http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/rss.html description http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/65.html                                                          We'd like to take a moment and wish you a very happy, healthy, bright and loving, dog-worthy New Year! This season Shasta Cove Dogs has been the recipient of many very generous gifts. We are humbled and warmed, delighted and surprised. Most of these gifts have been anonymous. We are all, two and four-footed alike, full of gratitude. From our hearts to yours, Thank You. ♥ And in further celebration of the New Year, we'd like you to meet Joy!                                          Joy is a young Golden Retriever. She came to us from a very loving family who struggled with their love for her and their desire for her to live the unconstrained dog life they knew she deserved. As dog-magic would have it, Joy's family and I met serendipitously.....and as her story unfolded we knew we had the perfect place for her. Before she moved in, Joy spent a day with each dog, individually, and brought...well, Joy! to every interaction. Even Sally was smitten! When she came to stay, the transistion from Joy-less to Joy-full was seamless. She runs and plays and chases her kong all day, smiles up at us endlessly, dances across the living room on her hind legs in anticipation of dinner, and when the day is done, she sleeps soundly and well, curled up on the couch between Tuxedo and Henry.   Who knew there could be more Joy?! Happy New Year, indeed! http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/19.html  I've been thinking how dogs have that perfect kissing space right between their eyes and down there noses a bit - the bridge of their nose? - it just fits my lips and receives them so well. Plus you can give ear scratches at the same time. Very clever whoever built these pups! In these last few months, as illness has caused her to loose weight, Abbey's kissing spot - the perfectly upside down V between her eyes - has become more defined and more kissable. As has she. (Scroll down for Abbey and the Monks.)     http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/63.html (....a perfect 4th of July, in the company of dogs)        It is such a successful day when i wear (most of) them out! It happens so rarely (usually it's the other way around) that I notice when it does.... I was thinking while we were out today, in our various summer day endeavors - a long walk, frisbee time, water play, digging, and more - how wonderful it is that they can all just be, however they like.....they need be nothing more than who they are. Isn't that all any of us is looking for?  A place to be. http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/62.html in celebration of my Dad's birthday, (the highest of higH and holy holidays, as Dad would say), i'd like to share this story of dogmagic with you. Clyde and Bob: A Small (& true) Story  Clyde (the dog) and Bob (the man) lived across the street from one and other. When Bob came outside to garden, Clyde would cross the street to visit him.Over the years, Bob and Clyde shared treats and affection, kind words and time. They became close friends. Clyde often knew when Bob would be coming out to garden and would be waiting for him.Bob knew that Clyde would be joining him and always had a pocketful of treats. When Bob died, Clyde missed him.In his loving family, Clyde's dog days were full of love and affection, kindnesses, treats, and dog adventures.But Clyde never forgot Bob or the times they shared.Every now and then, Clyde would cross the street and wait awhile in Bob's yard. One 4th of July, a few years after Bob had passed away,Clyde and his family were outside in their backyard,when a fire cracker went off down the street.Startled and frightened, Clyde ran off.As darkness fell, his family drove all over town for hours, anxiously looking for him.On their way home they decided to drive through the cemetary. And, there they found Clyde, lying on Bob's grave. • • • • • • • • http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/61.html Between the storm we had last month and the storms of last week,I think we may have enough snow to make a winter.......The view from the dog door 3/29/11 Emma is light enough to skitter across the top of the snow,while Henry sinks right in, and being Henry, stays awhile. Nothing stops Jasper's pursuit of his frisbee......nor Tux's excavations..... nor Sally's desire to fly. Emma & Henry.........coming and going. http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/59.html (These last two months Tux, the excavator, has had a flare up of arthritis in his right front shoulder - one of his main digging legs!- he has been "grounded" - no digging, daily anti-inflamatories, massage, short leash walks, and warm rest - Emma has helped us take care of him - she hung out with him inside while the rest of the pack was outside; if he slipped out alone she let us know we weren't doing our job by following him, barking; and when we all did go out she was his shadow.  This last week he has been doing much better and has been able to go out on his own.....and dig (just a little.) When I looked at the pictures from this snowy day, I saw a small story unfold.....         Can't you just hear her saying "Where'd everyone go? it's deep out here!"                 Then, seeing Tux  across the meadow, digging, she throws caution to the wind and jumps right in......             "Tux, your shoulder! Let me dig!!" "What shall we do next, Tux?" • • • • • • • • • • • •Sally and Jasper spent the afternoon playing wildy in two feet of new powder, finding something new in every single moment, as only dogs can.I don't think they ever stopped moving.They are so happy, these wild dogs of Shasta Cove,their joy is contagious......deeply. http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/58.html .......but no less Heartfelt New Years Greeting..... Where has January gone?!? (actually November and December, too?!) 2011 is still quite young, tho and we did not want to miss wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous, and Playful New Year! We hope that 2011 is filled with many dog-worthy moments for all of us, 2 and 4 footed alike! • • • • • • • (That is Sally in the back seat, Henry and Emma in the front. As for the rest of our pack - Hank actively dislikes the camera, as soon as he heard it click on off he went, in search of snow, (which I am so happy to report, he found;-); Jasper doesn't like riding in cars or trucks, and at almost 100 pounds, unless it is an emergency or a vet visit, he pretty much gets his way! ; and Tux who has not been feeling well all month, is sound asleep behind Sally on the backseat.) • • • (Mt. Shasta, January 25th, 2011) • • • • • • • And, on another note: Be sure and check out this new website - http://shasta-organics.com/ you will be so glad you did! • • • http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/54.html Life being change, we have been in the thick of it these last few months.With Abbey and Cody's deaths the dynamics of the pack have changed, are changing.   Much to our surprise, Sally & Emma, who both often vied with Abbey for the alpha position, to no avail, have been working out a sharing of it - mostly thanks to Sally's ability to behave democratically. Emma still wants things HER WAY but she is now fine being the only one doing them that way.With Abbey gone Sally seems to think the lead position is not that important any more, playing is way more fun! We often see her step around Emma's antics and continue to do exactly as she pleases. Neither Sally nor Emma possess the character of an alpha dog - Sally being far too random in her reactions, and Emma being a true Princess - they do not consistently have the leadership qualities that Abbey possessed. And it seems they know this. Now. It was Abbey who taught them this,of course, and tho they didn't really let on while she was alive, they got it.   When Cody was alive all of the other dogs wanted to sleep on his bed - and often would when he was not on it. They each have their own bed, so that was not it.....I always felt it was that  because it was Cody's bed, it was special. For the week after he died, not one of the dogs would lie on it - each and all would gather around it, sleep up next to it, touching, but never on. After a week or so of this they went back to their own beds and, no matter how much we've coaxed or where we've moved Cody's bed, not one of the pups has slept on it. It seems it is Cody's bed now more than ever.   Soon after Abbey died all but two of the dogs moved into our room at night - when Cody died these two hold outs moved in, too. These moves were made on their own - they can pretty much sleep wherever they are comfortable, and each has had a night sleeping spot of their own choosing for years, no changes. Until now. I don't understand it, but I do feel the comfort of all of us together. Fortunately they are all quiet, good sleepers. Until first light.   There are more changes that we notice -Hank is more watchful, more careful, Tux more loving, Sally happier;We are, as always, a work in progress. (Left to right) Tux Sally Jasper Henry Emma Hank   http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/57.html Quiet, reflective, playful (with the emphasis firmly & equally on both parts: play and full) golden dog days. Each to his or her own, and all together. As the light fades, shadows grow long, and  it is time to catch our breath.... and take our (well deserved) rest. I feel so fortunate to not only live this doglife, but to completely recognize the wonder of it. http://www.shastacovedogs.com/about-us/dog-days/post/56.html Unlike last year, when we had a bumper crop of fruit - apples, peaches, pears, and plums - we had no good fruit on our trees this year (probably due to frosty nights right through June) - EXCEPT one beautiful, perfect pear that we were watching with focussed anticipation as it ripened. Apparently so was Henry: He sniffed it, and plucked it, then threw it in the air; chased it,retrieved it, and gnawed it; then carried it around all afternoon.He never exactly ate it, but he got such delight out of it that we were as delighted as if we'd had a taste.Almost.