The Bob Barker Treatment

Seriously people, in today's society, how fucking difficult is it to understand the important of spaying/neutering your pets? How? I want to know why some people still don't get it. It frustrates me to NO fucking END when dumb people think it's okay for their dogs to go gallivanting about with all their privates.

Recently, I read something about the Bright Eyes Dog Rescue in Regina who received a dog-mom and her eight pups because the owners abandoned them. They got fed up that she kept getting pregnant and just gave up. This was her third litter in her short 4 years of life... and they still don't get the hint? So the eight pups are currently placed in foster homes, waiting for their forever homes. At least they get a better chance at a healthy and happy dog-life filled with tennis balls and human-love.

What pisses me off, I think, is those people who's dogs get pregnant... and then, thinking they are being responsible pet owners, they give away the pups to just about anyone for free. I'm sure some families will love the pups endlessly and care for them until they go to doggie-heaven... but when you can't commit a few hundred dollars to adopting an animal, it really makes one wonder about the level of dedication you have towards that animal.

Also, when you adopt an animal from a shelter (be it SPCA or any Humane Society) they normally will make a deal with you that you must spay/neuter the animal within so much time or the animal will be reclaimed. Why? So they don't end up with six to eight more puppies who look a whole lot like your dog in a few months. It's called overpopulation and it's a real bitch (pun intended). So these people, who are handing out puppies right, left and center willy nilly have no control over the dogs getting fixed in the long run and are just contributing to the problem.

//end rant.

Reason #2256 why our dog is damaged - The Oven Monster

A bit ago, I posted a link to a blog post from Hyperbole and a Half's Dog entry claiming that it was a perfect depiction of Nova. Case in point :

Side note : Since we've had her, Nova's been introduced to crate training. We are firm believers in crate training a dog, especially a high energy dog like Nova. It allows her to have a "safe place" where she can relax and sort of "shut down" to fall asleep. If she weren't crate trained, she'd spend the entire night roaming around the house, investigating every little smell or sound - not good. Same as when we're at work - she's safe in there, not running around building on anxiety for being left alone. She just zones out and falls asleep, knowing we'll be back soon to let her out again. Basics of crate training but I always feel like I should explain because we often get weird looks when we say she's crated at night. Given her past, she's prone to anxiety so it's best for her to be contained - kinda like my messed-up self.

One random evening late after dinner, Js and I decided to go out to the movies. We looked up the show times online and saw that the last showing was in about half an hour. I had baked something for desert and it was just about ready so we stuffed a couple in my purse and away we went. Nova safely resting in her crate for the night, we left the house.

We came back, nearly 2 hours later and Nova was unusually quiet. Normally, the minute the car pulls up we can hear her whining her misery - how dare we leave her for such a long, unbearable time? This time, there was nothing - no cries, no weeping. As we walk up to the house we hear a faint beeeeep-beeeeeep.

"Where the hell is that coming from?"
"I don't know... sounds like it's from inside the house." The call is coming from inside the house!
"Huh... sounds a lot like our oven timer."
"Huh..."


We turned off the oven but in our rush to catch the movie, we forgot to turn off the timer. That timer is one of the most annoying inventions known to mankind. It's very pushy and insistent.


Beeeee-beeeep. I'm done. Beeeeep-beeeeeep. Com'on guys, I'm done! Beeeeeep-beeeeep. Hey, look alive! You ask me to tell you in 10 minutes, I tell you in 10 minutes and what do you do? You ignore me? I think not! Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Our poor, poor Nova had to put up with nearly 2 hours of incessant beeping. Now, every time timer goes off or the oven beeps because it's done pre-heating (wouldn't it be nice if men had that function?) she goes into a frenzy! She runs in circles around whatever piece of furniture is closest and lets out weird little barks - not loud enough to get into trouble or to interrupt the Beep-BEEEEEEP Monster.


And that, ladies and gents, is one of the many ways our dog is damaged.

Dog for sale!

This weekend is supposed to be the Base Yard-Sale and true to Saskatchewan weather, it's raining. It's been pissing buckets all week and everyone hoped it would stop in time for the event. It was supposed to be today and then pushed back to tomorrow if it rains. If the sun doesn't come up tomorrow, I'm having a Living-Room-Sale.

To keep myself entertained and ready for the slightest ray of sunshine, I priced everything in the house yesterday. In a moment of craziness, I priced Nova for $0.30 ... she didn't get what was so funny.

Js bought her.

Pup-Pride - Nova teaches a lesson to young girls everywhere

This photo is to demonstrate Nova's skills and how obedience classes pay off on so many levels.

The cutie you see there in Amanda's backyard is Diesel, Nova's crush. She used to be all up on him like a ShackRat at Mess on a Friday evening but now, she is (mostly) cool and collected as she sit-stays on the other side of the street. Good girl. :)

The picture doesn't quite illustrate the degree of dog-owner-pride (and creepy-middle-of-the-street-picture-taker) I experienced during our short but fun walk today. As the weather becomes more and more ... survivable on the Prairies, I'm looking forward to walking her more regularly. Does both of us good and allows me to show off my well-behaved puppers.

Welcome Cedar and Doug!

I've been meaning to post about my 2 latest house guests and I totally forgot with Easter weekend and everything, but here they are!

I am dog sitting some puppies for a friend out here and they have been great (although stinky!) company. They made me a bit nervous because it took them a good 2 days before they pooped for the first time but they've been making up for it today. I guess they felt they should prepare an Easter egg hunt for me to thank me for my hospitality. *mmm*

This is Cedar, he's an 8 year old collie-lab mix. He's not as energetic as I think he'd be, I guess age is a big factor here. He's still very cuddly and playful though.

There is also Doug, I haven't been able to get a really good shot of him. He's 10 years old and he's a collie-lab mix too but he looks more like a lab with collie ears. He's got a hip problem so he's not super energetic either, but he's very vocal. He grunts and "smiles" when you pet him and he's a big suck for cuddles too.

They are awesome together. They play and clean out each other's ears. We went for a long walk today and I think Cedar is adjusting to my walks a bit quicker than Doug but we're working on that.

It's great to have them around, it keeps me occupied and motivates me to take walks and move around a bit... aside from the poop-scooping, I'm enjoying it! :)