Best Friends

 

 

With our dry weather, I have been doing lots of watering. Champ is very excited about this. He loves water.

 

 

He leaps and runs and bites at the water. He jumps back and forth like a happy child.

 

 

This is a happy dog. Soaking wet. Exhausted from leaping through the water. All clean.

 

It makes me happy, too.

 

 

For those who don't know Champ's story, he came to us from The Border Collie Rescue.

 

We had just lost our beloved Little Bear from old age.

 

 

Our American Eskimo, Whitey Bear was very depressed.

 

We had to find him a companion.

 

And a companion for me.

 

I am alone most of the time while Hubby is at work and traveling.

 

And we live in Bear and Cougar country.

 

 

Like everyone, Champ came with baggage.

 

He had many behavior problems from being teased and mistreated.

 

His foster family kept him for nearly a year to work on socializing him before putting him up for adoption.

 

When I saw his face, I fell in love, despite it all.

 

I am happy to say that I am still in love with this remarkable little survivor. Since coming to stay, he has continued to improve.

 

He is almost normal.

 

Like the rest of us.

 

He has bonded with Whitey and they are the very best of pals.

 

They play, they chase squirrels, they investigate every sound together.

 

But they still steal each other's bones.

 

Some things never change.

 

 

 Here are some tips to keep your beloved companion healthy.

 

Table Scraps That are Toxic

•  Raisins: Both grapes and raisins can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney failure.
• Chocolate: contains a caffeine-like substance that can be toxic to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more the effect. Just one quarter of an ounce of baking chocolate can cause serious problems in a small dog, whereas it takes two ounces of milk chocolate to produce the same effect. Consumption causes excitement, increased urination, muscle tremors, seizures, and rapid heart rate.
• Sugarless Gum: Dogs will eat a pack of gum, wrappers and all, any chance they get. Sugarless gum, and candies for that matter, often contain xylitol, a sugar alcohol that can cause a rapid drop in blood sugar for dogs. So keep your purse out of your dog's reach.
• Onions: A chemical in onions damages dogs' blood cells and can cause anemia. One small onion may be fatal.
• Macadamia Nuts: Never leave these nuts unattended on your coffee table. A compound in them may leave your dog with temporary paralysis in his hind legs.