My Pound Puppy CeCe

"Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile...initially scared me to death."

I'm not sure who said it, but she must've rescued a pound dog.

My beloved dog Blazer died in June, and my home hasn't felt complete since. So I decided that, even though I could never love another dog the way I loved Blazer, I could at least open my home to a dog in need. But when I brought CeCe home from Animal Services, things weren't all sunshine and roses. Like so many pound dogs, she had a very rough start to life, and it showed.

At only a few weeks old, CeCe was dumped at a rural shelter in Ohio, where she spent most of her young life in a state of stress, surrounded by other unwanted, troubled dogs. Luckily, between the kind soul who runs the shelter and took her in, and James at Toronto Animal Services, she arrived in Toronto in January as a 5 month old puppy, scarred both physically and mentally, and scared of almost everything and everyone. A few hours later......I arrived and took her home.

The first time I took her to the dog park and 2 puppies tried to play with her, she turned on them quite aggressively, and I thought, "Oh crap. I've made a huge mistake." So the next few weeks were spent working on training: meeting new dogs (hey - they can be friendly!), meeting new people (hey - they give me treats!), walking all over the city, and getting used to all of the scary sights & sounds. Eventually, she began to blossom, and the puppy within began to come out as she discovered friends and toys, and enjoyed a calm, loving and stable home. It wasn't easy, and it was a lot of work, but she is the BEST puppy I could ever ask for, and an absolute lovebug. And smart as hell! She already knows "sit", "down", "stay", "shush", "crawl" and "rollover." She's sweet, gentle, and intuitive, and she has the best puppy stink I've ever smelled. Even the cats are starting to forgive me for bringing a puppy into their home....

I didn't think I would ever love another dog after my Blazer died, but this wriggly little creature is worming her way into my heart, kiss by kiss.

If anyone reading this is thinking about adopting a pound dog, please remember that the first few weeks might be difficult, but if you stick it out, the reward is limitless.

To see this post and a link to more photos on the Toronto Animal Services blog, click here: http://iwantapounddog.blogspot.ca/2012/02/update-on-cece.html

How to Fulfill Feral Kittens: The Search for the Perfect Cat Tree

When I really love a product, I promote it, and I think that the following might be useful to people like me, who spoil their animals beyond reason.

As some of you know, a few months ago (June, 2010) I adopted two feral kittens, and it has been a real challenge to keep them satisfied indoors. No matter how much time I spent with them, playing with dozens of toys, they were still wreaking havoc on my poor condo: climbing all over everything, smashing things, opening the freezer, turning the oven on....you name it. And the little cat tree I bought them from Canadian Tire was a waste of time. Since it is extremely important to me to make them feel happy and fulfilled as indoor cats (and save my bloody home!!), I did some research into cat trees, and boy, did I find the answer - The Fantasy Cat Tree!

I wanted to share this with all of my cat people, because my cats absolutely ADORE this tree, and they spend much of their time climbing, perching, playing, sleeping and eating in it. It's like a feline jungle gym for them: they chase each other around the trunk, and even dangle from the lower perches, hoping to swat an unsuspecting canine or two. And when they don't want to interact with any resident (or visiting) canines, they happily snooze in the upper pods, well out of harm's way. It's soooo important for all cats to have their own space/safe haven, separate from any visitors, be they human, feline or canine. I can't imagine anything else giving them so much exercise and joy indoors, or making them feel so safe and comfortable.

David Harvey of Cloud 9 Cat Trees is the man behind the tree, and he came to my place for a consultation armed with a book of photos, and even some carpet samples so I could choose my own colours. Together, we figured out the best options for my cats (and my condo!), and even added, at my request, a custom feeding perch to the design! Our tree also has two sleeping pods in it, plus four other perches/steps. You can add as many pods as you like, and there's even a hammock option, which is pretty darn cute.

Cloud 9 Cat Trees makes all sorts of cat trees (big and small), and has even made versions for dogs - why not?! I love the fact that David is a real person; one guy who makes cat tree art. Whenever possible, I like to support local and independent small businesses, so I was happy to pay for the quality and individual attention I got from David.

Now, keep in mind that I got the super-deluxe version, but he makes cat trees of all shapes, sizes and price points, so there's something for everyone and every budget.

Links:

Cloud9CatTrees: http://www.cloud9cattrees.com/

More photos of my cats in the tree: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=291714&id=16226840539

A great resource for help with your cats & kittens, feral or domestic: http://www.torontocatrescue.ca/store/index.asp