Britney: Queen of Cedar Lane

Our little princess came from Chicago. I was looking online one night and saw this cute little dog that was up for adoption by Shorewood Rescue. Got it mixed up with ShoreVIEW, Minnesota, and thought it was local. The dog was in Chicago and was brought in relays by volunteers to St. Paul, where we picked her up. This is what was on the website:

Relinquished to an animal shelter for unknown reasons, she was adopted and thought she had found her forever home. Earlier this summer, however, drivers witnessed a woman throw Britney out of a moving car. Fortunately, she was not injured, but did need medical attention for issues caused by neglect. According to the vet clininc where she was brought, witnesses provided information that led to the arrest (Yeah!) of this unbelievably cruel and heartless woman.

The problems we have had with her is that she will eat anything in sight so we have our garbage under the sink and in an ice cream pail on the counter. Not much of a sacrifice on our part for all the pleasure she gives us. This is the picture that was on the website. How could anyone not love that little face!

She is a fast little dog, too. In the picture above, she is on the new quilt that I won in a raffle at Saron Lutheran Church. In the ten seconds it took me to get the camera, she had jumped up into the chair and made herself comfy.

She is definitely Lyle's dog. Has to be beside him at all times. Even if he's in the bathroom, she lays outside the door. When he's gone, she lays at the top of the steps, and at night she sleeps wedged against his leg. The kids and I call her "Dad's Girlfriend."

Britz considers it her job to sit in the window and guard our circle from falling leaves, squirrels, rabbits and neighbors going to their mail boxes. When the mail man or UPS driver stops in front, she takes off like a Lear jet and frantically runs between the front door and the patio door. The patio door is her only exit from the house except for car rides.

Britney's favorite lap…Lyle's.

Gabby: The Bone Collector

Gabby is a little cutie who was running around town on the loose. She was picked up by the police and put in Perfect Paws Rescue in Montevideo. She is a friendly little dog and loves to be close to her family when she's inside, but her favorite place is outdoors. She sits on the cushion on the bench on the patio and watches the traffic and people go by all day long. If she gets tired of the cushion, she goes into her dog house, but right in the doorway so she doesn't miss anything. Scott has a hard time getting her to come inside at night when it's warm, but during the cold weather she likes it where it is warm.

From time to time we bring a bone to our little granddog, but unlike Britz, Gabby doesn't gnaw on them. She buries them. When she's indoors, she hides them. You never know when you'll find a lump under the cushion when you sit down and discover a bone. She is so funny when she hides them. She tries to look away and be casual, like nothing is going on. When she thinks no one is looking, she sneaks away to bury the bone. She doesn't bury them all though. One night Scott woke up to a grinding noise at the end of the bed. He is a sound sleeper so at first he thought someone was gnawing on his toes, but it was just Gabby enjoying a bone she'd taken out of hiding.

Shih Tzu dogs don't shed in the sense that the hair stays in their coat and they can become really matted so they take a lot of grooming. Here she is after a hair cut. Looks like a totally different dog.

COCKER SPANIEL RESOURCES
Hudson, Wisconsin
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa
www.cockerspanielresources.org This is where we got our first cocker, Sophie. I have done a lot of work with the founder, Jan DeCraene. Have no idea how she gets so much done, but she loves those dogs and manages to take them all in and get them adopted into good, forever homes.

A warm heart for cold noses
PERFECT PAWS RESCUE AND GROOMING
Montevideo, MN
Local area.
Perfect Paws on Facebook.
Mary, the owner, loves animals and the animals love her. This is where Scott's family adopted Gabby. It is also where we have our dogs groomed. Great place plus it is only a block away!

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Brody: A Dog for All Seasons

Brody came all the way from Iowa to become part of Sandy's family. He is a friendly dog and loves everyone. For some reason, he is not a grandma dog and the first time I come in the door he barks like I've come to kidnap the kids. Once he has a couple of sniffs, he's ok …until the next trip. Then we start all over again. I am not too offended because he does the same thing with Grandma Sue when she comes. He must have had a bad experience with an older, good-looking woman. <smile>

With Grampy it is a whole different story. Never met a dog he didn't like nor one who didn't like him. Brody is a big dog and when Grampy visits he becomes a "lap dog." It can be kind of a shock if you're not looking and he sails over the arm of the chair into your lap.

Brody loves being outside and especially likes his long daily walks, no matter what the weather. He is also the family watch dog and sits on a chair by the dining room window keeping guard over his domain.

SHOREWOOD COCKER RESCUE, INC.
Twin Lakes, Wisconsin
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa
www.cockerrescue.net This is where we got Britney. The program is headed by Elaine Bauman, the president. Britney's foster mother was Roberta. They are another caring, busy organization with lots of volunteers.

"A dog is not a thing.
A thing is replaceable.
A dog is not.

A thing is disposable.
A dog is not.

A thing doesn't have a heart.
A dog's heart is bigger than
any thing you can ever own."

        — Elizabeth Parker, Paw Prints in the Sand

Dogs are God's way of apologizing
for your relatives.