Time To Take Out The Garbage!

I told you in my first post that it’s always an adventure in my house. Well we started off this morning with a small, yet annoying adventure….You see, because my loves can easily reach the tops of any garbage can and partake in a trash eating extravaganza, I keep my trash cans on the back porch.  One for garbage, one for recyclables.  Normally when they are outside, I am out there with them. This morning, I decided to let them out to roam in the yard, chase and bark at the squirrels, etc. while I took a shower.  I knew however, that I would need to cover the trash cans so they couldn't get in..which I did..

After taking my shower, I realized the boys were still outside.  When I walked out into the screened in porch, the trash can “barricade” was on the floor..”This is not good” I thought to myself..There laid a head of lettuce on the porch floor so I dumped that back into the trash can and walked out onto the deck where the boys were..Hogan refused to make eye contact. I could almost hear him saying “Don’t look at Momma, Don’t look at Momma”.  Where clueless Hurley sat proudly next to his mess of a Chinese takeout box torn to shreds as if he were saying “Look Momma, Look at what I did for you”! I now know Hurley likes Egg Fried Rice. Is it ironic that the remnants of the box were so nicely placed bu Hurley to say "Thank You" and "Enjoy"? 

Needless to say, Momma was not amused.  Now I am in the backyard with my hair in a towel and a leopard print robe picking up trash all while telling these boys that they were very naughty. I am sure my neighbors get a real kick out of these sights as they are on a pretty normal basis..So for your amusement, pictures are below..

Momma's Home!!

In my last post, I expressed how worried I was about leaving my babies while I went out of town for the wedding of my step-niece Lee. When we first arrived to Irmo Pet Retreat, Hogan knew right away where he was and couldn't wait to get out of the car.  Hurley just wanted to get out and see what all the fuss was about.  Once inside, Hurley was veeerrry unsure about where he was. Hogan made himself right at home, telling everyone hello and sniffing all around. Once all that was done, it was time to take them back, and this is where I got nervous. They were booked solid for the weekend so I knew they were going to have a lot of dogs in the back. It was loud, as most kennels are, but the staff there really goes out of their ways to make the dogs as comfortable as possible. I had Hogan and the other staff member had Hurley and talked to Hurley the whole way back and really tired his best to put him at ease. Now remember, Hurley is scared of everything!! So we put them back in their King Suite and had to go back up front to finish up. I shouldn't have looked back, but I did..and Hogan was looking at me like "Where do you think you're going without me"?  I hated it..I felt so awful. Once I left it was time to get on the road..

I called later on in the afternoon once I got to my Dad's beach house to check on them. Kaye, the owner, cheerfully answered the phone and told me that the boys were fine and were about to have playtime, she reassured me that I had nothing to worry about, and indeed I didn't because I knew they were in great hands..but I still missed them like crazy and worried. 

Saturday rolled around and I was a busy girl trying to get Lee's wedding coordinated for the day to make sure it was perfect for her and her soon-to-be husband Hastings. It was a frantic day, but I still made time to call Kaye to check on my babies..She told me she was stunned as Hurley wasn't acting scared at all! Instead, he was running around, playing and going in and out of their suite like a champ..They were both eating, drinking and playing well with everyone. She had even given them their flea and heartworm meds with no issue. I was so proud to hear that, and then I could go on with the wedding without worry.  So here are a few pictures from said wedding. Lee was honestly the prettiest bride I have ever seen and that says a lot given I've been in the wedding business for ten years! The wedding and reception both took place at Atalaya Castle  located in Huntington Beach State Park. 

The next day it was time to come home. A part of me wasn't ready to leave the beach, the other part of me couldn't wait to get home to see my boys.  I didn't enjoy the ride home as it was pouring rain the whole way, but I made it back safe and sound. You would think I would go home first to drop off my luggage, etc. to make room for them in the back of the car...NOPE....I went straight there to get them! I walked in and there they were in the daycare room, just waiting.  They were overjoyed to see me. They jumped up on the doors and hung their paws over because they were ready to give Momma hugs..They couldn't get enough of me, and I of them. It made my heart just overflow with joy to see them so happy to see me.  We thanked Miss Kaye over and over again and away we went to snuggle at home...

One Worried Momma...

Just so you guys know, I never board my babies. I really have never had to because they pretty much go everywhere with me. The times that they haven't been able to come with, someone has always been able to watch them, until now.....I am headed to Garden City this weekend and unfortunately, they cannot come with. It's a wedding weekend and since I am coordinating all of it, I will barely be around, therefore the dogs have to stay behind.  This does not sit well with me, but I have to board them. Now, I have THE BEST place in all of Columbia for them to go to which is Irmo Pet Retreat. Kaye is the owner and she is nothing short of amazing.  The staff is incredible, friendly and everything is clean.  Hogan used to go there for daycare and always came back exhausted but happy. Kaye makes sure she pairs up the right kinds of dogs for play time and gives each one of them attention and love. The ones that need special attention are given just that and then some...This place is not your run of the mill boarding place either..just look at some of the things that are standard there!

• State of the art, laminate walls in tasteful decorator colors
• No cages
• Rubber floors
• Safety glass doors
• Beds and toys available for all suites
• 24 hour music
• Ceiling Fans
• 4 or more daily trips to the private fenced back yard
• 2 daily feedings
• Healthy treats daily

 

You might wonder that if this place is so awesome then why on earth am I worried? It's not them, it's me..

Hogan I think might be a little sad and wonder why I just dumped him off for a few days. And yes, when I get home Sunday he will let me know he is unhappy with me.  Hurley is the one I am worried about. EVERYTHING scares this boy...loud noises, other dogs barking, slamming doors, people standing over him..you name it. Now, my awesome vet, Dr. Cabe at Midlands Veterinary Practice gave me some sedatives for Hurley to help take the edge off, but I cannot help but worry about my little monkey.  Knowing Hogan will be there does make me feel a little better but still...

I booked a King Suite for them and that's where they will stay at night.  During the day they will do daycare up front so they can have constant human and furbaby interaction. Of course being the worried Momma I am, I will more than likely call every day to check on them until I pick them up Sunday night.  I can't help but worry but at the same time I know they will be just fine!

And Then There Were Three!

Alright so I have to be honest and say I kept a little something from you in the last post. While I had Tiny, I was presented with the opportunity to get another Great Pyrenees puppy the same weekend that Tiny was due back in Atlanta, and of course, after some debate (not that it took much), I took it. I guess you could say it was an early Christmas present! After I dropped Tiny off, I headed waaaaaay West of Atlanta to go get my little 8 week old fluffy. Excited doesn't describe what I was. Hogan was in the back and didn't have a clue of what was about to happen. I pulled up to see Marty on the ground with this beautiful, white, roly poly boy. Of course, I was instantly in love. He whined off and on during the 5.5 hour ride home to Columbia, and would occasionally crawl in the back of the Expedition to snuggle up to Hogan which Hogan wasn't too keen on, but he certainly would have to get used to the new guy. The first night was hell as it is with any puppy who was just taken from Momma. I slept on the floor with him all night as the crate clearly wasn't going to cut it, at least not on the first night. Chance gave me the same look I got from him when I got Hogan..his face said "REALLY Mom, I mean REALLY"..Yes son, REALLY.  And his name?  Well this little guy is Hurley..And here he is..

I couldn't help myself..

Once Hogan came into my life, I couldn't help but want to know all about his breed. The more knowledge I gained, the more I wanted to know.  One day I was online and came across a Great Pyrenees Rescue, and it was located in all places, Atlanta! I was so excited that they were so close!! I began scouring the site and reading all about them and what their mission was. Then I came across their available dogs page and of course, couldn't help but scroll through and take a look. I then came across one of the saddest, heart-wrenching pictures I had ever seen…

There he was..his name was Tiny, and Tiny he was not. What he was however, was a frail, thin mess of a dog at 8 months old who hardly had any hair and had been tied to a tree his whole life. At that moment in time, I swear, God spoke to me and told me I needed to help him.  I immediately called Great Pyrenees Rescue of Atlanta and spoke to John Heldrich, the President. We spoke for a while about Tiny and he felt I was a good fit, so I filled out all the forms to become a foster mom to Tiny and waited to hear back. It felt like an eternity before I heard anything, yet the image of Tiny's pathetic picture was forever engraved into my brain. Then the call came that I had been approved..I was ecstatic!

I immediately planned to go to Atlanta that weekend to get him. I drove in late Friday night so I could go get him first thing on Saturday.  I asked my best friend Marlo to accompany me to get him so Saturday morning I swung by to get her. When we got to Pet Lodge in Alpharetta (which by the way, is the BEST place to board your dogs EVER) my heart began to beat so fast...I was excited and nervous at the same time. When I told the staff I was there to get Tiny everyone was excited this boy was getting out of boarding. A sweet girl took us back to the runs and when we got to him I just stood there, and then came the tears. I was not prepared for what I saw. He looked ten times worse than the picture and I was just in shock. How could someone do this to a dog? He had to be in pain, He had to just feel awful...Then the kennel door swung open and that sweet boy walked right up to me, tail wagging and begging for attention and love. How could this be?? This poor, gentle soul had been treated so badly by other humans, yet he still sought love and comfort from me. When going to take him to the car, he shut down. He coward to the floor and would not move and began to shake.  The girl from Pet Lodge scooped him up in her arms and carried him all the way to my car and away we went. The car ride home told me a lot. He stunk of infection and grime, yet the whole way home this boy rested his head on my shoulder time and time again in between his naps. Tiny had sarcoptic mange which left his skin and coat in horrible condition  He hardly had any hair, and had oozing sores from where he scratched so much due to the mange. With medicated baths and meds, he soon started to clear up and get a pearly white coat in. Putting weight on him was a daunting task as well because he was so thin and you can't just let these guys eat huge amounts of food. Over time, the weight started coming on as well and he was starting to look stunning.

Once we got home, he was so scared it took me 45 minutes to get him out of the car and into the house. And then in the house, Tiny didn't know what to think or do. It was obvious he'd never been in one. Hogan took to him right away and began showing him the "ropes". It was almost if he was saying "It's ok Tiny, we are allowed to do this" or "Come on, this is fun, let me show you how". Tiny blossomed into the sweetest lovebug ever. He loved to romp and play, and when he wasn't doing that, he was snuggling up next to you for love. He was so well behaved and full of life, I knew he would make a great addition to any home. Finding that perfect home though, was the key to his success.

I took him to Adoption Day in Atlanta in November, I was so worried no one would show interest in him. By this time, he had fattened up some and he no longer had exposed skin, but I still worried.  Then it happened...This precious little girl with bright red hair and adorable freckles came bouncing over and Tiny looked at her and immediately fell in love with her, and I believe, she fell in love with him too. The parents asked me a lot of questions about him as we walked around, and I began to get excited. I knew in my heart they were the family for him. They decided to think about it, which I understood. About 20 minutes passed and all of the sudden they were back! I couldn't believe it!  They wanted to adopt him and I couldn't have been happier. They were going on a trip though and couldn't take him immediately, so I offered to continue to keep him until the first weekend in December when I  knew I would return to Atlanta. It worked out perfectly! The night before Tiny went to our new home I cried. He was my first foster, and surely not to be my last. I had watched this frail, scared little soul blossom into this confident, bouncy, beautiful boy who was now going to flourish even more in his new home. The next day, we made the trek to Atlanta and dropping him off was so very bittersweet. His new family had everything all set up and ready for him. They couldn't have been more excited and neither could I. Not going to lie, I was a little sad, but in the best way possible. I also have been able to keep in touch with them through Facebook and get to see how they are all doing, and now I can share some of those pictures with you!

I encourage everyone to try to foster or adopt. It saves lives...If you can't foster or adopt, volunteer to help with transport, dog walking, aid in social media or donate! If you are especially interested in Great Pyrenees, consider becoming a part of Great Pyrenees Rescue of Atlanta. It honestly is the most incredible organization I have ever been a part of. Do something, make a difference..

Let's Catch Up, Shall We?

WARNING: THIS IS A LOOOOONG POST..

It's obvious quite some time has passed between the moment I got Hogan and now...I only wish I had started this blog from the beginning of his coming home. But since I didn't, I thought I will catch you up until December of 2011, when my other little love came into my life..there will be lots of cute pictures in this post I can assure you.

A lot has happened..I moved back to my hometown of Columbia, SC in March of 2011 after living in Atlanta for 17 years. After that move Hogan started to suffer from severe separation anxiety...to the point that I came home to my loveseat no longer being a loveseat.  Yes, you read that right..kind of like this picture, only worse:

I would also come home to my nice kitchen knives all over the floor. He enjoyed taking them out of the cutlery block and spreading them out on the floor. How he never cut himself I will never know. If there was an ounce of paper anywhere, he would find it and rip it to shreds. I guess he knew Momma liked to entertain so he made confetti for my parties. So after the loveseat and knife incidents I decided to crate him..well that was another experience sure to frustrate any dog owner. I went through three crates before I broke down and bought the biggest, strongest crate I could find, and Hogan even gave that one a run for it's money (and mine). If you are a giant breed dog owner in need of a crate, I really suggest not opting for a cheaper option. Go ahead and get one made by Midwest Pet Metals. This was the strongest, biggest and most durable I could find. It was well worth the money. Was Hogan happy about it? Nope, but Momma sure was. I knew he would be safe and sound, and so would my kitchen knives.

It was obvious to me that obedience training was a must..but finding the right trainer was the issue. I wanted to find someone that knew the breed. You see, Great Pyrenees are bred to think independently, unlike a lot of other breeds. You tell them to "Come", they think about it first..So when I found Dawn O'Cain of Woof University, LLC I was elated to find out that she had actually bred Great Pyrenees and was very knowledgeable about them. Hogan did surprisingly well, and of course, I was one proud Momma..now, we may need a refresher course from time to time but overall, he really has become quite the good boy.

Once it got warm, I started taking Hogan to the lake..the lake is my second  home it seems. I live ten minutes from Lake Murray and my parents have a place at Lake Wateree so it's a given that he would have to try to enjoy it and come with.  Well, once I got him in the water, there was no stopping him. If there's water, he's in it..unless it's bath time..that is a different story..He loves the pool, the lake, rivers and streams. His all time favorite though? Boating. He loves to stand at the front of the boat with the wind in his face and white hair just flying. One thing I learned though..don't jump off the boat into the water...Hogan will dive in right after you and then you have to struggle to get him back onto the boat in the middle of the lake..

The dog park is where Hogan tries to make friends..emphasis on tries..poor baby is so big that hardly anyone will play with him. That makes me so sad because he's the sweetest thing and all he wants to do is play..He's just too damn big. The little ones are terrified of him, and the medium to large ones want to be as big if not bigger than him so they just boss him around. He does give it a good try though, and when all else fails, he heads to the sand pit to dig, or the doggie pool to wade. 

At home Hogan is 100% Pyr..protective, lazy and aloof. He comes to me when he wants loving. And if I want to give him loving I have to get down on the floor with him to rub his big belly or scratch his chest. At night he gets on the bed for some cuddle time, and will give me the "Pyr Paw" if I stop..and so I start again. Once I doze off, he slides off the bed and finds himself a cool spot on the bathroom floor to lie down for bed. He likes to sit on the back of the couch (the one that used to match the above mentioned loveseat), and look out the big picture window to see what all is going on in the neighborhood. And don't you worry, he certainly lets me know when there's a cat in our yard or 2 miles away. In his mind, this is something I should drop everything to come see. 

As he grows and grows so does my love for him. He's goofy, sweet and challenging. Here are some pictures from the last couple years to kind of catch you up..

And His Name Is...

Ok, so you all know I got this cute, fluffy, white puppy. That was the easy part right? Just picking up the cutest thing ever and taking it home...how hard could that really be? Piece of cake..the hard part? Picking a name! What on earth was I going to name this wonderful bundle of joy? I didn't want standard name like "Bandit" or "Jake"..not that anything is wrong with that mind you, I just wanted something more original. So after a long debate with friends and loved ones at the house one night, I just couldn't think of something..Then, as the TV was turned to USA, there was an advertisement..and that advertisement was for WWE...yes folks, you read that right the damn WWE..and who was on the commercial?? Hulk Hogan...At first someone suggested I name him Hulk..after all, he was big like the Hulkster and had white hair..so it did seem like it would fit, the only problem was, I didn't like that..the next suggestion was Hogan..and Hogan it was..it just fit him. He looked like a Hogan. Since then his nicknames have become Ho Ho, Hulkamania, Hulkster, Hos and Hoagie. I just love my little monster.