Henry

HENRY IS TEN!!!

October 31, 2016 | 44 Comments

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HENRY!!!

Henry is 10!

It seems like no time has passed since we brought Henry home and he became part of our family. Now, he is TEN YEARS of age!

I purposely omitted the word ‘old.’

Henry is a happy-go-lucky guy who can hold his own when it comes to ‘zoomies’ in the back yard with brother Jack.

Other than his autoimmune issues and allergies, his veterinarian has given Henry a clean bill of health – no age-related problems are evident at this stage.

He isn’t full speed ahead and mischievous as he once was, but he is still quite a character. Perhaps, the secret to his continued youth is his ability to find the perfect balance between play and meditation.

Henry will lay on his bed, with one of his stuffed hippos between his front paws and in his mouth. With eyes closed, he will rock his head gently from side to side and gently caress his hippo. It is hypnotic and calming to watch.

We did not have time to organize a party as we just returned from a family beach holiday. During our time away, our birthday boy enjoyed daily walks in the sand and paddling in the sea. The perfect way to celebrate!

Thank you to Dog’s Best trend for supplying these beautiful scarves for the occasion. Even though the celebration was low-key, the pups were dressed to the nines in their satin party wear.

DBT Gift Option

Dog’s Best trend is a subscription program offering monthly or annual plans to subscribers. Free shipping to U.S. residents.

The designers create an original scarf design every month. Sometimes it is based on a theme or season. Every time beautiful and stylish. Each design is a limited, small-batch production for one month only.

We love that a portion of every subscription is donated to dog rescue groups across the country.

We’re currently supporting the Dumb Friends League.

The Dumb Friends League

For over 100 years, the Dumb Friends League has provided a compassionate voice for those who cannot speak for themselves and is the largest community-based animal welfare organization in the Rocky Mountain region. The League will not turn any animal away, and in the last year alone, 17,903 pets were adopted, reunited or placed. Further, through spaying, neutering, and owner education they have reduced the number of homeless animals entering their shelters by 27%.

Click here to try Dog’s Best trend for free! Under 35# and Over 35#

We could not agree more, Dog’s Best trend:

Ten is just a number. We don’t stop playing because we get older, we get older because we stop playing!

Since we have added another pup to our pack, we have joined the ‘extra toy club’ with barkbox. Not that it makes much of a difference; Reese thinks all the toys belong to her. It’s a good thing Henry loves the packaging as much as the contents and both boys are happy with treats. And, not just on Halloween!!!

The chocolates are for Henry’s Humom!

Thank you barkbox for sending a special ‘Birthday’ celebration hat and treats for the birthday boy.

Click badge on sidebar to start your barkbox subscription.

Thank you Dog’s Best trend and barkbox for helping to make my little man’s special day special.

PUPPY MILL AWARENESS – PART I

May 4, 2015 | 28 Comments

WHERE DO PUPPIES COME FROM? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DO YOUR RESEARCH PRIOR TO PURCHASING OR ADOPTING A DOG?

Puppy Mill Dog Reese – photo courtesy of Gillian Woods

Of course I knew puppies came from mommy dogs. I was quite ignorant to breeders, breeding facilities, and the OVERWHELMING number of pets that were waiting in shelters and with rescue organizations, for loving, forever homes. I grew up on a farm. My first dog Punchie came to stay with us when my Godparents moved to Japan. Punchie, the dog and Tiger the cat were sisters and became part of our family – no questions asked. Other dogs that had been left behind by hunters found their way to our door and seemingly found their way back to their homes the next day while I was at school.

By the time I had convinced my husband that we should get a dog, I had done a fair bit of research and was confused by the different options for obtaining dogs; breeding facilities (several types), brokers, pet stores and shelters or rescue organizations.

A red flag for me, was the headline on a number of sites that read WE ARE NOT A PUPPY MILL!

Long story short, we found Henry and learned so much about Puppy Mills from the founder of the wonderful rescue organization from whom we adopted him. Thank you Kimberly of Kismutt Small Dog Rescue.

Henry was fairly young when we adopted him. Henry had been surrendered by the owner of the mill due to medical conditions. Sadly, another pup, suffering a similar condition was surrendered too late, and her eye had to be removed. Other than physical illness, Henry was a happy dog – unaffected mentally, by his time at the mill.

Fast forward a year.

We decided Henry needed a brother or sister. Although not a pro by any means, a year with Henry had taught me how to be a dog parent. We learned of Reese, another mill dog in need of a home. The rescue organization felt this little girl needed another ‘normal’ dog for reassurance and to teach her how to be a dog herself. It still brings tears to my eyes when I recall how much Reese needed Henry, and how her big, younger brother brought her out of her shell and did indeed teach her to enjoy life. I credit Henry with ninety percent of Reese’s rehabilitation.

To follow is Reese’s adoption profile, including a video of a terrified, former breeding, Puppy Mill dog. Also, an update from her foster parents (thank you Matt and Erin), and a few words from the founder of the rescue organization that ‘pulled’ my dog and saved her from a bullet.

Please visit us next week for part II – what the law says.

Petfinder Adoption Profile – Joyful Rescues

Breeze Kent (now Reese)

Breed: Shih Tzu [Mix]
Sex: Female
Age: Young
Size: Small

About Me

Breeze was born about February 12, 2008 and weighs about 15 lbs. She is more frightened than some of the dogs she came in with, maybe she was beat for not getting pregnant and that is why the “miller” gave her up so young. She is learning her way around the new world she has to live in. Breeze was released from her duties; expected to produce puppies to line the pet store shelves.

It was one of the worst mills; the dogs lived on wire bottomed cages, never touching their feet to a solid surface year after year. Breeze is just now experiencing fresh air, sunshine, and most importantly – grass. All the simple pleasures we take so for granted.

We do feel she is too timid to go to a home with little, noisey, kids. A note from Breeze’s Foster Mom: “I just wanted to give you an update on Breeze. First of all, she is the sweetest little thing and I am in love with this little cutie after only 2 days!! She is VERY frightened of everything as you know. We have found that she likes to be in a corner of any room that she is in (she is comforted by this). She has a few corners that she has been going to often so we put a blanket down for when she is laying there.

We have been taking it slow with the picking up and handling of her… she is pretty fast when she wants to get away from you.

I stayed home with her all day yesterday and let her have pretty much the run of the house. she was sniffing everything and even picked up a fast trot to chase after Bentley foster parents dog) which made me happy. She has showed some interest in our dogs and even got up on her back legs to sniff at Bella when Belly was sitting on the couch. She sat on my lap for several hours all curled up and had a nice long nap wrapped up in a blanket.

She even came over to me at the end of the day yesterday when I put my hand out for her to sniff and she let me pick her up without running away..needless to say I was ver y happy about that!! We’ve been offering her treats whenever our crew gets theirs but has yet to take any from us.

I’m looking forward to the day when she realizes how good the treats taste. Last night she slept up next to me in bed and stayed curled up with me all night. I think she’s enjoying the comfy couch and bed as opposed to the hard floor or wire bottom. It took her a little while to figure out that she could walk on the blankets and lay on them. She figured out where the water and food bowls are and goes all on her own to get water although she is not eating very much. Im not sure if its because she is just not used to having good plentiful meals or if she is just too frightened to eat when we are around, but I have been offering her food often and I think with a little time this will change.. If we leave her alone with the food she will eat. She has had a few accidents but nothing major and has been going outside. We will continue to work on this while the little angel is with us. Our major focus now is just getting her used to good human touch. We have been sitting on the floor next to her and just talk to her while we pet her.

She is extremely sensitive about us touching her front feet. Her whole body shakes pretty bad when both Matt and I touch her feet. We will continue to work on this as well.

This morning she was sitting in the kitchen with two of our dogs and I was petting her head before I left for work and she closed her eyes and laid down for a rest…it was nice to see that she was comfortable enough to do this. we are looking forward to the day when her little tail will wag and not be constantly between her legs. other than that she is just getting used to all the new sounds and smells and we even caught her staring at the TV when she was laying on the couch yesterday. We feel very lucky that we will hopefully be able to make a difference in her life!!! Matt and I will keep you posted on her progress but we wanted to let you know how the first few days have been.

Founder and Director of Joyful Rescues, Joye Turock has the following to say about Puppy Mills and Mill Dogs:

There are still humans that don’t know what a puppy mill is. They don’t know how it works, they don’t know how badly the dogs are mistreated and what happens to the dogs once they are no longer capable of producing inventory for pet store shelves.

We recently had someone adopt a puppy mill dog from us. The dog was maybe half as frightened as others we have rescued. Even though we took the time to prepare her and provide helpful advice for adjusting the dog, she returned him the next morning saying she had no idea how damaged he was, and that she was unprepared.

Humans can help by not buying from pet stores, no matter how vehemently store owner deny the fact, the dogs being sold as a product in pet shops are from Puppy Mills. No credible, caring, breeder places their dogs in pet stores.

There are many Puppy Mills that sell online – they show everything the consumer wants to believe is true.

Consumer. Isn’t that an awful word when you are talking about the purchase of a living being?

Behind closed barn doors, there is pain, suffering, death, and tragedy. Adult dogs are left behind, in the cages, their babies ripped away from them. The baby pups are barely old enough (by law) to be sold. Hence so many health conditions.

Humans that are outraged by this treatment of our domestic animals need to get involved by contacting their government representatives and work to help change the laws that currently protect the owners of such facilities. Right now, these operations (this treatment) is completely legal in the USA, shame on us!

Please visit us next week. We will review the KENNEL LICENCING BY-LAW provided by THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF GEORGINA.

Thank you Joye and the team at Joyful Rescues for all you do for the animals. Eternally grateful for Reese

http://joyfulrescues.com/index.html

http://www.kismutt.com/home.html

Post Photo of Reese courtesy of Gillian Woods

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gillyface/

I was invited to participate in a ‘Puppy Mill Blog Hop’ for Puppy Mill Action Week. I’m thrilled to be involved in this wonderful project. Thank you, Dolly theDoxie. Please visit the other blogs to learn more about this cause and how together we can make a difference.

www.ThePuppyMillProject.org

www.Facebook.com/ThePuppyMillProject

www.Twitter.com/PuppyMillProj

www.Pinterest.com/TPMP

www.YouTube.com/ThePuppyMillProject

circuit training, crossfit & bootcamp

January 4, 2015 | 29 Comments

FAST-PACED, HARD CORE AGILITY FOR PEOPLE – WITHOUT THE TREATS!

I could not agree more. One reason most people fail at resolution #2 is because the reward is not tangible. Don’t get me wrong, I love how I feel after a good workout – a form of exercise where I feel I’ve pushed myself to my limits, not towards a ‘near death’ experience. It’s good to feel the reminder of my efforts over the next couple of days, but not to the point where I have to crawl because my legs and back are waving a white flag!

Henry’s agility trainer says

Your dog has to consider you more exciting than dirt!

You may think this odd and yet; it makes perfect sense. Dogs are easily distracted by scent. If someone in the agility class prior to us had dropped a treat, and even if that treat had been picked up, the scent would still be there. Dogs in the following class may find the search and rescue (hope of consuming said treat) far more interesting than you trying to give them a command to do something. Produce a high-value treat however (incentive), and I can get Henry to do anything I ask. By simply showing, and letting him sniff that tiny piece of burger, Henry will ‘jump’, ‘dig’, ‘back’, ‘over’, ‘tunnel’ and ‘target (for a count of 5)’ all for that tiny little reward.

I am, like most people, motivated to do something if I can see even a tiny glimmer of hope soon after putting in the effort. Yes, I realize chocolate and wine are counterproductive incentives. For anyone who has tried circuit training, crossfit, and bootcamp, you know how much effort is required and yes, the results are amazing. In the long run.

If you’re also looking for less ‘hard-core’ methods that you can enjoy from the start, why not try agility training? A form of exercise you can enjoy with your dogs, all year ’round. We work outdoors for as long as we can and when our Ontario winters kick in we move inside to a dome Physical activity for both of you. I know I’m more likely to stick with something that I find enjoyable.

Agility Training

Henry and I have been attending agility classes for more than a year, and we both love it!

Henry squeals with excitement when we turn into the parking lot. Veronica Evers-Doyle, ABCDT from Zephyr Canines Inc., is Henry’s trainer. Veronica has this to say:

“A tired dog is a good dog” may be generalizing, but it often proves to be true. When you share your life with high-energy dogs as I do, you will quickly learn that they are easier to live with when they have a good exercise regime. Every dog has different requirements but most dogs need at least 2 good exercise sessions per day. Some dogs will be content with a 20 minute walk twice a day, while others will require at least 2 hours of vigorous daily exercise. Exercise can be a variety of things. A brisk walk, playing fetch, frisbee, hiking, or a dog sport.

Exercise should also include some daily mental stimulation. Many people work their dog physically, but fail to work their brain. A dog who is tired mentally and physically should be able to truly relax at home. For mental exercise you can do some refresher work on their obedience, trick training, or treat puzzles.

Dog sports can be a great way of exercising your dog physically and have the benefit of involving you in the process. Many dog sports also require some physical commitment from you as their handler, but don’t let that worry you. Most dog sports don’t require you to be a triathlete, just that you be able to direct them as needed.

Activities that are a great physical outlet for your dog while not requiring you to be as active yourself include lure coursing, field (ideal for “sporting” dogs including retrievers, spaniels and setters ) and dock diving. If your dog needs something that is more mentally challenging consider obedience or scent detection.

If you are looking for an activity that will really challenge both you and your dog you might want to consider agility. Agility is a great way to find a balance between working your dog physically and mentally, but it also helps you connect with your dog as you direct them around the designated course. You’ll need to commit to a regular schedule of classes (usually once per week) but the time and effort is well worth it.

A typical agility run will involve directing your dog around a course of obstacles including jumps, tunnels, teeter totter, as well as “contact” obstacles that they must climb. Some agility teams go on to compete in agility trials, but that is certainly not a requirement. Many people do agility just for the love of the game and for the connection they can build between themselves and their dog.

In warmer days

Unfortunately, we’ve been benched lately due to Henry’s ‘condition.’ We’re looking forward to starting back next week!

http://www.zephyrcanines.ca/

ABCDT – Animal Behaviour College Certified Dog Trainer (Private College)

we won’t re-gift this one!

December 23, 2014 | Leave a Comment

RINGWORM

We assumed the itching would stop soon after allergy season ended. And, while hubby’s sneezing and sniffling subsided, Henry continued to itch and chew at himself. Some days he seemed better than others so we treated him with his allergy medication – Vanectyl-P.

After our latest trip to the groomer, we noticed little scabby patches around Henry’s legs. I’m not sure how long they’d been there as they only became apparent after the hair had been shaved away. We booked him in to see the Veterinarian that afternoon. A full test would take a couple of weeks to complete, and the Doctor that saw us was confident that we were dealing with RINGWORM!

Ringworm has nothing to do with worms at all. It is a highly contagious fungal infection; easily spread to other animals and humans.

I contacted our groomer to let her know. The equipment is disinfected thoroughly between customers. Candice was more concerned about Henry. I also spoke with Henry’s trainer to confirm we would not be able to attend agility class (even though the dogs do not interact it is best to air on the side of caution). Our dog walker was also apprised of the situation.

Symptoms of ringworm include lesions that typically appear on a dog’s head, ears, paws, and forelimbs. These lesions can cause patchy, crusted circular “bald spots” that sometimes look red in the center. In mild cases of ringworm, there may be just a few broken hairs while bad cases of ringworm can spread over most of a dog’s body. It’s also possible for a dog to carry the fungus and not show any symptoms whatsoever.

We do not know when or where Henry picked up the infection, but we will do our best to ensure it is not passed on. The rest of the pack is fine. It is possible Henry was unlucky due to his compromised immune system (allergies). Puppies less than one-year-old, stressed, and immunocompromised dogs are most susceptible to the condition. Cats are not exempt from ringworm! Kittens, seniors and immunocompromised are more likely candidates – and LONGHAIRED cats! Great. Just great.

Transmission may occur via contact with any items where hair or infected skin particles have collected; toys, bedding, dishes, halters, collars and other apparel. We washed EVERYTHING, shampooed the rugs and living room furniture (bonus for those of you with a ‘no dogs on furniture’ rule) and replaced Henry’s favorite toys. We will continue this regime as we carry out Henry’s treatment.

Treatment of this condition may vary. In Henry’s case, we were prescribed a medicated shampoo and ointment which we apply daily until the vet says otherwise. We will see what they say in two weeks…

We didn’t have to wait that long! As I prepared to apply ointment to Henry’s nether region, I realized there was a problem. The affected area was incredibly inflamed. It was bright red and raw looking. We went straight back to the clinic.

At the end of this visit, Henry was prescribed antibiotics as the unfortunate condition had become infected. We were also given an antiseptic, medicated spray to use instead of the ointment. No more baths either. “Thank goodness for one small blessing,” says Henry.

Things looked to be turning around until the took an even worse turn! Poor Henry’s groin was so red and purple it looked as if the skin had been pinched and twisted and burnt. I felt so bad for the little man, and I felt so helpless. We headed back to see the DVM.

Biopsy, steroid injection, continue with antibiotics plus steroid tablets and spray.

We’ll see what the new year brings…

Merry Christmas!!!

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/ringworm-infection-dogs

‘TIS THE SEASON

December 21, 2014 | Leave a Comment

HOLIDAY STYLE FEATURING APPAREL FROM KIPEKEE COUTURE

OR,

We’re decked out, ready for any occasion. Thank you Kipekee Couture.

Describing themselves as “true-to-the-core animal lovers,” Kipekee Couture says:

Each of our pets has a unique personality, a style of their own. It is because of their individuality that we created Kipekee. Made entirely of unusual, unique and stylish recycled fabrics, each of Kipekee’s exquisite lines is carefully handcrafted with impeccable attention to detail.

This bandana was a great choice for Ricky, and he LOVES wearing it. A collar might not show beneath his mane!

Henry looks so handsome in this ‘dressed up denim’ collar.

Pretty in Pink! Reese was more than happy to pose for photos in her beautiful floral print collar. In fact, she did not want me to take it off at bedtime (sweet dreams of sugar plum fairies).

Visit their website to see all the stunning designs available http://kipekee.ca/

Henry, Reese and Ricky love this holiday theme!

Thanks also to Georgina Garden Centre for allowing us to share their gorgeous festive displays and gift items.

http://www.ggconline.ca/

YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND

November 30, 2014 | Leave a Comment

You’re my best friend

I can relate to the children who struggle with school. I loved art, english, writing, and music, but math was a challenge for me. I clearly remember an altercation that occurred one day in school; all the other children were sent out to play after lunch. I was asked to stay behind by the teacher – Mrs. B. To make matters worse, the teacher’s pet Tracy was also asked to remain in the room. Mrs. B. then proceeded to point out errors I had made on a recent math test.

Instead of seeing this as an opportunity to correct my mistakes, I felt as if I was under attack, and the two of them were ganging up on me. I tried to stand up for myself in one instance where my continental ‘7′ was mistaken for a ‘9.’ The answer was correct, but it did not matter. I can still see the sneer on Mrs. B’s face as she turned and asked Tracy’s opinion; did Tracy believe the number was, in fact, a seven? Of course not – teacher’s pet!

I felt humiliated and incredibly angry. There were other 7’s on the page to refer to. It was obvious to me that the number was, in fact, a ‘7.’

My parents hired a tutor to help me learn my numbers and would give me math books as birthday and Christmas presents. These were not appreciated and remained unread. I wonder where those books ended up.

Library Dogs are near and dear to my heart. Tails are Wagging would like to become involved with and support such programs. I have Mentioned Therapy Dog Training with Henry’s trainer and hope to get him into the program. I also look forward to meeting with the Ontario Provincial Therapy Dog Coordinator, with St. John Ambulance to discuss the ‘Paws 4 Stories’ component of their program. I hope our book ‘Henry says, “Hello” can help raise funds for this program.

It’s too bad there aren’t therapy dogs for math. I would have loved a little ‘Einstein’ buddy. As someone who struggled as a child, and understands the frustration and emotional turmoil of such struggles, I was thrilled to learn about Paws 4 Stories. This program provides children with a non-hostile learning environment and non-judgmental, patient reading companions. Therapy Dogs will sit and listen to a child as they read the same sentence over, and over until they get it right. Instead of feeling stupid, ashamed and discouraged, children receive the support they need to become confident readers.

Check back later for more information about this program.

You’re my Best Friend – illustration

I adore chubby cheeks on children and could not resist exaggerating them in this illustration.

Henry meditates: he cuddles with his stuffed toy and exudes complete calm. Sometimes I will sit with him and before long, I too feel completely at peace. This illustration is particularly special to me: I look at this illustration and recognize the feeling of peace that Henry shares with others and the importance of encouraging children to read.

The tales on the bookshelf also have special meaning (more about these later)…

http://www.sja.ca/English/Community-Services/Pages/Therapy%20Dog%20Services/Paws-4-Stories.aspx

PARTY GUESTS

November 23, 2014 | Leave a Comment

Halloween Party Guests

Party Guests

Gus reminds me of our neighbor dog ‘Chap.’ Notice the (left) paw? It’s not a handshake position, it’s a “hey; you stopped paying attention to me” pat. The behaviour frustrates to his parents who apologetically try to correct it. I consider it part of his charm.

Gwen is quite like one of the other three Golden Retrievers that live on our Street. Most days when we walk Henry and Reese, the Goldens run to the fence (just as in the image below) to say “Hello” to us. Reese slows her pace deliberately in anticipation of a group discussion. The Golden’s family are also Foster Carers for Golden Rescue.

Merlin (the Magician) is another story completely!

Leanne, a fellow volunteer at Georgina Animal Control was one of the first people to hear this story, she listened patiently until it was over and then she asked ‘do you have a Merlin?’ I did not. Leanne informed me there had been a mixed-breed adopted from our local shelter, and that he was now called Merlin. Leanne put me in touch with Merlin’s mom Sarah, who also listened to the story, and agreed that I should feature her Merlin in the book. Sarah informed me she is a Marketing Designer and Graphic Designer and that she and her team would be happy to help with marketing and provide and design the book template. It’s almost like Merlin waved his wand and everything just WAS!

Eva the Ghost and Betty the Bee

When I was a little girl, my dad bought my mom a timid little beagle named Wimpy (read more about Wimpy in a future post).

Henry borrowed Betty’s costume and Reese is a ‘mini’ Paige

There is no such thing as white – at least not that I found in watercolour painting. In order to show the creases and folds in Eva’s ghost costume, I had to add various shades of grey. The same with Betty’s white bits which we can imagine were in the shadows. I have learned a lot about the process of translating watercolour artwork to print-ready book files. White does not translate well for a start!

See book for completed illustration.

http://www.goldenrescue.ca/

http://www.eventsbysarah.ca/

AS PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON HIS FACE

November 20, 2014 | Leave a Comment

This nose! A nose once black that is now brown. They call it ‘snow nose’ (more about that later).

I love that Henry’s nose is a little bit crooked and depending on the angle at which you look at him, may seem slightly too large for his face. It suits his character. I wanted to capture those big (often guilty-looking) eyes and the ‘extreme close-up’ of the nose.

This face was the inspiration for ‘Naughty Lamb.’

COVER PUP

November 9, 2014 | 1 Comment

The Cover Illustration – Henry and Pumpkins

Henry with Pumpkins – unfinished

Henry with Pumpkins

This illustration was inspired by a photo taken during one of Henry’s Birthday celebrations – one of my favourite photos.

Henry is giving my friend Lourdes (the photographer) a huge ‘toothy’ Henry grin. Those smiles are contagious!

FIRST AND LAST

November 5, 2014 | 4 Comments

Henry in Window

This illustration (pen and ink, pointalisim with watercolour), was inspired by one of my favourite photographs. The photo was taken at my parent’s house during Christmas holidays. There is a big park in the middle of a crescent – I imagine Henry was watching the squirrels frolicking in the snow. In the story, Henry is watching the children on Halloween night. Looking to the stars, Henry makes a wish. You’ll have to read the book to learn what that wish is.

WHERE DO I BEGIN – HENRY’S BOOK FOR CHILDREN?

November 1, 2014 | Leave a Comment

Where do I begin?
To tell the story of how great a love can be
The sweet love story that is older than the sea
The simple truth about the love he brings to me
Where do I start?

Henry and his sister Reese are both ‘Puppy Mill Rescues.’ For anyone not familiar with Puppy Mills, the are large breeding facilities for the manufacturing of puppies to sell for profit. Most Mills do not provide adequate care for their dogs: hence the fight to have these inhumane farms shutdown.

Henry was surrendered by a Miller at an early age due to a medical condition. The Miller did not want to have to pay medical expenses for Henry’s treatment. Shortly after we adopted Henry a female puppy was also surrendered. Sadly, it was too late for her eye infection to be treated, and her eye was removed – situations like this are not uncommon with Puppy Mill dogs.

At the time of ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’ Henry’s adoption, Miss Reese was spending her days at a Mill in a suspended wire cage with a ‘drop-pan’ below to catch her business. She was being used for the sole purpose of breeding: her puppies taken from her most likely at too young an age, and sold. When Reese stopped producing (puppies and therefore money), she too was surrendered. Unlike Henry, Reese was a shell of a dog – we knew she was in there somewhere: it took us more than two years to find the real Reese. She has come such a long way since we adopted her, however; she’s still very nervous around new people and dogs other than Henry. Reese is what is referred to as a ‘Yellow Ribbon Dog’ as she needs extra space.

Wherever we would go with Henry and Reese on our walks, kids would run over to meet the dogs. Some would ask: most would not! Kids are very energetic, and I found myself explaining over, and again how Henry and Reese would prefer to be greeted in a calm manner. I decided I needed to write this book. I truly hope it catches on and that children will share this lesson with their friends and so on, and so forth.

When my husband and I adopted Henry, I had no idea how much Henry would come to mean to me and how he would change my life – and me; for the better. He inspires me and brightens my every day. Now Henry is a ‘storybook’ character. Clever, charming, oh-so funny and very friendly; Henry is the perfect guide for children throughout the story.

Finding the right words was not an easy task. Creating the images was even more challenging.

In the next few posts, I would like to share with you some insights into the creation of this story and it’s illustrations.

Bookshelf
This illustration was a way for me to include our beloved Charlie, Maggie and Oliver: family felines that are no longer with us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(Where_Do_I_Begin%3F)_Love_Story

ready, steady, go

September 24, 2014 | 2 Comments

I wrote my first book, at the age of 6, while sitting at my Grandparent’s kitchen table. I should say I illustrated my first book, and dictated the story to a friend and member of my grandparents church – Jeannette Reome (sp?). My Grandmother never minded me going to the cupboard and taking out her ‘fabric painting pens’ to use during visits. I would spend hours squeezing measures of paint out of the tubes, and working the paint across the paper into whatever images came into my head on the day.

I don’t even remember what that first book was about; I enjoyed the process, and as my penmanship improved, I continued writing short stories and poems, on my own.

My biggest project to date and the one closest to my heart is a children’s book I wrote to teach youngsters how to introduce themselves to, and behave respectfully around dogs. It has been a long process (I’m embarrassed to say, more than two years in the making).

I can now see the finish line. If this lesson reaches only a hand full of children, I will feel victorious!

The following is a link to the campaign I created in order to raise the funds necessary to print the book, and start circulating the message.

http://www.igg.me/at/henrysayshello.com

Please stay tuned for more stories about the creation and promotion of the children’s book ‘Henry says “Hello”

(random trivia)
Ready Steady Go! (or simply RSG!) was a pioneering British rock/pop music television programme which used to air every Friday evening from August 1963 until 23 December 1966.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ready_Steady_Go!

HENRY IS TEN!!!

PUPPY MILL AWARENESS – PART I

Breeze Kent (now Reese)

About Me

circuit training, crossfit & bootcamp

we won’t re-gift this one!

‘TIS THE SEASON

YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND

PARTY GUESTS

AS PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON HIS FACE

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Breeze Kent (now Reese)

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