Update on Djuma

Djuma (see the post from Feb. 9th entitled "Dogs in need...) found his forever home up North with a nice lady named Faith.

We applaud all those who take dogs in need into their hearts and homes. Remember that the Breed Rescue groups help people and dogs get together. It's a great way to get to know a breed of dogs -- that's how my Mom found her way to loving Ridgebacks. So, whether Ridgebacks are your choice or you are a fan of another breed, don't forget the Rescues and the dogs that are looking for a forever home --- maybe with you.

And you can help either through adoption or by helping a dog in transition by becoming a foster home for a dog. Just do the right thing - somewhere there's a dog waiting for your help.

Henry at the BARRC Fun Day

Well, they didn't get any good pictures of me at the BARRC Fun Day in Redwood City, but this is my little brother, Henry. He's not so little any more. He and Mom sure look good together.

Henry uses his Dad to rest his chin

Sometimes a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do. Henry got caught resting his chin on his Dad's back. He loves to lean on people. Here it's Dad's back. Sometimes it's Mom's legs or feet. He's a cuddler, but then, aren't we all if we are given the chance?

Henry and the flash

When Mom took this picture, I heard Henry say, "Mom, not the flash, not again."

Pearl as a glamour dog

This is my sister relaxing on the bed. I think she wants to be a glamour dog. Well, she is kinda cute and sleepy in this picture.

I love my Dad!

Dad and I always share quality time when he gets home. He's one of my favorite humans.

The Elusive Henry

Wow, was Mom frustrated with Henry this week?! She went all over the backyard trying to get a good picture of him. What resulted are some of the attached pictures. He is a hammy little boy who simply won't hold still. He is not yet majestic, like me (ok, so I am not humble, but I have lots of other endearing qualities).

Dogs in need are friends just waiting for a simple deed - Rescue!!!

My Mom tells me that Max, Perla and Zeke were all "rescues", but I didn't know what that meant until she showed me a picture of a dog named Djuma (he's the dog in the picture). Dogs like Djuma often end up their lives without the people who originally loved them and made them part of their family when they were puppies. This is often no fault of their own - they didn't do anything bad.... except maybe get old, bark too much, or just cease to be fun to take care of in the eyes of their human family.

Mom tells me that dogs like Djuma have a harder time finding homes because they are old, but she also says that older dogs and most rescues have lots of advantages like:

• They have been checked by a vet, have their shots and are either spayed or neutered.


• Their behavior has been tested by people who know dogs and know whether these dogs can be with kids or cats or whatever.


• They are so appreciative (unlike those of us who don't know anything but love from puppyhood on...)

So, think about a Rescue. There are rescue organizations for every breed out there http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm. It's a great way to get into a breed that you think you want to have in your life. Mom says that is how she found Max and her way into the lives of dogs like me and Henry. Whatever you do, love the dog you choose for life. They deserve no less than that since that is the way we dogs love our humans.

P.S. you can find Djuma on http://www.ridgebackrescue.org along with a bunch of other Ridgebacks in need.

Pearl speaks up

Pearl runs the show. She chases me and Henry biting and barking all the way.... ok, to be fair, we get on her nerves. But that white fluffy tail. Who could reisist biting it, pulling it and chasing it when she walks by. In this picture, she is barking in Mom's face as she takes the picture.

Tiger studying up on his kind

This is Tiger - he is Oscar's son. He is a rare cream point siamese. He appears to be trying to read a book on the coffee table that is on cats, or maybe he just likes the photo which looks a lot like him.

Henry in front of the fire

This is my brother hogging the heat from the fireplace. He just stands there soaking it all up. Sheesh!

Bench time at the show

This is all of us Regulus dogs again ... this time we are all tied to the bench. Mom says it's because it's a Bench Show. Most shows we just show up, run around the ring, some old judge person checks us out (and I mean thoroughly) and then we go home. At a bench show, we sit and sit and then we sit some more. Lots of people come by. Some of them are little. I particularly liked one little blonde girl who tried to sit on the bench with me. When she tried to lay down with me, I thought I was going to get to keep her so I kept licking her and threw my paws around her, but Mom made her get up, and I had to let go. Dang - she tasted so good, too. Anyway, there were lots of people. I met some people who sat down in wheelchairs and Mom let me get off the bench so they could pet me, too. I liked just about everyone I met. Some people said I was beautiful. I liked the treats the most though. (I am the one on the brown cushion.)

My gang at the Golden Gate Show

This is a bunch of us Regulus dogs - those are dogs bred by Cynthia Kelly - at the Golden Gate Kennel Club Show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. I am the one on the left. My sister, Brio, is behind me. Vida, Jabu and Georgie are to the right of us. Those people are our human family - from left to right, they are Steve, Cynthia, Carol and Bill.

By the way, I don't know why it's called a Cow Palace - I didn't see any Cows...although I thought I smelled them in the pens out back where we went to play.

Ok, so we like cats... what about it?!

Ok, do we have to surrender our status as Ridgebacks, chaser of Lions? This is the two of us asleep on the couch (where else would a Ridgeback sleep?) with our cat, Oscar. You heard me right - Oscar is our cat. We play with him, hang out with him, and sleep with him. He likes to rub against us. We think that is a little weird, but we put up with it 'cuz he's our friend.

Perla and Henry in the backyard in the Sun

This is my sister, Perla (also called Pearl) and my brother Henry. Pearl is an American Eskimo Dog. She is 10 years old and will be 11 in June. She actually rules over me and Henry even though we are bigger. She is quite fierce and has taught us quite a lot about using manners with girl-dogs.

Zeke -- another friend gone

Zeke crossed the Rainbow Bridge on December 23, 2006. He was half Border Collie and half Greyhound and came from the San Francisco SPCA. He was born October 14, 1997. He had a great life -- he was playful as a puppy and devoted to his family. In his later years, he was the guardian of the house stationing himself on the stairwell so he could see both the front and the back entries to the house. He barked like an alarm going off when a stranger approached. Zeke and Mom also learned to do agility when Zeke was 6 or 7 years old.

Once, he kept Mom from being attacked in the city of San Francisco when a person of bad intent was approaching her car with a crow bar by jumping up out of the back seat and barking furiously. The man backed off - Mom was scared, but VERY proud of her boy.

Zeke developed hypo-thyroid condition in his last few months of life. I am not sure what that means, but Mom gave him pills to make him eat. He did great for four months. He was even checked by the vet and given a clean bill of health 7 days before he passed away. Then right before that big holiday with all the lights and packages, Zekie quietly went upstairs, laid down, went to sleep and didn't wake up. Mom and Steve were really sad. Pearl - our little white dog friend -- was sad too. They had grown up together. We know that Zekie and Max are in heaven now together. One more angel to look over us all.

Max in his service dog jacket

My friend and mentor, Max, died September 23, 2006. He died at home after having a big lump that my Mom and the Vet said was lymphoma.

This picture of him showed him a couple of years ago when Mom took Max to Pleasanton to go with her to a dog show. There he got to visit with the people the Mom got him from, the Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue of Northern California. He was really happy that day. So were Mom and Elizabeth Akers of the rescue -- she took this picture.