Monday, November 1, 2010








(from October 24) Whew - what a difference a week makes!

Just a few short days ago, I was hanging out right where I'd ALWAYS hung out.  In the dirt, with nothing to do, and surrounded by lots of dogs.  So, out of nowhere, these people appear with these really sharp things they stick me with to make me bleed and then they have like hoses hanging out of their ears and they listen to me breathe and stuff!  What the heck was that all about anyway?  My heart was racing.  It was especially confusing because I could barely see them, and I don't hear well either, so I couldn't really figure out what they were saying.   I was sort of glad when they left because they were a little bit scary, but they left me with food, so I figured they couldn't be all that bad.  And besides, it's nice to have visitors, and I was my usual charming self.  I always want everyone to like me.

And then.......they came back.  I was treated for fleas (whatever they are) and got stuffed into a horse trailer - can you imagine - and driven to a whole other state.  Talk about confusing.  I'd never been anywhere but my run, ever, in my whole life, and now I was driving along an interstate with some other dogs.  Finally, we got out at a weird looking place in Maryland.  They said it was a vet clinic and that it was a good place to go to get better, but I have to say I'm not real sure about that.  They stabbed me a few more times with those sharp things and then they WASHED me.  It was horrible.  We were just astonished.  Who ever heard of such a thing - washing a dog?    Then, we got walked, and fed (that was cool!), and spent the night there.  It was pretty scary, but I had some familiar faces around me - not that I could really see them, but I knew we all drove up together smelling the same, and now there we were, all in the same building and all smelling the same again, only different!  I figured it was going to be OK.

That was before they got me up early the next morning and drove me to ANOTHER state in one car, and then we stopped and got out and then got into a different car, and then I went to somebody's HOUSE.  By the time I got there, alone, I was just about dead from fright, and I collapsed into bed.  Hey - wait - what IS all this stuff in here?  Comforters and pillows and fuzzy blankets.   I dug myself a nest, pulled the blankets over my head and snored for 10 hours straight.  I was thinking maybe it was heaven......

But no, morning came again and I was back in the car.  This was getting ridiculous! 

Next stop, in yet another state (I'm beginning to sound like a world traveler, no?) was a different clinic.  That's where I met my personal physician, Dr. Becca!  Who ever knew that there was such a thing?  My own personal doctor!!!  Well, maybe a little TOO personal, since the first thing she did was to, ahem, remove those valuable, manly parts of mine.   All things considered, though, it was worth the sacrifice because at the same time she fixed my eyelids so that my eyelashes aren't scraping over my eyeballs any more.  She can't make my sight come back, but she said she could at least "stop the progression" and clear up the infection, and now at least I'm comfortable.  For the first time in my whole life, my eyes don't hurt.  It was like having a scrub brush dipped in acid dragged over my eyes, every second of every day.  I'm so grateful for the help that I stand like a statue while my caretakers put drops and ointment in every day, twice a day.  I feel SOOOOOOO much better, and I can even see a little bit.  I didn't realize it, but my eyes had such a bad infection that they were crusted shut with green goop.  I must have really looked terrible - it's so embarrassing.  I just want to be everybody's friend, and they probably thought I was some sort of monster or something. 

And then, yup - you guessed it - back in the car for one more trip, this time to my foster home.  I got to go inside another house - boy was that ever exciting!  It's warm and dry and clean in here, and I have a bed again too!  I was never in a house before, so I really don't know much about behaving inside, but somehow I think peeing on everything might be inappropriate, so I don't - even though us manly guys are supposed to do that.  It's part of the Stud Dog Code (every time I say that, my foster mom cringes.....) and, after all, I am THE stud dog.  I've had lots of kids.  Sure have.  And every one of them has eyelashes just like mine, though the lucky ones have already been to the vet now, just like me, and they've had them fixed too!  I'm so happy for them.  They got my eyes, but they also got my endearing personality, so I guess they're going to find new homes really fast too.  Imagine that - new homes - maybe for ALL of us, even me!  I can hardly contain my excitement. 

I've been here for three whole days now.  I was afraid to eat the first few days but I'm feeling better about things now and I'm eating up a storm - I get four meals a day, and all the cheese cubes I want!    I have a night light so I don't get scared, and I have lots and lots of blankets.  My foster mom said a few more dry nights (I haven't had a single accident yet - not one) and I will get a big thick mattress to go under my blankets and comforters.  I just LOVE snuggling in.   I have all the fresh water I want at this house, too.  The first day or so, I drank every drop every time I saw the water bowl, but now I understand that it's always there, and always clean and cool, so now I only drink when I'm thirsty. 

Every day i feel better.  My stomach is full, I have a comfortable, clean place to sleep, all the water I want, and my eyes feel better every day  I have a nice routine and my own field, and I know that I go through the door and walk down the driveway to get to my big grassy field.  Then when it's time to come in, I do all of that in reverse.  Always the same, so that I don't get worried, because I don't see or hear well.

The only bad part is that big nasty dog who lives in the door.  I saw him my first night here when I was going out.  My foster mom said his name is The Reflection.  I think that's a stupid name for a dog, and I hate him, so I bark and growl at him every time I see him.  I had some mean dogs take advantage of me where I used to live, so now I growl first and ask questions later.  My foster mom said one day soon I'll forget all about my past bad experiences, and also about that horrible dog named Reflection, but I'm not so sure.  After all, what if he wanted to take a chunk out of me?  Or steal my food?  But, just to please her, I try to ignore him when I go through, but I'm not always successful.

Because I've been such a model citizen, keeping my room clean, and eating all my food and taking all my medicine like a good boy, today I got another bath!  This time, I knew what it was, and I enjoyed it so much that I plopped down in the shower and let her scrub me all over with a soft rubber brush.  I have almost no hair on half my body, and horrible sore skin everywhere, plus my bones are sticking through, so she had to be really careful.  She used some sort of special shampoo for "follicular cleansing" - I thought maybe it had something to do with an exorcism, but I guess it was just about getting clean and de-stinked.  Then I had a second round of soap suds (lavender this time - yum!) and then cherry scented conditioner!   I wish I could see myself.  I bet I look so handsome.

My foster parents have decided to call me Mr. Magoo.   They thought I needed a new name to go with my new situation.  Even though I can only see things a few inches in front of me, and don't hear very well, I sure do have fun!  I've started playing a little bit with them, and I LOVE to sit and snuggle.  I can't get close enough, and I use my "little" hands to pull them closer so I can give them kisses.  They tell me all the time that I am THE BEST and that I deserve to have a wonderful life with somebody who will love me in spite of my disabilities.  I hope so.  I really, really, really want to be somebody's only dog so that I can spend my whole day making them happy and snuggling with them and staying close. I don't want to share my people or my stuff with any other dogs because I've never had anything to call my own until now, and I think I deserve to be the star of the show.  My foster parents say that's true and that I am the very best foster dog they've ever had.  I'm clean, and I'm quiet, and I do everything exactly as I should, even if I'm scared or don't quite understand.  I try so very hard to do the right thing. 

While I wait for my family to come along, I plan to work on my housebreaking skills and gain some weight and (I hope) grow some new hair.   At least I don't have to worry abut freezing outside all winter like I've done in the past.  I'm inside now, with climate control(!) and I even have an assortment of sweaters and coats for when I'm outside, and they promised me a down parka for the winter!  I can't wait!!!!  Don't feel bad when you see my pictures - I really am that skinny, but I won't be for long.  We're all working hard at resolving that here at The Fat Farm.

Please check back for more updates on my adventures.  I know for sure that I'll be having some, now that I am in the loving hands of ABA Rescue.

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