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