Showing posts with label bandit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bandit. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Popeye from the Archives - Popeye Steals Toy from Bandit
Friday, June 29, 2012
Popeye from the Archives - Sharing a Toy
Here's something we never see anymore. Popeye sharing a toy (with Bandit).
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Popeye from the Archives - Lots of Teeth
Popeye with Bandit. No dog would dare to get this close to him anymore.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Popeye from the Archives - Bandit Meets Popeye
Bandit was another foster puppy we had at the time.2 weeks prior, I saw him being surrendered at the animal shelter. He had a broken leg. I picked him up as soon as my then-current foster dog had been adopted. Days after we got him, we arranged for him to have surgery to repair his broken femur. You can see the red stitch line on his left back leg in this picture.
Bandit was an incredibly incredibly good-natured dog. Really, the opposite of Popeye in temperament. They were a great match. Bandit was Popeye's first friend here.
Bandit was an incredibly incredibly good-natured dog. Really, the opposite of Popeye in temperament. They were a great match. Bandit was Popeye's first friend here.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Bandit in the Snow
Bandit. From being dumped at the shelter with a broken leg in July 2008:
To this today:
He's one of the lucky ones. Thanks C&S for making his life so happy.
To this today:
He's one of the lucky ones. Thanks C&S for making his life so happy.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
A Little Bit of Then and Now
I've been lucky to be able to watch Popeye grow and develop. Just 12 pounds when I first got him to about 25 pounds full grown now.
Hiding from the vacuum cleaner then.
Hiding from the vacuum cleaner now. Too big to fit under the coffee table.
The most gratifying thing to witness is how Popeye has softened up. As adorable as he was when we first got him, I called him the little savage because that's what he was. All toughness and independence. Defensive. Not aggressive, but this was clearly a dog that had to fight to survive, a dog used to being on his own. He had no self-regulating mechanism. Everything was just full-out spaz. A tazmanian devil.
He is such a different dog now. Oh, the same spirit is there, that can't ever be crushed. But he's mellowed out and realized he can relax, put his guard down.
In this recent video, you can see him playing tug with Phoebe. He loves tug. When the other dogs start wrestling with each other, he instead runs to grab his favorite stuffed (or destuffed) toy and brings it over to them, thrusting it in their face trying to get them to try to take it away from him.
Now I was watching this old video of Popeye and Bandit, another foster dog we had at the time. Bandit was supremely good-natured, so good-natured that he was undaunted and even oblivious when other dogs were less than friendly towards him. He was the perfect foil for Popeye back then. Watch around 1:40 minutes into the video when Popeye steals the toy from Bandit. You can tell this is what Popeye's life on the streets was like. He had to guard what he felt was his. Such a contrast to the Popeye now who instead of guarding his toy, thrusts it in the face of the other dogs trying to get them to take it.
Hiding from the vacuum cleaner then.
Hiding from the vacuum cleaner now. Too big to fit under the coffee table.
The most gratifying thing to witness is how Popeye has softened up. As adorable as he was when we first got him, I called him the little savage because that's what he was. All toughness and independence. Defensive. Not aggressive, but this was clearly a dog that had to fight to survive, a dog used to being on his own. He had no self-regulating mechanism. Everything was just full-out spaz. A tazmanian devil.
He is such a different dog now. Oh, the same spirit is there, that can't ever be crushed. But he's mellowed out and realized he can relax, put his guard down.
In this recent video, you can see him playing tug with Phoebe. He loves tug. When the other dogs start wrestling with each other, he instead runs to grab his favorite stuffed (or destuffed) toy and brings it over to them, thrusting it in their face trying to get them to try to take it away from him.
Now I was watching this old video of Popeye and Bandit, another foster dog we had at the time. Bandit was supremely good-natured, so good-natured that he was undaunted and even oblivious when other dogs were less than friendly towards him. He was the perfect foil for Popeye back then. Watch around 1:40 minutes into the video when Popeye steals the toy from Bandit. You can tell this is what Popeye's life on the streets was like. He had to guard what he felt was his. Such a contrast to the Popeye now who instead of guarding his toy, thrusts it in the face of the other dogs trying to get them to take it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
A Visit with Bandit
We went to visit Bandit at his new home in SF this weekend. It was so great to see him again. Bandit and his new BFFs, Wyatt and Avery, were in the garage as we drove in, and as soon as he saw me, his tail went crazy and he put his front paws up on my window. He gave me kisses all over. I don't think I have ever seen Bandit so excited to see me before. Usually he is very calm about it.
We all went to the park across the street.
Whereby Bandit immediately zoned in to his Crazy-Ball-Obsessed-Fetch mode.
Let's do it again!
And again!
Break time.
Hi Wyatt & Avery.
And again!
Ah, that was fun.
Can we do it again?
We all went to the park across the street.
Whereby Bandit immediately zoned in to his Crazy-Ball-Obsessed-Fetch mode.
Let's do it again!
And again!
Break time.
Hi Wyatt & Avery.
And again!
Ah, that was fun.
Can we do it again?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bandit at the Beach
These are the awesomest pictures, not just because they are visually appealing or even because they are of a wonderful dog, but because they capture the pure unadulterated joy and zest for life that is so typically Bandit.
For the complete slideshow, click here.
For the complete slideshow, click here.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Last Night
There are 2 very large crates in our bedroom. We have found that most dogs prefer to sleep in a den-like area, such as a crate. There used to be 3 crates in our bedroom but about a year ago, Boomer decided he liked to sleep in my walk-in closet instead, so we put his crate away and set his dog bed in the closet. This usually leaves the 2 crates for Phoebe and the foster dog. Popeye has his own little baby-gated area.
Every night, when I go to bed, Bandit follows me to the bedroom and goes right into a crate. Phoebe is generally already in the other crate and Boomer in his usual spot in the closet. Two nights ago, I found Boomer in a crate and Phoebe in the closet. Last night when I went to bed, both Boomer and Phoebe were in each of the crates. Bandit looked at me as if to say, "NOW what do I do?"
Bandit's routine, since we first had him, has always been to sleep in a crate every night. He has never slept on the floor and he has certainly never slept in the closet. So last night, he checked here and there in the room, and each time he returned to the crates, they were both still occupied. Tyler and I were watching TV and I figured I would just leave Bandit to figure it out. I was curious to see if he would choose the floor or the dog bed in the closet.
Many minutes later, I looked over to see what he had decided and this was what I found:
Every night, when I go to bed, Bandit follows me to the bedroom and goes right into a crate. Phoebe is generally already in the other crate and Boomer in his usual spot in the closet. Two nights ago, I found Boomer in a crate and Phoebe in the closet. Last night when I went to bed, both Boomer and Phoebe were in each of the crates. Bandit looked at me as if to say, "NOW what do I do?"
Bandit's routine, since we first had him, has always been to sleep in a crate every night. He has never slept on the floor and he has certainly never slept in the closet. So last night, he checked here and there in the room, and each time he returned to the crates, they were both still occupied. Tyler and I were watching TV and I figured I would just leave Bandit to figure it out. I was curious to see if he would choose the floor or the dog bed in the closet.
Many minutes later, I looked over to see what he had decided and this was what I found:
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Jasmine's 2nd Day
Jasmine got more comfortable with the other dogs today. She was most at ease with Bandit and tended to follow his lead.
She even joined the other dogs in play for a while.
But she's still mostly a people dog, preferring to lay quietly next to a human rather than be amongst the dog pack.
She even joined the other dogs in play for a while.
But she's still mostly a people dog, preferring to lay quietly next to a human rather than be amongst the dog pack.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Introducing Jasmine
Some people have said to me they don't know how I do it, fostering dogs. As if it's such a difficult thing. I think what I do is nothing compared to what people like Dana, a volunteer with the Merced Animal Shelter, does. She is the one who compiles and sends out last-plea emails on behalf of the dogs at the shelter whose time has run out. I have never met Dana personally, but she seems to know each of these dogs. The Merced Animal Shelter is one of the many rural shelters notorious for always being overcrowded, and there is a never-ending stream of dogs earmarked for death.
Some of these dogs are saved, either adopted at the last minute or pulled by rescue. But I know many are not. The unlucky ones mostly remain faceless to you and me. It's easier that way. But to dedicated people like Dana and so many others who come into contact with these dogs, they have a face, a name, a personality. And their death isn't just a statistic, it is the death of someone they knew. When comparing the emotional impact, the stress and frustration, sometimes the joy but ultimately the sadness, what I do in fostering is very little compared to what the Danas of the world do.
Our dog, Boomer, came from the Merced Shelter. We were told he had been on the euthanasia list when he was ultimately pulled by Tuffie's Rescue. Our first foster dog (the first one we didn't keep, that is), Bella, also was rescued at the very last minute. She was set to be put down that day. Gigi was another, who went to be fostered by a wonderful woman named Robin in Sacramento. And thanks to Robin, today, there is Jasmine.
Jasmine, aka Jackie Carter, had been at the shelter since November 19. She was one of the ones scheduled to die. But because Robin stepped up, Jasmine will have a second chance.
I went to pick Jasmine up this morning in Pleasanton, from one of the Merced Shelter volunteer transporters, enroute to San Francisco. She was panting in her crate, drooling, obviously overwhelmed. Yet she jumped down and walked very prettily with me. She was nervous about getting into my car, so Lucy, the transporter carried her up. For the entire hour-long ride, she layed down quietly in the middle of the backseat, not even bothering to look out the window. I couldn't help but compare her to the last dog I picked up from a shelter--Bandit. Bandit, who happily jumped into my car with a look that said, "Ok, where we goin' now?" and stared out the window the entire ride home with eager interest and curiosity.
Speaking of Bandit, is it me or is there a slight resemblance?
When we got home, Jasmine, still curled up, was hesitant to get out of the car.
But an ever-so-gentle tug at the leash and she came out and followed me to the yard.
I think Jasmine is quick to trust people, but probably didn't have a lot of exposure to other dogs in her previous home. She has so far been a generally subdued dog, very quiet and timid and submissive. With other dogs particularly, she seemed very much on her guard.
I always let Phoebe out to meet the new dog first because Phoebe is an extremely unintimidating dog to other dogs. She reads them very well and reacts appropriately. She can, when called for, be super playful with them or almost groveling in submissiveness. Phoebe came up to Jasmine with her tail wagging like crazy. They sniffed each other's noses for a few seconds, and when Jasmine had no reaction, Phoebe went off to search for squirrels.
Next was Boomer. Boomer generally doesn't care very much about new dogs. He usually shows a few seconds of interest and then he's done. Neither Jasmine or Boomer had any particular reaction to each other.
Then came Bandit. Always interested in other dogs, Bandit is super good-natured but reacts in the same way with every dog. "Let's play!" That Jasmine was reserved and a bit on her guard, Bandit had no recognition and no concept of personal space. I had to start throwing tennis balls to get his focus off her.
And finally, barking in the background the entire time, came Popeye. Interestingly enough, Popeye was the one dog that Jasmine felt relaxed enough with to show an interest.
Of course, that was before Popeye went into Devil Monster mode. Some growling, snapping and baring of teeth later, Jasmine soon learned that Popeye isn't as sweet as first impression might have led her to believe.
For most of the day, Jasmine remained apart from the other dogs. She is, of course, Bandit's new favorite dog.
And he is wearing her reserve down. Here she is inching closer and closer to him on the bed as he plays with his ball.
As far as me & Tyler go, Jasmine is a very people-oriented dog. She is unsure of her surroundings, quick to back away if you approach her in too threatening a manner, but just as quick to follow you and trust. It will be interesting to see how she changes as she gets more comfortable while we have her and then when she goes to stay with Robin this weekend.
BTW, she's definitely used to being on furniture.
Did I mention I think she might be in heat? Fix your dogs, people!
Some of these dogs are saved, either adopted at the last minute or pulled by rescue. But I know many are not. The unlucky ones mostly remain faceless to you and me. It's easier that way. But to dedicated people like Dana and so many others who come into contact with these dogs, they have a face, a name, a personality. And their death isn't just a statistic, it is the death of someone they knew. When comparing the emotional impact, the stress and frustration, sometimes the joy but ultimately the sadness, what I do in fostering is very little compared to what the Danas of the world do.
Our dog, Boomer, came from the Merced Shelter. We were told he had been on the euthanasia list when he was ultimately pulled by Tuffie's Rescue. Our first foster dog (the first one we didn't keep, that is), Bella, also was rescued at the very last minute. She was set to be put down that day. Gigi was another, who went to be fostered by a wonderful woman named Robin in Sacramento. And thanks to Robin, today, there is Jasmine.
Jasmine, aka Jackie Carter, had been at the shelter since November 19. She was one of the ones scheduled to die. But because Robin stepped up, Jasmine will have a second chance.
I went to pick Jasmine up this morning in Pleasanton, from one of the Merced Shelter volunteer transporters, enroute to San Francisco. She was panting in her crate, drooling, obviously overwhelmed. Yet she jumped down and walked very prettily with me. She was nervous about getting into my car, so Lucy, the transporter carried her up. For the entire hour-long ride, she layed down quietly in the middle of the backseat, not even bothering to look out the window. I couldn't help but compare her to the last dog I picked up from a shelter--Bandit. Bandit, who happily jumped into my car with a look that said, "Ok, where we goin' now?" and stared out the window the entire ride home with eager interest and curiosity.
Speaking of Bandit, is it me or is there a slight resemblance?
When we got home, Jasmine, still curled up, was hesitant to get out of the car.
But an ever-so-gentle tug at the leash and she came out and followed me to the yard.
I think Jasmine is quick to trust people, but probably didn't have a lot of exposure to other dogs in her previous home. She has so far been a generally subdued dog, very quiet and timid and submissive. With other dogs particularly, she seemed very much on her guard.
I always let Phoebe out to meet the new dog first because Phoebe is an extremely unintimidating dog to other dogs. She reads them very well and reacts appropriately. She can, when called for, be super playful with them or almost groveling in submissiveness. Phoebe came up to Jasmine with her tail wagging like crazy. They sniffed each other's noses for a few seconds, and when Jasmine had no reaction, Phoebe went off to search for squirrels.
Next was Boomer. Boomer generally doesn't care very much about new dogs. He usually shows a few seconds of interest and then he's done. Neither Jasmine or Boomer had any particular reaction to each other.
Then came Bandit. Always interested in other dogs, Bandit is super good-natured but reacts in the same way with every dog. "Let's play!" That Jasmine was reserved and a bit on her guard, Bandit had no recognition and no concept of personal space. I had to start throwing tennis balls to get his focus off her.
And finally, barking in the background the entire time, came Popeye. Interestingly enough, Popeye was the one dog that Jasmine felt relaxed enough with to show an interest.
Of course, that was before Popeye went into Devil Monster mode. Some growling, snapping and baring of teeth later, Jasmine soon learned that Popeye isn't as sweet as first impression might have led her to believe.
For most of the day, Jasmine remained apart from the other dogs. She is, of course, Bandit's new favorite dog.
And he is wearing her reserve down. Here she is inching closer and closer to him on the bed as he plays with his ball.
As far as me & Tyler go, Jasmine is a very people-oriented dog. She is unsure of her surroundings, quick to back away if you approach her in too threatening a manner, but just as quick to follow you and trust. It will be interesting to see how she changes as she gets more comfortable while we have her and then when she goes to stay with Robin this weekend.
BTW, she's definitely used to being on furniture.
Did I mention I think she might be in heat? Fix your dogs, people!
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