Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Santa Claus is coming to town and I am personally getting VERY excited!  Worse than a child, some say.
 
Of course, there is always the chance that one can get a lump of coal if one has not been good over the past year, or worse, ashes and switches. It seems that I have been threatened with this at one time or another.

But I am a GOOD dog, and just like good children, I hope Santa will leave  me something nice under the tree this year. Think FOOD, Santa!  What would I do with a lump of coal?  And for darn sure, I have no need for ashes or switches!

I have given it my best shot this month, knowing that Santa was checking his list. I have worked really hard and, thanks to my humans, I have even worn antlers that light up, a Santa hat (No, Santa, I was not mocking you!), a red garland, and other appalling articles of clothing.  I even submitted, rather graciously I do believe, to having my picture taken while wearing the hat.  Santa, are you listening?

I have really gotten into the holiday spirit and have been visiting several places around the county.  At Tryon Estates, Miss Caroline tried to make off with my light-up antlers (run, Miss Caroline, run!); at Polk Middle School, three young ladies actually climbed on top of their desks because they were so afraid of  me.....ME......you know who you are..... but now you can say you have petted me, and found me to be a real softie!  I also got to visit some of the students at Polk Central School, and I would like to repeat, I am NOT a horse, so no, you cannot ride me, first graders!  I do enjoy beinng patted, though!   I think everyone enjoyed these visits, but none more so than me.

We are really trying to get the point across at the schools that there are simply not enough homes for all the dogs and cats, and that it is a good thing to spay and neuter your pets.  Ruth, one of my co-workers, asked the students to do the math to see how many animals can be born when they are not spayed or neutered. Even the first graders could do the math!  I won't belabor the details, but the bottom line is that if you start with an un-spayed female and an un-neutered male, with neither of them nor any of their puppies ever spayed or neutered, in six years you find yourself up to your neck in 67,000 dogs!  It is worse with cats, because the number increases to 420,000 cats!  Yikes!  At least those are the numbers that the folks at Spay USA use.  That's not just scary, that's unbelievable!  No community in the world can take care of that many animals!
So please, spay and neuter your pets!

Ahem, back to the subject at hand, and thank you, Santa, for letting me digress, this is the time of year for believing in Santa and in the spirit of goodness in all of us.  It is the time of year for giving, and even I can appreciate the joy that goes along with giving to others!  (Except, maybe, my dinner......sorry Santa!)  During this beautiful holiday season, we can all believe in our fellow beings, and the hope that one day we can all live in peace. And during this joyous and holy season, please remember those who are less fortunate, both two-legged and four-legged, even if all you can give is a kind word.

In closing, I want to say to Lenny, no apology necessary.  Monty was, indeed, a champ!  Oh, if only all owners would feel that their dog is a champ!  I am grateful beyond words to know that Monty had such a good life with the folks who loved him so well.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Woof!

Champ

Thankful...I am!

Partially written by Champ on November 23, 2006......

Today is Thanksgiving and I have a lot to be thankful for.......sometimes we need to take a step back and look at all the things we have in our lives to be grateful for...

Here is my list of things I am thankful for:

FOOD, well, that goes without saying, but there are other things I have put on my list as well so as not to look like a food monger here.

I am thankful for my home...every one deserves one and yet, there are people and animals that have none.

I am thankful to all the folks who took the time and trouble to feed and care for me before I had a forever home of my own.

I am thankful for the folks that cared enough about me to get me off the highways of Mississippi and into the loving arms of MS Great Pyrenees Rescue and my foster Mom.

I am thankful that I have a job that allows me to help others by being a Therapy Dog. I can give back some of what has been given to me....yes..."paws it forward" or something like that....

I am thankful for long walks in the woods where I can at least smell the "call of the wild" even if I cannot join in. I am thankful for my neighbor, Anton, who asks every morning to hold my leash and follows me wherever I may go.

I am even grateful for the full moons, coyotes, vultures, and airplanes that fly over the house as it gives me an opportunity to bark, and barking keeps them in line...well, maybe not the airplanes!

So on this day of giving thanks, I have a great deal to be thankful for BUT I am MOST thankful that .....I am not.... a TURKEY!!!

Please take a moment to stop and give thanks! And have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Oops, I almost forgot to remind you that if you are tired of eating turkey after Thanksgiving, many area restaurants will be donating a percentage of their income from Tuesday November 27th (and a couple of restaurants are doing this on Wednesday, the 28th because they are not open on Tuesdays) to the Foothills Humane Society. The list of these restaurants will be available in the Tryon Daily so please take your friends and family out to one of the participating restaurants on these days and support these kind restaurant owners and Foothills at the same time! Thank you guys for helping the shelter! I sure wish I could find a restaurant that would let me participate.

Woof!

CHAMP

Any and All Dogs..What a Blast!

The Any & All Dog Show sponsored by the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club was a big hit this year. There were so many dogs and their humans there that it was difficult to even see what was going on! I think it helped that we all were blessed before the show by Father Doty. I really should have gone and gotten a private blessing afterward but in the mayhem, I dropped it out...trust me, Father...it was not intentional!

I did take a ribbon though -- a BLUE ribbon in the child's class for Most Interesting Tail! Imagine that! The Tryon Daily Bulletin actually got it a little wrong (just this once guys, really!) as they said I was owned by Brock Mayer and the truth is, he is my nephew...and I am pretty sure that I own him.

There were quite a few "interesting tails" for me to check out, and Brock is quite obedient, so we went wherever I pleased.....I really enjoyed this while it lasted. Brock followed me right through the judges' tent, which probably did not hurt our chances at a ribbon. Our win made his day, which made me very happy.

The only other class I entered was the Best Costume Class and as most of you know, I am not terribly fond of being dressed up. My humans placed a black wig, a witch's hat, and a black feather boa on me. I could shake the hat off very quickly, but the boa was tricky.....when I finally pawed at the boa and got it off, just in case no one got the picture, I lifted my leg on it. Think they got it this time?

There were so many nice dogs and nice folks there, and the weather was almost perfect although it could have been a bit cooler. It was just a nice relaxing day for us to have fun and enjoy our humans.....

I would like to personally invite EVERYONE to the Open House this Saturday, November 3 from 11-3 at the Foothills Shelter on Little Mountain Road. Just think...FREE hotdogs (probably just for humans though) and FREE cake, FREE pony rides, a FREE goody bag for each family from Little Mountain Feed Store -- and that's not all! From noon until 2, SANTA will be there, ready to pose with your pet for photos! Music will be provided courtesey of Dana Bergman who, along with his dog Barney, is a personal friend of mine. It will be a lot of fun, and for a good cause -- to show support for our terrific shelter!

The staff and volunteers are rightfully proud of the shelter -- how it looks, the way it is run, and the kindness and care given to the animals there. Many times folks who visit say that it looks more like an upscale boarding facility than a shelter! I have seen animals actually come to the shelter of their own accord....and sad but true, for some animals, it is the best "home" they will ever know!

So please drop by between 11 and 3 on Saturday and see this fine shelter, and what a difference these wonderful humans make for the homeless animals in Polk County! I'll be there listening to the music and eyeing Santa's sleigh (don't ask), so make sure to come over and say hello.


See you Saturday! Woof!

CHAMP

National Feral Cat Day!!! Woof!

Photo credit - Noah's Ark Rescue


Po'Kitties is a new program at the Foothills Humane Society where, as you may know, I have the privilege of being the SpokesDog. At any rate, they asked me to speak on behalf of the feral cats in our community.

OK...OK...I was rope-dragged into writing this by the Po' Kitties committee! But...truth be known, this world could stand to be a little kinder to the cats! I know I often make comments about cats....such as "blech", etc.... but I live with cats and while I may not always agree with them, they deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, just like all creatures.

National Feral Cat Day is this Tuesday, October 16th, and on this date Po' Kitties will be kicking off their feral cat trap-neuter-release program which is designed to help the feral cats in our community by sterilizing them. That way they will not be able to reproduce litter after litter of ...more cats!

As I understand it, the program has volunteers to help and advise with the process of humanely trapping feral cats, getting them spayed or neutered, vaccinating them, ear-tipping them, and releasing them back into managed colonies. Now, I don't mind admitting that some of this is a bit over my head, and I had to ask, "Exactly what are "ear-tipping" and "managed colonies"?

It turns out that ear-tipping is done while the cat is already under anesthesia to be sterilized, and the vet cuts off the tip of one ear. That way, anyone who sees the cat knows that the cat is sterile, vaccinated, and a part of a managed colony. The picture you see is of a cat that has been ear-tipped. A managed colony is a small group of cats who have permission to live in a certain place. Along with that permission, there is a person or a group of people who commit to providing food and water to the colony. The Po'Kitties committee will monitor these colonies and help where and as needed.

I was surprised and pleased to know that so many people in our community are already providing food and water to these cats. It makes me feel good to know that my neighbors are being so kind. If you or someone you know is feeding one or more feral cats, the Po'Kitties folks would like to hear from you so we can help get the cats spayed or neutered.

I guess I hadn't realized the extent of this problem until it was brought to my attention by Po'Kitties. I was distressed to learn that some people treat these cats cruelly. I think it is time to take matters into our own paws (er....or hands) and deal with this problem instead of sweeping it under the rug (or shooting it).

My contribution will mostly be through my blog, but there are lots of ways you can help. You can volunteer your time with the Po'Kitties program. You can drive a trapped cat to and from the vet's office. You can donate money so more cats can be spayed, neutered, vaccinated and ear-tipped. You can offer to provide food and water to a managed colony, either on your property or somewhere else, and you can do it every day, or once a week, or when the caretaker takes a vacation. Most importantly, you can be kind to these creatures when you see them.

Po'Kitties will have a booth at this Sunday's ANY AND ALL DOG SHOW. This cool event for humans and dogs is sponsored by the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, and proceeds go to benefit the Foothills Humane Society. It's at Harmon Field from 1-3. They will have the awesome Po'Kitties tee-shirts for sale (get 'em while you can!). I will be there with some kind of stupid costume my humans will make me wear, and would be happy to say "Hello!" if you come over to see me.

I did want to mention that I have read lately in the Tryon Daily Bulletin that some folks are losing animals to predators like the coyote. Might I remind you that we Livestock Guardian Dogs not only make your life richer in every way (just by having us around), but for thousands of years we have been bred to protect livestock from predation. No coyote will ever get past ME or any other Livestock Guardian Dog. You can read more about it in the latest Progressive Farmer magazine (yes, the same magazine that touted Polk County as such a terrific place to live) in the article titled, "On Guard". And there is a place in Winston-Salem that specializes in training us rescue dogs to be the best Livestock Guardian Dogs around, so you can help save one of us and - - save your livestock too!

If you would like more info, please drop me a line!

See you at the show!

Woof!

CHAMP

Pet Pals....

Pet Pals at Tryon Estates: L. to R. Dana Mayer and Champ ( ME!), BJ Vare and Diva, Katie Malone and Ziggy, Trudy Sloan and Pepe', Jim Vare and Daisy

Pet Pals is a group of folks and their dogs ( Dogs rock!) from this area that have undergone testing and training to be able to go to nursing homes, retirement centers, schools, hospitals, and camps....or anywhere folks are that would enjoy a visit. We are organized and insured by Therapy Dogs International which is a national group that provides support, guidelines, and insurance for these type of groups.

We go on visits many places in the community and most the folks seem to enjoy our being there.
Of course, there is always a party pooper somewhere! And I am OK with the fact that not everyone can appreciate us for who we are and what we do. But the majority of folks seem to really enjoy our visits and I think I can vouch for the other doggies, when I say, that we have a job and we take it seriously!

Katie Malone is responsible for starting the Pet Pals here in the area and she is the trainer. She has really done a fine job of orgainizing and looking after all the picky little details.....and I love her dog, Ziggy!

We have to go through an initial test which mainly consists of making sure a dog would make a good therapy dog. Obviously, if your dog bites or growls, then they will fail! We have to be calm enough not to knock folks down or hurt them. We are tested around wheelchairs and walkers as we have to be able to go up to folks many times that are in either of these. Some of the dogs are smaller and can be placed in the lap of folks and they really seem to enjoy holding these dogs. Needless to say, my butt is too big to get in their lap and I could probably seriously hurt some one if I were to try.

One time at White Oak Estates, there was a lady who was bedridden and she wanted so very badly to touch me....so I started climbing in the bed with her.....Needless to say, this was not my best idea! I guess some of us just will never make it as lap dogs!

We are also tested around other dogs to make sure there are no "incidents" while visiting. This is a big No-No as well. And we are tested around strangers to see how we react to them in a setting such as an assisted living. Laurelwoods has been very helpful in letting us use their facility to train.

We need more dogs and handlers! There are just not enough of us to go around and it is such a rewarding job! There were a whole bunch of really cute doggies in our last training session and I want to see them. Please have your owners bring you to one of our visiting sessions! We have so many places to visit so you can pick and choose your times and places....

And if you have a dog that you think might qualify as a Therapy Dog and make some one's day, please consider taking the test and training with them. Katie will be having another training session in January and if you think you have what it takes, please have your person call Katie @
864-415-5804.

I know it may not seem like much compared to dog bones and toys, but I always get thanked for coming, usually by several folks. The last time I was visiting, a lady called several of us back over and said that "she thanked us from the bottom of her heart for coming".

So you see....YOU can make a difference!

Woof!

CHAMP

Michael Vick....What Were You Thinking?

There has been more than enough in the news and on TV lately about Michael Vick.

Now that he has made a plea bargain to dogfighting and other crimes, I would like to share my thoughts on this matter as several folks have asked me my feelings on this subject.

Michael Vick had everything, or so it seemed.....he went from winner of the Heisman Trophy to being the highest paid NFL football player (and oh, he was so exciting to watch!). He had endorsements by several big companies which paid him quite a bit more than his NFL salary. He had fame, good looks, and many fans, especially children, who thought he was "simply the best".

Boy, did all this disappear fast.....

Dogfighting, cockfighting, and any other sport that involves animals fighting to their deaths so that folks can watch is just downright cruel and inhumane. I do not see how anyone can even watch it. It is also against the law in all 50 states and a felony in 48 states. There have been many excuses made for Mr. Vick's behavior. The fact that he was from the South and that this was part of his heritage is horse-hooey, and immaturity means nothing -- everyone is immature at some point in their lives, but that certainly doesn't mean that they are cruel. And all the other excuses -- that his mom was only 13 whn she had him, that he went from rags to riches, none of this amounts to a hill of beans. It is never anyone's right to cause pain and suffering to another being for pleasure. Nohting makes this right and nothing ever will. There is simply no excuse for it. NONE!

I am not sure that Michael Vick will ever be able to play football in the NFL again. It is possible that he has ruined his football career for good. It seems a high price to pay, but he made choices all along the way that led him down this path. He chose to treat animals as nothing more than players in his games. As they say, not all people who torture animals turn out to be serial killers, but ALL serial killers started out torturing animals. And everyone knows that the abuse of animals and the abuse of humans are closely linked. I hope that Michael Vick seeks and receives the help he needs.

In my very humble opinion, it is NEVER OK to be cruel to animals or ANY other living creature.

Be kind!

CHAMP

Too HOT to TROT!

These last couple of weeks have been so VERY hot and I know everyone is feeling the heat because personally, I have found them to be a little grumpy. I have become addicted to air conditioning and only venture out in the early morning and late evening when it is a little cooler.

I was going to go to Tryon Estates last week for a visit and because it was 106 degrees, my Mom nixed that plan. So instead, I stayed home and sulked...and found other ways to amuse myself...such as ripping up rolls of toilet paper...a bored dog can be a BAD dog!

That reminds me of the time we were visiting at Tryon Estates in the Special Care Unit and a lady came out of her room with a roll of toilet paper and was leaving a trail everywhere she went so there was toilet paper everywhere...down the hall, etc. She had a huge grin on her face and just seemed to be really enjoying the moment. I know I certainly enjoyed it and felt an immediate kinship to this sweet lady, something along the lines of "partners in crime"!

During this extremely hot time of the year pets need a little extra care to help them get through these last "DOG DAYS" of summer. Cats, dogs and ALL animals need fresh water at all times....they need some sort of shelter...even a tarp will work to provide some shade from the relentless sun. If you have them clipped, please leave a little hair to protect them from sunburn....even if you leave a quarter inch or so of hair, this will help protect their skin.

The asphalt gets very hot during these days so please watch out for your doggie's pads if you take them for a walk in the heat. In this kind of weather, their pads can be very badly burned! Also, please remember that it only takes a few minutes in a hot car for an animal to die from the heat, so PLEASE do not leave your pets in a hot car!!!

And if you REALLY want to spoil your animals, you can invest in them a swimming pool, like the ones the children use. I think this would be the ultimate life for a dog, but then "how would I know"???!

Please send any comments to me at my blog at the Tryon Daily Bulletin website.....www.tryondailybulletin.com or of course, right here!
or if you happen to get a swimming pool, please write to invite me over to use it as I do not a swimming pool of my own....WHINE!

Woof!

CHAMP

Not PYR-fect!

A Day at Camp.......



Over the past few weeks, I have gone to the FENCE Day Camp a couple of times with my buddy, Wreck (shown here in the picture with some of the campers). He is the one really working!  We were there as part of the Humane Education Program for the Foothills Humane Society. The campers were very well behaved and had on the coolest t-shirts that they had made at camp.....in fact,  IF I was going to wear a shirt, I would have tried to beg one off of them! They looked like they were really enjoying their time at camp.

We discussed what pets need, and also asked the campers to help us name some of the animals at the shelter. And did we ever get some cool names!!! A couple of my favorites were Humfree, Beep, and Old Red Chaser! And of course, several campers thought that the best names were Champ and Wreck (and I have to agree)!  This will be a big help to the shelter staff when they go to choose names for the animals, since they have a  lot of animals to name, and sometimes I wonder just where they come up with some of those names! (Ha ha, just kidding, guys!)

One of the little girls at camp asked me a question about whether they could neuter other animals.  I wasn't sure where she was going with this question, but I knew she was going somewhere!  As it turned out, she wanted to know if mice could be neutered!
I did not answer her correctly, but having since done some research, I have learned that YES, indeed, mice can be neutered, although it is not recommended.  So to that curious camper -- thank you for an excellent question! I do apologize for my ignorance on this matter, but I love learning new things (and sharing them) so keep asking these great questions!

I appreciate the comments I have been getting on my blog. One
self-described unruly dog by the name of Jumping Jack Flash wrote in to say he had a problem with "jumping up" on people. (This is one of the few bad habits I do NOT happen to have, which is a good thing since I could be described as large-and-in-charge!) There is some excellent advice which may be found on the web at the following address:
www.petexpertise.com/dog_problems/jumpingarticle.htm.

Unfortunately, because most folks are all too human, we dogs tend to get more attention when we jump up rather than when we are nice, quiet dogs, so the best thing one can do is to get your owner to cue you to "sit" when you jump up, and then expect them to praise you lavishly for sitting. So Jack, I guess you will just have to train your owner!

Seriously, I have really enjoyed your comments and questions, so please keep sending them to me. You can go to the Tryon Daily Bulletin
website and find my blog under the blog headings or you can go there directly Champ's Tryon Bulletin Blog
and of course, as always, you may comment directly to me here on this blog!

As always, thanks for listening, and remember to spay and neuter your pets (and other appropriate family members)!

Woof!

CHAMP

Naughty Dawg!

Check it out! Pets Place

The judges over at Pets Place picked me as the first place winner in the Naughty Dawg Photo Contest! I cannot believe that they think I would be a "naughty dog"!!!

It was just a little toilet paper...what's a fellow to do for fun? LOL

Champ

Independence Day

Whenever one reads about the breed characteristics for the Great Pyrenees dog (MY breed!), usually the first or second word that comes to mind is "INDEPENDENT". It is true, we are a very independent breed and I am certainly no exception to the rule. I think for myself, which may or may not be a good thing. This is a very useful trait for dogs that are working unattended all day protecting their flocks, as we have to be able to think for ourselves and not rely on a human to tell us what, where, when, etc.

I was so independent and unruly a few weeks back that I ran past my human companion and darted out the gate while she was attempting to put on my leash. Normally I am much more of a gentleman than this. Despite the fact that she hollered, "Champ, come!" I turned and looked and headed down the drive at a full gallop. (Yes, dogs can gallop!) Eventually I was retreived as I was followed in the car, but my independent streak could have been a dangerous one as there are many dangers to dogs (and cats) who roam around freely.

So much for my brief adventure!

Many pets are as adventurous, independent and unruly as I am, and others have all sorts of different problems. I thought that if these pets, or their human companions, wanted to write in to me in care of my Tryon Daily Bulletin blog (champstdbblog.blogspot.com), perhaps I could use my canine wisdom and give some -- ahem -- advice that might be helpful or at the very least, send you to a good resource. Just leave me any questions in the comments section and I will do my best to answer them.

Last week I went to White Oak and we were all laughing because I can tell a kitchen staff member a MILE away! I tend to follow them on the chance that I might get something good to eat. PLEASE!!! I am also going to see the children at the FENCE Day Camp a couple of times in the next few weeks for the Humane Education Program. I am very excited about this and the fact that another Therapy Dog is going with me named Wreck. One can only imagine where his name originated......

I hope everyone has a wonderful Fourth. Please make sure your pets are in a secure place if they are afraid of loud noises.....we all know there are many loud noises in celebration of our INDEPENDENCE.

In closing I would like to add this final line from a poem called "We are Great Pyrenees". Unfortunately it appears to be anonymously written.

"We are Great Pyrenees....We are not for everyone"
"We are true friends and loving companions"
"We will guard your backside and kiss your face"
"But NOT the other way around."



CHAMP

In Memoriam......

My Friend:

Jan Tracy

September 26, 1956 - May 27, 2007

She will be missed........but her spirit will live FOREVER.......

To the love, joy, hope, and reckless abandon that was and will always be... my friend Jan.....

Love,

CHAMP

Hoping for a Miracle......

This is me and my friend, Jan. She is very special and I have loved her from the moment I met her.

When she comes around, I follow her everywhere...EVERYWHERE.

We are both so happy in this picture taken on "Jan's lake".

Please pray for Jan as she was in a very bad wreck the other morning and there is not much more that medicine can do for her....

So...I am hoping for a miracle....

And.. my friend, I love you.....

CHAMP

Therapy DOGS - Giving and Getting.....

This wonderful photo of me with these two adorable children, was taken by Emily Bartlett at the Polk Central School. I was there as part of the 21st Century Afterschool Program for the Foothills Humane Society Education Program. I believe at this point we have been to all of the elementary schools in Polk County as part of this innovative program.

We always try to ask the children if they know what a Therapy Dog is?? I am not even sure I know, but basically, a therapy dog, according to the experts, is a dog used in all types of settings for emotional service only. There have also been some reports that there are physical benefits from having us come around but it is hard to document..besides, I really do not need all that for me to know that I bring smiles to the faces of most folks. ( Well, not everyone!) One gentleman at a nearby assisted living would see me and proclaim that "the wolf was there" and leave abruptly!

A Therapy Dog is not to be confused with the most honorable Service Dog title. They are in a class of their own and do all kinds of tasks and are used mainly for folks with disabilities of some sort. I do not take direction very well and thus, do not have what it would take to do this work....I don't do much of anything on command...."shake", "dead dog", and "come" are words I pretend not to hear!

Interacting with people comes naturally for me, but I have to confess that I think I take away more than I give most days. Isn't it that way with "giving" ? I also reap many extra benefits....I get lots of attention... one day I even had 4 little girls massaging me all over. I thought I had died and gone to doggie heaven!

In all seriousness, the best gift I can give a person, no matter the age, is to look at them and "say",
WITHOUT saying a word..that "I love ya man" just the way you are.

P.S. I have been asked to please remind all of you caring folks to please make sure an animal is TRULY orphaned before taking it away from it's home and possibly it's mother! This applies to all wildlife and also kittens as Mother Nature knows best...so please, please, leave these animals alone unless you are absolutely sure they are orphans. Thanks!

CHAMP

A VERY Special Day.....

I have been a little busy lately and I have been meaning to sit down and write about the Special Olympics......what a great day this was! Other than being a little warm for my tastes, it was a
PYR-fect day.

My very own nephew and niece were competing and they did quite well in their events! And many more children won medals that they were VERY proud to wear.

The little girl in the picture with me has been blind since birth and she is just a real cutie! She felt my coat all over and declared that I felt like a cloud.....There were so many wonderful children here that there was not quite enough of me to go around! Many of them wanted their picture taken with me.... some wanted to just put their arms around me and hug me....some of them were bent and determined to kiss me in the face...which is NOT my favorite thing...but I went along with it....

They were literally all over me and I finally had to be taken out of the area so I could get in the air conditioning and cool off.

This event is such a gift and if you have never been to a Special Olympics, you should try to find out when one is coming to a place near you and go......

You will not be sorry.......I promise.

These children are all CHAMPIONS!

Love,

Champ

Looking for That Special Prince?

See Prince at his new home! THIS is what HAPPY is all about!







Update:!!!! This special Prince left to go to his very own 97 acre forever farm yesterday, April 9th!
Have a great life Prince!



No...Not me! I am indeed, a Prince, but I have a forever home! My Mom asked me to put this in my blog!



I work daily with various rescues and look at pictues of the hundreds of dogs and cats that need homes.  They are all so worthy, but we have enough dogs and cats now, and are not in a position to take any more.  I have to say, though, that if it were possible, I would want Prince.
 
Prince is just that -- a real prince.  He is a shepherd cross but he is made up of several other breeds I think.  He is very gentle and kind, and quite the gentleman. He wants nothing more than to please those around him.  He is very, very smart, the kind of smart that shows a great deal of common sense.  He is so housebroken that he will not even use his run and has to be walked to relieve himself.

Recently, volunteers took Prince out with the On the Road program to the April Fool gathering in Tryon.  When they returned to the shelter, Prince got out of the van and went straight to the front door of the shelter.... on his own.  Even though there are many dogs and cats who think they are in love with the shelter staff, most dogs just do not have their wits about them to this extent.

This dog is special. He will be more than someone's best friend and companion.  He is the kind of dog who is loyal and true, and who will be right there beside you, no matter what.  And he is quite pretty...for a Prince.
So please, if you are looking for that special dog, go look at Prince at the Foothills Shelter. He is also on their website, which is www.foothillshumanesociety.org , or you can call them at 828-863-4444 if you think you might want to give this Prince a home of his own. Oh yeah...you can also email my Mom @ danamayer@alltel.net

PS: I know the men out there may not be looking for a Prince.....but he would make you a great pal as well!

The VERY SPECIAL Olympics!!!!!

A picture is worth a thousand words!

My Brother's Keeper.....Maybe!

This is my little brother Saint ( Haha!) Nicholas! There is nothing "Saintly" about him.

He was kidnapped, so they say, from the local shelter where he was in very poor condition due to severe anemia from hookworms. He was picked up by Animal Control as a stray and brought to the shelter where they were kind enough to let us get him out before he dropped over from the anemia.

He stayed at the vets for about two weeks and then he came home to live with us. He is no longer a scrawny little 44 lbs but weighs in very close to my weight of 110 lbs. He was so skinny my Mom could barely stand to feel his hip bones.

The plan was to get him into Great Pyrenees Rescue but that idea flew out the window pretty swiftly once they realized how very sick he was.

In all honesty, he has been a little terror. It took him FOUR obdience classes before he finally passed...It only took me one! He has eaten about 12 comforters at last count but has finally been much better about this. He is still VERY terrified of men....I am not sure why he has this problem but he even used to turn and look behind him when he was walking. Talk about a case of paranoia!

He and I are are almost always buddies and when we play, we play hard....like Great Pyrenees are supposed to play.....

He truly is a joyful soul and while sometimes I do mind sharing the spotlight, I do enjoy him more often than not.

Nick has started tracking classes and while he is a little slow and distracted, he can track if it is done for his supper! He is better than I am at tracking....but he will NEVER make it as a Therapy Dog.

So like most things in life......we complement each other quite well.....

And while I don't like thinking of myself in this light often....I truly am my little brother's keeper.
My life would not be the same without him....for good and bad!

Love,

Champ

Scamper needs a Forever Home!

Update! WOOF! Scamper has been adopted by a wonderful staff member from the shelter!!!!
I am so happy for him as he was my school buddy!!!

Scamper is about 8 months old and he is a beautiful tuxedo kitty. The picture does not do him justice as he is becoming very beautiful...for a boy, that is!

Scamper has been helping us in the school program and has been at the shelter quite awhile.

He is great with people and children and loves to play with balls and toys...He does not particularly like to be a lap kitty.

He has helped so much with teaching the children in the schools about being responsible pet owners.

Can anyone give him a home of his own and help to repay him for all he has done?

Please hurry!

Contact danamayer@alltel.net if you can help with Scamper!

All in A Day's Work........

Yes...that is me being used as a pillow.......I was at one of the elementary schools yesterday as part of the Humane Society's Responsible Pet Owner Program and the kids enjoyed laying their heads on me. I felt very relaxed and actually enjoyed laying around on the floor with them.

Because I am so big, some of the children are usually afraid of me at first, but by the end of the time I spend with them, they decide that I am just a big Teddy Bear and that I would not hurt anyone. Even the ones that are most afraid of me at first end up getting up close and personal with me by the end of our visit. I actually weigh almost double what most of the children weighed yesterday......

Almost all the children we go to see at the schools have pets......when we ask who has pets, they always have a dog or two, or some cats, or some even start making up imaginary pets, I think, as their list can go on and on. So it is a good thing to talk to them about how to help take care of these pets and what these pets need on a daily basis.

By the end of the visit yesterday, I had several little boys that wanted to adopt me......one even offered my Mom a million dollars...but alas, I am one of the lucky dogs that has found his way to
a forever home where I am loved and where I can go spread the word about other animals that need homes.

I am a lucky dog and there is nothing I love better than to go out and make people smile and to try to get them to understand that one does need to be responsible about owning pets.

If nothing else, they can forget all of their troubles for a little while and hug a big white Teddy Bear of a dog!

Love,

Champ

Fire Ants At School!!!! Ouch!

I went to an elementary school yesterday and while we were visiting outside the school with a couple of folks,
I stepped off the sidewalk and into a nest of fire ants! They hurt! I got quite a few on me and my Mom thought she got them all off.....but when I got into the school room, I got bit again and started dancing a jig. Not a happy jig either! LOL We went back outside and my Mom found about 6 more ants on my feet! She said it is not easy finding fire ants in my fur!

Those things are nothing to mess around with so please watch out for them!

I did finally settle down and we worked with the children. We brought 4 pups and a kitten with us from the shelter and the children were very excited. They had a big time playing with the pups and a few girls spent quite a bit of time petting me which I loved!

I felt sort of bad though, because as the children were being led out of the room, one little girl started crying because she could not take a puppy home with her. Maybe she can convince her parents to go back to the shelter and adopt one of the pups!

That would be a happy ending for all of us.......

Love,

Champ

Valentine's Day...In Hindsight.....

Well, if I look a little chagrinned in this photo...I have good reason.

Valentine's Day has come and gone and I did not receive flowers...or chocolates ( BAD for dogs!), or really much of anything except my hugs.

My Mom broke all the rules and guidelines I had laid out in my New Year's Revolutions.

I worked two jobs the week of Valentine's. I went to a school on Monday and I went to an Assisted Living and Special Care Unit on Wednesday.

The kids were very cute at the school, although they were a little rowdy for my tastes. I start getting a little worried when they start asking "if they can ride me". Of course my Mom told them NO! I wore my heart necklace and we discussed the needs of pets and how to take care of them.
I hope they paid attention.....

Then, Wednesday, I had to wear this silly heart tiara....which is a very girly thing. This is also not part of what I agreed to do. So..when we walked into the Assisted Living lobby, I shook as hard as I could and it landed somewhere across the room. I was hoping it would just get lost amidst the wheelchairs and people, but oh no, my Mom found it and put it back on me. So I burped as loudly as I could at that point.

I guess I got my point across but all the folks thought it was very funny.

My Mom is FINALLY learning to really trust me when it comes to Therapy Dog work. I KNOW when someone NEEDS to see me or touch me. I don't know how...but it is just something I was born with I guess...or maybe I have ESP...but I do know what and when to do something when it comes to Therapy Dog work.

And so, once again, I will put up with all these little annoyances.....

because as My Mom says I am "AMAZING" as a Therapy Dog......

Love,

Champ

Happy Valentine's Day!!!! OOXX

This is a picture taken of me at one of the elementary schools this week. I was there as part of the Foothills Humane Society Humane Education class where we TRY to teach the children about being responsible pet owners and tell them how to take care of their pets...and of course a little is thrown in about spaying and neutering their animals. Hopefully, some of it will stick.....

The kids were all quite cute. At one point it got a little warm in the classroom for my tastes, so I had 3 little girls fanning me.....Not too bad for a dog...LOL

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Love,

CHAMP

The Race You Ran.........

Oh.... Barbaro....you are such a beauty......and you ran until the very end......

IN Memory of you and your spirit...May you run on FOREVER................

Love Always,

CHAMP

The Good, The Bad, and Whatever!

The GOOD: I just received this award for the December Photo Contest I won! I am very proud of it!

The BAD: I went to Laurelhurst Assisted Living today with a WHOLE BUNCH of Therapy Dog Trainees. I was so excited..lots of new dogs, new people, even the local TV station was there to film a segment on Therapy Dogs in the area. I was having a really nice time meeting everyone...dog and person alike, when I once again saw the two little monsters that reside at the assisted living. Luckily, they had put them out in the courtyard so I did not have to deal with them
jumping on my big butt.....but I did see them.....

The WHATEVER: When I saw the little monsters, I hiked my leg up on a support in the hall, and well.....You get the picture.

My Mom was over me as I do know better.....

WHAT......EVER.............

Love,

CHAMP

Need I Say More?

Any Soldier and Any Dog....Thank YOU!

Oh I was so excited today when my Mom got the mail!!! I had an envelope addressed to Champ Mayer! I was so excited as I do not often get snail mail....well..not that I can read....

I had a feeling it was from the Cpl. Akers who has charge of the kennel in Iraq, and it was!

To be sure I do not mince his words...here is what he said in his letter:


Dear Champ Mayer:

On behalf of the dog handlers and I, we thank you so much for your contribution, whether it was for us or for our four legged friends. If you wanted to know a little background information on us,
my name is CPL. Anthony "Tony" Akers. I am 22 years old and originally from Everett, WA. I love my job and I love my dog, her name is Cindy. She is a Belgian Malinois. She is 5 years old and also loves her job, probably more than I do. She is a very little dog, but she loves to bite people and she is good at it. Don't worry, she will only do it when I tell her to. The other handler here with me is LCPL James M. Morgan. He is also 22 years old and is from Orlando FL. His dog's name is Fredi and he is a German Shepherd. He is 5 years old also and Fredi on the other hand is a lover, not a fighter, he is just a big teddy bear. Granted, he is one of the best bomb detection dogs I know of, next to Cindy, of course. We also had a female handler here, named CPL. Alex Lopez but she is no longer here. She moved on to Korean Village where she received better living conditions cause ours are not great.

Again thank you for everything. We really appreciate it and it is nice to know there are still some dog lovers out there, cause these dogs really deserve everything they get. They save lives and not many people know that and I love them for it.

Well, from the four of us in Trebil, we thank you and God bless.

Semper fidelis

Tony R. Akers

P.S. You are a beautiful dog.


WOW! How kind of him to write and tell me about the dogs. I so hope they can sleep in a safe place soon......

From ANY dog...to... NOT JUST ANY dog or soldier......

Love
CHAMP

KINDNESS....My Word for 2007...

I was thinking about something my Mom read in a blog the other day...over on Christine Kane's website. I like this singer - songwriter a lot because she wrote the song, 4 Legs Good, Two Legs Bad. ( You will have to listen to it!)

Christine was talking in her blog about picking a word each year and keeping that word in your thoughts as you go about your daily routine. I realized that my "revolutions" for the year were not the nicest in the world and I started to feel a little bad about having been so demanding of everyone but myself.... SO.. I started thinking that perhaps I should do something a little more meaningful this year.

That being said, I have chosen the word >KINDNESS< for my word this year.

I plan to try my best to keep kindness in my thoughts for this year as I go about my jobs, my chores ( OK....I made the chores part up!), and even when I play. It is not always the easiest thing to be kind, but I want to be a better dog and I think that by focusing on being kind, I will be just that.....a better dog!

And maybe if we all chose just one word to focus on for the year, the world would be a better place.

After all, KINDNESS matters!

CHAMP

I WON!!!!

I am so happy! I was the judges' pick in the Theme Photo contest over at Pets Place ! If you go to the link and scroll down to the Theme Contest, you will see MY photo...just like the one above.

Pets Place is a neat site and their photo contests are great fun! They have dog, cat, and even pet contests so even if you have a silly hamster or ferret, you can enter them. My favorite contest of all, though, is the Theme Contest because you never know what the Theme is going to be!

I love surprises!

Happy New Year to all of you!!! May this year be the kindest year YET!

Love,

CHAMP