I learned what could have been a devastatingly difficult lesson this morning. Snick’s leash broke while we were out for our morning walk. He was running at the time (he does this weird “run away from it” thing after he poops) and the end hardware attached to his collar just POPPED out of the hardware piece sewn into the leash. You know the part where it swivels? Just popped right out! I guess the metal must have worn over time.

There are few things quite as frightening as seeing your heart dog running away from you on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk during the morning rush hour!

Luckily, I’ve done some training in case the leash ever broke or I dropped it. I keep him close to me and then suddenly release all but the end handle of the leash so it feels suddenly loose. Then I drop to the ground, call him, and give him big rewards for returning. I think that’s what brought him back to me this morning because shortly after it popped, he put the brakes on and turned back towards me, instead of continuing to run. He stopped to say hello to two pedestrians, who - even though I asked nicely and quite desperately for them to grab him - just looked at me, looked at him, and kept walking. Then I started calling him and he trotted back to me and started playing the “dancing just out of reach” game. I chose my moment carefully and managed to lunge for him and grab his collar. At most, he got about 50 feet from me and he never left the sidewalk, but I think my heartbeat and breathing completely stopped from the time the leash broke until the time I had my hands on him again. When I caught him, I just sat down on the sidewalk until I had recovered enough to stand up again.

I learned two things:

1. Check equipment regularly for wear and tear!!!
2. Training him would work better if I had learned too. He did the right thing (turned and came back), but I DID NOT. I did not drop to the ground and cheerfully call him with “Snickers, Come,” and then give him a handful of treats. I totally panicked and froze and didn’t even reward him after I caught him! I need to train MYSELF better.

Rescue, that is.

As you all know, I’m just a bit involved in NYC Shiba Rescue. You may or may not know that my sister, Debbie, had the rescue bug long before I did. She fosters and transports for Above and Beyond English Setter Rescue and she is also a moderator for the online transport community, Drive for Life. If it weren’t for Debbie, I never would have survived my first foray into rescue - saving Kaos from Miami Dade Animal Services and bringing her home to the northeast.

Even Miss ~T~ (jaqi now for those of you not in the know) has done her part in the past by donating a few drawings to raise money for Animal Haven Shelter.

Well, this weekend, T went on her first rescue transport. In Florida. Who was driving? None other than her father, my ex-hubby. They picked up three Shibas from a surrendering owner and drove them over 150 miles north to meet the next driver in the transport.

Rescue. It’s a family affair. Let’s spread it around.

We have a new little foster dog, Penny. She makes the fourth confused Shiba girl that has moved in to Snick’s territory. (Counting? Secret, Shayna, Lola - who didn’t stay long - and now Penny.) I’ll write more about Penny in a day or two… the point is that watching Penny and Snick made me realize what a great host and teacher Snickers has become.

To add to that feeling of pride, when I opened the mailbox today, mine and Snick’s Delta Society Pet Partner IDs were in there! We are registered Pet Partners now. I’m excited because that means Snickers can go into the public schools. We’re one step closer to my goal of being involved in humane education.

Good boy Snickers.

I gave someone a card years ago that said “You Are Not a Poopy-Head.” I think maybe I treated him like one sometimes though. Which sucks, cz I loved him.

I don’t have a lot of patience for people. Not like I do for dogs anyway.

Speaking of dogs and poop… I have a new foster dog and she pooped in my den last night. GGRRRR.

I’ll write about her when I get a chance to take a photo.

Gartner researchers have estimated that Google technology can address 100 exabytes of data (an exabyte is equal to a billion gigabytes)

Check out this post on Tech Republic about Gartner’s view of Google as a disruptive technology.

1. I love springtime in New York… NOT!
2. Chocolate chip cookies w/coffee, lox & onion omelette with cream cheese, or Challah bread French toast are foods I love to eat for breakfast.
3. It seems I’m always searching for more time in the day.
4. SLEEPING is a great way to end the day.
5. I think I need more help with NYC Shiba Rescue!
6. A certain ex-boyfriend is what I’ve been craving lately.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to sleeping, tomorrow my plans include working on NYCSR stuff and Sunday, I want to do some spring cleaning and play with Snickers!

(1) If you don’t have a Gravatar account yet… GEEEEZ! Go get one already.

(2) I keep my [massive and complex] to do lists in a mindmap at mindomo.com (which ROCKS, btw) but I’m not always at my computer to add things to it. I often remember to do items while I am out walking Snickers or walking to work. I’ve tried just sending myself email reminders, but then I’m bothered by them being in my inbox when I’m not ready to deal with doing, moving, or listing them. Today I fixed all that. Now I send an email to a special address at nycgadgetgirl.com with the reminder in the subject line, that address if filtered in gmail so that it skips my inbox and is labeled “to do.” When I’m ready catch up on odds and ends, I view the to do label in gmail, take care of all the little things and add everything else to my mind map!

One of my readers pointed me towards a new blog a couple weeks ago and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. The most recent post is excellent and must be shared.

Please go enjoy The Dog Whisperer Might Be Right This Time at I Am Shiba.

Late Sunday night - after midnight - has always been one of my favorite times to walk Snickers. Other than Christmas Day or in the middle of a blizzard, this is the quietest time to go for a walk in my neighborhood. Last night, Snick and I were enjoying a quiet minute on “rat plaza” (don’t ask) and I suddenly realized that I hardly ever see any pigeons when we’re out walking at that hour. They’re usually EVERYWHERE. So, where do they go at night?

(And, if they’re all congregated somewhere at night, wouldn’t that be a great time/place to, um, exterminate a bunch of them?)

Hello everyone… I’ve recently transferred my site to a different server and made huge version jump in WordPress, so I’m pretty sure my feeds have changed. If you read me through a feed reader and you receive this, please let me know. Thanks!

Snick and I Got to Meet Janet Yesterday

Janet is in NYC for the weekend and stopped by our Shiba Meetup yesterday for her Shiba fix. I didn’t know she was coming, so when she introduced herself I was like "oh, hi" and then "wait! oh, hi!" I’ve known Janet online for a few years now, so it was cool to meet her in person.

Even My Dog is a Fire Sign

I’ve always thought it was interesting that almost all the significant people in my life are fire signs (as am I). My parents and my daughter are all Sagittarius. All three of the men I’ve been "serious" about in my life are Aries. I’m a Leo. I just happened to realize that Snickers is a Sagittarius too! That’s a little weird, eh?

And not just on the humans who do it.

When I speak with one of my partners in NYCSR in particular, the topic of our own dogs comes up a lot. We both have male Shibas that are at the centers of our canine universes. Or, at least, they WERE until we started NYCSR. These days, the rescue seems to be center of everything except the time I spend to earn a paycheck. It has taken over my social time, my SLEEP time, and, yes, my time with Snickers. I notice myself taking shorter and shorter walks with him, working longer hours at the office and at home, and sleeping later in the mornings when I should be walking him.

Yesterday another rescue person that I know was listing all the poor dogs that had been through her rescue in the last few weeks and then said

In all this, my Min Pin was neglected by me - not meaning to - and he died this Friday past… the 14th. Sometimes in rescue you neglect your babies without meaning to. I will never forgive myself… I never will…

Now, he didn’t die of neglect or abuse of course. Today she said

I am still crying and totally heartbroken. He was old, fragile, and very sweet. Had I not been so crazy busy I would have secluded him and given more gentle touch and love….

Now he’s gone and she’s full of sadness and regrets.

This morning I woke up late - again - showered, dressed and RUSHED Snickers through a quick walk. This one was even faster than usual because it was raining outside. When we got home, Snickers was very excited and I realized it was because we normally play in the apartment after our walk if it is raining. I was almost late for work already though and Snick had peed… I had to go. I change clothes, threw on my coat and gave Snick his "bye bye" treats. He was watching me the whole time, like "what are you doing?" As soon as I headed for the door, he started to whimper. When the door closed behind me, he started to howl. It only took a second for me to realize that I had disappointed him and that I’ve been doing that much too often lately.

Well, no more. The rescue can have my sleep time and it can have my social time, but it can not have my Snickers time any more!