Friday, August 14, 2015

Dear Abby: How to Rescue a Dog

Dear Friends,

I hope you've had a good week!   It has been a nice week here except for (shudder!) tree surgeons in the neighborhood and thunder on two different occasions.  Otherwise, all is good in my world, and I hope in yours too.   

We have a great question this week that I am really excited about.  I hope you will leave comments about dog rescue.  (And I always welcome more questions for future columns!).

My friend Barbara asked:  Hi Abby! We have another question for you. We are interested in how one goes about finding the best Rescue Organization and pet to meet the family's situation. How can you tell if a rescue dog will get along with the existing dog etc. We know you are a rescue, Abby, and maybe you can tell us how it was for you to be adopted. What were some of the challenges? Really looking forward to reading your replies! 

Dear Barbara,

That is a great question!  As a rescued pup, I feel very strongly about adopting dogs and cats who need a home.

I had a dramatic rescue story, but thankfully it had a happy ending.   I was found as a stray living in a shopping center parking lot.  A good samaritan found me and took me to a local rescue group.   They were so kind to me, and took me to the vet.  The vet said I was young and healthy, and I had immunizations, heartworm tests, and a little surgery we call a spay.   I then went to live with a wonderful foster mother while waiting for my forever home.   I waited and waited ... and then totally by chance my Momma saw me online.  She knew that I belonged with her family.   It was tricky because I was far away, and transport had to be arranged.   I travelled to my new home in an RV!   I was a perfect lady on the trip and considered the travel a big adventure.   

When I met Momma, we loved each other right away.  I came out of the RV with lots of kisses.  Above, you'll see a photo of me when I first arrived at my new home!  I kissed my new brother (the late, wonderful Barney Fife) as well, and I settled in.  I was happy from the start in my new home.  I had a couple of nervous potty accidents my first week, but then I worked with Momma on a schedule for frequent walks and all was good!   I loved my new brother and we got along great.  It was a perfect situation for us all. 

If you are interested in adopting a rescue dog, you have lots of great options.   I always recommend starting with local animal controls and shelters in your area.  The dogs (and cats, let's not forget the kitties!) at these shelters are in the most urgent need of rescue because many of the shelters only hold available pets for so long.  Many shelters have pets listed online, but I highly recommend that you actually go to the shelter and walk through.  You can learn a lot about personality and temperament (and this is all important!) by meeting pups in person.  You also will find many more pups at the shelter than what you see online.  The online photos for animal controls are taken by nice volunteers, but they are not there taking pictures every day. 

If you don't find a new fur-friend who is a good match at the shelter and you are looking for a specific breed, I recommend you Google to find a rescue group for your breed.  For instance, if you are in Florida and you want to adopt a dachshund,  you could type in different searches like:  Florida dachshund rescue, Miami dachshund rescue, and so on.   This will help you connect with rescue groups who will specialize in one breed.  Their pups will be living in foster homes, and the foster parent can give you a lot of information about the doggie, i.e. how she does with other dogs, whether she likes children, housetraining, etc.  If you adopt through a rescue group you will fill out an application.  They will want to know more about your family, including any pets you have.  Most rescues will contact your vet for a reference, and will conduct a home visit.  This is all in the interest of finding the best match for the doggie.

Maybe you don't have a special breed in mind, but you would like a small dog for an apartment or condo, or a big dog who likes children.  Then a good starting place would be Petfinder.  You can search at that site by size of dog, location, breed, age.  You also will find good "all breed" rescue groups in your area that way.  

If you have a doggie and want to adopt a new friend, it is ideal if you can let the pups meet before adoption.  If that isn't possible, you will want to find out about the new pup's temperament and how he or she does with other dogs.  When introducing new dogs, it is ideal to meet in a neutral location (not at home, where your pup may feel a bit territorial).  You will want to have another friend or family member there, so you can each have a pup on a leash.   Let the dogs sniff each other and then walk together on leashes.  This is a nice, low key way to let them get to know each other.

Whatever you choose ... rescue is such a happy event, and a rescued dog or cat is a blessing to a family.

I hope these thoughts are helpful ... and I would love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Love and xxx's,
Abby

Book Review and Giveaway: Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin

Dive into Sarah Sundin's explosive new series, Waves of Freedom, with book one, Through Waters DeepWhen evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges–and dangers–await them in the midst of their budding romance.

My Review:

I love historical fiction, but rarely find novels set during the 1940's.  I am so excited to find this new series - and also to learn about Sarah Sundin's other novels set during this period.

I absolutely loved this novel.  Mary is an intelligent, likable protagonist.  I love that she was inspired by Nancy Drew to work to solve a mystery.  Jim is also strong and sympathetic.  I loved the deep friendship, respect, and growing romance between these characters.

Although I understand where Mary's deep shyness came from, it was hard to watch her stand back so much and shy away from the spotlight (especially in the first half of the book).   It was heartening to see her grow in confidence and come out of her shell.

I loved the mystery in this novel.  It was complex, and kept me guessing.  I love mysteries as well as historical fiction, and felt the mystery aspect of this novel was especially exciting.

The historical details were beautifully written.  I loved the short chapters that began with a date, so I could follow the characters along in their lives - and in the time leading up to World War II.

I very enthusiastically recommend this novel, and look forward to reading more of Sarah Sundin's books.

 Join Sarah in celebrating the release of Through Waters Deep by entering to win an Anchors Aweigh prize pack!


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One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A copy of Through Waters Deep
  • A nautical tote bag
  • A set of compass rose notecards
  • A "Hope Anchors the Soul" journal
  • A Boston Tea Party earl grey tea set
  • Through Waters Deep apron
  • A set of nautical tea towels
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Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 24th. The winner will be announced August 25th on Sarah's blog.


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I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie



AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER
Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie
Releasing March 1st, 2016
William Morrow
Historical Fiction 


In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.

From her earliest days, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France. And it is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that she learns of her father’s liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age.

Patsy too has fallen in love—with her father’s protégé, William Short, a staunch abolitionist intent on a career in Europe. Heartbroken at having to decide between being William’s wife or a devoted daughter, she returns to Virginia with her father and marries a man of his choosing, raising eleven children of her own.

Yet as family secrets come to light during her father’s presidency, Patsy must again decide how much she will sacrifice to protect his reputation, in the process defining not just Jefferson’s political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.

Pre-Order Now
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Giveaway:


Meet the Authors:

Laura Kamoie has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction as the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty books, Laura Kaye. Her debut historical novel, America's First Daughter, co-authored with Stephanie Dray, allowed her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters.


Find Laura Here




STEPHANIE DRAY is a bestselling and award-nominated author of historical women’s fiction. Her series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into six different languages, was nominated for a RITA Award and won the Golden Leaf. As STEPHANIE DRAVEN, she is a national bestselling author of paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and American-set historical women’s fiction. She is a frequent panelist and presenter at national writing conventions and lives near the nation’s capital. Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the stories of women in history to inspire the young women of today.

Find Stephanie Here