A Banner For All

Groovy
Originally uploaded by Calsidyrose

Here's a shout-out to those from the Woodstock years (I was only in elementary school!) with an important twist. Feel free to download a copy from my Flickr photostream for your site--all I ask is for a link back to my blog.

Something for Everybody But Nobody Came

What We Took to Off-Site on Saturday, August 15th
--One three-legged black Lab female dog
--One stag red Miniature Pinscher male dog
--One German Shepherd mix female puppy
--Two yellow Lab Mix puppies (one male, one female)
--One black Lab Mix female puppy
--One red-nosed pit bull female puppy
--One Flat-Coated Retriever Mix female dog
--On Lab Mix male dog
--Two pit bull mix male dogs (one golden-brown, one brindle and white)
--One Australian Shepherd Mix male dog
--One Catahoula-Australian Cattle Dog Mix male dog
--One Dachshund-Beagle Mix male dog
--Two purebred Akitas (one male, one female) Owner Surrender dogs

What We Adopted:
--One German Shepherd Mix female puppy.

We had an awesome selection of dogs, but only moderate traffic at the Off-Site, which was hosted by our local "Hooters."

There's nothing like going inside a "Hooters" early on a Saturday night to fill up one-gallon jugs of water for stinky Shelter dogs to make me feel more middle-aged, pudgy and grubby. I don't frequent "Hooters" on principle, but the "Hooters" girls were cute as buttons--sweet, quick and perky beyond belief. Too bad we couldn't have them showing off our dogs.

-*- Artwork: Scan of a vintage postcard.

Laws of Dog Adoptions

1. The potential client will want to adopt the one puppy in the pen that has already been adopted but is awaiting its new owner to return with a crate.

2. The client will want to adopt the dog that belongs to the off-site coordinator.

3. The client will want to adopt a dog seen in a blurry photo on the Shelter website but which, for some reason we can’t determine, cannot be located at the Shelter or at an Off-site event. This client will become infuriated because he “finally found the dog I wanted” and we’ve deliberately misplaced an animal he has never even met face-to-face.

4. The client will want a puppy “just like the black one,” but in yellow. We will not have any yellow puppies available.

5. The client will insist that the dog in her printed-out photo came from our web site even when another Shelter’s name is listed.

6. The client will adopt a puppy if we can guarantee for certain that it will not bark or chew things up.

7. The client will want to adopt a Yorkie when all we have are labs, pit mixes, cattle dogs and rat terriers.

-*- Artwork from a scan of a vintage children's book.

Min-Pin Mania

I have a "thing" for miniature pinschers. My own dog, Taco, was adopted from a Rescue in Belle Chasse, Louisiana in 2001. I currently volunteer at the Montgomery County Texas Animal Shelter, and my addiction to these funny, energetic little dogs is well-known.

So far I've fostered three min-pins--all red! Dancer was oversized and skittish, while Pudge was very typey but as round as a Tootsie Roll. Rusty, my current boy, could be Taco's long lost brother, except he's bigger.

Miniature Pinschers are great little dogs. They are NOT related to Doberman Pinschers, though. The American standard dictates that they stand no shorter than 10 inches and no more than 12 inches at the shoulder and weigh no more than 12 pounds. Three of these dogs (Taco, Rusty and Dancer) violate the 12-12 rule. They are shown in America with cropped ears and docked tails.

Min-pins can have red, stag red (red with black hairs), chocolate brown, or black coats, with black or beige leg markings and eye-brow kissy-spots. White markings are not permitted. When you see min-pins in the Shelter, docked tails indicate that the dog came from a breeder. Cropped ears are required on show dogs, but many pet-quality min-pins have natural ears.

Min-pins are busy-bodies with a sly sense of humor. Some can be nippy, but most are big cuddle-bugs. Most love to sleep with their people. They are confident beyond reason, so you have to be consistent with training or they will run your life. Bred in Germany, miniature pinschers are among one of the older breeds. Originally, they were used in stables and kitchens as a vermin dog ("pinscher" is German for terrier). My dog, Taco, has a very high prey drive and kills rats and moles. He spends a lot of time in our back yard hunting.

Min-pins are great travelers and do well in multiples (they are sort of like Lay's Potato Chips). They are wicked-smart escape artists and can run like blitzen. The smaller ones need to be watched around little children--min-pins don't hestitate to snap if roughly handled. However, they are great clowns and will make up their own tricks to entertain you, especially if treats are involved. If you've never been owned by a min-pin, you're missing out on a world of jumpy, barky fun.

Checking In

It's been awhile since I've posted--I've been on the road in the great state of Texas: down to Galveston, then out to Port Arthur, then to Spring Branch (near San Antonio).

My 15-year-old daughter has Band Camp, so I'm back to being a Band Mom. Plus, I am slated to have two root canals tomorrow. I haven't been to the Shelter in 10 days due to travel and tooth issues--the pain meds for the infection in my teeth make me feel loopy, so I'm limiting my driving.

So, for fun, I'm including this photo of my fluffy dog and daughter. I will be back to doing Off-Site Adoptions this weekend, so I'll have updates on Blackie (my bully dog) and hopefully will find Rusty the MinPin a good home. Although if you ask Rusty, he thinks he's got a good home already.