Santa Paws

Wilma, Kramer and Mitch met Santa last weekend!

And what did they ask Santa for? Wilma wants unlimited treats. Kramer wants a couch of his own and Mitch wants a home without dogs! Unfortunately, I don't think they'll get their wishes.

Happy Halloween

Can you guess who we are dressed up as?

Macy

Wilma & Kramer

Macy is a ladybug, Wilma is the Grinch and Kramer is The Cat in the Hat!

Honey

Honey is the 4th Wilma pup to be out in the working world, in the south east Michigan area!

All of Wilma's puppies were special to me, but some of them I will always remember. Hugo (red), the little fighter, Hollis (pink), the queen of the pool parties and Honey (hot pink), the chubby, fluffy, sweet, calm little girl. I've always thought she looks more like Wilma than the others.

Congratulations to raiser Kim and her family!

Leader Dog Halloween Party

Macy and I had fun at a Halloween party for the Jackson Leader Dog group. Macy was dressed as a Cute Ladybug. Barley is a 9 month old lab, much darker than Macy, and was a "Bad Dog". Ten month old golden Ziva was a pumpkin. And golden Leader Dog Dad Shilo was Darth Vader. Shilo's newest litter of pups is almost ready to go home to their raisers.

Barley looks like Jaws as she tries to take a bite out of Macy's ear.

Macy tried to make friends with the pumpkin...or maybe she was trying to eat it!
All the dogs had a chance to run around the yard. Macy was one tired puppy when she got home!

Meet Carter

Carter is one of the 101 chihuahua's rescued by the Dearborn Animal Shelter. He's 4 years old and weights 10 lbs. I'm fostering him for a while to try to socialize him and make him adoptable.

He's very timid and does nothing all day but lay in his crate. I tried putting him in an X-pen, but he paniced and went wild and jumped out! So he'll be in the crate for a while. I've taken him out a few times to hold him and he shivers like crazy. He eventually calms down, but as soon as I move or get up, he panics.

Carter seems to like Wilma and Kramer around his crate (and Wilma is always laying outside the crate because there is food inside!) But when I open the crate thinking he'll come out to see the dogs, Carter just panics and hides his head.

It's very sad that this beautiful young dog knows nothing more than to lay and sleep and is terrified of everything. It'll take a while, but I'm determined to turn him into a social little guy who can be adopted into a loving home.

Hugo

Hugo is the 3rd "H" puppy to be out in the working world. He's living in Michigan with his new client. Hugo was raised in Florida, so a snowy winter will be something new to him!
He's been ready for work since he was only a few weeks old.




Hugo was Wilma's little Red Clifford, the smallest pup in the litter. He fought hard to keep up with the other 9 puppies. But he never gave up. He's a cutie with his brown stripe down his nose.

Congratulations to Hugo's raisers, Kelli and Brian!

Hazel

Miss Purple, Hazel, is working in ME! That's two Wilma pups out there in the world making someone's life easier!

Congratualtions to raiser Mary and her family for giving Hazel a great start!

Halo is a Service Dog!

Halo, puppy number 11 from Wilma's first litter, has gone home! Little Miss Surprise with the rainbow collar may have been the last puppy born, but she's the first of Wilma's pups to graduate as a service dog (at least that I know of, if anyone has any info on the othrs, I would love to hear it)! She'll be living in Florida, where her brothers Hugo and Hyde grew up.

Congratulations to Halo and raiser Suzanne!

Wilma and I are so proud of Halo!

End of Summer Bon Fire

It actually started as a pool party. And there was some activity in the pool. But the temperature was cool and the pool water even cooler! A bon fire was much better for this weather.

Sue and Sinatra
Sandy and Spork

Anna and Heather and Digger and Cooper
Barb and Tito












Camera shy were Bonnie, Bentley, Kramer and Timmy. Diane's new dog was just spayed, so she missed to fun, but she'll be joining in next time for sure!



Wilma received an Ultimate Air Dogs medal for completing her first UAD Splash! Thanks, Heather!

Ultimate Air Wilma!

Wilma competed in the Ultimate Air Dogs dock diving competition this weekend. She did 2 Splashes. Each splash consists of two jumps. Here she is with her first splash jump of 2 feet 8 inches!

In her second splash, she jumped a whooping 4 feet 4 inches! OK, so maybe she's not such an Ultimate Air Dog, but I'm so proud of her for jumping on her own, for the first time on this dock/pool and with an audience clapping and watching her!


Heather and Anna were there with Digger and Bazooka Joe. Digger is a fun dog to watch jump. And Bazooka Joe took first place in his division with 19 feet 9 inches! Yeah Zuko!!This was his first win ever!

Mutt Strutters

A group of Dearborn Animal Shelter Mutt Strut volunteers got together for the Paw Walk at Paws in the Park in Canton, MI, a fundraiser for the Huron Valley Humane Society. Wilma and I walked with JoAnne and Bonnie, Sue and Timmy, Kelle and Harry, Pat and Abby, Nicole and Bentley, and Barb and Kramer.

Bentley is one of the 105 chihuahuas rescued by the Dearborn Animal Shelter from a horribly filthy dog hoarder home last month. He is 2 years old, had never been outside, seen grass or sunshine, had never had on a collar or leash, had never had any human contact except for the guy hoarding the dogs, and had never met a dog other than the other chihuahuas in the home. Bentley has discovered a whole new world outside that filthy home and is doing great!

The walk included a float and costume contest.

Along the walk was a photo shoot complete with costumes. Some of us couldn't resist.

Another stop along the walk was the Tricks for Treats. Timmy did spins, Harry bowed, Wilma did her high five, and the rest of the dogs did Sit for their treats.

Harry got thirsty, but was in luck when we found a drinking fountain.

Of course we couldn't help but compare this walk with the Dearborn Animal Shelter's Mutt Strut, which is in May. We concluded it was a nice event with some fun features along the walk (the costumes photo shoot, Tricks for Treats, and the float/costume contest). Stay tuned for details on next May's Mutt Strut!

More Pool Fun!

Summer finally came to Michigan and we have been taking full advantage of the pool. Wilma, Kramer and Macy all like the water.






















Wilma is like a fish. She loves to just swim around or be in the water lounging on her raft.




















Macy will fetch a toy and then get out.

Kramer has to be coaxed in, but once he's in, he's OK and a great swimmer. I think he likes it, but just won't get in by himself. I think he's seen Wilma in the pool too much. He's taken to the raft too!