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.

 

 

                                                           Tank with owner Bill Mix

 

 

Tank

 

     If one thing stands out about the mother lode it’s the history. To the naked eye history is everywhere from the National Hotel in Jackson to the old Pioneer store on highway 88, to the blue highways leading to West Point. What is not obvious is the history residing in her people and her dogs. Like history dogs abound throughout the county. There are many pure breeds and mixed breeds riding in the cars all excited about traveling even a few miles. One breed that is very popular is the Labrador retriever.

     Owning a Lab, where I grew up in South Dakota, is a right of passage. Most families have at least one be it yellow or black hanging out around the house. They are so prevalent because of Pheasant and duck hunting that they are a status symbol. In the 60’s, when I was coming of age, almost every child had a lab or maybe it was the other way around in that every lab had a child. Irregardless it was always understood that dogs and children go together.

     The reason for that was Labs are friendly and intelligent child proof dogs.  Oh yes they do hunt but hunting season is only 4 months long. Thus parents had the advantage for eight months the dog would entertain their children. That was before TV sort of took precedence. But through all the changes Labs still win out as the choice for a loyal friend. The TV gets turned off at bedtime meanwhile a dog sleeps either beside the bed or on the bed with their gentle heartbeat and warmth comforting their owners. Dogs are the loyalist lifelong friend a person can have.

     One such Lab, Tank, has spent his entire life in and around Jackson. He is a companion for Bill Mix who has owned three labs before the “Tanker” came into his life as a puppy at age 6 weeks. Tank was born to a Breeder in Valley Springs 11 years go. Bill who is the owner of Campbell Service Centrt on the corner of highway 88 and 49 has always had a lab lying on the floor at the garage. 

    As soon as he brought Tank home from the breeder his next stop was at Bills job. Bill taught Tank the rules of the road such as no wandering off the property and Tank being intelligent and eager to please learned quickly. These days Tank is not as mobile as he once was at 6 weeks but at 11 years he still gets around. Tank has a round dog bed next to the workbench at the front of the car lifts. Next to that is his food and water bowl. These days Tank is content to sit and watch the world go by. He occasionally will stretch his legs by stroll out to the front of the station but quickly returns back inside. He does not want to be far from his best friend.

    Tank was not always so sedentary, like all of us seniors he had younger days. Tank who grew up near Volcano used to love chasing tennis balls. Also as a country dog he loved exploring the property where Bill lives. Even though he loves the country Tank would rather share it with the humans and animals that reside there. He always has been a lover.

    Tank quickly adapted to his split life between the country and the city. In the mornings he would wait by Bills truck ready for the trip into Jackson. Once given the word he would hop into the truck tail wagging and head for the shop. It didn’t really matter where they were going but Tank’s favorite place as long as he was with Bill was at the corner of highway 88 and 49.

   These days Bill has to lift Tank into the truck as Tank’s legs are losing their strength with the passing years. But his eagerness to head into Jackson has not diminished. He loves watching the world go by. He has the occasional repeat customers who drop by to just say hi and give him the occasional pat on the head but he is content to be with Bill wherever that may be.  

    If you have a dog and would like us to do a story on him/her, please send me an e-mail at dudseth@volcano.net

                                                                      Condor 

      Late one night in Mid-January on the news came word that a K-9 Officer in Elk Grove had been killed. The part of the story that really touched me was the K-9 partner went back to the police station and refused to come out of the backroom after the shooting. When a dog to loses an owner it is sad, but K-9’s are an officer’s companion both at work and in private life. This leads me to the story of Condor, Jackson’s K-9 patrol dog.

    Condor, a full blood German Shepard, is partnered with Al Lewis. Al has been a police officer in Jackson in excess of 3 years and worked in Law enforcement for 34 years. After his retirement from a Bay Area city he decided he wasn’t ready to settle down just yet and called Jackson asking if they needed a K-9 officer. The Jackson Police Chief responded “the city of Jackson did not have the money for a K-9 unit but sure could use one”.

    Al offered to buy the dog and work part time. Thus the Jackson K-9 enforcement unit was born.  Al had worked with a K-9 training group in the Bay Area so he was familiar with how to obtain a dog. He found a dog overseas in the Check Republic with bloodlines that met the requirements. Al who paid for the dog with his own money (in the thousands of dollars) trained as a handler with the dog (a four week process) and then they both came to work in Jackson.

    Condor is not only a police dog he is the family pet. He changes between the two roles quickly. When Al dresses in the uniform and the police car door opens, Condor knows it’s time to go to work. Al patrols with Condor riding in the back of the squad car. It’s not a backseat but a mini kennel. Condor needs space to move. As with any German Shepard he is hyper. It’s this hyper trait along with their intelligence and strength that make them great dogs for law enforcement.

   When I met Al at the Police station in Jackson, besides the obvious writing on the side of his car indicating K-9 unit, the car was rocking back and forth when Al exited the vehicle. Thus anyone who didn’t know at first would soon realize that inside was a force they might not want to deal with.

Al stated that in many ways having Condor is better than having a human partner. In a situation that may require backup the threat of a dog running at or after a suspect is more likely to make anyone attempting to run to think twice.

    When Officer Lewis needs to investigate, Condor stays in the car. In Lewis’ hand he carries a remote control device that will release the door catch. With the release of the door, out springs Condor. Condor only responds to the sound of Officer Lewis’ voice and only in the German language he was trained in. Condor, as part of his training in the US learns to respond only to Officer Lewis’ voice.

    Once Condor exits the vehicle he is in his element. He loves the chase and the hunt. The chase could be for a suspect or the hunt would be for drugs. In the case of a chase it doesn’t last long as anyone who has a dog knows that no matter the size, dogs can generally outrun a human.

     The Majority of Condor’s work though is sniffing out drugs. In an exhibition for me Condor demonstrated his ability to locate drugs. Dogs are used for drug detection because of their nasal sensors which are much more acute than humans. Condor can find drugs hidden in secure locations. Examples of Condors finds have been drugs hidden in the panels or hubcaps of cars, h and even in very creative spots within a vehicle such as a gearshift panel or a secret compartment in the glove box.  Condor is called into action also whenever the Jackson Police or Amador Sheriff’s office asks for assistance on a traffic stop. Drug searches can only be conducted on a vehicle stop when the driver is on parole or there is a reason to indicate drugs are in the car.

    Once Condor has exited the police car the hunt for drugs doesn’t take long. He generally goes right to the spot the drugs are located. He then lies down where the drugs are and awaits his reward---a special toy that Officer Lewis throws for him.

    When Condor is not on duty he is the family pet. A police dog will serve for 6 years then retire to become strictly the family pet. Anyone who meets Condor in his role as pet would not have a clue that he is a working police dog. He loves playing with members of the family and other dogs. When not on duty he loves to just kick back and rest as we all do. 

Walter 

       As I write this the entire Mother Lode is decked out in holiday decorations. People are filling the stores and the smells on Main street Jackson coming through the open doors can’t help but bring the Christmas Spirit out in everyone.

       I would like to dedicate this final column of 2012 to all the people and their dogs of the Mother Lode. It is a great place to spend the holidays. The residents of the Mother Lode are people with hearts of gold. The people I’m speaking of are those that help dogs.

      One such story came to my attention in this past week. In a crazy series of events an animal control officer out on patrol in the north county had parked his truck on the edge of a back road. When he returned to his truck, in the back was a 120 pound Bloodhound, name unknown.

    The officer found himself in a bit of a dilemma. They usually rescue dogs that are wandering out in the country but never have dogs been placed in their truck. The officer brought the Bloodhound back to the county animal shelter. Once the dog was unloaded it became obvious to the staff he was a dog that would easily be adopted. A call was placed by John, of the Amador animal shelter, to the Walker Hound rescue volunteers John and Tina Kellogg. The Kelloggs picked up the Bloodhound and brought him to their home.

   In the meantime a notice was placed by animal control in the Ledger Dispatch that a Bloodhound was available for adoption. The shelter also placed the ad on their website. Within a week a call from Kate in Marysville was made to the shelter and forwarded to John and Tina. Kate was looking for a dog to foster and wanted to meet the Bloodhound. Arrangements were made for Kate to meet the bloodhound at Paradise Doggie Daycare in Martell.

   The meeting was on and Kate quickly drove to Martell where it was love at first sight. Kate agreed to foster the unnamed hound. But as all dog owners know every dog needs a name so the name Walter was chosen. Why, was anyone’s guess, but it just seemed to fit.

   When looking at Walter’s picture his face reminds me of actor Walter Brennan.  Having adopted a dog named Wilson from Tri Valley Rescue 11 years ago (who as I can best described looked like the volleyball, Tom Hanks’ best friend in the movie “Castaway”) looks are often used when naming a pet. There is a theory that dogs often look like their owner and I have found that to be true.

    Walter now resides in Marysville awaiting a permanent home. John Kellogg at Walker hound rescue thinks that Walter will more than likely only be in Foster care for a short amount of time. He thinks his home with Kate will become permanent.

    Walter was quickly placed by the efforts of animal control and Walker Hound rescue and a dog lover that gave him a foster home.. In the year that I have been writing these stories I have come to know there are many organizations in both Amador. El Dorado and Calaveras counties that help out with dogs.

    Walter was more than likely placed in the truck because someone could no longer take care of him. In these days of high unemployment and recession, times are tough for people .  I urge anyone who cannot take care of a dog, not to drop it on the side of the road and assume that the dog will find a home. Please call animal control or anyone of the rescue organizations in Amador, Calaveras or Eldorado counties to help.  No dog deserves to be abandoned.