Ginger – January 2008

Ginger joined us at ZippyDogs in March of 2006 and she has come a long way! She used to afraid of all new things and people. Everything was so scary. Now she has lots of friends, a big personality, gets excited when people visit and pretty much runs the office place. Oh and she knows lots of tricks, including how to spell T R E A T S and W A L K.

Ginger is getting a brother in February… more on that later!

Charlie – February 2008

Charlie is an 11 month old bundle of energy! I found Charlie in the classifieds and that very day picked him up from a home on the Tulalip Indian reservation where he was the last chosen from his litter. He was small, very dirty, and shaking he was so scared…I was immediately in love.

Now, 9 months later, he is my constant companion and my precious “baby boy”. Charlie loves to play with my landlord’s two labs (Wag and Jake) during the day and in the evening he insists on tug of war and fetch. Most days Charlie gets to go to the dog park and play with other wonderful puppies. He’s very smart and tricky – he has been known to eat lasagna or cake batter if left out on the counter – and sometimes it’s hard to remember to scold him because he’s so proud of his accomplishments!

Charlie starts puppy school in November and is looking forward to winter trips to eastern Washington where he can play in the snow, go ice fishing, or just snuggle up with mommy and a bone by the fire.

Stoney – March 2008

This is Stoney…I didn’t ask how he got his name and I don’t really want to know!!

I adopted him about seven years ago.

He is always happy and shows me the meaning of unconditional love every day.
He loves cruising in his “Furcedes” with the Zippy Dogs.

He also love the bathtub and will jump in there and lay on the cool surface when he is warm or he wants a drink.

I call him my little white shadow because he follows me everywhere.

Gilbert – April 2008

Gilbert the Cat is the offspring of one of the strays that always hang around the dumpster at the lake. He appeared in the office at our marina one day while my wife was working on the books. He jumped into her lap, started purring, and got himself adopted, pretty much on the spot. In the intervening years, Gilbert has distinguished himself by honing and demonstrating his talents as an escape artist and door master–he can open doors we can’t open, for example. He specializes in opening locked doors. We honestly don’t know how he does it. Now, 7 years later, he still jumps into our laps and purrs. Although he still has all his claws, he is too gentle-natured to used them on our dogs–even when they deserve it. Gilbert is a Good Guy and a great lap-warmer. He has a home for life.

Personal note: They always call me “Gilbert the Cat” like it is not obvious. I don’t drool, pant, beg or slobber, of course I’m a Cat, I’m a kitty cat!

Watch Gilbert’s Favorite Video!

Sam and Jeka – May 2008

The black lab’s name is Jeka, and the Shepherd/Akita is Sam. Our daughter Sydney loves to draw her sidewalk chalk on Jeka – the poor guy – he’s the perfect blackboard for her! She also likes to read books to our Shepherd/Akita mix Sam.

Baron von Eckelbarger – June 2008

Baron-Insky, hails from Roann,
A beautiful color: golden and tan.
Baron used to be kept in a cage,
but come his second year,
it was time to end this outrage.
The Eckelbarger family said,
“Sure, we’ll give him a home.”
and once he had been cleaned,
he had a new house and yard to roam.
This four year old dog loves to eat!
from broccoli and dog food,
to popcorn and meat.
Baron’s a bit fat,
he’s pleasingly plump,
slightly fat from his nose,
to the end of his rump.
What toys does he like?
That’s easy to say:
tennis balls or potatoes,
anything will do, as long as you play.
So, give it up for the Cutest Retriever ever,
No dog will there be so handsome and clever!

Poem by E.A. Eckelbarger (12)

Popeye – July 2008

The day Popeye popped into our lives. It was a cold spring morning. His parents, Daphne & Mr. Black, had nested on our back deck, in our herb pot (so much for my gourmet cooking attempts). Nine of the eleven eggs hatched. Our boy must have been the ninth because when everyone hit the water, he started to sink. The neighbors were watching with great curiosity and were there to rescue him on the spot. Elisa called me at work that night a bit frantic: “there is a baby duck all by itself and I don’t know what to do…it’s on the kitchen counter in a cardboard box…I don’t know what to do”. Thanks to the power of the internet, she figured out just what to feed him and how to care for him. I came home that night to find the new addition to our family sound asleep on her chest and Elisa sleeping too.

For the next two months we feed, walked and swam our new duck. We protected him from his parents and the second batch of siblings (the first batch was part of the food chain within the first four days of their birth – muskrats, crows, seagulls, eagles…everything was trying to feed their own babies). Popeye left our “nest” but came back a couple of weeks later with a swollen hip joint. He spent two to three weeks at PAWS Wildlife Refuge spa and then returned to be released in his home neighborhood.

He now lives on our dock with Daphne & Mr. Black. We are curious to see if he will mate and if there will be a territory war when that time comes. In the meantime we and the other dock residents keep an eye on him, give him some food and enjoy his wiggle waddle down the dock to visit.

Monty – August 2008

This is Montgomery (aka Monty)… a Welsh Pembroke Tri-colour corgi – the queen’s dog. He is the world’s most mellow puppy. He likes to chomp his kitty, and have world federation wrestling matches with said kitty on a constant basis. He loves his teenagers who seem a little like the cows he was bred to herd and thus when they get him riled up – it is the only time he barks, aside from the occasional bark at surveyors tape on sticks in the neighborhood. He is very polite. When someone knocks on the door – he sits by the door nicely to see who it is, he waits politely at the gate until you are there, and then waits politely at the bottom of the stairs to see if it’s a walk or a ride in the car. He has a little issue with chewing and has eaten several games, a expensive bra, shin guards and most of the kitty toys. There isn’t a hyper bone in this little dog body – and we absolutely adore him.

Roxy – September 2008

spirited lab mix who loves to play fetch ’til she pukes…..twice it was in my car. While she looked like a purebred lab as a pup, she slowly made the transition to dingo. She likes tennis balls, baseballs, soccer balls, lacrosse balls, swimming, napping and wrestling. The latter three often involve balls. She hates pecans, the “f” word, and watching the balance beam competition in women’s gymnastics – no lie. She rushed the tv growling each time it was on, very proud of herself, I might add.

Lucky – January 2007

I was born in Arkansas and, at a very early age, took a plane ride to Seattle, Washington. I went to a Seattle pet store and was put into a big pen with other puppies waiting to be adopted. No one in Seattle was familiar with my breed, Affenpinscher, so it seemed like no one wanted to adopt me. The pet store had a sign outside reading “30 cute puppies and 1 ugly one” I was the ugly one. Imagine my shock.

I was 14 weeks old when someone finally noticed me. They noticed me because they knew some other people that wanted an Affenpinscher puppy. Now, I was excited! Soon, those friends came to see me and became my new mothers. I could not believe I was escaping that pet store. Good thing I did escape, too. I was very sick, at first, and looked really funny. My hair stuck up, I was really skinny, and barfed and pooped all the time. I remember going to the vet a lot. My vet named me “Lucky” when told my moms that I was “lucky” to be alive. It took me a while to get well, but I am really sturdy now. I am also very spoiled. I sleep with my Moms and have a huge wardrobe. Toys are a must at home. I work with one of my moms at the health club she owns. I do customer service during the week and I go to my beach house on Whidbey Island on the weekends. Life is very good.
 
 

Belle – February 2007

Belle is a 6 year old Miniature Schnauzer that barks with a southern accent. Belle and I lived in New Orleans for a while, but after Tropical Storm Cindy hit last year, I knew we had to get out. Luckily, we got out just in time, a month later Katrina hit and demolished our uptown home.
Belle joined me in Seattle in December after staying with my parents during the relocation process, she is glad to be in Seattle once again.

Belle enjoys rides to the Beach (especially Alki), going to the dog parks, cheese, going to the store for treats, and just being a silly dog. Belle loves to visit grandma and grandpa, and often flies home with me when I return for Christmas or other family functions. She loves other dogs, although she is not completely convinced that she is one herself!
 
 

Wolfgang – March 2007

Wolfgang came to us from a loving family of breeders in Medford Oregon. Although only a 12 week old puppy, our handsome standard poodle appears much older. His antics belie his age. He playfully pounces on his toys and continues to tumble down the hill in his yard.

He has brought incredible joy to his daddies in such a short time. Wolfgang is a lucky dog to be able to be with one daddy each day who works from home and regularly visit his other daddy at a pet friendly office. Well-natured, Wolfgang gleefully plays with other dogs and snuggles up to everyone he meets, with the exception of his own shadow. Each night when the sinister shadow suddenly appears along the far side of the fence he jumps startled and dashes down the hill with his little tail tucked. At the bottom of the hill he turns to see the evil shadow has disappeared and curtailed pursuit. Perhaps one day soon Wolfgang will figure out the shadow is himself, but for now it is great comic relief.

Wuffy recently had his first encounter with his German heritage as he met his first pair of ducks on the Burke-Gillman trail. Poodles originated in Germany as Pudles and were bred as water fowl hunting dogs. They love water and finding a puddle no matter how far out off the path they have to go.

BUBBA DA CAT – January 2006

I came home one day to find my youngest cat “Bubba” running around the house with this green object hanging from his mouth. It turned out to be a “zippy dog”… I tried for almost 20 minutes to retrieve the little green guy from the jaws of Bubba, but every time I got close enough he ran away. I did not get the zippy dog away from him, until he was so exhausted from running around the house that he jumped up on the sofa and started to fall asleep. This picture best describes our adventure that one afternoon, and to this day the green zippy dog is Bubba’s bestfriend and has to be with him at all times…. He loves it more then cat nip!!!!!

‘Lil Willie – February 2006

This is Willis Reese Latimer known to the world as ‘Lil Willie. He is often confused for a dachshund but he is 100% Jack Russell Terrier. It is still considered rare to find one like me (majority black and tan) in the US, so I guess that makes him that much more special. When I found out they were breeding Jack’s to be black and tan I knew I had to get one. Even though he loves to bark, chew, and run around his favorite pastime is lying on my lap or on my pillow. He has become a very special aspect of my life and he brings joy to anyone that meets him.

Ginger – March 2006

Meet Ginger. She stopped by last weekend to see if she liked us. Her human mother recently started school (and works), so Ginger was crated for about 10-11 hours per day in an apartment. Her mom wanted to find her a new home and we have agreed to adopt her.

When she first met us she was pretty shy, timid and a little overwhelmed by new place, new outside noises and even a yard to run in by herself. Once she explored and settled down a bit – she was very happy and very playful. She smiles a lot, wags her tail and has tons of personality. She is 20” tall and weighs about 40 lbs. She is very quick, has delicate ankles and seems very, very smart.

Ginger is a 2 year old Australian Kelpie cattle dog with lots of energy. She now has a good home and is a very happy dog. When she knows it is time for a walk, she howls with excitement and tries to herd us along – faster!

After living with Bjorn – the original ZippyDog (RIP May 1986 – August 2005), it is a bit weird having a young “puppy like” dog around the office who can see, hear (very well) and gets really rambunctious! No doubt she is keeping us on our toes.

Roscoe and Diesel – April 2006

Roscoe and Diesel are frequently mistaken for brothers…and by most definitions we suppose they are. Though not of the same parents, they do both look alike, and they have the same sibling rivalry you would expect of two boys growing up together. Make no mistake, though– their two personalities couldn’t be more different.

Roscoe is a bright, stubborn four year old Entlebucher Seenenhund mix. Wonderfully protective, Roscoe’s bark is greater than his bite but smaller than his appetite. We’re convinced that he’s plotting a sinister takeover of the household, so we try and keep him on our good side with lots of love and treats. Consequently, he could probably afford to lose a few pounds, but who couldn’t. We like to think he’s just big boned (a trait that runs in the family).

Diesel is a year and a half old and a German Shepard-Rotweiler mix. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to have picked up the expected intelligence of either breed. Nevertheless, we love him dearly. We remind ourselves often of this fact as he licks his way through worldly discovery. He also has some of the stinkiest breath on the planet, and is always happy to come over just to burp in your face.

Both boys are delightful members of our family and we appreciate all of the crazy ways they make our family whole!

Gizmo – May 2006

Here is Gizmo’s bio. I have worked up something like Playboy’s Playmate of the Month. I hope this is not too racy for ZippyDogs.

Name: Gizmo, Piggy, Monster, Ape and The Under-bit-ling

Breed: Pekinese

Age: 13 years young

Home Town: Gizmo hails from the Motor City but has little or no affection for her home town – she is truly a Seattleite.

Hobbies: Sleeping, eating, sleeping, honing her acting skills for pouting and making all humans feel guilty for just about anything – oh yes and some additional sleeping snoring as loud as possible for a dog of her size.

Favorite Foods: Carrots, Popcorn, and especially Lemon Sorbet.

Turn-Ons: Sleeping, bath time, carrots, popcorn, lemon sorbet, short walks to the mail box, briefly chasing squirrels and kitties, and growling at the neighbor’s Wire Haired Pointing Griffon.

Turn Offs: Exercise, plastic/rubber toys, bitter carrots, and anything that could disturb her beauty sleep.

Gizmo is a city girl. While she does love visits to the country for day or weekend visits she must maintain a cultured existence, with filtered water and prescription dog food with tinny bits of boiled chicken breast – which is eaten at her leisure or not at all! Gizmo loves to show off her Pearly whites* as you can see from the photo (*note – this is referred to as ‘smiling’ not as a horrific under bite). Gizmo loves to play fetch, in which one throws the toy she runs after it then lays down. One then walks over to her picks up the toy and throws it again and the whole thing is repeated. Gizmo only runs/trots/saunters one way!

On hot days Gizmo can be found lounging in her personal baby pool, sitting in the shade or sleeping! On cold stormy evenings Gizmo is perfectly at home curled up on one of her 4 beds – one of which is queen size with pillow top!

Jazz – June 2006

Jacob told me you had a lot of black and tan dogs and needed some color. So here is the information about Jazz.

Her full name is Blue Jasmine Rose but we call her Jazz. She is a three-year old blue merle Cardigan Welsh Corgi. There are two kinds of Corgis: Pembroke who don’t have tails (the Queen of England has a lot of these) and Cardigans who do. Jazz got to keep her tail. Jazz comes to work with her mom, Krysta Gibson, who is the executive director of the East County Senior Center in Monroe, Washington. In this photo Jazz posed with her beautiful out-on-the-town collar. She feels that pink is one of her best colors as it goes so well with the blue merle coloring.

Willis and Enrique – July 2006

“Whatchoo talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?” Yes, it’s true…my parents named me after Todd Bridges’ character on Diff’rent Strokes. They thought it was funny. I bet I’m just as tired of hearing that line as Gary Coleman is tired of being asked to repeat it. But, my folks are pretty cool nonetheless. They adopted me as a puppy 5 ½ years ago, and they spoil me rotten. I’m a Boxer/Collie mix and I have two feline siblings – a 12 year-old sister named Olivia, and a 9 month old brother named Enrique. I really like Enrique because he is bilingual and has taught me how to say “Two beers please,” in Spanish. My favorite hobbies are begging for baguettes, barking at our postal carrier, and hanging out in the sunny spot on the floor with my little brother. I also really like chasing squirrels, but my parents discourage me from doing that. I’d like to give a shout-out to the Drummond family, Ms. Garrett, and of course all my 4-legged pals on the block – Ruben, Annie, Sidney, Frankie and Lewis. Woof!

Mister – August 2006

Dear ZippyDogs,

My Mom asked me to send you and Ginger a letter, telling you about myself. So here it is!

My Dad brought me home, as a present to my Mom one Saturday morning. She instantly fell in love with me…as you can see by my little boy pictures…what’s not to love? But, I must tell you that looks are deceiving. I was the baddest doggy ever! I tore my Mom up! I bit her so much and so hard she cried. I could tell she didn’t want to hit me…but I drove her too it!!! Finally, she got wise to my shenanigans and gave me what for.

After that…we fell madly in love with each other and you can find me right by here side all the time now… Chasing a ball is my favorite thing!! That is my Dad’s thing though…mom can’t throw as well as Dad. But Mom takes care of me, and loves me and lets me sleep with her (when Dad is at Work) and lets me boss her around. When she doesn’t pay the right amount of attention to me…I let her know she needs too ~ by barking loudly…usually at 4am…much to our neighbors delight.

So, I need to go play now, but I would REALLY like to meet you and Ginger…as everyone is my friend.

Love, Mister

Zippy – October 2006

We found your sight by typing ZippyDog in the address bar just to find out what would come up. You see, we think our Zippy is the cutest puppy on the planet! He goes by many cutsie names, but his real name is Zippy. Three years ago, we were debating on whether we should get a dog. The house we bought had a doggy door made for small pooches, so we decided to get a little ankle biter. We had a pup all lined up, so while we waited for him to get old enough to come to our house, we chose a name. Zippy was the unanimous favorite. He has certainly lived up to his name by napping 20 hours a day!
Actually his favorite activities include chasing the wildlife out of our yard…well maybe not the deer, opening presents (sometimes he sneaks the kid’s gifts), tearing up his toys and dancing for food.

Zippy knows a lot of tricks. He is quite smart and learned to sit and shake at 8 weeks old. His specialty tricks are saying ‘Yum-yum’ and meowing like a cat.

Zippy is a great pup with plenty of personality and a high cute factor. He is always entertaining us with his antics. We LOVE our ZippyDog!!!

Angus – December 2006

“When I arrived in Seattle 3 months ago, my daddies were determined to use positive dog training approaches to make me a Good Canine Citizen. We had to wake up early on Saturday to go to classes. There was this weird clicker thing that they thought I should get really excited about. There were lots and lots and lots of cookies, but they STILL won’t let me on the bed. What’s up with that? Now that I have agreed not to pee inside, they let me run around all day while they are gone and listen to NPR. That’s when I found it.

While my reading skills are, as yet, undeveloped I could smell that this book was providing them with the advice that keeps me out of the bed. It must go. The best thing to do was to eat it and dispose of the evidence on my next outing. I thought I could get it all down before my walk at lunch, but I was wrong and caught in the act.”

Angus has brought so much energy and fun into our home. We call him Angus, or Lover, or Little Lover, monkeypig or bugger butt. He’s a rock star when we go on walks. At the dog park, he always finds a pack of jack Russels to run around with. He’s friendly and loves dogs and kids. What more can you ask for?

Pete the Cat – January 2005

Pete is the first cat to serve as the Dog of the Month! Pete is actually our neighbor’s cat that comes to visit the ZippyDogs World Headquarters on a weekly basis. We can’t count the number of times we have hired and fired Pete. He shows up whenever he wants, leaves whenever he pleases, falls asleep on the floor and harasses the wildlife just outside our window. The only reason Pete is allowed to visit is because he shows the original ZippyDog, Bjorn – the respect he deserves. One wrong move to Bjorn and he knows he will be out on the street. WOOF!

Specklesnoot Spaniel – February 2005

Charley the Spaniel became part of our family when he was four months old. His official pedigreed name is “Henderson’s Prince Charles”. When we had Charley only about four days, he had his left front leg broken. He and his dad were playing ball and, when his dad was looking elsewhere, Charley ran under his big size 12 shoe. The result was a break so serious that local vets couldn’t handle it. Charley had to spend a week at Purdue University undergoing surgery to repair the break.

Now completely recovered, Charley is referred to at home variously as, “Charley,” the “World’s Oneriest Dog,” the “Specklesnoot Spaniel,” and “Charleybud.” He answers equally well to all four appellations. His favorite activity (other than eating and playing ball) is stealing dirty laundry out of the basket and taking it into his kennel. He used to chew it apart when he was a puppy, but now he mostly just lies on it.

Charley’s two playmates are Gilbert the Cat and Sophie the Cat. It’s probably accurate to say that Charley and Gilbert have a basic Odie-and-Garfield-type relationship.

Charley’s one bird hunting trip showed him to have been bred to hunt birds. Unfortunately, the field was full of burrs and by the end of the day, so was Charley. When he shook his head, his ears met over his head and stuck together.

When asked how he felt about being selected as ZippyDog’s Dog of the Month, Charley said, “Woof!”

Jet, Shasta and Pepper – March 2005

Jet- (lab mix) 10 years old The original Blair dog came from the Bellingham SPCA 10 years ago as a puppy. She’s always been the worry wart of the family. Whenever we cough or sneeze, she is immediately at our side and puts her paw on our chest. She won’t leave our side if we’re sick. Her sweet, gentle nature has endured despite the menagerie of dogs and grandchildren thrust upon her over the years.

Shasta -(Aussie shepherd mix)6 years old She was brought home to keep Jet company during the day when we were at work. My husband Bill insisted on getting a young pup from the shelter, but when none were available, I begged him to go and see her. The volunteer at the shelter said she was 7 months old and loved to chase butterflies. Bill told me he wouldn’t get an older puppy but SURPRISE – he came roaring up the driveway with Shasta in his lap. She jumped out of the car, exchanged sniffs with Jet, and they took off running and playing. It’s been a madhouse ever since.

Pepper – (Border collie) 12+ years old Pepper wandered in my granddaughter’s yard one day 4 years ago. He was starved and his fur was dirty and matted. We took him to the Vet right away and found out he had a cyst on his back leg. After this was removed he perked up and played with Jet and Shasta all day. A week later we found out the growth with caused by a very aggressive cancer. But our wonderful friends at the Animal Center in Burnaby saved his life with 10 chemo treatments. He was such a trooper even though he lost all the fur around his neck (that prompted the bandanas in the picture). Pepper is healthy, but blind from a degenerative eye disease. He doesn’t mind though…he has a special blanket on the leather couch and there’s where he snoozes until he’s in the recliner with me.

Our dogs mean more to us than anything and we can never give back what they give to us. We just bought a 30 ft. motor home for traveling because we would never go anywhere without them!

Annie – April 2005

Annie is a 13 year old Welsh Corgi/Sheltie cross, according to the Humane Society in Missoula, MT where I found her…correction, she found me back in 1992. Needless to say, my life has never been the same. She is a very expressive and emotional dog (don’t know where she gets that?!) and rolls with the punches of everyday life. Her hobbies include (or have included in the past): chasing and catching squirrels, chasing the cat around the house, rolling in stinky stuff, jet dogging around the yard with a plum in her mouth (think barrel racing style), running along the beach and spooning with me in bed. Annie started out as a construction dog, riding in the truck with me everywhere, however she has since retired to lounging about the house in her expensive dog beds and sunning herself on the back deck. I love my lil’ Annie fiercely and can’t imagine my life without her in it – the love and joy she brings to each day is immeasurable!

BJORN – HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY!!! – May 2005

Bjorn turns 18 years old this month. He is a purebred Schipperke (a Belgium barge dog). He has gone by many names; Little Black Bullet, Sir Bark-O-Lot, the Demon Dog, One Speed Wonder, but his most endearing name is – the Devil Dog. Lovingly and appropriately, the name was given by many of our friends who have been nipped by him at one time or another. Strangely, Bjorn also comes to the call of Jimmy Carter, but only if done with a strong southern accent.

What can we say, we love this guy.

Peanut – June 2005

Peanut is a very zippy dog. He’s an agility star and a fabulous snuggler, too. His agility partner is Grisha Stewart of Ahimsa Dog Training . He’s a shelter rescued border collie something mix (maybe whippet, maybe cattle dog), born on Halloween in 2002.

Buster and Marcel – July 2005

“What can I say about Marcel and Buster? They are 2 1/2 years old, both are 5-pound balls of fury, they are brothers and best friends, they are trouble makers, they are each other’s pillows during naps, and we affectionately refer to them as “the little monsters”!

Marcel and Buster were born in Ballard but somehow they hate to be out in the rain! They’re rambunctious little guys who always keep an eye on each other to make sure neither is getting more attention. Sometimes they’re a little too rambunctious – Buster’s new alias is “Mike Tyson” after an incident involving a Greenie which left Marcel without the tip of his left ear.

Buster is the Blonde Princess with the big brown eyes – he prefers a cushy lifestyle. Marcel is the Jock and the Escape Artist – he can easily walk around Green Lake and have energy left over, he can climb a baby gate, wedge himself into small spaces to escape from “captivity”, and eat his way through a cardboard box if it’s in his way. Marcel has a particular fondness for macadamia nuts which has gotten him into trouble more than once!

Their preferred activities are wrestling, playing tug of war, following the sun from room to room in the house to ensure maximum exposure, sleeping in the best possible nest they can create with available clothing and blankets, and fighting for the best spot in the bed for sleeping at night.

Their extended Chihuahua family includes cousin Jacques and his brother Gilles (both in New York City) and a new puppy named Snack (in Miami).

We wouldn’t trade them for anything!

BJORN – August 2005

Squirrels, cheese, kitty kitty, cheese, Lucy, cheese, chicken, cheese, walks, cheese, car rides, cheese, canned pumpkin, cheese, Smokey, cheese, dolly, cheese, mail man, cheese, run too fast – flip head over heal, cheese, mommies, cheese. Needless to say, in heaven, Bjorn will get cheese whenever he wants it!

Roscoe the Rescue! – September 2005

Roscoe came to live with us from the PAWS shelter in Lynwood, WA. I volunteer there and I met Roscoe when her first came to PAWS around the first of the year (2005). He was pretty scrawny then, and he had some health problems while he was at PAWS, including needing exploratory surgery when he swallowed some pieces of hard plastic that injured his intestines. Roscoe and I became buddies during his stay at PAWS, which was a long one. He was a staff favorite, but didn’t always look so good to potential adopters because the stress of the environment led to some noisy behaviors. Finally, Roscoe was adopted. I was glad to see him find a home, but sad to say goodbye. I would have adopted him then, but at the time I couldn’t have pets in my apartment. Then, about two months later, I was looking at the PAWS website and saw that Roscoe was back. Apparently, the people who adopted him had moved off and abandoned him, leaving him alone in their yard, where neighbors had been feeding him. Fortunately, he is micro-chipped so he was returned to PAWS. In the meantime I had gotten myself qualified for a service animal and could now have a dog in my apartment. I called PAWS at once and told them I wanted Roscoe. He came home with me after my volunteer shift that weekend. He has been with us for a few months now, has filled out wonderfully, plays in the park almost every day, runs like the wind, and has developed a wonderfully fit physique. We are so happy to have Roscoe in our lives, and I believe that he is happy to have a home at last.

Maverick, the happy dance dog – October 2005

I was lucky enough to be able to pick Maverick out when he was only 3 days old. I found a breeder through the Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue, and it just happened to be that the day that I called, she had someone who had a Boxer who was just about to deliver puppies. I spoke to the gentlemen on the phone that night, and a few days later, went to his house to pick one out! I chose the first born male, and immediately name him Maverick.

Maverick had a great first 4 years of his life, but shortly after he turned 5, it was discovered that he had a genetic heart condition called Boxer Cardiomyopathy. Thankfully this is managed by human heart medication that he takes 3 times a day, but he still has ‘episodes’ when he gets excited, and sometimes his heart will stop. The medication helps to re-start it, and he’s become accustomed to just sitting down and trying to be quiet when an episode hits him. It can be pretty scary because you just never know if his heart will re-start or not. He continually has heart tests, and his last one did not show any signs that things were worse, so everyday I am thankful that he is still alive and able to greet me with that happy little face every morning.

He loves to give really big kisses and even if you are only away from him for a minute or two, he does his happy dance, and acts like he hasn’t seen you in days. I just can’t tell you how much this little guy means to me…. He’s the best! Also, my niece says that he can ‘smooch on demand’ which is pretty comical as well. His nickname is Chopper, since his chops are always flapping! And his facial expressions are just too much… I swear he’s laughing at us half of the time.

Ringo, the Firecracker – November 2005

Here’s Ringo. He’s, without a doubt, the zippiest Shiba Inu you will ever meet!
Ringo celebrated his 4th Birthday on July 4, 2005. He’s a firecracker to be sure!

Ringo was a 7 month old latch key boy in Renton Washington when his family offered him for adoption. He was described as “beautiful, loving and charming.” That was no exaggeration. It was love at first sight but his name sealed the deal. Ringo is a Star!

Ringo spends most of his time in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. He likes to keep up with what’s happening locally and frequents the galleries and specialty shops in the area. He’s a regular at the Fremont Sunday Market and was a featured “Calendar Boy for July 2005”.

Shiba Inu’s are very catlike. Ringo is a Big Kitty sometimes. He suns himself on the window ledge – always on the look out for a fly to swat! Ringo loves balls – any size, any material. He has a voice that’s more of a trill and a chortle than a bark with quite a vocabulary. He also has a special love for electronics. If the telephone or the remote controls are missing, look no further.

He’s growing up and mellowing out a bit but remember Shiba Inu’s are not ornamental dogs. In spite of his sweet, foxy smile you’ve got to watch out for his retractable teeth. If you ever have the opportunity to visit West Crest Park and you see a flash of red run by, you’ve probably crossed paths with Ringo.

Memphis – December 2005

Memphis, weighing in at a whopping 96 pounds joined my family just weeks before Christmas of ’04. I adopted Memphis from the Seattle Animal Shelter because when I saw her, I fell in love and knew I couldn’t leave without taking her with me! She’s definitely the best gift I’ve ever gotten myself – the gift that keeps giving!!! Memphis is somewhere between 6-8 years old. I gave Memphis her name to help her feel more in touch with her feline brother and sister in the house – Elvis and Graceland. I would venture to say that most people would consider Memphis spoiled rotten – she rides in my car with me, she sleeps in my bed with me (yes, we cuddle), she has the run of the house and the yard. She’s a great protector dog. Whenever she feels like the situation is unsafe, she happily lets out her menacing bark to let me know. Memphis is an ocean lover – she’s had some of her best times on our weekend trips to the ocean. She likes to destroy just about any toy that I give to her – tennis balls, squeaky toys, stuffed animals, Frisbees, etc. She has an insatiable sweet tooth as well! I’ve learned not to leave Hershey’s kisses in Christmas Stockings…the hard way. She’ll do anything for you in return for a treat and some loving. Memphis is as loyal as the day is long. Whenever I get home from work, she’s right at the door; tail wagging, tongue licking, drooling, happy to see me. She follows me everywhere and helps keep me in line.

Anna and Madelyn – February 2003

These two beautiful golden retriever sisters are interested in knowing where their mom is and what she’s doing at all times, including when she’s up on a ladder. Three-year-old Molly Jo’s favorite pastime is playing soccer. Molly Jo followed her mom everywhere carrying her soccer ball in her mouth; so a little sister was brought home early last spring. In a very short time, these girls have become the closest imaginable sisters. Molly Jo helped teach Sealy Rainier the correct responses to mom’s instructions to sit and lay down. In fact, Sealy had a really tough time learning “down”. After constant coaxing from mom, Molly Jo stepped in to help. Molly Jo was anxious to get the cookie in mom’s hand, yet Sealy sat there and wouldn’t lie down, delaying Molly’s treats. So Molly Jo reached out with one quick sweep of her right arm and plopped Sealy into the down position. Sealy looked at Molly Jo and then at mom, as if to say “oh, is that what I’m suppose to do” and ever since she has performed “down” with perfection.

Sealy’s lack of interest in soccer inspired Molly Jo to show Sealy how fun their backyard agility course is. As Molly Jo flies through the course, over the jumps, weaving the poles, through the tunnel and over the seesaw, she looks back at mom & Sealy with a smile pasted on her face. At the end of a good run, on signal, she jumps up to “give me ten” and then takes a bow for anyone watching. Molly Jo is an “over-achiever” and will do anything for a loving pat or a cookie. Once afraid of all those foreign agility objects, Sealy now races around the course following Molly Jo just as tightly as she can. Once tired they find their way back to mom’s feet for a nap.

There may be twice as many toys pulled out of the toy box and scattered on the floor each day and yes, it’s twice as loud in the house. But there’s also more than twice the amount of joy and laughter in our family and home.
 
 

Jackson Dog of the Month – February 2004

Jackson and Bailey came into my life in 2000. Both retired racing greyhounds, the only thing they do professionally now is SLEEP. I adopted Jackson in October, direct from the Tucson, AZ racetrack. Bailey arrived on December 22, retired from the Dairyland racetrack in Wisconsin.

Since then, they have learned the basic dog tricks….sit, down, shake, go to your bed. They also lay and wait while I fix their dinner, and Jackson even barks on command (good party trick). Bailey only barks when other animals pass in front of our house, because clearly they did not get permission from her. She is the self-appointed hall monitor for Orcas Street.

We don’t get to visit the local off-leash park, because Bailey gets very confused by small fluffy dogs. She thinks they would be fun to chase and catch, just like at the racetrack. Instead, we sometimes go to a greyhound only playgroup where they can rip around with other fast dogs (and no small fluffy dogs). Then we come home and sleep the rest of the day (at least, the dogs do).
 
 

Devon Dog of the Month – March 2004

Devon is our Jack Russell Terrier. She just turned thirteen, and although she never had puppies, we think of her as our little Grandma dog.

When Devon was young, she was extremely mischievous. After meals, if we left the kitchen with our plates still on the table, she’d jump from a chair to the tabletop like a cat, and stand on top of the table while she ate the leftovers as quickly as she could. The only thing that would give her away was the sound of her tags tinkling against the dishes. Devon was also able to extract chocolate and lipstick from zippered purses and backpacks (we never figured out how), and if she got into a grocery bag, she’d eat anything from a cube of butter (wax paper and all) to a entire block of Asiago cheese. Eventually, we learned to push our chairs in and get food off the ground as quickly as possible.

Devon has slowed down as she’s gotten older, and she’s had some health issues over the past several years. Devon went blind overnight about 2-1/2 years ago from a condition called SARDs, and developed diabetes about a year ago. But even two injections a day and the occassional bump into a wall hasn’t stopped her completely. If we forget to close the pantry doors, Devon will inevitably grab whatever she can from the bottom shelf (anything from marshmallows to Wheat Thins) and try to sneak off for a little snack. We usually catch her, though, since it’s kind of hard to get too far when you can’t see, but she keeps trying.

- The Mele Family

The original Zippydog -Svarta Bjorn – January 2003

Bjorn, obviously on break at the moment, is the original Zippydog! He will be 16 years old in May 2003. He is a purebred Schipperke (a Belgium barge dog). He goes by many names; Little Black Bullet, Sir Bark-O-Lot, the Demon Dog, One Speed Wonder, but his most endearing name is – the Devil Dog. Lovingly and appropriately, the name was given by many of our friends who have been nipped by him at one time or another. Strangely, Bjorn also comes to the call of Jimmy Carter, but only if done with a strong southern accent.

Bjorn has a basket full of toys; too many really, as he sometimes must stare at his basket for 10 minutes, before making a decision of which toy is ‘calling’ to him. Bjorn loves to play with his toys, especially those with extreme flop-ability. Our friend Annie had mastered the search for toys with flop-ability – these are always his favorite!
Bjorn loves his new neighbor, Pete the Cat. They tease each other. Pete knows Bjorn can’t see or hear him, sometimes sneaks up on him. But look out when Bjorn gets a wiff of Pete! Bjorn has run into our front fence chasing Pete’s scent on a couple of occasions.
 
 

Anna and Madelyn – February 2003

Check out the two gorgeous canine girls. On the left is Anna, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog who joined Madelyn, a Chocolate Labrador Retriever, at the home of Jim and Michelle.

Anna is a little over a year old and weighs in at 95 pounds, dwarfing her older “sister” Madelyn, who weighs about 70 pounds and is four and a half years old. The two girls love to play with pull toys, each tugging hard. They sometimes get confused and play tug of war with a stuffed toy until it ruptures and has to go to the stuffed toy hospital for repair. When the toys become boring, the next best thing is to chomp gently on each other, rolling and chewing. Madelyn sometimes scolds Anna, who is younger and rambunctious. Anna gets her feelings hurt, but plays much better when she returns to the fray. Madelyn loves to retrieve balls and Frisbees. Anna is not into retrieving. Her fun comes from chasing Madelyn, who is chasing the ball!

Both girls love Lucy, the cat and do quite well at remembering the number one cat rule. “It’s okay to lick the cat, but it is NOT okay to chase her”. All three girls play a part in creating a happy, active, pet-orientated home!
 
 

Tonka – March 2003

Tonka’s a free-wheelin’ Sam Shepherd [Samoyed/German Shepherd mix] who enjoys visiting his pals during daily hour-long walks on local park trails, chasing squirrelies, kitties and barking at passersby through inconspicuous peepholes in his hedge. During the warmer months of the year, Tonka loves to diversify his fitness plan by swimming in lakes at his favorite parks.

He’s no stranger to culinary delights, either. Occasionally, he enjoys mix-ins with his evening tea: salmon skins, steak pieces and ground beef fried up real nice.

His favorite people in the whole world are his human companions who have many aliases for him. Among them: Tonkie Bear, Little Baby, Tonka Alan, Tonkie Wonkie and Couscousiere. He loves to entertain them with his bag of tricks: sit pretty, rollover, hold a bikky on the nose and catch it when it’s OK, and Right Here [puts his nose wherever he's told to].

No, Tonkie is not spoiled one bit!
 
 

Stony Dog of the Month – June 2003

Stony, my 12 year old golden retriever is named after an island located just outside of a small harbor on Lake Ontario.

He lives up to his name in the summertime, as he spends hours tromping around Vermont shorelines and river edges pulling rocks into shallow water with his giant paws. Once the rock is in clear sight, he dunks his head under, retrieves it and carries it to a safe haven on shore. With the arrival of winter, the hunt continues; rather than sorting through water, he sifts his way through snow banks. Perhaps in another life he was an avalanche rescue dog!

Stony is quite a guy, very chilled out and as loyal as loyal can be. He enjoys sleeping, playing with a squeaky toy now and again and walks on forest trails. One of his closest friends is Grace, a black lab. Grace and Stony share a passion for snow banks, squeaky toys and swimming. However, since Grace’s recent move to the West, he can only send postcards to her and remember the good ‘ol days in exploring in the forest together.

Regards,
Kate and Stony

Lucky is a yellow lab. He was a stray and we adopted him. His name might be Lucky , but we’re the lucky ones to have such a great dog. He is very protective of our daughter. He hunts snakes and has killed several poisonous ones in our yard. My daughter and Lucky really do race to see who gets to the van first for a ride to school. He usually wins, he weighs 90 and she weighs 40……..he mows her over to get in first.

- Hope (mom)
 
 

Jasmine – December 2003

My name is Jasmine and I am a beautiful, leggy lab-mix. I’m almost two years old. My current humans, Pat and Heather, found me about a year ago at an animal shelter. I agreed to live with them, and it’s working out just fine. I really like Lucky, my humans cat, although I can’t chase him. (much) I also love swimming at the dog park that my human Auntie takes me to. I’m practically the best swimmer there! I chase toys for the other dogs, just to save them the trouble of getting wet.

I have lots of adventures. I eat sticks, and chew up new rubbermaid storage tubs that my humans put in the yard for me. Once when I was visiting my Auntie, I decided to go and visit some neighbors early Sunday morning. I ran at TOP SPEED to the next block where I decided to go into the house! My Auntie was alarmed when one of the humans living there mentioned a pit bull. Guess not everyone likes company…