Back 2 Sally

Now that Mocha is gone--boo hoo--I can hang with Sally more. I took her for a long walk and it is clear that both Sparky & Mocha had a big impact on her confidence.

She walked without any hesitation, even pulled ahead of me several time. She still is fearful, timid, and very nervous...like Don Knotts drinking too many Red Bulls.

I then took a chance...
With Sparky I would take her on runs with my bike. This is not for the faint of heart. I have it down now, but it came with trial and error and a few cuts and scratches along the way.

I can take the dogs on a walk/run while riding my bike. It is great for me because I can really get them running. I try not to do this too often on hard surfaces and we go when it's cool to avoid hot pavements.

Tonight I did this with Sally and it was a monumental event!

She ran with me for a few blocks and moderate speed. This dog can really fly when she wants to. She is extremely agile and fast.

When I rode past my house she wanted to enter the driveway, still longing to nest, seeking safety and security. Nevertheless, she has come a long way. Still needs to relax more to be adoptable however.



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Mocha Gone

I love the opportunity to save dog's lives, but there's always a catch...they have to be adopted.

Yes, this six foot, 230lbs tough dude shed some tears when she left tonight.

I walked inside, saw the bed she laid on all the time, sat on it, and had a good cry.

Bye Mocha...have a great life with your new family!

Magnitude 5.8 - GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA

GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA had an earthquake today around 11:45am.

It scared Mocha and she had a weird stare on her face for at least five minutes afterwards. I noticed Sally was in a trance but it's hard to tell with her...she is always in a trance of sorts.

Mocha ran out of the room and was scared and then just sat in the room and starred at me like Eddie from Frasier. She has a blank look on her face. it was a little eerie actually.

All is well. I'd hate to be the passengers on the jet about to land at LAX only to hear the Captain say, "Ladies and gentlemen, the greater Los Angeles area has experienced an earthquake...I have no further information at this time."


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Welcome to the Bizzaro World!

My head aches a lot right now!

It's 6:42am...I should be sleeping ready to wake after a good night's rest.

Nothing could be further from the truth!

Because Sally, my first rescue dog had the squirts for about three weeks when I first got her, I would always be paranoid that she didn't go outside enough to do her business.

For some reason I get up around 4:30am each morning for a few seconds. This is when I make life's big decisions!

I usually decide to roll out of bed, call both dogs to go outside and then expect them to come in quickly.

The past few days both dogs seem to come alive at this time in the morning. They love to play for hours. I know I should keep an eye on them, but did I mention it was 4:30AM?

I laid down for a "sec" and was out. I had this horrible bizzaro world dream where Florence Henderson saved my life from a wicked carnival of oriental men throwing knives at me. It got worse after that! This was a bad dream...no, bizarre dream that gave me a splitting headache when I woke.

So I roll out of bed, look at the clock and it's 6:30am.

OH NO!!

I go outside and call the dogs with my familiar whistle. No answer.

I call again and Mocha comes charging with a look on her face like a five year old who was playing in fudge. She's lovin' life and isn't afraid to let everyone know!

Something's up!

I walk out to where she was hanging out and here's what I see...

Evidently Mocha decided to dig a hole
to the end of the earth!

I kept wondering why she was at the corner of the yard the past few days...and why she seemed so happy early morning each day.

Now I know...she likes to dig! Couple this with her playing tag with Sally and it's a good morning.

Then Mocha starts eating grass like a gal who got a lifetime coupon for a salad bar. Not sure what's up with this, but she was really munching today.

Well, since typing this I walked outside and she was still munching on grass. I noticed she vomited the fresh green grass, a rather large amount. I've never seen her eat grass like this before...hmmm!



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Mocha Got a Home

Mocha the superdog is getting a home Monday. I'm sad and glad. So tonight I took her to the lake for a swim and hike. We owned the place. I went an hour before dark and nobody was there...guard booths unmanned...perfect.

I've wanted to take a dog swimming for the workout and she loved it. I held her underside in the water while her motor went full speed, legs in motion...and then let her go for the five foot swim to shore. We did this a few times.

I've probably spoiled Mocha and her new family will have to make the needed adjustments like not allowed on coach or sleeping on bed. In fact, I've had some poor sleeping because she takes up the entire bed and snores...loudly! But because I knew she was going, I became a softy with her.

Dogs are cool. Why have I waited so long to get this!



Only had Mocha a week and I feel like we've known each other forever...weird I know, but true.

Always Learning

Dogs are funny!

Got an email from Mocha's adoption worker that a family is interested in her. Tomorrow we meet in a local park. I was sad about her possibly leaving me even after a week. I really took to her.

So I went on a long walk with her and Sally in case it might be our last together. After the hike in the woods (well, woods for So Calif that is), I always walk the dogs to a nearby mall. At the front of the mall area is a large waterfall/fountain with a pool about three feet deep.

By this time the dogs are hot and a cool dip is refreshing. Mocha jumps in the water and starts hopping around like a bunny. Then she jumps out and begins to run wildly. This is unlike her as she usually walks slowly and has low energy.

Then she jumps on Sally and grabs hold of her. I pull her back and she jumps on her again. This was weird behavior. Mocha was so amped up after the water she was bouncing all around. I had to walk her to calm her down, and even then it took some time.

I noticed her eyes looked intense and she wasn't present. She now acted like Sparky, who was always ADHD in public, super alert at everything. Mocha was the same way. As we walked to the car, an older lady happened to be putting her granddaughter in the car. Then she started cleaning what looked like a larger Golden Retriever to enter the car after a walk in the wooded area.

Mocha who usually remains calm rushed the dog and I was pulling back the leash. She went on her back legs and was almost vertical. All to say she was so hyped after jumping in that water.

Thirty minutes later she calmed down and eventually was back to normal. When we got home she crashed on the carpet for a long nap and belly rub.

Sunny Day Hangin' Out

What a Sweetie!

I honestly didn't think I'd ever find a dog I liked better than Sparky.

Well.................

Let's just say Mocha has made the transition easy!

As I mentioned, when Mocha (formally named Rebel) came into my house, she and Sparky went at it. It got ugly in a pitbull kinda way. Then when I introduced Sally, same thing on a lesser scale. So I was very worried about Mocha.

Let's hear it for consistent TLC!

That's really the secret here with Mocha. I am fortunate she has responded, because Sally has taught me no matter how much consistent TLC, this doesn't mean a dog will respond or come around. Sally still has autistic behavior patterns despite being with her for over three months now. At times, it's as though we just met.

Mocha does not have the energy and intensity of Sparky. With Sparky, we'd drive and she had to hang her head all the way out the window and at times actually tried to jump out. She is all 'extreme sports' behaviorally.

Mocha will approach the open window, but only put her nose close by...and is comfortable sleeping in the passenger seat. Sparky almost never did this unless it was a long ride and she was dead tired...and even then she rested for short periods of time before she stood up and hung out the window again.

I have noticed Mocha responds only to positive messages. She also seems to have a negative reaction to anything waved high in the air like a towel. This tells me she was hit or disciplined with something raised high above her.

The one thing I've tried to establish with the dogs is friendly hands. It is a must they know my hands are not going to harm them, so I establish this immediately with consistent petting and slowly approaching them, letting them smell first, then pet.

This has worked well with Sally. She has no negative reaction to my hands. With Mocha, there is still some work to do. She will cower down at first with a message of, "Do you still love me since the last time we hung out?" She needs constant reassurance.

Mocha is a dog I'd like to have. She is so sweet and UNLIKE that initial meeting we had. Read below about how hungry and thirsty she was.



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Bizarre Behavior???

I'm tired this very early Sunday morning, but I have to record what I just witnessed.

The way I currently deal with making sure the dogs go to the bathroom outside properly is let them out when I first wake in bed. So this morning I did this like I have for months.

The way to get Sally outside is to walk into the bathroom where she likes to stay and call her out. She will stand up and quickly walk through the living room and outside the sliding glass door to the backyard.

Usually the other dog, Sparky--last week--or now Mocha will follow on their own if they need to go outside.

I am still a little nervous how Mocha and Sally will get along together.

When Sparky was around for about a month, late night, I would hear what sounded like prancing or a dog running in spurts...almost like dancing.

This got me up to check things out. Sally would dance around Sparky by lunging at her and then quickly bouncing away like she had springs in her feet ala Flubber.

This morning Sally took this up a notch. She was prancing at Mocha until Mocha was becoming annoyed...and I was actually concerned that Sally would need me to intervene.

S a l l y !

All day long, Sally sits in one place, never freely roaming around the house like a normal dog does...she just sits in one place and might grunt a little when I walk by or after I pet her. That's it!

So to see her aggressively prancing, dancing, springing about was bizarre.

Only yesterday during a brief conversation did the plumber tell me he has a black German Shepherd with long legs and a thin body prance about. When he said that a light when on as to what Sally was doing late at night with Sparky. Then this morning she took it up a notch.

When Sally pranced and lunged at Mocha she bounced (literally) back or to the side extremely fast. Mocha could not catch her if she wanted to. This is what was bizarre. I knew Sally could run fast and was wound super tight, but didn't realize she was so quick on her feet.

This dog isn't just quick, she is agile and springy, capable of bouncing four to five feet at a time as though in a former time she lunged at prey or attacked an enemy and then bounced back extremely fast.

Sally looked like she was playing with Mocha...which in itself is bizarre because she seems catatonic all day long. Immediately after returning to the bathroom she went back to her stoic behavior to nest until the next trip outside.

The whole thing was just weird.

Mocha Delight!

Meet Mocha...formerly named Rebel.

I was delivered Mocha from Pugs to Pits right from the kill shelter in LA. She was Red Listed and had to be removed. I saw her in craigslist and volunteerd to foster her. She will join Sally as my two rescue dogs.

Because I enjoy Sparky so much, I decided to find a dog similar in temperament and physique. The pittbul seemed like a natural fit. Sally is more Australian Shepherd/Jack Russel mix w/a slightly pit looking head. She was found roaming in my friend's backyard one Sunday morning a few years back, so who really knows what she is.


Sparky, the wonderdog had to go Friday night. When Mocha was delivered, she came inside and Sparky went right up to her. Not good. Both dogs got WAY into it and had to be restrained. Then Mocha went into the crate outside. Sparky went up to the crate and I saw the ugly side of Pits come out. WOW!

I was scared...I cannot lie. Mocha showed a side of herself that was ugly when provoked. It is her natural hardwiring, yet it must be controlled.

Both dogs were separated and when Mocha came inside with her sponsor, McCall, a wonderful volunteer who is in training to be a vet. I decided to give her something to eat. She was muching on spilled dog food from the carpet with gusto.

Mocha proceeded to devour four bowls of dry dog food and six bowls of water in five minutes! This dog was starving!!

No wonder she was so freaked out. Living in a shelter with five dogs, moved to a new home, starving, having another dog rush her...

Thanks to my dog psychology research, I've learned some strong guidelines. And by guidelines, I mean dog truth to live by.

1. Exercise, discipline, and affection… in that order – These are the three ingredients for creating a happy, balanced dog. Most dog owners give only affection, or don’t provide these three necessities in the correct order.
   
   
1. Exercise – walking a dog at least one hour every day, and in the correct way.
   
   
2. Discipline – giving a dog rules, boundaries, and limitations in a nonabusive manner.
   
   
3. Affection – a reward we give to our dogs and to ourselves, but only after the dog has achieved calm submission in our “pack”.

This is dog wisdom!

I took Mocha on three walks Friday to bond and let her establish respect. I did this on a short leash and would stop on occasion to see if Mocha would respond. When she did not, I gave her a pull on the leash to signal I am the leader...when I stop, you stop.

I also allowed her to hear my voice in different tones, from a soft sweet sound to strong commands.

Eventually, Mocha relaxed on the couch and I rubbed her down. This incident with Sparky and Sally for a second seemed like distant history. I now understood why her sponsor McCall couldn't believe she acted this way.

After Mocha drifted off to a deep sleep, she snored like a fat man on a hot summer night. I had the fan blowing on me and noticed a foul smell.

OH NO...did Mocha poop on the couch?

Sally threw up late Friday night, and if you read this blog you know she had the squirts for weeks, so since I returned from house-sitting a few weeks ago, she has had normal bowl movement. Yet, she threw up and I was worried, so I didn't need another problem!

Mocha did not poop...she farts! And she farted a lot! It was brutal as the fan blew the hideous odor my way as I was laying in bed.


Mocha is very sweet. She doesn't not have the energy of Sparky, nor the intense curiosity to explore everything. Mocha is more laid back. On a walk she doesn't pull like Sparky did.

I loved Sparky and will miss her. I see her now and then when I visit my friend...and will house-sit her on their next vacation.

Hopefully Mocha will be adopted soon and be given the TLC she needs...I know she will get it from me!