More Park Tales

Well, Miss River has started to come out of her shell slowly. She doesn't just stay at her bed all day. She's finally more willing to come out and play. Today she had a visit with grandma, who was actually very happy to see her. It was her first trip on an elevator. She did great. I was just praying that she wouldn't pee, because I could tell she was scared. These days she has gotten interest in a toy that I bought for the park.

Initially I bought it for the other dogs since she was not too interested. She allowed the other dogs to play with it until they got tired, then she got it and play with it by herself. She even allowed her friend Rosie to play a little tug with her.

She was the star of the afternoon. It is normal for me to be camera ready with her. But it was too funny to see other furparents trying to capture the moment with their camera phones as well.

Here's the star.

We have a voice!

Last night, around 3am, hubby and I heard a dog bark in our sleep. We woke up, startled of course. We discovered that our bundle of joy was finally barking in her dreams. We had never heard her voice. I use to joke and say I didn't believe she had vocal cords. Well, she has them!
Scared the hell out of us too!!! Thank God we didn't scream or we would have startled her. We just looked over her bed and there she was sleeping and barking... Too cute!!

Do dogs feel Love?

I have this article from a dog lover friend of mine.

Disclaimer: Not all references were quoted. If you want to be credited for something posted here just page me on the comments.

For Pet’s Humans – by: Donna Maples
Do Our Dogs Feel Love?
We feel tremendous love for our dogs, and our dogs sure seem to love us. But is a dog really capable of emotions? Or are we just projecting our feelings onto our dogs? In researching this article it seems that scientists avoid this subject because they believe part of what sets humans apart from animals is our ability to experience feelings. To say that animals actually have feelings, in the same way we do, would change everything – perhaps disrupt our entire position and standing in the animal kingdom. That would be like heresy and we all know what that can lead to. However, any dog owner knows that dogs, when treated well, love completely and have a greater capacity for love than most people. If one were to describe the main characteristics of a dog, they would have to be:

1. strong affection

2. warm attachment

3. unselfish loyalty and generous concern for others
4. gives the most unconditional love one can ever experience

If you were to look in a dictionary you would see that descriptors 1-3 are found under love. The last one is mine. In the book Dogs Never Lie About Love, the author wrote that “dogs are love”. So there isn’t a question of whether dogs love, the mystery is how they have such an enormous capacity for it. Dogs that are neglected or abused still show love for their human and wag their tails in hope of a little affection.

Dogs that are fortunate enough to be taken from abusive situations hold no grudges toward the humans. Kindness from a new person results in immeasurable affection from the formerly mistreated dog. Humans rarely have the capacity to so completely forgive and love under those circumstances.

Probably the biggest reason that dogs have become man’s best friend is because we know that when it comes to love, a dog can always outdo us. The highest form of love, agape love, which is completely unconditional, is something that people often have to work at or grow into. Agape love seems natural between parent and child, but it’s more difficult between husband and wife, and harder still between friends. To love someone regardless of what wrongs they have done you is very difficult for humans.

A dog, however, is born with an endless capacity for agape love, and doesn’t even have to work at it. You can be a complete grouch, ignore your dog, and refuse him your love. When you decide you’re ready to be sociable again, your dog doesn’t pay you back by ignoring you too. He’s just happy you’re there. More amazing still, is that the love that dogs and owners feel for each other lasts a lifetime. This is the ideal love humans strive for, but often fail at.

The author of Dogs Never Lie About Love says, “Learning to know somebody intimately is often the beginnings of dislike, sometimes even of contempt. Among humans, love often does not survive a growing acquaintance, but in a dog, love seems to grow with acquaintance, to get stronger, deeper. Even when fully acquainted with all our weaknesses, our treachery, our unkindness, the dog seems to love strongly – and this love is returned by most dog-loving humans. We, too, seem to love our dogs the more we get to know them. The bond grows between us and our dogs.”

This is why we need dogs. They do something for us that rarely another human can do. No matter how much you mess up your life, or how much wrong you do, no matter how many mistakes you make or how often you make them, regardless of your looks, income or social standing, your dog never judges you. He always thinks you are wonderful and loves you with all his heart.

Please remember to spay, neuter and rescue!

A ball!

Yesterday at the park, she finally played with a ball. She chewed on it for a little while. I was even able to throw the ball and have her go after it, three times!!! She responded to me when I called and accepted the ball from my hand. As shy as she has been that is a total breakthrough in my eyes. Of course, since I'm taking the pictures, you can't see her "fetching" but here's her playing with her ball in a corner.

The other picture is just her, being her.

Accepting Love from others!

This is a cute story. Since we've been going to the park, as skeptical as River is, she never let others pet her for too long. There's this guy who also has a Labrador has been trying to make her comfortable and play with her. Every time he approaches her, no matter how gentle, she runs away. Well, his girlfriend came to the park and went to her. She let herself be pet and hugged. He's the historical picture of River letting someone other than us pet her.

That day she was full energy. She was running and even ran over another dog. I was just amazed.

We're slowly working on down and up. Since treats dont work. It's been harder than I thought. But she's getting the hang of it. She knows to stay at least in the car's trunk and stop when we're walking.

I took her to the vet and got her heartworm meds. It was very easy to give it to her as its like a treat. I put it in my hand like I do with her food. She just licked it and ate it. The other thing that was weird to me is that when they weight her at the vet's office, they said that she's only 35 pounds, when at the shelter they said that she was 45. I actually have seen her gain weight, that means she was probably even less... Maybe all those days without eating and all her running.

Today, I have to admit that I've been looking for clothes for her. Not necessarily to dress her like a doll ( although at least once I might) but preparing for the winter. I'm starting to look into sweaters for her.