Pooch Passion

So this is totally my second post of the day, and probably the one people are least interested in. (scroll down to the earlier post about READING, and BOOKS, and being INTELLECTUAL)
I'm one of those people who LOVES my dogs, and I often forget that not everyone even likes dogs. Especially not my dogs. They are not particularly well-behaved, well-groomed, or well-anything. But I love them and just sort of assume they charm everyone else the same way.

John likes to remind me that not everyone loves my dogs like I do. He's not their biggest fan at times, either. But the dogs are completely devoted to him. He's their daddy and they LOVE their daddy. They will do anything for daddy, despite the fact that in the last year (since March) John has only been in the same country as the dogs for 3 months because of all of his work travel. They forget about/ignore That Other Person (me) who feeds them, walks them, lets them outside, and provides them with clean, comfortable bedding and a secure home. It's daddy they love.

I'm sure this is what parenting will be like when our two-legged child arrives.



But that's okay.

I know the dogs love me, and so will the KidZilla.

If you're new to my blog, let me introduce you to Tex and Blanco.

Here's Blanco, our Mexican jumping bean dog. The name came with his trick of jumping into your arms while you are standing (or if you're a man, jumping directly into a less-comfortable body part like a bullet) He showed us this trick all on his own.

Blanco is a "rescue" dog, which is a fancy word for a stray that was dumped as a puppy and taken in by a couple who shelter dogs. We got him in January, 2005, when he was about 7 months old, yellow from dirt, and completely covered in fleas. His nickname was Pulgacin for a long time. Blanco is my sensitive, intelligent boy who can open doors, yodel, and I swear he understands and speaks English but is too obstinate to communicate with us effectively. Blanco is a cuddler and is afraid of crabs, balloons, and the exercise ball. He often looks quite regal, as in this photo.

And here's Tex as a baby. This is the second week we had him (during Hurricane Rita), and we decided to sit it out at home. That's why all the patio plants are in the background. He's just about the cutest pup I've ever seen. And he grew up alright, too.

Tex's addition to our family is a long story. I saw him first at PetCo on Broadway in P-Land in August, 2005, when he was just a wee lad--another "rescue" dog. Pearland Animal Control was trying to adopt him out after he had been dumped by his owner, a college student whose parents wouldn't let her keep him. I was totally in love with this sleepy, lazy lump of puppy but we already had two dogs and we were just stopping in for dogfood, darnit, not another dog!!!

But then I saw him on www.petfinder.com in September and he had been adopted again and then dumped. The family never came to pick him up after he was neutered, so once again he was on the auction block. I HAD to have him this time. What a sad little story for such a great pup--abandoned twice in less than 2 months. So the Friday before Rita, I took half a day off work and John and I checked him out. It was love at first sight. He's been my (now 55-lb) baby since. Tex makes wookie noises and likes to sleep and chew things. He likes nicely-cushioned couches and does not jump well.

These pictures are all at our home in P-Land, because we have been without the boys for almost four months now. They are living the high life at Puppy Camp over at our friend Kat's house in her massive backyard with other dogs to play with. Kat is a true friend in the most serious way. I owe this incredible mama so much for helping us out with the dogs. . .Thank you, Kat. I miss you.

But why this sudden surge of canine craziness? Well, I think I finished my "last" step in getting the dogs over to Ireland. Of course, I am terrified that I missed some important step that will land them in quarantine for 6 months once we get here. But that's just anxiety. . .I have followed all of the steps and have all of the paperwork. We are good to go.

Oh, but the last step was making the appointment with the special vet to complete the pups' health certificate so they can fly on Continental.

The staff at Banfield at the PetsMart on Shepherd KNOWS ME. They pick up the phone and I say two words and they're like "Oh, you're the girl from Ireland." Yup, that's me! They totally know me and the dogs even though I've only been there once (for the big expensive rabies test--Ireland is a rabies-free country) and the dogs have only been there twice (second time was with John for their veterinary certificates that had to be endorsed by the USDA--sigh). The poor Banfield staff will be SO ready for the dogs to finally leave the States so I will stop calling and asking millions of questions and sounding like a crazy, paranoid mother to humans instead of dogs.

I don't blame them.

I imagine whenever I call I sound like a ranting, raving lunatic. And to some extent, I am a raving lunatic because I don't want to miss a step and end up back at square one!

It would help if more people were aware of the process to transport dogs internationally. It is no picnic. Especially not to countries like Ireland (and Malta) that are rabies-free. Basically, you have to plan at least 7 months ahead to be able to travel with your dog so they can avoid quarantine. But what a blessing that they can avoid quarantine now, unlike in past years! Even the lovely staff at Lissenhall Vet (quarantine) tell me to do all I can for the dogs to avoid quarantine. I now understand why the pet transport companies quoted me, like, $10,000 to take care of getting both dogs here. Maybe I should go into that business myself. . .

And so I will rejoin my dogs this month and then we will all fly over to Ireland in April. It has been a really loooooooong process with more paperwork than I want to think about.
You wanna know what they have to have to get back into the States? Nothing. Not even a rabies vaccination since they will come back from Ireland. Good news since we will return with a child AND the dogs. But I certainly cannot think that far ahead. . .let me get through today first.

So one final note about the dogs. We chose to adopt "rescue" dogs who had been strays or dumped by their owners on animal control or a rescue organization. We have adopted three dogs (this post was too long already for me to try to explain Bella and her story--maybe some other time) from Rescues and they have been the best dogs yet. John and I are passionate about giving dogs a good home. (Okay, so maybe it's my passion and I drag John along somewhat). We feel it is cruel to breed dogs as pets (I understand the whole show-dog thing) when there are so many good (and often purebred) dogs at humane societies and rescue organizations that DESPERATELY need a home. Thousand and thousands of dogs (and cats) are put to sleep every year because no one will give them a home and there are no funds to support them. No-kill shelters and organizations are usually run by volunteers and funded by donation only--the people who help animals who have been dumped, lost, etc. are kind souls with extremely tight resources. Please, please, please consider rescuing a dog from a shelter before searching the want-ads for a "purebred" dog. John and I have had both kinds of dogs, and our boys have been the best dogs yet (no disrespect to Schatze--we must not speak ill of the dead). They truly appreciate us and are very happy and make us happy. I can't express how wonderful our lives have been made with the addition of our pooches, so please consider rescue dogs!!!! (I will refrain from saying what I really want to about how "you might be the one who is ultimately rescued" couldn't resist)

And, yeah, I'm completely aware that my furbabies are going to become "dogs" when our real baby arrives. But I can enjoy them for these last months before things get too crazy!!!

Hope you enjoyed meeting the boys or remembering how wonderful they are! Coming soon, to the Emerald Isle near you. . .Tex and Blanco!!!!