Oh, the Heartbreak!!

I went and took my beloved shelter pup out for a really long walk today. About 3 hours. We went off of our normal route of the forest trail in favour of walking the length of a road that would eventually (1.5 hours on), lead us back to the canyon trail.

We had a great time. We stop at designated places and just sit, the two of us. That's sort of our cool-down period, plus, neither of us wants to take her back to the shelter.

Today, we get back and there is a family looking for a dog. I keep Sierra to the side, because, well, I want to adopt her. Unfortunately this family sees her and comes over...UUUGGHH! My den-momma heart felt like breaking. I kept thinking: you don't want her, she's too big, she's middle aged, you want a younger dog. I HOPE & PRAY that I will be able to adopt her.

I guess that may sound mean (me wanting her), but she's been there 2 months (and I'm one of the few people who walk her, and apparently her favourite), not many people have looked at her. Her first family didn't come to find her, and here I am, going to see her almost everyday, and someone may try to take that away from both of us??? When I said goodbye to her, she kept trying to get to me, even with everyone else around her petting her.

I love that pup and really do want to adopt her. I just need a couple of months to get some things squared away. At least with Sierra in my life, I now have incentive.

TO THE FAMILY THAT LOOKED AT SIERRA: PLEASE LOOK AT TAKING A YOUNGER DOG, OR JUST ANOTHER DOG.

On the Trail Again

I had another doggie date today. We went out for just over 2.5 hours, on the same trail as always, only we managed to get higher up in the canyon than the other days.

This is the usual view I get of her, I've been trying to get a half decent photo of her, but she doesn't seem to care much about stardom.


Ahh!! That's better. At least a bit...I feel like a paparrazi.

Thank goodness she doesn't seem to mind, as long as we continue our walks.

My parents phoned today and made a valid point..They think Sierra & I are getting too attached and I'll get hurt if she gets adopted by someone else. They are right, I am attached to her...no regrets about that. I hate to leave her at the shelter & by her actions, she'd rather be with me. So I guess I just have to find a way to adopt her. That means paying off bills, and getting together a down payment for at least a townhouse. I HAVE to do this. As far as I'm concerned, she's part of my pack, MY PUP.

Sierra Trails and Angels

Another day, another walk in the forest. My beloved shelter pup and I were off once again to conquer the wilderness.












The path starts off at creek level





The trail runs for about half an hour on level ground, then begins to climb into a canyon



Higher and higher it climbs,




eventually reaching 150 feet above the creek



Yes, that's the creek very tiny at the bottom. Sierra & I were were a few feet from the edge so I could take the picture. She was sniffing around, not really paying attention to where she was going. I got worried she would get too close to the edge and fall, it's a sheer drop of around 100 feet to the bottom. So I put my camera away and tried to pull her bak to the trail. I KNOW there were no clouds or mist when I took that picture, I think I would've noticed . Looks like someone else was worried about us too.

I absolutely believe in angels and guardians. Thank heavens we are never truly alone.

Thank you!

They're all Cowards!

Today as I was out walking the pup, I met up with another volunteer walker. We stopped to chat about the dogs, and volunteering, somehow we ended up talking about the history of dog she was walking. He is a beautiful shepherd xcross, who is lively and affectionate. And unfortunately seems to have been the victim of abuse. When he walks, one of his hind legs doesn't move quite right (could it be that he was kicked there???), also, if you raise your hand quickly, he cowers. On one of his hind legs, he has nipped all the hair away.

Now I want to ask...WHAT KIND OF COWARD BEATS UP AN ANIMAL??? WHAT KIND OF BASTARD STARVES AN ANIMAL??

How can anyone who claims to be human, ever stoop to hurting an animal that asks nothing more from you than food, a place to live and your love. An animal who will fight to the death to save your life, an animal who is willing to work...on a farm, visiting the elderly in hospitals, leading the blind, whatever, a friend who will NEVER judge you.

Here's another one. In the newspapers today, there is a story of horses on a farm near Rockey Mountain House, Alberta being found starved to death. More than a dozen I believe it said. A NOTE TO THE OWNER...HEY ASSHOLE, IF YOU COULDN'T AFFORD TO KEEP THE HORSES, SELL THEM!!!!

I wonder what kind of punishment the farmer with the horses will receive. A slap on the wrist? a fine and being banned from ever owning an animal again? That sentence would be TOO LIGHT! Willfull manslaughter! Murder! Anything but a slap on the wrist. Even better..starve him, take him close to death, feed him only enough to save his life and do it again and again. Break him. He deserves it for what de did.

Now, I know, some people would say turn the other cheek. How many times do we need to turn it, since turning it hasn't stopped the problem. How many more times do we let the bullies get away with it, when DO WE STAND UP AND FIGHT?

I personally would like to introduce both the farmer in Rocky Mountain House, and the person who hurt the dog to Miss Right Fist, Miss Left Fist and this 2x4.

Puppy Love - Sierra

I went out again today with my main pooch. Thought I'd show you where she lives when she's not out walking. I think I wrote before that she's from the local animal shelter. It's actually a nice facility (as shelters go), and the people there are awesome. They have a dog run in the back where the dogs can socialize and run around. But it's still nice to take her out.




We only hand 1 1/2 hours today and she really didn't want to go back, guess we've bonded alot in the past few weeks.

I love the trails near where I live, I know in a lot of big cities, these just don't exist

.



This is where we went today. Alot of times I let her choose the way, of course she usually chooses the path with the most squirrels. Gotta chase, you know?
I wonder what goes through her head, I mean, what kind of a meal could a squirrel possibly make? Or is it just the chasing part??

I remember when I was younger I thought big dogs were only used as guard dogs, and always vicious. I'm glad I learned through experience that big dogs like Sierra got a bad rap somewhere along the way. I mean, Sierra just loves to hug, and to be touched. I spoke with someone on the trail the other day who commented on how beautiful Sierra is. One of the first things she said is, ''she's beautiful, but look at how powerful her chest is, I bet she could do a lot of damage''. My reply was ''yes, I suppose she could do alot of damage IF SHE REALLY WANTED TO, but she's very gentle''. I guess big dogs just naturally scare people. Ok, she is around 100 lbs, and a dog that size coming at you in anger or happiness can be daunting, but still. Give the dog a chance.

I would love to adopt her. I know I've said it before, but I'm using the power of positive thinking to help me make it happen.

50th Anniversay - A Love Letter

This year marks my parents 50th Anniversary. 50 years together. Wow! Not many couples make it to that these days, so to say I am proud of them is a considerable understatment. July 12th, 1958 they were married. So many things in the world have changed since then, so much history. The Vietnam War, JFK's assasination, the first moon landing, the cold war ending, the Wall falling, CD's, DVD's, The space shuttle, and so much more. When I think of what they have seen in their lifetime...I wonder if I will be able to say the same thing.

I love my Mom's story about meeting my Dad. First of all, they grew up in the same small town in north eastern Alberta. A farming community full of slavic immigrants, where your nearest neighbour was about a mile away (ok, the length of your farm), there was only one main street, with a hotel, a few stores, and a gas station. They both spent their childhood in that town, BUT NEVER MET!!!!

So fast forward a number of years. My Mom is 16 and moves to the city to work. Dad's family had already moved to the city, but when Dad was 18 he went to Ottawa to work. After awhile, he moved back home. One day he took a bus, my Mom was already on the bus, and upon seeing him, decided that he was the man she was going to marry. She thought he was pretty darn cute. They didn't speak at all. And I suppose Mom wondered if she would ever see him again.

Awhile later, a local radio station was holding a dance (they did that back in those days), and both my parents attended with a friend. At some point in the evening, Mom noticed Dad there, unfortunately, another young man asked her to dance. I think she danced with him. But she was waiting for Dad to ask her. He finally got up the courage and they danced. Well, she was said she felt like jelly, I guess you could call it a swoon. At the end of the evening, the other young man asked if he could drive her home, she made all kinds of excuses, saying she lived really far away, she was with a friend, etc. trying to discourage this fellow. She wanted Dad to drive her home. So, the other guy walks away. Finally, Dad comes up and asks to take her home, she is so happy, but she does mention her friend. That's ok he says, I'm here with a friend, and he has a car, we'd be happy to dive you ladies home. As she gets in the car, she sees the driver is the first young man she turned down. OUCH!

I love that back then, a fellow could offer you a ride home, and most of the time you wouldn't have to worry. There was a different attitude towards things, an accountability that alot of people today just don't have. I realize that it may sound like I'm really generalizing, but there WERE more manners back then then there are today.

Everytime I think of my parents' story, I think.....Wow, talk about the power of positive thinking! ''Mom, you're amazing''. No, really, I am always warmed by their story and believe they were truly fated to be together..and 50 years on, they still are.

Dog Day Sunday

Introducing, Sierra!



What a great day. I started volunteering for my local animal shelter a few weeks ago, as a dog walker. I've walked the same beautiful dog about 15 times now. I can't understand why she is still up for adoption, maybe it's because she's so big.

At any rate, I took her for a walk today for 1 1/2 hours in the forest. We have tons of forest paths here that are all off-leash areas. In the summer I guess we might have to watch for bears and cougars, but right now there are only coyotes around.

If you don't believe me, this is the area we walk in:




There is a creek, which is more like a river that the trails run on both sides of.
You'd never know it, but there are houses within a 10 minute walk all the way along the trails.

Sierra loves the water, she doesn't seem to care how deep or fast it runs. She almost pulled me in last week. It was pretty funny seeing me standing on a rock, trying not to follow her into the drink. Of course she can't figure out what my problem is.

I discovered something new about her today...she loves to chase squirrels. She pulled me a good 3 feet before I was able to grab her collar and get her under control. Again, she couldn't figure out what the problem was. Of course, now I'm nursing a really sore shoulder.

We have such a great time together, I wish I could adopt her, but the building I'm in doesn't allow pets. Guess I just have to save my money & get rich, or moderately well-off. That way I can move out of this apt. and into a house, and adopt her.

Her presence in my life has meant so much for me. Just being with her is so calming, and she definately has the ability to make me laugh. I hope I've done her some good too.

If I could ask anyone to do just one thing...it'd be, GO WALK A DOG. Yours, or from a shelter, but go walk one.