Foster Homes Needed for Doberman Rescue Minnesota!

In March, I wrote about Doberman Rescue Minnesota and the fabulous work that they do for Dobermans in need.

I'm sure a lot of rescues are hurting. This year, Special Needs Dobermans stopped being able to help private owners, due to a shortage in funds. But yesterday, Meadowcat (remember Meadowcat? She has an Etsy store now, by the by. And has expanded into collars. Maisie at Reactive Champion did a review.)

But, because Doberman Rescue Minnesota is not a kennel, but rather relies upon foster homes to house their rescued dogs, they are in need of volunteers, especially foster homes. So, if you're in Minnesota and would like to foster or otherwise volunteer, you can fill out their online Volunteer Application.

Dogs and their Owners

What's that they say, about dogs and their owners resembling one another?

My single grey hair (discovered last week. Did you know it's rather hard to take a picture of one's own head? I supposed I could've asked somebody, but didn't think of it):

Elka's single white hair (much harder to see, apologies, so I drew an arrow. It's on her flank, not her head):

Now, I'm sure my grey hair is because I'm *sigh* 30. Elka's white hair on her side, I have no idea. I know dogs will frequently grow back white hairs after an injury, but to my knowledge, she hasn't hurt herself in that manner. Or she did on the scale of a single hair follicle and I missed it. Go figure.

(I thought about posting this for Black and White Sunday, but thought that might be a little too tongue in cheek....)

Shelter dogs making nursing home visits

I was surprised and pleased to see a positive dog-related article in my local rag yesterday: Pooches pay visits to area nursing home. This was not "just" a story about therapy dogs; this was a story about a shelter called by a local nursing home to see if they had any dogs that could come and visit! The shelter director, Kerrie Colin, performed her own tests to see how dogs would be around walkers, wheelchairs, etc. and brought two miniature schnauzers over, with great success.

(picture from Wikimedia Commons, not one of the Miniature Schnauzers in question)

Wordless Wednesday April 24 2013

Does your dog work? Should your dog work?

On Terrierman's Daily Dose, he wrote a great post lately entitled "And What is the Work of Your Dog?" His is a blog that I read frequently but do not often comment on. I don't know about working terriers. My dog experience is largely and completely related on this blog, and doesn't amount to much when compared with others, both on and off the blogosphere.

It's a very good question, though. Dogs only recently became our couch adornments (I mean, other than the toy breeds, whose whole point is to be couch adornments). Pretty much every breed was created for a purpose, some more specific than others. It's worth looking at the history of your breed, and considering your expectations of your dog, and how their lives go.

Look over there! What's that?

I know it's kind of the stereotype of the dog owner to think that their dog is the smartest and bestest dog of them all. Really, it's every individual dog's job to be the best dog. It's just the way things are.

Of course I have stories like that, though. Where I just couldn't believe Elka's intelligence, or the mental connections that she made to reach the behavioral end. A main reason we picked Doberman is for the intelligence; perhaps we didn't think that through? But it's been great, for the most part!

Black and White Sunday April 21 2013: sleeping Doberman pose 137

There are many Sleeping Doberman poses. I haven't actually counted them all; it just seemed appropriate to slap a number on this. Not quite stretched out, not quite curled up, not quite "bundle of paws". A study in and of itself.