Peas in a Pod

My pup must have a thing for beagles. Just like with Holly, Relay bonded with Elmer immediately. The two of them play together, sleep together, eat together. They chase, they tug, they pounce, they growl. Those two hounds are just so cute together, I'm getting nervous.

I have heard a little rumor that Elmer has a family interested in him. Of course I am not surprised, he is a treasure; and I will be so happy to see him with his forever family. But I am a little worried that these boys bonded a little too well.  

After Holly left, Relay went into a funk. He wasn't interested in most anything for days and he sulked so much that we took a short vacation to bring his mind off things. Maybe the vacation also helped Jeff and I as we loved Holly just as much. 

And we love Elmer. Jeff loves how Elmer cuddles with him every chance he gets, Relays loves having a best friend, and I love just seeing that playful sweetness that brings out the kid in both my boys. 

While we wait for Elmer's happily ever after, we'll continue to make a few more memories of our own.  

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Quick Tip: 'Kitchen Sink' Homemade Dog Food

This is a DIY that is entirely customizable, just the way I like it. 

It is a personal pet peeve of mine to throw out food. I also like to cook, enjoy attempting more homemade projects, and am trying to feed my pup better. Putting that all together, here is the outcome.

Yummy? Well not to me, but the cool thing is that if I wanted to eat this, I could. Every so often I spend one morning making Relay a big batch of "Kitchen Sink" wet food that I split into smaller containers, freeze, and feed to him in addition to his normal diet. It really is a big pile of whatever I have extra or lying around that can be safely fed to dogs. (Here is a great list of safe foods, and foods to avoid). Today's version happened to be the following:

The remains of our latest batch of Homemade Stock Cubes, some extra cooked chicken breast, the remainder of a bag of broccoli slaw, assorted frozen veggies that suffered freezer burn (peas, carrots, kale, green beans), some specialty cheese that we didn't enjoy, parsley, a scoop of dried cranberries, a big spoonful of pumpkin, some cooked brown rice, and two scoops of all natural Nupro Dog Supplement (if in case I'm missing any nutrients.)

This is a great little trick that I use to clear out the fridge and freezer without feeling wasteful. I get the peace of mind knowing that the pups get a little food I know won't get recalled, it is insanely cheaper than store bought canned food, and I would hope a little healthier to boot. **Please note, I am NOT a dog nutritionalist, you should consult your vet before making any changes to your pets' diets.** This is just one of the many ways I feed my dog. I enjoy making Relay food and treats, and each time I make him this wet food it always comes out differently. Last version of this was really cheesy, included fish and some scrambled eggs.

How did the boys like it? I let them have a taste test before I packed it up. Relay prefers his frozen (he really likes to crunch his food), but Elmer, our current foster was gulping it down with gusto. I will add this to my win column.

This is participating in the Tasty Tuesday blog hop.

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This is all it takes

I was trying to clean the front room where the dogs spend most of their time, so out they went, with a big bowl of water for about 20 minutes or so. I whistled for everyone to come in and Elmer, our foster did not.

I went into the yard. No Elmer. Just like that, I lost the dog.

During a construction job on our back porch yesterday, a board on the 6ft privacy fence came loose. That little gap was all that it took.

I immediately got into the street and started to call out and whistle, rang a neighbor's bell  to ask for help, called the  rescue to let them know little man had up to a 20 minute lead. I happen to have the best neighbors as one was headed to  his car to drive left, the other to the right. But, it was the third neighbor, trending to his garden who called out before the rescue fleet hit the streets to say he'd seen him sniffing around just three houses over.

I walked down and sure enough, little Elmer came out to greet me. I called the rescue, thanked the neighbors, and went home.

That board has since been nailed back in place.

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Fostering: Sometimes you just feel like a Rock Star!

First, I wanted to start this post with an incredible video made by Emily, a volunteer at K9 Justice League (who is quickly becoming one of my favorite people.) This video sums up beautifully what rescue really means and I love that our foster, Elmer has little cameos throughout. Now back to my blog post :-)
One very cool and unintended consequence of all my fostering adventures is the huge boost to my self esteem. Seriously, I feel like a rock star. Having served in the military, I can tell you that it's that same sense of pride and accomplishment, the idea that you belong to something greater, that you are doing good.
There are times when I go to the dog park and people stop and ask if we're that fostering family. Some people recognize Relay from his Facebook page and stop us to say hello and thank us for what we are doing. When we meet up with other volunteers or hit up adoption events Relay gets a hero's welcome and we feel a great sense of camaraderie and friendship that comes so freely I am always humbled. 
This sense of community continues in the blogging world and throughout the vast array of social media. One of my posts got a shout out on the No Dog About It Blog post: Finding the Right Rescue and I immediately called up Jeff to tell him that I felt like the coolest person in the world. Every time we get a shout out on twitter, every like on FB, makes me feel like the world is cheering us on.
But you know what the greatest thing is? That validation that can only come from within. When a good dog just gives you a look that he is content, you know in your heart that where he came from may not have been great, but he is on his way to a happily ever after; and you are helping him there. When an adoptive family like Miss Ruby's send you email updates and photos and are so greatful that you helped make their family complete, I just feel so... 
Well, some of you know just how that feels. And I want to be able to share that feeling with everyone. Get involved in small or big ways; every bit counts. When you do, I promise you, you're going to feel great.

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Foster Brotherly Love

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