I cannot start today without a special note to all the Dogsters out there.

Losing Logan was obviously devastating to us, he was such a special boy.  I posted the tribute because I was so overcome with sadness I needed to get the words out, I never expected the overwhelming response I received.  Horst and I cannot thank you all enough for the wonderful and heartfelt comments that were left. The poems, stories, and words of sympathy are appreciated more than I could possibly express. Dogsters truly are the best, you guys are amazing.

Anyone who has loved and lost a dog knows the heartache, the devastating feeling of loss. Logan only started having issues a few weeks earlier, we had been running every conceivable test but nothing was coming back conclusive, until that final day.  From start to finish, two weeks, never even saw it coming.  The hardest part, as I’ve expressed, is losing a dog who had finally overcome so much and had learned to enjoy life.

Over the weekend we had our ups and downs, but ultimately we have decided to move forward. After all, without sorrow there can be no joy. We are looking at a 5-year-old Berner girl who is in exactly the same place as Logan was when we got him, scared of everyone and everything.  This time going forward we know what we’re getting into, what it will take to try and save her.  It won’t be easy but we think this is the best way of honoring Logan.

So, the journey begins again.

Logan lived at a puppy mill for 4 years, he was the stud dog. He had no name, was kept caged, used and abused.

Eventually when the owner of the puppy mill thought he no longer fit the bill as a stud dog he was put up for auction. Yes, auction, so possibly another breeder could come along to buy him and continue his life of abuse. Or,  if he wasn’t bought he probably would have been put down.

This is where a wonderful organization called the Bernese Auction Rescue Coalition comes in. They bought him, got him medical attention, and put him in a wonderful foster home until he got adopted. On June 6, 2008  Horst and I went to pick up our new family member.  When I saw him I had tears in my eyes, he was so beautiful, and so scared.

We celebrated our 1 year anniversary in June, I left a message on his page because it truly was a celebration. Logan had overcome so much in a year, he was a different dog.

When we first got Logan, I’m not going to lie, it was hard. He barely moved, spent most of his days in our 1/2 bath where he was comfortable. We never pushed him, always let him do things on his own time schedule. Every day we spent quiet time laying with him and petting him. We started taking him for walks everyday and that was when we got our first glimpse at the dog who was waiting to come out.

We made progress, and had setbacks, working with Logan was like nothing we had ever dealt with. We’ve always had rescues but Logan was in a whole different category. I remember after a few months had passed wondering if we were just going to be Logan’s caregivers, which was  fine, or we would eventually breakthrough and show him life could be good and people could be trusted.

I don’t have an exact date or incident to mark the change but it happened. I do remember the first time he wagged his tail it touched my heart in a way I didn’t think possible. Every breakthrough brought us such joy.

As we were saying goodbye to Logan yesterday we knew our tears were for us, we would miss him but he would be fine. In the short time he was with us he went to the park everyday, up to the lake on weekends, had a vacation in Asheville at dog friendly B&B, came to Wilmington with us and saw the ocean, played with his siblings, and was constantly fawned over. He packed a lot of living into a year and a half.

On our drive home from the vet, without him, we didn’t think we could ever go through this again. We knew the risks of  adopting an older dog going in and we knew Berners are susceptible to cancer, yet we thought our dog would live to twelve. What happened wasn’t a total surprise but the pain that came with it was.

Yet this morning, although I’m still crying as I type, something happened. We brought such joy to Logan and him to us, isn’t it out of selfishness to not do it again? It doesn’t seem fair to not give what we gave Logan to another dog in need. So somehow Horst and I found ourselves looking at the BARC board this morning to see if maybe, just maybe, there’s another Berner that needs us as bad as we need him.

Rest in peace my dear sweet Logan, you will be missed every day you are not with us.

He’s a gigantic Great Dane who at the age of 4 has grown be 42″ tall and weighs in at 245 lbs. Owner Dave Nasser came forward after hearing about Boomer, not wanting to miss out on his chance of getting in the record book.

Here are the details from INFORUM.

Realtor Dave Nasser, his owner – well, maybe “sidekick” is a better description – runs his fingers through George’s turflike fur and talks not about the duo’s big plans to etch their names into the Guinness Book of World Records, but of George’s docile nature.

A Guinness World Records spokesman said no dog is currently confirmed as the world’s tallest. The latest edition, “Guinness World Records 2010,” published Sept. 17, lists the tallest dog as Gibson, owned by Sandy Hall of Grass Valley, Calif. The Harlequin Great Dane was measured at 42.2 inches tall on Aug. 31, 2004, but Gibson died Aug. 7.

Good luck to both Boomer and George.  I’m just glad I’m not one who has to scoop their poop, especially because according to George’s owner his poop can weigh up to four pounds. He weighed it?

* Pic courtesy Greg Bryan / Arizona Daily Star

** The link to Inforum only works if you sign up.

Wow, Boomer is huge, and may be the world’s tallest dog.  The landseer newfoundland stands three feet tall and seven feet long from nose to tail. His owner is trying to get into the book of Guinness World Records.

According to the Metro.co.uk his owner Caryn Weber, of Caselton in North Dakota, has told how her pet has become a bit of celebrity since news of his attempt to make the record books has spread.

*Pics courtesy Metro.co.uk

Fasco, a military police dog, is taking the plunge with his handler Sgt. Chris Lalonde and a trained skydiver. According to the Metro.co.uk the hound plummeted 3,800m (12,500ft) during the descent, reaching speeds of 193kph (120mph). Sgt. Lalonde said Fasco enjoys every minute.

This was the pup’s second jump, his handler claims he enjoys it, although if you’re attached to someone about to jump out of a plane I don’t see as you have much choice but to go with them.

*Photo courtesy Metro.co.uk

]]> http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/10/09/taking-the-plunge/feed/ 2 http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/10/08/dalmatians-musical-stars-shelter-dogs/ http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/10/08/dalmatians-musical-stars-shelter-dogs/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:47:10 +0000 Horst Hoefinger http://dogblog.dogster.com/?p=23192

This is the perfect story to go along with American Humane’s Adopt-A-Dog Month.  There is a new ‘101 Dalmatians’ musical starring shelter dogs, rescued from various shelters and rescue groups.

Animal trainer Joel Slaven didn’t have an easy time finding the dogs because shelters didn’t want a replay of what happened 13 years ago. After the original live action movie in 1996 and the sequel in 2000 dalmatians became the ‘it’ dog. Everyone had to have one, unfortunately many who adopted knew nothing about the needs of this particular breed. The other unwanted outcome was overbreeding at puppy mills due to the high demand, causing additional health problems in a dog that is already known to have issues.

This time Slaven was determined to do things different, to use the dogs’ celebrity to teach people about them. To let potential adopters know that when you adopt a dog you aren’t just adopting a cute fuzzy face. You are adopting a family member who is going to require training, love, and patience. Along with the medical expenses that come with dog ownership.

Here are the details from the Associated Press.

Now that they are on the road, the dogs have two rehearsals, playtime in the afternoon, grooming sessions and, of course, media appearances.

Rascal, along with the 14 other dogs, will need to find permanent owners after the tour, which is slated to run through at least June. However, Slaven, who already has two yellow Labrador retrievers, has committed to bringing back to his ranch any dogs who don’t find a home.

Until then, “home” is the bus. Kennels line one side (with living quarters in the rear for two full-time trainers), with a pet-care area for bathing and grooming. An awning pops up alongside the vehicle for shade and there are attachable pens for outside time.

Thanks to Slaven it looks like these dogs will all have good homes. Let’s just hope this time around people who watch the musical and fall in love with those adorable faces on stage will know adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment filled with responsibility, and it doesn’t end when it is no longer convenient for you.

* Photos courtesy AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack