Grazie

 Geneva and Grazie

 Grazie

 

Grazie, 

      The old saying that you can’t keep a good dog down is very true. This past week has been a difficult one for us. Along with owning a dog, comes the responsibility for their health. Wilson, our older dog, had surgery this week and as dog owners know when you have to be a caregiver to a dog it takes a lot of time and effort. Dogs, even older ones like Wilson prefer to be mobile not cooped up in a kennel, even if it is in their best interest.

       Last week we participated in a bake sale at the Feed Barn the proceeds going to Drew, a black lab that required knee surgery. While attending the sale I dropped over to Safeway in the Amador Ridge Shopping center to grab a donut when I spotted a jet black German Shepherd out for a morning stroll with her owner. At that moment I knew I had my next story.

The one year old Shepherd’s name is Grazie and is owned by Geneva Barraza of Ione who has long been an owner of Shepherds. What sets Grazie apart from Geneva’s previous dogs is that Grazie is all black. Most Shepherds are sable and black.

     Grazie is a purebred Shepard that Geneva got from Walberga a breeder in Ione.  She was one of twelve in her liter. The breeder matched Geneva to Grazie. Geneva explained that the process involved her going to meet with all the puppies in the litter and Grazie was deemed best suited for Geneva by both her, the breeder and of course Grazie.

   Grazie is training to be a service dog. Geneva is not sure what type of service dog she wants Grazie to be but definitely wants her to be qualified as a service dog. Step one in that process is socialization hence the walks every Saturday.

     To that end every Saturday morning Grazie gets a walk to learn obedience and socialization skills. For those of you that know the Shepherd breed that is a challenge. They are a high energy breed.  But also, the German Shepherd is a highly intelligent breed with extreme self-confident and is eager to learn and always alert. Despite the energy level being high Grazie was very obedient and patient during the interview.

      It is those traits among many that make Shepherds good companions and often dogs that are used for police dogs, guide dogs for the blind and in general just make great pets. Grazie, Geneva hopes, will one day become a dog that is capable of performing special tasks whatever they may be.

     One look at Grazie makes heads turn. Her coat is jet black. She stands about 30-36 inches tall with her ears always erect taking in all the sounds around her. While I was with Grazie she was well mannered but always aware of her surroundings. She did not miss a thing that was going on.Despite being perfect for the breed and headed off to become a service dog Grazie has her quirks.

      On these Saturday morning walks Grazie likes breakfast beforehand from Jack in the Box. Geneva explains that Grazie gets really excited when they turn the corner and head into the Amador Ridge Shopping Center. Excitement builds not only from the walk but knowing breakfast will be from Jack in the Box. That’s a good way to begin a weekend with “Jack” providing the food and Geneva providing the walk. Along with having a proud owner I would have to believe this Saturday tradition would be every dog’s dream

Lily and Suzy Q

                                     Lily and Suzie Q on their couch

 Lily

Lily and Suzy “Q” 

       Mid February I pulled the car out of my driveway and headed to Jackson to meet with two Bassets, Lily and Suzy “Q”, owned by Mark Johnson and Kathy Dubois, the subjects of this month’s interview. The house the pair resides in is easily recognizable. It’s the house with a graveyard as its front yard. They live on Church Street in Jackson across from the cemetery. 

       Walking among the tombstones up to the front door I could see two Basset faces staring outside through the front window. Bassets are pretty low to the ground and need a perch to see anything over two feet tall. While their height may be short their personalities are not. Lily came running to the door as fast as her four little legs could carry her while Suzy “Q” just stared at me as she was sizing me up as friend or foe.

        After the introductions were over, Suzy “Q” made up her mind that I was indeed a dog person and okay to be in the house. In the meantime Lily, according to Mark, never the shy one, was ready to make friends. She sniffed my coat and smelled the scent of my four dogs and figured I was a dog person. Once she made the decision she wanted all my attention while Suzy “Q” just sat on the couch content to sleep with one eye open just in case I had a treat.

        These two have been together almost since birth. They are products of a puppy mill near Redding California. They were rescued in April 2010 by the couple via Golden Gate Basset Rescue in Petaluma. Mark who has had dogs pretty much his whole life now has the two Bassets.  During the past year he has had two dogs pass away so now they are down to the two.

         When they rescued Suzy “Q” and Lily, Lily had a cleft paw, most likely the result of inbreeding at the mill. Lily was set to be destroyed at one point because of her paw. Mark indicated that when they saw her she walked with a definite lean to one side with most of her weight on her other paw.

         Mark and Kathy saw the two together and it was love at first sight. They paid to have surgery on Lily’s paw before bringing her home and today she has a minor deformity however it’s not very noticeable.

          When people think of Bassets the image of very sedentary animals comes to mind. Contrary to this image Lily and Suzy “Q” are best friends who run around and spend most of their time together. The couple takes them to doggie day care three times a week so they can run with other dogs.  They love the outing, but are always ready to come home to their couch where they have a full view of the room and the outdoors.

            Mark and Kathy live close to Jackson Elementary school, so each weekday around 2 PM the dogs enjoy watching parents load their children into the cars after class. If not watching the school kids, they enjoy the run of a nice size back yard. What makes their backyard unique is that among the grass there is a ton of granite (literally). The granite that was left by the previous owner is partially polished and was to be placed on graves of people that have long since passed away. The granite they inherited as part of the purchase of the property.

        By the time we finished the interview and headed into the backyard Lily rushed out the back door and Suzy “Q” decided she didn’t want to be left out so she came running out the screen door and joined us for our tour. Both girls ran among the granite that was at one time to be shaped into memorials of someone’s life. As I left I came to realize that the stereotypical image of a Basset being sedentary is indeed a myth. These dogs love to run and play as much as any other breed. Lily, to her credit after her surgery, can keep up with Suzy “Q” every step of the way. These days like their whole life they are inseparable. They hopped up on the brown couch below the front window they share and said good bye with their tails wagging as I walked out the door and headed upcountry

                                                             BraveHeart

                                                                     Taco Belle

                                                                             Silver Bullit

Hobby farm

        Thursday October 10^th my wife Shirley and I awoke to a day sparkled with sunshine against a bright blue sky. From experience we knew the leaves over Carson Pass would be at their most colorful. So off we went on our fall pilgrimage to Nevada. Living in the mother lode is so rich with color. Each season brings a new color. Many people believe California is nicknamed the golden state because of the 49ers but I wonder if the nickname refers to the “Golden Hills” of California.

       I couldn’t help but feel blessed as I dove to my interview for this month’s story. I was driving through yellow valleys with house after house having magnificent white fences. Behind the white fences were animals ranging from horses to goats and of course dogs. The animals were grazing on the golden grasses that come with fall. Still in the midst of the gold there were patches of green. At the end of my journey I met with the owners of a dog family.

       Dog families like mine consist of four dogs who get pampered more than my relatives when they come to visit. Dog families consist of an Alpha dog (usually the older male) and his pups chasing after the various wild animals, deer, squirrels and turkeys that share these hills with us. In this case the dog family consists of various colors and sizes of collies that had joined a hobby farm.

      The dogs were a natural to this farm. They once lived a stone’s throw away down the road until the owner lost their home to foreclosure. The people whose farm I visited (they wish to remain anonymous) were natural caregivers to the dogs. They own a hobby farm consisting of several acres of land. The dogs have the run of the farm including sleeping on the furniture inside the house.

      The farm is home to more than a dozen goats, a mule, a donkey and numerous other animals who come to visit. The Collies, vary in color and style from a blue merle rough collie (long coat) named Silver Bullitt to a smooth blue merle named Braveheart. All have been neutered because the owners have no desire to become breeders. They merely wanted to give the dogs a good home. There is also a rough coat tri headed white and black collie named “Buddy.”

      Collies are herding dogs. So the farm is like heaven to them. The goats tend to think otherwise as they really aren’t that fond of being herded but on a farm everyone has to adjust. In addition, there is a Donkey named Taco Belle (not a misspelling) who just prefers hanging around eating hay.

        The collies all run to the fence to bark at passing cars of which there are few as the farm is on a country road. While I was there I noticed more than one car slowing down to observe the collies at full stride. To a collie lover, such as myself, one of the more beautiful sights in the world is watching a collie at full stride their coat flowing with the wind. These collies are no exception, being well groomed. Combine that with the fall colors of grasses, trees and white fences and its straight out of a Terhune novel. Terhune was a writer and owner of Sunnybrook farm back in New Jersey. He is perhaps most famous for his story : “A dog Named Lad” which was made into a movie starring Carroll O’Connor (All in the family) and Angela Cartwright, (Lost in Space).

    During my visit, I toured the farm with the collies close behind. The breed loves to be with people. The farm is completely off the grid and while it doesn’t have the lush green fields of Terhunes Sunnybrook it does have the golden hills of California. For a dog lover in general and collie lover like myself I was in heaven for a few hours during my visit. Then as I drove my car toward the gate to leave the dogs escorted me out. It was hard to say good bye but I will be back.

                                                Max, Greta and Jasper

 

        Each month I find myself trying to find something unique about each dog I am going to write a story on. I was staring into space, which is easy to do here in the Mother-Lode, when my dog Owen jumped on me asking for food. In that second I wondered what breed of dog is Owen? We brought him home from the animal shelter and they indicated he was part German shepherd and part lab. The Shepard part was easy to believe because he is very hyper but the Labrador was questionable. I wondered if I submitted his DNA for testing what would I find out. Then into my minds vision enters Maximus Canine AKA Max.

       Max is owned by Kelsey Mort and Kevin Conklin. Max has no apparent features that tie him to one breed although he does look like maybe a Shepherd-Rottweiler mix. He has one unique feature not found in either a shepherd or Rottweiler and that is one ear is peaked up like a shepherd and the other hangs down. Kevin and Kelsey discussed Max’s heritage with previous owner and Kelsey’s mother, Marie Mort, on the possibility of having Max’s DNA tested.

      They found a laboratory in Sacramento on the internet that does DNA testing on dogs.  Kevin and Kelsey e mailed the lab and soon found a DNA swab kit in the mail. One cheek swab of Max and a photograph was all that was needed and they sent the sample for analysis. The results indicated that he is part Staffordshire terrier, Chow, Weimaraner, Collie, English setter and part Labrador retriever. One look at him with his one ear up, other down there is no way a person would guess this combination.

      Max came to his current home with Kelsey and Kevin via Marie and John Mort, Kelsey’s parents.  Max first lived with the Morts, but because they both work Max was left alone. When the Morts came home in the evening after work another part of their house was destroyed (separation anxiety).  Kelsey and Kevin, who live right next door took custody of Max giving the original parents, the Morts, visitation rights.

      Because they live next door to each other with the properties being separated by a fence with two gates there was never any doubt that Max could visit any time he wanted. Now Max shares his life with four adults and two other dogs Greta and Jasper who live with Marie and John

     Jasper is the youngster and is a Malinois breed. If you haven’t heard too much about this breed they are from Europe and are being brought into this country as police dogs. They do not get hip dysplasia, as Shepherds are prone to do. Thus they can work longer as a police officer than a shepherd. Jasper spent some time with Margraet Blair in Jackson to see if he would be a fit to be trained as a police dog. That didn’t work out so these days he is a fun loving playful puppy residing with Marie and John.

   Greta is a full German Shepherd, Marie wondered out loud if she requested a DNA test on Greta, if the results would come back that she was a pure German Sheppard. 

  Max is the friendly one, he loves everybody. Greta is kind of stand offish which I think is the shepherd background--they seem to be one owner dogs. Greta however is good friends with Max as is Jasper the energy charged puppy.

     When I arrived at Marie and Johns house Greta and Max greeted me. Jasper was over at Kelsey and Kevin’s house whining through the fence to come meet me. Once the gate was open Jasper grabbed his favorite toy (A blue child’s ball with a tennis ball stuffed inside). He has so much energy that all he wanted to do the entire time I was there, was chase the ball. They have a big yard in Pine Grove for him to run. Greta and Max are more than happy to play with Jasper.  Between the three of them they expend a lot of energy. Once the day is over a tired Jasper, weight 50-60 pounds, loves to crawl on Johns lap in the living room recliner and rest his big head on John’s chest recharging his batteries.

    One thing I have to say about my visit for the interview. Marie, John, Kelsey and Kevin are true dog lovers. They have three dogs that require a great deal of attention and together they make sure that at days end there is nothing these dogs lack. That includes everything from food to love.

Molly 

    Since I began writing this column I have been fortunate enough to meet all breeds of dogs, from the largest being a Newfoundland to the smallest a miniature Dachshund. Just when I thought I’d come across them all I find another breed that inhabits these golden hills.

    A person hears that the older you get the faster time flies. On television they conducted an experiment to determine how time flies in your life. Take a stopwatch and start it running and without looking at the face stop it, after what you perceive as 60 seconds. The scientist conducting the experiment said that the older generation will stop it before the sixty second mark indicating that what they perceive is 60 seconds is actually less. Thus time moves faster the older you get.

    What I am leading up to is the fact that I write this column once a month and that deadline comes quickly. Thus I had one day to go before having to meet the deadline and no subject for the story. Then my wife and I stopped to grab a bite to eat in Pine Grove and there right before my eyes was the sign “Guard Shitz Tzu on duty”. Magically I had my story.

    Molly is the Shitz Tzu who is the guard dog. Of course the sign was just kidding because Molly was at home with her owner Belinda Massaro.  Belinda and her husband Steve own the 76 station in Pine Grove.  Molly resides in the hills above Pine Grove. She shares her home with 4 cats and two dogs or maybe it would be more appropriate to say the cats allow Molly to be there. Cat owners can relate that cats generally rule a house that has both cats and dogs. Four birds also share her life.

    I looked up the breed on the internet and it said one of the owners that would be a “fit” for the breed is a hairstylist. Looking at Molly I can see why. Her silver and black hair covers almost all of her face, eyes included. A hairstylist would have a field day with one of these dogs.

    Molly is definitely at a disadvantage when it comes to size. She is the same size, if not somewhat smaller, than the four cats she lives with. Plus in a fight a cat would have clear vision of her hair covered body while Molly would be looking through streamers.  In fact one cat at Molly’s home, Knuckles, loves to play with Molly. Knuckles likes to hop on Molly and pin her down then take off running daring Molly to catch her. From that point on it’s a game of tag where Molly runs after Knuckles, catches him and next Knuckles grabs Molly tackling her and then running away once more waiting for Molly to find him.

   Also living with Molly is Hunter a beautiful chocolate lab and Digger a rat terrier.  Hunter is like a big brother to the rest of the house. His bass woof would scare anybody away until they see him come out of the house with his tail wagging.  While Digger figures it’s his job to announce that a person has arrived. Molly may be a lot of things including Mom’s (Belinda’s) dog but a watch dog she isn’t. In fact around others she tends to run away preferring to let Hunter and Digger deal with any threat.

    Molly also spends her days with four birds. She enjoys hearing the birds in their cages chatter. She may not understand bird chatter but she loves the sound of their voices. She can be easily entertained just watching them flitter about their cages.

    Still when the day ends and all the activity at the Massaro’s house ends you can find Molly on Belinda’s bed contently curled up looking more like a fur pillow than a dog. She loves her family and returns every bit of affection they give her.

                                                 Maddie with owner Bob Paris

                                                      Maddie with Vest on

                                                       Maddie 

      Walk into Lowes in Martell and chances are that you’ll see a person with their dog on a leash. Carmel California is cashing in on the popularity of dogs. They promote Carmel as a dog friendly city. Dogs are allowed in all restaurants and stores. In restaurants there are separate sitting areas for people who wish to dine with their dogs.

     So when I spotted a service dog at a restaurant in Jackson I knew I had my next story. She was liying proudly with her red, white and blue vest (Identifying her as a service dog) next to Bob Paris a Vietnam War vet with PTSD. Bob stated he was a medic in Vietnam between 1966 and 1968. Anyone who served in Nam could have PTSD but as a medic that alone would qualify a person for a VA disability.

      Maddie is a 13 year old full blood golden retriever. She has been a service dog her whole life. Her mother, Haley, was a service dog that Bob had before Maddie. We did the interview in a restaurant and Maddie throughout this interview lay at Bob’s side.  She would look up to see if Bob was going to give her a piece of pork, her reward for accompanying him.

       Maddie shares her home with Bob in Cameron Park but has frequented Jackson for most of her life.   Maddie became qualified easily as a service dog because of her mother, Haley who had been a service dog for Bob for 16 years. In addition there has to be genetic traits passed on between generations. Bob stated Maddie easily adjusted to the life of a service dog and was certified by the VA as a puppy.

        Service dogs are always at their owner’s side. A characteristic according to Bob is that a service dog be highly intelligent, and very friendly. While we were conducting the interview people would notice her lying down next to the booth and want to come and pet her. Just like any dog Maddie loves to be petted. Bob indicates he takes her to the VA hospital where disabled vets love to see her and she loves to see them. She is a special dog and a dog’s love is good therapy for anyone.

      Maddie loves the same things as other dogs. She loves chasing balls and playing with other dogs and chasing squirrels. Bob has a swimming pool that Maddie loves to use not only for recreation but to cool off on a hot day or in some cases even in the middle of winter to swim. Maddie stays close to Bob sleeping in bed with him, always vigilant, to make sure Bob is ok.

      Maddie loves traveling; she has been all over the US but never out of the country. Bob who does have occasion to travel outside the US doesn’t take Maddie not only because of  the paperwork required but also the dangers of diseases that her immune system isn’t prepared to handle.

      One look at Maddie and a person has to love her. She is very proud to be at Bob’s side and wears her service dog vest proudly. Bob is proud to be a Vietnam vet and she is proud to be a service dog to a Vet. Her vest that indicates she is a service dog displays the stars of the US flag and the patches that say she’s a therapy dog of a Vietnam vet.   Another patch indicates that we must never forget those who were POW’s and MIA’s in every conflict.

        Bob is very proud he served his country in Vietnam and Maddie is happy to aid Bob in his everyday life.

     Anyone interested in featuring your dog in this column Email me at dudseth@volcano.net

Naika

 

                                         Naika with owners Al, and Kiko Stewart

                                                            Naika 

     April has arrived and with it spring flowers and refreshed souls. Everyone who has been hibernating all winter can now be seen on the streets of the Motherlode. People aren’t the only ones who love spring, so do dogs. On one warm spring day I was at WalMart and saw what looked like a bear on a leash. I had to ask what kind of dog that huge black furry animal was. Al Stewart said his name was Naika, a 150 pound Newfoundland.

     The breed is known for their giant size, tremendous strength, calm dispositions, and loyalty. Originally they were used as working dogs helping fisherman in Newfoundland Canada with their nets. Once you see them you can understand why.

       Al made mention that Naiki was very protective so be very careful around him. It didn’t take much to convince me that a dog the size of a bear was best approached with caution. We agreed to meet on Naika’s turf and do this story.

        Naika resides in Pine Grove and shares his turf with Al, and Kiko Stewart, Krystal Gusman and Kiana Haunio and three other dogs. For those unfamiliar with Hawaiian culture Kiko is native Hawaiian and hence all the Hawaiian names. Al and Kiko met while he was stationed in Hawaii and are Motherlode transplants having moved here from the Bay Area.

        It was a warm spring day when I arrived at the Stewart’s home. Having been warned of  Naika’s protective nature, I was cautious when I exited the car with my camera slung across my shoulder. Suddenly Naika came running at me full gallop. I suddenly got the feeling a quarterback has when he is being chased by a 280 pound linebacker. Naika went after my camera case hitting me at full gallop. Like a quarterback I never left my feet but did feel the blow. Once he decided I was a friend we went into the house to complete the interview.

    Naika is big and has the run of the yard and the house. Like most pets of dog lovers he is allowed on the furniture which is covered with his favorite blankets. When Naika is on the sofa there is only room for one more person. (barely). Imagine a bear running around the house, and you have Naika.

     The Stewarts also own Samson, a one year old full blooded Newfoundland. Naika and Samson look like twins but are not. Samson is really friendly to everyone and would love to play with you. He has absolutely no aggression. This can be challenging since Samson is 130 pounds.  Getting into a wrestling match with Samson it would be necessary to know a few moves they taught in high school wrestling. 

     Once Naika had become comfortable with me I was sitting on the couch and he would approach me as a friend. Still he was always making sure I was no threat. Once he decided he had nothing to fear from me he hopped up on the couch and curled up.

     There is rumor that the breed was created by Norwegians first landing in the new world to scare off intruders.  It has never been proven but to look at Naika and Samson a person might think the rumor true. In reality they are very calm and docile dogs. Before I left the interview both Naika and Sampson had gotten to know me and were more than happy to have their pictures taken.