It’s been a quick three months since my last post and I don’t know where the time goes. Spring has finally sprung here on the Canadian prairies and apparently a young dogs fancy turns to thought of escaping confinement…

Last Sunday we were shocked to have our two force their way through a fence board and disappear! On the very few occasions that one or the other has gotten out they had never strayed more than a block and came when called but last week they were just GONE. I spent almost 6 hours combing our neighbourhood on foot and by car and there was no sign or even sighting of them. It being Sunday the Humane Society was closed except for animal emergencies but I left messages and we anxiously awaited developments.

The next day I spoke with animal control, placed an ad in the paper, notified the police and utility companies so they could broadcast a description  (being white dogs and one a tripawd they are unmistakable) and printed up colour posters for distribution. Elaine came home early and around 4 pm a van from the HS pulled up in front and two very nice AC Officers had brought the wandering rascals home!

They had wound up at the far edge of town at least two miles away and had been sheltered and fed by a kind lady who called them in Monday morning. The officers recognized Sully, having grown to love him in the months he spent at the Shelter being treated and recovering from his amputation and instead of taking them in had brought them directly home to us, saving us the expense of bailing them out. A tripawd perk if you will.

Imagine our relief! In fact, Sully has risen to Rockstar status with the HS here. After our appearance on the Society’s fundraiser telethon of which I only have my wife’s camera work of the show. And just last week I got a call asking if the HS could send over a photographer to take pictures for a feature page in their next Calendar!

My boy’s going to be a calendar model!

Click here to view the embedded video.

And yet, the little buggers still spend a lot of time trying to break out again! I escape-proofed the yard over the weekend and then let them show me where they were probing for weaknesses as you can see.

So the battle continues… This week we clean the yard!

For Sully, though, every day is a new adventure. When I first adopted him I worried about his mobility and how he would fare in our serious Saskatchewan winters. Heh. I needn’t have bothered as Sully has the snow abilities of a jackrabbit!  Both he and Yukon displayed skills as escape artists and led me on merry expeditions of recapture before I discovered and reinforced their breaches around our fenceline. It is truly amazing what a small space determined dogs can fit through…

And the PLAYING! It’s been miraculous and wonderful to watch these two dogs bond, in fact I already cannot imagine what either would be like without the other. I filmed these clips last weekend after we had a severe blizzard… The dogs loved it!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

And that’s outside. The hilarity never stops for these two, except for eating sleeping and cuddling with us humans. Yukon taught Sully Tug o War with and old dog rope toy so they can obviously develop cooperative gameplay…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

And this weekend will be an exciting one for Sully and family… after beginning Family Manners Class in November (and dropping out due to my having a minor injury) we are picking it up again on Sunday! Yay! We can use more Family Manners here…. Then, as it turns out,  the HS does a telethon every year as a fundraiser and they like to feature local success stories of adoptions with a slant toward a before/after view and they invite pets and their adoptive families to appear and be interviewed. So I got a call last week from their main PR person and Sully, Yukon and I will be appearing Sunday evening! I am going to put in plugs for Tripawds and the blogs and make sure the HS and public are well informed about our community and resources…

Until next week, adiós.

And at mealtimes… Sully wolfs down his bowl and watches while Yukon ( a sloppy eater)  finishes up, polishing off any kibbles that fall on the floor, one at a time. And as you can see here, both are amazingly tolerant when Emmacat decides to chow down at their bowls…

Playtime around here runs from about 8 am to 9 pm with a couple of naps and dinner breaking up the day. And play ranges from gentle wrestling to all out mock war with Yukon growling ferociously as he maintains his dominance over the youthful challenger…

Click here to view the embedded video.

When the day comes to a close, the tired twosome need only a minute or two before they literally conk out.

The other day I filmed Yukon doing another singalong to Law & Order… he really does it every time.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I have always had animals as a big part of my life. From ’85-’06 I had a run of Samoyeds, as many as three at a time and just loved the breed.

Sammysmiles!

I love my cat...

In ’06 my last Sam, Sacha died suddenly at age 8 from a thyroidal condition and mysterious complications, leaving me, my wife Elaine and my marvellous American Eskimo bereft.

Our family adjusted, as we all eventually do but always kinda wondered if maybe we should really be a two dog unit. We came close a few times but never had found the right timing or fit.

So, this past Saturday I got up, like any Saturday morning, got my coffee, sat in the living room, opened the paper, Elaine in the kitchen… and right there’s an article about the local Humane Society being overcrowded with dogs and it describes an 11 month old SamoyedXGreat Pyrenees who was turned in as a stray with a badly wounded and infected hind leg which had to be amputated in August to save it’s life. I checked the Society website and he was described as a totally loving dog, in spite of the abuse and suffering he had undergone. I read the info to Elaine, she checked the website and after a phone call, we embarked (heh) to check him out.

Well, they were right. Elaine and I met him in a small chamber and spoke with an attendant about him for half an hour, we had a meet session when we introduced him to our 7 year old American Eskimo, Yukon… after 10 minutes they already showed signs of bonding and before we knew it we were a two dog family. A two dog seven legged family. So far, after three days, he has adapted beautifully. I think Yukon is in love and Sully (our new family member’s name) is so overjoyed to have people who care for him and a forever home that he’s on cloud nine. He and Yukon are already inseparable and have been playing outside for most of the morning and are napping now as I write.

Emma and Sacha

Even our 3 cats seem okay…almost. They were used to big dogs since kittenhood so they should be fine. Yukon grew up with our last Samoyed, Sacha so maybe he remembers having a big brother… I don’t know.

I swear I had NO idea as I awoke last weekend that I would be a proud new pack leader by evening time…
Sometimes the insane impulsive things we do turn out to be our best decisions if we are open to possibilities and opportunities when they appear.

As I begin this journey with my tripawd, I have received great support and advice from our Vet and the HS and now that I have found this wonderful and supportive community I am feeling ready to love and care for my new and special friend, Sully.

We will keep you updated on his story as it unfolds.

Thanks people…

Patrick, Yukon and Sully

When we got home, he explored the main floor of our house and I was glad we have a bungalow because staircases are a challenge for Sully. The cats became scarce but Yukon and Sully began a lengthy play session.

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