Dish-Houston

By DISH Contributor Edana Walker

Two years ago, on Dec. 5, 2010, I met Peach Blossom Walker (formerly Ivy No Last Name) on the corner of 6th and Main in downtown L.A., at a mobile rescue event sponsored by the North Central Shelter and Pussy and Pooch Boutique. 3 days later, after her lady surgery, I took her home forever. For those 3 days in between, I went back and forth with myself about whether I had made the right decision about adopting a pit bull mix.

If I could send that 2010 version of me a note about this to chill her out it, would read in part: "Yes." It would read in full:

Peaches
Do This. She will be the most loyal being you have ever known. She will inspire that same loyalty in you. She will bury and then find and then re-bury and find again the same toxic tennis ball at a random park at least 6 times over the course of a year because she is smart. She will deconstruct all toys within an hour and then continue to drag their inside out plushy shells around. She will have a 51 inch vertical leap, straight up. Do NOT buy that doggy gate.

She will be brave if a little incautious. Like when that dude who just got out of the downtown lock-up suddenly appears out of nowhere one night when you're walking near City Hall and "asks" you and your cute puppy for your money, she will tell him to fuck off before you even open your mouth. She will occasionally tell your family and friends to fuck off too, but you will work with her on that. 

She will always wear her seat belt and sit patiently in the back seat with her toys when you drive and she will lick your scalp just to say hey every two hours on long road trips. And you will drive over 4100 miles together on the open road across many states, you two, and she will never complain about Car Talk.

Never turn your back on her and your freshly made Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich. Because that shady little trick will try to steal it every time, and you will lose the last vestiges of your dignity in chasing her. (and you will chase her, because PB&J is your gift). She will eat a cheaper brand of dog food than you think she's worth, because she ain't fancy. In fact, she's common. Real common. Street Food common. You will learn out to pull a dirty, trash-covered chicken bone out of her mouth before she has a chance for the 2nd bite. One day as you walk down the street, you will even manage to pull a wad of paper out of her mouth before you realize it is that most frightening thing of all: A definitely used Tampax Maximus. Never speak of that day. Just forget about it. It did not happen. Stop thinking about it. What? Let's talk about weather. 

She will take to Chicago better than you do. She will like snow. She will make you like it again. Just never do another snow angel in life. Trust. She will like a lot of new experiences, after she gets over her fear (cars, elevators, carrots).

She will love your brother, on sight, full-stop.

When your folks come to visit for the holidays, she will bark at your Momma for 2 days. But don't despair. She will stop on Christmas Day. And then they will become great friends, because your mother values loyalty, and your dog values love. And your mother will begin to order you to bring "her" Peaches home to Texas for holidays or random months and she will ask to speak to her on the phone. And your dog's ears will perk up every time.

And eventually your mom and dad may even start to think about adding their own new doggy relation to the family, one who is loyal, and loving and common like yours. And you will let them know, from your own experience, that the only way to accomplish this is to find a shelter, like the North Central Shelter in L.A. (or it's Houston equivalent). And to check first for the Red Alert dogs, those pets who have been in shelter for the longest period allowed. And not because people will pat them on the back like they will pat you on the back for "saving" them. But because there is nothing quite so awesome as discovering that the random, filthy, too skinny dog you will first meet through a wire gate will someday become a love of your life. A love who aggressively licks your fingers when you've been typing too long because your tapping is disturbing her daily nap #7, currently taking place on your elbow. 

So read this or don't, 2010. You'll find out for yourself in a couple of days. Til then, keep dog-proofing your apartment, and back up your contacts. She is going to eat your blackberry in about a week.

This initiative would support local restaurants and bars, improve quality of life, eliminate government over-regulation, and enhance Houston's image as a walkable, dynamic, and livable city. It has the potential to improve rabies vaccination compliance and increase permit revenues. Finally, this initiative would also bring Houston in line with other major Texas cities including Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, which began allowing dogs on patios in 2006, 2007, and 2010, respectively.

Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP), located at 17555 Katy Freeway (77094), is hosting a FELINE FRENZY during the month of May. 

All cats over 5 months of age can be adopted for $25.00; 2 cats for $40.00.  Every adoption includes all vaccinations, feline Leukemia tests; spay/neuter surgery, microchip and ID tags. 

Adoptions are Sunday through Tuesday, I:00pm to 5:30pm and Wednesday through Saturday, 11:00am until 5:30pm. For shelter information call 281 497.0591.

About Citizens for Animal Protection

CITIZENS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION, a non-profit service organization, has served pets and people in Greater Houston for over 38 years. Since 1972, CAP, a National winner of the PetSmart Charities Humane Award of Excellence, has sheltered and cared for over 450,000 orphaned, neglected and abandoned animals. CAP has been awarded a 4-Star rating for sound fiscal management with www.CharityNavigator.com  for the 9^th consecutive year. Only 1% of the charities rated nationwide have

achieved this exceptional distinction. www.cap4pets.org

URGENT!!:: The auction is October 29th and 30th. Appears there are 19 huskies: 14 females + 5 males.  Altogether, over 800 dogs are being auctioned off because of the closure of a Missouri Puppy Mill.  Right now, rescue groups are looking for firm commitments and help.  See below for the list of purebred dogs being auctioned.  Please don’t allow these dogs to be used solely as breeding machines, sold from one dog mill to the next, or worse.

Please contact  gliderdance@yahoo.com OR miskeira@sbcglobal.net
if you can help.

This is just heartbreaking.  800+ dogs at this auction.  If anyone wants or can rescue/adopt etc any of these dogs, I can arrange to make the trip to the auction.  Susan and I would need firm commitment for these dogs and would need to put out a plea for donations to save them, I would need to rent a van, possibly purchase additional used crates etc to get them back, cover their boarding until transport and get them vaccinated and health certificates prior to leaving.  Please let us know if there is support for this.  I have been to one auction in my lifetime and it literally made me ill, I cried, got angry, threw up and I HATE being in attendance of one of these things but I hate to see these poor babies sold to yet another miller so they can breed until they die.  Please email us back with feedback… good and bad.

Susan and Carolyn

******From an earlier email: Here is the story behind the Mexico, Missouri kennel auction******
The infamous Herman and Bonnie Schindler, formerly owners of MO Puppy Expo in St Peters that was protested for over a year and investigated by Fox 2 St Louis reporter Chris Hayes which led to their lease being terminated, will no longer be the largest puppy mill in MO as they are selling out (along with their daughter, Lori Conrad) at auctions the end of October (details below).  While we are thankful the Schindler’s mill is closing, the fate of their dogs is up to us. We need rescue groups everywhere to get involved to save these dogs from going to another breeder/mill and continuing their lives of hell. PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH ANY RESCUE PEOPLE/GROUPS YOU KNOW, BREED SPECIFIC OR OTHERWISE. These dogs (and all the other mill dogs) deserve to know what love is and are the reason we are fighting to get Prop B passed. Once Prop B passes more millers who are unwilling or unable to treat dogs humanely will also go out of business and many more dogs will need to find rescue. Please help these dogs find a life and not another sentence as a puppy machine.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Fox 2 stories about the Schindlers, go to http://www.fox2now.com <http://www.fox2now.com/>   and put “Schindler” in the search box on the right.
Vote YES! on Prop B www.yesonpropb.com <http://www.yesonpropb.com/>

I don’t even have the words……..THIS IS THE LARGEST AUCTION I HAVE EVER SEEN!!  OMG! THOSE POOR SOULS!!
Everyone in rescue want the mills to shut their doors….now what are we going to do with all this dogs?  Will they all go right back into the mills bought by other breeders?
Please cross post to anyone in breed rescue whose dogs are listed to be sold.

TEACHER’S PETS REGISTERED DOGS TO SELL ON
FRIDAY OCTOBER 29th, 2010! SALE STARTS AT 9:00 AM
BASSET
HOUND
12 FEMALES
2  MALES
1F’07, 10F/1M’06, 1F’04, 1M’00
BEAGLE
12 FEMALES
4  MALES
2F/1M’10, 1F/1M’09, 5F’08, 2M’061F’05, 3F’02, 1F’01
SIB. HUSKY
14 FEMALES
5  MALES
1F/1M’09, 6F/1M’08, 5F’07, 1M’06, 1M’05, 2F’04, 1M’01
LABRADOR
15 FEMALES
6  MALES
8F/1M’10, 1F/1M’09, 2F’08, 3F’07, 1M’06, 1F/2M’05, 1M’02
BOXER
4  FEMALES
1  MALE
2F’07, 1M’06, 1F’05, 1F’04
JACK RUSSELL
1  FEMALE
1  MALE
1F/1M’10
BULLMASTIFF
1  FEMALE

1F’07
REG. CANE CORSO
1  FEMALE

1F’01
UNREG.
CANE CORSO
4  FEMALES
1  MALE
1F’09, 2F’08, 1F’07, 1M’03
ENG. BULLDOG

3  MALES
1M’04, 1M’03, 1M’00
FRE. BULLDOG

1  MALE
1M’05
KING CHARLES
CAVALIER
4  FEMALES
1  MALE
1F’07, 2F/1M’03, 1F’02
COCKER
SPANIEL
29 FEMALES
10 MALES
5F/1M’10, 2F’09, 5F/1M’08, 1F’07, 2F/1M’06, 3F’04, 6F/6M’03, 2F/1M’02, 2F’01, 1F’00
SHIBA INU
1  FEMALE

1F’10
PEM.WELSH
CORGI
6  FEMALES
3  MALES
1F/1M’09, 3F’06, 2M’04, 1F’03, 1F’01
DALMATIAN
4  FEMALES
1  MALE
1F/1M’05, 3F’03
GERMAN
SHEPHERD
7  FEMALES
2  MALES
1F’08, 1F’07, 1F/1M’04, 2F’03, 2F/1M’02
SHAR PEI

1  MALE
1M’04
IRISH TERRIER
1  FEMALE
1  MALE

CONRAD’S CUDDLY CANINE REGISTERED DOGS TO SELL ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 29th, 2010: SALE STARTS AT 9:00 AM
BICHON FRISE
1  FEMALE

1F’06
CHIHUAHUA
6  FEMALES
5  MALES
1F/1M’08, 2M’07, 4F/2M’06, 1F’05
DACHSHUND
7  FEMALES
4  MALES
1M’09, 3F’08, 4F/2M’05, 1M’00
JAP. CHIN
3  FEMALES
1  MALE
2F/1M’06, 1F’01
PEKINGESE
7  FEMALES
3  MALES
1F’09, 3F/3M’08, 2F’06, 1F’05
POMERANIAN
7  FEMALES
2  MALES
1F’10, 4F’09, 2F’06, 2M’02
TOY & MIN. POODLE

3  MALES
1M’08, 1M’06, 1M’02
MALTESE
10 FEMALES
3  MALES
1F’10, 4F’08, 2F/2M’07, 2F’05, 1M’04, 1F’02
YORKSHIRE TERRIER
16 FEMALES
4  MALES
2F’10, 1F/1M’08, 2F’07, 4F’06, 7F/1M’05, 1M’03, 1M’01

TEACHER’S PETS REGISTERED DOGS TO SELL ON
SATURDAY OCTOBER 30th, 2010! SALE STARTS AT 9:00 AM
BRUSSELS GRIFFON
3  FEMALES
1  MALE
3F/1M’03
BICHON FRISE
24 FEMALES
6  MALES
1F’10, 1F’09, 3F’08, 10F/1M’06, 2M’05, 2F/1M’04, 1F’03, 4F/1M’02, 1M’01
AME. ESKIMO
1  FEMALE
1  MALE
1F/1M ‘10
LHASA APSO
9  FEMALES
7  MALES
1M’10, 1M’09, 3F’08, 3F/2M’06, 1F/2M’02, 2F/1M’00
MALTESE
5  FEMALES
2  MALES
4F/2M’10, 1F’03
MINIATURE
PINSCHER
11 FEMALES
7  MALES
1F/1M’09, 1F’08, 2F/1M’07, 4F/2M’06, 1F/2M’05, 1F’02, 1F/1M’01
PAPILLON
13 FEMALES
4  MALES
4F/2M’10, 2F’09, 1F’07, 1F/2M’05, 3F’04, 1F’01, 1F’00
PEKINGESE
9  FEMALES
2  MALES
4F/1M’09, 1F’08, 1F’04, 2F’03, 1F’02, 1M’00
POMERANIAN
21 FEMALES
10 MALES
1F/1M’09, 5F/1M’08, 5F’07, 4F/3M’06, 3F/2M’05, 1F’04, 2M’03, 2F/1M’00

CONTINUED…. TEACHER’S PETS REGISTERED DOGS TO SELL
ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 30th, 2010! SALE STARTS AT 9:00 AM

PUG
7  FEMALES
3  MALES
1M’07, 3F/2M’06, 1F’05, 2F’04, 1F’03
MINIATURE SCHNAUZER
18 FEMALES
5  MALES
3F’10, 1F’08, 2F/1M’07, 6F’06, 1F/2M’04, 1F/2M’03, 1F’02, 3F’01
MINIATURE DACHSHUND
7  FEMALES
7  MALES
1F’09, 1F/1M’06, 2M’05, 2F’04, 3F/2M’03, 2M’02
HAVANESE
14 FEMALES
8  MALES
1F/3M’10, 1F’09, 5F/2M’07, 1F’06, 5F/1M’05, 1F/2M’01
SHIH TZU
48 FEMALES
22 MALES
4F/2M’10, 5F/3M’09, 2F/3M’08, 11F/7M’06, 10F/5M’05, 3F/1M’04, 2F’03, 4F’02, 6F/1M’01, 1F’00
MIXES
5  FEMALES
1  MALE
1F’08 Bea/Bull, 1F’04 Coc-poo, 1M’05 OrePei, 1F’07 Rat-Chi, 1F’06 Bic-Shih, 1F Bull-Matian
SILKY TERR.
3  FEMALES

1F’10, 2F’09
WEST HIGH. WH. TERRIER
9  FEMALES
9  MALES
1F’09, 1F/1M’07, 4F/4M’06, 2F/4M’05, 1F’03
WIRE FOX TERRIER
1  FEMALE

1F’06
YORKSHIRE TERRIER
63 FEMALES
20 MALES
5F/9M’09, 6F’08, 3F’07, 16F/7M’06, 15F/2M’05, 6F’04, 6F/1M’03, 2F’02, 4F’00, 1M’98
CAIRN TERRIER
9  FEMALES
4  MALES
1F/1M’10, 1F’08, 3F’06, 4F/2M’05, 1M’04
CHIHUAHUA
30 FEMALES
16 MALES
4M’09, 6F/2M’08, 5F/3M’07, 6F/4M’06, 3F/1M’05, 3F/1M’04, 1F’03, 4F’01, 1F/1M’00

1. Enjoy life more.

I will spend less time alerting family and neighbors to approaching eleven-year-old skateboarders and more time sniffing the butts of other dogs. Preferably Rottweilers.

2. Lose that spare Kong I've developed around the middle.

Don't think I haven't noticed the hushed voices when I walk in the room or the fact that you've loosened up the harness a notch. I know I need to shed a few pounds, but don't assume this has anything to do with you - I'm doing it for me. I simply want to be able to chase tennis balls like a pup one-seventh my age.

3. I will not bark at the mailman.

I realize that by now my family knows how menacing the guy in the blue uniform can be, what with the shoving of his unwanted papers and parcels into our precious mailbox. From now on though, I'll trust the humans of the house to respond to postal threats accordingly.

4. If I do bark at the mailman, I most certainly will not bite him (hard).

5. Quit drinking.

I'm not talking about the clear, flavorless liquid you set right next to my kibble each day. I mean the hard stuff - the water from the toilet bowl and the muddy puddles in the yard after a rain. Maybe a sip once in a while when my friends are over, but never more than I can handle.

6. Learn Italian.

 Happy New Year!

 "Love me, love my dog."

~ Proverb, early 1500s

January is National Train Your Dog Month and it is also puppy season.  So, Stephanie, DISH'S favorite doggie trainer is starting the year off with 3 classes back to back.  All in the name of mental stimulation, socialization, bonding, and of course, fun!

1. New Puppy 
2.Trick Training
3.Canine Good Citizen. 

All Classes will be held at Urban Tails in Midtown and each class will be limited to 8 dogs. 

~New Puppy (10-18 weeks of age)

Are you having the Christmas Puppy Blues?  Has your little angel turned into a little devil? 

Don’t wait to start training!  The clock is ticking and now is the time to get started on good habits that will last a lifetime. 

6 week class, Saturday mornings @ 11AM, January 30^th-March 6th

Based on the puppy training techniques created by acclaimed veterinarian and animal behaviorist, Ian Dunbar, owners will spend the entire class learning how to observe, handle, and train their puppies.  Puppies learn to play with other puppies and socialize with their owners.  There will be no separate play times or training times.  Instead all puppies are off leash for the entire class and numerous short training interludes are integrated within the play session.  Thus, rather than becoming a distraction to training, playing with other puppies becomes an effective reward for training.  In no time at all, puppies listen to their owners because that’s what they want to do.  

Requirements: Pups must be between 10 and 18 weeks of age at the start date of class with 2 DHLPP vaccinations, one of which must have been administered after 8 weeks of age but at least 7 days prior to the first session.
Registration Fee: $210

~Trick Training

6 week class, Wednesday evenings @ 7PM, February 10th - March 17th

Registration Fee: $210

**Basic Obedience required

~Canine Good Citizen

 6 week class

Saturday mornings@ 11AM

March 13th - April 17th

Registration Fee: $210

**Basic Obedience required

Contact Stephanie for more information.

323-573-0727

steph@getalonglittledogie.net