|
|
Dear Louisville Weim Rescue,
It's hard to believe we adopted Alli almost 3 months ago. Seems like she has been with us forever. Karen told me yesterday that it was the first day she drove by the vet's building that we had Hanna put down at that she didn't say good morning to her. I still get teary eyed watching the video she made of Hanna, but it's easier every day. Anyway about ALLI! She has got a new nick name, Ally Oops. She really is quite clumsy and comical to watch on the hardwood floors as she hasn't learned that you can only trot on them not try and burn rubber! She's real good about staying in the yard and will only venture next door if there is a dog there. Doesn't really bother the cats on the other side, although I have to tell her to stay in the yard or she probly would go.
We go to Harrison Bay State Park several times a week. Walks are either on trails or grass depending on how wet the ground is. Alli is always off lead, runs in front until I say "that's far enough" and turns and runs back to me. Process repeat for the whole walk. Misty tries to keep up, but her hips hold her back.
She has several toys she plays with regularly, her favorite one is now bee reduced to rags as she has torn the stuffing and squeaker out of it. She also has found that sleeping between us is her favorite spot although she is a HUGE bed hog and definitely not a morning person. She feigns sleep so she doesn't have to get up. It's really cute.
We were blessed to have found your group, her and for your allowing us to provide here with her forever home and while she will never replace Hanna she has captured both our hearts in ways Hanna never did. Thank you for what you do. I would guess the Rainbow Bridge with have untold wonders for you special people.
John & Karen Orcutt
Harrison, TN
Dear Louisville Weim Rescue,
I know Sally told you a little bit about Winston’s progress but I thought I would write you also. As she said he has learned how to swim and that was absolutely hilarious to watch. He was apprehensive at first but since our other two dogs love to swim he would not be outdone. We used a tennis ball-his favorite toy-and threw it into the lake. He watched as our old Golden slowly swam to get it and he was just having a fit. After a couple times of watching this he couldn’t stand it anymore and just jumped in. Of course he wasn’t the most graceful swimmer and made quite a splash with his frantic paddling but he soon realized he could paddle much easier if he just kept his behind up. It’s funny to watch how focused he is getting the tennis ball.
As for daily life he is doing wonderful. We are having some trouble breaking him of the desire to steal “people” food every opportunity he gets. He knows very well he isn’t supposed to but if we aren’t looking he thinks it is fair game. He has rightfully earned the nickname Knucklehead because if he has an idea in his head the world stops spinning around him. Mainly, he is just a nonstop fetcher. That is about all he cares about. What are we going to throw next? We went on a backpacking trip in Pisgah National Forest NC in March and Winston was quite entertaining. My buddy Steve was cracking up watching him because he was constantly bringing us sticks to throw and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why we were passing all the sticks up. He had a whole forest full of sticks and we wouldn’t throw him a one (until we were done walking at least, it’s kind of hard to do with a backpack on). He enjoys walking in the woods with us though. He is an active member in the Red River Gorge Trail Crew and we are going to start working on training him to be “Trash Dog” meaning he will pick up trash that people thrown on the side of the trail. He is obsessed with trash and the idea came from when I pointed to a water bottle someone had thrown down off the trail and he went at got it and brought it back to me. Everyone loved it and we decided that will be his job. His brother, our chocolate lab, carries the trash out in his pack so they are a team.
I have noticed just in the last week that it is taking many less times of calling him or giving him a command and he is listening to us. Now, it rarely takes more than two commands for him to listen which is much better than the 10 times or sometimes not at all. He is definitely a happy dog. And he definitely adds his own personality to the household. He even talks to us which is very humorous. It usually means he needs to go potty but can mean anything from pay attention to me to throw the toy so I can fetch it.
I could go on for days as he is probably the most entertaining dog I have ever seen. As Sally said I hope to have some pictures to send to you soon. I will include some of him swimming and hopefully I can get a few of him helping us maintain trails at Red River Gorge. Thanks so much for bringing Winston to us!!
Sincerely, Kris Etherton
PS - I forgot to mention that Sally and I now have our very own body guard. He is quite the protector. And we have also discovered that he loves animals of all kinds. If he is not threatened he will try to make friends with everything and he even bonded with a neighbors cat the other day.
Dear Louisville Weim Rescue,
Holly is doing great. Love her lots. She had her second eye surgery Wednesday where Dr. Selby scrapped the inside of lids where those growths where going on. She is doing well with that. Everybody in the family who has seen loves her too, we will be taken a trip to Michigan in a couple weeks to see the rest of the family. She gets along great with everyone at the farm, at the dog park, everywhere we go she makes friends. She is Little Miss Social. I get asked about her all the time from people curious about her breed and color. We have even made friends with a couple other blue Weims that go to the park. I have had the back yard fenced in the last month or so and she is getting so she likes it outside more when I'm home. I clean or do yard work she hangs out with me.
She is a great dog.
Thanks, Teri
Dear Louisville Weim Rescue,
In May, we had to put our beloved Weim, Rusty, to sleep. We (especially my 7-year-old) were devastated. Heartsick, I began looking at pictures of homeless Weims on the internet, which led to discussions with Denise who introduced me to Ashley. During Memorial Day weekend, I brought Ashley home with me. Ashley has been an endless source of entertainment in my house. She is extremely sweet tempered and loving. She is also pretty ornery! We are currently in the market for an escape proof crate she has proven that if she can pry a corner open by three inches, she is free!!! In the two months that she has been living with us, we have lost two corners of a coffee table, one wooden step (yes, from our garage staircase), sacrificed countless stuffed animals and rescued innumerable shoes from our yard. Having little boys in our house, I am endlessly opening her mouth to find out what toy gun, missile, star wars figure, etc she has claimed for her own. She is so funny, whenever she finds a new toy, she paces back and forth through the house until we notice that she is carrying something. And when we take it from her, she just gives a look saying, Well, it was just lying there on the floor and I thought no one else wanted to play with it. And our cats are continually being subjected to lick-baths from Ashley! We still laugh the poor cats dont know if Ashley is loving them or tenderizing them!
Our girl has also completely adapted to our invisible fence she is really something to watch when she runs around the yard. I had forgotten just how fast a Weim is when young. Her favorite game with our little boy is this: he runs up to her and yells, Boo! This starts her on a wild tear around the yard, circling trees, under the trampoline. She runs so fast and turns so quickly that tufts of grass fly high into the air. When she has decided that she is ready for another boo, she beelines directly at my little boy at breakneck speed, veering off to his side at the last possible second. It took a few days for us to understand that you must never move when she runs directly at you she will always veer, but if you also move, she will probably slam directly into you!
Ashley was extremely thin when she came to our house. Getting two solid meals a day and plenty of treats has brought her to a healthy, attractive weight. Her coat, on the other hand. Since Ashley was a stray, the rescue theorized that she was kept outside because her coat was thick and dull. Well, Ashley now resembles a painted pony/Dalmatian mix! The ugly thick, light-colored fur is shedding out daily and a beautiful, sleek coat is coming in. She is going to be an absolutely beautiful dog.
Ashley has completely warmed up to me and the kids. She is still a little timid around my husband, but he has been plying her with treats and love, so I think she is beginning to trust him, also. Of course, he does often give her nibbles of forbidden foods, such as steak, hamburger, etc so maybe she has just figured out that this may be the best way to manipulate him!
To the members of the Louisville Weim Rescue: we thank you whole-heartedly for giving us the opportunity to know and love this gentle creature. She is a permanent fixture in our family and we love her dearly.
Thank you, The Bartel family
A letter received in response to our 2006 Weim Party:
Ms. Denise, I've asked "mom" to write for me. Thank you so much for the fun time at the rescue party. It was so nice of you to open your home to all of us... and your heart. I had a great time. I was first in the pond! Met a nice girl - Sophie - what else could a guy ask for? I'm sorry we left early but I was falling asleep on mom's lap! Hope we didn't leave too much of a mess. Love, Riley (and my mom Ruth Ann)