animal rescue

Funny Looking Dog

cats, pets
Kitten Alice. (There’s a fly on the window.)

Fayston, Vermont. What happens when a life-long dog person adopts a kitten? The kitten fetches better than the dogs. Well, except for golden girl Lucy, who is the top fetcher in all the land.

In June, we adopted a tiny grey meowing fuzz ball from Central Valley Humane Society. From the first day, our kitten greeted us whenever we walked in the room. We kept her in a bathroom at first, but now she has the second floor to roam. She is constantly sneaking downstairs, so I am kitten proofing. The dogs wait for admission to my bedroom so they can play together.

Eventually, we settled on the name “Alice” for the kitten but we also call her “Beans” (she has extra toes), and sometimes “Stinky.” I won’t go into detail why on that last one.

I’ve enjoyed having something tiny in the house again, but it is a little work. Not that I mind. I have extra time because of COVID restrictions. Playtime entertains me as much as her. I have become “crafty.” I cut holes in a cardboard box that arrived with my new golf shoes to create the “Expensive Cat Toy.” I saved a larger box to make a cat-stle. I also crocheted a taco cat toy from my ever multiplying yarn stash. It was with the “flying” taco that Alice the kitten learned to fetch.

I’ve made several yarn tacos. The first one went with her to the vet but didn’t make it home. So I made another, only to find the original one in her carrying case after her next trip to the vet 10 days later. They kept the toy and returned it! Our thoughtful vet’s office is Valley Animal Hospital, Dr. Roy Hadden, in Waitsfield, Vermont.

To make your own magic taco, find the free pattern on Ravelry by searching the free patterns for “cat toys.” I also found a few other cat toy patterns I want to try: A doughnut and a small fish are on my list.

While the dogs are enthusiastically trying to be best friends, I am learning to speak cat. Alice follows me around (unless she’s sleeping). Of course a dog person has a FOMO kitty – and another shadow.

Happy International Cat Day!

Front Porch Portrait, Linus, Charlie Brown, and Lucy
Lucy
Charlie Brown
Linus
Parallel ridge lines: Alice carries her taco in front of Mt. Ellen.
Alice emerges from The Expensive Cat Toy

Dogs Just Wanna Have Fun – Holiday Edition

animal rescue, dog training, dogs, holiday events, How-to, photography

Lucy and Charlie have the best seats to watch our changing seasons

Fayston, Vermont. With Halloween a sugar coated memory, the Holiday Season is upon us. Be sure to include your dog(s) in the celebrations because not only are dogs good at cleaning up after dinner, they want to be with you no matter your to-do list.

Thanksgiving probably means a family gathering, so I hope you’ll take a group photo with your dog. Remember to practice “Sit-Stay” before then, and be patient. Short training sessions done post-exercise and with consistency are the keys to success. Once you have everyone gathered, take several shots. Tip: Use the burst mode to take a bunch of shots quickly. You just need one with all eyes open.

Dress Rehearsals

Before you go out for the photo with Santa, you want to both look festive. Many dogs are fine with costumes, but for some like my Charlie, a bandana is about all he will tolerate. Maybe he’ll wear reindog antlers. How did your dog do with Halloween? If he was uncomfortable or nervous, skip the costume.

The crew in their basic bandanas

Bandanas come in just about any color and cost about $2 from the craft store. Or shop Etsy for a holiday-themed one just for dogs. I’ve put reversible bandanas from Simply B Vermont (on Etsy and at The Quirky Pet in Montpelier, Vermont) on my crew as they are handmade near my house and come in a variety of super fun prints. They cost $16 each.

For you, dress in coordinating colors. Solid colors photograph better than patterns, but ugly sweater is your call. One of my favorite finds this year are the holiday animal sweaters for women at Lands’ End. Probably not ugly enough to win an office contest, but they offer one with a Golden Retriever, another with a cute terrier, and one with a Dachshund, as well as a variety of other designs (cat, sheep, cow, plus traditional seasonal motifs). Made from machine washable cotton; $69.95 – 40% off with coupon code NOVEMBER40 as of this writing.

Additional tips before bringing Fido to Santa or out caroling:

  • Basic commands “sit”, “stay”, and “come” are essential for safety and everyone’s enjoyment. Work on these often!
  • Use a leash and harness and whatever reward system you prefer.
  • Make sure your dog is healthy and vaccinations are up to date.
  • Practice! Take your dog to stores that allow pets. Make the outings short at first. Many shops on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont are pet friendly. Some of the big box stores are dog-friendly, too. Call ahead if you’re not sure. Caveat: In preparing this article, I started by searching those pet friendly guide websites, but found some information not accurate or out of date when I confirmed with the businesses. So before you go, call your destination directly to inquire about its pet policy.
  • Exercise your dog before any practice runs and especially before the Santa trip.
  • Bring poop bags. Because, you know…
  • Public outings are not for every dog. If your dog seems anxious while you’re waiting in line, leave. If your dog is nervous or the slightest bit reactive, don’t even try a store outing – have a friend come over to take your photo. And keep working with your dog on socialization.

Charlie looks snuggly in his festive blanket – this is his dressed up look…

The takeaway: Lower your expectations, practice with your dog, and relax. Your dog will respond to your emotions. Your dog’s personality makes the portrait special, not Santa. (Sorry, Santa.)

Santa!!!

Check your local community calendar for holiday events that are dog-friendly. PetCo and PetSmart locations across the country will offer Photos with Santa in December. PetCo in Vermont will host Santa on December 8 and again on December 15. PetSmart in Williston, Vermont expects to host Santa on every December Saturday before Christmas.

After Thanksgiving, call your local store or look online for times and dates.

Benefit Events

Helping a rescue organization by attending their fundraising event is my favorite excuse to have a night out. Check your community calendar or local newspaper for events near you. Here are a few events coming up in Vermont:

Shop Small Sale at Dog Mountain Home of the Stephen Huneck Gallery, St. Johnsbury, Vermont; Saturday, November 24. Ok, not a night out, but a great opportunity to pick up unique gifts. You may bring your dog.

Making Spirits Bright to benefit Passion for Paws; Thursday, December 13; 6:60-9:30 pm; The Automaster, Shelburne, Vermont; $35 in advance. Information and tickets

Ugly Sweater Contest to benefit Golden Huggs Rescue, Wednesday, December 19, Prohibition Pig, Waterbury, Vermont. The food was terrific last year! Details are still forthcoming – I’ll post an update with complete information next month, or check Prohibition Pig’s website in the coming weeks.

Purrrses for Paws to benefit The Humane Society of Chittenden County; February 7, 2019 at the Burlington International Airport. Features a silent auction of new and gently used purses; tickets:$30 Information and tickets

Shameless Plug

I now have an Etsy Shop! Order holiday cards or my “mountain dog pack” cards featuring, you guessed it, Linus, Lucy, and Charlie Brown. I’ll be adding more cards and prints in the coming weeks, so check back often. My Etsy Shop: RSilbernagelPhoto

A bigger selection of my cards is available at Product Think Tank in Waitsfield, Vermont (in the Mad River Green Shopping Center, next to the Post Office). This dog-friendly boutique is home to locally designed Mountain Lifestyle natural fiber sweaters for men and women, with styles and colors for all the adults on your gift list. Please stop in to take a look.

Bonus: Benefit Contest For Dogs And Their People – Enter Today!

Going on now until November 30, the Orange Crush social media contest from Spot The Dog Vermont is a fun way to play outside during stick season. It is hunting season here in Vermont, and Spot The Dog Vermont makes hi-viz orange vests and bandanas for country dogs. We’ve bought the vests for all three of my dogs. Charlie also has a bandana that’s plaid with reflective dots on one side and orange on the other. This event benefits Golden Huggs Rescue, from where we adopted all three of my dogs.

The details (from Spot the Dog):

Spot the Dog was founded to save dogs lives by protecting them during hunting season, on the trail, and at night. Spot the Dog has a DEEP commitment to saving rescue dogs by contributing 10% of every sale we make to Golden Huggs Rescue.

The Spot the Dog orange crush campaign is about having fun and SAVING LIVES! Beginning Saturday Nov 10th (rifle season kick off in VT) Spot the Dog will be posting photos of your “Orange Crushes” – your dog, a rescue dog, any dog that you love decked out in safety orange! At the end of the contest (runs until December 10th) whichever “Orange Crush” received the most cumulative likes (Instagram+Facebook) will receive a LIFETIME supply of new Spot the Dog safety wear and have a $3000 check donated in the winner’s name to Golden Huggs Rescue!

Here’s how you can participate:

1. Take a photo or selfie of you with your “Orange Crush”

2. Tag @spot_the_dogs or email the photo to Sam@SpotTheDogVT.com

3. Wait to see your photo pop up on our page, and in the meantime share and like our Orange Crushes!!

November Image Gallery

Our weather went from fall to winter practically overnight. Most days, Linus has taken up his spot in front of the wood stove while Charlie and Lucy sit in the snow on a hill in our yard, watching. I don’t know what they’re watching, but they seem to know their job.

Running With My Pack: CaniCross 2018

animal rescue, dogs, Healthy Living, pets, photography, vermont

RS_CaniCross18_101918025

Williston, Vermont.  Although the wind gusts persuaded me to not set up my wagmorevt.com photo booth, the rain held off and another CaniCross to benefit Golden Huggs Rescue and Catamount Outdoor Center is now in the books. Dogs of all shapes and sizes came with their people to participate. A local youth cheerleading squad was even on site for encouragement. Special thanks to Long Trail Veterinary Center’s Dr. Ericka Canales for organizing and sponsoring this event.

If you are interested in ordering any prints, please go to my photo website, Rebecca Silbernagel Photo on SmugMug. As I didn’t set up the photo booth, any money I make from the sale of CaniCross prints or products I will donate to Golden Huggs. A 4×6 inch print costs .21¢ and ordering is easy through my site. I’ll leave the sale open for a couple of months. (I don’t usually sell my photos this way.)

We adopted all three of my dogs through Golden Huggs Rescue. I can’t say thank you enough!

 

 

Sheepish photographer goes to the dogs

animal rescue, dogs, photography, vermont

A show of my own

Fayston, Vermont. I am pleased to announce that I will be holding a pop-up photo show at Product Think Tank in Waitsfield, Vermont on Sunday, October 7 from 2-5 pm. “A Sheep Show: Photography by Rebecca Silbernagel” features photo portraits of sheep, along with a few cows, butterflies, and the local landscape. Also debuting will be my awesome line of greeting cards, which include one of each of my dogs. Product Think Tank is located in the Mad River Green Shopping Center, next to the Waitsfield Post Office.

Sometimes, things just happen. Several months ago, a friend of mine opened up a boutique of knitwear she designed. She asked me if I had any photos of sheep she could display with her lovely wool knits. Thanks to one of my readers who invited me to her sheep farm a couple of years ago, I did. But the prints I made were 8 x 10 (smallish), and I only made two if them. Would you like me to take more photos, I asked my friend. That’s when she had the idea for a pop-up sheep show, and I realized that I had a summer project.

If you are in Vermont, I hope you will stop by and say “Hello.” I will have photo prints ready for your frame and a few are ready to hang, plus my collection of greeting cards. See what you think of my portraits as you browse the beautiful knitwear in the shop.

Take your best shot at my Canicross Photo Booth

Have you tried the photo booth portrait shoot from last month’s post? I’d love to see your photos! If you haven’t had a chance to make your own photo booth, I will be at the 8th Annual Canicross Run/Walk in Williston on October 20. The event, organized by Long Trail Veterinary Center, will be at the Catamount Outdoor Center – this is the ONLY day dogs are allowed there. Choose either a 5K or 2.5 K distance, with or without your dogs. The event begins at 9:30 am and I’ll be there until almost noon.  It is a fundraiser to benefit Golden Huggs Rescue (from where I adopted my pack) and the Catamount Outdoor Center. At the Photo Booth, I will be asking for additional small donations to Golden Huggs Rescue. For more information or to register, please click HERE

Photo Gallery

September is my favorite month because the days are usually warm and the leaves begin to turn. It’s still summer, but different: brighter, more flavorful.  Here are a few photos from the last month.

Three’s the Charm

animal rescue, dogs, photography

img_8223 copyright rsilbernagel

Lucy, Linus, and Charlie Brown at home.

Fayston, Vermont.  Wagmore is three! Well, almost. Launched three years ago on National Puppy Day, I started the blog to tell stories about my dogs and about those I meet in my community. Although I don’t have as much time to sniff out stories as I’d like, we’ve had a wonderful time exploring and sharing. I am looking forward to another year of happy tails!

For me, the highlight for this past year was seeing the photos of my readers’ dogs. As has been my custom with my anniversary post, the words are few and the photos are many. Have a look through the gallery of images from the past year.

National Puppy Day is March 23, 2018.  We will be taking a long walk and indulge in an extra cookie (or two) as we continue our training. Perhaps you will add (another) dog to your family. Or donate to your local shelter or rescue organization. (I shop on Amazon Smile to benefit my rescue – it’s easy to sign up.) Consider buying some new dog toys or a comfy bed for your pooch. Or meet a neighbor to take a walk together. Or, take a portrait of your dog… How will you celebrate?

Whatcha got there, Wilson?
Working dog of Nancy’s
Rhodie:)
Nice snap from Nancy
What a sweet face! Another of Nancy’s dogs
from Nancy
From Nancy
From Nancy
From Nancy
Filbert

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acts of Love

animal rescue, dogs, Joy, Valentines Day

Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Linus at sunrise.

Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Linus at sunrise

To my dear pack-mates Lucy, Linus, and Charlie Brown on Valentines Day,

I love:

  • That you are ecstatic when I come home
  • That you are so happy to see me that you like to rub your blondeness against my black pant legs
  • That you use me for a pillow and keep me warm when you snuggle
  • That you use my pillow when I’m not home
  • That you are excited to see me each morning
  • That you are so excited to see me each morning that you begin to chirp at 4:30 a.m.
  • That you are up for any adventure
  • That you think when I have to go to the bathroom is an adventure
  • That you are always by my side
  • That you lie down in obstacle course formation on the kitchen floor when I am cooking
  • That you help with the dishes and vacuuming
  • That occasionally you leave a mess for me to clean
  • That you love me, always

I love my Lucy

I love my Linus

I love my Charlie Brown

Happy Valentines Day!

XOXOXO

 

 

Putting on the dog this holiday season…

animal rescue, dogs, holiday events, Uncategorized

Happy Howlidays! Lucy looks festive in her garland of candy cane lights.

Fayston, Vermont. Whether you dress your dog in a holiday outfit to match yours or you wear the reindog headband because your pooch just won’t, celebrating the holidays is not just for humans. I’ve pulled together a short list of Vermont dog-friendly holiday events plus a couple of special events that benefit dog rescue organizations. (I plan to be at the Ugly Sweater Party at Prohibition Pig to benefit Golden Huggs Rescue. All three of my dogs were adopted through GHR.) Search your area for similar events if you can’t make it to Vermont!

To do with your dog(s):

Snaps with Santa
Saturday, December 10; 11 am – 2 pm
Pet Food Warehouse, 2500 Williston Road, South Burlington
Bring a donation for Claus for Paws.
More info: http://www.pfwvt.com; 802-862-5514

Dog Mountain Holiday Celebration
Saturday, December 16; 10 am – 5 pm (Tree lighting @ 4, bonfire @ 5)
143 Parks Road, Saint Johnsbury, Vermont
Free!
More info: http://www.dogmt.com/Events
1-800-449-2580

8th Annual Dog Parade & Canine Costume Party
Sunday, December 31, 1 pm
Sugarbush Resort, 102 Forest Drive, Warren, Vermont
$10 cash donation to PAWSitive Pantry
More info: http://www.sugarbush.com/events/dog-parade

To benefit dog rescue organizations:

Making Spirits Bright
Thursday, December 14; 6:30 – 9 pm
The Automaster, 3328 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, Vermont
Tickets: $35 per person, http://www.passion4paws.yapsody.com
Silent Auction proceeds benefit Passion 4 Paws

Ugly Sweater Party
Thursday, December 20; 4 – 9 pm
Prohibition Pig Brewery, 2 Elm Street, Waterbury, Vermont
Half price tacos if you wear an ugly sweater and for every house draft beer purchased, ProPig will donate $1 to Golden Huggs Rescue

A final note: As always, be careful of what you feed your dog – all those rich holiday treats might make your dog’s event experience memorable not in a good way. And be careful of what you consume so that you and you loved ones arrive home safely…

Wishing you all the season’s joys and a Happy New Year!

 

Rescue Squad Leader

animal rescue, dogs, Interview, Uncategorized

IMG_0088

Cindy Thrasher, Golden Huggs Rescue (GHR) Foster Extraordinaire, at the GHR Yard Sale, July 22, 2017

Editor’s note: Although I adopted all three of my dogs through Golden Huggs Rescue, Cindy was not the foster for any of them – I had never met Cindy before the interview.  And, while this post has been percolating, National Mutt Day (July 31, 2017) came and went.  This post is dedicated to all those volunteers who work in animal rescue.

Shelburne, Vermont.  With Cindy Thrasher, a volunteer foster “mom” for Golden Huggs Rescue.  Cindy, who lives in Columbia, Kentucky, was recently in Vermont to support the GHR fundraiser held at Collette’s Furniture in Shelburne, and to visit with friends.

How long have you been with GHR?
I’ve been involved with GHR since 2009, but I was with Border Collie Rescue before that. So 11 years total in rescue.

What got you started?
A friend of mine at work had Border Collies, and she was involved with Border Collie rescue. I went to a shelter to assess a Border Collie for her, and I picked it up. Once I started doing it, I really felt it was my calling.  I didn’t know anything about rescue; I didn’t even know it existed. I knew that we had tons of animals in need. Since then, I fostered over 600 dogs and puppies.

What are some of your favorite stories from your rescue work?
Most of the dogs we get are strays, so they come with a lot of stories we don’t know. Sometimes we can tell physically or by behavior what’s happened to them. Some that are special are if they’re a senior and they get adopted, and they get a second chance at life.

Black dogs – since I’ve been with GHR, they’ve been pretty liberal with me about having black dogs on our site, even though they’re not golden retrievers or golden mixes – because of “black dog syndrome”, where big black dogs are the last to get pulled out of shelters and they’re the first to be euthanized. We see many more Labrador Retrievers where I live than Golden Retreivers because they use them for fowl hunting. We have tons and tons of pure-bred Labs and tons and tons of Lab mixes, and they tend not to get out. I try my best to keep at least one black in foster care at all times. They’ve [GHR] been very liberal with me allowing me to do that.

Everybody’s a great dog – eveerydog is perfect – for the right home. That’s why it’s so important for out adoption process, the way it works. Because we’ve had very few of mine that have had to be moved around after, and usually it’s the humans’ fault. Not the dog’s fault. It’s important for them to have their forever life.

Do you have any dogs of your own?
I have three that are permanent fosters that were deemed unplacable for behavioral reasons, and I have two Border Collies, and several mixed breeds at my house.

I keep about 18-25 dogs at a time. I try to move them on. I’ve had fosters for over a year because no one wanted them, but I always tell my board members that the right person comes for the right dog at the right time. I takes awhile sometimes.

I had one last year, she was wicked female alpha aggressive, so she wanted to attack all the females. You can’t place a dog like that everywhere – that’s not a dog park dog, a dog you can walk around the neighborhood. She lives in Massachusetts now. She’s stunning. Brilliantly smart. She’s an only dog in a fenced yard, and they love her.  She’s living a great life.

I commit to each one, whenever their life to be realized, realizes. I’m the only one they have. Many times, they’re moments before the euthanization. I was lucky to go to Maine and visit a couple who have adopted three dogs from me, two I had in foster for over a year. One I got from a shelter I stopped at on my way to somewhere else. It was 4:30 on a Friday. The vet was coming at 5 to euthanize everything there. There were 30 dogs there. I had to look at those dogs and know that they were going down. This one sticks out to me more than any because it so explains the plight of these animals. There were three little puppies in the crate next to her. I was getting the puppies because they were fluffy puppies and I knew we could place them.  She’s a red cattle dog mix, solid red, and she was reaching through the kennel, screaming at me. Like she knew what was going to happen. I’ve never heard anything like it, before or since. She’s never made that noise again. She was literally screaming to me to get her.  I couldn’t leave her. I had to walk away from 20-some others, but I couldn’t leave her. I had her for 13 months in foster. She’s not what people look for from us, but she’s got a great life now. She lives right on the ocean.

Anything else you’d like to add?
I just want to say our culture’s different down there. Human life isn’t valued much, and animal life isn’t valued at all. Animals are considered disposable. While there may be reputable breeders, most of the ones are from back yard breeders. They’re just doing it for the money. They don’t keep their dogs healthy. They adopt out dogs that are not spayed or neutered.  That just becomes more puppies that don’t have homes.

I would encourage anyone up here, if they have any influence at all, to push for Federal legislation for pet protection. KY ranks 50th in the nation for animal cruelty and neglect for 10 years in a row…

It’s a struggle. I encourage people to adopt rescue dogs because they are perfect. They may not be purebreds, but they are pure of heart.

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My Charlie Brown, center, with Golden Huggs Rescue volunteers at their fund raiser yard sale held last month at Collette’s Furniture in Shelburne, Vermont.  Thank you – your work makes a difference in the lives of so many dogs and their people!

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