Spaying Street Bitches

Rounding up stray bitches for sterilization is more difficult than I thought it would be.

Far out of my comfort zone is talking in Spanish to strangers. I can see it in their faces; they don't trust me, when they finally understand me.

One family, I offered to take the six puppies to a shelter my friend runs, the woman's granddaughter told her in Spanish, right in front of me, "The gringa is going to make money off las perritas." The puppies vanished, I don't know how or where. A year later the pregnant shaggy terrier mom disappeared from the yard, only a handsome young son remains; and that’s my neighbor.

Since I’ve lived here, any dog moving in gets vaccinations and neutering on me. Little puppies wandering in the street break my heart. I don’t make money; I donate time, energy and money to improve life for dogs. Our relationship with dogs began in the caves, they’ve served us since then; don’t we owe them?

Free roaming carnivores maintain a balance in rodent population, if the dogs hunt is another topic.  Too many dogs is the problem; I think of it as finding an ecological balance and believe that the barbaric practice of collecting and killing them should be replaced with trap, neuter and return. 

   

Returning a post operative dog to a vacant area doesn’t set well, so going with people at least somewhat interested in it appeals, comes with other perils.

 I'm going further away from home talking to people. I need to enlist help from local people. Catching dogs the night before spay day, even dogs I feed when I see them, is hit or miss, so where I see dogs hanging around, I know that a person cares enough to feed at least occasionally. These are the people I need to support to end the huge reproduction cycle.

Understanding the street dog problem in Puerto Rico has taken a long time. Finding a boots on the ground part of the solution I can believe in; halleluiah, I’m blessed.

Each week I’ll be bringing up to three females/hembras to the vet to be spayed. In my valley, over the years I’ve learned where dogs are fed; the dogs hang on the outside of the fence. I believe these are the people I need to say hello to, but people get weird looks on their faces when I speak; you have no idea.

Well, wish me luck!        

My Time As a Street Dog by Chi-Ping

Blondie, Stormy and I ate leftovers, but there was never enough. We scoured the neighborhood for whatever we could find.  Stormy taught Blondie the art of ratting. She hunted with confidence when we met. As a natural, my skills were impressive from the beginning, given my family heritage, ahem Rat Terrier here! Life was wild and exciting, until Stormy got killed.

Blondie said when the Americans come back; they would feed us every day. We sleep on their porch most nights. Blondie believed they were good people even if she didn't see them for months at a time. What good are people, if one day they’re here and the next they’re not? I only met them the day they took me to the vets for fixing. I wasn't impressed.

Blondie and I tagged along with Geri, while he picked bananas. Next thing I knew Blondie tore down the hillside barking, “They’re here. They’re here.” She squealed and wiggled all over the place. I don’t know why I got excited. It’s catchy. These folks keep a dog fed, but who the hell can understand them. They speak English; something must be wrong with them. Every morning she plays a good morning game with Blondie, who gets silly and wiggly. It’s fun, but when I got silly, I bit her hand, she didn't like it. What did she expect? We were playing.

Full bellies, brushing and petting, treats Blondie and I were two happy street dogs. I don’t need to be in anybody’s house. A piece of cardboard to curl up on suits me just fine. We hang with people, when they’re doing something interesting, and they’re being nice. I’ll sleep on your porch or under the stars. It makes no difference to me.

The day the Animal Control Officers, Adri Galler and Alma Febus came to visit changed everything. Adri took the two collies living in the street with us to the Shelter Amigos de Los Animales. They talked to the lady who has many small hairy dogs. People growl, too; did you know that? Adri and Alma talked to all the neighbors. They didn't want us. They didn't want us.  Alma and Adri asked Tricia what she wanted to do. Should they take us to the shelter? These ladies seem nice enough, but I didn't want to go. This is home. What is a shelter anyway?

Tricia said Blondie will be her dog. She loves her. Kirt told her that I would be no extra trouble and take me, so we went to the PetVet, Dr. Gwen, who fixed us. I didn't get sick like last time. A few days later Smoki, the cat and I were on a plane!

To be continued. Chi-Ping  

Street Dog to City Dog Travel Complications

As the first golden rays of sunshine hit the tips of our palm tree, Blondie and I were doing our good morning ritual with all the thumping and stroking she loves. Still full from yesterday, she snubbed a small bowl of food until Chi-ping stuck her nose in it.

 Why is nothing ever as simple or straightforward as I think it should be? Where is the easy button when you need it? Am I talking about getting her in a crate or for a car ride or to walk on a leash; hell no!


Our reservations are for JetBlue and Southwest, they do not take pets larger than will fit under the seat, I had no idea, leaving at 4 am on Friday out of Aguadilla, on the west end of the island where we live. Blondie’s only way off the island is the evening before American airlines shipping in San Juan a 2 hour drive each way. What a long night and morning it will be for her, if I can’t figure out better!


Our flight arrives before noon on Friday, so we can pick her up as soon as we get in, but that’s such a long day for her, wow, an introduction to the rest of the world all alone, I hate it. What choice do we have?


Shipping Blondie is going to cost way more than my husband will want to know. This is where it takes courage to do what your heart says instead of what the brain tells you to do. I can be such a coward, so we’ll see how this turns out.


Meanwhile Blondie will be taking that car ride today, since we have an appointment with the PetVet in Isabela this afternoon. My car, when we bought this car, I swore to my husband no dogs in this car, shit I am such a liar, well, I really meant it at the time.


Please, say a prayer this ride goes without complications, so far Kirt (husband) is not giving me a killer hard time, which is subject to change with every new event.



Blondie laughing !



Oh, this morning my neighbors got the memo: Do NOT feed the pudgy blonde girl!

Will Puppy Class Reduce Discards at Ten Months

It can’t be a coincidence that most of the abandoned dogs are around ten months old. What island people have told me is that Puerto Ricans love babies. Can it really be that simplistic? Okay, maybe some people are like that, but this is freaking me out that I see so many new young dogs on the street looking lost and scared. The newly discarded have the same what happened look, weeks later, if they make it, the look changes; how depends on their luck.



Our friend, a single man in his forties has just gotten an eight week old lab cross female, who is a needle toothed little manner less wild child with the run of the house. Will he begin to manager this pup better?? Or will the puppy wreck his house?


Our friend made me think that perhaps it’s a matter of education. Puppies will make you crazy by ten months if you don’t know what you’re doing or take them to school. If we could reduce the discard rate a couple of percent with puppy class, wahoo.


I’ll volunteer to do a puppy class for PetVet, I like Dr. Gwen Davis, this could be fun. Perhaps this will be the useful thing I can do for the dogs. Keep your yer fingers crossed for me.

Spay Day for Chi-ping

Have you ever been spayed? I don’t care what they said; it is a big deal.

 Early this morning Tricia, the lady up the hill came talking to me all nice. I don’t know her very well, when she tried to pick me up I growled.


I snapped my teeth at her. She didn’t have a good hold, so I leaped out of her arms. As fast as I could I raced up the road to the farmer’s house. She sat outside the fence talking sweet nothings. I was having none of it, so she left.


I stayed hidden until I heard my friend, Geri; call Chi-ping, Chi-pin. Oh, my friend I wanted to tell him all about Tricia trying to take me. We went up the side of the hill. He stopped to pet me. He told me how pretty I am; I love to hear that I’m pretty. He’s my new best friend. Did my human know he would be good to me?


I didn’t want to leave the spot where my human left me, but Geri put me in a car to go for a ride. I was on Kirt’s lap the whole time; he’s Tricia’s husband. He pets really good. He holds me close and whispers in my ear. I felt so special; I started panting hard. He said I was hot. I like him too.


Tricia took me into the PetVet in Isabela, then everything went dark. I drank some of my human’s rum once, I kinda felt like that only I have to go to sleep now.


Tricia put me down on the grass to let those satos sniff me. I didn’t like it one bit. I was going to walk off with my tail high saying, “Sniff this you satos,” but I fell on my face.


Blondie sniffed me for the longest time. She said this had happened to her also. I tell her, “Who cares; I feel worse than I did when I got hit by a big car.” Blondie gets all attitude with stiff tail standing over me.


Tricia tells her to go, but she comes back when Tricia picks me up. Blondie wants all the attention with Tricia, so she tries to bite me. I’m so stoned: I laugh in her face, “Tricia’s holding me, Tricia’s holding me, nah-nah!” Oh, Blondie’s pissed; I need a nap.


Before Blondie got all snarly she told me being spayed isn’t as bad as being hit by a truck and she knows.


I’m in a house on a pad; not bad.           Chi-ping

PAWS, Puerto Rican Animal Welfare Society Adoption Day

The smiling lady holding the puppy is Evelyn Ramos, who lead the team of volunteers. Evelyn has run this adoption event for seven years. Her day begins gathering equipment and bathing puppies. She knows all about the personalities of each puppy, who's outgoing, who's shy and needs more social time. This program is a success because of Evelyn's expertise. 

Mercedes, the charming lady in the foreground has a quick eye for what's going on and how to best help Evelyn. 

Crowds gather all afternoon. Everyone wants to see and maybe hold a puppy. People passing have their stories of how many dogs they, many adopted right here.The kids held the puppies gently. The best part was the more the puppies were held, the more they clamored to get out and be held. PAWS is a no kill shelter affiliated with the Pet Vet, both are in Isabela.

http://www.pawspetspr.org 

 Their good work needs support.

Bonita & The Cheeto

Today Bonita is a bouncing adolescent dog with a happy tail. The last three months Kirt and I have gotten her to trust us. I’ve played positive and negative reinforcement games with her. She likes us. When we come home Bonita looks as happy to see us as her mother Blondie or Stormy does. She still does not want to be touched.

Yesterday I introduced Bonita to Cheetos, she loves these things. Before long she is taking them out of my hand when I held six inches away from my face. She would look directly at me as she reached for it. She was reading my body language for movement.


Once she was going to town on the Cheetos, I stopped giving them. You know how it is after you’ve had a handful of Cheetos. You must have more. Before long Bonita was circling our chairs trying to figure out how to get to the bag. It was so unfair, smile.


With my hand hanging over the side of the chair Bonita grabbed a couple more out of my hand. She was getting so confident. I put a couple on the floor just under my hand, slowly she gathered her courage. How her little teeth crunched the prize.


The next time she reached for the Cheeto, I gently stroked her back. She ran back no more than three feet, ate the Cheeto and then stretched. Initially it looked like she was coming back for another. She stopped, looked at me, looked at the Cheeto and then started an infantile sounding “rraaughrr”. She circled the chairs looking for a way to the goodies. She became so vocal, that she sounded like a chimpanzee.


Then Bonita took a drink of water, the Cheeto spell was broken. About ten minutes later, she is back looking for the Cheeto.


She takes it out my hand again; we are back to where we were before. She sees how I have changed my position so I can stroke her. She is having none of it. Bonita barks another puppy sounding, “rraaughrr”. She is chewing on her bed to relieve the frustration.


Except for the day we took her to the PetVet in Isabela to be spayed, we have never used any kind of force with her. She seemed to get over that quickly enough.


My agenda has always been the same, to get her to let me touch her. This afternoon I took a different approach, we just played. I’d give each dog a treat. The next round I’d give Stormy his treat, then Blondie. Bonita knew it was her turn. She started doing the things dogs do when they know it’s their turn. The eyes, the little bark, and then she put her front paws on my leg. Needless to say, I reinforced the heck out of that.


For a dog that was never touched in the first six months of her life, this is a pretty good victory. I’ll take it. In fact,”Woo-hoo”, she touched me. That’s pretty cool.

The Yin The Yang

Did you ever get a big smack in the head and then think; I should have seen that one coming. This is a major DUH, tears are flowing like the rain today. Yes, get to the point.



A massive low cost sterilization day might bring in dogs with fleas on an island where it never freezes. The second day post op Blondie and Bonita have gone from scratching to scratching and chewing. A slight change in behavior that upon inspection, OMG. Fleas!


Spent the morning P.O.'ed at myself for not being proactive on that, while preparing to go to the animal control officers meeting in Vega Alta. Puerto Rico is predicted to have rain for the week. Before we can leave the girls need antibiotics and the Benadryl, which had greatly decreased the scratching pre operatively. Thank you, Mel.


Early research on imprint periods lead me to believe that the socialization door was more closed that what I think I am beginning to see with Bonita. Her post op back slide with trust/fear issues is reversing. It’s like the puppy in class doing rather well, when it hits that plateau where memory cannot be found. You start over, and then miraculously, the dog is back to where it was only better.


Bonita is giving a different eye contact; it isn't the I don't trust you look. Today her body language signals that she wants to trust me, but can't quite get it together. During our morning greeting ritual, as Stormy and Blondie circle around me taking turns for petting and thumping, Bonita is jumping up with the front legs and a lot of low wags. She got excited enough to get in the mix. When my hand stroked her side, she jumped back a few inches then began wagging and jumping just out of reach. She got closer again, but not enough that I could touch her twice. To me she looked like she wanted more, but just could not take the step. That makes me so happy because that's progress.






My pre op socialization plan was to just habituate her to friendly humans. She stays mostly on our veranda, so as we come & go she learned our non-threatening body language.


Quick to detect the change in b. language when we loaded her, I was just a step or two ahead of her, loading was swift & smooth. My husband, Kirt and I have done this for a life time, so they were in the crates before they knew what happened.



So far I have not invested much time in working with Bonita. Short little sessions with the crazy woman have produced results. I sing and dance something I don't do in public, Bonita looks with curiosity; take step forward, one step back do the hokey pokey. Dogs love silly behavior.


The Pet Vet said that the girls had a little bit, her words, of sarcoptic mange and a funganal skin infection, now with the fleas Bonita is about to get some handling starting Monday.


I think she is ready to be flooded with stimuli. I have never worked with a street dog that had not been touched, only kicked or ignored, so if anybody has input please.
Mel has suggested negative reinforcement games in which I toss Bonita a treat away from me when she comes close to me. That's what I'll use after we've had a handling session, aka bath tomorrow.


One more Bonita note, she loves the crate used to transport her to the vet. She sleeps in it, rather hard wired for dens, huh.


More to follow on animal control in Puerto Rico.

I'm so Blue

Bonita and Blondie are off being spayed. Stormy is just off somewhere. When you've got to have a dog fix, you need it bad! I may just go pet something.
It always weirds me out that I can be so obsessed with dogs that are not mine. How can that seem strange when my whole life dogs have been an obsession?
We don't realize how spoiled we are in the states. Four times I've stopped myself from calling the Pet Vet to find out how the girls are doing. This is a massive low cost sterilization day at this clinic. As busy as I know those folks are going to be, a just checking call doesn't sound like a good idea.
The last we saw Stormy was in the rear view mirror as we left with his women. I hope Mel is right and dogs are very forgiving. Come to think about it, the girls had better be forgiving as well.

Then there is my Sadie, back at Carrvilla. My ancient friend is well cared for by our loving staff. She has them so well trained. They hand feed her; ever wonder what a dog snicker sounds like? Sadie, my Sadie was one of my first posts. For the screwed up, messed up dog she started out as she has become the closest of friends and heart of my heart. Here is also a girl that can ignore me in favor of my husband long enough to let me know she is not happy. You have to have had a dog ignore you to believe that a dog can do that to you. To see Sadie running in her wheel chair again will be a blessing.
Sorry to whine, it's time to go pick up the girls, yeah. Bye.