she is a great companion for Debra. She and the cat are getting along great. Elle wants to play more but the cat ignores her when she is not interested so Elle just walks off. She is eating better now. She started off eating one time a day. But she eats twice. Loves her greenies. They are much cheaper onliine than at pet store. Everything is good. She is right at home now and is learning her boundaries. Debra & Mark H.
Besides Elle getting a new home, we’re excited to welcome Debra and Mark as new foster parents for our organization!! Thank you for stepping up to the plate and opening your hearts and home for a dog that needs a second chance at a new life. It is only through our foster homes that we are successful in this endeavor. Again, welcome!!
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