DogMom: Happy DogMom Day!

I may not be a mom. A mom to human kids, anyway. But I still feel like a mom. I have an innate desire to protect and care for our dogs and I love them unconditionally. I think that counts for something. I'm a DogMom and, to me, that brings joy and fulfillment. This is who I was meant to be.

I grew up around animals of all kinds. Living on a farm, I was surrounded by cows, horses, chickens, ducks and the like, and of course dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, etc. I loved all of these sweet creatures. 

My dogs of childhood were Beethoven, Ben, Timothy, Gretchen and Holly. Beethoven and Ben were miniature schnauzers and they were a handful! Timothy and Gretchen were strays that showed up at the farm. I loved those dogs. Holly was one of Gretchen's puppies. She was precious.

The first cat I remember our family having was a kitten named Lucy. Unfortunately, my memory is of my brothers and the neighbor kids burying her. She had gotten hit by a car. Interesting what memories stick with us. I wonder how big of a role that memory has played in my desire to save animals. When I turned four years old my parents said I could pick any cat from the animal shelter to adopt. I chose an orange and white kitten and named him Tiger. I vividly remember him sticking his paw out of the cage trying to touch me. I knew then and there that Tiger was the cat for me. He may have grown to be big and tough, but we called him "Kitty." He was with us for 18 years. Gertie was an affectionate and beautiful kitty with long gray fur and gorgeous green eyes. I am thankful I decided to walk outside to look at the stars one cold November night because that is when that pretty gray kitten came running to me, practically jumping into my lap!

Since 1987, I've been blessed to be DogMom to ten sweet, loving, smart and beautiful dogs. All rescued either from life on the street or in the shelter. And I couldn't have done it without DogDad. I love our DogLovingLife!

Lindsey

Bogey

Annie

Gus

Buster

Hobbit

Huck

Abby Grace

Doc

Hope

DogMom: Heavy Hearts for Hobbit

I've never written in The Doggy Diary before. This is a place for our doggies to share their thoughts and feelings, not me. I only serve as the editor. Tonight, however, I feel compelled to write. My heart is heavy. We all have heavy hearts here in our home.

Earlier today DogDad and I had to unexpectedly say goodbye to our dear, sweet, gentle little Hobbit. It was tough. Hobbit was a special little boy. He came to us as an injured homeless doggy who didn't understand treats, play or affection. We don't know what his first four years or so were like, but we were determined to fill the rest of his life with love, attention, comfort and happiness. Hobbit soon realized he was a part of our family. A "bone-a-fide" member of our family we would say.  Before long he was running to us when we got home from work, pushing the big red ball around and barking at it incessantly, and digging holes just big enough for DogDad (aka Poncho) to step into while mowing the grass. Hobbit loved his Poncho. He loved him very much. And Poncho adored him, too. They had a special relationship. Poncho would hold Hobbit a lot. Poncho's lap was Hobbit's favorite place to be. He would sleep there for hours, legs limp and mouth wide open. Sometimes even snoring.

Hobbit made us laugh and smile. He seemed to get cuter and cuter each day. He came into our lives at just the right time. He was what we needed when we needed it. Props to God because Hobbit was the answer to our prayers. Such an impact on our lives was Hobbit that I wrote about it in the June 2011 issue of Guideposts magazine. DogDad and I were thrilled that we could share Hobbit's story and how God used him to help us.

Hobbit, your Poncho and I miss you terribly. Gus, Buster and Abby miss you. You were a blessing to this family and we loved you with our whole hearts. That must be why they hurt so much. Say hi to Lindsey, Annie, Bogey and Huck. We'll see you all again. And when we do we will kiss you and love on you all like crazy. And, Hobbit, your Poncho will hold you as long as you like.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us seven years and ten months of joy, happiness and smiles with the funniest, quirkiest, cutest dog ... our furry little angel Hobbit.

DogMom

Handsome Hobbit 

Hobbit loved to dig. So many interesting smells! 

Hobbit's favorite place to be - on Poncho's lap.

Snoozing away on Poncho's lap. 

What a sweet, beautiful face.

DogDad, DogMom and dear little sweet Hobbit :)

Posing nicely for the camera on a snowy day.

On his favorite chair.

Discovering how fun playing with a Kong toy can be.

Hobbit loved his special little poochy bed. Just his size.

Perfect.

An afternoon nap after a day on the beach at Pawleys Island.

Hobbit enjoying his new surroundings in Georgia.
He loved this shady area of pine straw.

Hobbit: Georgia has been good to me!

Hello! I am happy to report that my bubbies and sissy and I have fully adapted to our new home here in Georgia Lake Country! It took us a while, but we now consider this our home. Mommy and Poncho's friends and family comment on how much happier and relaxed we seem. There are a few reasons for that, I think. First, we have more room inside our home to run around. Second, we all live on the same floor. Third, we can stay in the house when company visits. No more garage-time for us. (Although, the garage back in West Virginia was pretty sweet with the recliner, dog beds, windows, air conditioning and heating.) Fourth, we all get to sleep with Mommy and Poncho in their bedroom. Gus, Abby and I snooze on the bed and Buster sleeps on the big dog bed on the floor. That's where he prefers to be. There's more room for him to spread out. Fifth, our yard is much bigger, so we have a great time exploring. Oh, the smells down here are delightful! And the red Georgia clay is divine!

One day my mommy and Poncho couldn't find me for about five minutes. I didn't hear them calling me because I was taking a nap outdoors in the comfy Georgia pine straw. Here I am enjoying the shade on that pine mulch I like so much.

On top of all this goodness is the fact that my fur is growing back! For about three or four years now I've lost a lot of hair on my back due to a thyroid condition. Well, the nice veterinarians down here helped us fine-tune my medicine and now I'm getting a full, healthy coat of fur again!

To cap off all this great news, we've had visitors all week: my grandma, Aunt Ginger and Uncle Roger! They give us lots of attention and, of course, we love that! Aunt Ginger does a great job of keeping Abby occupied by throwing the ball down the hill lots of times. They both have lots of energy!

Oh, I guess there is one little thing I've failed to mention and that's the fact that I have to wear a "male wrap" in the house now. Mommy and Poncho apparently don't appreciate my marking throughout the house. I have three kinds of wraps. One is a big comfy one that I sleep in. We call that one my pajamas. Then there's another one that's a little nicer looking, but kind of baggy. They are made of denim, so we call those my casual jeans. The third pair we call my skinny jeans. They are sleek and slenderizing and show off my physique nicely. We usually save those for when we have company. I don't mind wearing my jeans. I stand still for Mommy as she puts them on me. I get lots of compliments on them.

So, I think that about covers everything. Georgia life is good!

xoxo,
Hobbit Bear

Hobbit: I've been a busy boy!

Hello, Diary! I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. We've been pretty busy around here. Abby and I found a great digging spot. It's taken a lot of work, but we've gotten the hole about as big as we had hoped. You would be impressed. I know my mommy and Poncho are amazed. They don't seem to be too fond of the mud that's involved with our work. I've found myself in the sink a couple of times. I'm not exactly fond of that myself. Abby says she echoes my sentiment.

Mommy and Poncho have also been busy. They have made numerous trips to the veterinarian for Gus' laser treatments over the past few weeks. He had six visits and seems to be feeling better. Buster's health continues to improve. He only gets sick about every five days or so now. Other than those moments he feels good!

This past week we stayed home with Miss Debbie while Mommy and Poncho traveled. Abby went to Aunt Mary's house. She likes it there and they like her. It works out for all of us. Gus, Buster and I get a vacation from our crazy sister and she gets to spend time with a family that loves her almost as much as Mommy and Poncho do. They even have five dogs for her to play with, so she never gets bored.

We are expecting company tomorrow night. Three family members will be staying with us. I am normally excited about having visitors, but two of the three guests are not exactly dog people. I can't imagine. I say they are missing out. Dogs have a lot to offer: fun, comfort, kisses, cuddles and, of course, unconditional love.

Well, it's cold outside and that puts me in the mood for a nap.

Night, night,
Hobbit xxoo

This picture doesn't do it justice, but the hole Abby and I created really is quite impressive!

Hobbit: Beach time!

Boy, did I have an exciting week! My sister Abby and I got to go to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, with Mommy and Poncho. Grandma, Aunt Ginger and Uncle Roger went, too. It took us eight hours to get there, but Abby and I were very comfortable the entire ride. Our mommy set up a sweet travel space for us. She put in the soft, quilted doggy hammock and then lined it with a fleece blanket and topped it off with a pillow. We had it made! I was a little nervous the first hour. I always am, but then I settled in and enjoyed the ride. Abby is a great little traveler. Mommy and Poncho were very proud of her. They were also pleased with how well-behaved she was the entire week. She was nice to me and didn't bark much. You see, at home she can be pretty loud and annoying. For some reason Buster and she don't exactly gel. I think it bothers her that he doesn't pay much attention to her. Well, at the beach she didn't have Buster around to distract her, so she was a real pleasure. It was fun to watch her as she checked out the sand and surf for the first time. She wasn't afraid of the water. She followed Mommy into the ocean and even started swimming a little! Mommy and Poncho are very glad they took her. I go with them every year, but this was sissy's first time and she'll get invited again, I'm sure.

Gus and Buster stayed home with two dog sitters, Miss Debbie and Mr. Eric. Miss Debbie takes care of them a lot. She knows their quirks and does a good job of catering to their funny behaviors. Why, she even hand feeds Buster when he's not eating enough. Mr. Eric took care of them the final night. He's our next door neighbor, so they feel comfortable with him. As a matter of fact, Mr. Eric got Buster to take his medicine with a Pill Pocket treat. Buster hasn't wanted a Pill Pocket since he got sick. All in all, Gus and Buster did great, but Mommy thinks they got lonely for us 'cause Buster chewed on a couple of the dog beds. That's not like him. He also got sick a few times. Mommy and Poncho have learned that Buster will most likely always have a tendency to vomit. The veterinarians think he has bilious vomiting syndrome. It has been a problem ever since he got sick this summer. The vets prescribed Prilosec and Reglan and they both seem to help. Although he still gets sick every now and then, he's eating more, looks healthier and seems to be a happy and energetic doggy these days. Mommy and Poncho say he's our Miracle Dog!

Oh, before I sign off I want to share some pictures and videos from our beach trip:

My Poncho and me. :)

True contentment.

Abby enjoying the sea breeze.

A peaceful picture of my sister.

Strutting my stuff on the beach!

Swimming with Mommy! Oh, that water felt so good!

Abby up close and personal.

Playing on the beach can make a little boy tired!

Goodnight!

Hobbit xoxo

Hobbit: Playdate & Buster update.

Yesterday was an exciting day! My mommy's friend Penny came to visit and she brought five children with her. Yes, five! Four of them belong to her and the fifth child was a friend of her oldest, Claire. They ranged in age from two to nine. They seemed to really like me. And I liked them, too. I was very good and remained calm. I didn't want to scare them, especially the baby, Laurel. Kids are fun, but they can make a little guy tired. I made a point to take a nice long nap after they left. :)

Abby was a good girl and behaved herself rather well. She did make Ava a little nervous, though. I can see why. Abby doesn't quite understand the concept of personal space. I know she's being friendly, but she needs to realize that not everyone likes to be kissed and sniffed all over!

Mommy didn't let Gus and Buster hang out with the kids because they are too big. Bennett said they weren't too big for him because he's a big boy himself, but Mommy said it would be best to let them rest in another room. Can you imagine a room with five kids and four dogs? Now, that would have made for a great diary entry!

Here's a picture that Claire took of me. I think she did a great job!

Claire took this funny picture of Abby. My silly sister loves it when Mommy holds her upside down!

It's nice to have a fun day, especially because our family has been so worried about my brother Buster. He's still on the mend from his surgery back in early July, but he took a turn for the worse a week ago. He had a bad reaction to a new medicine. He wasn't eating and was just lying around. He's moving around a bit more now and eating a little, but not like he was a couple of weeks ago. Poor guy. He is pretty thin, so Mommy and Poncho are trying really hard to get him to eat. They have offered him boiled ground turkey, boiled chicken, crackers, bread, cottage cheese, canned dog food, dry dog food, fish and pretzels. Sometimes he wants one of these things and sometimes he doesn't. It's frustrating. He does get a burst of energy every now and then. He'll start barking and break into his signature trot. Usually when someone comes to visit. Or he sees a squirrel. Or he smells something in the air that just seems to catch his interest. (We never see what he is howling at. He's definitely got the nose of a hound!) It does our hearts good when he perks up like that.

Time for my mid-afternoon nap. After that, dinner! It's another good day! :)

Love,
Hobbit  xoxo

Gus, Buster, Hobbit & Abby: Goodbye, Huck. We love you.

Yesterday was a very sad day. And things will be sad for a while. Our mom and dad had to make a difficult decision. They prayed and prayed for guidance and they had heartfelt and honest conversations with our vet Dr. Sarah, and our doggy behaviorist Mr. Scott about our brother Huck. It was determined that although Mom and Dad did everything they could to help Huck, there was nothing else that could be done. Huck was a nervous dog with aggression issues that could not be brought under control. Dr. Sarah and Mr. Scott truly believed that Huck was suffering from a mental illness or genetic brain abnormality of some kind. So, yesterday afternoon, Mom and Dad held Huck on their laps, kissed him, hugged him and told him how much they loved him and what a handsome, smart and loyal dog he was. He was sedated, and then Huck went to Heaven. Mom and Dad said they had never seen him at such peace. Peace that he never seemed to have because of his anxiety issues.

We all miss him terribly, but Mom and Dad said they know in their hearts that they made the right decision. The right decision for us, for them and for Huck. Our brother is at peace now. We know that God welcomed him home and that he will now get to meet our beloved brothers Bogey and Lindsey and our sister Annie.

The day we found Huck.

Huck as a beautiful puppy.

Huck comes home with us and discovers his new backyard.

A growing boy with lots of energy.

Our very smart Huck on the day of his obedience graduation.

Playing in the snow and with pine was fun for Huckleberry.

Huck was quite fond of gerbera daisies.

Huck giving Mom a kiss during our Christmas photo session.

Huck's beautiful smile.

Handsome Huck.

Goodbye, Huck. You were so very loved, and even though things weren't always easy with you around, we are so glad that you were a part of our family for the past 14 months. Be at peace, sweet brother. We love you.

Gus, Buster, Hobbit and Abby