Time to SLOW down

Between a full-time job, running a rescue (with the help of amazing people), being a wife, step-mom, dog & cat mom to 5, keeping the household down and with the Holidays fast approaching, I needed a minute to just stop and smell the roses.

Life is good and I mean like really good. The rescue is great and becoming more of a success than I ever thought could. My job rocks and I enjoy going each day. My husband is hot so that’s a plus and my step-son is like the coolest kid ever! Plus, I’m going to Mexico in less than a month so what do I have to complain about!

Well, then I suddenly woke up from my fairy tale by Barnabee’s excruciating cough. Then I start to think, when is the last time I’ve spent some quality time with Barnes, aside from our good morning kisses and evening snuggles but some good quality time. It dawned on me that time is going by quickly and Barnes is only going to be here for a little while longer so I need to put down the computer, put down the cell phone and give him my undivided attention. Let me tell you, he was stoked!

B loves his hair brushed and cut so that’s exactly what we did. Usually, I prefer my salon to be outdoors with the overwhelming amount of hair that comes off my 100lbs dog but seeing we live in Minnesota, that wasn’t an option. We would freeze our butts off so the living room it was. I trimmed up his paws that were similar to a gremlin foot and shaped up his ears. I tell him that with his short ears he looks like a “spring chicken”. Then we brushed his whole body until we had a pile of hair the equivalent to April (my black cat).

Winter is so hard on Barnabee and to think this could be his last breaks my heart. His body is getting older, he’s getting stiffer and walking to get a drink of water has become a chore. They say you know when you’re ready but do you really?

What I do know that right now isn’t the right time. He’s wagging his tail, giving me kisses and greeting me with his big ole’ B smile still. He goes to the bathroom outside, he’s eating and drinking and loving every moment still with us (besides when the cats drive him nuts or Deuce is being a pain). He’s loved and he’s happy, that’s all that matters. 

So going forward, I am going to slow down and enjoy the time I have left with Barnes. I love the quote “Blessed is the person to have earned the love of an old dog” and I truly am. Now it’s time to go, I have a hot date with a 14 year old “Mutt”! ;) 

It's been awhile!

Hi, it’s me – Bethie! The writer of this blog. You may have forgotten about me because of the neglect my poor blog has received. The neglection of my blog doesn’t reflect the care of my poor animals although since starting the rescue they think my computer has become a new family member that has my full-time attention and they are a bit jealous (and confused to why it doesn’t bark or meow).  

We are on month THREE of Grey Face Rescue & Retirement and I feel as though we have been up and running for year. I’m exhausted and my brain is about to explode but I am so completely in love with what I do (shout out to my husband and step son as well – in love with you both as well!).  

I learn something new every day and I’m going to emphasize the everyday! Today, I learned that looking for a space that will allow us to not only utilize as an office and meeting space but to store 100’s of pounds of dog food along with treats, kennels, toys, bowls, bed and everything else needed to keep our senior dogs happy AND have the ability of letting dogs come to the building if need be… is difficult. Oh ya, it must be cheap too and big to store all our stuff. Piece of cake, right?  Not exactly. This is something we need now too but there’s another obstacle… donations.

Which comes to the next thing I’ve learned. Donations aren’t a walk in the park – that’s for damn sure! You would think that when you start a non-profit for something you are really passionate about people (friends and family) would just throw money at you, right? Nope. That’s not how it goes. You have to earn it by hosting fundraisers, selling merchandise, having a silent auction or you can follow in my foot steps and drowned everyone’s Facebook in pleas to donate to Grey Face. I’m curious to how many people have blocked me from their News Feed. I don’t blame them… I’m annoying but I’m consistent, passionate and have the mindset if I fill up their News Feed with cute senior dogs that need their help then just maybe they will give us a dollar. DO NOT FOLLOW IN MY FOOT STEPS because it’s not working and I’ve most likely pissed some serious Facebookers off from their daily creep session (I get it, I’m a creep too – it’s often I find myself on my co-workers, Grandma’s, Best Friend’s page and totally forget how and why I’m there).

One thing I do suggest… NETWORK! Befriend all those crazy weird animal advocates and join the army of misfit dog and cat lovers that speak a different language then the rest of the world. We’re the kind of people that live each day for slobbery wet puppy kisses (smelly dental diseased kisses in my case). We’re having full on conversations in our highest pitched voices with dogs that don’t understand a thing we’re saying (so you think).

Something my husband has requested I work on is that when I get home from work I kiss him first prior to finding all 5 of my animals, give them big hugs, quality pets and hairy kisses then with my furry mouth attempt to give him sloppy sixths (sevenths if we have Deagan). Can you blame him?

Until next time… possibly next month J

What I have learned about the Rescue Biz

Since launching Grey Face Rescue & Retirement, I’ve had my ups, my downs, smiles, tears and a new found late night bedtime which means lack of sleep. This isn’t a “hobby” nor a day or evening job. This is a 24/7, around the clock, working your ass off VOLUNTEER job – when you’re the President. I currently work a 40-hour a week job plus am apart of AAF of Central Minnesota so time is limited but that hasn’t stopped me. Here are a few things I’ve learned thus far:

1.       Time Management: This is key – especially for individuals like myself. I’m balancing a full-time job, AdFed, a family, 5 animals, friends AND Grey Face. If only there were more than 24 hours in a day I would do one hell of a job but for now, I think I’m doing ok.  God bless my husband for listening to me vent about the massive amount of papers to file for our 501(c)3, crying over meetings that weren’t encouraging, extreme happiness over meetings that went fantastic and the fact that after working 8 hours I go straight to my office for another 4-5 hours every evening. Therefore, I am nearly invisable to him but he understands this is a dream and he’s supportive. He deserves a medal or a vacation or a lifetime supply of beer… SOMETHING. The guy is a saint.

2.       There will be good times AND bad times: There will even be times where you consider giving up or feeling as though “I don’t think I can do this”. I’ll admit – I’ve thought that. There is A LOT that goes into a rescue and I’m only 3 months in! It’s only going to get harder from here and don’t worry, I’ll blog about what I’ve learned 1 year, 3 years and 5 years into the world of rescue but for now, this is what to expect at the beginning.

3.       Don’t expect too much: I’ll admit it, I thought my family and friends would be throwing money at the rescue and the support would be endless but not all people are rescue people nor animal people. Hell, the Facebook page has been up and running for a couple months and about ¾ of my Facebook friends list hasn’t even “LIKED” it (I just keep telling myself that they don’t check their “Liked Page Suggestions” – or whatever it’s called). Donations are HARD and you end up begging but it’s part of the job.

Don’t get me wrong – through the smiles and the frowns, I am SO happy with my life and the path that Grey Face is going to take me. I’ve met AMAZING people along the way thus far, worked with awesome rescues, felt so much support and have had lots of encouragement. It’s truly a challenge but I feel as though I’ll learn a lot along the way. Cheers to just the beginning and years of savings seniors. 

Don't Let Old Age Slow You Down!

Is your dog slowing down? Are they having a hard time getting up and down the stairs? Did their happy-go-lucky personality slowly turn into the world’s cutest couch potato? If so, they might not be receiving the supplements they need.

Barnabee was slowing down and his health was becoming a concern. At 13 years old, everything is concerning to me but we seek every option to keep him happy, comfortable and healthy until the time comes where we have to say good-bye.

After starting my adventure with Grey Face Rescue &Retirement, I reached out to rescue groups in Minnesota asking for advice and the items they felt were necessary for Senior Dogs. Katie Jo, bless her heart, from Secondhand Hound’s Hospice Program, reached out and informed me that supplements are a senior dog’s #1 need. In the meantime, I’ve been giving Barnabee Fish Oil pills, a suppressant for his coughing and was on a sodium-free, boiled rice and hamburger diet. All seemed to be working ok but not as well as I would hope. Katie recommended WapitiLabs Senior Mobility. You can purchase them from Amazon. She had mentioned that dogs have entered their hospice program not even able to walk and after a couple weeks on these supplements they were running. I thought, WOW – I need to try these for B.

Let me tell you, it’s been a world wind! B is running, yes… running! I don’t think I’ve seen Barnabee run since he was a puppy. He has energy. He’s getting up and down great and walking around the house. It feels great to see his health improve so quickly and so tremendously. He’s really happy and you can tell by his big puppy-dog smile.

If you or someone you know has a senior dog struggling from old age, I highly recommend these supplements. It’s been nearly night and day for Barnabee and a blessing to see him comfortable, happy and healthy. 

Grey Face Rescue & Retirement

It’s here… it’s finally here – Grey Face Rescue & Retirement. I’ve waited my whole life to open a rescue. I’ve always wanted to help animals but there were limitations. Such as, I could NEVER be a Vet Tech – I am WAY too emotional. I cry when the Vet Techs (bless their souls) hold Deuce down to clip his nails (it takes two of them and muzzle). I thought about working at a Shelter but I can barely walk into the place without adopting an animal that I think working there would be terrible for not only my pocket book (my animals cost an arm and a leg) but also my marriage. My poor husband can barely keep up with 5 animals, let alone any more. I’ve also been told that I wouldn’t “fit” in a shelter setting – I don’t know what that means but I trust them.

With the influence of very successful and amazing rescues and shelters in the St. Cloud area along with my favorite show Pit Bulls and Parolees – I thought a foster-based rescue is exactly what I wanted to do. Ok, I accomplished that, a foster-based rescue but who am I going to rescue? Cats? Dogs? Fish? Horses? Monkeys? Well, dogs, of course (hopefully someday we will take in senior cats but at this time, only dogs) but do I take in ALL dogs, special need dogs, puppies, seniors, black dogs? This question took a while… but once it came apparent I knew it was the right choice. B (Barnabee) is the most important thing to me. He is my 13 year old “Mutt” that has the world’s largest heart, so goofy and so full of love AND he loves no more in this world then me.

You can read the story of how we got B here but since he’s been at MY house for the last 2 years, we’re inseparable.  B’s one and only flaw is that he gave Josh the misconception of what dogs are really like. B made Josh think that all dogs are calm, sleep all day, can go hours without being let out, didn’t need much exercise but preferred to be petted for a good 10 minutes. He thought dogs didn’t bark, didn’t chew on things and didn’t jump on the furniture. All you had to do was give them a scoop of food in the morning and night. Boy, was Josh wrong and Deuce made that VERY clear. I could go on and on about how much I love B and how much he means to our family but this isn’t what this blog is about.

It’s about Grey Face Rescue & Retirement - Grey Face Rescue & Retirement is a non-profit, foster-based rescue dedicated to giving senior animal’s stability and security when the norm becomes unfamiliar.  We provide high quality care & love to senior animals.

Grey Face is to represent all those senior dogs that have grown their fair share of grey hair that cover their muzzles. Grey Face Rescue & Retirement will provide comfort to senior dogs that are no longer able to stay with their original owners by no fault of their own. Their previous owner could be enduring a tragedy such as a medical condition or death within a family. Or they could simply be a poor excuse for an animal caretaker (because we won’t refer to them as family) and give up their senior dog because “it doesn’t get along with the new puppy”, “they just don’t have time for it”, “10 years after we got the dog we have now developed an allergy”. All are real life, douchey, excuses. But have no fear… that’s why Grey Face is here!

LIKE our Facebook page and DONATE today to help find these old souls their forever retirement home. 

A Devil Dogs Love

SAPPY POST ALERT – but I can’t help it! There are days where I question my love and compassion for Deuce especially lately. We have just recently began leaving Deuce out of his kennel during the day and at night. Unfortunately, he’s not taking to his new found freedom. We have been coming home from work with poop and diarrhea, everywhere. It’s ALWAYS by the side door where we let him out.

Before you ask the obvious question, YES we do let him out before we leave for work and YES we do let him out before bed.

After a couple hours of googling and asking my knowledgeable Facebook friends, we’ve come to the conclusion that giving Deuce that much room to “control” was giving him anxiety and he wasn’t ready for the responsibility of watching over the entire house. This is fine! I can understand that. We have now been baby gating him in one room to control a smaller area. Let’s hope this continues to work (knock on wood).

Here’s the sappy part – When I was playing catch with Deuce last night, it made me realize how much LOVE I have for him. He is truly an amazing dog. I’m guilty of calling him “devil dog” and portraying him as a killer and in all honesty – he isn’t the friendliest to others BUT it’s because he has a true passion for Josh, Deagan and I.

My big masculine scary Pit Bull follows me EVERYWHERE in the house, tucks his tail between his legs and hide in a corner when he’s in trouble (we don’t even have to yell, he just knows), cuddles in our bed, snuggles with Deagan and wags his tail like no other when we walk in the door. Have I mentioned how smart he is? He’s a genius of a dog when he wants to be of course.

Deuce truly has made an amazing impact on our lives and we’re only 1 year into our time with him. We have MANY more years of love, passion and complete craziness with our devil dog. I’m looking forward to see what’s in store for Deuce. 

Register to Rescue

Couples preparing for marriage are so fortunate these days. We receive beautiful gifts, attend amazing showers and parties in our honor and when all is said and done; walk away with a good chunk of money (although, weddings these days cost an arm and a leg). Throughout my 20-something months of engagement I was SO confused why we receive gifts for getting married. I know it’s tradition that the Bride and Groom don’t live together until marriage but unfortunately, Josh and I don’t follow tradition. We’ve been fortunate through our 5 years together. We own a house, we have great jobs, we have 5 healthy (for the most part) animals and a happy 8 year old boy that gets spoiled with iPods, toys and games. Sure, we could use extra money to pay off the outrageous amount of debt we have or buy a new car but those are not necessities to our life. We can continue to make monthly payments on student loans and wait to purchase that new car when the Chunkmobile finally dies. So, we thought to ourselves… how can we help those less fortunate?

Two HUGE organizations that are near and dear to my heart are The Alzheimer’s Association and the ASPCA. Although, I support ANY animal rescue organization but as a child I always wanted to be an ASPCA officer.

As I am surfing online for way to volunteer my time and skill set to help animals after the wedding I came across the most amazing opportunity to donate towards a cause that I love! ASPCA has come up with a “Wedding Campaign” where guests can donate in your honor. This had me nearly in tears because what an amazing idea.

Future Brides and Grooms – if you are as passionate about animals as I am, you need to join the Wedding Campaign with the ASPCA. Let your guests know that you are supporting something AMAZING. So what if you only raise $100.00… That’s $100 more than they had before. Plus, you are creating awareness for this awesome program benefitting animals in need.

So donate today, in honor of Josh, Deagan and I along with Wilma, Leo, April, Deuce and Barnabee to end cruelty to animals and give those animals in need a second chance!

è DONATE HERE: Gondeck Wedding Campaign