Alice got a package yesterday! A couple of weeks ago, my mom made a trip to Style Mutt, a great little pet store outside of Cleveland. They just moved to a new location, and they were doing a final sale of some truly fabulous things at their old store. The box was actually addressed to Alice, and I think she knew it. She was very, very excited about the package.
Mamala hooked Alice up something fierce! In addition to a gorgeous pink birthday lei, a tough black toy dog with a squeaky tail, and a special Adoption Day toy that she won't get until next month, she got two jackets. One is a yellow duckie raincoat.
Alice hates going out in the rain (but loves playing in the dog park's river-- go figure). I'm hoping that when she's wearing it, she'll be more willing to venture out when the sky is falling.
The second is a fabulous pink leopard-print fur coat. Not only does she look fantastically elegant, Alice is OBSESSED with it. The second she saw it, she grabbed it and started running around the house. And she's not chewing on it-- just pulling it around and licking it. She even likes wearing it. I think she feels pretty.
I'm really exctited that she likes it-- Izzy got one just like it. Now they're Diva Twins!
This week, I stumbled across the HSUS' End Dogfighting program in Chicago. It's a combination grassroots campaign and training program that brings ex-dogfighters and trainers into urban areas and offers free classes (like agility classes) to pit bull owners of all ages to teach them how to properly interact with their dogs.
I LOVE IT.
But there's even a brighter spot in it. While the program's an awesome, awesome thing, their website has something very special on it: Studs.
And not just Studs, but Studs from Chicago. Seriously, they don't get much better than that.
A shockingly talented photographer named Saverio Truglia took some gorgeous pictures of the trainers, advocates, and students.
Below are some of the pictures (I could stare at these all day). There's more here.
I love Freekibble.com (and Freekibblekat.com). It's this website where each day, they post a dog- or cat-related trivia question. Whether you're right or wrong, as long as you play, ten pieces of kibble go to an animal shelter involved with their program. The only way this could be better is if there was more than one question each day.
Today's question is great:
Originating in China, this dog is often summarized as "Mutum in Parvo" (much in little).
With Michael Vick's recent release from his prison sentence and the NFL's decision to reinstate him yesterday, there's been a lot of discussion of forgiveness. Do you forgive someone who's paid for their crimes? Do you deny them the chance to earn a living? What would the dogs do, and should their lead be followed?
I wish there was a clear-cut answer. My feeling is that if someone really sees the error of their ways and wants to change, they should be allowed a second chance. But I have reservations believing that he understands what he did and if he's changed his ways, and don't think it's right that he should get to go back to working his multi-million dollar career when so many good people who would never consider thinking about what he did (let alone actually do it) are counting pennies. At the same time, his bank account isn't my business. Uggghhh, stupid gray areas!
I guess what the real concern needs to be is not letting what happened be overlooked or discounted. A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon a five-part photo essay feature The Washington Post did on the Vicktory dogs called Shelter for the Scarred, which starts with pictures from the kennel, shows the dogs through their rescue, assessment, and rehabilitation, and ends with my favorite boy Leo, the one you hear about all the time being the therapy dog (he's the one with the fabulously frilly clown collar).
It's incredible and very moving. I recommend watching it when you have a moment.
Have you heard of that game where you type your name and "needs" into Google and see what comes up? I decided to try it with Alice. Here's what she needs:
1. Alice needs help to start dating, someone to dance with her, and more work (it ends up that a girl named Alice with a blog has played this game before.)
2. Alice needs another break.
3. Musical Alice needs more work (I'm guessing this is related to #1).
4. Alice needs an alibi!
5. Alice needs only one wheatgrass shake, some positive thinking, and a crash course in California lingo.
6. Alice needs a new hobby.
7. Alice needs a new home.
8. Alice needs to make a Moscow dream come true; and
9. Alice needs a new home ASAP.
To which I would like to say:
1. I've been thinking of hiring you a matchmaker, Alice.
2. Yes, you do work too hard on snuggling up with your blankie and sleeping.
3. I really think you could make it big if we signed you up for American Idol. You have such a lovely voice!
4. ...Because I know what you did and I'm not covering for you this time! Okay, fine. I will.
5. Just one shake, Alice. Just one.
6. Because the rug has almost disintegrated this week.
7. Lies! You don't!
8. Who doesn't? and
9. Lies again! You're staying here with me. Unless I can come to the new home with you. And it's someplace warm. With a good looking cabana boy.
So when the Human Male left for work this morning, he was looking good. And by good, I mean Straight Outta GQ goooood. I almost said to him, "Who are you, and what did you do with my boyfriend, who should be sweaty and passed out on the couch from the heat like last summer? And did you take away his house keys? Please tell me you did!"
I had to take a picture. Partly to make into a t-shirt with the caption "...So back off, girls. This one's mine", and partly for him to send to his mom to show her that her former sweatpant-sporting rugrat grew up into a stud.
So while I'm getting my camera out, Alice came trotting over and stood behind The Human Male. She was standing so still. I thought that was kind of cute to have her in the picture. Unfortunately, the lighting was bad where he was, so I had him move. And interestingly, Alice followed, then posed in the exact same stance as before.
The picture came out so funny.
Look at that sweet little face, with those funny little teeth and glowing eyes (and hellooo, devilishly handsome Human Male)! I'm beginning to wonder if she knows how to pose, and if she thinks that's the best position for her to stand. Whether it's true or not-- or even possible for a dog to have that capability-- that thought makes me love her even more.
Did anyone see the Rich Roll article on CNN today? All of the Twitter feeds I follow were going nuts about this, but for different reasons. The runners were loving it because he's crazy and does the Ultraman. Who even knew there was something more than an ultramarathon?! I'm exhausted and need a gel just thinking about it. The animal people were loving it for his plant-based diet. The healthcare organizations were loving it because it showed that a healthy diet and exercise might actually be good for you (who knew?).
Blah blah blah, whatever. You know why they should've all loved him? Because of that handsome little guy sitting with him in the first picture.
Oh hello, you gorgeous pug!
You know what would make this picture better? If Mr. Roll with the guns from picture 2 were holding the sweet pug. Yesss!
Alice loves tennis balls. And by love, I mean loooooooovvvee.
I woke up this morning around 3:30 and found Alice in bed, curled up with a tennis ball. Being 3:30A, I didn't have the wherewithal to take a picture. But I did when I woke up at 5:30A.
Alice, The Human Male, and I spent the morning bumming around Clarendon, a great neighborhood in Arlington, VA. While walking, we found a giant Playmobil pirate at Kinder Haus Toys.
As an aside, for local folks looking for Max & Ruffy's dog treats, aka Spot is now selling them. If you haven't been over there before, it's worth a trip. And stop by the Java Shack next door-- best coffee shop in the area.
I've mentioned this maybe 127,000 times before: Alice is a shelter dog. We only visited shelters and rescues when we were looking for her. Breeders and pet stores weren't avenues we investigated. And that's basically the end of the story.
But I've been noticing something: quite frequently, people who got their pets from somewhere other than a shelter or rescue group are actually embarrassed to say that when they find out Alice is a shelter dog.
Okay, so...why?Sure, I'm obviously a huge fan of shelter dogs and plan to have many, many more in the years to come. And wouldn't it be awesome if people made a shelter or rescue their first, fifth, seventeenth, twenty-second, and thirtieth stop on their trek to find a dog? Of course! But honestly, it's absolutely no one else's business where you got your dog. I love that getting your pet from a shelter is bigger than ever. But the downside to that is that I think a lot of people who didn't get theirs that way are being ostracized, or made to feel guilty about it. And I don't think that's right.
Does where you get your dog make your furry-faced buddy any better or worse? Positively not. I know completely fabulous dogs that have come from shelters, breeders, neighbors, coworkers, pet stores, online ads, flyers, or picked up as strays. And I don't think more or less of any of them because of where their owners saw them for the first time.
Do I feel that puppy mill owners and those who are making money off of them have a special place waiting for them in Hell? Truthfully, no-- because Hell's too good for despicable bastards like that. I'm not defending the practice at all-- or trying to drum up any controversy, for that matter. I simply don't feel anyone should be embarrassed because of where they found the right pet for them. As I see it, just like people can't control what their nationality is, dogs have zero control over where they end up before they meet their families.
What I do think is more important? Two things:
1. The dog owner. It doesn't matter where you got your pet if you don't train your dog properly (or train them improperly), don't make alterations to or arrangements in your life to accommodate the dog's needs, got a breed because it's trendy, or treat the dog badly (obviously). Your sole job as an owner is to give a dog a good life-- to take them from wherever they are and make their lives even better. I'm of the belief that there are no bad dogs, but some seriously crapbag owners. And if you are one, be ashamed that you're failing at your job, not of where you found your dog.
2. Dispelling the rumor that shelter dogs are lesser creatures or damaged goods; that good dogs have had only one owner. Shelter dogs end up there for a slew of different reasons, which may have absolutely zero to do with them. If you think shelter dogs are undesirable and nothing but trouble, I personally think you're an ignorant idiot, and it'd do you some good to meet a few.
There's no reason why you can't support shelter and rescue programs if you got your dog from another source. There's no reason to be embarrassed about having a good heart and caring about animals, or wanting and working to see dogs other than your own thrive and have good lives (as an aside, Jorge Garcia-- Hurley from Lost-- just had a good couple ofposts on his blog that exemplify how this is aptly handled).
Personally, I don't parade my rescued dog around town to make people feel badly about themselves. But if the opportunity arises to show someone you can get a super cool dog from a rescue or shelter, Alice is an awesome ambassador-- I'm not going to stop her from doing her thing.
In short, basically what I'm saying is, to all good dog owners out there: be proud of your fabulous pooches, defend the other ones out there, and stand up against bad and careless pet owners.
