Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Santa's Reindogs!


Santa's Reindogs!

The true story of Christmas is that Reindogs pull Santa's sleigh, not Reindeer! With your help, we can correct a longstanding lie. For a hundred years, Reindeer have gotten all the credit for pulling Santa's sleigh, but Reindogs do all the work. We are asking for your help to spread the word and expose this cover up of the truth. As proof that Santa uses Reindogs, we have listed below the facts and truths that prove Reindogs are the real heros of Christmas. Just because the Reindeer could claim endangered status and could afford better lobbyists and public relations firms does not make it right that they should continue getting the credit for all that work delivering toys all over the world, and getting all of the good parts in the movies while dogs do all of the work.

Dogs have been an integral part of Christmas from the very first one. Beginning at the manger, 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, when the very first Christmas presents were delivered, a dog guided the Wise Men to the stable. A dog stood watch over the gifts and guarded the Christ child on that first glorious Christmas night. History suggests that the bright star that guided the Wise Men was Sirius, the Dog Star (check Wikipedia to verify this). Hence the origins of Christmas and Reindogs! If you still don't believe in Reindogs, go to your Bible and find the verse on Reindeer!

We put a lot of the blame for the error on the National Geographic Magazine. Years ago a photographer was at the North Pole taking photos of Santa just before Christmas. All the reindeer were out in front of Santa's house, trying to beg carrots and lettuce from the visitors. The hard working Reindogs were out back, doing their exercises, running their daily 10K, getting ready to pull Santa's sleigh all around the world on Christmas eve. That is how photos of Reindeer ended up in the national press at Christmas time and the big lie began. It should have been obvious to everyone that when the Reindeer put on the harness to pose for photos, that the harness did not fit them, Reindeer were too large. They had to find the smallest members of the herd to put in front of the sleigh for photos. That is because the harness was designed for dogs, not deer. Those photos of the “eight tiny reindeer” began the great lie.

In the poem “’Twas the night before Christmas” the author referred to Santa and his eight tiny reindeer, but he knew better. Reindeer was an easier word for the writer to rhyme words with than Reindogs. He knew that the eight members of Santa’s team were Reindogs, he just used poetic license. Talk about an inconvenient truth!

Who is it that pulls sleds and sleighs at Santa's home at the North Pole? It’s dogs, not deer. Go look at the annual Iditarod race results and see how many teams of reindeer finished last year. There were over 50 teams with over 1,000 dogs and not a reindeer among them. If those reindeer are so good at pulling sleighs, why don't they win the Iditarod race? How many Eskimos use reindeer to hunt walrus and seals? Just open your National Geographic magazine and see for yourself. They don't show pictures of Eskimos hunting polar bears with reindeer. They use dogs!

Still not convinced? Santa’s last name is “Claus”, not Hoofs or Horns. They just misspelled claws. It’s that poetic license thing again. So who has claws? Not reindeer, but Reindogs do! Reindeer with their sharp, hard hooves could never keep their footing on the steep and slippery roofs that they have to land the sleigh on, but a dog’s paws with claws and pads grip the ice and snow to keep their footing on the roof. At the end of the poem, “He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,” proves that the author was part of the great conspiracy, he knew that you don't whistle at deer, you whistle at dogs!

Seriously, do you think that reindeer can fly through the trees and around all the power lines with those big antlers? They would get tangled up at every turn. We all know that dogs can fly, watch the frisbee throwing competition or the dock diving contests. Dogs have to keep their secret flying ability under control to keep from giving our secret powers away.

One skeptic pointed out that Santa's rounds might go faster if his Reindogs did not have to stop and smell each fire hydrant on their rounds. Someone saw us smelling sign posts and did not realize it was foggy out and we had to pull the sleigh up close so Santa could read the street sign. We have to stop with Santa on every street anyway. Those sniffs are how we update the long "Naughty and Nice List" that has to be kept up to date, even on Christmas Eve. Long before E-mail was invented, Reindogs used P-mail by sniffing posts and trees along the way to find little boys’ and girls’ homes. Let’s see a reindeer do that!

It is well known that “Dogs are man’s best friend”, but somehow you believe that reindeer bring your presents? That is the kind of logic that made Mr. Spock glad he was not human. Dogs are recognized as man’s best friend because we are responsible for bringing everyone their Christmas gifts, for protecting them and for bringing joy to children across the land.

If you were Santa and it was your job to ‘Fetch” toys to children all over the world in one night, who would you turn to, reindeer or Reindogs? Reindogs "fetch" toys to millions of boys and girls in one night. Go to any dog park and see for yourself how many reindeer are playing fetch and bringing tennis balls to little boys and girls. Dogs make children’s faces light up by fetching them toys and balls, doing every day what they do for millions of children on Christmas Eve. Just try throwing a ball for a reindeer and see how good they are at "fetching". This is proof that Reindogs are really the heros of Christmas.

Dogs can be trained, they obey commands. Dogs can come, sit, lie down, fly and even go to little Billy's house on Santa's Command. Try telling your neighborhood Reindeer to "go to little Billy's house", and see what happens. Nothing!

How do you think Santa keeps his "Naughty and Nice List" up to date? There are millions of hard working dogs keeping track of the children on their block. All that barking at night is not just noise, it is Reindog assistants relaying the updates for the Naughty and Nice list back to Santa. More proof that reindeer are just a myth. Santa does not rely on reindeer to keep his list up to date, it all falls to the hard working dogs.

According to long standing tradition, you are asked to leave milk and cookies out for Santa and his team. Who do you suppose drinks all of that milk and eats all those cookies? Reindogs, that's who. Reindeer eat hay, if you don't believe me go search Wikipedia. This year we are trying to start a new tradition, instead of milk and cookies, could you leave a good chew treat as well? When you see the chew treats gone on Christmas morning, that will more proof of Reindogs existence.

The true story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindog has long been our family tradition. I was told this story as a tiny puppy, just before Christmas when daddy had to go to the North Pole to get ready for his night’s work. According to our family history, which has been handed down from mouth to ear for many generations, Rudolph is a direct ancestor of mine. It all started with my great, great, great, great, great grandpaw. He had an extraordinary nose and had long used his special talent to track lost explorers and packages at the North Pole. He had a red nose from following scent trails in deep snow, his nose used to get cold and red from the exposure to snow and cold. One foggy Christmas Eve Santa needed help in finding the route to take for his scheduled Christmas Eve run. Rudolph G. Retriever stepped forward and offered to guide the team by scent, tracking good little boys and girls with his nose, thus saving Christmas that year. His nose grew cold and turned red from flying at the head of the team in the cold. That established a wonderful family tradition, that is until the reindeer lobby stepped in to take credit for it all.

 Most of the crowded dog shelters and homeless dogs are directly related to this travesty. Millions of unemployed Reindogs have been thrown out of work by the upstart reindeer. Because of the great reindeer lie, the dogs that pull the sleigh to deliver the toys end up in shelters and pounds during the off season because of the reindeer conspiracy. The reindeer take all the good parts in the Christmas plays, manger scenes and movies, leaving Reindogs truly out in the cold. It is a travesty I tell you!

The dogs of the world expect an apology from the press. We will expect the artists and movie producers to book dogs for the publicity shots and movie roles so that at long last Reindogs will get the credit due to them. We need you to help us spread the word and reverse this great lie. Help us keep this great dream alive and tell others about the great heritage that has been stolen from us. Help our unemployed doggy friends to find work on stage and screen, playing the true roles of Santa's Rendogs.

Fear not, children, Santa and his team of Reindogs will be there for you on Christmas Eve!

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."


From Mogley G. Retriever and all the Reindogs!

Friday, September 13, 2013

My name is Pippa and I am an Alcoholic!

 
I know, Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies is there for all dogs, no matter what their problem. GRRR helps them all, it does what it can to help them find homes and new lives. When we foster, we try to correct bad habits and help prepare them for life when they move on to a forever home.

But when Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies gave us Pippa to foster, they should have warned us that she had a drinking problem. Something like that is disturbing to find when we discover her flat on the floor in the middle of the night with a wine bottle in her mouth.   If they had warned us, we would have hidden all of the alcohol and we would not have had this problem to begin with.  

 
Now we will have to take her to all those meetings and listen while she says "Hi, my name is Pippa and I am an alcoholic".

 Everyone, in unison now, "Hello Pippa"!

Mogley G. Retriever

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Welcome Foster Pippa, our new family member

Above, Pippa waits to get dried off after chasing koi in the koi pond. 

 We should be writing about the fantastic party we had with the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies Reunion Picnic.   Over 100 dogs and their owners played on the shore of Boulder Reservoir.    But that story will have to wait.   The big news is that the Paw Challenged Ones picked up a new Foster puppy, Pippa.

Below, Hazel, Pippa and I sit for our treats. 
We heard about Pippin at the picnic, she has the same Pulmonic Stenosis heart condition that I suffer from.   She even takes the same medications.   So we know what she needs to grow into a happy healthy Golden Retriever.  She is about 17 weeks old.

Below, Pippa meets Sarah the cat.   So far, so good.
The house is full again.   After Bella passed away, I moped for a long time.  Then Hazel came to live with us, she got me interested in playing a little again.   Today both Hazel and I ran in a couple of big circles with Pippa.  I think we will get along pretty good.   

Pippa was here less than an hour and she had already been in the koi pond twice.   Then it started raining, so after dinner when we went out, we came in wet again.  The carpet is almost as wet as it is when the swimming pool is open.

Watch for more news on the picnic and on Pippa.

Mogley G. Retriever 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

I'm Back! Introducing Hazel.

I am introducing Hazel today.   Hazel was living with a couple nearby, they were preparing to travel in pursuit of their "Bucket List".   Since they had heard about out loss of Bella, they offered to bring Hazel by to see if she could be my play mate.   Hazel is a Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies alumni. 

Hazel has settled in well.  She is getting along with the 3 cats, however she did chase Mini cat when Mini came running in one night.   Mini does not chase well, she if fully armed and she brings the "chase game" to a quick close.  

Hazel is a toy hound.  She is digging her way to the bottom of the toy box, distributing the toys randomly around the house.  We hope that when she gets to the bottom of the toy bin she will allow us to put her rejected toys back in the box.   So far she keeps bringing all of them back out. 


Sarah Cat has taken over the main floor, she takes over purses when company comes calling, she has taken over Bella's favorite bed.   She and Hazel will have a argument some day if Sarah thinks all of the dog beds are hers.

I will try and keep you informed. 

Mogley G. Retriever

Friday, August 2, 2013

Rest in Peace Bella! We will miss you a lot.

I am writing this with heavy paws.   Today we had to send Bella to the Rainbow Bridge.   Her cancer had grown and she was no longer comfortable, even with heavy doses of pain medications.  It progressed suddenly in only two days to the point that she could not find a position that she could rest in that did not hurt, then the pain medications would kick in and she would go to sleep from the medications, which is not a way to rest.

We enjoyed Bella while we had her, and we have many happy times to remember.   She went with dignity and she went while her golden days were still golden.   When she was diagnosed, she was given about 90 days.   She held on for 110 days before her pain became unmanageable. 

We are very sad to be without her, but we are happy that she is resting and free of pain.  She will be chasing squirrels before sundown today, and sleeping peacefully tonight.

I am restless, it is hard to be without my friend.   The Paw Challenged ones have sent word to the rescue that we could take in a foster again.   Maybe we can fill the house with goden love again.

Mogley G. Retriever

Monday, April 22, 2013

Bella's health problems

I have not blogged for a long time, we have been busy and I have been lazy.   But I have some bad news to give our readers and friends.


We have had regular visits from our two cousins, Molly and Piper.   Their family travels on business and they get to stay with us when their family is out of town.   Last week, Rusty and Johnny came to stay for a week and a half.    Rusty is a former foster of ours that we helped place, he had a very bad elbow that they thought was going to have to be operated on, but he has been getting good therapy and lots of good glucosamine, he now walks and runs without any limp.   Johnny is a 18 year old greyhound/aussie mix who is deaf as can be, but still going strong.   He is always fun to have visit, he is well behaved and he is very friendly.   

Bella was limping a week ago, but we did not think much of it, with all the visitors she had been running hard and playing in the back orchard where there are lots of broken limbs to poke a leg or cut a paw.  Last Friday it was not getting better, so we took her to the vet.   Her limping was caused by a large tumor on her front leg, up into the shoulder.   The vet took a biopsy and we got back the news.   Bella has osteosaracoma and it is already pretty well advanced in her left front leg and shoulder.  

Bella is now on pain medications and something called Piroxicam while we try and find out how to best treat the tumor.  Whatever treatment program we follow, we have to hurry.   It starts in the leg bone, and grows out, so it was pretty well advanced before she started limping.   Bella does not like the vet's office anyway, and spending time in the vets office is not something she looks forward to.   Most of the treatements mean overnight stays in a strange place, sleeping on a hard floor, and not on her big soft bed.   She is not in favor of not having her own comfy bed and family at night.  

In the photos, Bella is wearing a T shirt, she is embarrased by the big bare spot they shaved on her left leg and shoulder.  She says that the shirt makes a good pair of "jammys for her now that she is sleeping more and running less.

The paw challenged ones are very upset.   They were worried about me, I am the one that was given 18 months to 36 months to live about 4 years ago.   They worry about me and they thought Bella was going to be the healthy one of our family.   Now we have to worry about Bella as well.

Cross your paws for Bella, we all want her to stay well for a long time. 

Mogley G. Retriever