Category Archives: Annie

Do you believe in coincidences?

August 6, 2019 maisiethenewfieandcompany 6 Comments

We’ve all had those moments. Something reminds you of a friend you haven’t seen or talked to in a while and the next day they call you for no other purpose but to catch up.

I had one of those moments today and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Yesterday I was missing Annie. It’s been a little over a year since we said goodbye and I still have days in which the ache in my gut is ever present. I don’t know why some days I think of her more than others, but yesterday was one of those days.

I opened up my Annie photo file and impulsively posted a video of her on Instagram. She was happily running on the beach with several other dogs.

For most people watching that, they would see a typical dog having fun but for Annie it was so much more. She was so fearful of new places, new people and new situations. She was very nervous the first time we took her to the beach but it became one her favorite places. A safe place with safe people.

Most of the time, she would stay glued to my side. We would walk up and down the beach along the water’s edge while Maisie ran and played with the other dogs. Annie running with the pack was a big deal and I’m so happy to have that video.

I went to bed thinking about her and when I woke up this morning I had a Facebook message from the woman who fostered her for almost a year before we adopted her. She sent me a video of Annie rubbing up against her daughter, wagging her tail and loving the moment.

I figured she had seen my Instagram and was adding another video to my collection. When I asked, she said no, it had come up in her Facebook memories.

Weird.

Very weird.

To that I can only think, I miss you Annie and I’m glad you are doing well.

Annie, dogs

Puppy Mill Awareness Day

September 15, 2018 maisiethenewfieandcompany 10 Comments

Today is Puppy Mill Awareness Day and I must shine the light onto Annie.

We adopted her when she was 9 1/2. She had been in foster care for a year after being rescued along with 43 other senior and sick Newfoundlands from a puppy mill that had been in business for decades.

I had a feeling she would need some extra loving when we brought her home. We had adopted rescue dogs before, but I had never been exposed to such a deeply traumatized dog.

The first few weeks were difficult, really difficult.

The best way to describe her would be completely shut down. Her eyes were vacant as they darted side to side, nervously watching everyone around her. She trotted around in circles, not coming directly toward me if I called her. She didn’t like narrow spaces, going through doorways, stairs or getting into the car. She would put on the brakes and become dead weight until she was ready to do something.

She was terrified of men, especially young men and anyone in a baseball cap.

She didn’t like going outside by herself, especially at night. I would walk beside her in circles around the yard to try to get her to go potty. In the beginning, she preferred a spot in the house where no one could see her. She found that easier than having to go through the door and venturing outside. I learned to watch for certain subtle signals and I would walk with her to the door so that we could go out.

She would sneak out of her crate and watch me from afar, but if I caught her eye, she would run back to her crate and hide. The only time I could call her out of her crate was feeding time, when I would set her bowl down in the kitchen.

I spent a lot of time sitting on the floor a few feet from her crate. I would quietly read or work on my laptop, usually with some treats next to me and slowly, very slowly, she would start to move closer to the edge of the crate. I knew we were making progress when she would stretch out in her crate or have her body half in and half out reaching for one of the treats. Eventually she left her crate and made her way toward the middle of the room to stretch out on the rug.She always hid from visitors, choosing the safety of her crate. Often times she would start out barking, eventually stopping to listen to our voices. Occasionally she would make her way out so she could take a look at whoever was there. Sometimes she was brave enough to join us in the same room, sometimes not. Chances were better if the voices were all female.

Her leash was like a security blanket. If her leash was on and I was holding it, she felt safe. If it seemed like she wanted to visit a room with strangers (peering in multiple times and waiting by the doorway), I would put on her leash and she would immediately come with me to say hello. After scanning the room, she would then relax by my feet and go to sleep.

She was the bravest dog I’ve ever known.

Her life was so hard before she was rescued, but figuring out life after being rescued was hard too.

I slept on the couch in the same room with her for the first two weeks, I didn’t want to leave her alone in a strange, new environment and she wouldn’t come upstairs with us at night.

It took a few weeks til we started to see changes in her as she began to trust us. She was so sweet, so gentle and so guarded. I did my best to always use a soft voice with her and not make any sudden movements. I let her take her time getting used to us and our house and eventually she relaxed and started to let us see more of her personality.

When she was ready, she finally climbed the stairs to an unknown part of the house and was rewarded with a big comfy bed. She had never had a bed of her own and she would snuggle into it every night, rub her face along the bumper and let out happy, groaning sounds.

She loved food of any kind and eventually was underfoot whenever we were in the kitchen.

She learned to love car rides, walks and little adventures but she always remained glued to my side. She never strayed far from me, trusting that I would take care of her in every new situation.

I got used to having her by my side and at my feet, wherever I was. She became my constant companion and her eyes were happy and filled with love.Last year, I wrote about the day she got her new rabies certificate that listed my name as her owner. We were finally able to shed the last physical reminder of where she came from. That was such a memorable day for me. You can read about it here.

She blossomed in her final years but she was never fully able to exorcise her demons. Every now and then, something would remind her of her previous life and I could see it in her response.

I say all of this because behind all of those cute, fluffy puppies in pet store windows and featured online, there is a mama that isn’t getting the proper care, love and affection that she deserves. I fell in love with one of those mamas, and she was unlike any other dog I’ve ever known.

My Brown Newfies has written an important post about how to spot a puppy mill puppy. It’s not specific to Newfoundlands, but to all puppies featured in newspapers, online, in pet stores or sold out of the back of a truck in a parking lot. You can read it here.

Shelters are filled with dogs that were purchased this way. Reputable breeders would never want one of their dogs to end up in a shelter and will always take their dogs back to find them a new home. It’s usually stated in a contract that is signed at the time of purchase. A reputable breeder will expect some sort of contact with you, the new owner. They want to know where their puppies are going and what their home life will be like. They most certainly would never sell to a broker or 3rd party.

So please, if there is a specific breed you have heart set on, do your homework and research breeders before you purchase that squirmy, fuzzy puppy. If you aren’t allowed to meet the mama and see how she lives, don’t buy the puppy.

If you are in hurry to bring home a wonderful new family pet or don’t have a breed preference, check out your local shelter or rescue group. I guarantee you will find a dog that will love you unconditionally and will fill your heart more than you could possibly imagine.

I have written more about Annie’s recovery and becoming a part of our family here.

Annie

In honor of Annie…

June 14, 2018 maisiethenewfieandcompany 2 Comments

June 7th will be our annual dog birthday party.

Annie was the first dog of my dogs to have a birthday party. She had never had the opportunity of feeling special before she was rescued and I was compelled to give her as many celebrations as possible.

IMG_2155 (1) — Annie’s first birthday party, Annie turns 10! 06/07/16

This year she would have been 12. Last year, I knew that chances were slim that we would be having another party for her. 12 is a ripe, old age for a Newfoundland but I was hopeful. She had some chronic conditions that we were managing, but none of them were fatal and she was so happy with us. I knew she wasn’t going to give up easily, she was enjoying the good life and for her, every day was a happy day filled with love.

Winn turned 1 on March 6th and Maisie turned 5 on May 12th. Rather than doing birthday parties for them, I decided we would wait until June and have our first annual doggie birthday celebration. I pulled out the hats, made some pupcakes and frozen yogurt sundaes and gave them these special treats after dinner. I remebered Annie and it felt good to have another celebration in her honor. Happy Birthday girls, and Happy Heavenly Birthday Annie!

Annie, Annie's second chance, dogs

Meeting Precious

May 11, 2018 maisiethenewfieandcompany 5 Comments

This week is Puppy Mill Action Week (click here for more information), what a perfect time to recap my experience last week when I met Precious.

Precious is the namesake of Annie’s rescue group. In December of 2014, the rescue arm of the Newfoundland Club of America was notified that there were “several” dogs ready to be surrendered due to the death of a commercial breeder. Commercial breeders operate puppy mills and sell their puppies online and to pet stores. They consider their dogs to be cash crops and have little regard for the care and well-being of their breeding dogs.

Volunteers were assembled and arrangements were made to travel to rural Michigan for the pick-up. When the volunteers arrived, they were overwhelmed by what they found. They expected to pick up a handful of dogs, they discovered about 100 dogs living in deplorable conditions with obvious signs of neglect. The weather at that time was harsh, sub-zero temperatures and lots of snow. The dogs were outside in wire pens, their only shelter was a couple of unheated open sheds. They were all underweight, dirty and matted, many with lesions and sores on their bodies. The scene still haunts the volunteers who were involved.

Eventually, 44 Newfoundlands were surrendered. The breeder’s son was in charge of the operation and he was reluctant to surrender them all at once. He auctioned the young and healthy dogs and released the remainder to rescue over the course of six different trips. The final pick-up happened in early January 2015 and Precious was the last dog to be handed over.

She was dragged out of a dark, unheated building and put into a traveling crate. She had very little hair left on her body (remember this is still the middle of very brutal winter conditions) and she curled up into the fetal position and hid her head. She didn’t have a name or papers and had been completely ignored. The volunteers decided to name her Precious, because every life is precious and everyone deserves a name. She spent the next 3 months under constant medical care, slowly showing a few signs of improvement, before she was placed with her current family.

Let’s fast forward 3 years to the Newfoundland National Specialty last week. Precious was there with her 3 Newfoundland brothers who have been instrumental in her recovery. It’s been a long road to recovery for her with many ups and downs but the best word to describe her is miraculous. She is still shy, but she ventured out for several quick meet and greets with other Newfoundland owners who have followed her story and cheered her on from afar.Her human mother Sue and I have communicated several times over the last couple of years but we have never met. She was incredibly kind and supportive after Annie died. Precious and Annie shared a similar skin condition. They both used the same medication that brought them relief from constant itching and discomfort so I was happy to send Precious the remainder of Annie’s prescription. When we finally met, I immediately started shedding uncontrollable tears.

We sat and talked for quite a while. She shared a bit of the experience of the multiple trip rescue and I learned a few more details that I didn’t know. I was always worried that Annie was surrendered to one of the last pick ups, having stayed on the property and watched members of her pack be taken away to the unknown. The whole experience must have been so scary for all of the dogs but Sue thought that Annie was in one of the early pick ups and for some reason I found that to be a relief. She was careful not to overwhelm me with information, she and I both knew I wasn’t ready to hear all of it, but I hope sometime in the future I will be. My goal with Annie was to march in the Rescue Parade at The National, and I was there without her and it broke my heart. Sue very graciously invited me to march with her and Precious but I declined, that was their moment to share, I would watch and cheer them on.

The next day, I met Precious and we had a lovely moment. She, like Annie, was eager to take a treat from me but she watched me carefully as I talked to her. Her eyes darted about from side to side, surveying everything around her, making sure the situation was still safe. Annie always did that too and I forgot about it until I saw Precious do the same thing. She reminded me so much of Annie, it was almost overwhelming but I loved meeting her and seeing how well she is doing. Her fur is full and covers her body. It also looks like Annie’s, not solid black but black flecked with white hairs. She had a sweet expression on her face and a beautiful white blaze on her chest. She is petite and looks happy and healthy.The fact that Precious could be at a big event like that is a testament to the love and support she has received from her family. They were very careful with her, letting her meet just a few people at a time and making sure she wasn’t overwhelmed by her surroundings. She really enjoyed meeting other dogs that were there, which makes sense since she came from such a big kennel and she has always found safety and comfort in the company of the dogs in her family, especially Henry. Henry is her rock, she will snuggle up next to him when she needs a little extra boost. He is always with her when she goes outside, she won’t do that by herself. Those few minutes with Precious happened right before I packed up the car to head back home and were the perfect way for me to end my first experience at The Newfoundland National. Seeing her reminded me of Annie but unlike the day before, I smiled as I thought of her because I felt so lucky to have had her in my life. Annie was the sweetest dog I’ve ever known and we were meant to be together. I wish she didn’t have that horrible experience before I found her but the last years of her life were her best years and certainly some of my best years as well.

Annie, Annie's second chance, Winn

Nothin’ but Newf!

May 10, 2018 maisiethenewfieandcompany 4 Comments

Have you ever wanted to see a Newfoundland Dog up close? How about 500?

Yes, you read that right, last week, almost 500 Newfoundlands and their owners gathered at the Newfoundland National Specialty in Frankenmuth, MI.

The National is a week-long celebration which is much more than a typical dog show. It includes working events such as carting, obedience and rally obedience. There are parades honoring living legends (Newfoundlands 10 years old and over) and rescues. Special recognition is given the Top 20 conformation and Top 10 obedience dogs as well as to Versatile Newfoundlands, who have earned an AKC championship, an AKC obedience title, NCA water rescue dog title and NCA draft dog title. That’s just a few of the events on the weeklong agenda!

Obedience and grooming were in the blue and white building, vendors were lined up in the big tent on the left and the main show ring was in front of the big white tent.

In short, it highlights the many different aspects that make the Newfoundland Dog so special.

This year I attended for the first time. Winn and I arrived Monday night and stayed through Thursday afternoon. We were entered into two Rally Intermediate trials with the hope that she would get her title while we were there. The requirements for the title are three qualifying legs under two different judges. We earned the first two legs the previous weekend, so we just needed to do well in one of the two trials to accomplish our goal and we did! On Tuesday morning we scored a 93, got second place and earned the title.My daughter met me up there to cheer me on and after getting our ribbons, she and I were able to wander around, enjoy many of the other activities and explore the cute town of Frankenmuth. The working events were scheduled at the beginning of the week and we watched friends in the obedience and rally rings and also observed the specialty carting event.We had a picnic lunch, went to Bronners the World’s Largest Christmas Store and got milkshakes and ice cream to celebrate our success in the ring.I don’t know a lot about conformation showing, but I really enjoyed watching the puppies in the ring. Who doesn’t love watching puppies?

6-9 mos. puppy dog Hotel California Tender Ebony

9-12 month old Sugar-Mtn’s Pray For Peace

The planning and coordination that went into this big event was incredible and I was amazed by the spectacle of it all. The amount of gear that gets hauled around for the show dogs is mind boggling. When Winn and I go to a trial, I bring a soft crate, a chair and a bag with snacks, water and something to read. That’s nothing compared to the crates, tables and grooming tools that accompany the conformation dogs. There was a separate washing station set up near the hotel and then the dogs were moved into their reserved grooming spaces to be finished. Wire crates, which are very heavy, are used in the grooming area because they are more secure and frequently one owner is traveling with multiple dogs. This ensures that they are safely secured while the attention may be on another dog.In between our trials, I walked around with Winn to chat with several of our friends who were there but I also found myself just watching it all in amazement. I met some new people, stopped to watch some grooming in action and spent some time with this beautiful brown boy (who was at Westminster last year) and his owner. There were very few brown Newfoundlands there and she sought us out and introduced herself. She loved Winn and took us around the room to meet her friends and fellow brown Newfoundland lovers.

GCH Royal Flush Davos of Bogmist nicknames Pupachoo, Chopsy and Chop-Chop

I had such a good time on this trip and Winn was a terrific traveling companion. She can still be a little shy when meeting new people so I passed treats to those who wanted to meet her and she figured out pretty quickly that meeting new people is tasty. I made a funny observation while there: owners tended to offer the treats from their open hand under her chin; handlers held the treat between two fingers above her nose. The difference made me smile every time. Winn was great in the hotel. She figured out the elevator really quickly, knew right where our room was and loved to hang out on the balcony and watch everyone coming and going through the parking lot. She ate well and slept hard. We did hear some barking from time to time, but she never made a peep. She was the perfect hotel dog.On Thursday morning we met up with her breeder. He and his wife arrived late the night before and this was the first time we had seen each other since pick up day when Winn was 10 weeks old. He was showing Winn’s big sister Bertie on Friday and he set up her crate next to Winn’s. The two girls hung out together for a little while. It was so nice to see him with Winn, she’s changed a lot over the past year!My only regret is that Annie wasn’t with us. My primary interest in going to Newfoundland National was to march in the Rescue Parade with her and I figured if I was there with Annie, I might as well bring Winn along and we could participate in Rally. I also knew that having Winn by her side would make Annie feel more comfortable. It really hurt to be there without her, but I brought the honor flag I made at the Blogpaws conference and attached it to the bag that I carried around with us. While Winn and I were competing, Annie was right there next to Winn’s crate. It did bring a little comfort, feeling like she was there in spirit. I never would have thought about going if it wasn’t for my desire to celebrate Annie and how special she was.

Tomorrow’s post is about Precious, the namesake of Annie’s rescue group. She was there, I spent a little time with her, and she marched in the Rescue Parade. She proudly represented the 43 other Newfoundlands that were rescued with her, many of whom are no longer with us.

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a shared life with our very large dogs