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News From Me - Max!

Merry Christmas!!!

I'd like to share one of my favorite recipes:

Turkey Treats for Dogs

2 cups cooked turkey, cut up
2 cloves garlic
4 teaspoons grated cheese
1 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons brewer's yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Combine turkey, garlic, cheese, parsley and mix well. Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour over turkey mixture. Add the flour, yeast, and oil. Stir until thoroughly mixed and all ingredients are coated. Drop into small lumps onto ungreased cookie sheet. Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until brown and firm. Store in refrigerator.

December 2008
It's been a very busy year for me, Max. So busy that I haven't had time to keep up with my web site. It all started in January, when we rented a new place for the Equine Spirit Sanctuary, our special horse place. We moved there in the springtime, and it's been non-stop work and activities for horses and people. See our other web site for full details (www.equinespiritsanctuary.org).

Now it's almost the end of 2008. I'm still doing my Delta Society pet partner work, along with the equines here who are also into doing therapy work. We have people who come out just to see us and to spend time with us. Some of the regulars are a cool guy in a wheelchair, a wonderful young man with Down syndrome, and others who are autistic. I enjoy interacting with them all.

Check back for ~~weekly~~ regular updates (as often as I can get to them!!

December 2007
It's been a busy, busy year for me. I've done so much. I'm on Christmas break now, along with my kids at Enos Garcia School in Taos where I go every Tuesday morning. I work with two groups - the third graders who read to me in the library and the kindergarden kids who are just learning the alphabet and how to spell words. I love going to school. The kids all know me by name and when they see me coming they yell "there's Max!" I don't think they remember Ruth's name, but she doesn't mind. She can't remember all their names either. But they know me and I love the attention I get. They all want to pet me and walk with me. Makes a dog feel pretty important!

But now it's Christmas time and I have another poem to share.

Little Souls Wearing Fur

Sorrow fills a barren space;
you close your eyes and see my face
and think of times I made you laugh,
the love we shared, the bond we had,
the special way I needed you -
the friendship shared by just we two.

The day's too quiet, the world seems older,
the wind blows now a little colder.
You gaze into the empty air
and look for me, but I'm not there -
I'm in heaven and I watch you,
and I see the world around you too.

I see little souls wearing fur,
souls who bark and souls who purr
born unwanted and unloved -
I see all this and more above -
I watch them suffer, I see them cry,
I see them lost, I watch them die.
I see unwanted thousands born -
and when they die, nobody mourns.

These little souls wearing fur
(Some who bark and some who purr)
are castaways who - unlike me -
will never know love or security.
A few short months they starve and roam,
Or caged in shelters - nobody takes home.
They're special too (furballs of pleasure),
filled with love and each one, a treasure.

My pain and suffering came to an end,
so don't cry for me, my person, my friend.
But think of the living - those souls with fur
(some who bark and some who purr) -
And though our bond can't be broken apart,
make room for another in your home and your heart.

As the year comes to a close, please think about all the homeless little souls out there. Give generously to your local humane society or animal shelter. We're all related, you know. If you are able to provide a home for a dog or cat who has no family, please do so. You won't be sorry!

Here's a picture of me and Ruth. I'm all dressed up in my new Goldstar vest.

August 2007
Since this photo was taken, I've been a busy dog. I've participated in Goldstar activities, including visiting the library for a R.E.A.D. program, going to the school and living center. Ruth and I were invited to a picnic for Taos area special needs foster children and their families. That was great fun - lots of cool kids and good food. I helped with a training session for new Delta Pet Partner teams, where Ruth and I demonstrated the various testing requirements. Then on the testing day for new teams, Ruth helped the evaluator and I was the neutral dog for the actual test. It's been a very busy summer! And now I'm looking forward to the start of school and the R.E.A.D. program, where I will have my very own students. More on that later...

February 26, 2007
We did it! We passed the Delta Pet Partner test and now I am officially a Delta Society recognized Pet Partner dog! As soon as I get my paperwork completed and ID badge from the Delta office, I will get to go to schools and help kids learn how to read. I'll also be visiting the local nursing home as often as I can. We went there one day last week and there were lots of nice folks that I enjoyed visiting with. I can't wait to go back to see some of my new friends there again.

January 12, 2007
Can you believe it - just a few days after my site is launched, I already had a critic contact me. He thought it was not nice of me to refer to my brother Jackson as a "muttweiler." Well, my response to that is that Jackson is proud to be a Muttweiler (I'll even capitalize it to make it look better!). When Ruth tells Jackson that he's the best Muttweiler in the whole world, Jackson wags his stumpy tail and is so proud of himself.

He knows he's got the best of the breeds - Rottweiler, Shepherd, Chow, who knows what his lineage is. He's got a tiny black spot on his tongue which means he may have some Chow in him. His coat is long like a German Shepherd's. He actually looks a lot like a Bernese Mountain Dog, but it's hard to imagine how that could happen in his hometown of Taos, NM. There just aren't a lot of that breed here. Regardless, he's a breed of his own, a Muttweiler and proud of it. So when I refer to him as that, it certainly is not in an insulting way - it is a complement, as far as he's concerned.

Be sure to check out my links page. I've added a new link that's a very special site for black dogs - Contrary to Ordinary. I love this site. It's got lots of great things on it. I filched one poem from it, that I don't think they'll mind if I share with you. It goes like this:

~The Meaning of Rescue~

Now that I'm home, bathed, settled and fed, all nicely tucked in my warm new bed.
I'd like to open my baggage, lest I forget, there is so much to carry - so much to regret.

Hmmm...Yes, there it is, right on the top, let's unpack loneliness, heartache and loss.

And there by my perch hides fear and shame. As I look on these things I tried so
hard to leave - I still have to unpack my baggage called pain.

I loved them, the others, the ones who left me, but I wasn't good enough - for they didn't want me.

Will you add to my baggage? Will you help me unpack?
Or will you just look at my things - and take me right back.

Do you have the time to help me unpack? To help put away my baggage, to never repack?

I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see, but I do come with baggage -
Will you still want me?

~ Author Unknown ~