Destroying Toys

Pictured above - one of Saul the Dog's many toys that I scored at PetCo in the 2/$5 bin.  Yes, these doggie toys may be cheap, but they tend to stand the test of time for a bit for Saul.  Here is Foxy, all pretty and clean, before being strewn to death by the jaws of Saul.  This is what Foxy looked like after about a week:

Saul seems to have an affinity for the stuffing in these toys, as it's now all over my house.  It's in the TV room, the kitchen, on my bed, and in the hallway.  And the beauty of it all?

I don't care.

Saul is happy.  I'm happy.  Kidlet A and Kidlet B are happy.  Saul runs up to me while I'm working on the computer at 11:00pm at night, trying once again to figure out some sort of convoluted lesson plan that will keep thirteen year olds alert and interested at 8:00 in the morning after they've had either no breakfast or a Dunkin' Donuts Coolata full of sugar.  He forces me to play, shoving the torn apart toy at me.  I throw, he runs.  Repeat.  How can I not smile.

Especially hilarious is the "Faceless Bear" that Saul has created.

Confession - Kidlets and I found this in a box of toys for free by the side of the road, and scooped them up.  Fine, call me a bad doggie mom for taking stuffed animals and giving them to Saul.  Do it!  But it was damn funny to see him chew up the monkey whose arm pulled from one side to the other.  And we didn't pay for it!  He did rip the eyes out of the above bear, but no worries!  I was RIGHT THERE to retrieve the eyes so he didn't eat them.  He carries the Faceless Bear around the house in his mouth. I truly think it could be the predecessor to a horror movie plot line.  Seriously, this thing is down right creepy in person.  My photo focuses in on that smile and makes it look nice.  But imagine it covered in dog drool, all wet and smelly.  You would certainly be in fear.

So I went into the "No Way You Can Destroy Us!" toy section.  I found this amoeba-looking thing that seemed promising. It was made of rubber.  It had spikes and eyes (non-removable, for those folks who are still reeling from the bear incident).  

Minutes - just minutes! - later Saul had chewed Mr. Amoeba in half!  He was very sad when I pulled half of Mr. Amoeba out of his slobbering mouth and threw it in the trash.  Staring at the trash for about five minutes, I wondered what was going through Saul's head.

I did go to Facebook for advice.  People were helpful, and I did take them up on their ideas.  Some suggested antlers.  Others suggested marrow bones.  The marrow bones seem to be a good bet.  I kind of like the idea of buying marrow bones at Stop & Shop.  It makes me feel very primal to get they hunkin' bones at the supermarket.  People also offered the suggestion that perhaps Saul is bored or anxious.  Hmm...  We do give Saul lots of stimulation.  He loves to stare at the cats, especially at 4:15 in the morning.  We all have our hobbies.  

I can't go to Petco or PetSmart without a coupon and NOT buy a toy for Saul.  It's like My Strange Addiction.  Or better yet - the new challenge in my life.  Will I find a toy that Saul cannot destroy?  Today's pickings included this "Tuffy" toy.  It was in the form of a rabbit, so I immediately liked it.  What could be cuter than Saul carrying around a rabbit in his mouth?

The prognosis?  Within a half hour Saul had taken the ear off of TuffyBunny.  We'll see.  He's still playing with it an hour later, so it is his new, favorite toy.  As long as Saul is happy, I'm happy!

By The Sea

Do you remember your first visit to the shore?  If you grew up around Boston, probably not.  Visiting the ocean is one of those things that myself and the kidlets grew up with.  Some of my earliest memories were visiting my dad's great aunts in York Beach, Maine.  They were both teachers, and had the most adorable cottage right on the water, high above the rocks on the shore.  I would sometimes go up with my nana and papa, spending the day at Short Sands Beach and touring the little shops nearby.  What would I always remember most?  The scent in the air.  The minute we got off of the highway we would roll down the windows, and the aroma of the ocean would envelope the car.

Years pass, and let's admit it.  We forget how lucky we are to live so close to nature's magnificence.  Although I'll confess the minute I get off Route 95 that sunroof slides open, no matter what the temperature.  The air.  So pure.  There's nothing like it.  And our dog, Saul, found out for himself just how special it was last Sunday.

It took a bit of investigating to find a beach that would allow dogs at this time of year.  Being a confessed cat person for the past nine years, I never thought about taking a canine anywhere.  I started researching beaches, and found a great site, Bring Fido.  However, as my mind tends to wander, I ended up spending about ninety minutes browsing all the sites around New England that I can take Saul.  I kept coming back to my childhood favorite - York Beach.  Available for dogs on leashes this time of year before 8:00am and after 6:00pm, this seemed like the perfect time for an adventure to the Atlantic.

So up on a Sunday night Kidlet A, B, and amiga ventured in the Volvo to York for the hour car ride with Saul, ever so excited, in tow.  That dog ***loves*** car rides!  When we turned onto Route 1 I opened up that sun roof, and Saul's snout immediately went heavenly. He sniffed, sniffed, and sniffed again.  The tail was wagging.  The four of us were so excited to see his reaction.  One could tell that this was a totally new experience for him by his reaction.  How cool!

Kidlet A with Our Dog Saul

The true test came when Saul hit the shore.  The kidlets and I are total wave divers, no matter how cold the water is.  Kidlet B went running towards the ocean with Saul.  And what happened?

Saul froze.

Saul was terrified of the ebbing tide.  He was confused, running away from the water as it edged against the shore.  For the four of us, we were just amazed, literally mind blown at the idea of being afraid of the tide, something that for us which had been ingrained into our being since we were kids.  But Saul is a southern guy, not accustomed to the ocean.

The seagulls quickly became a focal point, however, as he pulled at the leash and tried to chase them.  He barked, and wanted to play.  Nose to the wet sand, Saul sniffed constantly, taking in all that this new planet offered to him.  It was truly sensory overload.  Saul woofed, jumped, tried to run, turned, and kept his nose in the air for any new scent that would come his way.

While the kidlets and amiga ate dinner I took Saul for a solitary walk on the beach, far enough away from the tide so he wouldn't be frightened.  This was probably one of my nicest memories of the summer of 2017.  Saul is helping me re-learn a lot that I've forgotten about myself.  Happiness can come in the scent of the ocean, or the chase of a gull.  Or the hug from a puppy...

Settling In...

Saul the Dog is settling in very nicely, as you can see from above.  It's been a week since we picked him up in Woburn.  What excitement that was!  The waiting after about two and a half weeks - to finally see him!

I guess it was similar to meeting one of our exchange students we've had in the past.  You see photos, chat on the phone, but nothing compares to that actual meeting when you get to experience the personality.  And yes, Saul definitely has a personality!

From the moment he jumped in the Volvo we could tell he was quirky, fun, and a perfect fit for us.
I've been trying to do "Saul Selfies," but as you can see from below I'm not having much luck.  He doesn't seem like a selfie kind of guy.

Like a lot of dogs, Saul loves his toys and rides in the car.  Kidlet A, Kidlet B and I enjoy spoiling him in this manner!  He especially loves "Foxy," the red fox that he's seen with in the first photo.  Playing is definitely a much-loved past time for him.  Saul has tried to engage the cats, Victoria and Avi, in play, bringing Foxy up to them.  Um, it's not working.  Victoria will his, and Avi just growls.  It's actually pretty funny to watch - Saul there with his tag wagging, so wanting to play with the kitties and them just not wanting anything to do with it.  However, a week in and he's not chasing them, and cats and dogs are all complacent in one room together - good progress!  

I had forgotten how much devotion a dog can give to someone.  Saul is at my feet right now, being so attentive.  He sleeps with one of us each night, along with one of his toys.  Those eyes just melt my heart!

Stay tuned for our beach adventure tomorrow night!  I believe it will be the first time Saul has seen the ocean!

The Waiting...

Fox, Roark and Kristin have an announcement to make!  We have a new family member coming on Saturday!  His name is Saul, and he's a rescue dog from Tennessee.  From what we've been told, he's a hound mix. He's the brown dog in the photo above.  Here he is, about to make the ninety minute ride form the North Carolina border to Knoxville, where he got on a truck for Woburn, Massachusetts, only to wait two days to meet us tomorrow!  How exciting!

The boys and I haven't had a dog since sweet Annabelle the bloodhound nine years ago.  It was time.  We've thought about this, and decided upon it together.  Fox actually found Saul online, and we went forward with him.  Let's see what the future holds!

This whole process has truly been an eye opener into the world of rescue dogs and the plight they endure.  I was truly naive to their lives before this process.  Now I cannot even begin to imagine what these poor pups go through.  The torment.  The waiting for a forever family while they may be minutes away from euthanasia.

Yes, I've been a devote cat gal over these past nine years, but I look forward to opening our home to a canine now.  Our cats have been exposed to dogs (my brother's minpin in particular), so we feel it will be ok.  You know how the time is just right?  That's what this feels like.  The three of us are extremely excited!  This feels good!  We cannot wait for Saul the Dog to arrive tomorrow!

Updates, of course, to follow!  Come along for the ride! :)