open and read newsletter

The Happy Howler
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008
Triangle Beagle Rescue (TBR)
Number of dogs
placed in safe,
loving homes (so
far) in 2008:
130
Inside this issue:
“Gift-Dog”
1-2
Halloween Mad- 3
ness
Just a Dog
4
Dear Maggy
4-5
Agility Training
5
Foster Dog: Skye 6-7
Writing TBR’s...
7
“Gift-Dog”
Remember when you were a kid and
you slowly unwrapped a Christmas gift
from that slightly disconnected Aunt or
Uncle? You knew that you had to act
happy and grateful as you held the item
up for the rest of family to see- a gift
that really was appropriate for someone
20 years older, who had a house and a
career and access to an incinerator. I’d
sit back hiding my disappointment
while thinking “Why couldn’t he/she
just give me a puppy or even a fish?”
Giving an adorable beagle (or any
breed) puppy as a gift is not a good idea
to spring on someone, especially children. Really, I’m not being a negative,
party-pooper grown-up here, but I am a
little more practical these days for the
sakes of beagles and families.
When I received a gift of a 4 month old
beagle pup, I was thrilled! I was 20something, loved animals and knew
how to feed a fish. Just four months
later, I was living with a destructive demon whom I no longer considered a
gift, but a burden. And I was resentful
about this responsibility suddenly bestowed on me without any warning or
preparation. I would have been a much
better beagle-mom sooner if I had prepared. Eventually, I got there and my
beagle didn’t suffer too much while we
grew together through the learning
curve. But still, life could have gone
smoother for us.
You would think that shelters and rescues
would love the idea of their 4-legged residents finding permanent homes for the
holidays. Why not have a Christmas sale
(BOGO) like at Payless Shoes? I would
decree that no puppy leaves without a red
satin bow! You would think that success is
an empty shelter or rescue by New Year’s
Day.
Here’s the problem– adults and children
return and exchange their holiday presents
with a certain fierceness. It’s almost a
sport. Barbie goes back, swapped for a
Bratz doll. No harm done to Barbie– she’ll
stand in her box back on the shelf, smiling.
Everyone is happy.
According to the American Humane Association, the months following a major holiday like Christmas, shelters experience significantly higher numbers of animal surrenders. The Gift-Dog is returned! That
cute, great idea of a gift actually bombs a
few weeks or months later and becomes
someone else’s problem. No one smiles
then– not the family surrendering the dog
or the shelter who now must make a financial investment into the well being of the
surrendered Gift-Dog. Remember, GiftDog had a home. It will now take room
(and resources) in a shelter that could be
used for a dog found lost along the highway. At the shelter, surrendered Gift-Dog
may not find another home, but actually
meet his or her maker, prematurely and
unfairly.
PAGE 2
THE HAPPY HOWLER
Continued: “Gift-Dog”
Reputable shelters and rescues generally do not approve of the giving of pets as gifts– they know that
many will be returned to them or to shelters in neighboring counties. (No receipts required for these
returns!) Shelters also know that if Gift-Dogs are not surrendered, many such gifts will be neglected,
abused, and forgotten. To a child, the difference between Barbie and a puppy is a plastic toy with hair
versus a fuzzy toy with a tail that may actually eat Barbie for fun. A child at holiday time may not appreciate the difference between a toy and a living puppy. It is easy for a child in these circumstances to
objectify the dog. When a dog is a member of a family it is more likely to remain with that family than
a dog who is viewed as a toy or a novelty. Yes, kids get bored with toys (and their siblings). But toys
are returnable, inanimate, and sometimes end up in the garbage disposal. A living and breathing gift
such as Gift-Dog does not deserve this risk to its longevity.
At this point, you may think how you would never surrender Christmas Gift-Dog even if your children
lost interest. Adults can also objectify the doggie gift, by leaving it to the children to know how to
train and socialize it. Typically, surrendered Gift-Dogs are between ages 7-14 months. The adult caregiver is frustrated with an “uncontrollable” dog or the dog has behavior issues because it was not socialized. Mechanical dogs in the mall’s toy stores don’t require socialization. Not to mention when the
bills come in for routine vaccines, heartworm preventative, flea and tick preventatives and dental
cleaning, the Gift-Dog is dramatically more expensive than one intended to spend for a single Christmas gift. Resentment ensues and teeth grind.
My advice? Spare your teeth and your patience. Get that mechanical dog at Toys-R-Us and a book on
puppies from Border’s and wrap them up together as the gift. Giving a living organism, including the
flu virus, a turtle, a kitten, and etc. as a gift is not a good practice. Before you decide on adopting a
beagle or any other pet, please research about the breed and how to care for the animal. Talk with
your family about the responsibility of caring for a four-legged family member. A beagle is a great dog,
and is a “gift” that should be cherished and loved for as long as it lives. The rewards of this gift come
back to you ten-fold if you treat it with respect and compassion.
Still not convinced about the doomed Gift-Dog? Check out these web sites:
http://www.petrescue.com/library/no-pups.htm
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/think-twice-before-giving-pets-as-holiday-gifts/page1.aspx
Authors Note: I use the word “it” when referring to a Gift-Dog or a dog in general. This is to reduce
tedious reading of “him/her”. In my heart, each girl or boy dog is an individual, living being and never
an object/thing.
Lizz Langstaff Lyon
THE HAPPY HOWLER
PAGE 3
HALLOWEEN MADNESS
~~No words are needed~~
We are left to imagine what these beagles think about dressing in costume!
THE HAPPY HOWLER
PAGE 4
“Just a Dog”
From time to time, people tell
me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or, "that's a lot of money for
just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the
time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog."
Some of my proudest moments
have come about with "just a
dog."
Many hours have passed and
my only company was "just a
dog," but I did not once feel
slighted. Some of my saddest
moments have been brought
about by "just a dog," and in
those days of darkness, the gen-
(A Thanksgiving Poem)
tle touch of "just a dog" gave
me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it's "just a
dog," then you will probably
understand phases like "just a
friend," "just a sunrise," or "just
a promise." "Just a dog" brings
into my life the very essence of
friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. "Just a dog" brings
out the compassion and patience that make me a better
person.
Because of "just a dog" I will
rise early, take long walks and
look longingly to the future. So
for me and folks like me, it's
not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and
dreams of the future, the fond
memories of the past, and the
pure joy of the moment. "Just a
dog" brings out what's good in
me and diverts my thoughts
away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can
understand that it's not "just a
dog" but the thing that gives me
humanity and keeps me from
being "just a person." So the
next time you hear the phrase
"just a dog." just smile, because
they "just don't understand."
Roca 2006
Dear Maggy
Dear Maggy,
Dear Bon-Bon:
ing or aggressive dogs.
My sister and I were taking our
nightly constitutional when we came
across a little dog tied to its front
stoup. Ironically, the same house had
a barking dog in the fenced-in back
yard, free to run around and bark at
pedestrians. But strangely, neither dog
seemed happy to be outside. Why not?
These two dogs seem to have
very different situations, don’t
they? But there is one common
theme: isolation.
Isolation from family members
can explain many behavioral
problems in these dogs, but it
also puts dogs at risk of injuries.
Tied to a rope or loose in a
yard, dogs may hurt themselves
while trying to escape their
bonds. Tied out dogs are also at
risk of approaching dangerous
stray dogs or other animals.
Thanks,
Bon-Bon
Both dogs are prone to experience unnecessary stress by being left alone for so long. People and other dogs walking by
may also increase that stress and
be seen as threats. Children
teasing either dog will increase
stress and create a hypersensitive dog who will respond by
barking at every movement.
This stress can turn into aggression as a means of protection of
the dog and his turf. Neighbors
don’t appreciate constant bark-
Responsible dog owners stand
nearby to their dogs whenever
their dogs are on a tie out. They
don’t leave the dog alone to
face danger, injure itself or to
cause a disruption. In fact,
Pennsylvania passed a law that
Continued on next page…..
THE HAPPY HOWLER
continue: Dear Maggy
PAGE 5
continue: Agility Training
prohibits long-term tethering (tying a dog outside). In the U.S. between 2003 and 2007, 23
children were killed and at least 170 injured
when they were attacked by chained dogs. A
large percentage of cruelty cases involve tie outs.
Bridge, but Sassy, at the age of 14, is still competing in trials. She's run for about 10 years and has
earned 28 titles to her name. While she's not as
fast as she use to be, Sassy absolutely LOVES the
sport! As long as she's healthy and wants to run,
she’ll run to her little hound heart’s content!
Be with your dog– dogs are pack animals and
you are their pack leader. Don’t leave them in
isolation to fend for themselves. Socialized dogs
are happy, well-behaved dogs!
I highly recommend this sport whether you want
to just play at it in classes or get bitten by the bug
and compete. I know that I will miss it dearly
when Sassy can no longer compete.
Sydney Armstrong, TBR Board Member
Maggy Lyon is not a board certified veterinarian. She
is a borderline genius border collie, age 10.
Agility Training
When my oldest beagle, Sassy, was 6 months
old, I took her to a combination agility and obedience class for training and socialization. Agility
is basically an obstacle course for dogs where the
human participant guides the canine participant
through the course. The dogs jump, climb an Aframe, run through tunnels, cross dog walks and
other obstacles as directed by their humans. The
two must work together as a team to quickly
complete the course. It's a wonderful way to
bond with your dog while having lots and lots of
fun together. Agility is also very good exercise
for both participants.
When I first started classes, I had no intention of
ever competing in organized trials, but I got bitten by the Agility Bug. I competed with both
Sassy and my mixed breed dog, Sprite, and we
had a ball. Sprite has since gone to the Rainbow
Sassy Armstrong leaping over an A-frame in an
agility trial.
There are several places in the Raleigh/Durham
area that teach agility:
Autumn Winds Agility - Raleigh/New Hill NC –
http://autumnwindsagility.com/
Teamworks Training - Raleigh/Youngsville http://www.teamworksdogtraining.com/
Pet Behavior Help - Chapel Hill –
http://petbehaviorhelp.com/
Bon-Clyde Learning Center - Sanford NC –
http://www.bon-clyde.com/
THE HAPPY HOWLER
PAGE 6
Foster Dog Highlight: Skye
Skye is undergoing a metamorphosis! This red and white female arrived at Rebecca Hessey’s home over a year ago.
The unpleasantly plump Skye
was unaltered and soon began
her heat cycle. Weight began to
stack on this short legged gal,
so dramatically that her belly
nearly dragged on the ground!
If you attend the adopt-athons, you will never see a dog
work a crowd like Skye. She
loves people!! She is drawn to
children. She will pull you
around until she can meet everyone in the room and give
them the opportunity to pet
her head. No one can miss her
big round eyes as she silently
stares up at you, waiting. If the
person happens to be oblivious
to Skye, she forgives this, but
will raise a short leg and tap
you as if she’s saying “ Hey,
I’m down here. And I am waiting”. Her eye contact is the
best I have ever seen– it is unflinching.
In early summer, Skye came to
live with us. She weighed 39
pounds. After Skye received a
thorough check up and a clean
bill of health, I was determined
that she would lose weight
through a healthy diet and exercise. We walked twice a day,
(sometimes 3 times) slowly at
first, but we were eventually
able to walk at a normal pace
for about 20 minuets. Treats
were given at a minimum. Our
targeted goal: lose 10 pounds.
We needed to lose at least 10
pounds so that our vet could
safely perform her spay.
Skye’s new waistline!!
However, living with Skye
proved challenging because of
her obvious unhappiness. She
didn’t bond with my three other
dogs and she didn’t move very
easily. Ignoring the other dogs
(Food Takers) and demanding
attention from the Food Givers
was her strategy. She didn’t
seem to mind being crated at
night beside our dogs, but we
minded her wakeup calls at
7am.
I must admit that I was relieved
when a new foster to TBR offered to care for her. She had
lost only two pounds with me
and I felt as if I were failing her.
Phoon Kin Fatt and his wife
lived in an a charming apartment complex in Raleigh near
Apex, but grew up in Malaysia.
They wanted to foster a dog
and had always liked beagles.
Fortunately, the couple didn’t
hesitate when I cautioned them
that Skye would require significant amounts of daily walking.
Six weeks later (or maybe 8) I
met Skye again at an adopt-athon. She blew me off. But I
didn’t care because she had
transformed from obese to just
overweight. Her belly no longer
dragged on the ground! I was
thrilled! I couldn’t stop staring
at the incredible change. Immediately, I had to ask Phoon what
was going on! They walked everyday and were now up to 45
minutes twice a day. When I
asked Phoon about her behavior, he reported that she had no
problems—no wakeup barking
alarms. She slept well in her
kennel, loved to walk, and never
messed in the house.
But better than that, I could tell
that Skye was really happy. She
greeted everyone again in the
room and eventually got around
to me, but then reached pleadingly up to Phoon as if to say
“Let’s go home now”. She had
bonded with him and it was
very sweet to see.
A couple of weeks ago when
the economy tanked, Phoon
and his wife returned to Malaysia where his employer is based.
Skye returned to our home after
losing a total of five pounds
during her successful time with
Phoon.
Continued on next page...
THE HAPPY HOWLER
PAGE 7
But I am amazed again! Skye is truly a different dog than the one I knew before. She
runs and plays with all three of our dogs!
She cleans their ears and faces. Skye practically bounces and hops when she is happy.
She has the energy to play with toys, to run
after squirrels, to run up the stairs and acts
like a thinner, happier dog. She’s more fun
to be around now. She may be a red and
white beagle, but to me she is cinnamon
and sugar. All sweet and good!!
Skye is a sweet, gentle girl who still needs
to lose weight, but she enjoys her walks
and calmly takes in all that the world presents to her. She would make a wonderful,
low key companion for a wide variety of
families, couples or individuals– as long as
they enjoy daily walking. She is very easy to
care for and to love. If Skye seems right
for you, act fast before she finds a permanent home with me!
Writing TBR’s
Newsletter
This is the first year ever TBR has produced an entire year’s worth of newsletters!
Certainly, four newsletters qualify as a volume, right? February, April, (a web site article on “old dogs”) August and now, this
current newsletter, which is mostly December and less November. Well, all the
major holidays were hit. Even better, all of
the dogs featured in the three past articles,
“Foster Dog Highlight,” have been successfully adopted!! Even, Skye and I have
our first home visit together tonight. May
Luck be on our side.
So, when will the next newsletter be available? A good question. Procrastination is
the enemy of this volunteer newsletter editor. YOU can help fight the newsletter
procrastination virus by sending stories,
photos and ideas for articles to
lizzlyon@hotmail.
Thanks a bunch!
Lizz Lyon
P.S. I always try to avoid copy right infringement, and any such errors are accidental.
I’m really camera shy, but I
look and feel better than
ever!!