The Handmade Hound

I just had the pleasure of learning about the Handmade Hound. A business started by Brannon Conza. The following is part of an email she sent me:

"I was inspired to start it (her business) because as you may know, greyhounds have nearly no fat below their skin, and so chill quite easily in the cooler weather. A coat is just an absolute must-have. But I figured why overpay for a coat I didn't love when I could happily (and more affordably) sew my own coats for our dog Casey. This blossomed into the idea that I could sew coats for other greyhounds, and even other breeds. As the months went on I decided to add custom & personalized bandanas, as well as all natural handmade dog treats. I also decided to donate 10% of all my net proceeds to the greyhound group I volunteer with (and the one that Casey came from) Greyhound Rescue Rehab of NY. They are a fantastic registered not-for-profit organization who has adopted out roughly 800 dogs in the last 10 year or so - including around 3 dozen over the last several months who were rescues from Guam, where a track closed and dogs were let loose into the jungle. I simply LOVE this organization, and volunteer with them at greyhound meet & greets, but I wanted to do more - so I'm contributing those portions of my proceeds to them."

I can totally identify with Brannon's passion for helping rescue, and admire her efforts. Printz Photography is going to be photographing some of her coats, using our own dogs as "models," so stay tuned for pics! It's so important to support local businesses, I try my best to shop local at all times, I hope you'll consider it too!

"ENOUGH"

This is a cross post for my two friends, Kate Fraser and Beth Connolly. They both work tirelessly at the Pit Bull Rescue org, Animal Farm Foundation. and I have the utmost respect for them, and everything they do for this amazing breed.

Kate wrote:

Subject: A Blog worth reading...

My co-worked and friend Beth Connolly-Horton is not only a lover of animals, and all around good Gal, she is also a talented artist. When we met four years ago, she was working with the horses at the farm and came to work with the dogs "part-time". She had a wonderful little rescued beagle, Bishop, who was a little gray around the muzzle, but had a strong spirit and that unique beagle sense of humor! (He used to honk Beth's car horn if she was late with his lunch!) We used to say that he guarded the pit bulls and when he died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 13, everyone mourned his loss. A couple of months after Bishop left to become an angle, a litter of pups came to AFF and among them Bethy found her next dog, Ziggy Marley. Zig and Beth have an amazing bond and compete (and win) in Rally-O competitions.

It wasn't long after Beth started working with the dogs that she began painting portraits of them. The portrait she did of AFF's Ambassador dog Snoopy was one of her first and it is one of my most cherished possessions. Many portraits have followed, some are of dogs that went on to live happy lives with their adoptive families. Others are of dogs whose journey ended at AFF, but who nonetheless, knew love and caring and compassion perhaps for the first time in their lives.

I believe the people who work with the dogs are also on a journey. Bethy not only found Zig and more recently Kane, she found a passion as an advocate for pit bull dogs that she may not have known if she hadn't made that trip down Puglsey Hill from the stables to the shelter four years ago. I'm sure glad she did. Not only does she capture the dogs through her art, she has also become a great blogger and they are one of her favorite subjects. This is the link to her most recent blog, I think its one of her best so far, please give it a read.

Click here.

All the best to each of you,
Kate

p.s.
Beth has started a new blog, inspired by Holly. It is called Painting4theVoiceless Please visit and become a follower!
* Lisa

July 2nd SURPRISE......

This morning when I went outside to open up the chicken coops and feed the goats, I noticed an Auracana hen was out. This is unusual because we close the chickens up every night, but I have actually noticed her out a few times before this month, and wondered how and why that was. Today, when I looked again, I noticed she had 7 tiny little chicks walking closely by her side!

Chickens go "broody" from time to time, (obsessed with hatching eggs) but we rarely let them hatch them, for fear we'll get too many roosters. Well, Mama Auracana was sure determined to have her way... as she succeeded in secretly laying a bunch of eggs, away from her coop, AND successfully sitting on them for 21 days!

We couldn't leave them outside, as I didn't want to chance having Mama or any of her babies caught by predators, I called Tia, and she and I caught them all. This sure as heck was NOT easy... I grabbed Mama first... and maan, did this chicken FIGHT not to be held! With her held tightly in my left arm, I managed to somehow catch three chicks with my free hand while Tia (like Mama like Daughter?) caught the remaining FOUR chicks. We were determined to catch them all, because if we left any behind, we might never find them in the tall grass of the goat pen.

We decided to put them into our third chicken coop, which has been empty for the last couple of years. We made our way over there holding mama and 7 chicks between the two of us, and plopped the family into safety.

Just inside the door to the right are 4 laying boxes that sit about 36" off the ground. Tia and I were shocked to discover that this was where Mama auracana had made her nest! There were many broken eggs, and sadly, two chicks that didn't make it, too.... Can you just picture the 7 little guys that made it, JUMPING to the ground from up there??? Nature... it NEVER ceases to AMAZE me.

I left out how when I climbed the goat fence to get to the chicks, a rail broke.... so the goats could have escaped... thankfully they didn't.

I also didn't mention how when we first put the chicks down in the coop, 5 of them ran straight to the opposite end of the coop and OUT a tiny, and I mean TINY hole... Tia and I caught them, and then I spent the next 30 minutes moving cinder blocks around to block any potential escape holes....

Mama and babies are now safe and sound in their coop. Lastly, I should share the fact that our Auracana mix rooster Voldemort, that lived with the Auracana hens, died last month. I wonder if there's any chance that Mama Auracana's brave determination was born from a desire to bear his young? We'll never really know, but one thing I do know... I love living on a farm, and have so much respect for all the critters who live with us on it.

Oh, and one more thing. Yesterday was Tia's birthday. I'm SURE some of this group shares a birthday with her. How cool is that?

The First Annual Pet Palooza at Poet's Walk in Rhinebeck!

Jennifer Morris of Pre-furred Pet Sitters organized the first annual Pet Palooza, held last weekend at Poet's Walk in Rhinebeck, NY. Her intention was to both raise money for P.A.N.T., the Partnership for Animals Needing Transition, an animal welfare organization, AND to help gain more exposure for many of the pet-related businesses in the Northern Dutchess area during these difficult economic times. Some of the vendors present were, Melissa Crapser of Healing Paws, Pause Dog Boutique, Sirius Play Dog Training, Positive Paws Dog Training School, Russell Refuge, P.A.N.T., Pre-Furred Pet Sitters, Aussie Pet Mobile, Agway and Scenic Hudson. There was food provided by Spacey Traci, and music by 93.3. It was a huge success -- and I want to congratulate Jennifer for the amazing job she did! It was really a lot of fun for everyone who was in attendance!
(to enlarge images, double click)

Yappy Hour at Pause in Rhinebeck 6.12.09

What a great event! Laura went above and beyond to make her store and sidewalk outside her store a great place for both dogs and their people to hang together! Her new store is in such a great space, it really looks great. Thanks Laura!
(double click on each image to see full size)

Mickey's Mile Pics

I had a great time at Mickey's Mile! I'm still learning about events... but this is one that I would highly recommend and will definitely return to next year! When I first spoke with Camille on the phone, she brought tears to my eyes, and, gave me goosebumps. She lost her soul dog Mickey to a rare form of cancer 5 years ago, and turned her grief around and started this walk to raise funds for Canine Cancer research. The event has grown significantly each year, and everyone I met could not say enough good things about it. There were many vendors, a steel drum band, food, demonstrations, raffles, and of course, the walk with all the dogs. There were all sorts of dogs too... dressed up, au natural, dogs with cancer, humans with cancer, it was really a moving event in many ways and I feel honored to have been invited.
(please double click images to see in full size!)

Beautiful Betty!

Betty is all wags, and would make someone a very nice co-pilot! For more on Betty, visit the Animal Farm Foundation Website