2.27.12 Raisin’s Ramp

We think Raisin is 13 or 14. Not really sure.  You can see she has cataracts and her eyesight is almost gone. She knows her way around the house but has trouble getting down steps that she isn’t sure about.

Other than her eyesight and hearing….she is very healthy.

She spent the first 3 years of her life in a “puppy mill” and most of that time was spent in a small carrier. Not much interaction with people and most of her time with other dogs was spent trying to get food.

My Mother had just lost her little grey poodle, Daisy, and was not handling it well. She kept saying she did not want another dog. My sister had seen Raisin at the puppy mill and decided she needed  a good home. She said Raisin was in such a dirty state that they gave her a bath and shaved all her hair off…it was such a matted mess. Then she brought her over to my Mom…

Joanne said she walked in the door with this funny looking, naked little dog and said “Mom…this dog needs a home.”

Even though Raisin had not spent much time, if any with people, she must have known that my Mother was meant for her. She jumped up onto her lap and wouldn’t get off. They were inseparable from that day on.

Raisin didn’t like other people near her or near my Mother. We didn’t mind her snapping at us (bit Jim 3 times) when we were home….we felt she was a good protector for Mom, since she lived alone while we were on the road, which was most of the time.

Back to the ramp…Raisin  has a doggie door that leads out onto a small deck. She quit going down the stairs and did her business on the deck. I had enclosed it and kept my Milkweed plants there when we went boating, so they wouldn’t  be killed by a frost. I noticed that something was eating the new ones that I had just bought. Raisin likes to eat grass at times and I guess this was the only thing she could find, So Jim built her a ramp.

The weather has been nice so I blocked off the steps with the plants and started practicing with Raisin going up and down. She caught right on to coming back up…but needed a little nudge to get started down. Yesterday afternoon and this morning she walked right out and down to the grass…all on her own.

If you aren’t familiar with “puppy mills”…check out this link

http://www.atailtotell.com/      be sure to watch the video. Raisin acted just like these puppies, with anyone other than my Mom.

If people would buy from reputable breeders or better yet…take home a dog from the SPCA or other group that rescues dogs and cats, there would be no incentive for someone to run a puppy mill.

Since my Mother passed away and Raising became ours, she has learned to love us both. It took several years before she would ask Jim to pick her up.

If we go somewhere…she goes….boating or camping. I think she enjoys boating most…we are a captive audience and there is always a lap to sit on.