Thangs & Stuff & Stuff & Thangs & Stuff… {0}
Dogs
May 4, 2013
Apr 27, 2013
Feb 26, 2013
Feb 8, 2013
Moosonee Puppy Rescue – This Saturday (again) {0}
The last adoption day at Unleashed was a huge success in that 10 out of 15 pups found new homes – hopefully this time there’ll be a 100% adoption rate because a lot of these pups were just pulled from a situation where they faced a “dog-shoot” in Attawapiskat to control the population.
Unleashed in the City is partnering once again with Moosonee Puppy Rescue to support and promote adoptions of northern Ontario puppies.
This Saturday, February 9th 2013, we will be hosting a Puppy Adoption and Silent Auction event at our Unleashed Centre at 45 Ossington Ave.
All proceeds will go directly to Moosonee Puppy Rescue to assist in all their expenses including vet fees, transportation, dog food, toys, etc.
Jan 23, 2013
Test Results Are In: You ARE The Father! {2}
Not that it matters at all, but Walter is a handsome and distinctive looking dog and people always ask what breed he is, and although we knew he was largely (or possibly completely) a Siberian Husky, there aren’t very many all black ones so we figured there had to be something else in there – Lab? Border Collie? German Shepherd? Wolf?
See, we got him after some friends were fostering him but when we got him he came with some vet records. In trying to call the vet he’d seen to try to get a little more info on him, I accidentally called his original parents who didn’t know “what” he was either but were able to give me a screenshot of the Kijiji ad he came from which billed him as a Black Siberian Husky.
Because I’m awesome at the internet, although the ad was down, I was able to cross-reference the phone number in the ad with a backyard breeder in Woodbridge and photos of, if not his litter-mates, another litter born around the same time and a picture of what is likely his mom.
Our curiosity ebbed and flowed over the last year but one night last week I got drunk and curious and ordered a DNA test from DNAmydog.com which is based in Toronto and donates a portion of proceeds to Canine Rescue – over $63,000 and counting. I’ve heard and read of varying results from this type of DNA testing but it wasn’t prohibitively expensive so we went for it!
They sent over a sample kit which consisted basically of two cotton swabs and an envelope so we took some cheek swabs, sent it back in and awaited the results which came in today!
Looks like the little guy is anywhere from 37-74% Siberian Husky, 10-20% Collie, and 10-20% Airedale Terrier. What we can surmise from this is that one of his parents was likely a Siberian Husky and the other was likely a Siberian Husky mix of sorts. The test results say that in the 10-20% categorie, the breed characteristics are “usually carried over from previous generations of your dog’s ancestry”. What a world.
One thing is for sure; no matter what his genetic make-up, he’s 100% #1 Good Boy and my best friend in the world…
…even when he destroys our couch, pillows, a macbook power cord, a jacket, a vest, and most recently an HBC throw. Still love the little fucker.
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The following comment posted by Matt was too good to not bring up to the forefront:
Right now there’s a German Shepard somewhere doing this:
Jan 3, 2013
Walter & The #1 Good Boys {0}
This winter Walter got set up with a fancy pants Filson Reversible Dog Coat to match his bowl & collar – he’s very brand loyal. He doesn’t reeeeeeally need a coat, the Husky in him makes him love the winter, but we figured in the rain and on the very worst days it couldn’t hurt to have it.
Pretty much everyone we know that has a dog has this coat so we figured, rather than letting all the other dogs make fun of ours for all having the same coat, we could patch them all out and make them bad-ass gang jackets so if you’re at Bellwoods and you see The #1 Good Boys walking down the hill snapping in matching patch-jackets, you best get to steppin’!
Rescue Patch from Found My Animal, Shield Patch from Doublenaut.
Jan 2, 2013
Dec 13, 2012
Moosonee Puppy Rescue – This Saturday {1}
I am a huge proponent of getting a rescue dog over going and paying huge amounts of money at a breeder while beautiful, loving, pups are spending their days in cages wondering if they’ll ever have another home. In general, I really think it’s great to pull a dog from the pound but a lot of people would prefer a puppy, and I get that, so here’s your chance!
The good people that come in from day to day and bring the #1 Good Boy out to Cherry Beach while we’re at work are Unleashed In The City and this Saturday they’re having an adoption day in conjuntion with the Moosonee Puppy Rescue and they’ll have 15 beautiful little pups up for adoption.
Despite being a ton of work; adopting Walter has been one of the most rewarding endeavors I’ve ever undertaken and I seriously recommend it for any one who has the type of lifestyle that would accomodate a little buddy and has some love to give – it’s really all they need.
Nov 21, 2012
True Love {0}
It’s 6pm on Friday, and I’m writing to a few thousand friends I have not met yet. I am writing to ask them to change our plans and meet a little while later.
Here’s the thing.
I have a dog Janet, and she’s been ill for almost two years now, as a tumor has been idling in her chest, growing ever so slowly. She’s almost 14 years old now. I got her when she was 4 months old. I was 21 then, an adult officially – and she was my child.
She is a pitbull, and was found in Echo Park, with a rope around her neck, and bites all over her ears and face.
She was the one the dogfighters use to puff up the confidence of the contenders.
She’s almost 14 and I’ve never seen her start a fight, or bite, or even growl, so I can understand why they chose her for that awful role. She’s a pacifist.
Janet has been the most consistent relationship of my adult life, and that is just a fact.
We’ve lived in numerous houses, and jumped a few make shift families, but it’s always really been the two of us.
She slept in bed with me, her head on the pillow, and she accepted my hysterical, tearful face into her chest, with her paws around me, every time I was heartbroken, or spirit-broken, or just lost, and as years went by, she let me take the role of her child, as I fell asleep, with her chin resting above my head.
She was under the piano when I wrote songs, barked any time I tried to record anything, and she was in the studio with me all the time we recorded the last album.
The last time I came back from tour, she was spry as ever, and she’s used to me being gone for a few weeks every 6 or 7 years.
She has Addison’s Disease, which makes it dangerous for her to travel since she needs regular injections of Cortisol, because she reacts to stress and to excitement without the physiological tools which keep most of us from literally panicking to death.
Despite all of this, she’s effortlessly joyful and playful, and only stopped acting like a puppy about 3 years ago. She’s my best friend and my mother and my daughter, my benefactor, and she’s the one who taught me what love is.
I can’t come to South America. Not now. When I got back from the last leg of the US tour, there was a big, big difference.
She doesn’t even want to go for walks anymore. I know that she’s not sad about aging or dying. Animals have a survival instinct, but a sense of mortality and vanity, they do not. That’s why they are so much more present than people. But I know that she is coming close to point where she will stop being a dog, and instead, be part of everything. She’ll be in the wind, and in the soil, and the snow, and in me, wherever I go.
I just can’t leave her now, please understand. If I go away again, I’m afraid she’ll die and I won’t have the honor of singing her to sleep, of escorting her out. Sometimes it takes me 20 minutes to pick which socks to wear to bed.
But this decision is instant. These are the choices we make, which define us. I will not be the woman who puts her career ahead of love and friendship. I am the woman who stays home and bakes Tilapia for my dearest, oldest friend. And helps her be comfortable, and comforted, and safe, and important. Many of us these days, we dread the death of a loved one. It is the ugly truth of Life, that keeps us feeling terrified and alone.
I wish we could also appreciate the time that lies right beside the end of time. I know that I will feel the most overwhelming knowledge of her, and of her life and of my love for her, in the last moments. I need to do my damnedest to be there for that. Because it will be the most beautiful, the most intense, the most enriching experience of life I’ve ever known. When she dies.
So I am staying home, and I am listening to her snore and wheeze, and reveling in the swampiest, most awful breath that ever emanated from an angel. And I am asking for your blessing.
I’ll be seeing you.
Love, Fiona
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If that didn’t get the old waterworks going, this old gem will do the trick.
Via TurtleBites. Thanks for sharing Yvonne!
Oct 27, 2012
#1 Good Boy Shithead {2}
Thanks Jamie!
Oct 25, 2012
Sep 14, 2012
RIP King Lou {0}
Lou Magoo has been a part of my extended family for a very long time and it was with great sadness that I learned of his passing yesterday morning.
My deepest condolences to Chris and Danielle. Hopefully there is some solace in knowing that Lou had the best life he could have and gave back all the love he was given tenfold.
He will be sorely, sorely missed by everyone that had the pleasure of spending time with him…
…and smelling his farts.
Sep 12, 2012
Pet Fooled {0}
My good buddy Yan’s brother has been working for some time on a documentary, entitled Pet Fooled, focusing on some of the shadier sides of the pet food industry and is currently raising funds
to help finish the project.
About Pet Fooled
Pet Fooled is a documentary exploring the underbelly of the pet food industry. As a business that appears to be largely unregulated and controlled by a conglomerate of companies, this film will take an inside look at whether the nutrition we feed our pets is actually good for them. After the dramatic 2007 pet food recall that left thousands of pets dead- a news event that most likely didnt make your headline news- a time has come when this industry needs investigated; held accountable for the injustice that is packaged and sold on a daily basis. The film will examine the history of the pet food industry, highlighting the way these 5 corporations own and manufacture over 90% of commercial pet food. In doing so, the film will unearth the marketing manipulation which convinces society of information situated far from the truth. With 7 out of 10 individuals owning or having owned pets, this documentary will unveil the myths on a topic that touches close to heart, and hopefully in doing it will educate society of the misnomers regarding safety, regulation, and nutritional legitimacy of this industry.
Click here to donate if you’ve got a couple bucks to share.
Aug 16, 2012
#1 Good Boy X The Pearl. Sick Collabo! {2}
#1 Good Boy – #1 in the park and #1 in my heart. Seeing as I wear my heart on my sleeve, I figured it made sense to give lil Walty his rightful place, front and center.
Daniel Innes at the wonderful Pearl Harbor Gift Shop met the mandate perfectly; match his likeness without being too photorealistic and make it illustrative (mostly so that it’ll fit with the rest of the stuff I have & will have on my arm) without it being cartoonish.
I’ll post better pictures once it’s healed (ok, probably not) but here it is. We’ll likely go back in and darken some stuff up later if need be but it’s better to start light and darken later than go too dark and not be able to pull back. Totes obvi.
Sorry momma.
Jul 10, 2012
Jun 29, 2012
Happy Birthday – #1 Good Boy! {1}
One of the earliest pictures I was able to get from his original family.
The day he came home to us.
Now – just hanging out with the big boys, learning how to build motorcycles.
My little man is growing up so fast! It’s been a pretty wild 8 months since Walter came into our lives and for all the sacrifices we’ve had to make; time, money, damaged property, (etc., etc.,) I wouldn’t have it any other way – he’s enriched my life in ways that I can’t even begin to explain and caring for him has offered me the type of perspective that only being a care-giver can provide.
I know that everyone thinks that I’m a little bit obsessed with this dog and the truth is that I am, I don’t care. I don’t see the point of bringing a new member into your family if you’re not going to give them the best life you can possibly give them.
I’m not sure it’s something that you can understand if you don’t have a pet yourself but the love that they have for you, if you’re good to them (and unfortunately often even if you’re not) is so strong and I think they deserve nothing but the deepest love and respect in return.
Thanks to all our friends, families, co-workers, vets @ ronces, staff @ unleashed, for always helping us out with him and making sure our little man has the greatest of days, every day.
