Happy Birthday Morgan

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August 16th is the day that we celebrate Morgan’s birthday. We don’t know whether that’s really the day he was born. It might have been. As many of you already know, Morgan’s a rescue and that’s the day that we drove him home with us in the back seat of my pick-up. The rescue organization, “Golden Retriever Club of Greater LA” told us he was about a year old. Morgan was small for that age and although he was adorable, he didn’t have that full face and body. We could feel his ribs. You could tell he had had a tough start.

While we were filling out paper work a car drove into the parking lot with a big white-faced Golden in the passenger seat. Morgan lunged towards the car and started barking wildly. It was then that we were informed that he had been turned in to a shelter for biting his owner.

Though Morgan’s behavior startled me, I was a “love will conquer all” kind of guy. I just knew with enough love and positive reinforcement Morgan would learn to behave. But it didn’t start out so well. Morgan had major issues around food that we didn’t know about. When we moved his food bowl he bit us.

Goldens had been there for me when I was sick and my life was in shambles. Now it was my turn to be there for one of them. I resolved to do whatever it took to give Morgan a good life.

Now six years later, Morgan has come around nicely. He’s still a dog who enjoys getting into mischief.  That’s a part of him that I love the most. But now when he gets into the trash he lets us pull food right out of his mouth. In the morning, he leaps up on the bed expecting his tummy rub. We’re inseparable. He’s laying right under my desk while I write this blog. I can’t imagine our life without him.

For more of Morgan’s first few days with us please check out the website RescuedbyGoldens.com and read the sample chapter from the book. Thanks.

Morgan asks, “Was it Sirius?”

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Have you ever heard someone refer to the heat in August as the “dog days of summer?” Well at first, I thought it meant that August was so hot that us dogs (and probably cats, too) just laid around the house or in the back yard all day and did nothing. Too lazy and hot to get any work done like digging holes, swimming in a river or chasing the squirrels. But then I heard someone talking about “Dog Day Afternoon” and that really piqued my curiosity. So I went online and looked up “dog day afternoon.”

It’s a movie about a bank robbery that happens in August and it was so botched by Al Pacino that it became a circus. I’m sorry I still don’t know why it’s called “dog days” There was no dog. If there was, he would have gotten the loot and gotten away.

Then I saw that there’s a song called “The dog days are over” by someone I’d never heard of – Florence and the Machine. Check this link for the MTV unplugged video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwrfZ5hnhhc

I listened to it. It’s a catchy little tune, I’ll give her that. But the lyrics make no sense. It’s all about trains and bullets and running. Again, there’s no dog in the story. It’s more about her fear of some horses coming. If anyone ever needed a dog in her life it’s Florence. In my opinion if she had a dog she wouldn’t have to worry so much about the horses.

Then finally I got to “dog days of summer.”  As I said earlier, most of us think that “Dog Days” are about human’s best friend panting in the shade of a covered porch sipping lemonade. As endearing as this image is, that’s not how the expression started. But a dog does have a role in the origins of this term – a celestial dog. The origins come from the ancient Romans who looked to the stars for guidance when August temperatures reached into the 100’s.

Many of you probably know of constellations that look like bulls, lions, and horses. Well, one constellation, Canis Major, depicts a big dog. And the brightest star in this constellation is Sirius, the “dog star.” Sirius is visible throughout the year, but in July and August, it rises during the day with the sun. The ancient Romans thought that Sirius, combined with the sun, pushed the summer temperatures up.  They referred to this time of the year as the “dog days.”

We now know that the reason July and August are so hot in the Northern Hemisphere is because of the tilt of the earth. But the term has survived our enlightenment and remains our favorite way to describe this endlessly hot time of year.

Whether it’s Sirius doing his job or not, August still sends dog and man/woman to the protection of a shade tree. The heat in August can seem like it will never end. But in actuality, the forces of Sirius are beginning to subside.  A few more weeks of the intensity is all that is left for this year. Soon we’ll be worrying about the next polar vortex and how it’s too cold to go outside and that all the swimming holes are frozen.  So savor the last month of summer enjoying the glow of Sirius who brings us the dog days of summer. Let me know some of the ways you keep cool during these dog days.

 

Hot Cats On a Bun

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It’s Morgan here and I’m having a “Grand Old” time here in San Francisco for the summer. As some readers know, we live in Palm Springs where it’s 108 today so to escape the heat we drive north to San Francisco every June where Mark Twain once wrote, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Where the local electric company puts up a billboard that reads, “It’s summer in San Francisco. Time to think about lowering your heating costs.” Where the July Fourth fireworks typically disappear in a thick bank of fog.

The Fourth of July is one of our nation’s most important holidays. It’s a time when families and friends get together to celebrate our freedoms. It’s also a time when us pets get a lot of attention, too. People play with us and throw balls for us in the parks and back yards and the beaches. Some of us are dressed up like Yankee Doodle dandies and that’s OK. My favorite holiday food is hot dogs on the grill but I would like to change the name to hot cats on the grill. Doesn’t that sound way more appetizing? No offense to my kitty friends.

But then when the sun sets, the day is capped off with my least favorite part of the holiday – the Fireworks.  When those “rocket’s red glare” and “bombs bursting in air” start making their noises us pets get pretty freaked out. According to the Humane Society and the ASPCA more pets run away on July Fourth than on any other day and it’s because of all that popping sound going on around us. We just want to get somewhere away from them as fast as possible.

We’re pretty clever, us pets. We can dig under a fence. Squeeze through an opening. We can jump over a fence. We can unlock a latch. We can jump out a window. We can come loose from a rope or just bite through the rope. With all that noise we do things that we don’t ordinarily do. Also, don’t forget that with so many people coming and going someone might accidently leave a door or a gate open. And once we’re out – we’re gone. We don’t stop running until we find a quiet place.

We have a holiday tradition at our house. Just before sunset my Dad closes all the windows and sets up a spot for me in the closet where I like to hide when I’m nervous. He stays right near with treats for me. He plays background music to drown out some of the noise.  But that’s only because my Dad has learned from past mistakes. He told me about Willy, his second Golden, and how he got loose one holiday afternoon when neighbors across the river lit off some firecrackers. Luckily he found Willy up the hill safe at a neighbor’s house. People who have never had a dog might not know what it’s like for us and in the excitement of the holiday it’s easy to forget.

So, my Fourth of July holiday wish is for everyone to have a safe and fun Fourth of July. But for all of our sake, before you rush off to get more sodas or an extra package of hot cats and buns for the unexpected guests, take an extra minute to make sure your four-legged kids are secure and safe.

As I mentioned, my favorite 4th of July treat is hot cats aka hot dogs. What’s yours?

How To Prepare For Your Pet’s Vacation

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It’s June and the weather is heating up – well it’s been hot here in Palm Springs for some time but I know for the rest of the country it’s been a cold long winter. But as the Beatles sang – “Here Comes the Sun.” We’ve been planning our summer vacation for months. We’re heading up to cool foggy San Francisco. It’s great place for Golden Retrievers. Besides the usual planning and preparation when you have a pet there are additional considerations.

First is a check-up from the vet. We don’t want to start the trip out on the wrong four legs. Today I made sure that all of Morgan’s shots were current. It’s important with a retriever to make sure his or her ears are clean and clear. With the amount of water Morgan gets into that’s always a concern. And of course his eyes. Here in the dry desert heat and with chlorinated pools that’s always a body part that needs diligence. I always make sure I carry his eye lubricant and eye drops.

Besides my own medication I also need to make sure I have ample supplies of Morgan’s. Due to Morgan’s back leg injuries, he has early arthritis, so I always carry his pain medication for an as needed basis. As you might know from following Morgan’s Facebook page he’s quite active and my approach is to let him keep going for as long as possible. However, some days we both overdue it. I know from my own experience that with body pain, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep, so I keep a supply of Morgan’s pain meds around. It settles Morgan down nicely for the night without causing grogginess the next morning. And then he’s ready to go again.

We will be spending July 4th in San Francisco. The loft we stay at is close to the Bay where they set off the fireworks celebration. As many pet owners have experienced, this is a traumatic time for animals. And sometimes it doesn’t end on the holiday. A few years ago when we were on Cape Cod the neighbors up the street lit fireworks for the following two weekends. It was hell. Also, the loft that we stay at in San Francisco is located near the Giants ball park and whenever they win the set off fireworks. Last year, fortunately for Morgan’s sake, they didn’t win too many games but this year they’re in first place.

Another time, we were at a motel in San Francisco and there was a loud banging coming from a construction site next door. The wind was causing something to bang on the roof. In this particular instance I had run out of his meds and I called the vet and asked what I should do. He suggested Benadryl. It worked pretty well. Eventually Morgan slipped off to sleep.  I don’t suggest you give your pet Benadryl – I suggest that you talk to your vet about this possible option.

I know that many readers live in parts of the country that gets severe thunderstorms in the summer and this gets the pets nervous, too.

I keep Morgan’s fur really short for the summer for three reasons. First and obviously is that after he’s been swimming in the bay and rolling in the sand it’s easier to clean him up. Second, out here in the dry West during the summer there’s lots of fox tails to be stepped on and run through. Foxtails are the spiked like seeds of the wild grasses here and can get into a dog’s paws, ears, eyes, anywhere really and can be very painful. Having a summer clip makes it easier for me to keep an eye on his paws and anywhere else one might lodge itself. Like his ears. What I do ahead of time is practice running my fingers in between Morgan’s toes so he gets used to the feeling. I remember when I first got Morgan he refused to let me touch him in this manner. Now he likes it. I can tell. If we’re out on a hike and he steps on something he stops immediately and lifts his paw and waits for me to remove it. It’s so touching.

And lastly, as many of you are aware there is a growing outbreak of Lyme’s Disease, particularly in the northeast. I can speak from firsthand experience. Even after inspecting my previous Golden, Willy, every evening for ticks somehow he came down with Lyme’s disease. It was frightening. One of the main symptoms is lameness. Willy just wouldn’t get up from the shady spot he was in. If you see this behavior rush your dog to the vet.

Wherever we travel I always go online ahead of time and look for a pet store that carries Morgan’s brand of food. Traveling isn’t the time for switching. In San Francisco I was lucky to find a store just three blocks away from the loft. I also bring Morgan’s blanket and some toys with us to make him feel more at home. Even if he never touches them once we’re there.

I would love to hear how about some of the ways that you prepare to take your pet on vacation with you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come Back as a Golden Retriever

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I can’t tell you how many times someone has watched the way I treated my Golden Retriever and said to me “I want to comeback as your Golden.”

It makes me laugh but there’s a lot of truth to it, too.

I confess I do treat my pet better than I treat other people. I’m sure I am not the only pet owner guilty of this.

But let’s look at the facts. Does your spouse or significant other greet you at the door every night wagging their cute tail and running around in circles because they are happy you’re home? Does your true love jump up on you, try to lick your chin, nearly knocking you over?

And that’s just the first greeting. I am sure many of you have your special morning greeting with your pets. It sure beats the trash talk I heard this morning from my significant other when I woke up,

“Did you remember to put the trash out last night?”

My day usually begins at 6AM when I feel a bounce on the bed and open my eyes and see Morgan with two paws on the mattress with a big smiley face. Who else would be so happy to see my morning mug shot and smell my morning breath?

Morgan’s adoring expression made me think of an article I read by Dr. Suzanne Phillips, clinical psychologist at Long Island University. Dr. Phillips writes how pets can teach us about improving our relationships with our wives, husbands, partners, spouses, or significant others. I’ll take it one step further and say what pets can teach us about the way we treat each other in general.

Dr. Phillips asks some insightful questions. See how you do?

First – No matter how you feel and what mood you are in, you greet your pet with a positive, even animated hello and often with a display of physical affection. How often do you do this with your spouse? Or even your friends?

Second – How many times have you been waiting at home for your spouse, irritated that they’re late and then when they finally arrive we greet them at the door with “Did you get the dry cleaning?” I hope you didn’t forget the milk?” “Did you mail my letter?”

I know when I’m late and irritated there is no better welcome home than hearing Morgan’s tail thump, thump, thump on the floor as I turn the key in the door.

Third – When your true love puts away the mail and they forget where they put it, how many times have you reacted by losing your temper?

Dr. Philips says there is a natural tendency to forgive pets their trespasses and I agree – after all, the dog wasn’t trying to torture you by eating the mail. Was your partner really trying to torture you by putting it in such a safe spot it can’t be found?

So if you failed this quiz don’t feel bad, so did I. But I’m going to make a genuine effort to follow Dr. Phillip’s advice and try to be a little more patient and sweeter with my partner by following Morgan’s loving example.

Does your dog sleep on the bed?

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Recently, I posted a Facebook photo of Morgan on the bed. It was captioned as Do you let your dog on  the bed? It generated the most comments that I’d ever gotten. So I decided it warranted a blog of its own.

As a boy I can remember my grandmother always trying to keep their Yellow Lab, Duke, off the bed. She’d come in and shoo him off and not more than twenty minutes later he would be back on the bed. Of course, that was the safest place for Duke when me and my two younger brothers showed up at his house. We lived a few blocks away from Nana so we were there often.

But I think this shows that a bed can be more than just a place to sleep. It’s a place to take comfort and feel secure. Morgan loves being on the bed and I love having him there. We cuddle and watch TV together. He seems particularly amused by Rizzoli & Isles. Sometimes I write at night in bed and I like having him right next to me.  I can run my hand along his big goofy head.  I just have to look at him and I relax. It’s like a meditation.

Nicholas, my first Golden, and I had a mutual appreciation for the bed-companionship. Twenty-five years ago, when my partner died, facing an empty bed at night was the most painful time. Nicholas sensed my despair and would jump up on the bed. I’d put my arm around him and run my hands along his big broad head twenty or thirty times until I finally drifted off to sleep. Sometimes in the evening if a storm came up, I’d feel the bed rock a bit in the middle of the night and I knew that Nicholas was jumping in – afraid of the lightning and thunder.  I’d put my arm around him and we’d fall back to sleep.

However, not all my dogs liked being on the bed. My second dog, Willy, did NOT like the bed at all. Even with a bribe. He’d jump up, take the bribe and then jump right off. But I think this had something to do with how Willy joined our family. When Willy came along Nicholas was too old to be on the bed and puppy Willy liked to sleep on the floor near Nicholas. Then, even after Nicholas crossed over the bridge Willy continued to sleep on the floor. Another reason was that when I would finally get Willy up on the bed he liked to stretch out across the entire foot of the mattress. He refused to lay like a person, top to bottom, and I think I might have pushed him a few times with my leg. Naturally, I always started out in a curled up position to let him sleep but I think when I fell into dream world I might have hit him with my foot.

As I said, Morgan loves the bed and I love him on it but because of his weak back legs I don’t like him jumping on or off by himself. I prefer that he put his front paws up and wait until I lift him up. More often than not, he waits. But if I’m too slow and he becomes impatient he gets down. He backs away and then comes running forward and leaps up onto the bed. It’s always a surprise to see his big body come flying through the air and he makes me smile.

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Morgan Mallard McGillicuddy

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Top of the morning everyone. We’re in San Francisco, a city with a rich Irish history and a city fond of Golden Retrievers. According to the American Kennel Club, in 2013, Golden Retrievers were the second most popular dog in SF. Being surrounded by water on three sides gives it year round cool weather and makes it a haven for this breed. Morgan’s favorite place is the dog beach at Crissy Field. That’s where we plan to go just as soon as we finish breakfast.

You might be wondering why I named Morgan – Morgan Mallard McGullicuddy? First, we liked the name Morgan. Then Mallard is a gentleman pirate and the leader of the pirates known as Mos Le’Harmless. He was a kind and generous pirate despite his profession. We felt like Morgan was this way when we first got him. Lastly, when I was a kid growing up in South Boston there was a McGullicuddy’s Drug Store that we always stopped at on the way to the beach in the summer or the skating rink in winter. McGullicuddy is an old Irish name. (My Irish surname is Flaherty.)

This beautiful sunny morning we’ll start with some Barry’s Irish Breakfast tea and some Soda Bread smothered with Kerrygold Irish butter. Morgan will get a little nibble of the bread. Then we’ll take a short walk around the Eureka Valley neighborhood where our hotel is located. It’s one of the old Irish neighborhoods. Then we’ll have some McCann’s Instant Steel Cut Irish Oats. Morgan likes it mixed in with his food. While I was at the store searching for my McCann’s oatmeal, I came across a new brand called Flahavan’s Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal which I plan to try soon. Then while online looking to compare the two Irish brands I came upon another company called Kilbeggan Organic Porridge Oatlets. I love trying new foods and I’m sure Morgan will enjoy them too.

Later, after Morgan gets a swim at Crissy Beach we’ll head over to Patrick and Buffy Maguire’s coffee shop called Java Beach Café which is just around the corner from the United Irish Cultural Center of SF (UICC). Java has the best blueberry pie in SF. Morgan will get one of his Bully Sticks, his version of a mini Irish shillelagh.

I’m not a big fan of corned beef and cabbage but if I find any throughout the day I will give Morgan a little taste. I‘ll be passing on the Irish beers and liqueurs, as well. Did enough of that in my younger days.

Morgan and I wish you and your favorite companion a Happy St. Paddy’s Day.

My Hairy Valentines

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It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with my first dog, a Golden Retriever. It happened the night we brought him home. He was only eight weeks old and a little red ball of fur. It was just before Christmas so appropriately I named him Nicholas. I was in between jobs so I got to spend all my time with him.

I come from an uptight, tough, working-class family. Nicholas opened my heart for the first time with his unconditional love. We went to beaches, Golden Gate Park, and Lake Tahoe. It was on our walks and our hikes that I discovered the beauty of nature.  I was a city boy and suddenly I became a lover of national parks and seashores, of the wilderness, and of places far away that I could only dream about visiting.  

Then came Willy, a lighthearted, free-spirited, blond Golden. When I became ill, we retreated to the redwood forest together. There my appreciation for nature deepened. Suddenly it wasn’t just the open spaces, pristine beaches and the woods that I cared about. Now it included the animals whose homes were in those places. As we watched an osprey build her nest and then care for her offspring and as we observed the harbor seals haul out of the sea where the Russian River empties into the ocean my love of nature expanded to a feeling of stewardship. I wanted to help protect the whales and dolphins in the ocean, the wolves and caribou in the wilderness, and the migrating birds in the skies.

Now, Morgan is in my life. He was a rescued dog who came to us damaged, aggressive and sick. From the beginning I saw a sparkle of love in his eyes just waiting to grow. It’s been an ongoing learning experience with Morgan.  I didn’t always do it right. There have been setbacks. But thanks to the unconditional love that I had received my commitment to him has been unwavering.

On this Valentine’s Day I have my dogs to thank for opening my heart to something bigger. Because of my dogs I now work and fight for the welfare, dignity and rights of all animals and the planet that we all call home. I want to send a Valentine blessing to all creatures and to all those individuals who help protect them.

When Emergencies Strike Our pets Need Us the Most

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For my latest blog please see – https://www.thedodo.com/community/rescuedbygoldens/when-disaster-strikes-our-pets-396656001.html