ABMC Malinois Rescue Blog

ABMC Rescue’s 2010 Calendar is Outstanding! We are very excited as the calendar will have a totally new look! Tracey Goetchius was very kind to step forward and offer to assist with fundraising and was able to arrange professional design and layout services, as well as printing.

We had a record number of photos submitted that were viewed over 20,000 times. Determining who to vote for was difficult for all but nearly 8000 votes were cast. Our thanks to all that took the time to submit photos and vote.

Due to the new layout and design we were able to include many more photos than in past years. Not all the photos will grace the cover or a month but may be in a collage or in the blank spaces of each month where there is no date.

We are very proud to announce the following winning photographs for our 2010 ABMC Rescue Calendar! We congratulate ‘all’ the winners.

Following the list of winning photographs is information on how to place your order for the 2010 Calendar.

2010 ABMC Rescue Calendar Winning Photographs

Cover – Rocket
Jan – Tara
Feb – Spirit
Mar – Calan
Apr – Falkor, Tasia and Maya
May – Tate
June – Regal
July – Laika
Aug – Murphy
Sept – Smiley ‘Boo Bear’
Oct – Jasmine & Logan
Nov – Olive
Dec – Riley

ORDERING INFORMATION: Due to the wonderful response last year, we SOLD OUT, we recommend ordering soon. Unlike so many other things that seem to have increased in price lately, we are holding the cost to $20.00 which includes shipping. These will make wonderful gifts and stocking stuffers, as well as help support ABMC Rescue to continue our mission and bring awareness to the number of Malinois rescues.

For information to order your calendar please go to http://www.malinoisrescue.org/2010/2010-calendar.shtml and follow the on-line instructions. Any orders received by December 15, 2009, should make it to you in time for the holidays.

Thank you for supporting ABMC Rescue!!!

If any of you follow the blogs, you might remember my first experience terrorizing the obedience rings of Central Kentucky. Ella was a lunging, frothing, mass of excitement. Parents snatched their children up, elderly cringed behind walkers, ring stewards ran from the scene. Large dogs cowered and small dogs hid. It was no exaggeration, she was a natural disaster looking for a place to occur.

10 months later…

This weekend we finished our CD with a 190, 193.5 and a nervous 188. She finished all three legs in just three shows, but not with out some gray hair. On the last leg she decided right when we stepped in the ring that she did not like the judge. I think he was holding his clipboard suspiciously, or so she thought. For the entire routine she never took her staring eyes off him. She didn’t miss a beat but she was vigilant. This of course made him (and me) a little nervous. When he did the stand for exam he barely touched her, she didn’t flinch or get snarky but she didn’t stop staring at him either. After the recall and she finished next to me she FINALLY looked up at me. The whole crowd burst into applause and she was so proud she forgot about the judge and started leaping into the air with joy!

I am pretty sure time stands still on the long sits and downs. I was a bundle of nerves, I just wanted the Q. Within three seconds of getting to the other side of the ring the dobie next to her stood up. Ella noticed and I could hear the gears in her little head turning. She stretched her neck over to smell and perhaps inform the dobe he was supposed to be sitting! Just when I was sure she was going to get up I used my strongest psychic powers to get her to stay. (I might have sniffed, not sure) but she snapped back into good girl mode. She took the oppurtunity to take a nap on the long down so my heart was able to recover from the sit.

She has come so far since the wild child I picked up a year ago. Stay tuned we are going to try Open in Janaury, that is if Santa sees fit to get me a set of jumps! I have been pretty good…

Colleen Dussex
Rescue Me Ella BH CD RN

Update: 11/23/085: Becky, Destra’s Coordinator, writes: Just got a call from Valerie, she was on the way home with Destra. She said the vet has never seen a dog recover and be so totally oblivious to the loss of a leg. I should mention the vet adopted a Mal some years ago, so she knows how resilient they are!

(snicker) Valerie said the vet told her that she KNEW how impossible it would be to keep Destra quiet and such, so told her to hold down the running to no more than 10 or so minutes per day/RX times twice a day. Valerie says the vet did a great job, and if not for the stitches you would never know she was not born with three legs!

Valerie promised photos soon!

Update: 11-22-08

Update: Becky, Destra’s Coordinator, writes at midnight 11/21/08: I talked to Valerie tonight. Miss Destra was up and walking at the vets….Valerie said she did not seem to miss her leg, and had no balance problems. So, looks like we may soon have a picture of the Flying Tripod!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

We the Met Goal!

Destra is Scheduled for Surgery,

Thursday November 20th

Last spring a very young Malinois was playing exuberantly with her owner when she broke a leg. The owner was unable to afford to fix the leg and turned her over to another rescue program. PUP (People United for Pets) in Washington State had her leg fixed, which required the insertion of a pin but after a few weeks she started clubbing her foot and lost all physical condition during the five weeks of confinement. They recognized they simply did not have the appropriate setup needed to prevent her from doing further damage to her foot. In other words Destra was being a Malinois, constantly in motion. They asked us if we could take her into foster care and we agreed!

As a result of the broken leg and 6 months of infections that have plagued her Destra now needs her entire back leg amputated.

To help ABMC Rescue cover the cost please consider donating at Network for Good.

Follow this link to read Destra’s whole story.

Webmaster
ABMC Rescue

One spring afternoon as I was surfing the net I decided to visit one of my favorite sites. The Malinois rescue website. Not really sure what possessed me since I have a wonderful, crazy, 110% malinois named Marley Rose and honestly wasn’t in the market for another puppy. As I scrolled aimlessly through the rescues my eyes suddenly caught the picture of a beautiful, Malinois named Isaac. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. He had such a wonderful, warm look in his big brown eyes. I called my husband over to take a look. He agreed that he was a handsome young fella, as we say here in Texas. My husband quickly reminded me that we didn’t need another dog and especially another Mal!! As the months went by I continued to visit the website to “check” on Isaac. I was always so happy to see that he was still there. There was something very special about this dog and I couldn’t let it go. Then one day it happened. I sent an email to the foster mom, Beverly. As soon as I hit send I knew I was in trouble! Of course I told her I was just interested in why he was a rescue since he was so beautiful and really didn’t have any issues. From that moment on we continued to exchange emails. The biggest concern was that Isaac lived in OHIO and we live in TEXAS. Beverly quickly realized that we loved Mals and since we didn’t have kids we might be a possibility! One day I asked Beverly, via email, where did Isaac come from originally. She sent me the name of the lady in Mississippi who was the first to rescue him. I decided to send Kathy an email to further my investigation. The next morning at 5am I opened my email to Kathy’s response. As I quickly skimmed the pages my eyes fixated on one sentence… “he came from a great breeder named Mason’s Heartland.” My heart stopped. Marley’s breeder from Arkansas, got Marley’s dad from Mason’s Heartland. I knew right then and there that Isaac and Marley were related some how. I flew downstairs to tell my husband the news. From that moment, we knew, Isaac would become part of our family. About a month later, Jim, Beverly’s husband made the trip to Nashville and my husband and I flew over to pick up “our new addition.” It has been the single best decision my husband and I have ever made. Isaac and Marley have been inseparable since they first met a year ago. They are 13 months apart, with Isaac now 3 and Marley 2.

With a little more research we found out that Isaac’s dad and Marley’s dad are brothers! Who would have ever guessed. The breeder sold him as a “family dog” knowing that he would never be a bomb or SAR’s dog.

The man that bought Isaac tried to sell him as a bomb dog. Once he realized that wasn’t going to happen he gave Isaac to Kathy. Kathy is a wonderful SAR’s trainer and a huge advocate of Malinois. She said Isaac was never mistreated just didn’t have much human contact. She desperately wanted to get him away from the kennel and in the home of a loving family. I am forever indebted to Kathy, Jim and Beverly for opening their hearts and their homes to give Isaac the love and attention that he so deserved.

From the moment I first saw his big brown eyes I knew he was special. I’m so happy I followed my heart. Our family is complete. He is loved and spoiled! He and Marley go to doggie day care, swimming, long walks, rabbit chasing, squirrel hunting, trips to the grandparents house and any other activity that makes his eyes twinkle….those BIG BROWN EYES!

It is with great sadness we report that Xio passed away Aug 21, 2008. Thank you, Everyone, that participated in some way to help Xio once again become a healthy happy Malinois. Read more at Xio’s Memorium.

The ABMC Rescue Committee

Rescued from a high kill shelter Xio was healthy, running and playing as any Malinois does. Suddenly on the night of Aug 7th she began experiencing severe seizures of undetermined origin. Today she is non-mobile and the vets have been unable to discover why.

Transferred to a foster home able to provide 24 hr close monitoring the vets continue to try to figure out exactly what has happened. Full details at http://www.malinoisrescue.org/xio.shtml.

If you can help with Xio’s mounting medical expenses ABMC Rescue, Xio’s coordinators, and all those that have met this sweet girl would be extremely grateful. An address for donations will be found at the above link or you can click the Donate Now button in the right column of either this blog or the ABMC Rescue website.

Thank You for supporting ABMC Rescue

The ABMC Rescue Committee

Photo Day of Rescue

They say it rains every day in Seattle. In Florida it rains Malinois. When the Miami – Dade called about Gabe, the fosters in Florida were already bursting at the seams. There is no boarding facility in Florida that will accept a dog fresh from a shelter. The facilities are afraid of exposing the boarding dogs to a dog from a shelter that might be carrying kennel cough or have temperament issues. Even most veterinarians refuse to take in shelter dogs.

Besides Heartworm Gabe also had kennel cough, a relatively benign infection that can be easily treated. Even though Maria was already loaded with foster dogs, plus two in quarantine, she agreed to help Gabe. Maria took Gabe in, treated his kennel cough and fell in love. Who couldn’t love this Big Boy? Maria kept Gabe for three and a half weeks and he went from a thin 72 pounds to a solid 84 pounds. Without Maria Gabe wouldn’t have made it. Gabe and I thank you.

On Saturday July 26th ABMC transport brought Gabe from Homestead Florida up to me in Savannah Georgia where I went on and took him home with me in Winchester, Kentucky. I want to thank everyone involved in Tour de Malinois. It was a resounding success. I had two fantastic home visits; we moved Gabe, Rocky and Xio out of Florida. Rocky went on to North Carolina and Xio is on her way to CT. I picked up Romeo in South Carolina and he is on his way to his forever home in Wisconsin tomorrow! Whew! If people hadn’t stepped up these dogs would have been PTS. Thank you everyone. We are making a difference.

Stay tuned for stories from the trip home

I have seen the words high kill shelter. I never really fathomed what it meant. I knew that they put down dogs; I just didn’t realize the degree. Miami – Dade gets over 34,000 dogs and cats a year. They euthanize over 10,000 dogs annually. That’s a lot of dogs, almost thirty dogs a day, put to sleep. This is a story about a dog that beat the odds. Meet Gabe.

Gabe is a big, strapping Belgian Malinois. A beautiful red dog with a massive head and hulking shoulders. Gabe is not just a pretty face either, he has the sweetest disposition, a gentle giant. But Gabe was just a stray, roaming the streets of Miami, ribs poking out. One of the Forgotten. He was taken in to Miami-Dade on June 25th, 2008. He had 5 days to be claimed. No one came for Gabe. Time was not Gabe’s only enemy. Gabe was heartworm positive.

On July 2nd the powers to be sentenced Gabe to euthanasia. He walked down the hall to be put down, trotting happily I imagine, wagging his tail. The staff was preparing him for his final hurrah when he did something. I don’t know if it was the wag of his tail, or his knowing sad eyes, or the way he likes to lay his great big head on your lap, but Gabe reached out to the staff and they responded. The leash was snapped back on and Gabe was taken to another room. Instead of being put to sleep Gabe was neutered and ABMC was called. It was like a call from the Governor. Now the real work begins.

Boomer is still staying with Sara and updated pictures of him are on his website at http://www.malinoisrescue.org/boomer.shtml

5/22

Finally the watery poop has turned to a plop. Maybe soon he’ll learn to plop outdoors :>)

I don’t even care; I’m so glad there is something thicker than water coming out.

Hoping for more plops!

Have I mentioned the ticks? I have taken hundreds and hundreds of ticks off of him. We are getting down to just finding tiny ones now…but even so…..it is gross gross gross and must be SO uncomfortable for him!

5/23

Boomer picked up a toy today. It made him look like a dog! He dropped it right away like he wasn’t sure what to do. He tires so easily…we have started going for very short walks…down a few houses and back. He lies down though sometimes and I’m scared to get him up to get back home. I know he needs to get a little exercise, but I don’t want to kill him. Boomer is starting to mix in with a few of our dogs, a couple at a time. He is very social, but I don’t want to overwhelm him. I’m continuing to pick off ticks from him. I look like a momma monkey with her baby going all over his fur. I would love to give him a bath but I have been afraid that he will get a chill.

5/24

Yikes, today my husband thought it would be a good idea for Boomer to just hang out with all of the dogs…he makes number 11 at the house right now. I came home from running, the back door was open, and all of the dogs were going in and out of the house. Boomer is clingy so he was with Doug, but, after apparently a very brief introduction, he is holding his own in a pretty large pack. GO BOOMER!

5/26

Bath time. I can’t stand it anymore. It’s early in the morning and I figure I can keep an eye on him all day since it’s a holiday. I lathered him three times…he still stinks :>( But, this is good for now, and he took the bath like a man! His hair actually looks a tad fluffy. When he first came here he looked like he was vacuum sealed….his skin and fur pulled down tight into the hollows of his bones. So sad.

5/28

I’m having a hard time finding ticks on him now. The bath has really helped. My husband keeps asking me when Boomer is going to get fixed. I keep telling him that not for awhile, he’s too thin and he needs his hormones to develop some muscles. He isn’t used to seeing all of that equipment back there intact. With no butt to speak of, his equipment is pretty prominent :>) Boomer is starting to go on very short walks with the other dogs. He’s smiling.

5/31

I had about a pound of sliced Muenster cheese in my hand, and I needed to do something quick, so I set it down behind my computer on the washing machine. When I came back in it was gone and I just knew it was Serena, one of my own personal dogs…who is quite a thief and chow hound. She has IBD so it is really bad if she overeats. I saw the culprit had gone into Boomer’s crate which is closest to the crime scene… head in, butt to the door, chowing down the cheese. I grabbed the dog by the belly just in front of the legs and started dragging it out…..the dog braced, held on for dear life, and when I finally wrestled the dog out, I realized that it was Boomer. I took the cheese away. He NEVER did anything or got upset with me…..had I realized that it was him I would probably have been more cautious….so…he is REALLY good.

He is learning to take treats gently…my dogs will slip food gently off of a fork offered to them, so imagine my surprise when after stuffing a bone with peanut butter for him I dipped my finger in the peanut butter and offered it to him. He grabbed my finger so hard I saw stars….he didn’t break the skin, but I did learn that I needed to work with him on “gentle” when he takes a treat!!!!!!!!!!!

6/3

It’s DAY 20 and my friend Julie is coming over to take progress photos. Boomer looks REALLY great! He is filling in, but he lacks stamina. I have to keep giving him small amounts of exercise so he can build up his strength and develop some muscle.

Look…he has a butt….and some meat on his boney bone bones!

He still has protruding hip bones and his face isn’t quite filled in….and he has NO stamina at all, but he improves EVERY day! And my oh my does he LOVE to eat!

6/6

Scare time. Boomer started puking up liquid last night and still this morning. He has held down his breakfast…..at lunch I checked on him again and so far so good…no more puke. I’ve talked to the vet and we’re going to worm him again for 3 days straight and start him back on his Metronitizole. Poor Boomer. He has that worried look in his eyes again.

6/8

BATH TIME again! He seems to really love getting a bath. This is Florida so his bath is outside with a hose and then a short walk to dry off. My he looks better..his coat is SO DARK!

6/9

For the first time Boomer laid on his side in the grass, stretched out, and rolled around on his back. He is definitely starting to relax…

6/11

It seems that Boomer is having a hard time not “over drinking”. Apparently he doesn’t know when to stop and this is causing his vomiting. We have been increasing the lengths of his walks, so when he gets back he drinks too much and then throws up. We will have a hard time monitoring this since we have so many dogs running around the house :>)

6/14

My husband has been really trying to get Boomer to play with him. It’s starting to work. Boomer is getting a sparkle in his eye and has started to play a little bit.

6/15

There is a Flyball tournament and an Agility Trial in town. I took Boomer down to meet the folks. Boomer did great on all counts….tail wagging continuously, unphased by it all. He was happy to meet new people, and was introduced to the concept of a treat pouch and LOVED the idea! He was a happy go lucky guy with everyone he met.

6/17

Boomer is headed to acupuncture tonight. It’s an opportunity to weigh him and I can’t wait to report in!

To donate and/or check out Boomer’s horrific pictures, please go to http://www.malinoisrescue.org/boomer.shtml

5/16/08

On this day, Sara found this poor Mal in the Miami Dade shelter and the wheels started turning. Carola went to look at him that same day. Although the shelter labeled him as “very aggressive”, he approached Carola with his tail wagging. He was even gentle with her daughter and the lady that showed him in. We were all confused as to why the shelter said he was aggressive when he just met two complete strangers with ease and even more annoyed when they wouldn’t change their opinion after seeing that this clearly is not the case. This lovely guy was worth pulling and he wasn’t going to survive more than a day in that hot and lonely shelter. We started working on a plan to save him.

5/17/08

Boomer was picked up from the Miami Dade Shelter today where he met me, another stranger, with his tail wagging. After we loaded him in the back of my car with no problem, he made his 2.5 hour trip to his foster home. Since the shelter said that he was aggressive I was careful, but I haven’t seen an ounce of bad temperament yet. At my house he met my parents and he was even very friendly when he met my dog Bear. He already knows sit and down and I can’t wait to see what else he knows. Right now he is starting to settle into my home laying right by me feet. He is not eating yet, but he is drinking water. This handsome boy is a lover and is definitely appreciative of given a second chance. This is the best part for me, he is clacking. It’s so cute because he has so little emotion right now, but he is clacking I will keep putting up new info as the days go on.

5/18/08

Today was a stressful day. He was finally eating a little bit, but he was not keeping it down. I thought we finally got some food in him when he kept it down for an hour, but as I was getting ready to leave, he threw up. I was in contact with Sara the whole time and we must have made a 100 phone calls. Finally the conclusion was that Boomer needed more than just food and water; he was going to need fluids under the skin and maybe intravenously. He was also going to need special food from the vet. Since I couldn’t get that stuff here, it meant that Boomer had to make it through another long trip….this time to Sara. When I got ready to load him up, Boomer even tried to jump in the back of my SUV for me, but he couldn’t make it because he was just too weak. My sis went with me to the meeting point, which once again Boomer completely enjoyed her company. When Sara pulled up and got out of her car, Boomer walked right up to her and greeted her like she was an old friend. Time was of the essence so she got her fluid and needle ready to give him some fluids right there. She proceeded to pinch the needle in this “very aggressive” dogs skin and guess what happened? …………………. NOTHING! He took it like a champ. Even when she did the same thing near his hips where it hurts. Boomer got in her car and off he went on his trip to his second foster home.

5/19/08

I just talked to Sara and it was good news. He got some more fluids when he got home yesterday and he was able to hold down a half a can of that special food last night and this morning. Sara also took him to the vet, where he was great. I just have to mention again that this dog was labeled “very aggressive” (just to make sure you don’t forget). He ignored the dogs in the waiting room and showed not even a lip quiver when he was probed, squeezed and checked by the vet.

5/20/08

Update from Sara:

We’ve been on a roller coaster and I have been VERY scared.

He has been acting like he looks. I was VERY worried last night and this morning…he was better at lunch. He came off of his food but I made some hamburger & rice which he eats…..I stopped and bought a cooked chicken to add to rice when he gets tired of the hamburger and also got some oatmeal to try. I started mixing pediolyte in with his water. We’re going to the holistic vet tonight…hope she can work some magic.

5/21/08

Update from Sara:

He’s GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Accupuncture is amazing. He is ALIVE!

Bouncing off of the walls…bothering me all night..pawing me, etc., barking….whole new dog!

YEAH!!!

Checking in here from the Land of Bluegrass! Max and Erma are flourishing! Max has gained ten pounds! I don’t know where he puts it, he still looks rail thin to me. We went to the Vet the other day and Max was a perfect gentleman. There were two Chihuahuas yapping away and Max just watched them with an amused look on his face. The Vet was amazed that he was a rescue because he was so level headed. He rolled over on his back and let her cut his sutures out without so much as a wiggle.

I have a friend that owns 1200 beautiful acres of Kentucky’s finest scenery that is completely fenced in. On the property there is a trail that meanders around a creek. Its the perfect playground for Malinois! Max and Erma ran like the day would never end, never getting more than 50 yards from us. Erma loves the water and will plow right in. Max wasn’t sure at first. He would race up and down the bed barely dipping his toes in. It wasn’t too long before Max was diving in right alongside Erma. She couldn’t have all the fun!

As we were walking we notice a metal plate in the water. My son pointed it out to Max and convinced him to go get it. Max noticed the shiny plate in the water and he and Erma pawed at it enthusiastically. When it became obvious that pawing at the water was not the most efficient way to retrieve the plate Max buried his face in the water and burst out of the water sputtering and proudly laid the plate at my feet. Wagging his whole body, ready for me to toss it back in!

The walk was not with out incident of course, I was traveling with Malinois! As we were coming up to one of the pastures Max noticed COWS! He took off across the pasture like a rocket was tied to his back, my children racing behind him screaming his name. I was hurrying along, careful not to break a hip, Erma at my side, a look of sympathy on her face as she watched me struggle.

Like a miracle sent from God just about 20 feet from the cows, Max came to a dead stop. His barks ceased, his head down. I thought my hoarse cries had found his mercy. No such luck. The cows were moving and like a well trained border collie Max bolted to the left, barking but keeping distance from the cows. It was surreal. My poor little Hoarder dog turned a herd of 20 cows away from the creek and through a gate into a pasture. As I huffed along, Erma encouraging me, I was still convinced it was a case of chasing coincidence. The cows knew the pasture was a safe place and ran there when the dog chased them. My theory was dashed as Max turned like a cat stalking a bird, his head down, and then bursting out in a flurry of barks and action to move the stragglers, two cows with their calves that had run the other way, to join the herd. By then my winded son, terrified the cows would remove Max’s head with a well placed kick slammed the gate shut behind them. Max tried to look professional. Lapped at the water. No big deal. You know I am a herding dog.

My son thinks if they had a band they could use that picture for their album cover.
It’s hard to believe its been 18 days since the Florida pups came home with us. They fit into our life like a missing puzzle piece. Erma the happy whimsical dainty girl, chasing butterflies and rolling joyfully in the grass. Max the ever present masculine force, guarding the perimeter and chasing off derelict squirrels and trespassing blue jays. His bark is deep and intimidating, the loiterers in the neighborhood have moved on. He doesn’t want anyone to know it but behind closed doors he is the worlds largest lap dog. Clamoring up for kisses and hugs. Silly old bear.

We are still accident free. The nights are quiet, not a peep. Around 6:30 I can hear Max, restless in his crate, bounding outside to relieve himself, with the girls trot, trot, trot, behind. They eat anything I throw their way. Three meals a day and they are still rail thin! Max loves pizza crusts. Erma loves rawhides, but Max just doesn’t get it. He carries it around until Erma can sneak away with it for her chewing pleasure.

Ella feels like she is having an endless sleep over. She is so happy to have someone to play with but she doesn’t much like sharing her food. She has had a six inch reach advantage over any dog she has ever played with. The first day she ‘boxed’ Max on the head with her paw he returned the courtesy with out so much as blink of the eye. She was stunned! She has met her match! He is every bit as quick, strong and long as she is. They roll, wrestle, pant, and wallow to exhaustion with sweet Erma skipping by and occasionally cheering them on.

Even though I already love them more than I thought possible, I hope they both find a home where they can have their own people and find new adventures. The both have so much to give. I can’t believe they were almost lost to us.

EMERGENCY HELP IS NEEDED – Living in small cages in their own waste, these two beautiful Malinois’ were seized from Hoarder in a raid. This young female & male pair need emergency foster home to save from dying at the kill shelter who is currently housing them. They are located in North Florida…young, sweet, scared..
It was a call that could not go unanswered. I could move this, clean out that, we could make room for two more, right? Long story short…

Welcome to Kentucky Max and Erma!

Today is Day Five and so far the only hint of an accident was Max’s attempt to baptize the kitchen Island. My kids are sure the dogs have potty trained me rather than I training them. Any hint of interest in the back door and every few hours it’s outside to potty! I race home on my lunch hour and any whimper at 2 am gets my full attention. We all parade outside and I am the resident cheerleader. Go Team! Go! Ella humors me, trots out and squeeks a dribble out and the other two follow suit.

The last two days it has rained buckets. My backyard is officially designated The Mud Pit. In Kentucky a horse that races well in the mud is referred to as a Mudder, I have three true blue Mudders on my hands! The love it! They slip and slide, roll and wrestle, and basically wallow in the mud. Now the rinse before coming inside, that not so much.

We play ball everyday and Max has really gotten the hang of it. He gives Ella a run for her money. He will bring it back and drop it at my feet. Every now and then Erma gets the ball and just runs around the back yard gleefully. I see the other two roll their eyes and wait for her to lose interest and drop it somewhere so the game can start again.

They are both eating well now. They are learning everyday. They settle down quickly if its just one loose and eventually when they are all loose. Max likes to sit next to me at the computer whereas Erma wants to sit ON me at the computer. I have yet to hear either bark but Max did whisper bark once. They never make a peep from their crates. I wish they could teach Ella that trick…

Stay tuned for more updates.
Colleen