G’day, Mates!

One responsibility of being a good dog owner is scooping up your dog’s poop. We all have been aggravated by the sight of bad dog owners leaving their droppings around – or, worse yet, stepping in a pile of dog poop. Uuuugggggghhhhh! Seattle, Washington contracted for this Dog Doogity dog poop musical video promoting scoop poop. Get down…and pick up!

Poop Bacteria: Human and Dog Health Issue

Scoopin’ poop isn’t just for convenience; It’s a health issue too, for both dogs and humans! According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), bacteria in dog droppings contribute to diseases. Dog poop can contain eggs of tapeworms, hookworm, roundworms, giardia, and others which can remain in the soil for years-Meaning that dogs and humans who come in contact with these in the soil may become ill (sports, picnicking, etc.). In 1991, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), listed pet waste as a “nonpoint source of pollution”-thus placing it in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals. Even parks designated specifically for dog park play are abused by bad dog owners who leave their pooch’s piles of “nonpoint pollution sources” lying around when dog parks actually provide pooper scoopers and/or bags for scooping poop.  

Look! Up in the Sky

Poop bacteria, and other types, go airborne, too, which surprised researchers (Yes, people get paid to find these things!). Quoting from a study published in the July 29, 2011 Applied and Environmental Biology, the August 19, 2011 edition of the Detroit Free Press reported a story picked up by numerous papers nationwide, that the first four cities studied for airborne bacteria had bacteria from dog feces concentrated in the winter sky- above Detroit, followed by Cleveland, much less in Chicago, and very little in Mayville, Wisconsin. (Apparently, it’s there all the time, but in winter when the soil, dirt, and leaves are gone or snow covered, feces bacteria is more prominent). Too much information for ya?

It All Adds Up

Let’s see now, an approximate calculation of Chase’s poops tallies at 365 days per year x 3 poops per day x 7 years = 7665 poop piles! Yikes! Now multiply that by, let’s say, 3000 dogs in a small town and it’s obvious what not picking up dog poop can lead to!

A 1993 U.S. EPA report (as noted in Pollution Prevention Fact Sheet: Animal Waste Collection) stated that in watershed areas, “…two to three days of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs would contribute enough bacteria and nutrients to temporarily close a bay to swimming and shellfishing.” Also that, “Bacterial source tracking studies in a watershed in the Seattle, Washington area also found that nearly 20% of the bacteria isolates that could be matched with host animals were matched with dogs.” Sigh…

However, anyone can make a mistake, so be kind. And, even when Doggy Dundee spots a bad dog owner simply trying to ignore their pet’s poop, I cheerily offer them a bag to use. Friendliness and education are the best approaches, though I realize it’s tempting with the rude “Leave me alone” bad dog owners to want to snap pictures of the offenders and post their photos on  a “This Person Doesn’t Pick Up His/Her Dog’s Poop” kiosk somewhere. But, be a good doggy!

G’day, Mates!  Dog parks are popping up in many communities across the nation, usually spearheaded by community members desiring a safe, fenced dog park area where their dogs can go to socialize and run off-leash with new and old friends, play ball, get plenty of exercise and fun in the sun, jump into a cool pool, and more. Plus, owners get to meet and socialize with new and old human friends as well.

After seven years of inquiries and efforts, Talent, Oregon (Doggy Dundee’s present abode) finally added it’s own dog park, officially dubbed Talent Bark Park. The grand opening was Saturday, August 13, 2011. Here’s a few photos I snapped – What  a joy to witness dog park play! One minute the dogs were just standing around when they were led inside, seeming a bit unsure of what to do, then “WOW! We’re off!” A still camera couldn’t capture the sight of the dogs running around chasing each other-Everytime I went to snap a picture, the dogs had raced out of view! Chase and I have been back every morning, and she loves playing at this park.

The Rogue Valley is blessed with several dog parks, including Ashland and Medford. While Ashland’s park remains a favorite (Can’t beat 2+ acres of fenced grass that also allows dogs access to a creek, as well as a super large dog pool, shade trees, and a three sided shelter for humans to keep out of the elements), the Talent dog park is sweet, convenient, and brand new!

Start Your Own Dog Park or Find One to Visit

Want advise on how to start dog parks? Check this American Kennel Club link for some info.

Traveling with your dog and interested in finding someplace to enjoy dog park play? While it’s hard to keep up with all the dog parks that are opening, this Dog Park Directory may help you locate one when you’re traveling. Another option is to contact in advance either the City or Chamber of Commerce of the area you’ll be visiting and ask if there is an off-leash dog park in their area.

Good on ya!

Chase and I raise our paws and send best wishes to Nancy Bolton Rawles, the Doggy Dundee webmaster who, along with her hubby Bruce, is leaving the Northwest soon to start life anew in Colorado and be close to family again. They’ve been “good dog friends.”

Her Persistence Urged This Blog

Not only has Nancy been our friend and webmaster; more than that, her witticism helped spark the Doggy Dundee name some years ago after I flew into the office one day just in time for work (by about one second) telling a tale of yet another lost dog I’d found wandering and had to rescue on my way into work. Well, that made about five dogs (and breathless entries racing into work) in just that month, which took everyone aback. “Are you some kind of Doggy Dundee?” Nancy quipped.  Well, Nancy wouldn’t let that idea go, and it was her persistent urging that prompted me to overcome blog angst and start Doggydundee.com.

Nancy remains a good friend to us and other furries (though her preference is cats), and will be available for “HELP!” emails from Doggy Dundee should those emergencies ever arise. Right now, she’s sleuthing the reason why recent officially “approved” comments are not showing up on the post page, though they are listed as approved in the system.  (So, that’s also an apology to any reader who doesn’t see their recent comment – It’s being worked on, though packing is Nancy’s priority at the moment. Keep posting though – It’ll get fixed eventually.)

Nancy is also a very fine artist and graphic designer. Check out the Nancy Bolton Rawles website! 

Hey dog friends, enjoy the journey and much success on the road less traveled!

G’day, Mates! Writing an essay like this about Doggy Dundee’s a bunch more fun than turning in one of those required school essays. Chase and I are having a great time, spending lots of doggy summer vacation time camping, racing through the Pacific surf, jumping in creeks (sorry, no camera handy those days), and lakeside. Figured our mates would enjoy these pics!

Big adventure this summer was Doggy Dundee’s camping trip to Washoe Lake State Park, outside of Carson City, Nevada. It’s high desert that’s hot as a tin roof in the middle of the summer in Marble Bar, surrounded by majestic, snow capped mountains! We planned it well, tho’ coz you’ll notice the word “lake” in the name of this state campground. So, even though Chase is a camping dog, the initial arrival and tent set up wasn’t all to Chase’s likin’ (“Where have you taken me, a woofer with such long, thick, black fur?”), you can bet we had a good time at Washoe Lake, where Chase enjoyed majestic views while swimming, found the greatest sticks in the mud, and I was able to laugh and laugh at her antics! Got surprised our first evening -Was a full moon, and when that moon slowly and finally rose very late over the mountains, the total blackness of the camp was transformed as if into daylight and our bodies cast very long shadow behind us-Magic! 

Had a full day of doggy summer vacation fun  in Virginia City, Nevada where cowpokes took a likin’ to Chase, and I kept drenching her with water coz it was a stinker of 100 degrees. Finally found a western saloon that would let us in (health codes bar dogs, so since I don’t want to get the bar keep in trouble I won’t mention the name), and I enjoyed a cool beer and Chase lounged on the floor next to me drinking pails of water and enjoying the friendly attention of the bartenders and all the tourists (What’s a saloon without a woofer asleep on the floor, right!)

The trip was cut short by one night in Carson City when I returned to the car after leaving it “just for two minutes” (and also leaving a bag with a fried chicken breast and wings in the car with Chase) to discover no chicken, no bones, no bag. Yikes! Well, some raw bones are all right for doggies, but any cooked and breast and wing bones not good! All vets were closed, so I raced back to the campground, tossed Chase lots of bread to munch on, tore all the gear down, and stuffed everything in the car within 27 minutes, and drove the 6-1/2 hours back at 20 miles over the speed limit (slowed down at curves, though) to make sure Chase would have access to her own vet if any problems developed during the night. Status? No problem at all-ever. Sigh and a big “thank you!” Amazing to think back on that drive and know what you can do when you need to do it, though.

Chase is a real beach dog and enjoys the ocean, so a doggy summer vacation trip to Brookings Harbor means lots of running along the coast, running with other beach dogs, jumping into the waves, stealing the best sticks, and dig, dig, digging for hours. Brookings was the site of the very first camping trip Chase and I had ever taken back in 2004 when she was just a pup of about seven months old. Our tent was in an overflow area at an RV campground just 100 yards from beach. So, you see that we hold fond memories for Brookings which we visit regularly whether to camp (usually enjoying much more enjoyable tent camping at Harris Beach State Park than our first “overflow” days campsite) or just drive out for a daytrip.

Doggy Dundee’s also gone camping this summer, as well as day tripping, at the regional Howard Prairie Lake  resort, where we enjoy lakeside tenting. Nothing like being awakened by a dog at 7 a.m., being able to unzip the tent and watch her fly out and leap into the lake, then slip into my bathing suit and jump in to swim with Chase! What a great way to wake up in the morning, and get prepared for coffee. There is always lots of sticks (or a ball) to throw into the lake so that beach dog Chase will swim out to fetch it, and then she’ll run along the sand and drop it and run back to me and bark bark bark (in dog language that’s, “Now you go fetch the stick. I’ll wait for you to throw it again, though”). By the middle of the afternoon, Chase is very wet, bushed and napping, so I get a chance to sit down and read a good book.

Who knows what other summer fun adventures will entice Doggy Dundee (Undoubtedly at least one more camping trip). Wishin’ all our mates fun!
Half your luck!

The city of Ashland, Oregon is setting for the largest (and most fun) 4th of July parade, and each year decorated volunteers with Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) strut shelter dogs, wave cat adoption posters, present shelter “alumni” with their new parents, and spread good cheer along the one+ mile route. The crowd always goes wild and cheers when the FOTAS contingent approaches, and the crowd of 20, 000+ in attendance along the route are bequiled by the exuberant shelter dogs.

This year Doggy Dundee walked shelter dog, Austin, a tiny chihuahua (quite a difference from walking Chase), and whenever he tired, Austin leaped up for a short respite in my arms (not likely to happen when walking Chase).

Most people in the crowd were unaware that the woman walking Pierre the white poodle shelter dog was the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival actress, Vilma Silva, who is starring this season as Julius Caesar in the hit play, Julius Caesar (Yes, a female Julius). Vilma also happens to be a regular FOTAS dog walker and a member of the FOTAS Board.

That same morning another group of FOTAS volunteers put their best paw forward at the Eagle Point, Oregon parade, decorated one of the shelter trucks with streamers and a huge Scooby Doo stuffed dog, while the truck’s stereo blared out the song, Who Let the Dogs Out? They won the First Place Blue Ribbon in their nonprofit category (2nd year in a row!).

These parades cause great interest in the shelter animals, and influx of donations, and many additional visits from prospective new pet owners who come in to see the dogs and cats at the Jackson County Animal Shelter in Phoenix, Oregon. Again, Doggy Dundee urges my mates to “Adopt a pet from an animal shelter.” And if you can’t own a pet where you live, why not volunteer with a shelter group to help a shelter dog or cat stay happy and well-trained so they’re more easily adopted.

Good on ya!

Chase and I are sending a big “shout out” to all dog and human Aquarians as we all celebrate our birthdays together.

Both of us -Chase and Claire) share a doggy birthday, so there’s ample reason why Chase and I act so much alike. Chase and I both believe life is meant to be happy-and is- though I (Claire) do have to admit that Chase actually lives this every single moment, while I (sigh…) lapse.

Our first mutual gift to all of you is this advice: Live each day in the moment and don’t create a future structured on a past that doesn’t even exist! instead create a present and future on the finest!

And (Gift #2), remember to give and receive doggy kisses!

AND (Gift #3) is that if you haven’t already done so, download a “Good Doggy” certificate from this site by clicking on the “Subscribe” tab and scrolling down to the certificate. Once the certificate is downloaded you will - once and for all – prove to all that you are a certified “Good Doggy.”)  Happy birthday, Aquarians!

Good Day, Mates!

Leftovers on the stove tonight, and we couldn’t live another minute without aluminum foil, so I leashed Chase for a quick walk to the corner market. Stubborn – or instinctive? – girl that she is, instead of coming right home, Chase refused to take my lead and pulled me back toward the post office like a determined sled dog. Once there, I’m shuffling around impatient like, waiting for Chase to stop rolling on the grass when (naturally) I spot eyes reflecting off the street lamp and the outline of a large stray dog  begins coming into view. Okay, so we’re again fulfilling our mission of finding stray dogs. Thanks Chase.

It’s a hound. A large hound. Maybe a Tree Walker Hound? Reminds me of Jenny (see pic) but  this post-office-lawn-prowling-pooch is taller, larger, and obviously male.

Instinct tells me Chase will spook this woofer, so I lead Chase into the post office lobby where she can wait behind the closed glass door. Back outside, I call the pooch and leash him with the extra leash I carry (as should every good Doggy Dundee!)

The leather collar’s secure, but there’s no tag. “What the heck should we do now?” I wonder, plunking myself down on the bench outside the post office. This big guy was marking everything in sight, so there was no way he was coming home with Doggy Dundee! A dog ID tag would have ensured this stray hound dog got home real quick, though. When will people learn?

Where’s A Cop When You Need One?

I knew the local police could take this woofer into the animal shelter’s locked overnight cage area, but where was a cop when you needed one? Answer – Right there as soon as I’d asked the question! The cruiser pulled up and the officer got out to check the lock on the skateboard park gate, but ended up with a large dog lounging on his back seat instead.

I’ll check on the woofer tomorrow, Sunday, when the shelter opens to the public at noon.  But it will have been a needlessly lonely and cold evening for that hound for two reasons: The owners didn’t keep him protected and secure, and also didn’t provide a secure tag with an address and phone number. Won’t the owner just love (not!) the fine he or she will have to pay to spring their dog. Lesson learned? Well, we can only hope.

Good Day, Mates!

Christmas Day has always been a special day for Doggy Dundee. Doesn’t matter what has occurred during the days of the past year, Christmas always leads us to a great big, joyously decorated and ablaze tree in the living room, a steaming pot of hot coffee, and lots of prezzie’s decorated in wrapping paper to tear through (the tearin’ sound that so excites every doggy!), and holiday hugs and kisses, and an overwhelming sense of happiness and gratitude.

Happiness and gratitude are “in the moment” discoveries that buoy us every day – if we let them into our awareness; It’s a conscious decision to shake off those old habits of thought and focus and say “There is good right here and now” and allow that to be what we acknowledge and believe about ourselves and others.

And “in the moment” of 2010 Christmas morning, that particular year having been challenged financially and with employment concerns, the tree once again drew Doggy Dundee with awakened surprise and delight downstairs, as Chase happily tore through festive paper to discover delicious treats sent from friends and relatives, and then helped me “unwrap” (tear through?) my own.  We stepped outside in jammies to enjoy the almost balmy morning feeling that was settling over Talent, Oregon, and lounged in satisfaction.

Nothing can be better than knowing goodness – and goodness is love – most notably witnessed here with lotsa doggy Christmas kisses. So now, as 2011 has rolled in, Chase and I wish every being a delightful and actively inspired New Year filled with goodness every moment.

You just can’t keep a good dog down, and Chase has been so good and so excited about seeing Santa, that her enthusiasm just got away with her. We went to Ashland for our annual Christmas pictures with Santa. Arriving  early and standing outside, Chase got to play with the yellow lab in front of us (1st in line), and then Chase introduced herself to everyone in the line behind us – Meaning that Chase received lots of attention from other people standing in line with their babies and children. Naturally, Chase figured they were there to love on her and lapped up the attention, and got really revved up. (Mind you, this Santa Christmas photo shoot was actually meant for people, but Santa turns no one away!

The yellow lab went in first and was the picture of doggy perfection and patience (as the photo demonstrates) while his human mum placed antlers on his doggy head, and he posed with Santa.

Not so, Chase. When Santa called, “Come in, Chase, Ho, Ho!” Chase bolted through the door, skittered around the playroom banging into paraphernalia, and attempted to leap in Santa’s lap. I made a grab for her leash, and everyone tried setting her on the stool in front of Santa to pose, but Chase scooched (?) away, ran, turned around, attempted to pose, fell off the chair, jumped at the camera man (a very amused, Graham Lewis who attempted a few shots of blur in all this), bowled me over, and generally had a great time!

In the midst of this, Santa grabbed Chase in what resembled a headlock (“laughing all the way”), and I pulled Chase down to “Sit!” A second before Chase’s pic was snapped, she attempted a leap at Graham, and I pulled her hard down by her leash, which explains my tense expression in the pic. All of which surely explains why Chase and I (and Santa) enjoy having our pictures taken together every year at Christmas.

Wishing a Merry Christmas to all, and thanks be to Santa and his alter ego, Ed Taylor, for bringing joy to our Rogue Valley, Oregon world!

G’day, Mates! For a dog or cat lover, there’s no place like an animal shelter or rescue agency to find such a wide assortment of animal personalities, sizes, shapes, and needs to admire – and they all appreciate you.  Plus, you meet a cadre of people totally in love and committed to helping animals, and your circle of friends expands.

When people hear that I volunteer as a shelter dog walker at the Jackson County Animal Shelter, it’s pretty standard for the response to be, “Oh, that’s so great that you do that, but I could never. ” Asking them why, the response is usually one or both of the following:

“It’s just so sad, I think I’d be depressed...” or

“I’d want to take them all home with me…”

Well, mates, I’ve never known a depressed animal shelter volunteer. The feelings are just too good when you’re doing good! It is true though that, eventually, most volunteers do end up owning some special doggy or kitty (or several), and that’s a happy event, too (Chase of Doggy Dundee fame is a shelter alumnus) .

Creating Happiness

Yet, what’s sooo great about volunteering is that your life is enlightened every day you’re at the shelter, because you are instrumental in bringing joy and a sense of trust to every animal you play with and cuddle – and you receive love and joy back from each. I know lots of animal shelter volunteers who even come into the shelter on “unscheduled days,” because they’re starting to feel down and know they’ll feel better after spending an hour or so with the dogs or cats. So, there’s nothing sad about this gig as long as the dogs and cats remain healthy – It’s even better if you happen to be on-hand at the time a ‘favorite’ shelter dog or kitty of yours is walked out by their new owners and driven off to their new “fur-ever’ homes. Puppy Alf, shown with me in the photo above, is now being quite spoiled by his new owners!

If it wasn’t for volunteers continually helping to exercise and socialize the dogs, many of the shelter dogs would not be considered “adoptable” or be harder to place. It’s very rewarding to see a stray or surrendered dog that is new to the shelter and extremely shy/timid or frightened as a result, ”come around” and begin to greet people and play with trust and  exuberance. As a volunteer, you make a difference in these animal’s lives. Kolpe, the greyhound shown in the photo at left, is one of those.

An 8-10 year old greyhound, Kolpe was surrendered to the Jackson County Animal Shelter in August 2010 by his owners. Well, Kolpe didn’t know what was up! A sensitive fellow with some tooth decay, all of a sudden he wasn’t in his house and didn’t have his usual people and bed around, plus it was noisy – lots of other dogs barking, the cage doors made metallic bangs, there were lots of strange attendants opening his kennel cage door, and public people walking through, etc. Kolpe immediately starting chewing his tail till it was raw and bleeding, his rear legs shook uncontrollably, and he was a hesitant walker. Several of us spent extra time with Kolpe (more than one volunteer enjoys curling up in the kennel with this beautiful pooch who loves to lounge), and patiently strolling him at his own pace to help him feel comfortable. Two days later, though, Kolpe had stopped chewing his tail, had a big smile on his face, was nudging volunteer’s pockets for treats, and prancing on walks in the agility yard! What a gem of a dog!

Pay it forward, mates! Become a regular volunteer at an animal shelter or animal rescue agency, and see how much goodness you have to offer.