Hike N Howl 2007

1 September 2007
9 am to 3 pm
Norristown Farm Park
Norristown, PA.

Brought to you by
Delaware Valley Siberian Husky Rescue
MaPaw Siberian Husky Rescue
Harnessed to Hope Northern Breed Rescue

Getting Ready for the Hike

Hi Puppies, Hike N Howl 2007 is less than a week away and we are feeling the crunch. If you have not already pledged one of our virtual hikers, go click the pledge button on my sidebar and pledge me right now! At my house this weekend we were making the signs that will help people and puppies find their way around all the fun activities once they arrive at the park.

Okay, Blue, see that yardstick? Measure every 6 inches and cut.Blue got right to work. Okay, Mags, everything's measured, but I don't think I should use an X-acto knife. Our newest foster dog, Maverick, was feeling a bit shy, so we tried to make him feel at home by sharing the work with him. Here he is assuring Blue that he understands how to attach the fasteners. Blue was supposed to handle the gluing, but we found him passed out like this. I guess I should have known better than to give glue to a scent-oriented dog.

So then it was up to Maverick to finish the job.

Meanwhile, I made a sign of all the virtual hikers. Do you see me on there with my friends Indy, Sasha, Kelsey Ann, Harley, Echo, and Shiloh? Do not worry, you do not have to spot me, just click that big yellow button on my sidebar.We tried setting up the signs to get an idea of how they will look on the big day.
Blue proofread all the signs one last time to make sure everything was perfect. They look good, Blue, now we can go have a nap. Today the meteorologist said Saturday's weather is going to be spectacular, which is just the weather we should have for a spectacular event!

Finally!

Hi Puppies, I have been hanging onto some good news for a couple weeks now. Maximus has found a new home! I did not share the good news right away because I wanted to make sure he stuck this time. Tasha was born into the house of a hoarder and lived in crowded, unsanitary conditions until she was rescued. Her dad, grandma, and Beagle brother have taken excellent care of her and were ready to find a new addition to the family.

Tasha brought her dad and grandma out to a meet & greet to meet Blue because she thought he seemed nice based on his picture and profile online. While Tasha took a walk with Blue, her grandma stayed at the table and fell for Maximus. Tasha said Blue was a very nice young dog, but a little too energetic for her. She prefers a more relaxed, quiet life. A quiet life is exactly what Maximus wants too so they are clearly a good match.

Since his adoption Maximus has been settling well into his new home. His dad and grandma love their pups deeply and have the knowledge and skill to handle the training needs of all three dogs. We are so happy that Maximus has found his true forever home.

Visiting with Friends

Hi Puppies, this week we are puppy-sitting another one of our former foster dogs. Deeko is the very first dog for whom Mama and Papa found a home. He was wandering through the woods with both eyes crusted from entropion. MaPaw got him the veterinary care he needed and found him a home with two Siberian brothers. That home is also with a good friend of ours so we get to visit Deeko often.

Deeko's big brother Knanook (not the Newfy) may be an old man now, but he can still beat up Blue now and then. Knanook is the first Siberian Husky Mama and Papa knew, and they liked him so much they decided to rescue Siberians. I am certainly grateful that Nook demonstrated the delightful Siberian character.Here you can enjoy the music Deeko and his other brother Logan have brought to my home.

We Flunked

So Puppies, I mentioned Blue when I talked about the last meet & greet. What I did not mention is that Blue came to my house after that event. Princess was off to her new home and we knew Blue was lonely at the kennel where he was staying because he kept escaping his run to climb into the runs of other dogs staying there. The kennel has plenty of Siberian experience, but they could not contain Blue and he was doing a lot of expensive damage while they were kind enough to house him for us. Mama met Blue a couple weeks before that when she took pictures for our website and evaluated him. As she held his paws, took away toys, and turned him on his back, Blue gave her kisses and rolled in the grass. Mama wanted to start fostering him right then, but our house was full, so we had to wait.It is an occupational hazard, Puppies. We love every dog we foster. We welcome them into our hearts and home. We care for them as a part of the family. When they go on to their new homes, it is always a bittersweet feeling as a piece of us goes with them. Once in a while, there is a dog who thrives in our family, a dog who fits so perfectly in our pack that we cannot say goodbye. Blue fit into our home as if he was returning after an absence rather than arriving for the first time. Bailey, Ananya, and I usually disagree about which foster dogs are our favorites, but we all love Blue, so we had a talk with Mama and Papa and now we are four.

Naturally we will continue to foster and share with you the stories of Siberian resilience, but Blue's happy ending tale comes at the same time as his introduction. Join me in welcoming my new little brother, Blue.

Princess takes the Plunge

I was surprised how much Maximus enjoyed swimming in the deep water, but Princess was no surprise. She hated it. She will not have to worry about going on that hike again, though, because she has moved to her new home! Teddy and his dad saw Princess online and came out to one of our meet & greets to get to know her. Poor Teddy does not travel well and vomited on himself, but he said it was worth it to him to find such a sweet sister.

Teddy felt much better when Princess made the drive to his house. Princess and Teddy hit it off immediately. They ran out in the back yard and had such a good time playing Mama could not focus the camera on them. Finally they stopped a moment to catch their breath and Mama got a shot of them smiling at each other.

We do not have to worry about Princess roaming the streets like she did at her previous home. Teddy has a secure yard where she can run, plus she could not possibly find anything outside the fence that would be as fun as her new big brother.

Timeless

I have said it before and I will say it again - I move slowly. So I am late in responding to Indy's tag, but now I will name 5 things I would put in a time capsule.

1. My couch - It is good for napping, resting, sleeping, and getting belly rubs. Also, it helps me reach the end table from which I can steal paper to chew.

2. Training treats - They are as versatile as my couch. I use training treats to make my mama focus all her attention on me. I do normal, everyday things like walking with Mama and sitting, but she gets much more excited by those things when she has training treats. Plus, they make excellent between meal snacks.

3. Collars & Leashes - It is a two-part tool to get my humans out of the house. A collar & leash helps me get car rides and walks and trips to the pet store. They will also help me get back to Mama and Papa if I ever accidentally wander away from home.

4. Frontline & Heartgard - They keep me safe from fleas, ticks, heartworms, and whatever diseases those parasites may be carrying.

5. Bagels - I love carbs.


I am slow and doofy, so I am also late in responding to Echo's tag to answer a questionaire.

What is your favorite place to sleep?
During the day, I love the end of the couch nearest the kitchen. It is soft and close to the food. At night I like to sleep next to Bailey because he keeps me safe.

Is there a specific trick your humans make you do to get treats?
Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel, Stand or sometimes a combination of them.


If you could spend an entire day doing anything at all with anyone, what would you do and with whom?
I would go for a hike with my family and a couple foster dogs who have not had such good lives. Who would have guessed Maximus loves swimming? Then we would return home for a beef puff or another delicious snack and a nap.

What is your favorite toy?
Bailey, but most of the time I do not play.

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?
I would have more time, more space, and more money so I could help a lot more dogs. For every one we save, there are hundreds more waiting at shelters or suffering at the hands of people who do not care for them.

Healthy at Home

Good news, Puppies, Dawkin has recovered from his surgery and gone straight to his new home! Before Dawkin left for his surgery, he was hanging out in our back yard with Papa. Some neighbors walked over to say Hi and hear about the latest foster dog. As Papa told them about Dawkin's eyes, our neighbors fell in love with Dawkin for his spirit and resilience. Dawkin now has an Australian Cattle Dog brother named Storm and a Boxer sister named Simone. The three of them hung out together in our yard before Dawkin's surgery, but now he can see them.


Dawkin's new people took him out for a game of fetch now that he can follow the ball, but he is still a Siberian, so of course he does not fetch. Dawkin loves to play with his new siblings and roll on the floor with his new human toddler.
Dawkin still needs eye drops three times daily and has to go to several follow-up appointments to keep his eyes healthy, but we are confident his new family will take excellent care of him.