DON'T MESS WITH THE CLAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes what really seems like a good idea can backfire disastrously in your face.  Such was the case of THE CLAW.
Now before you imagine a device of horrible torture--let me assure you that the claw is completely harmless. Actually it's less than harmless---it's a toy.
I guess I better start from the beginning and explain it all.
Every morning, when they enter their kennels my fur babies get treats in their KONG toys that keep them occupied  until the pet sitter arrives. As long as they get a cookie and some peanut butter in their little red KONGS, all is right with the world. But when it comes time to retrieve the KONGS, I have a bit of trouble getting down low enough to reach into the kennels for them. Sooooo, I looked at one of those extended reaching, grabber things that they sell on TV. TWENTY BUCKS!!!!!!!! Not!
So on one of my GOODWILL trips, I stumbled across basically the same thing, except it was a toy grabber arms with a robot claw on the end. It resembles one of the hands on the robot from LOST IN SPACE. I can stick that sucker right on into the kennels, snap up the kong, and be done with it--AND ALL FOR 50 CENTS!!
There's only one thing about the claw--it scares the dogs and the cats to death. If I want to give them a good taste of ALPHA me, all I have to do is reach for the CLAW and they scatter. I get the same reaction from a fly swatter--but that's another story.
So the other morning, Lucy the lab, my oldest pain in the butt, decided that she was not getting in her kennel. She had herself planted on the bed and absolutely refused to budge. After about fifteen minutes of fighting with her, I WENT FOR THE CLAW!!!!
Unfortunately, when I reappeared with the claw, I had not noticed that little conquistador Hines, the rat terror (I mean terrier) had followed me back into the bedroom.  I gave the claw ONE SNAP and got TWO RESULTS. Lucy flew past me out of the bedroom, and Hines flew DIRECTLY UNDER THE BED. Talk about a back fire!  I had one who couldn't get into a kennels fast enough and another who was having a nervous breakdown under the box springs.
It took me thirty minutes to coax Hines out with a pretzel stick and let him know that Daddy loved him and that the CLAW wasn't going to get him.
We were about thirty minutes late getting to work that morning--and I was in dutch with not only Hines and Lucy, but the Better Half too.
So the moral of this story is, you can catch more Hines with honey than with vinegar.
In other words, when you can use a pretzel stick--DON'T USE THE CLAW!!!!!

DOGWOOD FOR SALE

For Sale: one ancient house that has been an oasis, a protector, and most importantly, a home.


The sprawling front porch looks out onto Madison Street, where I have spent many evenings and late nights in my Grandmother’s old wooden rocking chair watching the world go by.

The front door, minus the old lock that required a skeleton key, is the original, and opens into the living room with its brick fireplace. There are ten foot ceilings throughout. All the wood work is also original or as far as I can tell. This room has seen its fair share socializing, TV viewing, and lubbins.

Living and dining room are separated by built in cabinets where I have kept precious mementoes and collector pieces over the years. In the center of the dining room floor is a small round hole. When I bought the place seventeen years ago, I was told that once upon a time, the hole had housed a buzzer that called in the maid.

Much to my dismay, no maid has ever crossed the threshold of Dogwood. If so, she more than likely would have quit on the spot once she saw Better Half and I seated at the table with four canines and two felines awaiting a meal.

The kitchen is closed off by a swinging door, which has a pantry on the left before opening up into the small kitchen which still houses a chimney. The swinging door has always been a wonderful dog stopper. Charlie is terrified of it. Only Daisy has braved it, conquered it, and discovered the kitty cuisine out there for Bart and Sebastian.

Three bedrooms and a small bath line the left side of the house. The carpet in these rooms was grass green. I always joked that I should have opened an indoor mini-golf course instead of a home for wayward animals.

Underneath the house is a full basement, dirt floor included. This has been my least favorite characteristics of the house as the builder neglected to install a way to enter it from inside. You must exit thru the kitchen onto the back porch, go down the back steps, and then to the door underneath. This has always been way too much traveling to cart as much junk as I have piled up.

The back yard comes complete with chain link fence and six foot privacy fence to one side. My babies have romped and played in that yard for over seven years, and I know they will miss it.

It’s an old house that needs work that I never had the time or money to do. But it has never let me down, and will more than likely outlast any home built in the last thirty years.

I know every nail hole, every pock mark, and every scratch by heart. They are our memories, and the record of our lives here.

But even the most cherished memories go up for sale, and so now are Dogwoods.

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

Well, never let it be said that my four legged kids don't keep us on our toes.
Last weekend, my second oldest child, Charlie,taught Better Half and I  a valuable lesson about storing snacks in the bedroom.
Charlie is my special boy. He is my most timid and loving fur baby, making him appear to be a bit dim at times. But in truth, Charlie is sharp as a tack and has the most talented paws in the west. Charlie can now add a new talent to his resume: opening drawers.
I had bought a bag of mini-Three Musketeers, eaten most of the bag, and put the rest safely in the drawer of my nightstand . Or so I thought.
Saturday evening, after arriving home from a fun filled day of cleaning on the old Clarksville house, I heard a scuffle in the bedroom. After a quick head count, I discovered that Charlie and Sebastian the cat were missing.
I entered the room to find Sebastian sitting at the foot of the bed, his feelings hurt, watching Charlie devour the plastic bag that had once contained the candy.  My nightstand drawer stood open, fresh nail scratches on the front where my little sneak thief had patiently pulled and pulled until he had gained access.
 Charlie looked up at me like a deer in the headlights,with one of the confections still hanging out of his mouth. BUSTED!
Chocolate is BAD for dogs, and in mass quantities can prove fatal--especially dark or bakers chocolate. I really had no idea how many of the mini's were left in the bag after my own pig-out the night before, but as Charlie has a very sensitive stomach anyway, I knew we might be in trouble.
 I kicked into First Aid mode.
If a dog eats poisonous material, and you catch it early enough,  you can usually get the dog to vomit the offensive material back up by giving them a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. CHECK WITH YOUR VET on this--as you can seriously harm your pets stomach if you give too much, or cause further damage if your animal  already has stomach issues as Charlie does.  
Since I was totally unsure on the number of mini-bars he had digested, and because of his history of  tummy trouble, I decided that instead of inducing vomiting, I would  focus on moving the candy through Charlie from one end to the other.
First, I fed him an extra big meal to urge the candy and wrappers (Charlie doesn't waste anything) thru his system. Extra fiber  (canned pumpkin is GREAT)can help push thru now what might become an obstruction later. Movement also helps digestion, so he and I got some one on one time out in the yard.
Having some play time can also let you know if something is happening to your pet that require attention. If the dog can't function, then seek MEDICAL HELP IMMEDIATELY!!!
As Charlie chased his ball and explored his new back yard paradise,  I checked him ever so often by pushing on his tummy and sides and listening to his tummy to make sure I could hear things moving along.  A silent tummy is a sure sign of trouble. If pushing on the dogs stomach or sides shows a reaction of having any pain, or discomfort, that's another big clue that you need a VET ASAP!! I also was eye balling the color of his gums to assure that shock wasn't setting in. 
All was normal, and remained so.
The night went well. Charlie ate, drank,  played and pooped as usual. No vomit or diarrhea, which are also signs of big trouble. I had begun to wonder if maybe he hadn't gotten further than the candy I retrieved from his mouth.  But we hit the jack pot on Sunday afternoon, when Charlie barfed up a handful of candy wrappers and a wad of grass.
As I cleaned up his little candy factory mess, he actually  BELCHED in my ear. How's that for gratitude?????
So far, so good. No problems in the poo or eating department--no pain in the stomach--just a pain in my backside from having to sit up half the night with him and watch him like a hawk.
But there's nothing I wouldn't do for my special child. I'm just thankful to God it all came out OK.  One thing is for sure: There will be no more snacks in my night stand from now on.
Chocolate, candy, and candy wrappers don't mix with fur and paws. Make sure that you know what to do if something like this happens at your house!  Get the facts! Have a plan! Consult your vet and always keep an emergency number for after hours medical attention so that you can SAVE THE LIFE YOU LOVE SO MUCH!!

And as the Cardboard disappears........

We are finally settling in, and have the major traffic areas of the house in a functional shape. I still have one bed room and a garage full of boxes to deal with, but I will have to unpack those as we go. My only despair is the fact that I have no idea where half of my things are, and it will more than likely take another 6 months before I can locate anything with confidence.
We won't even get into the whole story of getting lost in the middle of the night while trying to find a bathroom.
So far, living off the main drag has been exactly what we needed--PEACEFUL!  I love to go out for my last smoke of the evening, and just sit and look up at the stars. We have no street light or anything, and it is pitch black on my patio unless the moon is out. The stars are so bright and beautiful.
But when the four legged felons are out in the yard, I have flood lights to keep track of them. Though we have a porch light out there, the murkiness simply swallowed my black lab LUCY. So I figured the floods would help me keep tabs on everybody as they look for the new perfect spot in the back yard to desecrate.
Our new pet sitter, Carol, has been a true blessing for us and to the kids. She runs a local pet lover business called "Ears A Floppin'". My band of merry madcaps enjoy her company and love to play with her in the back yard. Even my special little guy Hines has warmed up to her--and we all know that Hines doesn't just love everybody. I hope that we can keep Carol with the Dogwood Pack  for a long long time.
The commute to work is a bout thirty minutes more per day, but strangely enough, it's worth it. I can come home, go outside with my babies, and relax on the patio while they play with their toys and chase each other about the yard. I no longer have to worry about 50 people coming and going at once from the rental properties and apartments that had been built up around us like a fort on Madison Street.  This would set the dogs barking and upset everyone, including them. Now it's peaceful and semi quiet unless Daisy decides to sing to us.
We have the old house cleaned up, but I have a few fix-it jobs I want to do before it goes on the market. Keep your eyes peeled for an older fixer upper home on Madison for sale SOOON!!!!
So that's the update from New Dogwood. More to come! STAY TUNED!

POPPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG---and a leather CHAIR AND SOFA to go with it!

Charlie dog enjoys the new rug.

Lucy and the new black leather sofa--if it were not for the cover I had over it, I would have lost her!

Hines dog anf the Daisy Doodles keeping Daddy company in his new leather recliner

DON'T BUY PETS WHILE YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL CONTROL IS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH HEALTHY ADOPTABLE DOGS AND CATS!!!!!!!!!!

OK the kid gloves are off.
Though I no loonger live in Clarksville/Montgomery County--I paid enough taxes and put up with enough crap there to still have an opinion for a LONG TIME to come.
ANIMAL CONTROL is under the leadership of a new director who is working on making big changes to benefit the animals that are dumped there and keep them alive and give them a chance at staying that way thru rescue or adoption.
BUT UNTIL THOSE PLANS SEE THEIR POTENTIAL THEY STILL NEED  THE HELP OF LOCAL CITIZENS!!!!!!
SWEET, HELPLESS, loving animals are DYING by the dozens--AND ONLY PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THAT!
FOSTER FOSTER FOSTER FOSTER!!!!! FOSTER HOMEs can change and SAVE a life!
YOU have a new power that you never knew about!! THE POWER OVER THE DEATH of these animals!
YOU CAN STOP DEATH COLD!!! YOU can make life stomp the living crap out of the grim reaper!
YOU can be a bridge between FOSTER AND FOREVER by giving a dog or cat SANCTUARY for a few weeks until it can be ADOPTED!
No, there's no pay.  No there's no glory. No there's no awards or instant stardom.
THERE IS love, loyalty, and the gratitude of a living breathing thing that will melt the heart of even the stodgiest fool.
PLEASE--contact your local HUMANE SOCIETY or FRIENDS OF THE SHELTER to leave more about HOW YOU CAN SAVE LIVES BY BEING A FOSTER HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FIND ANIMALS at the Montgomery County Animal Control : http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN20.html

TO FOSTER AND SAVE FUR BABIES--EMAIL MONTGOMERY COUNTY FRIENDS OF THE SHELTER AT MCFOTS@GMAIL.COM  or visit their FACEBOOK page at "Montgomery County Friends of the Shelter"

TO FOSTER THRU THE HUMANE SOCIETY --CHECK OUT THEIR PROGRAM AT http://clarksvillehumanesociety.org/

GET UP--GET OUT--GET ACTIVE--GET INVOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ADOPTABLE DOGWOOD FELINE PICK OF THE WEEK:SCARLETT

AFTERALL--TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY--WE HOPE!

Scarlett is a 3 year old female Siamese mix. She is very unique and very sweet! You will just have to come by to see her to know what we mean! If you are interested in adopting or fostering this animal, please contact us ASAP!!!!

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20432084  


FIND HER AT THE WAVERLY ANIMAL SHELTER
 
Waverly Animal Shelter, Waverly, TN


• 931-296-7319

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN205.html

ADOPTABLE DOGWOOD CANINE PICK OF THE WEEK: SNOOKIE

IF YOU LOOKIN FOR SOME NOOKIE--COME GET YOU SOME SNOOKIE!!
Snookie is a 5 month old female Golden Retriever/Lab mix. She is a little shy at first but she is definately a big lover! She is a little hesitant about playing with the other dogs but she realizes fast that they are just her friends! Come see her!

Find her at the Waverly Animal Shelter, Waverly, TN

931-296-7319




FIND OUT MORE BY VISITING THE WAVERLY TN ANIMAL SHELTER AT
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TN205.html

NEW DOGWOOD TAKES FLIGHT

We are now officially residents of Waverly TN. Funny, I spent 18 years waiting for the day I could run from that place, and now 24 years later, here I am back again.
Honestly, I am enjoying it.
The sea of cardboard has begun to recede, and we are actually getting things under control as far as setting up house keeping. The babies are still adjusting, which I expect will take about a month.  They have never known any other home than the old Dogwood, and they still have to get used to the change in rooms and paths and where the kennels and the water dishes are.  But we haven't had any further escape attempts--mainly because I have took NO chances whatsoever with the lock being off the gate or anyone other than myself going in or out of it when the kids are outside or anywhere near the back door.
We met our new pet sitter yesterday, and she really impressed me with her knowledge and handling of the kids. Hines barked like a banshee, Charlie had a panic attack, Daisy jumped like jelly bean, and Lucy didn't care as long as a treat was administered in the end.   Carol just stood quietly and let them have their hissy fits, and when they saw she wasn't going to react, they all fell into line.
Ok--it was a short line--they had several rows of hissy fits in the forty five minutes Carol worked with them.
But at least I know they will be safe, and well watched while I am at work.
Still I would appreciate your prayers that God will keep angels on hand for both my kids and Carol as they learn each others ups and downs.
As a matter of fact--keep us all in your prayers--as we are all adjusting, and will need a little extra care from the Lord in or new home.