Update on Gemma

[NatureJunkie]

As an update to the blog and video I posted on March 3 ("You Can't Put a Good Dog Down"), I want to share some good news about Gemma, the German shepherd I’ve been working to find a home for.

A dog trainer in Marin County (just north of San Francisco) saw the video of Gemma and has volunteered to provide her with a foster home until she finds a permanent home. The trainer has several acres of property and
four large dogs. She feels confident that she can socialize Gemma to other dogs
and Gemma will receive some great training as well. The cherry on top is that
the trainer has a large client base and she believes she will be able to find
Gemma a home with one of her clients after Gemma’s training and socializing are
complete.

I have always resented those members who log in occasionally only to post their own content and then show selfish indifference to the content shared here by others. And now lately, to my embarrassment, I feel I’ve
become one of them. The shelter work I’ve volunteered for has taken up much of
the time I used to give to Vloggerheads and the Ark. In addition to making more
videos of adoptable animals and walking dogs at the shelter kennels, I’ve also
become a foster mother to a tiny dog named Wheaties, who was untrained an
un-house broken when he came to me, but who will soon be the light of someone’s
life when his time with me is over. (He now rings a bell to signal me when he
needs to be let outside and I have become his butler.)

A great big shout-out and thank you to BlancheNoE, Ruth, Tahllulah, Pyper, Jim, and soho2014. And most especially to Syd and to Chig who inspired me in indirect ways to take on this work. Your comments of support
were truly kind and gave me encouragement that all the work on Gemma’s behalf
would pay off.

It’s time for me to rebalance my priorities so that I have some time for you people again.

Even Wheaties says so. Gotta go now. The bell is ringing.

[SydTheSkeptic]

Omigosh, what a sweetie pie!! And what great news regarding Gemma!!!

[BlancheNoE]

*huge grin* Thank me?,..naww, thank YOU fellow creature lover. Since we're talking updates,
a very soggy Bouncer plopped into Pen's lap out of nowhere this morning as he was feeding the birds. He dried off after 2 or 3 runs back and forth from his burrow to deposit the freebies.
I can't believe he's middle aged already,..he's complaining about his knees and bitching about the younger generation's loud music.
Wonderful news about Gemma and Wheaties is so very lucky to have you as a mentor (butler).

[Chig]

Gemma gets to travel and meet new doggies! :-)
You did a wonderful thing for that pup. You know you had no small part in helping her out of her current situation. Thank you.

[JustAnotherUserName]

A bell? I want you to take my hooligans for a few weeks and whip them into shape!!!

[NatureJunkie]

@ Syd: I'm greatly relieved by this news. My anxiety level about Gemma's fate was growing every day.

@ Blanche: Bouncer is middle-aged already? Jeez, they grow up so fast, don't they?

@ Chig: I helped a bit, but there really was a whole team of people working on her behalf, and one woman in particular took on all the financial expense of her boarding and special food. It's a great group of people I've fallen in with.

@ Ruth: I love training dogs. I like to turn training sessions into play time and I believe the dogs really dig it. A dog who has learned some human manners is a pleasure to be around, but the learning is a two-way experience. I think I learn much more from them than they do from me.

[Pypermarru1]

One of the things that is so appealing about you NJ, your love of animals. Course your blatant disregard for the poor lonely cats of the world is disturbing and cruel....I'm just say'n.....:0)

Seriously, I love that you spend your volunteer time helping animals. Those animals are lucky to have you as a friend and so am I.

[NatureJunkie]

@ Pyper: As your ranchette for wayward and feral cats out there in the desert continues to grow in population, I feel someone is already looking out for the feline portion of Assisi's legacy, freeing me up to get my daily dog fix at the shelter.

Seriously, I am lucky to have you too.

[peacenik]

Wow....Wheaties is surely becoming the little champion that he was intended to be. He is looking so good, because you ARE so good! So happy to hear the great news about Gemma. She will make somebody out there a wonderful friend.
Here is a little known fact about NatureJunkie...When she was a little girl she always made drawings of people with tails. Everybody got a tail.

[NatureJunkie]

@ Peacenik:

Oh lordy. This is the hazard of having a presence on the Internet with your little sister watching.