"Yesterday I spent some quality time with Meryl. Every dog needs an enriching life, but with Meryl’s court-ordered status to remain at the sanctuary for life, enrichment is especially important for her. Enrichment is anything that is fun, exciting, and enjoyable for the dog, and provides mental and/or physical stimulation. Dogs would naturally get this enrichment in the wild, by spending hours searching for food, looking for places to sleep, and chewing and digging. Since we have brought dogs into our homes, dog guardians need to ensure our dogs get enough enrichment to remain healthy and happy. One of the easiest ways to start is by using the dog’s daily ration of food and presenting it in challenging ways for the dog, rather than just giving a bowl of kibble.

Here are some of the enrichment activities I did with Meryl:

Treats were tossed on the floor for Meryl to sniff out and find, or hidden under a blanket. I gave Meryl treat-dispensing toys like a Kibble Nibble and Buster Cube. I hid treats in a cardboard box for Meryl to open up. I read to her, and played a DVD of animals for her. She learned how to bob for treats in a bowl of water! I let her sniff and chew on some green grass I had grown in the small pot. Meryl enjoyed my homemade ice cubes in two flavors: cream of chicken soup and peanut butter. For a finale, she got a large raw beef soup bone for chewing (which is also great for cleaning the teeth!) Based on Meryl’s relaxed, happy body language, she seemed to enjoy everything I presented to her, and loved the challenge!

I had just as much fun as Meryl, watching her pleasure in figuring out the new challenges and her reactions to new and interesting sounds and smells! There are so many fun things to do with dogs, and it just takes a little bit of effort to enrich a dog’s life significantly."


Do you see why everyone at Best Friends who is working with our Vicktory Dogs should be given a very special reward?     From a life of horror and pain and then death, these wonderful dogs are now happy, healthy, and have friends to play with and people who respect and love them.      And hey ------ how come I don't get no chicken soup and peanut butter ice cubes?    What am I doing wrong!

Little Red and Georgia were two of the other Vicktory Dogs that Lydia got to meet.

                                          

You may have seen her on the cover of the New York Times! But Georgia doesn’t exactly think of herself as a celebrity. She thinks of herself more as a very lucky dog who narrowly escaped living her whole life in pain. She was one of the dogs rescued from the property of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick. Her ears were cropped, her tail had been broken several times, she had scars all over her face, she’d clearly given birth to many litters, and she had no teeth. That was her life! When Georgia arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she didn’t trust anybody. Until she made a special friend in John Garcia. Watch as their friendship transforms this abused dog from a fearful victim into a cutie-pie who snores, plays, always carries a bone in her mouth, and is even fighting to pass the Canine Good Citizen test.

Georgia has become quite a DIVA (and no one could deserve it more... she has been on Larry King and on Ellen DeGeneris shows (don't tell Hudson that..... he still wants to dance with Ellen, and you can read all about her progress if you have your mouse take you to Georgia's Journal

And lastly, but not leastly, Lydia met Little Red -----

                                                                                  

Little Red's face tells a thousand sad stories. She arrived at Best Friends clearly having nursed many puppies. She was covered in facial scars, and had teeth that had been filed down.  We think that Little Red was a "bait dog", and I don't even want to tell you that story, cause it is too scary for me to even think about.    But I know that now, instead of running to hide, Little R comes racing when she sees her care-people coming and you know what?  She smiles!

If you want to have some information about how you can help sponsor The Vicktory Dogs at Best Friends, you can go to the web-site and get all of the details.   You can help with donations, and you can write them letters and tell them how much you love them and admire them for their bravery!   Do it!

And while we finish up the subject to The Vicktory Dogs at Best Friends, please take some time and get your mouse person to take you to Pit Bulls: Saving America's Dog  which is a very, very special section of the Best Friends Web Site(s).   You will learn so much about us "pitties" and I am betting that you will be very, very surprised at some of the things you will be finding out.

Lydia said that their second day of working was a long one, but nothing she has done recently has been more rewarding.    And to give themselves a present, I am betting that a trip to town and to the nearest gift shop was probably on the adjenda

   I wish this guy was coming back to Virginia =, but looks like he might be a bit overweight for the baggage handlers!      Puppy Up, Sis!   Puppy Up!


Love and LIcks,


Bob
Boy Bloginator PitBull Extra Ordinary