Why foster?

A good friend is fostering a dog for the first time. Aaron's soulful eyes, and hard luck, last chance story, spoke to her from across the Internet's. Mary found herself in the place that so many of us who foster dogs find ourselves.

.The place where saying no is not an option.

The chronicle of her foster journey has just begun , but it is a great read.

Check it out Marysdogs.com. Mary writes with depth and heart and soul  and lots and lots of talent.


Mary's foster dog journey  got me to thinking about why I have been involved in dog rescue for over 10 years, and as of late fostering dogs. I don't think I am quite as deep as Mary. For me it is much more basic.

I have a skill that directly correlates to saving dogs. Hard not to use it no?. One might even go so far as to say that I have a gift with animals. It is a gift of patience and understanding, and all three of my kids have it to -- to varying degrees. When my son was 5 years old we were in Florida visiting my parents and Max was mesmerized by the lizards. They would sun themselves around the pool area and when anyone walked close they would scatter behind the shrubs and rocks. When Max walked they followed him. It was the talk of the place for quite some time. That kid can catch just about anything. His father claims it comes from his small amount of Cherokee blood.  He has it with girls to -- animal magnetism .

My middle daughter has a keen eye and can meet a dog and size it accurately and quickly. Her first impressions have never been wrong. Watch out if Hannah doesn't like your dog!

My youngest, is my mini me. She loves all animals, and they love her. She goes over friend's houses and gives training suggestions to parents and kids on play dates. When the surprised Moms and Dads tell me about it, I find I always support her teachings. Maybe she goes a bit heavy on  spins and bows, but Heather is after all only 8 years old.

I know I have been saying this for a while, but after Mango finds her home, I am taking a break from fostering to spend quality time with Charlee. It was been 2 months since her toe tumor erupted and she has been very tolerant of our revolving door, but her soulful looks tell me she needs a break to.

We'll be back.

___________

Mango  will be listed for adoption by next weekend. Lucky for us, she is issue free and has been quite an easy foster.  Easy on the eye to don't you think?

Product Review: Kong Rocket, and Air Kong tennis balls

The Kong Rocket Tennis Ball Launcher is 24" long and allows you pick up 2 sizes of tennis balls and chuck them a few hundred feet without having to put your hands on the dog's slimy ball.


I liked it!

What I like even more than the Rocket are Air Kong squeaky tennis balls.

I have a love hate relationship with a tennis ball that can squeak. Of course most dogs love them, and while I think they are a must have for the serious dog person, who out there except maybe the hard of hearing is not driven insane by incessant squeaking?


I am grateful to Kong for being instrumental in helping my 6 month old foster dog learn how to play with toys. Like many shelter dogs, Stella was not interested in dog toys when she arrived, but once she saw the other dogs playing with the Air Kong squeaking tennis ball, it wasn't long before she snagged it from them and she has been all about toys ever since. Dogs with a toy drive, that is not excessive, are much easier to train, and they can be a lot of fun to hang around with. Stella is actually more adoptable now that she is starting to fetch.  Thanks Kong!

Unlike a Chuck it, Kong Rocket comes with a plastic switch that adjusts to fit both regular sized and oversized tennis balls. Unless you have a big breed with the chance of swallowing the standard size ball, I am not sure you need this feature. Of the 15 dogs that we tested the Air Kong squeaky tennis balls and Kong Rocket with, to include the "Oh my God it's a ball, it's a ball, throw the ball" Labs, the dogs preferred the smaller ball every time, but still engaged with the larger ball .



One of the best features of the Air Kong tennis ball is that it is made from a non-abrasive fabric that will not wear down dog's teeth. There can be harmful chemicals in almost tennis balls and Kong's tennis balls are safe for dog to play with, but not eat of course.



One of the "OMG it's a squeaky tennis ball, throw the squeaky tennis ball", Labs was in absolute heaven with both sizes of the squeaky tennis ball and I wish I had gotten a picture of her with her glazed look of total bliss.

Kong Rocket sells for about 10 bucks and a 3 pack of regular sized Kong Squeak Air tennis balls sells for about $6.50. Quite a bit cheaper than a doggie dentist.

Life with kids

Marti found a family

I didn't think I would miss Marti but I do. Of the three pups who arrived nearly 5 weeks ago, she was the one I referred to once as also ran. She wasn't gorgeous like her sister Rosebud, and she was not brain surgeon smart like Evon. She was the also ran, the middle of the pack horse. Had she been the only puppy here, then I am sure we would have lavished a lot more time and attention on her, but as the saying goes, there are only so many hours in the day. Yet of the three pups she turned out to be the easiest one, both for us to care for and for her placement options. Marti is incredibly sweet.

When I first started taking her out and about in the the real world, she didn't much trust me or pay any attention to me and that was frustrating. Lucky for the dog, she did trust and pay attention to my middle daughter and Hannah was a huge help with  her. Hannah named her Marti, and they had a "thing".  I am really proud of my kid.  Loving and letting go.  Not so easy.

Marti is one lucky pup. She started life  born to a feral mother in a junkyard,  where the litter was pluked  by a  caring Mississippi woman who fostered her and  shipped her North where she found a womderful family.

Meet Marti's new family. How can you not smile when you look at this photo?

There is also a baby and a Dad at home. They were only coming to meet her, but it was a mutual match from the get go, so they left with one of my leashes, a "the check is in the mail." and the blessing of my middle daughter. Marti still has a lot of learn about the world, but she is a very quick study.

I am not the only one missing her. Evon is to. Not sure what she will do without her bitey face buddy.

Maybe play with our new foster Mango?

Evon is meeting one of my cousins on Sunday. Wish her luck.
 
 
________________
Mango is a two year old Greyhound/Lab/German Shepherd . She is being evaluated to see what kind of home suits her best. She is super sweet.

Can Cave Man TV help kill fleas?

If your reading this, chances are you are having a flea problem. Welcome! After living flea free for the nearly 9 years that I have lived in Maine, I have one to. Like me, I am sure you want to solve this problem without chemicals if possible.

I believe my flea problem started when Frontline Plus stopped doing what it was supposed to. It "may" have still been killing fleas, but not quick enough, and that  allowed them suckers to drop their wittle eggs which then started the nasty cycle. A single flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day and up to 500 eggs in a life time.

No wonder right?

Maine's gorgeous hot and humid summer has brought the fleas out. I am not alone in flea hell, and the local pet stores report their phones are ringing non stop with people lamenting the same thing. Did you know that fleas can survive our  harsh Maine winters, and hatch any time from 1 week to 1 year when the climate is right?

Yikes huh!!

For info on kicking it old school, check Pet Connections flea blog by Christie Keith, Fighting Fleas the Old Fashion Way. http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2010/07/16/fighting-fleas-the-old-fashioned-way/. Be sure to read the comments to. As you know there is an endless amount of info if you check teh Google.

This flea blog is a bit different.
There is a whole lotta how to's out there. What I wanted to know was why.
Why was my Collie a cicrus for fleas while my other dog and 3 foster pups, who arrived after the fleas, were pretty much a no fly zone?

My doggie friends all shook their heads in sympathy, and suggested that Finney most likely had a lowered immune system. ZOMG! I put him on supplements stat, and spoke to more doggie friends and several Vets. "Well, it could be...." was what they all said.

Why I wondered didn't my nearly 12 year old dog with possible cancer, and a  wound that won't heal, and a pancreas that doesn't work, not have the problem that healthy 4 year old Finney was having, if it was indeed an immune issue? Well they are on different food, but still, it didn't add up to me. I can't cope with the possibility that I have two out of two sick dogs, so my wheels kept on turning and my brain kept on thunkin'. Are fleas like head lice and prefer some over others I wondered?


Finney and Charlee were put on Revolution because it seemed to be working for the foster pups, but I still had the issue of future hatching flea eggs that turn into horrid biting fleas. I still needed bigger  guns for my house and yard.

I narrowed it down to 3.


1,)  Spreading Human grade Diatomaceous Earth - maybe-

2.) Nematodes --maybe. but at close to $100 bucks with shipping, that is a big ouch for something that may or may not work.

3,)  Spray Chemicals --really rather not.

Before I went with the above 3 options, I decided to try home made flea traps first.  I bought super sticky tape and went about setting flea traps both with tape and with soapy water behind a light on the ground because fleas are attracted to heat. As I was setting up it hit me!

I have spent many days and nights watching Cave Man TV (fire pit) and Mr Collie Man loves to bark, as many Collie's do, so he has been leashed right next to me outside ---by the fire---for long stretches of time.

Stay with me.

The fleas are attracted to the fire's heat. Well that explains it.

MY FIRE PIT! Finney had spent quite a bit of time leashed in the yard nest to me at my fabulous fire pit. Fleas were attracted to the heat!! ZOMG someone buy me something, I might as well have just solved world hunger, or at least that is how it seemed that night I devised the

"Nancy flea extermination plan"

Build a fire, put down flea traps.

If you build it they will come.

Tune in soon for part 2 ---The experiments.

About the photo--Who doesn't like yellow peeps roasting by an open fire?  Looks like we're in for some Major mashmellow roasting in the days to come.

Product Review -The Kong Wobbler---yup it's awesome

All dogs should have a Kong Wobbler.
Who wouldn't want a toy that their dog engaged with for a long period's of time? It is well worth the price of about  $20.  Just how much would you pay for happy? I am grateful to Kong for sending me one to review, but seriously, it was already on my must have list.

Looking like a Kong, but acting very much like a weeble, the Kong Wobbler unscrews and you fill it with small bits of goodies. When the dog interacts with the toy, little bits will spill out. We also had a chance to review Kong's Stuff'N IQ Treats Baked Salmon, and the dogs went nuts. I loved these treats so much in fact that I have saved the remaining for a time when I need a super high value treat in highly distracting environments.

Of the 15 toy testers for the Kong Wobbler, all figured it out and enjoyed it short time. They enjoy it so much in fact, that I have to save it for a time when the dogs are solo. Chances for a food guarding incident were just too high. While it may be possible to use with multi dogs, I erred on the side of caution and
unless your multi dogs are totally chill about resourses, you should to.


The first to figure it out and go pretty wild for it was Charlee my 12 year old Border Collie X rescue. Anything that makes my gal happy is all right with me. Charlee also give Kong's new fish treat 4 paws straight off the ground,.Just please make a note that some dogs will put their nose up to smelly fish products.

Making the Kong Wobbler really smelly and enticing  when you first introduce it , is strongly recommened.



I did make the mistake of giving it to a dog outside in my yard and later that day  my 12 year old dog claimed ownership of the Kong Wobbler and used it as a pee  post. Bad girl Charlee! Nothing some Nature's Miracle and a trip through the dish washer didn't make right.

Awkward Family photos .com

Awkward Family Pet Photos, why didn't I think of this?

I have a lot of favorites, but I have to say, but this one, ...well...it is just....uhm....well...funny, and really awkward, Yah, that's it. Awkward.

Awkward Family photos reminds me of a private client I had a few years back. A husband and wife owned a trucking company, and they traversed the country several times a month with their little fluff ball of a dog. I was brought in because the dog was barking over the top at truck stops. They claimed it was their fault because as a pup they encouraged her to bark at the Lot Lizards, truck stop prostitutes who come knocking on the cab looking for work when the truck was parked. 

That term was new to me on that day, but now that I know about Lot Lizards, I see the lizard with the void sign through it everywhere.

After we talked and trained and solved their little fluff balls issues, they invited me into the living room for a cool drink, and to show me pictures of their dogs past and present. Little fluff ball was one of a long line of fluff balls and the room was pretty much a shrine to them. All over the walls were pictures from Glamour Shots taken at the mall, of the husband and wife posing with various dogs along with the two of them together and their various little white fluff balls.

OMG, that is all I am going to say.

My 3 foster pups, 1 down, 2 to go

Rosebud has been back all week.  She will hang with us until she is just a little older.

This shot was taken this AM on my phone within the first 5 mintues. Think she looks happy? 

Me to.

It has been realy hard getting anything done today because they have turned into really great pups, the kind that  any dog lover would want to hang around with.

They are hysterical to watch and nice to be around.

I have a few interested parties for both dogs, but if YOU think either Evon or Marti are supposed to be your dog, speak up or forever hold your peace.   I still think Evon is maybe MY dog, but once again, the timing is really wrong.
What is that saying?  Oh yea, there  is never a right time to  have a baby.

Stoopid Robin

Does this Charlie Brown scrub tree that is eye level to my daughter and in a kennel area at The Pet Pantry in Freeport look like a place that if you were a bird you would stake as home? The owners of the store report that the dumb ass Robin built her nest nearly a week ago and laid her eggs soon after. When the dogs use the space, the Mom flies away squawking and waits.

In class last night, we found the nest when we got dive bombed during puppy play time. 

There's Momma up there at the peak with a worm in her mouth.

Ok, I admit , it was totally cool, but it is amazing that Robins have not caught up to Darwin.

The day before a Robin missing it's tail feathers somehow landed in my yard, and we took it out of not 1, not 2, but three dog's mouths. *Shakes fist at Finney, Charlee and Evon* The dogs hadn't been unattended in my yard so I am quite sure the recently deceased met with a cat the first time round. My son caught him and we made it comfy in the garage where it ate 4 worms, but the poor thing must have had internal injuries and was dead by morning.

Ah, the great circle of life. A bird dies in my care, but later that day I am nose to beak with 3 babes and a soon to be hatched perfect blue Robin egg.
 

photos taken with my Crackberry

It's raining frogs near dogs

Ever have something happen to you that is such a weird coincidence you start to think it is some sort of sign that you are supposed to piece together?

Ever wonder (and wish) that you could break some sort of strange code that the universe seems to be flinging your way and that if you had half a clue you could win millions of dollars in the lottery?

Then you wrack your brain and there is no way you can make heads or tails of it.

Happens to me all the time.

Like everytime you borrow your college roomate's car  Super Tramp is playing on the radio?
true story

Every time you stop at a red light, people in the next car are listening to Pink Floyd but no one in the band died?
true story

You hear the Girl from Ipanema more than 7 times in a week in elevators, on hold, on the radio, and on TV?
true story

You are sent the same forwarded email from 4 people you have not spoken to in years, on the same day, and you have already seen it, and blogged it over a year ago?
true story

You have 6 dogs in class named Murphy in the same week.
true story

Five people call you on the same day for help with their Mastiffs and none are from the same breeder?
true story

You have a craving for carmel corn and come home and find your Mother sent you a care package with carmel corn?
true story

For three days in a row, every single work call you get is for potty training?
true story

No lie, all these things and many many many more have happened to me.

Which leads to the frogs. I have found two tree frogs in less than one month when dealing with dog poop.
I repeat, two tree frogs. Prior to this I have never ever seen a tree frog in the wilds of Maine.

Meet Tree frog numero uno

I was lifting up the trash can at Pet Pantry in Freeport during training class to dispose of a puppy's poop and the not so little guy was hanging on to the side of the trash can.

I screamed like a little girl. Not because of my fear of frogs, but the little sucker startled me.

Turns out Gray frogs are native to Maine and they sing like a bird, really, really loud.

And Tree Frog Poopio dos

Last week I took only Charlee for a special walk at Baxter Woods in Portland. The parking lot has a wooden box filled with bags for poop disposal. I grabbed one and walked for a good 45 minutes. When I got back to the car, I found that Charlee hadn't had me all to herself, but that she shared her walk with a little Spring Peeper who had been clinging inside the shopping bag the whole time. Lucky for him, Charlee went before she left the house!

Anyone wants to calculate the odds and send me the winning lottery numbers?

Mucho appreciado.

No frogs were harmed in the making of this blog.

 

This blog brought to you by my not so good friends Super Tramp.

 

 

Make sure pets & summer guests get along

The following article apeared in July 2010 Raising Maine Magazine, where I am a contributior. I pitch  stories that make it in every other month or so.   It has been a challange for me to keep stories to 500-600 words, but I just recieved word that the magazine formats have expanded so I am hoping that will translate into  longer, meatier  stories from me in the not too distant future.

My absolute favorite part of this article is that they chose to use the picture I submitted of my mother and my 2 dogs (who are not begging, I swear *fingers crossed*).  My Mom is getting out of the hosptial today and we are hopeful that she is  finally winning the war against a nasty foot infection that has plagued her for months. . 

Mom, this ones for you!



Make sure pets & summer guests get along


By NANCY FREEDMAN-SMITH, Raising Maine Contributor

For many Mainers, the dog days of summer bring house guests. For those of us with dogs, preparation is key. Even if your guests are the biggest dog lovers on the planet, setting your dogs up for success ahead of time will reduce stress all around.

Here are a few tips to help keep both your dogs and guests happy.

Training

Much like when bringing an infant home from the hospital, don’t wait for the blessed event before you change a few rules in your house to accommodate your guests.

A week or two in advance of company arriving is a great time to enforce a no couch rule if your guests will be put off by sharing sofa time with your lovable furball. (You can teach an old dog new tricks) Train sits instead of jumping. Train your dog to leave you alone when you are eating and be sure to reinforce your dog’s good behavior.

If your dog is cautious or fearful, ask your guests to indulge you when they first arrive by tossing the dog extra yummy treats to make good associations with them.

Be sure the dog has a safe space to retreat to if he or she gets overwhelmed, or just needs some down time. Always let your dog warm up to people at his or her own pace.

Management

People are often loath to utilize leashes indoors. Why? Leashes may be in order if your guests are frail, young or afraid of dogs.
If your visitor is your dog’s favorite person on earth (next to you of course), you can utilize a leash to keep your guest from harm.

Of course leashes can also be a wonderful tool if your guests show bad manners toward your dog.

Other management tools, like crates, interactive toys and puppy playpens, are wonderful, but nothing takes the place of having a well behaved dog who is able to stay near you, where he or she feels comfortable and familiar.
And here are a few extra tips for peace, love and harmony:

* Consider keeping the dog out of the guest’s area for several days prior to their arrival and during their stay. We have had plenty of guests at our house who claim they love dogs and are fine with them, but in reality people never love our dogs the same way we do.
* An easily accessible lint brush is always appreciated, and you just may want to warn folks not to wear black.
* Keep the furniture covered and take the cover off when guests arrive.
* If your dog will be spending unusually long days at home alone while you’re showing your guests the sights, make arrangements for a dog walker. Don’t wait until the last minute. Give yourself time to find the right person and have the dog meet them before hand.
* Plan for extra exercise sessions. Happy dogs are tired dogs. There are so many wonderful places that allow dogs in our great state, why not plan excursions that include the dog?
* Finally, if you are the “Love me love my dog” kind of owner and have no intention of changing anything to accommodate your guests, be up front before company arrives. Forewarned for is forearmed. They just may decide to go to a hotel.

This photo screams caption me -so please do!

Rosebud spent most of the day with us, and she  will continue to hang out with us quite a bit until she is older and can stay home for longer periods of time.   Within the first hour of her visit, I snapped this photo of Rosie and Evon on the deck.

To me, it screams "caption me!"

The most creative caption with get the glory of being awarded the recently invented Most Creative Caption Award."  Who wouldn't want that feather in their  cap?

I look forward to your creativity and overall awesomeness. 

  

gooddogz blog: Rosebud has a family!

gooddogz blog: Rosebud has a family!

Rosebud has a family!

The weekend brought a new family for Rosebud. We turned down lots and lots of people for the oh so pretty girl. I talked/emailed about a dozen of them, and I know the rescue fielded at least 5 times that.  No doubt, everyone wants a pretty dog and many of those people don't bother to read or really think through if a  dog is really a good fit for the family.  It was not that the people were not good homes, just not a good fit for my border line special needs girl.

Some of the reasons that the fit was not right included:

Folks really wanted a Golden Retriever puppy.

"Why yes, I look like one, but I sure as heck don't act like one. If you pulled up I would not jump in your car."

No fence.  "Hasta la Vista Baby."

Too busy a household

Electric Fence -I am sorry, but I did not hand feed this dog for 3 weeks so she could get traumanized (mis-spelling intended) by her new family that she would not bond with or trust after they shocked her.



To earn Rosebud's trust was nothing short of heart melty. After scooting away from me for a few days, and even sleeping outside because she didn't trust me enough to want to come in, or just freezing and allowing us to catch her (learned helplessness), she chose to come to us. We earned it. Of course she got by a lot on looks.

It was really hard to let Rosebud go because Rosebud and my youngest daughter Heather had something really special . The level of closeness that those two achieved would make one believe in reincarnation. The only explanation being that Heather and Rosebud already knew each other.

Or I suppose one could sum it up to the magic of children.

Whatever it was, it was real and Heather helped Rosebud adjust to life in a house quicker than I could have on my own.  As usual Finney helped after the initial meeting where she acted like he was going to murder her in a way that only puppies can scream. 

Pet peeve part

Rosebud clearly had some good genes in there somewhere. After being caught in a junkyard, she was fostered for a few months in the south by a really nice woman who has been unsuccessful in capturing the Mom and sister. The two dogs continue to breed. I know had those breeding strays been in the north, there would be a bunch of well meaning rescuers who would not rest until the dog was captured.

Sad isn't it?

My other pet peeve is that the dogs who are fostered outside in the South (a VERY VERY VERY common practice), are missing out on their socialization window. By 4 1/2 months, pups should have seen pretty much all they will see as an adults, and what is lost here can never been completely regained. Rosebud and her sister Marti have an uphill learning curve for shizzle. 

Ok, back to the good stuff

Due to the wonders of summer, my daughter Heather was not here for much of Rosebud's three week stint at Chez Gooddogz, but she still helped immensely. I knew the tears would be coming and they started when we updated Rosebud's Petfinder.com bio with this photo.

"Why can't they put an ugly picture? That's not fair that my dog will get adopted first. Everyone will want her." She cried for a few hours. No lie. In between tears came the why can't I keep hers.

Once again, I felt pretty horrible for doing to this to my kids again and I really did consider keeping her. But she is not our dog and I found her a great home living on a lake no less. Where is my lake? 

Heather  cried for a good part of the waiting for them to come and pick her up to. 

(bad mother! bad mother!)

Meet Jess and Mary. By the time we got to leaving part  Heather really liked them - and approved.

It helped that they are keeping her name. The loved her name and in one of those weird "signs of the universe," Mary's grandmother's name was Rose, and her nickname was Rosebud. Guess which one of the two Rosebud took to right away? How cool is that? Even Heather noticed it.

Rosebud will be sharing a house with Miles and Jade.  Heather gave them the paws up to. 

Oh and Rosebud will be  coming back for a little while during the day while they work. Just until she is a little older.

Heather thinks that is just awesome.

Everyone wants to know how sister Marti is doing.

                                                                           Fine. 

 

 

 

 

She has a kid who wants to keep her.

Happy 4th Got Ya Day to Finnegan Begin Again

Four years ago today my three kids and I picked up Finney, our very nice Smooth Collie guy. Finny earns his keep around here as demo dog, and as my "supreme helper." His dog skills are near magical and he has helped hundreds of aggressive and fearful dogs. Just today he helped our fearful foster pup Rosebud gain confidence to meet her new housemate dogs, Milo the pug and Jade the Lab x. Rosebud  was a mess  until the cool, confident, and collected Finn came out and gave his stamp of approval to the intruder dogs. 

We jokingly call Finney "Public Dog, " and we all appreciate having a nice dog that we can take  anywhere at any time. By the way, did you see what is going on above in the photo just behind our backs? Like I said, he can go anywhere.   Finn is pretty much my middle daughter's dog, although I never do admit it to her.

Finney got picked up in this rental  car 4 years ago today. Seeing how much my kids have grown in 4 years makes me all  verklept

This was the very first meeting. We met in the woods so he could meet Charlee  on nuetral ground.   He picked Hannah right away, and  it has been mutual ever since.

I had four  of Finn's littermates in class and as you can see, they were all super pups. He was the left over puppy, shown here at 5 1/2 month just after we took him home.  Finney's had a couple put a depoisit on but divorced instead of getting a new puppy.  I was going through a divorce at the time and his brother Emmit's  family (far left) bought Finn for us on barter. They said it was cheaper than having 3 Collies and they feared if we didn't take him they would have been a three dog family. 

Thanks again to Emmit's family for our super nice, sweet Collie boy.

Thus the name Hylight's Finnegan Begin Again .

Left to right, Emmit, Lance, Keyna, NEADS Kayce, and Finn

Thank you to my Crackberry phone for stopping time and capturing a perfect moment Friday morning at Willard Beach. Don't you wish you could really stop time?




related 2nd Annual Blessing of the Animals at Willard Beach
http://mainepets.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=19848

The cool keep cool

My three "I'm hot and I'm bored" kids, combined with my two dogs, one of which may or may not have a malignant tumor, the other with fleas that for the life of me I can't seem to kill, plus three 6 month old-ish foster pups makes for a busy summer thus far.
I am with Evon on this, and my pool is half full to, even though it's pretty close to empty.

Evon is a super cool pup and available for adoption . You can view her Petfinder listing here:

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/16830726?rvp=1 She is my kind of dog.

related Charlee and the What ifs http://mainepets.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=19796