Our keeshonden (to avoid hijacking Windy's TR)

[mayaflya]

To avoid further hijacking of Windycity's marvelous trip report (you really should go see it...) I'll start a new thread for pics of my kids...

Thanks too, for all of your condolences on the passing of our oldest girl, Roxy. We actually got her at age 4 from a "free to a good home" ad. She sparked our interest in keeshonds, and we became involved with keeshond rescue.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2547824013_4db9f8088a_o.jpg
She developed Cushing's disease in her later years, which was managed pretty well on meds, until the last few weeks.

Roxy never quite forgave us for adopting Shadow, a kees we rescued from our local humane society a few years later. Shadow was also four when we got her, but had suffered considerable abuse and neglect...she's bonded like glue to me and is my "soul mate". She's ten now and a real sweetheart, grateful for everything in life.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2548647426_55183556d8_o.jpg

Kaybee is our "baby", another humane society adoptee, that we got at 7 months. She's now 4, but is definitely the alpha in the household. She's also trained as therapy dog and is on staff at my wife's school. Kaybee also will be a "calendar girl" as the attached photo was just selected to be on the 2009 national Keeshond Rescue calendar...she makes us proud and drives us crazy...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2547824081_ba1f568d32_o.jpg

I think this is the snow pic you were talking about Windy...or were you thinking of that "other" one ;-)

Gotta go...leaving tomorrow for the Virgin Islands, seeya when I get back!

[PhyllisB]

Great pix, mayaflya! You clearly have some wonderful friends there!

Have a great trip!

[DougSR]

My story is very similar. After a friend gave me a DD (Doug's Dog) the labrador retreiver, we grew so close that I figured I had to do something for the breed. I've been with Texas Lab Rescue for years now and always enjoy when someone sends me a picture of a foster dog who has blended into their family. This is Libby and her new friend Brad.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s153/Stars_Fan/Libby_Brad.jpg

I can't tell you what to do but if you ever need a pet, please look into adopting someone who has the least amount of options left in their short life...the pound, the no kill agencies, the rescue groups. If you are a breeder, why not help us find places for the dogs we have instead of creating more.

[beachreader]

Aww, such sweet pics! You guys are so cool for helping all these dogs (you too, Lee!). What a great group of people we have here.

[AdGuy]

There's a special place in Dog Heaven for you, mayaflya! It's amazing how much we all have in common in addition to Tulum. One of our rescue dogs, Cody (who's now 16.5 years old) is a pet therapy dog also. He received an award from North Carolina for his volunteering efforts. http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/PetTherapyAward.jpg

Unfortunately, at our rescue farm, we often see the "end-result" of Man's disregard for animals. It's comforting to know there's "good guys/gals" out there, too.

[Gale in KY]

What beautiful forever friends! I am so very proud of my Tulumies..I am also a rescue mom..several times over...at the present, we have a German Shorthair named Tangy, who is a bird dog that thinks she is a lapdog. She suffered some horrible trauma at the hands of humans who were supposed to care about her, but she's been with us for 9 years now, happy and lazy and enjoying every moment of being pampered.

You might recognize this breed from the "Best of Show" in 2007 WKC. They are hunt dogs with alot of social love for their masters and are very intelligent, well except for my Tangy, she has rocks for brains and her nose often gets her into trouble. LOL.

I truly believe we share a special bond with our rescues..they know we helped them, and they show it in their loyalty and love for us.

I would love to know more about thiis breed Maya, when you get back from the VI. We need a trip report too Amigo! Happy and safe sailing to ya!

[minniemex]

So sorry for your loss Maya. I think we can all identify with your loss of a faithful pet. Your dogs are truly beautiful!! I am more a cat person but one look from one of those dogs and I might be dead in the water!!

Have a great trip - bring back lots of pictures & memories!!

[TheWindyCity]

Wow, Roxy lived a very long life! You took such good care of her for her to have 14 years with you. Beautiful photos, Maya! Yep...that snow pic is the one I was talking about! Thanks for sharing with us and again sorry for your loss.

[Solbound]

Hey Maya! Once again sorry for your loss. Hope you are having a great trip!! I mentioned our dog so thought we would share our story! Zowie was being raised in the back seat of a car by a teenager (friend of our daughters) who was living on his own. He was feeding him very cheap adult dog food (half starved) along with beer and pot. To his credit he realized he couldn't look after the 4 month old puppy properly so asked if anyone would take him....our daughter brought home and we all loved him. The vet discovered he has an under-developed trachea and a heart murmur. Then last December Zowie ruptured a disk in his back which paralyzed his back legs. So I ended up driving him 7 hours to the University of Guelph for very expensive emergency surgery. It proved to be successful though he still has considerable weakness and doesn't like stairs.

Here are some pics taken yesterday on our dock since it was finally hot enough to enjoy it although the water is still quite cool. Swimming is good therapy for Zowie's back legs.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn17/Solbound_2008/Zowie/Summer011.jpg

He is a Border Collie/lab and maybe a few others mix who is now 4 yrs old!

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn17/Solbound_2008/Zowie/Summer026.jpg
On our floating dock...he needs me to help him onto it. Gotta try to build a ramp for him!

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn17/Solbound_2008/Zowie/Summer036.jpg
Oh so happy....I think he loves the towel drying more than the swimming!

[DougSR]

Haha! I laughed out loud at that one floppy ear. Great dog!

[Lynnette]

They're ALL wonderful, Maya, and I love the snow photo!!

My hats off to anyone who rescues abused and neglected dogs/cats/any animal!!!

My daughter's roommate just rescued an 18 month Great Dane name Delilah! What a sweet girl...she thinks she's a lap dog, too. LOL Her tail was so badly damaged that gangrene set in and the poor baby had to have it docked. She loves her new home and the girls who love her so much too!

[midtowngirl]

aw, sweet puppies!

Sorry for your loss mayaflya. Your other pups must miss her.

[mayaflya]

Thanks all...and thanks Midtowngirl...I had missed seeing the posts from when we were away, and your latest one caught me up on the thread. We're settling into a new routine....with dogs it's always about the routine, isn't it? We had not realized how much our old patterns revolved around caring for our eldest's needs.

Solbound, your Zowie has that "look" of a great dog...I'd say you were a special person to have done all you have for him, but I know that you're only thinking how lucky you are to have him.

[letele]

Thanks all...and thanks Midtowngirl...I had missed seeing the posts from when we were away, and your latest one caught me up on the thread. We're settling into a new routine....with dogs it's always about the routine, isn't it? We had not realized how much our old patterns revolved around caring for our eldest's needs.

Solbound, your Zowie has that "look" of a great dog...I'd say you were a special person to have done all you have for him, but I know that you're only thinking how lucky you are to have him.

MF, so sorry for your loss! It is never an easy thing. You're clearly a great person for taking in these sweet babies! I was kvetching a little a bit the other day about "how come I manage to get the one mutt in the world that needs serious medical attention (:dollarsign::dollarsign::dollarsign:)" and my coworker said, "Jenna, God brings them to us for a reason!" and I was like, "Why, to punish us?" :D but all joking aside, really, she's right. They find their way to us for a reason, because they know we will take good care of them!

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/letelescope/hazel4.jpg
My little Hazel when I first got her...terrible skin problems, very underweight (you could feel all her ribs and spine), severe kennel cough (Thanks, Clay County Animal Control! :mad: She did NOT look like this when I picked her out, but by the time her spay appt came up, she was in really bad shape.)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y136/letelescope/hazelonporch.jpg
And Hazel now! Perfect skin, perfect weight, now if we could just fix that pesky deformed leg without the $3,000 surgery! :(