Saved by the web

From the Inbox:

Many thanks to all of you, because of this network a foster parent has
emerged. I am going to make arrangements to pick him up from East Baton
Rouge animal control today. He still needs a permanent home, however,
so if anyone is interested, please let me know.

Again, many thanks, I truly hated to drop him off at the pound, he is
going to make someone a very sweet pet.

Karen Gautreaux

RESCUE ME

This guy is special, LOOK AT HIM! The pup looks like a love---a border collie/spaniel cross perhaps?

I dont think I can post every rescue dog that makes his/her way into the mailbox BUT...here is an email, please fwd this info on...:

This little (35-40 lbs, my guess) male dog was tied to an old truck
and neglected. The owners made it clear they had no use for him and
allowed me to take him. He is very affectionate, and I think would make
a very sweet pet. He was scared when this picture was taken at the
pound.

I had to take him to Animal Control as I had no where to keep him.
The pound tries to keep adoptable dogs, but I was informed there is
currently no room, so he has until September 12th to find a home or be
put down.

I would be glad to pay the springing (adoption) fee and help with
shots, etc. If you know anyone who might even be willing to serve as a
foster parent (I'll be glad to provide food too), please let me know.

If someone wants to call me, my cell is (504) 289-9006, and my e-mail
is kkgautreaux1@cox.net.

Da Mayor in your pocket

Have you seen those Ray Nagin keychains from New Orleans? They're blue, have six white buttons, and on the front it says "Da Mayor in your pocket." If you push one of the buttons, Nagin says "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME!"

I called SHARON at the city office today and she was really helpful. She said that we needed to get the mayor in our pocket. She suggested WE (a diverse group of us-young, old, black, white, boy, girl, 71104, 71101, 71105, 71111, 71111, pure breds and mutts, etc) get together and have one mighty presentation for the mayor. We should "sell" the dog park. Explain How and Who this park will benefit. We should have visual tools, such as photos and video footage of other parks across the country, testimonials, and a sample plan of what we envision the first one in Shreveport. Have the answers ready for the negative questions with terms that may include "Vicious Dogs" and "Liability." And we should know that "things don't happen overnight," and that it could take a year or more to get our dog park happenin'.

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME!

So, WHO IS COMING TO THE PRESENTATION?

LET'S FIX THE BIGGEST GODDAM CRISIS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS... COUNTRY

Dog Park 101

Kathryn Bloomfield of Shreveport takes her dogs out for some play.

INTRODUCTION

Socializing your dog should be a life long process. You want your dog to be exposed to as many people, pets and situations as possible so he learns how to behave and react to different things. Take him to new places every few days or so and introduce him to family and friends.

Introducing To Other Pets
If your dog has been socialized growing up, he shouldn't have problems meeting other dogs. But you still want to take it slow and see how things go before letting him loose. The best way to start is by introducing your dog to other dogs that you know are friendly and socialized. When introducing your dog to new dog friends, keep him on his leash so he can sniff the other dog, and you can reel him in if you need to. Try to keep the leash slack; if you pull too hard, you can trigger his "fight or flight" instinct. Always introduce dogs on neutral turf, so neither of them feels threatened.

How You Can Help

Attitude
Dogs pick up on our attitudes and feelings. If you feel stressed, your dog will notice and react to it. If you sense a potential problem, try not to tense up or give your dog reason to panic.
Diversion
Another tip is to divert his attention. Many dogs are hams and love to please their families, so ask your dog to sit, or give you his paw, or some other easy trick he has mastered. Give him lost of praise and attention (and treats if you have some!).

Set Your Dog Up For Success
If you don't know how well your dog has been socialized, always go slow and set your dog up for success. For example, don't take your dog to a park with lots of pets and people if you don't know how he will react. Start slowly, with one or two other people and one or two other dogs, for just a few minutes. Don't take your dog for a car ride only when going to the vet or dropping him off at a boarding facility. He will soon learn that car trips aren't always pleasant. Take him for a ride to get gas in your car, for example, or the drive through ATM. Your dog gets to stay with you and you don't have to worry about leaving him alone in the car.

Exercise
Whether you take your dog to the park or for a walk around the neighborhood exercise keeps your dog's mind and body healthy. He can meet other people and dogs and burn off some energy. Less pent up energy means less distraction from you and overall, better behavior.

From Pets 911

Stoner Dog Park?

I asked Tim Wachtel at SPAR for his opinion on how to make this dog park a REALITY. He wrote:

"I would suggest that you take the support that you have and ask for a dog park, somewhere in Shreveport. Perhaps suggest a site, but let the decision-makers have a say in that. I think that you really need to educate some folks about what a dog park is and who it is for. Maybe I'm wrong, but as I understand it, dog parks are for dogs like baseball parks are for baseballs. It's really about the people who care about their dogs. It's as much about getting outdoors and socializing as it is about dogs."

The educational campaign is under way. You, the reader, are talking with your friends about dog parks and its community benefits. Please continue to pass along the petition. Almost 50 more, and we have a thousand signatures! There are many model dog parks across the country that provide educational tools for those who may not know what a dog park truly is. Please visit these websites.

A Shreveport dog park supporter has SUGGESTED Stoner as the first offical off-leash destination.

Dog Park Destination Suggestions
1. Veterans' Memorial
2. Hamel's Memorial
3. Stoner

Where else?

My Pet's Buddy

A last minute invite to a wedding in Mississippi over the weekend has me scrambling for Reddy.

Miranda Murdock is My Pet's Buddy. She is wonderful and Reddy loves her. When I am working loooong hours, Miranda comes in the middle of the day to let him out to pee, give him some TLC, and a nice walk in the neighborhood. She leaves me notes about Reddy's disposition or what they do and see on their walks, like the time Reddy was spooked by the white statue of the Virgin Mary praying on a neighbor's front porch.

Since I am in between projects, I am on a tight budget and was looking for someone cheaper, like for FREE, like a friend who could stop by. But, I have a hard time asking people of this. Reddy is needy.

Someone told me about zookeepers, and I love their website and esp. their prices. $10 a night is great, plus they take him out several times. So I called them this morning, and of course they are booked. Hello Major Holiday! Hello Miss Procrastinator, nice to see you again.

Miranda comes to my rescue once again. I will be able to relax and have a great time knowing that Reddy is at home and being checked on.

Vet Scout

Hannah and her loco puppies Duece and Maxine, along with Reddy and I, walked from the disc golf trail head and then up a trail that took us to the pond. It was quiet, shady, and Hannah said she smelled urine and that it was a good place for a murder. Indeed, but what if it was all cleared and dogs and their owners took over?

Veterans' will be quite a handful in our efforts in making it Shreveport's first dog park. There needs to be a massive clearing in this kudzu forest. And the road from Clyde Fant re-opened and paved.

I was a bit disoriented because what I had pictured in my head from the research conducted on google earth was quite different in reality. Where is the old amphitheatre? Where were all those trails that seemed to wind around the little lake? Big piles of pebbles fill the deteriorating parking lot close to where we were thinking about putting the fence. We saw the old pier. Can you see it in the photo?

This property is massive and requires a second scout. The research continues...

Neighborhood dog park

WAP 4.jpg,
originally uploaded by jujuhoffpauir.

West Austin Park is a small neighborhood park, similar to Columbia Park here in Shreveport. It use to experience modest use (even with its small pool and new swing set), but once the dog park moved on in it became THE Happy Hour destination.

The fenced-in, leash-free portion is funded by the Canine Social Club, a group of volunteers who raised over $10,000 after a campaign that included stories in the paper, door tags, rummage sales, and a block party. When the referendum was held, the votes flooded in.

"The city said they had more people send in their votes than in any other referendum they had seen before," said Marjorie Moore, Founding Member of the Canine Social Club.

The Canine Social Club is a group of volunteers that don't mind a little sweat, dirt under the nails, and the smell of dried dog dung.

Perhaps Barkus and Meaux or Shreveport Green will act as our fidiciary agent so we can start our fundraising soon, and get to clearing trails during the cooler months of October!

Weekend warriors

Daisy is Ashley's biggest wakeboard fan, and was pretty upset after the BIG FACE-PLANT!

Where did you take your dog over the weekend? Send us a photo.

REPORT FROM AUSTIN: pedestrian bridge

Getting ahead of ourselves, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it



Hippie Keep Austin Weird bridge art

Dogbook, Dogblog, Dogpark, etc.

I can't even make fun of this because I am a dog blog! In a special report from ABC news, dogs and cats now have their own Facebook, entitled Dogbook and Catbook, respectively.

My friend somehow convinced Reddy to join Dogster a couple of week's ago, but like Reddy's owner and her lapsed account with Friendster, the site is rarely re-visited. Quite frankly, it's confusing. And time-consuming, This blog is my current preoccupation.

Anyone reading this, besides mom? Hey mom!

REPORT FROM AUSTIN: shower

This is a shower made of pvc pipe, according to Stuart Strong, Assistant Director of Austin Parks and Rec Dept. He said that a plumber could easily rig this up so the cost shouldnt be too outrageous. We can customize it to be a bit lower for the pooch, as they have done in other parks across the country.

REPORT FROM AUSTIN: fountains

Here, we have three examples of puppy fountains: one we can order online, the other a little tweaked with stone and cement, and the third not really intended for dogs.

The blue one online costs around $2,000. You push one button, and water spits for human up top, and puppy below. The dog's water stays in the bowl for a bit before going down the drain.

The cement one I have no idea, and may be unnecessary in our case but I thought you may appreciate its beauty.

Reddy prefers the third fountain that has been there for as long as I can remember.

REPORT FROM AUSTIN: part one

Are you ready to put your beer down, get off the couch, roll up your sleeves, and start clearing some trails?

Booty stars as Li'l Cap'n Travis

Booty, Reddy's old Austin buddy, makes his screen debut in Li'l Cap'n Travis' new release "Get Wise to Yourself." He does such a fine job, we are all so proud of him!
And to know that Booty is almost 17 years-young, we can only say "Bow-wow. WOW!"
Encore, Booty! Encore.