Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Farewell My Beloved Friend......

     I haven't written in my blog or really any social media for the better part of this year. Unhappily , Both myself and Tank had health problems , and sadly we just couldn't help Tank forever. So this is for my best friend who made his journey to the Rainbow Bridge........

     Tanky came into my life 13 and 1/2 years ago. He was saved from getting killed on the beltway by two of Husky Havens' volunteers , Alicia and Blake. If not for them I never would have had the pleasure....so thanks so much to the two of you! I wasn't going to take him initially...I had two huskies and was fostering a couple, but we took him to a show and he spent the day sitting at my feet and staring at me so I , of course, relented. 

     He was always game when I dressed him up for the holidays, the huskies and my current pitties hate that. From his first Christmas with me......





     He was always the most calm dog.....I loved him so for his demeanor. When my house full of huskies would be sitting around then go full WMD 10 seconds later, Tank would hang with me and we'd just let them wear themselves out. He never met a dog he didn't like , or at least tolerate.

     I think I did Tank a disservice.....when I started this blog it was all about the huskies , my dogs and helping to get Husky Haven dogs adopted....and Tank didn't get very much time on my blog. I have a ton of stories , and even though he is just gone, I want to write them. I miss him more than I can say and maybe writing will help.


     I miss you my best boy.....

     More to come.....


Saturday, December 24, 2022

Christmas Dogs.......

I wrote this last year...but decided not to subject the kids again. I liked these pics and figured they deserved another chance to be seen. Merry Christmas to all of you!!!!     

 Every year I buy or borrow some type of Christmas collar or headpiece for my dogs. This is something they really don't appreciate. I've been taking pics for years and keeping them for my own enjoyment but I want to post them. I had a bunch with my Huskies that I will probably post later this week or next, but I want to post this year and last.

     Last year I bought some antlers and you can see how that came out!!!!

Tank is always up for it!!


    Tank is my bullet proof dog. Nothing really phases him. Whenever we take these pics he's the one shot guy, he knows it will be done in a second!!!

     Ah, the girls......not so much. For every out of focus pic I finally get there are 40 that get trashed. Well here is last year for the girls.....







     Lu on the top and Faith under......best pic I could get of either one!!!!

     So I was walking through Kohl's a couple of weeks ago to finish my shopping when I saw the next great Christmas accessory for the kids!!! I knew they wouldn't feel that way but.....so here they are Tank, Lu and Faith!!









    As you can see, same reactions, but you've got to admit that tree is cool!!!
    I was putting the tree away and found a collar I had used and decided to put that on Lu.....lo and behold I couldn't believe it!! At last I have one in focus Christmas pic for her!!!!

     Have a great evening!!!!

Thursday, December 22, 2022

The Story of Kaylene (Mango)

I always hate to report about our wonderful dogs who have now gone to the Rainbow Bridge....but Kaylene has now joined that group. Those of you that were around Husky Haven many years ago will remember her. I was going to write something but decided that the story her Dad, Randy, wrote was better than anything I could say. We will miss you sweet girl........


 Alone and scared with blood streaming down her muzzle, the nameless six

month old Siberian husky lay on the side of the road with a bullet lodged in her

face. Some cruel and heartless person shot her and left her there to die. The

young dog’s story could have easily ended tragically there on the side of the

road, yet another casualty of animal cruelty. No one would tell her story or

remember her as a faithful companion.

As luck would have it, this dog’s tale would have a different ending. The Houston

SPCA ambulance picked up the petite black and white Siberian husky and

rushed her back to their facility to stabilize and evaluate her. A call was made to

Pat Snyder with Husky Haven, Inc. to see if she would take the girl into her

rescue program. Pat listened to the voice on the other end of the phone tell of the

callous shooting and the little Siberian’s need for medical care and a second

chance at life. Husky Haven has given over a thousand second chances to

abandoned and abused dogs. As soon as Pat heard of the young dog’s plight,

she knew that she had to help. This anonymous dog would receive a name and

an opportunity to have a future. Pat decided to call the unnamed Siberian husky

Kaylene.

Pat rushed to the Houston SPCA to pick up the dog and drove directly to the

Canfel Care Animal Hospital where Dr. David Wainwright was awaiting their

arrival. X-rays revealed that there was a bullet lodged in her nasal cavity. As he

assessed the extent of the injuries, Dr. Wainwright determined that in order to

remove the bullet, the Siberian would have to undergo invasive surgery and lose

an eye. The veterinarian decided that leaving the bullet was the best course of

action. He performed surgery removing bone from the right top side of her jaw

and had to extract all of the upper teeth on the right side of her mouth. A hole the

size of a quarter remained starting from her nasal cavity leading through to the

roof of her mouth. As a result of her injuries, drool drained out of her nose and

she required a special diet. Her sinuses were easily irritated and she had

frequent sneezing spells.

During her recovery time as a rescue in the Husky Haven, Inc. program, Kaylene

learned that people can be kind and helpful. Her gunshot wound began to heal

and eventually, after several months, the hole in her face closed up completely.

The scar remains as a reminder of a malicious and cowardly act perpetrated on a

helpless animal.

It was also during her recovery that Kaylene met her best friend. Tango is a

large, beautiful black and white Siberian husky. Pat was caring for him on a

temporary basis while his owner was overseas for work. Tango met numerous

rescued Husky Haven dogs, but Kaylene was the only one that ever really

interested him. The two became fast friends. They played together and took naps

together; they were inseparable.


Tango’s owner returned to Houston and came to pick him up and take him home.

He saw the strong bond that had developed between Tango and Kaylene and

decided that he had room in his heart and his home for one more. Kaylene finally

has a forever home with a loving and compassionate man and her best friend.

“Within the heart of every stray lies the singular desire to be loved” - author

unknown. It seems fitting that the author of this quote is unknown as are so many

stray animals that never get a chance to know love and safety, but are forced to

run the streets and fend for themselves. The “Happily Ever Afters” are what make

the rescue effort worthwhile. Knowing that a dog is alive and becomes a member

of a real family as a result of your efforts is a great feeling.


Tango passed away in April of 2014, he was a wonder friend to both Mango

and I. After he passed Mango was so depressed that Husky Haven came to

the rescue again by providing a new best friend for her, his name is Arizona

and we are all bonded together for life.

September 27, 2020 Arizona crossed the Rainbow bridge. He was a best

friend and the happiest, anyone could have ever had. He is missed by all.

Mango is now 12.5 years and doing well. She misses Tango and Arizona, but

still has her human love on at her forever home.


After Arizona ascended Miss Mango was Queen of the house even though

she had aways been. Mango and the cats Mimi and Ashly had a truce but did

give chase and torment each other from time to time.

I was home most of the following years with Mango. We enjoy our walk

routine every day either going down to the creek or along Champions Drive

picking up golf ball. Over time Mango as we all do was slowing down.

Occasionally, she had the zoomies and did her Happy-happy dance, she was

always ready to go-go on a walk The spring and summer of 2022 were not

kind to her she had surgery to remove a cyst on her eye lid and again to

remove a broken tooth from when she was shot. She recovered but

continued to slow down over the following months. I knew the time was

getting close, but she continued to be happy and excited. On November 10 th

I departed for a work trip to Africa. during that time her organs began to

shut down. Upon my return on December 15, she was in pain and swollen.

She was happy that I was home but there was no happy dance or even a lick.

All she wanted was to go for walks even though she was in pain and would

stumble. We walked that evening, and I was up at 3am Saturday morning,

she was sitting outside in the rain and cold. When she saw me, she just

walked to the gate to go for a walk. We had several shorter walks before

10am and she laid in the front yard grass has her, Tango and Arizona all

enjoyed, she was at peace. She was with me from September 2009 until

December 16, 2022. I was with her when she passed and at that time, I felt

a deep happiness and very bright light from her as she reached out and told

me she was fine and love me deeply as I love her. I was at peace knowing she

had ascended to be Tango and Arizona. Saki, Ike, Siber, Ruskie, Sasha, Mike,

Cookie, Sut, and all the other’s animals that have touch my heart.

It the “Story of Kaylene” the last sentence “Kaylene finally has a forever

home with a loving and compassionate man and her best friend.” Mango gave

me 13+years of happiness and love for a forever home. Love you Mango, don’t

be shy come visit me anytime!

December 16, 2022 Randolph Conrad.


Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Miss Lu

      So I think I'm back , I've said that before but feel new energy to write. I had a ton of stories when the rescue was up and running....I was there every day at least once sometimes more. I was in on every adoption and foster and had plenty to write about. The rescue closed and then so did the world and so did I. I couldn't think of anything when I was stuck in the house and nothing happening. But I have a ton of stories I've never told, so let's get to it.

     I have posted pictures of Lu on both FB and on this blog but I never introduced her. Two years ago , in May I think , I was going through my FB and I noticed a post for a dog that was on the EU list for that Saturday morning. She looked like my Faith somewhat and I contacted the rescue to offer some money to get her to a kennel. This pic just broke my heart.......


     I sent them some money and asked them to let me know if she had been saved. I didn't hear from them for 24 hours but I finally got a note that she had been saved and was safely in kennel. I was very relieved and decided to go see her after she had some time to decompress.

    A week or so later I went to the kennel to meet her. She was a pretty big girl and would not come near me the whole time I was there. I'm used to standoffish dogs , but she was a another level. She didn't even want to take a treat!! I kept going there, I guess I wanted to win her over, to no avail. I also helped with a large portion of boarding. I don't really think I was planning on bringing her home, I had just lost my two boys, but that is how it shook out.



     Two months later she was delivered to my door , this 70 lb. dog, that I had never touched!! Within two hours she was sitting next to me on the couch with her head on my lap!! She and I have been attached ever since. She loves me and my two other kids. So that's how Lu and I met.




    A couple of things I want to mention , sadly I lost my Miss Lizzy six years ago and unfortunately I lost my dad four years ago. Miss Lizzy was my first dog and the best.....my dad was just the best period.....

Have a lovely evening....

Talk to you soon.....

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Christmas Dogs.....

      Every year I buy or borrow some type of Christmas collar or headpiece for my dogs. This is something they really don't appreciate. I've been taking pics for years and keeping them for my own enjoyment but I want to post them. I had a bunch with my Huskies that I will probably post later this week or next, but I want to post this year and last.

     Last year I bought some antlers and you can see how that came out!!!!

Tank is always up for it!!


    Tank is my bullet proof dog. Nothing really phases him. Whenever we take these pics he's the one shot guy, he knows it will be done in a second!!!

     Ah, the girls......not so much. For every out of focus pic I finally get there are 40 that get trashed. Well here is last year for the girls.....







     Lu on the top and Faith under......best pic I could get of either one!!!!

     So I was walking through Kohl's a couple of weeks ago to finish my shopping when I saw the next great Christmas accessory for the kids!!! I knew they wouldn't feel that way but.....so here they are Tank, Lu and Faith!!









    As you can see, same reactions, but you've got to admit that tree is cool!!!
    I was putting the tree away and found a collar I had used and decided to put that on Lu.....lo and behold I couldn't believe it!! At last I have one in focus Christmas pic for her!!!!


     Tomorrow a few more pics for the season....
     Have a great evening!!!!

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Husky Haven....

     It's been two years since Pat has passed and I think a lot about Husky Haven. I learned everything I know about dogs from Pat (and I knew nothing) , made some great friends and really worked hard. My favorite part was taking a dog in tough shape, nursing them back to health and picking the perfect home!! I don't know if I could do all the work I did 15 years ago, but it was a great experience. 

     In January of 2020 , my friend Denise and I were trying to come up with a way to permanently celebrate both Pat and Husky Haven. Denise contacted the parks department and I took it from there. I bought/donated a bench from the parks department to sit in Bill Archer Dog Park. Denise wrote the remembrance for the plaque , we picked out a spot and it was a go. The bench was installed last summer but the party we planned didn't happen. Covid has taken over for the last two years. I have pics of the bench and if you go to that dog park maybe you will take a pic with your dog! 

     I miss my friend Pat today and everyday and hope she hanging with all her huskies at the Rainbow Bridge!!!!


 


Have a good afternoon and my dogs will be appearing in their Christmas finery in a day or two.

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

BLD

     I haven't posted for about four months.....been pretty ill and doctor appointments were taking over my life it seemed. Still don't know exactly what's wrong.....but I'm feeling better and I want to start again.....

     So I start with a sad entry......we lost our sweet boy BLD aka Trooper last week. I started this blog in 2012 which was the same time BLD came into Husky Haven. He came in with a terribly broken leg (BLD broken leg dog) and some of his teeth knocked out. When we went to the surgeon to have his leg repaired she told us he had no road rash or abrasions...so someone actually hit him with something to break that leg in so many places. He had major surgery and was really great about it......

     I posted a lot about his progress that year...he had a set back and had to have another surgery but handled it like a Trooper, that name was given to him in a contest I had on the blog, he healed quite well considering the extent of his injuries.
     By 2013 he was out of his apparatus and moving really well. One thing you need to know about him...he was not a speed demon...pretty sure if he escaped any of us could have caught him!! 
     He stayed at the rescue most of 2013, gaining strength and feeling better. In 2014 our director required major surgery and since BLD was an inside dog we needed to find him a foster. I got him to a friend and it indeed seemed like he might get adopted. Pat came home and recuperated, I found out the foster home was unstable, and a few months BLD was back as our de facto mascot.
     He stayed at the rescue for the next three years....to tell you the truth I don't think Pat wanted him to be elsewhere. One of those instances of spending so much time with him and nursing him back to health. He was a favorite on our volunteer days...he wanted love from everyone and they obliged!!
     One funny thing that he would always do, especially on volunteer days. On those Saturdays lunch was provided for everyone (Thanks Barb) and people would carelessly leave plates with food on the coffee table...easy pickings for BLD. When you would scold him for his bad behavior he would back up, sit down, fix you with his brown eyes and hold up his wounded paw. I have to admit , it worked, because we'd all start laughing. He used that trick all the time!!!!
     In 2017 when it was clear that we would be getting forever homes for the remaining dogs and shutting down the rescue we looked for a place for BLD. One of our volunteers, Charlene and her family stepped up to the plate and BLD went to his forever home!!!





    

     I went to see him last year and he looked so tired and old....poor boy. He just was so sick at the end...that was it. We never knew how old he was but probably 12 or 13 when he died....hate to think of his first few years before he got to us. I will so miss that silly boy, after he had his surgery I went over every day to help with him so I was pretty attached to him too!!!
     Hope he is chasing everyone around at the Rainbow Bridge.....
     Love and miss you......

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Today Would Have Been Your 95th....

 Was thinking about my dad today....would have been his 95th birthday!! He got to a pretty good age, 92, before cancer so quickly took him out. For most of his life he was in great health but those last eight months were really bad.


My friend Denise and I put together a 90th birthday party for my dad, that's what this pic is from....he was a good sport!! 

I miss you a lot..........

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

And Once Again......

 It was so hard last year when I lost TJ in February.......Covid had just started coming around and I had a broken arm and I was broken hearted. I never expected that last year could get worst.....but it did when I lost Volga a year ago today. 


When Husky Haven closed in February of 2018....Volga was one of the last guys out. I always promised him he would come with me if no one else ever stepped up. He was with the rescue for a long time, he was deemed a bad dog when he bit someone once.....in his defense he has just been rescued from animal control and was in a noisy kennel, when some lady decided that pulling his tail as hard as she could was some kind of test, he freaked and bit the handler. Not a bad bite but yes. Our director was trying to decide to put him down or not...I said bring him to the rescue and I will help with him. I couldn't take him then....already had four...but took good care of him at the rescue. He didn't like many men.....loved my son...he would have gotten adopted soon if he did.


He was a really old guy when he died....15 or 16...but on top of TJ, by March I already had the worst year.....
It was always funny TJ and Volga really liked each other....no fighting, no hassles. I used to walk them together all the time and I like to think of the two of them together at the Rainbow Bridge.


I miss you boys......


Sunday, February 7, 2021

One year ago today........

 I lost my beautiful, funny boy TJ.


To say I miss him is an understatement......I so loved that boy. He was with me for a long time....12 years...and was doing well until the last month of his life. 

He was one of three dogs that were picked for adoption 13 years ago. Only two of the dogs were adopted that day and I took TJ home then. Didn't know if he would get along with Lizzy but the two became fast friends.


I have a funny story to tell about our first Thanksgiving. I had put together a basket of homemade pumpkin bread and zucchini bread for my brother and his wife. Went to get a shower and came out to the kitchen...basket on the floor and a huge piece of pumpkin bread sticking out of TJ's mouth and a look of "What me?".  Luckily I had plenty and put a new basket together....couldn't really get mad and laughed about that for years!!

He was my son's fav guy and after he moved he would always ask how TJ was doing.



I miss you boy and hope you are having fun at the Rainbow Bridge with Miss Lizzy and all our other friends.......

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

July...

So I had some things I really wanted to say in July.....but I also had a ton of computer problems. The computer is kind of working....hopefully my IT guy, my son, will be here soon to fix it up like it used to be.

Anyway, while things are stable, here were my stories for July. I , of course, lost my Miss Lizzy four years ago in July. I still think of that girl every day...my first baby so she left such a lasting impression. I hated to see her sick for the two years she had pancreatic cancer....but she was a trooper to the very end. She was still telling everyone what to do even though she was sick, loved how she ran my house for me, really miss that too!!

This picture was taken a few months before she headed to the Rainbow Bridge. I miss my girl terribly!!

Ten years ago I took in my first non-husky....Mr. Tank. He was literally pushed out of a slowly moving car on the Beltway here in Houston. For those of you who have been around here that's a scary, horrible place to be dumped...really being dumped in general is horrible. Luckily, Blake and Alicia, two of HH volunteers happened to see this and scooped him up. I wasn't really planning to take a third dog of my own at that time....but we took him to a show and he stared at me the whole day.....so I did!!


Tank when I first took him in....he has always been great about wearing whatever I put on him!!!

A slightly older and wiser Tank. A bit of gray but still my great buddy. So glad I gave him a home ten years ago!!

On a slightly different note....I wish everyone the best, myself included, living on the Gulf Coast with Hurricane Laura coming at us. I can't believe we may have to go through this again just three years after Harvey!!! Please take care....

Have a great evening.......




Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Two Years Ago.......

 I got that phone call around 4 am......you know, the one that notifies you that someone you love has passed. In my case it was my Dad. He had been ill for all of 2018....started getting sick at Christmas the year before and was diagnosed with a fast moving cancer in April of 2018. Through all of it he was in pretty good spirits.....lapsed into a coma a couple of days before he died. I know that the one thing he always wanted to do was go back to his independent living....but assisted living was the only option for those last 8 months. Sadly he couldn't get around very well and needed the help. I was there every day and helped keep him sane really!! I miss him every day and I think about it a lot now with the Corona virus. In some ways I'm very happy he didn't have to endure this. It would have been terrible for both of us to not see each other every day. In his case I think he would have faded faster.......

This picture was from late 2017, just before he got ill. Hanging with my nephew Jacob. I miss you Dad...thinking about you every day.....

Have a lovely evening and see you soon......



Thursday, June 18, 2020

Throwback Thursday......

  I usually don't do Throwback stuff on my blog or on Facebook , but I thought I'd make an exception today. Last Christmas my son updated my dad's old computer for me. When he did that he also took all the memory cards from my old camera and loaded pictures that I forgot existed. I broke my arm in February before I had a chance to check them out and I finally got that chance this last week.
  I was looking through the pics and found some from the Reliant Dog Show from 2010. This was one of the first years we upped our game at the shows. Thanks to our great volunteer , Cyndi, we really looked exciting and were so organized. I have to give her all the credit for the shelving, team tees and everything that made us look so professional. I actually forgot all these people were there , and sadly I can't remember the names of the dogs we had with us. There have been a lot of dogs in the last ten years!! Funny aside here....maybe not so funny.....I was at that show with a broken ankle. Really don't like the broken bone stuff!!!

Oxana, Becky, Barbie, Cyndi and Ross at Reliant 2010
If any of you remember the dogs please comment....a feel pretty bad about that!!
Have a wonderful evening.....