Our Elderly Toddler

Today marks the end of nine years of our life with Boz. Better yet: the beginning of ten. It's not his birthday, as far as I know, but I think of it that way. It's the anniversary of the day he came to us, when he was already about five years old.

That's not quite right. He didn't come to us. We plucked him out of Boxer Rescue and took him home. He had no say in the matter. He was scared, maybe even terrified. He didn't know who we were or what our house was or what we wanted him to do, but at least we were nice and the house was bigger than the cage and we gave him a soft bed. The food was also pretty good. He could have done without the bath, but that was a deal-breaker.

From the beginning he took the attitude of "Please don't kill me. Whatever you require, I will attempt to obey." He was and still is easy to train. We've never had to do anything but ask. (I've said this before: you can teach an old dog new tricks.) He walks off leash, stays on the front porch unsupervised, and has recently learned to "show me" when I need him to communicate what he wants. He never barks, though I wish he would. He has, or had, a beautiful bark. He might have lost that part of his voice in an illness a few years back. We haven't heard it since then. Like people, dogs go through stuff that changes them.

I'll stop here. We all love our pets and, like parents, we can go on and on about them. I love him more than I can say.

Boz is about fourteen now. I hope he will stay with us long enough to enrich our lives at least another year.


Another dog needs a home. I've posted about Coco on my Facebook page. If Coco's not for you, a variety of pooches await at your nearby animal shelter, wanting only to be your love bucket.

Boz (Not Boz)

Oooh, the face.

How many times have you said, "I wish I could have a dog like Boz, but there's only one Boz in the whole, wide world!"? I know! You're like a broken record! How many times have you wished you, too, could have a mild-mannered, easy-to-handle, calm-as-can-be Boxer like Boz?

Well, now you can! Yes, you, too, can meet Vinnie the Boxer at Boxer Rescue! He's available for adoption today!

Here's what Karin the Altadenahiker had to say when she walked Vinnie: "He was happy to mosey on the leash, but every so often would break into a sweet but tame happy dance. He wouldn’t lunge at other dogs who said rude things behind fences, but he wasn’t afraid of them, either. Was curious about everything, but not insistent about it."

Wow. "...all a boxer has to offer without the exuberance," as Karin says. Sounds like Boz to me. And Vinnie comes with a bonus even Boz can't match: he's an actual Boxer (Boz is actually a Mixer).
Here's another shot Karin took of our guy:**

I love that far-away look in his eyes, don't you? Soulful. So Clark Gable.

Vinnie (you can name him Boz once you take him home) is 7 or 8 years old. I highly recommend a mature dog, especially if you yourself are not a spring chicken. Puppies are great if you have furniture to spare and if you are free 24/7 to train your young piddler and walk him/her several times a day so he/she will please god sleep for chrissakes. But Karin and I picture Vinnie with someone who appreciates the finer things in life--at a slower pace.

"In all the [dog] walks I’ve taken," says Karin, "I've never met a dog so well behaved and affectionate." And Ms. Hiker has walked more than her fair share of dogs as a volunteer at Boxer Rescue.

To learn more about Vinnie, read Karin's piece on Altadena Patch. Then call or visit Boxer Rescue and take Vinnie home with you. Then you, too, can have your very own Boz!**

Boz the Mixer, photographed by John Sandel

I guarantee it--you'll be so glad you did.

**Leash and tags sold separately. Available in colors shown. Boz not included.

Mr. Boz

He's not much of a talker. He can't read. He slobbers when he eats, he snores and oh god, does he have gas. But he comes when I call, he loves me more than he loves any other woman and when I gaze into his big, brown eyes I love him right back.

Here's one of the first pictures we took of Boz, when he first came from Boxer Rescue to live with us. Look at that lean, mean, fightin' machine! But of course Boz is no fighter. He's a lover to his core.

Boz was shy at first, just trying to figure out where he fit in the pack. But gradually he came out of his shell. He's a great communicator with a distinctive personality and a vast array of emotions. I had no idea how much I was going to love him. It amazes me how deeply we've bonded with him and how naturally his presence transformed a couple into a family.

I'm posting photos of Boz today to encourage you to read Giving Thanks for Animal Rescue by Karin Bugge at Altadena Patch, where bloggers local and worldwide pitched in words and photos of their adopted darlings. I also hope you'll adopt a pet if you're looking; as was mentioned in the discussion at Patch, you can find any kind of dog at local rescue shelters--purebred, mix, adult or puppy. Start at petfinder.com. There's no need to perpetuate puppy mills when these wonderful animals are already available.

It's been seven and a half years since Boz came to us from the shelter. The neighborhood kids know him; sometimes they ring our doorbell to ask if he can come out and play. He's a fun guy with a great personality, still learning new tricks, the dog of my dreams.

He's growing old now and I treasure every moment with him because I know he won't always be here. I often tell him, "I love you." He knows what it means. It means he's a good boy.

Pawsadena Star News

There's a lot going on in dog news today.

photo by Skye Moorhead

Remember Skye Moorhead, my photographer friend? She found Jersey, this young, female pit bull mix, abandoned in one of the studios in her complex. Jersey is, according to Skye, "sweeter than both my dogs put together...she happily let me clean her ears and give her a bath...cooperative and a snuggy bug... Mellow, social and smart, she is a joy to have around."

Skye says "in another life" she'd keep Jersey in a heartbeat, but she's already got two dogs and one of them's not tolerating the pup.

You always have a chance to adopt a dog from the Pasadena Humane Society, or Boxer Rescue, or a shelter in your area (and you should!). Today, you can adopt a dog from Skye. Email Skyez@earthlink.net.

Update: 6/25: Jersey's been spayed now, which makes her even more attractive!

Update 6/26: Jersey found a home! Skye says: "...perfect match on both sides. I saw them off this morning with a light heart."

I wanted Jersey, but I'm reminded that our Boz is getting old. He has four (yes) strategically-placed beds which can be moved according to his needs. He eats regular, healthy meals. He has full health coverage (our checkbook), play dates, daily walks, love, kisses and constant assurance that he's a good boy.

Boz achieved royalty late in life. Before he came to us he lived for more than a year in a cage in a shelter, and before that he got by somehow on the streets. Before that, we don't know. Boz is an alpha dog in only one place: our (his) home.

All we do for Boz is nothing compared to what he does for us. Pets can decrease your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, for one thing. And after seven years, Boz still manages to bring delight into our lives every day. Dogs are extremely entertaining. We don't even have TV anymore.

Which is the long way of saying, if you're thinking of adopting a dog, contact Skye and go visit Jersey. She just might be the right pet for you.

In other dog news, here's a new blog to love: it's called My Life With Tommy. Susan Campisi's straightforward, delicious writing about her adventures with her rescued pit bull, Tommy, is just plain addictive. I haven't missed a post.