Transport #3: Bernie, Marvin, and Buttons

Today started off with a phone call from my somewhat frantic parents telling me I shouldn't go on the transport today because the weather was going to be awful (lake effect snow and all that). I told them it was on and I would deal with it. A short while later my Dad called and offered to help out. So we took his car (a Chevy HHR we call the Great Pumpkinmobile) and he and my mother accompanied me.

The weather was fine the whole way out. Windy, cold, but clear and sunny. We picked up the dogs at the same exit I've been meeting everyone at. The St. Bernard/Bernese Mountain dog puppy (who everyone has been nicknaming Bernie) was MASSIVE. I knew he was going to be, but you never realize how big 85 lbs of dog is until you meet him face to face! Marvin was a sweetheart, but he definitely was not a big fan of Bernie's -- whenever the big clumsy oaf would get near him, he'd growl a bit. Some of that might have been because he had JUST been neutered, still had the stitches and all. Poor kid! Buttons, the Shih Tzu, was as sweet and calm as could be. He so desperately needed a trim and a bath, but other than that he was doing well.

Buttons ended up curled up on my mother's lap. Marvin we put in the back seat with me. And we put Bernie in the back part (it's a station wagon). Things were going along fine until Bernie decided he wanted to get some attention from me. First he stuck one foot over the seat and kept tapping me on the shoulder. I started paying attention to him and the next thing I know, he's trying to crawl over the seat to get up with me. Bernie was absolutely convinced he was a lapdog, despite the fact that he weighed at least 85 lbs! We managed to get him to stay in the back and he finally settled own and slept the rest of the way there. Marvin also settled down and slept most of the way (after having to give everyone a kiss! awww!). Buttons spent part of the trip curled up on my Mom's lap and part of it laying on her feet, sound asleep.

All three were absolutely sweet dogs. When we arrived at the site, the people who were taking Marvin off to his forever home were already there. We walked him, let him do his business and passed him off to them and he was off. We walked the other two dogs and then hopped back in the car with them (poor Buttons was so cold he was lifting his feet off the ground). Bernie crawled over into the back seat with me and tried to crawl into my lap. Like I said...massive lapdog!

The other people finally showed up and we handed them off easily enough. And then they were on their way to the rescue association. I hope they both find good homes!

As always, I took some pictures. My favourites:






Bernie:







Buttons:


The rest can be found here.

Transport #2: Buddy

Today was my second transport. I had agreed to take Buddy, a cocker spaniel/poodle mix from Syracuse to Rochester. I met Patti, the woman who had the leg before me at exit 38 and got to meet Buddy. My first impression of him was "spaz." He ran all over on the leash, couldn't calm down. But he seemed to love me on first sight (and I felt the same!). He rushed over to me and jumped up to give me a big "hug." He was so sweet!

We got him into the car really easily and we were on our way. The trip out was rather uneventful. Buddy paced back and forth for a little while, looked out the windows, stuck his head between the seats to get a pat, and took to ripping apart the the paper thing I had put down to keep the pet blanket from slipping. Note to self: toss that thing out! lol

He finally settled down and slept for much of the rest of the trip.

We arrived some 45 minutes early at the meeting place. My first thought was to call and let them know I was really early. But then I decided...why should I? That gave me a lot more time to hang out with Buddy. So we walked around the ground of the Hampton Inn a bit. He had a ton of energy and so it was more like a pulled run. After making the rounds, I decided I was too cold to stay out in that wind much longer, so I got into the back seat and Buddy followed me in. Once in there, he was TOTALLY calm. All he wanted to do was crawl onto my lap and get petted. Every time I stopped, he would look back to me and curl up a little closer. He was such a sweetie! We had quite a time to bond and he really seemed to like me.

He didn't seem to like the people who showed up to pick him up (lovely people, I'm sure). He growled at them, barked a little, and immediately tried to run back to me. It was really strange. I SO wanted to take that dog home with me. He was such a wonderful sweetheart. Whomever adopts him is going to be REALLY LUCKY. He's perfect: sweet and cuddly, but with plenty of energy to burn off on long walks! It was really hard seeing him continue on the transport.

I managed to get some great photos of him (and a few of me with him, despite having to take them myself! lol).

A few of my favourites:











The rest can be found here.

Transport #1: Molly & beagle puppies

So I'm all done my very first transport and it was so much fun!

I took off a little before 1pm and just as I was leaving, I got a call from the person who was meeting me there. She had arrived early. So I rushed off, put some gas in the car, and met up with them. The dogs were just ever so sweet. Molly hopped right up into the car, though she limped a bit and shuffled her way over. She's the calmest dog I've ever met.

The beagle puppies just wanted to play, but it was easy enough to get them into the crate. They chewed on the towels and shoved them around a bit, but settled down within the first 5 minutes of the trip. I almost forgot I had them most of the time because everyone was just so quiet. I regretted not having Molly on the front seat as she kept sticking her nose in between the seats for a pat.

I arrived at Herkimer really early. So I took Molly out for a bit first. The main problem was that they didn't provide leashes for the puppies, so I had my leash plus Molly's which meant only two at a time. Since I couldn't get Molly to go back in the car at first, I had to take the puppies out one at a time. Of course, this gave me a chance to play with each and get photos of each. By the time the other woman had arrived, I got Molly back into the car and had the two puppies out.

I didn't quite count on Molly's intelligence there and left the back door open by the crate, thinking she couldn't get around it. She did and got out of the car, but luckily, we were both there and the other woman (Marci) just hooked her up with one of her leashes.

The transfer went pretty smoothly and we got the puppies into their crate, Molly into the car, and we were off in our opposite directions.

And then came the real fun. ;-) My key chain had come undone in Herkimer and I didn't think to check the keys until I was well on the road. Well, one was missing..the one to our apartment! Oy! I stopped at a rest area, got the number to the apartment office, and managed to talk the woman into leaving a key for me in the box. Phew.

So now I'm back and with lots of pictures!

Here are a few of my favourites:















The rest can be found here.