Life with Lehigh

You’ve Heard of a Talking Dog?

2010-09-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

Lehigh, our rescued Lab/Border Collie mix, has been with us more than two years now. She continues to be a sweet-natured, extremely bright, source of love. But she has real talent. She talks.

My hubby, Bob, and I have had our share of pets over the years, but none were as smart or vocal as this little girl. Oh, she sighs, like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She holds conversations with our friends telling them what a joy it is that they are visiting and how much she missed them. She plops down with a version of a “moose call” when she doesn’t get her way, and she also talks in her sleep.

Since we have a talking dog in our family, I wondered how common this phenomenon may be. Here are some “talkers” from other families.

I love my mama

Good Dog Sitters Are A Great Gift

2010-06-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

To board or not to board

Leaving Lehigh, our rescued Labrador Retriever in a kennel or boarding facility while we went out of town for the weekend was not our first choice. Though there are many well-run boarding facilities, including those at our wonderful veterinarian's office, Wilmington Animal Healthcare, we felt that our dog, who is a real people girl, would thrive at her home with dog sitters.

Fortunately, we knew of a young couple who would be willing to stay in our home for two days and take care of Lehigh. They made a special trip a week prior to our trip just to meet our dog and learn about her routines. They instantly bonded, so much so that Lehigh would not leave their side the entire time they were here. We agreed to a plan. They would arrive Friday morning and stay till Sunday morning.

Peace of mind

When Friday came, they arrived at the agreed time and we felt comfortable departing. We had left them a written list of information, as reminders if they would be needed, and contact numbers for where we were going. We gave them the choice as to whether they wanted Lehigh to sleep with them. (In our room, she has her own bed.)

When we returned, everything was in perfect order and our girl was glad to see us. We very much appreciated the gift of peace of mind because we had great dog sitters.

Some dog sitters prefer that you bring your dog to their premises. Make the arrangements that suit your dog as well as your needs. Keep in mind your dog's social personality as well as her ability to adjust to new people and places.

How do you find dog sitters you can trust?

Network with your family, friends, church and co-workers

Ask your veterinarian, ASPCA or humane shelter, or pet store for referrals

Check classifieds in local publications

Look in your yellow pages for doggie day care facilities

You also might try posting an ad online, but make sure to check references thoroughly.

P.S. We received this photo a week later letting us know where Lehigh slept during our absence. She obviously had no trouble getting comfy nor taking the lion's share of space. Thanks to Abigail and Rob for being such great dog sitters!

Becky (Rebecca) Jacoby writes and edits fiction and nonfiction. She and her husband love dogs and support animal rescue efforts. Contact her at rebecca.jacoby09@gmail.com or via beckyjacoby.com

Lessons on Sleeping From Lehigh the Labrador Retriever

2010-05-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

If you've lived with dogs--or even observed dog behavior, you know how quickly a dog can fall asleep.

Our rescued Labrador retriever, Lehigh, makes falling asleep look particularly easy and restful. When she's in R.E.M. sleep, her paws will flex as though she's chasing something. We kiddingly say she's chasing rabbits (but we like rabbits too much to mean it). She's not adverse to snoring on occasion, either.

Her favorite position of late is revealed in the pictures: on her back, paws up, head hanging over the edge of the sofa, ears and gums flapping back. Now that's relaxation!

Don't you just feel the ahhh!

A good friend (she'd be embarrassed if I named her), said, "Those pics are hysterical....I laughed out loud! In my next life (that's unless God has other plans for me), I want to come back as a dog in your home. "

Couldn't we take a lesson on kicking back and letting go, just as Lehigh does?

Of course, part of her ability to do this comes in her total trust in us and our love for her. She can be "queen" but she reciprocates with unconditional love to us as well. We think her ability to relax completely stems from trust.

Can you let go and trust?

Look at Lehigh and find your favorite spot.

Yawn...Nitey nite.

Lehigh the Lab, the Butter Dish, and Grandma Nora’s Lasagne Dinner

2010-02-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

Bob and I had owned dogs before, even rescued ones. We expected that, like people, dogs learned bad habits.

Of course, Lehigh learned some before we adopted her, and it wasn’t long until we discovered one: counter surfing.

Counter surfing occurs with larger dogs, ones who can reach their front paws high enough to rest on a table or kitchen counter. Then they quickly seize what appeals to them, usually food.

The first occurrence took us by surprise. Dinner was served. I had placed a pat of butter on the green beans and left the butter dish mid-counter in the kitchen. By the time I took the green beans to the table and turned back to the counter, the remaining butter was gone, the butter dish was on the tile and Lehigh looked at me innocently while licking her chops.

Though discipline and training would be a process, we vowed not to tempt Lehigh by leaving food within reach on the counter.

But Grandma Nora didn’t know about counter-surfing.

Bob took Lehigh for a visit to Grandma’s as Nora needed help with a computer problem. While she and Bob worked on the PC in another room, Lehigh entertained herself in another room.

Grandma had left a square of lasagna to thaw for dinner. It rested covered in green plastic wrap on the counter. Lehigh thought it smelled good enough to eat and she did—including the wrap. Luckily, what could have been dangerous for her was not. (Nature took its course.) But Grandma remembers now that food needs to be out of reach when Lehigh visits.

Lehigh, who would be a real chow gal if we allowed her, gets fed well with Nutro for sensitive stomachs (recommended since she had bloat at one time). She sometimes gets special treats of raw apples, carrots or baked sweet potatoes, too…but nothing from the counter, ever.

(The photo shows Lehigh being loved by our niece, Karen--after a treat or two to be sure.)

Lehigh, A 2-Year Old Rescued Black Lab

2010-02-13T11:25:00.000-08:00

When we realized we wanted to add a dog to our family, we chose to adopt. With so many rescued and fostered animals needing loving homes, we could do our part.

Searching online sites such as Petfinder and ASPCA, we finally landed on the description of Lehigh, a 2-year-old black Labrador Retriever. Kudos to the foster mom who wrote the description, expressing the personality and temperament of this sweet girl.

A truck had hit Lehigh on Lehigh Avenue in Philadelphia--that's how she had received her name. Abandonned, a good samaritan had found her and taken her to a veterinarian where she received the care that kept her alive. She had lost most of her tail, needed surgery on a back leg and nearly died from bloat. The samaritan paid for her care though she could not keep Lehigh due to restrictions at her apartment. So, Lehigh entered the foster care system.

After a grueling application process with Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue and two trips to visit Lehigh, we met her current foster "parents" at an agreed upon location and took her to her fur-ever home.

We are grateful to have been entrusted with her love and care. The blessing of a dog's unconditional love is one everyone should experience.

Life with Lehigh is joy, laughter, learning and adventure. This blog is her story.