Practical Magic 2...

After 946 Days Rosie Goes Home with the Officer She Trusted...

After 946 days behind kennel doors, Rosie left Dogs Trust Manchester beside someone she already knew. Bekah was not an unfamiliar adopter reaching into Rosie’s guarded world. She was the behavior officer who had spent the long wait helping the fearful dog build confidence and earning her trust. That distinction mattered. Unfamiliar people frightened Rosie, and only a small circle at the rescue had become people she trusted. Her fearfulness and slow path toward trust made preparing her for a permanent home, and finding the right one, an unusually long process. Bekah worked closely with Rosie throughout her stay, helping her face fears and prepare for home life. Eventually, the relationship changed course: Bekah decided to adopt Rosie herself and welcome her into her family. The adoption ended a kennel stay of nearly three years. More importantly, Rosie did not have to begin her transition with a stranger. She went home with someone who already understood her behavior and individual needs.>>> Why a fearful dog may need a different path... Fear can complicate the ordinary rituals of adoption. A dog who is uneasy around strangers may not approach, solicit touch or appear relaxed during an initial meeting. That does not provide a complete picture of how the same dog may behave once trust and familiarity develop. >>> The ASPCA’s guidance on shelter behavior assessments recommends gathering information from multiple settings and people rather than relying too heavily on one test or encounter. A dog’s behavior at any moment can be shaped by emotional state, stress and environment, and current assessment methods cannot precisely predict behavior after adoption. Daily observations from trained staff, one-on-one social time, walks and foster stays can each add another piece to a dog’s behavioral profile. For a shy dog, that broader view can help a rescue distinguish between behavior seen under kennel stress and patterns that may require continued management in a home. It can also support a more suitable match, including an honest discussion of what the adopter should expect. Dogs Trust explains that triggers differ among dogs and can include noises, visitors, other dogs or touch. When several stressful events happen without enough recovery time, arousal can build until a dog struggles to cope. Its guidance on canine stress signals emphasizes watching body language, identifying individual triggers and allowing time to settle. That is the practical work behind phrases such as “building confidence.” It is not a demand that a fearful dog suddenly become outgoing. It means learning what worries that individual, keeping interactions manageable and allowing progress to occur without flooding the dog with pressure. >>> Letting trust develop at the dog’s pace... For potential adopters, a shy dog may need meetings that look quieter than the familiar meet-and-greet. The Animal Humane Society advises allowing the dog to decide whether to approach, avoiding forced contact and paying close attention to signs of stress. Space is not a failed introduction; for a fearful dog, having the option to move away can be part of feeling safe enough to engage. The transition home should be equally measured. The Wisconsin Humane Society’s fearful-dog guidance recommends beginning with a quiet, low-traffic space and limiting new people and novel outings while the dog decompresses. It also stresses that dogs are individuals: some become more confident with support, while others remain cautious around particular triggers. Owners should consult a veterinarian when fear or anxiety is a concern, particularly because physical and behavioral health can be connected. Dogs Trust notes that its specialist behavior services work through veterinary referral so both can be considered together. Rosie’s outcome belongs to Rosie; it cannot promise the same timeline or result for another dog. Her age, type, adoption date and adjustment after leaving the rescue have not been disclosed. What is known is quieter and more immediate: after 946 days, she crossed into home life beside one of the few people who had already become familiar. --- By Jake Patterson — Freelance feature writer and former animal-shelter volunteer focused on rescue, adoption, and second-chance dog stories. --- doglife.com

Holding Out for a Hero...

Love-Love-Love Possums!!!...

Destroyers...

KARMA comes for us all...

*KARMA comes for us all, whether to reward us for the good we've done or to punish us for our evil. Ha, --- Bad Karma is a sweet looking granny who sits you down and serves you tea you later realize was laced with the same poison you've been dishing out to others for years. But, by then, it's too later for you. Not sorry.

(Many people don't know. Daisies are poisonous.)

It's an Emergency!!!... Call a Wildlife Rehabilitator!!!... :O

Scillian Cooking!!!...

Topkapi in Istanbul...

June 4th is National Hug Your Cat Day... :D

Edgar Allan Poets 3h · Today is National Hug Your Cat Day, celebrated every year on June 4. It is a sweet unofficial holiday dedicated to the bond between cats and the humans they choose to trust. The exact origin of the day is unclear, but its meaning is simple: slow down, show affection, and celebrate the quiet comfort cats bring into our lives.

And, this is what she got...

>>> ;)

Hmmm... What Is "King of Thieves" About??? ...

He’s the greatest thief the world has ever known. The media calls him “The Panther.” The rich, famous and bored think he’s one of them, the magnificent, wickedly charming Duke Alexandre Valentin Rurik Iharovich Volkov, when he goes to where they play in Paris, in Venice, in the casinos of Monaco. Ha, --- he’s there to prey, not play!… In this thrilling and sensuous adult tale, it’s revealed that Peter the Great hid a vast treasure, much gold and fabulous jewels, with necklaces set with emeralds and sapphires as big as hen’s eggs surrounded by diamonds with pearls big as almonds. Directions to the marvelous treasure were pasted inside a magical cursed Romany violin belonging to Alexandre’s many times great-grandmother. Meanwhile, the Shadow Brotherhood, that massive hundreds of years old international crime organization whose symbol is the scorpion, wants Alexandre to go to Turkey, to Istanbul, to the Topkapi Museum to steal a golden statuette for them. Pretty and sweet, a naïve paralegal from Cleveland, Ohio, Theresa Ruhs meets the intriguing aristocratic thief at an opera. They quickly become involved. He seems to be everything Theresa ever wanted in a man, --- so elegant, so charismatic , and the aura of danger surrounding him! He’s even a little delightfully kinky! She’ll eagerly go with the fascinating, sly black haired, black eyed Alexandre across the ocean to Europe, to Russia and to the Middle East, never wanting to admit to herself what she suspects in the deepest part of her heart, --- the truth of what he really is!

A Black Fox Relaxes in a Garden in Yorkshire...

Love the Unloved...

Humble Sparrow...

Mourning Doves...

Gardening Tips & Tricks · April 12 at 1:00 PM · Mourning doves are the most equal co-parents in your yard. And they do something almost no other bird can do. THE PARENTING SCHEDULE: → Dad sits on eggs: morning to late afternoon → Mom sits on eggs: late afternoon to morning → They swap at nearly the SAME time every day → Both lose weight during incubation (neither eats while sitting) THE MIRACLE: Crop milk → Both male AND female mourning doves produce "crop milk" → It's a protein-rich, fatty substance made in the lining of the crop (throat pouch) → It's NOT actually milk — it's more like cottage cheese → Only 3 bird families in the world can do this: pigeons/doves, flamingos, and emperor penguins → The crop milk is the ONLY food baby doves eat for the first 3-5 days → It's so nutritious that squabs (baby doves) double in size within 48 hours Mourning dove love: → They're monogamous (at least for the season) → They do a gentle preening ritual before mating → Male calls = the soft "coo-OOO-oo-oo" you hear every morning → It sounds sad. It's actually a love song. → The name "mourning" comes from humans mishearing love as grief 300+ million mourning doves in North America. The most common native bird in many neighborhoods. And nobody watches them. They're right there. On your porch light. Doing everything right. Together. 🕊️ #MourningDove #CropMilk #EqualParenting #BackyardBirds #DidYouKnow #DoveLove

Mister Toad from "Wind in the Willows"...

Please Be kind To Daddy Long Legs Spiders...

A Lotta Cats Makes Me Happy!!!...