Best Dog in the World …

By T’Mara Goodsell
One’s first love is always perfect until one meets one’s second love. ~ Elizabeth Aston
___________________

Years ago, I owned the very best dog in the world.

I was a child when we got her.  She was a graceful brown hound, a foundling who taught me that our pets are not purchased, but ordained.

She romped when I did and knew how to smile in that funny way that only some dogs have. She grew up with me, always there when I needed her.  My grown hand still remembers the sleek bump on the top of her head and that gentle divot just past her nose that fit my index finger just perfectly.

She passed away during one of my college vacations.  My heart broke then, and I knew that there would never be another dog like her, and there hasn’t been.  I was sure that I could never love another dog as much as I’d loved her.

Fortunately, I was wrong about that part.

My next dog came into my life when I was married.  My husband traveled for a living, and I was often lonely.  This dog grew into a lumbering Wolfhound and Sheepdog mix who taught me patience.  He was a large, grizzled sentry, that dog.  He rarely left my side until the children were born, and then he became their guardian, too.  I can still feel that swirl of fur along his back and the weight of his chin when it rested in my lap.

When he passed away, my heart broke.  As much as I had loved that childhood dog, I had been wrong.  This was the very best dog in the world.  There would never be another dog like him, and there hasn’t been.  I was sure I would never love another dog as much as I’d loved him.

I was wrong again.

We got the next one, a loping black Lab-and-Terrier mix, when the children were little. He taught me the importance of adapting. He was everyone’s dog from the beginning, and that was just as it should be.  When he played tug of war with the children, he dragged them across the kitchen floor as they shrieked with laughter.  He always seemed to sleep in the room of the child who needed his company the most.

These days his face is expressively gray, and he spends more time with me since the almost-grown children aren’t around so much.  The other day my oldest, home from college, played tug of war.  We all laughed — just a little – as the dog was gently pulled across the kitchen floor.

He is, of course, the very best dog in the world.  I will never forget that exquisitely soft tuft of fur behind his ears or the tickley feel when he nuzzles. There won’t be another dog like him.

And that’s okay, because we will never be at this point in our lives again.

Sometimes I’ve wondered why two species that get along so well should have such different life spans.  It just doesn’t seem right.  And then I wonder if that’s part of the lesson:  To teach us that love itself has a spirit that returns again and again and never really dies.

It’s amazing, in a way, how they bring to our ever-changing lives exactly what it is that we need at the moment.  They make room for one another, this family of dogs who has never even met.  And they fit — into our families, into our lives, into our memories, and into our hearts — because they always have been and always will be … the best dogs in the world.

… has arrived in Colorado.  Even though it’s not actually “winter”  yet as December 21st is still a ways off.  Nevertheless, winter is here.  Our first snow dumped 14 inches on the flat and formed drooping cornices where the wind swirled off the back of the garage.  One good snow and I’m ready for spring.  I dread the short days that come with a return to Mountain Standard Time, preferring the long lazy days of summer.  I’d much rather watch the flowers grow and the dogs play in the yard than heavy gray skies and blowing snow.

The dogs don’t seem to share the same sentiment.  First snow and they’re doing their best snowplow impression, kicking up heels as they run to and fro.  Every now and again, a nose is dropped and the plow carves out a long furrow.  A face finally emerges, encrusted with snow crystals … a proper little mountain dog from Tibet!

We added a bit of color to the winter landscape this year … a vertical Tibetan prayer flag.  Lots of prayers going up that day!  You’ll note we have double fencing — wooden privacy and a 24-inch high interior fence.  The short fence was put up for several reasons:  (1) to prevent the boys from fence fighting with the dogs to the east and south, (2) to confine all of them to the grass areas and out of the bark, (3) to keep Frankers from chasing squirrels and re-injuring his SI joint, and (4) to keep Dad’s partially-blind Tzu from getting lost in the vegetation behind the garage.  Success on all accounts and it has definitely cut down on the barking outside.  A  good thing as barking dogs are not tolerated.  It’s rude and neither I — nor the neighbors — want to hear it.

Franker’s favorite part of winter is … when Mom drags out the fleece throw and curls up on the couch.  He’s claimed the spot right behind my knees, settling in for a long evening nap.  Standing beside the couch he waits until I’m settled and then hops up … never fails no matter what season it is.  He eventually gets too warm and starts panting.  At that point, I have to tell him to get down as he won’t leave on his own.  That’s my boy.

May you all have a warm fire and a dog at your feet for the winter.

Addendum:  Since we’re on the subject of winter, a couple photos taken with the storm that blew through Nov. 14th …

One of the birdhouses made by my father … after he retired he enjoyed putzing yard and doing woodwork.  His back fence was lined with houses for the little red finches.

Our Green Man sporting a snowy cap along with a nose warmer …

And then there were five.  Five dogs in the house.  We have three — Ali, Frankers and Dante.  The current foster makes four.  Time to make good on a promise.

After my parents’ third miniature poodle passed away (neurotic little creatures, I tell ya!), I finally talked them into a different breed.  A Shih Tzu to be exact.  Cute as a button, that became her name … Buttons.  And only after I talked them into it as they wanted to name a black/white dog “Buffy” – until I made them watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer.   Along with the gift of a wriggling puppy 10+ years ago, there came a promise … should anything happen or their health fail, Buttons would come live with me. 

Mom died 2.5 years ago, the victim of a massive stroke.  Buttons helped fill the grief-filled hours and gave my father reason to get up in the morning.  She, in turn, sought him out as never before in the past.  A deeper bond was formed in the ashes of their loss.

Buttons has been with me off and on since the end of March.  Dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer then and it was originally thought to be a “low grade” cancer.  Another procedure is performed in mid-June and we find a “fast, aggressive” cancer.  July 2nd brings the emergency surgery to remove bladder and a cancerous bowel obstruction.  The recommended post-surgical treatment — a grueling regimen of radiation and chemo — is refused (wisely, all things considered).  August runs together with two more hospitalizations in as many weeks.  For each emergency, Buttons and all her necessities are packed up and hauled to our house.  Easily done as she’s intimately familiar with our home and the other dogs. 

I suspect the doctors will move Dad to the hospice ward in days/hours as the bowel obstructions can’t be controlled or fixed.  He is drawn and frail, having lost 25+ pounds since July.  An obvious withering is present even though I see him daily.  Family has been called in — better get here while he’s still cognizant.  In short, he lies dying in a hospital bed … and his little dog sleeps quietly at my feet.

Time to pony up.  Papa … your beloved Buttons is my baby now.  Loved for who she’s been all these years and cherished as the last link to you.  ‘Til we meet at the Bridge when I escort her home …

Ali ... supervising the plants

One the the favorite pastimes when what could pass for summer (at least in Colorado) arrives is hanging out in the backyard.  Hubby and I putz around with the flowers or vegetable garden while the dogs wander, amusing themselves with whatever comes along. 

Gardening is a bit haphazard.  If it grows and thrives, it gets to stay.  If it doesn’t, out it comes and something else gets planted … usually to the sound of hubby whining and moaning about digging yet another hole.  These days, I take him along when plant shopping.  That way I can say, “Hey, you were there when we bought the thing … you knew it needed a hole dug!”  Lucky for me, hubby got the gardening gene from his Mom and, despite his protestations, continues to dig holes.  Probably because something is always dying around here.  Winters in Colorado can be brutal on the plants.

Yard guard on duty ...

No matter what we’re doing, the dogs are smack-dab in the middle of it.  And, honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.  Curious to a fault, they have to inspect every item and then observe exactly what we’re doing with that item.  Sometimes offering to help … like digging a hole or harvesting lettuce in the garden. 

Foster dogs are included in the activities.  If a male, it generally ends up being a pissing contest around the yard.  I keep threatening to fence off the bark area from the grassy area to (1) keep the dogs from fence fighting wih the neighbors’ dogs and (2) keep the dogs away from the plants.  Just another thing to add to the list of projects.  And have you priced decorative fencing lately?!?!  With 260′ needed, it’s going to be a while before that project even gets started.

Million Bells in a bas relief pot

Whenever I leave the house … whether it be for 30 minutes or all day … I always have some “white noise” playing in the background for the dogs.  Living in a surban neighborhood, there are many sounds which are cause for baying off an alert.  While I realize the dogs are just doing what comes naturally to a hairy little sentinel from Tibet, I don’t need to be warned every time a car door slams or another dog barks in the ‘hood.  Thank you very much and, yes, I did hear that, and, no, they’re not coming to your house.  With spring’s arrival, it won’t be long before I’m opening the windows wide to let in fresh air … and more sounds from the neighborhood.  Having something playing throughout the house definitely cuts down on the everyday noises that set the dogs off.  Besides being alert dogs, they’ve also earned the nickname of “Tibetan door bells.”

Pandora's box ...

I employ this same strategy for myself at work.  Having something quietly playing in the background in my office allows me to block out the (sometimes loud) foot traffic and conversations in the building.  While streaming radio is great for this, I have no input as to what’s actually playing.  CDs work, but then I’m forced to have them handy and change out frequently on my CD ROM.  Enter the Music Genome Project through Pandora Internet Radio. 

The Music Genome Project®

On January 6, 2000 a group of musicians and music-loving technologists came together with the idea of creating the most comprehensive analysis of music ever.

Together we set out to capture the essence of music at the most fundamental level. We ended up assembling literally hundreds of musical attributes or “genes” into a very large Music Genome. Taken together these genes capture the unique and magical musical identity of a song – everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics, and of course the rich world of singing and vocal harmony. It’s not about what a band looks like, or what genre they supposedly belong to, or about who buys their records – it’s about what each individual song sounds like.

Since we started back in 2000, we’ve carefully listened to the songs of tens of thousands of different artists – ranging from popular to obscure – and analyzed the musical qualities of each song one attribute at a time. This work continues each and every day as we endeavor to include all the great new stuff coming out of studios, clubs and garages around the world.

It has been quite an adventure, you could say a little crazy – but now that we’ve created this extraordinary collection of music analysis, we think we can help be your guide as you explore your favorite parts of the music universe.

We hope you enjoy the journey.

Tim Westergren
Founder
The Music Genome Project

Basically, it allows me to plug in an artist and then Pandora plays similar type music.  Once you sign up for a free account, you can set up “stations” … add artists to your station … give a song thumbs up or thumbs down (in which case you won’t hear that song ever again) … not in the mood for a particular song but still like it — simply advance to the next selection.  It’s also a great way to explore new artists in the same genre or find something totally new and unexpected.

Some of my favorite “stations” — Deep Forest, Gandalf, Mike Oldsfield (of Tubular Bells fame), Hilary Stagg and Omar Akram.  They have an exotic flare, are mostly instrumental and do not have to be muted if a co-worker drops by or when taking a phone call. 

Now, if I could just get WordPress to add a widget for Pandora!

Mr. Bed Head ...

The morning routine with three dogs changes very little from day to day.  Despite the fact Alan gets up some two hours before my alarm chimes,  the dogs sleep quietly in their crates until I greet the day.  Once up, the dogs are released from their crates in our bedroom and a small but colorful parade of Apsos makes its way to the back door.  Frankers excitedly prances, looking back over his shoulder to see if Ali is following, her usual ploddng self.  Dante brings up the rear … most likely with a slight detour off the hardwood into the front room to check out whatever toy was left out the night before or to goose the resident marble-brained cat.  An, ahem, well-placed nose will make him squeak loudly as he doesn’t buy into the typical canine greeting, considering it extremely rude to have a nose poked at one’s hiney!

Ali and Frankers go out immediately.  Dante — anticipating being picked up and put on a crate for banding — waits for me by the back door.  They thrive on routine, knowing what to expect as I go about making coffee and setting up their bowls for breakfast.

Having multiple dogs in the house — and one of them an intact male — came with a learning curve.  Despite the challenges, it has been an ongoing lesson in pack behavior.  One thing that became apparent early on was the canine’s innate need for interaction with others of its own kind.  While one can provide for their every need, we — as humans — cannot replicate the canine-to-canine bond.  A need that is hard wired into the canine psyche, a survival instinct sharply honed over the millenia.

'Rassling buddies ...

Ali, adopted as an adult, acquired the nickname of “the Red Slug” shortly after she arrived nine years ago.  Once she adapted to the routine and activity of the household, she became … bored.  We took her places, including biking, canoeing, and on forays to PetSmart.  She had more toys than she could reasonably play with; she got to visit with my parents’ Tzu.  We worked on training.  We included her in all the assorted goings-on associated with work in our large yard.  Yet … something was still missing.  Exactly what that “something” was quickly became apparent with Franker’s entrance as an eight-month old puppy.  Infused by his energy, they became fast partners in crime and curiosity.  We couldn’t find one without the other being close at hand (and is still the case).  Wrestling matches became the canine sport of choice.  No matter the activity – or lack thereof — they sought one other out, taking comfort in each other’s presence.  As the fosters rotate in, they too are assimilated into the pack each with their own place in the pecking order. 

There’s a certain joy watching them interact … and a joy within them that’s unmistakable.  We humans tend to believe we’re the be all to end all, but I think our canine friends might disagree.  While adding a second dog will increase expenses (food, grooming, vet, etc.), the “return” is definitely worth the investment … for humans and dogs alike!

I Am A Lhasa Apso …

I have not been in this country too long compared to some other dogs you see at a dog show, but those who already know what I look like will probably remember very clearly where you first ran into me. I am not like any other dog that you would meet on a city street or a county lane.

I have a long coat that stretches down to the ground and completely covers my feet. Some people call me the “Jelly Bean” dog because I come in all colors. I can be one solid color or a blending of several colors. I can be plain, or I can be spotted. Of course, with a long-haired spotted dog, the coat just keeps growing and the spot stretches out into a stripe instead. If that happens, I’m called a parti-color. I’m even brindled but again, as the coat grows longer and longer, those brindle lines all run together and you have something like layers of different colors – an overlay.

My head is a little hard to see sometimes for there is so much hair on it. I have a beard. Yes even our ladies are bearded – and my ears blend right into the beard and all the rest of the coat. And, unless the hair is out of my eyes, you wouldn’t know that I could actually see you for my eyes are well hidden by what my owner calls the “head fall.” My tail is generally up, carried in a curl over my back and it’s often hard to know if I really do indeed have a tail. It can be held so tight to my back that you don’t know that it is really there, until I straighten it out and stretch it out on the ground behind me when I sit down …

Sometimes I can be found in a pet shop, but I hope that if you go looking for a Lhasa, you will go to a breeder who is trying to produce the perfect dog rather than the one who is out to sell a litter a month or so many dozen puppies a year.

I am a breed that was raised to be an indoor dog. In Lhasa – the capitol of Tibet – I used to live in the palace of the Dalai Lama before the Communists took over, and in almost every big monastery in Tibet there were a lot of my relatives living right there with the monks. Some people call me the “The Holy Dog of Asia” because of this, but all that I really did was to keep the monks company in their lonely and cold cells. Some people say that I am the faithful dog who followed the Lord Buddha around and who could be turned into a ferocious lion in the twinkling of his eye. I guess that is why so many call me the “Lion Dog.”

The AKC Standard alls for me to be the golden colors of the lion, but the Tibetans say that their lion is the mythical snow lion who is always white with a blue mane. I haven’t seen any white Lhasa with a blue mane so far, so I guess we’ll just have to stick with the western idea of how a lion should be colored.

I can live a long time if you care for me properly and my breed generally outlives the great big dogs, like the Saints and the Danes, or the little ones like the Chihuahuas and the Pomeranians.

There aren’t any bad personality traits in my breed that have to be beaten out or trained out of me in order for me to live in close contact with all kinds of people. I have an even, obliging disposition.

Of course, when I’m going to a dog show, then I look super beautiful because that is first of all, a beauty contest, and I want to look my very best. But with general care and brushing, I can stop traffic on any street, for I am a beautiful, graceful and elegant animal.

After all, I AM A LHASA APSO!!

_____________________________________________________

 Editorial note: Dog shows were originally started in the mid 1800s in England as a means of evaluating breeding stock … a process which continues today. It is not a “beauty contest” as noted above … although some might argue otherwise. Dogs shown in conformation events are not being judged against each other. They are judged against the written standard which outlines the “ideal” dog for that particular breed. If interested in learning more about the dog show, AKC has an excellent resource … A Beginner’s Guide to Dog Shows.

There’s been a great deal of discussion making the rounds in the dog communities about a recent LA Times article wherein PETA is calling for the USA Network to discontinue airing the Westminster dog show. While I do believe in animal welfare — so much so that I’m deeply involved with rescue and have been for almost a decade — I do not buy into the animal rights extremist movement as it seeks to destroy the relationship between man and animal.

Libbye Miller, DVM, left the following in the comments section of the LA Times article and which content gives great pause for thought …

No one ever seems to mention the millions of dollars that AKC and the Canine Health foundation have invested in medical research that benefits ALL dogs as well as humans.

Adorable mixed breeds” get cancer, epilepsy, allergies, heart disease, and orthopedic problems just like purebreds. I see it every day in my veterinary practice but mixed breed dogs aren’t tracked like the purebreds so they have a reputation as “healthier” that is actually undeserved in many cases.  … 

Another poster — Debz — goes on to state …

“  … All animals have a certain amount of genetic load, which is to say there is absolutely no animal without some genetic problem of some sort of another. Know anyone who wears glasses? Has allergies? Thyroid problems? Weak knees? Flat feet? A skin condition? Arthritis? A gap between their front teeth? These are all genetic imperfections.

No human is genetically “clean.” Neither is any individual of any species on earth. So this idea that dogs should not be bred because they might have a genetic problem, and that breeders are somehow “evil” for breeding them, is ridiculous. Every single individual of every single species has at least a few genetic conditions.

To use PETA’s logic, all breeding of all kinds (including having human babies) should halt immediately. And to be honest, Ingrid Newkirk (the woman who founded PETA) does believe exactly that. She thinks that humans should become extinct, along with dogs, cats, etc. This ridiculous scenario is precisely what she would like to see happen.

So folks, if that is what you want … if you agree with Ingrid Newkirk’s whacky views, send your hard earned money to PETA. They will help to ensure you are not able to own a dog or cat or hamster or any other pet in the future. They will see to it that you can’t eat meat or fish or eggs or any type of animal-based nutrition. They will work to shut down places like Sea World, the zoos, etc. so you cannot observe the many wonderful animals on the Earth. Eventually, once they accomplish these things, they may turn their efforts to making it illegal for humans to procreate.

If you don’t agree with their extremist views, wise up and start supporting those who truly do love, care for and enjoy interaction with other species here on our little blue planet.

The fanciers of the breeds, those you see exhibiting their dogs at Westminster and other dog shows, work very hard to eliminate serious genetic conditions. They screen their breeding stock with every available test. They research pedigrees before breeding into other lines, to check for similar clearances in those animals. They contribute money to research organizations to further the work being done to track down genetic problems. They contribute blood, cell samples, etc. from their own animals to help with DNA and genome studies. They have made great progress so far, and they continue to work hard at it.   [Emphasis added]

Are there unethical breeders? Certainly, there are. Just as in any group of humans, you will find the good and the bad. United States VP Elect Joe Biden, for example, managed to find a not so good one when he got his new German Shepherd puppy. I don’t know who did his research for him, but they obviously didn’t do their homework if they were looking for a responsible breeder. Joe has the right to get his dog from whomever he wishes, but if he was trying to set an example of purchasing from a responsible hobby breeder he went off the track this time. That’s too bad, but it was his choice.

Unfortunately, breeders like that may be a lot easier to find because of their high volume and high profile. If you are looking for a nice family pet from a breeder who will be there for you forever, you need to do due diligence. You won’t get that from a pet store. You won’t get that from the guy selling dogs out of his pickup truck in the WalMart parking lot. You won’t get that support from a high-volume breeder, either. Yes, it takes a little more time and effort to find someone who really cares and does all the work to breed the healthiest, happiest puppies possible and then stands behind those puppies.

This is a living being that will be part of your family, hopefully, for many years. Isn’t it worth a bit of effort to find a breeder who will be there for you and that puppy forever?

And guess what? Shows like Westminster are a very valuable resource for finding breeders who do care and who use the best possible practices, as well as for learning more about the various breeds.

Bravo to USA Network for broadcasting the Westminster Kennel Club show all these years. May they enjoy continued success through the ongoing inclusion of such programs. I will be eagerly watching this year’s show!”

You can bet I’ll be watching as well!!   As pointed out in the above, there are “Breeders” seeking to preserve who expend a great deal of time, effort, passion and personal funding in order to produce sound, healthy dogs.  There also those “breeders” who seek only to capitalize on what can be produced with no regard for dog or purchaser past net profit.  As diligent owners, it falls upon us to distinguish between the two.

Westminster:  NIGHT 1:
Monday, February 9
Hound, Terrier, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups
8-9 p.m. (ET) live on USA Network
9-11 p.m. (ET) live on CNBC
NIGHT 2:
Tuesday, February 10
Sporting, Working and Toy Groups, Best In Show
8-11 p.m. (ET) live on USA Network

Breed judging highlight videos are available throughout the day on Monday and Tuesday on the Westminster Web site. These highlights will be available after the show.

When’s the last time you heard a song about a Lhasa Apso?  Probably … never.  If that’s the case, then I have a rare treat for you.  Canadian singer, Nancy Simmonds, has produced several CDs highlighting various breeds.  She’s done an excellent job on her research of the breeds, their characteristics and then weaving them into song.

One can hear Get Set Tibet in its entirety at StumbleAudio.com.  If you can’t access the song at Stumble, try the link below …

Welcoming Santa Paws ...

Thanksgiving came late this year so, a scant three+ weeks later, Christmas will be upon us.  This is about the time I start hyperventilating as I’ve literally not done a thing for the holiday preparations.  No gifts purchased — no decorations put up yet — haven’t even started my annual Christmas newsletter or my cards that I send out every year to the adoptive families.  I consider it lucky that I’ve made it this far in the year.  Between work, the house/yard, the rescues, being elected as a Board member with the national breed club, and showing Dante as a special, it has been an unbelievably busy year.

While the rest of you are making those lists and checking them twice, I would ask that you keep rescue in mind.  Besides the ever present need for foster homes, funding is always an issue.  I understand that the economy is an issue for virtually most of the people I know … at the current rate, my “retirement program” will be working as a greeter, ”Hi, welcome to Wal-Mart.”    :::sigh:::

If you are interested in fostering — making a difference in the life of a dog – please contact me directly at ApsoRescue@aol.com.  However, one does not need to foster to be of assistance … 100 Ways to Help Rescue.  Granted, a few additional foster homes would be a gift from heaven for us!!  If you’d like to make a donation of some type, please contact me at the above-noted email for details. Some folks make a monetary donation at the holidays; some on the anniversary of their adoptions; others to commerate their Apso’s birthday; and yet others in memory of a beloved companion.   Please be assured that any donation of time or money is gratefully accepted.

This post would not be complete without a “thank you” to our rescue volunteers.  If you’ve adopted from us, you’ve most likely met one or both of them … Sue S. of Parker who does our metro Denver homevisits, and Michelle R. of Wellington who has been involved with fostering and assisting/attending the various functions, i.e, pet expos and what we hope is an annual picnic.  Michelle is also our very capable webmistress.  Their dedication and service to rescue is truly priceless.  With their assistance, we’ve been able to help even more Apsos and still maintain some semblence of sanity.  Thank you, ladies …

Perhaps between now and Christmas I’ll get something up for the cat to take apart and stash down in the basement under the throw rugs.  He’s particularly fond of the little gold dingleball decorations attached to the garland that finds it way to the floor with his “help.”