DAY 2: Orientation to DogTown

We're still on Michigan time, but we're adjusting to life at DogTown!
It is so laid back here. Whatever you want to do you pretty much can do and on your own time schedule.

We woke up earlier than expected this morning, and while it was chilly, it was very very pretty.

The view from our balcony

Dana in the sun on our balcony

Our day started with an Orientation and a Tour. Very Very nice people! Everyone is genuinely nice and appreciative that we are here.

We're actually here!

Once we were oriented to the Sanctuary and the rules of DogTown, we went back to our cottage for lunch. We made grilled ham & cheese sandwiches and they were Excellent! We are loving our little cottage. It's like a little apartment. It's great.

Then we went to work!
We spent the afternoon with Larry poop scooping (of course!), watering and feeding the dogs and sweeping out kennels. A very busy afternoon with not much opportunity to spend time with the dogs unfortunately, but there was a little interaction, and making them more comfortable and happy is always good!

Larry & His Midwestern Girls

We asked Larry for some support in choosing a dog for a sleepover. Of course the dog I LOVED, Hera, was unavailable for a sleepover. She'd recently had a bad experience in town and was for now unable to go on sleepovers...A couple of dogs were recommended - the #1 and #2 sleepover dogs. Dana and I decided to choose a dog that didn't get to go on as many sleepovers. We have Ogy (pronounced 'Augie') Dog for the night!

Our Ogy Dog

Gettin' Sleepy!

We don't know what breed or breeds he is. He's sweet and cute and energetic and calm. He's a bit crazy about jumping from bed to bed in the bedroom, but we appreciate the novelty of such things. He's alert and interested in what's going on around us which Dana LOVES because there have been mountain lion sightings recently and Dana is sure we are going to be attacked.

Spaghetti Dinner was good...

Though boiling the water for pasta was a humongous challenge, we made a fantastic spaghetti with meat sauce dinner on our hot plate.

We're tired again tonight and Our Ogy Dog is starting to wind down so I hope to sleep through the night tonight. I've never slept through the night in my life, but I'm hoping for some seriously recuperative rest. Tomorrow is a full volunteer day and we'll be busy and terribly dirty. I need to be well rested to give my all to the dogs!

We're in DogTown! Day 1 - Travel

We made it!

It's been a long long day of travel - about 14 hours - and here we are!

For those that don't know, my mom and sister Dana have sent me and Dana to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary as my 40th birthday present. Dana and I are volunteering at DogTown (www.bestfriends.org/dogtown) for 3/3.5 days then going to the Grand Canyon for a day and onto a froofy resort (Red Mountain Spa & Resort) in St. George, Utah for one day. It's going to be a glorious adventure.

There have already been some hilarious experiences, but Dana and I are so very tired, and I can't get my flip video to upload - think it's too big... so I'll give what I've got and hope to have the gumption to do much more tomorrow.

I think I did a good job of packing...wish I could take the whole Pack with me...

Of COURSE we were at THEE last gate in the terminal

The beautiful mountains on the way into Salt Lake City

I THINK this is part of the Great Salt Lake and the Salt Flats

Here's a view of the propeller...yup a little prop plane to take us from Salt Lake City to St. George.

There was A TON of turbulence and Dana was about to lose her mind!

In N Out Burger! A West Coast staple, and my dear friend Carrie's junk food love!

Here is a Double Hamburger 'Animal Style' minus the pickle.

Beauty in Mt. Zion National Park

Big story here involving luckily getting in free, Dana freaking out, awesome video of her meltdown that I can't upload, and general hilarity in a Godly place.

It was a crazy, traumatic drive....for Dana. I loved it!

The hardest part of being at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is that cell phones don't work here...

Jason and I are never this far apart. We'll get a communication system arranged and be back in contact, but we haven't spoken since 9am today...We're really roughing it.

More to come from Kanab, Utah!

Peanut Butter Houdini

Now Jason and I are very familiar with Satchel's resistance to taking his medicine. As you may have read in an earlier post, Satchel has A LOT of supplements and two prescription medications. There are just a couple of pills that we consider 'essential' - pills that he must have every day even if he doesn't want to.

Now that phrase, "...even if he doesn't want to" is completely foreign to Luna. How in Thee World could a dog reject anything wrapped in flavorful doughs (crescent roll, pizza, cinnamon roll) or frosting or peanut butter? Luna simply does not understand Satchel's insanity with his medicines. When we say, "It's time for your medicine!" Luna is very excited and starts to drip with drool.

Satchel goes through phases. Sometimes he takes all of his supplements with no issue, other times I have to be very very very very patient and then force him.

The last few weeks have been very stressful at Casa Curtin-Hess. As we were consumed with caring for Koko, we noticed Satchel becoming more and more unstable. I thought he might be feeling the stress in the house and therefore was pacing and panting more and therefore was fatigued and therefore was stumbling more. After saying goodbye to our Sweet Koko, Satchel became completely unable to stand on his own. When I described his behavior and appearance, THANK GOD our vet diagnosed him with Vestibular Syndrome which is totally curable. There are ideas of what causes VS, but nothing is certain, and it often disappears within 3 weeks. It's Bad Doggy Vertigo. Satchel requires Antivert for the severe dizziness and Tramadol for the pain from falling. This means 2 more pills to add to the mix, and of course he's in a 'I don't want those' phase and feels sick to his stomach from the spinning feeling.

We've tried everything from frosting to chicken to poptarts to peanut butter. Satchel is being a real bugger about it all. It's been suggested to us that we just 'pill him' and make him swallow each one. Welllll, complicated Satchel had laryngeal paralysis surgery last year which tied his throat open permanently so to 'pill him' puts him at risk for having pills in his lungs. Not an option.

I find peanut butter to be the most effective right now. I embed the pill in a big hunk and stick it to the roof of his mouth. He can't spit the pills out. He just has to keep licking and swallowing and licking and swallowing, and poof, the pills are swallowed. Or so I thought.

Satchel is so crafty. He reminded me tonight. The weather has his sinuses making him miserable. He has dark circles under his eyes (in part from having sleep trouble) and his nose is dripping. He and Luna get 200mg of Benadryl per day which equals 4 little pink pills 2x/day. I gave him a big dollop of peanut butter with the 4 pills embedded and he quickly flipped 3 of them out! How does he do that!!!!???? His new nickname is Peanut Butter Houdini!!!! I gave him more peanut butter and they went down. Or so I thought.

Jason discovered several minutes later that our crafty Satchel was 'cheeking,' as we like to say, that Fourth Benadryl!!!!

The one on the Left is the 'cheeked' Benadryl.
The one on the Right is an untouched Benadryl for comparison.

I got him to for sure swallow the Tramadol, his heart medicine and the Antivert, but he only got 3 Benadryl tonight.

God blesses Satchel and He blessed us when He gave us Satchel over 12 years ago. Among our sadness and tremendous stress, Satchel finds a way to make us smile and even laugh.

And Then There Were Four

It's all dog all the time at Casa Curtin-Hess, but over the last few weeks it has been a little more intense. I think the animals in The Pack knew a big change was coming.

Since mid-June, our beloved Koko has gone from refusing a few meals per week, to eating only a few meals per week, to eating virtually nothing. For a few days she ate 2-3 chicken breasts per day, and then she ate nothing. And then she had severe colitis and then she couldn't walk on her own.

Jason and I carried our Kokies outside and inside for several days. She had to receive subcutaneous fluids as she was becoming terribly dehydrated. She started showing doggy signs of discomfort. Though I would carry her in and out 20 times a day, that's no life for my Koko. She let me know I needed to let her go.
On Monday, August 3rd, 2009, Our Koko, Our Kokopelli, Our Koko Puff, Our Kokie-motion died. I do not want to live without her, but I know she wants me to find my way.

As we knew we were going to have to say goodbye, I told Koko to be prepared to see nothing for a few seconds and then to realize that she could smell leaves and dirt and pollen. I told her to follow her nose to those favorite woodsy smells and her Carrie would be waiting for her. Carrie would have on her hiking boots and hiking pants, a fleecy shirt over a sporty t-shirt, and a baseball cap. Though they wouldn't be needing it, Carrie would have a leash slung across her body and she would bend down to greet Koko by saying, "Hey Kokopelli! It's mumma! Good to see you girl!"

I told Koko they would both feel good and be ready for a long walk in the woods. The best part would be that there are no burrs in Heaven so Koko could run through any flora and never have to be brushed out. And I told her she wouldn't have the urge to kill the baby bunnies anymore, but would feel free and strong and light enough to chase them. Carrie would whistle for her and guide her through their next places together.

I asked Koko to please be with me whenever I walk in the woods because I will miss her and I still need her. I'll need just a little sign now and then to help me live without her.
We knew it already, but in the last weeks Koko showed us, as Jason says, that "She's a bad ass." We are still a strong Pack. We're just minus one. And not just Any One. We're missing our Koko. Our beloved Koko. Our strong and forgiving Koko. Our Family. Part of my Soul. I don't want to rush it, but through my sobs and tears, I look forward to seeing her again.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY SATCHEL!

Life has been busy for dogs at Casa Curtin-Hess, but we all had to take a quick break to tell you something Very Very Important:

TODAY IS SATCHEL'S BIRTHDAY!

Satchel was born at the Humane Society, or brought there soon after his birth, in 1994.

The world has been blessed with his endearing quirkiness for 15 YEARS!

The Sun Always Shines On Satchel

His regalness, His sweetness, His strength, makes us smile each day.

We are happiest when he is near.

He may be the most expensive free dog ever, but he's the strongest person we know, and

WE LOVE YOU TO NO END SATCHEL!

You are essential to Us and we are so glad you were born, adopted, and followed the path to make us a Family.

XOXOXOXO

Satchel's Favorite Things

Satchel came to us liking virtually nothing.
He didn't care much for food. He HATED riding in a car - severely car sick. He was jumpy and insecure and anxious - especially about being left alone. The two things he seemed to enjoy were walks and Jason. That was it. Walks and Jason.

Now Satchel has MANY things he LOVES.
Trust me. Jason is still Number One on the list of Satchel's Favorite Things.

As soon as his beloved Jason puts on some 'landscaping clothes,' Satchel MUST go outside!
Satchel's Two Most Favorite Things: Jason and Yardwork With Jason

For the dog who is severely car sick, riding in the little dumper is just right.

For a good afternoon nap or a few hours at night, Satchel's absolute favorite location to sleep is the Massage Room!

Satchel DEEPLY asleep in one of his favorite positions

We've noticed through the years that our Satchel enjoys the extremes.

Enjoying a pile of snow made especially for him

So how does he lay in the driveway for hours and not overheat?!

Favorite Flavor: CINNAMON!

Waiting patiently for crappy Reduced Fat Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls to come out of the oven

He likes me a little bit

Willing to sit in the yard with me and Luna

While he can't stand the vibration of the engine or the movement of the car, Satchel does love to simply sit in the car in the driveway. It's the perfect spot to hang out while Jason digs in the yard!

Satchie happy in the backseat of the Saturn, but he REALLY LOVED that Jeep Wrangler!

He loves babies of any kind. Any human baby in a carrier will have wet feet...Satchel sniffs their feet until they're soaked! Canine babies are interesting and obsessed over as well.

Satchel greets puggle Indi

Our little family has a Perfect Place. For us, it's Glen Arbor, Michigan. Satchel doesn't enjoy travel, but he has always loved bobbing for minnows in Lake Michigan. Isn't he beautiful?

Satchel is definitely one of our favorite things!
Can't you tell?

IT'S KOKO'S BIRTHDAY!

We can't know Koko's 'true' birthday.

She was adopted from the Humane Society in 1995 where it was estimated that she was about 1 year old.

Since she came to live with The Pack over the 4th of July holiday 2 years ago, I decided that The 4th of July would be Koko's 'Chosen' Birthday.

Today, Our Kokies is 15 YEARS OLD!

She's even more awesome today than yesterday, and I don't know how it's possible, but she's even more adorable.

We celebrate Koko everyday, but today we tell her a few extra times that we are SO glad she was born and came into our Pack Life.

WE LOVE YOU BEYOND MEASURE KOKO AND CAN'T BE HAPPY WITHOUT YOU!

Photo taken by Tammy B Photography

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOKO!