Cassidy

I picked up our newest foster Cassidy around 2 today, well, make that 3 after all the paperwork. The great news is that Cass is heartworm NEGATIVE! The first thing out of my mouth when I met Cass was "Hello, Stinky!" My gag reflex was kicking in fast as the smell of the sweetest, stinkiest dog. The second thing was "Oh, my, look at that blue eye!"





Cass is very curious and into everything. She pulls on the leash to look at things but isn't an over-the-top puller. She rode easily in the car and made no complaints. She's energetic but settles nicely for some cuddling and belly rubs. I took her straight to the tub and washed her with an oatmeal shampoo. She whimpered the whole bath but didn't try to escape. She has a short, fine coat with one tail spot and one spot around her right ear. Cass has about five inches of a tail. She weighs about 25 lbs and should weigh much more with her body shape. She doesn't know SIT at all so she is in for some obedience training at her foster home. I think we've pulled another very sweet but spunky girl.

My heart was broken last Thursday when I had to put our youngest rescues to sleep. I was sick over the thought of putting the little girl Kiah down because of a possible neurological defect but when I had to put all four of her brothers down as well today I wasn't sure my own two legs would carry back to the car. All of the puppies had distemper. They kept kissing my face while I carried them in to be put down. I was already in love with them from the moment we saved them. Having spent 24 hours with them only cemented their place in my heart. It was a long five-hour drive home with an empty cage and five little collars. I knew one day I'd have to face putting down a sick foster but never imagined it would be these five six-week-old babies.

Eli:


Seamus:


Kiah:


Kane (right)& Deacon(left):

The Continuing Adventures of No Worries Jake

Jake lives in an unassuming house in a small Southern town. What his neighbors don't know is that Jake is a reknowned treasure hunter. Jake keeps this hush-hush so that people only seen the peeling paint, the poor landscaping, and the dowdy work van and would never think that within were stored vast canine treasures.

On a bright Sunday morning, our adventurer Jake headed out the door in search of the ultimate hoard, The Treasure of 8. Jake told his three feline fellow housemates not to worry because he would be coming back. They blinked their eyes and fervently hoped that something dastardly would happen to Jake, although they said nothing aloud. Jake knew he might have to search the whole wide backyard to complete his quest.

Without hesitation Jake climbed the slippery slopes of Mount Kayak and Mount Canoe where he found The Bust of Squeaky Squirrel. But it wasn't the Treasure of 8...



A rumor of treasure had Jake flying to the continent of Greenhouse next to search among the Gardening Supplies, tall towers of tools, trees, and clay pots. Hidden amongst the Leaning Towers of Clay, Jake found his next gems -- two jars of Healthy Dog Snacks. Someone had beat him to this treasure, though, and the jars only contained enough snacks for Jake to fill his belly and move on.



A slinky, white cat named Salem slipped Jake a note when he was wandering the back alleys of the capital of Greenhouse in search of clues. Salem was known for sharp claws, potent urine, and an uncanny ability to turn on the charm. Jake wasn't sure if he could believe Salem but couldn't miss the opportunity to look for The Treasure of 8. Salem insisted he accompany Jake to the Swinging Bridge, a treacherous construction hanging over the Raging Creek. Suspicious of each other but unwilling to let the other go alone, Jake and Salem pushed their way through mounds of leaf litter. A harrowing crossing across the rickety bridge did indeed lead to a treasure, The Three Squeaky Balls that belonged to the Heir of Kong. Salem left Jake in a huff, failing to see the value of the golden balls. Still, the balls were not the Treasure of 8...



A mysterious letter arrived at Jake's hotel using Jake's code name "See Spots Run". There was no signature and no return address. Jake worried he was being led into a trap but had no choice but to brave the forests to find out if the clues in the letter would lead him to his final destination. Rotting logs, thick bushes, and fat grey ticks didn't deter our brave hero! Amongst the Rotting Tree Stumps, Jake uncovered the tombs of the Four Brothers Moo. An intricately carved statue of the four furry brothers marked their resting place. And yet the Treasure of 8 was still calling...



Onto the plains of SideYard, Jake ventured forth with a young trail guide cat named Peppy. Jake had known Peppy since Peppy was a tiny ball of fur and trusted Peppy completely. Peppy would often wander off to investigate a bug or eat a frog but Peppy always came back to continue their journey. Together Peppy and Jake dug beneath the holly tree on their treasure map and unearthed a silver and wood box. Could this be the treasure Jake has been seeking? Could our hero's adventures be over? Alas, the chest held the Five Bones of the Chew Dynasty, the last kings of SideYard.



Leaving young Peppy safely at home, Jake headed for High Table Plateau. Arduous climbing left Jake exhausted and disheartened on his long journey to the top of this monstrosity of plastic. A gorgeous temple of the Six ACD Rescue Desk Calendars greeted the morning sun as Jake climbed the last few feet of the steep plateau. Jake took time to admire the gorgeous pictographs on the sides of this holy place but knew he needed to hit the road again.



Jake wasn't sure where to look next. A quick phone call to his mom gave Jake another idea. Jake's mom wondered aloud if anyone had searched the dangerous route through Jarrett's Jungle yet. Jake wasn't afraid to get wet and muddy so he enthusiastically plowed through the thick undergrowth and hearty vines, even ignoring the snakes and squirrels he saw along the way in his haste to reach the treasure. A single shaft of light reached down through the darkness to reveal The Basket of the 7 Socks, a treasure that Jake had stopped looking for years ago. Jake had heard this treasure was locked deep within Dresser Drawer by the Laundry Police. Thrilled with his discovery, Jake felt invigorated and knew he was on the right path to finding The Treasure of 8.



But where to look? Tired from his journey, Jake decided to rest at Wooden Bench, a little-known getaway for intellectuals, tired birds, and roving canines.



When we left out hero last, Jake was recuperating from his journey through Jarrett's Jungle atop Wooden Bench. While sitting on his porch enjoying the sunlight, Jake suddenly got a whiff of great treasure! He knew that smell anywhere, the smell of fleece! Could it be? Could Jake have finally found the Treasure of 8, the world's greatest collection of Tugs?





What a day for celebration! Jake had indeed discovered the brightly colored Treasure of 8, the special treasure of Carolina ACD Rescue, high up in the Trees of Magnolia. The barren winter setting couldn't dim their radiance. Jake had eyes only for his find.



For just a moment Jake basked in the glory of being the greatest canine treasure hunter in the whole backyard. And maybe our hero's head swelled a little with pride...but who can blame him when he sniffed out such a wonderful prize?

"Where is Jake?" you ask, well, Jake and his fellow agility junkies are on a break from classes while a new pool gets installed in the agility yard! Jake has been going on hikes in the mountains and here at home to keep in shape. Jake helped me go on a home visit for Kaylee which turned out to be the perfect home for our sweet girl. So Jake's social schedule is certainly not empty while we wait for our return to the dogwalk, A-frame, and tunnels!