The Collie Knows

An occasional publication of Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois.

June, 2004

Short Notes

Medical Reminder
Trainer
Donations
Rainbow Bridge
From the 'Net

News from Adopters

Tess
Rosa
Bevan

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Welcome to the first online edition of the Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois newsletter.

Short Notes

MEDICAL REMINDER!!!

Please have your dog’s heartworm tested NOW. All dogs should be on a heartworm preventative. Collies should only be administered INTERCEPTOR.

Please do not give Heartguard or ProHeart to our collies.

If you are in a heavily wooded area, please use Frontline once a month on your dog to prevent tick bites. As a precaution, give the heartworm preventative, Interceptor, on a different day than the Frontline.

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Man's Best Friend as his Personal Trainer

Fitness experts say that a dog can be a great motivator for people to pry themselves off the couch to exercise. Also, veterinarians maintain that running or briskly walking can improve the dog's health, compared with being cooped up indoors or confined to the yard. More impressively, doctors at the Wellness Institute of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago have embarked on a controlled study to determine whether canines and humans excercising together can achieve better weight-loss results--for both men and women. The thinking is that working out with a dog, side by side, can help an overweight person. Dr. Robert Kushner, the medical director of the Wellness Institute, states “dogs can have the same issues as humans. And, anecdotally, it's been found that overweight people tend to own overweight dogs. We get them out the door, at first just walking, and it's got to help.”

If running with the dog is being considered, the problem may be getting the dog in good enough shape to keep up. A stern warning by veterinarians and dog trainers is not to overtrain your dog because they can easily get overheated. In addition, dogs like humans can get “overuse” musculoskeletal injuries, says Jack Aldridge, lead vet for the San Francisco SPCA. He recommends never running more than 10 miles with your dog. But most in-shape dogs can handle runs for several miles if the pace is no more than 10 minutes per mile. And Kushner says, “if people can just get up to a 30-minute brisk walk with their dog, that would be great for the master and his dog.”

Recent Donations

Gary Hughes-Fenchel - in memory of Annie
Malcom & Cheryl Leslie - In “honor” of Lucy;
Jean & Jim Framke - in memory of Charlie;
Luanne Spiros - in conjunction with the McDonald’s Matching Gift Program for the love of Chrissy & collies;
Illiana Collie Fanciers -agility sponsorship donation;
Bob & Kristen Ricigliano - Happy 2nd Birthday Luke;
Vicki Wilder - in Memory of William Schmitz, Jr.
Kim & Brad Zandstra - PetSmart Gift Certificate;
Lou Ann & Carl Holm - in memory of Shadow;
Paula Moore & Howard Hall - donation in honor of
Mike & Pam’s Birthday;
Linda Nagle - donation in support of all collies awaiting new families;
Diana Cygan - in conjunction with the CNA Foundation to assist all collies awaiting new families;
Richmond Veterinary Clinic - in memory of Charlie;
Kathy Chrisman - thank you.

We would like to thank everyone who has donated to Collie Rescue of Greater Illinois, Inc. The above were special requests but all donations, big or small, mean so much to the dogs and their medical and special needs. Not all donations come with a name, so thank you ALL for your support and assistance.

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Rainbow Bridge

 Hannah, Patrick, Kadie, Cagney, Charlie, Sean, Meesha, Marshall, T-Bone.

You are gone but not forgotten. We will all meet once again on the Rainbow Bridge!

A Letter to Charlie

You came into my life for so brief a time, but left a huge pawprint on my heart as so many others before you. I dreamt of you last night and saw you running, smiling and playing in a green field under the sun and the wind blowing your fur, along with others that have passed through my life. It made me smile.

You came into rescue, like so many others before you and so many more to follow, because of human ignorance, disrespect and indifference. These are human traits countered by the unconditional trust, love and forgiveness you and your canine companions offer to us. How sad that we haven't learned the lessons yet that you all try to teach us.

I want you to know that you made your mark in this world, not only with me and others in Rescue, and we, with but a few others in this world, recognized your worth and tried to hold onto you to relieve your pain and broken heart. Your eyes spoke volumes - I could drown in their depth. I had hoped we could offer you a new home with all the love and attention you so deserved, but it was not meant to be. 

So many of you come into rescue and enrich the lives who try to help you. You are not possessions or toys to be played with and then cast aside when inconvenient, sick or old. You are all gifts from God given to us as a privilege and treasure to be cherished. Maybe some day the world will be a better place and there will be no need for rescue groups or shelters. But, in the meantime, Charlie Bear, you and every one of you who has passed through my life in rescue has enriched my life and I hope that I am becoming a better student because the teachers I have had have each been phenomenal. Some have someone new to lovingly care for them, some, as you, have left us to go to a place where you are finally happy and healthy, and some are still to come through our doors and hearts.

Above all, remember that you were and are loved even for the brief time you were here. Each of you is a blessing and gift and I know I will always remember you, with every other that has touched my heart through Rescue, and I thank you. I send this up to you on the wings of angels to the newest angel in the sky. Good night, Sweet Prince. 

A Rescue Student

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From the 'Net:  

Medical Warning

See this link for a cautioning article about the ProHeart heartworm preventative:

http://www.nbc5i.com/family/3345322/detail.html

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If A Dog Was the Teacher

If a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be
pure ecstasy.
When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing
and pout...run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

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News from adopters

Adopter Pat Calentine writes:

I can't believe it's been a year since we got our Tess. As I showed you in the pictures at the Pet Show in Arlington, she is doing well and is having so much fun with my daughter Celia Well she had her check up a few week ago and shots. At that time she was weighed and she is down from 93lbs to a much trimmer 75lbs. She has so much more energy and I can tell she feels better. She knows she has more to loose but she is so proud of herself and we keep telling her how pretty she looks now. She likes to spend time in the back yard keeping tabs on all the squirrels. She and Teddy, my Keeshond, run and play. Some times my other daughters dog Molly, has a playdate at my house and then they all play and chase the leaves, squirrels, wind,etc. Such a busy day for them! Then at night they all come in and vegg on the floor.

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Rosa Shows Us How

When we received a phone call that CRI needed to place a dog with us for foster care we were very excited. It had been awhile since our last dog and we were looking forward to helping another dog unite with their forever family. My ten year old son loves the idea of helping dogs transition to their new families. Watching the new family and the dog connect is a magical experience. So far we had playful young dogs that loved attention…and then came Rosa.

We picked Rosa up on a cold day but this little girl wasn’t shivering from the cold. Her head and tail hung low and she seemed to be resigned to the fact that whatever was happening could not be good. When we got home she was scared and panting heavily. She didn’t want anything to do with us. Zach was sad; she was nothing like the other dogs who came to stay. He treated her like a princess, but she didn’t act like one. We realized this was going to be a challenge and we weren’t sure if we were ready for this type of dog.

We cared for her and tried to play with her. She continued to shy away. There were other concerns as well. We have a lot of stairs and she bumped into furniture constantly. We noticed that she became especially listless as the sun went down. Although her background was sketchy, CRI did have one detail about Rosa. She is a PRA blind collie. She has lost 90% of her vision. We wondered what we had gotten into. Why did CRI think we could handle this special needs dog?

Love and trust go a long way and that is what Rosa is teaching us. The first time she played with Zach he was so excited all he could say was YES! It was a happy occasion; our whole family was excited by this breakthrough. Rosa was settling in.

Rosa is no longer that sad and shivering dog. Her head and tail are up when she frolicks in the yard. She has learned from Zach to chase a ball, dance, and hug him with her head held high! Rosa is confident and playful. She will never regain her vision but what she lacks in sight she makes up for in her ability to love, trust, and teach. In a very short time Rosa has taught us to accept, love, and trust that nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Rosa has a special bond with Zach. She loves that boy. She has found her forever home with us and how grateful we are to Collie Rescue for letting us adopt this very special dog. We asked in the beginning how could we handle this? Rosa shows us how.

The Trisilla Family

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Adopter Michael Mifflin writes:

Dear Friends of Bevan, (o.k.a.=once known as Wrigley)

Bevan and I just returned from his doctor. He got an excellent report, heart in very good shape, Dr. agreed that he needs to be around 75-80 pounds. Bevan weighed 60 even today. Yea! So, he's gained 7 pounds since being turned into Collie Rescue. The only comment Dr. Duresa made was that he doesn't have a very good bite. "I think his bite is horrible," I said, "but we're not getting him braces. As long as the food is going down in a way that he can digest it, the teeth stay as
they are. We spend our `extra' money on acupuncture and chiropractic."

I had Dr. Duresa send a referral to Dr. Hansen, our veterinary Chiropractor. Bevan has an appointment to see him on June 26 along with the girls. They already had an appointment. We tagged Bevan on with them for ease of transport. Bevan and Aoife are going to need major adjustment since they crash into each other daily as they race around the yard-playing chase.

Bevan has migrated nicely to the bones and raw food diet. He's now eating 1c. raw meat with ¼ c. kibble 4xs @ day. Next Sunday he is off kibble entirely and onto the raw meat exclusively. We then will use the kibble as training treats. I did buy the Active/Athletic Eukanuba when I purchased the bag of kibble, because the big goof eats and then 30-45 minutes later goes out and burns the calories by running around the yard like a freighter on an Alpine downgrade. It will be quite wonderful when Bevan reaches his maximum weight. Pamela and I processed 100 pounds of beef, chicken, and fish over the weekend. With Bevan on 5 c. of food a day, that isn't going to last a month! He loves his bones and raw food diet. He sneaks his nose under the kibble, which we pour on top of the raw meat, and sucks up the meat first; then he eats the kibble and any pieces that spilled out of the bowl due to his excitement. We didn't have to teach him to chew his bones. He took to them without any problem whatsoever.

If we shut our eyes in the morning when we feed Bevan and the girls and they are all chewing on their bones, it sounds like we are with a pack of dogs on the Serengeti. Lots and lots of crunching!

Dr. Duresa did look carefully at Bevan's skin because he does so much scratching and has bitten open sores on his rump several times. I've been spraying him with Allerspray, left over from Joe's hotspot. This has healed up the sores nicely. We do watch him when we're home and don't let him bite too much, but he's on his own when Pamela and I are at
work. She said he may have allergies, but we won't know for sure until we've watched him for a while. His rump is all clear right now, but when he gets it into his head that it itches there can be bloodshed. Bevan gets a salmon oil pill twice a day to help with the dry skin issue and Dr. Duresa gave us 10 days of clavamox to help with the itching, as well as the little sore on the inside of his left leg. This has been healing since he came to live with us. It looks like it could have been a bug bite that became inflamed and cause him some problems while he was out on his own.

His hair has begun to grow back and out. He's still a little sparse on rump and tail, but I'm sure that will come along with time. His pantaloons look very silly right now because they are growing. The right side is much longer that the left since Glenn had to trim so much on the right side to get out burrs and mats. Give us 6 months with him on the BARF diet and adoration. You won't see the same dog at the picnic. He's changed so much already. He carries well the 7 pounds he's put on and is turning into a most handsome boy.

All-in-all, Bevan is doing very, very well; has adapted nicely to his new home; gets along with Morgan and Aoife; is doing his best to get along with the cats; and is a big, lovey boy. His problems with the cats is that he approaches too fast and then stops immediately in front of them so sniff their face. This puts them off (what a surprise!). Nadia is the only cat who doesn't appreciate Bevan's interest, but she sequestered herself in our bedroom 4 years ago and doesn't appreciate any four footed cretins invading her territory, although it is down all the time especially when we go to bed.

Bevan follows me around the house unless he's really hot. Then he goes downstairs to my office to lay on the cool tile. How very smart is that? He's a genius when it comes to keeping cool. He checks in the morning to make sure I'm awake when the alarm goes off, and even when it is a morning we can sleep in, he checks. He seems to be devoted to Pamela and me...especially when we are in the kitchen. There's devotion and then there's devotion.He still needs work on walking on a lead. He gets so excited about being out with new smells to investigate and then needs to leave his calling card. The Victorians had a great idea with that calling card concept, but they missed the possibility of being environmentally aware. Instead of cutting down trees to make cards, they should have been peeing on the bushes, grass, and trees to fertilize them and make them bloom. One really needs alkaline-based urine to make things grown and not kill, but it's only bushes, grass, and trees.

Pamela works with Bevan daily on his "stay." He tells her in many ways that he does not "do" stay. One cannot stay when one has happy butt. But, of course, you all know that. Still, each morning on our walk Pamela puts him in a sit-stay before crossing the street. Aoife is 100% with her sit-stay. Pamela can even walk around her. As soon as she tries to walk round Bevan, he raises up just enough so he can turn his butt so his head is facing Pamela as she walks around him. Bevan does more of a pivotal-sit. Morgan and I try hard not to laugh, but we usually end up turning our heads so no one knows we're amused, although Morgan's body language may suggest more disgust, since she usually walks away when Bevan pivots. Pamela is doing an excellent job working with Bevan and sincerely hopes he will catch on eventually, either with her work with him or by Aoife's example. I think we should give him the training book and let him read the instructions for himself. Pamela has poo-pooed this suggestion.

I've droned on long enough. Let me finish by saying a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who was in the chain of passing Bevan along to us. He is a most wonderful dog. Glenn & Susan, letting go of him was difficult, but he does have a good home with us. Pamela and I have dealt with the infirm and crabby aged dog. They get such an attitude-like they've earned it. If I make 70 years old, I'm going to be the biggest s.o.b. because: Hey! I'VE EARNED IT! Regardless, I will provide the best care I can for Bevan for as long as he is around. I plan on that being at least another 11 years and I'm hoping for more.

Pamela and I'll keep everyone informed as to Bevan's progress. Glenn & Susan, if we don't see you before, there will be a most appreciative space for you at our picnic table in September! Of course, you may have to share the seat. If you have hot dogs, Morgan will be all over you like bees on honey. (I found out at the picnic last year that she's a goof for hog dogs.)

My best to all...Michael

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