Dogs

Namesake

/ fearsomebeard / 1 Comment

This classic popped into my YouTube feed moments ago. I have no reason to know why as I haven’t ever searched Nicolette Larson. However there is a reason I stopped everything to push play.

Nicolette Larson – Lotta Love – 1978

My first dog that I ever brought to my own home after leaving my parents house was a blonde cocker spaniel named Nicholas. Unfortunately in the first week of his stay at my home he got loose and ran into a busy street about 3 blocks away. We found his body lying in the bushes of the median the next day.

I returned to the SPCA where I had adopted him and a new litter of puppies had arrived. They were mixed Shepard puppies, 8 of them. As I sat on the floor with them and they played and played it was so hard to decide as to which one would be mine. All of the sudden it was obvious. One of them, a little girl, had gotten comfortable in my crossed legged lap and fallen asleep. It was a match.

After bringing her home the first thing was to name her. Nicholas had a name from his previous owner, she was just an 8 week old ball of fur. Naming her after him seemed fitting. Nicolette came to mind which was immediately followed by this song popping into my head from one of my favorite late 1970s artist, remember this was the early 1980s so late ‘70s artist were relatively fresh. That would be it, her name would be Nicolette Larson.

From that day forward she was my baby and her name sake a favorite artist. Now to find a photo from the days long before digital photography.
…I’ll post a photo as soon as I find a good one.

Cheers to both Nicolette Larson the singer and Nicolette Larson my dearest first dog as both of you are long on the other side of the rainbow bridge. One day I’ll see you both again.

Godspeed.

Oliver’s Progress

/ fearsomebeard / 13 Comments

As many of you already know we rescued a German Shepard just over three weeks ago. He is a wonderful dog. His health has improved well and his progress continues.

Just for reference this is a photo from the shelter just before adpotion:

Oliver at the San Diego Humane Society before adoption.

And here he is on June 22 at home:

Oliver as he recovers his health 6/22/21 at his new home of 3 weeks.

He is young boy and is quite the handsome gentleman. What a treasure!

Meet Oliver

/ fearsomebeard / 12 Comments

The San Diego Humane Society listing for a pup now named Oliver.

As many of you dear readers know we lost our beloved Gilda to old age on April 19. She was an amazing Belgian Shepard whom we rescued done 14 years ago who lived until almost her 17th birthday. When she passed I knew that another dog would come into our lives at some point. Most likely a dog that needed help just as she had.

Last Monday May 24 a video popped into my YouTube feed from the San Diego Humane Society. I clicked play and then made a comment that he was a handsome boy.

The very next day on Tuesday I was scheduled to meet with my friend and SDHS philanthropy representative Carol to make a donation in the honor of Gilda. It was a beautiful day and we sat out on the patio to catch up since Covid had kept me away from an in person meeting for more than a year. I even got to meet the SDHS President, Gary Weitzman’s, new Shepard pup as we got caught up on all the changes around the shelter as well as the new programs that are in the works.

After we met, Carol took me on a tour of the medical facilities and then at my request, the adoption floor. I wasn’t looking for Stubbs but recognized him immediately from his You Tube video when we walked past his kennel. He seemed sweet but was way larger than I have ever even desired a dog for my home, much larger than Gilda ever was and she was large for me. We kept on moving and I saw many more dogs. There was a chihuahua that caught my eye but nothing clicked that bell saying this is the one. We said goodbye and I went home.

However Stubbs and the Chihuahua both stayed on my mind. So on Wednesday I e-mailed Carol and she put me in touch with an adoption counselor. I set up an appointment to come in and meet the two pups Thursday morning.

The chihuahua was definitely sweet and much more my cup of tea, but Stubbs needed help. Turns out he had been found abandoned and tied up to a coffee shop railing in the La Jolla area of San Diego on April 25. Severely malnourished and underweight he had mange, mites, pyoderma, ear infections, severe skin infections, diarrhea and had very little fur left anywhere on his body. He was a dog that should weight 80-85 lbs who weighed in at 54lbs upon admission. By the time I met him and in these photos he has gained 10 lbs and you can still see every bone in his body.

Oliver, AKA Stubbs, at the San Diego Humane Society.

I didn’t adopt Stubbs at that moment but I made an appointment to come back Friday afternoon at 3:30 so The Better Half could meet both. As many of you know, Friday morning I received the news our beloved Anne Marie had passed away. I was devastated. At least I had something to look forward to in the afternoon.

The Better Half came home from work and off to SDHS we went. The adoption counselor greeted us and asked which one we wanted to meet with first. I said Stubbs. We were escorted into the agility yard and Stubbs was brought in. He was just a wonderful gentle soul who exudes love and joy even though he’s in such poor condition and obvious discomfort. It was a match. Ken looked at me and said “this is what we do, we rescue those who need us the most”.

After some paperwork, he was in the car and off to Petsmart for supplies we were going to need then home to meet the pack.

Strange people in a strange car, but he warmed up quickly and by the time we got home he was realizing he was safe and he was loved.

Meet the pack he did and he did very well, although Patsy still isn’t very joyful about it but she will warm up.

Oliver became his name in that short trip home as Oliver means “of the olive tree” and the olive tree means “Friendship”, he couldn’t be a friendlier guy. It just fit. He is adjusting well, knows how to sit and stay, is verbally expressive like a husky when interacting and he has not yet barked. He’s been to his new vet and has a dermatologist consult next week. He walks well on his leash, has had two baths and just a few days later he seems more comfortable in his skin.

Oliver at home, even though there are Pads on the floor of his temporary room and so far he’s seems to be housebroken.

Oliver is just a big goofy gentle soul who has a forever home with two men and 5 little dogs who love him.
He’s even a gentleman when riding to the vet!

Co-pilot Oliver

My heart is filled with joy. Oliver is a gift of love and joy!

When our pets die

/ fearsomebeard / 26 Comments

Rainbow Bridge – Author Unknown

Gilda came into our lives as a stray whom we rescued some 14 years ago when she was about 2 years old. It was actually a very long, stressful and convoluted story but we were fortunate to legally adopt her from her owners with the help of our local shelter. She was also fortunate that it was my car she stepped out into the road in front of that day. I first wrote about her HERE and also celebrated her 12th birthday HERE .

Gilda was a Belgian Laekenois and Belgian Malinois cross. She had been purchased by a young family in our neighborhood to be a guard dog. Belgians are a special breed that can be difficult for inexperienced dog owners to handle. It was not a good mix and she found herself in a horrible situation. I won’t go any further into details except that by the time she stepped into traffic in front of my moving car she was malnourished and maladjusted. At the moment my eyes landed on her I didn’t yet realize the blessing the universe had just placed into my path, I just knew I had to get this strange and frightened dog to safety.

After many healthy years here with us, Gilda started her decline about a year ago. It was slow and she had many wonderful days, but she had some struggles too. It’s when the struggles outweigh the good days that we owners have to make that final hard choice. Last Saturday it appeared it was about time to call the vet for the home visit, by Sunday evening it was obvious. Monday morning at 8 am the phone weighed about 20 pounds as I dialed the number, fortunately they had a 12 noon opening for the same day.

Monday was a beautiful day and The Better Half had the day off. We were able to open all the doors and windows and spend the morning right here on the house giving her her favorite treats, help her out into her yard for a few last trips and lounge on the floor with her in her comfy bed. We were all blessed as the breeze blew through the house and she could part this life peacefully with us and all her sibling dogs at her side.

While we will never see her beautiful sparkling eyes again in this life, we know we will on the other side. She was the most loyal, loving and gentle soul that anyone could ever be blessed with in life.

Goodbye for now Gilda. Please say hello to Mitzi, Virgil, Diva, & Nina for us. We love you and look forward to the day we can hold you close again.

Gilda with Fearsome

Gilda with Hazel

 

Gilda and Nina

Her eyes

Godspeed.