Harper’s Tail

dogs, Healthy Living, humor, pets, vermont, weather

Podium shot: Charlie, Lucy, and Linus on the plow-created snow Mountain next to our driveway

Fayston, Vermont. It has been so cold that the snow left behind by storm Harper complains with squeaks and grumbles under my boots. Just suiting up for a short dog walk down the driveway is an epic adventure. The bundling up and unbundling take as long as the walk.

Linus won’t go outside. He stands on the threshold like an old man caught up in a memory, unsure of the present. I coax him outside with the promise of a cookie.

Charlie rushes out excitedly. But after about a minute, he freezes with one leg in the air as if tagged by an invisible “It.” Slowly, the raised leg lowers and is carefully placed on the ground. A different leg is haltingly held aloft. The deliberate leg exchange is repeated, resembling a dog version of Tai chi.

Lucy runs ahead, clearing the driveway’s giant snow bank in a graceful leap and landing a perfect bellyflop in a pillow of powder. She pops up snow-covered with her goofy golden grin and begs me to throw a snowball. I oblige. Many times.

Satisfied that Linus has relieved himself, we return to the house for cookies, and for me, a cup of hot tea.

Linus says “Nope.”

Charlie doesn’t appear thrilled.

Lucy always manages to find a big stick.

No friends on a powder day.

Charlie in doggles.

Lucy, Queen of Powderhounds

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.

Wagmorevt is two!

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Fayston, Vermont. Thank you for following along with our adventures in the Green Mountains of Vermont. To celebrate our second year of wagmorevt, here’s a video slideshow of some of the best of last year’s photos. Enjoy!

For daily photos, please follow me on Instagram @skimor, or search #wagmorevt.

If you have a comment to share or would like your dog to be featured (if you’re within 50 miles of the Mad River Valley in Vermont, I’ll come to you), please fill out the contact form, below.

Packed House

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Lucy, Linus & Charlie Brown

Fayston, Vermont.

“Mom, don’t you ever want to pet just one dog?”

“No. I just wish I had more hands.”

Brought to you by the letter “S”

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Posed group shot fail

Waterbury, Vermont. On Saturday, April 30, four littermates – some of the “S” puppies (so named because they were originally given names beginning with the letter “S”) reunited for a romp at the Waterbury Reservoir. The dogs Sawyer, Scout, Skye, and Waffles were taken from a kill shelter in Tennessee and adopted out by Golden Huggs Rescue. Sawyer’s family, who came to the reunion from Maine, was so inspired that they make doggie wash soap, which is sold in their store and will be at the Golden Huggs Party for the Pups on May 14.

Saturday was coincidentally “Adopt A Shelter Pet Day.” While the four dogs played, the twelve or so people they brought with them swapped stories. Well done, Golden Huggs, as the reunion was a great example of the community of people you are creating by rescuing and adopting out dogs.

WagmoreVT was grateful to be asked to tag along.

Still a pup

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I think the party’s over there…

Fayston, Vermont. Wagmore is one! To celebrate this first anniversary, here’s a look back at some of the many wonderful dogs and their people who participated. Thank you for your continued support and sharing – and here’s to even more fun in year two!

Mini

Charlie

LeRoy Brown strikes a pose.

Roxy at The Valley Reporter

Stella

Marissa & Arctos (17 weeks)

Hutch

Merriam meets the gang from the next office

Luna and Huck

Jerry on duty

And they’re off! Halloween Canicross, 2015

Dahli

Starting Something

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Rusty, at his forever home in Waitsfield, Vermont

Waitsfield, Vermont. With Brigitte Ritchie, co-founder of Golden Huggs Rescue.

Rusty is from Louisiana. When I adopted him I had just been diagnosed with cancer. Adopting a Golden was on my bucket list. I found him on-line in a Lousiana rescue. They told me that he had been hit by a car – he was a neighborhood doggie – and he had heartworm. The shelter called the rescue to tell them they had two goldens, but when they got there, they were told that there was another one in the back, but he’s a total mess. The gentleman that runs the rescue, well, he took one look at the dog – named Rhett at the time – and he took Rhett in his car straight to the vet. They took his leg off and started to treat him. When I got him, he was only about a year old. He was driven up. No transport company, no rules or regulations. That was about twelve years ago. I was startled with the realization about all those kill shelters: They gas them, about 35 at a time, then put them in trash bags at the curb for the city garbage trucks to pick up.

So that led to me going down there, meeting people, and saying there’s a supply-demand thing. There are people that can help, and Pet Finder, and all that.

Sadie

Sadie’s from Tennessee. I rescued her when she was about five. The people that had her were moving and couldn’t take her. She came all trained. She’s an alpha female. I can’t have any more female dogs with her around.

Bodie

Bodie, the little one, who’s not little at all anymore, came because my son complained that he wanted a puppy for once. I had adopted out a lot of puppies. Bodie was only five weeks. He’s the comedian of the group.

Rusty just keeps going. I just can’t believe it.

We have quite a few dogs in the Valley now. We wanted to start a rescue – there are four of us – where you answer phone calls, help people, and don’t disappear when the dog gets here. We remain a resource. I don’t have a facility so I can’t take owner turn-ins, but I have rescuers locally that will. The groups help each other – it’s a nice community around here.

To learn more about Golden Huggs and view dogs currently available for adoption, please visit the Golden Huggs website.

If you have a story to share, please contact wagmorevt!

The Nice List

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Even if they are occasionally naughty(!), Lucy, Linus & Charlie Brown end up on the nice list anyway. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.

Special thanks to readers Wendell Anderson for the fun shot of Nina and Carol Flaker who sent the great pic of Wilson with Mr. & Mrs. Claus. I know for a fact that Nina and Wilson are also on the Nice List:-)

Merry Christmas!

Happy Gotcha Day!

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Lucy, now 3, at home.

Fayston, Vermont. We celebrate Lucy’s “Gotcha Day” on December 19th. A “Gotcha Day” is more significant to rescue families than a birthday because it’s the day the dog joined it’s forever home. I’ve written stories about how Linus and Charlie Brown came to join our family, but never told Lucy’s story. In honor of her Gotcha Day, here’s Lucy’s tale.

Lucy was a Christmas puppy. I didn’t plan it that way. I didn’t even want a puppy.

Then I saw her picture.

It was the beginning of October when I said goodbye to my sweet Chesapeake Bay Retriever Kona. I wanted another dog – I will always have a dog – and contacted a CBR breeder. Her next litter was about a year away, she informed me. Would I like to be included on The List?

The house was so empty. By November, the emptiness became unbearable when my then high-school-aged son went away on a trip. Kona had lived a good, long life, and was my constant companion. But, her many medical issues were a source of stress for me. I started searching the web for a young, healthy, energetic dog. One that didn’t need to be housebroken and that had too much energy for its owner – one that could hike for miles, then go for a swim, then still wasn’t done playing. On the Golden Huggs website, I saw a young Golden Retriever that seemed perfect. I applied immediately without telling my family.

I quickly received a phone call with the news that the dog I requested was already adopted, but “would you like a puppy?” asked Golden Huggs’ Brigitte Ritchie. I had never met Brigitte, and I was surprised by the question. I replied without hesitation “no, not really,” as I explained Kona. Brigitte didn’t exactly take no for an answer. She described a litter that would soon be up for adoption but told me that she wouldn’t show me a picture yet. That wouldn’t be fair, she explained. Think about it, she advised.

It wasn’t long before my family figured out what I was up to, and, over the phone, I asked my son (who was miles away in Colorado) what kind of dog he wanted, theoretically. He requested “fluffy.” I passed that information on to Brigitte.

Then I saw that first photo.

Lucy on her Gotcha Day, December 19, 2012

We had the winter’s first real snowfall on the day before we brought Lucy home. During the 45 minute trip from her foster family, ten-week-old Lucy cried and cried. Then, as soon as we let her out of the car, she happily bounded in the snow for a very long time. Exhausted – finally – she fell asleep in my son’s arms.

Want to share your tale on wagmorevt? Contact me!

Dogs ran over the Cat

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And they’re off! Spirited Canicross, 2015

October 31, 2015, Williston, Vermont. I feel fortunate to have made many new friends at the Canicross! This benefit event was held on a cold but wind-free morning at Catamount Outdoor and Recreation Center. I had cortisone injections the day before, otherwise I would have much rather joined in the fun. Thank you all for participating!