Humane Education.......My Words for the Year

Champ at rescue

Photo Above Courtesy of Mississippi Great Pyrenees Rescue



Champ NOW!


Each year, my New Year's tradition is to pick a word to concentrate on over the coming year. Last year, my word was kindness.

Was I always kind? Ha....probably not! But I really tried to keep it in my mind as I went about my daily life of being a dog, and as I went about my job as a therapy dog. And sometimes just having a word in the back of your mind to ponder when everything else is going to the dogs can keep one on track.

This year I just could not narrow it down to one word and hence, my word of the year is "humane education". To quote World Animal Net, "humane education is a process that encourages an understanding of the need for compassion and respect for people, animals, and the environment and recognizes the interdependence of ALL living things". I think that focusing on this is somewhat of a lofty goal (I try!) and perhaps I can gain a bit of insight this year as well as to spread the word. I had not realized that humane education was so encompassing that it even included the environment (which, by the way in case you have not noticed, is taking a serious beating)!

So if you are so inclined, pick yourself a word for the year! And please write and let me know which one you choose! (Of course, you are most welcome to share mine.....)

I thought you might get a kick out of seeing my "before" picture when I was at rescue. I look a little rough, hmmm? I think it is pretty amazing how I look now, compared to how I looked when the rescue picked me up. Humility has never been my strong suit, but even though I was a skinny, rough looking boy with broken teeth, heartworms, and no home, I have come a long way and, if I may say so, I think I look terrific now!

My original owner paid good money for me and then just left me outside to do as I pleased....and of course, we "pyrs" being roamers, I went further away every day, until I was rarely, if ever, at home. It wasn't that my owner didn't care...he just couldn't be bothered to see that I had adequate care and food, or that I was brushed and free of ticks, fleas, and burrs, or even that I was confined for my own safety. Once I was used to wandering I started hanging out by the highway, and I was going to end up maimed or dead. The rescue lady persuaded him to let me live by relinquishing me to the rescue.

There are many animals like me, both cats and dogs, who just need a little care. It is so rewarding -- not only for the lucky animals, but for the caretakers and owners -- to see the changes that occur when we have what we need. Please note that I did not say that we always get what we want! But often these turn out to be the same in the long run.

And speaking of humane, the first Humane Alliance Clinic of the year will be held on February 18th, so if you need to be spayed or neutered (for the bargain price of only $8.00) please have your human call the shelter at 863-4444 to sign up.

So remember the words "humane education" -- not the sexiest words I've ever heard, but some of the most important, to be sure. As John Muir once said, "When we try to pick anything out by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."


Woof!

Champ

You Make My Day Award!

Check out this gorgeous Newfie's blog!

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