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Blondie was a little out of sorts last night. Owl, the gentle scared to death of Blondie young boy, hurt her in play. After a fierce growl, she walked away. She had a head tilt, so I adjusted her neck. She held still while I worked down her back. There wasn’t the usual happy bouncing afterward, so I cleaned her ears. For a street dog, the ears weren’t bad.
This morning my gang buster girl was just flat. She held her head down in that way people usually associate with a guilty dog look. During our good morning ritual she could only manage a weak low tail wag. Blondie loves good mornings, now I’m worried.
Her back looked fine, so I cleaned her ears again, only deeper. Her tonsils could be a little swollen, this bitch looks sick.
She’s urinated three times this morning, a lot of bottom licking. The boys have been sniffing her rear and covering her urine, so I am going to go with bladder infection.
I can’t afford to get that other little bitch spayed. Money is so tight, I had to think how much.. Oh hell, she can’t wait til Monday. I have emergency antibiotics for a reoccurring infection. With a prayer Blondie got a dose.
A few hours later the big girl picked her head up and wagged her tail. We all know how it feels when you’re so sick and the antibiotics kick in, so you recognize the look.
To add to the excitement Stormy has a small cough tonight. I hope it’s from all the barking he’s been doing at Bluto.
Tomorrow is annual meeting for the Puerto Rican Animal Control Officers Asn or FOICCA. It’s in Florida, not the state; we’ve not been to this part of the island. So merrily we roll along.
We must get back to the three little snorts that say come hither. I overdid it yesterday. After a while they just look at me like you really don’t know what you’re doing; do you? If it’s in the wrong context, it gets ignored. When I manage to hit it right; it’s like getting my Spanish right, good communication.
Happy wiggle butts, Tricia
I’m fat and spoiled. I didn’t think I was useless. My human loved me.
I ate so much, my tummy hurt. My human cuddled me so much. What will my human do without my cuddles?
I bark alert, warning is my job. My human gave me this green leather collar; it’s good leather too. How will my human know when danger approaches?
I love to be with my human. My human took me for a car ride. What will my human do without me?
Yes, folks, this beautiful little creature was dropped off just two doors down. My elderly neighbor would like to keep her; can’t afford to have her spayed. Here’s where I need to find out more about the spay certificates from the government. Like I need one more thing to do, well perhaps I do.
My neighbors are caring people, who do what they can for the satos.
In general people don’t seem to feel responsible for the dogs’ welfare. I suppose that’s the way we feel about fox and coyote in Illinois.
Those of you who are interested in dog language are going to love this.
Have you heard that little snorting some dogs do when we pet them? That dog is welcoming you close.
Not all dogs do this with us. Enough make this three “syllable” sonorous sound, that I eventually tried it back.
When I get it right, all the street dogs I’ve tried on have responded. Some have raised the head to give a quizzical look before getting closer. Others just zoomed in as close as they can get.
It’s like having a new toy.
It’s three little snorts on the exhalation. Get your body relaxed before trying this. It’s a friendly sound; don’t get uptight about doing it right. You know who you are. When I shake my head side to side (small movement) while making the sound some dogs get so excited.
The next step is to try it on satos I don’t know. We’ll have to go for a ride later; there is a colony of satos by punte blanco. They are well fed and a little aloof except the man who feeds them. This will be the acid test. After all it could be dogs who know me just reacting to me being silly. I don’t think so, but I’ll honor the possibility.
If you try this, please give me some feedback. Or if somebodyelse has already come up with this and I just didn't know. In which case, sorry it's new to me.
Happy wiggle butts, Tricia
I really am one of them. It shouldn’t be a surprise. Ever since I took the Animal Control Course, the welfare of the street dogs has been part of my day.
My life training, showing dogs has been a passionate adventure. I believed in pure bred dogs. The AKC was the mother ship.
Animal activists were the idiots letting dogs out of their crates at dog shows.
I volunteered at the Kendall County Shelter. Animal Control Warden Christine Wies was my hero. Raising money for things the shelter needed was my way of giving back, but activist; nah.
The direction of my life detoured when the little sato, Stormy got out of the rain on my veranda. It’s all his fault. What’s the life of a free ranging dog like? What can I do to improve the quality of life of dogs like Stormy?
The 2011 Caribbean Animal Welfare Conference confirmed it; I am an animal activist. The impressive lineup of speakers, who are making a difference for animals in diverse parts of the globe, gave nuts n’ bolts talks.
Kitty cafes, neuter and adoption programs where neglect was the norm is what I want to emulate. Networking, building support teams the conference organizers set us up for success.
Thank you to the Humane Society International and their sponsors for the opportunity to learn how to better help the animals. I am so honored to be one of you.
Bluto has been abandoned. When Kirt (my husband) told me that a family member was feeding Bluto, it seemed like a short term solution at best. Would someone come to get him? It’s not bloody well likely.
He’s just a bag of bones. The way he woofed down breakfast, Was the weight loss from depression? Whoever is coming to feed this dog hasn’t shown up since I’ve been back.
Stormy's ears and tail are all dry and scabby. Kirt said, “That street dog won’t let you do anything to his tail.” I have as good a relationship with this sato as I have ever had. Tyr, my top dog of all time read me like a book. Thanks to him I read Stormy almost as well as he reads me. Stormy let me oil his rat tail.
Health care is a huge problem for satos/street dogs. Lumps n’ bumps, rashes, broken bones, or lying on the side of the road dying; it’s all the same for a street dog.
Right now, I’d be happy to see birth control become the method of population control for these dogs. To that end I will be attending the Caribbean Animal Welfare Conference. It starts tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
