The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages. See our adoptable dogs here. We'll be at the KIrkwood Petco at I-44 and Lindbergh,from 11 to 3 Saturday and Sunday. We'll also have dogs at Wolfgang's in the Central West in and at Pets in the City from 11 to 3 Saturday Come and meet your new best friend. Check individual listings to see who will be where.
Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.
And please sign up for our Trivia Night which will be Saturday, October 23, at Carpenter's Hall, 1401 Hampton Ave. This is our biggest fundraising activity of the year. Cost is $20 per person for up to eight players per table. We'll also have raffle baskets and other surprises. To make reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or [email protected]
Kathy was a mess when we took her out of the St. Louis City Pound, I didn't know that at the time. I only saw a cute little brown 10-lb dog. What I found out later was that Kathy was a slow learner when it came to housebreaking. She was also far more energetic that a dog needed to be. She became hysterical if put in a crate, and she she suffered from what we sometimes call "separation anxiety." What that means, basically, is if you leave her alone for too long, you won't like what you find when you come home.
Just imagine cute little Kathy sitting proudly in the midst of, well, a lot that you'd rather not see.
But after a few false starts, we learned our way around Kathy, and she taught us what she needed.
She needed company and plenty of exercise. Point one: She needed an active dog friend.
She panicked if left alone for long periods. Point two: She wouldn't fit in a home where everyone was gone most of the day.
Last week Kathy did find a home. And guess what, her new people love her. She and the other dog race around the yard until they both collapse exhausted onto the sofa, side by side. Someone is home most of the day to see her in and out of the house for frequent potty breaks. And we suspect that as long as she has her reliable dog pal, she'll let her people have an occasional night out.
Congratulations, Kathy. We knew you'd find the right home.
And now I have another dog with similar problems. Benji is housebroken, but he's afraid of men and of being left alone for long in the house. At his former foster home, he chewed up carpeting, molding, window sills, and screens when left alone for a few hours. Benji also goes into hiding if he thinks you might try to put him in a crate. What happened to you, Benji? We know his former owners turned him in to a shelter because they were moving into an apartment and Benji "needed a yard." Did that mean he'd been kept outdoors all the time? Had he never been closed in anywhere (such as in a crate or even indoors)? Or was he reacting to times when he had been locked up alone and for too long.
We'll never know. But I know this about Benji. After a couple days of being nervous in any new environment, he relaxes and just settles in. He's fine at my place because I have other dogs, windows he can see out of, and a doggy door that gives him access to the yard when he wants it.
So all we need is the right place for Benji, a 7-year-old Terrier mix who looks like he played the lead in a Walt Disney movie.
We've been busy as usual...and because of that I'm I mess although I don't think I can blame separation anxiety, and I am housebroken. But because so many people decided to go on vacation at the same time, I've been scrambling to find temporary housing for a lot of foster dogs. Somehow it's working. Today I even felt confident enough to visit a local shelter and promise to take out a couple dogs in a few days.
In addition to our usual activities, many of us are working for Proposition B, the puppymill crruelty prevention bill Missourians will be voting on in a few weeks. This is a simple bill which will improve the lives of thousands of dogs in commercial kennels.
No matter what nonsense you may here, Proposition B is not about eliminating pet ownership. It's not part of a conspiracy to tell farmers how many cows they can own. It's a simple bill setting some reasonable requirements for those who want to breed dogs. I can't imagine there should be anyone out there who thinks it's okay to keep dogs confined in cages 24 hours a dog in filthy conditions without proper veterinary care while breeding them year after year without concern for the dogs' health or the quality of the puppies being produced.
I know there are many commercial breeders already meeting the requirements of this bill who shouldn't be referred to as puppymillers. I understand their frustration. But I don't understand why they're not working to shut down the bad actors in their business.
Prob B might not be perfect. It might not accomplish everything we would like it to do. But it will make life better for thousands of dogs and puppies in Missouri.
Ellen Ellick
President/Founder
St. Louis Senior Dog Project