THIS POST IS FOR MAJOR BO....

And Deli (now Ruby) and Hubbard and Zuke and Nugget and Summer and Acorn and Patti and Peanut and Pumpkin - aka The Butternut Squash Kids (or Lucy Loo's pups).

HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY!  

Major had to send me an email to remind me he is three years old today - shame on me for not remembering!  And he is in training with his dad as a St. John's Ambulance Therapy Dog, preparing to bring happiness to people in assisted living situations.  What a great vocation for an SPCA alumni.

Wow - three years since those little tiny wiggle butts appeared courtesy of their butternut squash mama. What a fostering experience THAT was! If you missed those posts, here's the post of the day they were born  (well, actually the day after, as the day of their birth was rather - um - busy!), and here's the post the day they left.

And this one is Major Bo's own very, very, very special story. Have your kleenex ready. It is quite possibly my favourite story on the whole blog.

I smile every time I think of those pups, and I hope they are all doing well - and Lucy too, of course!

Lucy, two weeks before delivery -
the shape of a Butternut Squash

Pups on their Birth Day.

Major Bo at about six weeks old
(c) Jean Ballard 2010

Major Bo January 2013
(c) Jean Ballard 2013

They are always in my heart.

The answer to yesterday's question, and bedrest for Eddie

Georgia Little Pea guessed correctly - the handsome dog in yesterday's blog was indeed one of Lucy's pups,  one of Major Bo Jangle's litter mates.  This little reverse-brindle puppy

grew into this big boy:

Handsome reverse-brindle boy!

I wish she'd get that camera outta my face!

Major Bo Jangles and Zuke at play

Handsome Zuke

He has kept his original name, Zuke.  He is perhaps an inch taller than Major Bo, a wee bit bulkier, and with even longer legs.  It's still so amazing to me that short-legged, long squat bodied little Lucy produced such tall, long-legged offspring!

Tee hee hee!  You shoulda seen their dads! 

I have many more photos from yesterday to post, of Major Bo and Zuke and other friends in the park.  However, that will wait until tomorrow, because Eddie says I have to tell you about his misadventure first.

Yeah, it can't ALL be about other critters!
I haz a sad tail tale to tell!  

Yesterday, Eddie was tired from his two hours of walking in the park, and was a little too eager to jump in the side door of the van to head home. He didn't wait for the cue to 'get in'.   I moved just as he jumped, he missed the opening and tumbled back to the ground, landing awkwardly on his bum leg - the very arthritic one that was likely injured and left untreated before he came to me.  He hopped right back up, but after we arrived home, I noticed he was holding his leg up, tight to his body.  He's sometimes done that in the past and it has usually been fine in a couple of hours, so I gave him a pain killer and kept watch.

Twenty-four hours later, there was no improvement, so off to the vet's we went.  It appears he likely has a partially torn cruciate ligament in his right knee, which is what I suspected.  Fortunately it has not fully ruptured, though it will certainly be vulnerable to that in the future.   He received a cartrophen injection, is on two types of pain killers, and on full bedrest for at least a week and likely several.  No walks.  No bouncing around.  No jumping.  Fortunately the only time he really bounces and jumps is at meal time or when someone comes to the door, but he will hate not going for his twice-a-day walks.  He goes back to the vet in a week for another cartrophen shot and to reassess  - if he is still holding his leg up or limping badly, we will x-ray to see how bad the damage is.  Conservative management requires lengthy rest and a brace.  Invasive management requires an expensive surgery - though that is a last resort.

I should be treated like a king!

Meanwhile, he thinks he will milk this for all it is worth.  I, on the other hand, have told him that without exercise we have to cut back on the treats!  But I assured him all his fans will feel sorry for him and send him good wishes. You will, won't you?

A bright moment in a stressful day

It was one of those days.  I was short on sleep because Petey had been restless and barky all night (restless, which meant I couldn't have him on the bed with me in case he wandered off the edge and broke a leg;  barky because he wasn't on the bed with me);  London is still missing; and Sadie's test results still aren't in. 

And then I open my email to see this:

Lucy with her kids
(Photo by HG, used with permission)

And a wonderful, heartwarming, bring-a-smile-to-my-face update from Lucy's mom, Heather.  Lucy was my all-time favourite foster dog, who arrived pregnant with ten puppies and who took my heart with her when she headed for her forever home four months later.  December 31st was the one-year anniversary of her adoption. 



Heather says: 

She quickly became such an integral part of our family that it's hard to imagine her not being here! Kaia adores her to bits, and Darcy almost equally as much (although he's not quite the dog lover that Kaia is ). Lucy is so protective of both kids, it's really amazing to see her mothering instincts at work. Lucy still sleeps at the end of Kaia's bed, every night without fail. As for the cats... well, Coco and Lucy seem to get along fine. Lola, on the other hand, will tolerate Lucy as long as it's at paw's length, ha ha! I have caught them on my bed together, but Lucy is perched on the edge about as far away as she can get but still be on the bed.

Lucy has enjoyed the occasional "doggy spa day" with her buddy Kai. It has become tradition that they both go to the groomer on their "birthday" and then we throw in a few extras here and there when we think they need a bath. Lucy and Kai still enjoy eachother's company... it's quite comical to watch them play.

Lucy also got to meet my brother's dog Angus over the holidays. Angus is a "fully intact" male and Lucy took an instant liking to him. It was borderline embarrassing how she threw herself at him. I guess nature kicked in even though she's not a "whole" woman :)

Oh Lucy, isn't that just like you!  Ever the tease!

But I think my favourite part of the email was this:

At parent/teacher interview day for Kaia, I had the opportunity to look through Kaia's school journal. Nearly every day Kaia either talks about Lucy, or has drawn a picture of her. I think Lucy has a best friend for life in her girl. I'm positive the feeling is mutual.

And sometimes even reluctant spouses can be charmed by floosy, funny, short-legged long-bodied grinning dogs:

All of us love that brown furry... even Scott, who swore we'd never have a dog, has quite the soft spot for Lucy. He complains about her hogging the couch or bed or wherever Lucy has rest her head. Yet he'll never make her move :) . Thank you for helping us complete our family :)

My Lucy has truly become their Lucy, and I couldn't be happier for her. Thank you, Heather, Scott, Kaia and Darcy for making Lucy's life complete.

Do you know what day this is??????

It's Lucy's pups FIRST BIRTHDAY! 

Yes, it has been one year since that momentous day when my SPCA foster dog, Lucy, produced the pups that would practically be my undoing for the next seven weeks. 

And now they are one year old . At birth, they weighed from 13 ounces to one pound four ounces;  by seven weeks they ranged from about 7 pounds to nearly 16 pounds.  And when a few of the adopters checked in about three months ago, their pups weighed 70-80 pounds!   This from a 45 pound, short legged, funny little corgi-something-cross.

Lucy, September 29,2010

Hahaha foster mama - I got you good!

Ms Lucy knew which side her bread was buttered on, and chose to relinquish all mothering duties (including feedings) by the end of the second week. What a shock that was! 



Goodbye, I'm outta here!  You can look after them.


I don't think I can sum up the experience better than I did on the day the pups left my care at seven weeks of age,and so I am reprinting that blog entry here:

They emerged over a ten hour period on the first day of October, 2010, wrinkled and wet and searching for food. From a mom who looked like a butternut squash, ten pups emerged round and robust and raring to go.

And then they grew.

They crawled, they waddled, they walked, they climbed. They ran and pounced and pooped and peed. They wrestled and snuggled, they nipped and they chewed.

In just seven weeks, they went through over a hundred pounds of kibble, a dozen rolls of paper towel, three giant size boxes of green garbage bags, a van load of newspaper, three dozen cans of puppy food, eight litres of evaporated milk, three dozen egg yolks, thirty-six packages of gelatin, a bottle of enzyme supplement, twenty syringes of dewormer, six tubs of yoghurt, four boxes of pablum, a cup of corn syrup, three tarps, several pieces of lumber, ten collars, and a never-ending supply of blankets, sheets, towels, detergent, cleansers, air freshner, disposable gloves, and toys. Add to that a half dozen trips to the dump with the soiled papers, a pair of doggy diapers and three boxes of liners for mama Lucy, and of course the meat, broth, oatmeal, rice, eggs and supplements for Lucy’s homecooked food when her intestines couldn’t handle any kibble.

They kept me up night after night, and they left me so exhausted that sleep, when it happened, was deep and dreamless.


My washer and dryer were constantly running, the dishes were always piled high, the counters and table were cluttered with puppy paraphernalia, and there was never more than an hour or two when the floor was poop-and-pee-free.

They squealed, they squeaked, they barked and they growled, they howled and yipped and whined and grumbled.

They tried my patience, and they touched my heart. They made me laugh, and they brought me to tears.

They worried me sick, and they forced me to grow. They helped me define my limitations and know where my strengths in rescue lie. And it isn’t with puppies.

An army of wonderful people became my life-line. SPCA volunteers, neighbours, members of my community donated time and goods which helped me retain my sanity and live within my budget. And there were the professionals: the emergency vet whose voice on the phone guided me through delivering a stuck pup, my own vet who answered my email questions and reassured me when my confidence faltered, the SPCA vet who helped Lucy with her mastitis and intestinal troubles, and the staff at the SPCA who entrusted me with their care, and ultimately will have the responsibility of selecting appropriate homes for the pups and Lucy. To all these people, I am eternally grateful. It was, in so many ways, a joint effort.

And now the squealing, barking, whining, howling, running, pouncing, playing Butternut Squash Kids are moving on.

May their future families be committed to them forever, love them, teach them, feed them healthy food, nurture them, protect them, exercise their bodies and their minds, and share their living space with them. May not one of the pups ever end up in a shelter, may they never be homeless, may they never know fear or pain or hunger or insecurity. May they always be as safe and healthy and happy as they are today; may they truly be part of a family.

I cannot say with honesty that I will miss them, but I will certainly always remember them.

(My Life with the Critters, November 21, 2010.  (c) JFB )

And here's a few of the thousands of photos I took while they were in my care:

One week old

Puppy Love

I'm lonely!



Mr. Blue Eyes



Puppy Nose



Pablum Face



Good friends

Cud you feeds me?



Dinner time, about four weeks old



I'z got a paper hat!

Future Model





Play time





Peanut and Lucy



Pumpkin, party animal!

Hubbard being coy

Summer gives a 'high five"

Patty with her white chin

Bo, posing for the camera

Zuke and his ball

Acorn in basket

Deli sits pretty

Nugget ready for a nap

It was quite the experience.  You'll find more stories of the pups, both humour and horror, by browsing through the entries from October 1 to November 21, 2010.  Stories of Lucy begin September 11, 2010 until December 31, 2010.   Updates on some of the pups, from their adopters, can be found here, and here and here and here and here and here and here.


Happy Birthday,  Butternut Squash Kids.  I hope you are all safe, happy, and very well loved.

Major Bo Jangles

Remember Bo? One of Lucy's pups?



He's grown:


Just a wee bit! His vet says he doesn't seem to have any newfie in him, but looks much like a really nice lab/shepherd cross! Oh Lucy, what were you up to??? He sure didn't inherit her short little corgi legs or the fluffy fur of the dog presumed to be his dad! But of course, that is the gamble you take with dogs of unknown mixed heritage breeding with other dogs of unknown mixed heritage - they may look like corgies or pittis or newfies or poodles, but ya just never know what's really in them and what genes will predominate. (And, no, those DNA tests you now buy to find out the breed of your mutt are NOT reliable at this point in time).

Anyway, I was very happy to get an update on Major and some photos. His mom says:

Thought I would send a picture or two of Major. His name keeps growing, just
like he does. I believe you named him Bo, and Don and I renamed him Major, then
it became Major Bo, but with his tags on his collar, he now is called Major Bo
Jangles. He is an excellent puppy. We are taking him to agility classes where he
is learning lots of new tricks. He has a lot of friends, and a "cousin" dog
staying with us which he adores.

Now, I'm guessing this might be the "cousin" he's playing with here - probably destuffing a toy as I see white fluff on the ground.



But what I love about that photo is...the chickens!!! Totally unconcerned about two monster pups tussling away right near them - and the dogs totally disinterested in the chickens! How cute is that!

And here's another of Major Bo Jangles - All he needs is a parade following him, as he already has the baton with which to lead the marching band.



I'm going to send emails to a few of the other adopters - I'd sure love to see pics of them now. They were such an assortment of puppies - short ones, tall ones, fluffy ones, smooth ones.......

Thanks, Gerri and Don for the update. I think it must be almost time for a reunion!

(Photos and information used with permission)

Update on Lucy Lou

It's hard to believe Lucy has been gone for just over a month - in some ways it seems like yesterday, and yet it seems so long since she was bouncing all over my house and my heart.

I received a one month update from her new family. She is doing great! They tell me that she has settled right into their routine, and no major problems have developed. She is still adjusting to their two cats, having made friends with Coco, but being on the receiving end of a few paw swipes from Lola. (Allie says "You show her, Lola! Cats rule!!").

And Lucy has lots of new dog friends, which is just what she needs to wear off some of that excess energy. Lucy's mom says

"We walk every day together. In the mornings, I have five dogs that I walk at once. Lucy seems to be particularly fond of Tobo, an English Springer Spaniel. I think it's because they are similar in size and they can romp and play with each other with vigor! I just finished a week of dog sitting for my best friend. Kai, who is a pug/pomeranian cross, is very energetic, and the two dogs by the end of the day were wiped! They would snuggle together and share the chair in my
bedroom. Lucy snores quite loudly when she's exhausted :)"

Awwwwww.....I can just see them snuggling together and sharing a chair, Lucy snoring away!!
What a good home our Lucy Lou ended up in. Thanks, Heather, for the update!

If any of the pups' families are still reading the blog, I'd sure love to hear how they are doing ---- and how big they've become! They are four months old now!

An Update on Lucy

Lucy Lou is doing well! I heard from her new mama today, and she says Lucy is settling in nicely. She has already found her favourite playmate - her mama's best friend's dog - who she'll be seeing lots and lots of. Lucy has decided the daughter's bed is just the right place to sleep, which makes young Kaia very happy indeed!

So far, the only real mischief Lucy has gotten into is stealing the cat's food - including sneaking downstairs in the middle of the night for a midnight snack. Now that made me laugh - it is sooooo Lucy. They have solved the problem by moving the catfood up higher where she can't reach it. Hopefully the kitties aren't too annoyed with the change.

So, all in all, Lucy is off to a good start. Of course, when a dog changes homes there is often a "honeymoon" period as they figure out their place in the pack and get a sense of who the other "pack" members are - both two legged and four legged members. I certainly saw many changes in Lucy's personality and behaviour during the months she was with me, and it has been my experience that adopters often don't really get to know their dog's true personality until three to six months later. I look forward to future updates on Lucy Lou as she continues to settle in.

I apologize for the lack of posts the past several days. Now that my household is back to 'normal' (if there is any such thing!), I'm catching up on a number of tasks that have been on hold. I'm also heading to the mainland for five days next week, with a new petsitter coming to look after Charley, Sadie and Allie, so I'm trying to get organized for that. I have several blog post ideas (and rough drafts) and some photos to post too and will try to get some up tomorrow - but as the song says,

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

A sunrise walk and a bittersweet farewell

Crofton sunrise

I lie awake in the early morning, the crisp cold dawn slipping through the slightly open window. I snuggle further under the blanket, spooning around Lucy as she sleeps on, oblivious to what lies ahead. Soon, I feel her nudge my arm and start to lick my hand. I stroke her soft fur and she wiggles up the bed to cover my face with her morning doggy kisses. It is time to get up, though today my heart is heavy.

In just a few short hours, Lucy’s world is about to be turned upside down. This is the last time she will sleep on my bed, the last morning she will wake me with her kisses. For Lucy Lou has found a home.

She came to me a scared, anxious, sad, and very pregnant girl. Slowly she learned to love car rides and walks about town, to crawl up on my lap and sneak into my bed. She gave wonderful kisses – timid at first, and then more generously washing my face and hands with her tongue. And she grew to trust me – to trust that when I left the house without her, I would return, and when I took her places where she had to stay without me, I would come back for her.

Today I am going to break that trust. Today she is moving on – to join the family who has pledged to love her forever, her adoptive family. In time she will learn to trust them, in time she will love them as she does me. Friends tell me dogs are very adaptable. And I know that is true. But I know before her trust and love will be freely given again, there will be a time of sadness and confusion, a painful time for Lucy – and how I wish I could protect her from that pain.

I get out of bed and go to the back door. I pull on my boots and warm jacket and step outside with Lucy. The sky is orange and red with the glow of sunrise, and I impulsively forgo our morning routines and grab the camera and Lucy’s leash. We head down to the beach and watch the sunrise, sitting side by side in the frosty morning air. It is a perfect way to spend our very last morning together. A perfect time for a final walk.

Boat leaves the marina

Sunrise from the seawalk

Sunrise and reflections

I have always known this day would come. And for nearly a week, I have known it would be today. The family came to meet her last Sunday, and I took her to their place for the homecheck on Tuesday, and then I recommended the SPCA approve the application. And they did. It has been my secret, one that I didn’t want to share on the blog until all was complete.

By noon she seems to know something is up. Perhaps she senses my emotions, perhaps she makes sense of the things I am packing for her. She sits by the window and watches and waits.

Are they here yet?

I'm tired of waiting

I am going to miss her terribly. I will miss her enthusiastic greetings when I’ve been gone, whether for five minutes or five hours. I will miss her climbing onto my lap and pushing me out of my chair. I will miss her running to her crate and sitting up tall as can be as she waits for her meal. I will miss her wonderful silly grin, her willingness to dress up and her excitement as soon as I pick up her leash or the car keys. But most of all, I shall miss her climbing up onto my bed and snuggling up to me, licking my hands and covering my face with her kisses as we wake up in the early morning hours and head out for a walk in the sunrise.

It is always good news when a shelter dog finds a family. She joins a mom and dad, and a boy and girl. The girl, Kaia, shall be her special pal, and it is on her bed that Lucy shall likely sleep. Her new family also has two cats, and she’ll have doggy friends to play with regularly as her at-home mom walks neighbourhood dogs each weekday, walks our Lucy will now enjoy too. Oh, and Lucy will have a gramma just down the road, whose two dogs she met and liked on Tuesday.

She will live in a lovely comfortable home with a nice yard to play in, protected by a solid six foot fence, though it will be awhile before she can be out there unattended for even a minute, as we all know about her invisible pogo stick and superpower flying abilities! Her new family has been well versed in the rules of keeping Lucy safe.

And so Lucy rides off, not into the sunset, but into the sunrise of her life – into the promise of a brand new day, a brand new life. With her she takes her martingale collar and a new id tag, her sweater, a few favourite toys, some dog food and some treats......and a very large piece of my heart.

My sorrow is a little girl’s joy. My pain is a family’s excitement. Such is the role of fostering – to nurse back to health, to teach some manners, to care, to love, to let go. Lucy Lou is going home.

Heading home



A Poem for Lucy

It is perhaps the hardest thing that I have ever done,
To love a dog and earn her trust, and then to send her on.
In fostering, the joy I feel at seeing safely placed
A homeless dog, is bittersweet; with sorrow it is laced.
A young girl's gain will be my loss; my mind has but one thought:
That I will truly miss this dog and all the love she brought.

Have a great life, Lucy Lou.


© 2010 JFB

Lucy's morning sunrise, December 31, 2010

Viewed with her foster mama the day she begins her new life