Baby mouse alert!!!!! Don’t read any further………Be forewarned………….

Baby mouse alert!!!!! Don’t read any further………Be forewarned………….

August 10, 2009 9:14am

It was another fantastic volunteer weekend. Saturday morning I attended a volunteer orientation at Hogan Street Youth Center. ***** the ***** dog trainer ***** and his family have been in Charlotte attending to an important matter so when he returns it will be good to get some more training tips from him.

While ***** has been gone it’s just been the executive director and me letting the dogs out. The board of Directors is growing and more volunteers are coming aboard to help so it’s good to see this fantastic organization grow.

Volunteer dog walkers are needed as the dog walking will begin this weekend and every following weekend Saturday’s and Sunday mornings 10am sharp.

The Stray Rescue volunteer shelter shifts are fun as always. Boris proved to me this morning how much he loves humans. Boris found a baby mouse and didn’t kill it right away but he brought it to me for approval. I let Boris play with the mouse to see what Boris would do and it was confusing to him at first but in the end he did the right thing.

I wanted Boris to put the mouse out of its misery so I wouldn’t have to but at the same time I didn’t want Boris to eat it. We had a silent conversation about the issue so it was interesting to watch Boris pick the mouse up with his mouth and walk away with it then drop the mouse, sit on the grass like he was going to wipe his rear then look at me. He did this several times and it was very cute to watch.

He knew I didn’t want him to eat the mouse yet at the same time I was a little apprehensive about challenging Boris over a live treat. I didn’t back down and Boris did great and showed me the whole time that he wanted approval. I just wish he would seek approval before chasing cars and scooters.

I had a good time with Josie. She 9 years old and has that “America’s favorite dog” lab look and I’m sure she’ll get adopted fast. She needs a play friend in her apartment as she cries a lot when she’s by herself. But as soon as she is walked her face lights up and it’s happy times again.

I’ve been playing peek-a-boo with Jewel. I look at her then she looks at me then turns her head sideways as if to say “stop staring at me.” The wolf hybrids Tyson and Elkie are their fun usual selves and it was fun watching a new volunteer help out with Elkie.

Hotsy wasn’t at the shelter as she is now in a foster home so I’ll miss her. A week ago it was fun helping Donna “introduce/break in” Hotsy with Bill. They were quite a pair as they got along so great but Bill now has Tangerine a new play friend in his apartment. Tangerine isn’t on the website yet but Bill and Tang get along quite well.

Props to Stray Rescue photographer and dog extraordinaire Donna Lochmann for helping out on our shifts while Libby was away. Donna would be in her right to just walk Jewel and be on her way as she keeps super busy with her other Stray Rescue duties but she stays and helps for the whole shift so thanks Donna.

The coolest part of last Friday’s shift was running into Best Friend Animal Society and the TV show DogTown trainer Ann Allums. It’s always good to talk to Ann as she is so knowledgeable about dogs and dog training. It was Trish, Ann and I with Tyson and Elkie in the yard talking about how wonderful Tyson and Elkie are.