Category Archives: Pets

Foster Dogs, Pets

December Dogs

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We have Calvin and Hobbes as emergency fosters during a kennel cough outbreak at Humane Society of the North Bay.

Calvin and Hobbes found one of their spots. Calvin somehow always finds a way to “step out’ of his sweaters.
This is the first picture of Hobbes and Calvin I got with them together both looking into the camera, sort of.
Any pillow will do for Snoopy in his xmas red sweater.

Shea made me nervous running backward around the pool at our friends’ house yesterday, but it was adorable that the three dogs here wagged their tails furiously and followed him like the Pied Piper. Bonnie wisely kept out of this high-risk activity, but everyone was unharmed in filming this video.

In the backyard in the rain with the dogs, including the foster brothers. We’re all ready for the longer days after the solstice with more warmth and light.

Activism, HSNB, Pets

Legacy Bonnie Photos

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Until today I had never seen these pictures of Bonnie a volunteer took before I met, fostered, and adopted Bonnie. That person added me on Instagram. I noticed the HSNB logo and started to peruse the animals on the feed. Bonnie was among the dogs that were featured.

It still amazes me that she had been in the shelter for a year, but to most people adopting a blind dog is daunting, not to mention the medical expenses that she came with even before her eyes were removed. These pictures were taken long before her bilateral enucleation, of course. I am grateful every day that she’s my little girl now, even though she can sound like a tremendous dragon when she growls, usually to protect me when I don’t want her to. After getting professional dog training, Shea and I are much more adept at calming her down and acknowledging her real and understandable fear.

Foster Dogs, Pets

Foster Adjustment

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Bonnie is chipper morning with her foster brothers Calvin and Hobbes. It doesn’t last, but it’s nice while it does.

Calvin had no problem running up the stairs while following Snoopy, but Hobbes really needed some encouragement. When he was left out he made a scream that sounded like a witch’s cackle, so Shea tried to help him learn. Eventually, he just grew tired of being left out and now he runs up and down like nothing. This reminded me of building Bonnie’s confidence with the process, but she’s blind! This is Shea’s filming of Hobbes steps lesson:

Calvin and Hobbes wrestle with each other in the bedroom. Shea tried to capture them following Snoopy in lockstep, but they moved so fast!

Activism, Foster Dogs, HSNB, Pets

Meet Calvin and Hobbes

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We are emergency fostering these two brothers who were tied up and abandoned at the fence of the Humane Society of the North Bay yesterday. Calvin and Hobbes are lovely even though on the drive to the house with us they were extremely nervous. These poor pups had quite a dramatic day yesterday. I’m so glad they had the loving touch of the great staff and volunteers at HSNB. Shea is very patient with them while we keep them safe and warm until they can eventually find a forever home, but they are on a mandatory three-day hold. They are about a year old and very healthy from what we can tell. Look at their amazing eyes.

Here are all four of them on the couch with me. You can barely see Snoopy who is the only one with his eyes open.

You’ll hear me refer to them as Ernie and Bert, but we had to change their names since those were used so often recently at the shelter.

Fire, Home & Garden, Pets

Tapestries and Cheer

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While I’m still counting the days to go home as the house is being rebuilt, since I have these tapestries that are so nostalgic for my siblings and me, I found a place to hang them for now, which cheers me up a little. A year ago I was taking pictures of all these dogs I miss so much with their xmas outfits. I don’t know if it’s healthy to constantly see their pictures rotating on my slideshows around the house. Still, it’s so important that I remember them and their distinct personalities, not to mention the other dogs I lost in more expected endings where I had a chance to say goodbye. This is the first time in my life I don’t think I will put up decorations or a full-size tree because this isn’t the home I planned to be in, even though I’m lucky to have a partner and two amazing dogs to be with this season. My mom’s ceramic xmas trees survived, so they will suffice. I might change my mind and see what other holiday decorations survived the fire, but this is the current plan. Shea doesn’t seem to mind that I’m not rearranging the house for the holidays and there is plenty of other projects we’re working on so it’s not a priority.

Activism, Holidays, HSNB, Pets

Photos with Santa for Humane Society of the North Bay

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This was very much worth flying back from Hawaii a little earlier! Shea and I took the redeye on Friday night and after a very brief rest I headed over. Shea joined me later. I wasn’t about to do something without my dogs, so I had them the entire time, even though Bonnie was her cranky self and startled a few folks. Fortunately, she’s harmless (but loud). Snoopy, on the other hand, was such a good ambassador, that he even was held by a stranger for her photos since she missed her late dog.

As you can see, once again we had families with kids, dogs, and without sitting with Santa and Mrs. Claus (Tom and Julie).

Thank you to Bill, America, Ted, Shea, and Sara for your contributions to these photos!

More pictures from that day from other people:

Pets

Aunt Mei Watched Snoopy and Bonnie

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I’m so grateful that my friend loves Snoopy (who everyone loves) and higher maintenance Bonnie (who takes some patience to get to know). I missed my dogs so much when Shea and I were in Hawaii, but these pictures (and watching my own videos of them) helped! Mei and her husband went up to Napa for a few days, so Bonnie and Snoopy had their own adventure.

Grooming, Home & Garden, Pets

Before and After Grooming

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Rental backyard with Bonnie and Snoopy before their baths and grooming on November 9.

Before baths and grooming:

Shea gave the dogs baths with his homemade soap! After drying them off and blow-drying them, I groomed them and clipped Bonnie’s long nails. She is so patient with all of that. Snoopy not so much! Now it’s time to put their dog sweaters on for the brisk mornings.

Pictures Shea took of me with the dogs after their cuts (with and without yawning):

A touch up and combing makes a big difference too!