Two Dog Farms Jindo Dog Rescue Fund Raiser

Santa Monica friends, visitors and jaywalkers, you've probably seen me walking about Santa Monica with Dory, my incomparable, sweet Jindo dog. Saturday, September 6, 2014, Dory and I will strut our muttness to help raise money for the 501c3 Jindo rescue group that saved his life some 2.5 years ago: Two Dog Farms Jindo rescue. Please help me raise some always-needed funds to continue the work of rescuing these amazing dogs. You may not be familiar with Jindo dogs, but they're a different kind of cat. Actually, their temperament is often compared to half cat/half dog.  If you love cats and/or dogs -- you'll love Jindo dogs and be moved, touched and inspired to support their continued rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing through the  efforts of the only Jindo rescue group on the West Coast:Two Dog Farms (all volunteers too). Donations are tax deductible, good karma and soul-fulfilling. Thank you in advance! Now, back to practicing my strut.

Priceless

(Photo credit Elena Gerli)

Today marks the second year I've shared my life with my rescued Jindo dog, Dory. In previous posts I've detailed the saga that converged our lives to this point. Sharing life with a timid yet happy, quiet, gentle creature has been uplifting, joyful and challenging in ways that have made me a better human. Making life better for my canine companion has brightened life for me. 

Every morning Dory greets me with a wagging tail and Jindo smile. He eagerly goes with me on trips to parts unknown to him yet he jumps into the back seat when ever the car door is open, trusting that when the door opens again he will be greeted with new and interesting scents to stimulate and excite his mind.  He has sat in the passenger seat, nobly relinquishing his usual back seat, ignoring the rescued dog in the back seat who's being transported by me to another foster home.

 

He patiently waits when strangers, who see us on our twice daily walks, question me about Dory's breed and ask to pet him.  Interactions I'd never have had if this sweet-looking dog wasn't walking with me. Interactions that allow me to meet new people, hone my people skills and share the story of the remarkable Jindo ("They rarely bark, are clean like cats and can hold their pee & poo for 8 hours or more --  the perfect apartment dog").

Dory makes me laugh when he springs, Tigger-like, into the front yard, eager to play "chase me" in the morning or when he looks over his shoulder at me, in case I'm ready to go for a walk.

While I've always loved and cared for a variety of animals, the sheer sparkling brilliance of Dory's existence has moved me to do more for the remarkable creatures with whom we share this breathtakingly beautiful planet. I volunteer with the Jindo rescue group, Two Dog Farms, who rescued Dory from certain death at a municipal animal control facility when his time expired. I volunteer at my local animal shelter, help transport rescued Jindos to fosters, help find fosters, assist adoption events, continue to learn about Jindos and dog behavior and other elements of animal rescue.  One action flowed into another and then another until a whole new segment of life carved out a place in my life with Dory.  With every dog rescued, starting with Dory, there is a sense that this activity makes a positive difference to the lives of others who, like me, take on the care and safety of a neglected, abandoned but ever-so amazing dog. The blossoming of dogs who go from the frightening, unsure existence in a kennel to life in a home is its own compensation. In fact, it's priceless. 

Sunday At the Beach with Dory

In a continuing episode of Adventures with Dori - scared, adorable Jindo dog extraordinaire -- currently being fostered by this Santa Monica resident, this photo essay is submitted. 

"I'm the best dog I know how to be..."

Sunday, March 4th, having made impressive progress facing fear and flinching in Santa Monica, I journeyed with bright-eyed and eager Dori through the loudest part of Santa Monica to its most congested and attractive part -- the beach.  Actually we only went to the Pacific Palisades park which overlooks the beach near Wilshire Blvd. 

"Meh..."

Regardless of the beautiful day, clear sky, low surf, Dori Dog was none too impressed, clearly turning his back on the ocean so it wouldn't scare him.  Earlier he had been seriously startled by his shadow so the ocean scene was a bit beyond his ability to face new fears for the day. 


Walks with Dori are studded with full-body flinches and crouching plus the occasional attempt to avoid or escape.  Dogs and those on the other end of the leash are supposed to enjoy and bond during walks but walking with a hyper-vigilant and nervous dog who turtles his tail with every city sound is challenging work (to be fair, for a dog whose previous 5 years was spent alone on the end of a long leash staked in a back yard in the quite Pasadena mountains, Santa Monica must sound like he's in the midst of blunderbuss hunting season for Jindo dogs). I thought a back pack would help Dori feel more confident on his walks. So, with the help of one of Mr. BoJindo's back packs, which arrived today, Dori got a new red bag! 

"Now what?"

Dori accepted the back pack (which, empty, is about the weight of a bath towel) without fear even though it required some fiddling under his chest where the straps connect with clasps that can sometimes pinch. Nevertheless, Dori stood still while I lowered the shoulder straps over his head, the bags across his back and clicked the chest straps together.  I had to cinch the chest straps a bit since Dori is probably 10 to 15 pounds lighter than Mr. BoJindo but Dori patiently tolerated -- or perhaps enjoyed -- all the handling and physical fuss.  The pockets are filled with his poop pick-up bags and some handi-wipes or me.  When he gets some of his weight back I may add a water bottle so he'll have water on longer walks.

The back pack seemed to help Mr. BoJindo focus when he walked or hiked so he wouldn't ramble and charge off to the end of his leash after a squirrel as much as he did without it  I hope it'll help Dori feel more secure when we walk.  We'll soon find out!

Once outside with his back pack, Dori met my neighbors who patiently introduced themselves and offered a gentle hand to scratch his neck. 

To be continued...