Excerpts from

Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
Written in the evening after tucking all the dogs in for the night at our
HAPPY HOME FOR STRAYS Our no-kill shelter is funded solely by our and your donations to
Straydog Inc., a 1997 Texas Nonprofit Corporation with 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status
(from the Internal Revenue Service - TAX ID #: 75-2756374)
via the ARNOLD STRAY DOG FUND, P.O. Box 1465, Gun Barrel City, Texas 75147
WEB ADDRESS: www.straydog.org

To adopt one or more of these wonderful dogs, please call us at 903-479-3497.

We thank you SO very much for your help to our Happy Home for Strays. You have helped so many dogs and puppies.

We still continue to grow with the rescue of a starving mommy dog and her two starving puppies last month and then several weeks later the arrival of Danny Boy. It's because of your help that we are able to take care of these precious animals. We wish we had room for more, but at a total shelter population of 43 dogs we are already way over our original self-imposed limit of 30 dogs. We are currently stretched way too thin, but we WILL persevere!

Also, because of your help, we were able to hire another much needed kennel helper to ensure the dogs continue to receive the love and attention they so rightly deserve. Thank you all very, very much!

DECEMBER 1998

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1998 - NO WATER at our Happy Home for Strays!

6:00 A.M. - We were getting ready to feed the dogs their early morning breakfast when suddenly there was NO WATER! I was sure our well had not run dry. (I only worry about that in the heat of the summer because our well is only 50 feet deep.) I assumed that this time it was another well pump problem, which problems we've had several times in the past.

By 7:05 A.M. I had gotten in touch with Hickman Electric Company, whose very nice crew always comes ASAP to solve the problems of our old well pump, because they know how much water we need and use every day for our many doggies, and they said they'd come right away to check out today's problem.

10:00 P.M. - WE HAVE WATER AGAIN! The men arrived about 9:00 this morning and worked all day and on into the night, having to set up lights after nightfall to continue repairing our old well pump, which turned out to be a major overhaul and much more expensive than any of us had anticipated, over $900, but we now have water again and we thank Hickman Electric Company for coming to the rescue. (Fortunately donations in response to our newsletter mailed out at the beginning of December had begun coming in, and we were able to pay the bill.)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1998 - We need more help; the doggies interview Pete Albiar

With Julie, our doggie helper, leaving recently to continue her education, Bill, Randy and I realized that we needed to find another dog-loving person to help out at our Happy Home for Strays. Randy told us about his good friend, 23-year-old Pete, who Randy assured us was a natural with dogs.

I have mentioned in earlier newsletters that when we look for any new employee to work with the dogs, it's actually the dogs who make the first decision as to whether a candidate is right for the job, so the first interview is always done by the dogs themselves. This can be a pretty tough test to pass having to please all 39 fellas. For example, when any prospective employee and I go into a kennel, if the dogs don't approve of the new individual, they will stay far away from the person or hide behind me, or the hair will rise on their backs and they will keep their distance and bark. These folks, of course, are not hired. Pete's doggie interview was set up for today.

Pete passes the doggie interview with flying colors!

Pete and I visited with all the dogs this afternoon and all the fellas gave Pete the thumbs-up vote (which is actually shown by wagging tails and doggie kisses). Even the few dogs that are a bit standoffish with new people for quite a long time (Mary, Tipper, Fuzzy, Angel and timid Muffin) took right to Pete. As he knelt down to talk to these fellas, they at least went up to Pete and gave him their sniffy greeting of acceptance.

Then there is great big Teddy Bear. This loveable Shepherd/Collie mix (who we suspect might have some wolf blood in him) takes a lot of time to get to know. He prefers to meet new people on his terms. Becoming Teddy's friend is a very gradual process. He is the only dog that has a "Beware of Dog" sign on his kennel fence, which kennel he shares with his best buddy and kennel companion Sunny.

Teddy Bear is really an extremely gentle, loveable dog--once he gets to know you. But he gets very excited at first when new people are around, and he tends to nip any fingers should they be extended through his fence attempting to pet him. Teddy will also charge his fence kicking up a big cloud of sand and dirt, barking loudly all the while, which causes him to foam at the mouth making him look more like a grizzly bear than a dog, which in itself keeps most people away from his kennel. But when Pete walked over to meet Teddy Bear (through the fence), Teddy remained almost calm and gave Pete a welcome, sniffy greeting as Pete pressed his hands up flat to the fence. This was extremely unusual behavior for Teddy.

In the past we've made sure that every new kennel helper (dog handler) be gradually introduced to Teddy, which usually takes about three weeks of treat giving and quiet conversations with Teddy through his fence. During this three-week period Ted can see all the happy interaction between the new person and the other dogs. This is Ted's preferred way of becoming acquainted and making friends.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1998 - We got our 501(c)(3) Status from the IRS!

Wow! What a happy day! It's taken us a whole year to achieve this goal, which is an absolute prerequisite for receiving possible grants from charitable foundations. Now we have to make time to get the application packets in the mail, which we've been working on for weeks in anticipation of this event.

Teddy decides he wants to meet Pete--UP CLOSE!

Pete sure got a big surprise this afternoon as he and Randy were making their dog rounds, during which both of them go into one kennel at a time and give the pair of doggies loving attention and treats, then clean their kennel scooping up poopers, filling their water tubs with fresh water, filling freshly dug dog holes, etc. (I was nearby visiting a pair of dogs several kennels away.)

After only five days Pete is still in training, of course, and is still in the process of gradually getting to know Teddy from outside of Ted's fence, so Pete hasn't gone into Ted's kennel during dog rounds yet (and won't be going in for another few weeks since Ted is so territorial and extremely possessive of his kennel). While Randy cleans their kennel, Pete gives Ted and Sunny their treats through the fence and then waits in the adjoining play yard while Randy finishes up the kennel work.

Today it appeared that Teddy had had enough of this separation from his new caretaker and felt it was time now to get to know Pete better. As Randy opened the gate to go into Ted and Sunny's kennel, Teddy Bear barged out of the kennel and headed straight toward Pete! There stood Pete, right in the middle of the small play yard watching this huge, excited, foaming-at-the-mouth wolf come barreling toward him at full speed. Not quite sure what to do and assuming that he might soon be chomped upon, Pete turned and began to walk slowly toward the play yard gate, hoping to make a safe exit. But Teddy ran ahead of Pete and plopped himself on the ground right in front of Pete blocking his way to the gate. Ted just sat there looking right up at Pete! This all happened very fast, but we've learned not to show panic in any unusual situation, and Randy slowly hurried toward Pete and Teddy, with treats in hand for Teddy, making out as though this was just normal behavior. (Other than Teddy Bear everyone was probably scared to death!) All the dogs in the surrounding kennels sat watching with the anticipation of the crowd at a boxing match.

Randy walked up to Teddy, showed him the treats, and Teddy slowly followed Randy back to his kennel. Situation defused. The dog gallery went back to whatever they'd been doing before. I think Pete will remember this day for a long time, and I assured him that Teddy Bear's actions showed that he just wanted to meet Pete a few weeks earlier than usual.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1998 - Fritz chooses to sleep in on these cold mornings

Fritzer (the friendly, loveable, six-year-old, touch-of-St.-Bernard mix) has been so snuggled up and cozy in the warm hay of his doghouse these last few icy cold mornings that Randy has had to wake him up for breakfast. Fritz and his kennel companion, Misty, have a heating lamp in their shelter to help keep their houses warm because of Fritz's severe hip dysplasia. (Teddy Bear has the same hip problem, and we've put a heating lamp in his and Sunny's shelter too.) Randy said that at breakfast he has to knock on Fritz's side of the shelter, then peek in the shelter door and call to Fritz to inform him that his meal is being served. Once awakened, Fritz comes slowly out of his house and shelter into the cold morning air, stretches, strolls over to his bowl, and then takes his time eating the warm food placed before him. (He, Teddy and Puppy eat cooked grains and vegies, which diet seems to alleviate the symptoms of their hip problems.) Even tho Fritz's morning wakeup ritual takes him twice as long as the others to finish his meal, it's comforting to know that the fellow is cozy in his house at night.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1998 - More cold weather, more fresh hay!

With more cold, wet weather headed our way it's time to add more fresh hay to the fellas houses. I think this will soon become our new helper Pete's job. He is 23 years old. I am much older than that (almost 59), and my legs stay kinked up and hobbly for days after an afternoon of crawling around on my hands and knees, squeezing into all the small doggie shelter doors and then scooching halfway into the 37 dog houses with arms full of fresh hay. (Backing out of the houses, and little shelter doors is not the easiest thing to do either.) If the two doggies whose kennel I am "haying" decide to join in on the "fun" and "help" me, I wind up squeezed in the shelter and doghouses being playfully malled by my pair of "helpers."

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1998 - A preminition - Prepare the New Arrivals' Kennel

Even though we all agree that our shelter is full, I have a strong feeling that sometime soon another stray might be coming into our lives, so when Randy asked me this morning what special projects I'd like him to work on, I suggested that he do a make-ready on the now-vacant New Arrivals' Kennel (also known as our Quarantine Kennel or Isolation Kennel where we keep all new arrivals for their first two weeks with us). We have been so busy with other doggie projects recently that there hasn't been time to disinfect this kennel and doghouse since our last new arrival, Ashley, who has already been adopted by a caring, loving couple--see our last newsletter. We usually do the preparation work on the New Arrivals' Kennel right away after it becomes vacant, because we like it always to be spottlessly clean and ready should it be needed.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1998 - 20 chilly degrees outside is perfect dog walking weather!

All the fellas are singing to Randy and Pete as they begin the dog walks to the Big Play Yard this morning in this freezing, misty, 20-degree weather. Randy and Pete are so bundled up they can hardly move, but the doggies are all dancing around, full of energy waiting for their turn in the play yard. Oh Boy! They love this icy cold weather! Every day we walk all of them two at a time to the big, fenced-in play yard where they can run around and have fun, fun, fun! (If dogs could choose between 20-degree weather and 100-degree weather [which will be upon us again in less than six months], they would always opt for the 20's. From my observation I would guess the most comfortable outside temperature for dogs is between 40 and 50 degrees.)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1998 - Crazy day! A visit from an emu and a tripple dog rescue!

Emu comes a-visiting

All the craziness began very early this morning right after the dogs had finished breakfast when an emu (cousin to the ostrich) belonging to one of our neighbors made his presence known as he strutted up close to the south end of the kennels, setting off the "UNAUTHORIZED ANIMAL IN THE YARD!" alarm from all of the dogs. (This simultaneous barking is about as loud as a jet airliner on take-off.) What a commotion these huge birds cause. Randy and Pete had to take a half an hour out of their busy dog walking and work schedule to "escort" Big Bird back up the hill, with all of us hoping the fellow would please hop the cattle fence up there and GO HOME!

Randy and Pete rescue a starving mommy dog and her pups

Once Big Bird was out of the way, things went back to normal--for a few minutes. Then the "UNAUTHORIZED ANIMAL IN THE YARD!" alarm went off again. This time, though, all the dogs were barking at something in the opposite direction. An animal had to be outside the north end of the kennels along the highway. When Randy and I went to check it out, Randy spotted a dog (or dogs) coming along the little side road that runs along the east side of Straydog Inc. property.

As we got closer, we saw that it was a skinny, starving mommy dog scavenging along the roadside with her two young puppies following behind her. When I see something like this, anger wells up inside me, and I could tell that Randy felt the same way.

We were on one side of the cattle fence and the mommy and pups were on the other. Tall, thick, prickly bushes covered the fencing, separating us from the dogs. We called to the mommy dog, and she was slightly hesitant, but she slowly came to us, having to crawl through the prickly bushes and beneath the barbed wire. Her little brown puppies were close behind. These pups must be about eight weeks old, I thought. As Randy reached out to the mommy dog, the puppies became very frightened and ran from us. Then we discovered neither of us had any doggie treats, or a leash, so Randy held mommy dog while I went to get them, and to see if Pete could come and help us get the puppies. Meanwhile, all our fellas were continuing their "UNAUTHORIZED ANIMAL(S) IN THE YARD!" alarm, which does not cease until all unauthorized animals are gone.

Armed with treats, a leash and with Pete along to help us we hurried back to the roadside. I held and comforted the mommy dog while Randy and Pete crawled through the thick bushes to try to catch the puppies. After quite a bit of difficulty they finally managed to get one of the pups (a little male), but the other little puppy (a female) was so scared she took off across the road and hid in the thick shrubbery along that barbed wire cattle fence. Pete followed and just as he thought he had the second pup, the frightened little baby took off down the road, ran across the highway and into a thicket of trees and bramble bushes and buried herself deep in the thickest part of a huge briar patch. Thank goodness Pete was right behind the little pup to see where she had gone. Pete tried to get to the pup but the thick, prickly bushes held him back.

Pete came back up our hill empty handed, and he and Randy got the mommy dog and the one pup into the cab of Randy's truck, and Randy set off for Lakeside Animal Clinic with these two fellas for their initial checkup. Pete went back to walking the dogs and I went down the hill with good-smelling doggie food to try to coax the little pup from her hiding place. I had to crawl beneath the cattle fence and then knelt as best I could between the prickly branches and began tossing food to her, trying to keep the pieces always landing just a little closer to me. After what seemed like a very long time, the pup slowly began crawling through the tangled briars to get to the food.

This food tossing method was working just fine until I suddenly heard a loud rustle behind me. I turned and looked straight up into the face of a huge HORSE who was practically standing over my head! What a scare! The noise frightened the pup too and she ran back to her hiding place deep in the briar patch. So there I was, sitting on the ground with this big horse checking me out. My first thought was that I hoped he was friendly. (I don't know much about horses.) This guy looked so huge, especially from my vantage point on the ground looking up at him. Anyway, I slowly got up and petted the fella on his big nose and asked him to please go away. Just then I saw Randy's truck coming back from the clinic with the mommy and pup so I untangled myself from the branches and went back across the highway and up our hill to check on them.

We got the mommy and puppy settled into the New Arrivals' Kennel right away. They had been examined by the doctor and had gotten the neccessary vaccinations. They were very malnourished and had hookworms and roundworms, and the clinic had given Randy the medicine to take care of these problems. From the examination the doctor thought these fellas had been roaming over the last several weeks without anything to eat other than hay and cattle feces. Poor mommy and babies. But we can certainly remedy that problem: They will be eating lots of good food from now on.

By now it was nearing our doggies' second mealtime, but we still needed to rescue the second little puppy whose heartbreaking cries for her mommy we could hear in the distance. All of us were extremely worried about the pup, so Randy and Pete set off down the hill and across the road to rescue her, assuring me that they would not come back until they had the little baby in their arms. None of us could bear the thought of this very frightened little puppy being left alone all night. They had to get her! As they set off on their rescue mission, I hurried to feed all of our hungry fellas.

Randy and Pete to the rescue! They got the second puppy!

A half hour had gone by when up the hill came Randy and Pete with the puppy snuggled safely in Pete's arms. Thank heaven! This was a little girl puppy and Randy immediately announced that her name was "Briar." They said that when they had gotten back to the roadside, the puppy was back in her hiding place in the middle of the huge, thick briar patch. There was nothing they could do but go into the dense, prickly bushes to get her. The plan was for Randy to charge into the briar patch to grab the pup, who was a good five feet away from him, and Pete would be waiting behind the briar patch to catch the pup should she try to run out that way. They only had this one chance to grab the pup because if they missed, the very frightened puppy would most likely take off into the woods beyond. When they got in their positions, Randy said he charged into the briar patch, ripping the prickly branches apart as fast as he could to be able to get to the puppy, took a flying leap and grabbed the pup by the leg and pulled her to him. THANK YOU RANDY AND PETE!

Randy made a second 26-mile roundtrip to the clinic and back with this little puppy, and now she has also joined our Happy Home for Strays and has been happily reunited with her mommy and brother. The mommy is a mixed breed and friendly, though a bit timid, and the 10-week-old puppies (who weigh about 10 pounds each) are feral little fellas and thus very frightened of people. They've just had a nice warm meal and their tummies are full. All three are now curled up in the warm hay in their doghouse, the babies snuggled up close to their mommy, all of them sleeping soundly. As we stood by their kennel looking at them sleeping peacefully, Randy said quietly, "This is my first rescue and we got all three of them. It sure is a good feeling."