108 posts tagged “dogs”
I always love hearing from the people that adopted dogs I fostered. This was sent in for a Happy Tail entry from the people that adopted Barkley earlier this year.
Imagine that after years, you've decided to expand your household pack to include a companion for your 9-year old Lab, Maggie. Given Maggie's small size, you search the Lab rescues for another small one so as not to daunt Maggie. Having learned of Barkley, a 60-lb lab who was rescued from a shelter, the pack drives 8-hours to meet him at the Wild Heir South Carolina lab rescue.
You haven't taken into consideration that he was 60-lbs when you learned about him, i.e. a few months prior when he was only 9-months old. You arrive to find a 75-lb giant of a Lab who leaps over couches in one bound. ("He's not 60 pounds anymore...") He puts his paws on your shoulders and looks you in the eyes. But Maggie, whom you feared would be quite displeased with a year-old clumsy brother, is delighted with him, and you can't help but be either.
Barkley appears to have no qualms about leaving South Carolina with unfamiliar people and dog, in an unfamiliar SUV - leaping in the back (momentarily). He merely views the back seat as an exercise hurdle to get to the front. ("uhm, he's in your seat." ) You open the door, take him around to the back. By the time you're back in the car, he's back in the front. Repeat two more times.
He never appears confused or anxious about arriving in a new home. He paces the bed every night ("Did we get an insomniac?") until you realize he just wants on the bed. After that, you - and Maggie - are pillows for him to lay across while he sleeps. When it comes to sleeping, he never applies "lay down" but rather falls across you from a standing position. He buries his nose in your neck for the entire night.
All dogs are friends, all squirrels are foes, and moles are to be to be carried carefully in one cheek. ("What's in Barkley's mouth?) Leashes and Maggie's collar are edibles ("Why isn't Maggie's collar on? Why are her ID plates on the floor?") His Nylabone and tennis balls are pacifiers. Water is for slobbering across the kitchen, requiring you to put a rug down. Maggie's head is for drooling on. Vacuums are a terror, causing you to have to replace the Plexiglas door he broke through to escape one. (He wasn't injured.) Couches are for you to sit on - with Barkley's entire self on your lap. Maggie is his most beloved big sister and best friend whose side he won't leave.
Maggie, now 10-years old, is a pup again. Post-breakfast is Labrador wrestlemania, as indicated by the joyous sounds of thunder throughout the house and by every rug accordionned against a wall. She loves an ambush - hiding under a desk or chair and leaping out at him with a playful "snap snap" of her ferocious fangs. Every play session begins with each giving each other nose licks, and then pandemonium ensues. She lets him chase her just long enough to gain momentum and turn on him - the chased becomes the chaser - and he seems as delighted as she. She has taught him that the first thing to do every morning is check the tomato plant for new green tomatoes, thus ensuring we never get to eat a ripe one.
Such is our life with our beloved rescue Lab, Barkley. If you rescue a Lab, you will be blessed to have the same love, affection, fun and frivolity as we do.
Thanks to some misalignment in Google Maps, it took me a little bit of driving around Park West before I could find the dog park.
Located in the Mt. Pleasant Recreation Center in Park West, the dog park is a small fenced in area next to the tennis court. It's dominated by the retention pond in the center of the park, so there's not a lot of open field for dogs to run. However, if you've got a dog that loves water, that's not really going to matter much.
There are plenty of tennis balls around for dogs to run around and fetch, although most of them are in the pond so they'll need to be fished out.
One thing the dog park could use is a water hose to wash the pond water off the dogs when you're finished. There's also no water fountain for the dogs, so it's probably a good idea to bring your own water and bowl.
Macho is staying with us for the next couple of weeks. He's become a pretty big boy since the last time I saw him. It's a little hard to tell from the photo, but Macho is about 5-6 cm taller than Nala or Simba and probably has at least 10kg on both of them. He's having a good time playing with the other dogs.
Nala, Macho and Simba
Thanks to Auntie Sandi, the dogs have some new duds to sport around town.
Nala in her new bright yellow no-stink collar
and Simba in his blue and black no-stink collar
Don't they look sharp?
4 years ago today we brought Nala home!
I think I may have rushed the dogs' green tripe experience in a case of "too much too soon". They each got about a third of a can at each meal, which I didn't think they would have a problem with. Although they seemed to enjoy the green tripe, the dogs ended up with upset tummies starting with Simba on Sunday and Nala last night.
Simba is feeling better now and is back to normal and after a late pukey night, I think Nala's starting to feel a little better.
Even though the dogs seemed to enjoy the tripe, I don't think it's something I'll add on a regular basis. Main reason is the smell. Peeewww. Other reason is that although the dogs liked the tripe, if they're going to be hitting the eject button the next day, that's not going to be much fun for them or me.
Another update from Barkley's new family. I think this was his first water adventure. I had him out by a pond at a CSCLRC event in the fall, but he didn't jump into the water at all. He looked like he wanted to join the other dogs, but just ran around the edge of the water waiting for them to come out so he could grab the bumpers from the dogs.
He was so happy! Maggie immediate ran and jumped into the river, so he followed with a big leap- he looked so startled that he didn't land on something! He had no problem paddling back to shore but then was too timid to go back in even though he really wanted to- he kept putting his toes and nose I'm and trying from every rock but just couldn't take the plunge! We're sure he will when the water is warm enough for us to get in because then he'll follow. He and Maggie ran and ran over the rocks!
The IOP Bark Park is a decently sized fenced in dog park located just behind the IOP Recreation Center, and so far is the only dog park that features a separate small dog area.
The Bark Park isn't very large, about the same size as Ackerman dog park. It's fairly wide open though and offers a lot of room for dogs to run around. Benches provide plenty of places for people to sit, and several trees provide shady spots during hot weather.
The small dog area is a long narrow strip adjacent to the main dog park. There were no small dogs around when I was there, so I'm not sure how often it gets used. Looks like it would be a good place for people with smaller dogs that don't want to risk them getting bowled over by bigger dogs. Most of the small dogs I've seen though play just fine with big dogs.
There's no water fountain installed in the dog park, but a large bucket in each area provides water. The water comes from a hose running from the Rec center to the dog park. Filling the bucket requires walking out of the dog park over to the building to turn the water on.
There are a few sandy areas where dogs can plop down to relax, cool down or work out some of their digging urges.
See the rest of the IOP Bark Park photos in my photo album.
Earlier this year (amid some fuss from a few people that City Council didn't have anything better to do), Charleston City Council saw fit to amend the city's leash ordinances, which become effective March 1, 2009.
Significantly, the new ordinances remove the provision that allowed animals to run at large as long as they were under voice control. Now animals must be under physical control or leashed, with a maximum leash length of 16 ft (~4.8m).
Further, the new ordinance gets more specific about where animals can and can't be.
No person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of any animal shal cause, permit or allow the animal to stra or in any manner to run at large in or upon any public street, sidewalk, athletic field, athletic facility, or park or upon the property of another, if such animal is not under a physical restraint or a leash so as to allow the animal to be controlled.
No animal of any kind shall be permitted on any tennis court, fenced recreation field, or athletic field at any time, even if such animal is physically restrained, leashed or otherwise controlled.
Fortunately, the city has opened up several areas as off-leash areas in addition to the three existing city operated dog parks (with possibly more dog parks to come).
- Ansonborough Field, Concord Street (All day)
- Brittlebank Park, Lockwood Blvd. (All day)
- Cannon Park, Calhoun Street (Restricted hours)
- Governors Park, Seven Farms Drive (All day)
- Hazel Parker Playground, East Bay Street (Restricted hours)
- The Horse Lot, Chisolm Street (All day)
- Johns Island Park, Rewes Lane (All day)
- Lenevar Playground, Lenevar Drive (All day)
- West Ashley Park, Mary Ader Avenue (All day)
- White Point Garden, Murray Blvd. (Restricted hours)
While in dog runs or off-leash areas, animals are required to remain under sufficient strict voice control, and handlers must abide by the rules posted at each site. Owners are reminded that they are required to clean up after their pets. During the first two weeks of March, the City's Animal Control officers will be focused on educating off-leash area users. Afterwards, violators will be subject to fines for violations.
That means watch your dog, control your dog, and pick up after your dog.
Simba turns 3 today!
2 month old Simba
3 year old Simba
