Thursday, March 31, 2011

Huxley joins CP!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer




Col. Potter has a new member--Huxley! He's a cute 3 1/2 year old boy who is an owner surrender. His family's situation changed and they wanted Huxley to have a new home that was more appropriate for him. They knew Col. Potter would thoroughly check out any prospective new homes so he would have a safe home as well as one suited to him. Huxley is a young, healthy cairn with many good years remaining to play ball, chase squirrels, go for walks and take car rides.

Please welcome the cute Huxley!

Please welcome Whiskey!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer




Please welcome Whiskey – a very handsome, 2 1/2 year old male, with a gorgeous technicolor brindle coat. He is a happy, healthy, and strong willed typical young cairn.

Welcome little one!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

How to trust an ER vet you just met


by Dr. Tony Johnson http://www.petconnection.com/


I’m sorry, ma’am, your pet is going to need surgery”.

These are words any pet owner dreads hearing, especially on an emergency basis. For a pet owner, a trip to the veterinary ER can be a terrifying and frustrating experience; almost always unplanned… certainly unwelcome…usually expensive.

Part of the stress of an ER visit comes from having to entrust your pets care, and very possibly their life, to someone you have just met. This is a little bit like embarking on a perilous sea voyage with a captain you know nothing about. It can be a very scary and unsettling prospect.

How can you come through this stressful experience intact? How can you maximize the chance of your pet having a successful outcome and minimize your stress level?


Hopefully I can give you some pointers so this journey across the stormy seas of veterinary emergency care doesn’t end up on the rocks.

The first thing to know is this: Vets are not the enemy. They are in that ER in the dark of night because they want to help your pet get better. Sure, there are dishonest veterinarians just like there are dishonest hairdressers and dishonest orchestra conductors, but the vast majority of animal docs are there because of a sincere desire to help.

I think the easiest way to find a path to trust in these circumstances is to plan ahead, so you are armed and empowered with some information before the crisis hits. Emergencies don’t often give you the benefit of warning, but if you can pre-screen your veterinary ER options you will be ahead of the game.

I recommend contacting your trusted family veterinarian to find out where they send patients after hours. Consider calling or visiting the ER before an emergency happens to get a feel for how they run their ship. Do they make you feel welcome? Secure? Is the hospital clean and well equipped? If so, then you will likely feel more trusting when a true emergency takes place.

During the emergency visit itself, try and get a feel for your doctor. Do they seem rushed and unfocused, or do they take the time to answer your questions? Do they seem confident, overconfident or insecure? In order to earn your trust, they should be willing and able to answer your questions to your satisfaction. Part of the responsibility falls on you, however, to limit your questions to the important ones and avoid repetition. (We want you to be informed, but time is a precious commodity in the ER). Bring a notebook and write down the questions as you think of them along with the answers. It can be very difficult to remember all of the pertinent details when you are stressed and emotional. And remember not to take your stress out on the doctor or staff. Keep in mind that they are there to help you through this difficult situation.

When it comes to making treatment decisions, the important words here are ‘options’ and ‘advice’. A good doctor will give you realistic options for care (from the basic to the cutting edge) and advise you as to the risks and benefits of each as you plot a course. Their job is to help you come to a decision you are comfortable with that also meets the medical needs of your pet.

If the diagnostic and treatment options do not feel right to you, ask if there are any other options to explore. In many cases (but not all) there are plans A, B and C (and even sometimes D).

It is a tall order to be asked to trust your beloved pet’s life and health to someone you just met, but with just a little luck and a little knowledge, you can chart a course for a good outcome.

Wacky Wednesday!



Wednesday is the day to be WACKY! Each week we will showcase a terrierific cairn picture with an appropriate caption. If you have a terrierific cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

A big shout out to Kajmir for being our Wacky Wednesday model this week!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Through a Dog's Ear


by Terri Elkins Taming the Wildside Dog training

Last night as I turned off the television and looked at all six dogs lying down in various areas of the living room, I laughed as each head popped up and looked at me waiting for me to say, “Okay, let’s go to bed!” When those wonderful words were said, each dog jumped up and filed into the bedroom going to their favorite spot to rest for the evening. Two on their dog beds and four on the bed! Once they get situated they might move around one more time but then at 5:30 am all six are up, barking, licking my face and Glacier, my newfie/husky mix has jumped on the bed and is now laying his rather large head and neck across my face. My coonhound is sitting up, nose straight in the air and howling. I have tried to ignore them, to no avail, I have sat up and told them to, “Go to bed” which might work sometimes. I have just given in and gotten up, let them out, fed them their breakfast and then I have gone back to bed for another hour. Even I have to laugh some mornings, but as comical as it is, there are mornings I would love to sleep in or just be able to wake up slowly!

Knowing that I would go through this whole morning ritual in a few hours, I began thinking of what I should try differently to help my dogs sleep a little longer in the morning. Then I had this great idea! I got back out of bed and went to the office and grabbed the CD player. I returned to the bedroom and set it up on the nightstand. I grabbed the CD, “Through a Dog’s Ear” which I had picked up at Karen Pryor’s ClickerExpo inserted it into the player, pushed the repeat button and let this play softly all night. Well, thirty minutes into the CD, all the dogs were sleeping extra soundly. I too had a hard time staying awake! Seriously, the dogs did not shift at all last night and at 5:30 one dog raised her head, looked around, and as I held my breath she put her head down and went back to sleep!! The rest of the dogs were out cold! They slept until I woke up at 7:00 am and shouted, “Okay, let’s go!” All the dogs were up without all the barking and craziness, just very happy tails and out they went to use the bathroom. I was a very happy person!

What is “Through a Dog’s Ear?” It is music therapy, a cutting edge science on how dogs react to sound and how to use sound as a tool to manage your dog’s anxiety due to change of environment, separation, storms and so forth. I first heard about this piece of music on a special about shelter dogs. A particular shelter began to play it to see if it would bring the anxiety level down among the dogs. They began to notice that in the area of the shelter where the music was playing, the dogs began to come in from their runs and settle down nicely and would even sleep. After watching the program and doing a little research myself I began to ask a few clients to try it with their dogs that were dealing with some anxiety issues. Once again the results were very positive.

I highly recommend the book, it comes with the cd, and it is a great story on how the research came about, how the music works and it is very relaxing, even for people. I will try it again tonight and keep you updated on how we are all sleeping!!! Goodnight!!

The following is a video from the "CBS Early Show"

Taming Tip from Taming the Wild Side Dog Training


Contributed by Terri Elkins, Owner / Trainer - Taming the Wild Side Dog Training


Note from CP Blogger: We would like to thank Terri Elkins for allowing us to post her weekly taming tips on our blog. Her training facility is located in Fort Worth, Texas.


Each week we'll share a Taming Tip for you, your family and friends to do with your dog(s)! These tips will help teach your dog real world manners in a fun way. Leave us a comment and tell us how it went!

Taming Tip #8:

In honor of our Scent Class, this week's Taming Tip is all about the NOSE! This will be a blast for your dog! Take your dog's favorite treats and hide them throughout your backyard. While you are hiding the treats be sure to leave your dog inside the house. When you open the door to let him out, tell him to "Go find it!". Then watch your dog play this natural hunting game! In the beginning, if your dog is having trouble, walk him over to one of the treats, point to it and tell him to "Go find it"! Make the game easy at first and then challenge your dog by making it harder! You can also play this game inside the house, and if you have more than one dog, let them play one at a time.

Click here to visit their blog.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Please welcome Gadgit!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



One of the sweetest boys you'll ever meet is now a Col. Potter kid. Gadgit is an owner surrender, almost 5 years old, very affectionate, obedient and cute as can be.

With a changing family situation, Gadgit found himself in need of rescue. He was a loved family member and it shows. Gadgit is not a take charge kind of guy, he just goes with the flow. He's always ready for a car ride, walk around the block, a romp in the backyard or just cuddling up to watch your favorite show. Whatever your pleasure, it's his pleasure too! Gadgit is a delightful cairn who can shake a stuffed toy with true cairn gusto.....

Please welcome the one and only, GADGIT!!

Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun: Exercises for Your Pet

ASPCA Newsletter : March 25, 2011

News Alert readers know how much we love to trumpet the many benefits of adopting a dog. But did you know that your physical health can improve, too, when you share your life with a pooch? Recent studies suggest that one surefire way to get your motor running—and boost your health—is to get a canine companion who, after all, needs regular walks. Stats show dog parents walk an average of 300 minutes per week, whereas people without dogs walk only about 168 minutes.

But what if you walk till you drop and still find yourself challenged to provide enough outlets for your pet’s excess energy? Perhaps your pooch is a natural born sprinter and you’re more likely to compete in the couch potato Olympics. Never fear, ASPCA experts are here! There are a variety of ways to exercise your dog, from activities that don’t demand much energy on your part to activities that engage both of you. Our behaviorists suggest choosing activities that suit your dog’s individual personality and natural interests. Check out some more of our expert tips:

1. Emphasize brain over brawn. Exercise your dog’s brain with food puzzle toys, hunting for dinner, obedience and trick training, and chew toys instead of excessive physical exercise.

2. Focus on games that make your dog run around while you mostly stand or sit still. Games that fit the bill include fetch with balls, Frisbees or sticks, Find It, Hide-and-Seek or catching bubbles (using a special bubble-blower toy made for dogs, such as the Bubble Buddy™).

3. If your dog enjoys the company of other dogs, options include taking her to a dog park, organizing play groups with friends or neighbors or signing her up for doggie daycare.

4. For extra active dogs, off-leash walking, running, hiking or bicycling in a safe, fenced-in property or off-leash park are ideal activities. Your pet can set her own pace, sniff and investigate to her heart’s content, stop when she’s tired and burst into running whenever she likes. Please be sure your dog is well-trained to reliably come when called before you give her off-leash privileges.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

MASH UNIT PUPPIES AT 3 WEEKS - WE HAVE LIFT OFF - 2 VIDEOS!

Submitted by Roxanne and her puppies' foster mom

Roxanne's puppies at 3 weeks 2


We have lift off! O'Reilly & Houlihan can now get their bellies off the ground. McIntyre hasn't quite got the hang of it yet.



please click here if you cannot view the embedded video




please click here if you cannot view the embedded video

Sunday Sweets

Sunday is full of SWEETS! Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns. If you have a sweet filled cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

Torran

Sir Winston

Roland

Nicholas

Gabby (fka Jude)

Cosette

Bea, Zander & Neha

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Elderly Man and His Cairn Rescued at Sea

U.S. Coast Guard Saves 77-year-old Sailor and His Dog off Coast of Mexico

By JENNIFER HARRISON
March 23, 2011



A 77-year-old man and his dog are safe after being stranded several days in high seas off the Mexican coast.

The US Coast Guard rescued the man and dog from a disabled sailboat about 120 miles off the coast of Ensenada in Baja California Monday.

Shortly after I p.m., amateur HAM Radio operator Rex Weinheimer picked up a mayday call over a HAM maritime network in Stonewall,Texas, near Austin.

"I heard someone calling, but I couldn't make it all out." Weinheimer told ABC News. "The communications were so horrible that I could not tell the mental state or anything. The signal would come up then drop out."

After 10 minutes of disrupted communication, he determined one person was aboard the disabled vessel. Weinheimer said he also gathered that the boat was floating at sea in rough weather with broken sails and lines.

A commercial freighter, about an hour from the sailboat at the time of the call, was the first to make an attempted rescue, but rough seas prevented the freighter from getting close enough to the sailboat.

The ham operator notified the U.S. Coast Guard, who dispatched a MH-60 Jaywhawk helicopter and a C-130 Hercules plane.

The rescue team battled 12 to 15 foot swells and high winds to reach the boater. "The waves were pushing it away from me as I was trying to get to it. It was challenging swimming to the boat," Mike Linehan, Coast Guard aviation survival technician told ABC News affiliate KGTV.

Linehan was the first to make contact with the man. He told KGTV: "It was really hard to talk to him at first. Come to find out later he didn't have his hearing aids in. We were just trying to assess his condition."

The Coast Guard swimmer eventually evacuated the man and his dog from the boat. Both remained "calm considering being hoisted up in a helicopter at hurricane force wind," according to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Henry Dunphy. "The dog sat on the man's lap the whole flight back to San Diego."

WHAT A "GEM" - New Little CP Girl

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



How in the world did this little gem wind up in a shelter? And why didn’t her family come looking for her? We’ll never know the answers to those questions--but not to worry--she’s a CP girl now. And we’ll find her a new family that will treasure her.

Gem is estimated to be 3-4 years old, weighs 14lbs., has a gorgeous coat of many colors, and is a very sweet and friendly girl.

So please welcome GEM to the CP family.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Eraser Says : Chapter 3

Written by CP's foster Eraser



The dogs were spellbound, Eraser retched up a big green hocker and spit it with the precision of a marine sniper, hitting the handle of a shovel, everyone
cheered because they knew the miller would grab the shovel at that exact
place.....AAAAHHHHEEEEMMMM so Bonnie and Big Red parted, Red followed the path that Bonnie pointed out to him, it was an old path full of scents from thousands of years of animals walking it to and from the end of the world. Reds step got faster and stronger even tho his belly was empty and hurt from hunger, "why didnt i eat that bonnie he thought" but he knew he had to stick to the old laws of dont eat those who help you......The forest turned to high grass again and the ground got muddy, bugs got plentifull and Reds tail turned into a fly swatter then his ears started switching too, all in time with the tail, he knew he had to move fast and get out of the muddy land, so faster he ran it seemed forever but he finallly got to the top of a small hill and dry land. With a cool breaze and shade he finally lay down closed his eyes and rested a wee bit. Again he woke hearing a strange noise,reeebuttttt Red opened his eyes, there was a green monster ,no hair,giant eyes, and a tongue like a sticky rope. WWWWWoooooottttssss up bbbbbudddddy? said the monster, Im off to find the end of the Earth and get a drink of water""well walk this way and ill take you to clean water" said the monster, and the monster hopped away, hippy hop hippy hop, Red thought a while and started to hop too in the same direction , not wanting to make the monster mad......Soon there was a nice creek, the water fresh and clean it made a pleasant noise as it flowed over the rocks and falls. "drink all you want it never stops" Red drank and drank then washed his paws, thinking what the bonnie mc bonnie said he asked "are you the monster that makes the waves at the end of the earth?"No sir i am not im just a frog but follow the creek it takes you to the end of the world....BUT BEWARE THE MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! wwwwhhhhhoooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!scareyyyyyyyyyyy

Eraser and Cindy U are being fostered in Pennsylvania and you can learn more about him and the other cairns available for adoption by clicking here.

Friday's Funnies

Raising Duncan

by Chris Browne

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Proper Way to Treat Your Dog


Written by CP's Blog Intern
One of the hardest things about being an animal lover is remembering that animals aren't people. They don't feel the same way we do about things, they don't react or think the same way we do. It's easy to try and justify their behavior with human emotions because we know a thing or two about being human and very little about being a dog.

Take love for example. We love our pets unconditionally, but is the same true for a dog? Sure we have tales of dogs rescuing owners in apparently self-less demonstrations like facing down a pair of coyotes or racing into a fire, but is this because animals are self-less, or looking out for themselves? In a practical sense, your animal relies on you for food and shelter. It is thus in their best interests to protect you and keep you alive.

This shouldn't burst anyone's bubble. The familial units we've placed our dogs into strongly resemble the pack mentalities of their wolf ancestors. Their behavior is nothing unusual, and their care for you is genuine. It's just from a different place than what you feel for them. Dogs are not human, and assuming their behavior has the same causes as that in humans can be dangerous. If your dog is lethargic and mopey, its probably not because he's sad. This can be a much more serious indication of an underlying condition that requires immediate veterinary attention.

In the end, it's the differences between man and dog that make the strength of the bond between them so remarkable.

Keltie, our newest CP furkid

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



An emergency email came into CP Intakes from an over crowded shelter--"Please help this little 13.5 lb, 1.5 year old male, his time is limited here". Within 24 ours, Keltie was our newest CP furkid. There is not much known about him as he is a shelter stray. However, his transporter did say he is very puppy like and he did not like to be crated, but he settled down within a couple of minutes of been given a toy to play with.

I’d like everyone to give Keltie a big CP welcome!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Dr. Seuss Puppies First Meal

Contributed by Aphrodite and her puppies' foster mom

This morning the puppies had their first ever 'real' food. They did really well for their first time. Then they curled up in a pile and went to sleep. :-)

There they are!



If you aren’t able to view the YouTube video click here.

Wacky Wednesday!



Wednesday is the day to be WACKY! Each week we will showcase a terrierific cairn picture with an appropriate caption. If you have a terrierific cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

A big shout out to Abbie for being our Wacky Wednesday model this week!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Dr. Seuss Puppies Learn to Play

Contributed by Aphrodite and her puppies' foster mom

Aphrodite's puppies were 4 weeks old yesterday and they are just learning how to play. I can't send you puppy breath through the blog, so I took this movie for you to watch. This was taken at 7 a.m., if I sound a little 'blurry'. lol



If you aren’t able to view the YouTube video click here.

Their personalities are just starting to blossom. Here's what we've learned so far.

Mulberry likes toys, especially balls that she can push around with her nose. She also likes to pounce. She gives a little hoppity-skip when she does it.

Lori doesn't let anybody push her around. She's a very brave little girl. She's also the littlest of the group, but oh so cute!

Horton is our vocal boy. He wants to tell you ALL about it. (all about ANYTHING).

Star is the biggest in the litter right now. She is the typical cairn princess and likes to boss the others around.

Mooney is our quiet boy. He likes to play best with Mulberry, who is also quiet.

Yertle likes to play with the boys. He and Horton are pretty rough and tumble. Yertle also has the biggest paws. We call him our teacup Newfie. ;-)

Aphroditie and her puppies are being fostered in Missouri. They are not yet available for adoption.

Welcome Micah!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Please help welcome Col. Potter's Micah. This sweet boy is a beautiful gray brindle, estimated to be between 3 and 4 years old. He is described as sweet and very smart, with amazing house manners. He is typical cairn, loves to be on the move and active. He is settling into his foster home, and will be looking for his forever family soon.

Welcome, Micah!

Monday, March 21, 2011

REMEMBERING SLATER

Written by CP's VP of Intakes


Slater has gone to the Rainbow Bridge, but he will not soon be forgotten. You just never know when a new case comes into Intakes exactly what direction it will take CP. In Slater's case, it seemed like a fairly simple case of stubborn little boy Cairn that wanted to mark in the house and owner's that didn't know how to train him out of this. There were no signs of the true medical reason. It wasn't until he reached his foster home and his food was changed to a higher protein, better quality and this sweet, little boy turned aggressive to the resident furkids that we started looking for answers, causes and solutions. Porto systemic liver shunt was certainly not what Col. Potter wanted to hear for Slater. This is a difficult surgery at best, but with the help of meds and a restricted diet, you could see the sweet, little boy Slater truly was. This adorable little boy deserved the chance. There aren't alot of rescues that are willing or able to give a furkid like Slater this chance, but Col. Potter, with your help and support, was able to. No, it certainly didn't work out how we had all hoped, but Slater knew he was loved and spent his final months living inside a home with a family and will forever be a part of this family now.

Please don't blame the former family. They just didn't know. Slater didn't produce any of the other systems that were encountered once he came into CP because of the type of food he was fed. They didn't know how much water he was consuming and urinating because they had him living outside. Even days prior to surrender, he was checked out by his vet and given a clean bill of health. A liver shunt is not something that most would look for under the circumstances.
There is a way you can honor and remember Slater, and one I'm sure he would want. SUPPORT COL. POTTER, so other little Cairns can have a chance, just like Slater.

Intakes is currently working on a large group of Cairns that would be coming in next weekend. As always, we can only help those we have the resources for. We need foster homes, we need volunteers and we need financial support. If you are a foster home and not currently on my list of available foster homes and can foster a furkid, please contact me privately. If you think you can't foster, think again. If you think it's too hard to let them go, think about them dying instead. Please consider becoming a foster home for Col. Potter. Without volunteers working on ALL the various teams within Col. Potter we cannot continue to support the Col. Potter program at it's current size. We NEED HELP!! We NEED YOU!! Fill out the Volunteer Form from the website today. Finally, please consider skipping that cappacino or latte for a week, bring your brown bag lunch next week instead of going out, watch a movie on satellite tomorrow night instead of going out to the movies and donate that amount in Remembrance of Slater so he can help some other Cairns just like CP helped him.

My heart is breaking, my eyes having been leaking since I received the call from Amy about Slater, but let's not forget this special little boy that we all came to know and love. Let's honor him and remember him by helping other Cairns ...


Sunday, March 20, 2011

VIDEO WEEK 2 - MASH UNIT PUPPIES!

Contributed by Roxanne and her pups' foster mom

Please click here if you cannot see the embedded video

McIntyre's eyes opened a few days ago and and Houlihan's opened today. O'Reilly has been too busy eating enough to pass McIntyre in weight to waste energy opening his yet. I have seen a couple wobbly attempts to raise those bellies up off the floor.

Sunday Sweets

Sunday is full of SWEETS! Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns. If you have a sweet filled cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

Rebel & Callie

Lucy & Gabby

Kiki

Kajmir

Felicity

Saturday, March 19, 2011

SAY HELLO TO CP'S FAMILY TRIO

Written by CP's VP of Intakes

Recently, three little Cairns--the Family Trio--made their way to freedom thanks to Col. Potter. We are told the three are related, so we believe we have mother, son and daughter. I was especially happy that the matriarch of this family made it to freedom and would no longer have to "work for a living", but now would be a spoiled, pampered Cairn Princess.

The Family Trio also have another family connection to CP - they all have names from the Name a Cairn Program. Please remember this program for any special event or a wonderful way to remember and honor a loved one. It truly is the gift that gives the gift of life!!

I'm very pleased to introduce our Family Trio:

Vaughn: Female, cream brindle, born 10/6/03, our matriarch of the Family Trio - donated by Kim V. in memory of her mother who passed away 1/13/11



Vonnee: F, wheaten, born 8/24/07 - donated by Kim V. in memory of her mother Evonnee Kelly whose nickname was Vonnee.




Bravo: Male, wheaten, born 4/21/06 - donated by Jane C. in memory of Bravo H. Chongruk.




The Family Trio are reported to be sweet with good personalities. Finding their way to the CP family will write a whole new chapter in their book of happily ever after. Please help me welcome the Family Trio!

Taming Tip from Taming the Wild Side Dog Training


Contributed by Terri Elkins, Owner / Trainer - Taming the Wild Side Dog Training


Note from CP Blogger: We would like to thank Terri Elkins for allowing us to post her weekly taming tips on our blog. Her training facility is located in Fort Worth, Texas.


Each week we'll share a Taming Tip for you, your family and friends to do with your dog(s)! These tips will help teach your dog real world manners in a fun way. Leave us a comment and tell us how it went!

Taming Tip #7:

This week practice calling your dog from different rooms in your house! While your dog is resting or distracted in one room, you move to another room and call him/her. When your dog gets to you click and treat! Practice this a couple of times a day, moving to every room of your house, even the bathroom. Your dog will get to the point where they can't wait to run to you! Have everyone in your family play this game. Just imagine if everyone in your house called to you and when you got there they had chocolate, cheesecake or cupcakes with yummy icing waiting for you! That is how excited your dog will be! Have fun

Click here to view their blog!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Eraser Says: Chapter 2

Written by CP's foster Eraser




Eraser looked into his water dish and took a big larup splashing the dogs sitting up front then went on. Big Red smelled the water far away but saw no sign of it, he walked and walked getting more tired with each step the hot sun felt nice but made him thirsty, finally under the shade of an old tree he scratched a bed in the loose dirt and fell fast asleep .....The sun sailed across the sky and Red woke up to the faint sound of munch munch munch,slowly he opened his eyes and saw the strangest sight he ever saw. It had long floopy ears little feet in the front and big ones in the back, a tail like a ball of fluff , like a tail was bit off in a fight, the big flat teeth were alarming to him but he wasnt scared of the monster......."Who are you"? Red barked out at the monster...."Im Bonny Mc Bunny" he said silently." "i never saw a beast like you before,What are you?"said Red....Well im a Bunny Mc Bunny is all i know" "What is it you do" barked Red "Well i eat and hop and eat and hop and as i do I pray i dont get eaten","And who and what are you ?"asked bunny....."Im Big Red Irish McGuinnis the biggest and baddest Cairn ever escaped out of the mill.""Well what is it you do?" asked bunny....Red pondered this question for a minute and said"i really dont know all i do is stand in a cage and dream of being outside but now that im outside i dont know what to do, but i know im thirsty!!!!!""well there is water at the end of the world,,, lots of it,i can hop for days and never get to the other side so it must be the end of the world "says bonny Mcbunny..."BUT BEWARE OF THE MONSTER THAT MAKES THE
WAVES!!!!!!!!!!" and Eraser's eyes burned with fear.

Eraser is being fostered in Pennsylvania and you can learn more about him and the other cairns available for adoption by clicking here.

Friday's Funnies

Raising Duncan


by Chris Browne

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Cairns wearin the green!

Murphy

Corky and Gilly

Kayla


Bea



Rocky - choosin' the green!

Please welcome Sprocket!

Written by a CP Intakes volunteer



Please welcome Sprocket, an adorable one year old wheaten cairn boy. Sprocket was a pet store puppy, purchased mainly for the grandkids. But being a typical cairn, he turned out to be too active for this non-terrier experienced family. His family was very torn about giving him up, but ultimately decided they weren’t the best home for him. He just arrived at his foster home and is reported to be very cute and smart – and he’s already learning some “good dog” manners.

Welcome to the Col. Potter family, Sprocket!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

PLEASE WELCOME A DARK, HANDSOME MAN TO CP!

Written by CP's VP of Intakes



Many a woman's dream man is tall, dark and handsome. Well, this man certainly has two out of three of those qualities! What he lacks in height, he sure makes up for with cuddling and affection.

Please help me welcome Taruk to the Col. Potter family. This handsome man found many changes in his home life including illness and relocating to a senior living facility which just wasn't a good fit for him and his family. He is 5 years old and looking forward to finding his perfect home with the help of Col. Potter.

With his handsome good looks and sweet personality, I think Taruk will have a large fan club!

Wacky Wednesday!


Wednesday is the day to be WACKY! Each week we will showcase a terrierific cairn picture with an appropriate caption. If you have a terrierific cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture and caption for an upcoming "Wacky Wednesday" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

A big shout out to Corky for being the Wacky Wednesday model this week!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Joey's Story Part 2- his legacy


Written by Reggie and Gemma's adoptive mom


Continued.... “These dogs deserve to have that life.” And I surprised myself when I thought, “...I think I'm the one that needs to give it to them.” It was then that I filled out an application to adopt our Reggie.

When we finally got Reggie in July, he was scared and sad. He needed a lot of therapy from us to get better. I don't think he knows that while we've helped him to get better, he's helped us to heal as well. Every moment where Reggie isn't afraid, where he feels “at home,” gives what happened to Joey some purpose. I think to myself about how scared and alone Reggie still might be had Joey not decided to squeeze under the fence that day and I can't even stand the thought. Reggie's given us someone to hug and to love again and in return, we've given him the life he deserves to have. The Col. Potter placement coordinators knew all about Joey and didn't judge me like I thought they would- they embraced me as someone who needed one of these dogs almost as much as the dogs needed me. Because of that, I feel like I owe Col. Potter the world. They could have easily disregarded me as an irresponsible pet owner but they didn't. They helped me to take my love for Joey and use it in a way to make things better for Reggie.

To answer Bonnie's question about why I got involved with the Col Potter network- after everything I've gotten from my Reggie and the network of loving people who brought him to me, I can't think of a better group of people and dogs to give back to. Thanks to you all for all that you did for Reggie and me- you truly help so many lives and for that, a blog to say “Thank You” is the least that I can do.

As a note, it goes without saying that Joey should never have had his tags off. If they’d been on, who knows if things would have ended differently but the chances of him returning to us would have been much higher. Our dogs now have 3 different tags, micro chips and if I could, I’d tattoo them too. I learned the hard way that losing a pet can happen to anyone. Keep your dog’s tags on always and never trust a Cairn when it comes to a fence. It can look like the most secure fence in the world but always keep a close watch. Taking some extra precautions will ensure that you and your Cairn live long, happy lives together.

Joey's Story - Part I


Written by Reggie and Gemma's Adoptive Mom

This blog has been like a road block in front of all my other ideas for a number of weeks. Bonnie emailed me almost a month ago asking why I became involved in Col. Potter and Cairn Rescue. I haven't written a blog since. To answer her, I knew I'd have to be honest which meant putting myself out there a little bit with a pretty painful story. Because I trust the Col. Potter community, I've decided to share this story about our first Cairn, Joey and how he led me to Col. Potter.

We got Joey in December of 2009. He was a tiny, 8 week-old Cairn puppy that we bought from a breeder. We drove 2 hours to get him and we were in love from the minute we brought him home. Every facebook picture was Joey, Joey attended all our social events and he even came to work with me once in a while. He made us laugh, he loved us and we loved him to pieces.

One day in March 2010, we were relaxing at a barbecue at our friends' house. Joey was playing in the fenced-in yard with his best bud, Sammi, the labrador while we played a game inside. When we went to let the dogs in after 15 minutes, Joey was nowhere to be found. Our Joey had made the great escape under the fence and was loose in the middle of a very busy area. The situation was made even worse when my fiance, sheepishly told me he'd taken Joey's collar off because it had kept getting caught on Sammi's collar. He handed me all the tags linking us to our 7-month-old puppy & something in me knew we'd seen the last of our Joey.

We looked for Joey all night and for almost 2 weeks. We put up over 2000 posters, went door to door and contacted local media. Every evening, we had kids on bikes helping us look for him. People we didn't even know were driving around calling Joey's name. The support from my community was overwhelmingly touching but we still came home at night to Joey's empty bed.

I think I would've looked forever if it weren't for a horrible phone call that ended it all. A very nice, very upset man called me to tell me that he'd accidentally hit Joey with his car a few weeks prior. The man had seen a poster and recognized Joey's picture. He wanted to call me so that we didn't continue to look. It was a noble gesture but it was the wrong ending for what had happened. It was the worst possible scenario and I was beyond devastated.

A few weeks after receiving that phone call, people started asking if we'd get another puppy. I missed Joe but the thought of starting all over was too disheartening. We felt like we'd failed at some level. Everything that had happened seemed without reason. I didn't understand how Justin and I- responsible people with so much love for their dog, had let this happen. I didn't understand why the universe had let it happen either. It all made me really angry.

I really hit a low-point in May. I was extremely depressed and angry with myself and I was still desperately trying to find a purpose for what had happened. One night, on a whim, I typed into my Google Search, “Cairn Terrier Rescue.” Because I didn't want a tiny puppy, but missed having a Cairn, this seemed to be a logical possibility.

When I clicked on the Col. Potter site and started to read some of the stories of the adoptable dogs, it broke my heart all over again. None of these poor puppies and dogs had ever seen a day of love. They were sitting in homes across America waiting for someone like me to love them. It made me look back on Joey's life in a different way: Although his life ended horribly, he never saw a day without love. He had a warm bed, food to eat and all the toys a dog could want. I thought to myself, “These dogs deserve to have that life.” And I surprised myself when I thought, “...I think I'm the one that needs to give it to them.” It was then that I filled out an application to adopt our Reggie.

(Joey's Story Part 2- his legacy- will be posted later today)

Monday, March 14, 2011

THREE MARCH INTO CP

Written by CP's VP of Intakes

When a puppy doesn't sell or find its home by a certain age, its future is precarious to say the least, especially with the current economy.

For three babies, their future was sealed with happiness when they came Marching Into CP! They are siblings born 8/29/10, so are just six months old. They also got a little extra guardian angel to watch over them from being named from our Name a Cairn Program.

It is my pleasure to introduce March Into CP:

Henry C. - Male, red wheaten, described as a talker. He is named in honor of Sheri K's dad. This was a Christmas present for her Dad which will give much love--to dad and a Cairn--and provide interest for a very long time.




Sir Winston - Male, red wheaten, he's playful but a little timid. He is named in memory of Pam M's 14 year old cairn Sir Winston who went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2009.




Inky Pie - Female, red wheaten, typical bossy little girl with her brothers. She named in memory of Suzanne C's mother whose nickname was Pie. The first nephew born could not say Auntie Pie and called her Inky Pie and it stuck. Suzanne's mom died of pancreatic cancer 15 years ago; she is still missed and submitting this brought tears to Suzanne's eyes.



Welcome sweet babies! We're so happy you Marched Into CP!!

Safeguarding your pets in a Flood

Written by a CP Blog Intern



It's an all too common story: At the news of an impending flood and mandatory evacuations, a family leaves their beloved pet behind thinking they can fend for themself. After all, animals have survived without human intervention for a long time, surely your dog can fend for himself for a little while.

The fact of the matter is an animal is no more capable in a flood than a human. You always see an image of a stranded dog or cat on the roof of a building after a big flood. What about the hundreds, if not thousands, of animals who weren't so lucky and were swept away?

Now to be fair, the main reason people leave pets behind isn't always neglect, it's a perceived lack of options since most emergency shelters don't accept animals. What resources exist for pet owners in the event of a flood?

You can start by reaching out to local humane societies. Friends and relatives are always a good place to look as well. In extreme cases of natural disaster, hotels which normally disallow animals occasionally relax their restrictions.

For the love of your animals, when you evacuate, take them with you!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Lorax, and Puppy Circus

Contributed by Aphrodite and her puppies' foster Mom

Here's the link to Lori's debut as a song artist. Enjoy!




Click here if you cannot view the video

And now, in the center ring, straight from the exotic midwest, comes the PUPPY ACROBATS!

For their finale, they will become puppy PRETZELS!



Click here if you cannot view the video

Sunday Sweets

Sunday is full of SWEETS! Each week we will showcase the sweeter side of Cairns. If you have a sweet filled cairn and would like us to consider YOUR picture for an upcoming "Sunday Sweets" send it to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com! (All photo submissions become the property of CPCRN and may be used for fundraising, promotion and/or outreach purposes.)

Cody

Alex

Abbie

Kajmir


Nick & Shad