THINK ALL PEOPLE ARE MEANER THAN A RABID GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG?

If you go on any given e-mail list that is sharing their opinions about our beloved breed, you are bound to run into a few disgruntled people. Emotions can become rapidly agitated and tempers can reach the boiling point. Like the German Shepherd Dog that they own, they are a proud community. They feel things strongly and "Oh my goodness," challenge their viewpoints and sometimes the "uglies" spew out of their mouths, feelings become hurt and sometime friendships strained or lost forever! But like the most faithful dog on the planet (of course that's the German Shepherd Dog), the majority of the people connected to this breed when called upon for help, step up to the plate and score a home run! I always knew that I had made some wonderful friendships in this breed, but little did I know how wonderful they truly were. Even more surprising were those in our community that I never met who was right there for me during my hard times. Most people know people in this breed by the dogs they own and show, but sometimes we forget that they are human beings before they were ever a dog person. I am so blessed and so appreciative to all of you that reached out to me. It proves that there are, indeed, angels right here on earth.

It all began with my dog "Amber." Yup I wanted to include her here on my list of "thank-you's!" Like most German Shepherds, she's very smart and very curious. I remember how she would come up to me looking for a pat on the head because she's an extremely affectionate dog. When I look back on it, many, many times she would take her big black German Shepherd Dog nose and press it against my stomach and sniff and snort loudly. I would jokingly say to her, "What are you smelling Amber.......some bad stuff inside of me?" I've had some health problems these past several years so nothing surprised me anymore. Now I know what it was she was smelling. They say that a dog can smell cancer or other illnesses that you may be harboring inside. I was convinced that she did just that! So pay attention if your dog is paying attention to you a little more than usual.

When I was first diagnosed with uterine cancer and told some of my closest friends in the breed, they all were concerned and before I even knew what hit me, they were busy behind the lines, if you will! So here goes with all the many "thank you's" that I need to say. The first one goes out to my dear friend Marilyn Smith. Many of you only know her for the lovely animals that she's bred. But Marilyn is much more than a friend to the German Shepherd Dog. She is a friend that goes out of her way more times than not when someone is in need. She has this calm demeanor but don't let that fool you, she knows how to get things done. I told her that I was very concerned for my three dogs when I go to the hospital and then when I come home for my recovery. I knew that I wouldn't have the money to have people come in to take care of my dogs. She told me that she didn't want me to worry about my dogs. She said "You get your operation and I'll take care of the rest." And true to her word, she did. First she gave me the number of a organization that helps dog people when they become ill. It's called "Take the Lead." I contacted them and filled out the papers that they asked me to only to be told that it was too expensive to pay these dog sitters and with a "pat on the back" wished me well and sent me on my way. In my opinion, their attitude was not very friendly and almost made you feel guilty for being sick at all. They depend on donations to help their cause. I'm sure other people that they helped would give them a favorable review. I'm sorry that I will not be counted as one of those people. In my opinion they need more friendly, sympathetic people that answer their phones and deal with ill people. While I understand that they can't help all that may come to them, they need to do some work on learning how to turn people down with more kindness than they do now. They may be dog friendly, but I didn't feel they were very people friendly!!!!

Marilyn reassured me that all was not lost. She said she was going to contact the "Sunshine Squad" from the German Shepherd Dog Show list. So she placed a call to Doc. Zoe and called me back to let me know she was waiting to hear back from her. Later that night, Marilyn and I were talking again and she was getting a call from Zoe and told me she would call me back. A little while later, she excitedly told me that I was approved and for me to call up those dog sitters and book them to come take care of my dogs. I cried with joy as my dogs were a major concern for me. Now I could go get my insides cut out of me with a smile on my face!!!! (Not)! My dogs were going to be taken care of!!! Doc Zoe was marvelous to talk with and so very supportive during my hardest times. She wrote to me and called me several times to make sure I was doing well. Think she's just one of the administrators and founding members of the Show Dog list? Then you don't really know one of the kindest people that I didn't really know either!!! The Sunshine Squad is a marvelous charitable organization that helps fellow German Shepherd enthusiasts that are in need during their trials and tribulations. The word "sunshine" is an appropriate name for this organization because that is just what they did for me...........brought a little sunshine during some of the blackest days of my life. I don't know all those that contribute to this wonderful organization but from the bottom of my "itty bittie" heart, thanking you and Marilyn seems so inadequate! God bless you all! Please check out the Sunshine Squad's link here. It offers so many different resources for those that are in need. And donations are gladly accepted for you never know when you too may need assistance! It's a great website for information. http://showgsd.org/sunshine.html

And then there's my good friend who makes me laugh more than most. You guys may only know her as that lady from "Last Hope, Safe Haven." Yup that's the one and only Dawn Restuccia! I asked her to take over my e-mail list (The GSD Showcase) in my absence and she graciously accepted. But more than supporting my e-mail list, it was that chicken soup of hers that most impressed me! Since the time that she knew that I was ill, she kept saying to me that she wished she lived closer so she could make me some homemade chicken soup. Then one day she gets this brainstorm (she's gets a lot of these) and tells me that she's going to send it me in the mail!!! I thought she was kidding and told her she was crazy and I just laughed it off knowing what a "joker" she is. Well no she wasn't kidding and yes she is crazy because "lo and behold" there's a big box waiting for me on my doorstep one morning! I look at the return address and it's from Massachusetts. Who do I know that lives up there? It could only be Dawn! I open up this overly taped up box that houses a big old bowl that she froze in her freezer. It's taped up with a gazillion wrappings that took me forever to remove. Sure enough there's the soup that she told me took three pounds of chicken to make! Can you believe it?! And "man of man"..........the woman can cook! My stomach loved every spoonful. Knowing Dawn has been a true pleasure in my life! Thank you dear friend. You are really special.....even if you are a little crazy!

Thank you to all my other many friends in the breed for your many phone calls and e-mails. They all meant so much to me. It's true, you really don't know who your friends are until you are in need of their friendship. It's so easy to be a "friend" to someone when their life is good. It's those people that hang around when your life stinks that are true friends! Those that impressed me the most were those that I never met who reached out to me. Thank you very much. There was Steve up in Maine that offered to take care of my dogs for me. There was Bruce who had prayers said for me in his church as many others did as well. There was a special e-mail group of German Shepherd people who say prayers for the sick and dying and Deb would send me prayer updates all the time. The list goes on and on. I never really appreciated how truly blessed I am until I became ill. I never felt sorry for myself and asked, "Why did this happen to me dear Lord?" I just accepted it and knew I was in God's hands and he already knew what was going to happen to me anyway! Life is what it is............not always easy, not always fun, and certainly not what you may want it to be, but it is what it is. You can either accept it or fall down and crumble, moan, groan and complain or "get up" and go on! Well I'm still here for as long as God wants me here because I know he has work for me to do yet in whatever way he chooses to use me. All I know is that I am blessed.

I also want to thank my family that has been here for me. You already read about my youngest brother, but my other brother Jedd has been a God send to me as well. He was with me after my first operation and waited with me in the recovery room and listened to my endless drug induced chatter for what must have seemed like hours on end! He has the patience of a saint for that one. I was no better in his immaculate car when I threatened to get sick in it from the triple morphine running through my veins. He got me home just in time because what I threatened to do in his car, I did in the kitchen sink. Yucky! Sorry for the visual, but I'm telling my story as it was! Then he also took me down for my follow up at Sloan Kettering which ended up being an all day event because of more testing. We left at 9 in the morning and returned at 9 in the evening!

Then there's my sister who commissioned the dog sitters to stay a few weeks longer. Thank God because I just couldn't do the physical work needed to take care of them! Then there's my cousins that called me all the time and my best friend Brenda who has been "too kind for words!" She's like a second sister to me!

I have to say something here about my faith. I have very strong feelings about it. But there are times when you wonder what you are going to do about something that you see no way through. I experienced this many times during my trials. I wondered how I was going to do this or that. One day I was walking through the kitchen talking to myself and asking myself these exact questions. I felt my blood pressure elevated and through my "self talk", I heard a silent voice say in answer to my questions........"Ye of little faith!" You have no idea of how enlightening that was to me! I had to remind myself........"Let go and let God!" And because my faith is strong (although tested many times), God was there for me once again.................he worked his miracle through all of you guys that were there for me! So next time you go to a show, say hello to a stranger. Help out a newbie that is looking for a friend. You just never know if he was sent to you as your "Guiding Angel" for sometime in the future!


So this has been my journey. I am still recovering and it's a slow process. I live my life one day at a time. For all those that reached out to me in this breed.............you are so much more than just a breeder or exhibitor. You are special human beings above anything else. Some of you may never own a champion and some of you own more than your share of them, but to me, you are champions among people!!! You may not have a title just yet, but your crown is reserved by a judge far better suited to judge than any AKC licensed judge on this earth!!!


From the book: A SECOND HELPING OF CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL: The runaway bestseller Chicken Soup for the Soul captured the imagination of millions of readers with its uplifting message of hope and inspiration. With a nation still hungering for more good news, Canfield and Hansen went back to work and cooked up another batch of life-affirming stories to warm your heart and soothe your soul.

Through the experiences of others, readers from all walks of life can learn the gift of love, the power of perseverance, the joy of parenting and the vital energy of dreaming. Share the magic that will change forever how you look at yourself and the world around you.

My rating: "Sunshine Squad": (4), Chicken Soup for the Soul books: (4), most German Shepherd Dog people: (4)!

I AM NOT THE SINGER IN THE FAMILY

I feel so sorry for my dogs this time of the year. They have to suffer listening to the strained vocal chords of their owner when Christmas time is here. I love listening to some of the Holiday music and especially ones that I can “sing” with. So, alright I’m not the singer in the family, but good golly I’m going to give it everything I’ve got anyway. I look at it this way, if I feel good, then that must mean that my dogs feel good too, right? Well when I hear them shift around in their crates when I’m reaching for that high note, I just know that there must be someplace that they would rather be right about then. But I just can’t help myself; I’ve got to sing along with some of the songs. Now I know better than try to reach the high notes of “Oh Holy Night” my most favorite song. My throat would be sore for days after that one. But how about this John Lennon classic, “So this is Christmas”……another one of my favorites? I can sing along to this one without ruining it too much……I think!

People are busy decorating their homes. The tree is decorated. The menu is planned. Invitations have been extended. Christmas cards have been sent. Are your dogs feeling the excitement in the air? Their noses don’t miss a trick. I’m sorry Aunt Gertrude if your package is smudged with my dog’s nose and mouth impressions. They want to be a part of everything that is going on. They just love the smell of the tree and are most inquisitive with packages with big fancy bows and ribbons adorning them. Baking holiday cookies affords them special treats. Oh I don’t mean that they are sharing my sugar loaded cookies with me, but I do keep “their” dog biscuits handy so they feel that they are getting special treatment as well. It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season that we are not giving our dogs the same treatment that they are usually accustomed to all year round.

I know better than to wrap up a big bone and put it under the Christmas tree. That wrapping isn’t fooling my dogs. They’d be tearing that fancy wrapping paper into shreds hoping to get an early Christmas present. Why put temptation in front of them? So nope, their gifts don’t go under the tree right away.

So what holiday traditions do you share with your dogs? Do you make them a part of your celebration activities? Do you buy or make them special gifts? Do they get any leftovers from your holiday table? Are the holidays special for them too or is it like any other day for them?

I’m including the lyrics to one of my favorite Christmas songs because not only do I enjoy the lively beat of the song, but I really like the lyrics to it as well.


SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS

John Lennon

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over
If you want it
War is over
Now...


From "LENNON LEGEND: THE VERY BEST OF JOHN LENNON"......Imagine a place where the personal, political, and emotional elements of John Lennon's music converge together seamlessly in one cohesive production. An assortment of his finest solo work, Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon is of great interest to anyone who's ever been a fan of the Beatles, the Plastic Ono Band, Yoko Ono, or simply the genius himself. Ranging from a rendition of Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" to the sounds of the Plastic Ono Band and the Harlem Community Choir on "Happy Xmas" and the classic anti-war anthem "Give Peace A Chance", the recordings assembled here stand as a testament to one of rock's most complex and influential musical talents. If you believe that Lennon's greatest period of creativity came to an end with the Beatles, you owe yourself a listen to this album.


My rating: Sharing the holidays with your dogs: (4)

LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS!

Oh I am without doubt the worst when it comes to buying holiday gifts for this time of year. I mean I procrastinate. I’m just plain awful. By now, most people have bought their gifts and they’ve even wrapped them. Cards have been sent and they’re planning their holiday meals. Christmas trees have been decorated and the outside house decorations are the envy of the neighborhood. I’ll wait to the very last minute before I go out to do what everyone else has been doing for the last few months. Well at least I’ll know what my New Years resolution will be……to stop procrastinating!

So for those few people out there who are like me, still pondering about what to get great Aunt Matilda, I’ve got some gift suggestions you might like to consider. I’m sure if we put our collective minds together we can come up with something. Most of these ideas will be geared towards our “fur” owning families and friends.

For those people who have everything: how about personalized items? You know the ones I mean…..those things that you can have their names, kennels, or dog’s names engraved on something. Suggestions might be: t-shirts, mouse pads, hats, totes, license plate holders, letterhead stationery or cards. And if you’re a big spender, how about a portrait of their beloved dog or dogs?

For the easy to please type of people: You can do the same thing for these guys by giving them a personalized gift or skip the monograms and give them a plain old t-shirt, etc. After all they’re easy and will love whatever you give them even if it is just another polyester shirt or boxed tie. A nice idea might be a dog breed book or a movie that has a dog as its leading character. How about a DVD of the “Dog Whisperer” series?

For the children of “fur” owning parents: Give the kids books about the German Shepherd Dog. Teach them early. Pay to have a pro teach them the ins and outs of dog show handling. Pay a professional to train your dog with your kid on the end of the leash. Buy him a new bike so he can help road work the dogs. Save up for a trip to the National so your child can compete in the junior handling events. Get him involved. Buy him the best dog grooming products so he can participate in the care of the dogs. You have no idea how happy this will make him! While all his friends brag about their football victories, Johnny will have bragging rights about his new Grand Victor (in the making)!

For the husband or boyfriend of a “fur” owning woman: Buy him a new vanity plate for his car with your kennel name on it. How about some doggie mats for his car? Give him a new video camera so he can tape all the dog shows you go to. Buy him one of those chairs that have the umbrella attachment so he’s protected from the sun when he’s watching the dog shows. Even better, buy him one of those tent like awnings and invite all your friends to sit and watch the show with the two of you. Get him a new barbecue grill for all the dog parties you plan on giving this year and designate him as the top chef! And there you go, how about personalizing a new barbecuing apron for your champ of a husband? And if you’re a big spender, how about giving him a year’s membership in the gym so he’ll be in better shape to help you double handle the dogs. If this is out of your budget, you can always buy him a new pair of sneakers to help him better double handle your new up and coming star! He’ll love you for it!

For the wife or girlfriend of the “fur” owning man: How about buying her a new top show quality puppy that she’s been having her eye on for the last month? You know she wants that puppy to add to the twenty dogs that she already has! Just think how grateful she’ll be. How about buying her a new sweat pants outfit to clean the dog kennels? In fact, buy her two or three so you don’t get tired of looking at her in the same one. And if you’re really on a budget, here’s one that won’t cost you a dime. Volunteer to pick up the dog’s kennels for the next couple of months or even just on the week-ends. Make sure they have clean, fresh water without having her ask you if you’ve checked. Go ahead, surprise her! Buy her a new vacuum that’s great for picking up dog hair, or how about one of those steamers for the carpet? She’ll appreciate you thinking of lightening her work load! Give her tickets for the host hotel at next years National Specialty show and tell her you plan on coming with her! For the really big spender, give her the keys to a brand new van that can easily accommodate 4 dog crates! To show her appreciation, she might even make you her secret recipe meat loaf that night!

What to give your “doggie” friends: Bake up some home made dog biscuits and tie them up with a pretty ribbon. Layer the ingredients for home made dog biscuits in a plain glass jar and include the instructions for baking them and put a festive bow on top of the lid. Buy them a new doggie brush or comb. How about a new bottle of shampoo or conditioner? Offer to “doggie” sit so they can go out to a dinner and movie one night. You can offer to help leash train some of their new puppies on a Saturday afternoon. Bring a pot luck dish and you can have a light lunch together. How about gifting her with this years newest Redbook? You can order that on the GSDCA’s website. And if you’re really a big spender, how about offering to pay for her membership dues so she’s sure not to miss out on receiving her latest issue of The German Shepherd Dog Review?

If your budget is really only able to squeeze out $5 to $10 a person, buy them a lottery ticket and help make someone a millionaire! Or you can donate in their name to one of their favorite charities or donate to Last Hope, Safe Haven to help save a German Shepherd from a shelter and do it in your friends name! The needy dog will be forever grateful that you did!

And for your own “fur” kids: Buy him a top supplement like Vibrant Pets (from yours truly) to help keep him healthy all year. Call up Mary and ask her to send you some more Naked Care for grooming his coat so he’ll look real pretty for his Christmas picture! How about ordering a new leash from Emily the Leash Lady? E-mail me and let me do a personalized t-shirt, mouse pad, tote or hat for that special person. (See the above pictures with this article). Get in touch with Ginger Cleary and ask her to do a sketch of your dog for you. Ask Sally if she can send you one of her jackets with her beautiful hand made German Shepherd embroidery decorations. If you really are looking for a very SPECIAL “one of a kind” gift, no one does more beautiful paintings then our very own Syd Mailberg! Ask anyone who has one of her lovely portraits how much they love her work! I’m sure there are many more people in our breed who sells wonderful things that would make great gifts. Seek them out and support what they do!

So there you have it, all you last minute procrastinators! The list of possibilities is endless. But do it now, shipping to get those gifts in time for Santa’s delivery is coming down to the wire. After all, there are just so many gifts he can fit on that sleigh. And besides rumor has it, (and I have it from Mrs. Clauses own mouth), Rudolph is on strike and might have to be replaced with another reindeer! So make those calls, send those e-mails, but get your orders in. Don’t find yourself like me, going to the stores late Christmas Eve looking over the last remnants of gifts that other shoppers didn’t want. Will I ever learn to put a stop to this madness or come this time next year, find myself rummaging through the “nobody wants” pile of leftovers once again? Stay tuned!

My rating: Buy gifts from our dog community: (4), home made gifts: (4), receiving “big spenders” gifts: (4++++++)!