Poopers and Peepers

      Time here in Durham has gotten back to a normal routine.  The central portion of that routine has to do with dog walking, not only of our own but also the dogs at the Animal Protection Society of Durham. http://www.apsofdurham.org/ I am now a fully certified and trained volunteer dogwalker.   The training was arduous: cutting up hot dogs for treats, getting the leash on properly, getting the blighters out of their cages, and of course scooping the poop. My standard rule is that once any poop touches me or my clothing directly - I'm done.  So far I've walked two dogs - just kidding.

      APS is actually a private contractor for Durham County which relies heavily on its volunteers.  It is required to take any animals turned over to it.  When Nan first started they had a pig - not one of those little ones, but a big old hog.  It is a bit sad to realize that some of these animal won't make it.  We all do the best we can to make the animals comfortable and prepare them for "forever homes". (Forever homes is not doggie heaven, but adoptive homes)  The dogs that we walk are generally the ones that have been deemed ready for adoption.

      This is not the "last mile", these are the dogs we walk.  It is hard not to feel sorry for these beings.  Some of them get a little "cage crazy" or go in the opposite direction and withdraw to a point that you have to carry them out of their cages.  Prospective adoptive families sometime have strange expectations. ("I'd like a small dog that doesn't bark."  "Oh, I'm so sorry our last mute dog was just adopted")  ("I'm returning this dog because it's depressed.  I take it on a 3 mile walk and when we get home all it wants to do is sleep."  "It might just be tired.")  There are more inane comments, but I think you get the idea.
     Our own dogs are both adopted from APS.  Finn is part rat terrier and Jack Russell mix who was on "death row" because he was afraid of everything and everybody.  Once we got him out of the cage and started taking him for walks, he came alive.  Hattie is a Cocker Spaniel mix with a barking problem.  It was so bad that four times she was returned to the shelter and was also on "death row".  She had also developed a bit of a separation anxiety thanks to her former loving owners.  She has been a bit of a challenge, but is showing signs of improvement thanks to a squirt gun.  We give her a bit of a squirt, which she really dislikes, whenever she starts barking inappropriately.
     Walking them three times a day(2 longs, 1 short) is a bit time consuming.  However, as North Carolina is showing signs of Spring, it is enjoyable.  One of the sure signs of Spring are the "Peepers" - you know those little frogs that you here in the early Spring.  The dogs and I went to Eno State Park last week for some good walks.

      Here they are crossing the swinging-bridge over the Eno River.  Finn is on the left and well Hattie is the other dog.  Anyway all along the way we heard the Peepers.  Spring is here.