The Poodle (and Dog) Blog

New year's resolutions for the cat (written by the dogs)

Since the dogs have deemed themselves perfect,
they have written New Year’s resolutions for the cat

I will not play Thundering Buffalo Stampeding across the Great Plains while humans and dogs are sleeping on the bed.

I will patiently allow the dogs to sniff my mouth and nether regions when I return to the yard to bring them the news from the neighborhood.

I will limit my going out/coming in to one time per each door opening.

I will not rub up against the face of any dog while another dog or human is watching and laughing.

I will allow the dogs some measure of doggy dignity by not curling up with them even though they are warm.

When playing chase with the dogs, I must not embarrass them by getting in the rear.

When playing with humans and dogs, I must remember I have retractable claws and keep them retracted.

I will pretend I know nothing of the carnage of any magpies.

When launching myself from the bed to the window or dresser, I must not use humans or dogs as a launching pad. The same is true of a landing pad.

I will not weave around feet in the hallway or on the steps even though it does cause some excitement.

A human typing on a computer does not form a hammock for my enjoyment.

I will remember that my human can see me when she first wakes up in the morning even when I am further than one inch from her face.

Playing psycho cat from hell when I am put into the cat carrier only annoys the humans and amuses the dogs.

Therapy dogs deployed to Iraq

Sergeants First Class Budge and Boe don't have last names and no one has to salute them. They’re dogs. And they are headed to Iraq as the Army’s first therapy dogs for soldiers in combat.

They have a higher rank than that of their human handlers because the army wants to make sure they get the respect due to their higher ranking. Budge and Boe have an important new duty in the army. They are the army's first therapy dogs for soldiers in combat.

The two black Labrador Retrievers will be assigned to the army's combat stress units to help soldiers deal with the stress of fighting overseas.

Sergeant Mike Calaway, an occupational therapist stationed in Tikrit, said, "Our hope is that it brings some normalcy to the soldiers. The human-animal bond will help relax them."

According to Maj. Arthur Yeager, an occupational therapist based at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, therapy dogs have been used successfully to help wounded soldiers deal with treatment and recovery. Now it is expected to work on the battlefield as well.

When soldiers in Iraq become overwhelmed, they are encouraged to visit the combat stress unit, but many soldiers have difficulty asking for help, according to Yeager. That’s where Budge and Boe come in.

"To have a dog come up and nudge your hand -- I have yet to see even the hardest soldier refuse that," Yeager said. There is no stress sponge like a friendly dog.

Unlike bomb sniffing dogs, usually German Shepherds who are trained to obey commands only from the handlers, therapy dogs will be a friend to everyone who needs a little doggy love.

"Dogs are not going to be the sole answer, but they certainly will be an icebreaker," according to Mike Sergeant, chief training officer.

more of the story

Dogs of war come home

Besides being dogs, Lex and Cinnamon seem to have little in common.

Lex was a selectively bred, highly trained military dog deployed to Iraq to search out bombs.

Cinnamon was a stray puppy who charmed her way into becoming a troop mascot in Afghanistan.

But both dogs had their roles in war, both won the hearts of their comrades and now they have come home.

And both dogs remind us of our own humanity in a dangerous world.

Lex’s story

Marine Cpl Dustin Lee, a military dog handler, and Lex, his German Shepherd, were searching for roadside bombs when a mortar attack killed the 20-year-old Marine in Fallujah. Although injured himself, Lex had to be pulled away from his beloved handler.

Recognizing the strong bond between Lex and their slain son, the Lee family tried for months to adopt Lex. But military officials said that eight-year-old Lex had another two years of service before he was eligible for adoption.

Finally after nine months of lobbying, the military agreed to allow the Lees to bring Lex into their family, which includes parents Jerome and Rachael, daughter Madison, 16, and son Camryn, 12, of Quitman, Mississippi. Lex was flown home for a service honoring the fallen Marine.

His mother, Rachael, said she believes her son’s spirit will live on through the dog because of the close bond they had and because they were together during the final moments of her son's life. Lex’s story

Cinnamon’s story

When Cinnamon was just a puppy, she charmed her way into the hearts of service men and women in Afghanistan to become the company mascot. Navy Lt. Commander Mark Feffer established a special bond with her, and rather than abandon her when he rotated out of duty, he was determined to adopt her and take her back to the U.S. to live with him and his wife.

“He went through all the right channels to get her ready to travel. Cinnamon was on her way home. She had been taken care of for 7 months. She had her vet exam and her shots. Her health certificate was ready, and her transportation was arranged… An experienced dog handler was to accompany Cinnamon home.”

His wife Alice was to meet the plane carrying Cinnamon at O’Hare Airport. But then something went terribly wrong.

Cinnamon wasn’t on the plane. The trusted dog handler had abandoned her in a foreign country without telling anyone and no one knew where she was.

One lost little dog in a very large world…and a family determined to find her.

The story of Cinnamon’s eventual location and homecoming is recounted in the book “44 Days out of Kandahar” by Christine Sullivan.

Rescue of a military puppy: “44 Days out of Kandahar”

(No) Fleas Navidog

May your Christmas season be filled with joy From The Poodle (and dog) blog

No animal was harmed in making this post.

To Santa from us

Dear Santa,

Misty the alpha Poodle would like to be Alpha Dog to the world, thereby establishing world peace.

Timmy the jaws of death would like four and twenty magpies baked in a pie.

Tudee the Chihuahua mix would like global warming to hurry up so she won’t have to wear those dorky sweaters to stay warm.

Chamois the generic dog would like a tummy rub.

Taki the cat would like doors that never close.

And all of us would like for every puppy and kitten to be a planned and wanted puppy or kitten.

With love and Christmas wishes to everyone from

The Poodle (and dog) blog

A forever home for the Poodle and his beloved Pit Bull

Remember Vincent and Angel of Atlanta?

Vincent was a privileged Poodle with a good haircut. When his owner couldn’t be found, Stacey Hall of Southern Hope Humane Society, took him into her home as a foster dog where he immediately fell hopelessly in love with Angel, a formerly abused Pit Bull four times his size.

Hall was concerned that no one would want to adopt a Poodle and a Pit Bull together. After their story appeared in the Atlanta paper, several people stepped forth to adopt them both.

The winners: Elizabeth Dodwell and Alex Markovich of Duluth. They had lost their dog, Muttley, earlier in the year. Vincent’s smile reminded them of Muttley who had been abused like Angel before they got him.

In their new home, both dogs are happily playing tug of war and chase; they curl up together in their extra-large dog bed for naps.

At first Angel was terrified of going beyond the house, but now with love and encouragement from Vincent and her new humans, she jumps in the van and enjoys the ride to the dog park.

"They really are just the most precious things, they've brought so much joy into our lives," Dodwell said.

"We plan to have them for a lot of years to come. They're home."

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Dog rules for Christmas

1. Humans are under a lot of stress at this time. It is a season of joy and happiness and you know how hard it is for humans to be joyful and happy. This season calls for a lot of patience on the part of dogs. Humans will appreciate dog leans and nuzzles to help them deal with the stress.

2. A lot of pictures will be taken. Be sure you get in the middle of the group and smile at the camera.

3. Be patient if they try to decorate you. For some reason they think antlers and red hats on dogs are adorable. Smiling for these pictures is not necessary or wise.

4. They will bring home packages which they call gifts. They won’t think it’s funny if you rip them open, no matter how great they smell.

5. As weird as this sounds, even for humans, they will bring a tree into the house and put lights and decorations on it. There are some definite rules for you to follow regarding the tree:

- Do not pee on it
- Don’t knock it over
- Don’t munch on the decorations
- Don’t drink out of the bowl that holds the tree
- Don’t chew the cord that runs from the lights to the wall
- Don’t wag your tail too hard when it is aimed toward the tree
- If the cat climbs the tree, tell on her.

6. Expect more food, but be patient. Helping yourself to the buffet or grabbing the roast from the dining room table will get you banished from the festivities.

7. If a large man in a red suit and white beard comes down the chimney, don’t bite him. Never mind why. You wouldn’t believe it.

8. Expect company to show up from time to time. Refer to Dog Rules for House Guests for the proper etiquette. You may need to post these rules at the front door.

Puppy tossed out with the trash

This three month old Poodle-Terrier mix was found in a knotted takeout food bag at the bottom of a large dumpster outside an apartment block in Vancouver, according to this story.

The puppy was rescued when a resident of the neighborhood heard whimpering, saw the moving bag and took her to the Vancouver SPCA.

She was cold, listless and slightly underweight, but had no health problems when she was brought in. In a short time the curly haired puppy named Joey by the staff was prancing around giving everyone loving puppy kisses. She was quickly adopted into a new home.

Ironically according to the staff there, puppies like her are often sold for hundreds of dollars. Some shelters have waiting lists of people wanting to adopt small breed puppies.

It’s hard to imagine someone who would try to condemn a puppy to a slow death, but as Sean Baker, manager of the Langley Animal Protection Society, said, "It's really sad when that occurs. But I don't want to lay judgment on this person because we don't know what was happening.”

Pets are often abandoned because people are evicted or change locations, they (or members of their families) may be given unwanted pets, or people simply can’t take care of them and don’t know what to do.

But to purposefully leave a puppy to die is a criminal offense, with fines and jail time. Officials are seeking information on the former owners of Joey.

A light at the end

No matter what situations life throws at you... no matter how long and treacherous your journey may seem...

Remember, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks to the talented and fetching Chandira from Diary of a Hope Fiend for sending this.

A drunk, the call of nature and a playful puppy

A Cambodian man, Kann Veasna, had been drinking too much wine at a street stall when he felt the call of nature, according to this story. Rather than seek an indoor facility, he took a more public approach.

Spotting a hole in a fence, he proceded to poke his appendage through the hole in order to complete the mission—not knowing that a playful puppy was waiting behind the fence.

O, boy, a new toy.

The movement attracted the attention of the dog and… well, then Mr. Veasna had to go to the hospital in Phnom Penh for treatment of lacerations and maybe, even worse, explaining to the staff how the injuries occurred. Presumably his medical records weren’t kept private since it got into the newspapers.

A doctor was quoted as saying, “It's undoubtedly sore now, but luckily it should still be useful to him in the future.”

Way more embarrassing than breaking a middle toe.