In 1999, two middle-aged women – Nancy Houser and Sandra Marquiss – starting out working with dogs, llamas, cats, goats and anything that happened to wander into their old farm yard. With a few breeding dogs, life was basically pretty simple. But eventually things began to take place that neither woman expected.
Neighbors, people from town, and dog breeders began bringing dogs to them that were ill, had behavior problems, were very elderly, or were unwanted. Dogs were dumped in the middle of the night on the highway that ran past their place. Life quit being simple.
With a background as CNAs and Medical Aides for the State of Nebraska, they were called for emergency puppy whelpings, sick dogs and many other things. Pretty soon, they were overwhelmed. Today, they have several dogs to care for that are elderly or have behavior issues.Either way, they have a home forever ... the dogs, not the women. Well, maybe them too.
Some examples of the daily cares are J.J. (Joyful Jasmine), a Shiba Inu who refuses to eat – requiring four feedings a day from a small spoon; little Buttons, an elderly Rattie who is so shy and retired, she needs special care and is just now coming into her own at ten years of age.
There is also little Tilly Mae, a Rat Terrier-Pomeranian hybrid puppy who was born at two ounces. Today at full growth, she weighs only three pounds. She thinks she is a one-owner dog – and now belongs only to Nancy. Holly Higgins, a little black and tan long-haired doxie, was born at 1 1/2 ounces with a parrot mouth, needing to be tube-fed until she was over three months of age and decided she wanted to live. Holly requires a special diet and a special way to eat because of her parrot mouth.
Barbie Doll – a Miniature American Eskimo – was taken out of a breeding mill about 7 years ago. She runs loose and is over 26 years of age, only recently slowing down a bit. Trixie – a large red 17-years old Pomeranian – was rescued from a breeding mill and has learned to slowly adjust to running free with the old girls. Today, she sleeps at the bottom of Nancy’s bed with a few of the other girls. Of course, these are just a few of the dogs who fill their days!
Way Cool Dogs was begun online to better inform the public on dog care. Most of the dogs who are in shelters are there because of the lack of knowledge about dogs. We try to hit all kinds of solutions and stories to improve on the care of dogs. The problems we have, we assume that many others have also.
Way Cool Dogs is written in Central Nebraska – a blog full of dog information, lots of photographs; dog health and research related articles; dog product reviews; guest posts; and up-to-date dog news and information. Freelance writing on the web supplies care, food and medical care for the old ones - plus teaches us two old birds what life is all about!
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