From commentor Jackie:
Here are Chamois (the golden colored mutt) and Yoki (the red, half Chow) barking at what they believe is a critter they have treed. Our third dog, Seven, was also present. The event involved much barking over a long period of time. The pity of it is, they were barking at the transformer on the electric pole in front of our house.
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Okay, so they aren’t the brightest bunch, but they are sweetest. I live in a rural area where people tend to dump dogs. Seven ran in front of my car on a country road. I stopped and through a long process that involved enticing him with crackers, I was able to scoop him up and put him in the car. He’s a big, loving, doofus mutt. Sadly now he is suffering many ravages of old age, but he’s still first in line when the biscuits are dispensed.
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A year or so later, we went to the county dog shelter where I spotted Yoki. She only had a couple more days before euthanasia, in part because the shelter staff warned everyone to be aware of Chows because they are aggressive. My husband was pumping for us to get a Lab or Lab mix, but I could not get this waggedy red dog “on death row” out of my mind. I prevailed, and now my husband will admit that Yoki is his favorite of the pack.
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Chamois also came from a shelter called Circle Tail that does some amazing work placing dogs with people with disabilities. Chamois didn’t have the right stuff to be an assistance dog, but is a wonderful family dog. Both Yoki and Chamois, like Seven, had been found running loose in the countryside.
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So there you have it. I would never pay for a dog when so many wonderful dogs can be had on the cheap. Rescues are the best.
Dream On
Chilean miners are going to keep me from getting any sleep.
stuckinred
These pups are great!
I was standing on the sidewalk with my dogs in Savannah waiting for my wife Monday when a woman stopped to ask me about my critters. She was from China but lives here and she said her 9 year old son had his heart set on a full bred German Shepherd in Virginia that he had found online. I encouraged her to consider a rescue and also told her most dogs that are owned by 9 year old kids get raised by their parents!
JGabriel
Jackie @ Top:
Seven of Three?
.
JWL
A caption from a decades old Gary Larsen cartoon– [staring into the sky at a grouping of hovering UFO’s, a dog speaks to its startled human “masters”]: “At last they’ve returned”.
The Tim Channel
The cute dog pictures are about the only thing keeping me sane, what with all the Teatardism running amok in America lately. Here’s a cute youtube video I ran across (h/t Americablog) today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0RLFgjHEJU
And here’s a little something I know a lot of you will find humorous/disturbing:
http://thetimchannel.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/first-step-to-recovery/
Enjoy.
HeartlandLiberal
I will take this opportunity to hype this group here in Indiana, the Indiana Sheltie Rescue organization.
http://indianasheltierescue.org/
One of my friends of over 20 years lives just a mile up the road, on 10 acres, and has a large fenced in back yard. She has converted the large rear room of her house into a kennel, and at any given time, has as many as 12 – 15 shelties that have been rescured, and for whom homes are being sought.
She is always trying to get me take one, but Shelties are herders be instinct, and I am not sure our three cats would appreciate being herded and possibly eaten.
Anyway, it is people like my friend who care about animals who run organizations like this, and they deserve support. A few years ago I auctioned off a signed Colts souvenir football the Colts had donated to raise funds for them.
Jackie
Seven got his name because our family could not agree on what to name him. We decided to put all the names in consideration into a hat and draw one out. I joked, “I’ll probably pull out the hat size.” Thus he was named “Seven and Three Eights.”
Maude
@Jackie:
Thanks for the transformer story. It is a wonderful way to start the day.
JoyfulA
I am a cat person. I have learned, over the years, that when I need a cat, whether I know it or not, a cat shows up at the door and introduces herself or himself, and we have a new family member.
To me, the concept of buying a dog or cat is similar to buying a spouse. I can’t wrap my mind around it.
Now we have just one elderly cat. She’s quite sociable with other cats she meets in the neighborhood, and I’m hoping she’ll bring home any cat she encounters who’s looking for a home. We’re ready to welcome anyone she considers good company.
coastalkate
@JGabriel:
Nice to see the old gang – they are holding up a lot better than me.
A new friend Dakota is a rescue dog – a border collie. Rescuing is the way to go.
Annie
They are awesome, as is your family. Love the picture and story. I agree — great way to start the day. Thanks!
schrodinger's cat
@JGabriel: Tertiary adjunct of Canine matrix Zero?
Pretty doggies and a heart warming story! Thanks for sharing.
satby
Beautiful guys! Rescues are the best, for sure!
hidflect
Who the hell dumps an old dog? What the fck is going through their minds? “Well, Shep. We’ve had a good 12 years together.. time to dump you on the open road..” I don’t care HOW poor I get. I’ll never dump my pet. And I had one that cost me $10,000+ before it died (that I seriously couldn’t afford). No fckin’ way will I “dump” an animal who is my damn, fine friend. There’s some freaks out there. They don’t earn the title “Human Being” in my book.
The Voice
Ya know, in fairness to your terrific trio, the transformer could have been making noise just outside of your hearing range.
Just a thought….
Post dictated by Keesha, the Radar/Sonar Equipped Keeshond to:
The Voice
Cain
yeah, I don’t understand why rural folks would do that to their dogs. It seems that happens a lot there according to the original post. I weep everytime I read about dogs being abandoned. It’s a goddam crime to have a dog put on “death row” for no fault of their own.
cain
Dog is My Co-Pilot
What a great picture! I agree – rescues are the absolute best. We have four of them. I agree with a couple other posters – I can’t for the life of me imagine what would possess someone to dump a dog. If I caught someone doing that, and I was able to face them, I think I’d have a hard time not beating them to a pulp. Between reading these uplifting rescue stories and being riveted to my monitor watching the rescue of the Chilean miners, it’s really nice to be able to take a much-needed break from our current toxic political climate.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
Jackie:
Great stories and a great photo, thanks for sharing.
@hidflect:
The same assholes who would dump an old cat. About 10 years ago, somebody dumped a 10-12 year old cat in our bumfuck lil town here in Central Misery. He was fixed and healthy. We had him for 3 years before he had a stroke and had to be put down.
We thought the exact same thing except I think my exact phrase was “who the fuck dumps an old cat?”
Assholes. Around here, they’re Republican Assholes although that’s a double negative.
wonkie
In fairness to the people who live in rural ares–it’s nt necessarily the rural poeple dumping dogs aourt three. It’s the town and city people who drive out to the country on the rationalizatioin that some farmer will take their dog. So they shove the dog out of the care and drive away. I have a freindwho has a hobby farm where she intended to reaise chickehns. In stead she has a barn full of dumped dogs.
socratic_me
Yoki reminds me of my half-Chow Penny (named for her color, obviously) who was absolutely the sweetest dog I have ever known. She passed in her sleep last summer after years of happily awaiting pets and lounging exactly in the way. I swear that dog had some sort of psychic ability to tell where you were going to be five minutes before you ever thought about going there. She never GOT in the way. She was always there first.
trollhattan
Lovely pooches. The good news is that transformer is staying put–no random trips down the utility pole while the watch is on!
Mister Papercut
Wow, how gorgeous are Chamois and Yoki?
Linkmeister
Rotisserie provokes dog.
asiangrrlMN
Chamois and Yoki are both gorgeous (and I love their names). They look so shiny and happy!