Sugarloaf Mountaineer

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This weekend we took advantage of the unusually warm weather and headed out to the only “mountain” – it’s much more of a hill – I have in decently close proximity to me, Sugarloaf Mountain. We enjoyed a two and half hour, five mile hike/walk up and down and around the “mountain”. I love hiking in general, so having a dog to join me makes it so much better! Baxter LOVES to walk and hike (and sometimes even run!) with me as well, so our weekends together are busy with adventures during the day and lots of sleeping at night.

Our Sugarloaf Adventure: Check it out!

It was actually a pleasantly challenging hike! Mostly because most of the time we actually had to watch our footing or navigate hills. We took a few water breaks on the way to our destination.

Baxter took full advantage of our breaks.

Baxter is a great hiking partner. This picture of him pretty much sums up the way he walks with us on the trail. Can you say totally loose leash!

At one point, we hit a pretty steep hill. To prevent any of the three of us tumbling down it because of all the slick leaves on the ground, we made the perfect plan. Mark carefully made his way down, then waited at the bottom. I let Baxter go and Mark called him. Bax happily and safely ran all the way down the hill straight into Mark’s arms. Then I could make my way down, dog free. I’m mostly just sharing this because the pictures of happy Bax running to greet Mark are silly and adorable: ears bouncing, tail wagging like crazy.

You can’t see Mark at the bottom, but I promise he is there.

We finally made it to the overlook, and boy was it worth it.

Credit for this great photo to Mark!

The whole thing was pretty tiring, but so worth it. Bax slept the whole day and night.

I know a lot of you agree with the “a tired dog is a happy dog” mentality, right? That’s why you mentioned in comments on my previous post about walking with Lily Fireworks that you’d be interested in a hiking group. Well, we’re in the works of making that happen! We’re trying to get all our ducks in a row, but in the mean time can anyone who is interested in a hiking/walking group in the DC area please email peacelovefoster@gmail.com so you can receive an invitation to our inaugural hike! Or you can leave your email address in a comment – up to you! Stay tuned for announcements about when/where we’re doing the walk, and also what the group’s name will be (!), and hopefully a facebook page. We’re really excited to get together a group of people who love the same things we do. Stay tuned!

Hope you all had as great a weekend as we did, maybe enjoying some nice weather wherever you are!

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com

First Friday of 2012

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Hey! It’s me, Comeback KId Baxter here. I wanted to alert everyone to the fact that it is the first ever Friday of 2012. That means it’s the first full weekend of 2012. Doesn’t everyone love weekends as much as I do? This one is super special, because it combines two of my favorite things: weekends (have you picked up on the fact that I really enjoy doing absolutely nothing?) and fresh starts.

To me, 2012 is a fresh start. Because I’m a dog, I try to forget things in my past and focus on the present, the today, the here and now – something fostermom says she wishes she could learn from me. To me, it’s just the way us dogs are. I had a tough start to 2011, so who would want to dwell on that?

I have a few things on my 2012 To Do list. I’m not into resolutions, but I’m into fresh starts and fresh starts come with To Do lists. In 2012 I would like to give as many kisses as possible. In 2012 I would like to find new doggy best friends to romp around with (love you Bella, but you’re just not around enough to fulfill my needs). In 2012 I would like to eat one bully stick per day – fostermom would be okay with that, right? In 2012 I would like to change a few minds about pit bull type dogs. In 2012 I want to perfect my sleeping skills and sleep in as many places as possible (yes, I have a “sleeping” bucket list).

Most of all in 2012, I would like to find a home of my own. Living with fostermom is great, but she knows she can’t keep me forever. I just want someone who will love me unconditionally. I want to find someone who will give me belly rubs and set up a heater for me to sleep by and take me on long walks and let me sleep at their feet and teach me new tricks. I want someone who understands what I’ve been through so that they can help me completely forget about it. I want someone who will appreciate me and laugh at my silly tail. I want someone who loves me for me.

I know it’s a lot, but 2012 is a long time to check off all of my To Do list. I’m a do-er, not a sit-back-and-watch-er, so I think 2012 will be my year to accomplish it all, even that last part. Now I am going to go see if mom is supportive of my 2012 To Do list… then ask her for a bully stick.

Happy Friday, everyone!

– CK Bax

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

Kibble for Comments…. DELIVERY!

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Hi everyone, it’s me, Bax! So fostermama tells me the howl-iday vacation is over and you’re all back to work. Not so fun, right? I can only imagine. Sometimes instead of sleeping all day I have to go with mom in the car to run errands or do zoomies around the yard or chew on bully sticks in between meals, and I’m like, “goodness what is with all of this work?!” Oh… what do you mean you don’t think that’s work? Uh, hmm…. okay well then I guess you all have it a little worse than me!

Since I bet the first day back after vacation is about the equivalent of staring at an empty bowl of kibble, I figured I’d share with you guys something that will make you smile: how I picked out and then delivered the kibble from our drive!!! Thank you all soooo much for helping us raise the kibble. I’m especially happy because it meant I got to go on a trip to Petsmart help my buddies at the Montgomery County Humane Society.

I made sure we picked out the perfect kind of kibble. I sniffed all over the store to certify with my super duper sniffer that what we picked out was the yummiest stuff in the store. I didn’t miss a single spot to look, in case those Petsmartians hid the good stuff where only super duper sniffers could find it.

I finally decided which kind I wanted to get for all my friends.

I told the Petsmartian which specific bags I wanted, then supervised the loading.

After inspecting our booty from all angles….

… I decided we were good to go, did a happy dance, and said, “Let’s go deliver this kibble!!!”

So we did. 210 pounds of it, to be exact.

I “helped” a lot with this part, too.

Then the kibble was whisked away to the place where they keep the food that fills the bowls of all the doggies awaiting forever homes. Yippee! How cool is that! I really want to thank each and every one of you who helped make this happen and allowed me to play Santa for all the adoptable dogs at MCHS.

(I know it’s not even December anymore…. but I’m still cute in my Santa hat, right!?)

So I hope you are feeling all the same warm & fuzzies that I felt when I got the opportunity to do this. Together you & I might not be able to change the whole world, but for a few dogs at MCHS we just changed their world : -)

Paws up to having a great 2012! Thanks you all!

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

2011 wrap up

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In August, I joined the blog world. A lot happened before that, and a lot has happened since. It’s all sorts of crazy and exciting and unexpected and fun. Here is 2011 for Peace, Love, & Fostering in a brief review.

January – May

I was busy being a college senior at the University of Maryland. I interned at and then was offered a full time position at my dream job. I graduated with an Animal Sciences degree. I had absolutely no idea what to expect from my new opportunities.

June

A mere two weeks after graduating, I started real life (aka my full time job). I discovered Love and a Six-Foot Leash and subsequently all of my other favorite bloggers, organizations, and advocates. I rediscovered my love for pit bulls & pit bull type dogs, which was initially instilled when I had an internship at the humane society in high school. I slowly started learning about rescue, fostering, advocacy; the works.

July

I dog sat for Mandy & Dixie at the same time, proving to myself I could manage the full responsibility of caring for a dog, then jumped right in with my first foster Otis. Otis was only with me for two weeks. It was a good thing, because I don’t think I would have been ready for a long term foster so soon.  He was my first pit bull type dog (though much more American bull dog than pit, I’m sure).

Mandy (left) & Dixie (right) at the UMD Chapel.

Otis

August – September

Zabora! I co-fostered this bumbly little dog with Love & a Six-Foot Leash. I fell in love, but also learned enormous amounts with her – from screening applicants, to doing home visits, to even navigating how to advertise a [pit bull type] dog. This partnership set me up to be able to foster my first full-time foster on my own. Biggest thing I learned? How much of a knowledge vault Aleksandra is!

October

I kept my house open for Curious Georgia to live with us once Aleksandra’s family moved to Texas, but I ended up not being needed because she got adopted by the perfect family! I also, with the help of many, successfully pulled off my first fundraising gala for work.

Photo courtesy of Joseph Allen Photography.

Photo courtesy of Joseph Allen Photography.

November – December

The first week of November I brought home Baxter. We are on a patient journey to find his forever home, and loving every minute of it. Fostering him is teaching me more about dog behavior, blogging, training, rescue groups, photography, advertising, prioritizing, juggling schedules, nutrition, and improvising – to name a few things. I can’t wait to find him the best forever home, but until then he is my perfect little buddy.

2011 has been quite the year. I have never been more excited about the direction my life is taking – it’s like a million new doors have been opened! I don’t have many specific goals for 2012, mostly because I have ideas upon ideas brewing in my head for, like a wise friend once put it, “figuring out what I want to be when I grow up.” All I know is I want to keep finding dogs forever homes, continue blogging, and become more involved in the rescue/advocacy community to learn as much as I possibly can.

Happy New Year everyone!

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

Winter break in review

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Our winter break may be over, but Baxter and I still have plenty to share from it!

Baxter would like to show you some gifts he got over the holidays, before he shipped off to spend the week gallivanting around at Jasmine’s House. FosterGrandma saw how generous he was being with his Kibble for [FB] Comments drive, so she got him a nice big order or bully sticks for himself. Lucky DAWG, right?

He enjoyed a few, then promptly asked me to put a bunch in a bag and send them to Jasmine’s House. He is a sweetie.

A good friend of ours also felt inclined to spoil Baxter and get him a little present. Check out how he inspected the package and even opened it, with only a little bit of help from some opposable thumbs.

Baxter & I are so grateful for those who thought about him during the holidays — gift or no gift. He says he is loving his bully sticks and his kong, but he also loves knowing he has all these wonderful friends on the interwebs! He realizes he is lucky in many ways.

While Baxter was having the time of his life at Jasmine’s House, I was busy doing what I always do around Christmas: taking in the Maine scenery.

I’m still kicking myself for – get this – forgetting my camera! Yes, that’s right: I was completely limited to iPhone pictures the entire time. My Canon was waiting nicely for my on my bedroom floor when I came home from my trip, right where I left it. Talk about frustrating.

My Christmas was wonderful, mostly because I spent it with my loved ones. I have to highlight two fostering related gifts I got from my extremely thoughtful family. First, my sister designed this t-shirt for me.

Recognize those two!? Yep, that’s right – it’s Baxter and Zabora!!!

I nearly (okay, maybe I did) teared up when I opened it. I can’t get over how absolutely perfect and adorable it is! I feel like I am still squealing.

Another thing I got? My mom spent hours and hours and hours creating this for me:

The first six months of my blogging life, in hard copy. She copied & pasted everything – comments, pictures, and posts – reformatted it, printed it out, & stuck it all in a neat binder. Now I’ll be able to keep this part for as long as I want. I know I am going to really appreciate having this one day, even more than I do now. There is something to be said about having things in writing, not just on a computer screen. I am so thrilled about this. Thanks mama : -)

So that was a little overview of our holiday celebration. I am so happy & appreciative for everything and everyone around me! Especially Mr. Bax, who is finally back snoozing by my side. I feel like the world is right again. We are ready spend the New Year finding his perfect forever home!

Happy New Year, everyone! Bax & I are wishing you all a Happy & Safe 2012.

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com.

“Love Me Like My Dog”

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I’m back! Well, physically at least. Mentally, not so much : -) The 12 hour car ride home from Maine has my brain fried, so I’m pretty incapable of giving you all a real post right now. But! Guess what song I discovered on my ride home. Does anyone else like country music? I love love love country music. For many reasons, but one being because they write songs like this:

He never tells me that he’s sick of this house
He never says, “Why don’t you get off that couch?”
He don’t cost me nothin’ when he wants to go out
I want you to love me like my dog

He never says I need a new attitude
Him and my sister ain’t always in a feud
When I leave the seat up, he don’t think that’s rude
I want you to love me like my dog does baby

When I come home want you to just go crazy
He never looks at me like he might hate me
I want you to love me like my dog

He never acts like he don’t care for my friends
He never asks me “Where ‘n the hell have you been?”
He don’t play dead when I want to pet him
I want you to love my like my dog does, honey

He never says, “I wish you made more money”
He always thinks that pull my finger’s funny
I want you to love me like my dog

He don’t get made at me and throw a major fit
When I say his sister is a bitch

I want you to love me like my dog does, baby
When I come home, want you to just go crazy
He never looks at me like he might hate me
I want you to love me like my dog

I want you to love me like my dog does, baby

– Like My Dog, Billy Currington

So fun, right!?

For more information on adopting Comeback Kid Baxter, click here or email peacelovefoster@gmail.com