Cubbie is a little mooch. I wouldn’t say he “begs” for food, but if you have food, he makes sure to stay close by. I really think he learned this as a puppy thanks to our old family dog Huckleberry and my dad.

When Cubbie was about six months old we moved back in with my parents for a few months. I’d previously been living in Ottumwa, and then I got the job at KWWL. My last day at KTVO was a Friday, and I started at KWWL the following Monday. Since I didn’t have a lot of time to look for places to live (and since it’s even harder to find a decent rental place with a dog), we stayed with my parents in Oelwein for several months.

Huckleberry & Cubbie

During those few months Cubbie became extremely close with our family dog, Huck. I give Huck a lot of credit for helping to officially potty train Cubbie. Cubs did everything Huck did, so whenever Huck went outside, Cubbie followed and did exactly what Huck did! Huck taught Cubbie to lick dishes in the dishwasher, and he also taught Cubbie to stay close to my dad because my dad is notorious for leaving a trail of crumbs everywhere he goes.

My dad loved to snack, and he would snack while sitting in his reclining chair in the living room. Huck learned when my dad stood up, crumbs would fall all over the floor. (Sorry Dad, but you have to admit you’re always covered in crumbs). Thanks to Huck, Cubbie learned pretty quick who to keep his eye on.

Grampy & Cubbie

Now, whenever I have food Cubbie sits by my feet, patiently waiting for me to drop something. He doesn’t want to miss an opportunity.

I love candy. My favorite part of holidays is the candy! Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter…. I stock up on candy. Today, I was eating these chocolate covered eggs and I accidentally dropped one on the floor. Now, I would never give one of these to Cubbie anyway because it’s chocolate, but luckily it rolled under the refrigerator.

I decided to forget about it. Obviously, I’m not going to be lifting up the fridge. Well, Cubbie acted as if it was the end of the world to know there was food on the floor he couldn’t get to!

He sat in front of the fridge whining at the piece of candy. If I said, “No.” He stopped whining and then just sat staring. It was as if he was saying, “Mom, why aren’t you getting that food? You can’t just leave it there!” Eventually, I gave him a dog treat hoping it would distract him. It did, for awhile. Then he went back to sitting in front of the fridge. Then, I tried to “fake” getting the candy out from under the fridge. He’s stopped sitting in front of the fridge, but when he walks past he does a short of double take. I think he can still smell it. Goodness knows what else is under the fridge!

Posted under Cubbie stories

DockDogs is Coming to the UNI-Dome!

Medina, OH – February 23, 2010 – DockDogs welcomes you to join us for some fun in the water from March 12-14, 2010.

During this 3-day event DockDogs will be wowing fans with our three very unique disciplines. The discipline that started off the sport is Big Air and is basically a long jump for dogs. Extreme Vertical is the crowd favorite, and rightly so, because it is a high-jump for dogs. Finally there is Speed Retrieve, it is the latest addition to DockDogs. This sport is all about timing; and requires the dog to take a short run down the dock to retrieve a toy suspended at the end of the pool.

This particular DockDogs competition is unique in that it is also a DockDogs Zone Qualifier. There are only nine Zone Qualifiers a year, allowing teams an opportunity to earn an invitation to the prestigious 2010 DockDogs World Championships in July. There is one invitation, given to thewinning team, in each of the three disciplines and one invitation to the overall Iron Dog team for the event.

Pre-registration for this event has already begun, and is highly recommended! Visit www.dockdogs.com
and click on the Eastern Iowa Sportshow link.

Posted under Pet Events

I got this email….

———————

In 2003, police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. The dog had been locked in the shed and abandoned. It was dirty and malnourished, and had quite clearly been abused.

In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a female greyhound to the Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, which is run by a man named Geoff Grewcock, and known as a haven for animals abandoned, orphaned, or otherwise in need.

Geoff and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims; to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved. They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.

Jasmine, however, had other ideas. No one quite remembers how it came about but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It would not matter if it were a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, any other lost or hurting animal. Jasmine would just peer into the box or cage and, when
and where possible, deliver a welcoming lick.

Geoff relates one of the early incidents. “We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line. One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross. They were tiny when they arrived at the centre, and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee. Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them.”

“But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits. She takes all the stress out of them, and it helps them to not only feel close to her, but to settle into their new surroundings. She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs, and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose.”

Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary’s resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born. The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, fifteen chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray
puppies and fifteen rabbits – and one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, eleven weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster-mum role. Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection, and makes sure nothing is matted.

“They are inseparable,” says Geoff. “Bramble walks between her legs, and they keep kissing each other. They walk together round the sanctuary. It’s a real treat to see them.”

Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life. When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely. She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse.

And, just in case you wondered, Snopes.com has verified the truth of this wonderful story and the reality of these photographs.

Posted under In the News

Residents in Washington County are asked to help out the Washington Paws and More Animal Shelter by donating $1 or more through your monthly water bill.

Paws and More is an adoption guarantee shelter that takes in approximately 600 animals a year. The shelter is a non-profit, and needs your help to keep helping animals.

The shelter is located at 1004 1/2 West Madison Street in Washington. The phone number is 319-653-6713. You can also email shedesigns@iowatelecom.net.

If you live in Washington County and want to contribute to the shelter through your water bill, you can contact the shelter or your local city hall. All you need to do is fill out a short form agreeing to have a certain amount added to your water bill each month.

Posted under Uncategorized

I came home from work today to find Cubbie had thrown up on the comforter on my bed. Gross.

So, obviously I needed to wash the blanket (which is a down comforter) and the blanket cover. From what I understand, it’s best to dry a down comforter with either a tennis shoe or a tennis ball.

Cubbie has several tennis balls, so I went searching through his toy basket for one. The whole time he was eyeing me wondering what I was doing. He watched as I grabbed the tennis ball, and he hoped I was going to throw it for him. When he saw me walk away with it, he followed.

I took the tennis ball downstairs and put it in the dryer with the comforter. Cubbie rarely goes in the basement, but he definitely followed me down there today. He watched a I put the tennis ball in there, and then he looked at me as if to say, “Hey! What do you think you’re doing with MY ball?”

I started the dryer and came back upstairs. Cubbie didn’t. He just sat there and barked at the dryer. Sorry, Cubs. You can have it back when the blanket is dry!

Posted under Cubbie stories

Most dogs love treats, but Cubbie really loves treats. He doesn’t get very many, I try to restrict it to one a day (I don’t think my dad follows that rule when he’s at my parent’s).

When you say, “Cubbie, want a treat?” He comes running at full speed.

Tonight, I let him in from outside and gave him half a piece of a treat. He ran off to eat it, and I kept the cupboard door open so I could get out some stuff to wash the dishes. I keep the treats under the sink.

I went to my mini storage closet in the hallway to get a wash cloth, and when I came back into the kitchen all I saw was a little rear-end. Cubbie was under the sink digging around for more treats! I called him out from under the sink, but he didn’t come out empty handed. In his mouth was a bag of treats! I think he managed to get one out. That little sneak.

I’m imagining what was going through his head. I figure he ate the treat I gave him, and then he came back in the kitchen to get a drink of water (which is what he usually does). This time when he came into the kitchen, the cupboard door under the sink was open, and he thought “Thanks for leaving the door open Mom! Yes, I would like another treat. I’ll just get it myself!”

After getting him out, I shut the door and he ran to his dog bed. He always looks so innocent.

Posted under Cubbie stories

The Third Annual Cubbie Tails Fundraiser for the Cedar Bend Humane Society in Waterloo is tentatively set for Sunday, June 20, 2010.

Once again, I am teaming up with the Waterloo Bucks so you can bring your dog to a baseball game at Riverfront Stadium.

Like last year, people with dogs will need to sit in a special section of the bleachers.

Obviously, you don’t need to pre-register, you can just show up at the game. BUT… if do pre-purchase a ticket before game day… you will receive a free gift while supplies last.

More details to come!

Posted under Uncategorized

What’s dubbed as the “Puppy Mill Bill” is set to be discussed and voted on in the Iowa House Wednesday.

Today (Tuesday), I did a story with a group of sixth graders at Blessed Sacrament School in Waterloo writing letters to legislators in support of the Puppy Mill Bill.

The class was asked to pick a community issue to help “solve” and the students chose animal abuse. Already the students have been working with the Cedar Bend Humane Society and Black Hawk County Animal Control.

Tuesday, the students heard from Mary LaHay with Iowa Voters for Companion Animals.

LaHay says Iowa ranks third in the U.S. for the number of puppy mills. She says there are more than 400 puppy mills or USDA licensed breeders in the state of Iowa, which currently house more than 20,000 dogs. Right now, the breeders are only inspected by the USDA. In the proposed bill, one inspector with the Iowa Department of Agriculture would inspect USDA licensed breeders once a complaint is received.

To pay for the state inspector, breeder’s feed would go up from $20 a year to $175. LaHay says fees haven’t gone up since 1988.

The bill has been proposed for several years. It’s passed the Iowa Senate, but not the Iowa House.

Iowa Voters for Companion Animals is encouraging people to contact their legislators. On the Iowa VCA website you can learn more information and read stories about animals rescued from puppy mills. As you can probably assume, they are sad and horrible.

You can watch my story on the news at 6 p.m. and on the KWWL website.

Posted under In the News

I saw something similar to this on NBC Nightly News awhile back, not sure if it’s the same cat…

A cat named Oscar seems to be able to signal staff when a patient at a Rhode Island nursing facility is in his/her final hours.

Oscar was rescued from a shelter at five months old. He’s now five years old.

Apparently, Oscar typically sleeps under the nurses station, but if he goes into a patient’s room, it seems to signal that person is near death.

How does he do this? To read the full Zoo Too article, click here.

Posted under In the News

There are many advantages to owning a pet. I personally love that special greeting I get every time I come home. Cubbie makes me laugh, and he also makes me feel better when I’m sad. I’ve also heard owning a dog can add seven years to your life!

But sometimes people forget to tell you about the injuries suffered by pet owners (or maybe it’s just me).

Cubbie has given me a couple fat lips. Once we were playing tug of war with a toy. I got the toy away from him and he jumped to try to grab it back and he accidentally jumped into my lip with his head.

I’ve also injured my foot several times by stepping on his bones in the dark.

Now, I have a puffy eye. This injury isn’t necessarily Cubbie’s fault, but he played a role. This morning he woke up around 5 a.m. to go outside. Normally, I shut my bedroom door at night. I guess last night it stuck on the carpet or I just forgot to shut it because as I was getting up to leave the bedroom, I smacked my right eye and my right knee square on the half-opened door.

I’m just going to say it hurt very, very badly. I put ice on it for a little bit, but then I fell back asleep until about 7:45 a.m. When I woke up, my eye was red and swollen and it actually hurt to open my eye. I iced it some more, and I think the swelling did go down.

It’s red, and I’m sure a bruise will develop during the next couple days. The bad news, I’ve had a headache most of the day. The good news, my hair does a good job covering it up!

Posted under Cubbie stories